Unsurprisingly, it turns out I suck at keeping to steady updates even when said updates are already written. I guess this means we'll have updates throughout summer.

Preparing for an Execution, Part 1

Rayleigh watched Luffy freeze when Shakky said that Portgas D. Ace, Whitebeard's Second Division Commander, had been sentenced to be executed in ten days. Well, it seemed that Rayleigh had truly missed a lot of information during his latest gambling spree. He would make sure to keep up with the news from now on, even after selling himself off.

"Ace is…?" Luffy started, but trailed off. Then, for some reason, he turned on Whitebeard. "That can't happen!"

"Of course not," Whitebeard said. "I've already started preparations; I won't let the marines execute Ace."

Luffy nodded.

"I'm coming," he said gravely.

Rayleigh raised an eyebrow, surprised by that declaration, and glanced at Shakky. She shook her head, clearly as much at a loss as he was.

"No. This is beyond your level."

"I don't care! I'm not staying back while Ace is in trouble!"

"Your entire crew just lost against a single admiral, you can't expect to fight the marines' strongest," Whitebeard said, curiously reasonable. Rayleigh would expect Whitebeard to be bothered by anyone who made him waste his time when one of his children was in danger, but for some reason he seemed more understanding than anything else.

Rayleigh was clearly missing something here.

"I don't care! I'll save Ace!"

"You won't change his mind. We'll go whether you want us to or not," Marco said, cutting whatever response Whitebeard had been about to deliver.

Whitebeard looked at Marco, and Rayleigh knew he didn't imagine the terror that flashed in Whitebeard's eyes for just a moment. Finally, he sighed.

"Stubborn little brats. You'd better not get in the way."

"You don't get in the way," Luffy shot back.

Whitebeard chuckled, sounding amused despite himself, and sat down on the couch heavily enough to make it creak.

"What did I miss here?" Rayleigh asked once the argument was settled.

"This brat," Whitebeard said, pointing at Luffy, "is Ace's little brother. And he's just as stubborn as Ace."

Oh, that explains it.

"What's your plan?" Marco asked. Rayleigh held back a fond smile. He had heard that question in that same voice before, many years ago. It brought back memories.

Judging by the way Whitebeard looked at Marco, Rayleigh wasn't the only one remembering old times.

"We've assembled all of our allies, and our ships are mostly coated by now. A day, maybe two, and they'll be ready to cross through Fishman Island. We'll attack Marineford and stop the execution before it can happen."

"What?!" Luffy yelled, and he lunged forward. "You want to wait?!" For a moment, he looked ready to disregard all common sense and punch Whitebeard.

"I don't want to wait, but it's the best option."

"Is it?" Marco asked, and he didn't wait for an answer. "I know Impel Down is supposed to be impenetrable and all of that, but wouldn't it make more sense to assault the prison than to wait until the very day of the execution?"

"And risk the guards killing Ace before we can get all the way down there? That's too dangerous," Whitebeard argued.

"It doesn't seem more dangerous than waiting until Ace is up at the scaffold surrounded by the marines' strongest. They could decide to kill him ahead of schedule if it looks like you're winning."

Whitebeard stared at Marco, and Marco held his gaze steadily. Rayleigh knew that, had anyone else questioned his plan, Whitebeard wouldn't have even considered their words. But this was Marco, and even if Marco himself didn't know it, Whitebeard was incapable of dismissing anything he said without giving it proper thought.

"Then what do you propose we do, brat?"

"Think about it. I don't know the details, not really, but if your crew still isn't ready to cross through Fishman Island, why don't you take the time to think about both possibilities and see which one works better?"

Whitebeard stayed silent, his eyes still on Marco, and while he would seem mostly serious and foreboding to the untrained eye, Rayleigh could see the longing on his face. Rayleigh knew that look, it was the same one that crossed his own face whenever he wondered how things would have been like had Roger been there at a certain moment.

Right now, Rayleigh couldn't help thinking that Whitebeard was a lucky bastard.

"I'll go make a few calls," Whitebeard said finally. He stood up. "You two don't go anywhere; this place is still full of marines."

Whitebeard glanced at Rayleigh, waited for his nod, and left.

"You should rest," Rayleigh told Marco and Luffy. "Whatever he decides to do about Ace —and whatever you two decide to do— won't be immediate. Right now you have a battle to recover from. You won't be taking on any marine strongholds in that state."