[Arc] [St. Poplar Conquest] [Part 1] An Elder's Role: The World's Worst Recruit

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As wheel's turned on the paper boys bike, the early morning sun-cracked on the horizon. The daily St.Poplar Post was distributed to all the homes on the strip.

On the front page, news of the return of the Queen of the Spring festival was printed accompanied by an article that explained the contest's rules.

The night before, lookouts from the Brand New G-43 Base spotted an all too familiar Jolly Roger in the distance, that of the Block Buster Castor O. Nox. The strange and eerie vessel however was tattered in damage.

Aboard, a beaten and captured Victor Von. Newport was discovered tied to one of the ship's masts. The ensign in charge couldn't believe the sight, Newport was immediately captured and placed in the G-43 base for further questioning.

An alert was sent throughout the island, and Castor's wanted poster was sent to every village and town across the land. The question remained - where was the notorious pirate captain? Why was such a large vessel abandoned with no members to be found in sight?

The Wailing Calamity sat in the local dock almost as an omen to the events ahead. However, the countrymen had enjoyed immense peace since the World Government had liberated them from the former monarchy.

Most of the members had either been judged at Enies Lobby or executed locally as a show of good faith to the people. A few of them remained forever to rot in the G-43's prison program. Which focused on reproducing common metals and parts used across the island.

Surrounding the marine base, a shopping district known as Poplar Park was riddled with shops carrying various goodies and commodities for tourists. A new shop started its first day - The Hot Topic, a brand new woman's boutique starring the very mysterious Miss Blues Fiona.

The woman's sample designs stood in the temporarily closed shop windows, and overnight became the talk of the town among the madams.

A runway show scheduled for the day of the Spring Festival was being advertised by a beautifully dressed damsel in the streets of the city. The six-foot blonde beauty was the talk of the town from all the local bachelors.

Meanwhile, in the sewers beneath the capital city of St.Poplar, a few street urchins discover a giant Red Kabuki suit of armor. Prodding the suit with a plethora of utensils, eventually, the homeless pack would begin huddling around its body due to the heat it generated. Little did they know, the suit's contents were surprising, empty.

At the G-43 Base, it was now 4:30 in the morning. The local recruits were up bright and early for the Base Commanders' Sparta-like training. One Hundred situps, push-burpees, chin-ups, and about eight lt so other exercises depending on his mood.

Around 6:00 am, the recruits ate breakfast consisting of a hearty Western-style meal stocked with eggs, grits, and two-dollar steak.

Usually, combat training would follow after but today was special - today, the base opened its doors to recruits from across St.Poplar and the neighboring Sea Train Route Islands.

At the start of the year, morale was high. The recruitment drive brought in signee numbers well into the hundreds but today, and for the last month or so, it's been a consistent eight to ten. A dozen if luckily on a given day but why?

News of G-43 Base Commander Joseph Lilly Hornigold's 'unique' training turned away the weak of heart. As for the new victims- recruits, they were instructed to line up by the registration table placed on the base's front lawn.

Of today's batch, one potential recruit stood out like a sore thumb.

Thick Opaque Spectacles, Messy Butchered Silver Hair, a cheesy white headband with the marine logo printed on it, and a baggy blue and white tracksuit with the word 'Justice' engraved on the chest pocket were the attire of the frail and anxiety-struck recruitee.

Last, in line, the invigilator at the table had to scream - 'Next' about three times before the man then jumped and shuffled to the desk in a nervous and uncoordinated manner. Sighing, the marine recruit inquired about the man's citizen identification documents and background check information.

"Your name is Stain B. Pollux. Strange. Born on Pucci. References check out. Identification number check out. Everything seems to be in order... but lemme warn ya kid. This place is pretty brutal. Judging by your appearance will you be able to"

Slamming his face into the ground and bowing on both knees, the runt continuously nodded his head. "I must. J-J-Justice is the only way to change this world." Stain shouted.

"Hey, kid! Get up off the ground. It's embarrassing. We get it. Go line up with the other recruits." One of the other invigilators barked.

"Y-Y-Yes, sir!" Stain shouted, covering his mouth with his jumpsuit to hide a smirk.

"Hey, Raphael. Why'd you bark at the kid? He's just nervous. Gotta give the newbies a chance."The initial invigilator - an Alabastian Ensign by the name of Sabal scolded.

"Kids like him remind me of my old self. Sorry about that partner." The wild-eyed West Blue Native - a Commodore by the name of Slick Jimmy Basset apologizes, tipping his hat.

"I figured. Though your right. Weaklings who can't even speak a straight sentence have no right to be talking about changing the world. But there's quite strong energy lingering about that kid. Can't quite pin my finger on it." Sabal retorted.

"Oho. Your first impressions aren't usually wrong." Jimmy chimed in.

As Stain ran to join the lineup, the runt would fall flat on his face once more.

"Ugh. Maybe I'm wrong for the first time." Sabal responded, shaking his head from side to side in disappointment.

