One Piece – Halfway Broken

Summary: Nothing happens in a vacuum...

Chapter 63: Clusterfuck Consequences

Sengoku gritted his teeth as he worked his way through the latest disaster of a report, one brought to them by a serious-faced Garp of all people. The room had fallen silent, as the other two senior officers read the details, scant as they were. Why the fuck couldn't anything seem to go right? It had been one disaster after another for months. Struggling to keep his calm when all he wanted to do was rage, his question was a bit harsher than he'd like when he spoke.

"How reliable is the information? Not you, Garp."

Tsuru was quick to respond, even if she shot an annoyed look Garp's way.

"Unfortunately, the photos hold up under scrutiny, and many of the details match the few bits of knowledge we have about the ongoings of the Sky Islands. Worse, we all knew Shiki was potentially still alive and the location makes complete sense given his Devil Fruit. It also, even worse, fits entirely with his habit of making long-term plans and taking refuge in audacity."

Sengoku scowled.

"Great. Just fucking fantastic. Not only did we lose Moria bringing in Jozu, but now Shiki the Golden Lion pops up on our radar. Not only alive, but in Paradise and practically on top of both the Archipelago and Marineford. The bastard didn't even have the decency to hide on the other side of the world, but stayed practically in our own damn backyard!"

Gritting his teeth and trying to reign his anger in, again, Tsuru decided to be oh so helpful by pointing out another issue.

"Doflamingo hasn't reported in either, and our agents in his organization got back to us. His Virve card burned up. Something or someone killed him after Kuma left, and we have no idea who or how. Since Jinbe is refusing to cooperate with the game plan and we haven't replaced Crocodile or Moria yet, that means we're down four of the seven Warlords. Worse, Doflamingo is virtually certain to have had a deadman's switch on certain information that the World Government doesn't want getting out."

Sengoku's eyes closed and his fists clenched.

"Tsuru, get me Kong, and have someone roust Vegapunk out. By force if they have to. We're already too committed, but we need to find a way to make up for the strength shortfall. As well as see what Vegapunk thinks of these experiments Shiki is apparently running. Garp, find a ship and crew capable of handling the High West, too. We need more information as soon as possible. Not a Marine or World Government ship. We don't want to spook him if he's not ready to move yet. Hopefully he's not ready to move yet. If he is, and he moves after or during our confrontation with Whitebeard…"

Even Garp winced at that, and both of the Vice-Admirals nodded acceptance of their orders. Sengoku watched them leave, wondering if he was actually going to make it to that retirement he was chasing alive…and also wishing he'd never heard of Garp's grandson. Strawhat Luffy passing on the information through his grandfather about Shiki was technically a boon. But it was an aggravating one that made it clear just how badly they'd fumbled handling a potentially useful asset. The timing was more than unfortunate, too. Which is why he'd hoped Tsuru would find fault with the data. Unfortunately, she hadn't. While it hadn't been outright confirmed, either, it felt right.

He was beginning to get the sinking sensation that the world was going to come unglued before he could foist this job off on some other poor sucker…

... ... ...

The usual upbeat atmosphere of the Moby Dick was completely missing as Whitebeard gently hung up the Den Den Mushi. That gentleness wasn't an expression of calmness, but one of rage. The Strongest Man in the World was well aware just how fragile the rest of the world was in comparison to him. He'd long, long ago learned the iron control required not to break small things like innocent Den Den Mushi, his ship, or whatever island he might be on, when getting bad news.

That didn't mean his crew wasn't fully aware of the absolute fury lurking behind his every motion.

There was a heavy presence in the air. It wasn't Haki. No, this was the sort of presence one typically only felt when a force of nature was about to screw you over. When a Grand Line grade storm was about to ravage your ship, when a volcano let out ominous rumbles, or an ancient sea king was about to remind you that humans weren't the top of the food chain. Few of the younger members of the crew had felt the like before, not coming from their Captain. Not even on the rare occasions that Shanks, the only other Yonko Whitebeard didn't hate, dropped by for a personal visit and the Wills of the two titans clashed.

