Lara's POV;

“Miss Slicer? We will arrive at Marine HQ within a few minutes, please get ready to depart,” informed me the Marine girl.

I looked up from the book I had snatched somewhere and nodded, before placing a marker inside the book and then putting it into a bag I also have snatched from somewhere. These guys have enough and I am allowed to do some piracy from time to time.

I left my cabin after gathering everything I might want to keep and followed my guide out of the ship on deck. The island on which Marine HQ was standing was bustling with activity. Dozens and dozens of Marine ships were drifting around.

There was a wide circle around the whole island completely made out of super-sized warships, at least fifty of them were watching the surrounding sea. More were constantly coming, they loaded their men off before they too took position amongst their comradeships.

The anime did not catch the sheer magnitude of this event. Sure it looked big, but this was massive. There must already have been tens of thousands of soldiers and the war won't start for the next three days at least.

The voice of the Marine girl snapped me out of my starring. “Please this way, Miss Slicer.” She held a pleased smile, probably thinking that I was awed by the power of the Marines. However, I am more awed by the power of the White Beard pirates, if the World Government has to utilize this much manpower to stop a single pirate group, then their real strength must be already stretched thin.

If a single group of pirates can force the ruling body over the world to do this much, then their strength is already declining. Doflamingo is correct, a new era is coming and those who survive this war will be witnessing great world-changing events. I could not stop the grin from forming, this will be so damn awesome.

I followed the Marine girl down the plank and stepped on the Marine HQ island. A group of three higher ranked Marines were there to greet us. They quickly dismissed the Marine girl and told me to follow along.

I did and watched the surrounding soldiers doing their work. Some were diligently preparing and sorting their weapons, not wanting to risk some malfunction when it counts. A group has gathered and was praying to some deity for safety.

A way larger group was drinking and doing party. I could understand why they want to do that and also why their commanding officers were allowing a huge party this early before a war. It allowed them to relax and have a good time, strengthens the morale.

The three led me through the massive plaza and into the even bigger main building. Through corridor after corridor until they finally reached a door they wanted me to take. One of them opened it and followed me inside, the other two were waiting outside.

The room was an office and on the desk sat a goat. I couldn't see past the goat but knew who it was.

“Sir, Slicer Lara has arrived,” reported the Marine that came inside beside me.

“Good, wait outside,” answered the same gruff voice I have just today told to basically fuck off with his demands.

The soldier saluted, before swiftly leaving the room. Now I was alone with someone that is highly likely stronger than me and does not like me at all. And between him and me was only a paperwork eating goat.

I did the only thing I could think of. I walked up to the goat, grabbed a piece of paperwork and fed it to the goat while stroking its chin. The goat liked it and bleated happily. “Dolly, what have I told you about accepting the paperwork of other people?” Reprimanded Senkogu the goat in mock anger.

He then looked at me and gave me a really powerful glare, one even filled with conqueror Haki. Not that it worked. He noticed that as well and leaned back into his chair. “Slicer Lara, a bounty of 450 Million Berry. You have done quite a few things that are annoying, but your rather friendly stand to civilians has allowed you some good will within the World Government.

It was decided that we will grant you the rank of a Warlord. You will take the place of the ex Warlord Jimbey. Your first order will be to stand in his place and fight alongside the Marines against the pirate crew of the White Beard Pirates.

The paperwork you just now have fed to Dolly was meant to specify the contract between the World Government and you. Now I have to rewrite it and you will need to wait.”

I sheepishly rubbed the back of my head. “Ehehe, sorry. She just looked so adorable and I couldn't help myself. I mean, she is a goat that eats paperwork, who wouldn't want someone that reduces your paperwork and likes it.”

He nodded, knowing as much as I do that paperwork was the true enemy. I sat down in a chair that stood in front of his table and watched him filling out a new contract. Neither of us was speaking, only Dolly was making noise with her steady munching on his paperwork. So far she has eaten three stacks of paperwork, yet the towering mass of contracts and papers did not decrease.

“You are not what I have expected, Slicer Lara,” he said suddenly. I looked up from Dolly and saw him studying me.

“What did you expect?” I asked back.

“First you looked like every other newcomer pirate. Strong willed, stupidly walking into something you have neither the knowledge nor the understanding about. Some of us thought you might fizzle out as quickly as you came, but you stayed.

You and your crew were ready for the Grand Line, you were taking other pirate crews out with ease and fought the Marines when they came after you. So far you and your crew behaved typically pirate-like. And yet, there is something that did not happen. Unlike normal pirates, you have never attacked a single harbour without being attacked first, you have never stolen from those who had done nothing and never killed innocent bystanders.

That is something rarely seen, tell me, why are you not like so many other pirates?”

I petted Dolly for a moment, before answering. “The answer is rather easy, it would be boring. It is boring to bully the weak, it is boring to take whatever you want and it is boring to inflict pain upon those that have done nothing. They will not know why they are in pain, but those who have done something will know.

