I do not own One Piece
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Beta read by the wonderful rose7anne101, who has a much more in depth and thought-out version of this sort of story.
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Ace Lives
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Coolly, Whitebeard took in the sight of the raging battlefield that was Marineford. He knew that if he was to rescue Ace, keep as many of his Sons alive as possible, and destroy the Navy, it would take every piece of intuition, experience, and cunning he had to play.
Along with Gol D. Roger-class luck of course.
For all his words, Whitebeard knew that Sengoku, Garp, the Admirals, and Warlords, were nothing to sneer at. Otherwise, scum like Big Mom or Kaidou would have attacked Marineford decades ago.
Although that does raise a certain question. Where are you Teach? Why aren't you with your fellow dogs? Whitebeard darkly wondered. I'd like to have a few words with you after all.
Without turning back, he knew one of his trump cards was making its move.
The loud, rumbling footsteps and screams of terror from the marines were a handy hint.
Like a living mountain, Captain Oars Jr., ally and Son of Whitebeard, had made his appearance.
Towering above everyone, Oars picked up an entire Navy battleship to throw it at the approaching Giant Squad, giving them a surreal experience as they were for all intents and purposes being picked on by someone bigger than themselves.
Even better, the toss pushed the giants back while tearing a hole into the massive wall the encircled most of Marineford's Bay.
Ignoring the cannon-fire assailing him, Oars roared aloud. "ACE! I'M COMING TO SAVE YOU!"
With a single slash of his oversized sword (a gift from his Father) he then took out the vice-admiral giant who had foolishly tried to retaliate.
Seeing that Oars was about to step over the broken wall and into the Bay, Whitebeard spoke up. "Be careful, Oars. Courage is one thing, but don't get yourself killed. Remember what I told you to do."
"POPS! DON'T MAKE ME STOP! I'VE GOT TO SAVE HIM! I CAN'T LET THEM KILL ACE!"
"Oars…" Whitebeard rumbled with patented Parental Disapproval. "I don't want you or any of your Brothers getting hurt. You do your job so they can do yours. If you can't beat someone like Marco or the other Division Commanders, then the Warlords will tear you apart."
This took the assembled pirates by surprise, especially Oars' crew. Their Captain's winning strategy was always to tear right through whatever was in his way, nigh-impervious to whatever was thrown at him. Even the Navy could clearly see it was Oars' preference.
What are you up to? wondered Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
Slumping, Oars sadly nodded to the confusion of the marines, and got to work.
Massive hands dug into the fortification wall that encircled most of this half of the bay, and each ripped out chunks the size of a modest house. Even that simple act greatly enlarged the path he had made into the Bay when he had thrown that battleship at the giants.
"This is bad!" Vice-Admiral Momonga grimmaced. "We'll have to fall back and defend the line at the Bay!" He and most of the other Vice-Admirals had been holding back Whitebeard's allies from entering the opening into said Bay, yet the pirates now had another entrance to pour through. In fact, if Oars was allowed to continue, then the marines would have to further divide their forces to cover it more; and if the line was too spread out, it would be all but useless.
Of course, the Navy wanted more of the pirates in the bay to kill them all with their trap. Until then however, they had to make the defense both convincing, and keep as many sailors alive as reasonably possible. There was also the not-insignificant chance that Oars' efforts might damage the Containment Wall.
Then Oars flung out his arms while holding what he had torn out.
Faster than a cannonball, the rocky rubble and steel reinforcing screamed over the ice and into the fortifications beyond. One of the massive cannons was destroyed outright, spraying lethal metal, concrete, and fire to kill even more marines. The second projectile shredded through the marines grouped within the plaza, safely to the right of the Execution Scaffold so Ace would be unharmed.
With a menacing grin, Oars leaned down to reload and rip out even more of the wall before him.
"This…could be a problem," Momonga gritted out.
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Whitebeard was being a proper Father, and showing Oars his approval.
"Gu ra ra ra ra ra!"
