The Marine

Beating the teenagers back to camp by a wide margin, Bill told Masterson and Toma to just play along like they hadn’t seen the [Compliance Tree] and to have the extra guards stand down.

Of course, Bill knew full well that the news of the [Davy Back Fight] would spread around.

After all, even if Masterson and Toma didn’t ask what had happened, the howler monkey Minks would, and it was literally impossible for those loud mouths to keep quiet.

For Masterson’s part he was confused by the order, but not to the point of second guessing the Commodore, so said he would do as he was ordered, and after seeing to a few other thing Bill left again to infiltrate the Sexy Foxy and see exactly what the ‘Slow Man’ had been up to over the past decade.

By the time Bill made his way back to the stadium created by the [Foxy Pirates] it was already past sunset but paper lanterns, oil lamps, and bonfires lit the area up well enough for even normal humans to see clearly.

But with his presence erased, Bill could walk around unnoticed by those with weak [Observation Haki] in broad daylight, and this was no different. Visiting one campfire after another unnoticed, Bill watched in silence as the Foxy Pirates drank, gambled, and partied.

After more than half an hour of this he had to admit that besides the outlandish gestures given when they won or lost whatever game was being played, the Foxy Pirates did not seem to be an outright evil sort.

This didn’t mean Bill thought they were good people, far from it, he thought they were professional robbers and bullies, but at least they were not the violent sociopaths that he had seen in other pirate groups.

Moving from the mass encampment and on to the [Sexy Foxy], the first thing Bill noticed was that it was full of people too. Walking passed the very Fish-man whose teeth had split his head open as a kid, he quickly recognized that the people onboard the ship were the ‘core’ members of the Foxy Pirates.

Bill came to this idea because while he did not recognize anyone back in the camp, he recognized several faces here on the ship.

It didn’t take long for him to survey most of the large galleon, which even by professional standards was well maintained, before he finally made his way to the Captains Quarters.

Slipping in when he was sure no one would see the door open, Bill stepped inside a large single room that was decorated with victory banners, foxes, and jolly rogers.

Nearer to the door was a solid wooden desk with stacks of paper scattered around that was underneath a wall of newspaper clippings. At the back of the room was a massive king-sized bed with a huge lump in the middle.

First making his way over to the snoring lump, Bill watched Foxy sleep and suddenly had a great idea.

Not one to second guess himself when dealing with pirates, Bill hit Foxy in the head just hard enough to knock the Slow Man unconscious then delivered a few more well-placed punches on the pirate’s tiny legs.

The more he punched the better he felt, until he felt so good that a full plan for the next day came into existence.

‘I’ll just have to tell the others to not mention me…’ Bill thought.

He didn’t know if Itomimizu would remember him, but Bill vividly remembered meeting the strange-headed teenager when he was just five years old and also knew that Itomimizu had clearly known him as ‘Aramaki’s son’.

Giving Foxy’s legs a couple more knuckles for good measure, Bill made sure to not break any bones or leave any bruises and then walked over to the wooden desk.

Sitting down, Bill first examined the newspaper clippings, and though most of them were vague references about the Foxy Pirates, a bunch were about Straw Hat Luffy.

And one article in particular was very recent.

[Supernova Rookie Attacks World Noble!]

• Approximately three days before this publication, the unthinkable occurred! Outside of the Public Employment Security Office the reaper of Enies Lobby, [Straw Hat Luffy], struck again! …

‘He’s now beating people up in front of employment offices?’ Bill thought with a frown and then thought that he should have done more when he ran into the Straw Hats back then.

The news article went on to describe the deeds of the [Marine Admiral Kizaru] in banishing the assembled Supernova Rookies from [Sabaody Archipelago] and even briefly described the involvement of [Sentomaru].

‘Why was the Science Division involved in that?’ was one question Bill had but knew that he wouldn’t get answers until he was back in [New Haven] and brought back up to date.

Moving around the stacks of papers, he then uncovered another issue of the [World Economy News Paper] and was absolutely dumbfounded.

Because there on the cover of a publication dated less than a week old was a cowboy hat wearing Marine who had a million-dollar smile, and the headline read:

[Ranse McGrew, There’s a New Sheriff in Town.]

• Exclusive images attained by the [World Economy News Paper] will bring to light the ruthless catastrophes currently faced by the East Blue! But where there is darkness there must be light, and one young Marine Captain is proving to the world that Justice can triumph against Evil!

Reading this article closely, Bill wondered just how so much could have happened in just under a month.

If this article were true, and it at least had to be somewhat true due to the attached pictures, Ranse had saved countless people across dozens of islands!

Furthermore, according to the article, he had received a commendation from [Fleet Admiral Sengoku] and had even been put in charge of the efforts to rid the East Blue of all EvoBeasts!

It was not impossible for the Marines to promote young people to positions of relative power, but as far as Bill knew, Ranse should have been a total unknown to Marineford just a month prior.

Blown away from the unexpected news, now Bill really wanted to return to [New Haven] but quickly calmed himself as he set aside the newspapers and delved into Foxy’s papers.

In short, the papers were a giant crew manifest.

This manifest listed names, skills, previous pirate crews, blood type, measurements, and just about every other conceivable piece of information.

