Mayor Woop Slap adjusts his spectacles for the third time in as many minutes. The recruitment poster had been hanging outside the village hall for only two days, but already it had become the center of heated debate among the locals.
"GLOBAL MARINE CONSCRIPTION PROGRAM" the bold letters declared, accompanied by an impressive illustration of Fleet Admiral Sengoku in his golden Buddha form. Below it, smaller text promised education, healthcare, housing, and "the honor of serving justice in the new world order."
"Absolute justice, my foot!" grumbled Makino from behind the bar of Party's Bar, where she was serving an unusually quiet crowd. Her voice cracked slightly as she wiped down the same glass for the tenth time. "Luffy always said he wanted to be free, and now look what's happened. And Ace..." She couldn't finish the sentence, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "The Marines are calling it victory, but all I see is two boys who used to eat at this very bar, and now they're both gone."
"Now, now, Makino," said Woop Slap, patting his round belly nervously. "We can't deny that piracy has been a problem. Why, just last month we had those Bluejam remnants trying to raid our supplies again. Maybe a stronger Marine presence isn't such a bad thing."
The real surprise came when seventeen-year-old Taito Yamaki stepped forward from the corner booth where he'd been quietly nursing a glass of milk. The young man had grown up hearing stories of Monkey D. Luffy's adventures, but unlike many of his peers who had once dreamed of piracy, Taito had always been drawn to the idea of protection rather than adventure.
"I want to join," Taito announced, his voice steady despite the tremor in his hands. "Not because I'm afraid of pirates, but because I want to help people. The way the marines fought at Marineford... that wasn't just strength. That was someone willing to sacrifice everything for peace."
The declaration sent ripples of murmur through the small crowd. Taito had always been a responsible young man, helping his elderly grandmother with her fishing nets and volunteering at the village school. If anyone was going to make a good Marine, it would be him.
"But Taito," Makino said gently, "what about your dreams of opening a shipyard here in the village? You've been working toward that for years."
Taito's expression grew thoughtful. "I can still build ships, Makino-san. But maybe I can build Marine vessels instead. Ships that protect people rather than prey on them." He paused, then added with a slight smile, "Plus, the engineering program they're offering looks incredible. Full scholarship, hands-on training with the best shipwrights in the world."
"The benefits package is quite comprehensive," added a new voice from the doorway. Everyone turned to see a tall, thin man in a crisp Marine uniform stepping into the bar. The lieutenant's badge on his shoulder gleamed in the afternoon light, and his smile was both professional and genuine.
"Lieutenant Kouki Tanaka, World Conscription Division," he introduced himself with a salute. "I'm here to answer any questions about the program and process applications from interested candidates."
The Marine's appearance caused an immediate stir. Some villagers instinctively backed away, old habits from years of fearing Marine intervention. Others, however, leaned forward with curiosity.
Lieutenant Tanaka, someone who used to be a part of Vice Admiral Garp's ship, had specifically requested this assignment. Born in a small island village much like Foosha, he understood the complex relationship these communities had with both pirates and Marines.
His own hometown had been saved by Marines from a pirate raid when he was twelve, but he'd also seen the fear and suspicion that followed in their wake. He believed deeply in the Fleet Admiral's vision of justice, but he also knew it could only succeed if people chose it willingly.
"Is it true that you're accepting former criminals?" asked Mrs. Chicken who now served as the village's unofficial gossip coordinator, though her tendency to repeat everything three times had quickly become annoying.
"Reformed individuals are welcome, yes," Lieutenant Tanaka replied without missing a beat. "The Fleet Admiral believes in redemption through service. Everyone deserves a chance to contribute to justice."
"What about the stories we've heard?" pressed Woop Slap, his voice barely above a whisper. "About the way the war ended, about what happened to Portgas D. Ace and... and to Luffy?"
A heavy silence fell over the bar. Everyone present had known both boys, Ace as Luffy's beloved older brother, the polite young man who always thanked Makino for her meals, and Luffy as their own village's pride and joy.
The lieutenant's expression grew solemn. "The war at Marineford was a tragedy that cost many lives. Portgas D. Ace died because he chose to follow in his father's footsteps, and Monkey D. Luffy..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "The path of piracy led them both to inevitable conflict with justice. We mourn the loss of life, but we cannot regret the victory of order over chaos."
"Ace wasn't like his father!" Makino burst out, tears now flowing freely. "He was kind, respectful, protective of everyone he cared about! And Luffy.." Her voice broke. "Luffy just wanted to save his brother. Any of us would have done the same!"
"Luffy wasn't chaos as well!" Makino protested through her tears, her knuckles white as she gripped the bar. "He was a good boy who wanted to help people! And Ace... Ace never hurt anyone who didn't deserve it. He protected this village, protected all of us!"
Lieutenant Tanaka acknowledged, his own voice softer now. "But through illegal means, through violence, through methods that ultimately led to more suffering. Portgas D. Ace died trying to save the Whitebeard Pirates, and Luffy..." He paused again. "The pain you're feeling proves how much they meant to people. But imagine if that same dedication could be channeled through legal means, through the Marines. No more watching loved ones march toward certain death."