"Almost slipped up there and released my bloodlust after sensing those two marines' auras. Good thing I slammed my face into the ground to remain composure. This place... It has good air to it. Monsters live here." Stain the bumbling marine recruit also known as Castor O. Nox thought to himself.

@Roji

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G-43 Base | Jailhouse

Covered in bruises and burns, the helmsman of the Nox Pirates sat upright, chained from head to toe. Fastened to the wall, Newport's movements were restricted, as they should be, knowing the man's violent track record and notoriety.

"Worororolololo" A voice in the distance laughed in strange patterns as he'd approach the prisoner's cell. As the colossal seven-footer walked closer, his shining black military combat boots caused the very ground below his feet to tremble with each step.

"After I heard that one of my Ensigns found you abandoned aboard that shithole of a ship - I had come to see it for myself. The sunken place of the notorious Victor Von. Newport - the 300,000,000 Berri - Bloody Port himself.

Last I heard you'd become the little bitch of some wet-eared rookie. Not much to do after Loha-" Former Vice Admiral - Joseph Hornigold stated, his speech was interrupted by a clump of snot that Newport spat at the man's shoes.

"Don't you ever call that cunt's name in front of me ever again!" Newport barked with venom.

"Worororolololo - Sensitive I see. I've had my doctors look at you. It's a miracle you're alive. I have some business to oversee. When I return... I hope you are in a better mood to talk. After all, I won't have much time to interrogate you about Nox's whereabouts. The Sea Train scheduled to Enies Lobby will be arriving in two days.


You know what that means Newport... You'll finally be reunited with your old pals... In Impel Down." Joseph stated as he strutted away confidently, digging into his dress shirt for a cigar.

"Fuck! If that Old Crone's here... I need to warn Nox. There's no way in he'll be able to beat him one on one. That's suicide." Newport whispered to himself once he'd sensed Joseph's presence completely fade.

Poplar Park | Miss Blue's Boutique - The Hot Topic

"I feel like... I can never be married now. I've been sullied." Minerva murmured sulking in the corner of the closed store.

"Non Non... You just showed a little skin, Miss Minerva. With a figure like yours, all those nun-like dresses are too retro!" Jazzy shouted in disgust at the fashion faux pas.

Jazzy, disguised as Miss Blue, concealing her snow-colored hair beneath the Blue Weave. Her attire was a long flowing azure sundress with white lily patterns stitched into the cotton fabric.

Snapping her fingers, Jazzy would change Minerva's clothes once again to something to get the local men riled up. This time, a cheerleader outfit with the words 'Hot Topic' printed across the top of the crop top.

"Magnifique!" Jazzy shouted in glee.

"Since Nox obtained that Devil Fruit you've been bullying me with these slutty outfits! I want to wear something conservative that's combat-friendly!" Minerva shouted.

G-43 Base Compound | Drill Yard

Each of the potential marine recruits was put through a series of physical tests.

Test #1 - The Shot Put Toss

The average toss among young adults is about fifty feet for males and just a little less for females in general. Most of today's recruits aced the toss with flying colors, except for...

Picking up the shot put, Stain assumed the position and stance shown to him by the invigilators. Winding up into a spin, Stain would give out a loud grunt setting a new record - forty feet... Ten feet below the common average.

Test # 2 - Tug of War

A dozen recruits were divided into two teams. Both sides psyched themselves up for the challenge ahead. Seeing how frail and wimpy Stain was, they opted to put him at the front of their chain.

Needless to say, Stain and his team indeed lost and ate mudpies for brunch.

Several tests and failures later, among five invigilators present, pretty much all of them had given Stain a failing grade. The final test was simple - a survival 1 v.s. 1 tournament.

The winner instantly passed regardless of their grade in previous tests, however, the first one to lose would be immediately eliminated.

The others would be judged on their performance in previous tests.

"He's hopeless." One of the recruitees whispered with a snicker.

@Roji

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G-43 Base Compound | Drill Yard

Round 1. Stain versus Recruitee Collins.

Collins's weapon of choice - the katana. Castor's weapon of choice - barehanded?

"He's going to fight an opponent unarmed with his coordination. That's brutal." Sabal declared shaking his head in disbelief.

Collin had practiced the sword his entire life in Shimotsuki Village. Now was his time to seize the day - and become a marine! The goal is to make everyone in his small village in East Blue proud.

Collin Mathers - The Swift, they called him.

Rushing towards Castor in a controlled dash, Collins swipes diagonally at Castor's chest. The idea was to draw blood and scare the shorty into surrendering.

"Too slow." Nox thought to himself.

Stepping in, Castor rested his index finger and its twin on Collins's temple before he even was able to commence the swinging motion, releasing a jolt of lightning through the tip of his fingers electrocuting the man's cranium.

Winner - Stain.

Sabal and Jimmy looked at each other in awe at the display. It was almost as if instantly, the marine recruitee shed away his shy demeanor and became an entirely different person.

