POV Amiral Aokiji (Kuzan)
When he saw his superior leave the room following the announcement made by the soldier earlier, Kuzan did the same. His mission was to prepare the defense of MarineFord following the announcement of the execution of Ace with the Burning Fists, any information was good to take.
Once the door of the interrogation room closed, the three men went to the adjoining room where Garp and Kizaru were waiting for them. They were still staring at the girl who stayed in the other room while chatting about her. The entrance of the three men visibly interrupted the conversation, as they instinctively gathered around their superior.
Seeing that the soldier dared not speak, Aokiji encouraged him to start.
Soldier: "Gentlemen, as I said, we have received information regarding Whitebeard's crew. Our spy contacted us less than 15 minutes ago and the news is rather disturbing. According to him, the Whitebeard Pirates are all meeting as we speak. A priori, all the commanders of the fleet found themselves with their crew, a potential army of 1600 men.
Kizaru: Was he able to give us the location of the crew?
Soldier: Unfortunately no, we were interrupted before he could transmit the position to us, however, we know that they will soon be moving towards MarineFord. I don't have any other information at this time.
Sengoku: Alright, thank you, soldier, you may dispose of.
As soon as he received the order to leave, the soldier turned around and left the room without asking for his rest, visibly intimidated by so many high-ranking officers in the same room.
Aokiji made a mental note of the information. Most important was the number of pirates gathered. Admittedly, during the meetings, they had planned to put in place 100,000 soldiers to protect the base during the execution, but opposite, a single member of the crew of Whitebeard was equivalent to fifty well-trained soldiers and above all, there was Whitebeard himself, the man considered the strongest in the world. This is why Aokiji asked to contact the Warlords so that the execution takes place without interruption.
After a brief silence, Aokiji saw Sengoku go to the window to observe the blonde girl, before suddenly turning around.
Sengoku: Okay, we'll discuss the "Whitebeard" issue at the strategy meeting later. For the moment, I would like to have your first impressions of this child.
It was Kizaru who spoke first, he wanted to explain in detail his meeting with the young girl calling herself Tanya, as for the analysis of her behavior during the interrogation, it was quite vague and without too much precision…
This did not surprise Aokiji, because he knew his counterpart very well, the theoretical and analytical approach did not particularly fascinate him. Despite appearances, he was a man of the field, which is why he insisted on the fighting potential of the kid.
As for me, Aokiji continued, if we put aside her fighting skills, I find the way she expresses herself as well as the answers she gave us a little curious.
Kuzan let a short silence hang, he took the opportunity to pull a chair that was stored under the table and sat down, leaning on the table before continuing.
"I find it strange that she has no memory of before meeting Kizaru apart from this orphanage story. I feel like she's hiding something from us.
On top of that, what amazes me the most is her lack of knowledge about the world, especially when it comes to devil fruits. I agree that in some places in this world devil fruits are just legends to scare children. But as far as she is concerned, nothing. And I don't think she lied to us about it, her surprise sounded sincere."
Garp: You guys are freaking out for nothing, she's just a little stronger than the average kid. She must be a little younger than the kids I'm training right now Ah Ah Ah.
Sengoku: Aokiji is right Garp, there's something odd with her. She's a child, there's no doubt about it, but when I questioned her, I felt like I was talking to an adult. The way she responded, her look, the lack of innocence in her eyes… I feel like everything she says is thoughtful and calculated… All of this puzzles me.
None of them knew how to handle this situation. Kuzan, on the other hand, did not want to come to the same extremes as on the island of Ohara and the child of the demon Nico Robin. Come to think of it, it had already been twenty years since she had become the enemy of the World Government.
"So the question is: what do we do with her?" asked the Admiral-in-Chief, "we can't let that kid go free."
Sengoku: "She is far too dangerous. At this time, we don't know the origin of her powers, or even how they work. All we know at the moment is that they're probably not related to devil fruits, Haki, or even the Six Powers.
Imagine if she fell into the wrong hands and they could learn from her abilities which are very troublesome it could become dangerous for our troops.
So we're going to continue the questioning before the meeting starts so we can figure out what to do with her."
Once the instructions were given, Aokiji saw his leader heading for the exit to turn around in the next room and didn't need to be asked to follow him.
POV Tanya Degurechaff
Tanya was getting impatient, she had been held captive in that chair for hours. The possibility of cutting the chain with her mage blade became more and more tempting, despite the risks involved. But given the situation, it was still acceptable. She could count on her training in first aid gestures learned during her second life if ever the wound were to bleed too much.
By concentrating on the shape of the blade, she could surely manage to limit the injury. Before doing anything, Tanya listened carefully to make sure no one was approaching her position. She also looked towards the glass, the man who had been watching her previously no longer seemed to be there.
She didn't want to come to this, but she would probably end up in a cell for the rest of her life. In her previous life, the attack on an army officer would result in life imprisonment or even a firing squad.
Tanya gritted her teeth, bracing herself for a stabbing pain down her sides, but was cut off by the two men's entry into the room she had seen earlier. They returned to their original place.
