I.

Requirements

"What?!"

Should the booming voice have cried out anywhere else, it would have been met with winces and covered ears. As it is, the marine headquarters were all too used to the antics of the source and their Fleet Admiral to consider pausing. Not a single soul stopped to ponder upon the cause.

Garp stood, gawping for all he was worth as he stared wide eyed at his superior (not that he ever treated him as such). Sengoku merely heaved a long, heavy sigh.

"G-Grade 6 reading skills is required…? You never told me anything about that!"

"You never asked." His friend of over three decades deadpanned. "It is a benchmark implemented eight years ago after the Pirate Era begun. The headquarters can only tolerate so many idiots before there was a need for smarter marines to stabilize our foundation."

"EHHH?!" Garp yelped.

"Would you stop that?!"

"G-Grade 6 reading skills…" He whispered. His mind lurched into a state of frenzy. As it is, there is simply no way for either Ace or Luffy to be eligible to join the marines. Makino is too busy with her bar. Dadan's reading skills are lower than that. None of the bandits have the command over the brats. Not to mention, he'd rather none of his brats stay with the village kids; their lineage would be sooner revealed than they would absorb knowledge. What to do…Think…

His eyes turned determined. Garp barked a warning of his absence the next few months before he left the headquarters.

If none of his associates will do, then he'll simply have to find a teacher.

Tea

The man was drinking tea by the docks when Garp saw him.

From afar, he was a tiny little thing, but the strands of light blue locks caught his attention at first glimpse. Garp had peered out from his perch atop his month-old dog headed ship, curiously watching as the man in mocha green kimono poured tea into a cup from a bottle and lifted a teacup to his lips and sipped – elegant and dainty in his every motion. It reminded Garp of the nobles back at Mariejois.

The sight was not strange in a region with ethnics as diverse as New World, so he had not spared the man a second look.

It was not until his observation haki tingled on his senses that he looked back at the tiny figure.

The blue haired man with the teacup was softly smiling, fingers gracing him the tiniest wave before he rose to his feet and glided – rather than strolled – away from the docks. The fishermen by then had noticed his more-of-a-raft-rather-than-a-ship and were waving wildly, drawing his attention away from the fading blue.

When the kind villagers nodded to his sack, Garp checked his food supplies and realized he needed restocking.

By the time he had docked at the island, he had all but pushed the man to the back of his head.

Delinquents

Even in a peaceful island in the midst of Grand Line, the society is not spared from the hatred of its dropouts.

Garp stared blankly as the ignorant boys looked down upon him with cocked heads and ugly sneers, unable to recognize the marine hero with the lack of his aforementioned marine outfit.

"What're you looking at, old geezer?! Huuuuuhh?!"

He deadpanned at their inability to sense danger, though a trickle of amusement leaked out on his features. He hadn't had people challenging him since Roger. Ah, Whitebeard don't count though, since it's usually him challenging him while Sengoku tug him harshly back by the leash. To be challenged now and thought of as a simple old geezer…It's an odd feeling.

That said, his men would reproach him if he allows some kids to bully him around.

"You guys…" He lifted his head and smirked. "You sure don't recognize me, do you, you little brats?"

"Huuh?! What're saying, shitty old man?!" Marginally, the delinquents' eyes narrowed.

Something in the air had spiked then. Garp was taken off-guard by the level of bloodlust they emitted, before his grin widened and a full blown chuckle slipped out of him. These guys have the potential. Now, imagine if they were to join the marines. They would make fine captains with a little polishing and a lot of whacking.

No sooner had that thought came, a flash of blue overcame his vision and successive loud slaps echoed. A second later, Garp was rapidly blinking with wide eyes, trying to process the fact that the boys were down and there was a single, tiny man standing before him, his back facing him and – and the air was suddenly filled with a menacing killing intent so pungent it was suffocating him and-

The man turned to him with a smile.

"Please relax, dear sir. I sincerely apologize for my students' actions."

- and Garp breathed, realizing for the first time that sweet oxygen had not been entering his system, that his arms were darkened unknowingly with armament haki, that all his muscles had tensed, and that subconsciously, whether he knew it or not, Garp had taken a step back in fear of this sudden stranger.

Teacher

The man led him into a large house and handed him tea.

Then, Garp watch him close the door behind him in search of privacy with the delinquents.

Curiously, he tiptoed over to the door, pressing his ears close to the edges and listening to the many voices that floated through.

"…orry…"

"We're really sorry, Sensei." Garp blinked. The man was a teacher? "We'll accept whatever punishment we're given, so please…stop…Stop looking like that."

For a moment, there was only silence. It was short and curt, with tension so thick in the air that even Garp bated his breath. It was a familiar silence – one which Sengoku and he would often have whenever the topic of either one of his grandsons was brought up. There was a clash in ideals, that was that, and neither man was mature enough to give in because to do that would be to give up their justice. But this – this was different. There was simply something different in the words that come from a teacher.

