The Gathering of the Seven
Kara sat down, annoyed, as she watched the Marines bringing in the pirates they had captured.
"So here you were. We brought in Eustass Kid and his crew," said Pale, the owl-man, approaching with his usual tired look.
"Birdbrain! Long time no see!" Kara greeted, raising her hand with fake cheer.
"I have a name, you know? But whatever... Just notify the Marines so we can get the bounties for everyone we caught," Pale huffed, clearly irritated.
However, after a few seconds of hesitation, he leaned in slightly and murmured something only Kara could hear:
"The Government might be plotting something against the Marines during the war. Be careful."
Then he walked off with his men as if nothing had happened.
"Sigh… By the way, where's Kizaru? He was supposed to be watching over all this," Kara asked, forgetting that she herself had said his presence wasn't necessary.
"Vice Admiral… Admiral Kizaru left. He said you had everything under control," a Marine answered with a quick, formal salute.
"That bastard!" Kara growled, frowning.
"And what are you doing here?" asked a voice from behind her.
Kara turned immediately.
"Oh, the fatty! Doing Kizaru's job? And you? Shouldn't you be bouncing around Vegapunk's labs like a rubber ball?"
"You're just jealous because Vegapunk kicked you out after you destroyed everything in your path, like the destructive idiot you are," Sentoumaru replied seriously.
"Aah?! You think I'm afraid of that crazy old man? I can break through his barrier whenever I want," Kara said, standing proudly.
"Then why haven't you done it since he kicked you out a year ago?" Sentoumaru asked, raising an eyebrow.
"…Because they're really expensive and I don't want to pay for the damages," Kara replied, sitting back down while whistling innocently.
Suddenly, she looked at him with a mischievous smile, clearly plotting something.
"Alright, chubster. I see you brought the fake Kumases, so you must be here trying to earn points for a promotion. Perfect, you'll handle all of this.
Don't worry, I won't tell Sengoku that you're just a pervert in a weird outfit who miraculously does his job."
"What did yo"?!"
"Okay, byyye!" Kara interrupted him, dashing off at full speed before Sentoumaru could reject the "assignment."
...
Kara returned to Marineford with a big smile on her face, walking like she'd just come back from vacation instead of running from her responsibilities. She had just spent a couple of hours "inspecting" the Sabaody Archipelago… which, in her case, meant playing, eating, and dumping all the work on Sentoumaru.
Now she was calmly"way too calmly"heading to the Shichibukai meeting room, after receiving a direct order from Sengoku.
Well, whenever the Shichibukai were summoned, Kara was too. Not just because of her rank as vice admiral, but because many of them already knew her… and, much to the displeasure of several high-ranking officers, respected her more than any other Marine.
As she strolled through the base's hallways, a mild twinge passed through her stomach"or rather, the Fairy Tail seal she bore there.
"Eh?" she murmured, glancing down with a frown. The discomfort vanished instantly, so she shrugged and carried on as if nothing had happened.
CRASH!
"Kara is here!" she shouted excitedly as she burst through the large meeting room door… smashing it into cubes, as usual. The Marines guarding each side had barely begun to open it.
Sengoku, seated at the front, covered his face with his hand and let out a long sigh.
"Sengoku, I captured the Supernovas. Though… I let a few go 'cause I liked them," she reported casually, as if she were talking about a picnic.
"You didn't need to say the last part if you already let them go…" Tsuru sighed, shaking her head.
"Aah, right, Sengoku's a grump. Then I didn't let anyone go. Poof! They disappeared by magic!" Kara replied, folding her arms with an innocent smile.
"Just sit down," Sengoku growled, frowning with a twitch forming on his forehead. "The Shichibukai are about to arrive."
Kara plopped down next to Tsuru energetically, smiling like a child who had no idea what military discipline meant. But before she could get comfortable, footsteps"and yelling"echoed from the hallway.
"I don't care what Kara says! If you call me a 'Marine bitch' again, I'll cut you in half right here!" roared a furious female voice. It was impossible not to recognize it: Momousagi.
"Ha! And are you going to tell me you weren't acting like one when…?"
The other voice"confident, seductive, commanding"came to a sudden stop upon seeing the shattered door. Boa Hancock smiled in delight.
"Kara!" she exclaimed happily as she entered, completely ignoring the previous tension. She threw herself into the vice admiral's arms as if no one else existed.
Kara welcomed her with a carefree smile, enjoying the hug while Momousagi clenched her teeth.
"Oh, you two are as 'affectionate' as ever. To think there was a time when you couldn't even look at each other without unleashing Haoshoku," commented a male voice just as an electric current flew in through the window, materializing into one of the seats.
It was Ace, with his relaxed smile and friendly demeanor, waving. Before becoming a Shichibukai, he'd already dealt with the Marines due to his connection with Garp, giving him a certain familiarity with Sengoku and Tsuru.
"It's good to see you again, Ace," Tsuru said warmly.
"Thank you. And I must say, Grandma Tsuru is still as beautiful as ever," he replied, giving a charming little bow.
"Hahaha, that silver tongue of yours hasn't changed. No wonder so many girls are after you… though not as many as the ones chasing your little sister," Tsuru added, casting a knowing glance at Kara, who was still being hugged"nearly strangled"by Hancock, and glared at by the sharp-eyed Momousagi.
"Well, I learned from the best," Ace said with a laugh as he settled into his seat.
"Did Kara break the door again?" asked a deep voice from the ruined doorway. "They should just leave it open when she's around."