"Was that Chakra Points?!" Sabal thought to himself, thinking about the gurus from his hometown who utilized such methods to fight.

"Hm. That kid... He's hiding something."Jimmy murmured to himself. "An average person isn't able to step into an armed man's striking range without heart." Jimmy continued.

"Wororolololo... A Devil Fruit user eh?" Joseph shouted, his voice carrying from the top of the G-43 Base. Thrusting himself off the ceiling, kicking the air beneath his feet as if it was earth, Joseph launched himself before the spectacle-wearing recruit - releasing a wicked aura.

Shivering in fear, the petrified Stain peered through his glasses at Joseph Lily Hornigold's intense - seemingly glowing red eyes.

"I-I-I didn't know the use of Devil Fruits wasn't permitted! My apologies!" Stain shouted, bowing his head repeatedly.

Laughing loudly once again, "Relax kid. You just did what most Devil Fruit Users do... Rely on your fruit to succeed in tough situations. Don't worry... A few days with me and I'll teach ya how to fight without it. Then you'll be a true machine." Joseph declared with a smirk. "For the record. What was that electrical pulse?" Joseph inquired.

"Fuck. How in world did he see that?" Stain thought himself. "Remain calm Nox. Recommit to the role."

"I-I-I ate the Battery Battery Paramecia. I'm a human battery man." Stain declared, stumbling on his words at first - creating a bolt of electricity between his two index fingers as a display.

"Interesting. I've been alive for seventy-odd years and I haven't heard of that fruit! Life can truly be unpredictable. Wororolololo" Joseph shouted with a boarish howl of a laugh.

"So it wasn't chakra but electricity." Sabal thought to himself.

"Yes. I ate it since a child and have been able to absorb electricity since. Though it has its limitations." Nox declared.

"Interesting. You advance to the next round, Mr.Pollux. However, I'll add a restriction. You've already passed. Think of your matches as an exhibition now. If you use your Devil Fruit ability in any way in the next bouts... You'll be on toilet duty for three weeks! Chore Boy Stain. Do you understand?" The Base Commander shouted.

"Y-Yes, sir!" Stain shouted. "This just became increasingly complicated. I accept your challenge, Mr.Giant." Nox thought to himself.

Underworld Market | St.Poplar | Town Maria

Tapping his feet nervously like a teenage chick on prom night waiting for her late date, the unarmored Duke chain smokes a series of cigarillos as he waits for his illegal shipment to process.

The man's jittery demeanor and pitch-black shades made many of the customers in the shop incredibly nervous - especially due to the delicate nature of some of their needs.

"Sir." One of the female brokers came to engage him stating.

"You're making some of the other buyers uncomfortable... Would you perhaps... Like a drink-"

Raising his hand, he'd signal for the woman to cease speaking with a few non-verbal cues.

"Give me my order then and let me leave. I'm collecting for Mr.Red Devil. You all should know that name. Buzz off and bring my shit wench." Duke barked.

@Roji

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Underworld Market | St.Poplar | Town Maria

The female broker scuttled away to behind the counter, knocking on the door to her left three times in succession. The signal called for the supervisor of the establishment to come to resolve any disgruntle buyers.

The owner was a muscular lass in dungarees and twin tails who'd recognized the white pupil male from previous deals from her travels in the North Blue. "To see you in Grandline means you're up to some kind of mischief again. What brings you here without your other half, Duke." The supervisor inquired - giving a subtle nod to the fact the man isn't often seen without his suit of armor.

"You know exactly why I'm here. I need Kola and not the kind I can buy over the counter." Duke responded frantically, twitching from side to side with every word. After running out of nicotine cylinders, he'd resorted to scratching the skin from his scalp, minutes away from drawing blood.

"Ah. You need Super Kola. I saw yer order. Just give me a bit to process it. St.Poplar is under the World Government's umbrella. This isn't like your backwater North Blue sea, Duke. It'll take at least three days to process an order of this size." The twin tail woman informed.

"I don't have three days. My armor was damaged escaping the marines who chased us at Twin Cape. Without my light synthesizer... I can't survive in my suit of armor naturally. Even being outside... is a hassle at this point." Duke explained.

"I'll bring it up with Lady Marvel. She's in charge of orders that run through this place." The woman declared shrugging.

"Fuck. That bitch. I'll give you two days tops, Stella. My captain can be a bit of a diva when his precious plans go south." Duke explained.

"Captain? Oho. A lone wolf like you joined up with a crew. Who'd be mad enough to take on an outlaw such as yourself? Should I take that as a threat?" Stella - the underworld supervisor for Town Maria inquired.

"Take it however you want. The man who I have selected to back as the next 'King'" Duke explained, refusing to connect himself with Castor by name directly.

Town Maria was about two hours or so away from the capital of St.Poplar. The underground network was once vibrant in the bustling tourist towns but with the marines removing the former monarchy, it became harder for the underground to thrive in major tourist areas, especially when it was announced of Hornigold's involvement with the Forty-Third branch.

