**Marine Branch 153, Goa Kingdom – East Blue**
**The morning after returning from Cocoyasi**
The pier smelled of diesel, salt, and the faint lingering smoke of victory.
Hina stood at the end of the gangplank in her immaculate uniform, pink hair pulled tight, cigarette already lit. Her sunglasses reflected the low morning sun so no one could read her eyes. Behind her, two junior officers waited with clipboards and nervous expressions.
The patrol cutter had docked exactly on schedule—0430 sharp. The engine gave one last tired cough before falling silent.
Luffy was first off the boat, duffel slung over one shoulder, straw hat pushed back, grinning like he hadn't just spent two days on a rocking tin can.
"Morning, Instructor Hina!"
Hina exhaled a perfect smoke ring.
"Report to the briefing room. All of you. Now."
No congratulations.
No questions about injuries.
Just that calm, clipped tone that made spines straighten automatically.
The six of them filed past her—Luffy bouncing, Usopp trying to look like he belonged, Nami calm, Sanji lighting a cigarette, Zoro yawning, Koby clutching his notebook like a shield.
Hina watched Usopp last.
Her eyebrow lifted half a millimeter.
"Provisional recruit?"
Usopp swallowed.
"Y-yes ma'am."
She studied him for three long seconds.
"Paperwork later. Don't faint before then."
Usopp nodded so fast his bandana slipped.
The briefing room was small, windowless, lit by a single overhead bulb that buzzed faintly. A long metal table dominated the center; six chairs waited on one side, one on the other.
Hina took the single chair.
Gestured.
"Sit."
They sat.
She opened a thin folder—Arlong's file, fresh from the holding cell below decks.
"Debrief. Individual first. Then group."
She started with Koby.
He sat ramrod straight, hands flat on the table, voice steady despite the tremor in his fingers.
"Sir. We arrived at 1800 hours local. Assessed the situation. Arlong Pirates had occupied the mayor's residence and imposed martial law. Civilian casualties minimal but morale critically low. We… we decided to engage immediately rather than wait for reinforcements."
Hina's pen moved across the page.
"Why?"
Koby hesitated.
"Because people were being hurt. Right then."
She wrote something else.
"Continue."
Koby recounted the storm drain infiltration, the distraction, the villagers' evacuation. He didn't embellish. Didn't hide his fear. Just the facts.
Hina listened without interrupting.
When he finished, she nodded once.
"Dismissed."
Koby stood, saluted, left.
Next was Sanji.
He leaned back in the chair, cigarette dangling, arms crossed.
Hina didn't comment on the smoke.
"Black Leg."
"Ma'am."
"Your role?"
"Drew attention. Took the left flank. Neutralized six hostiles. Non-lethal where possible."
He shrugged.
"Mostly."
Hina's pen paused.
"You cooked for the villagers afterward."
Sanji exhaled slowly.
"They were starving. Seemed like the thing to do."
She wrote.
"Dismissed."
Sanji stood, flicked ash toward the door, left.
Zoro went next.
He sat like the chair offended him—legs spread, swords across his lap.
Hina didn't blink.
"Roronoa."
"Ma'am."
"Casualties on your side?"
"Eight down. Non-lethal. Mostly."
He paused.
"Few might limp for a while."
Hina's lip twitched—almost a smile.
"You cut through Arlong's flagpole."
Zoro shrugged.
"Seemed symbolic."
She wrote.
"Dismissed."
Zoro stood, walked out without saluting.
Nami sat next—back straight, hands folded.
Hina studied her for a moment.
"Navigator."
"Ma'am."
"You updated the village charts during recovery."
Nami nodded once.
"They deserved safe routes. After everything."
Hina wrote something longer this time.
"You recognized the island."
"I've been there before."
A long pause.
"Personal stake?"
Nami met her eyes.
"Yes."
Hina nodded slowly.
"Dismissed."
Nami stood, left without another word.
Luffy went last.
He bounced into the chair, hat crooked, grin wide.
Hina stared at him.
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"Yup!"
"You engaged Arlong directly."
"Yup."
"You punched him through a wall."
Luffy laughed.
"He was being mean!"
Hina's pen hovered.
"You took unnecessary risks."
Luffy tilted his head.
"But everyone's safe now."
