The second Roronoa (M!Reader x One Piece)

Chapter 4: Training

As soon as the doctor gave me the green light I was on the deck of our Marine vessel training with Captain Smoker. We decided to start off with Observation Haki so we found ourselves sitting on top of the mast of the ship meditating. Our crew would often look up at us wondering what we were doing but it didn't distract us from our task of getting stronger for our eventual battle with the Straw Hat Pirates and I would be damned if I lose to Zoro again.

At the end of the first day of training our Observation Haki when we found ourselves on the deck of the ship, Tashigi was waiting for us with two plates in her hands. "You guys meditated during dinner so I thought I would bring it to you guys." Tashigi smiled with a light blush on her face.
"Thanks Tashigi, you're the best." I smiled as I took my plate and started digging in, Smoker showing more reservations in doing so.
"N-No worries Roronoa-Kun." Tashigi blushed as I took a seat on the side of the ship, Tashigi doing the same sitting next to me.
"So can I ask what you guys were doing up there?" Tashigi asked as I swallowed the food in my mouth as I looked at Smoker to answer the question since I didn't know if our training was confidential.
"We were trying to unlock our Haki." Smoker bluntly said as Tashigi's eyes widened.
"I-Isn't Haki only used by the strongest?" She asked as I nodded.
"Mhm, we're trying to unlock it for when we eventually have to deal with Straw Hat again." I smiled before continuing my meal.
"Anyone can technically use Haki but if you unlock it then it shows you've got the potential to go far." Smoker explained as a determined look grew on the Petty Officers face.
"Let me train with you." Tashigi said determined as we both looked at Tashigi shocked, though a smile grew on my face as she said this.
"I don't have a problem with this, I mean the wielder of The Shigure needs to show that she is worthy of the weapon." I smiled as I looked at Smoker who had a smirk on his face.
"We start at dawn then Tashigi, I hope you're ready." He said with a smile as we continued eating our meals.

The next morning we found ourselves in the same place we were the previous day but with Tashigi joining us. It might just because my perception was being enhanced by this training but I could feel the weight difference from when it was just me and Smoker and I know my Captain felt the same. After a week of doing this we moved onto making progress with armament Haki, this training had us swinging like we were attacking putting our all into our attacks. As the fourth day of this arrived our training was interrupted by a Marine running in with a Black Den Den Mushi. "Sir you're going to want to hear this!" The marine exclaimed as he placed the Black Den Den Mushi down.

"Did you...Princess Vivi and...Straw Hats? Yes...Mission accompli-bzzt" The Den Den Mushi kept bugging however we got the key information. "Princess Vivi, as in the missing Princess of Alabasta?" I asked as Smoker nodded.
"As well as the Straw Hats...I guess we know their next location," Smoker smirked as he then called out "Set sail for Alabasta!" Smoker called out to the navigator as he saluted and ran to the helm of the ship.
"I guess we have more reason to get out Haki then." I smirked as I immediately got back to training, Tashigi joining immediately with Smoker joining us lastly.
"It'll take us another week to get to Alabasta, we need at least one Haki each if we want to beat them." Smoker explained as he started swinging his Nanashaku Jitte.
"Even if we don't unlock it though we're much stronger then we were at Logue Town, we've got this." I smirked as the only thought in my mind was get Zoro back to the right path before he gets a bounty of his own.
"If you don't unlock it then its not good enough." Smoker growled as we all continued our training.

Another week goes by as me and Smoker were working out in vests as the temperature had gotten hot the past day due to us getting closer to Alabasta, which was primarily a desert island. "Sir, we're boarding at Nanohara now!" Tashigi called as she joined us in training.
"Thank you petty Officer Tashigi." Smoker formally said as he sighed.
"What's up Smoker?" I asked as he growled.
"Captain Smoker, and this is a sensitive subject. The Nefatari family is one of the most powerful families in Paradise, if we find the princess and she is dead then we're going to be following her to the grave very soon. It's why we need to be delicate with this situation." He explained as I remembered something he once mentioned in passing.
"Oh yeah they were one of the twenty families that formed the World Government right?" I asked for confirmation as Smoker nodded.
"Yeah that." He sighed.
"Well don't worry, we've got this." I smirked as he sighed.
"We can't go in all gung-Ho like that Vice-Captain (Y/N), please take this seriously." He growled.
"Fine, you're no fun." I sighed.
"I would be more 'fun' if you unlocked your Haki. Both me and Petty Officer Tashigi have unlocked our Haki and yet you've not. It's worrying to say the least considering you're supposed to be my Vice Captain." He scolded as I looked down, feeling ashamed of myself.
"I've done everything you guys have been doing I don't know what I'm doing wrong." I groaned as I started feeling bad for myself.
"Y-You'll unlock something soon." Tashigi softly said wanting to cheer me up.
"I hope so or I'm essentially useless." I sighed as I left the deck of the ship to get changed out of my training outfit and into my Marine Uniform.

With my uniform all ready and the ship finally docking at Nanohara the hot breeze went past my face. I looked into the town to see various people working on their different stools and what not. Eventually my eyes made contact with what looked to be a bar, people were leaving and entering frequently so I turned to Captain Smoker and spoke up. "Someone at the Saloon might have information for us." I mentioned as Smoker nodded as me, him and Tashigi started heading there, ordering our men to stay behind not to scare the citizens with a large military presence.
As we made our way through the town one thought crossed my mind, I wonder if Zoro was actually here and if I could persuade him to join the marines and be just instead of a pirate but knowing how stubborn my younger brother was...yeah wasn't likely.