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Poplar Park | Miss Blue's Boutique - The Hot Topic

The launch of Jazzy's boutique was finally underway. In a very Miss Courtier-like fashion, the whole street was turned into a free-form runway walk for her newest babies to strut their legs on top of the human mannequins she'd hired.

Manning the harp herself, Jazzy's fingers danced heavenly against the strings as the ladies strut across the avenues catching the eye of the lady demographic Miss Blue was looking to tap into.

Miserable, dressed in a short skirt and crop top ensemble, Minerva walked as one of the many models employed by the trained seamstress. With her new Devil Fruit abilities, she'd be able to process orders in seconds, making sure each wealthy madam understood that these clothes were magic in nature.

Much like Cinderella at the ball, the midnight deadline would be enforced once you removed them from your person or if they are damaged in any way.

However, that's what made them truly high-end. Every outfit came directly from Jazzy's mind, with the woman's sizes, skin tone, and personality taken into account.

Within five hours, Miss Blue had made roughly 50,000,000 berri in gross sales. The crowd outside her store drew the attention of concerned marines but after seeing the lineup of beauties, most of the marines opted to talk to the citizens in the queues about more personal manners such as their marital status.

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Meanwhile, at the base, the undercover Nox watched as his peers progressed in the eliminator-style tournament. The skills of the recruits varied greatly, some of them seemingly were motivated by pure ambitions, and others looked as if they trained their life for this one moment.

The charm that comes with the opportunity to train under a former Vice Admiral. Curtains drew on Stain's semi-final round and with his Devil Fruit abilities barred, Castor opted for a familiar weapon in a wooden katana from the weapon rack.

"A swordsman I see," Sabal commented. Eyes glued onto the mysterious rookie's stance and approach to gripping the blade. Stain's opponent was a middle-aged man who seemed to take care of his physique. The man screamed martial artist, from his gee, posture, and overall quiet demeanor.

The whistle sounded for the match to commence but unlike Castor's previous opponent, the Karate specialist stood his ground and awaited Nox to advance.

"Hmm. This guy seems to be legit. Not many openings in his stance." Nox thought to himself.

Positioning his blade at his hip, Stain began to stumble from side to side drunkenly, until he'd close the gap between himself and the Karate practitioner - Recruitee Ken. What looked like stumbles were dance steps from Castor's fighting style, aimed at distorting the enemy's perception of movement.

However, Ken wasn't a chump like Collins, the movements didn't distract the man at all. Instead, Nox was met with a roundhouse kick to the face, which he'd manage to intercept with the wooden blade, prevent his glasses from being shattered.

The momentum sent the newly crowned Chore Boy flying a few feet backward.

"I don't know what your motive is... But if you continue to underestimate me... This match won't end in your favor, Mr.Pollux." Ken declared, flexing his muscles confidently - trying to shake off the weird bee sting-like sensations that ached across his body.

"Fool. This match is already over. The kid's good." Jimmy declared smirking and adjusting his top hat.

Before Ken could've even spoken another word, the man fell to his knees unconscious.

Recap: Seconds after Ken through the kick in Stain's direction, the man had already tapped the tip of his wooden katana along various pressure points on Ken's body within seconds.

To the untrained eye, it'd look as if Stain was slow to respond but to the Hornigold and his upper brass, the marine recruitee's counterattack was as clear as day.

Winner - Stain.

"Those steps... They remind me of a young whipper snapper... I fought back in the North Blue. I wonder whatever happened to that bastard, Cisco. His movements were always wild but beautiful." Joseph thought to himself.

"Who are you exactly, kid?" The Base Commander continued to ponder.

@Roji

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The tournament raged on, similar to the pattern of his previous fights, Stain came out on top by outmaneuvering his opponents, using their mistakes to his advantage.

"Sabal. Bring me that kids' files." Joseph commanded.

A few days ago... Aboard the Wailing Calamity

"Alright Captain. Here's your identity. Cost me a pretty penny to put together." Red Devil stated, handing over the forged government documents to Castor.

"May I ask why the god awful name... Stain B. Pollux?" Red Devil inquired with disdain.

"The best place to hide is in plain sight if you can pull it off. Stain B. It's an acronym of my Lvneel alias Bastian. It's also the name of a man I must kill one day.

Pollux. It's the twin star to Castor. Hence the name." Nox explained.

"Hoho... The things your mind finds time to come up with." Red Devil chuckled in amusement at the man's rationale. "A few talking points about your new identity.

He was raised in Drum as an elite of Sakura Kingdom's guard. He suffers from a mental condition due to watching his parents slaughtered in front of him by pirates.

Outside of combat, he's a nervous wreck. I've paid off a few officials in Drum who owe me a favor - just in case the marines want to run a background check. Everything's been stamped with the Kingdom's seal." Red Devil explained.

