Chapter 108: Breaking the Buster Call. The Hero, Monkey D Garp!
As soon as the word got out that a buster call had been issued, vice admiral Garp had arraigned his crew back onboard their ships and ordered them to set sail. "We must get to Water Seven before the ten ships get there", ever since the sack of Mariejois Garp had been particularly invested in stopping any buster calls that were created. "We must get into place, we won't let mass deaths occur, even if we have to defy the government once more". And so Garp; along with Captain Hina, Lieutenant-Commander Django and Inspector General Gin Haijima, all set off for Water Seven. "After the show my bother put on nearly a decade ago I won't allow others to be inspired by revenge as a result of destruction brought to them". Hina swept her pink hair out of eyes before retting into into its ponytail, and then looking at Django next to her. "So Garp is worried about people emulating any Dragon King style retribution..." she mused, "Hina is surprised. Family is important and all but Garp rarely talks about them. The exception being his own father, Supreme Commander Kong". The last marine subordinate; Gin Haijima, simply looked out to sea and sighed flexing his fingers creating little bursts of rust to emerge from his fingers, before turning and walking towards the vice admiral at the helm. "Let's go. We need to heed our superiors plan".
Depending on where in EarthLand the Buster Call was issued, Garp had the time it took him and his three loyal friends to get their down to a T. Yet this time, the destination took him initially by surprise "why would the government sacrifice one of its three facilities..." Well technically four, of you counted the ruins of Ohara. Now the base of operations of Cipher Pol Agis Zero. But who did, it would mean having to accept another destructive act in the name of the World Government, and even though it was before his re-evaluation of his job; Garp still refused to set foot on Ohara despite his father's and his best friend, Sengoku's, wishes for him to move on up the ladder of navy leadership. As he turned over the papers on his desk Garp's eyes raked over a photograph of him, father, his brother and daughter. Also standing alongside them were Dadan, Makino, Luffy, Ace and Sabo; the three boys all children, were scowling at having been hard pressed into the original photo shoot, all dressed smart and blushing at the girls they had been getting the attention of, that day. As of this moment in time all those people were now spread amongst the world due to Goa's destruction by another 'goddam buster call', pirates, revolutionaries and emperors.
The journey to Water Seven was quick and easy; through the gates of justice, as Garp and his three subordinates were in Marineford; into the Tub Current and exiting at Enies Lobby before the final five minute sail to save the city of shipwrights from hell. Upon reaching the city, landing troops and finding that no other marine ships had arrived yet to carry out the buster call, Garp gave orders for Hina, Gin Haijima and Django to begin the salvation of the city from the uprising that had been started whilst he would remain wit his ships to eventually put down the oncoming cannon fire.
In the centre of Water Seven, a huge bonfire roared and atop it tied to crucifixes were shipwrights of Galley-La: Tilestone and Paulie, and in the centre was the beheaded body of the mayor Iceberg. Around the fire; laughing and dancing were the citizens of Water Seven joyfully celebrating their renewed freedom. Hina glowered at the sight before her. 'Pointless bloodshed', she mused thinking about the dubiousness and unlawfulness of the governments covert coup, walking forwards she raised her arms creating a large black cage putt of her arms which surrounded the celebrating mass of people. "Surrender all of you! You are all under arrest for the murders of three innocent men; the shipwrights, Paulie and Tilestone as well as the mayor of Water Seven Iceberg. An elite group of agents of Cipher Pol 9 played you all for fools, there won't be anymore freedom the government wanted things and uprising was a means to an end", the captain yelled her voice tearing cutting through the joy with authority and rage.
Seeing the horror appear n the faces of the former dissenters was painful to take in. Such was the realisation that they had betrayed their leader and his allies for what was, based on, lies and propaganda from government agents seemed to break the people's souls. Their homes, lifestyles and livelihoods were now forever tainted by guilt and shame. And within a minute of Hina's announcement the yells of sorrow and regret began; some of the people began prostrating to the dying Shipwrights as well as the dead mayor, and others took sharp object and scarred themselves as a reminder of their mistaken actions. However, two sword wielding citizens ruled off their shirts and committed seppuku, staining the ground with their blood and entrails, before cutting each others head off. That particular sight was too much for Hina, spinning around she dug her nails onto her arm trying to calm herself. "Soldiers! Arraign the ringleaders of this revolt aboard the prison ship, put out the fire and begin the reconstruction of the city! All the while making sure to keep an eye on the sea, if you see any navy ships approach fire up a red flare". As the marines hurried off to carry out their duties, two marine were left standing on the main square staring, uncomfortably, up at the bodies of the three dead men. Navy Cadets Helmeppo and Coby stood dressed in their blue and white uniforms, awaiting orders from the superiors whilst simultaneously glancing out to sea for the pirates that started this chaos. They would no doubt return to the scene of the crime, and with affection both young marines knew luffy would 'become the king of the pirates!' It was fate.