The philosophical debate might have continued, but it was interrupted by an unexpected commotion outside. Through the window, they could see Garp's old house, now empty and slightly run-down, surrounded by a small crowd. At the center of the gathering stood an elderly woman with a cane, arguing loudly with someone unseen.
"That's Dadan!" Makino exclaimed, recognizing the mountain bandit leader. "What's she doing in the village?"
The group spilled out of the bar to investigate. Dadan was indeed there, standing in front of Garp's house with tears streaming down her weathered face, the same tears she'd been shedding on and off since news of the war reached them. In her gnarled hands, she clutched a crumpled Marine recruitment flyer.
"Thirty years I've been a bandit!" she was muttering to herself, her voice raw with emotion. "Thirty years of living in the mountains, raising brats who run off to become pirates! I raised Ace from when he was a small kid! Watched him grow into a fine man, and for what? So he could die on some execution platform while the world watched?"
The crowd shifted uncomfortably. Everyone knew how much Dadan had cared for both boys, despite her gruff exterior.
When she noticed the gathering crowd, her expression hardened. "What are you all gawking at?"
"Dadan," Woop Slap said carefully, "are you... are you alright?"
"Alright?" Dadan's laugh was bitter and harsh. "My boy is dead, killed by those bastards in white coats, and you're asking if I'm alright?" She spat on the ground. "I see they've got one of their recruiters here now. Come to turn our children into the same monsters who executed Ace."
Lieutenant Tanaka stepped forward diplomatically. "Ma'am, I understand your anger.."
"You understand nothing!" Dadan snarled, rounding on him with fury blazing in her eyes. "You wear the same uniform as the people who put a fist through that boy's chest! You think I'd ever forgive that? You think I'd ever forget?"
"The loss of life at Marineford was regrettable.."
"Regrettable?" Dadan's voice rose to a roar. "That's what you call murdering a boy who was trying to save his family? Regrettable?"
The lieutenant tried to maintain his composure. "Portgas D. Ace was the son of the Pirate King. He chose his path.."
"He was MY son too!" Dadan screamed, her voice cracking with pain. "I don't care whose blood ran in his veins! I raised him, fed him, bandaged his wounds, listened to his dreams! And you bastards killed him!"
She took a threatening step toward the Marine, her weathered fists clenched. "You want to recruit people from this village? Fine. But don't you dare come near me again. Don't you dare speak Ace's name. And don't you ever, EVER, think that I'll forgive what your precious Marines did."
With that, she turned and stalked away toward the mountain path, leaving the crowd in stunned silence.
Lieutenant Tanaka watched her go, his expression troubled. He'd encountered grief and anger before, but Dadan's pain cut deeper than most. There would be no reconciliation there, no redemption through service. Some wounds were too deep for his gentle diplomacy to heal.
The crowd began to disperse, the mood sobered by Dadan's outburst. But the recruitment momentum continued nevertheless. Word spread through the village, and by evening, a very small line had formed outside the temporary recruitment station that Lieutenant Tanaka had set up in the village hall.
Young Taito was first in line, his application carefully filled out in neat handwriting.
As the sun set over Foosha Village, painting the sky in shades of orange, the recruitment process continued. Lieutenant Tanaka interviewed each candidate with patience and professionalism, carefully evaluating their motivations and potential.
"What draws you to the Marines?" he asked Taito during his formal interview.
"I want to build something lasting," Taito replied thoughtfully, his voice carrying a weight beyond his years. "Growing up, I heard stories about pirates and adventures, but I also saw the damage they left behind. Ships burned, families torn apart, communities living in fear." He paused, swallowing hard. "And I saw what happened to Ace and Luffy. Two good people who chose a path that led to... to tragedy. I want to be part of something that builds instead of destroys, something that doesn't end with the people you care about dying young."
"And you understand that Marine service requires absolute dedication to justice?"
"I understand that real justice sometimes requires difficult choices," Taito said. "But I also believe that protecting people is worth any sacrifice."
Lieutenant Tanaka made careful notes, impressed by the young man's maturity and conviction. This was exactly the type of recruit the Fleet Admiral was looking for, intelligent, principled, and completely committed to order.
By the time the recruitment station closed for the night, Lieutenant Tanaka had processed five applications from Foosha Village alone. The response was better than expected, especially considering the village's complicated history with Marines and the raw grief still evident in people like Dadan.
As he packed up his materials, Makino approached with a steaming cup of coffee.
"For the road," she said quietly. "I still don't agree with everything that's happening, but... I can see that you really believe in what you're doing."
"Thank you," Lieutenant Tanaka accepted the coffee gratefully. "I know this is difficult. Change always is. But the Fleet Admiral's vision isn't about destroying the past, it's about building a better future."
"And what about the people who can't forgive?" Makino asked, thinking of Dadan's anguished face. "The ones who'll never accept that what happened was necessary?"
Lieutenant Tanaka was quiet for a moment, considering the question. "I think... I think their pain is part of why we need to build something better. So that no one else has to lose someone they love the way Dadan lost Ace. The Fleet Admiral's dream of justice, it's not just about order. It's about creating a world where families don't have to be torn apart by violence."