During a battle between the Marines and the Beasts Pirates, Vice-Admiral Aramaki fell by King the Conflagration's hand and the Woods-Woods Fruit went into circulation. The said Devil Fruit later ended up reincarnated at the East Blue where Nami ate it and became a nature Logia.
Forest Cat (One Piece AU)
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Forest Cat Chapter 1
Hello there and Happy December, everyone! This is Warmachine375 and I made another One Piece fic called "Forest Cat". Don't worry, I'm still writing "Dragon Princess" by the way.
Synopsis: "During a battle between the Marines and the Beasts Pirates, Vice-Admiral Aramaki fell by King the Conflagration's hand and the Woods-Woods Fruit went into circulation. The said Devil Fruit later ended up reincarnated at the East Blue where Nami ate it and became a nature Logia."
Oneshot just in case.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and its characters. They belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Enjoy and don't forget to review.
Somewhere in the New World, Winner Island
In a large island called Winner Island, there lies a ravaged battlefield which was littered with hundreds of corpses of both the Marines and the Beast Pirates. Flames that are as potent as magma and wild vines of nature with piercing ends were everywhere in the surrounding area, enemies had been burned alive and shriveled away respectively. It was like Hell and Mother Nature had clashed against each other for dominance.
And Hell had ultimately prevailed in the end.
"Damn you!", sneered the green haired tall muscular man who was shirtless but wore a white coat cape draped on his shoulders, which it was burned and charred black from his opponent. He held his large bleeding stomach wound that had been slashed and cauterized from the enemy, and it was quite utterly painful and agonizing.
His right eye got slashed and cauterized as well, leaving a nasty scar behind after his pair of shades got broken.
While his sword that he usually carry around on his left waist had melted down like a pile of melted scrap. Aramaki never bothered using it until it was too late to even matter anyway.
Normally, as the Forest Human, he would have easily regenerated from those grievous injuries he had sustained thanks to his Logia-class Woods-Woods Fruit he ate and mastered the power of nature as his own. He had also learned Observation and Armament Haki after eagerly joining the Marines on spot and rose his way to the top as one of the Vice-Admirals.*
In fact, Aramaki had even landed his place among the list of several candidates to become one of the World Government's Greatest Military Powers, the Admirals in the future.
After all, it was his dream to serve alongside his idol Admiral Akainu and become his equal one day, sharing the same belief of "Absolute Justice". Compared to the other Admirals, Kizaru with his "Unclear Justice" and Aokiji's "Lazy Justice", Aramaki found both of them lame and disappointing for not being on the same boat with Akainu together.
But alas, in the New World, Logias, who are arrogant and believed themselves to be untouchable by any attack thrown at them, have short lifespans when facing an enemy combatant using Haki, and Aramaki was on the receiving end of it. Not even his intensive training to have his nature Logia body be resistant to fire was enough.
He honestly thought that he was already unstoppable like Akainu and nothing can stand against him in his way.
And it's because Aramaki's opponent was the Lunarian, whose people were commonly thought to be extinct, named King the Conflagration. The right hand man of Kaidou from the Four Emperors of the Sea and one of the All-Stars who ate the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Pteranodon, becoming an Ancient Zoan. The dark clad leathered tall man with large black wings and huge bonfire flaring behind his back simply looked down on the Forest Human like an insignificant bug he was.
"Still intending to fight, Vice-Admiral? With that kind of injuries you have now?", King mocked him.
Aramaki tried to get back on his feet but the All-Star casually kicked him down to the ground, creating a large trench line from the impact. "You bastard... If you hadn't launched an ambush out of nowhere, we would have made this island a Marine base monitoring Wano to keep you subhuman freaks in check!", he snarled.
King simply stated in cold response, which enrages the Forest Human even more, "Excuses. You are just biologically incapable of defeating me. Blame this on the misfortune of your birth, trash."
"NO ONE CALLS ME TRASH AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!", Aramaki bellowed as he stood up and charged at the Lunarian, ignoring all the pain and agony with his unyielding rage.
In his final defiance, the green haired man tried to throw a heavy punch enhanced by his wood imbued with Haki but the Lunarian casually dodged to the left, which he then conjured a fireball over his open palm, then formed a fist. "Then burn like the trash you are. Imperial Flame!", he executed an extremely powerful flame-clad punch right at Aramaki's face, causing a massive fiery explosion that engulfed the latter's body.
Vice-Admiral Aramaki, the man who should have become Admiral Ryokugyu in the future, burned to death, dying and screaming undignified in his last moments.
And the Woods-Woods Fruit had left his charred corpse and fell into random circulation, reincarnating to a new fruit somewhere around the world for another person to find and consume it as its new wielder.
Several months later, Cocoyasi Village, Conomi Island, East Blue
"Now that's something you don't see every day."
Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp, known to be as Garp the Fist and Hero of the Marines, nonchalantly commented upon noticing the massive grove of nature that was towering over an island of Conomi that can be seen from afar on his personal Marine battleship with a bulldog figurehead that he often used it as his special seat. He was in the middle of sailing around the peaceful waters of the East Blue where he had inspected local Marine bases and casually subdued pirates, who thought they're the strongest and most fearsome like little frogs croaking in a well, with one punch at his leisure.
It is like part-time vacation for him and he does whatever he pleases, which often brought annoyance and chagrin from his best buddy, Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha and Vice-Admiral Tsuru the Great Staff Officer. Both renowned Marines had known him too well when it comes to his casual carefree attitude that can be a pain in the ass to deal with at times yet Garp had earned his place for a good reason and it shows.
And that he had refused promotions to Admiral multiple times despite the offer is still standing to this day.
It somewhat irritated Garp about it as he greatly valued his own freedom to do as he like as a Vice-Admiral and he would rather not become a personal attack dog for the World Nobles as it's part of the Admiral's job to destroy anyone that dare defy the so-called gods of the world.
His second-in-command Bogard said out loud while tipping up his fedora, "It's obviously a Devil Fruit, sir. From the looks of it, it's the Woods-Woods Fruit. Formerly possessed by the late Vice-Admiral Aramaki."
"That deranged fanboy of Akainu? The forest idiot had to pick a fight with the Beast Pirates just to impress his idol only to die a humiliating death by fire of that Lunarian, King. Good riddance I'd say.", Garp scoffed, being completely unimpressed as the deceased Aramaki was just like most Logias who thought they're invincible right until they get decked in the schnoz by an enemy using Haki.
It didn't help the fact that the overconfident nature Logia was also a kowtowing sycophant to the World Nobles as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if that forest brat turned out to be a slave of the World Nobles with that cursed mark branded on him. It might explain why he revered those bubble-headed bastards at Mariejois to be gods. Not to mention, he never seem to wear his shirt and it's probably at the back hidden by his coat of Justice., he derisively thought.
