Several days later.
Morning sunlight slipped through the narrow gap in the curtains, spilling gently into Gern's bedroom and coating everything in a warm golden glow.
What had once been a minimalist, almost austere room now looked… very different.
Carrot-themed cushions lay scattered across the bed and sofa.The curtains were printed with bright carrot patterns.Even the wall art had been replaced—now displaying peaceful carrot fields swaying beneath a blue sky.
On the bed, Gern Reginald Sigmar slowly opened his eyes, only to feel a strange numbness running through his right arm.
He turned his head.
Lipo was curled up beside him, fast asleep.
Her fluffy long ears rested against his chest, rising and falling gently with her steady breathing. She wore carrot-patterned pajamas, her cheeks faintly pink from sleep, a soft smile lingering on her lips—as if she were dreaming of chewing her favorite carrots even now.
"…You climbed into my bed again?" Gern muttered quietly, nudging her shoulder."Lipo, wake up…"
"Mmm… five more minutes…" she mumbled sleepily, rolling over and hugging his arm like a plush toy, clinging even tighter.
Gern let out a helpless chuckle.
The past few days of Zephyr's brutal training regimen had completely worn her out. She'd been collapsing into bed the moment she got back, sometimes too exhausted to even finish her beloved carrot cake.
Seeing that, Gern decided not to wake her.
He carefully slid his arm out from under her, moving slowly so as not to disturb her sleep. Before leaving, he gently rubbed her head once more—her soft ears still just as pleasant to the touch as ever.
After washing up, Gern changed his clothes and glanced at the mountain of paperwork piled on his desk.
His mouth twitched.
As expected of "Black Arm" Zephyr—merciless not only in training, but in paperwork too. During the short window before his reassignment to G-3, every backlog of documents had been dumped squarely onto him.
"I really shouldn't have said all that on the phone…" Gern sighed, picking up the top file.
Second Approval Report on Supply Replenishment During New World Patrols.
"…This kind of thing is exactly what gives people headaches."
Just as he was about to head out—
Thump.
A dull sound came from the bedroom, followed by a groggy, muffled complaint.
"Oww… the floor's so hard…"
Gern couldn't help but laugh. Shaking his head, he opened the door and left.
Meanwhile, at Marineford Harbor—
Vice Admiral Tsuru's warship slowly docked. Standing on the deck, Gion gazed at the familiar port, a faint smile unconsciously lifting her lips.
The moment she heard Gern had returned to headquarters, she'd finished her mission ahead of schedule. Even Tsuru had teased her for being a little too eager.
"Gion, I'll take care of the report," Tsuru said kindly, a knowing smile in her eyes."You should go rest first. After all… someone's been waiting rather impatiently to see you."
"Sister Tsuru!" Gion's ears flushed red as she protested, "I just followed protocol!"
Tsuru chuckled softly and patted her shoulder."Go on."
Gion stepped off the ship, her heartbeat subtly quickening.
But the moment she entered the harbor plaza, she froze.
Before her stretched a dazzling sea of roses—petals carpeting the entire entrance.
At the center stood Garp's eternal menace, Vice Admiral Gion's greatest headache—Gion's persistent admirer, Gion's personal nightmare: Gion.
No—Garp's admirer.
Gion, dressed in a crisp suit, knelt on one knee, holding a massive bouquet of red roses.
Behind him, a line of Marines held a massive banner reading:
"THE 36TH CONFESSION OF LOVE! GION, PLEASE ACCEPT MY HEART!"
A group of bribed-onlookers whistled and cheered enthusiastically.
Gion's expression darkened instantly.
"Gion!" he cried passionately."This is my thirty-sixth confession since graduating from the academy!This time—please, you must accept me!"
Her fist clenched so tightly it cracked.
She glanced at the banner, then at his hopeful face, and coldly uttered two words:
"Rejected."
It was as if lightning struck.
The roses slipped from his hands, hitting the ground with a dull thud.
"Why?!" he wailed. "I even ignored Fleet Admiral Sengoku's advice this time!"
"Because we're incompatible," Gion replied coolly."And more importantly…" her eyes narrowed dangerously,"You're blocking my way."
With that, she stepped straight through the fallen roses and walked past him without looking back.
Gion stood frozen like a statue.
But then—
He suddenly snapped back to life, dashed forward, and spread his arms wide to block her path, wearing a face full of tragic concern.
