Justice, those were what the two characters meant at the back of Nicholas's white coat, a marine insignia, sort of, and he knew it by heart, imprinted in his mind. The coat flapped idly on his shoulders as the morning breeze gently pulled at it like a persistent child trying to get his father's attention. The sun was already high up in the sky when Nicholas vacated his sleeping quarters, where he was instantly welcomed by the noise coming from different sorts of activities bustling in about the deck below as soldiers attended to their assigned jobs.
Nicholas watched all this with genuine interest until Tamaki, his ship's young vice captain, spotted him, the man shouted an order, and then bowed towards Nicholas as deep as his body would allow him, the other soldiers heard him, followed his example and then all at once they said, "Good morning, Nicholas-shōshō!"
Nicholas flashed them a sheepish smile, "G-Good morning everyone." He greeted back. Although he's been Rear Admiral for a month, Nicholas decided he will never get used to the treatment. "I've told you, you didn't have to do that every time I come out in the morning."
But before he could say more, Tamaki had already made a beeline towards him, his heels tip tapping impatiently against the deck's wooden floor. His strides were short, but precise and well timed, his back as straight as the ship's main mast. Clutched on his arm was a worn out leather organizer.
"You're late." Said the vice captain flatly. Nicholas tilted his head. trying to give him his best apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, I overslept again." Nicholas said honestly.
Tamaki sighed, resigned, he said, "Well, it cant be helped." He opened his organizer, and then started scanning whatever is inside there, "First things first, morning reports." Nicholas shoulders slumped. Morning reports were such a laborious and boring task that if anything, he wanted nothing to do with it.
"Can we just skip the reports and get to the fun part?"
"Nicholas-shōshō!" Tamaki snapped, he gave Nicholas his look that meant that he would not hear any of Nicholas's whining and that he should know better. So for the most part of the first hour, Tamaki went on with his reports with Nicholas evidently not interested in it whatsoever.
"We're still heading straight to Baelthymer as we speak," Tamaki said after telling him some sailing technicalities, "the wind speed remains the same, and we have not noticed any great change in the weather as well. Though our men reported dark clouds hanging ways toward the southeast sky but should not affect us until we reach the territorial waters of the Valheim Kingdom. Our Navigator believed that if we continue on like this, we will be able to reach Baelthymer within 3 days time." Nicholas perked up to this.
"Are we stopping at Valheim?" They were sailing for almost a week now, and a week has passed without so much of a hint of an island, just the endless sea. He could definitely use a change of views.
"I'm afraid we do not have the appropriate log for Valheim." Tamaki said simply. But Nicholas could tell something was amiss in the younger man.
Although his face was devoid of any emotion, Nicholas caught something has changed in the vice captain's voice, even just for a brief moment. Nicholas felt something's bothering the younger man. But Tamaki doesnt haven't to say anything. Nicholas knew too well what could be making the vice captain uneasy. Dark clouds towards the southeast sky.
"The papers has nothing new to say," Tamaki began to say, "The executions were carried out as usual, with several days interval in between. Mama Kola of Jumping Pirates was the last pirate that was hanged, she has 500million belly on her head. Before her were Jim Molesheade of Badger Pirates, Grandfather Willow of Grimiore Lore, and Mufrachk Kosch of Nightmare Pirates, they all have 200million bellies on their heads. That's 149 pirates in total since the commencement of the public executions. I could give you the whole list of the pirates executed this month, if you want. Not that there are names there of any importance."
No, not even a single one of them was important at all. Nicholas would have told him, but thought otherwise. He should've seen this coming. Akainu was merely planting seeds with those 149 pirates, seeds that will take root deep within the earth once the huge wave has been unleashed. They will spring up all at once in a violent torrent shaking the very ground. The shift will be a powerful one, and definitely would change the course of time forever. Nicholas found it strange though, considering the recent events, there haven't been the slightest stirrings on the pirate's side lately, and it troubles him, like the calm before the storm. Something just didnt sit right in all of this, and he can feel it deep within his very bones.
"Nicholas-san?"
"Ahh, its nothing. I've just suddenly noticed the change in the air... havent you?" The younger man considered this for awhile, but came up with nothing.
"Nicholas-shōshō! Nicholas-shōshō!" Someone called out urgently from across the deck.
"What is it?" Tamaki asked, looking at the panting petty officer in front of them, he seem to have ran from across the ship. What could be so important that he has to ran just to tell them.
"A News Coo just arrived!" the officer breathed, "From... from Base G-5!" He handled Nicholas a very plain envelope.
Nicholas and Tamaki shared an uneasy look. The storm is here, we're in the middle of it, and soon, the huge wave will be coming. They both knew this. Nicholas stepped forward, patted the petty officer at the back, and thanked him for doing a good job. The officer bowed, excused himself and then left.
He didn't have to open the letter to know its contents. Nicholas sighed, "I'm afraid we have a new heading, Tamaki."
The younger man looked at him, confused, "But where?"
