A/N: Note that this is a double post. Meaning, Chapters 9 and 10 were posted together. So, author's comments are mainly on Chapter 9, so read those as well~
When Sabo comes to, the first thing he thinks is oh hell no. Because if he's seeing a sea of purple, it means only one thing. He's being hidden in Ivankov's hair. He carefully parted the curly locks and sharpens his vision a slight bit.
Straw Hat, no, Luffy is being bound with sea stone chains, and from what he can see, so too are Ivankov and Inazuma. The rest of the escaped Impel Down prisoners seemed to have escaped, but the person he is half-buried in is being escorted somewhere. He looks around and sees that the guards' attention is mostly on Luffy. Frankly, no one would suspect a person to be hidden in hair, even if the the one bearing the magnificent hairdo goes by the name of Okama King.
If Ivankov had found the time to carefully stuff Sabo into his hair, it meant that they had decided to go with Plan C, that is to gain a quicker access path by relying on the Marines hanging about. Inazuma was against this plan, mainly because it involved being captured again; but Ivankov must have seen fit to pursue this. He sees his baby brother in front, eyes glassy.
He looks up, and shudders. Shit, what is Ivankov thinking?
"Oi, Ivankov!" He mutters under his breath. Ivankov shakes his head a little, a sign that he's listening. "What are we doing in Marineford?"
"Our ship was surrounded by five Marine ships." Ivankov answers in a whisper. "Crocodile, Buggy and the rest had been left to drown on the sinking ship-" Sabo highly doubts that. A Shichibukai and a former member of the Roger Pirates? They would have found their way off long ago, "while our members are currently mixed with some of the Marines. " Good job, he thinks. They've been trying to get some of their members into Marineford for documents for some months now, after Kuma had informed them that it was unlikely he was able to commit espionage on their behalf after the final stage of the Pacifista project. With the ongoing chaos at Marineford, the probability of successfully getting intelligence from the deserted administrative offices at Marine HQ is higher now than ever.
"And Luffy?" Ivankov notices the change in pronoun, judging from the slight startle of the head.
"Straw Hat-boy had been panicking after you had fainted. A Marine with hypnotic powers was able to get him while you were unconscious."
"Shit, then why is he here?" His head is filled with worse case scenarios. It's a bad habit accumulated from his job as the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army; he's planned for the worst while hoping with the best.
Luffy imprisoned at Impel Down, Luffy captured after having escaped from Impel Down, Luffy facing possible execution at Marineford...Sabo is going to have nightmares after this. Along with Ace's would-be execution.
"Ivankov, does Luffy know that his brother isn't at Marineford?" Ivankov's head gives a jolt.
"Hey, Straw Hat-boy!" But Luffy's unfocused eyes continue to remain on the ground. Shit shit shit! Luffy's definitely drugged to the gills, by the looks of him. His mouth is slack, jaw hanging half open, while his breathing is slow. In other words, Luffy is in danger. Sabo reaches up for his pouch. Unluckily for him, his Sea Stone tipped pipe had been left behind on the ship, so he's only got a jack knife up his boot, and a pistol which has seen better days.
He grins, as he shoots the lock off Ivankov's cuffs silently. He's got a little brother to save.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku!" The Den Den no Mushi seems to be in a state of panic. "We've got Straw Hat! But we need back up!" Oh no. Sengoku doesn't need this right now. The circus that was Ace's attempted execution is turning into a farce. Right when they think they've got him and Whitebeard, Ace disappears. Then, the allied crew disappears, as the Whitebeard Pirates themselves cover for them. Now, with all of their allies fully retreated, the Moby Dick looks ready to begin it's own disappearing act, as it's crew start to head back towards the bay after buying time for the allies to escape. This is an unmitigated disaster.
"Send Vice Admiral Momonga and Onigumo to escort Straw Hat to the execution platform." The use of Straw Hat to save face hasn't been made known to Garp yet, but Sengoku isn't taking any chances. Bad enough that Impel Down has had its first breakout in decades; losing the ringleader of that operation would be a greater loss of face. They hadn't even been able to keep track of who was responsible for the second breakout, but Sengoku highly suspects that it has to do with the missing Shichibukai Blackbeard. Why had that man been made Shichibukai again? Oh yeah, Fire Fist Ace. Who isn't even present for his execution.