The sea was broiling as Garp stood at the bow of his flagship, preparing to head off against the oncoming ten battle ships. Taking out a small transponder snail from his jacket pocket he held it to his mouth before relaying something to his subordinates and the soldiers. Before they could get into formation, Garp began grabbing an assortment of varied sized cannon balls no then lob in them through the air at the oncoming ships. Each canon ball was coated in armament haki; meaning its destructive force was increased tenfold, the result being that the first in range ships were sunk before anyone on them knew what was happening. Onboard the ships, were the ten nearest vice admirals to Enies Lobby and whilst they hadn't expected to carry out a buster call they had been even less expecting to be attacked by one of their own. No less than by the 'Hero' himself. Taking evasive manoeuvres the remaining ships began returning fire but due to Garp's strength of haki, and resolve to stop the abomination from being carried out, the vice admiral found themselves being forced into a metaphorical corner. Between being sunken corpses by the hero, or return back to base having failed to uphold directives. Over the navies private communications, one of the ten vice admirals yelled angrily, and unwisely; "why are you stopping us, for tell us that the hero is like falling like the Knight did..." He didn't even get to finish his speech before a cannon ball struck him in the stomach propelling him right off his warship and straight into the sea. "I ain't quitting the navy!" Garp roared back. Seething at his implied treachery, as well as his brothers fall from grace. "I'm here to stop the navy from making a mistake!"
From the shores of Water Seven, the populace and marines gathered to watch their further salvation and the deference of Monkey D Garp. "He's really protecting us..." someone asked.
"Even after what we did to our leaders and our beloved shipwrights", another chorus of wails cried out. Tears followed as hundred of sets of eyes witnessed the hero fending off the battle ships with his bare hands, hurling cannon shot and haki coated detritus, on his own ship, at the attackers. "That's the way the vice admiral Garp operates," Django spoke walking forwards polishing his glasses on a scrap of cloth. "Garp is the honourable hero that all marines should aspire to be. Protecting the people, arresting criminals and upholding peace". The assembled populace looked awe inspired at hearing about the man that was protecting them; "I guess the torch of honour was passed from the 'Knight' to the 'Hero'", an elderly woman spoke looking fondly at an old newspaper article in her hands. "The Monkey D brothers..." Django and Gin Haijima kept their expressions stoic but privately they and Hina were glad that Garp wasn't there to overhear the woman's words; the fate of Monkey D James was still a sore subject for Garp as well as for the whole navy. Three of the four former admirals had left abruptly, two in open rebellion and one retiring. The last of the original four was the one the world called the Sentinel; Admiral Dimitri Pugachev. And he hadn't been seen in over forty years, yet he would return to public view with a devastating results.
Out of the corner the corner of his eye, Garp noticed, emerging from the gates of justice were two ships; one badly severely damaged and visibly limping through the waves and the other a marine warship towing it. Onboard the warship were two giants wielding battle axes and talking into what looked like a small transponder snail, and relaying something back to the other ship. A faint smirk appeared on the vice admirals bearded face and he refocused the flag atop the second ships mast, "You've finally gone and done it now luffy..." he muttered. "Killing a warlord and laying waste to Enies Lobby won't stop the government now". He then walked further up the bow of his flagship carrying a gigantic spherical iron shot before hurling it at the navy ships firing on him, "run away now! This territory is innocent from any pirate involvement. Leave now before you really see how destructive I can be". The huge tidal wave created by the thrown cannon ball, smashed into the navy battleships; crushing and splintering them like glass. And from where Garp stood, arm outstretched from throwing the shot, he could hear the screams of marines and the cries of shock and awe from the smaller pirate ship.