Bellemere Arrives

Marineford harbor, early morning.

Dawn spilled across the sea, making the waves shimmer.

A warship slowly pulled up to the dock.

Dressed in a neat Marine uniform, Bellemere stood with her back straight, holding six-year-old Nojiko's hand in one of hers and four-year-old Nami's in the other. Her eyes trembled slightly as she gazed at the magnificent Marine Headquarters fortress before her.

"This... is Marine Headquarters?"

The towering Gate of Justice, the imposing fortress walls, the dozens of giant warships moored in the harbor, and the fortress of justice in the distance that symbolized the Marines' highest authority—the majesty and pressure of Marineford washed over the female Marine ensign from East Blue, leaving her speechless for a moment.

Three years ago, during the battle of the Oykot Kingdom, she had risked her life to protect two children from a pirate attack, forming a deep bond with Roy in the process.

After that battle, Roy had been stationed at the G-3 Branch. Later, he had transferred Bellemere to headquarters for an assignment, which was why she had now set foot on this unfamiliar and solemn land.

Nojiko tilted her little face upward, her eyes shining. "Bellemere, this place is huge!"

Nami, meanwhile, gripped Bellemere's hand tightly and watched the Marines coming and going with a mixture of nervousness and curiosity. "Are we going to live here from now on?"

Bellemere took a deep breath and was about to answer when—

"Whoosh!"

A tall figure appeared before them in an instant!

"Ah!" Nami flinched in fright and darted behind Bellemere, while Nojiko sucked in a sharp breath.

"It's been a long time, Bellemere."

The familiar voice put Bellemere at ease at once. She looked up to see the young man who had rescued her and the two children in the Oykot Kingdom three years ago—Roy, now a Marine Headquarters Rear Admiral with a straight-backed bearing and a sharp presence.

"R-Rear Admiral Roy!"

She immediately stood at attention and saluted, a hint of respect in her eyes and a smile on her face. "It's been a long time."

Was that... teleportation just now?!

Roy chuckled and waved a hand. "Don't be so formal. We're old friends, after all. Welcome to Marineford."

Bellemere lowered her hand, a sincere smile appearing on her face. "Thank you for looking after me, Rear Admiral."

Roy looked at the two little girls behind her, his gaze softening. "Nojiko, Nami, do you remember me?"

Nojiko nodded shyly. "I remember... Big brother saved us before."

Nami, however, looked at Roy timidly, clutching the hem of Bellemere's clothes.

Roy smiled. "There's no need to be nervous. Vice Admiral Garp has already spoken to them."

"There are a lot of people here. I'll take you straight to your lodgings."

Without waiting for Bellemere to respond, Roy swept one hand through the air—

"Whoosh!"

All four of them vanished from the harbor in an instant!

The next moment, Bellemere's vision blurred, and the harbor around her had become a spacious, brightly lit living room.

"Th-this is?!"

She looked around in shock, her voice trembling slightly.

Roy walked over to the coffee table, poured a glass of water, and handed it to her. "That was my fruit ability. Sorry for showing off."

Bellemere took the glass, her fingers still trembling. "No... I just didn't expect..."

He gestured for Bellemere to sit down, then sat opposite her himself. "I've read your service record. You protected evacuating civilians single-handedly and fought a pirate crew with an eight-million-Beli bounty on your own. Your talent really was going to waste at the branch."

Bellemere tightened her grip on the glass, her knuckles turning slightly white. "I only did what I was supposed to do..."

Roy looked her straight in the eyes. "Vice Admiral Garp and I both believe you deserve a better place to develop your abilities."

Nojiko suddenly tugged at the hem of Bellemere's clothes and tilted her little face up, full of admiration. "Bellemere, big brother is so amazing!"

Bellemere was about to answer when—

"Sneak attack!"

A little snot-nosed brat shot out of the hallway, his face alight with unexplained excitement as both hands lunged for Nami's cheeks. "Cheek pinch!"

"Smack!"

Nami swung a fist on reflex, landing it squarely on Luffy's forehead!

"That hurts!!!"

Luffy clutched the swollen bump on his head and rolled across the floor, howling with tears in his eyes. "Waaah! My head! My head!"

Roy couldn't help laughing at the sight. "So that's how it was going to go? Hahaha."

Nojiko and Nami both jumped. Nojiko cautiously ducked behind Bellemere. "Who's that boy? He's so weird!"

Bellemere was completely bewildered. "Th-this child is...?"

Standing off to the side, Roy covered his forehead and laughed. "Ah... This guy's called Luffy. He's old man Garp's grandson."

The moment he finished speaking, Luffy sprang to his feet and made an enormous face at Nami. "Hehehe, you hit really hard! Next time, I'll dodge!"

Nami planted her hands on her hips and waved a little fist, cheeks puffed out in anger. "That's what you get for charging at me all of a sudden! Serves you right!"

"Luffy! You little brat, stop running around!" Ace's voice came from the far end of the hallway.

He stood at the corner with his arms folded and his brow furrowed, staring at the three before him with a look of distaste. "Why are there two more brats now...?"

