Chapter 9: Meeting the Fist
"Gula, straight ahead!"
That phrase alerted everyone as several men all rush to their posts near the mast and a few prepared for docking procedures. After another five days at sea, we finally reached our destination, the first checkpoint of our trade journey.
After the whole debacle with the Krieg Pirate Fleet, after checking ship over for any major damage and finding none worse to wear with the exceptions of slight sooty spots around the area where the cannons has fired, we carried on our way towards Gula in high spirits.
And, thanks no part to good winds and a few lucky currents here and there, we actually made it to Gula a day ahead of schedule.
Which is a godsend, with our supplies in the verge of running out. Quite a bad time to find out that Gord's way to destressing himself is cook like a man possessed. There were so many croquettes and potato salads that it filled up the entire pantry, forcing us to eat only that for the three days straight! Never thought I would be glad to eat some pickled sardines before…
As the crew around me start to tied the ropes to the docks, I descend down the boarding ramp and took in the sight that is the dock of this island.
The port town we are in right now is called the Port Cane, one heck of name but that hardly surprised me especially after the Honey Docks, and it has the feeling of a trading port more than Temasek in many ways.
For one, the harbour is wider in terms of the docking area, the stone and wood platforms that the trading and the occasional marine vessels parks at have more spaces in between that spreads out all across the entirety of the port itself, the platforms themselves are wide enough to allow entire carriages to ride though with more than enough space to disembark.
The town itself is filled with buildings of white brick of various sizes and heights with several large wooden buildings all dotted about, all with coloured roofs of all sorts. The place is bustling, with the streets filled with people as well as workers of all sorts of manual jobs. I think I saw a few buildings in the middle of construction too.
But if there's one thing that separate this port from Temasek…
"Why is everyone in a hurry?" I wonder out loud as a few coolies with sacks of something on their shirtless backs nearly bumped into me. Everyone in the harbour seems to be almost in the rush, a few keep on shuffling past each other on their way to their ships. It's like its rush hour and everyone is trying to complete their job at exactly the same place at the same time.
"This is the usual for Port Cane." Silvia tells me as she slowly walks down the ramp while our crew mates all start alighting one after another, "Especially now, when it's past noon. A lot of ships often arrived during this time, with things to trade and sell. After all, this place is one of the largest exporters of sugar in the East Blue."
"Ah…"
"Everything seems to be in order, Silvia." Lee tells her as he walks down the ramp, "We should be able to settle this by this evening, if we are quick enough."
"Good to hear." She nodded before turning to me, "Why don't you take a walk around town? We'll only be staying for about three days, so take in the sights while you can."
"You sure?"
"Yeah, it's mostly just some paperwork and a little bargaining here and there." Lee assures me, "Nothing you need to worry about."
"Just go and have a goof time." Silvia tells me with a smile, "It's not every day you come to Gula, after all."
"…Okay. Thanks. Where do I meet you guys after?"
"There's a bar near the docks that goes by the name Thirsty Siren." He points out to me, "We're planning on meeting at about sunset, which is about…" He did a mental calculation before answering, "Three hours from now. Just tell them our names and they will let you through."
"Noted."
While the docks are busy with workers, the town itself isn't that different. Only instead of workers, you get businessmen and women all running about the place, not really what I would consider tourist attracting.
But credit is due when credit is due. The town is bustling with all sorts of things that I might imagine to find on the island that is famous for its sugar export. There are confectioneries of all sorts, from baked desserts like muffins and macaroons, to cold treats like parfaits and pudding, there are sweets of all sorts in almost every shop in the street.
Hell, there's a crepe store every few blocks!
Of course, there are shops that sells other things, but the sweet shops almost dominated them, each with a sign of which sugar plantation the sugar came from along with its address and Den-Den Mushi number. Advertisements for the win, business for the shop, potential future clients for the plantations.
With that mind, I am right now wandering down the street of baked goods chewing on a simple glazed donut, one of a couple dozen that I have bought with the intention of sharing with Kris along with my other goods of cinnamon rolls, a bag of muffins of various flavors and a big bag of saltwater taffy. He did help me in my 'fight' with Gin back in the straits and who doesn't like sweets, right?
As I walk down the road, the street lights start to turn on to my surprise, the ever-darkening sky proof of the time.