She looked at him for a long time.
Then wrote one word.
Dismissed.
Luffy stood.
"Hey Instructor Hina?"
She looked up.
"Thanks for letting us go."
Hina exhaled smoke.
"Don't thank me yet."
She closed the folder.
"Group debrief in ten minutes."
Luffy saluted—sloppy but enthusiastic—and left.
The group reconvened in the same room.
Hina stood this time—hands behind her back.
"Arlong is in custody. Interrogation pending. Villagers' statements corroborate your report. East Blue Command has been notified. Provisional commendation will be added to each file."
She paused.
"You exceeded expectations. Barely."
Silence.
Then:
"You will have light duty for the next week. Repairs, training oversight, supply inventory. No field assignments until I say so."
She looked at Usopp.
"Provisional Recruit Usopp. You will complete basic intake by 1400 today. Fail to do so and your status will be revoked."
Usopp saluted—shaky but firm.
"Y-yes ma'am!"
Hina's gaze swept the room once more.
"Dismissed."
They filed out.
In the hallway, Luffy clapped Usopp on the back.
"See? Easy!"
Usopp wheezed.
"My lungs disagree."
Sanji smirked.
"Come on, long-nose. Mess hall first. You look like you're about to faint."
The mess hall smelled of fresh bread and coffee.
Sanji had already claimed a corner table—plates waiting.
Usopp stared.
"You… cooked for us?"
Sanji shrugged.
"Habit."
They sat.
Ate.
Laughed quietly about the boat ride, Usopp's seasickness, Zoro's snoring.
It felt normal.
Almost.
After lunch, Usopp's intake began.
The administrative office again—same dusty room, same flickering light.
This time with six extra people crammed inside.
Luffy leaned against a cabinet, arms crossed, grinning.
Usopp sat at the desk, pen shaking as he filled out form after form.
Name.
Age.
Home island.
Special skills.
Reason for enlistment.
He hesitated on the last one.
Wrote: To protect people who can't protect themselves.
Koby helped him spell "enlistment" correctly.
Nami checked his handwriting.
Sanji brought coffee.
Zoro stood guard at the door like someone might steal the forms.
When the last page was signed, Usopp stared at the stack.
"I'm really a Marine now."
Luffy slapped his shoulder.
"Provisional Marine! But yeah!"
Usopp laughed—nervous, real.
"Yeah."
The rest of the afternoon passed in small tasks.
Luffy helped repaint a storage shed (mostly by stretching to reach high spots until Hina appeared and made him use a ladder).
Zoro oversaw basic sword drills with junior recruits—mostly by glaring until they got it right.
Sanji took over the evening meal prep—insisting on fresh ingredients for once.
Koby organized the armory.
Nami updated base charts.
Usopp… followed them around, mostly trying not to look lost.
By evening, they gathered on the barracks roof—flat space with a low wall, view of the harbor lights and the stars.
Luffy sat cross-legged in the center, eating leftover meat from dinner.
Usopp hugged his knees beside him.
Nami leaned against the railing, log pose glowing faintly.
Sanji sat on the wall, cigarette glowing.
Zoro lay flat, arms behind head.
Koby sat primly, notebook open but forgotten.
Usopp broke the quiet.
"So… this is it? We just… stay here?"
Luffy tilted his head.
"For now. Gotta get stronger. Gotta eat more. Gotta help more places."
Usopp looked at him.
"You really think we can change things?"
Luffy grinned.
"Yeah. One place at a time."
Nami turned.
"We already did. Cocoyasi's free."
Sanji exhaled smoke.
"And fed."
Zoro grunted.
"And safer."
Koby smiled softly.
"And we're together."
Usopp looked around the circle—at the faces lit by starlight and harbor glow.
Then pulled the tangerine from his pocket.
Rolled it between his fingers.
"I'm really doing this."
Luffy heard him.
Grinned in the dark.
"Yup."
Usopp took a deep breath.
"And it's gonna be awesome."
Luffy laughed—loud, bright, echoing across the roof.
"Yeah!"
The others smiled—quiet, tired, real.
The East Blue stretched out below them—dark water, distant lights, endless possibility.
And for the first time, it didn't feel so big.
Because they weren't facing it alone.
To be continued…