Hello again, everyone! It's been a while!
After all of these chapters of reading/watching the series, I decided to do this chapter by memory. It's probably the half way point of the Marineford Arc.
Now, I really wanted this arc to be perfect, which has actually been the real cause of the delay of chapters and I worry and tear my hair out as I write this stuff, but I came to a realization. None of my chapters are perfect! In fact, I probably have to go back and change most of the writing I did due to errors and some of the stuff I put in is too out of it, such as the thing Luffy did with Brook and Lucci licking Luffy's blood, despite him forgetting what happens to DF eaters if they consume other DF eaters.
Anyway, this chapter is mostly unedited, as I want to see if it was too much (such as Sengoku talking too much), so let me know what you think!
I do not own One Piece as that belongs to Eiichiro Oda and Toei.
"It's time!"
Sengoku signaled Sentomaru to begin the Pacifista squad to advance behind the attacking pirates.
He had to also order two Pacifistas to fly ahead to stop Straw Hat Luffy's approach. The pirate was gaining more ground with each ally that managed to stop anyone's attempts to slow him down.
A hand landed on Sengoku's shoulder, surprising the man from his observations.
"Sengoku..." He turned to the lowered voice that was barely contained by the speaker.
The Fleet Admiral didn't like how Garp kept his head down, keeping his expression from sight.
Ace had his head held against the platform. The pirate was overwhelmed by many different emotions watching his family fight for his freedom.
"...I asked you...what did you mean that my grandson was a "human weapon"?"
Garp's voice was quiet and controlled, and Sengoku felt the pang of nervousness rise from his heart.
He had kept this information from the "Hero of the Marines" for a reason.
If Garp found out many of the things that had been done to his grandson...it would not be pretty.
"It means what it means...Garp! You should notice by now that Straw Hat Luffy's capable of knocking even Elite Marine soldiers out with just his willpower!"
This was a tough situation. Sengoku couldn't reveal too much or say too little.
"...When he was submitted to the Goa Facility," Garp visibly flinched at the mention of that cursed place, "Dr. Noc and Dr. Di quickly found that his haki was volatile. It would, at times, get so much that many of the doctors couldn't even stand near him. But, most of all..."
Looking back to the battlefield, he was pleased to see that the Pacifistas were trapping the enemy's escape from the bay. Soon, his plan could be fully enacted.
Sengoku moved closer to the edge to escape Garp's grasp.
"He was...designed so that his mere presence would awaken the latent willpower in others. We were going to use that ability to increase the number of soldiers able to use haki, but we lost the Facility and it was too risky to go back and build another one."
Watching the battlefield carefully, Sengoku never noticed the dark look that crossed Garp's face when he had uttered the word "use" to order his men to proceed to the next phase.
All that mattered to the Fleet Admiral was victory. Anything else was irrelevant.
Mihawk sliced Buggy's hands into pieces, but they continued towards him, intending on holding him down so the clown could land a blow, but the swordsman was too graceful to allow the enemy pirate to even land one hit.
It was a shame that his clothes were stained with the man's blood, but there wasn't much he could do about that. It came from the clown, flying in all directions, and it was next to impossible to avoid the liquid.
He did notice, however, that the area was relatively clean despite the amount Buggy produced. In fact, he was the only thing covered in the blood.
Buggy himself had a mad glint in his eyes as he kept attacking. With no regard for his own life, the clown kept trying to stab Mihawk with any of the weapons lying on the battlefield.
Guns, swords, knives, and even a cannon were utilized to try to fight Mihawk, but no matter what Buggy did, the swordsman would manage to dodge everything he threw at him.
But the former deck hand of Gol D. Roger still had a trick up his sleeve. More accurately, he still had one weapon he had stored away in his body.
"Bara Bara Festival!"
Buggy sent both hands towards Mihawk with an assortment of weapons held between the fingers.
Mihawk noticed that the only body part not surrounding him were Buggy's feet, which remained on the ground.
The clown's feet shot towards him, picking up blades and keeping them his foot somehow.
He cut the hands and feet to pieces, though one hand floated through the air in front of his face.
One of the fingers opened up and a little ball came within inches of Mihawk's face.
Mihawk knew that this was one of the clown's tricks and decided to move away from whatever Buggy had planned for him.
Before he could move, something tightened around his body!
The Muggy Ball started to shine, signifying that it was just beginning to explode.
Light covered Mihawk's vision and he realized with a start why he couldn't move easily.
The stuff that covered his clothing wasn't blood.
Buggy's laugh was muffled by the sound of the Muggy Ball exploding.
Robin was knocked down by one of the explosions caused by Kizaru's laser beams.
