13 Chapter 13: Fasten your seatbelts. It’s going to be a bumpy night

After two weeks of resting Rick couldn't stand it anymore. He needed to move, he needed to train. To spend the surplus of energy had.

So he started to train on the deck during the night when almost everyone was asleep. Why at night? So Garp would not find out and start his "training".

He lasted two nights, before Garp caught him.

Garp caused such a ruckus that everyone went on the deck in their Pyjamas.

They were laughing and cheering at the fight between grandpa and grandson.

Suddenly, the door of the infirmary opened and everyone froze.

For the doc it was an interesting view. Everybody was looking at him.

No one said a word.

Garp was holding Rick up in the airby his collar in one hand.

The both of them had a deer caught in headlights.

The doc took a deep inspiration and let out a long sigh.

"You know what ? I'm too old for this shit. I don't give a damn anymore."

Then turned around and went back to the infirmary, closing the door with force.

And that's how Rick's "training" officially started again.

~~~~~~

It's been a week now that Garp and Rick started to fight all day.

Or to be more accurate Rick tried to beat Garp up while Garp was effortlessly doing so to Rick.

Rick was annoyed. He constantly felt someone watching him but could not pinpoint who.

Garp and Kaza knew who it was tough. They were having a conversation with their eyes.

'Ah! Seems the brat has a secret admirer'

'Our little Rick is growing up so fast. He's now getting the ladies attention.'

'Should we shake things up a bit?'

'You? No! Me on the other hand hehehe'

"Alright, Sir, Rick, time for break!"

"Oi!, the kid's training is not over."

"Yeah! And I'm about to kick his ass."

"Sure, sure you are. But while you're training someone else is doing your chores!"

"So what Kaza ? I'm the vice-admiral here, I say who does what."

Kaza completely ignored her superior.

"It's your turn to watch over princess Azalea."

Garp finally got it.

"Huh. Right! Rick you heard her, go stand guard next to the princess."

"What? Less than 10 seconds ago you wanted to keep training, sir!"

"Your Captain gave you an order, Seaman recruit."

"Sir, you just said that you were the one in command here!"

"That's right and right now, I'm ordering you to fulfill the order your captain gave you."

"Sir, yes sir!"

Rick couldn't help but muttered " How childish"

Drawing a smile on Kaza and Garp's faces.

He finally arrived at the princess' side.

"Good morning princess, I'll be the one standing on guard today. You ever need anything please tell me."

Princess Azalea didn't look at him, she didn't even nod. She kept reading a book that Captain Kaza lent her and just didn't acknowledge his existence.

Rick had a sarcastic thought

'This is gonna be so great!"

After an hour or so, without looking up from the book the princess asked him:

" Why did you almost die saving us ?"

"Because one of the pirates cut me pretty deep, your highness."

She looked up and glared at him.

"That's not what I meant! You could have waited for the other marines to treat you, yet you came to save me! It was basically suicide in your condition, so why did you do it?"

"Oh that?"

She was getting more and more irritated with him.

"YES! THAT!"

"Duty."

"Duty? A marine's duty is being suicidal?"

She was frowning now.

"No your highness. A marine's duty is to protect and save the people who can't do it themselves. Who knows what could have happened to you had I chosen to wait for backup and be treated? Your life was my top priority, not mine. My conscience didn't allow me to let you like that.It was the right thing to do. But what do I know? I'm only 6"

"You liar! That's impossible, no 6 years old could do what you did. No 6 years old looks so old and no 6 years old can enroll in the marines!"

"Oh, that? Since I look like I'm ten,I lied about my age."

"Fine let's say it's true. Why would a 6 years old kid want to join the marine?"

"Well to make it short, I had no parents, no home, no memories, no money. Just my devil fruit abilities and my big build so, why not join the marines?"

The princess said nothing, she just looked at him. Finally she went back to reading the book she was holding.

At the end of the day she didn't turn the page once.

~~~~~~

Three weeks passed, and on a fine evening the marine ship boarding Garp and Rick arrived at Marineford.

During the journey Garp "trained" Rick again and again. When they were not training, the latter's only chore was guarding the princess.

While training, he felt like every breath he took, every move he made, every step he took, someone has been watching him.

He felt that the stare was more intense than before but since he couldn't tell from who it was he just bear with it.

'I got a feeling, somebody's watching meeeeeee, and I have no privacy.'

Kaza, who was watching on the sidelines, tried her very best not to explode in laughter. When she was unable to hold it anymore, she just left for another part of the ship.

When they came to the Bourgeois kingdom to bring princess Azalea home, Rick advised her to start learning to fight so she could defend herself.

" Your highness, you're the princess of the kingdom, many ill intent people will try to go after you. You shouldn't completely trust in your guards and learn to defend yourself."

She stared at him but didn't say anything, she just oompfh and went to say goodbye to Garp and Kaza and give them her thanks.

For many years to come, it was said in a hushed tone in the kingdom that after the princess was rescued from her kidnappers,she went a bit crazy, as she took great interest in the marines corps, getting every single news she could get her hands on.

Rumors were that she fell in love with the young, handsome and dashing marine who has saved her.

She trained herself harshly in the way of the sword, becoming a well known swordfighter across the world and no one tried to mess with her again.

Rick couldn't not feel someone watching him anymore.

You would think that after at least two lives, and being married for a long time, he would recognize the loving gaze of a lady on him.

But nope, despite being smart and calculating, he never made the connection with the princess' departure and the end of this annoying feeling he had.

