Here is chapter two! I hope that you like it! :D Thank you all for all the favs and the alerts, you guys are awesome =D Well, enjoy this chapter and please comment with your thoughs, it would be very much appreciated ^_^ This is a collab story that I have done with xLiliumxAricox! her profile is: http:/xliliumxaricox. / please check her out! (link without spaces)

Disclaimer: We don't own One Piece, Oda does. We do however own the plot of this story.

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Blackbeard's POV:

One hour. In one hour I will see how much my soldier I've worked so hard to train has grown. Portgas D. Ace. He's been a real help. Take for example, the recent victory we had. I'm positive he played a big part in that. All these years, I was surprised to see that Monkey D. Garp decided to take him in, but I'm glad he did. It would've been such a shame to waste his abilities on something like the rebel army. I knew he trusted me and respected me, like the other fools. But you can't blame them. I've held this charade for many years. No one has suspected anything. On the outside I was your normal, loving leader, but all that was a well-planned lie. The scariest betrayal is one you can't see, am I wrong? After three more battles, the leader, Cobra, would sign the land over to me. Yes in due time, my plans will be complete.

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Luffy's POV:

Luffy's POV

"Let's get this meeting started, shall we?" Father said. I looked around the table. Right next to me was a redhead named Kid. He's a good guy, but he has a terrible temper and cussing habit. He is the Commander of the Weapon's Unit. His division creates weapons for the rebel army. In his division is a man named Killer. I don't recall why, but the man is always wearing a mask. Kid is a good companion, and he doesn't respect me one bit, then again, barely anyone does. The redhead is an excelled fighter, not as good as me, but amazing, nonetheless. He can reload a gun so fast, you can't see it and assume he has an endless amount of bullets. Guns are his weapon of choice, if you hadn't noticed.

Next to him was Nami, the Commander of the Navigation Unit. She can sense when a storm is held, what point we can attack from to not get caught in a tornado or something, and she also manages the funds for our supplies. Not the best fighter, but she can hold her own. I try to keep my distance from her mostly because she PMSes 24/7. Even the slightest thing can make her angry.

On her left was this pervert named Franky. He always wears a speedo for no apparent reason, no matter what season it is. He is an engineer, and can fix anything in a matter of minutes, such is his unit. His weapon of choice, actually, is himself. I have no idea when we got the technology to do so, but he made himself a cyborg. There are a ton of gizmos and buttons I want to try, but he never lets me. The meanie. Anyway, the strangest thing about him is that he runs on cola, of all things. How he managed to create a system that runs on a drink is beyond me.

Then there was this awesome person named Usopp. He's a liar, but he's good at it, but that isn't his specialty. He's our Sniper Commander, or as he puts it, 'Sogeking.' That part isn't a lie. He is the king of snipers. I've never seen a better one. His attacks are one of the first, either after Dad or the enemy declares war. A good man, although he's quite cowardly. I like him a lot, he was one of the first people Bonney and I met when we were old enough to join here. We've been friends ever since.

Skipping Bonney, there was Roronoa Zoro. He was in charge of the Swordsman Unit. He basically teaches new recruits how to fight, and he aims to be the best swordsman in the world. The style of swords he uses is quite rare: Three Swords Style. He has an odd hair color, green. His skills are impressive, and I hope he achieves his dream, but there's one problem. The dude has no sense of direction. He can't even find his way around the rebel headquarters, despite being here for so many years.

Next to him was Trafalgar Law, the head of the Medical Division. He was an oddball, always smirking, but he was cool. A trustworthy guy. He had black hair, sideburns, and a goatee. The doctor always carried around a sword, which was super long. However, he usually used his fists in a battle. He never got along with Kid; they always bickered whenever they were in the same room. An excellent surgeon on top of everything. He always healed his patients, in fact, I don't know one person who died when receiving his treatment. In his division was Tony Tony Chopper. The weirdest thing about this doctor was that he was a reindeer. He was the successor of Doctor Kureha. She was the previous head of the Medical Division until she retired and Law took over.

Then there was Brook. He was so skinny; the dude was practically a skeleton. On top of his head was the best hairdo in the world. An afro. He played music very well, and was the musician at funerals and such. It'd be kind of stupid to call him the Head of the Musical Division, but he pretty much is. Don't ask why we have that sort of division, we just do. He was always in a tux, asking to see girls' panties. Usually, you'd catch him drinking tea or walking with his cane. The coolest part about the cane was that in reality, it was actually a sword. He always cheered me up when I was down. But no matter how hard he tried, I doubt he'd be able to get me out of my depression about my father's dying.

