Chapter 22: Chatter
With the island evacuated of all threats and Smoker handling the responsibilities of their mission, the Franky Family and Swanda had loitered at Enies Lobby for longer than strictly necessary to let Aqua Laguna pass. Oimo and Kashi kept watch over the ships to let their crews get some rest, but the Straw Hats kept their eyes focused on Robin and Lucas—who was completely vulnerable for the first time since they'd met him—still wary of any threats literally coming out of thin air.
They finally allowed themselves to relax when the ships set out at dawn, the giants following on a makeshift raft, with smooth sailing back to Water 7 and a warm reception by the mayor at the Blue Station when they arrived. Though the state of the place had several jaws dropping.
"What the hell happened here?" Paulie demanded, staring at a notice board that had been ripped apart. "Aqua Laguna's never been this bad before!"
"No, it hasn't," Iceburg agreed grimly. "I've already started drawing up plans for a more permanent solution, but for now, the city needs all the help it can get."
"NO PROBLEM!" Tilestone boasted. "WE'RE READY TO GET BACK TO WORK!"
"Just point us where you need us, sir," Lulu agreed.
"Zambai, everyone, you guys help out, too," Franky said as he disembarked. "I'll catch up with you later. Right now, I've got a keel to save."
"Ah," Iceburg said quietly, the word almost a gasp. He frowned in consideration before nodding. "Paulie, it seems I'll need to take care of something as well. I'll be gone for a few hours; you're in charge until I get back."
"Yes, sir!" Paulie saluted. "Oimo, Kashi, we could use your muscles. Will you help us out?"
"Give us a boat when we're done, and we'll call it even," Kashi grinned.
"It's a deal," Iceburg nodded.
As the Straw Hats disembarked, Chopper carrying Lucas in his arms, Iceburg pointed to their borrowed bull, already docked nearby. "I've arranged lodgings for all of you at Galley-La Headquarters. Sidon already knows the way. But goodness, what happened to him?"
"Let me, Iceburg. It's a long story."
Nodding gratefully to Franky, the Straw Hats got onto the bull, Paulie leading the Franky Family and giants down a different path while Sodom and Gomorrah pulled away to swim back to the Franky Family's cape. The Swanda departed to return to Dock 2 as everyone else dispersed; in short order, only two men were left at the station, and one immediately turned to look at the other.
"Franky," Iceburg said quietly and grimly. "I heard a disturbing rumor from some of the soldiers that evacuated here. One that said Spandam obtained the blueprints he was after."
"HA!" Franky laughed. "The only thing he got was a fake set I made when I heard that Crocodile got fired because he was after them. Lucci or Kaku probably could have told the difference, but they'd convince anyone else."
Iceberg smirked softly and relaxed. "That's good. And what of Nico Robin?"
Franky shook his head, grinning ruefully. "I don't know why we never second-guessed what the Government was saying about her after what happened to us."
Iceberg's smile morphed into a scowl, and he held a hand to his face.
"When you put it that way, I feel stupid."
The two continued conversing as they walked toward the island's new sandbar. With the city still focusing on getting back on its feet, no prying eyes or ears lingered to hear what they talked about.
-o-
Fleet Admiral Sengoku, the pinnacle of the Marines and one of the strongest men in the world, was frustrated and exhausted. The early hour and hangover were doing him no favors.
He'd already anticipated the mission to Enies Lobby would go poorly. He was familiar enough with Spandam to know that the gremlin wouldn't just submit to Smoker's 'interference' with his mission. And if that so-called Blackbeard was involved too, then he and Fire-Fist would inevitably come to blows, based on the reports from Vice-Admiral Comil on G-2.
Passing up the chance to arrest Portgas D. Ace was infuriating, but personally confronting him would have been destructive to both the city and the still-fragile peace between the Pokémon Champion and the Navy, and Spandam would likely have gotten away with everything. The benefit of Ace eliminating Blackbeard for them outweighed that cost.
But back to his initial point: While he'd expected the "inquisition" he'd sent to Enies Lobby to cause some kind of damage, the actual damage reports had far exceeded his worst predictions.
"Commodore Smoker."
The white-haired officer grimaced openly under Sengoku's stare. "As of last night, the damage reports have been completed, and in short, Enies Lobby has been destroyed. More than half of the structures have been damaged beyond usability, including the courthouse and the bridge, and it is a miracle that the Tower of Justice didn't collapse in on itself. Most of the island's forces escaped to Water 7 unharmed, but all of CP9 were defeated. And two of the battleships called to the island suffered near-critical damage, with Vice Admiral Onigumo requiring hospitalization upon his return. Not counting the many, many hysterical eyewitness reports regarding an illegal Buster Call, the appearance of a dark dragon that they referred to as a god—" And wasn't that a description that would have the World Nobles up in arms, "—and our newest Warlord destroying the Bridge of Hesitation while fighting them both."
At this point, Sengoku wasn't quite looming over his subordinate, but it was a close thing.
"I do not want excuses. But I want an explanation before the media inevitably hears of this."
"I'll start at the beginning," Smoker said. Sengoku mentally braced himself for what was undoubtedly one hell of a report.
-o-
"…and before the portal disappeared, it swore it would find Lucas for another rematch at some point. He passed out as soon as he had healed his team, and they all returned to their balls to rest once they were on the Swanda. From there, Vice Admiral Strawberry oversaw the withdrawal of the Buster Call ships and took custody of Blackbeard, his subordinates, and the remaining agents of CP9. I left Lucas and the Straw Hats on the Swanda and returned to the Hound to get the rest of the evacuating agents and Marines to Water 7. As soon as we arrived and saw the damage from Aqua Laguna, we organized them to search the city for civilians caught outside. I spent the night preparing my report and came here as soon as I knew where to find you," Smoker said blandly.
The Fleet Admiral had barely batted an eye the whole time, merely staring him down impassively as he finished his report.
"The bottom line," Smoker concluded, "is that Spandam's insubordination is to blame for all our losses in Enies Lobby. And on the positive side of this mess, Crocodile and his organization have been captured, as have Marshall D. Teach and half of his subordinates. And Lucas has only grown stronger now that his other two team members have joined him."
Smoker frowned as he saw Sengoku's face tighten at his last statement.
"Fleet Admiral, may I speak freely?"
"You may."
"I have always hated the Warlord system. Pirates are pirates, criminals not worth trusting. But whatever chaos they've brought to this world just by existing, you have to admit that Lucas and his team are different."