"Wow… the time really flew by…" I muttered out as I took another bite out of my donut, "Guess I better head to the bar…"
I took a look around to get my bearings, before realizing that I have gone a little too far inland for my taste. I did just turn at random directions at random junctions in the streets, just following the smell most of the time.
Crap, I didn't check for a map of this place before wandering off… What to do, what to do…? I wonder if I can retrace my steps back to the docks?
"Hey, there. It's a bit late for a kid to be out like that. It could be dangerous."
A voice suddenly spoke to me from behind; I felt the veins in my head throb at that sentence as I turn back with the very intention to scream at him.
"I'm FUCKING TWENTY, you fucking…ass…hole…"
The words died in my mouth as I saw who it was that I shouted at.
He is tall for a man, with a build that looks like he wrestles bears for fun despite the wrinkles on his face that indicates his age very clearly. Aging grey hair covers his scalp with an equally graying beard, a surgical scar that went around his left eye. He is wearing red Hawaiian shirt and beige shorts and straw sandals, his mouth in a big grin with his eyes gleaming in the setting sun that seems to indicate promised death.
"Oh, ho… quite a foul mouth one, aren't ya?" Monkey D. Garp stated with his grin ever growing wider.
Oh, fuck my life. Of all the people I could have swear to, it has to be the one that can dent metal with his non-Armament fists. My scales may have stopped Gin's bone-breaking strikes, but I doubt it will hold under the might that may have and could dent metal.
"U-Um…"
"BUAHAHAHA!" The larger than life marine officer suddenly laughed, "They keep getting younger, don't they? But seriously kid, staying out this late is dangerous, there are a lot of bad guys out there ready to kidnap such a young little girl, especially one as pretty as you."
I felt my veins pop at that declaration. Is he seriously still treating me like a damn kid?! Didn't he hear what I just said?!
"Tell you what, I'll escort you back to your parents, how about that? Just leave it to good old Garp! I'll keep you safe, little girl!"
Okay, that's it! Consequences be damned!
"I said I am TWENTY!" I screamed as I slam my fist, unknowingly transformed, into his gut hard.
I felt the feeling my fist hitting his body, which then translates into my mind like hitting a damn wall instead of flesh. My anger dissipates slightly only to return in back shock and horror as to the realization of what I just did in a fit of rage, and rising possibility of me getting pwned way harder than Sen ever did.
"Wow… I actually felt that one." He laughed, "Almost remind me of my own grandson there. But you know, good kids shouldn't do that." His eyes narrowed slightly as it felt like his frame somehow got larger than he already is, "And bad kids… need to be punished for doing it!"
I felt something impact my head and the world turns black.
Vice Admiral Garp wasn't someone who hurt kids, on purpose anyways. He always adored the little shits, no matter how terrible they can be at times.
He is, however, also a very keen believer of the idea of 'tough love', and often takes it a little too far at times. His own grandchild can attest to that.
As such, whenever he saw any kid misbehaving, he would often punish them with a good whack to the head, often very lightly to him which means a good concussion to the poor child.
Which is what happened right here. After Rein slams her fist into his gut in what he believes to be an act of rebellious nature, he took it to himself to 'educate' the poor girl (HA!) by lightly whacking her in the head. But due to either a lack of control, or just too used to his grandson's steel-hard skull, his light whack became an actual punch that crashes her head into the pavement hard, cracking the concrete slightly.
Garp, while satisfied with his actions, is left stunned when the poor girl didn't get back up.
"Uh…" He kneels down to her 'corpse' and felt her wrist, breathing a sigh of relief when he found a pulse, "Oh, thank the heavens. For a second there, I thought I might have actually killed the poor girl…" He glances around, the on-lookers all whispering to each other, mostly to the fact that an old man seemingly just hit an innocent girl.
Although in his defence, she did strike first.
"Now what to do with you…?"
"Garp?"
He flinched when he heard that voice, that eerily familiar voice. He glanced among the crowd to see a lone person walking through and out of them, "Sen? What are you doing here?"
"Same quest…ion…"
The hidden dragon took a good look at the scene; his own pupil is lying unconscious with her face seemingly crashed through the pavement with one of her arms transformed to its dragon form, the marine Vice-Admiral standing next to her with a slightly guilty look on his face.
