New Marineford, the Fleet Admiral's war room.
An enormous three-dimensional nautical map hovered above the center of the long table, with the Red Line, the Grand Line, and the islands of the Four Blues shifting across it.
But everyone's gaze had settled, without exception, on the region that spanned the world,
marked at its summit with "Mary Geoise" and "Pangaea Castle."
At the head of the table, Gern sat upright, his Fleet Admiral's coat draped casually over his chair, the cuffs of his black shirt rolled up to expose his forearms.
He did not look at the map. His fingers simply rested interlaced on the tabletop.
To his left sat his inner circle, now known to the outside world with both awe and fear as the "Calamities."
"White Rabbit" Lipo Hope, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, sat closest to him,
crunching away at a bright red carrot, her pink rabbit ears twitching slightly as she chewed.
"Gold" Gild Tesoro, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral and Chief of Staff, rapidly leafed through a thick stack of documents with one hand,
while the fingers of his other hand tapped absently, making soft sounds.
"Snake Princess" Toritoma, commander of G-10 Base and a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, rested her chin in one hand, openly gazing adoringly at Gern at the head of the table.
"God" Enel, the Marine Headquarters Admiral "Thunder God,"
had his feet propped brazenly on the conference table, his back against his chair and his arms folded behind his head. His eyes were closed, as though the meeting held no interest for him.
"Devil" Douglas Bullet, the Marine Headquarters Admiral "Demon," sat with his arms crossed, his massive frame filling his chair.
"Tyrant" Bartholomew Kuma, a Marine Headquarters Vice Admiral, sat with the straightest posture of all, his hands resting