"…What…had you so hasty you'd attack an old man?" …Hasty? And Garp withheld a laugh at being termed an elderly. "What made you so desperate that you forgot these nine months with me and reverted to your old habits? Am I a failure of a teacher?"

There were hitches in breaths.

"No…No, you're not, sensei. We're just…we're just anxious that you'd leave this village, that's all."

"It's…going to be the one year mark soon." "Yeah…"

It's surprising how much their speech changes in the presence of someone they respect.

"I see." There was a pause and then shuffling and surprised gasps. "Look at it this way, class. Rather than there being three months more to my departure, there are still three months that I'm spending with you. Even after that, be it in the form of my teachings, your education, or even your friends, I'll still be there for you, living as a part of you, as someone who nurtured you. It's just a matter of physical distance that may pose as a hindrance, but even then…our bonds are not so weak that they'd be broken easily by physical separation, are they?"

There were some inhalations, before a chorus of denials went through the delinquents. Another few apologies were muttered and grateful words followed them.

Garp smiled as he lifted his ear from the door.

It seems like he found one potential candidate to teach his brats.

Deal

As apology, the delinquents had offered to do anything he wants, with only a bit of input from their smiling teacher. Garp had thought long and hard (by his standards) with a menacing grin before he smirked and demanded stories of their teacher.

A mildly surprised expression flickered through the blue headed man's pale face. The confused students cocked their heads, questioning his decision, but relented just as they had promised and handed out the information he very much desires to know about his brats' possible teacher.

"Sensei cooks the best in the entire village, though one of his friends are of a caliber even higher than him – Ne, sensei, will Muramatsu-san come again soon?"

"Sensei can do almost everything. He can build a house out of trees, win a fight against an entire fleet of marines in seconds, and even grade all our holiday homework within an hour. But the oddest thing is that he can't start an argument for his life, isn't that right, Sensei?"

The man developed a sweat drop on his head.

"Sensei's fast. He's able to travel at 243 meters per second and still not break a sweat."

"A normal bullet won't kill him though things like these-" The student flicked the rubber knife in his grasp. "-can destroy his body as easily as cutting through hot lava."

"Bwahaha! Your sensei sounds very strange, indeed!" Garp barked his amusement. By now, the man had left to make a few dozen cups of coffee and tea for his guests. He reckoned he won't be back until the embarrassing stories are over. "But I'm curious, why would you know about killing him when you're just his students?"

Garp knew he had stepped onto a landmine when the students' expressions turned tense. It was a different sort of tension than before, more…protective in nature, rather than unnecessary ferocity and haughtiness.

"Old man, tell us already…What's your real purpose for asking about sensei?" The gang leader spat.

"We won't forgive you if you land a hand on our target." Another delinquent raised his fist threateningly.

…Target?

"Now, now, that wouldn't do when you're in the midst of showing your repentance to him, would it?" The blue haired teacher glided out of the kitchen, easily juggling a dozen cups all at once. A reproaching smile rested on his lips as he handed out the cups to each of them. "And I'm strong enough to deal with him myself, class. You do not need to pamper your target with unnecessary protection."

"But, Sensei-"

A hand on the boy's head stopped his protest. He gazed into appreciative blue eyes and silenced himself.

Garp blinked said blue eyes turned towards him, a polite smile resting casually on their owner's lips.

"I made a deal with this class."

"Wahaha! A deal?" That was what the boys were protecting so fervently?

"Yes, a deal." The man's eyes turned piercing while his smile became sharp. "If these students fail to kill me by the end of the school year, this island, this village, and these children's very lives would become mine to own."

It was absurd. This island was under the jurisdiction of the marines. One man could not possibly defeat them and take an island for himself. However, just the simplistic, factual way the man stated the deal somehow convinced Garp that he was a man to look out for.

Blues

"Who are you?" Garp asked the second day he was at the island. The man had let him stay the night at his house.

Blue eyes – the colour of the ocean, mysterious yet somehow fierce and reassuring in its own right – flickered away from the news to rest upon him. Perhaps it was due to the green rimmed glasses, there appears to be a knowing glint in those sapphire blue eyes as a serene smile curved the man's lips.

"My name is Shiota Nagisa." The man introduced himself with a sip of his tea. "And you are the Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp."

House

The house was a homey, spacey three-floor tall area with too much space for just one man to take up.

Whenever Garp moved about, he couldn't help but notice how there were two of everything and many other extras stocked up in a little shed next to the red roofed house. Toothbrushes were arranged neatly with at least a few dozen new ones beside it, over three packets of medication for hangover filled the cardboards within just the house, and there were even enough couches available for at least ten people in the living room.

Garp, being who he was, blurted his observations aloud without asking for a reason.

"Well, considering this is a party house, it isn't too surprising." Nagisa smiled softly.

"Ho? You host parties?" Garp questioned, grinning at the idea of joining one now.

"Others would come into my house and host parties for me." The teacher amended. "And leave messes for me to clean up." His face was comically coloured with both irritation and fondness at the same time.