Kaza just shook her head in dejection, muttering " He's too dense, there's no hope for him".

Once at Marineford, Garp took Rick with him.

"Come with me kid, there are some people I want you to meet."

"Who are they, sir?"

"My best friends, I started in the marine and did my whole career with them. They're the only people I would entrust my life to and the lives of my family."

'Yay! It's finally time to meet Sengoku and Tsuru.Thank the goddess I took Acting level 5, I would not have had the time to level it up.'

"Really?"

"Yes, but keep it to yourself I don't want anyone else to know."

"I promise, sir!"

"Good kid."

~~~~~~

Garp led Rick to one of the houses on the island, in a small village built for the marines' families.

He knocked at the door and entered when he heard a "Come in!" from the other side.

"Good to see you back Garp, how did the mission go?"

"Great, no casualties except the pirates, but that's not why I schedule this meeting tonight."

"Oh? What's the reason then?"

"I came here to introduce you to someone. Oi kid ! Get in here."

Rick entered the house since he was invited and joined Garp

Sengoku saw him for the first time and turned to his friend

"You do remember that kidnapping children is illegal, right? Put him back where you find him."

"I didn't kidnap him!" said Garp annoyed.

Sengoku faced Risk and asked him if it was true.

"Is it true kid?"

"Yes sir."

When he was about to explain things, a voice came from outside.

"Coming in! Sorry I'm late…. guys"

It was Vice-Admiral Tsuru, she stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Rick. She too turned to Garp.

"You do remember that kidnapping children is illegal, right?"

Garp exploded, Sengoku smirked and Rick laughed loudly.

" I DID NOT KIDNAP HIM! FOR THE LAST TIME, I DID NOT".

"Is it true kid?"

"Yes Miss."

'I'm tempted to say yes, though, just to see how deep in shit Garp will be'

Sengoku broke the argument.

"Why don't we all sit down and enjoy a nice cup of tea and cookies."

Rick's acting was in full throttle; he was playing the innocent child card through and through.

With wonder and joy he said:

" Cookies ?"

Sengoku chuckled.

"Yes kid, cookies."

~~~~~~

The four of them were seated on opposite side

Garp next to Rick and Sengoku next to Tsuru.

Sengoku was the first to speak.

"So Garp, what's the story? Wait first, is that my cap?"

Rick didn't miss the opportunity.

"Your cap? YOU're the fleet admiral sengoku the buddha ?

He quickly stood up straight and did a salute.

"Seaman Recruit Rick Wald, at attention sir!"

Garp put his head in his hands, exasperated. Sengoku chuckled and Tsuru was impassive. She did think one word though. Cute.

"Relax kid, It's 8 pm, I'm off duty, there is no fleet admiral here."

"Sir, yes, sir!"

Rick sat down and made himself have stars in his eyes.

"So you like it?" asked Sengoku.

'Time to be shy now.'

"Ye.. Yes."

Garp added his grain of salt.

"Oi! Yes? Is that all you have to say."

He turned to his friends.

"He loves it so much that he wears it in his sleep" he laughed.

"GRANDPA!"

Garp kept laughing, Sengoku smiles and Tsuru… still the same, impassive and thinking "cute".

"So, what's the story?"

"Well, 8 months ago I was returning to the HQ at LogueTown, when I saw this kid at the reception desk. He wanted to enroll, I asked his age, he said "10 sir", since he was the right age to engage in the marines I tested him and he passed and here we are."

Rick seized the opportunity

' Let's go with the " scared kid because he did a bad thing" act. Let's add some body language.

He lowered his head, brought his hands together in his lap and dropped the bomb.

"A… Actually grandpa, I'm not 10, I'm 6."

"""WHAT!"""

Even Tsuru shouted.

"Stop lying kid, you told me you were 10! Besides you're too big to be six years old."

"I.. I lied.. Bu.. But I put my real age and birthdate on the paper!"

'A bit of stammering,eh! They won't see through this lie'

"Kid, nobody would have if you didn't say anything? Why tell the truth now?" asked Sengoku.

'Cute recruit Part II Begin!'

Rick stood up straight and did a salute again.

"Because you don't lie to the fleet admiral, Sir!"

Garp rolled his eyes, Sengoku smirked, Tsuru… was still in "cute mode".

"You're right! Does that mean it's okay to lie to an Admiral or any other superior?"

"Sir! no ,sir!"

"Good. You can sit down now. Still no fleet admiral here."

Rick sat down and picked up once again the remorseful kid who got with his hand in the cookie jar.

"So why did you lie to Garp."

"I.. I didn't want to! But I knew you have to be at least 10 to enroll, so I did. And I couldn't tell the truth to grandpa afterwards because…"

'A little pause here to build the tension".

"Because?"

Rick lowered his head again, he clenched his hands that were on his lap, leaned a bit forward as if he was hurt and made tears at the corner of his eyes, as if he was doing his best not to cry.

'PAYBACK IS HERE!'

"Because Grandpa would have " trained " me again" said Rick in a whisper.

Both Sengoku and Tsuru read his body language. The kid clearly was scared. More than that, it was fear. The way he said "trained" and the look of pain he had when he said it. Whatever Garp did to him, it had traumatized the kid. They were furious.

Sengoku yelled.

"GARP! WHAT DID YOU DO TO THAT KID?"

"What? I didn't do any…"

He couldn't finish his sentence as Tsuzru was already upon him.