More and more of the Navy's own fortifications were being tossed back at them in a manner that aped Garp the Fist and his cannonballs of old. As for the retaliatory (and declining) cannon-fire, Oars had shrugged off worse. Oh sure, if the Navy got their acts together enough to concentrate on a single spot, there would be trouble, but Whitebeard was not unduly concerned. As for the enemy powerhouses, the vice-admirals were busy trying to deal with his allies; the Warlords would only move when they wanted to, and would be entertained by watching Oars at work, while coming steadily closer so that he could be dealt with, without endangering themselves. That same caution would make Sengoku hesitate, knowing that sending in an Admiral was simultaneously predictable and the equivalent of shooting a really irritating fly with a battleship turret—he would wait to see if conventional weapons could do the job.
The rest of his Sons were emboldened by the sight of their biggest Brother industriously and resourcefully hammering away at the marines from afar. It was not perfect of course, and Whitebeard hid his disapproval of how about a third of the time Oars was trying to target the Warlords. Thankfully, either Kuma just repelled it, or Hawkeye or Doflamingo (if the debris came close enough to them personally) cut it apart so that the pieces hit the marines behind and to the sides of them. And by 'thankfully,' clearly the dogs were treating the attacks as beneath their notice, and did not retaliate.
As a demonstration of why that was a good thing, the Navy's Giant Squad tried attacking Oars again. Roaring, they had charged across the battlefield, assuming as Oars tended to do, that just because you were bigger and stronger, it meant you were more powerful.
They were also assuming they were the strongest.
'Diamond' Jozu grabbed one of the giants by the ankle and spun him around to hit his neighbor, laying them both out flat. Leaping up, he then brought his elbow down on the spine of the top giant, the impact of the blow transferring down into the one was on the bottom. The sheer force of it cracking the ice further, outlining where they had been bested.
Visa and another one of his brothers –either Irran or Renji, it was hard to tell since they dressed so alike, but the point was that neither were Division Commanders even— easily blocked the baseball bat swung by one with a beard, and then started to hack him apart with superior speed and a thousand cuts.
Curiel had somehow gotten into the face of the one with a helmet—literally. Whitebeard had gotten a glimpse of his legs crawling into the visor before there were flashes of gunfire and the giant had started to grab at his head.
The rest were having similar difficulty as the Division Commanders spared the attention to handle them.
Hopefully Oars gets the message and stops trying to provoke more than he can handle, Whitebeard scowled. Of course, he could hardly give any sign of disunity, lest Sengoku pounce upon that weakness. More importantly, his Son was mostly listening, and doing well, so best to reinforce that.
"Gu ra ra ra ra ra!"
Then a Navy ship fell out of the sky with some surprising passengers.
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As per his orders, Marco was keeping an eye out on Ace's little brother.
Kid was doing well, relentlessly charging forward, but it was only a matter of time before he ran into something more than he could handle. He had clearly been through some tough fights already, given the state he was in, and (judging by the presence of all those former prisoners, including Jinbe) how he had just come from Impel Down. Even worse, the Warlords of the Sea were starting to advance.
Sure enough, Marco had looked away for half a minute to deal with a bothersome marine duel-wielding cannons with haki –Sorry loser, Curiel does it better— when the rookie was under attack by what looked like a logia. I think that's Smoker, the guy they claimed beat Crocodile. Huh, isn't there a pool on whether or not Straw Hat did it? Ironic.
It looked bad enough that Marco was about to intervene, when someone else beat him to it.
Boa Hancock, the Pirate Empress.
Warlord of the Sea.
Out of nowhere she attacked the marine Commodore, and started visibly screeching at him.
What? Marco thought with a slight frown as he halted his rush to help Ace's brother.
Ever since she had started to take action, Hancock had been indiscriminately mowing down pirate and Navy alike, with her 'allies' either too cowed by her beauty and presence, or simply willing to overlook it so long as she continued to kill fellow pirates half the time. This however, was clearly a deliberate attack against Smoker. If she was not an infamous man-hater, he would have imagined it was in Luffy's defense.
Then she blushed and spun around to face the kid, blocking him from sight.
A few seconds later, the rookie's whole body was wrapped around her as if in a wrestling move…or a hug.
