A Brother's Ghost

[Lord Bromosalino]

Mission #161
Marines, word is that Revolutionaries have infiltrated Augusteria Shipyards on Nuovo Island in the North Blue and are sabotaging our production! Get in there and arrest those guys for a nice steam-powered gadget of your choice!

Adjusting the officer’s hat upon his head and his heavily adorned jacket, both belonging to his father, Vergil Von Fuerst made his way through the bustling Marine hall with a quiet ting, ting, ting as the jacket and saber at his side jingled, jangled, and rattled. Around his neck, the latest music from the Grand Line blared through his headphones. Though his eyes were glued to the paper held in his fingers, his feet walked steadily and surely to the merry tune, without need of looking up. He knew these corridors far too well. Having thoroughly memorized the paper’s contents, the young Marine recruit slipped a hand into his jacket, rummaging around the pockets. Having found the item he had been searching for, the hand returned bringing out a small, old, leather brown book (an old favorite of his). One more glance at his orders, and the well groomed Marine slipped the paper into the front page of the tattered book before returning both contents to the safety of his jacket.

Carefree and jovial, Vergil strode down the metal compound, whistling and letting his arms swing freely. It had been a month or so since Vergil Von Fuerst had had the opportunity to go onto a mission. He had visited home a few weeks ago, and had just made it back to Nuovo Island and it’s base. He had enjoyed his time off, but now that he was back in action, Vergil had felt himself ‘wake up’, in a sense. He couldn’t wait to get going. Navigating the zig zags of the maze of the base, the Marine recruit turned left, then right, and another right before he was greeted by the giant steel door that looked as if it could hold up even under intense cannon fire. Pushing aside the cold steel, Vergil was greeted by the usual sight of the island. The Marine base here was located in the Merchant District, the largest district, of the impressively large island. Everywhere he cast his eyes, buildings selling interesting wares greeted the man’s twinkling, blue eyes. Following the horizon, Vergil’s eyes set upon the mighty and magnificent Marine ships that lay docked, waiting to sail. One of those ships, the smaller of the five that lay in the dock, was bustling with activity. As the Marine approached, he could see that it was being restocked, and preparing to depart. His commanding officer informed him that one of the shipyards down here was in a pinch. Unfortunately, the Nuovo Marine’s were scattered and in distress. That’s why Vergil Von Fuerst was being sent down there, the problem didn’t seem to big.

Actually, Vergil would be working with another Marine; a Marine by the name of Dice Bando. Vergil hadn’t met him yet and was only told they would be working together on this mission. He couldn’t help but wonder what type of man he was. Oh well, he would find out eventually. They were supposed to be meeting up at the docks. He still had roughly twenty-five minutes left before the appointed time of their meeting. Hopefully he would make it on time, Vergil was sort of a stickler for perfection and the sort. Some called it OCD and others told him he was just too obsessed and slightly weird. But he enjoyed it. There was something about doing something perfect that made the Marine happy. Alas, the world and all its intricacies could hardly be called perfect. But hey, wasn’t that why the Marine’s were around? To help make the world that they inhabited a better place, right? Unfortunately, even some Marine’s could hardly be called perfect. These really were some troubling times.

Anyway, back to the issue at hand. Marine Bando was running slightly late, or very nearly cutting it close. He had about five minutes left. Where was he? Vergil certainly didn’t want to do the mission on his own, though he was certain he’d manage. The worried Marine decided to give his partner a few more minutes. He must of just gotten caught up with something, he decided. Plopping the headphones onto his head, Vergil Von Fuerst shut his eyes as he leaned against the railing as he enjoyed the music. He would definitely have to get another sound dial, this was a good one.

[Terminally Chill]

“Or was it this way...?”

A tail end of a white coat fluttered hesitantly around a corner, squeaking boots coming to a hasty halt soon after making the turn. Ensign Dice Bando wasn't having the best start to his first mission in Nuovo Romano. In fact, the mission was his first in a while now. The dynamic duo he had formed with Li Shengshun had come to an end after Li was reassigned outside of the North Blue. Although Dice did miss his former partner, there was nothing to be done about it; the ranks of the Navy were an ever-changing entity. In addition, the recent news of Dice's brother, Zane, making his move and becoming a pirate captain had thrown whether or not Dice could serve without letting emotion rule into question. However, one move to Nuovo Romano's Marine base later and it seemed Dice was ready to jump back into the heat of the pirate age once again.

“No wait, this isn't right!”

Needless to say, Dice did have a lot on his mind. With all of the changes in his life, settling into the new surroundings was proving to be more difficult than the ensign had expected. The soldier of the southern sea felt as though he had barely had time to even learn the layout of his new post, evidenced by the many failed turns he was taking in an attempt to navigate to the docks. The paper containing his orders was clutched in Dice's hand, the details having become hazy as he focused on finding his way out of what felt more like a labyrinth than a Marine base. If Dice couldn't manage to meet his partner, then the rest of the mission didn't mean much. Oh wait, that's right... He had a new partner!