Far from reassured, Sengoku's scowl only deepened. "I do concede that they are not evil. That does not make them any less dangerous."
Smoker's grimace deepened as well. With that reasoning thrown back in his face, there was only one rebuttal he could make.
"Then I suggest you do what you can to keep him, Fleet Admiral. Because when this gets out, when the world finds out that Lucas and his team are arguably as powerful as an Emperor, everyone will want him on their side. If you want to keep him on yours, you'll need to earn his loyalty personally; he'll stay true to anyone who isn't a complete monster, no matter what side of the law they're on, as long as they're loyal to him in return."
"And are you loyal to him, Commodore?"
Smoker only barely suppressed a flinch. Then he looked his superior in the eyes as he answered. "I said it yesterday, and I'll say it again: No matter who's giving me orders, I have my own justice to follow."
"And what is that justice?"
"Arresting criminals without hesitation or mercy. But more importantly, never allowing innocent people to get hurt when I can stop it."
The Fleet Admiral held Smoker's gaze for a minute before turning away.
"That will do for now, Commodore. You're dismissed."
And Smoker left without another word.
-o-
After everything that had happened since they arrived at Water 7, and with Franky handling everything to do with their ship, the Straw Hats were in no hurry to do more than eat and relax. CP9 had been a noteworthy challenge, but the recovery took less than a full day's rest. By the end of the afternoon, the Straw Hats were back to 100%. Lucas, however, was slower to awaken.
The light of the setting sun cast an orange hue on the watery city as Tom's apprentices made their way back to Galley-La Headquarters. Franky headed straight for the Straw Hats' lodgings, and the armful of leathery paper he was carrying had their attention from the moment he opened the door.
"Alright, you lot, here you go!" Franky said, dropping the rolled-up blueprints onto the table. "Since Lucas is gonna be busy with the Marines once he wakes up, we might as well go over the plans for your new ship right now."
He held out a photograph of a massive, curved wooden beam, immaculately polished and stripped bare of any other wood atop it, resting around piles of scrap.
"As promised, I've got her keel stripped and repaired, and I've brought it to the shipbuilding site at Scrap Island. With her input, I've retooled the blueprints for a dream ship that I drew up years ago. With the Adam Wood, this design should have her bearing the load without any risk of breaking herself."
Then he sighed.
"I was hoping to surprise you all, but Merry wouldn't let me go over the plans for her without you listening in. So, first off…"
He rolled out the smaller blueprint, and the Straw Hats stared at the image of a paddleboat with a very familiar sheep figurehead.
"Iceburg and I salvaged every piece of her that we could find. I'll take everything I can still use and put it together into the Mini Merry paddleboat. She'll be stored in the lower part of the main ship. Can't rebuild a whole caravel, but this way, she can still carry you all on her own for shopping trips and stuff."
Seven smiles and several starry eyes answered him, and he smiled back briefly before refocusing on the still-rolled blueprint.
"Now, for the other thing. I REALLY wanted to save this as a surprise, but I'm planning to make the main deck a grass-covered lawn. Everything I can still use goes into the Mini Merry. Everything I can't, I'll burn to ashes, then spread them onto the deck before I plant the grass."
He looked up at the Straw Hats.
"The days of the Going Merry are done. But everything from that one ship will be reborn into these two," he finished.
Thankfully, it looked like the responses were all positive, from Usopp's grateful, teary-eyed thumbs-up to Chopper's subdued but starry-eyed "So cool!"
"And while I've got a name I'd like to give her, since she's going to be yours—"
"Ours," Luffy interrupted. "You're our shipwright, remember?"
"As if you didn't trick me into giving my word, you super—Ahem." Franky cut off his muttering with a quick cough. "Since she's going to be ours, I'll save the whole name selection until she's good and ready to go."
"We have the money ready," Nami said, prompting Luffy to snatch a pair of briefcases from a corner of the room. Two of a couple dozen, Franky noted with wide eyes. "What'll you be doing to get it?"
Franky shook his head away from the corner and opened the cases to check their contents as he answered.
"I'll be taking the train to St. Poplar first thing in the morning. Once I've paid up, delivery should be in two or three days. You've got that long if you want to put any wish lists together, but I'm pretty sure I've got everything covered already, and then some."
Satisfied, he closed the cases. "Meanwhile, thanks to those Government goons, I've got a house to rebuild, so if you need me before the wood gets here, that's where I'll be. Just one more thing before I go."
This time, the look he gave the assembled pirates was completely serious.
"Miss Nico Robin, Iceburg and I need to talk to you."
Robin raised a brow.
"You pointed out that we shouldn't have taken the Government's propaganda so seriously, and we're not. I believe you, but Iceburg wants to confirm it himself. It shouldn't take long."
Franky started walking away, and Robin moved to join him. And so did the rest of the crew.
"Oi, did you not hear me?" Franky asked.
"We heard you just fine," Zoro grunted from his place at her side.
"Well, scram! This is a private matter!"
"If you think we're leaving Robin alone for the rest of our time here, you're a bigger idiot than I thought," Sanji huffed.
-o-
"Franky…" Iceburg sighed, "What happened to making this a private discussion?"
"Don't look at me, Ice-for-Brains," Franky snipped. "You're not the one who had to deal with this."
'This' turned out to be the rest of the Straw Hats, in various states of latching onto the hands coming out of Robin's body. Chopper, in particular, was sitting on her shoulders, hugging his arms around her head and giving Iceburg a very stubborn look.
"We've already hammered it home that we're not going to let anyone hurt her just because the world is against her," Luffy said firmly.
Iceburg looked at him before shaking his head.
"So be it. Nico Robin, I've asked you here to discuss the Ancient Weapons."
The tension in the room grew.
"Pluton was built on Water 7 centuries ago. We do not know why it was built, but we do know that it was the most powerful battleship ever conceived, easily capable of destroying the world. Tom, the man who taught Franky and me everything we know, impressed on us how important it was that that power should never fall into the wrong hands. He warned us at the time of the devils of Ohara and the criminal girl who had escaped their destruction and held the keys to reviving the Ancient Weapons. But as Franky pointed out to me last night, I failed to consider the source of the information. I have absolute faith in Tom. But not in the World Government."
He stood up and walked over to her.
"Franky has told me that the rumors I know of you are false, and I also trust him. In light of that, I will ask this and let my suspicions rest: Nico Robin, do you have any intention of allowing the Ancient Weapons to be revived?"