Turning to the nearby Marine subordinates who stood at attention, the Hero of the Marines ordered. "Secure a beach head. I'm going to find out who's the new holder of the Woods-Woods Fruit."
"Sir, yes sir!", they complied and went off to their stations.
Landing onshore, Garp walked straight to the Cocoyasi Village with Bogard and a small squad of Marines following him. They entered the town where the citizens took notice of the Hero of the Marines, recognizing him by his name and reputation along with his bulldog mask. Not only that, there were some bodies being covered by blankets to conceal them from sight.
Garp called out for all to hear him, "Alright, since you all know I am, may I ask who's in charge here?"
A mustached man with bandaged scars on his body and a pinwheel on top of his policeman cap and uniform approached, "That would be me, Vice-Admiral Garp. Genzo, sheriff of Cocoyasi."
"What happened here? And who are those bodies?", the Hero of the Marines demanded with narrowed eyes.
Genzo grimaced as he explained to him, "Fishmen, sir. They called themselves the Arlong Pirates led by the bastard Arlong. They tried to extort money from us during their invasion. Their demand was that adults would have to pay 100,000 Beris while the children would pay 50,000 Beris. Anyone who fails to pay would be executed on spot."
Frowning, Garp had heard about the Sun Pirates, or the Fishman Pirates that were commonly known in the Grand Line, had split off into three groups: the one under Jinbei, the newly appointed member of the Seven Warlords, the other under Arlong and the last under Macro that was completely insignificant and irrelevant. He didn't expect that Arlong chose East Blue of all places, his home turf, and if the new nature Logia hadn't got in the fool's way, the saw-shark Fishman would have placed Conomi Island under his thumb.
Knowing Jinbei, he would go here to kneel in apology for unwittingly releasing Arlong to the East Blue, and would offer compensation for his brethren's actions., the Vice-Admiral thought as he was there witnessing Jinbei's appointment as a Warlord at Marineford after the latter agreed with the terms from the World Government to protect his crew and Fishman Island. Despite the fact his deceased captain Fisher Tiger died to Vice-Admiral Strawberry in an ambush at Foolshout Island.
Inspecting from one of the Fishmen corpses that looked shriveled up and had gaping holes as if they're pierced through underneath the blanket he lifted up to see, Bogard questioned. "And how were they exactly defeated? The Fishmen were ten times stronger than normal humans. Since they're in the East Blue, they would have been a big fish in a small pond. Pardon the pun."
"Hmph. Which means one of your people was a Devil Fruit user who did the deed. Isn't that right, Mr. Genzo?", Garp finished which he can see the sheriff looking uncomfortable.
Genzo pleaded with fear and concern, "Please, sir. She's just a child. She lost her mother to Arlong who shot her, and she exploded in grief. I saw her body suddenly unleashed those massive vines on Arlong and his crew who didn't see it coming. They all died on spot. ... But the octopus one managed to cut through the lashing roots with his swords before he escaped and fled back to the sea."
No doubt that octopus Fishman must be swimming back to Jinbei or fleeing elsewhere far away from the East Blue after his comrades got quickly wiped out by a Logia., Garp thought after learning that tidbit from Genzo.
The Hero of the Marines grumbled that the owner of the Woods-Woods Fruit is a little girl before he asked, "I see. What's the girl's name and who's the mother?"
"... Nami. Her mother was Bell-mère.", the scarred older man replied.
The fedora wearing Marine officer noted with a frown of disapproval after recognizing the name, "That's Captain Bell-mère.* According to official reports, she went missing in action after a failed skirmish with her Marine unit against pirates attacking the Oykot Kingdom with no survivors left. All but her were accounted for when the bodies were recovered. It appears that she had committed AWOL, sir."
Desertion is a serious crime in the Marines. Punishable by imprisonment at Impel Down or a quick painful death on spot if you're in the Red Mutt's shit list within his line of sight. Just like what my no-good son Dragon did to form his blasted Revolutionary Army or those pompous bastards Gasparde and Diez Barrels who had turned their backs on Justice and became pirates. At least Barrels is dead, by Doflamingo of all people, and his brat Drake will become a fine Marine. Just like my grandsons one way or another..., Garp internally remarked.
At Mt. Colubo, Foosha Village, Goa Kingdom
In the middle of their hunting for food and sparring with each other simultaneously in the thick dangerous jungle, Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace both felt a shiver down on their spines and stopped in their path. Using their fists that they have grown accustomed to instead of their pipes, they looked around for any sign of incoming danger they had sensed but found none at all.
Luffy wondered out loud, "Ace? What was that feeling? It feels so scary..."
"It's probably shitty Gramps talking about us. He might probably be coming around here sooner or later. Come on, Luffy!", Ace brushed off as he went off in a head start.
"Shishishishishishishishi! Wait for me, Ace!", the possessor of the Gum-Gum Fruit nodded with an eager smile and followed after his older brother, determined to get stronger and skilled so that he can go on his journey to find the One Piece and become the King of the Pirates along with intention to reunite with his idol Red-Haired Shanks as a great pirate like him.
The Straw Hat he currently wore on his head was a promise between him and Shanks after all.
At the Revolutionary Army HQ, Baltigo
Sabo felt a chill down on his spine while he was in his personal training with Hack, the soldierfish Fishman combat instructor and senior member of the Revolutionary Army outside the headquarters of Supreme Commander Monkey D. Dragon. This brief moment of distraction had left him wide open to be palmed in the face by Hack and sent flying, crashing into the ground as a result.
Koala and her fellow kid Revolutionaries winced altogether at the scene before them and it was quite a precise palm strike of Fishman Karate that Hack is teaching them to use against the tyranny of the World Government.
The orange haired girl commented, "What had gotten Sabo to lower his guard?"
"You're distracted, Sabo! Such action would be your undoing and you would have lost your life had you been in a real battle! Don't do it again! Am I clear?...", Hack lectured with a stern frown.
"Yes, sir!", the blonde boy with a top hat said while wondering to himself in his thought. What was that feeling? I couldn't remember but for some reason my body tells me that someone is talking about me and he is a scary monster.
Brushing off and focusing back on his training to become the best Revolutionary officer, Sabo reassumed his fighting stance with his pipe and charged at Hack who was ready to intercept his blows.
Back to Cocoyasi Village, Conomi Island
On the other hand, the legendary Vice-Admiral took notice of the townsfolk of Cocoyasi looking wary but willing to stand up for the late Bell-mère, not wanting her name to be tarnished because of her AWOL status from the Marines now that the cat is out of the bag. He can tell that the woman must have been well-regarded enough among them in her home island.
"And she went down fighting as a Marine in the end?", he wondered aloud while rubbing his beard.
Catching on and wanting to preserve Bell-mère's honor, Genzo solemnly nodded. "Yes, she did. Gave her life to protect her daughters... Although, I didn't expect Nami to be a Devil Fruit user as you called her one, Vice-Admiral. I just gave her a weird-looking fruit that I found in my patrolling duty as a snack for her to eat. She found the taste very terrible. Like it's made of fertilizers for farming."
