MARINES - A ONE PIECE story (ENGLISH) - Part I

CHAPTER LXIX - The star of the sanatorium

The austere appearance of the sanatorium did not bode well : its roof was covered with frost as hard as stone, the paint on its main door was peeling, the stone of its walls was cold. In the gardens, a few patients, in a vegetative state, were being walked by pale-skinned nurses. Arthur looked at Haru and Jun. They did not have to speak, he knew what they were thinking : "We have no choice. These people need our help", was thinking the first one. "This place is lousy, but you're the boss. We'll follow you", was thinking the other. In any case, Arthur thanked them inwardly for the support he felt in them. Clutching in his hand Dr.Hapi's letter, he pushed the big door of the austere sanatorium.

As they entered the lobby, their jaws almost dropped as the atmosphere contrasted with the outside : it was warm, even hot, and the mood in the large, warm building was relaxed. Here and there, patients were playing cards, chatting, laughing, shaking hands with smiling nurses. As the three soldiers watched this amazing scene, an old man with a big walrus mustache came up to them.

- May I help you ?

- Oh... Sorry to bother you, but I'm Marine commander Arthur. This is lieutenant Jun and Haru, who are accompanying me.

- Marine ? repeated the old man, obviously surprised. Good, very good... Nice to meet you. But what are you doing here ?

- Well... I received a letter from a certain Hapi, who says she is a doctor here. I suppose you know her ?

At once, the doctor's face lit up.

- Ah, little Lola ! Yes, she's been working here for two years. She is brilliant !

- Doctor Hapi ? asked an old lady in a wheelchair behind them. This young lady is absolutely wonderful ! I've been sick for ten years, and she cured me in just a few weeks.

- Yes, she is very good... I hired her personally. Doctor Nagai, dean and director of this sanatorium, delighted ! he exclaimed, extending his hand to shake those of the soldiers. But tell me, did she do anything wrong ?

- No, nothing at all ! replied Arthur, smiling. She simply sent us a letter a few weeks ago. We wanted to meet her.

A sad look crossed Nagai's face.

- It's about the disappearances, isn't it ?

Arthur nodded.

- Yes, I thought so... Lola's older sister was the first to disappear, a few months ago. Marine soldiers came to investigate twice already, but they didn't find anything... We already encouraged her to take vacancy to mourn her sister, but, you know... It's never easy.

Nagai quickly consulted his watch.

- By now, she should be in her office, upstairs, room n°6.

Arthur, Haru and Jun went up the big stairs of the sanatorium. The floor was bathed in a soft light, coming through the stained glass windows.

- Isn't it strange that she didn't say anything to the dean ? About the letter.

- You heard her, Jun. She's having a hard time to accept her sister's disappearance. It must have been hard for her...

Haru sensed in the young doctor's story an echo to her own : she herself had been forced to abandon her sisters when she fled her native Amazon Lily. She didn't know if they were still alive or if their tyrannical cousin had murdered them, and this question was on her mind every day...

The door of n°6 room was wide open. Inside, a little girl was writing report, with great application. On her nose, pink glasses kept slipping off, and she was putting them back on immediately.