Author's Notes: No shoutouts this time, but I wanted to include a clip of Ace in the military because he gets a bit of a makeover. The marines don't show up here, but a coast guard unit, navy unit, and privateer unit are present. It's a lot of original characters in this segment, but you're not going to meet all of them. You might not even see me mention all of the units in this clip, honestly. For context, this particular "clip" happens just before Ace's accidental marriage to Nesi. It's in the same episode, or group of chapters, and he dons a military uniform out of curiosity. The rest of the Spades don't do this. Pieter takes note to Ace's manners around particular people and pretty much shows him a thing or two about being a true gentleman the way Nesi was trained to become more manly.

~ ... Gentlemen of the Armed Forces ... ~

"Good morning, master."

Nesi greeted politely with a chirp to her voice. She bowed before saluting Pieter then stood upright with her hands folded behind her back. She waited for the man to explain the reason for her summons. Pieter was fairly impressed with her irrigation works on the military base as the increased production of clean water within a reasonable time raised the system's efficiency by thirty-nine percent. The neighboring town allying with them was doing much better with providing rations and clothing, and the town almost looked cleaner. She learned well from her visits to battlefronts. He bowed politely to her in greeting, speaking gently and smirking at her eagerness to start the new day, and took two steps to the side to introduce her to a man with blonde hair in a high ponytail. He wore a red and green coat with the white trousers and long boots, and he had a sword and bayonet strapped to his back. He seemed miffed at having to be on base in the morning hours. Nesi surmised that he probably preferred operating in the afternoon or late morning. The sun had just risen.

"Good morning, Apprentice Llandala. I have an assignment for you that will employ your strategic thinking skills and require a shorter deadline than the improvement projects I've been putting you on, but I wanted to introduce you to another apprentice who is graduating to rank after this battle," he introduced, smiling with amusement at the man's huffing. "This is Pierre LeGrand. He is part of our privateering unit. I suppose it is easy to see that he's not particularly fond of mornings."

"That's because he doesn't have anything to look forward to!" Nesi cheered, smiling cutely. "I'd be happy to make breakfast for you sometime. Grumpy cakes are a favorite for morning haters."

"A what?" Pierre questioned, tilting his nose at the ridiculous name of the dish.

"No spoilers!" Nesi replied.

"Squaw!" Baragon agreed, hopping onto Nesi's shoulder with a smile of his own.

"Your first beast is quite small," Pierre said with intrigue, eyes focused on the pink Draco lizard.

"Squaw!" Baragon responded. He started to nip at Nesi's cheeks to insinuate a kiss before his ears popped open and he started growling a bit. He sensed something.

"Someone's here," Nesi said, eyes opening to narrow in suspicion. Her smile was still in place, however. She knew who it was. Baragon's tail didn't lower from a threat. It curled from a familiar presence nearby.

"Lord van der Does!" a soldier called.

"Ah, Zymen," Pieter started, turning to Nesi, "I was hoping to introduce you in the future. One moment."

"Who is this bright personality of a gentleman?" Nesi asked, smiling brightly.

"Ho ho ho!" Zymen laughed, earning a folding of arms from Pierre. "Zymen Danseker of the privateer unit. I am quite new! Who are you?"

"Nesi Llandala, apprentice to Pieter van der Does."

"Oh, we've a woman in the unit? Why didn't you tell me? I'm not dressed to fine standard to meet a lovely lady!" Zymen complained, smile still in place.

"We'll let her investigate the new visitor that's gained her beast's attention. Her assignment is with the infantrymen on ground. I will require a battle plan from you, Apprentice Llandala. You have by tomorrow morning to turn in what you feel is the best course of action for our first strike on enemy territory," Pieter instructed, nodding in the direction of Baragon's pointing.

"Town's kinda busy, yo," Discount said, looking around.