Yup. Definitely a Devil Fruit. It's funny that Aramaki's fruit ended up here in East Blue of all places. And it became the village's salvation., Garp thought in amusement before he then declared. "Very well. Bogard, take the bodies of these Fishmen pirates into custody and bring them to my ship. As compensation, their bounties will be cashed in and given to you and your folks, Mr. Genzo. Do whatever you want with the money."
"Yes sir.", Bogard complied with his superior officer's whims of an order.
While the fedora wearing Marine officer still disapproved of the deceased Belle-mere's desertion, he silently admitted to himself that she died a Marine in protecting her family from pirates in the end.
The people of Cocoyasi Village were relieved and grateful that the Hero of the Marines, a fellow man of the East Blue, was helping them in their time of need after a thwarted invasion with extortion from pirates caused by Belle-mere's daughter with a Devil Fruit. While the Marine subordinates under Bogard's command started bringing the corpses of Arlong and his crew in stretchers to Garp's personal ship docked nearby the shore of Conomi Island.
Meanwhile, the sheriff saw Garp casually heading his way to the source of the massive grove of nature and plant life, which would happen to be the home of Bell-mère. Genzo ran after Garp and caught up with him. "Where are you going, Vice-Admiral?", he questioned.
"I just want to check in on the new Logia.", the father of Dragon commented.
"Logia?", the scarred man wondered in confusion, which was understandable as it's rare to encounter a Devil Fruit user or even find the said fruit itself in the East Blue after all.
Garp offhandedly waved off while walking, "Three types of Devil Fruits. Long story short: Logia transforms you into the element of nature, Zoan turns you into an animal and Paramecia grants you use of various abilities. Bell-mère's girl, Nami right? To be blunt, she ate the Woods-Woods Fruit that you found, Mr. Genzo. A Logia with the power over nature."
"... Although the downside is that whoever eats a Devil Fruit ends up being unable to swim. Becoming the hammer in the sea.", he added.
Frozen on spot, Genzo widened his eyes in shock that he unwittingly took away the little girl's ability to swim after becoming a Devil Fruit user. Worried that Nami might accidentally fell into the ocean and drown should she choose to leave home like Bell-mère did. And that he and Nako, the village's doctor, had originally planned to have Nami and Nojiko escape from Conomi Island by a boat so that Belle-mere wouldn't have to die after she didn't have enough Beris for herself and her two daughters to pay Arlong.
Even then, Arlong's goons had already trashed the boats to prevent anyone from leaving and not paying the money as ordered, rendering the plan moot as he and Nako found out in the aftermath.
"What have I done?...", he muttered that he almost doomed Nami.
Traversing through the thick forests made by the Woods-Woods Fruit with casual ease, Garp made his way inside to see a small house with a tangerine grove. Or at least they used to be as they're almost overwhelmed by the various plant life and tree roots everywhere around them. He then saw the blue haired girl, whom he can tell she is just an average human and a sister of Nami, and she was grieving over the lifeless body of Bell-mère laying on the ground.
Miraculously, Bell-mère's body wasn't touched by nature aside the blood from her fatal wounds.
Nearby on the ground, there was a shattered rifle which was now covered by the grasses and flowers.
Shattered left arm and a headshot. She must have put up a hell of a fight against Arlong before she went down swinging to protect her kids., he deduced upon seeing Bell-mère's corpse, impressed of the former Captain's combat skills that might have ended Arlong's life with a direct gunshot to the mouth if it weren't for his Fishman strength ten times greater than a normal human.
The Hero of the Marines approached the girl who heard footsteps and turned around to see him with a bulldog mask. She was expecting Genzo or any of the villagers of Cocoyasi, not him.
"Who are you?", she asked with wariness at him, probably because he was taller and intimidating than the late Arlong.
"Vice-Admiral Garp from the Marines. What's your name, kid?", he answered with a solemn look.
The blue haired girl responded, "N-Nojiko. Are you here to help us?..."
"Yeah, my men already got those Fishmen pirates' bodies to my ship. And their bounties will be cashed in and given to everyone on this island. Your village is safe and secure, kid.", Garp bluntly stated.
"Thank you, Mr. Garp sir.", Nojiko muttered with a nod before she said. "I take it you're here to investigate who did all this, right?"
The legendary Vice-Admiral noted, "Hmph. Smart girl. Yes, your sister is a Devil Fruit user. She ate the Woods-Woods Fruit, possessing the power over nature. A Forest Human to be exact."
Nojiko commented with a sad look on her face, "I noticed. She grew everything from the ground and attacked the pirates in tearful rage. ... Mr. Garp sir, please go easy on Nami. She thought she was cursed after seeing herself change."
"Don't worry. ... By the way, your mother was a brave woman, kid. I'll make sure she deserves recognition for protecting Conomi Island with her life as a Marine.", Garp said to the blue haired girl before entering the house where Nami is hiding herself away.
Inside there, the grandfather of Luffy can see the vegetation covering almost every part of the room and heard a small sniffling. Following the sound, Garp found Nami crying in her room with plant life around her. He also noticed the several maps on the desk and they were hand drawn and well-made, although some managed to survive the effects of the orange haired girl's Devil Fruit.
Meanwhile, Nami was still crying with tears and snot on her face as she leaned back against the wall covered by flora of her Woods-Woods Fruit and her left arm of her sleeveless dress was still covered in wood bark and leaves. A sign of Devil Fruit use that she has yet to control. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to...", she muttered to herself.
"Kid, it's not your fault.", Garp called out to her, having seen too many civilians suffer from pirate attacks on their homes that took the lives of their friends and loved ones.
The orange haired girl looked up to see an older Marine with a coat cape and a bulldog mask standing before her. "W-wh-who are you?", she asked in nervousness.
"Garp from the Marines. Your mother loved you, right?", the man stated, straight to the point.
"Y-yes...", Nami replied after remembering Bell-mère's last words that affirmed her love to her and Nojiko as their mother. "But I didn't mean to... I shouldn't have said that to her..."
Parting words regret huh? It always stings for anyone... Even myself..., Garp thought somberly as he took off his bulldog mask and knelt to the little girl. Placing the mask on top of Nami's head, he consoled. "It's alright, kid. Your mother was a brave woman. Most mothers were willing to protect their children. Shows that their love for them was strong, wanting them to have a whole future ahead."
He added to himself with an internal scoff, Except that delusional hag Linlin. She always uses her kids like tools to secure alliances through shams of a marriage, and wouldn't bat an eye if they fail her somehow.
"I hate them... They took away Bell-mère... They're evil... Pirates are scum...", Nami said, remembering Arlong shot her mother in the head and attempted to take her when he and his fellow Fishmen found out about her cartography skills and maps inside the house. Right before she unleashed those freaky vines from her body in her moment of grief and anger and attacked the pirates who had died brutally.
