Chapter 20: Did someone get the number of that ship?
<span style="font-weight:400">Rick was waking up, he could hear some voices around.
<span style="font-weight:400">“He’s waking up, call the Fleet Admiral and tell him the news”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes doctor.”
<span style="font-weight:400">He opened his eyes. His vision was blurry but it went back to normal pretty quick.
<span style="font-weight:400">Or not, since someone had the bright idea to put a light directly before his left then right eyes.
<span style="font-weight:400">‘OW! Who the fuck… That’s not how you’re supposed to do things, Who’s that quack?’
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wee back among the living you little shit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">‘Oh! It’s him… Of course it’s him...‘
<span style="font-weight:400">Rick was trying to sit up, his vision back to normal.
<span style="font-weight:400">His throat was sore. You could hear the tardiness in his voice.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wa.. Wa...ter.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Here, take it slow.”
<span style="font-weight:400">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.
<span style="font-weight:400">The door opened and Sengoku came in.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey!” he said.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rick hey-ed him back.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Did someone get the number of that ship? Oh, never mind I remember it was 5348494b49.” was said with difficulty.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I was going to ask you how you were doing but…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“One look at me did the job.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Fleet admiral, he just woke up. You have five minutes no more.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Alright. I’ll call Garp and Tsuru to tell them you’re awake.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How… How… Long was I…”
<span style="font-weight:400">“ A month and a half .”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Aw, Shit.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“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!”
<span style="font-weight:400">“How… Bad ?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“The only organs which were not ruptured were your skin and your eproductive ones. Nice package for a little shit by the way.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Totally…. Inappropriate … Doc.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t care. What are you gonna do about it anyway?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sengoku was trying not tough.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Feeling himself go Rick closed his eyes and went back to sleep.
<span style="font-weight:400">~~~~~
<span style="font-weight:400">Another week had passed, Ha had a rythme. Awake for a few minutes then asleep for hours.
<span style="font-weight:400">His waking time was getting longer and his sleeping one shorter.
<span style="font-weight:400">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.
<span style="font-weight:400">‘That’s vegapunk research for you Doc!’
<span style="font-weight:400">Vice-admiral Tsuru was back from Impel Down.
<span style="font-weight:400">When she got there she saw the Chief Wardenzing 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.
<span style="font-weight:400">She nominated the vice-warden Magen as the chief warden who in turn, nominated Hannyabal to take his previous position.
<span style="font-weight:400">She reinforced the majority of the security system. Level after Level.
<span style="font-weight:400">One day she got a call from Sengoku telling her that Rick was awake.
<span style="font-weight:400">She left some orders to Magen and left immediately back to HQ.
<span style="font-weight:400">She’s been here for three days and never left Rick’s bedside.
<span style="font-weight:400">In one of his “awake” moments, he asked her if she had any sleep.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t worry about me.”
<span style="font-weight:400">He joked that he could move a bit and share the bed then was out again.
<span style="font-weight:400">~~~~~~
<span style="font-weight:400">Two weekster, he was sleeping normal hours.
<span style="font-weight:400">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.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You know what ? I’m too old for this shit. I don’t give a damn anymore.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Garp was finally back; the ship was not yet into the port that he jumped andnded on the Ind, he ignored Brannew and quickly ran towards the infirmary.
<span style="font-weight:400">There he found Tsuru and Sengoku sitting and enjoying tea while discussing with Rick.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wee back Grandpa.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Hey Rick! How are you doing.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m doing great! Would be doing better if someone would let me out of bed so I could stretch a bit”.
<span style="font-weight:400">He was ring at Tsuru who had a little smirk.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m not letting you get up from this bed until the doc says you can.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Garpughed.
<span style="font-weight:400">“I hope you didn’t try.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I’m injured grandpa, not stupid. I don’t want to end up like you did that night.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sengokuughed 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.
<span style="font-weight:400">“ What about Captain Kaza? Why am I not being suffocated right now ?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yeah, about that....” Garp was being contrite.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t tell me you chained her from head to toe and gagged her?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wait! How do you know?” was astonished
<span style="font-weight:400">“Wait! You really did?” and Rick had an incredulous look, he was joking!
<span style="font-weight:400">““GARP!””
<span style="font-weight:400">“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!”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sengoku had a satisfied face.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You taught her well Tsuru, congrattions.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Of course! She’s the most outstanding student I ever had, she makes me proud”.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Don’t be smug, right now she’s terrorizing everyone on the ship!”.
<span style="font-weight:400">It was fine, Rick knew how to deal with her.
<span style="font-weight:400">“Grandpa is there a den den mushi on the ship?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, there is why.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“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.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Garp did what Rick asked and handed him the den den mushi.
<span style="font-weight:400">“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.
<span style="font-weight:400">So I really hope grandpa is just joking with me. Bye.
<span style="font-weight:400">Rick was done and gave back the den den mushi to Garp who started asking questions.
<span style="font-weight:400">“So, How is he now ?”
<span style="font-weight:400">The marine on the other side of the call answered.
<span style="font-weight:400">“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.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Good. Release her.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Are you sure, sir?”
<span style="font-weight:400">“Yes, yes she’s inoffensive now. You can let her go”.
<span style="font-weight:400">He hung up and looked at Rick speechless.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You owe me big time grandpa.”
<span style="font-weight:400">“I guess I do.”
<span style="font-weight:400">Sengoku was dumbfounded.
<span style="font-weight:400">“What just happened?”
<span style="font-weight:400">Tsuru wasughing at him.
<span style="font-weight:400">“You just witnessed the greatest crook in the marines corps in action.”
<span style="font-weight:400">~~~~~~
<span style="font-weight:400">
<span style="font-weight:400">Rick wasn’t being discharged but was allowed to wheel himself outside.
<span style="font-weight:400">Kaza took the opportunity to smother him in her bosom.
<span style="font-weight:400">‘You can say whatever you want about how crazy the Captain is, her pillows are heavenly! Big and soft, perfect!’
<span style="font-weight:400">Long gone were his gentleman’s thoughts of ‘ Motorboarding is inappropriate’. It’s not like Kaza minded anyway, quite the contrary.
<span style="font-weight:400">They did have a long walk in Marineford vige.
<span style="font-weight:400">‘She’s really cute when she’s not acting all crazy’.
<span style="font-weight:400">When it was time for Rick to head back he kissed her on the cheek.
<span style="font-weight:400">She fainted. Too much happiness had overloaded her brain which shut itself down.
<span style="font-weight:400">He tried to wake her up but had no sess.
<span style="font-weight:400">Finally, he just left her there and wheeled himself back to the infirmary.