The older hands knew what the feeling foretold far better. They'd seen it once or twice before. Usually, when someone truly foolish attacked an island under Whitebeard's flag. This, though, was the worst it had ever been. Marco's news, the news that 3rd division commander Diamond Jozu had been captured in an ambush that had been explicitly and specifically aimed at their group. The news that the World Government, not just the Marines, but the World Government, had announced he was to be executed at Marineford. Not, as they would have done were they only seeking a momentary win, immediately. But on a specific date.

There was only one reason that they would have done that. Only one reason that the World Government wouldn't use its puppet of the Marines to make the announcement in their place. Only one reason that they would set the execution for a date weeks out instead of handling it immediately and only telling people afterward. Only one reason they would hold the supposedly 'public' execution in their greatest stronghold. They were, intentionally and with no attempt at all to pretend otherwise, calling Whitebeard out. They'd thrown down the gauntlet, challenged the man who treated all of his crew like Sons and Daughters to save this one…if he dared.

There could be only one answer.

"Contact the Division Commanders, allied captains, and subordinate crews. Pull them all in. Everything. Every ship. Everyone who has an outstanding favor with us. We have our deadline and there is only one possible reaction."

The crew scrambled to obey, all of them acting with professionalism unusual for a pirate crew. Many of them wearing looks of anger just as deep as the pressure carried by Whitebeards rumbling voice. The communications room was soon filled with a dozen people, even as smaller ships of the 1st Division were sent racing out carrying physical orders.

The Whitebeard Pirates were going to war.

... ... ...

Benn Beckman's expression was unusually solemn as he watched his Captain. Shanks' usual air of cheerful mischief had been replaced by something very rarely seen. Utter calm. To those closest to him, they knew the signs. Shanks was only ever truly calm when he was forced to actively work at suppressing his Conqueror's Haki. Despite his carefree nature, Shanks was never careless with that particular ability. Not ever. If you felt his Haki, it was because he wanted you to.

"Benn?"

"Yes, Captain?"

Shanks' hand was steady as he reached out for his half-full ale, downing in with a calmness that they all knew as a lie.

"Contact all of the allied crews. We have favors to call in. I already know what Whitebeard is going to do, and there's no way in hell he's going to be talked out of it. Not when the World Government was this blatant about what they did."

The report that had reached them hadn't spared details. An entire group, including three of Whitebeard's Division Commanders, had been ambushed in Paradise. A solo member running around Paradise being careless and caught off guard? That might have been luck or chance. But this? No, this had been a clear and obvious message, a directed hit. They'd hit an incredibly powerful group of Whitebeard's people and pinpointed a single target out for what was effectively a kidnapping disguised as 'justice.' None of the Yonko could or would have left that alone. Not even Shanks, who was the least easy to bait.

"I know what he'll do. What I don't know is what Linlin and Kaidou will do. Lillin probably won't move. She's more of a parasite and businesswoman than anything. She'll be looking to capitalize on the results, not interfere with the actual fighting. But Kaidou is obsessed with being the strongest. The chance to attack Whitebeard when he has his whole fleet in one place? He might not want to pass that up, not even with as much as the psychotic bastard hates the World Government."

Benn nodded, already seeing where Shanks was going with this. Theirs was the odd-one-out among the Yonko crews. Instead of building a massive and sprawling fleet, Shanks had concentrated on making an insanely powerful central crew here on the Red Force. While they had numerous allies which were technically subordinate crews, his captain had never treated them that way. He gained loyalty, not forced it, and never gave out de facto orders to any of those crews. They still managed to hold nearly as much territory as Whitebeard simply because even Whitebeard would struggle to concentrate enough power in one place to deal with the Red Force and her crew. Frankly, his Captain had modeled his methods off his own Captain's. Roger had never had a massive fleet either. Only the Oro Jackson.

"You want them out looking for movement? No engagement, just feeding us back what they can pick up by cruising near the borders?"

