AN: The family rule Kuzan recited in the last chapter is from the Naruto Dojinshi NHC, Chapter 165, and used with permission by Matt Wilson of deviantart dot com.

Thanks to our guest reviewers for your feedback! :) I know the next chapter will be most enjoyable

Japanese:
hakase – Doctorate title granted after a dissertation passed muster. As form of address, it can thus mean "doctor" or "professor". Natsuko (whose name means Famed Steely Water by the way) is usually addressed as Hakase due to having a proper doctorate (not just a professional) and being chief of the Naval Surgeons' College of Marineford. As her epithet, thus it usually means "Professor".
koibito – beloved, darling. form of address usually reserved to one's spouse or significant other.
neesan/-nee – older sister. form of address. The latter is rather familiar in nature.
Dai Senmei/Dai Senmeibukai – Great Military Name/Great Military Name of the Warring Seas. Name for a group of clans considered the military equivalent to the Tenryûbito, and why they are so is subject of this and the next chapter!

Onwards! Conspiracy Time!

We do not own One Piece - That is property of Eiichiro Oda

Chapter 26: Abyss of Despair

"Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, for as you gaze into the abyss for too long, the abyss gazes also into you." – Friedrich Nietzsche, "Beyond Good and Evil"

-Marineford: One week later-

I still cannot believe I am so at ease with all of this. As a former pirate, it should be far more disconcerting for Robin to put on an officer's cadet uniform every morning, but, as so many other things in the last two weeks, it just didn't, just like it made an awful lot of sense for her father to rise with the sun itself: it was near impossible to sleep when the cadets had their morning run at 0430, although she had a feeling that her father and her stepmother had by now the ability to sleep anywhere and anytime. Therefore, it was also not that much of a stretch to just get up with him to attend training. "So if I am getting this right, under normal circumstances, this is when you spar with Theo-hime, chichiue?" she asked, evading a palm thrust. In order to break her habit of using her devil fruit, she had agreed to a Seastone training pendant. Good grace, and I thought his fruit was already powerful! But this… to think he made vice admiral on hand-to-hand combat alone…

"Normal circumstance but even if you had not been here, she wouldn't be sparring with me due to her condition." He nodded at the side, where Theo was working on her forms in slow motion, and stopped. "You've made remarkable progress, indeed, you are about as talented as Via-kun is. You seem to have a question though."

"Rayleigh-san said that even if I would reach Raftel, I would probably not find the entire truth. And during the fight, he made allusions that the Navy is somehow connected to the Ancient Kingdom–" she slapped her mouth closed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that… should I?"

Kuzan chuckled and led her to a bench at the side. "This court is private – only the admirals, myself and anyone one of us allows here has access. It is for the express purpose of talking about things others shouldn't hear and training things not everyone should know. So, I take it you want your initiation as a Kumori, do you…?" At not getting an answer, he sighed. "The custom is that only if you ask you shall receive, otherwise, stay blissfully ignorant."

"Have there ever been a Kumori who requested to not know?" Robin inquired before holding up her hands defensively. "Not saying that I don't want to know but I'm just curious."

"To be precise, your situation is fairly rare. You are Kumori, but you did not grow up as one, like the vagrant I was, hence the need to ask." He sighed again. "I do not wish to burden you with anything you do not want. Consider it a poor attempt at making up for many harsh words and actions."

"You have no reason to make anything up for me," Robin attempted to comfort her father. "You saved my life back then and attempted to protect me. And when you saw my failures, you thought it best to stop me before anyone else could get hurt by my actions. That's good enough."

"Then why can't I sleep?" he whispered, more to himself than to her.

Robin bit her lip as she noticed that Theodora had paused in the form she was going through. "There was nothing that could be done in the past. No use worrying over it, right? We can't undo what was already done." Making up her mind, she hugged him gently. "I think a part of it all is the fact it just doesn't make sense… but it would be pointless to lay the entire blame with you, or Theodora. But please. That truth… it has haunted me all my life. My… mother… it's what she… left me for. It's what Ohara burnt for. And… I know it's what haunts a lot of people here on Marineford. I can feel it. So please? Just what is wrong with this world? Chichiue?"

"What happened with Ohara is complicated. You know of the warning of silence that is written on every Poneglyph, don't you?" The scholar nodded slowly. Grimly, he continued, "Scholar clans have a tendency to ignore it and just shout it out at the world, not even considering what that would mean for everyone else. But you are different. So you wish to truly know? Who we are and why most people are nothing but innocent guppies?"

