Sorry this took so long. It was a difficult chapter to write. I hope everyone can understand. Anyways enjoy!
The trek seemed long but it was only a mere ten minutes before they reached her grandfather Sengoku's office. At the end of the room was an afro wearing fleet-admiral in white. His teeth were clenched, his eyes narrowed but the vertically challenged woman knew deep down it wasn't at her. It was because two tall men stood before his desk. They too wore black suits but not in the marine fashion. One of them wore a top hat while the other, donned a high collared jacket with his features hidden under the bill of his cap.
The fellow with the top hat was a normally tall athletic gentleman. Handsome features with a shaved goatee. He stood on the left side of her grandfather's desk. His hair was shoulder length and curly like Kuzan's. Katie blinked was she tilted her head off to the side. The young woman eyed a white pigeon with a red tie before switching to the other tall, strong, orange blonde haired official. She paid little mind to the long square nose of his but her eyes spotted the callouses on his fingers as he stood in a relaxed manner with his hooks resting on his hips.
So they sent a swordsman and a boxer of some sort, she thought noticing the gentleman with the pigeon's stance. He was squared having his sense of balance perfected. The raven-haired fighter's feet were flawlessly spread apart. Even in a seemingly relaxed state with his hands folded behind his back, he was on guard.
The light colored haired man approached or at least tried. He merely got three steps towards the woman before being blocked by one Kizaru; whose eyes narrowed downward as he bent at the waist. A motion Katie had seen prior but this time she was sure it was to show the massive difference in height, possibly authority as well.
"~Oh-ho…~", the admiral spoke up with a relaxed smile ever present in his expression. "~She's not to be approached yet, you know? This is still a marine headquarters and I'm sure I still have jurisdiction unless you'd like to challenge that directly~?" Confidence exuded off Borsalino as he dared the square nosed interrogator.
The admiral stood to his full height as a dark shadow casted over the smaller man. "~No~? Tch", the officer clicked his tongue in his usual fashion. "~Well this is boring~", the nearly ten-foot marine scratched his head. "~I guess the only thing these guys are good at is beating up women who can't fight back~."
The officer's taunt struck a nerve. Both men in black suits grimaced. Katie stuck her head out from behind the tall admiral and waved to her grandfather before returning. She remained quiet, much to Kizaru's relief. It was good to see she took Sakazuki's warning to heart.
In came another man, noiselessly. He was tall with short jet black hair. His white long coat had been zipped nearly all the way up with a nice crisscross quilted design embroidered into it. Underneath the high collared coat was a powder blue button up with a darker naval blue tie. What caught the woman's eye was both his odd zigzagged side burns and the tea spoon stuck to his cheek. Aside from his quirky appearance, the man was rather intimidating. His broad size and silent steps spoke more about the range of his skill than his silly side.
The smaller petite female continued to gaze upward at the man wearing sunglasses. Once he glanced down she politely pointed to his cheek. Briefly the marine appeared surprised as he removed the spoon. He cleared his throat after making such a trivial blunder before returning his arm behind his back while the other was bent at the chest. It was then Katie witnessed the man carrying a bamboo stick that had been tucked under his arm. Blue hues blinked before coming to the realization, he might have been the most dangerous of the three newcomers.
The fleet-admiral's granddaughter finally felt the weight of her imprisonment when Sengoku stood and with a poker-face declared she was under arrest during an investigation of information. Those in the room were sworn not to utter a word of those involved. Breaking of such law would result in incarceration at Impel Down with an indefinite sentence.
The fleet-admiral's chest felt hot and it took so much discipline to swallow down the lump burning inside his throat. With his honor at stake as well as how his subordinates saw him, the nearly broken man had to remain stoic. He was a leader but that didn't relieve any of the weight the title carried. The grandfather felt part of his soul die in that moment when his dark eyes spotted her blue hues shrink. He wanted to drop everything and tell her it was all going to be ok; that there were a fleet of upper marine echelon fighting for her but yet the man had to remain unmoved. Silenced by his orders.
Katie herself had to dip her head and try to use every memory of both of her grandfathers to drown the man she loved unconditionally, out. All the young woman could recall was the men had promised since that day nine years ago, she'd never suffer alone. No one would ever hurt her again yet only a week has passed since the brunette's arrival and she had been already nearly killed. Now arrested for doing nothing wrong. The blue eyed female hated to admit it but her distrust for the Marines was deepening.