Garp stared, deciding that he likes it a lot better than that smile the teacher puts up so often before him, and he tossed his head back with a laugh.

Arrangement

Nagisa didn't ask any questions when Garp stayed beyond the second day. In fact, the marine hero found a list of grocery items under his door on the third morning and figured the man was telling him to start pulling his own weight around here because he knew that Garp would be staying for a long time to come.

Of course, the extra toothbrush and toothpaste alongside the plate and bowl and even clothes did help to clue him in – Along with the fact that everything had a note that was labeled with his name written in curvy but neat elegant letters.

Garp didn't mention it, but his 'thanks' meant a lot more than it usually would when he was handed his fifth bowl of rice at dinner.

Garp thinks Nagisa notices it when he smiles back.

His smile was tinted with a bit of fondness that was absent before.

Summer

The sun over at this island was particularly merciless at times. Nagisa told Garp he arrived at the hottest time of the year, but he didn't expect it to be so hot.

"Haaaaah…!" He tossed himself onto the ground, sweating like a pig. Nagisa came through the door twenty minutes later to be greeted by a sweating, dying Garp.

"…As much as this would make an artistic scene, I'd really prefer my hallway to not stink of sweat, Garp-san." He deadpanned.

Off with the shoes and then the bag, subsequently followed by a stack of papers withdrawn out of the black case – just as always. Garp was still bathing in the soothing coolness when he felt Nagisa toeing the bottom of his foot and giggled, kicking the other's foot away.

"How are you not even black with this heat?!" He questioned incredulously.

There was a pause. He looked over to see Nagisa with his finger to his chin, eyes narrowed half thoughtfully and half in puzzlement.

"…Genetics? Or is it due to his influence…the cells are structured quite differently due to the substance…perhaps…" Garp didn't understand the rest of the science bullshit, so he only dropped his head back to the ground and proceeded to announce his hunger very, VERY loudly.

"NAGISA! I WANT FOOD! I WANT DONUTS!"

Students (Teacher II)

The students soon grew used to his presence hovering somewhere in their school life and it didn't take very long for them to open up to him.

Well, making him the Gym class teacher may have something to do with it – afterall, lots of his students back at the marines headquarters somehow often become attached after a year of Fist of Love. Naturally, Garp would whine about them applying to his ship – Men shouldn't be so attached to other men, damn it! – But Sengoku merely sighed, muttered his grievances, and accepted all applications. Something about them being their strongest by his side and something about natural leaders…

Anyways, it didn't take him long to understand the workings of the class. There were groups that would attempt to assassinate together, loners specialize in some areas, and they all had one thing in common:

"Oi, old geezer, come out to the hallway for a moment, will ya?"

He hadn't formally introduced his name, but it seems like 'old geezer', 'old man', and 'shitty geezer' were his official nicknames now. It was rude, blunt, and summarized their impression of him in one simple phrase, but Garp found that he didn't like it any other way and thus, he never gave them his name.

Garp rose to his feet, patiently waiting for the line that was echoed by his peers to come anytime now-

"I heard that you're living with Shiota-sensei, so I thought I'd warn you before you do anything…" Dark eyes examined the rubbery knife in his grasp before flashing up to him warily. "If you ever lay a hand on our target, you'll pay."

Garp couldn't help it. He burst out laughing because, really, he just couldn't figure out if the teacher was bad or good, with his students so fiercely protective of him.

Small

Nagisa is small from head to toe, that was a fact both Garp and the students (he noticed) pay particular attention to.

His shoulders are short like a girl's, his limbs thin as twigs, and the fullest height he could stand to was 160cm – shorter than the average marine and very short, by this world's standards. Garp figured it might have something to do with his upbringing – something to do with the fact that he often ate only one meal a day, is sensitive to his hair being tugged or being labeled as a female, in general, and the brief, longing pauses whenever family is mentioned.

Unsurprisingly, the delinquents with their good sense of intuition carefully manoeuvred around those certain subjects, treating the small teacher as gently and as gentlemanly as they would a lady while still leaping at the first chance of assassination they could get.

In contrast, Garp ignores those issues and bluntly states the first things that come to his mind, lacking the considerate filter that most people have. And even though Nagisa flinches and winces, something about his smiles thereafter told Garp he appreciated the lack of needless concern.

Thus, Garp continues to demand for more donuts than he could eat, always pushing one sugar filled treat in his friend's direction as a silent request for him to eat.

While Nagisa was not filling out as much as Garp wanted him to, he always eats with a grateful, soft smile.

Monster

One day, a pirate came to the island and foolishly wandered into their school, capturing one of the students as hostage.

"You will get your village to give us all the things we need! And fast!" Waving a gun around the classroom, the thin, starved pirate yelled desperately.

The students were tense. Garp was relaxed. And Nagisa? He was…Garp's eyes widened mildly when they came to rest on the blue haired man.