"They're going to interrogate me again, '' sighed Tanya in her heart. I'm going to offer them my services directly, if it can save me the prison box, try as much. I just have to wait for the right moment."
Sengoku: Alright girl, let's start again. We still have a few questions for you.
Tanya: Alright, I'm listening.
Sengoku: What are your powers? How do they work? How did you learn to master them?
The little blonde was expecting these questions, but not asked in such a direct way. She didn't want to answer it. Keeping her powers secret allowed her to have a certain advantage over them, knowing her opponent's abilities means preparing the appropriate countermeasures and in a world where she has no allies, this can be dangerous.
"If he asks me so many questions about my abilities, it means that I must be the only mage he knows in this world" concludes Tanya with a slight smile on the corner of her lips.
"Look," Tanya began, "I don't know you, and for my safety, I won't reveal my abilities. I am fully aware that you consider me a threat, otherwise, you would not have taken me to your headquarters chained to this for almost a day.
I, therefore, propose a solution that could suit everyone: I would like to join the ranks of the Marine.
The two sailors looked at each other with a very surprised air, they did not expect this answer. They decided not to interrupt their interlocutor for the moment, listening very carefully to her reasoning as well as her motivations.
Tanya: "Since my memory loss, I have no one to trust. With the support of the Marine, I hope to find certain elements of my past life to perhaps recover my memory lied Tanya. It will also allow me to be able to track down these infamous pirates who do not respect the laws or the freedom of each one. " She finally declared, remembering the visible hostility of the guard who guarded her earlier against the pirates.
The advantage for you will be to be able to keep me in check and under the control of the Marine.
After a long sigh, and a nod of his head as if trying to convince himself, Sengoku looked Tanya in the eyes and finally let out an "it's okay".
"YAAAAYY, I succeeded, my elocution amazes me".
Sengoku: However, you should know that your place in the Marine is largely determined by your power, which will be determined during an evaluation. This is a fight with one or more examiners. Your performance will determine your rank. It will take place tonight before sunset, meet at the training grounds. Do not be late.
Tanya: Yes sir.
The man got up, and walked towards the exit, he turned around one last time to inform Tanya that for the moment she will have the status of an intern which was equivalent to that of a sailor, and that she would be placed under surveillance for the moment. He also specified that he would call someone to come and remove her chains.
It took about ten minutes before Tanya could move freely again. She didn't understand why Admiral Aokiji had refused to do it himself, it was as if the idea of touching the chains repelled him to the highest degree. A few seconds after his superior had left, he had also left the room to join Admiral Kizaru and Vice-Admiral Garp in the adjoining room behind the glass.
It was a young soldier with pink hair who had come to free her. He didn't have the same getup as the other soldiers. Instead of the white shirt, he wore a kind of white track jacket with two blue stripes starting from his sleeves and going to his shoulders. You could also see a bandana with sunflowers resting on her forehead and keeping her hair out of sight. On this bandana rested a pair of round glasses.
POV Sergeant Koby
Koby found himself in front of the V5 interrogation room at the request of Chief Admiral Sengoku. A little earlier, he had been called by the latter when they had passed each other in the hallways. He was going to the refectory to join Hermep, a classmate, and his friend. The Admiral had entrusted him with a mission, to free the detained person from her seastone chains and maintain close surveillance for a certain time. The admiral had also clarified that if this person attempted anything suspicious, he should contact a vice admiral or an admiral.
Rather amazing as a safety device, thought Koby, the person I have to watch must be pretty damn strong to move a vice admiral in case of trouble.
When he opened the door, Koby cringed when he realized the person to watch was a little blonde strapped to a seastone chair.
Koby: Hello, I'm Staff Sergeant Koby, Admiral Sengoku asked me to take care of you and temporarily escort you to the base.
He was greeted by an icy blue gaze of such depth it was almost dizzying. The girl introduced herself as Tanya Degurechaff after Koby was able to undo the chains that were impeding her.
The first thing she did when she was released was to stretch.
Tanya: Mmmm, do you know what it's like to stay tied to a chair for almost a whole day without moving? It's not pleasant.
Koby stared at Tanya, he had accepted the mission, but he didn't know what to do next. He didn't understand why such measures were put in place for a little girl, but orders are orders...
The two young people looked into each other's eyes without anyone speaking. To Koby's relief, the door behind him opened to reveal Vice Admiral Garp. A smile appeared on the young boy's face. He was always happy to see his mentor, even if the latter was a bit eccentric, he reminded him a lot of Luffy.
Garp: So you're on babysitting duty? How about taking our little miss to the cloakrooms so she can wash up? The journey and the wait must have exhausted him.
Koby: Yes sir! If you follow me, I'll take you to the cloakrooms.
The only response he got from Tanya was an emotionless "good." They left the room together, leaving Garp alone in the room, he looked pensive.