"It's my birthright, isn't it? Something I am obligated to receive? If at least so I can be like others in our clan, then please I want to know."

Kuzan looked up, exchanging a look with Theo, who shrugged. What do you think?

It is her birthright, koibito. Let's do it after lunch then. I'd be too tired otherwise.

Very well. "We shall see to it after lunch. I think we still have some things to do before you continue your navigation training with Luna."

"Is there anything I'll need?" Robin inquired.

"An open mind and the ability to silence yourself, no matter what. As for Navigator's School, I've given you the tools for that earlier. It is imperative you stay silent about what you will learn today."

"Other than family, is there anyone I'd be able to talk about what I learn?"

"You will see soon enough." Shaking his head again, he got to his feet and offered her a hand. "Shall we get back to the kata?"

"I suppose it would be best to make the most of the time," the paramecia quipped as she adjusted the Seastone around her neck. Taking his hand, she got to her feet. "Let's continue, father."

-Flag officer's district-

Sakazuki stared in disbelief at what he never suspected he would be in anytime soon: a baby store. The announcement of his wife being pregnant had gone over well but that only opened the floodgates of well wishers and the comments about how he would prepare for fatherhood. What did not help was his brother-in-law's comments. "That crib looks awfully Spartan…"

"It is sturdy, the lines are strong and the make is solid," Sakazuki attempted to reason before Ace shook his head.

"I don't know shit about kids but look at it. If you were a baby, would you sleep in this?" He pointed to the stiff crib that the magma logia had stood next to. "Just because it's fireproof doesn't mean you should automatically pick this. Even with a lot of blankets, this isn't soft enough for a baby."

"I'm going to be bad at this," the vice admiral complained before motioning to the store's surroundings of fleece and wool blankets, stuffed toys, and cribs. "How am I supposed to know what a child, yet alone a baby needs?"

"Ask Gramps?" Ace advised before receiving a glare in return. "What?"

"From his parenting skills, I think he would attempt to liquefy a donut and shove it down a baby bottle."

"He didn't do too badly with us. Sure you're not just nervous?"

"Of course I'm bloody nervous. I never thought I'd have a child and with my past…" Ace sighed as he realized that the mood the vice admiral was in was very grim, stressed, and actually scared. "Having a support system in the way of friends and relatives is nice but I want our child to know their parents. And actually be able to be proud."

Ace raised an eyebrow. "I think despite me kind of being a pirate, I'd like to think Gramps is proud of me. I'm proud of the fact if he had to be a marine, at least he's a badass one."

"He's known as a war hero. That's quite a bit different than what I'm known as. One of the more precise ones is 'murderer volcano', jerk or even jerkass, the least flattering variant being 'jerkass son of a bastard who needs to be hanged by his neck'. If our fleet admiral was any less considerate than he is, I'd be the idiot he'd take out his political frustrations on. If I was even around that is. It's a miracle in itself that I'm still a marine, scratch that, that I'm still alive."

"Give yourself some damn credit once in a while, Saka-san," Ace sighed in agitation. "You passed didn't you? If you were as far gone as you thought, would you still even be alive? And the fact you're married to my sister. This parenting thing is a team effort unless one of you dies or whatever. Even then, the child won't be alone." He made a gesture at the city. "Look, I know about your matronage, and I know that means for your family having to stick to the rules that your protector gives. But have you not considered that they also have to take care of you? There are several reasons Dai Senmei have that many kids, one prominent one is being never short a babysitter or caretaker. This city is teeming with Danarans and their followers, and it's not like you don't have friends whatsoever. I'm sure the few you do have won't mind helping you. You haven't pissed someone off lately, have you?"

"The last one I did just blew me up in a spectacular yellow blast of light and was done with it. And I am not suicidal enough to ever anger either Kuzan or Shirotatsu." Sakazuki sighed. "I just have no idea how to do this."

"Pardon if I am saying that, but you are wrong on that matter. At least, you know one thing for sure." At seeing the magma man's baffled face, he smirked. "Well, from your life, you know all the things you shouldn't do as a parent, don't you?"

"I suppose… And that includes keeping weapons out of the nursery. Growing up, I remember things that I hated and would never wish that on a child, especially my own. I just pray that I do not fall in an attempt to avoid that."

"You'll be fine. Between Andy curbing your harsher side and the matronage, it'll go swell. Besides, I can't wait to be an uncle."

