I think I'm getting a headache, Kuzan thought as he rubbed his head while one Admiral, the other Vice Admirals, Captains, and Lieutenants went back and forth within the conference room of Marine HQ. The most passionate was the famed Garp the Hero as a result of the topic of discussion within the plain white and professional room that holds all sorts of meetings between Warlords and Admirals and many other things with only one long white table.

"I just don't understand! How did this happen?!" Garp stressed, as well as demanded. Looking like his eyes were going to bulge out his eye sockets and his hair to fall out from how often he was pulling it during the meeting.

"The Director didn't comment much of it," Tsuru shrugged, her eyes turning towards the Garp the Fist in annoyance."And would you calm down? You're going to bust someone's eardrums with your constant yowls."

In all essence, he felt like they were going in circles within this meeting and he had half a mind to just sneak a nap in as they discussed amongst themselves about the new circumstances. But he was also concerned about the subject.

You, (Y/N), after all appeared seemingly out of nowhere in Marine HQ.

"Why is it we are still discussing this?" Akainu, Sakazuki; his mind corrected, said with an annoyed frown and crossed arms as he sat on his seat of the table. All eyes turned towards him at his question."All we are doing is going round and round accomplishing and answering nothing amongst ourselves. To get this fast and over with, why don't we start from the beginning once more shall we?" Sakazuki moved his dark eyes to Kuzan's, motioning for him to start and stating that he was the first to see the teenager-now young woman-in all these years.

Kuzan gave a yawn, then just as quickly his eyes were focused, not at all annoyed from the past conversations. He folded his hands and sat his chin upon them as he stared at everyone in the room as he began to speak of how (Y/N) was seen fifteen miles away from the Marine HQ within a rowboat by herself, with no other CP9 agent or the Director in sight. "I found it odd that there was no call before her coming here, nor from Director Spandam. Admittedly though, I was too surprised by her presence and haven't seen her so long that I didn't care." He gave small tilt of the lips of seeing your face for the first time in years, only to turn back into a neutral frown when he remembered your now darker and experienced eyes. "When she called the Director of her whereabouts, my suspicions rose of what exactly happened however. It seemed she had injuries that were healing. As well as how quickly the Director came for her..."

It was then Garp cut in.

"It's odd isn't it?" Garp began, his grim eyes on the table as he spoke. "They didn't even let her closest friends meet with her, I wouldn't even have been informed if you didn't contact me Vice Admiral Kuzan." Garp glanced at him, throwing a grateful smile towards him. "And...CP9's Director is strange for not directly telling us the success or failure of her mission."

"Perhaps there was a problem within the mission and Silver Blood (Y/N) had to go her separate ways for transportation?" Sengoku, the only Admiral in the room, supplied. Stating your newly earned title from your hard work and years of being in service of the marines. His theory did nothing to calm the ones in the room who cared for her however, the other's having their own opinions about you staying begrudgingly silent about the daughter of a pirate.

All the Vice Admirals and Admiral who are present knew of the consequences you would get based on how you did on the mission. That's why the ones who cared were so concerned. But, Kuzan's eyes moved to a smoking figure.

He hasn't said a word since the meeting began. Only listening, Kuzan observed, studying Smoker who had his brows furrowed from recent comments of the higher ups. Which wasn't surprising. Anyone who had eyes and knew of (Y/N) personally were aware of how close you and Smoker were, are. His concern for his closest friend, one he hasn't seen or spoken to in years, and the fact he missed seeing you must've hit him hard.

That and the man was hopelessly still in love with you after all these years.

Whether he was aware of it or not, Kuzan thought as he finally turned his eyes away just as Smoker looked up probably sensing someone peering at him. That smoky-haired marine captain held a love for you for who knows how long. He probably couldn't tell if his feeling of concern for you was from friendship or romantic love from how long Kuzan has heard they've been friends. No matter though, the fact that (Y/N)'s appearance to headquarters was still odd and left questions came back to his mind as the rest of the room was still stewing on both Vice Admiral Garp's and Admiral Sengoku's words.

"What do you mean?"

Everyone blinked in surprise, turning their heads towards the new Captain who smoke two cigars between his mouth.

And alas he speaks, Kuzan grinned internally in amusement.

