Clive grew up in the east blue, in a small marine operated town. Even at a young age he had a desire to join the marines. He became a choir boy from the moment he could, and began working hard to one day become a grand marine. He studied whenever he could to learn to read and write better then anyone else his age. At the age of thirteen he was finally old enough to join the ranks of the Marines in full.
Clive walked down the street, his form was toned and he wore his civilian clothes. He would be getting his test results today, the ones that decided his fate. He had applied been given the opportunity to apply for a leadership training program for young cadets with talent, a test that was almost impossible to pass.
The streets went from the nice homes of merchants and artisans, to dingy and unkempt. The street bore holes and cracks, the roofs of buildings were patched hastily with whatever was nearby, the windows smashed from many homes. This was how Clive was raised, deep in the gutters.
“Just give it to us.” A voice said from a nearby ally.
Clive turned to spot three kids surrounding a smaller kid who held a bag of food close to his chest.
“No! Mom said I had to bring this home! She trusted me to do it!” The kid, a girl, yelled out. She was far to skinny, mostly bones at this point. The three boys around her had more muscle then her, and they would use it if need be.
Clive stepped into the ally, drawing the attention of the three boys.
“Great, what do you want?” The lead boy said.
“Hey boss, be careful that's Clive.” A second boy said.
“No way, the choir boy? What can he do.” the lead boy laughed.
“Uh boss, he runs this turf.” The third boy said.
“So what? Not like he can take us, lets kick his ass.” The lead boy said. “Once we take him down no one will stand up to us again! We can eat whatever we want!”
Clive looked past the three boys to the girl. “Please stay back, this will be over shortly.”
The girl nodded at Clive. The three boys charged first. Clive could tell already, only the lead boy was wholeheartedly into this, the other two were hesitant. If they all attacked wholeheartedly maybe they stood a chance, but they were to different.
1, 2, 1, 2.
Clive counted their pace. He found fights were all a series of rhythms, if he could match those rhythms he would hold an advantage in any fight. To that extent, he tended to bounce from foot to foot in time with his count.
The lead boy swung with his left arm at Clive’s head, but Clive had ducked down only a moment earlier. Clive swung his right fist in a wide swing, striking hard into the lead boys stomach, causing him to gasp in pain.
The second boy came in with a knee to Clive’s head, but he anticipated this and pulled back out of the strikes range. He didnt stay in the safe zone for long, as the second boy finished his knee hit, Clive came in and punched down hard into the knee. The leg hit the ground unnaturally and the boy fell to the ground in an instant.
The third was easy enough, as he overstepped and tripped over Clive’s outstretched leg. On the descent Clive punched the kid in the rib, sending him rolling across the ground.
The fight was over in mere seconds, not that impressive for him. These kids were nothing compared to what he had fought in the old days. Clive walked to the young girl.
“Punch like this.” Clive said, showing his wide swing. “With your size you want to aim for their stomachs, put your weight into it and you can stun them for a bit. It will give you enough time to run, think you can do it? Stand like this too.”
The girl nodded at Clive’s instruction. He wasn't a master fighter or anything, he just had some experience and offered it to the weaker kids. He hated people like these three, the ones that ganged up and bullied the smaller people. There was no justice in taking from the less fortunate.
“Your like a superhero!” The girl said, admiration in her eyes.
“Nah, I am just a Marine in training.” Clive said, rubbing her hair then walking away. The three kids still laid on the ground recovering as Clive stepped over them.
“Clive! The results are here!” Clive's mother said as he entered. She was in the middle of cooking their gruel for the day. She had gotten home form work only an hour ago.
Clive’s father sat at the kitchen with the envelope infront of him. He had yet to wash with the water bucket out back yet, as the coal dust from the mines still covered his hands. Clive’s father worked in the mines long and hard, he was the symbol of hard work and dedication, and someone that Clive looked up to.
Clive took the envelope and opened it with a shaky hand. He read its contents, and began to cry.
“Oh honey.” Clive’s mother said, attempting to console her son.
“I got in!” Clive said in joy.
“That's my boy!” Clive’s father said, pumping his fist into the air. “That is a Finch for ya! We gotta tell the neighbors! Our boy is going to be a Marine! I give it five years before you become an Admiral!”
Clive sobbed tears of joy. The nights studying by the moonlight, the anxiety, the stress, it was all for this.
It wasn't even a month later when Clive arrived at his training post. It was an island in the Grand Line known as Lagoon Peaks. It was mainly a marine base but had a whole tourist area built around its hot springs that dotted the islands. The instructions had said to not pack much, only the essentials. Luckily Clive didn't have much to bring besides his limited clothing.
He checked into the Marine base, and was guided to a large courtyard. Two other boys stood arond the large yard that was surrounded by the rest of the base. The first was a boy sitting under a tree for shade, staring up at the clouds. He a relaxed appearance with long black hair tied into a ponytail. A large sword sat next to him, one far larger then even he was. The other boy stood in the marine stand with his hands behind his back. The boy had a short pixie cut hair, and wore long sleeves even though the weather was so nice. He stared straight ahead, only glancing at Clive as he entered.
A man entered the courtyard, he wore the uniform of a Captain with well kept brown hair.
“Alright recruits, line up.” The man said.
Clive got in line next to the serious boy. The lazy boy took a moment but got there.
“I am Captain Huis, I will be your instructor.” The captain said, walking along our ranks. “You three have been chosen from a select group of individuals for a multitude of reasons. You will be trained for success. However, no training will replace experience so you will serve on crews once you have graduated from basic training is that clear?”
