News, The Dead and the Dying

_________ POV Narration _________

"That's... A lot to take in and think about..." Enel scratched his chin as he stood in the middle of the room, shirtless and rather unprepared to receive that many important news at once.

Despite that, he didn't appear panicked or worried about the situation.

'Francisco just did us a huge favour with his interference... Losing Whitebeard isn't something I planned for...'

Even if they now had a powerful army, the Sky King still thought that someone of Whitebeard's calibre was going to be almost vital during the war.

Enel knew better than to underestimate Edward Newgate's devil fruit, the one power said to be capable of destroying the world.

Hell, he wouldn't even question someone if they put it on the same rank as the God Fruits

It was just that powerful.

Losing Kaido was potentially an issue in itself, as Enel now had to look into other ways for Nika to awaken...

'Things are bound to get messy now... But it can't be helped...'

The Lightning Emperor sighed before looking at the people present in the room with a bored gaze before his eyes settled onto Garp.

"Garp, I understand why you didn't wish to interrupt my training, but please inform me if something as significant as Francisco leaving the Sky Islands happens..."

Garp huffed a bit before turning his head away.

"And on the matter of him being allowed to continue his journey... I also agree."

Garp seemed to pout at that, turning his head and whispering some random complaints to Sengoku, who just shook his head.

"I will have to go pay Sphinx Island a visit now, unfortunately, which has to put our training on pause for now." Enel continued speaking, thinking through a few things before deciding on his next actions...

"And why is that...?" Garp crossed his arms and scowled at Enel.

'Does he want to slack off already?... No, he's been pretty diligent all this time. Showed no signs that he was getting tired of it already...'

"I have to meet up with Whitebeard before he actually dies... I bet Kaido did a number on him... I'll plan on taking Bonney and Shiki with me."

"... I did hear he was gravely injured as well. His illness also doesn't show any signs of letting up. I do understand your intentions..." Sengoku shook his head, crossing his arms as he seemed to be in deep thought for a second.

"I get that you're leaving with Bonney... But why does this golden rat also need to come along?" Garp said as he narrowed his eyes at his 'captain'.

If Shiki was offended by the snarky insult, then he sure as hell didn't react to it.

But he did respond with a bored tone.

"Well, clearly our little Sky Archipelago is getting a small expansion... Good thing Francisco is still there, it'll be easier to cut the island up and float it up." The Golden Lion sighed as he crossed his bladed legs and leaned back into his couch.

"Wait a minute! Floating up another new island to the skies will certainly attract some eyes! Are you sure this is the best course of action?" Akainu perked up when hearing that, he addressed Enel directly, his voice loud enough to echo through the entire building.

Steam seemed to be radiating from his shoulders, as the atmosphere in the room heated up a bit.

Sakazuki's devil fruit did have the habit of going off on its own at times. Especially whenever he was feeling strongly about something...

But he did have control over it, so most people just assumed he used it to emphasize a point or to express his feelings...

One could say it had become part of his 'volcanic attitude'

"It might attract some eyes, sure. It's more likely they'll notice it's missing afterwards though..." Shiki smiled a bit as he remembered the way he had floated up islands in the past.

He had some experience in doing it after all...

Regardless, some of the people in the room weren't as convinced.

"It might be riskier this time. Agents would certainly keep an eye on someone like Whitebeard..." Aokiji scratched his chin, exhaling some steam and cooling off the atmosphere in the room a bit, noticing that it was making Gan Fall a bit uncomfortable.

The change in temperature was much appreciated, and the conversation continued from there.

Many either agreed or disagreed. On one hand, having Whitebeard closer could be a good choice for them, but it would also leave all of Whitebeard's other territories empty and ripe for the taking.

There was obviously the risk of the World Government noticing a big island travelling through the New World, and trying to either shoot it down with Pluton Cannons or follow it back to their Sky Islands.

The consensus was that the Government was definitely aware of Kaido's attack on Whitebeard. It was impossible for them not to know, especially since Shanks had claimed that there were CP agents present on Wano.

Shiki was confident that he'd be able to do it unnoticed. Dragon also seemed to think that it was possible, but he couldn't deny that there was a bigger risk to it than necessary...

'It might be better to just go and heal up Whitebeard...'

Even Sengoku seemed to agree that their circumstances made such a move more difficult. It was a lot safer to just heal up Whitebeard and let him do his thing, control things in the New World, or at least the parts of the New World that he ruled.

Seeing how some opinions were split on the matter. Enel decided to leave it up to a vote.

The vote didn't last long either. Shiki and Enel seemed to be in favour of moving the island, Dragon and Fujitora were neutral, and the rest were against it.

"... Fair. It's settled then. I'll be travelling with Bonney."

Enel decided to listen to the vote, as the final decision was still on him to make.

Having the rest act as a sort of council was certainly helpful in its own way. Not having all choices be dependent on his input.

"Very well... I'm assuming you'll leave right away, I'll let the other trainees know that you're gone for now..." Garp sighed and nodded. He didn't try to argue about Francisco returning anymore, deciding to just give up and use his energy in other ways...

Things like training his students, the Sky Guards and the Neo Marines...

Hell, Coby and Helmeppo had had their training pursued for quite some time after the War at Marineford. They had restarted their training under Garp not long after arriving on the island, but they still had a long way to go...