Marco's body was already in motion even as his brain struggled to keep up. By the time he reached the scene, going slower than usual to stay discrete, Hancock was fighting Commodore Smoker while the boy continued running towards the Plaza.
Ignore rumours and preconceptions. Act upon what's before your eyes, Marco lectured himself. Then he caught sight again of a prison uniform worn by the reinforcements Straw Hat had brought. And then there's the fact that Straw Hat somehow got into Impel Down. That should be impossible for a pirate…but maybe not for a Warlord.
The Phoenix's backhanded fist sent Smoker flying, never even seeing who had struck him from behind.
Letting his haki fade from his hand as a –slight— peace gesture, Marco also stuck it into his pocket as he casually faced the infamous woman.
Recognizing him, she took up a fighting stance, her snake hissing by her side, but otherwise did not react. According to what the Whitebeard Pirates knew about her, she was very proficient in all Colours of Haki, and would know the reputation of the First Division Commander. She could irritate him, keep him busy until an admiral showed up, but that was it. She could not win.
That was not to say the Pirate Empress was not a formidable woman, far be it. If he lowered his guard even for an instance, he likely would not live to regret it. Only the upper tier of the Division Commanders could hope to match her…but Marco was in a ranking of his own. A class of fighters that included monsters like Dogtooth or Jack.
He cut to the chase. "It was you who got Straw Hat into Impel Down, right-yoi?"
Hancock's expression never flickered, maintaining a cold exterior. Nonetheless, such an accusation should have gotten some response, especially given how many nearby marines had overheard.
"What—!?"
"What nonsense is that? No Warlord would do that!"
"Hancock was just taken down by Straw Hat Luffy!"
"But why was she fighting Smoker?"
"Yeah! It almost looked like she was helping Dragon's son!"
Knowing he did not have forever, Marco continued to be blunt. Besides, it put pressure on her, and in a melee like this, they needed clear allies more than they needed double-agents. "Are you with Straw Hat, yes or no?"
Nothing.
Sighing to himself, Marco decided he was wrong. Well, one more Warlord—
"I'm on Luffy's side," Hancock suddenly admitted. Nevertheless, her martial arts stance remained. "I see no other difference between any of you other beasts," acid dripping from the last word.
There's a story behind all of this, Marco knew. Not that he cared right now.
"I'll make you a deal as the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, upon the Pride of my Jolly Roger," he declared. The marines and his Brothers near enough to overhear, simply gasped. Such an oath was legendary not just within the New World, but upon the Grand Line itself.
"Speak," she ordered, an almost invisible flicker in her eyes.
"First, you undo the petrification of my Brothers," and there were many. Even worse were those who were alive, but parts of their flesh turned to stone. Those would die slowly as the blood flow was cut off and organs failed, unless the doctors cut out those pieces; which would most likely be fatal too. If it was reversed however, they had a fighting chance.
"Second, you do not attack us anymore. Or our other allies," he clarified. She was visibly unimpressed, so he rephrased it. "Fine, Straw Hat's allies!" Now she was blushing.
What in the world happened between them?
"Finally, you fight the marines. In return, Pops will give you his Jolly Roger as a declaration of protection."
Hancock hesitated again, and he could tell she was a sharp one as she considered it. Pride was not just the issue here after all. If Whitebeard died here, then the flag would be useless, at least in the short term. The Whitebeard Pirates would be busy dealing with Big Mom and Kaidou invading their territory back in the New World. In the meantime, the Navy would likely retaliate against the much closer and more vulnerable Amazon Lily, especially with their ships capable of crossing the Calm Belt. Even in the long run, the island's location on this side of the Red Line still meant that aid any to the Kuja Pirates would take too long to arrive. Even worse, they would be perfect bait if the World Government wanted to provoke Whitebeard into action, as they were doing with Ace right now.
If Hancock accepted this bargain, her people's safety would only be assured if the Navy was completely, and utterly, crushed.
And she wants that, Marco realized with interest as he saw the sudden hunger in her eyes. She loathes them.