Koby guided Tanya through the maze of corridors, it had been a while since he had arrived at Marine HQ thanks to the vice-admiral, but even today he sometimes got lost. Fortunately, the locker rooms were a place he knew well because he liked to take refuge there and relax after hard training.
When he glanced at the girl, he noticed that she had a wandering gaze, as if studying the building from top to bottom.
To break the silence, Koby asked Tanya where she was from and why she had to be placed under surveillance. The girl's response was a thousand miles from what he expected.
Tanya: I have no recollection of where I came from sir, and as to why you have to escort me is obviously because I slightly injured Admiral Kizaru. I have applied to join the Marine, so in the meantime, I am under your responsibility Sir.
Koby: Did you hurt Admiral Kizaru?! But how? Admiral Kizaru is known to be one of the power monsters of the Marine, and to think that a child could hurt an Admiral where most adults cannot because of their body... I find it incredible!
Not that much Sir replied the girl without even looking at him, she then explained to him what happened on the island.
Koby: You know Tanya, you can use polite expressions with me, we don't have such a big age difference between us.
Tanya: I will not allow myself Sergeant, for the moment I only have the rank of seaman, it would be inappropriate on my part to disrespect a superior officer, especially if I am placed under observation.
Koby couldn't believe it, she seemed so mature for her age, her gestures, her language, her speech, everything seemed supernatural.
When they arrived at their destination, Koby let Tanya do what she had to do and waited outside the entrance waiting for her to finish. He went no further out of respect for his new friend who had just arrived.
When she came back to him, she seemed more radiant than when they had met. Taking a shower must have perked her up. Not sure where to take her next, Koby offered to go to the cafeteria so she could eat something, but she declined the invitation asking instead if there was a library or archives where she could document herself on some things.
There is the library, replied Koby reluctantly, it is located on the fourth floor on the left wing of the building, you cannot miss it, it is the only room in the HQ where the walls are entirely made of wood.
Without even consulting him, Tanya walked in the direction that Koby was pointing, she was walking with a sure and quick step, it was as if her life was on the line right now. He sighed and immediately went after her.
POV Tanya Degurechaff
The boy who stuck with her followed her into the library without saying a word. "So much the better, that way I could learn a little more about this world without him telling me about the rain and the good weather."
She took a quick tour of the shelves in the library to locate books that could be a mine of information. She had to choose from her selection of books because the evaluation was fast approaching. Her choices were about devil fruit books, the Marine in general, and this world in general.
A few hours had passed, and Koby was sleeping soundly, his head resting on the table. There was no one left in the library, which had gradually emptied as the day progressed.
It's almost time for my assessment, Tanya noted, glancing out the window. The sky was becoming more and more orange, indicating the end of the day was fast approaching.
"I haven't had a chance to see what the outside looked like yet," Tanya instinctively got up and walked to the window and gazed at the sight before her.
She was in a huge building that overlooked the entire island. At the foot of this construction, one could observe a huge city, which was probably used as a dwelling place for the soldiers stationed there. The city was full of activities, full of small shops, restaurants, and small grocery stores that stood out from the houses. In the distance, the sea was as far as the eye could see, we could not distinguish anything but the ocean and the few boats leaving or returning from missions. They had the possibility of raising the anchor in the immense bay in the shape of a crescent moon which served as a port. Dozens of boats were already waiting and ready to sail the seas.
Tanya watched the landscape thoughtfully, sifting through all the information she had been able to obtain today. Her priority had been to find out about these famous devil fruits. She had already made the connection between having certain abilities and these fruits since Admiral Sengoku hinted at them earlier that day.
"So these are fruits capable of giving different powers depending on the fruit absorbed.
There are also three main families of devil fruits: the paramecia, which obtain the power to affect their body, manipulate the environment or produce any substance; the zoan which allows its user to transform into an animal or a hybrid creature and finally the logia which give its user the power to take the form of a natural element, to produce and control it at will"
"So logically, Admiral Kizaru must have eaten a fruit related to lasers, or else light."
Tanya turned around and observed Koby who was still sleeping, "the most important thing is that they seem to lose the ability to swim, and their powers evaporate in contact with seawater. A mineral called seastone would be able to reproduce the same effects...
I will have to get this ore quickly and make a dagger out of it"
Research on the Marine had also yielded important information. By reading certain press articles, Tanya had been able to quickly establish a diagram of the power in place.
The world was ruled by the World Government, and the Marine was its armed representative bringing order to the seas and among the member countries by pursuing pirates to imprison them or execute them according to their crimes.
"I did well to join the Marine," Tanya thought, "now the goal is to get a high enough position that will ensure that I never leave this place. If I could take care of the administrative part, I wouldn't have to go after pirates and risk my life for nothing."
She didn't have time to get more information because she was running out of time. But she promised to come back here to continue to find interesting information.
"Well, it's time to go and stake my future on a little evaluation". A smirk formed on her face as he finished that sentence.
Tanya: Sergeant, Sergeant! It's almost time, can you take me to the training grounds?
Koby: Huh? uh? Yes, of course, follow me.