"'Directly?' If it wasn't the Director then who was it?" Smoker practically interrogated Garp, brown eyes dark in intensity. "And (Y/N)—Silver Blood (Y/N) is the type that doesn't like sitting still, so perhaps she made her own way of travel instead of waiting for Cipher Pol to pick her up like Admiral Sengoku said. But," Smoker frown deepened, "the problem with that is she isn't stupid. From Vice Admiral Kuzan's comments much earlier, she had healing injuries upon her form. She would have waited for Cipher Pol's transportation if she was critical, so why is it they didn't come? Why did she have to possibly make her own boat?" Smoker finalized, causing everyone to look at him with surprise and slowly thoughtful faces appeared even as Smoker's gaze never left Garp's own.

Before Garp could reply, Sakazuki spoke.

"Such faith." He drawled, dark eyes assessing the Captain who now turned his eyes towards the Magma Devil Fruit user with the smoke from his cigars billowing around him. "Interesting how close to a pirate's daughter you are to claim such things so strongly."

Smoker tightened his teeth against his cigars while Garp yelled at the Vice Admiral to not use those words ever again in this meeting. He grunted, and whether or not everyone felt the sudden coldness in the room no one said anything. But Tsuru did give Kuzan a hidden proud smirk that he accepted with a smirk of his own. Garp turned towards Smoker.

"To your question...it was the infamous Rob Lucci that informed me."

Kuzan's eyes widened, along with others as well as small gasps. Smoker however, looked at Garp, frozen with brown eyes large in size. The Ice user noticed flickers of emotion in the man's face, the main one being confusion. Rob Lucci after all is the most successful CP9 agent since he was young, cold and ruthless. Uncaring of others except for that bird of his and to complete missions perfectly. The fact that he was the one that informed Garp the conclusion of the mission instead of the Director as it's supposed to be is very odd. As well as suspicious. The conversation moved on to Sengoku stating how the only information that the Director gave was that a small 'incident' occurred so that was the result of you coming to HQ, and that you were immediately needed to get back to Enies Lobby. Having no time to relax for your presence was important to get back.

Lies. Kuzan thought as he listened to the Admiral and the Vice Admirals Garp and Tsuru talk amongst themselves. That Director...that Spandam is not a man to be trusted. I truly do not like the World Government. He heard their talks turn to a murmur, a name being brought up from the past that caused Sengoku to look down with tight eyes.

Shame about Rocinate.

"This meeting is now over. Everyone may go back to their previous posts and patrols." Sengoku ordered, causing everyone to slowly get up and salute or bow at him as they strolled towards the exit of the meeting room. He lazily raised himself up, stretching his back and fixing his sunglasses atop his nose. As he walked out the door along with Tsuru and Sengoku, he noticed a certain smoke loving man and an old hero stay behind in the room.

Kuzan slowed his steps, and once every marine was out sight, he turned and walked back. Leaning against the wall next to the door, able to hear the conversation from within.

"-anted to say something Smoker?"

"...yes. I didn't want to say this in the meeting cause I felt there were—" There was a pause. "fellow comrades that are not fond of (Y/N)." Kuzan didn't have to see his face to know, his tone held distaste for the few in the meeting room who do not care about you.

"Go on then. What's wrong? Did you hear something as well?" Garp questioned, eager to hear about his old student Kuzan observed as he listened with closed eyes.

"First, I would like to know what exactly the conclusion of (Y/N)'s mission was. Did she succeed? If she did, why wasn't it announced in the meeting?"

A few moments of silence passed. And a heavy sigh escaped from weary lips, a sigh filled with the burden of this hard world.

"That is classified for your current rank Smoker." Kuzan frowned, wanting to know the answer as well. "As well as for the one who's outside the door."

"What?!"

Ah. He got caught.

He opened the door and raised a hand in peace with a calm smile.

"Yo. Sorry about that, wanted to know about the girl who hasn't stepped foot in here in years. And I wanted to know what exactly you've been withholding Captain Smoker." He glanced towards the man in question, noticing the gray-haired man's furrowed brows along with surprised eyes and tense form."Oh my, don't look like that. You were very silent in the meeting. I suspected that you knew something about young Silver Blood (Y/N). That or you were just so concerned about your friend that you gathered all the information silently as it went on." Kuzan lips quirked to a knowing smile. "Except when your suspicions rose."

Garp interrupted with a sigh before he continued, waving his hand lazily.

"Close the door, Kuzan. We'll discuss this amongst us three then."