"Gashi Gashi Gashi... Perfect. It's time to become a marine. Words I've never thought I'd ever say in life." Castor declared aloud with a slight chuckle.

"I hope everyone here understands the plan. Until I can figure out the ins and outs of the G-43 base. You all are to lay low." Castor addressed the executives and grunts of the Nox Pirates.

"Just be careful Nox. You'll be going undercover on a marine base all by yourself. Some of those pricks are smart." Newport chimed in boozing away his liver to ruins.

Turning to Newport with a smile, Nox cracked his knuckles.

"Well. About that." Castor declared grinning.

---

"Drum eh? That's why his personality is so timid. Trauma from a pirate raid. Interesting." Joseph thought to himself as he'd assess the files.

The tournament came to a conclusion and the once awkward recruitee was now adored by all of the other recruits for his combat prowess. Winner - Stain.

"All of you who stuck around for the tournament... As of today. You'll be official marines of the G-43 base but note, every day after this point will be hell. I will break you down physically, mentally, and spiritually until you become soldiers the Marine Core can be proud of!" Joseph barked with authority.

"Commodore Jimmy and Ensign Sabal are two examples of my program creating stars. No bullshit celebrity fan fair like those Seven Virtue Chicken Shits that Clevis The Wise raised.

Real Soldiers. Who can handle any kind of pressure? That's what the world needs." Joseph concluded in his speech. "Now all the new Chore Boys... Go run ten miles and be back before dawn. That's when dinner will be ready! Worololololo!" Joseph commanded, barking out in laughter as he'd return to the base for his afternoon tea.

The murmurs around the recruits having to run ten miles after the combat training were that of despair. However, taking off his marine jacket, Ensign Sabal offered to run with the group to boost morale.

"Come lads. Let's get to it." Sabal stated with a calm air of authority.

@Roji

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"Jimmy. What do you think about the recruits?" Joseph inquired as he'd strut into the base, removing a cigar from his top pocket to tote on.

"You've never been one to beat around the bush... Recruits? I think you are specifically referencing Chore Boy Stain." Jimmy grinned adjusting his cowboy hat.

"Worolololo... I am that obvious. I must be getting old." Joseph barked out in laughter.

"Hmm. Aside from his reliance on his Devil Fruit abilities in the first round... I think he navigated the matches very well. Never inflicting excessive violence but decisively bringing the instances to a close." Jimmy declared giving his analysis.

" However." Jimmy alluded. "For a moment... I got a chill across my spine in his match against recruit Ken. It was like... He transformed into a whole different person momentarily." Jimmy declared with a slight shudder.

"I knew you'd sense it. You're Kenbunshoku has always been special. That kid... He's repressing a lot of bloodlust - I'm not sure what kind of experiences he had on Drum but something isn't sitting right with me about him.

Also... I could be wrong but I believe I once knew another person who possessed that Battery Battery Fruit. The last time I checked, they weren't dead either. However, she's an old fruit roll-up now.

She ain't the type to return my calls either. I'm sending you on a mission to Pucci to confirm my suspicions." Joseph commanded.

"Pucci sir?" Joseph responded.

"I could be wrong... but the arrival of that pirate ship in the dock might not be a coincidence. From Rear Admiral Clevis reports... Nox commands over three hundred men... Yet. None of them but one of his commanders are present.

I'm calling bullshit. Up the search around the nearby port towns and cities. Anyone who doesn't have citizen ids or Sea Train passes detain.

It might not be the rookie but I always have been sent omens in the form of people I meet in life." Joseph declared, handing over a sealed letter from within his marine jacket to Jimmy.

"Aha. There he goes again. He talked about my Kenbunshoku but he's always been given a premonition from his Haki. Sixth Sense is an advanced form of Haki that gives him 'hunches' about people or even in fights. Somethings brewing on our quiet little Saint Poplar." Jimmy murmured.

Poplar Park | Miss Blue's Boutique - The Hot Topic

After exhausting herself from excess use of her Devil Fruit abilities, Jazzy's custom and physical fabric pieces sold out in seconds. It was a successful launch, Miss Blue's store was a hit amongst all the bougie madams and mistresses.

"j'aime l'odeur de l'argent" (I love the smell of money) Jazzy declared rolling around in the piles of berri in the backroom of the store.

In the front of the shop, the closed-door latch seemingly opened mysteriously. Minerva who was at the front cleaning up from the hecklers went on high alert once the fastened door sprung open.

In the doorway, a familiar figure from her past appeared. Her eyes opened widely, and the woman ditched the broom and sprung backward to reach for her parasol in the corner of the room.

Only for her actions to be intercepted by the outlaw's nimble legs, covering the woman's mouth with the palm of his hand. The assailant then pinned Minerva onto the floor, restricting her movements with his body weight.

"It's been a long time since the West Blue, Mini." The mysterious attacker declared with a broad smile.

"J-J-Juice." Minerva declared in a muffled manner.

"I told you I'd find you again. When I received news that your Captain's ship docked here in St.Poplar. I just had to come running over.