Sakazuki's melancholy was replaced by a scowl. "But no encouraging my child to be a pirate. That would go over horribly."

"Unlike you, I am not stupid enough to piss off the most powerful military family in the world just for the sake of a principle," Ace teased before turning more serious again. "Honestly, I doubt you'll ever live annoying the Kumori princess down, and I will not add to your troubles by talking big of piracy. In the middle of Marineford. Besides… the more of the pirate jerks I hunt, the more I feel there's something fundamentally wrong in this world… and I really don't wanna know. All it makes me do is think of my own father and ugh." He scowled immediately. "Plus if Andy ever overheard me talking about piracy to your kid, I don't think I'd make it alive. Especially with her mood swings now. Like seriously, what the hell? I mentioned how my flag needs to be re-sewed, asked if she could do it and she ripped me a new one. It's not even a Jolly Roger! Unless you count a crossed-out one."

"You didn't approach her with any food first, did you?" Sakazuki sighed. "The only 'pirate' she doesn't outright scowl about is your brother, Luffy, then she almost starts to cry. Then it's angry tears then she attempts to destroy something with her devil fruit since she can't spar." He then chuckled at the memory of his wife nagging her crew to sail around Marineford in her boat on a whim. "It's amusing to say the least since none of that anger so far has been directed at me."

"Yet," Ace muttered as he shoved a baby blanket towards the magma logia. "So, figure out what to buy yet? Store is about to close for lunch break."

"Fuck my life. I told Andrea I would bring home a couple samples too." Considering what was in front of him, he suddenly face-palmed. "I need to call the carpenter. Again."

"Then bottles too. How else are you going to feed the kid? Oh yeah, Andy made a list that she got from the admirals when she went to ask about any parenting supplies for a baby. Where'd you put it?"

Sakazuki's eyes widened fearfully. "I gave it to you…"

"No you didn't."

"Then where the hell is it?" Both of their eyes drifted towards the multitude of cribs and blankets, causing them to sigh. "Think she'll believe us if we told her we accidentally burned it?"

A throat clearing attracted both the logia's attention. "Looking for this? I saw it near the beginning of the store." Sakazuki immediately snatched the list from his friend's hands. "Not even a greeting? Or a thank you?"

"Good job finding this, Borsalino," Sakazuki snickered as he reviewed the list. "Is it just me or did this get longer?"

"I added things Suikô suggested. She knew I'd likely find you here and sent me along to find a present for the kid."

"Help us out here," Sakazuki growled before motioning towards cribs.

"Oh, about that, you might like to come to my house's Kura and check some stuff I've stored up. It should still be good mostly – some of the toys I gave my grandson, and some… well, my son was kind of careless as a kid, more than I am. Strangely enough, since he's more like Suikô-chan." He then motioned to Ace with amusement. "Also, wouldn't your wife's opinion be rather useful in terms of cribs seeing as she's going to raise your child with you? Don't give me the 'She's taking a nap' excuse. Lure her out with some cake. Garp did that the other day and it was funny but now I'm getting distracted. Anyway, blankets and clothing. Is it a boy or a girl?"

Sakazuki's eyes widened even further and he groaned, face into palm while Ace gasped. "And twins tend to run in my family too so…"

"They can't tell if it's twins this early, can they?" the vice admiral asked in an almost exhausted voice.

"Oh, I don't know, but seeing that both Natsuko and Robert Schweitzer are Observation Haki monsters, I wouldn't bet on that. I bet you didn't even ask, did you," the light logia stated, seeing the younger man's confounded face, and snickered again. "Oh dear. Isn't her appointment today? I need to seriously place a bet with the infirmary personnel."

"A bet I have the feeling I am the butt of," Sakazuki groaned before looking at the blankets one last time. "At least help me pick something before she attempts to make me sleep on the couch."

"She hasn't done that yet?" Borsalino asked in surprise.

"Ace is occupying the couch since the room being remodeled for the baby was the guest room. The other is our shared office space but I'd rather not aggravate my wife when I know that visiting the infirmary or hospital stresses her."

"It's a match made in heaven," the light logia drawled with amusement, dodging a half hearted punch from his friend.

-Meanwhile: Infirmary-

Andrea clutched her stomach, not out of pain, but out of the nausea that slammed into her. She was used to pain, anemia, and the headaches but feeling like she had to empty her stomach but unable to was the most annoying feeling ever. Worse, she knew that relaxing in general would help her by leaps and bounds, but she was completely unable to do so, making it worse, and accounting for Natsuko's mean grin. I wish I could punch your lights out, but sadly, even if I wasn't pregnant, I still am not at your level, Hakase.