They've been playing right into the hands of Blackbeard alright. Both the Marines and Whitebeard had been forced into this head on collision. And if he were correct, Blackbeard had used Ace as his entry ticket with the sole purpose of being allowed into Impel Down. Which he had proceeded to turn upside down after Straw Hat Luffy had broken out dozens of high-level criminals. He hated the part of his job where he had to execute orders from above, even when there was no point to this action. While he had initially agreed to the execution of Ace, he had not wanted to have a public spectacle.
But after news of Ace's disappearance had gotten out, some bloody World Noble had called for the execution of another infamous Pirate. Bad enough that Whitebeard, in all likelihood, was successfully escaping the intended death trap that was Marineford, the information that the Marines had caught Straw Hat en route to Marineford had spread like wildfire, leading to the five Elders asking for the head of Straw Hat Luffy as well.
Sengoku had already sent Garp off chasing Whitebeard. He's not so heartless as to let him see the rushed execution of his own grandson, even if Garp were to hate him afterwards. He probably won't be able to look his old friend in the eyes at all after this. Honestly, the more this day stretches on, the worst his day gets.
Maybe after this, he'll retire. Snack on rice crackers or stop dying his hair black and kick back his shoes and relax. He wonders if his conscience could recover from serving more than twenty years as head of the Marines.
Inazuma did not have the habit of cursing, but he feels that he's willing to make it so after this. Bad enough that Sabo could not successfully free Luffy in time, but worst still, they were caught by two Vice Admirals. While normally Sabo and Ivankov would have easily taken down the two, one of the Marines had escaped with the still half-drugged Straw Hat while they were busy with an unexpected Doberman, who had arrived as reinforcement.
Sabo had cried Luffy and tried to rush after him, but a few other Marines had fallen upon him. Left without his favourite weapon, Sabo had taken to using his Dragon Claw and Ryusoken techniques while Ivankov was blasting them with one Death Wink after another. Because of Whitebeard's retreat, more and more Marines are heading towards them, focused on the new enemy in front of them. He huffs as he hurls one block after another in Keep Out; if it weren't for the fact that they were supposed to kill no one, he would have long since started to cut the Marines into thin pieces.
He momentarily pauses. That was unlike him. He had never been so vicious before.
In his hesitation, he fails to see one Marine sailing towards him.
"Focus!" Sabo cries, and he turns to see Ivankov firing a Death Wink. The attacking Marine flies away, only to be replaced by a few more of his peers.
He would have to ask Ivankov about it later. He finds it...distressing to feel so murderous, all of a sudden.
Then he sees a dash of flame fly past him. It was only an instant, but he sees the light in the end of the dark tunnel this entire day has been.
How did I end up like this? Goku asks himself in silent dismay. He dodges a Haki-imbued punch, and rolls over, his hand on his staff. I'm fighting against Gramps...on equal grounds.
As Marco once puts it, he hits hard. The thing is with fighting Garp the Fist, is that one has to dodge his blows. His pain tolerance is pretty high, due to years of battling pirates, criminals and the occasional oversized forest animal. Though Garp may have been his affectionate grandfather, he hadn't held back on the Fist of Love when it comes to delivering pain, and Goku is well aware of that. Thus, Goku is opting to dodge his grandfather in this timeline again and again to wear Garp out, because unlike his strength, his stamina was more likely to wear away with every avoided punch than for his strength to weaken.
He still can't believe that he's holding his own against Gramps, even when he had been able to fight off the Yonko.
He had never really gotten over the old man's death, in some cases, which was why he allows Gramps to get one blow in. Gramps grins when his fist finally connects with Goku's upper left arm.