Ace just smirked a bit, watching people hustle about. Weird place to have found on a whim, but somehow the dirt roads reminded him of home. It was a fairly woody town with trees bordering the space. The number of soldiers walking about was alarming, but no one bothered them. The townspeople looked at them, and maybe pointed a finger or two, but they ultimately shrugged their shoulders and kept going. They had stuff to do. The Spades had docked at an old, secluded port where fishermen were repairing traps and nets for the day's work. They mentioned something about needing more rations for thirteen other visitors and sent word to town. The older gentlemen weren't alarmed by pirates visiting their town. Apparently, this new place was quite used to pirates visiting them for treasure or supplies, but it was turned into a third-party militant base for the nations in recent years. The men were more surprised that younger pirates had come to visit the town instead of older gents who knew the town's history.

Not worried about the Bloody Doubloon being ransacked, Ace proceeded with the Spades into town out of curiosity and looked around. That's how they wound up further up the road where soldiers' barracks and forts were slowly creeping into the visual. The sight of a pink worm running about to play made Ace gasp lightly before proceeding to follow Baragon. Nesi was here? Oh! She did mention being on battlefronts the last time they spoke. So, this had to be a stronghold.

"Miss Nesi!" a woman called, running up to his crewmate. "Some of the pipes on the farming lot are leaking from the reservoirs. We don't know where the pinholes are."

"Take me to them," Nesi replied, running off to follow the woman.

"Hey, nee-san!" Deuce said, pointing to the floor scrubber. "She's all dressed up in uniform. She's been here the whole time?"

"Guess so," Corale responded. "Do you think anyone'll tell us where she's camping?"

"Hey! You!" A soldier called dressed in grieves and carrying a bag over his shoulder similar to Ace. He had green hair combed back in a professional manner with a hand in his pocket. He was a fairly tall guy about 6'6" with a broad chest and really slim hips. He seemed to be a weight handler of some kind. "Are you with the privateers?"

"... Yeah," Ace responded, frowning a bit. That could mean one of two things: one, this base was a privateer camp; two, Pieter was among them as its leader. He hadn't punched his teeth out for taking Nesi away yet. Ace then said, "I'm Nesi Llandala's captain. Ace of the Spades crew. You are?"

The man took a quick breath before he got quiet. He bowed politely and said, "Thank you, Captain Ace. You taught one of our best soldiers how to put in some real work on the beachfronts. That girl's got some guts! My name's Cobalt. Cobalt Hesereg. Ness told me a bit about you. Welcome to Mariners Bay, Spades."

Ness? Ace thought, a bit angry at the pet name. He couldn't say why the name bothered him. It was just a shortened version of Nesi. Maybe because it was already a short name? Or... was it because the guy was using it in the familiar?

"Is that fruity bastard here, too?" Ace questioned, displeased with the possibility of running into Pieter.

"If you mean the marines, then no," Cobalt scoffed, rolling his eyes and earning a chuckle out of a few of the Spades. "We're mostly infantrymen or special operatives in training. We're a little more face to face with our problems and unapologetic about it. Battlefield's a bloody place. Gotta be tough. You, boys, must've had your fair share of adventures. Your girl is as studious as she is ruthless. We worked together on a sting operation in what we call the Breakwater Coffer. Enemy troops were hiding away some serious weaponry. Took 'em down within three weeks! That assignment was projected to take as long as two years or more. Did she really do that big heist under you? I remember hearing about it a little. I didn't get much of the story."

Ace was quiet, but Cobalt seemed like a genuinely nice guy. The young captain didn't realize his teaching skills were that impressive by others. Never really thought about it since he didn't come across people who asked him how to fight the way Nesi did. Not wanting to be impolite to a man who was just curious about his friend, Ace answered, "Nesi stayed up late in the night studying books that either I gave her or the boys found. She needed 'em to fulfill her dreams of being one of you to get to the higher-ups. Being unapologetic about her goals is kinda her thing. I don't know about her being ruthless, but she probably has to be if she hopes to gain respect from people like you. That was why she did the heist on that barkadeer. I didn't like it because it brought too much attention to us, but... I'm proud of her for doing it. She made the marines work like slaves and regular people to understand how it felt. They needed that harsh lesson if you ask me. She should've killed a few, honestly! That would've been more ruthless, but it's more my speed. She's her own person. Always has been. Doesn't matter if she's not a total pirate. She's my girl. I'm just calling a Spade, a Spade."