Shanks nodded.

"Pick a few of the more reliable crews to keep a watch over the islands, too. We're likely to need to move. Possibly as far as Paradise."

Benn nodded, already mentally filtering for which of the crews could be relied on not to flake…or accidentally burn down any island they visited for more than a week. Those attracted to his Captain's flag tended to share certain personality traits.

"I'll get it done, Captain."

Benn almost left, but Shanks held out a hand.

"One more thing, Benn. Find me Mihawk's last known position. Depending on where he is…it might just finally be time to settle things."

Benn stiffened, hesitated, then nodded sharply. He was one of the very few that knew Shanks had rarely actually tried to kill Mihawk, despite the other's persistence in seeking him out for fights over the title of World's Greatest Swordsman. A title currently somewhat in limbo. Neither Shanks nor Mihawk had ever decisively won a fight between the two of them. Worse, for Mihawk's claim at least, Shanks was a direct student of Roger's, the Pirate King having held that title among all his others until his death. As a result, if forced to label a single 'greatest,' many would pick his Captain, despite Mihawk far more actively pursuing it.

The title never meant anything to Shanks.

No title really did.

Not even his title as a Yonko, which he considered only useful and mildly important as a means to protect others.

It meant, however, that Mihawk had never actually fought a Shanks that was truly, deadly serious. Instead, Shanks had forever treated their fights as high entertainment. A fantastic way to make sure his own skills were kept sharp. Mihawk knew it, to his own incredible frustration, but few outside the other swordsman and the crew of the Red Force were aware. If Shanks was serious, that might be about to change.

Worse, Benn could understand the reasoning. The Marines were already down at least two Warlords, possibly three. Jinbe would never fight Whitebeard either. If his Captain finally decided to eliminate or cripple Mihawk and succeeded in the attempt? The only ones left would be Hancock and Kuma. The former of which actively hated the World Government and might not even respond to the call to Marineford. One of the powers keeping the world in balance was depleted badly, and ripping away the strongest of those that remained might just finish that piece off for good.

What would come after that was in far greater question…

... ... ... ... ...

AN 1: Ah, poor Sengoku just can't catch a break, huh? Luffy passing on mention of Shiki's location was actually something a reader brought up. I decided it 110% made sense, though. Not only does he understand that Shiki is dangerous to the world as a whole, but he'd also be somewhat maliciously amused by the Marines having yet ANOTHER thing to worry about in the lead up to the War he's fully expecting them to start.

AN 2: I went back and forth on if the WG would known Doffy died. Ultimately, I decided that, given the situation between him and the WG, there's no way they wouldn't have agents around his crew. Since, as a New World pirate, he almost certainly had a Virve card? It makes sense that his own crew would discover his death quickly, and that those WG agents would discover it through the possibly-not-very-quiet panic that caused.

AN 3: Whitebeard. If he went after Ace when Ace was caught due to his own stupidity? There's no other possible reaction to the WG very blatantly pulling their ambush. As a Yonko, it just flat out isn't something he can ignore.

AN 4: This is also why Shanks' reaction is different than canon. With such a blatant gauntlet being thrown down, he's not stupid enough to even try and talk Whitebeard down. As such, he moved immediately into 'Okay, what do I do about it' mode. His interception of Kaidou if Kaidou moves will remain...but he has others steps he can take this time as well.

Remember, THIS version of Shanks never lost his arm and has continued to clash with Mihawk as a result. I've also chosen to interpret their clashes in a way I think makes sense for Shanks' personality. Unless Mihawk resorted to threating his crew, I can't see Shanks ever really being anything but delighted that Mihawk kept giving him good fights. Which equally means I doubt he was actively going for the kill. Given that he was still drawing with Mihawk constantly, I personally read that as Shanks probably actually being stronger, but not wanting the fun to end. Something upheld by the fact Shanks could go toe to toe with people like Kaidou and Whitebeard, whereas I'm not at all convinced Mihawk would survive either.