"Haven't seen you before? Are you a new recruit?" He comments as Goku winces. "I haven't come across you before?" Goku takes the time to stare at the old geezer, because unlike before, this Garp has never met him. Right now, all he should see would be a man that his duty commands him to defeat and take down. He bears a serious and heavy countenance, unlike the times when Goku had met him under a different face and name. Now, they are enemies across the battlefield, rather than a indulgent grandfather and his hooligan of a grandson.
"Not a member." He replies, ignoring the burn in his chest. "Just a wanderer." It hurts, seeing his grandfather with such cold eyes. Then, a noise whistles, calling for his attention. He brushes away the glancing blow that Gramps gives, and looks up at the platform.
"No." He whispers, because he recognises that figure on the platform.
How had his younger self got up there? There wasn't even an Ace to rescue! Gramps catches note of what he's staring at, and turns back.
Goku could tell the direct moment when Garp sees his grandson about to be executed. His face dramatically pales, and his fists come to a halt, while his jaw slings upwards in disbelief. Conflict swims across his face, and Goku realizes this, because it's the same look he bore when Goku had punched him out of the platform on his way to rescue his own Ace.
"Come you shitty old geezer. Go rescue your grandson." He whispers, and just before he kicks off with the use of Soru in order to fly off with Geppo, he could see the grateful look that Garp casts. If he could time this just right, one blow from Garp was able to collapse the execution platform such that his younger self would fall over.
Luffy thinks he's in this in between stage of being awake and asleep. He grins as a bowl full of hot piping noodles floats into sight, and he licks his lips in anticipation. He recalls the day that Sabo, Ace and he had ate their first bowl of ramen together. With Sabo alive, maybe they would be able to do it again some time.
The Marines were willing to escort him to Ace on the platform? Luffy thinks that there's something wrong, but his mind is too foggy, and he can't feel his hands very well. Warning bells start to ring in his head. Let's see, there was Sabo, him showing Sabo Ace's picture, Sabo goes to sleep, some shouting, Buggy and the rest being tied up, he trying to stop the Marines by using Gomu Gomu Pistol, then something dancing right and left in his vision.
Oh, that guy from Usopp's village. What was his name again? Tango? Anyway, that guy had waved something in front of him, whispered something...and then...
Go to your execution without resisting. What the hell is going on? Luffy inwardly growls at the voice that is calling in his head. Shove off! But he feels that there is ice washing through his veins, clawing at his brain.
Go to your execution without resisting. He grits his teeth, and pushes against it. It becomes blaringly loud, and Luffy thinks, he doesn't want to follow that order. He shakes his head to clear the images of meat away, but he feels groggy with the motion, almost to the point of vomiting.
GO TO YOUR EXECUTION WITHOUT RESISTING. Luffy knows he's got two choices, to allow this person to take control, or to fight back. He doesn't fight back. Instead, he demands control over his body. He surges forward and seizes control with both hands, but it is too late, as two guards stand side by side next to him.
"Straw Hat Luffy." The man besides him speaks loudly, but there is hesitation in his voice. Luffy knows that Ace is supposed to be up here, and breathes a sigh of relief when he sees that his brother isn't here at all. It means he's safe, which was what Luffy was intending to do. With Sabo as well as Ace's nakama, Ace wouldn't be alone.
"As the leader of the break out of Impel Down, the head of the Straw Hat Pirates who have shot the World Flag, assaulted a World Noble..." He tunes out the man's voice, and focuses on the man who's speaking it.
Something tells him that this man was unwilling to see him executed. It's as though a voice is telling him that this man looks...guilty? He catches note of the fact that this is being broadcasted by the Marines, so he might as well make the best of it.
"Zoro, Nami, Usopp, Sanji." He begins, recalling the time at Loguetown. "Chopper, Robin, Franky, Brooke." He's got more nakama to add to the list now. "Thanks for your time. Looks like," he feels a grin stretching across his face. "Sorry. I'm dead!" He says in a sing song voice.
The man looks alarmed, his face frozen in shock. Hmm, Luffy wonders. Was the man...afraid of him, as what the voice in the wind tells him? Then, he feels the whole floor vibrate, and the two executioners fall down. Then the whole thing leans to one side, and topples.
A/N: Cliffhanger!