At the sight of him, Luffy immediately pouted, clutching the bump on his head and pointing at Nami with tears in his eyes. "Ace, she hit me! My head really hurts!"

Nami immediately buried her head in Bellemere's embrace. "That's what he gets for suddenly reaching for me!"

Holding Nami, Bellemere looked at the bunch of brats with a headache. "Roy... wh-what on earth is...?"

Roy sighed helplessly and pointed at the two brothers. "Bellemere, let me introduce them properly. This is Monkey D. Luffy, Vice Admiral Garp's grandson; and this is Portgas D. Ace, who's currently in my care."

The corners of Bellemere's mouth twitched wildly, as though she had just heard a bolt of thunder on a clear day. "So, this place is..."

Roy shrugged and spread his hands expressionlessly. "A temporary shelter for the Marines' problem children."

Bellemere: "..."

Luffy suddenly raised both hands and shouted, "Since it's a shelter, I'm hungry! Give me meat!"

Ace's face darkened. "Bastard! Not this again!"

"Bang!"

Nami and Nojiko both rushed to Bellemere's side at the same time. "We want food too!"

Bellemere clutched her forehead. "My head hurts..."

Roy looked at the chaos before him and heaved a deep sigh. "Old man Garp really knows how to cause trouble for people..."

Just then, the living room door swung open. Garp poked his head inside and grinned. "Roy, lad, I'm leaving these problem children to you! I'm off to have tea with Sengoku!"

"Hey! Vice Admiral Garp!"

"You old bastard! Don't run away!"

"Meat! I want meat!"

The room instantly erupted into chaos.

That evening, at Roy's residence.

Bellemere stood in the kitchen doorway, looking at the fridge full of ingredients with her eyebrows slightly raised. "Isn't your stock of ingredients here... a little excessive?"

The extra-large fridge was packed with all kinds of meat, vegetables, and fruit. There was even a whole slab of Sea King meat that had been cut and frozen.

Roy leaned against the doorframe and shrugged. "Can't be helped. All three of us are big eaters."

He pointed toward the living room, where Ace and Luffy were playing on the floor while Nojiko and Nami curiously leafed through an atlas of nautical charts.

"Especially those two," Roy added. "They each eat five times as much as an ordinary adult."

Bellemere chuckled and rolled up her sleeves. "All right, then. Let me show you what I can do tonight."

She deftly tied on an apron and pulled a kitchen knife from the knife block. With a flick of her wrist—

"Swish, swish, swish!"

The onion turned into even, thin slices in an instant.

Roy raised an eyebrow. "Nice knife skills."

Bellemere didn't even look up. "I didn't raise two kids for nothing."

As aromas drifted out of the kitchen, the sounds of roughhousing in the living room gradually died down.

Ace sniffed. "What's that smell... It smells so good!"

Luffy's eyes instantly turned into stars as he shouted, "Meat! It has to be meat!"

"Bang!"

Roy planted a hand on his head. "Don't bother Bellemere while she's cooking."

Nami and Nojiko came over too, their eyes shining. "Bellemere's cooking is the best!"

Half an hour later, the dining table was laden with a lavish spread: pan-seared Sea King steaks, meat stewed with vegetables, seafood fried rice, and a large pot of steaming fish soup.

The four little ones sat neatly at the table, staring fixedly at the food, their drool nearly dripping onto the floor.

Bellemere wiped her hands and smiled. "Let's eat."

"Let's eat!"

Luffy immediately reached for the biggest steak—

"Smack!"

Ace struck his hand with a chopstick. "Wait your turn!"

Nami had already elegantly scooped up a spoonful of fried rice. "Bellemere, this is so good!"

Nojiko sipped her fish soup, her eyes narrowing happily.

Watching them, Roy's lips curved upward slightly. "A rare moment of peace..."

After dinner, in the yard.

The setting sun over Marineford dyed the clouds gold and red, while the sea breeze brushed gently against their cheeks.

Bellemere leaned against the railing and lit a cigarette. "So, what exactly do you need me to do?"

Roy gazed into the distance. "Vice Admiral Garp arranged a place for you next door. The main reason we asked you here was to help look after these kids occasionally."

He turned to Bellemere. "Of course, we won't ask you to work for nothing. I'll cover the children's daily expenses, and..."

After a pause, Roy continued, "Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you all the Six Powers and Haki."

The hand holding Bellemere's cigarette trembled slightly. "Haki?"

As a Marine from East Blue, she had only heard rumors of such a power.

Roy nodded. "Your talent shouldn't go to waste. I think you have the potential to awaken Armament Haki."

Bellemere fell silent for a moment, then blew out a smoke ring. "Why are you being so good to me?"

Roy smiled. "Because we need you."

He glanced inside. Ace and Luffy were fighting over the last steak, Nami was angrily hitting Luffy on the head with a spoon, and Nojiko was doing her best to break up the fight.

"These children are all very special."

"They need proper guidance," Roy said softly.

Bellemere followed his gaze, then suddenly chuckled. "They certainly are special."

She stubbed out her cigarette and held out her hand. "Deal."

Roy shook her hand. "I look forward to working with you."