00015. The boys are missing?

The first night the boys didn't return home, Makino didn't worry about it. They liked to stay at Dadan's shack and their fort in the middle or the forest sometimes. When she didn't see them at all the next day, she became a little concerned since the boys always stopped by to eat at least once a day. She knew the boys could take care of themselves, but she still wanted to know that they were okay.

On the second day when the boys didn't come by, Makino planned to go find them at Dadan's and yell at them. But stopped when Dadan showed up at the bar complaining and looking for the boys herself. That's when both women realized something happened to the boys.

"We need to go look for them, they're probably in trouble knowing those boys." Dadan said.

Makino nodded as she said, "I'll go get the Mayor, he'll get us some more people to help in the search."

Dadan stood up from her chair as she said, "I have my boys checking the forest area already, since I thought they might be there training. But if they don't find them there, then we'll all go to the Grey Terminal and look."

As Dadan started to walk towards the door Makino asked, "Should we let Garp know the boys are missing?"

Dadan turned around quickly as she said, "That's the last thing we should do. If Garp found out he might kill us, that crazy old bastard."

"Eh? What did you just say?"

Dadan froze in fear before she slowly turned around to see Garp standing at the door digging a pinky into his ear. He wore shorts, sandals and a buttoned up shirt, with a floral print.

He pulled his finger out of his ear as he said, "Repeat what you just said, I don't think I heard you right the first time."

"Ga… Garp? What are you doing here?" Dadan asked in a panic.

"I came to visit my grandsons, of course. Where are the little brats?"

Makino stepped forward as she said, "We were just discussing that…"

Dadan shot a pleading look towards Makino who shook her head as she said, "They've been missing for a couple days now."

Garp laughed loudly before he focused his gaze on both women and asked in a serious tone, "You lost my grandsons?"

Dadan gulped as she slowly nodded her head. Makino on the other hand narrowed her eyes and said in a low tone of voice, "You better not be blaming us. Luffy and Marcus were nice and well behaved boys before you showed up to train them! If anything, this is your fault!"

"My fault? You're the ones who are supposed to be watching over them!" Garp yelled out.

Makino walked up in front of Garp and started poking him in the chest as she said, "How are we supposed to watch over them, when they disappear for the whole day to train? This is all your fault!"

Garp smiled slightly as he asked, "They've kept up on their training every day?"

Makino nodded as she said, "Of course they did. Did you think they were gonna stop because you weren't around?"

Garp scratched the back of his head as he said, "I kinda thought everyone but Marcus would slack off."

Makino let out a huff before she said, "Well they didn't. All of them have been training hard since you left."

Makino looked up and locked eyes with Garp as she said, "Now that you know it's your fault, go find the boys and bring them home. I'll start making food because I'm sure they're hungry."

"But…"

Makino crossed her arms over her chest and glared at Garp as she said, "No buts! Go find the boys now!"

Garp let out a sigh, as he turned around to walk outside he said, "Fine, but there better be meat when I get back."

After Garp left, Makino turned around and playfully winked at the stunned Dadan as she said, "That's how you deal with Garp. Now come help me in the kitchen, the boys are sure to be hungry when they get home."

Dadan could only nod in silence as she followed Makino into the kitchen.

vvvvv

Luffy tugged on Marcus's torn up shirt as he said, "I'm hungry…"

"Hi, Hungry. I'm Marcus."

Ace and Sabo snickered a little as Luffy said, "I'm not Hungry. I'm Luffy!"

Marcus smiled at his brother as he said, "I'm glad you're not hungry Luffy, because I don't think we're getting anymore food."

Luffy pouted and looked around the cell they were in, it was bare with a small bucket to use as a toilet and the cold stone floor to use as their bed. They were tossed in here a few days ago and only fed a tiny bit of food each day. Which was something Luffy complained about every day. It also didn't help that they were only fed twice a day, which only made Luffy complain more.

As they sat on the floor Sabo asked, "How long do you think they'll keep us here for?"

Marcus shrugged as he said, "Depends on how long it takes for Makino or Dadan to come find us, I think."

"I heard the captain say it would be a week before I passed out." Ace said.

"A week!?! How can I go a week without meat!? Are they trying to kill us? Luffy asked in a panic.

Sabo and the others smiled at Luffy as he freaked out before Ace asked, "What if the one who finds us isn't Makino or Dadan, but gramps instead?.

Marcus chuckled before he said, "He'll probably train us till we die."

Ace shook his head and said, "He'll do that anyways."

Sabo and Luffy nodded in agreement before Marcus asked, "Maybe we should try and break out when they feed us again?"

Ace shook his head as he said, "Without our weapons, I don't think we can take those guards on. They only send the strongest guards to feed us."

"How do you know they're the strongest?" Marcus asked.

"They're the ones who were still standing after our fight."

