I know it's been a long time since I last updated this story. I do have some (kinda) good reasons for it. First, after the fiasco that was working on Paper Monsters, I just needed to stay away from writing anything Law-related for a while. Then, when Oda revealed the story of how Law met Bepo, Shachi and Penguin in a SBS, I wanted to add it into the 'verse, but I had to find a way to explain why Bepo is the only one who knew Sengoku was Law's grandfather. I got something half-decent thought out. It might not even appear, but that's me plotting.

So here I am now, with a new update. This part will have several chapters, I'm still not sure how many because I haven't written them yet (though I have ideas), but it's been so long I decided to upload the first one as soon as I wrote it.

Chronology: we don't know when, exactly, Law became a Shichibukai, but I doubt he spent too much time as one. Let's say two months before the Strawhats' reunion at Sabaody.

I hope you enjoy it :)


The Shichibukai: Revelations

Sengoku reached out for another cracker and was unsurprised to find the plate empty. He nudged Garp with his elbow.

"If you're going to eat them all, at least bring more."

Before Garp could respond (complain, telling Sengoku to do it himself, then comply after Sengoku kicked him out of his chair), a soldier hurried over with two large bags of crackers.

"Why are you two here? You're retired," Sakazuki asked them, apparently done pacing around the room and muttering about how this was an unnecessary waste of his time.

"We don't need your permission to be anywhere, brat," Garp snapped at him. He ripped one of the bags open and proceeded to ignore Sakazuki in a very obvious manner.

Sengoku met Tsuru's eyes across the table. It had taken months before Garp could be in the same room as Sakazuki without violence involved after Marineford, and both Sengoku and Tsuru knew it wouldn't take much for Garp to forget the promise Sengoku had extracted from earlier him about not attacking Sakazuki. Sengoku had refused to let Garp tag along for this trip otherwise.

Fortunately, Sakazuki was no idiot. While Sakazuki scoffed at the reason why Garp hated him, he knew that Garp wouldn't hesitate to attack if provoked, and he also knew that was a fight he wasn't likely to win.

Giving one last disapproving glare in Garp's direction, Sakazuki turned to Sengoku.

"I thought you hated the Shichibukai."

"It's more a matter of hating most of the individuals who become Shichibukai," Sengoku replied, opening his own bag. He didn't mention that he also had his doubts about whether or not the benefits of the organization outweighed its danger; he didn't want to get into that argument. Besides, even if only for today, he was grateful for the position's existence.

"And you don't hate this one?" Sakazuki asked, contempt clear in his voice.

Next to Sengoku, Garp scoffed and nearly choked on his food.

Sengoku shared the sentiment.

In Sakazuki's mind, after Marineford Law had risen considerably in the scale Sakazuki used to measure how much he despised a criminal. Sakazuki hadn't been pleased when the Gorosei had decided to appoint Law as a Shichibukai. However, Law had surpassed by far all the other candidates that had been interested in becoming a Shichibukai or those that had been considered for the position by the Gorosei before the arrival of Law's… present.

And yes, Sengoku had laughed quite a lot when he had heard about the stunt with the hearts. It had explained why Law had appeared so often on the newspapers the previous weeks.

Law's presence finally reached the room, and he walked in followed by a very nervous-looking commodore.

"I gather you don't like me much, Sakazuki," Law said with one of his most infuriating smirks in place.

Sengoku sighed, completely unsurprised to learn Law hadn't developed a single ounce of a self-preservation instinct, and readied himself to intercept Sakazuki if Law riled him up too much.

"You're a loose cannon, and I don't like that," Sakazuki told Law. That had actually been, as Sengoku had learned after the decision was made, Sakazuki's main reasoning to reject Law's appointment as a Shichibukai: he had argued that someone crazy enough to enter the battle of Marineford to save an enemy was too much of a wild card, and would prove unreliable if the Shichibukai were called to fight again.