With a gentle, serene smile that he had saw just earlier that morning when they were drinking tea, the man walked forward with limbs as relaxed as can be – as if he was strolling to the school every morning, as if his student wasn't held hostage before him. The smile seems so real it chilled Garp to the bones, and the simple action of walking was so casual it reminded him of the blatant display of strength the teacher had shown him on their very first day of meeting.

"D-Don't come! You-!" BANG.

"Nagisa!" Garp took a step forward, wide-eyed in his concern. Why didn't the man dodge? Why did he take the bullet? Why-

His breath hitched when yellow poured out of the wound on the teacher's shoulder before floating back into his body, regenerating into fleshy smooth skin and leaving no remnants of a wound other than torn clothing. Nagisa was still smiling, though a hint of irritation showed through his eyes as he examined his faded wound.

"Y-You…Monster!" The pirate yelled, bringing the gun up to the student's head. Garp didn't want to agree, but he agreed.

"Thank you for the compliment." Before the pirate could shoot again, Nagisa beamed as he lifted his hands to the man's face and clapped.

It was a simple everyday action, a simple everyday sound that resounded through the deafeningly silent class.

Yet, Garp felt as if he had been rudely awakened when the pirate simply fell to the ground, the white of his eyes showing his unconsciousness. The delinquent student held hostage was promptly released and fell shakily towards his teacher. Nagisa grasped the tall teen with firm but elegant motions as always, stabilizing him easily with a few quick pats on the shoulder and a soft pat on the head that had the student stuttering, flustered.

Garp looked around then. None of the students have the same expression as he was having; they had more time to adjust than he did. But regardless, all occupants of this classroom now know one thing for certain:

The real Shiota Nagisa is a monster when he wants to be, but a teacher when he's in hiding.

Purpose

"If I may ask…What is your purpose here, Garp-san?"

There was a sip of fine rice sake. Then, a gentle swirl of the sake cup in small smooth hands, and subsequently…A smile. The both of them would be drunk of their asses tonight. That was for certain. Garp briefly wondered where Nagisa got such a fine specimen as he answered the question absent-mindedly; there was no reason to hide it anyway.

"To find a teacher for my brats." He stated gruffly.

"…Brats?" Nagisa gazed questioningly at him from under his glass.

"They're three little boys with the worst lineage possible in the world. Joining the marines may not be what they're cut out to be, but at the very least, I want them to be safe in this world from absolute justice." It felt nice to admit it aloud. Even to Sengoku, Garp has never done that.

The teacher didn't point out how defeated he probably looked. For just that motion, Garp was grateful. He knew, as well as Sengoku (and Nagisa, now) does, that his actions were only futile. The moment his boys were born, there were only ever two paths for them: To join the marines and experience the ultimate betrayal when their lineage is revealed, or to follow in the footsteps of their fathers. But which Grandpa in this world doesn't wish the best for his grandsons? Garp doesn't know if the desire arises from the marine hero or the Garp in him, but if denial is the one façade required for the brats to be safe, then he'll just have to keep it up, no matter how useless or hard it may be.

Nagisa gazed at the moon and quietly commented.

"I cannot make them marines, Garp-san."

And he wanted to deny that the time spent here on this island was useless, but-

"I know." The days spent in the classroom had opened his eyes to that.

"But…I can make them finer men."

Garp looked up in surprise.

Nagisa took a sip of the sake, just as he took a sip of tea on the first day they met – elegantly, daintily, every bit refined and regal in the way he smiled at Garp.

"BWAHAHA!" Garp tosses his head back and laughed, because it just felt so nostalgic. "You…What's your true purpose here, Nagisa Shiota?"

"Who knows," Nagisa laughs softly. "I guess…I just wanted to be the fuel to my precious students."

"A simple goal," Garp commented in turn, lifting his sake cup to the air. "But nevertheless, it's still a grand goal."

Nagisa smiled.

With the moon silently overlooking them, the sake cups met.

Simplicity

The walk to school is always comfortingly quiet.

It was the one time period in their day where they would simply soak up the simplicity of it all and remain quiet. Words are irrelevant in the midst of falling orange and brown leaves. Nagisa's steps always are larger on the journey to school and smaller on the way back. They both know that Garp intentionally takes smaller steps to fall in step with the short blue haired teacher.

"You know, this is pretty nice." Garp commented once amidst falling leaves.

Nagisa tilted his head and smiled up at him.

"It is, isn't it?"

Marine Hero

The first few times he called him, Nagisa had carefully termed him the Marine Hero. Then, by the third day, it was simply 'Garp-san'. The couple of times the 'Marine Hero' ever slipped out again were brief moments where Garp had unknowingly fell out of the Old Geezer persona he had taken up. In those times, the gentle prod at his name poked him back into his role.

Garp would lie, but he knew he couldn't, not with Nagisa carrying on that intentional habit of his. The blue haired teacher understands him better than he does himself just two months into his stay, and even if it is shameful considering how long he has lived with himself, he couldn't deny that the small teacher and his weightless understanding of him was starting to feel more endearing than even Sengoku.

