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Shamrock was on a mission, he needed to get into that chamber before anything else could happen. The news had only just been shared with him and he didn’t want to think of the consequences if they weren’t there to stop it.
After everything they had managed in the years that passed; protecting those that needed it, keeping one over the World Government, Marines and Five Elders, just to make them feel in control. He would hate to have them act without the proper permission and kill his younger brother.
Keeping his steps even, he ducks under one of the other God Knights who tried to stop him, before throwing open the doors to the chambers. Feeling the glares of the Five Elders on him instantly, while Father and Imu-Sama were much more at ease, and waiting, “The news came that Portgas D. Ace has been captured by Marine Forces, to be executed at Marineford in a week’s time for apparently being the son of Gol D. Roger.”
He can see his Father freezing in the corner of his eye. For all that Figarland Garling looked to be the perfect soldier. He had been a Family Man before anything else. Finding love in a woman named Rocks, even if she constructed a circle of several lovers around her. Including Imu-Sama and Edward Newgate. Her “death” had been the catalyst of it all. She amused Imu-Sama and eventually even gave him two sons, so killing her was off the table almost as soon as that happened. While she had been in hiding, she checked in on a regular basis. Just as the likes of Gol D. Roger hadn’t been killed as much as the world was led to believe.
Imu-Sama kept a cooler head, “This is news, when was this ordered?”
Saturn, because of course it was him, mentioned getting intel Portgas being actually Gol and acted on it. “Great Imu, at last we can wipe the world of the influence of the Pirate King.”
The man hadn’t learned yet, had been a thorn in their sides for the way he handled people that they all wanted to protect. There was some truth in the notion that those with the will of D were the sworn enemies of the Gods. But that mostly pertained to being able to make them see the wrong in their ways.
“Thou hast not the power to call for the death of one, without Mu’s permission,” The glare was obvious. Saturn had been close to seeing through the lies, mostly as he kept a close eye on Garling and Shamrock as he did not like either of them. It was also his meddling that often meant the loss of people near and dear to those in their family.
Stammering, Saturn tried to explain himself. Only to end up frozen as black threads spread across him and the other Elders, leaving only Shamrock and Garling untouched. The black veil dropped, leaving Imu standing there in his human-like appearance, “Thou hast been working against Mu for long enough, Saint Saturn. Mu has grown tired of your actions, of having to clean up your messes.”
Garling snorted, “You were warned, you know, after God Valley. But it seems some of you never did learn how to listen.” His voice sounds bored, but the grin on his face showcases that it’s everything but like that. Shamrock knew his father had grown bored of the life on top of the Red Line, and had mentioned it sooner. That’s why God Valley had been planned, Imu had been aware of what was going to happen; a meeting with the D who had shown the both of them something new. And a chance to meet their children once more. Newgate had been lucky, being able to see his kids all the time, even if he wanted to start his own crew that didn’t take away that he and Rocks were free to move as they pleased.
Imu and Garling were tied to the Red Line and everything that happened on top of. Having gotten too bored with the life there to keep track of what had happened. Knowing that the World Government and especially the Five Elders had twisted everything they stood for. Imu had wanted to protect the world, in their own way, knowing that Nika had been the same in that regard. Chaos and Order, opposites and different sides of the same coin. Meant to co-exist, until someone started to meddle to bring them the current state of the world.
History had been twisted, first at God Valley where it was said Rocks died. She didn’t, but rather Garp and Roger made sure that she was saved and hidden. Even more so when the news hit that the kids had been there as well. They could have lost any of the kids, and none of her partners wanted that.
Secondly with the likes of Ohara, Flevence and Baterilla. The Marines acted according to the orders of the Five Elders which is something Imu-Sama and Garling protested against. Even if they had to do this silently. Moving messages through the grapevine, to make sure someone was aware of what could happen. Making sure that the people living on those islands were saved as much as possible. It had started the ire against the current Ruling Body. Against the Five Elders who did as they pleased, believing themselves able to do whatever it was they wanted. Forgetting that it was Imu who kept them alive all those years. Who was the reason they had the power they now held? The same power he hated having given to them.
Between Dragon, Roger and Garp they had enough of a baseline to act before anyone died. But it was a close call. Even more so once Roger ‘went to his death’, choosing to abandon his title so he could live in peace with his family and keep an eye out on theirs. He raised his sons, Ace and Sabo, with Rouge at his side. Rayleigh and Shakky coming to the East as much as they could without it getting noticed, to see the blond twin (who they all knew was Rayleigh’s) and after he was born, they looked after Luffy as Wani and Dragon couldn’t be seen outside of the roles they had chosen to play.
Shanks, once he had been updated on everything going on, had chosen to come to Marigeose to establish a link to his father and older twin brother. To keep the others in the dark on what was really going on. Already having the connection to Rocks through Roger and Newgate, as the two of them had been looking after him since God Valley. Marco and Teach being on board of the Moby also helped and made it easier to bond with some of his siblings.
But hearing they would be executing Ace, for no other sins than sharing the blood of Roger. That’s what became the last straw. Their family in danger and the world at peril for if this happened nothing could stop these titans from roaring.
“Thou hast gone beyond Mu’s wishes for the last time,” Was said, before Imu closed his hand and the power he had poured into these puppets was taken right back. Leaving only Shamrock and Garling in the room. Both of them standing, with Shamrock offering to call his siblings and Garling moving to call Rocks and ask her to warn the other. “This is going to turn the world upside down, My Lord Husband.”
Imu just grinned, “High time it would be done so, My Knight.”
—
Luffy was aware of something going very wrong when he saw hatchan getting shot. Almost immediately a wave of haki crashes over the slave auction, a feeling to it that he doesn’t think he’ll ever forget. Looking up, Uncle Ray comes stalking from the backroom, looking as pissed off as he did when he and Uncle Roger found some prissy noble and Bluejam trying to take Sabo away all those years ago.