He did as asked, getting closer to the duo as Smoker looked back at Garp and questioned if this means he will not give the answer to his earlier question. Garp looking at him silently, eyes deep in thought. Kuzan internally narrowed his eyes, wondering why this information was classified. Smoker however, had his furrowed brows deep in concern, an open frown amongst his face as the smoke of his cigars flowed throughout the room.

"She succeeded." Smoker's shoulders relaxed, "But this does not matter, whether she succeeded or failed...I fear if we will see the same (Y/N) we knew all those years ago." Garp stated, eyes down and fists clenched next to his sides. Smoker's mouth opened for a moment only to clench tightly against his cigars, turning towards him determined eyes.

"What did she look like? Was she alright? You said that she had injuries that were healing, but other than that, was (Y/N) alright?" The man practically demanded the answers from him, and if he was someone more uptight he would've reprimanded Smoker for his disrespect at a higher up. But Kuzan isn't, and he isn't the sort of man that can stare at eyes filled with dread before him wanting answers only for him to deny him.

The Vice Admiral that witnessed the Ohara Island Buster Call, thought back to his meeting with you. Expecting to see bright and innocent eyes to find none. Trying to see if you were well and healthy, only to spot heavy shoulders that looked far too tiresome for someone as young as you. He thought of your old smiles and odd laughs amongst these halls, your sleeping face when you both took a partner nap together in different futons. He remembered your constant slashes with your sword from training at dummies, hearing the sound of it even now from how often you practiced.

Kuzan reflected all of this, and all he could do was give a shake of his head at the two because he knew that your young self was gone. And it saddened him.

Smoker's eyes widened and Garp's tightly closed. A smack against the table was heard, the culprit being Smoker as his head was bowed, shoulders shaking from either anger or sadness Kuzan wasn't sure.

"...she called me." Garp and Kuzan whipped his head towards the young Captain, Garp giving a loud surprised exclamation.

"(Y/N) called me. She sounded different but I thought..." Smoker bit his two cigars(the amount obviously due to stress) between his teeth, and Kuzan was sure by this point the man tasted tobacco herbs in his mouth. "She said there was going to be a newspaper released in a few days, that I had to be the first to know once it comes out."

Garp rose an eyebrow.

"When what comes out?"

Smoker turned towards him, eyes just as confused and lost as the man from the Pirate King's Age.

"She didn't say. But, whatever it is, I don't think it will be good news." Kuzan's mind were brought back to your odd goodbye when you left with the Director. Sounding like it was a farewell that can only come from someone who plans to leave forever from another's life.

A farewell of death.

Kuzan's throat tightened, and as the three silent men brooded in their thoughts, he can only hope that you won't do something stupid.

.

.

.

DOUBLE UPDATE!! HAPPY REAL STRONG ANNIVERSARY EVERYONE!! AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY LUFFY!!

An odd chapter if I do say so.

Sorry if I was sort of everywhere. ^.^' Been awhile since I last wrote, so that might explain on why it's so choppy and perhaps odd to read?

Forgive me if it's so, this chapter is used to be sort of a filler in the marine's side of things. For the people who care for you in the HQ.

Garp. Smoker. Kuzan.

There's a few more, but I focused on these three instead. I think it would be too chaotic if there were more. There ARE more marines that care for you though, they were just too low ranked right now to matter.

That, and truly it is Garp and Smoker who is the closest to you. But I added Kuzan because I wanted to give context on why exactly you respect this man and how he sees you.

(I added a beloved ex marine's name if someone noticed. I wonder, did you and THEM meet once? ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) We will have to see.)

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By: Julian II i'm too tired for this at @Quotev
Man, am I a sucker for POC SB. They always come out so good! Fanart with different body type/skin/hair SB is always a pleasure to look at! THANK YOU SO MUCH AGAIN!

By: @preciousgentleman
A GENDER BENDED SB ARRIVES ON THE SCENE! Hello SB! You got some nice THICC brows there! ANYWAYS! THANK YOU!!

>///<

That's Mingo.

By: @RoseTran6112

Once again by the talented Rose! Such a good job as always even with rough sketched doodles! Gosh I love the Buggy one... -///- so cute. THANK YOU AGAIN!!
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Main Pairings
Shanks: 129
Mihawk:128
Crocodile:58
Doflamingo: 50
Smoker: 70
Lucci: 48

Side Pairings
Kaku: 10
Paulie: 8
Buggy: 10
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