Raft

When his dog-headed raft was blown away one night in a particularly harsh bout of weather, Garp curled up in his futon and cry for the entire next morning. It was his precious dog headed ship! Not to mention, it cost him quite a large sum and a long period of time to have that custom made! His fragile glass heart felt ready to break.

Nagisa only sweatdropped and sighed. Garp noticed when the 'Duruduruduru' sounds of a Den den mushi was made, but continued to wallow in his despair, unable to let his curiosity to drag him out to find out more about the brats' teacher.

Three days later, a package was dropped off at their door. It was a large attachable bull dog's head, with its hinges specially made for a marine ship. That morning, Garp cried tears of joy under the sun.

Truth

"Are you really stealing this island away?" As the deadline approaches, Garp confronts Nagisa.

The tiny teacher only leveled him with a stare and smiled, launching into a patient explanation that was understandable even for Garp. Basically, the islands at present were under the jurisdiction of the world nobles for the simple fact that the marines were protecting them. What was going to occur was basically just a switch in the noble owning this very island – from the current negligent one to a fairer, kinder noble friend whom Nagisa knew of. That was what he meant by 'owning the island'.

Somehow, Garp felt that the students already knew.

The day Nagisa stepped into class and smoothly revealed the truth, the expressions of the students' did not change in the slightest. It was as if they already knew.

"Afterall…Sensei, you've never seemed a bit vicious in the least. You were gentle to us, accepted all our bloodlust, and took your time to raise people like us. We never thought you would harm our village in the least."

"But it doesn't change a thing. We'll still continue to try to assassinate you, Shiota-sensei." One student smiled. "Because you're our target afterall."

Nagisa did not smile this time, but the happiness in his eyes was blinding.

Countdown

"GARP! Listen to me already! The marine headquarters right now really need you, and the Whitebeard and Red Hair pirates are…"

"What was that?! I can't really hear you, Sengoku! The static is terrible! This den den mushi's dying of old age, I think! I can't-" Ka-cha. He slammed the phone back onto the den den mushi's shell, a large grin curling his lips as he turned back to his friend.

"I imagine the Fleet Admiral must be having a heart attack now." Nagisa chuckled, sipping on his tea.

"Nah! Old Sengoku's too tough to do that! And too busy doing paperwork too."

"Given that you've been absent for three months, he'd naturally be busy doing both your work and his own." Nagisa deadpanned.

"Hmph! It's his own fault! If the marine higher ups have the time for paperwork, we might as well be working on field to catch pirates wrecking havoc." Garp huffed. "More importantly, are things ready on your side? I've gotten my ship ready and all, so you better not back out on me now." He warned.

"I have got just one last call to make." Nagisa smiled as their eyes met. "And we have just one last goodbye to say."

Graduation (Teacher III)

"…Yamamoto Palo."

"P-Present!"

"With this, every one's present." Nagisa smiled as he placed his hands onto the attendance file for one last time, chuckling at the tears he sees on his students' faces. "What's wrong? It's graduation day, yet, you seem more sad than happy. I don't believe there are students in this world who are sad, rather than happy, about leaving their educational institution."

"S-Sensei…"

"…We…hic…"

"We're…so sorry we couldn't kill you…"

"Is that so? Well, I am sorry you feel sorry about not being able to kill me." Nagisa commented, scratching his cheek lightly.

"…Huh?"

"Personally, I fairly like living the way I am right now. I like bantering with idiots like you and I like fighting with honest people like guys like you – even if your style is bad and I would very much prefer you guys to have less gothic make up on. Those things make you seem more girlish than I think you'd like to be, almost as if you're compensating for something. Especially now when your make up is running and you're-"

SNAP!

It was a joyous, aggravated sound in the quiet classroom.

Garp burst out laughing just as a shout echoed through the class.

"KILL HIM!" Numerous knives were tossed as some students went as far as to charge and swipe at the small teacher. Like always, Nagisa dodged every single one of their attacks and laughed, attacking the students within his reach with a huge hug.

"Thank you for being my class, boys."

Flushes came as flustered stuttering went on. Embarrassed swipes were thrown about and more tears leaked. At some point of time, Garp didn't know how, he was just tugged into the war and found many knives being aimed at him as well.

"What's your name, old man?! You still haven't introduced yourself yet, have you?!" One student barraged him with shots from a plastic gun.

"Bwahaha! Are you sure you want to know?!" Garp was putting up quite a fight even against fake weapons.

"At this point, nothing will redeem your self-esteem anyways! All of us saw you crying with that huge dog head that day!"

Garp yelped. "YOU SAW?!"

"We all did, you stupid old geezer!" Another swipe.

He spluttered and smirked, shaking his head as he finally barked his name at them.