"Makes sense, I was half conscious at the time so I didn't notice." Marcus said as they started to hear some kinda commotion outside. Since they were down in the prison section, it was hard to make out what was going on, but it sounded like the whole base was busy doing something.

Marcus glanced at others before he asked, "Think the base is doing some kinda special training?"

Ace shook his head as he said, "No, it doesn't sound like that. But it does sound like the whole base is active for some reason."

The boys quieted down to better hear what was going on, but after a few minutes gave up. They were too far away to accurately hear what was going on. A few more minutes passed before they heard the door to the prison area open up and people could be heard walking inside.

A couple people could be heard walking down the hallway outside their cell and after a moment someone said, "This is the cell, sir."

"Don't just stand there, open it up!" An angry voice said.

When the cell opened up, they could see the marine captain and a random prison guard standing outside the doorway. The captain glanced at the boys before he said, "Follow me, someone wants to see you."

The captain didn't wait for a response or to make sure they followed him before he turned around and walked away. The boys glanced at each other before they scrambled out of the cell and followed behind the man.

As they walked Luffy said, "I hope…"

"Shut up, I didn't tell you to speak." The captain said.

Luffy was about to say something when Marcus put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head. After that they followed the man in silence as he led them outside and into the main courtyard for the base. It seemed like every marine at the base was there, lined up and standing at attention.

After passing by the troops the boys could see the reason for the commotion, Garp was standing off to one side picking his nose. When the boys saw him the first to react was Luffy as he said, "Grandpa, I'm hungry!"

Everyone froze in place, even the captain as Luffy and the other boys moved towards Garp. Garp removed his finger from his nose and flicked the booger away before he asked, "This isn't what I expected to find when I came back to visit you brats. Didn't I raise you better than to fight with marines?"

Marcus glanced up at Garp as he said, "You showing up once a year to train us, doesn't count as raising us grandpa. Honestly the only thing you've really done is taught us how to fight and that's exactly what we did."

"If I taught you how to fight, then why the hell did you lose in a fight against them?" Garp asked as he pointed at all the marines standing in the courtyard. Everyone in the courtyard sweat dropped at that remark, while a few felt proud they could beat up Garp's grand kids.

Garp glanced at all the marines for a moment before he said, "Just look at all of them, they're weaklings. Even that captain isn't that strong. You should have easily beat them all."

"Vice Admiral Garp, you're going too far!" The captain said.

Garp glanced at the captain for a moment before he said, "No I'm not. I could have easily beaten every single one of you when I was their age."

The captain wanted to respond but when he looked at Garp he stopped, he felt as if he said anything else he wouldn't like what happened afterwards.

Garp glanced back down at his grandkids as he asked, "Also, why did you try to fight them in the first place?"

Ace pointed at the captain as he said, "That guy swindled us. He wouldn't let us turn in a bounty and then he took our treasure."

Garp glanced at the captain before he asked, "Is that true?"

The captain saluted before he said, "Not exactly sir."

"Then explain it to me." Garp said with slightly narrowed eyes.

The captain nodded as he said, "The boys brought in a pirate with a bounty, but they are under the legal age to claim it. They wanted to bring someone else back to claim it for them, but the guidelines dictate that isn't allowed."

"What? When was there an age limit to claim a bounty?" Garp asked in confusion.

The captain looked a little awkward as he said, "It's been in the guidelines for claiming bounties since I joined the marines, sir."

All the other marines nodded in agreement before Garp chuckled and said, "Must be something new they added recently, I'll have to ask Sengoku about it next time I'm at HQ."

The captain who was almost fifty sweat dropped before he said, "As for their treasure, it was confiscated because it was stolen goods, sir."

Garp nodded along before he looked down at the boys and said, "Looks like they were just doing their jobs."

Luffy pouted before he said, "But we fought the guy fair and square, that should be our treasure!"

Garp patted Luffy on the head as he said, "This should teach all of you an important lesson."

"What's that grandpa?" Luffy asked.

"Next time you capture some pirate scum, hide their treasure before you bring them in to claim the bounty. Bwahahahaha!"

Luffy pounded his fist into his hand as he said, "Oh, that's a good idea!"

Garp smiled as he said, "Of course, those are the only kind I have."

The other marines sweat dropped as the captain asked, "Sir, should you really be teaching kids to do something like that?"

Garp glanced over to the captain as he asked, "Are these your grandsons?"

"Um, no sir." The captain said.

"Exactly. Now mind your own business and have someone bring them their weapons."

A marine stepped forward carrying their weapons a few moments later as they said, "Here they are sir."

After the boys collected their weapons Garp said, "Alright, let's head home and eat. Then starting tomorrow I am doubling your training load for the month."

As the boys turned pale, the marines couldn't help but feel sorry for them and as they started to walk towards the exit, Garp glanced back at the captain and said, "The next time they come in to claim a bounty, don't give them any issues. That's an order."

The captain and other marines saluted and said, "Yes, sir."