"Gion! You can reject me—but you can't go see Vice Admiral Gern!"
He lowered his voice dramatically, eyes darting as if guarding a terrible secret.
"He… he's not suitable for you!"
Gion frowned, irritation flaring—but something in his tone made her pause.
"What do you mean?" she asked coldly.
Seeing her hesitate, he seized the moment, clutching his chest dramatically.
"There are things I didn't want to say… but for your happiness, I must!"
He inhaled sharply and shouted:
"Vice Admiral Gern—he brought a rabbit home!!!"
"…A rabbit?" Gion almost laughed in disbelief.
"That's not just any rabbit!" he rushed on."She's a Mink girl named Lipo! Cute, lively, always glued to his side!"
He clutched his chest as if in agony.
"They're even living together! While you were gone—those two—!"
He trailed off deliberately, letting her imagination do the rest.
Gion's fingers tightened around the hilt of her blade, knuckles whitening.
She turned sharply toward the nearby railing, where several officers—including Onigumo and Doberman—were watching the spectacle.
"Is what he's saying true?" she asked flatly.
Onigumo puffed on his cigar and grinned."Vice Admiral Gern did bring back a Mink girl. She's apparently his adjutant."
Doberman added, "She's pretty capable too. Admiral Zephyr's been training her personally."
Each word landed like a needle in Gion's chest.
Her expression remained composed, but she inhaled slowly—rose-scented sea air filling her lungs, strangely suffocating.
"I see," she said calmly, then turned and walked away.
"Gion! Don't be upset!" he shouted after her."That kind of two-timing man isn't worth it—!"
"Shut up," she cut him off without turning back."My business is none of yours."
Gion walked toward Gern's residence, her cape fluttering softly behind her.
Her steps were steady, graceful—but inside, her emotions churned.
Who is she?Why does she get to stand beside him?A mere Mink…?
Her fingers brushed the hilt of her blade.
"Momousagi"—that title wasn't given lightly.
She was one of Marineford's finest swordswomen. Tsuru's most trusted subordinate. A figure countless officers admired from afar.
And yet—
A rabbit had appeared out of nowhere and taken the place beside Gern that she had always believed was hers.
Her lips curved into a cold smile.
"Fine," she murmured."I'll see what kind of rabbit she really is."
Meanwhile, back at Gern's residence—
Lipo sat on the sofa, legs swinging happily as she munched on a carrot.
"Why isn't Gern back yet…" she muttered, ears drooping slightly.
Just then—the doorbell rang.
"Huh? Did Gern forget his keys?" she asked cheerfully, hopping over to open the door.
The door swung open.
A tall, elegant Marine woman stood outside, her presence sharp and imposing. Her gaze looked down at Lipo with unmistakable authority.
Lipo blinked."Um… who are you?"
Gion curved her lips faintly, her voice calm but heavy with pressure.
"So… you're the rabbit Gern brought home?"
And thus—
the battle of the bunnies officially began.
Bonus Scene — "Kakē's Inner Monologue"
Kakē stared after Gion's retreating figure, clutching his face dramatically.
"Gion… I only didn't want you to get hurt…"
Onigumo sighed. "She clearly rejected you."
"No!" Kakē's eyes sharpened with sudden conviction."She rejected me for my own good!"
He began pacing rapidly, brain working at impossible speed.
"That rejection—identical phrasing to when she once refused Gern's offer to wipe sauce from her lips!Which means I'm at least on equal footing with him!"
"And didn't you notice? She frowned just now—because she didn't want to hurt my feelings!"
"She even said 'we' twice! Subconsciously acknowledging us as a unit!"
Onigumo and Doberman stared at him as if witnessing a cosmic anomaly.
"Kakē… you really shouldn't be a Marine."
"You just don't understand," Kakē sighed deeply, pulling out a camera and posting to the internal Marine feed:
[36th Failed Confession — But I Will Not Give Up. Love Is Persistence.]
Progress Log:
Successfully stirred emotional response
Gained exclusive rejection dialogue
Eliminated one false possibility: she dislikes blunt approaches
Next plan:Bring ginger tea to headquarters in a few days—doctors say women are emotionally vulnerable during their cycle.
Especially with Gern about to cause chaos again…That's when I, Kakē, shall make my shining entrance—