Chapter 20: Chapter 20: Did someone get the number of that ship?

Rick was waking up, he could hear some voices around.

 

“He’s waking up, call the Fleet Admiral and tell him the news”

 

“Yes doctor.”

 

He opened his eyes. His vision was blurry but it went back to normal pretty quick.

Or not, since someone had the bright idea to put a light directly before his left then right eyes.

‘OW! Who the fuck… That’s not how you’re supposed to do things, Who’s that quack?’

 

“Welcome back among the living you little shit.”

 

‘Oh! It’s him… Of course it’s him...‘

 

Rick was trying to sit up, his vision back to normal.

His throat was sore. You could hear the tardiness in his voice.

 

“Wa.. Wa...ter.”

 

“Here, take it slow.”

The doc was holding the cup and was making Rick drink. He clearly was too weak to do anything right now. Even something as simple as picking up a cup a drink.

 

The door opened and Sengoku came in.

“Hey!” he said.

 

Rick hey-ed him back.

 

“Did someone get the number of that ship? Oh, never mind I remember it was 5348494b49.” was said with difficulty.

 

“I was going to ask you how you were doing but…”

“One look at me did the job.”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“Fleet admiral, he just woke up. You have five minutes no more.”

 

“Alright. I’ll call Garp and Tsuru to tell them you’re awake.”

 

“How…  How… Long was I…”

 

“ A month and a half .”

 

“Aw, Shit.”

 

“You little shit! Do you know how lucky you are? Thanks to your body healing so fast you’re still alive! Anyone else would have been long dead!”

 

“How… Bad ?”

 

“The only organs which were not ruptured were your skin and your eproductive ones. Nice package for a little shit by the way.”

 

“Totally…. Inappropriate … Doc.”

 

“Don’t care. What are you gonna do about it anyway?”

Sengoku was trying not to laugh.”

 

Feeling himself go Rick closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

~~~~~

Another week had passed, Ha had a rythme. Awake for a few minutes then asleep for hours.

 

His waking time was getting longer and his sleeping one shorter.

 

The doc was pissed because even for a devil fruit user, Rick was healing too fast. The doc was frustrated because he didn’t know why.

 

‘That’s vegapunk research for you Doc!’

 

Vice-admiral Tsuru was back from Impel Down.

When she got there she saw the Chief Warden lazing around without any care in the world. She was so pissed she threw him down to level 6. In Shiki's former cell to make him understand why he was there.

 

She nominated the vice-warden Magellan as the chief warden who in turn, nominated Hannyabal to take his previous position.

 

She reinforced the majority of the security system. Level after Level.

One day she got a call from Sengoku telling her that Rick was awake.

She left some orders to Magellan and left immediately back to HQ.

 

She’s been here for three days and never left Rick’s bedside.

 

In one of his “awake” moments, he asked her if she had any sleep.

 

“Don’t worry about me.”

 

He joked that he could move a bit and share the bed then was out again.

 

~~~~~~

 

Two weeks later, he was sleeping normal hours.

The doc was pulling his own hair in frustration. After testing everything he couldn’t tell why Rick was healing so fast. In the end he just gave up saying his famous words.

“You know what ? I’m too old for this shit. I don’t give a damn anymore.”

Garp was finally back; the ship was not yet into the port that he jumped and landed on the Island, he ignored Brannew and quickly ran towards the infirmary.

There he found Tsuru and Sengoku sitting and enjoying tea while discussing with Rick.

 

“Welcome back Grandpa.”

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“Hey Rick! How are you doing.”

 

“I’m doing great! Would be doing better if someone would let me out of bed so I could stretch a bit”. 

 

He was glaring at Tsuru who had a little smirk.

“I’m not letting you get up from this bed until the doc says you can.”

 

Garp laughed.

 

“I hope you didn’t try.”

 

“I’m injured grandpa, not stupid. I don’t want to end up like you did that night.”

 

Sengoku laughed at that. Garp being used as a mop to clean the floor will forever be one of the funniest things he had the chance to witness.

 

“ What about Captain Kaza? Why am I not being suffocated right now ?”

 

“Yeah, about that....” Garp was being contrite.

 

“Don’t tell me you chained her from head to toe and gagged her?”

 

“Wait! How do you know?” was astonished

 

“Wait! You really did?” and Rick had an incredulous look, he was joking!

 

““GARP!””

 

“Oi! You have no idea how scary she is now. Thanks to Tsuru’s teaching she has turned into a demoness. I was not enough to restrict her! 10 of my men had to help!”

 

Sengoku had a satisfied face.

“You taught her well Tsuru, congratulations.”

 

“Of course! She’s the most outstanding student I ever had, she makes me proud”.

 

“Don’t be smug, right now she’s terrorizing everyone on the ship!”.

 

It was fine, Rick knew how to deal with her.

 

“Grandpa is there a den den mushi on the ship?”

 

“Yes, there is why.”

 

“Call it, I’m going to take care of the captain. Tell them to bring her the den den mushi, but to not release her.”

 

Garp did what Rick asked and handed him the den den mushi.

 

“Hello! Big Sis ? it’s Rick, I’m just calling to tell you I’m doing fine. grandpa told me that you were scaring everyone on the ship, but I don’t believe it. There is no way that the person I look up the most for her professionalism would be acting so disappointingly. I’ll be discharged soon and if I hear that grandpa was telling the truth, not only will I not speak to you for a while, but I will not go with just you on a walk.

So I really hope grandpa is just joking with me. Bye.

 

Rick was done and gave back the den den mushi to Garp who started asking questions.

 

“So, How is he now ?”

 

The marine on the other side of the call answered.

“I don’t know what Rick said to her sir, but she stopped struggling. She… She just has a very satisfying face right, now. Full of glee.”

 

“Good. Release her.”

 

“Are you sure, sir?”

 

“Yes, yes she’s inoffensive now. You can let her go”.

He hung up and looked at Rick speechless.

 

“You owe me big time grandpa.”

“I guess I do.”

 

Sengoku was dumbfounded.

“What just happened?”

Tsuru was laughing at him.

 

“You just witnessed the greatest crook in the marines corps in action.”

 

~~~~~~

 

Rick wasn’t being discharged but was allowed to wheel himself outside.

Kaza took the opportunity to smother him in her bosom.

 

‘You can say whatever you want about how crazy the Captain is, her pillows are heavenly! Big and soft, perfect!’

 

Long gone were  his gentleman’s thoughts of ‘ Motorboarding is inappropriate’. It’s not like Kaza minded anyway, quite the contrary.

 

They did have a long walk in Marineford village.

‘She’s really cute when she’s not acting all crazy’.

 

When it was time for Rick to head back he kissed her on the cheek.

She fainted. Too much happiness had overloaded her brain which shut itself down.

 

He tried to wake her up but had no success.

 

Finally, he just left her there and wheeled himself back to the infirmary.