What the hell is Tokikake doing here?
This is the New World. The guy just got promoted to Commodore back at Headquarters. Shouldn't he be drowning in debriefings, shifting duties, buried under a mountain of paperwork? How in the world did he end up here?
...Wait a second. This is the Pleasure District?
Ah. That explains everything.
Darren narrowed his eyes at the familiar figure in the distance, a vein twitching on his forehead. With a weary sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose.
Tokikake was clearly trying to fly under the radar—but his idea of subtlety left much to be desired. He'd swapped his uniform for a loud Hawaiian shirt, baggy shorts that exposed his hairy calves, and a pair of flimsy flip-flops. A toothpick dangled lazily from his mouth as he sauntered into the Bubble Bath Center, hands stuffed in his pockets like he owned the place.
The bunny girls at the entrance lit up like they'd spotted a walking treasure chest. They rushed toward him, all giggles and fluttering lashes, hooking onto his arms with practiced ease.
"Mr. Gill, where have you been all this time...?"
"We've missed you so much, Mr. Gill..."
"You've gotten even more handsome since your last visit..."
The compliments were syrupy sweet, but their smiles were genuine, eyes twinkling with a professional charm honed to perfection.
"Hahaha! You girls really missed me?" Tokikake grinned, glowing under their attention. He looked like he might float off the ground, his steps already wobbling with tipsy delight.
"Of course! You're our favorite guest!"
"No one else could ever compare to you..."
"Will you let all of us pamper you again today, Mr. Gill?"
They clung to him more tightly, pressing close, their voices dripping with flirtation.
"Of course, hehehe..."
With a ridiculous grin spreading across his flushed face, Tokikake puffed out his chest, planted his hands on his hips, and declared with unearned grandeur:
"This old dog just got promoted! Tonight, I'm going all out!"
Laughing like a fool, he let the girls drag him deeper into the club, swaggering like a conquering hero.
Watching from a distance, Darren's mouth twitched. Gotta hand it to him—Tokikake had some serious moves. Looked like he was a regular around here, too.
Darren shook his head and let it go. It wasn't like it was unusual for Marines to unwind in places like this during downtime. In the original timeline, that rascal Tokikake would sneak off to the Golden City casino every chance he got. As long as they didn't go overboard, the brass tended to turn a blind eye. Marines lived hard lives—wasn't a little pleasure now and then their due?
"Still, I need to report in about Wano... That old man Sengoku's probably breathing fire by now."
Darren rubbed the stubble on his chin, mulling over his options. His military Den Den Mushi, unfortunately, had been reduced to a useless snot-smeared mess courtesy of Kaido's "educational" club.
Earlier that morning, while he was still putting his pants back on, Stussy had casually offered to make the call for him—through her own network, of course. He'd declined without hesitation. Best to keep their... real arrangement buried deep below the surface.
He scanned the street and spotted a dingy little tabloid office just across the way. Moments later, after slapping a wad of cash onto the counter, the manager practically bowed as he handed over their private Den Den Mushi.
"Purupuru... purupuru..."
The dials clicked as the connection went through. Darren lit a cigarette, exhaling slowly as he waited.
Then—
"Gacha!"
The Den Den Mushi snapped to life.
"Hello?" came the unmistakably sharp voice of Sengoku.
Darren smirked. "Admiral Sengoku. This is Darren."
He held the Den Den Mushi at arm's length.
As expected, there was a brief pause... then the snail's face twisted into a furious, vein-popping scowl, eyes blazing with rage.
"DARREN, YOU LITTLE BRAT! You still remember Headquarters exists?!"
"Do you have any idea how much coordination went into supporting your deployment?!"
Spittle flew from the Den Den Mushi as Sengoku roared, the sheer force of his outrage practically rattling the line.
Unbothered, Darren calmly picked at his ear. "Apologies, Admiral. The situation in Wano turned out to be far more complicated than anticipated. I sustained serious injuries, which delayed communication."
"Injuries?! And you went straight to the Pleasure District afterward?!" There was the unmistakable sound of a desk being slammed. "Is that how you recover?!"
Darren: ...
Welp. Busted.
A flicker of guilt crossed his face.
If nothing had happened, he could've played dumb. But the truth was... something had happened.
And it involved the Queen of the Pleasure District.
Still, Darren's skin was thicker than steel.
"Ahem. Admiral Sengoku, I assure you—I've been resting and recovering diligently. I absolutely did not engage in any... transactions of pleasure with anyone in the district."
There was a moment of silence. Sengoku's furious expression didn't ease, but his tone lost a bit of its bite.
"You're absolutely sure?" he asked suspiciously.
Darren's voice rang with righteous conviction. "You have to believe me, Admiral. I'm a Marine—trained to the highest standards."
Well... no money changed hands. So technically, it wasn't a transaction.
That logic held up.
Sengoku exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly.
Darren had no reason to lie. If he'd clashed with Kaido in Wano, then serious injuries were inevitable. The Emperor's strength was still well beyond his.
Then Darren's smug voice came crackling back through the line: "Besides, with charm like mine, Admiral... I don't need to pay for companionship."
Thud!
A crash sounded as Sengoku fell backward in his chair.
He shot up, his expression a mix of disbelief and exasperation.
So you're actually proud of that?!
Clutching his chest like he'd been personally insulted, Sengoku barked, "Report your status, now! How bad are your injuries? Do you require extraction?"
"We've already mobilized Sakazuki and Borsalino's battleships. They're positioned in the New World, ready to deploy to the Pleasure District on my signal."
Sakazuki and Borsalino?
Darren's eyes narrowed.
If the situation with the Beasts Pirates were escalating to war, normally Sengoku himself would be leading the charge. But if Akainu and Kizaru were at the helm instead... it meant the new power structure of the Marines was already taking form.
The old guard was preparing to hand off the front lines.
Sengoku, just like in the original story, would likely retreat to the rear to oversee strategy and command.
"No need, Admiral," Darren replied. "I'm recovering quickly. I should be able to return within a few days."
Borsalino wouldn't be so bad. He might even tag along for drinks and a lazy stroll through the district.
But Sakazuki?
Absolutely not.
Darren glanced toward the heart of the Pleasure District, where pirates laughed and drank, burning through stolen treasure like it was nothing.
If Akainu ever set foot here, he'd probably incinerate the whole island with a single Meteor Volcano.
To be continued...