She tried to get up, but a finger hovered a few inches away from her face.
It shot a laser through her head, and Kizaru sighed.
Robin's body turned into a flurry of rose petals that floated a bit through the air before disintegrating.
A black arm erupted from Kizaru's chest and he felt the pain that it caused when it went through his light body. Even if he was light, it still hurt.
It was a bit more surprising as he felt more limbs sprout from within his body, tearing his arms off.
Looking over his shoulder, he saw that the woman had actually shoved her real arm through his back.
She gave him a smirk before his entire body was ripped apart by the many arms that had formed within him.
The historian knew that this was far from over. Even if she knew that it hurt him, Logias were feared for a reason.
Kizaru formed a meter away from her.
"That ability of yours...sure is scary ~" Kizaru looked almost amused as the words left his mouth.
"The scary one here is you, Kizaru." Robin felt drained. Wishes of being back aboard the Thousand Sunny disappeared before they elicited feelings of longing to arise.
She could fight the Admiral, but trying to defeat him was next to impossible. He was too strong to defeat, but she could hold him off for as long as she-
"As fun as this was, Nico Robin, I'll have to leave now." He looked over to where Luffy had run off, "It seems, I have played too long with you."
His body shined before he shot towards her captain.
He didn't make it very far as a giant black hand formed in the air and slapped him down into the ground.
"I'm sorry, but I don't think you're allowed to leave."
The Admiral picked himself out of the ice and didn't even look back in her direction. He chose to repeat his earlier action.
Robin didn't mind. She would keep him away from Luffy as long as she could.
"Kizaru! You go on ahead!"
A frightfully familiar voice called out to the Admiral and Robin was forced to switch with a clone she had formed hastefully.
She watched as the body she left turn to ice and shatter. The pieces slowly turned to rose petals and flew off.
Aokoji stared at her from where she was.
"I'll take care of her."
Kizaru stayed for a moment.
"Don't let your emotions control you, Aokoji."
Aokoji didn't acknowledge the comment his comrade had made before he left.
He chose to walk slowly towards Robin instead.
Robin crossed her arms, but couldn't stop herself from shaking.
Kizaru was someone she could handle because she was able to maintain her calm, but against Aokoji, her composure was thrown off.
She only hoped that someone capable of keeping Kizaru away from Luffy was around.
Luffy kept running towards the execution platform, throwing Marines to the side with his fists as he ran.
A few explosions caused by beams of light threw him to the ground.
Two Pacifistas passed by, blocking his way to Ace.
Picking his head up off the ice, Luffy growled deeply at the two machines.
Steam exploded from his skin as he rose to his feet with his hands embedded in the ice.
Opening their mouths, the Pacifistas fired more beams of light at the pirate captain.
Luffy rocketed to the side, to line the Pacifistas up so he could focus on them one at a time.
Burying a hand into the ice as he reached his desired position, Luffy stopped his flight and charged towards the first Pacifista, leaving his arms behind.
With a roar, he "Bazooka"ed the first Pacifista into the ground. Using his momentum from his attack, Luffy grabbed onto the machine and rotated forwards as the second Pacifista charged its own attack.
The rubberman let himself reverese his rotation, and he sent the Pacifista into the other one with a "Bowgun", but he kept his hold on the machine and kept rotating backwards.
The second Pacifista had to stop charging its attack, as an ally had entered its line of fire. The first one had a free shot, so it started up its attack, shooting beams of light from its palms.
Luffy felt the pain as a few lasers tore through his legs, but managed to avoid having any vital areas pierced.
The tension in his arms were reaching their peak. His "Gear 2nd" made his rotation much faster, and he felt that it was time to release all of that energy.
"Gum...Gum...!"
Keeping himself in the air for a brief second, Luffy tensed on of his legs up.
The Pacifista had stopped using its hand cannons and chose to charge up its mouth cannon.
"..Jet Rotating..Axe...!"
The beam of light that the Pacifista had fired at him was cut in half by Luffy's "Axe", sending the two halves behind him to explode against the ice.
Luffy's legs were nothing but blurs, and he was nothing but a yellow and white circle in the middle of it all as he collided with the two machines.
They were cut in less than a second as Luffy's attack divided them.
The rubberman's leg tore into the ice, gouging it as he traveled some distance across the field.
Deciding to cut his attack short, or else he would actually be moving away from Ace, Luffy slammed his foot straight into the ground.
Deep cracks formed on the ice, sending chunks of it into the air as Luffy's foot crashed through the ice. Many Marines and pirates alike were thrown into the air from the force.
Luffy stood within the crater he had made and prepared to rocket towards Ace.
"That's as far as you go, Straw Hat Luffy!"
