A/N: Happy New Year readers! I am excited to be in my final semester of college although it's been an intense week. I woke up early to write since I'll be occupied over the next few days so I hope you all enjoy the chapter. Now, on with the story!

Chapter 7

Commodore Shona stood in the middle of her office with arms folded behind her back as she studied a painting on one of the walls. It depicted a battle scene between two fleets, one consisting of Marines and the other of pirates. The art was a reminder of the brewing conflict between justice and crime, a never-ending struggle that she had dedicated her life to. She had been searching for Remi Deniz for a few weeks now, but so far her men had been unable to pinpoint his whereabouts. After days on end with no new leads, Shona had chosen to contact one of her most trusted officers for help. The woman she was waiting to meet with was a Marine Captain known for her diligence and efficiency. A knock suddenly sounded on the door and Shona called for the person to enter. The door swung open and a tall woman strode inside, her steps purposeful and her expression stern.

"Captain Foxglove, thank you for coming," Shona greeted as her eyes met a pair of brown ones. "I'm sorry to contact you on such short notice."

"Of course, Commodore, but there's no need to address me so formally."

Foxglove appeared to be in her late twenties with light brown skin and a slightly muscular frame, her height towering over her older superior. Her hair was pulled back into a French Braid and was black, though it consisted of many streaks of red. She was wearing the traditional Naval coat of a Marine officer adorned with a robin pin and medals she had achieved for her service. Underneath her coat, she sported a fancy, black shirt, red tie, grey pants, and black, high-heeled boots.

"My apologies, Alicia," Shona remarked, the corners of her lips curling upward. "You seem to be doing well. Now, have you read the file on my assignment?"

"Yes, I'm fully informed of the circumstances," Alicia replied, her expression remaining neutral. "However, I am confused as to why you need me."

Shona sighed and began pacing the room, her hands still folded behind her. "I cannot allow my soldiers to haphazardly sail into dangerous territory. It would be seen as an act of war."

Alicia quickly realized why Shona had requested her help. Although the Marines were often a concern for pirates, the Mafia was a criminal organization that had no fear of them. Many members were powerful and secretive, making it difficult for the Marines to arrest or even approach them. The Five Families of the West were especially problematic and entering into their territory would undoubtedly lead to devastating consequences.

"So, you would like me to find Remi Deniz and retrieve him myself?"

"Yes, exactly," Shona confirmed as she stopped walking. "It shouldn't be an issue given your abilities. You're a Zoan user, are you not?"

Alicia nodded now understanding her superior's intentions. "Correct, Commodore. My power is very useful in tracking."

"Excellent. I'm counting on you, Alicia."

"Yes, Commodore, I'll start searching right away," Alicia turned and exited the room, her boots clacking as she walked back down the hall. Her expression remained serious, but her mind was full of questions. However, it was not her place to question or disobey the chain of command, especially when her target had a relatively high bounty.

Laura was standing near the railing, her gaze set on the island she had seen earlier. They were close enough to the shore that she could make out some details. The beach was comprised of white sand and the palm trees swayed gently in the breeze. A few other people were walking along the water's edge, enjoying the fine weather and pleasant scenery. She could also spot several shops and restaurants on the main street, a bustling area of the town.

"It's so beautiful," Laura murmured to herself, a warm smile gracing her features.

She suddenly felt a presence beside her and turned to see Remi approaching.

"This place is a popular destination for travelers," Remi stated casually, his eyes locked on the shore. "There's all kinds of things you can find here."

"Have you ever been before?" Laura questioned curiously.

"No, but we needed to stop here before we reached the Grand Line."

Laura cocked her head, a puzzled expression appearing. "Why's that?"

"Because I need a Log Pose," Remi answered as he glanced at her. "Unless you want us to get lost."

"Lost?" Laura echoed, unsure of what he meant.

"Log Poses are the key to navigating the Grand Line. They help guide a ship through its many islands."

"So, it's necessary?"