Jinbei entered calmly, offering a respectful nod and taking a seat next to Ace.
"Boss Jinbei, long time no see," Ace greeted with a smile.
"Good to see you again, Ace," the fish-man replied with his usual serenity.
Before they could continue their conversation, a loud and sinister laugh echoed throughout the hall.
"Zehahahaha! Well, well... Looks like everyone here knows each other quite well. Aren't Marines and pirates supposed to not get along?"
Blackbeard entered with a shark-like grin, his cloak billowing behind him. Behind him, Kuma walked in silently, ignoring everyone as he searched for his seat.
"And who is this horrid man supposed to be?" Hancock asked, glaring daggers at Teach.
"That's DonaBlack!" Kara blurted mockingly, boldly pointing at the massive scar across the pirate's abdomen. All eyes locked onto him, instantly recognizing the shape of the wound.
Teach frowned for a moment, but then laughed again.
"I'm Blackbeard," he corrected, sitting as far away from Kara as possible.
"He's the new Shichibukai. He's filling the spot Crocodile left," Sengoku explained sternly, shooting Kara a warning look to not turn the meeting into a circus… more than it already was.
But Kara wasn't even listening. She was already distracted with Hancock and Momousagi.
"LET ME GO, YOU BASTARDS!! I SWEAR I'LL STEAL YOUR SHADOWS AND STUFF THEM INTO ROTTING BEAST ZOMBIES!"
A shrill and cavernous voice echoed through the corridors of Marineford.
Through the grand entrance came Gecko Moria, fully chained from neck to ankles. He was escorted by a dozen tense Marines, sweating under the pressure of his ominous aura.
"That's enough. Release him. I doubt he'll dare cause trouble… not here," Sengoku ordered firmly, though his furrowed brow showed he had little patience for nonsense.
The Marines obeyed quickly. Moria shook off the chains, growling like a wounded beast. He lifted his gaze and froze upon meeting the sharp stares coming from every corner of the room. Kara, Hancock, Momousagi, Ace… even Jimbei was there. Everyone except one.
"Tsk…" he clicked his tongue with disdain and went to sit beside Kuma, who ignored him completely.
"Seems like the only one missing is Hawk-Eye," Ace commented, arms crossed, his body sparking with tiny lightning bolts.
"There's no need to wait," murmured a cold and deep voice.
Through the hole in the door appeared Dracule Mihawk, his gaze as sharp as his sword. He walked in slowly, paying no mind to the chaos around him, and sat down in silence.
"Let's get this over with."
"I agree. Say whatever you need to say"I have unfinished business… a revenge to settle," Moria growled, his voice laced with repressed fury.
"Revenge?" Ace turned to him, his eyes glowing with suppressed electricity. "It's not against my little brother, is it? Because if it is, you'd better dig your own grave before she finishes breaking your bones," he said, pointing at Kara.
Kara, seated between Hancock and Momousagi, said nothing. She just stared at Moria, her face expressionless… which made her gaze even more disturbing.
Moria gulped, his shoulders tensing slightly.
"Enough!" Sengoku thundered, slamming his fist on the table. The booming sound silenced the entire room.
"You can kill each other later if you wish, but for now, listen."
He stood solemnly, and Tsuru rose by his side.
"In a few days, Vista, one of the Yonko Whitebeard's sons, will be publicly executed. The Marines have called this meeting to prepare for Whitebeard's inevitable assault."
The words hung in the air like a dark omen. Even the most arrogant could feel the weight of what was coming.
"Troops have been mobilized from all Four Seas. Marineford will be the battlefield… and you, the Shichibukai, are a key piece in this war."
Ace clenched his fists, the sparks around him intensifying.
"A war against Whitebeard… I can finally avenge him."
But the most intense expression wasn't Ace's… it was Jinbei's. His gaze burned with a mix of determination and hope. That defeating Whitebeard might mean the liberation of his homeland.
"Zehahahaha…" the laugh rang out arrogantly from the darkest corner of the room.
"Then you should thank me. After all, I delivered Vista…"
Blackbeard crossed his arms with satisfaction. But his grin faltered briefly when Sengoku looked straight at him.
"Your cooperation has been… noted. But for everyone's safety, from this moment on, access to Impel Down is restricted," he announced gravely.
"The entrance has been sealed. Kizaru and Akainu took care of it. And Magellan has turned Level One into a sea of poison. No one"not even the Marines"can enter for at least two weeks," Sengoku added.
Teach's eyes flared briefly with contained fury. He had lost something important… and he knew it.
"Zehaha… What's this? Don't trust us? Afraid there's a traitor among the Seven?" he asked, trying to sow doubt, his gaze seeking allies.
"I have no interest in Impel Down," Mihawk cut in, raising his wine glass.
"Unless there are interesting swordsmen imprisoned there, I don't care if it sinks into the sea."
"Fine by me," Jinbei grunted. "All I care about is protecting the innocent."
"As if a traitor could go unnoticed," Ace said, staring directly at Teach.
Kuma, as always, remained silent.
Hancock wasn't even paying attention. She was locked in a personal battle with Momousagi, both of them trying to feed Kara first, who simply smiled while accepting food from both with perfect serenity.
Teach frowned. His attempts to manipulate the situation were failing one after another. But he wasn't the type to give up easily. He was already crafting a new plan.
"We'll assign your positions and responsibilities," Sengoku continued firmly. "Then, you'll wait at the Sabaody Archipelago until the day of the execution."