"Whitebeard. Ace. Please leave their burial to us," said Red-Haired Shanks, a serious expression on his face as he stood before Fleet Admiral Sengoku. "This war was broadcasted all over the world. Don't exploit their deaths more than you already have!"
"I'm fine entrusting them to you, Red Hair," replied Sengoku, his arms folded.
"But, sir!" interrupted a Marine, shocked by their fleet admiral.
"I will take the blame," he said, looking down in shame, but honour was something he valued over pride. Before a Marine Fleet Admiral, he is a man of respect, and Whitebeard had gotten his respect. "Tend to the wounds of the fallen!" he exclaimed, abruptly. "This war...IS OVER!"
Far away, and far along the Grandline, in a place known as the 'New World'. A funeral took place. Standing in front of the two graves were Red-Haired Shanks and Marco the Phoenix. Behind them, every single pirate that allied and joined the Whitebeard Pirates, and behind them was Shanks' ship where his crew stood.
Petals of every shape and colour blew with the wind as their flowers lay before the graves of two men: Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, and Portgas D Ace, Fire Fist Ace.
Marco turned to Shanks. "Red hair," he stated. "How can I thank you for this?"
"Don't be ridiculous," said Shanks, a serious expression on his face. "He might have been my enemy, but Whitebeard was a pirate worthy of respect. Even Sengoku thought so."
After a pause, Shanks turned to Marco. "Well, it's time for us to go."
"Sure...thanks," thanked Marco as Shanks turned around and walked past the space the pirates made before.
He headed straight for his ship where his three main crew waited for him. But he only managed to get halfway when soft rain pattered on his clothes.
Even the skies cry for them, he thought, a small smile on his face. When he reached his crew, they boarded their ship, one after the other. He turned back around and nodded towards Marco who nodded back.
"Legends never die when the world is calling you," a melodic voice rung through the air. It alerted all of the pirates because there was no one to be seen. "Can you hear them screaming out your name? Legends never die, they become a part of you." The wind rattled, the petals swirling around, briskly. It was like a storm had hit, and it did. "Every time you bleed for reaching greatness. Relentless you survive.
"They never lose hope when everything's cold and the fighting's near," the voice grew louder. "It's deep in their bones, they'll run into smoke when the fire is fierce. Oh, pick yourself up, 'cause. Legends never die!" Lightning struck the graves with a blinding light. It sparked off like little branches at the ground as everyone raised their arms and covered their eyes. "When the world is calling you." The light faded away and the graves looked the same, besides the ashes of the burnt flowers. "Can you hear them screaming out your name?" It rained harder as if the water was like hail. It hit the pirates. "Legends never die, they become a part of you. Every time you bleed for reaching greatness. Legends never die.
"They're written down in eternity but you'll never see the price it costs. The scars collected all their lives. When everything's lost, they pick up their hearts and avenge defeat. Before it all starts, they suffer through harm just to touch a dream. Oh, pick yourself up, 'cause
"Legends never die!" Another lightning bolt struck the graves. It rattled the ground and shook the water. "When the world is calling you. Can you hear them screaming out your name? Legends never die, they become a part of you. Every time you bleed for reaching greatness. Legends never die. When the world is calling out your name. Begging you to fight. Pick yourself up once more. Pick yourself up, 'cause
"Legends never die!" Three last lightning strikes hit the ground but not at the graves, no, it was next to Marco who wasn't affected by the heat. The light glowed brighter with every second as the storm raged on. "When the world is calling you. Can you hear them screaming out your name? Legends never die, they become a part of you. Every time you bleed for reaching greatness. Legends never die."
The light and the storm drifted away like a bad dream. Behind the light was a figure of three men. One of them stood brightly while the two other fell to their knees.
Marco's and everyone else's eyes widened at the sight of Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, and his two commanders. Thatch, the fourth commander and Ace, the second commander.
"Pops? Ace? Thatch?" Marco whispered in disbelief. He could feel his eyes watering at the sight. Now, Marco wasn't a man who would cry but at the sight of three people who meant a lot to him coming back from the dead, his emotions ran wild.
The Whitebeard Division Commanders rushed to their captain and friends with tears brimming their eyes. They helped Whitebeard and Ace up. Marco slung Ace's arm over his shoulder as he lifted the kid up.
"Hey, guys," grinned Thatch as he greeted everyone. Haruta clutched onto Thatch, due to his height, he only reached the chef's torso.
"You're alive? But how?" Haruta had tears brimming his eyes as joy flooded his body.
Thatch shrugged. "I have no idea. All I can remember is the song you just heard. I don't know who the girl is and how she looks. All I know is her voice and I don't think I'm gonna forget anytime soon."
"We'll have to thank whoever she is when we meet her," Whitebeard said as he lifted himself up. He grabbed his bisento to keep himself up as if it were a walking stick.
As he did, Shanks had already made his way up to them. Shanks nodded at Whitebeard. "Thank you, Red Hair," Whitebeard thanked gratefully.
"I would've done it, either way, Whitebeard," Shanks replied with a gentle smile.
Whitebeard and Ace grabbed their things from their graves and put them on. "I am alive, my children," Whitebeard bellowed, the loudness of his voice reaching everyone, "and to the world, I will remain dead. I wish to see what the future holds without me. Do not tell anyone we are alive," he commanded.
The pirates all nodded and Whitebeard made his way through the cleared space, his commanders walking behind him. Once they reached the waters, they were met with their three original Moby Dick ships with a note attached. 'Don't die again,' it read in beautiful cursive handwriting.
Once they had set sail and Whitebeard took his seat on the deck, another lightning bolt hit the surface of the boat, a treasure chest in its place. Marco cautiously crept towards it and opened it gently, his guard up. It was the same lightning that brought Ace, Thatch and Whitebeard back but this was a chest, who knows what could be inside.
Once opened, two devil fruits were revealed with another note attached to them.
'These are replicas and work perfectly like yours did.'
Marco took them out and showed them to his captain and his best friend. "It says that these two are replicas but work the exact same way," he stated, handing the fruits to their respective owners.
Whitebeard and Ace took their fruits and bit into them. Whitebeard held his disgust as he ate it all, but on the other hand, Ace took one bite and swallowed it, spitting out the lingering taste with his saliva.
"Disgusting," he gagged.
Everyone around him laughed. Izo slammed his hand onto Ace's back. "Still the same, even after death," he joked with a smile.
"Haha, very funny."