"No," came Robin's reply at once. "Nor was it ever the intention of Ohara. But it has become painfully clear that the World Government fears the history I seek far more than the Ancient Weapons. I will learn the truth of the Blank Century, or I will die trying. But I have no intention of vindicating the Government's lies."
Iceburg closed his eyes. Then, a few seconds later, he opened them again.
"I believe you. Then, is there no chance of the weapons falling into the wrong hands?"
Robin did not respond immediately, and the tension in the room increased.
"I've evaded the Government for the past twenty years because I had nothing to protect. Nothing that anyone could use against me for leverage that would force me to obey them. But that is no longer the case."
Her gaze passed over the other Straw Hats, and Iceburg leaned forward.
"When Crocodile threatened them, promising to kill them one by one before my eyes if I did not cooperate, I disclosed the truth of where Pluton is sealed, and the knowledge was passed to Blackbeard and CP9."
Iceburg's fists clenched. "And?"
Robin closed her eyes and crossed her arms, branching eyes and ears around the room as far as she could. Only when she was satisfied that nobody and nothing was nearby to overhear did she move directly beside Iceburg and place a hand to his ear. A mouth on her palm whispered before dispersing, and Iceburg's expression tightened.
"I see," Iceburg said grimly. "Nothing that anyone can take advantage of overnight; it would take years to make it possible. Regardless, however, that knowledge is out there now, and who knows how far it'll spread? People talk, idiots like Spandam especially, and I wouldn't be surprised if either the Government or some outlaws got their hands on this information." He paused, looking at the Straw Hats, then added, "Untrustworthy outlaws, that is."
"And what do you intend to do?" Robin asked.
"Pluton's blueprints exist," Franky said, his arms folded. "Galley-La's kept them for centuries just in case a power-hungry dumbass like Spandam got his hands on an Ancient Weapon, so the rest of the world would have some way to fight back. Now that the risk is out there, we've got to have a fail-safe ready."
He got up and stretched. "Of course, now I've gotta go fish the real ones outta the canals. Who knows where on the island they are now."
"Only you, Flunky, would lose track of the secret blueprints that you hid yourself."
"Shut it, Ice-for-Brains! I didn't hide them; Sodom did. Gotta round up the bulls to find out where they put them."
Franky grabbed his briefcases and left without another word. Iceberg returned his attention to the Straw Hats.
"This is less than ideal, but I am grateful to know the truth. I have only one more question: is there any risk of the other weapons' revival?"
"I cannot speak for Uranus," Robin answered quietly. "As for Poseidon, the risk is as high and low as it has ever been."
She once more crossed her arms and verified the room's security before whispering once more to Iceburg:
"It's a power born into a certain royal bloodline."
Iceburg blinked in bewilderment. But ultimately, he nodded.
"Very well. Thank you for the information. All of you are welcome here until your new ship is ready."
"Thanks, Ice-Pops," Luffy said, stretching. "Hey, you know any good restaurants around here?"
-o-
Even immediately after waking up, the first thing I wanted to do was go back to sleep.
Actually, scratch that; what I really wanted to do was spend some time with my team and go through the care packages that Luxray and Togekiss had brought with them. But responsibilities wait for no one; within a few minutes, I was on a snail call with Smoker, who was adamant that I meet with Sengoku as soon as possible.
As much as I'd have liked to have my team with me, they were mostly still recovering from last night's battle. My patch-up job at Enies was enough for the most severe injuries, but none of them were in a condition I'd consider healthy. As a result, the only ones who came with me from Galley-La were Gardevoir and Crobat. And they were still weary from overexposure to Giratina's Ghost-type energies. Whether by flight or teleportation, they could barely guarantee we'd escape the area before collapsing from overexertion, so both of them were in stasis in their Pokéballs. It was a risk I wasn't happy with taking, even with how reasonable the Fleet Admiral had been, but it was the best I could do on short notice.
The meeting was on a small, Marine-marked ship off the coast of Scrap Island, a boat that would largely go unnoticed compared to the behemoth battleships that I'd seen at Enies Lobby. Sengoku met me on the ship's deck, nodding curtly before directing us to the captain's cabin, off to the side. It was only after we were seated there that he spoke.
"Let me start with the most obvious question: why were you so determined to speak with me?"
"If I'm going to be working with you again after what happened, I want to know the mindset of the one in charge," I answered immediately. "Many of the Marines I've met are good and just, able to do what's necessary and even make compromises for the sake of the people they're supposed to protect. But then I met more of your upper ranks, and even yesterday, I saw such a vast range of personalities in positions of power among the Marines and the World Government. Is it that surprising that I want to take your measure as well?"
Sengoku huffed but responded with an encouraging lack of irritation. "I suppose I can't argue that logic. Though I would like an explanation from you concerning the unexpected guest that destroyed the Bridge of Hesitation."
Oh boy, right into the heavy stuff. I frowned, trying to decide how best to word it, before launching into an explanation.
"Giratina… The best way I can describe it is by calling it a god, but that's not completely accurate. Technically, it's a Pokémon, but it's different from the vast majority of Pokémon back home. Its power, for one thing, is far beyond what the vast majority of Pokémon could ever achieve, and there has only ever been one Giratina known to exist. Back home, we called it a Legendary, and it lives up to the title in all meanings of the word."
There was more to it, of course. Legendaries were old, having existed for several generations of humans with maybe one or two (heavily redacted) exceptions I could recall where a Pokémon of Legendary-level power was artificially created. And it was rumored that multiple of certain Legendaries existed, such as the Beasts of Johto and the Birds of Kanto, though that was closer to conspiracy theory than anything. But none of that was particularly relevant to this discussion.
Sengoku, meanwhile, had fixated on one particular part of my explanation. "And you claim it to be a god."
"Closer to the devil, if anything, but yes. One of the oldest and the strongest, but nowhere close to the only one."
"And I suppose you're personally acquainted with the other ones as well?"
My eyes narrowed at his almost dismissive tone.
"I briefly met the other two dragons that Arceus formed at the dawn of creation: Dialga, Lord of Time, and Palkia, Lord of Space. Over the course of the events that led to that, I helped and got help from the three… I guess they'd be demigods created to maintain order over time and space: Uxie, the Being of Knowledge; Mesprit, the Being of Emotion; and Azelf, the Being of Willpower. They bestowed their gifts on all creatures of my world. And if necessary, they can take them away just as easily."
Sengoku turned back at me, his eyes betraying how unnerved he truly was. I stared at him firmly.