"Garp… did you just punch my student into the ground?"
"S-Student?! Her?!" The marine hero cries out in shock, "And you have a student?!"
"You didn't answer my question." He points out as he took a step forward, this time the ground cracked under his sole, "Did you. Punch. My. Student?"
"Ah…" He scratches his head sheepishly, "…She hit me first…?"
He immediately regretted his answer as the air cracked and a fist is slammed into his face.
The first thing I notice when I opened my eyes is that the night sky isn't visible anymore, that I am staring up to a stone ceiling with a lone fan spinning monotonously.
The second thing is that I seem to be lying on a combination of two wooden chairs place together to make a somewhat uncomfortable bed.
The third is that my head felt like it is splitting four ways and back.
The last thing is that there seems to be music playing in the background with the amalgamation of multiple voices all speaking, and cheering…?
"Oh, Rein. You're awake."
A familiar voice calls to me as I glanced to my side, Gord sitting in front of me with a wooden mug in his hand. "You doing okay?" He asked.
"…Huh?"
"Don't move just yet." The ship's cook moved aside as Justin suddenly came into view and starts to examine my eye, "A slight concussion, but otherwise you look fine…"
"What…?" I looked at her in confusion as she walks off.
"You were unconscious for the past hour." Gord tells me as he took a sip from his mug, "Sen went out to look for you and then came back with you just blacked out."
"Unconscious…?" I then recalled what happened and shot back up, before regretting it as the headache got worst from me doing that, "Gah! My head… Garp hits harder than I thought."
"That's kind of in his MO." Silvia points out, the ship captain sitting on the table next to me chugging down a mug of most likely alcohol, "Garp the Fist, the Marine Hero. Got to say, never thought I'll meet an actual living legend like, ever."
"Guess fate has a funny way of attracting weird fellows to other weird fellows, huh?" Lee stated as he chomps down on some fries, "Not as funny as what is happening right now, though."
"Huh?" I turn my attention to the small but loud crowd by one of the tables, where Sen is-Is he grabbing Vice Admiral Garp by the back his head in a death grip, with bandages around it no less, and is actually pushing him down to his KNEES!?
"Ow, ow, ow! Okay! Okay! I get it! I get it!" The old marine cries out in pain, "Sorry for hitting your student! I didn't even know you have a student!"
"Sorry, I didn't quite hear that." My mentor stated as his grip seems to tighten with the poor old man crying out as a result, "Mind repeating that?"
"Se-Seriously! How many times do I have to repeat it–"
"Until I hear it right!" He growled, before noticing my gaze on him, "Oh, hey. You're awake." He then proceeds to slam Garp's head into the ground hard, sticking his face through the wooden floor. He then walks up to me, "How are you feeling?"
"A killer headache-Ow!" I accidentally rub a bump on my head that may have been cause from the marine hero's fist, "And… a slight bump, I guess."
"Normally your skull should have caved in." Justin points out as I feel her pressing a bag filled with ice on the bump, "But what do I know? You're the one with Devil Fruit powers."
I let out hiss from the contact before sighing as the coolness relief some of the pain. "Guess this is the same as that time with the whole bullet shot thing?"
"Not really. If you went dragon at the last minute, you wouldn't be knocked unconscious; but you still would get one hell of a concussion." Sen stated, "While Garp is well-known for his lack of a social conduct, he does know when to reel in his strength. The problem is the scale he is using to measure, which is say that his family is has some monster blood in them."
"Can't agree with that logic." Garp's muffled voice sounds out from the floorboards, before he manages to get his head out with a solid pop, "My own grandpappy hit just as hard, you know."
Somehow, I can find that possible. After all, Luffy did survive his onslaught for about his entire life and became stronger than most people his own age, and that was before he became a rubber-man. And I think Dragon has suffered the same fate too…? Guess that's one of the reasons he became the world's most wanted man…
"Like grandfather, like grandson…" My mentor let out a low groan at that, "And now that she is awake, I believe there's something you need say to her, isn't there Garp?"
"Yeah, yeah…" He sighed, "Sorry for knocking you out back there, kid. Guess I don't know my own strength."
"And…?"