"Garp! Just Garp and nothing else!" No marine hero, because these possessive delinquents know him better than that. No more old geezer, because they all knew he was more than that. And no Monkey D., because they've more than earned the right to address him by his first name. From the corner of his eyes, Garp thought he saw Nagisa aim a warm smile at him but he dismissed it. The students around him laughed. "So?! What's your response?!"

"Garp, huh! That suits you, old man!"

Promise

"Before you go, may we ask for one final confirmation of your promise? That you will protect this island regardless of what happens-"

"Huh? You doubting my abilities or something, Nagisa? Tch, I get it; I swear on my life that I'll protect that island until I die – That island's important for our class's reunion party afterall! It won't do for it to get tarnished in the least."

Garp and Nagisa exchanged a look and simultaneously, they grinned and smiled.

Journey (House II)

"I'll miss this place." Surprisingly, it was Garp who uttered those words.

Nagisa only shrugged, twisting the key before tossing it to the marine. Stunned, Garp only caught it in his large palm gingerly, too shocked to even push his voice out of his already gaping lips.

"I have an extra." Nagisa chuckled. "And besides, there're already many duplicates of this key, so what's wrong with making another?"

Garp gawped a few more seconds and closed his lips, grinning at his friend's spontaneous show of trust. A few months of the peace and quiet over at this island sure has desensitized him to the abnormal, even though he himself is the one of the very definitions of that word. And Nagisa too, naturally. He could hardly wait to see his friend work his magic on his brats. It'll be a wonder to see.

"'The fun times will have to end someday. That is just what a classroom is.'"

"What's that?" Garp asked curiously.

"It's a phrase that someone important said to me before." Nagisa tossed the extra key he has and smiled. "But I think he's wrong. Afterall, the end of a classroom will only mark the beginning of another journey. That's what I think, personally."

"Bwahaha! What's with that suddenness?!"

"Who knows? Haha."

Crew

It was a voluntary voyage this time round. Afterall, Garp knew that he shouldn't pull all his men into his personal affairs. Yet, even with that, all of his men were present and on the ready, saluting him when they arrived at the docks.

"You sure are well loved, Garp-san." Nagisa chuckles into a hand.

"Nope. It's just that I have a lot of idiots under my lead." Garp responded in turn, a large grin curving his lips as he took a second to take in each of the present faces. They were all smiling back at him, some even with tears in their eyes as dramatic as that is, and others with a hint of curiosity and confusion at the small blue haired man standing close by his side. "Now, let's go, Nagisa."

"Yes, Boss." The man joked.

Storms

Even in Grand Line, the weather is awful as always. A moment of rain is turned into sun, subsequently followed by snow. It felt nostalgic to brave the seas again after three months of peaceful village life, but Garp doubted it was the same for the blue headed teacher.

"Stay in the ship! What're you doing, Nagisa?!" He yelled.

A flash of lightning briefly stole both their attention, but no sooner had it faded, more buckets of rain pelted them.

To Garp's annoyance, Nagisa remained hanging onto a rope, a frown on his face as he stared back at the white headed marine. For a moment, things froze. They were back in the village again, with Nagisa gently entrusting his children in Garp's care, and Garp silently thanking Nagisa for his hospitality by buying ingredients for the man's favourite curry rice. And in the next moment, they were rooted back to reality.

Garp scowled. He wanted to pretend to not comprehend, but he understood the meaning of that calm, unyielding stare he was aimed with.

'If I can trust you, why can't you trust me?'

And because he knew Nagisa's tenacity after seeing the number of sleepless nights the teacher brave through for his students, Garp relented with a sigh. He would trust the small man to be able to take care of himself just this time round. And perhaps even the next, if he was in a better mood by then. Until then…

"Make sure you don't get thrown abroad, Nagisa!"

Blue eyes lit up and the frown turned into a blinding smile in the midst of a storm.

"Yeah!"

Integration

As much as he desired, a captain on a ship never has the time to spend all day around a guest. Besides, this crew came back voluntarily for him. The least he could do was to not shrug off his responsibilities, yet. So while Garp was carrying out his duties and checking in on all crew members to catch up on the past three months, he had to push all thoughts of his blue headed friend to the corner of his mind, trying to ignore the nagging concern for Nagisa.

Has that man eaten yet? He's always neglecting himself. Come to think of it, he's never seen Nagisa socializing beyond the classroom, and even then, it was at most a simple 'hello' and 'goodbye' at the market. Is he doing fine abroad a ship as close knitted as this one?

Garp worries despite himself.

Thus, when the dinner was served and he still haven't had the time to find his blue headed friend, he was happily surprised by the fact that the food tastes exactly like Nagisa's home cooked meals.

"Vice-Admiral, that man you brought here was so amazing! He's talented in so many areas!" Hina came up to his table, a large smile on her face. It usually takes a lot to awe her, but it wouldn't surprise Garp that Nagisa is able to do it. "And he was the one who cooked this meal!"

"BWAHAHA! I knew it at the first bite!" Garp chortled.