“Yes sir.” They all said in unison.
“Very good.” Huis said. “Now, you will introduce yourself to your fellow cadets, you, Ponytail.”
The lazy boy stepped forward. “Mastuno, From Mediogashima Sir.”
“Quite a big sword you got there lad.” Huis said, his tone seemed like he was trying to be tough, but also was trying to be nice. “You even able to swing that thing?”
“Easily sir.” Matsuno stated.
“Understood, next pixie cut.” Huis said.
“Emma S. Nash Sir.” The serious boy said.
Nash? Clive felt like he had heard that name before.
“Ah yes, our special case.” Huis explained. “Vice Admiral Nash’s kid, I got high hopes for you.”
“I will meet them.” Emma said proudly.
“Next, scruffy.” Huis said, approaching Clive.
“Clive Finch Sir.” Clive said, straightening his posture.
“Alright. We shall assign your rooms now. You will be given a tour of the base after you have settled in.” Huis said, turning for them to follow.
The group followed in a single filed line. Matsuno walked awkwardly with his massive sword at his hip. Emma didn't have a weapon on her, similar to Matsuno. He was a Vice Admiral’s son huh?
“Alright, Matsuno, Clive, you two will be bunking in this room.” Huis said, opening up the door to their bunk. It was a small room with several bunks and chests for storing their personal belongings.. “Emma, your room will be down this way.”
“Sir, that doesn't seem quite fair.” Clive said, a sudden flare of anger taking over his words. “Just because he is the son of a Vice Admiral he gets his own room?”
Huis and Emma turned towards Clive, both with confused expressions on their face. Matsuno tapped Clive’s shoulder.
“Um, Emma isn't a he.” Matsuno said.
“Huh?” Clive said, turning towards Emma. suddenly he realized. Emma’s face was more round, and Emma’s hips were more pronounced. “Oh.”
Emma glared at Clive.
To put it bluntly, it was not a good first impression.
Training went on, they had strick schedules for training and studying. In combat the three were split to train their respective fighting techniques. Apparently Emma was trained to use a saber and thus would learn from a Commodore that was stationed there. Clive had spotted her sneaking out to train with someone at night, it must have been her dad as he was spotted around the base during the times she would train.
Clive was being taught to fight by Huis, who helped him learn about fist fighting better. His wide swings were not the most efficient punches he could throw, so he began to learn a boxing technique.
They were given an hour long period in the courtyard to train together, often this was a moment for Clive and Emma to practice, while Matsuno sat on the side lines and relaxed.
Emma had bags under her eyes on a particular day. She wore the long layers even though the heat had set in. she even wore a collared shirt so that the only skin shown was her face. Maybe it was the heat, but for some reason she glared daggers at Matsuno. Then, she snapped.
“Get up.” Emma said, poking him aggressively with her wooden saber.
Matsuno was laying on his back, his eyes closed. He opened one, then closed it and rolled away from Emma.
“No! We are going to train!” Emma stated.
“I got no sword to train with.” Matsuno said. “Cant make a sword long enough for me.”
“That is just an excuse! You can use a normal sized sword ya know!” Emma said angrily.
Clive watched awkwardly, unsure of what to do.
“Nah, my techniques require the length.” Matsuno said, going into a full roll to avoid Emma who swung her sword down on where he laid.
“Fine, then use your real sword.” Emma stated.
“Nah, you'd die.” Matsuno said, rolling in his feet to spin around Emma.
“Try it!” Emma said.
Matsuno stopped rolling, then sighed. “Fine, but you gotta chill when I win.”
“You won't beat me!” Emma stated.
“Yeah Yeah sure.” Matsuno said, getting to his feet. “Grab your sword, let's go.”
Emma gave a wicked smile. It was clear she wanted to punish the slacker, but why was she so pissed about it?
Emma and Matsuno stood several feet apart. Emma had her Saber drawn, it was a real steel weapon. Matsuno had his hand on the handle of his massive katana, not drawing it yet.
“Clive, say when.” Emma said.
“3.2.1”
Clive spotted it. He was glad he wasn't his opponent or he might have missed it. Matsuno’s lazy eyes suddenly shifted into daggers. He pointed the handle of his sword downwards towards the ground, then drew.
“Earth Style, fifth technique, Landslide.” Matsuno said swiftly in almost a whisper.
As his blade was drawn, Clive saw the blade pointed down at the ground, and it dragged against it. The sword dug thru the earth as Matsuno raised it into an upward strike. Suddenly, the land shot up in a path towards Emma. Emma stood wide eyed, unable to move. However, the earth simply slid to the right of her. She just stood, hands shaking.
“Was that Rokushiki?” Clive heard form behind him. He turned to see Captain Huis standing with Commodore Crow.
“No, it wasnt Haki either.” Crow said.
Haki? Rokushiki? Clive was unfamiliar with these terms. He turned back to his comrades. Matsuno sheathed his sword then went to sit next to the tree.
“What was that!” Emma said, rushing over to him.
“Huh?” Matsuno said as he took his seat. “Oh its a fighting technique that my people use.”
Clive walked over. “How does it work? Like, there is no way you can just send the ground up like that.”
“Huh?” Matsuno seemed bored. “It's about spirit, or maybe its mental? I don't know, my brother taught it to me, it's a little tricky to explain.”
Matsuno remained quiet about the technique, but Clive could tell he had sparked Emma’s interest. Serious though, why did she look so annoyed?