"What else do you want me to say!?" The marine Vice Admiral cried, "What, 'I'll buy you a round'–"
"Your words, not mine!"
"Wait, what?"
Sen suddenly raises his mug in the air as he shouted, "You heard the man! The next round of drinks will be his treat tonight!"
"HURRAAAYYY!"
"W-Wait a moment, there! I didn't say everyone!"
"Hm?" Sen glanced at him as he flexes his fingers, cracking his knuckles in the process, "What was that?"
"Oh! N-Nothing…"
"That's what I thought."
I let out a small chuckle as I saw Garp the Fist completely defeated at his table as he took out hesitantly took out his wallet. To think that the hero of the Marines is brought down by Sen of all people, and so one-sidedly too…
But in hindsight, with what Sen has been shown to be capable of, with defeating a Sea King with singe-handed and even annihilating one of Don Krieg's large galleons with just the flick of his finger, it would make sense that he is at least on equal footing, maybe stronger, as the man who has survived through the same age as three of the Four Emperors.
"Here." I was then handed a large wooden mug that is filled with beer, or at least I originally thought it was before I smelled the sweet scent of soda, "Soda for the kid. There's no way I'm letting an underaged girl drink."
My eyebrows twitched at that comment as I raise my fist ready to whack the Vice Admiral, only to be stopped by Justin holding onto my wrist.
"Let it go, Rein." She tells me, "I'm not treating two concussions on the same person tonight."
"But he–"
"And you remember what happened last time you drink, right?"
I flinched before my face brightened at that fact. Damn it, does she have to keep holding that over my head!? Just one time, and it is already a running joke.
"Fine…" I grumbles as I took the mug and sip the fizzy drink. Hm, sweet but not overpowering, with a slight bitter aftertaste that reminds caramel. Not bad for a damn soda. I wonder if I can get cola here…?
A few more rounds later, and most of the crew is completely plastered and has started a drunk party befitting a bar.
I was forced to stay out of the party; doctor's order to not aggravate my concussion. Not that I would join in, anyway. I need to be at least tipsy to attempt to enter.
As such, I have situated myself at a table on my lonesome as Gord and the others all have a great time while I just chew on my saltwater taffy. The treats that I have procurer are mostly safe, with the exception of the donuts that are mostly squashed and dirty from being dropped all over the pavement. It's a good thing I have the muffins wrapped up when I bought them.
"Hey there, kid."
I grunted as Garp sat down in front of me, he let out a sigh at my actions, "Come on, I apologized, didn't I?"
I frowned and looked away. I am not pouting. No matter what other people says, I am NOT pouting, you hear!
"You know, Sen told me everything about you."
I flinched as the fact of a MARINE, a Vice-Admiral no less, knows my identity and the world changing secrets I carry filled me with dread. God dammit, Sen, why did you do this!? You know how much I've freaked out when I thought you were one! Why did you tell a real one instead!?
"It must be rough, being turned into a girl against your will."
Wait, what?
"I mean, it's one thing to just lose an arm, or even a leg, but to lose your dick? That's not a thing any man would want to experience."
"…Huh?" I then realized what this means and immediately nodded in reply, "A-Ah! Y-Yes! T-That… it was… tough…" So, Sen didn't tell him everything? Just the fact that I used to be man? Come to think of it, I think he said the same thing to Silvia as well…
"I ha-*BURP*have no doubt it was!" The old marine stated with a slight burp. Now that I took a good look, I think his face is tinted red. Guess he's a little tipsy right now. "So, I understand why you want to appear to be a grown-up to many others. To appear tough! But your body is that of a young girl now, not some strong man!"
Did… did he still call me a damn KID!? Not only that, he actually thought I am a weak little girl!?
"As such, you really need to remember that there are places that are too dangerous for a young girl to go–"
"HEY!" I shouted as I grab his shirt by its collar and glares right into his eyes, "You better listen up, you sexist violent brute of a marine. First of all, and this is the last time I'm saying this, I'm TWENTY! Despite my height, I'm a fully grown adult! So, don't you dare treat me like a kid, you hear me!?" He blinked before nodding somewhat hesitantly, "Lastly, just because I'm a damn girl doesn't make me weak! Just last week, I fought head on against Gin of the Krieg Pirates, and I manage to punch him across his ship, and cracked a few ribs of his!"
