Night fell over the Marines' temporary base in Nanohana.
Loa and Aokiji sat across from each other, enjoying a rare moment of peace. Word of Aokiji's arrival had sent the Pirates into hiding. None dared show their faces.
It turned out an Admiral inspired far more fear than Loa did as a Vice Admiral. Even with Aokiji staying put, all of Alabasta had grown noticeably quieter.
Loa took the chance to relax, sharing some Sake with Aokiji.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku really trusts you, huh? He handed you something this important without worrying it might go wrong?" One drink loosened Aokiji's tongue, but his jab made Loa's eye twitch.
"What do you mean, 'handed it to me'? Am I that unreliable?" Loa snatched a shrimp from beneath Aokiji's chopsticks, popped it into his mouth, and chewed hard. "Besides, I came up with the plan. The Fleet Admiral only polished it a little."
"Oh, right." Aokiji set down his chopsticks and took a sip. "He couldn't find anyone else here to carry it out. Picking the best of a bad lot makes sense."
"Hey, are you even listening to me?"
Five minutes later.
"Kizaru should arrive tomorrow," Aokiji said, finally bringing the conversation back on track.
"His troops will need a day to rest. They can set sail the day after."
The wind was strong that night, and dark clouds hid the moon. It was a bad sign; weather like this often meant a storm was coming.
Most people wouldn't put to sea in the rain.
Watching Aokiji's afro sway in the sea breeze, Loa went over and shut the window.
"The seas have been unsettled lately. The Marines' repeated large-scale deployments have put a lot of people on guard." Aokiji smoothed down a windblown corner of his coat and looked at