Next to him was this girl named Nico Robin. She can decipher everything and anything. The brunette is the main reason we've been able to crack all the government's codes. He mother was also a victim of the war, but also a hero. Because of Nico Olivia, we found out how the government's system worked ten years back. Robin is the leader of the Archeologist Division. She knows the answer to everything and is an experienced fighter. I respect her a lot, but I try not to bug her too much, less I feel Nami's wrath.

Then there was Sanji. He was the best cook in the universe. I loved his food that he works so hard to make, but he's a womanizer, thus, Nami, Robin, and Bonney were his top priority. He preferred to fight man to man, but he is talented in long-range guns. He has blonde hair, which he covers one eye with, a curly eyebrow, and is almost always wearing black. He and I get along quite nicely, but he gets testy whenever I try to sneak into the kitchen and try to get a bite to eat.

On his left was Hawkins. He's kind of like a predictor, but he is never able the figure out the outcomes in each battle. Nonetheless he was able to predict many ambushes we've avoided. Not once have I seen him change his expression. On his head was long flowing blonde hair. He is the Head of the Unnamed Division. It's not supposed to exist, and nobody except the captains and people in that division know about it. That's why we've been able to dupe the government's plans for the past six years. With no one the wiser. This is one of the main reasons no one in his group ever goes out to battle.

And that sums up our eleven commanders. I should probably be listening to what father is saying instead of recapping old memories. Oh well. I think I look like I'm paying attention. It's probably not important, anyways. The first fifteen minutes of every meeting is introductions. The real meeting starts right about, now.

"Thank you all for coming here. Now, I know we've suffered a recent loss, but that does not mean we can give up." True, we were forced to retreat, mostly because the government bribed people we thought to be our allies, in short, they flat-out cheated. "Our next attack will be held in Yuba. It's where Alubarna's supplies are held. However, its defenses are weak. If we use this opportunity to cut their supplies, Alubarna will be vulnerable to attack." My dad is such a good public speaker. "And this time," he paused for a moment. "I will be joining in battle." I think my heart stopped the moment he said those words.

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Ace's POV:

It took me quite an amount of time to get to the room that I almost lived at. Things were just so far away inside this place, the amount of time that you could spend going from one place to another was shocking. I was already tired of walking with so much dirt and dried blood on my uniform and on my skin. I hated feeling and being like this, however I would never admit it to anyone. I could feel how exhausted my bones, my muscles... how exhausted all my body was. Physically and mentally, and on top of that I would surely have to see my superior, Blackbeard, soon. He was a nice man and hadn't done anything bad to me, but talking to him just was too tiring for everyone, and he had a strange way of being. However and even though he was a strange man he had been loyal to Arabasta's government for a very long time and was a good superior, always giving up his time and his life for the sake of the government and our strong and fair army. I didn't think that he was married or had any children, unlike many of the soldiers, commanders and generally people of his age, which also was something quite strange, but not impossible to see. There were so many kinds of people around here after all.

It was a very hot day, like it always was around here. However even though I had spent quite a lot of my childhood at this country I still was as exhausted as always day after day. I quickly brushed off some swear that was accumulated, between the dirt and the dried up blood, on my forehead with my free hand, managing to feel visibly better when I got the layer of liquid out of my head, allowing me to feel slightly less tired. I smiled when I remembered the small encounter with Vivi. I had been quite some time without seeing her, and it had been nice to see her before, even though it had been for such a long time. She was always such a great friend. My smile soon turned into a more strange to see grin when I thought about the last words that she had said.

"So we will see each other soon" I muttered, quite happy. It would be nice to hang out with her when we both weren't too busy due what we dedicated ourselves to do for the country that we loved.

I continued walking forwards, making sure that all the exhaustion that I felt was invisible to anyone that saw me. I was quite respected around here, and I felt like it was my duty to give confidence to the other people, no matter their rank, a sense of victory and of pride by showing myself strong and ready to fight for what I loved at any given time.

It was then when I noticed that I was finally in front of my room's door, god knows how much time after I had started to walk towards it when I had arrived to the headquarters where I lived at.

"At last" I muttered as I unlocked the door and gently opened it.

I entered the room as soon as the door was unlocked, and after I took several steps into the room I immediately dropped on the floor, right besides the bed, the combat helmet that I had to wear and that was part of the uniform and that I was completely used to. I didn't really care where I left it right now; I would put it in order later. Right now I just wanted to rest for a bit before taking the shower that I longed for so much.

I walked towards what was my bed and I immediately let myself fall on top of it. I took several deep breaths as I lied on top of it, staring at the ceiling and with a strange sense of peace inside me. I spent some time like this, resting, until I decided that it was enough and that I should shower myself to get rid of all of the dirt that I had on me.