I've seen those familiar eyes all too well. Hatred for pirates after a loss of a loved one. Like what happened Zephyr after he lost his wife and son, and later his division of Marine cadets to pirates... I hope that won't consume him and end up doing something he will regret and can't take back., the grandfather of Luffy internally scowled before he said. "Good thing that they're gone, kid. They won't hurt anyone else ever again."
And good riddance I'd say., he added as Arlong and his goons had it coming and they paid for it with their lives.
Nami slowly nodded in agreement with him before she interjected, remembering about her ability to make things on the ground grow. "Are you not afraid of me, Mr. Garp? I'm a freak..."
"Bwahahahahaha! Not really, kid. You just ate a Devil Fruit.", Garp smiled with amusement, deciding to change the topic and try cheer the girl up.
"Devil Fruit?", the orange haired girl questioned with widened eyes after hearing that from the older Marine.
"Do you remember Mr. Genzo giving you that strange fruit to eat it, right?", the Vice-Admiral asked which Nami responded with a disgusted expression of remembering the horrible taste on her tongue, clearly remembering it. "Thought so. Yeah, it's a Devil Fruit you've eaten, kid. Woods-Woods Fruit. Grants you the power of nature but unfortunately, you lost the ability to swim for the rest of your life."
"WHAT?!", Nami yelled with a jawdrop and widened eyes after hearing that tidbit from the older man.
"Yup, sucks to be a hammer huh?", Garp commented with a grin, thanking his lucky stars that he chose to use his own natural superhuman strength than eating a Devil Fruit. It helped that his deceased rival Gol D. Roger thought the same thing with himself and his crew, with some exception in form of that flashy clown Buggy and the hulking behemoth Douglas Bullet who are both Devil Fruit users under different circumstances.
Panicking, she said, "But I want to set sail and draw the map of the world one day! It's my dream!"
"Then you'd better be careful not to fall off from your ship. And have some friends who can swim and get you out of the water.", Garp simply said while remembering she did draw those maps really well, which corresponded with her dream, and being amused to see the orange haired girl looking embarrassed that she never thought about it.
Standing up to leave the house, the Hero of the Marines said, "Come on, kid. I will help properly bury your mother. You coming?"
"Okay.", Nami nodded and followed after the older man.
At Garp's personal Marine battleship nearby Conomi Island
"Let me get this straight here, Garp. Not only did you found out that Captain Bell-mère died protecting her daughters and Conomi Island from Arlong and his Fishmen crew despite having committed desertion, one of her girls, Nami, is a Logia with the power of Woods-Woods Fruit she ate and you want me to take her in?"
The voice of Vice-Admiral Tsuru said through the Transponder Snail mimicking her appearance when communicating between her and Garp who was at the office of his Marine battleship. She was expecting a typical Garp-like greeting and conversation she was too familiar of, only to learn what happened regarding the already thwarted invasion of the Fishmen pirates on one of the East Blue islands under Garp's nose.
Rubbing his head after helping the girls bury their mother Belle-mere nearby cliff of Cocoyasi Village, Garp said, "Yeah, pretty much Tsuru. Nami already hated pirates after losing her mother to them and she needed better control over her nature Logia. Besides, she needed a matronly figure to rely on and recover from the ordeal. And you know my parenting skills can be... difficult."
Not only that, the World Government preferred Logias under their thumb. Not wanting pirate Logias, like Gasparde as an example, sailing around in the Grand Line even if they will soon end up with short lifespans when running into Haki users or bit off more than they can chew. That's the reason why they had Crocodile as a Warlord of the Sea in the first place because of his Sand-Sand Fruit., he thought in contemplation.
"Understatement of the century.", Tsuru dryly snarked with a roll of her eyes through the Transponder Snail, knowing her friend may be many things but a good loving decent parent ain't one of them. Especially when she sometimes heard him bragging about subjecting his grandson Luffy to life-threatening situations back at Mt. Colubo in Goa Kingdom as part of his so-called training, claiming that it's all for the sake of becoming a strong Marine just like him.
In fact, she wouldn't be surprised that such treatment had already backfired on Garp because Luffy would do the opposite than he intended, just to get the hell far away from him.
Grumbling in annoyance from his friend's verbal jab, the Hero of the Marines asked, "So will you do it?"
The Transponder Snail mimicking the Great Staff Officer's words herself said with a sigh, "Hmmm... Very well, Garp. I will take the girl under my care when I get there to the East Blue through Loguetown. My granddaughter Kujaku will be coming with me. She always wanted to make more friends."
Ending the call with Tsuru, Garp left the office of his ship behind to take part of cutting down the large trees made by the Woods-Woods Fruit with his Marine subordinates and the volunteering villagers of Cocoyasi with their axes. Which they can use it for firewood for a party, build some new houses or even sell them off to earn more income.
While Nami, who still had Garp's bulldog mask on her head, and Nojiko mourned for their deceased mother Bell-mère on her grave that was marked with a pair of sticks tied in a cross.
Author's Note: Alrighty then, Chapter 1 of "Forest Cat" is done and I hope you guys like it. Vice-Admiral Garp had taken notice of Conomi Island having a new nature grove caused by a Devil Fruit, helped out the people of Cocoyasi Village and contacted his friend Vice-Admiral Tsuru to take in Nami, the new user of the Woods-Woods Fruit after the death of Aramaki.
*I always find it odd about Aramaki being conscripted by the World Military Draft made to replenish the Marines post-War of the Best alongside Issho as the two new Admirals during the two year timeskip when it turns out that Aramaki is a diehard fanboy of Akainu and the World Nobles the entire time at the end of Wano Saga. So yeah in this story, he eagerly joined the Marines and had worked his way to the top as a Vice-Admiral.
... Only to meet an unceremonious end at the hand of King the Conflagration here.
*In canon, Bell-mère's rank in the Marines was never revealed aside from being a distinguished Marine officer to be wearing the coat cape of Justice. Here, she was a Captain.
Although I checked that Bell-mère didn't seem to have officially left service from the Marines after deciding to adopt Nami and Nojiko as her daughters in her retirement to raise them. Taking advantage of the mutual wipeout between her troops and the pirates at Oykot Kingdom, where everyone is dead, to return home to Conomi Island in the middle of a storm.
Enjoy and don't forget to review.
Synopsis: "During a battle between the Marines and the Beasts Pirates, Vice-Admiral Aramaki fell by King the Conflagration's hand and the Woods-Woods Fruit went into circulation. The said Devil Fruit later ended up reincarnated at the East Blue where Nami ate it and became a nature Logia."
Oneshot just in case.
Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece and its characters. They belong to Eiichiro Oda.
Enjoy and don't forget to review.