"Vice-Admiral…" There was a grunt. Garp turned and salivated at the large plate of donuts he was presented with. Smoker snorted. "Nagisa says he's eaten one of these and that I've seen him ate it."

Garp grinned as he devoured the treats.

It seems like he hadn't a need to worry. Nagisa was making his way here even without him.

Pirates

Compared to the weather, pirates were easy feat.

Garp hardly had to turn back when he heard successive loud claps to know that Nagisa had defeated several dozen men…and growing, by the sound of it.

He grinned at the bewildered faces of his men, knowing what they must be thinking now. No normal teacher should be able to battle like that, and no normal human should have a speed like that, but Nagisa does. And after spending three months with his friend, there was just a swell of pride at seeing the small man take down his opponents with ease, shocking people all around with a loose smile hanging on his lips.

Nagisa was freed from his beloved burden for once, and with inspiring grace, he swept pirates off their feet like an elegant blue bird, flaunting his talent for the world to see.

Garp smirked and clapped his hands himself.

"Now, don't stop moving, boys! If you want to become as strong as him, you'll need to work your skills up!"

Shock transformed into determination and his men lifted their swords to the air, blasting a war cry.

Silence (Simplicity II)

When they finally got time to themselves, it was in his office.

They didn't say anything. Like the walks to the school, there was comfort in the simplicity of silence. So instead, Nagisa plopped down at his couch in an unusual show of inelegance and closed his eyes, while Garp himself silently savored another round of sweet donuts he was offered with. A moment later, Garp sat down beside Nagisa himself and gingerly reached for the other man's head, massaging his temples in a way he had often seen Sengoku do. The small body which has tensed soon relaxed.

It was simple silence that they get in the brief interludes between cries of storms and clashes with pirates, but it was enough.

Nagisa knows Garp was tired of the endless paperwork reporting bastardly deeds and Garp knows Nagisa tires of the constant need to be on his guard around a ship of strangers. In their own practiced way, they comforted each other in silence, and it was enough to last through another round of their separate torments.

Hats

"There's only five more weeks to go till we reach Dawn Island. Are you feeling worn out?" Garp questioned as he watch Nagisa try on another fedora.

"Not particularly. Despite looking like this, I have gone on several cruises on some ships." Nagisa flicked the edges of the hat, frowning at his reflection in the mirror. "A brighter blue ribbon would be better…"

"You've travelled before?" Garp asked, surprised.

"On merchant ships and marine ships, yes." Nagisa remarked off handedly. Sapphire eyes widened mildly at a beautiful shade of cyan and he smirked, replacing the fedora atop his head with the said fedora with a cyan ribbon. "This one's just right. And that one there suits you perfectly, Garp-san."

Garp blinked at the one that was pointed out and a mellow expression came over his fierce features.

"It certainly looks nice!" It was more a mascot head than a hat, but the features of a bulldog were carved out impeccably and the colours glistened under the raw yellow light of the shop. It matches the giant bull dog head on his ship right now, actually, not to mention, it looks both adorable and ferocious at the same time. "BWAHAHA! I absolutely MUST take this one!"

Nagisa chuckled along softly, sweatdropping. He had meant that one as a joke though…

Style

Back on the island, after that single pirate attack, Garp had been stunned when Nagisa simply let the mildly renowned pirate back out into the sea. Back then, when they were still unfamiliar strangers, when he was still under the impression that Nagisa is the most skilful lying monster he has ever come across, he had once asked Nagisa the question:

"Why do you never injure the people who come after you?"

The answer had been simple.

"Every person born into this world is the culmination of someone else's love, time, and money. And to use my skills which has been made to kill…It would be to sin."

If that is the case, why then do you pick up such skills? The question Garp wanted to ask back there died before it even exited his mouth. Staring into the sapphire eyes which were glistening with an untraceable, incomprehensible emotion, Garp had realized that perhaps, Nagisa had experienced the killing or had killed once, a long time ago. To dig up old wounds was not what he liked doing to a friend. Thus, he wisely kept his mouth shut and accepted Nagisa's fighting style as it is.

In the present, when Smoker carelessly points out that most of the pirates were left alive, Garp's mind flashes back to the past and he relearns Nagisa's habits again.

Was it…possible…that perhaps, just maybe, Nagisa had been fighting his wildest with the pirates in order to salvage their lives from them? Garp gazed at the dazed eyed pirates, each and every one of them shuddering whenever a marine so much as come close, and he closed his eyes and accepted the fact that Nagisa had indeed been protecting both the marines and the pirates in each fight.

"Leave them at the next island we dock." Garp commanded his men.

"Huh? Are you serious, Vice Admiral?" Smoker gazed at him with wide eyes.

"In their state right now, they're even lesser than an average civilian." Garp reasoned, gesturing him to just look at the state of the pirates. While Garp's sense of justice was nagging at him to letting a good catch off, the friend in him wrestled the other and willed the situation into control.

It's just until Nagisa leaves, it reasoned.

After that, he would return to Sengoku's style of justice.