I got up from the bed and I started taking off my uniformed camouflage jacket, that had some smell of blood on it, and I placed it on top of the bed. Next I took off my sand coloured t-shirt and also left it quite neatly this time on top of the bed, right besides the jacket. I had the luck of having a room all for myself due to several reasons over here, and I was quite grateful for it. My last roommate and friend, Sabo, had probably died in combat several months ago, and that had led to a room all for me. Until now I hadn't been assigned to share room with anyone, which was good. It had been quite a shock when I had been told that Sabo had died in combat, and it had really affected me for some time, but I was sure that I would make the murderers, the rebels, pay for it.

I was now just wearing my camouflage trousers and my combat boots, and when I was about to take the latter off I heard several knocks on the door. I walked towards it to open it, almost cursing beneath my breath whoever had decided to call me at this time, just before I was about to take a shower.

I opened the door, and I immediately saw a fellow soldier that I hadn't talked much to and that had my same rank as me.

"Colonel Portgas D. Ace, General Blackbeard requested to see you in an hour's time" He said as he looked at me from head to toe, literally.

"Very well" I immediately replied. The man stared at me for three more seconds before turning around and going away.

I closed the door as soon as he had disappeared, wondering why in hell he had looked like that at me and just proceeded to take off my combat boots, trousers and pants. I quickly made my way towards the shower, entered it and quickly turned the water on, not bothering to change it to hot water and instead letting the cold water go down through all of my body. I breathed in and out quite relaxed, enjoying the feeling of the water going down through all of my body and cleaning the dirt and the blood that now started to disappear.

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Dragon's POV:

I had been sitting at the chair that I always sat at during meetings for quite a while now, I didn't know exactly how much, but had ranged from a few minutes to two hours. I always came early to meetings, not only because it was my duty as the leader, but also out of my own personal conviction that told me that I should be the first one to me there to show strength to all the members and the other commanders. It was essential. What kind of leader would I be if I arrived late or later than all the other members? Some would argue that it would have a 'dramatic effect', but really, what kind of leader would I be? I had been leading the rebellion for a very long time; I didn't even remembered how long it had been. However I hadn't been the person to declare this war though; I had done that together with my wife, who now rests in peace, but she deserved more, so much more.

So many things have changed since then, since I was a child and I challenged my father when he ordered me to join Arabasta's army and I ran away from home, since I met the girl that would become my wife one day when I was a kid too, since I fell in love with her, that was quite soon after meeting her, since I founded with my wife the rebel army and since we 'declared war' on Arabasta's government that was full of corruption, decadency, death and lies. So many things had changed since then, our aim was still the same, or mine was at least. However I knew that by now due to the prolonged time that this civil war had been going on for many people that had joined were just in this to avenge their families and loved ones, that although was a noble reason it still wasn't the one that started this civil war. The enemy thinks the same thing too. There are some noble people on the other side; however the great majority of possibilities of changing sides have disappeared. I would dare to say that all of them have disappeared.

After my wife died, so soon after the birth of my only child, Luffy, I felt so sad and alone; so incredibly sad, depressed and alone. The only thing that helped me go forwards was my son Luffy, that although was a bit goofy at times and was very different form the other kids (all us "D.'s" were quite different from others after all) he had quickly become the centre of my life. The rebel army was very important to me, almost as important as him, but if something were to happen to him I would be able to give up everything to ensure that he was safe and alive. Luffy had become the centre of my life as soon as he had been born, at first with his mother and after her death the only centre of my life (followed very closely by the rebel army and the civil war of course). He was a fine young man right now, as strong as someone could be and with very strong ideals. So strong that I knew that he would be able to control that "spirit" that some old legends talked about, that "haki" that was mentioned in some old texts and legends, if it existed that is.

The second man that had become quite a leader of this whole side with my wife and me had been Gol D. Roger, and that had been before Luffy had been born and while my wife had still been alive. He had been a brilliant man, a very brave man with lots of bad things about him but full of great things and qualities. He had helped us move forwards and have some very important victories against the government. He had been executed about twenty or twenty one years ago, I never was really sure or remembered correctly the date. It had been a very sad day for all of us, and the most interesting part of it was that even though he was so strong he had given himself to the government and immediately after this it had become known that Monkey D. Garp, my father and the famous hero of the army, had 'captured' him. However he hadn't given himself in just because he was tired of living or of fighting against the tyranny of the government. No, the reason was deeper and more meaningful than that. He had a deathly disease that would end his life at some point, and when he gave himself in he was close to death. He had said that he preferred to die a death like that than one where he was in bed without being able to do anything at all. His death had quite an impact on people though, and instead of making our side seem like it was losing it had made lots of people decided to join the rebel army or just create their own group to fight against the government.

The last thing that I heard about Roger was that his wife or lover, I didn't really know, had his child some time after the execution, and that she died while giving birth. Apparently my father, Garp, took care of the child as soon as this happened, just like Roger apparently asked him to do. I wonder what happened to that child after that. Knowing Garp he surely pushed him to join the army.