Chapter 1
Somewhere in the New World, Winner Island
In a large island called Winner Island, there lies a ravaged battlefield which was littered with hundreds of corpses of both the Marines and the Beast Pirates. Flames that are as potent as magma and wild vines of nature with piercing ends were everywhere in the surrounding area, enemies had been burned alive and shriveled away respectively. It was like Hell and Mother Nature had clashed against each other for dominance.
And Hell had ultimately prevailed in the end.
"Damn you!", sneered the green haired tall muscular man who was shirtless but wore a white coat cape draped on his shoulders, which it was burned and charred black from his opponent. He held his large bleeding stomach wound that had been slashed and cauterized from the enemy, and it was quite utterly painful and agonizing.
His right eye got slashed and cauterized as well, leaving a nasty scar behind after his pair of shades got broken.
While his sword that he usually carry around on his left waist had melted down like a pile of melted scrap. Aramaki never bothered using it until it was too late to even matter anyway.
Normally, as the Forest Human, he would have easily regenerated from those grievous injuries he had sustained thanks to his Logia-class Woods-Woods Fruit he ate and mastered the power of nature as his own. He had also learned Observation and Armament Haki after eagerly joining the Marines on spot and rose his way to the top as one of the Vice-Admirals.*
In fact, Aramaki had even landed his place among the list of several candidates to become one of the World Government's Greatest Military Powers, the Admirals in the future.
After all, it was his dream to serve alongside his idol Admiral Akainu and become his equal one day, sharing the same belief of "Absolute Justice". Compared to the other Admirals, Kizaru with his "Unclear Justice" and Aokiji's "Lazy Justice", Aramaki found both of them lame and disappointing for not being on the same boat with Akainu together.
But alas, in the New World, Logias, who are arrogant and believed themselves to be untouchable by any attack thrown at them, have short lifespans when facing an enemy combatant using Haki, and Aramaki was on the receiving end of it. Not even his intensive training to have his nature Logia body be resistant to fire was enough.
He honestly thought that he was already unstoppable like Akainu and nothing can stand against him in his way.
And it's because Aramaki's opponent was the Lunarian, whose people were commonly thought to be extinct, named King the Conflagration. The right hand man of Kaidou from the Four Emperors of the Sea and one of the All-Stars who ate the Dragon-Dragon Fruit, Model: Pteranodon, becoming an Ancient Zoan. The dark clad leathered tall man with large black wings and huge bonfire flaring behind his back simply looked down on the Forest Human like an insignificant bug he was.
"Still intending to fight, Vice-Admiral? With that kind of injuries you have now?", King mocked him.
Aramaki tried to get back on his feet but the All-Star casually kicked him down to the ground, creating a large trench line from the impact. "You bastard... If you hadn't launched an ambush out of nowhere, we would have made this island a Marine base monitoring Wano to keep you subhuman freaks in check!", he snarled.
King simply stated in cold response, which enrages the Forest Human even more, "Excuses. You are just biologically incapable of defeating me. Blame this on the misfortune of your birth, trash."
"NO ONE CALLS ME TRASH AND GETS AWAY WITH IT!", Aramaki bellowed as he stood up and charged at the Lunarian, ignoring all the pain and agony with his unyielding rage.
In his final defiance, the green haired man tried to throw a heavy punch enhanced by his wood imbued with Haki but the Lunarian casually dodged to the left, which he then conjured a fireball over his open palm, then formed a fist. "Then burn like the trash you are. Imperial Flame!", he executed an extremely powerful flame-clad punch right at Aramaki's face, causing a massive fiery explosion that engulfed the latter's body.
Vice-Admiral Aramaki, the man who should have become Admiral Ryokugyu in the future, burned to death, dying and screaming undignified in his last moments.
And the Woods-Woods Fruit had left his charred corpse and fell into random circulation, reincarnating to a new fruit somewhere around the world for another person to find and consume it as its new wielder.
Several months later, Cocoyasi Village, Conomi Island, East Blue
"Now that's something you don't see every day."
Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp, known to be as Garp the Fist and Hero of the Marines, nonchalantly commented upon noticing the massive grove of nature that was towering over an island of Conomi that can be seen from afar on his personal Marine battleship with a bulldog figurehead that he often used it as his special seat. He was in the middle of sailing around the peaceful waters of the East Blue where he had inspected local Marine bases and casually subdued pirates, who thought they're the strongest and most fearsome like little frogs croaking in a well, with one punch at his leisure.
It is like part-time vacation for him and he does whatever he pleases, which often brought annoyance and chagrin from his best buddy, Fleet Admiral Sengoku the Buddha and Vice-Admiral Tsuru the Great Staff Officer. Both renowned Marines had known him too well when it comes to his casual carefree attitude that can be a pain in the ass to deal with at times yet Garp had earned his place for a good reason and it shows.
And that he had refused promotions to Admiral multiple times despite the offer is still standing to this day.
It somewhat irritated Garp about it as he greatly valued his own freedom to do as he like as a Vice-Admiral and he would rather not become a personal attack dog for the World Nobles as it's part of the Admiral's job to destroy anyone that dare defy the so-called gods of the world.
His second-in-command Bogard said out loud while tipping up his fedora, "It's obviously a Devil Fruit, sir. From the looks of it, it's the Woods-Woods Fruit. Formerly possessed by the late Vice-Admiral Aramaki."
"That deranged fanboy of Akainu? The forest idiot had to pick a fight with the Beast Pirates just to impress his idol only to die a humiliating death by fire of that Lunarian, King. Good riddance I'd say.", Garp scoffed, being completely unimpressed as the deceased Aramaki was just like most Logias who thought they're invincible right until they get decked in the schnoz by an enemy using Haki.
It didn't help the fact that the overconfident nature Logia was also a kowtowing sycophant to the World Nobles as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if that forest brat turned out to be a slave of the World Nobles with that cursed mark branded on him. It might explain why he revered those bubble-headed bastards at Mariejois to be gods. Not to mention, he never seem to wear his shirt and it's probably at the back hidden by his coat of Justice., he derisively thought.
Turning to the nearby Marine subordinates who stood at attention, the Hero of the Marines ordered. "Secure a beach head. I'm going to find out who's the new holder of the Woods-Woods Fruit."
"Sir, yes sir!", they complied and went off to their stations.
Landing onshore, Garp walked straight to the Cocoyasi Village with Bogard and a small squad of Marines following him. They entered the town where the citizens took notice of the Hero of the Marines, recognizing him by his name and reputation along with his bulldog mask. Not only that, there were some bodies being covered by blankets to conceal them from sight.
Garp called out for all to hear him, "Alright, since you all know I am, may I ask who's in charge here?"
A mustached man with bandaged scars on his body and a pinwheel on top of his policeman cap and uniform approached, "That would be me, Vice-Admiral Garp. Genzo, sheriff of Cocoyasi."