I think life should be done with yourself as the main focus. Do what you want, when you want and how you want. You'll have to live with the consequences, but never do something you can't agree to.

I am doing just that and causing unneeded harm to innocent people isn't something I find interesting. That's the only real reason.”

“So I take it you will become like so many others once you have run out of interesting things and are left with what was once boring?” He asked again.

“I think there is enough out there to not make me that bored. And even if there is, I still have my sister and I can't get bored with her around,” I answered.

He hummed, before going back to his paperwork. Not really the response I have hoped for, but you sometimes don't get what you want. If that happens you have to do something different. “Say, you aren't like I expected as well. I thought you would be one of these pirate-hating-kill-them-all Marines. Your aura certainly conveyed that through our last call.”

“This and that are two different situations. I am old enough to understand that pirates and Marines are both humans. We have chosen different paths, but all of us can do and behave the same. Some decide to do this in a friendly and good manner, others don't.

My job is it to stop those that are not good. Have you ever wondered why someone like you or the Straw Hats have so rarely a hunting group after them, while pirates like Kidd do have someone chasing them constantly?”

He continued before I could answer. “Us high ranked officers of the Marines know that not all pirates are bad. Some of you are doing our work and weeding out the bad people in our ranks, as well as a pirate crew here and there. What we don't like is if you attack and kill those that are only doing their job.

Those few groups that are after you are mostly sent by us to get rid of the corrupted kind of Marines. At least those we can get rid off. Hehe, for you it must have looked as if any Marine you encounter is corrupted or overly brutal.” He started to chuckle at the end.

So that's why interesting. “What about Smoker? He is not a bad Marine and he keeps following me and the Straw Hats. It kinda is annoying as he hasn't yet overcome his over-reliance on his Logia Fruit.”

“Ah, Commodore Smoker, yes, he is a good Marine as you said. And we allow him to continue his chase because he is right that. You have proven to not outright kill those that are with good intentions. He will clash against you again and again until he learns that some pirates are simply not possible to stop with brute strength.”

I was right away pointing at the massive hole in this plan.“Isn't that risky? I mean you don't have the guarantee that we won't kill those you send.”

“Indeed, we are risking something. But don't think that we do this right away. There are psychologist going over everything we know about you and your crew. They are often right with their conclusions. The fact that you haven't killed Smoker even after more than three encounters proves that.” I was slightly surprised by this much work they put into who they give the order to hunt pirates, but also instantly saw that they were lucky.

“I would not have a problem sending one of my weaker officers after you. Your sister is a different matter altogether. She won't hold back in a fight against someone that only means good. She has proven to be quite deadly to those that attack her. Something that made us stop. Can you tell me why Smoker is still alive after fighting her? We know that you two have known Haki for a long time now, long enough to use it against him when you first fought.”

“Because I asked her not to kill him, the same as Momonga. I like Smoker, it's funny to interpret his grunts. And as for Momonga, well, you wouldn't have left us this scot-free had we killed him. The attack on the facility was something you were able to overlook, the data must have been saved at a different place for security. But the death of one of your higher ranked officers would not have been so simple to ignore.” I could hardly say that Momonga still has some canon action to do before he can die off.

“Hmm, so it was simple interest and self-preservation, a good enough reason for me. Very well, I have finished the documents, please don't give those to Dolly as well. I know her eyes are hard to decline, but we can't sit here all day.” The slight humour at the end was appreciated and returned with a small smile.

He gave me the contract and I really had to wrestle with myself to not give them right over to the hungry looking Dolly. And if it was just because it would be funny. Yet, I knew that Sengoku was only this friendly and humour full because I haven't yet wasted his time.

So, instead of feeding it away, I looked over the contract and didn't find anything that wasn't agreed upon. There was a clause that said we would be hunted down if we break the contract and I knew that it would destroy any goodwill we have built so far when we do.

I grabbed one of his pencils and signed where I had to. Afterwards, I gave him the contract back and he placed it into a folder. “That would be everything, the soldiers outside will guide you to your quarters and you may look around the island. They will tell you where you are not allowed access to.”

“Sure, see you at the war then,” I said before leaving. The three Marines were still waiting, as was another one, a higher ranked Marine.

It was a woman in her early thirties, she had the rank of a Commodore and looked quite bored. The moment the door opened, that expression changed and she gave me a scrutinising look. “Miss Slicer, my name is Anelly Dane. I'm a Commodore and will be your aide for the next four days, please follow me to your personal quarters.” She didn't sound very interested or friendly, not even a bit polite. That was also her full introduction before she turned around and walked off.

“Is she always this no-nonsense? She kinda acts like a bitch,” I asked the other three Marines. They did not answer and simply stared forward. Don't know why I expected an answer, they like her more than me, even if she is a bitch.

For once I decided not to follow everyone that told me to and turned to the opposite direction. She hasn't looked back and was already turning around a corner. A couple of swift Soru brought me out of the massive building and I now had a couple of days of free time. Let's see if I can find someone interesting.