"It's complicated, but the Grand Line's magnetic field shifts randomly." Remi continued to explain, hoping she would understand his response, "Without a Log Pose, it would be impossible to know where we're going."

"That's pretty interesting," Laura said, glad to have learned something for the day. "I had no idea the Grand Line was like that."

"Well, you've never been on a ship before now, so it makes sense."

Laura turned back to the island, her smile still wide. The thought of exploring an entire marketplace was exciting, but she was unsure if her Remi would want her to accompany him. Although he seemed to tolerate her presence, she knew that he preferred to be alone when he had the chance.

"Hey, Remi," Laura called, hoping he would grant her request. "Do you mind if I join you? I could help, you know."

"I suppose you can, as long as you don't wander off," Remi answered, not wanting her to find any trouble.

"Yay! Thank you!"

"Alright, let's hurry and eat lunch," Remi said as to not delay their trip longer. "We're wasting daylight."

The two then headed below deck and located Akali in the kitchen. She was sitting at a table eating the fish that Remi had prepared and Laura's stomach began to growl as she spotted the meal. She hadn't realized how hungry she was, but that problem would soon be resolved.

"You guys took long enough," Akali remarked with a slight grin.

"Sorry, we were talking," Laura apologized, grabbing a plate for herself and Remi. "The island isn't far, so we'll be docking soon."

"You can come with us if you want," Remi suggested, looking over at Akali.

She nodded at him before taking another bite of food. "Sure, I could use the exercise."

Shortly after their meal the trio had arrived in the port and anchored the ship only a few moments ago, now heading to the market. There was a variety of people, including pirates, each with their unique appearance and mannerisms. Laura was fascinated by the sight, her eyes observing every detail of the area. She noticed Remi and Akali walking a few steps ahead and she caught up to them, her pace quickening.

"There are a lot of people here," Laura commented as she continued to look around.

"Yes, which means it should be safe for us," Remi replied, his voice low. "Marines don't usually hang out in heavily populated areas unless something bad happens."

"You sure know a lot about the Marines," Laura commented, noticing the knowledge he had of their behaviors.

Remi said no more on the subject and instead changed the topic, causing Laura to wonder what he was keeping from them. "There's a lot of shops here that should sell nautical items. A log pose shouldn't be too hard to find."

One Hour Later...

"What do you mean you sold your last log pose?" Remi questioned a shop owner, his voice filled with annoyance.

"Like I said, someone else came by earlier and bought the last one." The shopkeeper responded, his tone calm and collected. "Perhaps you can check at the next store."

Remi sighed as he exited the shop, knowing they were running out of options. He had expected the log pose to be an easy purchase, but it was becoming apparent that he had misjudged the situation. It was clear to him now that other pirates must have stopped at the island and had bought the remaining ones.

So, what now?" Laura asked as she saw Remi come back empty-handed.

"We'll have to keep looking," Remi replied, a hand brushing his hair. "There has to be someone with a log pose."

The trio began walking away from the shop when Akali stopped to study a flyer on a nearby bulletin board. "Hey, look at this."

"What is it?" Remi asked, approaching the board and inspecting the paper.

"It says there's a shooting contest today," Akali announced while reading the flyer. "The winning prize is a log pose."

"Perfect!" Laura exclaimed, the information a godsend. "All we have to do is win."

"It's not a bad idea," Remi agreed, folding his arms across his chest. "The only problem is I haven't shot a gun in a while."

"You can shoot a gun?!" Laura questioned, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yeah, it's kind of a necessity," Remi replied, his words matter-of-fact.

Laura was unaware that he had any firearms on the ship, but then again she had not explored his room.

"So, we're going to participate in the contest?" Akali asked while looking at the two of them.

"I guess we are," Remi responded, his tone sounding less annoyed. "Now, let's go see who the competition is."

A/N: A special thanks to Ghostwriter434 for Alicia Foxglove, their OC. I hope I did her justice (no pun intended).