One Piece : Tanya

The man got up and walked toward the exit. He turned around one last time to inform Tanya that, for the moment, she would have the status of an intern, equivalent to that of a sailor, and that she would be placed under surveillance. He also specified that he would call someone to 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, as if the idea of touching the chains repelled him to the highest degree. A few seconds after his superior had left, he also exited the room to join Admiral Kizaru and Vice Admiral Garp in the adjoining observation room behind the glass.

A young soldier with pink hair arrived to free her. He didn't have the same uniform as the other soldiers. Instead of the standard white shirt, he wore a white track jacket with two blue stripes running from his sleeves to his shoulders. A bandana with sunflowers rested on his forehead, keeping his hair out of sight, with a pair of round glasses perched on top of it.

POV Sergeant Koby

Koby found himself in front of the V5 interrogation room at the request of Chief Admiral Sengoku. Earlier, he had been called upon by the admiral when they passed each other in the hallways. He had been on his way to the refectory to join Helmeppo, his classmate and friend, when the admiral assigned him a task—to free the detained individual from her seastone chains and maintain close surveillance for a while. Sengoku had also specified that if this person attempted anything suspicious, Koby should immediately contact a vice admiral or an admiral.

"Quite the security measure," Koby thought. "The person I'm supposed to watch must be incredibly strong if it requires a vice admiral to step in if things go south."

When he opened the door, Koby flinched upon realizing that the person in question was a small blonde girl 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 met with an icy blue gaze so deep it was almost dizzying. The girl introduced herself as Tanya Degurechaff after Koby undid the chains restraining her.

The first thing she did upon being freed was stretch.

Tanya: "Mmmm, do you know what it's like to be 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 wasn't sure what to do next. He still couldn't understand why such extreme measures had been taken for a little girl. But orders were orders...

The two stood in silence, staring at each other, until, to Koby's relief, the door behind him opened to reveal Vice Admiral Garp. A smile appeared on Koby's face. He was always happy to see his mentor, even if the old man was a bit eccentric. In many ways, he reminded Koby of Luffy.

Garp: "So, you're on babysitting duty? How about taking our little miss to the locker rooms so she can wash up? The journey and the wait must have exhausted her."

Koby: "Yes, sir! If you follow me, I'll take you to the locker rooms."

The only response he received from Tanya was an emotionless "Good." They left the room together, leaving Garp alone, looking pensive.

Koby guided Tanya through the maze of corridors. Though he had been at Marine HQ for a while now, thanks to Vice Admiral Garp, he still sometimes got lost. Luckily, he knew the locker rooms well, as he often took refuge there to relax after intense training sessions.

When he glanced at Tanya, he noticed her wandering gaze, as if she were studying the building from top to bottom.

To break the silence, Koby asked where she was from and why she was under surveillance. Her answer was far from what he had expected.

Tanya: "I have no recollection of where I came from, sir. As for why you're escorting me, it's obviously because I slightly injured Admiral Kizaru. I applied to join the Marines, so in the meantime, I am under your responsibility, sir."

Koby: "You hurt Admiral Kizaru?! But how? Admiral Kizaru is one of the Marine's powerhouses! Even most adults can't lay a finger on him because of their physical limitations… I find that incredible!"

"Not that much, sir," Tanya replied flatly without even looking at him. She then explained what had happened on the island.

Koby: "You know, Tanya, you can use polite expressions with me. We don't have that big of an age difference."

Tanya: "I wouldn't allow myself, Sergeant. At the moment, I only hold the rank of seaman. It would be inappropriate for me to disrespect a superior officer, especially while under observation."

Koby couldn't believe it. She seemed so mature for her age—her gestures, her speech, her overall demeanor. Everything about her felt unnatural.

When they arrived at their destination, Koby let Tanya do what she needed and waited outside out of respect for his new acquaintance.

When she returned, she looked noticeably more refreshed. The shower had clearly perked her up. Unsure where to take her next, Koby offered to go to the cafeteria so she could eat, but she declined. Instead, she asked if there was a library or an archive where she could research some things.

Koby: "There's the library," he replied reluctantly. "It's on the fourth floor, left wing of the building. You can't miss it—it's the only room in HQ where the walls are entirely made of wood."

Without consulting him, Tanya headed in the direction Koby had pointed, walking with such determination that it seemed as though her life depended on it. He sighed and followed immediately after her.

POV Tanya Degurechaff

The boy stuck close behind her as she entered the library, remaining silent. "Good," she thought. "That way, I can gather information without him distracting me."

She scanned the shelves quickly, looking for books rich in information. Given that her evaluation was approaching, she had to be selective. She settled on books about Devil Fruits, the Marines, and the world at large.

A few hours passed, and Koby had fallen asleep, his head resting on the table. The library, once bustling with people, had gradually emptied as the day progressed.

Tanya glanced out the window. "It's almost time for my assessment," she noted. The sky was turning orange, signaling the end of the day.

"I haven't even seen what the outside world looks like yet," she thought as she instinctively walked to the window.

She stood in a massive building overlooking the entire island. At its base, a huge city stretched out, likely serving as a residence for the stationed soldiers. It bustled with activity—shops, restaurants, and grocery stores scattered among the houses. In the distance, the sea stretched as far as the eye could see, with nothing but the ocean and a few ships leaving or returning from missions. The crescent-shaped bay served as a port, with dozens of vessels docked, ready to sail.

Tanya gazed at the landscape thoughtfully, analyzing all the information she had gathered. Her priority had been learning about Devil Fruits.

"So, these fruits grant different powers depending on which one is consumed."

She had identified three main types: Paramecia, which altered the user's body, environment, or allowed them to produce substances; Zoan, which enabled transformations into animals or hybrids; and Logia, which let users become and control natural elements.

"Logically, Admiral Kizaru must have eaten a fruit related to lasers—or perhaps light itself."

Her research also revealed that Devil Fruit users lost the ability to swim and that a rare mineral called seastone could negate their powers.

"I need to get my hands on some of that ore and craft a dagger."

With a smirk, she turned toward Koby, still sleeping.

Tanya: "Sergeant! Sergeant! It's almost time! Can you take me to the training grounds?"

Koby: "Huh? Uh? Yes, of course—follow me!"