Nonetheless, she had accepted the title of Warlord for a reason, and had been playing it discrete up tell now. Moreover, she might refuse out of simple hatred for a man like Marco.
Then Hancock's whole face went flush and she started to giggle.
"I'll do it!" she declared. "I'll fight with you to save my brother-in-law Ace," it took considerable effort for Marco to keep his eyes from bugging out, or his jaw from dropping, "so that he can come to my darling Luffy and I's wedding!"
We… Wedd... did she just say wedding?
Surely, he heard wrong.
Before Marco could even react or open his mouth—
She disappeared in flash…
With her snake right behind her, she was heading in the direction of the petrified Whitebeard Pirates. Dimly Marco caught the words "Luffy" and "more human shields."
…Or I have no idea whatsoever on what's going on inside that head of hers… Marco admitted. And I'm perfectly fine with that.
Then he tried to figure out where Straw Hat had gotten too, and the state of the War.
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Finally, the other shoe dropped.
Things had been going too well for the Whitebeard Pirates.
Oars was continuing to act as a mobile, organic artillery, moving down the rapidly vanishing fortified wall towards the main island. His actions clearing a growing space for his pirates to act within, but for the most part the allies were staying out of the Bay. Whitebeard was suspicious of that report that Straw Hat brat had given after all, and told the other Captains to focus on advancing up the enclosing 'arms' of Marineford as opposed to within the Bay itself. The holes Oars was opening in that one wall made it ideal for their ships to fire their cannons through however.
As for Straw Hat himself, he was leading a spearhead of pirates and escaped prisoners, which included Jinbe, Emporio Ivankov, Izo, Namur, Kingdew, Fossa, Haruta, Blenheim, and Jiru. The rookie could handle the marine rank and file, and help inspire others, but it was all those big names that would handle the heavy stuff.
The lack of giants had been appreciated. Fools, getting too cocky like that.
Then, as if to mock him, Senogku played his next card.
Oars' roar of pain was the first sign something was wrong as an army of Bartholomew Kuma clones attacked, lasers firing from their hands and mouths.
Without turning away from the Execution Stand in the distance before him, Whitebeard tilted his bisento so he could assess the situation in the blade's reflection. His haki also helped paint the worrisome picture.
Expressionless, Whitebeard assessed the situation. They're just Navy toys, my Sons can take them. Or could, if they weren't panicking because of surprise, being hit in the rear, and that they all look like a Warlord.
As for Oars, super-giant was still moving, but even from so far away, Whitebeard could see he was being pierced and blood was flowing. And he can't move, Whitebeard realized with horror and self-criticism. That frozen tsunamis acting as a wall to keep him hemmed in!
"Marco," he stated, and instantly his eldest Son disappeared from down on the icy battlefield to reappear beside his Father. "Go help the others. Stay until they've regained their composure and start tearing those living weapons apart themselves." There were enough New World veterans and Captains there to handle that.
"Roger," Marco said as he vanished in a flash of speed and blue fire.
Now for that ice, Whitebeard thought. Being penned in like that was gravely worsening the situation for his Children. I'm getting old if I didn't see that sooner.
Easily fixed though.
Swinging both fists to the sides, that problem was removed. Even the pirates who did not catch sight of Marco's distinctive flames were relieved as they saw the ice fall away, and fought harder at the demonstration of their Father's support.
A sound caught Whitebeard's attention, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Squard behind him, a strange look on his face. "Squard! You're all right. I was trying to get ahold of you." The wily veteran had been his first choice to command his allies making their way up the sides of Marineford after all.
"I, I," Squard stammered, before falling silent, casting his eyes down in— Is that shame? Whitebeard wondered.
A bright glow from above cut off that thought as Kizaru struck, hoping to take advantage of Marco's absence. Clearly he hoped to try once more at ending the War quickly by taking out the opposing 'king.' "Let's try this again, shall we?" Kizaru drawled.
"No! You won't hurt Pops!" Squard roared, leaping up and drawing his massive katana to try and cleave the Admiral with his blackening blade.