"Other legends tell of a giant that towed the continents and created powerful golem Pokémon. A being attracted to gratitude that can instantly turn a wasteland into a flower-filled meadow. Two more whose mere presence can cause peaceful sleep and sweet dreams or endless sleep and horrible nightmares, respectively. And that's just my home region. I've heard stories from my father as well, from his position in the Kalos region. It's home to the God of Life, the God of Death, and the God of Order. The Unova region tells of a being that split into three powerful dragons when truth and ideals couldn't reconcile, and spirits who fly on clouds to control the weather and seasons. The nearby Hoenn region has legends of titans that rule over the land, oceans, and sky. In Kanto, myths tell of Mew the shapeshifter, ancestor of all other Pokémon. And the list goes on.
"I don't know what your World Nobles have done to justify being called gods. But I will not apologize for giving the Legendary Pokémon that I know the reverence that they deserve."
For several moments, we locked eyes. I worried, briefly, if I had misjudged his character. Then he turned away and spoke again.
"I acknowledge the power of the dragon you fought. But whether or not I choose to believe in its divinity, I ask you: why would you willingly express reverence for a devil? Bargaining with it, I will reluctantly concede, given your circumstances, but treating it with respect? Compassion, even?"
"I said 'closer,' Fleet Admiral. Giratina was cast out of Arceus's presence for being rebellious and disruptive, but it goes so much deeper than that. Plenty of Pokémon are inherently destructive, but none of them are inherently evil."
The sheer conviction in my voice had Sengoku half-turning back, silent but not dismissive.
"My predecessor is the greatest archaeologist in Sinnoh, but my dad knows just as much, if not more, of the stories of that time. And not long after I became the Champion, he told me more about Giratina from an ancient book of Legends he deciphered."
I leaned back, thinking about how he had told the story.
-o-
"Giratina was one of the first Pokémon born from Arceus," Dad said, sitting across from me at our small dining table. "Two make matter and three make spirit, but where does the first Ghost-type Pokémon fall into that?"
He smiled softly.
"Everything has its opposite. Shadow for light, violence for peace, and antimatter for matter. There's no balance in the world without one or the other. And in the beginning, while Giratina ruled over the Distortion World, it was free to cross the dimensions at will. But it was too belligerent. After its destruction went too far, Arceus banished Giratina from the material world; the only way it could ever re-enter was if it allied with a human that purposefully sought it out."
He folded his arms, his smile slowly turning to a frown.
"In the ancient days of the Hisui region, that happened. There was a studious young man who wielded the power of Pokémon for himself and desired nothing more than to meet Arceus. But he was selfish, not caring what he'd have to do as long as he could succeed and make Arceus's power his own. He bargained with Giratina and tore open a rift in time and space above Mount Coronet. The energies there caused all kinds of Pokémon to go berserk all over Hisui. If left unchecked, it would have destroyed the whole region."
He slowly smiled again.
"From the Legends I know, Arceus had to intervene, personally summoning a human from the distant future who was familiar enough with Pokémon to calm the berserkers. Right when that chosen human had calmed the strongest throughout all the land, the rift grew worse, and they had to use the skills they'd honed to take on Dialga and Palkia, even to the point of capturing both of them.
"And throughout that journey, the chosen one had been collecting Pokémon and Plates throughout the land, a personal mission from Arceus to experience everything Hisui had to offer. In searching out the other Plates, ignorantly aiding the man who had opened the rift in the first place, the chosen one captured every species of Pokémon in the land, including all of the Legendary ones. Yet they only found 17 Plates."
Dad stood up and walked over to the window, gazing toward Mount Coronet.
"At the place that we now know as the Spear Pillar, the man finally revealed his true intentions, showing that he already possessed the final Plate before challenging Arceus's chosen human. The chosen won, but the other man refused to accept it, summoning Giratina to battle while the chosen was still recovering. Yet, despite the effort it took, Arceus's chosen succeeded in defeating Giratina, sending it retreating into the darkness."
He looked back, smiling sadly.
"The young man who had sought to meet Arceus relinquished the last Plate, and at once, the legendary Azure Flute materialized, an invitation from Arceus itself. Unwilling to see someone else accomplish his dream, the man left in defeat and soon disappeared from Hisui. But the chosen one had one stop to make before they met Arceus again: they went to Turnback Cave, where Giratina was waiting. After a final fight, the chosen one captured Giratina, and learned afterward that in the face of its defeat, Giratina had chosen to become a protector of the land that the chosen one fought to save. And with Arceus's blessing, alongside its chosen human, Giratina could experience the world outside of a mirror again, for a time."
Dad was still smiling as he sat back down, even as his hands unconsciously swayed down to brush over the worn, scuffed Pokéballs at his sides.
"The Legends never tell what happened to the chosen human, whether they stayed in the past to help build the future or returned to their own time when their work was done. But based on its intervention at the Spear Pillar, it seems like Giratina has never abandoned its vow to protect Arceus's world. And perhaps someday soon, another exceptional human will show the power and will to give Giratina the freedom to enter the light once more."
His smile remained in place even as I struggled to digest the story.
"Is that all true?"
"I have no doubt," he answered. There was something in the way he said that, something that really tugged at me, but I put it aside in favor of asking the question that had been gnawing at me.
"But Giratina is a god. How could it dedicate itself to this world just like that, just because of one human?" From all the power and rage that I'd felt on that day, I couldn't imagine the shadowy devil that I'd faced acting like Dad had described.
Dad chuckled, and there was a knowing hint to it as his smile turned into a grin.
-o-
By now, Sengoku had given up all pretense and was staring with anticipation. I echoed my dad's laughter from years ago as I looked him in the eyes.
"'All Pokémon long for two things above all else: to grow, and to be loved. If you give them that, they will give you everything they can in return.' Dad has told me that all my life, but that day, he told me one more thing: 'gods have never been an exception to that rule.' And now, I can finally believe that he was right."
I pulled out the Griseous Orb and showed it to the Fleet Admiral. "Giratina gave me this before it left. And when I picked it up, I heard it promise to find me again for a rematch."
Sengoku scowled, even as he stared intently into the swirling depths of the Orb. "Considering the sheer destruction of your previous battle, I'm hesitant to think of that as anything other than a threat."
"I thought it was a threat, too. But Luffy pointed something out that I didn't realize."