"You know, part of the reason you're reacting so violently is the number of children you're pregnant with," the doctor mused. "Want to see the sonogram I made, or are you going to take me at my word, Andrea-kun?"

"I could guess I suppose. By chance, will it be twins?" She could not help but touch her stomach even though she was far from showing. "They run in the family, right?"

"Ding dong. One hundred points for Vice Admiral Oblivious. Honestly, I am kind of disappointed that you are incapable of sensing that – according to your file, you originally developed Observation naturally."

"I'm disappointed in myself too but since developing it, I never was around anyone with child so feeling the slight difference was something I had difficulty attempting plus the fact that the stress and headaches lately was making it difficult to focus on myself. Well, I can't excuse my ignorance now. I can only plan."

"You should really employ it regularly, especially since you now are with child, twins no less. It will tell you more about what you really need than any good advice I can give you." Natsuko handed her a few stapled sheets of paper. "Though, since we have the double trouble confirmed today, here's your dietary plan for the next few weeks. And a piece of advice from someone who knows – keep some crackers around. One of your current nausea problems stems from low blood sugar."

Although she had initially winced at hearing any word associated with diet, she breathed a sigh of relief as she thought on the crackers before chuckling. "And I'll keep my grandfather from them."

"The twins or the crackers?" Natsuko asked with amusement as she paced on the dietary plan and pointed at some particularly highlighted areas. "A good thing is that you've stayed away from consuming any alcohol and caffeine. Another is that you don't smoke since the less crap you put in your body, the better, smoke included."

"Essentially, anything slightly bad for me is even worse for the babies. Got it," Andrea nodded as she looked over the plan. "And I remember, no training or intensive activity. I don't… I don't even want to think of losing them. And to see Sakazuki's face crumble like that hurt more than any injury."

Before any more conversation could take place, both of them stiffened as they noticed a small presence, a sea eagle messenger's feathery descent overrode anything. "Looks very important. Attend to that now and I'll send anything relevant to today's visit in a gull later along with your next appointment details."

"Okay. Be seein' ya, Hakase-hakase." Andy nodded numbly, and opened the bird's note with an absent minded gesture. But the text left her gasping promptly. The Vaults. After Lunch. Be early. All it was signed with was a stylized seal of a cloud – the seal of the Kumori clan. So, it's time? She sighed, knowing that this had been inevitable, but at the same time, she felt… anticipation. So, the things may come to a head as far as the truth is concerned, eh? If you only knew, Robin-san. Oh well, after today, you will know. But noon? Curious time for that. Checking the time, the vice admiral bit her lip. Not much time to prepare but enough to at least stop at home and change. Telling Sakazuki the good news will have to wait. We've been called to the throne.

-After lunch-

Following her parents down the dark halls of Navy HQ's cellars was eerie for Robin to say the least: It had the feeling of descending into a… tomb. It's like a mausoleum… Not for people… but for what? What in the world would be volatile enough that it justifies building the headquarters of the greatest seafaring military on top of it? They came to a stop in a small, square-shape room that she was pretty sure to be some kind of antechamber, and what's more, nearly under the center of headquarters.

After what seemed an eternity, she noticed her father pause for a moment before holding up his hand. Before them, a pair of black stone doors which she numbly recognized to be just like Poneglyphs blocked any further progress, but when his bleeding hand (had he cut himself?) touched the stone, giggles erupted from the walls. "Why, if it isn't our warring king. Password please?"

Kuzan made a face, sealing his wound with ice. "Shut up and open the fucking door, you seafaring imbeciles. It's Thursday."

Robin blinked in confusion but her question she wished to vocalize was silenced by the doors opening. At Kuzan's side, her stepmother turned her hand into her element, causing it to emit a soft glow, enough to not falter in one's steps. Again, she followed their beckoning, this time down the hallway that the Poneglyph-stone doors had sealed, and found her suspicions about the room being an antechamber confirmed, as the next room was one completely darkened hall, vast enough that the light coming from the orb of Zero element with Theodora could not truly light it. Or maybe, there's something about this place that forbids light brought in.

With a clank, the doors fell closed, and Kuzan addressed his firstborn. "You seek the truth, the burden of the Kumori clan. Therefore, as tradition has called the last seven hundred years, let me ask you a question. Do you know where we are, who the Navy is, where it comes from, and on whose ruins we've built our organization? Why we write justice on our coats?"