There you were. Strutting those legs of yours around in such revealing clothes. I didn't even believe it was you at first." Juice declared with a loud howl.

Entering the shop behind him with a cloak covering his face was Juice's right-hand man, the mad genius, Dandy.

Petrified at the scenario, Minerva didn't even have the willpower to fight Juice off. However, she wouldn't need to.

"Soru!" Jazzy whispered, seemingly appearing out of nowhere like a spirit in the night. Pressing the mouth of her barrel against the man's skull, "Non-Non, ce n'est pas comme ça qu'il faut traiter une dame ma chère." (No No.... That's not how you should treat a lady my dear.) Jazzy stated confidently.

"I didn't understand a word you said, mama," Juice responded. "But those movements... I've only seen a certain group of people move with such stealth. Cipher Pol, are ya? Wow. Looks like you gotta rat in your crew Mini." Juice declared with a broad smile.

Filling the room with smoke, Dandy extended his mechanical arm and retrieved Juice from the sticky predicament he was in. "I just came to say hello for today Mini. I'll be around for the Spring Queen festivities. Don't forget our date - I promised you and Nox... As long as you are in Paradise... I will hunt you down. New members and all." Juice declared before vanishing ominously.

@Roji

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As the recruits jogged through the capital, Stain struggled behind the pack. Faking cruddy stamina, Sabal trailed next to the marine recruit intrigued by the man's terrible form and poor fitness. "You intrigue me Stain. How is it that your combat talent renders on expert but your physical ability is so trash." Sabal inquired.

Panting loudly and adjusting his glasses, "I-I always had a weak body since a child." Stain stated in between a series of awkward exhales. Not paying attention to the course he'd been running, Stain crashed into a posse of ladies who were lining up to register for the Queen of the Festival.

The lady at the hind of the pack, a petite woman with hazel skin and short blue bangs acted as Stain's cushion for the fall. Removing his hand from the woman's bosom, the two individuals made eye contact. Lunging back several feet, "S-Sorry! I'm so sorry miss!" Stain shouted in repentance.

The lady's retainers rushed to assist her back on her feet, her pure white kimono stained from the dirty city ground. The retainers immediately opted to resort to violence but a nonverbal cue silenced the bodyguard's animosity.

Walking over to Stain, the tiny beauty extended her hand to the marine Chore Boy, in an attempt of helping him back to his feet. "Here. It's fine. I don't have much to grab at but I hope it brought you some kind of joy. Just remember you'll have to take responsibility now." The maiden joked poking out her tongue playfully in jest.

As Sabal apologized to the retainers, Stain laughed nervously, taking the woman's hand and using her as a balancing point, returning to an upright position. "Once again miss. I apologize!" Stain shouted, bowing his head repeatedly.

Smiling widely, the woman leaned in closely and whispered in Stain's ear, "Liar.", before skipping backward and returning to her retainers with a mischievous grin. " Lady Serpina. It's time. The registration has begun." The blonde bodyguard with a scar across her face commanded.

Merging back into the sea of entries, Sabal gave Stain a brother's correction, slapping him across the head. "You need to be more careful. Do you know who that lady was?" Ensign Sabal inquired with much angst.

Nodding his head in denial, still shocked and confused by the meaning behind the woman's words Sabal explained that she was Lady Serpina, the next rightful heir to the former nobility and the last Queen of the Spring Festival.

Continuing the jog, Sabal took the recruits into the nearby forests, through various minor towns, and deeper into the wildlife. After about an hour's worth of running, the pack decided to take a break riverside to recharge from the strenuous excursion.

Recruit Collins and Ken who lost to Stain in the first round hovered around the man, asking all kinds of questions about his Devil Fruit abilities and his life on Drum.

However, Castor had memorized the sample questions and answers that Red Devil had provided for him in event of such occurrences so he'd smoothly navigate the interrogation with flying colors.

As the recruits rested, Sabal stumbled across fresh footprints diverting East from the trail they'd been following. It'd seem to be a small posse of around ten or twelve which wasn't strange as they are merchants who travel to and fro between the capital and the villages ensuring their profit margins among various clientele.

However, the only thing that rested to the East of his route was an old abandoned mine that in the olden days was used to harvest various minor metals. Still, Sabal much like Joseph had been trained to have an eye for hunches. Obviously with the guts to execute independently.

Rallying the recruits, Sabal informed the group they'd be partaking in their first official exercise. His gut instinct told him to follow the footprints on the ground as it might lead to something colossal. Just a hunch.

Poplar Park | Miss Blue's Boutique - The Hot Topic

Running for her parasol, Minerva drew her blade and rested it against the nape of Jazzy's neck.

"What seems to be the problem here... Miss Minerva?"Jazzy inquired, fingers firmly clasped on her pistol.

"Answer me. Are you working for the Cipher Pol?" Minerva inquired.