These days I was completely focused on the war that we were fighting. It never stopped, and it hadn't stopped in all the years that it had been going on. I was just focused day and night on the war, excepting the many moments that I passed with my son. I had tried to avoid him noticing, but he had ended up noticing though. He had ended up noticing the sickness that I had, that made me have strong cough fits during night time at best. I knew that it was the very same one that Roger had had. The one that had killed him and that would also kill me. That was maybe why I had recently tried to seem as strong as ever and I had tried more than ever to maintain myself as active as I always was. However I knew that the time would eventually come.

I knew that Luffy wanted me to stop taking my job so seriously, to stop rest and get better, to stop letting my quest for freedom take my life. What he didn't know though, or maybe he did, was that I was very unwell. So unwell that I knew that things would never be the same in a few month's time. I just hoped that he wasn't too affected by my death. I knew that if I rested like he wanted me to I would probably live a few years more if I was lucky, and that would be wonderful. I love my son with all my heart, he has always been the centre of my life and spending more time with him would be a gift from the very heavens. However I must continue going on for him, my wife, for Roger, his wife and even his own son. I must continue going on to make everyone free. Every single inhabitant of this old and proud nation that is being destroyed by the corrupted and inhuman leaders of the government and that only spread lies. I must continue going on to make all of them free, but I keep going on to ensure that Luffy will be free one day. That he will be able to choose what he will be and what he will do with his life. That he will not only be free from the corrupted and inhuman leaders of the government but also from the legacy that he will have to stand and carryon his shoulders obligatorily, even if he wants to or he doesn't want to.

The war now isn't for freedom. The original aims have been forgotten, and right now there are only sides. No good or bad, just that: sides. That is why I must go on with the plan that I want to complete after my death, that won't be too far away. I must go on with it to ensure not only Luffy's freedom, but also everyone else's. I have already given 'it' to Ivankov. He will know what to do after all. He had been a good friend during all of these past years after all. So good that he will be the only one that will fulfil my last wish and order, the only one that will fulfil my last petition.

When I die I know that Luffy will be elected or chosen as the next leader of the rebel army. He is my son, the second in command and not only one of the strongest people around here but also the one that has a mentality very similar to mine, almost identical. However he is not too respected here due to his goofiness and easy way of being. During the last years ambitious people have joined the rebel army, and while they will be loyal to me, due to my strength and the numerous time that I have defeated them, as soon as Luffy gets chosen as the leader these will try to get rid of him so that they are the leaders. I know that none of the commanders will tolerate this, not only due to their loyalty to me or how they are but also because of them being such good friends with Luffy. However things will get difficult for him when I die, and not only will these hinder the whole rebel movement but they will even be able to destroy it completely and make it disappear. They may make the government win, unconsciously or consciously. There must be one or two traitors in here, there always are, just like there are several in between the government's ranks. Things will change a lot, I can see it, and in the end it will all be up to Luffy. Luffy will be free to choose.

I notice my typical grin appear in my face as soon as I see Luffy enter the room with is friend Bonney, one of the commanders. Yes, that is my son. I remain silent as Luffy sits beside me and as two complete hours pass as the other commanders start coming in. When they are all in I get up, indicating that the meeting was to start now.

"Let's get this meeting started, shall we" I said.

All of the commanders looked at me with full attention. Luffy did also look at me like that, at least for some moments. I knew after a minute had passed that he wasn't really paying any attention. It may seem like so to the others, but I know my son very well. I soon start talking about what has been going on recently and doing the usual introduction to the meeting that I always do during the first fifteen minutes.

Once the introduction is finished (and Luffy starts paying attention again) I start with the main and most important part of the meeting, the one that no one knows and that will shock all of them, especially Luffy. I know that he won't like this one bit, however this has to be done.

"Thank you all for coming here. Now, I know we've suffered a recent loss, but that does not mean we can give up" I say with confidence as I talked about the betrayal of our so called allies on last battle and what it all caused. With my words I know that everyone slowly recovers their confidence and their will to fight, no matter what has happened to them. "Our next attack will be held in Yuba. It's where Alubarna's supplies are held. However its defences are weak. If we use this opportunity to cut their supplies, Alubarna will be vulnerable to attack" I say with confidence again. This time I stop for a moment before continuing. I can feel all of their eyes on me. I take a breath before continuing. "And this time," I say, pausing again for a bit "I will be joining battle" I say. I look at Luffy, and see his face full of shock. Oh, Luffy. I hope that you can cope with what will come now. I know that you will be able to. It all rests on your shoulders now. Be free, be whatever you want. That is what you were meant to be after all.