Sakazuki was right, of course, though Sengoku hadn't said it. Sengoku didn't know what, exactly, Law intended to accomplish by becoming a Shichibukai, but Law wasn't the type who wanted the position to settle down in any kind of fashion (be it to give security to an island, such as Hancock, or to play puppet master in half the wars in the world like Doflamingo).

Before Law could reply, Garp jumped out of his chair and practically bounced over to him. Law's smirk didn't waver, but Sengoku knew him well enough to see the apprehension flicker in Law's eyes. Understandable, given how many stories Sengoku had shared with him about Garp.

"Law, right?" Garp greeted cheerfully, clapping Law on the shoulder with the kind of strength that would have sent most people to the ground. Sengoku felt absurdly proud when Law didn't even stumble. "Thanks for saving Luffy!"

"No need for that, it was just a whim," Law replied nonchalantly, which for some reason made Garp laugh.

Sengoku saw Sakazuki's face tense further. Sengoku could sympathize, really: Law had just made himself look even more unpredictable by denying any substantial reason for saving Monkey D. Luffy two years ago. Sengoku was so glad he wasn't the Fleet Admiral anymore.

"If you're done playing nice, Garp," Sakazuki growled, glaring at them.

"Nah, not at all." Garp waved him off. "Do you have any idea how long I've wanted to meet this kid?"

Oh, fuck, Sengoku thought, yet he couldn't find it in himself to be surprised. Law was still smirking in amusement, the apprehension over Garp's proximity gone. Across from Sengoku, Tsuru shook her head, but she looked amused enough as well. As for Sakazuki, he looked both angry and puzzled. Sakazuki opened his mouth, and Sengoku was certain that he was about to ask something stupid like 'since Marineford?' Nobody would be able to stop Garp if that day was mentioned.

Sengoku made a quick decision.

"Almost ten years," Sengoku said, and Sakazuki whipped his head around to stare at him. "Law is my grandson."

"Adopted," Law amended, knowing him probably half to prevent some questions and half to be an ass.

Sakazuki blinked, staring at Sengoku as though he had never seen him before.

"Your grandson," he repeated finally, his voice even. That was never a good sign with Sakazuki, it was the kind of even voice that preceded a bout of self-righteous yelling.

Sengoku wasn't in the mood for that.

"Unless I missed some extremely screwed-up law, it's not a crime to take care of an orphaned child," he said, and waited for Sakazuki's predictable response.

"He's a criminal."

"That started two years ago."

Everybody turned to stare in shock at Tsuru, the one who had spoken. Sengoku sent her a grateful look. The only ones aside from Sengoku who knew of Law's past involvement with the Donquixote Pirates were Tsuru and Garp, and Sengoku knew Sakazuki wouldn't care at all about the circumstances that had led to that: he would use them to claim Law had already been a criminal as a child.

"You knew about this?" Sakazuki demanded, even more outraged now.

"I learned about Law at the same time as Garp did, yes. He was just a kid back then."

Law's muttered 'I was sixteen' was lost in Sakazuki's much louder and more indignant response.

"Is that why you lot wanted to be here?"

"Of course," Garp said, and Sengoku could see clearly how much he was enjoying Sakazuki's outrage. "I've wanted to meet the kid since forever, but Sengoku never let me tag along." He clapped Law on the shoulder three times again, and Law didn't wince, but Sengoku saw the barely-contained grimace. Garp didn't know how to control his strength.

"It's been a while since I last saw Law," Sengoku added, not bothering to add a date. While now, in his new position, he had no obligation to arrest a criminal, he technically should have arrested Law the last time they met, after Marineford.

"I've been curious about the boy as well," Tsuru said calmly, then fixed one of her no-nonsense stares on Law. "Also, do you have any idea how much work you've given us?"

Law managed to shrug despite Garp's hand on his shoulder.

"I'd say I'm sorry, but I don't like to lie."

Garp laughed again, and Sakazuki looked about ready to explode.

Sengoku sighed.

"Let's get the formalities over with, shall we? I'd like to spend some time with my grandson," before he goes off to do whatever crazy thing that made him decide to become a Shichibukai, he added silently.

"Oh! We could take him around for a tour!" Garp suggested happily.