Chapter 41
Marco was seated by his father's side at their gang's base in Sphinx. They wouldn't use the manor for their meeting. Not when so many unknowns were joining this alliance. All the Commanders, minus Ace, were at his and Pops' back, all ready to chime into the meeting.
The annoying bastard Shanks was seated across him, grinning widely, while Benn Beckman sat at his side. Luffy, who had been panicky for some reason, was now settled after a chat between him and Shanks. He was seated next to Shanks, grinning away happily. Zoro seated by his side, with Nami next to them.
Next was Eustass Kidd and Killer from the Kidd Gang. They looked smelled strangely nervous, which was surprising, but Marco could only guess what that was about. Sabo was seated where Dragon would be, and that had caught Pops' attention.
"Dragon decided not to come?"
Sabo grinned. "Sorry, but there's too many people here. It's an opportunity for an assassination, or a kidnapping. We refused to let Dragon come."
Whitebeard snorted. "Really?"
"Yep, tackled him and everything," Sabo chuckled. "Don't worry, I'm here in his place."
Zeff and Mihawk also sat at their table. The last to join them though was Portgas D. Anne, Toshio trailing behind him. Pops straightened up the moment he saw them, and Anne nodded respectfully. Luffy and Sabo grew angry and cold at the sight of them.
"This gang could either be a disaster in the making, or the best idea we've ever came up with," Zeff grunted. "Either way, we all know why I'm here."
Pops nodded. "I can respect that. You and the Straw Hats are here for the Sanji kid. We've all got our own agendas during this alliance."
"You're going to deal with Marshall D. Teach, the one who has caused plenty of strife in Raftel lately," Portgas D. Anne said, frowning heavily. "We're here to see the Charlotte Family pay for fighting us."
"Why did you even invite them?" Luffy hissed. "They abandoned Ace!"
Sabo scowled. "As much as I dislike it, we could use the manpower I suppose."
The old Alpha woman growled lowly. "It's none of your business what goes on in our family-"
"Ace isn't your family! He's our brother," Luffy spat. "You've never even met him!"
"Thank his mother for that," Anne replied sharply.
Marco blinked, startled at that. Pops' frown grew heavier, but it was Ace's brothers who looked the most baffled.
"Why?" Sabo asked.
"Because Roger's father and Anne were fighting each other for years," Pops sighed. "Roger never liked his father. He left his family at a young age to get away from him. But Anne decided to hate anyone with the name of Gol."
"Roger's father was a cruel, vicious monster," Anne spat. "His own son was capable of that cruelness, and yet Rouge ignored my warnings. I told her if she mated with Roger then she would no longer be welcome home."
"Despite the fact it wasn't your call, Mother," Toshio growled lowly, the Omega's fangs growing. "I'm the head of our family."
"I'm the Matriarch and your judgement was clouded-"
"She was my daughter!"
"ENOUGH!" Pops barked, slamming his hands down on the table. "You two have been arguing for years over this! Anne should have stepped down from power years ago, but Toshio, you always backed down from that fight. Right now this is not what we're here to argue about however-"
"What did his father do that was so bad?" Sabo scowled.
Marco saw Pops sigh, and rub his forehead, grimacing.
"He was a serial killer," Anne said coldly. "His target? Omegas. He's the reason Rouge is an only child."
Marco clenched his fists. Toshio was a very kind person, and honestly wasn't very well suited for the gang lifestyle. The fact that somebody had deliberately attacked him for being an Omega was horrible.
"Stop-" Toshio warned. Panic, revulsion, and anger leaked from his scent, startled Marco.
He had never seen Toshio so upset. He was usually calm and sweet, reminded him of Ace at times when Ace was in a softer mood.
"He stabbed Rouge's own father's womb while he was pregnant, ruining it, and Rouge still mated to the bastard's son!"
Marco froze. He saw Izo lower his hands to his stomach, growing pale, while Nami trembled in her spot, distress leaking from her. Luffy immediately grabbed her hand, clutching it tightly. Toshio slumped into his seat, burying his head in his hands, and Pops looked ready to yell again, eyes burning.
"Monkey D. Garp and I worked together, and finally, we killed him," Anne scowled. "But during those years, he murdered one hundred and thirty Omegas, and seventy-one pups. Including his own Omega."
"And let me guess," Sabo sneered. "You blame Ace as you did Roger."
"Well." Anne smirked. "He did pretty much kill Rouge. If he hadn't been conceived, Rouge could have gotten herself out of East Blue-"
Marco saw red and snapped.
.::.
Before anyone could say or do anything, Marco was out his seat. Whitebeard didn't stop him. Anne had gone too far. Marco punched her, sending her crashing out her chair, and marched after her, growling. Toshio didn't even stand up, he slumped in his seat, exhausted. Whitebeard didn't blame him. Anne was a difficult woman to deal with at the best of times, and she had just blurted out his worst nightmare for everyone in their alliance to hear. Half of whom were strangers to the Portgas family.
"DON'T YOU DARE YOI!" Marco snarled. "YOU SAY THAT AGAIN! I DARE YOU!"