Robin thought on the many texts, tomes and Poneglyphs she had gazed upon and examined with her own eyes, but none of that seemed to matter compared to those questions. "I…" She tried to compose herself as it would not do to be completely speechless. "Other than a very basic history, I wouldn't know anything that could answer those questions." Scrounging her memory, her throat ran dry as she realized she had no idea whatsoever of the origin of the Navy, as they seemed to always have been there. "I know nothing," she whispered hoarsely. "The entire world… has forgotten, that's why it's a secret."

"Not only because that, young one," Theodora stated gently, stepping back, and, with her husband at her side, she sat down on something that the darkness hid. "Let us show you who we really are."

"And why, in the end, we bow to no-one who does not deserve it," her father finished. With that, they placed their respective dominant hands onto some kind of stele between them… and from it, something akin to polar lights spread through the room, along the ground and the walls, in the form of Ancient Hand and Poneglyph Graph, enlightening the hall, and revealing that they were not alone. In two parallel lines, head-high steles engraved with Ancient Hand, now lit up with the same blue fire, formed a cordon before the pair, with some being accompanied by people, obscured by the same light.

Furthermore, the seating implements her father and stepmother occupied were… a pair of stone thrones, standing in the middle of a circle. "Just… just who are we really?"

Kuzan sighed, deciding he would stick to the traditional form. "Let me tell you the story of our honored ancestress, Kumori C. Aletheia, first Fleet Admiral and founder of the Navy, the first Princess of the Lost Arts of the Kumori clan… and last queen of Danara Marina. The Navy… is the result of a horrid conclusion, as is the World Government. The question is really, just how far would you take the phrase Seigi, the very justice the Navy believes in? Aletheia had to answer this question once with the most terrible of choices."

"What happened?" Robin asked quietly, unable to contain a few shivers that went down her spine at the thought of the words. "Wait… why… why would the last queen of the legendary ancient kingdom be the one to create the Navy?"

"Poneglyphs are forbidden to study for three reasons. Contrary to what your mentors believed, the World Government does not truly fear the ideals of the Danarans, otherwise, they would cease to exist themselves. Danarans revere love, justice, duty and honor above their lives. Always did, always will," he continued quietly. In the still air of the great hall however, his words were heavy. "The obvious reason even you can discern."

"The Three Divine Powers. The great weapons that were the ultimate expression of the knowledge of the Danarans," Robin sighed. "In the wrong hands, they have the potential to destroy the world."

"Correct." Grimly, he continued. "The second reason this knowledge is restricted is the fact that the world as we know it is, in a way, nothing but a lie. The official records of the end of the Void Century state that twenty kings from all over the Grand Line banded together and rebelled against Danara Marina, destroying the Ancients, and then established a new world order. But tell me something, musume. How can twenty measly kings from a bunch of medium-size islands defeat and utterly destroy a kingdom… that once ruled over half the world for over two centuries?"

"How much of the official records were correct? While investigating the few Poneglyphs I came across, I saw inconsistent statements but how many are there?" Robin felt a migraine strike her head.

"Take about 60 percent of them. The rest is propaganda to let the inhabitants of Mariejois look good. They did establish the new order, and they did defeat the last king of Danara Marina. Now, as you might know, Danara Marina was matrilineal… what is wrong with that story?" he smirked secretively. "And translate the word Mariejois from Ancient High Danaran to the modern language afterwards."

One of the things Robin had taken to like a fish in water was languages so she gasped at first. "I know I'm guessing at the wording but wouldn't it literally be 'to be sunk into the vengeful sea?' Sounds like they are unaware of the real meaning. Was it chosen as a warning? As for the king… an usurper? No…" Seeing the denial in her father's eyes, the puzzle started to take form. "Great Gods of the Sea… an usurper that isn't one… a Prince Consort and Crown Regent. The father stealing his daughter's throne, corrupting everything for his greed and lust for power… and corruption is treason."

"Also correct. Which leads to the third reason: The history of the Navy as everyone has forgotten. This knowledge is so volatile it would unmake all we have fought for the last 825 years for. Give or take a decade. Aletheia was the founder of the Navy, and thus its first Fleet Admiral, as such she is remembered. What people forget is that she was the rightful queen of the Danarans… a position she would never officially occupy. Her mother, the previous queen, had died when she had been but a child, and so, her father became regent. It was a fatal mistake. Danara Marina had, until then, had something of a rudimentary parliament – a council of representatives, either elected or inherited. Aletheia's father abolished the council and the cabinet, and eventually used the Three Divine Powers to wage war on anyone who was not yet under his rule. Once mere expressions of might, they became symbols of terror." He lowered his head. "He made the world burn."

