A very odd and heavy atmosphere was on the ship on the way back to Marineford.

Tsuru and Garp succeeded in removing Kaza from Rick saving him from a very very painful death by asphyxia. Tsuru’s Washo Washo no mi may have been used for that, but it was a secret between Garp and her rick having passed out from lack of oxygen.

Garp took Rick and Kaza on his shoulders while Tsuru just dragged the still unconscious? pirate captain back to the ship.

On the journey back Kaza woke up and was behaving hysterically. Tsuru calmed her down, notifying her that Rick was indeed alive and was outside training with Garp.

The moment she heard the news, Kaza felt immense relief but quickly went into what the other crew members came to call “ hellhound mode”

She got out of bed and rushed outside, every person on her way to Rick was sent flying away (3 of them ended up in the sea).

He was totally focused on his fight with Garp when he felt a dread he never felt before.

For the second time in his life Rick feared for his life.

He didn’t have the time to react, Kaza was already on him hugging him tightly from behind, crying and thanking god for him being alive.

She never let him go.

For 3 days.

3 days of torture for Rick who was unable to move.

Garp tried once to get her to release him.

Once.

The glare he got from her scared him so much he quickly retreated muttering

“Tsuru taught her too well.”

Speaking of Tsuru, even her regretted it a bit, not for Garp though but for Rick who was now a prisoner of a prison made of flesh.

You may think our protagonist was in heaven and you may be right, after all Garp’s second in command was quite a beauty with generous assets. Rick thought so too. However after 3 hours of total incapacity heaven turned too hell. He wanted to move! To do something! He tried, Goddess knows he tried, but to no avail. He resigned to his fate.

All day and all night Kaza was glued to him. Even during bath time! Unfortunately she put a blindfold on him.

You may wonder how they could clean themselves without letting Rick go? An acceptable question.

The answer was.. well, let’s just say that it’s one of the many secrets women will never share.

Currently, Kaza was sitting at one table as it was dinner time. Rick was sitting on her knees, unresponsive or perhaps too embarrassed to say anything.

Many felt sorry for him.

When Garp entered the mass and saw Rick’s situation he laughed hard.

After his failed attempts to save his adoptive grandson Garp made himself scarce and wasn’t aware of his captain's antics and her hostage’s plea.

The sound of Garp’s laughter activated Rick’s survival instinct. He turned his head up and looked at his captain.

“Captain?”

“Yes?”

“You know what day is tomorrow, right?”

“Of course I know. It’s the day the pirate king was executed! Can’t believe it’s been a year already.”

Rick was dumbfounded. For her to not know it was his birthday, was something completely out of reality for him.

Kaza caught his expression.

“Fufufu, it’s also your birthday.”

He got HAD! Him! By this crazy big sister .

“Ye.. Yes. And the only gift I want is for you to let me go!”

She laughed.

“Nice try! But I already got you a gift, too bad. You’re not getting away from me.”

‘ Then there is only one choice left. I didn’t want to use it for something like this but I just can’t take it anymore. I have to go with everything I have!’

“Big sis, if you let me go, I’ll .. I’ll ..”

Rick was having difficulties saying the words. They were too terrifying. Calling that crazy captain of his “big sis” was already a huge effort for him. But he needed to coax the beast holding him captive.

‘Come on Rick, it’s just a few words. Do it! JUST DO IT!”

“I’LL MARRY YOU TOO!” he yelled.

Everyone present in the mass stopped moving. Garp’s laughter couldn’t be heard anymore, as his jaw was on the floor. Like every single marines present actually.

You could have stabbed or shot someone, no reaction would have happened.

“Really? You Promise?”

“Ye.. Yeah!”

“No fingers crossed?”

‘Dammit! She’s too smart!’

Since he was in a body of a kid, Rick thought that he could use kid’s tricks to get himself out of his promise. Too bad for him, Kaza knew him too well

“No.. No finger crossed. I’ll promise that when I’m all grown up I’ll marry big sister Kaza too!”

“DEAL!” said the captain and let him go, he darted away.

She was so happy! She kept replaying his proposal in her head.

‘I’LL MARRY YOU TOO!’

'MARRY YOU TOO!'

'YOU TOO!'

'TOO!'

Finally the most important word of the proposal entered her mind.

She exploded.

“ WHAT DO YOU MEN MARRY ME TOO ?! WHO IS THE OTHER WOMAN?! RICK! I WON’T ALLOW IT! YOU’RE MINE! NO ONE ELSE'S!”.

Rick fled through the wall by reflex. If Garp wasn’t stunned he would have been proud! He was being chased by the most terrifying beast in the world that even sea kings would run away from.

A jealous woman!

Kaza was on his trail and you could hear her chanting a curse repeatedly.

“MINE! MINE! MINE! MINE!”.

Garp was the first to come out of it.

“What the f*ck just happened?”

The crew members presents, as usual, all thought the same thing:

‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘‘ Rookie Rick, the best crook of the marines had strike again!’’’’’’’’’’

~~~~~~~

Rick found refuge in the only place he knew Kaza would never find him.

Tsuru’s room.

He knocked on the door in panic, he could hear his captain’s cursed chant getting closer and closer.

Vice-Admiral Tsuru opened the door.

“Big sis please save me!” Rick pleaded .

He didn’t have to use his acting skill. There was no need.

He was genuinely scared and in panic.

Tsuru could hear the “MINE! MINE! MINE!” getting louder and louder.

She didn’t understand what was going on but seeing Rick in that state she let him in and close the door.

Once inside Rick’s tension left him and he fell on the floor.

“I’m glad you escaped Kaza’s clutches but what is it all about?”

He took a few deep breaths before answering. He left nothing out of his tale to Tsuru.

“You’re very bold Rick.”

“I didn’t have a choice, I could not take it anymore!”

“That’s not what I’m talking about.”

“What do you mean then ?”

Tsuru made a predatory smile.

“Didn’t you say that you'd marry too when we met?”

‘OH SHIT!’

Hrist_Waltz

You may wonder why not write the next event directly and scrap all this Kaza thing.. well.. You’ll see one day!

Probably..

Maybe ?

The part about Kaza realizing the TOO part of his proposal was originally different.? " I' LL MARRY YOU TOO! " was written several times with the first having the too almost unreadable. Then for each iteration of the sentence it would have grown in size. Sadly it's impossible to change the size of a word here like in Microsoft words or google docs. So in the end I had to change the whole part, to keep a bit of comedy.

By the way I won’t do that often but here is the next chapter title:

Chapter 18 : SURPRISE MOTHERF*CKERS!