"What happened here? And who are those bodies?", the Hero of the Marines demanded with narrowed eyes.
Genzo grimaced as he explained to him, "Fishmen, sir. They called themselves the Arlong Pirates led by the bastard Arlong. They tried to extort money from us during their invasion. Their demand was that adults would have to pay 100,000 Beris while the children would pay 50,000 Beris. Anyone who fails to pay would be executed on spot."
Frowning, Garp had heard about the Sun Pirates, or the Fishman Pirates that were commonly known in the Grand Line, had split off into three groups: the one under Jinbei, the newly appointed member of the Seven Warlords, the other under Arlong and the last under Macro that was completely insignificant and irrelevant. He didn't expect that Arlong chose East Blue of all places, his home turf, and if the new nature Logia hadn't got in the fool's way, the saw-shark Fishman would have placed Conomi Island under his thumb.
Knowing Jinbei, he would go here to kneel in apology for unwittingly releasing Arlong to the East Blue, and would offer compensation for his brethren's actions., the Vice-Admiral thought as he was there witnessing Jinbei's appointment as a Warlord at Marineford after the latter agreed with the terms from the World Government to protect his crew and Fishman Island. Despite the fact his deceased captain Fisher Tiger died to Vice-Admiral Strawberry in an ambush at Foolshout Island.
Inspecting from one of the Fishmen corpses that looked shriveled up and had gaping holes as if they're pierced through underneath the blanket he lifted up to see, Bogard questioned. "And how were they exactly defeated? The Fishmen were ten times stronger than normal humans. Since they're in the East Blue, they would have been a big fish in a small pond. Pardon the pun."
"Hmph. Which means one of your people was a Devil Fruit user who did the deed. Isn't that right, Mr. Genzo?", Garp finished which he can see the sheriff looking uncomfortable.
Genzo pleaded with fear and concern, "Please, sir. She's just a child. She lost her mother to Arlong who shot her, and she exploded in grief. I saw her body suddenly unleashed those massive vines on Arlong and his crew who didn't see it coming. They all died on spot. ... But the octopus one managed to cut through the lashing roots with his swords before he escaped and fled back to the sea."
No doubt that octopus Fishman must be swimming back to Jinbei or fleeing elsewhere far away from the East Blue after his comrades got quickly wiped out by a Logia., Garp thought after learning that tidbit from Genzo.
The Hero of the Marines grumbled that the owner of the Woods-Woods Fruit is a little girl before he asked, "I see. What's the girl's name and who's the mother?"
"... Nami. Her mother was Bell-mère.", the scarred older man replied.
The fedora wearing Marine officer noted with a frown of disapproval after recognizing the name, "That's Captain Bell-mère.* According to official reports, she went missing in action after a failed skirmish with her Marine unit against pirates attacking the Oykot Kingdom with no survivors left. All but her were accounted for when the bodies were recovered. It appears that she had committed AWOL, sir."
Desertion is a serious crime in the Marines. Punishable by imprisonment at Impel Down or a quick painful death on spot if you're in the Red Mutt's shit list within his line of sight. Just like what my no-good son Dragon did to form his blasted Revolutionary Army or those pompous bastards Gasparde and Diez Barrels who had turned their backs on Justice and became pirates. At least Barrels is dead, by Doflamingo of all people, and his brat Drake will become a fine Marine. Just like my grandsons one way or another..., Garp internally remarked.
At Mt. Colubo, Foosha Village, Goa Kingdom
In the middle of their hunting for food and sparring with each other simultaneously in the thick dangerous jungle, Monkey D. Luffy and Portgas D. Ace both felt a shiver down on their spines and stopped in their path. Using their fists that they have grown accustomed to instead of their pipes, they looked around for any sign of incoming danger they had sensed but found none at all.
Luffy wondered out loud, "Ace? What was that feeling? It feels so scary..."
"It's probably shitty Gramps talking about us. He might probably be coming around here sooner or later. Come on, Luffy!", Ace brushed off as he went off in a head start.
"Shishishishishishishishi! Wait for me, Ace!", the possessor of the Gum-Gum Fruit nodded with an eager smile and followed after his older brother, determined to get stronger and skilled so that he can go on his journey to find the One Piece and become the King of the Pirates along with intention to reunite with his idol Red-Haired Shanks as a great pirate like him.
The Straw Hat he currently wore on his head was a promise between him and Shanks after all.
At the Revolutionary Army HQ, Baltigo
Sabo felt a chill down on his spine while he was in his personal training with Hack, the soldierfish Fishman combat instructor and senior member of the Revolutionary Army outside the headquarters of Supreme Commander Monkey D. Dragon. This brief moment of distraction had left him wide open to be palmed in the face by Hack and sent flying, crashing into the ground as a result.
Koala and her fellow kid Revolutionaries winced altogether at the scene before them and it was quite a precise palm strike of Fishman Karate that Hack is teaching them to use against the tyranny of the World Government.
The orange haired girl commented, "What had gotten Sabo to lower his guard?"
"You're distracted, Sabo! Such action would be your undoing and you would have lost your life had you been in a real battle! Don't do it again! Am I clear?...", Hack lectured with a stern frown.
"Yes, sir!", the blonde boy with a top hat said while wondering to himself in his thought. What was that feeling? I couldn't remember but for some reason my body tells me that someone is talking about me and he is a scary monster.
Brushing off and focusing back on his training to become the best Revolutionary officer, Sabo reassumed his fighting stance with his pipe and charged at Hack who was ready to intercept his blows.
Back to Cocoyasi Village, Conomi Island
On the other hand, the legendary Vice-Admiral took notice of the townsfolk of Cocoyasi looking wary but willing to stand up for the late Bell-mère, not wanting her name to be tarnished because of her AWOL status from the Marines now that the cat is out of the bag. He can tell that the woman must have been well-regarded enough among them in her home island.
"And she went down fighting as a Marine in the end?", he wondered aloud while rubbing his beard.
Catching on and wanting to preserve Bell-mère's honor, Genzo solemnly nodded. "Yes, she did. Gave her life to protect her daughters... Although, I didn't expect Nami to be a Devil Fruit user as you called her one, Vice-Admiral. I just gave her a weird-looking fruit that I found in my patrolling duty as a snack for her to eat. She found the taste very terrible. Like it's made of fertilizers for farming."
Yup. Definitely a Devil Fruit. It's funny that Aramaki's fruit ended up here in East Blue of all places. And it became the village's salvation., Garp thought in amusement before he then declared. "Very well. Bogard, take the bodies of these Fishmen pirates into custody and bring them to my ship. As compensation, their bounties will be cashed in and given to you and your folks, Mr. Genzo. Do whatever you want with the money."
"Yes sir.", Bogard complied with his superior officer's whims of an order.
While the fedora wearing Marine officer still disapproved of the deceased Belle-mere's desertion, he silently admitted to himself that she died a Marine in protecting her family from pirates in the end.