Mid-air he met Kizaru, who simply parried the sword with his own made of light, and pointed his index finger at the pirate Captain's head. "To bad for you. If you'd just cooperated and played alon—"
Whitebeard's enormous darkened hand wrapped around Kizaru's arm before the Admiral's haki even registered his presence, and threw him aside.
Specifically, right into the ocean water, three hundred meters away.
One of the World Government's Three Ultimate Powers, and possessor of one of the most powerful Devil Fruits, disappeared under the waves with only a few ripples.
Unconcerned as he started to fall down, Whitebeard gently pulled Squard closer to check that he was alright. Seeing his Son was fine, he gruffly lectured him despite still being in mid-air. "I'm not so feeble that I need your help dealing with a mere Admiral. But I appreciate the sentiment."
Dumbly, Squard nodded.
With a crash of cracking ice under his feet, Whitebeard had landed upon the frozen battlefield. "Time for me to get in the field," he sneered.
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Sengoku bit his tongue to keep himself from swearing. That fool Borsalino! That was why Sengoku, Garp, and the obedient Admirals were staying back until the final stages. Because you never knew! One single mistake could take you out if you got too careless while overexposed and without support!
Now the Navy was down one Admiral, moral had taken a severe hit, and the fighting had barely begun. Both sides merely testing the other.
And then Sengoku noticed Hancock squaring off against what had once been Kuma, fighting alongside Ivankov. There might be no room for lust within that metallic mind, but the patches of stone across the cyborg proved she was adaptable. And since she was programmed as a so-called ally, PX-0 can't even fight back!
He bit his tongue harder.
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"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Oars gasped, as suddenly a massive metal wall rose out of the ice to encircle the Bay. Immediately he halted his slow progression towards Ace, to turn to this new threat to tear it down.
"Captain Oars look out!"
"Oars!"
Glancing down at the sounds of the concerned voices of his crew and Brothers, he saw a tall human, wearing white and blue, and then COLD!
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The Containment Wall was a serious problem.
The pirates were sealed within, while Akainu safely hailed them with oversized burning boulders to either kill them all outright, or boil them alive.
Jozu was doing what he could, grabbing the solidified magma in his diamond form, and throwing it back. Vista and the other swordsman within the Division Commanders were leaping at other falling chunks of molten rock, and splitting them into pieces with such skill that they fell away from the dwindling ice and into the water. It might not be much, but they were buying time and so far minimizing casualties.
Unfortunately, they could only do so much while constantly jumping back into the air, and then falling down again.
The Navy were no fools either. Oars was the single serious threat to this new Wall, and Aokiji had personally and promptly frozen him solid once it had been raised.
This also meant the Admiral was absent for something else, however.
"He's as reckless as his brother," Whitebeard muttered at the sight of Ace's little brother riding over the Wall upon a current of water. Then he blinked in shock. Or is he!?
Kizaru's down. Aokiji's over by Oars, and by the sound of it the boys there are keeping him distracted over there. And Akainu has to maintain that barrage to kill us all.
Reaching out with his haki, Whitebeard took further stock of the situation within the Plaza. Indeed, Straw Hat had landed within the Plaza and now was rushing forward unopposed.
Jinbe took down Moriah, with the pirates tying him and up and dragging him off so he did not get back into the fight. Crocodile –when did he get there?— is fighting Doflamingo. Kuma was defeated too. Hancock defected, and she was now following Straw Hat over the wall, thanks to Jinbe again, which just leaves Hawkeye, Garp, and Sengoku as the real threats… And Marco is on the other side too…
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Marco's kick was perfectly timed, knocking Akainu's arms aside so his next eruption of lava hit his own subordinates instead.
Unconcerned, the fanatic just gave a condescending smirk. "You're just delaying the inevitable."
"We'll just see about that," Marco playfully smiled.
Hancock was fighting alongside Luffy, dealing with the vice-admirals who were trying to reach him. Her whirling legs were as quick and lethal as any weapon. Whenever she had a breather, she unleashed a storm of her Slave Arrows to petrify marines in the dozens, or take out cannonballs.