Chummy

"The two of you are awfully chummy there, Vice-Admiral. You'd sit together in your office for long hours. You even bought hats together. And occasionally, you fight with your backs to each other. What happened in the three months away from us?" Hina's suspicious stare made Garp huff and fold his arms.

"Nothing much, really." As if he would reveal that private part about their relationship. "We just met and clicked."

"Reeeaaaally?" She narrowed her eyes. "Hina knows you're lying. Hina wants the truth."

"Well, Garp is tired of talking to Hina and Garp will retire for today." Garp imitated his delinquent students back on the island and huffed, returning to his room. It was only three seconds down the hallway that Hina's voice shouted to him.

"IT'S ILLEGAL FOR A MAN OF YOUR AGE TO COURT NAGISA, YOU KNOW?!"

Garp choked.

"I HAVE A GRANDSON, YOU SHITTY BRAT! GET YOUR MIND OUTTA THE GUTTER!"

Dawn

Garp has never been so excited to dock. Rather, he has never been so desperate to escape teasing in his life. Where Garp had been pestered by protective, even disgusted looks from his subordinates, Nagisa had only chuckled and laughed off the rumours, too amused by the concerned marines to reveal the truth. The two of them had left the ship to whistles which Nagisa shrugs off easily.

"You should have just told her." The blue headed teacher chuckles as Garp hung his head.

"Women sure are troublesome." He sighed.

"That's coming from a D.?" Nagisa lifts a brow and Garp brushes it off as they reached their destination.

"It's here." He introduced.

"Hm, the Monkey D. house huh." Nagisa's smile had a tranquil quality to it as he gazed at the worn walls. "A house where you, Monkey D. Dragon, and your grandson were raised. It's strong, to have survived all three of you. I don't suppose this would be our safe house in times of emergencies?"

"Don't be ridiculous. No house's as safe as your previous house, with all those cameras and recorders and laser beams." Garp mock-frowned. Nagisa only chuckled in amusement, taking that as a compliment.

The house was cleaned up faster than it has ever been and food was restocked. The villagers took well to their guest, and Nagisa exchanged a cup of sake with the village mayor as a sign of their bond. The fisherman down by the docks warmed up to Nagisa the moment he offered a way to catch sea king and fresh fish was almost certainly guaranteed to be reserved for the teacher henceforth. Makino handed him clothes, which he gratefully accepted. Hina hugged her goodbyes, ignoring Nagisa's initial stiffness. The windmills turned as the wind slid by gracefully.

When dawn came, they began their long trek uphill.

"This village's nice, isn't it?" Garp questioned sentimentally as they walked.

"It's a fine village. They say it takes a village to raise a kid, and I can see why the two generations of Monkey D. have grown up to be so influential." Nagisa beamed.

"Huh. I can understand why you would say that about me, but for that ungrateful son of mine, I'd have to disagree." Garp huffed.

"This again?" Nagisa laughs.

They bantered as the leaves fell and dusk approaches. It was only when they were halfway up the hill that Garp realized he had unknowingly fell in step with Nagisa again and a deep frown grew on his face.

"…What's wrong?" Nagisa picked up on his sentiments at once.

"After dropping you here, I'll have to return to the marines." Garp stated bluntly. "And after that, I'll no longer have the freedom I had with you for these five months." Nagisa did not respond. "It's been a good five months. I enjoyed slowing my footsteps to match yours, but after this...I can't do that anymore." Can't share a living space, can't relax his morals, can't walk up a curving path slowly, enjoying the sights different from what he usually sees. He'll no longer be Garp, and he'd return to being the marine hero.

It was his dream, but after some time away from it, it only feels bittersweet now to return to the old days.

He was an old man. He's used to meetings and departures. However, to stay so long away from his dream…It was the first.

Nagisa blinked and lifted his head to the glistening night skies.

"If the moon ever crumbles and forget its shape, do you think we'll ever forget what it looked like before?"

"…No?"

"That's exactly what I thought." Nagisa smiles warmly. "I've told the students this that time we met, and you know it as well since you were peeping: Our bond is not something so vague it'll fade just because of distance, and in its own ways, it'll continue to live on in each of us. Isn't that right?"

Garp blinked slowly and tossed his head back and laughed.

"WAHAHAHAHA! YOU! You knew I was listening in?!"

"It isn't that difficult since your shadow blocked out the light."

"…Your senses are abnormally sharp as always." Garp pointed out, disquieted.

Nagisa chuckles and gazed forward.

"You are a good friend, Garp." It took a while for Garp to notice the lack of an honorific. "I'll definitely take good care of your grandchildren for you."

"…Yeah."

A/N: I am fully aware that this story should technically be updated in the crossover section, but due to the size of the one piece x ac fanfiction, I've decided to put it up here. If there are many constructive comments about that, or if there is little to no favourites/reviews, I'd transfer this story there. But otherwise, it's unlikely that any changes will take place.

Question: Who do you think the noble is?