-o-
I sighed despondently as I stared into the swirling depths of the Griseous Orb. Even after all our preparation, and all of our training, it still wasn't enough to win our way home. And Giratina was coming back for this at some point in the future. Would we be ready then? How much more could we do in the face of a Legendary's might?
My thoughts were abruptly cut off by a rubber fist smacking me on the head.
"OW! Will you stop doing that?!"
"Only when you stop being stupid," Luffy said unapologetically. "The dragon promised to come back for you, so it's doing you a favor."
I was gratified to see that everyone else seemed just as confused as me, and Luffy shook his head.
"It said that if you don't find your way back, it'll find you. Ever since we met, you've been worried about finding a way back home, but you don't have to anymore. All you have to do is keep trying, and it'll keep coming back until you win."
Was it really that straightforward? "It didn't guarantee more tries after the next one, though…"
Luffy scoffed. "Then just get strong enough to win the next time you see each other, duh."
Just get strong enough to win, huh? The longer I thought about it, the more I saw the appeal of that thinking. I laughed shortly, feeling several weeks' worth of anxieties falling from my shoulders. "Ace was right. You really are good at seeing through to the heart of things."
"Shishishishishi!" Luffy grinned unapologetically. "Now go talk to the Fleet Admiral guy already!"
-o-
Sengoku held a hand to his face.
"It's that simple? It's really just that simple?" he asked in disbelief.
"In my experience? It's usually just that simple," I chuckled.
He sighed and lowered his hand, looking at me neutrally. "So, what does that mean for you? What do you plan to do now?"
"For now, I'm staying on Water 7 until I've gotten my own ship. After that, our only plan is to travel and train. I don't know when Giratina will show up again; it could be anywhere from four weeks from now to four years or more. But I'm going to do whatever I can to make sure that next time, we come out victorious. Next time, we'll win our way home."
"And afterward?"
"I don't know," I said honestly. "I came to this world because of a freak accident, and it took divine intervention to get me a chance to go back home. I want to do what I can to help here, but I refuse to risk being trapped with no way back again."
"There's something you're not saying."
I took a second to compose my thoughts before speaking carefully.
"Permanent help from one of the gods of my world would be the only way to guarantee it. When I leave here, either I won't be coming back…or I'll be coming back prepared for war, and with a lot more power on my side."
Silence fell between us for a minute.
"I've explained my world to you, Fleet Admiral Sengoku. Will you explain yours? I do not understand how someone like Rhode could be considered a god."
Unsurprisingly, the Fleet Admiral's first response was to frown. "Unlike with your world, much of the world's history is unknown. You've spoken with Nico Robin, so I believe you would be aware of the Void Century, correct?" At my nod, he continued. "All we know of that time was that the world was under the control of a highly advanced yet tyrannical kingdom. At some point near the end of the century, twenty kingdoms rose in rebellion against this Great Kingdom, including the kingdom of Alabasta."
I nodded, idly preparing myself for the exposition ahead. Identifying and picking out bits of information from historical events wasn't my forte, but after years as Cynthia's student, I'd learned at least a little bit, if only by osmosis.
"This rebellion is said to have lasted many years, during which three weapons of mass destruction, what we now call the Ancient Weapons, were developed. And at the end of the war, the twenty kingdoms were victorious and established the World Government under a Council of Kings, which these days is known as the Reverie. The leaders of each kingdom, led by the five most wise and talented of them all, abdicated their thrones, joining together to found the overseeing body that would become the World Nobles."
That… didn't quite match up with what was going on today. "No offense intended, Fleet Admiral," I began carefully, "But the only World Noble I've met was very far from wise or talented, compared to the Marines I've met." Even Onigumo or Doberman, with their… inflexible… worldviews, had shown more wisdom than the so-called Saint I'd met at G-4. "And unless I remember incorrectly, the Nefertari line of Alabasta is a direct descendent of their kingdom's founder, and with no mention of any World Noble relatives."
"The Nefertaris were the only family who chose to remain the ruling monarchs of only their native country," Sengoku explained. "The reasons have been lost to history, unfortunately, but I believe the queen of the time simply didn't want to leave her people."
That made sense, at least, though my original point had still gone unanswered. "What about the World Nobles of today? Even if they're just the descendants of the original nineteen founders, how did they become so… Off?"
Family dynasties weren't exactly unfamiliar back home. A large number of people today could trace their family lines back to members of the Diamond Clan, Pearl Clan, and Galaxy Expedition Team, for example. And Kanto, Johto, and Hoenn had their own long and storied histories, especially Johto's Wataru and Hoenn's Draconids. And sure, certain descendants were disgraces to their ancestor's names and deeds, like Cyrus (according to what Dad and Cynthia said, anyhow) compared to the mythical Captain Cyllene of the Survey Corps.
But even that wasn't as large of a gap as the difference between the theoretical heights of Rhode's ancestors compared to the man himself. And from how Sengoku's expression soured, it wasn't an explanation I'd enjoy hearing.
-o-
The second he got back to Marineford, he would like nothing more than to sleep for a full day and let everything blow over. Unfortunately, Sengoku was the Fleet Admiral, so such a luxury was beyond him. Masking his exhaustion with the ease of many, many years of practice, Sengoku gave Lucas his most steely look.
"I could not speak on the practices of the World Government if I wanted to. But I will say this: however corrupt an order may be, it is preferable to outright chaos. The Warlord system exists purely because the Government cannot oppose the Four Emperors on its own, and while they are the most prominent pirates in the world, they are far from the only ones making matters difficult for civilians who wish only to live their lives."
Almost unbidden, the Fleet Admiral's mind cast back to the conflicts of his younger years. The criminals he'd faced, the people he'd saved… and the atrocities he'd been too late to stop.
"Unlike in your world, love and righteousness do not automatically translate into power. There are necessary evils to keep the world at large from being overrun by monsters that have only their own interests in mind. And as powerful as you may be, you are one man and one team. You can't change the world and control all of the fallout along the way."
Sengoku himself was surprised that he was speaking like this, baring the faults of the world for someone else to hear. It was a luxury he hadn't had since the last time he, Garp, and Tsuru had been able to take a day off together.
"That sounds like something you've had to tell yourself for a long time, Fleet Admiral Sengoku."
Lucas's voice had softened, surprisingly, and he wasn't looking as stern anymore. But what replaced that expression was something that the Fleet Admiral, for all his years of experience, hadn't expected.
Lucas was grinning. "What you said just now is 100% correct. If it were just me and my team on our own, we wouldn't be able to change this world in a permanent manner while preventing the fallout from spiraling out of control. But then again, we're not exactly alone here, are we?"