Nicholas stared at the vast sea, and for a brief moment, he could've swear he saw a huge shadow of a wave, taller than any mountain man has seen, and its coming their way. "Southeast. We're going back to the Holy Land of Mariejois... for Kaido's execution."
Nicholas watched all this with genuine interest until Tamaki, his ship's young vice captain, spotted him, the man shouted an order, and then bowed towards Nicholas as deep as his body would allow him, the other soldiers heard him, followed his example and then all at once they said, "Good morning, Nicholas-shōshō!"
Nicholas flashed them a sheepish smile, "G-Good morning everyone." He greeted back. Although he's been Rear Admiral for a month, Nicholas decided he will never get used to the treatment. "I've told you, you didn't have to do that every time I come out in the morning."
But before he could say more, Tamaki had already made a beeline towards him, his heels tip tapping impatiently against the deck's wooden floor. His strides were short, but precise and well timed, his back as straight as the ship's main mast. Clutched on his arm was a worn out leather organizer.
"You're late." Said the vice captain flatly. Nicholas tilted his head. trying to give him his best apologetic look.
"I'm sorry, I overslept again." Nicholas said honestly.
Tamaki sighed, resigned, he said, "Well, it cant be helped." He opened his organizer, and then started scanning whatever is inside there, "First things first, morning reports." Nicholas shoulders slumped. Morning reports were such a laborious and boring task that if anything, he wanted nothing to do with it.
"Can we just skip the reports and get to the fun part?"
"Nicholas-shōshō!" Tamaki snapped, he gave Nicholas his look that meant that he would not hear any of Nicholas's whining and that he should know better. So for the most part of the first hour, Tamaki went on with his reports with Nicholas evidently not interested in it whatsoever.
"We're still heading straight to Baelthymer as we speak," Tamaki said after telling him some sailing technicalities, "the wind speed remains the same, and we have not noticed any great change in the weather as well. Though our men reported dark clouds hanging ways toward the southeast sky but should not affect us until we reach the territorial waters of the Valheim Kingdom. Our Navigator believed that if we continue on like this, we will be able to reach Baelthymer within 3 days time." Nicholas perked up to this.
"Are we stopping at Valheim?" They were sailing for almost a week now, and a week has passed without so much of a hint of an island, just the endless sea. He could definitely use a change of views.
"I'm afraid we do not have the appropriate log for Valheim." Tamaki said simply. But Nicholas could tell something was amiss in the younger man.
Although his face was devoid of any emotion, Nicholas caught something has changed in the vice captain's voice, even just for a brief moment. Nicholas felt something's bothering the younger man. But Tamaki doesnt haven't to say anything. Nicholas knew too well what could be making the vice captain uneasy. Dark clouds towards the southeast sky.
"The papers has nothing new to say," Tamaki began to say, "The executions were carried out as usual, with several days interval in between. Mama Kola of Jumping Pirates was the last pirate that was hanged, she has 500million belly on her head. Before her were Jim Molesheade of Badger Pirates, Grandfather Willow of Grimiore Lore, and Mufrachk Kosch of Nightmare Pirates, they all have 200million bellies on their heads. That's 149 pirates in total since the commencement of the public executions. I could give you the whole list of the pirates executed this month, if you want. Not that there are names there of any importance."
No, not even a single one of them was important at all. Nicholas would have told him, but thought otherwise. He should've seen this coming. Akainu was merely planting seeds with those 149 pirates, seeds that will take root deep within the earth once the huge wave has been unleashed. They will spring up all at once in a violent torrent shaking the very ground. The shift will be a powerful one, and definitely would change the course of time forever. Nicholas found it strange though, considering the recent events, there haven't been the slightest stirrings on the pirate's side lately, and it troubles him, like the calm before the storm. Something just didnt sit right in all of this, and he can feel it deep within his very bones.
"Nicholas-san?"
"Ahh, its nothing. I've just suddenly noticed the change in the air... havent you?" The younger man considered this for awhile, but came up with nothing.
"Nicholas-shōshō! Nicholas-shōshō!" Someone called out urgently from across the deck.
"What is it?" Tamaki asked, looking at the panting petty officer in front of them, he seem to have ran from across the ship. What could be so important that he has to ran just to tell them.
"A News Coo just arrived!" the officer breathed, "From... from Base G-5!" He handled Nicholas a very plain envelope.
Nicholas and Tamaki shared an uneasy look. The storm is here, we're in the middle of it, and soon, the huge wave will be coming. They both knew this. Nicholas stepped forward, patted the petty officer at the back, and thanked him for doing a good job. The officer bowed, excused himself and then left.
He didn't have to open the letter to know its contents. Nicholas sighed, "I'm afraid we have a new heading, Tamaki."
The younger man looked at him, confused, "But where?"
Nicholas stared at the vast sea, and for a brief moment, he could've swear he saw a huge shadow of a wave, taller than any mountain man has seen, and its coming their way. "Southeast. We're going back to the Holy Land of Mariejois... for Kaido's execution."