"Wait, you fought Gin–!?"
"And such, if you are going to call me weak one more time…" I grow out my tail and raise it up behind me in a way that the old marine can see it, "I'm going to try and find out if I can pop a human head off by squeezing hard enough."
"…"
"…"
"…"
"…BUAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Garp suddenly laughed out loud to my confusion, "Damn, that was a better sobering method that Tsuyu's! Never thought getting threaten works better than getting tossed into the ocean!"
"…What in…?"
"Sorry for the whole sexist thing with you." He chuckles with no sense of guilt of saying that, "Although, I wasn't really trying to sexist with you. Tsuyu would have my head if she finds out! I'm just looking out for you. It doesn't matter that you are a fully grown adult, you're still the size of a damn kid! Even if you have Devil Fruit powers, there are plenty of ways to work around it and leave you extremely vulnerable. Trust me, I know a Captain that has that exact experience. Good thing she was and is still a hard ass without them."
"So…?"
"Look, all I'm saying that you have be careful out there." He points out firmly, "I have been in the Marines for several decades now, and I have encountered some fucking messed up shit in my long career. A lot of them has to do with young girls who looked like you and some are actually as tough as you. And none of them are pretty to look at."
"Oh… I see…" I sheepishly let go of his collar as I let out a small cough with my ears burning, "Sorry about… all of that. I'm just… a little sensitive about my height."
"That's an understatement!" Gord shouted from across the room.
"Just drink your liver away, you ass!" I shouted back.
"Hey, I don't blame you!" He laughed, "If I'm your height at your age, I would be a little sensitive about it too."
"Thanks."
"So, were you lying about the whole punching Gin of the Krieg Pirates?"
"What, no! It really happened!"
"You do have a nice punch, but I highly doubt it's good enough to deal with Don Krieg's right-hand man."
"I'm telling you, it really happened, damn it!"
"Oh yeah? Want to prove it?"
"I will!"
I ended up arm wrestling the large marine, and losing spectacularly. Guess Sen wasn't kidding when he said he was holding back before…
Garp left the next morning, saying something about visiting his grandson. Got to say, he is pretty nice guy once you get to know him, even if he is a bit too wild for a marine Vice Admiral. I can now see where Luffy got his free-spirit from, and the reason of why he is afraid of him in the first place.
We left the following morning, with Silvia managing to sort things out with the sugar plantation with absolute ease and managing to get the supplies plus the sugar goods within a single day. Talk about fast!
And now, we are three days out in the open seas on our way to Twilight Isles, where we will be staying for about a couple of days before finally heading towards Dawn Island. I am not looking forward to it, especially with the knowledge that Garp is heading there as we speak.
Time might be on my side, though. Due to the lack of news about a certain freckled rookie who should be in the seas raising havoc and his reputation, it must mean that Ace haven't left the island yet. That, or he has already left and is still have ways to go before becoming the fandom most beloved character. As long as I don't encounter him, the plot should proceed on as it should.
"Strays on the portside!"
The lookout suddenly shouted, catching everyone attention as well as mine, I stopping my sword exercises as I dashed towards the railings to see who they spotted and my heart nearly stopped when I noticed a few things.
One, it is a small dingy that looks like a banana with a pair of pedals on its sides and what looks like an ignition port at the back where the rudder should be.
Two, there are two men standing somewhat awkwardly on the 'boat' waving right at us.
Lastly, one of them has freckles on his face with black greasy hair and a red bead necklace, with an orange hat with a pair of circular accessories that depicts a smiley face and a frowny face.
…Oh, why did I jinx myself?
…
To be continued…
So, yes! Garp enters the story! Got to say, I wasn't actually planning on bringing him in for the prologue, but with what I am planning for the next part, I find it appropriate to bring in the Marine Hero after all. I sure hope I managed to get Garp personality right, there wasn't much I can go on besides him being exactly like Luffy with a few small exceptions.
And yes, Ace has showed himself! Trust me when I say thing, I have planned to show off Ace from the very beginning. I thought it might be fun, with what I am planning for the next couple of chapters~ Just you wait! It is going to be EPIC~!
With that, I thank you all for reading this!