One Piece: Loyalty in Spades

The meeting room at Marine Headquarters in Marineford is filled with smoke.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku looks with a headache at the row of faces before him, each demanding money as if they’re entitled to it.

Akainu slams the table. “Fleet Admiral, we need five battleships, fifty cannons, and five thousand soldiers to keep an eye on the Four Emperors!”

Finance chief Yellen D. Carl doesn’t even raise his eyelids. “There’s no money.”

Kizaru tilts his mouth and slowly adjusts his sunglasses. “Hey, Yellen~ Could you maybe pay my meager salary, just this once~”

Carl: “There’s no money.”

Aokiji, wearing an eye mask and holding an iced coffee, says, “Oh my... I’d like to request three days of paid leave to catch up on my sleep.”

Carl: “Your leave is approved. The pay, no.”

Former instructor Zephyr has just cleared his throat when Carl jumps to his feet. “Teacher! The training camp burned through two billion Berries just last month! Are you using diamonds for sandbags?!”

“Bang!” The door flies open, and Garp pokes his head in, holding a bag of rice crackers. “Kid! Did they approve my special doughnut fund yet? Put me down for a hundred thousand to start!”

Yellen D. Carl completely loses it and climbs onto the table. “Sengoku, you old geezer! Whoever wants this job can have it! I’m done putting up with this!!!”

The meeting room falls silent.

Fleet Admiral Sengoku quietly stands, clicks the lock on the door, then pulls out a stack of budget applications taller than a person and slaps them down in front of Carl. He gives him a “kind” smile.

“Quit? Sure.”

“First, calculate this month’s Marines budget. Then we’ll talk.”