The people of Cocoyasi Village were relieved and grateful that the Hero of the Marines, a fellow man of the East Blue, was helping them in their time of need after a thwarted invasion with extortion from pirates caused by Belle-mere's daughter with a Devil Fruit. While the Marine subordinates under Bogard's command started bringing the corpses of Arlong and his crew in stretchers to Garp's personal ship docked nearby the shore of Conomi Island.
Meanwhile, the sheriff saw Garp casually heading his way to the source of the massive grove of nature and plant life, which would happen to be the home of Bell-mère. Genzo ran after Garp and caught up with him. "Where are you going, Vice-Admiral?", he questioned.
"I just want to check in on the new Logia.", the father of Dragon commented.
"Logia?", the scarred man wondered in confusion, which was understandable as it's rare to encounter a Devil Fruit user or even find the said fruit itself in the East Blue after all.
Garp offhandedly waved off while walking, "Three types of Devil Fruits. Long story short: Logia transforms you into the element of nature, Zoan turns you into an animal and Paramecia grants you use of various abilities. Bell-mère's girl, Nami right? To be blunt, she ate the Woods-Woods Fruit that you found, Mr. Genzo. A Logia with the power over nature."
"... Although the downside is that whoever eats a Devil Fruit ends up being unable to swim. Becoming the hammer in the sea.", he added.
Frozen on spot, Genzo widened his eyes in shock that he unwittingly took away the little girl's ability to swim after becoming a Devil Fruit user. Worried that Nami might accidentally fell into the ocean and drown should she choose to leave home like Bell-mère did. And that he and Nako, the village's doctor, had originally planned to have Nami and Nojiko escape from Conomi Island by a boat so that Belle-mere wouldn't have to die after she didn't have enough Beris for herself and her two daughters to pay Arlong.
Even then, Arlong's goons had already trashed the boats to prevent anyone from leaving and not paying the money as ordered, rendering the plan moot as he and Nako found out in the aftermath.
"What have I done?...", he muttered that he almost doomed Nami.
Traversing through the thick forests made by the Woods-Woods Fruit with casual ease, Garp made his way inside to see a small house with a tangerine grove. Or at least they used to be as they're almost overwhelmed by the various plant life and tree roots everywhere around them. He then saw the blue haired girl, whom he can tell she is just an average human and a sister of Nami, and she was grieving over the lifeless body of Bell-mère laying on the ground.
Miraculously, Bell-mère's body wasn't touched by nature aside the blood from her fatal wounds.
Nearby on the ground, there was a shattered rifle which was now covered by the grasses and flowers.
Shattered left arm and a headshot. She must have put up a hell of a fight against Arlong before she went down swinging to protect her kids., he deduced upon seeing Bell-mère's corpse, impressed of the former Captain's combat skills that might have ended Arlong's life with a direct gunshot to the mouth if it weren't for his Fishman strength ten times greater than a normal human.
The Hero of the Marines approached the girl who heard footsteps and turned around to see him with a bulldog mask. She was expecting Genzo or any of the villagers of Cocoyasi, not him.
"Who are you?", she asked with wariness at him, probably because he was taller and intimidating than the late Arlong.
"Vice-Admiral Garp from the Marines. What's your name, kid?", he answered with a solemn look.
The blue haired girl responded, "N-Nojiko. Are you here to help us?..."
"Yeah, my men already got those Fishmen pirates' bodies to my ship. And their bounties will be cashed in and given to everyone on this island. Your village is safe and secure, kid.", Garp bluntly stated.
"Thank you, Mr. Garp sir.", Nojiko muttered with a nod before she said. "I take it you're here to investigate who did all this, right?"
The legendary Vice-Admiral noted, "Hmph. Smart girl. Yes, your sister is a Devil Fruit user. She ate the Woods-Woods Fruit, possessing the power over nature. A Forest Human to be exact."
Nojiko commented with a sad look on her face, "I noticed. She grew everything from the ground and attacked the pirates in tearful rage. ... Mr. Garp sir, please go easy on Nami. She thought she was cursed after seeing herself change."
"Don't worry. ... By the way, your mother was a brave woman, kid. I'll make sure she deserves recognition for protecting Conomi Island with her life as a Marine.", Garp said to the blue haired girl before entering the house where Nami is hiding herself away.
Inside there, the grandfather of Luffy can see the vegetation covering almost every part of the room and heard a small sniffling. Following the sound, Garp found Nami crying in her room with plant life around her. He also noticed the several maps on the desk and they were hand drawn and well-made, although some managed to survive the effects of the orange haired girl's Devil Fruit.
Meanwhile, Nami was still crying with tears and snot on her face as she leaned back against the wall covered by flora of her Woods-Woods Fruit and her left arm of her sleeveless dress was still covered in wood bark and leaves. A sign of Devil Fruit use that she has yet to control. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to...", she muttered to herself.
"Kid, it's not your fault.", Garp called out to her, having seen too many civilians suffer from pirate attacks on their homes that took the lives of their friends and loved ones.
The orange haired girl looked up to see an older Marine with a coat cape and a bulldog mask standing before her. "W-wh-who are you?", she asked in nervousness.
"Garp from the Marines. Your mother loved you, right?", the man stated, straight to the point.
"Y-yes...", Nami replied after remembering Bell-mère's last words that affirmed her love to her and Nojiko as their mother. "But I didn't mean to... I shouldn't have said that to her..."
Parting words regret huh? It always stings for anyone... Even myself..., Garp thought somberly as he took off his bulldog mask and knelt to the little girl. Placing the mask on top of Nami's head, he consoled. "It's alright, kid. Your mother was a brave woman. Most mothers were willing to protect their children. Shows that their love for them was strong, wanting them to have a whole future ahead."
He added to himself with an internal scoff, Except that delusional hag Linlin. She always uses her kids like tools to secure alliances through shams of a marriage, and wouldn't bat an eye if they fail her somehow.
"I hate them... They took away Bell-mère... They're evil... Pirates are scum...", Nami said, remembering Arlong shot her mother in the head and attempted to take her when he and his fellow Fishmen found out about her cartography skills and maps inside the house. Right before she unleashed those freaky vines from her body in her moment of grief and anger and attacked the pirates who had died brutally.
I've seen those familiar eyes all too well. Hatred for pirates after a loss of a loved one. Like what happened Zephyr after he lost his wife and son, and later his division of Marine cadets to pirates... I hope that won't consume him and end up doing something he will regret and can't take back., the grandfather of Luffy internally scowled before he said. "Good thing that they're gone, kid. They won't hurt anyone else ever again."
And good riddance I'd say., he added as Arlong and his goons had it coming and they paid for it with their lives.
Nami slowly nodded in agreement with him before she interjected, remembering about her ability to make things on the ground grow. "Are you not afraid of me, Mr. Garp? I'm a freak..."