That thought hadn't come from its hiding place in the back of the marine's mind until now. Truth be told, Dice didn't know much about the man he would be undertaking the mission with. The Navy had supplied Dice with the usual, minimal details: Seaman Recruit Vergil Von Fuerst. Honestly, that's really all the ensign needed to know; as long as this Vergil fellow was enlisted in the Marines, Dice would be expected to work with him. Seeing his future partner's rank brought a brief rush of nostalgia, reminding Dice of a simpler time when he was also a recruit. The nostalgia was quickly burned away as Dice felt a red in his cheeks as the realization hit that he was the superior officer of the two, yet he was the one late for the mission. It seemed as though he still had a lot to learn. Dice continued his brisk walk through the halls, putting on a cheerful smile as he nodded and saluted to soldiers as they passed. The ensign let out a weary sigh, wiping a few nervous beads of sweat from his brow as the embarrassing circumstances of the situation began to set in. Luckily when Dice opened his eyes again, he caught sight of the gargantuan door that would free him from the clutches of the maze. He would have kissed the steel surface if there weren't other officers looking on... And if it wasn't weird in general to smooch a door.

The exit opened with a heave, Dice taking a thankful step out into the Merchant District of Nuovo Romano. The eager ensign was still amazed every time he gazed upon the plumes of steam that filled the city. South Blue, especially the remote island of Viktas where Dice hailed from, definitely didn't have the type of technology that Nuovo Romano had to offer. However, the shine in Dice's eyes was short lived as he quickly turned his mind to business once again. Looking over the details of the mission in a quick skim, Dice took off in a mad dash toward the docks. While the ensign hadn't yet become accustomed to the city, the sight of marine vessels in the distance gave him some sure sense of direction. Soon enough Dice found himself at the harbor of the advanced city, taking a few heaving breaths before regaining his composure. A lone marine sat against the railing; considering any other marines were busy with their departure preparations, Dice figured the one marine not doing much was his partner waiting on his arrival. The ensign put on his best face of authority, attempting to appear calm and collected as he approached the light-haired young man.

“Seaman Recruit von Fuerst, I presume?” Dice asked, his voice sounding rather rigid and unnatural. He'd have to work on that. However, the tone of his voice seemed irrelevant; the recruit was wrapped up in whatever popular Grand Line sounds were playing through his earphones. Dice scratched his head, reverting back to his usual nervous self upon realizing Vergil wasn't able to hear him. An awkward silence passed, Dice merely waiting until his partner opened his eyes.

“Uh... Hey?”

[Lord Bromosalino]

“Uh…Hey?”

Well now, this was embarrassing. The slightly confused looking Marine before him was, without a doubt, Ensign Bando. Who knows how long he’s been waiting here while Vergil had been immersed in his music? Headphones immediately dropped and his posture straightened out as quickly as possible, a well executed salute thrown before anything else could be said.

“Ensign Bando, I presume? Excuse me for my lack of attentiveness. I am Vergil Von Fuerst, Seaman Recruit!”

In those next silent seconds, after much of the jangling on Vergil’s person had quieted down, Vergil, who had regained much of his composure, pulled out his book once more from the depths of his jacket. The Seagull’s Flight, a book written by a former Navy man detailing his journey’s, was flipped open as the young man quickly found his instructions, folded neatly inside the cover where he had placed it. After quite a bit of unfolding, Vergil found himself, for the first time, truly taking in his partner and superior. The Ensign seemed young, almost as young, if not younger, than Vergil himself. The man before him, however, did stand a few inches shorter than Vergil, though Vergil himself was considered to be slightly above average height. Guess that meant that Ensign Bando was of average height? He looked, really and quite unremarkably, like any other Marine, not that that was a terribly bad thing. He just seemed…well like a run of the mill type Marine. While he didn't wear the standard uniform, (something which Vergil himself did not wear and was, as a result, given hell for upon his arrival, though having a former Commodore as father helped to smooth that out) he did wear clothing with the traditional Marine colors, as well as carrying a plain looking katana, in stark contrast with Vergil’s own exquisite saber. However, he was clean and well maintained, something Vergil was fond of and quite adamant about. Over his shoulders, a standard officer's coat was draped, which was probably inscribed with the symbol for Justice.

“It would seem that I arrived a bit earlier than scheduled. So then, to business?”

Despite that Vergil believed in the policy “being on time means you are late, when you are early you are on time,” Vergil chose to say nothing on the matter. They were ‘late’ as it were, and it would do the Sea Recruit little to rebuke his superior officer, especially upon their meeting.

Vergil had had plenty of time to think of their mission while he had been waiting. The shipyard and docks were only a short distance away, directly behind where the two Marines stood. Yet, their real mission lay just to the left side of that. Nuovo Island was famous for its ingenuity and advances in technology. Yet, nothing had made its mark more than the islands very own steam powered gadgets and gizmos of all sorts. Everything from everyday appliances to weaponry, all shapes and sizes, with all sorts of uses. It was quite remarkable actually. After all, that was why Revolutionaries had targeted the production building. How many were in there, Vergil couldn’t be sure. It would be risky to go waltzing in there under these conditions. Regardless, it would be just as risky to sit idly by as they took their sweet time in choosing a course of action. They could try a pincer strategy; one moves through the back, one through the front. Depending on the numbers, if they hit them hard and fast enough, this mission could be over quickly. Yet, Seaman Recruit Von Fuerst, once more, said nothing. It was not his place to speak unless spoken too. Besides, there was a reason that he was a recruit while Dice Bando had been appointed to Ensign and, subsequently, commanding officer of this mission. The eager Marine would rather take this opportunity to learn, something that he could never grow weary of. Blue eyes twinkled in the warm breeze and sun as he awaited Ensign Bando’s command, his whirling mind taking a break as he waited to see what the Ensign would do.