At marine headquarters, Sengoku was calmly, albeit slowly, making his way through daily paperwork.
Yet, for the entire day, he just couldn't sake of the feeling tha-(t)
*BLAM*
"Oi, Sengoku, look, I got us a new recruit!"
Seeing Garp lively as ever, Sengoku relaxed slightly, turning to see Reid.
And thus, his relief vanished.
"Garp, that's a child."
Eyes narrowed, Sengoku looked unamused, awaiting an explanation.
So, Reid, helpful as ever, answered.
"He asked me if I had parents, and then took me!"
Having known Garp long enough, and sensing sincerity from Reid, Sengoku couldn't keep his calm anymore.
"YOU WHAT?!?!?!"
"Oh please, I'm doing the world a favor, stinking brat was starting to talk nonsense about becoming 'King of the Pirates.'"
"We've already got enough morons shooting for that as is."
"Dammit Garp! Kids will say anything, that doesn't mean they'll actually do it!"
Noticing Sengoku would be harder to convince, Reid immediately implemented his backup plan.
"He's right! I don't even want to be a pirate anymore!"
Hearing Reid's innocent sounding response, and seeing his teary eyes, Sengoku was preparing to reprimand Garp severely after dealing with the fallout of this wonderful little 'incident.'
But then, Reid opened his mouth again.
"Why would anyone want to be a stinking pirate anyway, they're all weak and ugly."
"I wan to be a strong, handsome revolutionary, like Mr. Dragon!"
Reid then pulled out one of Dragon's wanted posters he nabbed while on the Hounder.
"See? Now that's someone to aspire to! He's nothing like pirates!"
Finally, putting the nail on the coffin, Reid pulled another piece of marine propaganda, also from the Hounder.
He placed Dragon's portrait next to the crude pirate depiction like it was undeniable evidence.
That's not what irked Sengoku, though.
Rather, it was the sheer fanaticism in Reid's tone, and demented admiration in his eyes.
He'd seen it before.
It was the same dammed look he'd seen from prisoners in impel down.
Thus, in tense silence, he glanced at Garp for a while before they seemed to reach a tacit understanding.
"So, he starting 9:00 AM sharp?"
"I was thinking 6, actually."
"...Huh?"
"Hear that brat! He sees potential in ya!"
"Huh?!"
"He'll be stationed in room ###, alone, since he is still an unconventional case."
"Make sure he gets acquainted by days end."
"HUH?!"
"On it."
Immediately after, Garp grabbed Reid by the shirt collar and started dragging him towards his dormitory, seemingly stunning him before he recapacitated and began flailing around to free himself.
"W-Wait! I never agreed to this! Get your hands off me ya dumb marine! I said I don't want to be a pirate anymore!"
"You can't do this to me! I know my rights!"
In response, Garp remaining silent.
Sengoku didn't, though, shouting from an ever increasing distance.
"Don't worry young man! Just let justice guide you!"
"You'll make a fantastic marine!"
.
.
.
It didn't take long for Reid to be integrated into the marine trainees' protocol.
Even if he did join halfway through the day, and had his training adjusted for his age.
Nevertheless, he finished his first day aptly and returned to his room for a quick nap.
Then, when he woke up in the middle of the night, he headed to find a warship punching bad.
Yet, not even five minutes after starting, he felt a familiar presence appear nearby.
They stayed in silence for a bit before Garp spoke up with a grin.
"I thought you didn't want to be a marine anymore."
"I don't."
"Then the training's for..."
"Beating you."
"I heard you trained by punching these things, so I'll keep at it until I can put you 6 feet under and escape!"
Hearing this, Garp's grin only widened.
"I'm not that easy to fool, you know."
Hearing Garp's words, Reid remained calm, pondering something briefly before answering with a smirk.
"..."
"Sengoku might be."
Genuinely not expecting that, Garp couldn't hold back his laughter.
"Bwahaha! Atta boy!"
"...Just be careful not to overexert yourself, not worth it yet."
Garp then turned his back towards Reid and started walking away before stopping briefly.
"Don't worry, you've still time."
After that, Garp truly left and Reid continued pummeling the ship until his hands began to bleed, at which point, he smiled.
Suddenly, his drowsiness increased, and the wounds closed.
So he got back to punching.