"Oh! Damn! I didn't know you two were a couple!" Cobalt said, flinching at Ace's words.

Ace flinched, turned bright red at the suggestion, and then argued, "That's not what I said!"

"C-c-ca-cap-captain! You just said nee-san was your girl in front of everyone. Do you not know what that implies?" Cuatro questioned, mouth wide open and fingers twitching at Ace's blunder.

"I was just saying she's my crewmate! And a good friend! Don't put words in my mouth! I oughtta make you, idiots, run laps!" Ace roared, stomping his foot hard enough to crack the earth.

Cobalt let out a laugh and said, "I was just teasing you, captain. That's on me. Don't hurt your men. Your 'girl' is at the farming lot just along the outskirts of town. Can't miss it. There's rows of flowers and herbs bordering the place and a couple of yaks chewing on stuff. Just look for the big horns on 'em. Hope to see you around longer. You're a good kid. Tell Ness any drink she wants at the tavern is on me, even the expensive ones!"

With that, Cobalt left Ace to ruminate on his words. Nesi drinks now? She didn't do that before...

"Why do you want a coat like mine?" Nesi asked, flattered by Ace's inquiry.

Ace was sitting on the edge of the fence - well... not literally. He was crouching on the fence while the boys either toured the town or toured the farm lot. It was bigger than what Cobalt said and what Ace thought. The shipping and cargo sector was the biggest part of the farm lot. That might have been why Cobalt called the farm a lot and not a small town. Men and women were packaging things for troops. Either the pay was excellent or the land itself was cultivated expertly because everyone seemed to be well-off without the grand stature of a noble. Everyone had water, clean clothes, food, and good housing. Nesi might have been dirty from her working on the farm's pipes, but her uniform was nice and... he really liked her coat.

"You know how to rock it," Ace complimented, lifting up his hat to smile at his friend.

"Hehe!" Nesi giggled, hopping on the fence to sit next to him. "Unfortunately, my coat is for my military duties, but I accept the compliment, captain. How'd you guys find this place, though?"

"Just so happened to be sailing this way. Saw some fishermen, walked in town, and here we are," Ace explained simply. "I heard you're a tough weed as a soldier. What's this about your infamous sting operation?"

"Well, I had a tough fighting coach," Nesi replied, smiling brightly at Ace. "That mission was to seize the weapon trafficking site. A lot of men were dying behind it, and we found a lot of bodies and bones in these weird catacombs. I'm just glad we don't have to go back there. It smelled worse than you!"

"I DO NOT SMELL LIKE A DEAD BODY!" Ace complained, towering over Nesi.

"Oh? So that dead beast you dragged on the ship after yelling at me was odorless?" Nesi challenged, furrowing her brows and smiling wickedly at him.

"You didn't follow orders," Ace said, pointing a finger at Nesi's nose.

"And you stank," Nesi said, smiling warmly before returning her attention to the shipping and cargo sector. "Good to see you, guys, again. I get homesick when I don't hear your voices for a prolonged time. How's Schooner doing? Are you still allies?"

"Oh, yeah, we found a heap of treasure under a sand dune. I think it belonged to another pirate crew, but it was hard to tell who. Didn't matter since we took it and split the money. The ale was nice, but I missed your cooking and annoying nagging," Ace admitted. "Since I'm here, you can make me a sandwich for old times' sake! We should celebrate for your hard work!"

"Only portion sizes for you, captain," Nesi said, lifting a finger. "I finally got you off pigging out 'til you pass out for a change, and you go and ruin it! Cocktails only as well. 'Sides, I don't drink much. You know that."

"No, I don't," Ace said darkly. The tone of his voice alerted Nesi and made her turn to him. He then continued, "A guy in town bought you a drink of your choice at a local tavern. Said it was on him. Know someone named Cobalt?"

"Oh!" Nesi replied, slapping a hand down. "You worried me over nothing! Cobalt's our resident leader of sting operations. I would be buying drinks, too, if my life was saved from a gunshot wound. I got hit, too."

"Where?" Ace questioned, looking at Nesi's face and hands. They were still as pristine as before with exception to the missing finger. Looked like wood or something was substituting for the lost appendage.