The kick had caught him off guard. His flight wasn't long, but at the speed he was going at, all of his progress would be lost.
Kizaru had stopped him. His single action managed to delay Ace's rescue.
Luffy heard an enormous explosion in the distance before he hit the ice, a couple more of whatever had caused it. Being made of rubber, Luffy didn't sustain much injury, the biggest being to his mind.
Everything he had done! All of those that had helped him get that far...was all in vain!
The rubberman slowly rose out of the crater, using his lower body to throw his upper body up off the ice. He hunched over and a growl came from his opening mouth.
Prior to Luffy's landing, Mihawk made it back to the main courtyard on Marineford.
The Shichibukai had been informed of Sengoku's plan, and so they were told to be in the courtyard off the ice before it was too late.
The clown had gotten ahead of himself. Thinking that one little explosive was even going to harm the "Greatest Swordsman in the World".
Checking his clothing, he noticed that there was a scuff mark on pants.
Frowning, he remembered how he had used the clown's explosives against him.
Ever since "Red Haired" lost his arm, he had been losing his edge. Tough opponents were far and wide, and even though Whitebeard was the "Strongest Man in the World", he had been getting old. Even now, it would not be a battle Mihawk would have liked to have with the aging pirate.
Mihawk thought he had seen a white blur pass by him, and surmised that it was Luffy.
The rubberman had surprised him. The power he felt from the young man was immense, but he didn't know how to wield it.
He would learn in time, if he were to survive this first.
Looking around, he noticed that most of the Shichibukai were in the courtyard, but the "Pirate Empress" was missing.
Mihawk didn't care. He was only here to fight worthy opponents. Seeing the next generation of pirates was just an added bonus.
"Ah, Squard! How's the battle going?"
Whitebeard greeted his son as he got up onto the deck of the Moby Dick. Squard, captain of the Maelstrom Spider Pirates, looked a little injured, but relatively okay. His clothes were stained with blood and his sword had its fair share of the crimson liquid as well.
He sheathed the sword and looked his father in the eyes.
"They're pushing us hard, but we're gradually gaining ground against the Marines! Those Pacifistas...really did a number on our forces..."
Squard had a dark look in his eyes as he watched more of the cyborgs blast his allies into the air. Their pained screams made him want to go back out there and destroy those monsters for hurting his family!
"Yes, their weapons are strong! Soon, I'll be joining the fight, so don't worry about a thing, my son!"
Whitebeard watched as Squard walked in front of him to peer over the side of the ship.
"You've always been there for us, Pops."
The man sighed and drew the larger sword tied to his waist.
"If it weren't for you...I imagine most of us wouldn't have had a reason to live anymore..."
His father put a large hand on his shoulder.
"Everything will be alright, Squard. We'll rescue Ace and all of us will go back home...!"
Squard laughed shakily. He turned to grin up at his father.
"Yes...all of us will be going home..."
Whitebeard returned with a grin of his own.
Marco held off Akainu for the most part, but the Admiral retreated, a thing the "Red Dog" was not known for.
It must have been a part of the plan that the Marines had. Whatever it was, the Whitebeard Pirate Alliance would be ready for it!
Looking behind him towards the Moby Dick, Marco was surprised to see Squard standing in front of Whitebeard.
Squard was supposed to be down here still. His brothers needed him with them.
His father and captain had his hand on Squard's shoulder and he looked like he was smiling.
Squard stabbed Whitebeard.
Marco's eyes widened as he saw Whitebeard replace his grin with a grimace filled with surprise.
"Father!"
The fighting started to dull a bit after Marco's scream and they all turned towards the Moby Dick.
Many were shocked that Whitebeard, the "Strongest Man in the World", had just been stabbed through the chest.
Some of the Marines didn't look fazed. Among them were Akainu and Sengoku.
Luffy was just getting ready to rush forwards when he heard Marco scream.
He barely recognized Robin as she ran to his side.
Whitebeard stared at his son incredulously as the blade came out, pulling a copious amount of blood with it.
Squard's head smashed into the ground as Marco furiously assaulted his former ally.
"Why!? Why, Squard!? What the hell is wrong with you!?" Marco's words were laden with hatred and a rampaging fury, but it held tints overwhelming sorrow that his own brother would attack their beloved father.
"Shut up! How..how could he!? How could he hide that man's son from me!?"
Squard could barely speak as he was slowly strangled by the Mythical Zoan user. He was held against the Deck of the Moby Dick as Whitebeard stood behind the two.
"You know...what Roger did to my family, yet you harbored his son!? Not only that, but don't you see that the only ones not being attacked by the mechanical Kuma clones...are the Whitebeard Pirates!"