"I'll take a shower, get dressed, then go speak to Bonney... Good luck with any other matters, my journey shouldn't take all that long." Enel nodded to the people in the room and then turned into lighting and flashed away.

The meeting didn't last that long after his departure. Most talking points were already exhausted, so they now had to wait on any more news from the outside world.

---------------

While the Sky Islands were deciding on a course of action, and Enel was embarking on the trip towards the Sphinx Island, the Whitebeard Pirates were in a period of...

Mourning.

Many had died in the battle against the Beast Pirate Alliance. Whitebeard's own children had given their lives to protect their father's hometown.

The most notable sacrifice was Vista.

His death was tragic for Whitebeard. He had died because of his previous injuries, his lungs had been almost irreparably damaged by King's serrated blade, and the chaos on the island led to a severe lack of immediate medical attention available.

To put even more salt on the wound... Whitebeard had started silently blaming himself for his son's death.

'The doctors were all occupied because of me...'

Was the thought that rang in his mind. It echoed off of the walls of his psyche, damaging it further as he spiralled into a pathetic bout of self-pity.

A mental episode that Ace was quick to slap him awake from.

"Pops! Vista decided to fight with you till the end! It was his own decision, one that he made as the man you raised him to be...

Seeing you blaming yourself like this would surely hurt him, so please stop..."

Ace's speech was said through tears, and his emotions seemed to reach the injured and sick Whitebeard.

The almost-giant legendary pirate could only sigh.

His only other comfort was the thought that the ones responsible for his son's death were already rotting on the shores of his hometown.

Now that he could move, Whitebeard decided to pay those shores a visit. To see with his own eyes, the place where his son had breathed his last.

There, he found the scene to be as bloody as it could have been. No one had bothered to clean up the bodies yet, blood had already soaked into the ground, staining it for a long time to come.

Strewn bodies and limbs, it was hard to make out which head belonged to which body, which hand and leg fit right...

"Heh... Admiring my handiwork, are you?..." A voice interrupted Whitebeard's thoughts, the old man turned his head and saw a young blonde man sitting on a rock nearby, drinking sake while seemingly also admiring the carnage that was of his own making.

"Francisco..." The blonde man's blue eyes shined in the sun as he rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt.

"Sorry to hear about your sons... If it gives you any closure, I made sure that the perpetrators will have to be stitched back together in hell..." Francisco spoke in a calm tone, his apology sounded sincere, well-meaning.

It was unexpected...

'I didn't think someone like him would ever help me... Even if he was alive...'

Newgate shook his head as he remembered betraying Francisco alongside the rest of the crew...

"I don't blame you..."

Yet another phrase that Whitebeard hadn't expected to ever hear from Xebec's right-hand man...

"How come?"

Loyalty was important to Francisco... And Whitebeard had done the worst to him...

"I had a long time to reflect on the state of the Rocks Pirates... No one in their right mind would blame you.

Xebec forced your hand from the beginning to the end, you finally managed to see a glimpse of hope, a chance to escape...

I can't blame you for taking it..."

Francisco shook his head as he remembered the countless hours he had spent thinking of revenge... That was a long time ago.

The more he thought of the situation, the less he felt that he was justified to even feel wronged...

Whitebeard, Kureha, Kaido, Linlin, and even Shiki... All of them were roped into the Rocks Pirates, essentially forced to give away their freedom to Xebec... To fight under him.

Therefore, Francisco couldn't quite bring himself to hate any of his former crewmates for the God Valley Incident.

In fact, he had been foolish to not have expected it... He may have been friends with the crew, but he was still a roadblock to them as well. Xebec's enforcer...

"... You changed a lot..." Whitebeard sighed as he tried to envision how a revenge-driven Francisco would have acted in the current situation... How Xebec would have acted...

"Well, I would say time does that... But you haven't changed a bit!" Guzman smiled as he glanced at the Strongest Man Alive.

"The same confident and powerful man... You got to finally accomplish your dream... You have a family. A huge one."

"Gurarara...If only I still had the strength to protect it..." Whitebeard gave Francisco a hollow laugh as he gazed onto the battlefield.

In the middle of it, two sabres were planted into the ground, a dark blue top hat rested on one of the hilts.

A temporary 'grave' for Vista. The burial was to take place soon, and he'd be buried there after the place was cleaned up. He would be buried facing the seas...

'... I don't have long left... I will perish soon...'

At first, Whitebeard didn't know if he wanted to participate in whatever Enel had planned... He still planned to do so, as he was indebted to the Sky King.

But he had his doubts. After all, he disliked the thought of putting his children in harm's way...

But now?

'What's the point of avoiding conflict if it's going to find us anyway?...'

Whitebeard knew that... He had many examples of that in his life, but it was the first time he had acknowledged that lesson and internalized it...

Now, he was feeling hopeless.

He had no assurance that his children would be safe after his passing... After all the world was more chaotic than ever...

'Can I really afford to die now...? Leave my remaining sons in such chaos while I go and join Vista and the others in eternal rest?'

The answer was... No.

Even if it was inevitable, Whitebeard refused to acknowledge it... There must be a way for him to keep fighting... To secure a bright future for his sons...

Without wasting any time. The old pirate turned his head towards Francisco, who was silently looking at him.

"... How did you recover your youth, Francisco?"

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Hope you liked the chapter!

Back here again with another chapter, as I've said, trying to repair the shit upload speed.

Really need to take a shit tho, so I'll stop writing no

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