Everyone looked shocked. Apart from Ace's little brothers. Their faces were dark and vengeful. Whitebeard however wasn't. His son was good at controlling his temper, but when someone ignited it, it was bad. Just as bad as Ace's.
"Marco! Fucking hell!" Fossa yelled, racing over to drag Marco back. "She's an old granny!"
"I'll punch her too!" Luffy leapt out his seat, cracking his fists.
"How dare you say that about my brother, you spiteful bitch-" Sabo hissed.
"Yeah! How fucking dare you!" Thatch rushed to Marco's side, but Fossa grabbed him too, snarling.
"You try it!" Anne barked, spitting out a tooth as she stumbled to her feet. "I'll have you all gutted in your sleep!"
Whitebeard growled lowly, slamming his bisento down. "We might be allies, Portgas. But don't you dare threaten my children!"
"I'll threaten anyone who hits me!"
The Roronoa boy drew his swords, ready to back his boss up. Shanks looked just as ready to jump Anne, but Benn was clinging to his shoulder, keeping him in his seat. Just like Zeff said, this was turning into a disaster, and all because Anne just had to open her damn mouth.
An angry onslaught of Omega ploughed into all of them. Whitebeard flinched. It felt like he had just been told off by his mother, a lovely woman he hadn't seen in god knows how many years. Whitebeard looked towards his doorway, and chuckled. Monkey D. Dragon marched into the meeting room, scowling.
Everyone else froze in place, staring wide eyed at Dragon.
"See, Sabo?" Dragon huffed. "I told you I should have been here."
Sabo groaned. "I thought Koala had you locked up."
Dragon snorted. "Oh yes, the whole 'for my own protection' thing. I disagreed, so I broke out."
Whitebeard threw his head back and laughed.
This was the most interesting meeting he had gotten in years.
He was going to have words with Anne after this meeting though, because if she thought that she could get away with insulting both Rouge and Ace in one breath. The idiot had another thing coming.
If she ever thought to even utter the words near Ace, he would shoot her down himself. War or not. Ace had enough to deal with.
Whitebeard almost frowned, but forced himself not to. No weakness in front of all the new upstarts. But dammit did he want Ace home safely. To have him close again.
He missed his son.
.::.
Zeff took his hand reluctantly off his gun, but still glared as the old woman nursed her cheek. Cursing, she sat back down.
"Not another one," she complained, glaring at the tooth on the ground.
"You brought it upon yourself," Toshio muttered.
"Don't you start," she scolded.
"You started it, you spiteful old hag."
In Zeff's humble opinion, she deserved worse. Blaming a child for their parent's death. Rouge, if she could have, would have clawed her way out of her grave to give Anne a piece of her mind. Marco was marched back to his seat by the Whitebeard's carpenter, and pushed back down into it. The chef was dumped right at the back of Marco's chair. All while Dragon took his seat at the head of the other side of the table. A bold move, but surprisingly not one Whitebeard complained about. Whitebeard only grinned. Sabo now stood at Dragon's side, looking rather smug.
"This is not the time for us to bicker," Dragon said firmly. "We've all worked together before, perhaps in different circles, but that shows that we're capable of more. What we can do now can ensure the freedom of Omegas again. Tell me this, who knows an Omega that is suffering under the new laws?"
Everyone's hands went up, including Zeff's own. He was surprised Mihawk was playing along, raising his hand too.
"And who here wishes to see it continue?" Dragon asked.
All hands went down.
"The Charlotte Family has invited all the top gang members that enforce those rules to her wedding party, and each of them have targetted at least one of us," Dragon said, frowning, tossing multiple copies of the guest list across the table. "Buggy the Clown has gotten us information on all the main guests. Our targets."
"Kaido," Sabo began. "He will be bringing King, Maria, and Yamato with him. There is also mention of a fourth guest, but unnamed."
"Unnamed yoi?" Marco frowned.
"Apparently Buggy couldn't find out anything more on their mysterious guest." Shanks shrugged. "He's a bit annoyed about that to be honest."
"No wonder," Marco snorted. "He always likes to know things yoi."
Zoro growled lowly. But Luffy's face was the one that hardened.
"The Vinsmokes are who we're after. We need to get to Sanji, and I guess he'll be with them?"
"No," Sabo shook his head. "He'll be at the wedding altar. On top of the cake."
Zeff blanked. Did he just hear that correctly?
"On top of the what yoi?" Marco blinked.
Thatch shook his head, groaning. "How hard is that cake?"
"Yeah," Sabo grimaced. "Apparently it has stairs on the back of it for the bride and groom."
"I'm going to pretend I heard none of that," Zeff groaned.
"I can't unhear that!" Thatch sobbed. "What the hell?"
Whitebeard reached over and patted Thatch's back soothingly.
"Law's going too?" the masked guy interrupted them, and Zeff was thankful for the distraction.
Shoes on the damn wedding cake. They'd have to drag Sanji up those steps before he stood on food.
The younger red head startled. "Law?"
"Yes," Sabo said. "Hopefully we can find out from Law what happened to Ace. Doflamingo's bringing Law and Vergo to the wedding."