Sighing, resting the gun back into her holster at her hip. "Not anymore. I retired from that life years ago. I'm just Jazzy Courtier - The Fashionista. Nothing more. Nothing less." Jazzy explained.

"Does Nox know?" Minerva inquired.

"Not yet. Will you tell him?" Jazzy responded.

"No. That's your conversation to have." Minerva declared, retracting her blade, loosening her guard and stance.

Releasing a sigh of relief, "Thank you and Sorry." Jazzy declared with a remorseful frown. "Shigan." Jazzy whispered. Extending her finger like a sharp spear, Jazzy poked several holes in Minerva's body, causing the woman to bleed out on the store's floor.

Lunging backward through the boutique's door, Minerva managed to escape the assassination attempt but was mortally wounded.

"Merde. Je dois la trouver." (Fuck. I must find her.) Jazzy murmured with a sulky tone. "No one must find out about my past. Not even Castor. After all, those hallucinations he's been having were due to me." Jazzy declared with a painful smirk.

Rain began to drizzle over St. Poplar. As the recruitees and Sabal followed the random footprint trail, the downfall began to make it progressively harder to continue the pursuit.

@Roji

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Arriving at the abandoned mine shaft, Ensign Sabal tracked the footprints up to a few meters away from the cave's entrance.

"Strange. They end here with no indication of continuing onward." Sabal declared confused. "I'll make a report to Commander Hornigold once I return to the base." Sabal thought to himself.

"Alright. Time to wrap this excursion up boys! Back to base-" Sabal's speech was interrupted by the sounds of footprints shuffling in the nearby shrubbery. Immediately launching off towards the direction of the sound, Sabal swung his concealed Nodachi into the bush where the sound was heard.

A loud grunt and splatter of blood lead to the injured watchman shouting, "Marines! Thirteen of them!" The informant announced. Drawing for a sword of his own, the Ensign and the grunt engaged in a heated exchange.

The Marine Chore Boys who'd been hardened to combat prior scanned the area for signs of other enemies, others froze in fear of the unknown, while most scattered retreating down the mountain trail. However, they didn't get far, rounds of artillery fired off from the hillside, critically injuring all of those who opted to flee.

Reaching for his Den Den Mushi to call for back-up, the swordsman slashed the marine's arm, causing the snail to fall to the floor. "I can't have you calling for backup, Mr.Marine." the pirate grunt taunted. "Those skills... You're above average for a swordsman. Who are you? Bandit? Pirate?" Sabal inquired.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" The man declared licking his blade. The remainder of the gun artillery surrounded the rookie marines, they were outnumbered by eleven. Twenty-Two Rogues versus Eleven Marine Recruits. Two of the recruits had been shot and bled out, subsequently dying.

"Electric Motor - Hum!" Stain exclaimed, disbursing a wide field of electricity electrocuting the gun squad and rendering them unconscious. Recruit Ken and Collins sprung into action as well, unarming the marksmen, and reducing the numbers significantly in an instant.

Adjusting his spectacles, "I know Commander Joseph isn't quite fond of my Devil Fruit abilities but this is an emergency!" Stain shouted with tears flowing beneath the glasses. The act of being afraid was truly a challenging emotion to carry.

Sabal peaked over his shoulder, seeing the trembling legs of his understudy enlightened a fire within himself to turn the tides around. Kicking the snail with his right leg over the cliff, Sabal would shout instructing Stain and the other recruits to grab the phone and call for back-up.

Lunging into mid-air, Stain clumsily retained the Den Den, rolling downhill several revolutions before crashing into a nearby oak tree trunk.

"Take that communicator and inform Commander Joseph of the situation!" Sabal barked as he continued his intense exchange with an armed assailant.

"Y-Yessir!" Stain shouted passionately. Scrambling to his feet, the undercover pirate dashed down the hill, the other marine recruits who could keep up with his movements. However, one by one, whoever followed Stain would pass out as well, this time from Nox's conquerors.

Once he was at the bottom of the hill, Castor scanned the area with his electro-radio and picked up on the voices of three of the assailant's allies. Transforming into his element, Nox would instantly reappear at the back of the hidden attackers. Startled, the men reached for their weapons but froze instantly when Stain removed the headband to reveal his Third Eye.

"C-C-Captain!" The grunts shouted in astonishment. Sighing, "I told you a lot to scatter farther away from the capital. You should have been on the Sea Train to Pucci by now. What happened?" Nox inquired angrily.

"I-I-t was Misstress Minerva. We received an S.O.S from the Capital and a group of us came back to rescue her." The grunt informed.

Stunned in shock, "But she was with Jazzy. That's impossible. I haven't even heard any reports all day about any pirates being discovered or any unrests at the base." Nox responded completely confused.

"I'll look for Minerva. Gather the remaining men and leave the capital now." Nox commanded. "Y-Y-Yes Lord Nox." The grunts shouted and retreated racing up the hill to inform the party engaged with Ensign Sabal.