Nesi loosened up her clothes and lifted her shirt to show the stitching on her side just above the hip. She was hit pretty good. Ace hesitantly reached out to touch it and grew quiet. Being on the battlefronts was a bad idea. What if...? What if she goes out on another mission and... he's not there to help her in time? She could lose more than a finger out there. She's still a young woman. Tough or not, her life is at risk every time she goes out there. Stroking the wound with concern in his eyes, Ace sighed and returned to a low crouching position with thought.

"Are you sure this is what you wanted... Ness?" Ace asked. "I thought you wanted to go to Mary Geoisie, not be a soldier in the army."

"Yes. It's a step in the right direction," Nesi replied softly, hopping off the fence with a muted thud to readjust her clothes. "I never said I wanted things to be easy. I only asked for a way there. Before I go up there, though, I needed to see how the world operated so that I could focus on it and its improvement when those stupid nobles and old men are kicked out or dead, respectively. Hopefully, by then, you'll have seen the world and all of its beauty. I'm not the greatest pirate in the world, but I learned from someone who has the potential to be. That's enough for me!"

Ace looked up at Nesi and blushed at the sight before him. It was like her last visit on at Grand Turtles Countryside. This sweet and... beautiful girl was coming more into her own. What made her so different from that marine girl, Isuka, though? Was it just because he knew her? Nesi was a little more rugged than Isuka. Maybe that's it? Was he really just into tough girls or something? Or was it... he liked tough girls who could go toe to toe with a man but still have the sweetness of a girl? But Nesi was an uptight, little thing. Right...?

"'Sides, I already gave you a captain's coat. It's under my old lounger in your cabin. You didn't see the red paper sticking out?" Nesi questioned, plucking Ace's hat up to see the surprised look on his face.

"Huh? What paper?" Ace asked.

"Well, that's an obvious no," Nesi said, chuckling. "I stitched a coat for you before I left with Pieter. It was a thank you gift for everything you did for me. Honestly, I owe you so much more, but I thought that'd do for now. One day, I'd like to fit you for tailoring. I did quite a bit of jewelry-making when I came home to the Bloody Doubloon before all this warfare. There's all sorts of stuff in my lounger's chest! I'm surprised you missed it. There's playing cards of everyone in there and everything!"

"How'd you even know my size to make a coat?" Ace questioned, curious of how she stitched a coat without him knowing about it.

"Well, Deuce was closest to your size, so he was my model, but Schooner gave me some tips. It's not a well-fitted coat. If anything, it's more like a cloak with shoulder pads, but it looked nice to me. You can wear it over anything," Nesi said, shrugging. "Go find it and try it on. See if you like it. I'll be here for a little while until I report to Pieter."

"There's no need to report to me right away," a familiar voice said. Ace perked up at his rival's voice and snapped his attention to him with a visible frown on his face. Pieter was smirking with obvious amusement and a raised brow. He then said, "I should've guessed it was you sooner, Captain Ace. Your assignment is being pushed back, Llandala. A situation came up with one of the cargo ships enroute. Our attentions are elsewhere. The new siege mission is undergoing revision until the situation clears up or more details are provided. Continue your work until the lunch hour. We'll see if anything improves by then."

"Understood," Nesi replied, saluting Pieter.

Pierre bowed with respect and proceeded to another station wordlessly.

"How can you stand that guy?" Ace questioned with a growl.

"He's a gentleman like you are sometimes. I think it's inspiring," Nesi said, putting her hands in her pockets. "You'd look good in a suit and coat, captain!"

"Don't give me that!" Ace said, scratching his head. "What're you into gentlemen now?"

"I've always had a thing for gentlemen. I thought you knew that," Nesi replied, tilting her head with some confusion. She could've sworn she told him about that. Ace popped his head up with surprise at the new information. He didn't know that! She then said, "The boy I had that crush on was polite. You know that story."

"Why a gentleman? You've been around pirates for a while. You don't like them?" Ace questioned, feeling his heart move uncomfortably.

