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"You're amazing, Goku!"
"How did you do it? Can you teach me? I've wanted to learn the Six Styles for years!"
"Me too! Goku, teach me! I'll give you all my extra dessert!"
As the Marines crowded around the small boy, Vice Admiral Garp stood back with a wide, satisfied grin. He stuffed a handful of Senbei into his mouth, the crunching sound barely audible over the cheering soldiers. I've really discovered an incredible talent this time, hahahaha! he thought to himself. He had only gone to that island to satisfy a sudden food craving, never expecting to stumble upon such a rare prodigy. He couldn't wait to see the look on Fleet Admiral Sengoku's face. Let the old goat try to say he was lazy or only knew how to eat now!
"Huh? What's going on?"
Major Lanza, who had been knocked out cold by Garp's "Fist of Love" earlier, groggily rubbed his eyes. He sat up, seeing the fanatic crowd surrounding Goku, his face a mask of confusion. How long had he been out? Why was everyone treating the kid like a rockstar?
Garp reached over and slapped him hard on the back of the head. "What are you standing around for? Disperse them! These men have been Marines for years and they're acting like children. It's a disgrace to the Navy's reputation!".
"Ah! Yes, sir!" Lanza scrambled to his feet like a puppet whose strings had been pulled. He rushed forward, barking orders at the enthusiastic crowd to return to their posts.
Goku, finally rescued from the sea of uniforms, wiped sweat from his brow and let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, Lanza! I thought I was going to get squashed, haha".
"So, what happened while I was asleep?" Lanza asked curiously.
"I don't know. I just learned a few of those moves, and then they all surrounded me and asked me to teach them," Goku explained honestly.
"What did you learn? Soru?"
"Mhm, and two others. I think one was Moonwalk and... some kind of kick?".
"Tempest Kick?"
"Right! That's the one!".
As Goku wandered off to find a spot for a nap, Lanza remained rooted to the spot, his pupils staring blankly into the distance. A moment later, he began to shed the same bitter tears Bogard had shed. What have I been doing with my life? he wailed internally. Am I really a complete and utter good-for-nothing?.
One week later, the warship neared the end of its journey.
"Wow! What a tall mountain!" Goku exclaimed, leaning over the bow railing. He stared at the endless, towering red cliff in the distance with eyes full of wonder.
"Hahaha! That's no mountain, kid. That's the Red Line!". Garp stood beside him, his massive frame casting a shadow over the boy. The two looked every bit like a grandfather and his grandson.
"Red Line? So it's not a mountain?" Goku tilted his head.
"Of course not! No mountain in this world grows that magnificent!". Garp ruffled Goku's hair before pointing to a cluster of white, imposing buildings directly ahead. "That's Marineford, the Marine Headquarters! It's the strongest fortress in the world, and the place pirates fear the most!".
Throughout the week, Garp had taken every chance to promote the Navy to the boy. Unfortunately, Goku remained mostly focused on finding Master Roshi and Krillin. To Goku, the Marines seemed like good people; Lanza had been kind to the fruit seller, Garp provided endless food, and Bogard had 'kindly' demonstrated three useful techniques. While he felt at ease, Goku still had his own goals: find his friends, compete in the World Martial Arts Tournament, and recover his grandfather's Four-Star Dragon Ball.
As the warship docked, Garp led the way down the gangplank. "Follow me, Goku".
As they walked through the streets of Marineford, a grand procession of soldiers followed behind. "It's Vice Admiral Garp! The Hero is back!" the surrounding Marines cheered with reverent eyes.
"Grandpa Garp is really popular," Goku noted, looking around at the massive castle-like structures.
"Of course! He's a legend!" Lanza explained with pride. "He rarely brings people in from the outside, especially someone as young as you. It shows how much he values you". Lanza leaned in, his voice getting emotional. "The old man won't be around forever. He might retire in a few years. If you join and let him teach you, you could be the next Marine Hero! You can't let his good intentions go to waste!".
Lanza was nearly in tears, imagining the future, when a childish voice called out from far away: "Hey, what's that you're holding?".
Lanza blinked and looked down. Goku was gone. He had been talking to thin air the whole time.
Garp stopped up ahead, not even looking back. "Lanza, take the boy for a tour. I need to speak with Sengoku. I'll find you two when I'm done".
"Yes, Vice Admiral!" Lanza saluted.
"And Lanza?" Garp's voice floated back ominously. "The next time I hear you say my body 'isn't as agile as it used to be,' I'll show you if my fists are still hard or not".
Lanza froze, his face turning pale. "I've been wronged, old man! I only said that to get him to join!".