Sengoku's brows rose incredulously. Was Lucas really implying that…
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku, I've heard that you're a master tactician. And based on what we've discussed so far, I can tell you want to do good by the people you protect, even with the corrupt individuals above you."
The Pokémon Champion leaned back expectantly. "So if you suddenly have a piece on the board with large amounts of autonomy, a straight moral compass, and enough power to shake the world, then I have only one question left for you to answer."
He spread his arms invitingly.
"What's the first move?"
Sengoku stared silently, his mind spinning at a mile a minute. He had come into this meeting desperately wanting to keep the world stable and under control for the short term. And he had overlooked the simple fact that he had a priceless opportunity to change it for the long term instead. For all that the young man before him despised the Government, he was perfectly willing to turn his considerable power towards Justice.
For the first time since their talk had begun, Sengoku smiled.
"Perhaps you have a point. Sometimes, it is just that simple."
-o-
It turned out "just that simple" involved checking in on some of the other Warlords and Marines of note on the Grand Line to ensure they weren't abusing their power as blatantly as Crocodile or Spandam. I saw the logic: what was the point of dealing with enemies outside when you still had ones inside? But at the same time…
"Are your men really going to be okay with you sending me in for essentially glorified inspections?" From what I recalled of the Gyms back home, inspections were often seen as signs of mistrust or disapproval from the League. I couldn't imagine that sentiment being any different here.
Sengoku didn't quite smirk, but his lips did turn upwards just a fraction. "With the stunts you pulled at Alabasta and Enies Lobby, you and yours already have a bit of a reputation for dealing with corruption," he said. "And I'll be attaching a unit of my own for the duration, headed by one of the most widely respected men I know. If anyone causes problems after that, it'll be the ones you need to root out anyway."
"That's fair," I nodded. Having a Marine on board would make it a lot more difficult to keep in contact with Dragon and Sabo, but it could reduce a lot of the problems from the more stubborn officers, like Onigumo or Doberman, if only by active threat of court-martial.
"Either way, I was thinking of checking out one of the nearby Warlords first." At least corrupt Marines had to be careful about their higher-ups checking in every once in a while. The other pirates that were now my peers had no such oversight.
"And what of the Straw Hats?"
I frowned, staring off in the direction that the Going Merry had been in before this entire mess began. "If I could just dismiss him right now, I would; you, he, and I would all be perfectly fine with that. But I'm sure such a blatant manipulation of the Warlord system would be unwise." The precedent of any Warlord being able to claim a group as subordinates only to drop them immediately after could only end poorly. I could already foresee a few ways that could be abused, and I'm sure that the Fleet Admiral could too. Though…
"I was planning on leaving them to their own devices regardless," I began slowly, turning over the idea in my head and liking it more and more. "Assuming they depart immediately after their new ship is done, I would be able to recommend that they sail in the direction of the Florian Triangle." Which, apparently, was both a supernatural graveyard of lost and sunken pirate ships and the lair of one of the other Warlords.
Sengoku caught on almost immediately. "You believe there will be a conflict between Straw Hat and Gecko Moria."
"If he's anything like Crocodile, it wouldn't surprise me. Luffy's got a surprisingly strong moral compass in some cases." Information on Moria's activities was sparse, but back on Baltigo, Sabo had told me about reports where both Marine and civilian vessels were snatched up by shadowy assailants before resurfacing soon after, with afflictions unsettlingly similar to the effects of Moria's known powers. "And even if he's not planning anything nefarious, odds are pretty good that Luffy will start something with him anyways, providing a very convenient excuse to disavow him regardless of how it ends."
"Assuming he survives," Sengoku added neutrally.
I frowned internally, trying to frame my next words in the most pragmatic way possible and hating myself for it. "Depending on when the news comes out, Luffy will be protected by being my subordinate. So even if he loses, the worst Moria should do is throw him out. If the worst does happen, it'll be an excuse for my team and I to step in, and you'd be down a dangerous pirate and a rebellious Warlord." It might be a little arrogant to say that someone like Moria wouldn't be a threat to my team, especially after the battle with Giratina, but I had faith in them. And if, Arceus forbid, Luffy did end up in serious trouble, Ace and Sabo would be right there with me.
"Very well then. And what will you do?"
"Hmm…" I trailed my finger across the map. "I don't know what order you'd prioritize for the Warlords, and I'd need to see an actual document to know which bases and which officers I'd need to look at. For now, I think I'll plan on the next closest: Boa Hancock on Amazon Lily."
"That will do. She is not abusing her position as Crocodile did, as far as I know. But she is as proud and vain as she is powerful, never accepting an order or assignment since the day she took the contract. I'll be impressed if you can change her mind. But for now, I believe we have nothing left to discuss." Sengoku got to his feet and led me back out to the deck of his ship. "Expect my contact to arrive within the next two weeks."
"Hopefully, I'll have something resembling a ship ready by then," I replied, calling Crobat back out as we reached open air. To Sengoku's credit, he didn't bat an eye at the sudden materialization. Crobat eyed me suspiciously, clearly giving me a once-over, before finally nodding in the Fleet Admiral's direction.
Before we could fly back to where Ace and Sabo were probably waiting, I turned back to ask Sengoku one last question. "By the way, what will be the story in those newspapers?"
"The potential return of your Legendary will be kept silent, as we agreed." Again, Sengoku didn't grin or even smirk, but there was some kind of amusement in his eyes. "As for everything else, I don't see why we'd tell anything but the truth of Commodore Smoker's valiant anti-corruption investigation, conducted alongside our newest Warlord."
Oh, Smoker was going to love that.
-The Following Day-
"Captain! Captain, check this out!" Trafalgar Law glanced over curiously as Bepo brandished the day's paper in his face. That curiosity instantly died when he actually took in the image of a World Government base in ruins, and he snatched the paper up to read the headline.
Destruction at Enies Lobby! Commodore And Warlord Crush Corruption!
The judicial island Enies Lobby was left stricken two days ago as Commodore 'White Hunter' Smoker continued his hunt for the highly dangerous ex-Warlord 'Sir' Crocodile. Evidence obtained by the Commodore unearthed a shocking amount of corruption from Chief Spandam of the Government's Cipher Pol organizations, including theft of restricted documents and, more damningly, collaboration with the ex-Warlord in a bid to claim the Ancient Weapons for his own self-serving ends. Enlisting the aid of 'Pokémon Champion' Lucas and his subordinates, the Straw Hat Pirates, and backed by Fleet Admiral Sengoku's authority, Commodore Smoker staged a daring raid on Enies Lobby.