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Scowling, Sengoku switched his focus to what was happening near Whitebeard's frozen super-giant. The pirate's earlier rampage while ripping apart the fortification for ammunition, had unintentionally shifted enough debris overtop the Containment Wall that patches of it had not raised. Or his efforts had somehow damaged the machines meant to lift them up. Regardless, there were several large chunks of the Containment Wall that were wide open for Whitebeard and his crew to safely pour through.
Worse, Akainu was now too occupied to fulfill his part, and Aokiji had let himself get distracted dealing with those allies of Whitebeard. They were not enough to beat Kuzan, but theose pirate Captains knew Armament haki, and were skillful enough to keep him on his toes and distracted from the larger battlefield.
True, the Wall had cannons of its own, but even now Sengoku was getting reports that the pirates –no longer pressured by Akainu— were laying down their own fire to destroy them.
And of course, Garp's insufferable grandson, Marco, and those traitors Crocodile and Hancock –I'm going to have some serious words with the Elder Stars about the Warlord system!—, were cutting their way through the Plaza.
Despite all of these obstacles, Sengoku allowed himself to feel confident.
So long as the Containment Wall stood strong, Justice held victory firmly within its grasp.
Tsuru had already directed half of the vice-admirals to take a few thousand men to support Aokiji, and together they would plug in those holes in the Wall. A good solid layer of ice would do for everywhere except where Whitebeard was directly, but even if he did not fall into the water beforehand, enough upon the old man would help take care of that. Which means we need to get Marco out of the way so Akainu can get back to work. Some of the remaining vice-admirals were trying exactly that, but the wily Phoenix was weaving around them. He did not have to engage directly after all, just keep Akainu too busy to fire.
Of course, that'll only work in the short-term, Sengoku knew. Either Akainu will get him with a feint, or it'll be the distraction of Fire Fist's death when the new executioners arrive.
Then Whitebeard entered the Plaza.
"GU RA RA RA RA RA!" he laughed aloud as he came down within a torrent of water like Straw Hat and Hancock had.
In motion the instant his massive boots hit the ground, he turned around and slammed his fists down beside the base of the Containment Wall. Fists crackling with his Devil Fruit's Power.
"NO!" screamed Sengoku, but it was too late.
The Tremor-Tremor Fruit's miniaturized earthquakes tore through the cement and down into the structures below…including the mechanisms that supported that portion of the Containment Wall.
The Navy's ultimate trump card, reinforced with precious Sea-Prism Stone, was impervious to attacks of any kind from within the trap.
From without, it was a critically different story.
Slowly but implacably, that section of the Containment Wall began to fall back into the Plaza itself!
Hundreds of marines were crushed outright. Doflamingo had tried to escape, but Crocodile changed tactics to rush him, cutting the Heavenly Demon's strings so he could not get away. "I told you to stay out of my way," Crocodile sneered to a panicking Doflamingo, just before the Wall came down upon them both.
Whitebeard was safely in motion, managing to repeat this twice to other sections of the Wall before an enraged Akainu ambushed him, sinking his fist deep into Whitebeard's back.
"Brat!" spat Whitebeard, cutting the Admiral's shoulder with a twirl of bisento. Whitebeard's burning wound was deep, yet he had shifted enough at the last moment so it only hit a lung and not his heart. Getting too old, he groused.
Nevertheless, it was worth it his Family made for the large opening, sailing upon their final surfaced ship. Their last trump card.
Squard was at the front of the stern, eager to redeem himself for the dark thoughts he prayed his Father never knew.
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Aokiji had disengaged and rejoined the marines in the plaza, but he was hard pressed as he fought both Jozu and Marco at once.
Despite his injury, Whitebeard was holding out against Akainu, keeping the Admiral busy.
A stream of sand had come up from the cracks underneath the dropped sections of the Containment Wall, reforming into Crocodile. Promptly he had engaged Hawkeye in a series of blows and cutting remarks from either of them.
Meanwhile, Straw Hat, Jinbe, Hancock, and Ivankov had nearly reached the Execution Scaffold.
"Execute Fire Fist!" Sengoku snapped.