Castor's brain raced about how he could use this situation to his benefit. After pausing and meditating momentarily, he'd ring the Den Den Mushi of the G-43 Base.

Panting, "T-T-This is Chore Boy Stain. There's an emergency!" Stain barked into the transponder frantically. The operator on the line for the base tried to calm down the rookie and ask for more details of the situation.

"A pirate attack? Where are you lot? This signal... It's Ensign Sabal's own. Is he hurt? Are any of you hurt?!" The operator responded frantically.

"We've lost a few on our end. Ensign Sabal is currently engaging them. I'm going back to assist! He looks severely injured!" Castor shouted.

"No. You are not to engage those pirates under any conditions. Were not sure if they are from Nox's or Keg's faction. Stand Down! I repeat! Wait at your position and stand-" the transponder's signal was cut from an electrical surge that fried the snail's antennae.

As the unknown pirate and marine Ensign continued their battle of wills, the struggle had climaxed to a stalemate. Orders to retreat were completely ignored by the swordsman, it'd be a while since he'd been able to flex his talents.

"Your skill with a blade is noted. It's not the kind you pick up in a few meaningless scuffles either." Sabal commented.

"Of course not. Every knight has his pride." The pirate responded.

"Knight? Oh. I didn't know I was so lucky to be in the presence of an anointed one. Do tell. Why would a knight be cowering in fear in dusty abandoned mines?" Sabal taunted.

"I will follow Lord Nox to the ends of the world! As a Knight of Vana, I shall see our Lord towards his goal." The pirate proudly divulged.

"Ah. So you're a member of the Nox Pirates." Sabal deducted. Before the knight could've responded any further, a jolt of electricity rendered the former Vana Lord speechless.

Sporting his marine tracksuit, the Three-Eyed actor broke character in front of Ensign Sabal. The only two conscious people left on the mountainside were these two. The reinforcements were about thirty minutes out from arrival.

"Fulton always did talk too much. I'll remember to scold him later." Nox declared, picking up and tossing the unconscious pirate over his shoulder.

Hands trembling due to a mixture of excitement and terror, Sabal faced the strongest opponent yet in his naval career.

"I knew something was off about you. Stain B. Pollux... Ha. Or should I say, Castor O. Nox. Aye, Sanpaku?" Sabal declared nervously.

"Did you know Ensign Sabal... If you apply the right amount of electricity to the human brain... You can induce a coma-like state." Castor declared grinning menacingly.

Town Maria | Lunar Woods

Between Poplar Capital and Town Maria lies a woods known for a rare kind of flower that glows in the moonlight called Luna. It's here that the ladies selected for the Spring Queen Festival gather and dance around the bonfire the night before as a tribute to the spirits who are rumored to guard the island.

Bleeding out, crawling against the ground, a critically injured Minerva hides. Propping against a tree, the woman tried to apply pressure to her wounds to stop the bleeding but she had already lost too much blood.

"If you continue like this my wounded-teia. From the looks of it, you'll probably die by sunrise." A voice ominous called out from the treetop.

Clutching the hilt of her parasol, before the woman could respond in an act of violence, the furry figure plunged from the heavens and pressed the woman onto the ground. Rubbing his cheek against her face, the man apologized for the overtly friendly greeting immediately after.

As if he was acting on instinct. Picking the wounded woman up gingerly off the ground, the Red Panda Mink nestled the injured Minerva closely. "Let's get you patched up." The stranger reinforced.

The rain continued to pour down on the Saint's Land, as the silhouettes of the Mink and the Alabastan disappeared into the neck of the woods. Attempting to flick Minerva's parasol open, the Mink accidentally pressed the trigger instead, letting off a random stray shot.

He shudders in immense horror at the idea of a gun in an umbrella.

"You Lesser Minks and your guns. Seriously. Who puts a gun in an umbrella?!" The Red Panda Mink scolded.

---

The contact house which stored the illegal merchandise was now set ablaze. In the wake of the act of arson, a wooden trolley carried three canisters of Supperr Cola, which were being dragged by manual labor by the Duke himself.

"I hate waiting outside of my suit. Drives me crazy! Tell that Bitch I said, I owe you one." Duke commented twitching sporadically, dragging away the trolley of stolen goods.

Poplar Park | Miss Blue's Boutique - The Hot Topic

Removing a Black Den Den Mushi from a hidden compartment on the store's sales counter, Jazzy dialed ominously on the snail phone.

"Puru Puru Puru... Puru Puru Puru... Puru Pururu- CLANK!"

Placing the transponder to her ear once the call had been connected.

"The Witch Stays Hidden in The North." Jazzy blurted nervously.

"Understood. Connecting your call agent." The voice on the phone responded.

As soon as Jazzy was made aware she was connected to her 'person', the woman would break down into tears. "I have been compromised." Miss Courtier reported, pulling off her blue wig to reveal her snow-white natural hair. "I know what I must do. I will assassinate all of the Nox Pirates by the day of the Festival." Jazzy concluded chillingly.

@Roji

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