19 Marineford

It was a long and painstaking trip back to Marineford. The blazing sun was killer especially on the ship out at sea. And with nothing to do the whole time Markus effectively felt that he was in some kind of personalized hell or a torture chamber.

"Gaaaah! I'm dying!" Markus exclaimed. He sat on a single sun chair on the ship with a jug of water next to him, while the other Marines continued doing their daily chores while scowling at Markus.

It was continuous complaining that eventually earned their ire.

" Ohhh! Markus-Kun. Quite teasing the crew, will you?" Borsalino muttered. He walked over to Markus and took a seat in the chair next to him.

" I'm not! It's so hot! Why did we have to choose the literal hottest day ever to go out at sea? And it just finished raining a little while ago, it's so humid. The worst combination ever." Markus exclaimed.

" Oh, it's not that bad. Just try not to think about it. Or take a shower. Not like you have to actually do any work at all." Borsalino muttered.

" Ah, maybe I could. But no one else is stuck sitting down in bandages. It's gotten so bad I can't scratch what I want to scratch, and I got a case of sweaty balls!" Markus exclaimed.

Poor Borsalino couldn't help but sigh and shake his head in shame. " Oh my.... To be young again."

" What? You're not that old Borsalino. "

" If you say so."

.......

The time slowly seemed to pass as the ship sailed through the seas, and feeling tired Markus got up from his seat and walked over to the nearest rail.

" What's he doing?"

" I don't know. Just get back to work."

" Man, wish I could rest like that. This is starting to get tiring."

The marines complained. They were tired after working hard all day long in the scorching hot sun. But as they continued toiling away, Markus started a strange hymn.

" Hear my plea to the fallen, leave me... to be with the broken... One last.... Time before I go. Hold the... Last burning embers. Legends.... Never surrender. May I ride towards the call. For the glory and the fall~"

" Whoa? What was that?"

" I mean, the guy can't carry a tune to save his life. But the lyrics were pretty cool."

Markus noticed there was a commotion behind him and when he turned around, he saw the crew staring at him. " What? Oh, you guys heard that?"

" YOU WERE SINGING OUT LOUD!!!!" They all shouted in unison.

" Yahahahahaa! oops."

" OOPS?!"

" Yahahahahahaha!"

" Oh whatever." One Marine muttered. " Hey, kid. What was that you were saiyan anyway? Some kind of chant?"

" It's a little motto we came up with during training."

" We?"

" Yeah. Me and a few of my friends. My goal is to change the world. I don't know about Brago though, he never talked about his dreams. But well basically, legends never surrender. Just a reminder of what happened on Banaro island is all.

" Yeah, that was crazy what you did. Tell me, how is a kid so young, like you, so strong?" The marine asked.

" I'm sure you've heard the rumors already. I mean it's not like it isn't common knowledge now. My pops is Vice Admiral Garp." Markus stated.

There was a quite pause

....

" Huh?"

......

" EHHHHHHHH?!"

The entire ship jumped in shock, their shouts were so loud that Borsalino, who had fallen asleep, suddenly woke up. " Ohhh?"

Markus was quite literally surprised by the shock on the Marine's faces. Their reaction was a little extreme.

" You mean.... You're that Vice Admiral Garp's son?!"

" That's insane!"

" What? You mean you guys didn't know?"

Borsalino got up and walked over to Markus. His nap had already been ruined so he might as well get up now. " It was Garp-San. He kept it very hush-hush to those in the Marines. Only those who are stationed on Marineford would know that information. Most others just assumed you were some wacko fan of his or a stalker." Borsalino stated.

" EH?! A WHACKO?! You got a nerve! You look like you're blazed out of your mind twenty-four/seven!" Markus exclaimed.

Borsalino playfully raised his hands in defense. " Ohhh! I never said I said it. How scary."

" Now that just pisses me off!" Markus grumbled. He placed his one good arm on the side rail and leaned on it. Steam was coming off of his head, he was so mad. " That's it!! I'm going to lay back down, call me when we get there!" Markus exclaimed. " Calling me a stalker or a whacko fan? I still got one arm; I'll kick your light ass." Markus grumbled.

Borsalino sighed once more and smirked. " What did I say?"

" Perhaps you need to work on how you word certain things, sir." One of the marines spoke up.

Borsalino looked to his man and just sighed.

.......

Nothing else of note happened on the trip to Marineford, there were various transmissions of things being stirred up in the New World, but that had nothing to do with Markus or Borsalino, so they proceeded on schedule.

And finally, on the fifth day out at sea, the alarm bell rang out and all hands immediately reported to the front deck as they prepared to pull into dock at Marineford, the great Military Island housing the greatest forces the Marines had ever known.

" Yaha! Marineford! It's been a while!" Markus exclaimed. When the notification came that they were arriving soon, Markus ran to the front of the ship. In just under seven days, most of his wounds had healed. The fractures in his legs were as good as gone. His broken arm had almost finished mending, and even his fractured arm had healed completely. The only injuries he was still nursing was his injured left eye, and his torso.

Those two areas had suffered the most damage. His torso had been beaten badly, and his eye was the most sensitive part of his body. So, it made sense that they would naturally take the longest. But Markus didn't care. As long as he didn't have to be wrapped up in so many bandages anymore, he was fine.

" Markus-Kun." Borsalino approached Markus and patted him on his shoulder. " Kong-San and Sengoku-San want you and the other recruits to hurry up and go to the Main plaza." Borsalino told the man.