It was a gamble, but hopefully it would make Whitebeard so desperate to save his Son that he would expose himself to Akainu.
…And then Straw Hat displayed he was a Conqueror.
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The Navy was being routed now, although Whitebeard was in critical condition. Sengoku's gambit had worked in that regard, but when Luffy had unleashed his latent power, too many of the remaining marines had fallen. Along with the loss of most of their enemy's heavy hitters, the pirates had struck decisively, letting Luffy reach his brother.
The marines' moral was shattered —what few of them remained alive. As for the pirates, their cries of victory and triumph felt like they could rock the clouds above.
Together they ran towards the Bay to escape and end this bloody War.
Along the way, Luffy had called out instructions for how to safely defrost Oars, with Jinbe racing over to help get the super-giant into the sea. A little extra help from the Flame-Flame Fruit, and they would have him whole and hale in no time. Ace was already planning on making Oars a pair of gloves in thanks. It would keep the jolly big guy nice and warm, and maybe include some steel knuckles to make him hit harder. He would love it.
They only stopped at one point for Ace to help Marco and Jozu finish off Aokiji, but that was enough for Akainu to catch up.
More concerned with the 'threat' of their bloodlines than the dying (of old age and wounds) Whitebeard, Akainu loudly declared [CENSORED BY THE AUTHOR BECAUSE HIS WORDS MAKE ME SICK AND I HATE HIM].
Angrily, Ace stopped running to turn to face Akainu, determined to shut the man's mouth and its filthy lies about Ace's true Father.
Then Marco swooped out of the blue to kick the admiral flying.
"Marco! What—!?"
"Ace," the First Division Commander said in a relaxed tone, but a shiver still went up the young man's spine. "I thought we were supposed to be running to the ships."
"But Marco! He—!"
"Ace," the man repeated as he interrupted, still not looking, "when I turn around, will I be seeing you running to the ships?"
Getting the message, Ace turned and headed for the ships and freedom.
"I think your friend was trying to tell you that you were being stupid," Luffy helpfully said.
"Shut it."
"I mean really, this is why we all came here, right? To get you home!"
"Oh like you'd run if someone insulted Shanks or damaged his Hat Or stole your meat for that matter!"
Pouting, Luffy continued to lecture his idiot brother. "He'd care more about me and my nakama getting out alive."
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"Darn straight," Shanks whispered aloud.
He was hiding behind a piece of debris, having swum ahead alongside Benn Beckman. They should not have worried however, Whitebeard had handled himself like the legend he is.
It felt like wasted trip, but Shanks had not been willing to take the chance.
Then he watched Hancock catch up to Luffy, gushing about how heroic he had been. "Huh," Shanks mused while stroking his chin. "Benn, what did we tell Luffy to do about women again?"
"Whatever Makino tell him too," deadpanned his first-mate. "And then she told him to treat them respect, always ask before touching, full consent, and never comment on how she looks. With you nodding along and adding the proviso that the exception is if they're trying to kill you."
"…Eh, could be worse," Shanks decided. I'm not breaking our vow over this. But if Luffy gets kids…
"We're not a babysitting service," Benn warned reading his Captain's mind. He had enough 'babies' as it is to take care of.
"I didn't say anything!"
"You were thinking it!"
"I wasn't," Shanks feebly denied, his eyes not leaving Luffy as he was dragged into the escaping boat.
Then he heard Benn grunt in surprise –which was the equivalent of a normal man cursing a blue streak— which made him pause and slowly turn around.
Maybe it wasn't a wasted trip after all, Shanks thought as his face hardened, while he surveyed the new arrivals.
"Benn," Shanks quietly ordered to which Benn nodded and in flash disappeared.
Blackbeard and his merry round had just arrived and Shanks –those three scars over his eye tingling— intended to head the welcoming committee.
It was only polite to return the greeting, even if it was a bit late.
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Author Notes:
As you can see, the theme here is basically the Whitebeard Pirates being a little bit better during the War of the Best. Love the guys, and no one is perfect, but a few things they could have done differently.
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Please Review, and I will get back to you!