"And Aletheia, whose name means truth, and who finally had grown into an adult, would not stand for it," Theodora finished. "As the crown princess, she had been the leader of the military and the nobility, and came to the terrible conclusion that her father was a traitor. A traitor to all their kingdom stood for, and therefore, was unjust. Maybe you know these words, uttered by one of the twenty kings that rebelled. 'To plunder, to slaughter, to usurp, they give the lying name of empire; and where they make a desert, they call it peace.' Such spoke Nefertari Rameses, king of Alabasta, and meant Aletheia's foolish father."

"How many ties did Alabasta have to the Kumori? I had indeed found similar references of those words but the supporting information was rather vague." Robin thought on the Poneglyph in Alabasta briefly. "The information I read to Crocodile, I did omit Pluton from my words. Too much information in that man's hands is dangerous to everyone, especially in a kingdom engulfed by his element."

"Rameses was just the most outspoken of the twenty rebellious kings. Let me continue," Theo sighed. "Aletheia had an ability that is considered as prized and dangerous as the ability of your former captain to make friends and allies wherever he goes, one your father and I share. Oath to Order. The ability to call people back to their original beliefs and principles… and remind them of their obligations, in less than a word. With this, you can inspire loyalty in all of your followers, and Aletheia did that with the nobles of Danara Marina. As I said, she had come to the conclusion that her own father was a traitor, and so, she went by an old Danaran saying."

"Which one?"

"The enemy of mine enemy shalt be my friend," Kuzan answered. "And thus, Aletheia made a truly terribly choice for her kingdom. With the support of the Danaran noble, judge and scholar clans, she propositioned the alliance of kings: For the sake of their lost justice, they would sell out their usurper king and corrupt kingdom, and cease to be Danara Marina as a nation, atoning for the sins of one terribly corrupt man."

"Suffice to say, that sounds simple, does it not?" a new voice cut in, causing Robin to turn to the side in surprise. Who… this must be Olivia. "But Rameses was not just perceptive, he was also paranoid, for just after he described the king to his compatriots with these murderous words, he continued on the matter of the proposal of the high clans of Danara Marina with, 'Do not trust the princess! Whatever it is she offers, I fear the Danarans, even when they come bearing gifts!' But as history showed, even he would eventually give in to the plea."

Robin took the lull in the story to look around, and was surprised at just who was into this. The number of steles, if one did not count the one between Theo and Kuzan, was 52 – the known number of Dai Senmeibukai clans. Don't tell me… And, grouped around certain steles in front stood quite a few people of standing within the Navy, ranging from the former fleet admiral Sengoku over Garp to Borsalino. The Dai Senmei are the Danaran nobles from back then. They all know about this… even Andrea-san and Sakazuki… no wonder they've changed so much… "The treason. It's the other reason Poneglyphs are forbidden – it is the ultimate embarrassment for the Tenryûbito. For any man who must say 'I am the king!' is no true king. They know all their power stems from promising justice to the lords of Danara Marina."

"Quite correct, both of you," Theodora praised her heiress and her stepdaughter before picking the story back up. "And when the twenty kings conquered their home, the former lords of Danara Marina sat on the sea that once had blessed them, and watched in remorse. But the choice had been their home or the world, and one who lives for justice will not choose oneself over the world. The conspirators had considerable power, indeed, without them, there was neither judicial nor military power to the Danaran king, for they were the military. And as they ceased to be lords of a nation, they became lords of a common cause, an organization that swore to roam the seas forevermore, for the sake of Seigi, righteous, honorable justice."

Kuzan leant forward, abandoning his lazy poise. "And now, let me ask you again, with this forgotten history in mind… Do you know where we are, who the Navy is, where it comes from, and on whose ruins we've built our organization? Why we write justice on our coats, my daughter? Do you know who we are?"

Robin looked around the room before her eyes glanced towards all the people aware of the truth. She then focused on the two thrones and gasped. "We're here, aren't we? In our old capital? This hall… is the old throne room of the royal palace… of Atlantis, first of all the great cities, capital of Danara Marina, once lying on the highest hill of the great island of Marineford." She took a shuddering breath. "We are amidst the ruins of Danara Marina."

(DO-DON!)