Chief Spandam retaliated by mobilizing the entire island's forces, as well as illegally summoning Marine battleships to bury the evidence of his corruption through cannon fire. His best efforts were incapable of standing against Warlord Lucas's forces, and when news of the threat of destruction came, the 'Pokémon Champion' immediately redirected his efforts to evacuate the island's soldiers, directing tens of thousands of Marines and Government agents to safety while the Straw Hats defeated Spandam's Cipher Pol agents. Meanwhile, Smoker intercepted the arriving battleships, convincing them of Spandam's guilt and arresting the man himself when he tried to flee.
Despite the change in circumstances, Commodore Smoker and Warlord Lucas have brought down ex-Warlord Crocodile and Baroque Works for good, with many of their top agents captured to face trial and their grunts being hunted down.
"Well now," Law grinned. "I can see why the Marines were shitting so many bricks about this new guy. Not even a month as a Warlord and he's already turning one of their islands inside-out."
And if he recalled some of the other news from Alabasta correctly, this Lucas guy seemed to have a problem with Warlords abusing their power. That clearly hadn't changed after picking up the title for himself, and even extended to people under the actual World Government, and not just their mouthpieces. And… actually…
"Bepo," Law asked slowly, "Didn't the Pokémon Champion get his initial bounty from attempting to kill a World Noble?"
The Polar Bear Mink nodded enthusiastically. "He sure did, captain. Broke a couple records doing it, too."
That, Law could remember, because almost immediately after the news broke, several of the other so-called "Super Rookies" had gone on some pretty large crime sprees of their own. That murderous idiot Kid in particular seemed to take an almost personal offense to how Lucas and his creatures had completely eclipsed everyone else in their generation. Not that Law himself could throw stones, though, since his crew had gone on to disassemble a nearby Marine base after the news had broken. He'd actually had to invent a whole new type of hangover cure just for the party afterward.
But in any case, Lucas was setting a precedent with his actions. And it was very possible that sooner or later, those actions would lead to one man in particular. One that he, Law, had no intention of leaving to someone else.
Shaking his head slightly to try dislodging that train of thought, he turned the page of the paper.
Lord of a World Apart, the Legendary Giratina
He stopped, blinking as he saw the second headline. That and the picture accompanying it: the Pokémon Champion himself and eight creatures—yes, he was counting that correctly, he had two more now—standing before a six-legged dragon. Another snapshot from further down showed the same dragon in a bigger serpentine form, battered and beaten but still upright before the Champion's equally battered and unconscious team.
As Warlord Lucas was completing the mission on Enies Lobby, a mysterious and ominous dragon whose very presence rendered several watching Marines unconscious appeared from a dark portal. Lucas recognized this entity as a revered and feared Pokémon called Giratina, which had appeared before him to challenge him. Accompanying the dragon were two more entities that joined Lucas's six: a bird-like creature called Togekiss and an electricity-controlling lynx called Luxray. Both are as loyal and powerful as his other companions.
The watching Marines bore witness as the Pokémon Champion and his team demonstrated their complete power for the first time. Yet Giratina alone rivaled the combined might of all eight: tidal waves, lightning strikes, tornados, and time dilation clashed against teleportation, sheer force, dragon fire, shadows, and meteor showers, with the Bridge of Hesitation rendered completely unusable in the process.
In the end, the newest Warlord was bested by a slim margin. But instead of rampaging further, the dragon chose to retreat, leaving Commodore Smoker to retrieve the Pokémon Champion. While its motives were apparently limited to seeking a fair challenge, Giratina's actions have placed it on a very short list in terms of power. Where else will it go to seek out a fight, now that one of the most powerful Warlord crews of the generation has been found lacking? The world holds its breath in fear and anticipation as it waits to see where the dragon may appear again.
Law's expression tightened. If that was the magnitude of power Lucas was hiding, only one thing was for sure: things were about to get crazy. And he and his crew would have to step up their training if they were going to get their hands on that man before Lucas had the chance.
-o-
"Well, so much for marrying him into the family," Smoothie sighed blithely as she read through the paper. "Mama's not gonna be happy about that."
"It could still happen," Perospero commented, turning away from his most recent candy sculpture to give the Warlord's picture a sadistic grin. "There are several siblings around the boy's age, and I'm sure you're aware of how convincing we can be."
"With what leverage?" Smoothie shot back, not even looking up from the paper. "Mama's had the entire crew scouring the New World from back to front and back again, and we still haven't heard even a rumor of anything like the creatures this 'Champion' has." It'd been one of the very, very few unsuccessful projects in Totto Land's history so far. If they could get a footing on the island that this Lucas called home, then Charlotte Linlin's constant desire for these creatures (and her increased irritability with the search's continued failure) would finally be sated. That it could give the Big Mom Pirates a very potent edge over the other Emperors and the World Government was really just a bonus.
"Well, what about this 'Giratina?'" Perospero reached one hand over and tapped on one of the inner pages of the paper, which bore the image of the fearsome wyrm roaring over the ruins of the Bridge of Hesitation. "I'm sure we could offer it to Mama as a replacement for the brat, and if it gave him and his pets that much trouble we wouldn't even need her help to take it down."
"Unlikely."
That one word cut Perospero's musings short instantly, and he turned to give the meditating Katakuri an incredulous look. "Unlikely?" He repeated in disbelief. "Surely no mere beast could compete with the strongest of our family working together."
"And how would we track down such a beast?" Katakuri replied, unfazed. "It appeared out of one shadow portal and vanished into another one. If such an ability is anything like Brûlée's Mirro-World, then the beast is untraceable and undetectable while inside. And even if we could force it out somehow, it was able to face eight highly coordinated combatants of Vice-Admiral level or greater simultaneously and come out on top." The Minister of Flour fixed Perospero with an unwavering, uncompromising look. "I could not promise the defeat of such a beast without risking our family's power base."
That was a line of logic that Smoothie could understand. While she, like the rest of the family, had faith that Katakuri could triumph over such a beast on his own, she had to be realistic about the injuries he might suffer in the process, especially if the goal was to capture the dragon rather than kill it. And if the Big Mom Pirates diverted even one other appropriately powerful sibling—or heavens forbid, Mama herself to help deal with the thing, that would leave large swathes of their territory vulnerable, and neither Kaido nor the Marines would be able to resist the temptation to act on it. And from the way he was slumping over, she saw that Perospero knew it too.