"Bwahahahahaha! Not really, kid. You just ate a Devil Fruit.", Garp smiled with amusement, deciding to change the topic and try cheer the girl up.
"Devil Fruit?", the orange haired girl questioned with widened eyes after hearing that from the older Marine.
"Do you remember Mr. Genzo giving you that strange fruit to eat it, right?", the Vice-Admiral asked which Nami responded with a disgusted expression of remembering the horrible taste on her tongue, clearly remembering it. "Thought so. Yeah, it's a Devil Fruit you've eaten, kid. Woods-Woods Fruit. Grants you the power of nature but unfortunately, you lost the ability to swim for the rest of your life."
"WHAT?!", Nami yelled with a jawdrop and widened eyes after hearing that tidbit from the older man.
"Yup, sucks to be a hammer huh?", Garp commented with a grin, thanking his lucky stars that he chose to use his own natural superhuman strength than eating a Devil Fruit. It helped that his deceased rival Gol D. Roger thought the same thing with himself and his crew, with some exception in form of that flashy clown Buggy and the hulking behemoth Douglas Bullet who are both Devil Fruit users under different circumstances.
Panicking, she said, "But I want to set sail and draw the map of the world one day! It's my dream!"
"Then you'd better be careful not to fall off from your ship. And have some friends who can swim and get you out of the water.", Garp simply said while remembering she did draw those maps really well, which corresponded with her dream, and being amused to see the orange haired girl looking embarrassed that she never thought about it.
Standing up to leave the house, the Hero of the Marines said, "Come on, kid. I will help properly bury your mother. You coming?"
"Okay.", Nami nodded and followed after the older man.
At Garp's personal Marine battleship nearby Conomi Island
"Let me get this straight here, Garp. Not only did you found out that Captain Bell-mère died protecting her daughters and Conomi Island from Arlong and his Fishmen crew despite having committed desertion, one of her girls, Nami, is a Logia with the power of Woods-Woods Fruit she ate and you want me to take her in?"
The voice of Vice-Admiral Tsuru said through the Transponder Snail mimicking her appearance when communicating between her and Garp who was at the office of his Marine battleship. She was expecting a typical Garp-like greeting and conversation she was too familiar of, only to learn what happened regarding the already thwarted invasion of the Fishmen pirates on one of the East Blue islands under Garp's nose.
Rubbing his head after helping the girls bury their mother Belle-mere nearby cliff of Cocoyasi Village, Garp said, "Yeah, pretty much Tsuru. Nami already hated pirates after losing her mother to them and she needed better control over her nature Logia. Besides, she needed a matronly figure to rely on and recover from the ordeal. And you know my parenting skills can be... difficult."
Not only that, the World Government preferred Logias under their thumb. Not wanting pirate Logias, like Gasparde as an example, sailing around in the Grand Line even if they will soon end up with short lifespans when running into Haki users or bit off more than they can chew. That's the reason why they had Crocodile as a Warlord of the Sea in the first place because of his Sand-Sand Fruit., he thought in contemplation.
"Understatement of the century.", Tsuru dryly snarked with a roll of her eyes through the Transponder Snail, knowing her friend may be many things but a good loving decent parent ain't one of them. Especially when she sometimes heard him bragging about subjecting his grandson Luffy to life-threatening situations back at Mt. Colubo in Goa Kingdom as part of his so-called training, claiming that it's all for the sake of becoming a strong Marine just like him.
In fact, she wouldn't be surprised that such treatment had already backfired on Garp because Luffy would do the opposite than he intended, just to get the hell far away from him.
Grumbling in annoyance from his friend's verbal jab, the Hero of the Marines asked, "So will you do it?"
The Transponder Snail mimicking the Great Staff Officer's words herself said with a sigh, "Hmmm... Very well, Garp. I will take the girl under my care when I get there to the East Blue through Loguetown. My granddaughter Kujaku will be coming with me. She always wanted to make more friends."
Ending the call with Tsuru, Garp left the office of his ship behind to take part of cutting down the large trees made by the Woods-Woods Fruit with his Marine subordinates and the volunteering villagers of Cocoyasi with their axes. Which they can use it for firewood for a party, build some new houses or even sell them off to earn more income.
While Nami, who still had Garp's bulldog mask on her head, and Nojiko mourned for their deceased mother Bell-mère on her grave that was marked with a pair of sticks tied in a cross.
Author's Note: Alrighty then, Chapter 1 of "Forest Cat" is done and I hope you guys like it. Vice-Admiral Garp had taken notice of Conomi Island having a new nature grove caused by a Devil Fruit, helped out the people of Cocoyasi Village and contacted his friend Vice-Admiral Tsuru to take in Nami, the new user of the Woods-Woods Fruit after the death of Aramaki.
*I always find it odd about Aramaki being conscripted by the World Military Draft made to replenish the Marines post-War of the Best alongside Issho as the two new Admirals during the two year timeskip when it turns out that Aramaki is a diehard fanboy of Akainu and the World Nobles the entire time at the end of Wano Saga. So yeah in this story, he eagerly joined the Marines and had worked his way to the top as a Vice-Admiral.
... Only to meet an unceremonious end at the hand of King the Conflagration here.
*In canon, Bell-mère's rank in the Marines was never revealed aside from being a distinguished Marine officer to be wearing the coat cape of Justice. Here, she was a Captain.
Although I checked that Bell-mère didn't seem to have officially left service from the Marines after deciding to adopt Nami and Nojiko as her daughters in her retirement to raise them. Taking advantage of the mutual wipeout between her troops and the pirates at Oykot Kingdom, where everyone is dead, to return home to Conomi Island in the middle of a storm.
Enjoy and don't forget to review.
Probably, it would be similarly like Ace and Isuka. Although the circumstances of how this Nami and Luffy meet in first impression would be different since Arlong got taken out already and she had met Garp.
A Romeo and Juliet-style romance?
Maybe, although romance isn't my strong suit but we'll see.
The reassurance I can give you is that Logia Nami won't follow Absolute Justice (Tsuru would rather not let her be nearby Akainu or other Absolute Justice whackos) and that Luffy technically didn't commit actual crimes when he first started his pirate career in the East Blue by taking down corrupt Marine Captain Morgan and defeated enemy pirates like Alvida, Buggy the Clown, Kuro, Don Krieg and canon Arlong. Which saved the lives of Koby, Rika and the people of Shells Town, Mayor Boodle and the people of Orange Town, Kaya and the people of Syrup Village, the Baratie, and the Cocoyasi Village.
Luffy was given his first bounty of 30,000,000 Berries courtesy of another corrupt Marine Captain Nezumi, which he sees it as a big achievement before heading to the Grand Line with his crew through Loguetown.
Of course, with Arlong dead, things would go differently from canon and Luffy will have to find someone else to be the Straw Hats navigator...