Even for a man who could casually read thoughts, Bill thought some of these details were creepy, but one thing he definitely noticed was that out of Foxy’s entire crew of 660 not a single person could be counted as ‘unskilled’.

There were professions that Bill was very familiar with like those of Shipwrights, Carpenters, Surgeons, Doctors, Navigators, Helmsmen, and various Combatants but Foxy’s crew also included professions like Sharks (Gambler), Croupiers, Drivers, Pit Boss, Scout, Oarsmen, Ball Player, and many more that were clearly geared towards the Davy Back Fights.

Sitting there at Foxy’s desk Bill had to give the Slow Man credit that after being a pirate for nearly 20 years Foxy must have had the most technically skilled crew in [Paradise], despite his minuscule bounty of 24m Beli.

What Bill did not know was that not long after his failed kidnapping attempt, Foxy had wised up and changed his tactics.

Given the danger posed by Commodore Aramaki Ox, or the ‘Mad Bull’ as he was known in those days, Foxy been forced to forsake his home South Blue and had begun plundering human talent from rival pirate crews for his own protection; instead of seeking traditional riches from merchants or wayward islands.

After nearly 15 years of this, hundreds of victories had accumulated into what the ‘Foxy Pirates’ had become today.

The Foxy Pirates did have a few superhumans in their crew, but the extent of their pure combat abilities was never tested and would never be until the ‘Silver Fox’ decided to make his great return back to the South Blue or even the New World if his mind changed.

Not privy to any of that history, Bill began to see the Foxy Pirates in his own light.

This pirate crew who so adored the [Davy Back Fights] would be desired by any organization, and to not even mention himself, Bill thought that there was a good chance that Shiki would attempt to recruit Foxy if he sat by and did nothing.

Could he possibly allow that? ‘Impossible’ was his instantaneous answer.

Putting the papers exactly as he found them, Bill walked back over to the Slow Man and tied a rope around his forehead, just hard enough to barely cut off blood circulation, then left the room and headed back to his camp.

Underneath the moonlight Bill walked into his own camp unnoticed, like a phantom he made his way past the outer trenches and to the first row of long tents when he found that he wasn’t the only person sneaking around.

Three males were dressed in black, fully covered besides their heads which only had on thin masks around their eyes. Not hurried to act, now that he had seen them Bill figured that there was no way they could get away, he was instead thinking that these were the dumbest possible disguises.

They were obviously Foxy’s men, and listening to the male cat Mink just confirmed it: “There’s over a thousand people here …” said the Mink in a loud whisper, then added: “and dozens of those loud-mouth monkeys are with them! I don’t think this is a good idea…”

“Nonsense!” whispered a human male, barely even whispering at this point: “The Captains wants that girl for our crew, and most of the people are old timers!”

“Well, I don’t think that girl is the real Captain of these people…” started the cat Mink, clearly referencing the [Davy Back Fight] stipulation that only opposing pirate captains could be held to the traditional agreement.

But this fear wasn’t even responded to when the other man told him that he was ‘already talking too much’ and that ‘your job is to only run fast and scout’.

Either convinced or intimidated into silence, the cat Mink didn’t speak up again and Bill followed behind the trio as they tiptoed exaggeratedly down the narrow grid-pattern pathways.

Rolling his eyes at their actions, Bill wanted to have some fun since he had already decided that the Foxy Pirates would either be pressed into Marine service or destroyed the next day, and quickly ducking into one of the tents he quickly gathered a handful of nails, tacks, and other small miscellaneous items.

Getting ready to put these intruders through something they certainly didn’t expect, Bill decided to first give them a small taste of what was to come when he crouched down and using big fingers pressed a foot-sized hole in front of the cat Mink.

Completely unaware of the hole that had just been created, the Mink tiptoed down and…

*THUMP*

*CRACK*

“RNAAAR!” he started to cry but the human pirate quickly stuffed his mouth shut with a loincloth he pulled from his trousers and asked in another not-so-quite whisper: “Get a hold of yourself Chiqicheetah! What the hell happened?!”

“My... my ankle is broken!” wailed the Mink through the smelly rag and at the revelation of this showed a bulging ankle where the bone had almost pierced through the skin, and to say nothing of the pirate’s companions, even Bill could only stand there open mouthed.

He had planned to give these spies a taste of their own medicine, like a kid who was left home alone and forced to fight off two thieves lest they break into his house, but who knew on his very first ‘prank’ he would completely cripple the Cheetah Mink!

“Son-of-a” started the man who had been talking but was quickly interrupted by sounds coming from the surrounding long tents.

 Now forced to be more serious, Bill positioned himself to move quickly but was relieved when the pirates made the right call when they picked up their friend and started running out of camp.

Now revealing himself, Bill stood there as the first wary eyes looked out and said with a smile: “No need for alarm! I was walking to my quarters and stumbled on this hole. Tomorrow we’ll have to make sure the ground is more level.”

Already being very late at night, hearing the Commodores voice was enough for the Merveillians to drop their guards and after saying their goodnight's they went back to sleep.

As for Bill, he didn’t get much sleep that night but instead made plans for the next day.

Whether or not the [Foxy Pirates] could be disciplined into becoming proper Marines would just have to be seen, but if everything went as planned, his Department would be getting an influx of recruits and the elderly refuges would have a very nice ship to ride on.