"You raise a fair point, brother. Even still, if there's a chance it could come to Totland on its own, we would be wise to plan for such a thing." There, she had to acknowledge that her sadistic older brother had a point.
Katakuri shrugged. "We were already keeping a rotation of two Sweet Commanders at home to handle Mama's increased temper. If this Giratina does appear, they would be a quick reaction force, not to mention what Mama herself will do once she realizes the dragon is present."
On paper, two of the four Sweet Commanders should be sufficient to at least steer the dragon away from Totland and into the more disposable territory. Though, depending on which two of them were present…
"In that case, we might have to do something about Snack," Smoothie said. "He's always been the weakest of us four, and he's grown complacent lately. Announcing a small contest for the position should light enough of a fire under his ass." And if it didn't, then that would only mean a more powerful sibling would take the role from him.
"Of course, you do realize," Perospero began unctuously, "That as the Minister of Candy, my duties leave me far too busy to organize such an event." With that said, he quickly swept from the room, before Smoothie could even try and stop him. "So I will leave it to you, dear sister, while I get back to work."
Smoothie's grin faltered as she realized what exactly she'd just signed herself up for. A competition, even a small one restricted to the upper echelons of the family, meant that she'd have to either find a place to go all-out or bribe Brûlée to let them loose in her Mirro-World. And, of course, any competition meant there was food to be made for the spectators, and what was made for the spectators would have to satisfy Mama if she dropped in…
Absently, she wondered if the Pokémon Champion might have any advice if such clashes were so commonplace for him. Not that she could ask him. Ah, well, at least she could still laugh at the World Government's incompetence with her favorite brother.
"Ooooh, Katakuri, listen to this: During the investigation, another pirate crew was also confirmed to be collaborating with the chief of CP9 in an effort to cover up his crimes. This crew confronted the Pokémon Champion at Enies Lobby, led by their captain Marshall D. Teach—"
-o-
"—Also known as Blackbeard." Marco's brows had raised all the way up to his hairline at this point, but he didn't stop reading. "Events turned even more chaotic when Whitebeard Commander 'Fire-Fist' Ace intervened, seeking revenge on Blackbeard for an unknown betrayal of the Whitebeard Pirates, resulting in a battle that devastated large swathes of Government property and ended in Blackbeard's capture by Vice-Admiral Strawberry, with Fire-Fist fleeing soon after." Marco lowered the paper to shoot the man he considered his father a sardonic grin. "Well, I guess Ace's new partnership paid off big-time, huh?"
"Gurararararara!" Edward Newgate's laugh was unchanged despite the medical equipment he was hooked up to. "Looks like that idiot son of mine has more than flames between his ears after all!" When Ace had called them several weeks ago about making friends with the World Government's newest Warlord, Whitebeard had obviously been skeptical. But then again, this "Pokémon Champion" brat was supposed to be friends with Ace's own little brother, and when Ace explained what the boy had done for his other brother, well, he couldn't help but be intrigued.
And now Teach was on a one-way trip to Impel Down, while Ace himself was free and relatively unharmed by the battle. His son had actually remembered to call them back a day ago, confirming that with the traitor taken care of he would be on his way back to the New World shortly. Not that he'd added any more explanation on what'd gone down, the cheeky brat.
An image in the paper caught his eye, and Whitebeard frowned pensively as he gave the story a closer look. "So, some of Teach's men escaped?"
"Looks like it," Marco said, pointing out the new wanted poster for the so-called 'Hypnotist Sheriff' Laffitte. "He's got quite the bounty on him, too."
"Tch!" Whitebeard scoffed at the smug grin the mime's photo was sporting. "Let the Marines deal with Teach and his cronies now. I'm more interested in this new Warlord brat."
"Ace was pretty light on the details when he called," Marco noted, flipping through the paper until he could find the giant dragon whose image took up a majority of the page. "I'm more interested in this dragon. If just one of those Pokémon could give Ace a run for his money and this 'Giratina' beat eight of them at once, then it may be tough enough to challenge you, Pops."
"And this says it could reappear anywhere, anytime, looking for another challenge," Jozu agreed. "Who knows if it's the truth, but we don't know it's a lie."
Ace would be back soon, at least, so they'd be able to wring some actual answers out of him this time.
"Gurararara," Whitebeard chuckled again. "Well, at least the brat knows how to keep things interesting around here."
-o-
At a particular training ground in Marineford, a particular man looked up from his newspaper to see someone approaching him. His eyebrows rose behind his sunglasses.
"Haven't seen you looking so light in a long time, Sengoku."
The Fleet Admiral demanded no honorifics. Not from this man. But he did allow himself a slight smile.
"The talk that Champion Lucas required was quite interesting. And it's why I've asked you here in the first place."
The man's demeanor changed at once. No longer lounging, he sat straight, a frown on his face. He said nothing immediately, however, and Sengoku continued.
"Our newest Warlord has offered to verify whether the others on our roster are abusing their power. I would like to request that you accompany and assist him."
For several seconds, the man gave no response.
"I'm aware of his background," he said at last. "It was disappointing to have him turn to the other side of the law, whatever the circumstances were. Getting him as 'not an enemy,' I can understand. But how'd you convince him to be an ally again?"
"I didn't. He convinced me."
A raised brow and wry smile from the other man.
"That so?"
"He pointed out to me exactly how much of an asset he and his team are. However much longer he's in this world, we're going to make the most of it. You would be there to ensure that everything is handled properly."
The man laughed.
"Sengoku, are you asking me to be a parole officer or a bodyguard?"
"Both. Though ideally, only a bodyguard. Though with that team he's got around him, I doubt you'll need to do much there."
The man chuckled as he got to his feet, easily dwarfing even Sengoku with his massive height.
"Well. I'll have to meet them myself before I make up my mind."
"He's at Water 7 until further notice."
"Then I'm outta here."
The cyborg walked off, calling out to his troops, and Sengoku turned after him.
"Commander Zephyr."
The former Admiral looked back over his shoulder, and Sengoku allowed himself a wry smirk.
"Don't be surprised if he challenges you to a fight."
And Zephyr's grin only grew. "I'm counting on it."
Dialogue is hard.
Graduation, move-out, and job search tend to put a damper on writing time, too.
But here it is (finally!) and there'll be more of this kind of stuff in the next chapter, including finally getting into those care packages.