The Marine ship docked into Tamarisk Port. Ropes were thrown out and tied to the docks, the ship settled beside the desert city's edge.
Smoker stood near the railing with his arms crossed, his coat worn on his bare chest. He wasn't looking at the city, nor the people unloading goods along the shore. His eyes were fixed on the sky.
A single dark shape glided in circles above the ship.
The vulture was still there.
It had started following them the moment they reached Alabasta's coast. For almost an entire day, it stayed high above the mast, flying in steady loops. Just circling them.
Smoker narrowed his eyes. Around the bird's neck was a leather strap. On its back, something small and dark was strapped on—a pouch maybe, or some kind of device. Too far to tell exactly.
He took a long drag from his cigar.
"Tashigi," he said without turning.
She came up beside him and wiped sweat off her forehead with her sleeve.
"It's still following us," she said, shading her eyes as she looked up. "I checked again this morning. That's the same bird from yesterday. It hasn't flown off even once."
"It's trained," Smoker said. "No way it's wild."
Tashigi frowned slightly. "Trained for what, though? Do you think it's spying on us?"
"It's the only thing that makes sense," he said. "No normal bird flies in the same circle over one ship for that long."
She glanced at him. "So, someone sent it. But who?"
Smoker didn't answer right away. He lifted the cigar slightly and gestured across the docks, then out to the desert beyond the port.
"There are four major players in Alabasta," he said. "The royal army. The rebels. Baroque Works. And Crocodile."
"Crocodile?" Tashigi said with a small crease in her brow. "But he's a Warlord. Shouldn't that mean he's one of us?"
"Officially, sure," Smoker said. "But just because someone has a title doesn't mean they're loyal."
"So you think it's him?" she asked. "That bird belongs to Crocodile?"
He shook his head. "I doubt it. Crocodile's a public figure. Everyone knows his movements. If he had a trained bird carrying a device like that, the Marines would've logged it in his file. There's nothing like that."
"Right," Tashigi said, thinking aloud. "So that narrows it down to the other three."
Smoker nodded. "The king has no reason to spy on us. He's the one who asked for help in the first place. And if he's hiding something, watching Marines is just going to make things worse for him."
"And the rebels?" she asked.
"They're too under-equipped," he replied. "They barely have food or proper weapons. Trained animals and tracking gear don't come cheap. You need time, money, and people with the right skills to set something like that up. They've got none of those."
Tashigi looked back up at the vulture. "Then that leaves Baroque Works."
"Yeah," Smoker said simply. "They're the only ones left who could pull this off."
She turned back to him. "That's a good way to narrow it down."
He gave a slight shrug. "It's just process of elimination."
"Well," she said, smiling faintly, "you got there faster than I did."
Smoker didn't say anything. He just puffed out another stream of smoke and kept watching the sky.
Tashigi leaned on the railing beside him. "Should we try to follow it? Maybe whoever's controlling it is still nearby."
Smoker didn't answer right away. His eyes stayed on the bird as it drifted calmly above them.
"If someone is giving it orders," she added, "there's a chance they're close. Maybe watching us from the port. We could try to find them before they move."
Smoker exhaled through his nose, cigar between his teeth. "We don't know who we're looking for."
Tashigi crossed her arms. "It's probably Baroque Works, right? If they've got an agent hiding in the area—this could be our chance to catch them."
He finally turned his head a little. "We're Marines. That's not how we operate."
She hesitated. "I know, but—"
"No," he said, cutting her off. "If we grab someone without proof and get it wrong, the real culprits will slip away while we're wasting time cleaning up the mess."
Tashigi frowned but stayed quiet.
"I don't like it either," he went on, voice low. "But we're not chasing birds and hoping the truth falls in our lap. We need something solid. Proof that can hold up."
There was a pause.
The vulture let out a low cry as it passed overhead again, circling just as it had since yesterday.
Smoker finally turned away from the railing.
"This is a waste of time. We need real leads."
They crossed the deck together. Most of the crew were gathered near the mast, sweating under the hot sun but still standing straight, waiting for orders.
"We're splitting up," Smoker said.
Tashigi gave him a quick glance. "Splitting up?"
"We'll cover more ground that way," he said.
"Should I take a few men with me?" she asked.
"No," he replied. "You'll be able to blend in better if you're alone. It'll be easier to listen without drawing attention."
Tashigi nodded. "Where do you want me to go?"
"Nanohana," Smoker said. "It's one of the bigger port cities. People there talk all the time—merchants, travelers, locals. If something's going on, someone there has heard about it."
She pulled out her small notebook and jotted down the name.
"And what exactly should I be looking for?"
"Anything tied to Baroque Works," he said. "Fake names. Disguises. Smuggling. Disappearances. Keep your ears open. Don't ask questions unless you have to. The less you speak, the more people talk."
Tashigi slipped the notebook away and adjusted her glasses. "Understood."
Smoker turned to the rest of the crew. "No one leaves the ship. Don't let anyone on board unless I say so. Stay sharp."
They saluted him in unison.
Tashigi looked back at him. "And where are you heading?"
"Alubarna," he said. "The capital."
Her eyes widened slightly. "That's where the royal palace is."
"Exactly," he said. "Government, army, and the court officials live there. If someone drops a name or slips up, that's my proof. That's all I need."
He didn't mention what he was really thinking—that he already knew Baroque Works was involved. What he needed now was confirmation. As a Marine, that was the formality.
"Be careful out there," she said quietly.
"You too," Smoker replied. "Don't get distracted in that marketplace."
She gave a soft laugh. "I'll try my best."
---
By midday, they were already heading in different directions.
Tashigi left first, riding a borrowed camel with a blue cloth across its back. Her sword was at her side, and a small bag of water hung from the saddle. The camel moved slowly through the sand, its feet barely sinking.
She didn't need a guide. The road west to Nanohana was well known. If the weather stayed clear and she made steady progress, she'd arrive by the next evening.
Smoker watched her until the dunes hid her from view.
Then he turned east.
Alubarna rose far in the distance, built on high ground and guarded by stone walls. The palace stood at its heart like a crown, visible even from this far away.
He lit a fresh cigar and started walking, his coat trailing behind him in the dry air.
The vulture was gone.
But that didn't comfort him.
It meant the message had already been delivered.
Baroque Works knew they were here
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