Chapter 5: A New Home
Several days had passed since Satoru was found. To him, it felt like a long, strange ordeal of barely surviving the clumsy care of a warship full of large, loud men. None of the Marines on the vessel had any real skill with babies.
"Finally, solid ground!" Garp boomed, stepping off the gangplank onto the dock with Satoru tucked under one arm like a sack of potatoes. "For the first time, I feel like taking care of a kid is actually hard work!"
Satoru felt a wave of deep contempt from the bottom of his tiny heart. He was a reincarnated person with an adult's mind. He was far easier to handle than a normal infant. He rarely cried or fussed, only making noise when he was genuinely hungry or needed a change. But when he was quiet, the Marines would swarm around, making ridiculous faces and using silly voices to 'entertain' him. He couldn't help but look at them with pure, unadulterated disgust.
The Marines, seeing his annoyed expression, seemed to take it as a personal challenge. They'd get a gleam in their eyes, a special sense of accomplishment, and then proceed to pinch his cheeks relentlessly until they were red and he was finally provoked into crying. Only then would they stop.
I'm the one suffering here, Satoru thought miserably. And these guys treat me like a living toy.
"Garp is back!"
As soon as they landed, Satoru heard a chorus of cheerful shouts from the shore. The voices were full of genuine excitement and deep respect. The entire atmosphere among the Marines on the ship shifted instantly. They straightened their backs, their faces becoming serious and professional. They were like completely different people in public—a crew of elite, disciplined soldiers. In private, they were a bunch of childish goofballs who tortured babies for fun. In Satoru's mind, anyone who could 'torture' an infant like that couldn't be all good.
"Form ranks! Disembark!"
At Bogard's command, the rank-and-file Marines filed off the ship in perfect, synchronized order, their boots hitting the dock with a unified, impressive thud. They lined up smartly on either side, creating a path.
Garp, Bogard, and the other officers then walked down the gangplank to the dock.
"Garp, you old sea dog! You finally remember to come visit!"
A kind-faced, middle-aged man stepped forward. The Marines standing guard didn't move to stop him; his familiarity was expected.
"Can't be helped! Getting leave from HQ is a hassle," Garp replied with his trademark careless grin. "I still come back more than most! You know that guy Sengoku? Hasn't been back to his hometown in years. By the time he goes, his own family might not recognize him! You should be happy I visit several times a year, Mayor!"
The man was the mayor of Windmill Village, the person who had helped raise Garp from a wild boy into the man he was. To Garp, he was like a father. Seeing the scrappy kid he'd cared for become the famed "Hero of the Marines" always filled the mayor with a complex pride. Life was unpredictable. No matter what a person looked like in the past, you could never guess their future.
"You... just rest while you're here. You must be tired," the mayor said, his voice softening with real concern.
The simple kindness touched something in Garp's heart. Though he was a hero, though he was credited with cornering Gold Roger, most people only saw the glory. Few understood the weight and pressure that came with the title. His actions, while still boisterous, were more measured now than in his wild youth. The old Garp was slowly fading, reshaped by time and duty.
"By the way, Mayor," Garp said, shifting gears. "I've got someone to introduce you to."
He gestured, and a Marine lieutenant carefully handed him the bundled-up baby.
"Where did you get a baby?" the mayor asked, his eyes going wide. "It can't be... Dragon's boy, is it?"
The moment he saw Satoru's distinctive white hair, he was shocked. He thought Garp had been too busy for another child, so it had to be his son Dragon's.
"Hmph! I wish that stubborn brat would give me a grandson," Garp grumbled, his expression darkening slightly. "I don't even know where that idiot is now. I'm just thankful he's still breathing."
Garp's frustration with his son, Monkey D. Dragon, was no secret. He did not support Dragon leaving the Marines to form the Revolutionary Army. As a high-ranking Marine, Garp knew all too well the immense, ancient power of the World Government. Challenging it with a scattered band of rebels seemed like a guaranteed path to a grave. He'd fought Dragon over it, both verbally and physically. When it became clear he couldn't change his son's mind, he'd let go. Forcing a bitter fruit to stay on the tree served no one. If he'd kept Dragon in the Marines against his will, it might have poisoned others. So, in their final clash, Garp had held back, and let Dragon go. Since then, contact had been nearly impossible. He certainly didn't expect a grandson from that direction.
"So who is this child, then?" the mayor pressed.
"Rescued him from a pirate ship," Garp said, his voice turning a shade more serious. "Couldn't find any family. They're probably all dead thanks to those scum. So, I'm adopting him. He's my grandson now."
Hearing Garp's decision, the mayor nodded slowly, a look of approval on his face. "You're as big-hearted as ever, Garp."
"But, Mayor," Garp continued, his grin returning but with a slightly sheepish edge. "You know my job. I can't exactly raise a baby on a warship chasing pirates across the Grand Line..."
"What are you saying?" The mayor's eyes narrowed. A very bad feeling began to dawn in his heart. He felt like he'd just boarded a pirate ship—one captained by the Navy's own hero.
"I was wondering," Garp said, rubbing the back of his head, "if you could help raise him for a few years? Just until he's a bit older and sturdier! Then I'll take him to Marineford myself, train him up to be a fine Marine officer!"
The mayor stopped listening after 'help raise him.' He'd just heard the crucial part: he was going to be stuck raising Garp's adopted grandson.
This kid calls Garp 'grandpa.' What does that make me? Great-uncle?
Garp had initially considered sending the child to Dadan and the mountain bandits. But then he thought about it—they already had Ace to deal with, and that was more than enough headache for anyone. Adding another baby to their chaotic care might just break them.
(End of Chapter)
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