" Ah! I see, thank you Borsalino. Again, I have to thank you for saving me and welcoming me onto your ship."

" Ohhhh? What kind words. But do you mean them?" Borsalino asked.

" What? Of course, I do. After all it was a pleasure. Who knows, maybe we'll work together more in the future." Markus spoke.

" Ohhhh. I don't think my crew would appreciate you, breaking all of their stuff."

" Yahahahaha! See ya later, Borsalino. And if you get the chance see me before you leave. We'll get a drink!" Markus shouted to the man as he jumped off the side of his ship and into the harbor, where everyone else was arriving from having returned from their own deployment.

" Alright. Now let's get to the plaza. The sooner we get done, the sooner I can see those two. YAHAAAAAAA! MARINEFORD! I'M BACK!!!!" Markus shouted. He raised his hands to the sky and with one deep breath, he shouted as loud as he could.

" HOOOO! Now that's a voice I recognize!"

Markus turned around and watched as Brago slowly pushed his way through the crowd of people on the dock. He had bandages wrapped around his head, along his arms, and his chest.

" Heeeey! Brago, look at you man. You look like shit!" Markus joked.

" Says the guy who looks like a living mummy." Brago retorted.

Markus and Brago both hugged one another.

" Hey man, it's good to see you're alive and well." Brago told the man.

" Well, I wouldn't exactly say well. My chest is killing me." Markus told the man. " But I'll get over it."

" Yeah, well at least you didn't get your ear drums blown out by some idiot who screams too much." Brago joked.

" Huh?! Who you calling an idiot?!"

" You, ya dummy. You scared the crap out of everyone here."

" Oh, you think you're funny now?"

" I've always been the funny one."

" Yeah okay, whatever!"

" Oh? Oh hey. Looks like I wasn't the only one who heard your shouting, look who it is." Brago muttered and pointed behind Markus.

Markus turned around, following Brago's pointed finger and spotted the young woman dressed in pink.

That hair, those deep red eyes. Markus knew this woman.

" Hey! Gion! Look at you! How've ya been, huh? Yahahahaha!"

There was suddenly a dark presence looming over Marineford, and in that instant every man felt a shiver run up their spine.

" Markusss.": Gion said his name with nothing but spite.

" Yeah that's me!"

Markus laughed more, but Gion didn't.

She started walking towards the two men, her scowl growing more and more every second.

Brago felt his blood turn to ice, the terror coming from the woman was unexplainable. " Hey, Markus... Maybe you shouldn't antagonize her like that." Brago muttered.

" Huh? What are you talking about, Brago? And why do you look so pale?" Markus asked the man.

" Huh? What do you mean why, stupid! Just apologize!" Brago shouted.

" Huh? Apologize for what?" Markus asked. But to was too late. When he turned back Gion was standing right in front of him with a dark glare on her face.

' Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! He's a dead man!' Brago thought to himself.

" Markus."

' Uh-oh! Here it comes. I can't watch!' Brago quickly closed his eyes and waited for the sound of Markus getting beat up. But strangely... It never came.

When Brago opened his eyes, he felt them nearly pop out of his head.

Instead of insulting and beating Markus as he had foreseen, Gion instead jumped up and hugged Markus. throwing herself right into his chest.

" Hey, what is it, Gion?" Markus asked the woman. He was happy to get a hug, sure, but from Gion it just felt weird.

* Boing!

Markus looked down at Gion, and upon examining the woman closer, he noticed she had grown in this time herself.

" Uh-"

" I'm glad you're okay." Markus had begun to speak, but before he coult utter a word, Gion cut him off, telling him she was happy to see him alive and well.

There was an awkward pause. For a moment, Markus couldn't find the words to speak. He suddenly felt conscious of his own voice. But then as he thought about it, a smile came to his face.

" Ah, Thank you, Gion. I've missed you." Markus told the woman.

Markus watched as the slightest hint of a smile formed on the woman's face from above. And while the two of them seemed to enjoy the small reunion they were having, Brago was in complete disbelief.

He stood off to the side with his mouth wide open and his eyes exploding from his face.

' WHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTTT?!!!!!!!!!!' Brago asked himself.

It was a nice moment, the three top students of the current class together again. But as the saying goes, all nice things must eventually come to an end..... This was no exception.

Gion rubbed her face and took a few steps back, breaking her hug with Markus. And then.... It happened.

" MAAARKUSSSS!!! I'M GONNA KILL YOU!!!!"

" EHHHHHHHHH?!" Markus screamed.

Gion jumped up and punched Markus on top of his head, hard.

" OW, Damnit! What'd ya hit me for?"

" That's for making worry about you, jerk! Hey! Brago! Come here, your turn!" Gion exclaimed. She looked from Markus to find Brago and give him his, but when she looked up, he was already gone.

Sensing the danger, Brago took off running towards the Plaza. " Screw that mess, you're not hitting me! Crazy Woman!" Brago exclaimed.

" GET BACK HERE!"

Markus watched as Gion chased after Brago and slowly the man broke out into laughter. Despite the pain in his head at the moment, Markus was happy to see his friends alive and well and so full of energy.

He watched the two of them running and smiled as large and as wide as he could.

Alright folks, We're back home! Let me know what you think about the chapter and the story so far in the comments below. Also, feel free to tell me who you think you're favorite character is or will be between Markus and brago.

Until Next time! See ya!