“What,” he asked, looking around. Catching golden eyes on another row, while he hadn’t met the man before he did know of Trafalgar D. Law, someone his dad and Uncle Roger had made sure lived after the Five Elders gave the order to wipe Flevence off the map.
Rayleigh glared at the Celestial Dragons on top of the stairs, not even caring that they were calling out to them to stop whatever it was that they were doing. Law and Chopper were looking at Hatchan, and going by what he knew about the man Luffy knew everything was going to be alright.
Until the Celestial Dragon at the front started jabbering that he had shot at the Fishman and he was his by conquest. Glaring right back, Luffy turned to go and deal with them. Only to have a voice come from behind the three of them, “I would think not.”
Grinning, Luffy cheered, “Opa,” The blond, very obviously well-dressed appeared with a slight smile on his face. Glaring at the three Celestial Dragons still standing there, haki crackling off of him and knocking them out.
Rayleigh’s whispered, ‘Show-off’ didn’t help there, only making Luffy giggle. Until Garling was standing in front of them, “The news reached out, we’re putting the plan in motion, calls have been made and we are making our way to Impel Down for Wani and Buggy.”
Hushing his crew as they protested, Luffy grinned, “It was a ploy, things aren’t always as they seem.”
A snort is the answer there, as both Rayleigh and Garling pat Luffy on the shoulder, “ You would know, Little One. Now come on, your Grandma is waiting and she’s been dying to cause chaos.”
Cheering, Luffy turned on the heel of his feet to stomp into the direction he knew his ship lay. He’d tell his crew all about it once they arrived on the Sunny. Things were dire, if the plan was put in motion. He hadn’t known a lot about it, except that there were certain ties that no one should know about. Like Grandma, Grandfather, Opa and Grandpops being related to him, the Five Elders would get an aneurysm about that.
Once on the Sunny, he smiled and told them everything. Keeping no secret left unturned. “You have to understand that certain secrets are based on promises and I don’t break those. Dad and Baba knew they had to keep their role for the world to play, so I didn’t say anything then when I did see them. But now…” He looks out over the sea, “Something happened, and it has to be with either Ace or Sabo, as they don’t act like this unless it's the kids that are being involved.”
Biting his lip, he’s quick to add that it’s most likely Ace. His oldest brother, who came to check up on him after tailing Uncle Teach, who also had his role to play. No doubt someone did hear something they weren’t supposed to and acted on that. Ace was strong, but if he had been captured, “Ace’s dad is well known and if people find out about it, they will kill him.”
—
Marineford had been preparing for a lot.
But not this.
Sengoku couldn’t help but look at those sails on the horizon. Sails of ships he had been certain wouldn’t be around anymore. The Rocks’ Fury, the Oro Jackson and the Garling Galleon. Those were ships of old, with one of them even being tied to the Celestial Dragons, what was that kind of ship doing here of all things.
“Garp,” He muttered, looking at his best friend who looked way too relaxed for the fact that his grandson was about to be executed, “Why do I get the feeling this is your family again.”
The man in question just grinned, with Portgas looking just as amused, “You have no idea, Senny…”
He didn’t like the sound of that. Least of all when those ships managed to anchor next to the Moby Dick now appearing out of the depts. Newgate greeted the men, or woman, on the ship. With Phoenix Marco even flying over to hug Rocks tightly. Making Sengoku grind his teeth, there had been allegations that the blond Commander was related to the man he called father and the Calamity.
Strawhat’s ship and the Wind Granma appearing was even more worrying. He had no idea those two even knew about the other’s existance. Not to mention Crocodile and Buggy the Clown appearing on either ship.
Hawkeye, one of his Warlords, looked back before he was bound away. Swinging himself on a ship, which is when the Red Force also appeared.
Aokiji seemed to hesitate, “What is this?”
Kizaru, always more levelheaded, was on edge. Benn Beckman and he weren’t on the best of terms and going by what was going on, there was a large chance he would get shot (again).
Akainu, always the attack dog, was gearing up to pounce. Shooting up into the sky, not caring who he hit with his lava. Only to be stopped by a three-headed dog, which seemed to grin, darkening with haki before biting the man’s head off. A cultured voice spoke, even if a cloak hid the person’s identity, “Good dog, Ceberus.”
They were losing, and the battle hadn’t even started yet.
Only for matters to get much worse when Kong called, to let him know the Five Elders were dead. Sounding almost unhinged, before a wet sound was heard and Kong was silenced. Instead another voice sounded, “Thou are to be released by Godson, Fleet Admiral, or Mu will be appearing down there.”
Portgas Cackled, freeing himself where a blond who looked too much like him was pulling off guard clothes. Saluting Garp as they went, “See you soon, Grandpa!”
Garp laughed, “See you soon, brats! Tell your dad he owes me a rematch.”
Roger’s voice carried over the battlefield, “Just say when and where, Old Friend!”
Sinking down, Sengoku couldn’t help but feel like he was being played. Something had to be going on and he didn’t know what it was. “I’m retiring, effective immediately. I don’t care who does it, and I don’t think it matters, but I am not cleaning this mess.”
Eyes on him had him looking, palling at the sight of Newgate, Rocks, Roger, Rayleigh and Shanks standing there. The man who had wielded Cerberus came to stand next to the youngest Emperor, throwing back his hood and showing an almost identical face.
Shaking his head, he stumbled down to get away from all of this, “Nope, not doing this.”
—
The world was shown what had happened and what had been staged seeing as Marineford had been broadcasted and D’s weren’t exactly known to be quiet. Not that it mattered, as neither the Elder Stars nor the Celestial Dragons posed much of a problem after that. Not against this family at least.