"And then there is Teach," Whitebeard announced. "Teach is bringing Laffitte and Shiliew with him. My gang will be handling them."
"No! I change my mind. I'm going after Blackbeard!" Luffy snapped.
Zeff almost groaned. Mihawk nodded, looking thoughtful. The Whitebeard gang was eyeing Luffy coldly, but Sabo nodded.
"We're beating him up," he said.
"Yeah," Luffy grinned.
"Teach is mine to deal with," Whitebeard growled lowly, the old Alpha baring his teeth. "He's attacked my family-"
"Ace was our brother before he was your son," Sabo argued.
"Yeah! If anyone gets to kick his ass, it's going to be us!" Luffy nodded. "I'll fight you for it!"
Nami groaned. "Please don't."
"I'm the one who found out he was evil first," Shanks said, pointing at the scars across his eye. "I should be the one to fight him."
"Shut up, Shanks! I'll kick your ass!" Luffy snapped.
Shanks stuck out his tongue. "With your punches that are like pistols?"
"I was a kid! You jerk," Luffy protested, blushing.
"I've never seen Luffy look so embarrassed before." Zoro grimaced.
"Me neither," Nami said, wincing. "It's weird."
Dragon sighed. "Honestly, as long as Blackbeard is defeated. Does it really matter?"
"Yes!" An echo of voices yelled out.
"I'll be taking on Big Mom."
They all turned to Toshio, who tilted his head. "The Portgas Family have had enough of her. She's mine."
"Heh, guess I'll take on Doflamingo then." The younger red haired kid smirked.
Shanks snorted. "You barely put up a fight against me."
The younger Alpha growled. "You may have cut off my arm, you bastard. But I will have my revenge."
"I'm terrified," Shanks laughed.
"Eustass Kidd," Whitebeard called out.
The red haired kid startled.
"Why did Trafalgar Law try to rescue Ace?"
.::.
Sabo had to admit. He was still curious about that answer. Kidd had been surprisingly evasive last time, almost worried.
Just like he was now. Sabo had never seen the red headed Alpha so nervous. Kidd actually looked almost ready to retreat, much to everyone's bewilderment. Killer looked ready to join him, despite the fact he was wearing a helmet and none of them could see his face.
His body language said it all instead. Leaning away from them, arms crossed tightly, fidgeting constantly. His scent was full of agitation and worry.
"Ace wasn't hurt, right?" Thatch asked, frowning.
"No. He was fine."
"Are you sure?" Whitebeard asked, tilted his head. "Because Ace called home in a panic and tried to get a message to Marco before Teach cut him off. Ace never calls home when he's with Teach. He rarely calls anyone."
Kidd faltered. "He's healthy. Just needed outta there for something important. Important at a later date... I think?" Kidd grimaced, tilting his head. "I dunno, never really had to deal with anything like this before."
"Deal with what?" Sabo asked.
"Uhhh..." Kidd and Killer shared a look.
"Just tell us, Jaggy!"
"Don't order me about, you little shit."
"Stop being an ass and tell us then." Sabo smirked.
Kidd didn't rise to the bait however. Surprisingly, he and Killer threw each other another look. Whitebeard raised a brow, but shook his head.
"Fine, if they aren't bringing it up then I doubt it's important right now." Whitebeard's eyes hardened. "But if we find out that Ace was in serious danger and you refused to tell us-"
"Hang on a sec," Kidd grumbled, grabbing Killer's arm, and dragging him out the room.
Sabo blinked.
Well that was odd.
Whitebeard nodded towards Marco who got out of his chair and followed Kidd and Killer out.
.::.
Kidd waited until they were far away from the door to speak.
"Do we tell them?"
"You're the boss here," Killer said.
"Yeah, but how the fuck am I meant to tell that insane family that Phoenix is gonna be a daddy in like eight months?" Kid scowled.
"I'm going to be a what now?"
Kid froze. He hadn't heard any footsteps, or smelt a scent approaching. As one, he and Killer turned around slowly, seeing Marco the Phoenix standing there, staring at them with wide eyes.
"Oh fuck," Kidd cursed.
So, it might have been noticed that updates on all my stories have been ultra slow! Sorry about that, real life has gotten hectic lately with publishing my first book, The Wardens of Strar, seeking out a new job/trying to make up own business (because I'm not getting enough hours at work), my family becoming sick and it's all passing around (thankfully not Covid), birthdays, family reunions (which is probably where we caught the cold from o.o Yes they've been small, like one or two people visiting at a time, but yeah xD) and we also got a new puppy! So yes, all hectic and story writing has taken a backseat.
Hopefully we'll reach some kind of normality again soon o.o
Now, for everyone who has supported The Wardens of Strar, by either buying a copy of the book (which is amazing, thank you so much!) or even just liking my page or sharing the news; thank you so much. It means so much to me and the support has been brilliant. I'm working on books 2 and 3 so I hope to see everyone who has bought a copy on the new journey in The Wardens of Strar series 3 Thank you all again, you've been amazing!