The twenty-three year old was actually angry by this point. At everyone. Even the people that stood next to the little woman but most of all, the man in front of her who placed duty above family. Katelyn felt like she was drowning. What was the point of saving her if all he ever did was give her away to those who were all too happy to antagonize her, make her bleed, lie about her, and try to ruin her dreams?
"Vice-admiral Vergo, I hereby relinquish custody of one Laurel M. Katelyn into your care by recommendation of Admiral Aokiji; for the period of twenty-four hours." The tall head officer reached out a file towards the man in white clad. The marine took his orders and turned on his heels to rejoin Katie's side.
The young woman was stunned to hear it was only going to be twenty-four hours. The usual protocol was forty-eight. Someone pulled strings, she thought. It could have been a number of people, either of her grandfathers… No, she continued to think. If grandpa Garp knew about this, he'd be peeling heads off. It could have been any of the admirals or Sengoku. "At the end of the twenty-four hour period we will reconvene with this hearing."
The two men clicked their tongues at the time frame. How Sengoku managed to only get twenty-four hours, was beyond them. To further their handicap in the situation, as if to add salt to their injury, the two of them weren't going to be able to do as they pleased. Vergo's presence added an additional hindrance to their orders which was to let her have an accident during the interrogation. Katie was an embodiment of a blemish on the World Government's record and wanted her erased; at least Kane did.
For Vergo, this couldn't have been any better of an opportunity for him. The man knew very well how important the granddaughter of the fleet-admiral was as well as seen the legal documents from Garp as her legal grandfather. If he wanted to ruin the men, he could very well let her die in the interrogation. At least from the two men they sent, that was exactly their superior's intention. He wasn't so incompetent to not see their goal. It's another reason Aokiji sent him, and him alone. Someone from G-5 already had reputation for not completely abiding by the rules. If the vice-admiral saw fit, he could easily get involved on a whim.
Unfortunately, in the long run it would only serve to come back to bite him, if he let the government have their way. No, he'd have to watch over her and not let feral dogs get too wild. It would solidify admiral Aokiji's trust in him, possibly earn a name for himself in good terms with Sengoku, and give him more freedom to carry out Doffy's orders since he was already having to be under the spot light with the G-5 unit.
If only the vice-admiral could convince them to let G-5 become a splinter cell in the Grand Line, he could do as he pleased without having to come to Marineford and report in so often. The man was already burdened with travel every two weeks from the Red Line to reveal his men's actions and progressions. This was the door to gain that sort of freedom.
The marine left Katelyn's side to collect the shackles and hood that had been brought. The vice-admiral knelt quietly at her feet. Surprised, Vergo lent a hand as she stepped into them. The man had honestly expected the woman to act as a normal woman should but the brunette did not. There were no protests or tears. No cursing or begging. Not a sound was uttered.
Gingerly the tiny female took his supporting hand and cooperated accordingly. He could feel the fear radiating through her fingertips. She was trembling uncontrollably. The woman's shivers came in waves. The officer knew then, the female was doing her best to control herself.
The click of the lock around each ankle echoed through the room. Not a single man moved. Sengoku felt as if each lock were clasping over his own heart while Borsalino seethed with vengeance. Each clack was the sound of the conventional nail driven into two strangers' coffins. They'd be lucky to make it out of Marineford alive.
Before Vergo could rise, Katie stopped him with a ginger smile and a soft hand to the shoulder. Quickly her fingers worked to adjust his tie. "There…", the long haired brunette continued. "Now you can go on", she added tenderly before folding her hands behind her back.
The gesture may have been small but every marine in the room clearly received her message. She didn't blame them. The woman wasn't going to hold the officers accountable or hold ill thoughts. It was as if this tiny person was ushering them on to do their work with a compassionate expression despite their own system wrongfully hounding her.
The brunette's heart ached but despite how mad and frustrated she was, the young woman knew deep down this was killing Sengoku. Katie surmised he was doing his best, so should she. A brave face was put on. She looked upwards at them with a beaming expression. "I'll see you tomorrow", an optimistic tone left Sengoku's granddaughter's lips. Those very words shattered the fleet-admiral's heart and soul.
Borsalino felt an emotion he hadn't in so long. He wanted to forget it was even there. The admiral was taken back to the very moment he discovered Angela had disappeared. Fear. He was scared of what was going to happen to Katie. Just like in her mother's encounter, there was nothing he could do to stop it.