"Daddy was a pirate and also a gentleman, captain. That's how he won my mom's heart!" Nesi said with a bright smile. "I'm into men who remind me of him regardless of what they are. Daddy was a family man above all else. He made sure I never forgot that. He became a pirate to make ends meet, not because he had a bout of wanderlust. Mummy wouldn't let me see him otherwise either. His finest quality was the way he carried himself around others no matter how cruel they were to him for his past as a pirate. He gave everyone their respects and didn't play into their wicked provocations. I try to carry myself the way he did to honor that quality about him. Honestly, you helped me rediscover his ways. You're polite yourself around certain people! I think you being my captain was a sign from heaven. I'd hate to see you lose that greatness in you."

Ace was quiet again before he finally asked, "That coat you made for me... is it still under the lounger?"

"You'd have to check, but it should be. It's in the chest drawer just under it with a red paper sticking out. You'll see a white ribbon just under the paper with your name it."

Lunchtime came fairly slowly to Nesi as she wrapped up her irrigation repairs. One of the pipes was just too old for use, so they replaced it and everything was back in order. She helped with prepping cargo for a little while before returning to the barracks and changing into cleaner clothes. She prepped things for laundering later. When she changed out of her attire into more casual linens for lunch, she heard women gasping and giggling. They were going on about some handsome man walking through town. Nesi smirked at this and just shook her head. Ladies and their love for men in uniform was amusing. She walked to the luncheon hall to reserve a table for the Spades and picked out some choice meats and vegetables to make sure everyone ate properly. Baragon must've been playing somewhere. She hadn't seen her rosy companion since he found Corale. Being cheated on for another man! Honestly!

"Ca-cap-captain, is that you?" Discount questioned.

"Whoa, you clean up good, captain!" Deuce complimented. "I didn't even recognize you!"

"I have the same face..." Ace grumbled.

"Squaw!" Baragon cheered, resting on Ace's shoulders.

Nesi turned to the commotion in the hall, seeing girls running to the windows, and just about babbled nonsense like a babbling baby. Though it was too warm for wintry clothes, Ace wore his black pants and a nice linen shirt... with the coat Nesi stitched. While practically unnoticeable to the average person, his hair was combed largely to one side and the waves were more pronounced like he had just doused his hair in some water and oil. He looked fantastic! Nesi's mouth appropriately dropped halfway down her torso. Even his beaded necklace looked good! He carried himself like a proper soldier with his back straight and eyes forward. Where did this man come from? Ace walked up to Nesi, mouth twitching with some annoyance, and spotted something on her that made him gasp lightly. Her earrings... they were styled like Poker chips with the Spades emblem on it and red blood drips dangling from the edges. Was that the symbol of the Bloody Doubloon? She really did make those?

"There are a lot more girls here than I thought," Ace complained, frown coming back.

"Keep 'em comin'," Cuatro said, earning a punch to his side. "I'd rather where my shorts."

Nesi shook her head violently to snap out of it and remarked, "It'll be hot for the rest of the week. You should've saved this for the evening. Why are you dressed so fancy anyway?"

"Why didn't you tell me all that stuff was under your lounger?" Ace questioned, folding his arms as a sign of challenge. Unfortunately, it just made him look more attractive.

"Oh, it was meant to be a surprise," Nesi answered, officially done ogling her captain. "I thought you'd be curious enough to at least peek at the red paper. How's the coat feel, though? You look good, cap!"

"Why's it feel so heavy?" Ace asked.

"Oh, the shoulder pads have weights in them. It's supposed to force you to pick up your shoulders and straighten your posture for a healthy back!" Nesi said, flexing her arm muscles. She bulked up a bit. "I thought it'd look good on you since you're allies with another crew. If you want more alliances for a proper fleet, you could try dressing the part from time to time. The guys like your look, too! Mission success!"

"I concur," Pieter said from behind him, making Ace turn to him slightly. "Refine your look some more and I might be able to have a conversation with you over drinks sometime. Well done, Apprentice Llandala. The situation has changed. Your battle strategy must be formed by the week's end. Maps will be sent to your study by the afternoon. Enjoy your luncheon. It appears you have some cooking to do and maidens to ward off."