Distant explosions and the screaming of their family rang through the air as the previously mentioned Pacifistas attacked another group of pirates, wiping out most of their targets.
"That man...Akainu was right!" Squard muttered out as Marco increased the strength of his grip. Squard could feel his vision getting faint, and the burning of his lungs was almost unbearable.
The feeling of being betrayed by his father was much worse...! The man he pledged his life to was just sacrificing his brothers to save that wretched man's s-!
"Marco!" The 1st Division Commander lifted his head in surprise at Whitebeard.
"...Let him go."
"But...Pops-!"
"Brothers should not fight so violently with each other!" Whitebeard leveled a glare towards Marco.
"Let him go!"
Reluctantly, Marco released Squard, who was still lying on the ground in disbelief.
"...What? Why...?! I attacked you!" Squard was now sitting upright and screaming at Whitebeard.
"I'm ready to die! Don't act so innocent, Whi-!"
His words were cut off as something descended upon him. He closed his eyes as he awaited his punishment.
A strong arm wrapped itself around his neck, and pulled him into an warm embrace.
Thoughts escaped Squard as he tried to comprehend his current situation.
"Squard...why are you here?" His father asked.
"What-?"
"Did you not come here to save your brother?"
Gritting his teeth, Squard remembered how everyone in the Maelstrom Spider Pirates proclaimed that they would save their precious brother from the Marines.
That they would not stand idly by as their friend, their brother to just die.
"Things have ch-!"
"Really? What changed? Ace is still Ace, is he not?"
Blood dripped down onto Squard's forehead from Whitebeard's wound.
Squard remembered how Ace was so kind, and caring. How he would help his friends with their problems, how he would not stand to see innocents suffer.
He even helped former Facility sufferers integrate back into a life that they wanted. Ace had once told him that he couldn't just free the captives, but he had to help them live a life where they could they could put all of that pain in the past.
"Squard, you might think that I hate you."
Squard was brought out of his thoughts as Whitebeard continued to speak.
"...But that's not true. I'm really proud of you...you were thinking of your family this whole time."
Times when he and Ace would party together, fight together, laugh, cry, and be happy together.
Everything he and Ace had done, they tore at Squard's mind as he realized what Whitebeard was trying to tell him.
"This sins of that father...should not be carried by the son, Squard!"
"No..."
Whitebeard was a little sorry that Squard had his blood all over him, but he was happy to see that Squard was finally understanding his words.
"No...! What...what have I done...!?" The Maelstrom Spider Pirate captain covered his face with his hands as Whitebeard held him closer. The man was cried loudly against the old pirate's chest.
"It's okay, Squard. I forgive you!"
His words only made the man cry louder.
"Squard, what made you believe I valued Ace's life more than I value any of yours?"
Squard paused in his crying to look up into his caring father's eyes.
"It...it was that Admiral Akainu." Recognition shot through Whitebeard, "He told me...that you had made a deal with the Marines! That they would spare Ace, if you would sacrifice all of our lives!"
"Akainu..." Whitebeard growled out with a little more anger than he meant, "I have a feeling that this is part of Sengoku's plan as well..."
"No...Pops! I'm so sorry!" Squard closed his eyes tightly as more tears fell.
"It's okay, Squard! I won't die from just that!" Whitebeard rose to walk to the bow of the Moby Dick.
"You Marine bastards..." Whitebeard muttered to low for Squard to hear.
"...How dare you...! How dare you use my son like this...!" His voice rose loudly and the sounds of battle died down as everyone's attention was refocused towards the Moby Dick.
"I LOVE ALL OF MY CHILDREN EQUALLY! HOW DARE YOU HURT ANY OF THEM LIKE THIS!"
Whitebeard raised both of his fists up into the air, which shook violently from the vibrations the "Strongest Man in the World" was producing.
Swinging them to the side, massive cracks formed in the air.
The giant walls of ice that had enclosed the pirates into the trap the Marines had caught the Whitebeard Pirate Alliance in exploded with an unreal force, sending large amounts of shards into the air. As it all cleared, the walls that had kept them all in were reduced to nothing moisture in the air.
"IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO LEAVE, YOU MAY!" Whitebeard addressed his sons with a voice filled with anger.
"I WILL NOT BE ASHAMED! BUT IF YOU WISH TO STAY, KNOW THIS...!"
Whitebeard glared directly at Sengoku, and the Fleet Admiral knew that the situation had already gone from bad, to worse.
"STAY OUT OF MY WAY!"
Hope you all enjoyed! Loved it, hated it, whatever you felt, I would appreciate some feedback! It might help me write something better next time!
