"STOP IT!"

...

...

...

...

"BACK UP STRAWHAT!"

Roars from the Whitebeard Pirates sounded as they charged into the plaza, aiming to take out the remaining marines that had managed to hold on to their consciousness, if only barely.

Whitebeard smirked slightly as he watched the brat charge forward as if nothing had happened, as if she hadn't single-handedly wiped out thousands of navy soldiers.

Whilst he knew the capabilities of Ace and Thatch, and he was coming to understand Sabo's, he had still remained in doubt over the youngest child's abilities.

He had been certain that she was all talk.

'Going to save Ace' this, 'Going to save Ace' that.

A little brat yelling, 'I'm going to be King of the Pirates'.

Thatch, Ace and Sabo had put their faith in this one girl.

The three of them were nothing short of still being children in his eyes, but he wouldn't disregard what they had seen in the girl, especially not now having seen it with his own eyes.

She was, indeed, something else.

Sabo meanwhile, was in a state of shock.

No way. His baby sister!?

He'd been sticking close to Whitebeard, taking out a multitude of marines that thought they could defeat the strongest man on the seas.

Whilst he didn't want to admit it, things weren't looking good.

Luffy may have managed to remove the lower ranking marines (or as he so lovingly called them, grunts) but there were still a huge number of Vice-Admirals and a fair amount of other ranks with strong wills, fighting in the war. Not to mention the Admirals were still out for blood.

The other thing going against their favour was Whitebeards condition.

Age.

It was clearer to Sabo now than it had been when they were still on Fishman Island.

He was old.

While some things may get better with age, they all hit a point where they started to head the other way.

The fighting and expenditure of energy was taking its toll.

As long as he didn't take any major hits, it was probable that Whitebeard could get out of here alive and live on for a few more years at least.

It was this reason, and his understanding of how important Whitebeard must be to both Thatch and Ace, which had kept Sabo by the man's side.

A flash of red pulled him away from his musings.

Acting purely on instinct, Sabo strengthened his grip on his staff and throwing his weight behind it, swung it towards the perpetrator.

Akainu hissed as his lava fist connected with the seastone weapon.

He retreated back a few steps.

He had been banking on the element of surprise with everyone's focus supposedly resting on Strawhat. Clearly he hadn't believed that any of the pirates would have denied Whitebeard's order.

Following the Admiral's lead, Sabo also backed up, carefully ensuring that his head was tilted down low enough that his hat blocked out most of his face.

Now positioned at the side of Whitebeard's leg, Sabo addressed him whilst secretly keeping his focus on Akainu.

"Come on old man. I thought you were supposed to be the world's strongest."

Whitebeard eyed Sabo, not at all pleased with the teasing attitude the cheeky brat was giving off.

Kids these days, he thought, no respect.

Not one to back away from what had clearly been a challenge to his strength; Whitebeard sent his own attack toward Akainu, forcing the Admiral to retreat back several more metres to avoid taking serious damage.

Glancing back down at Sabo, Whitebeard returned to their conversation.

"I thought I said to back up your sister."

A smirk covered Sabo's shadowed face as he took out a handful of marines that had built up behind Whitebeard.

"I'm not a pirate. I can do whatever the hell I like... Besides, Luffy doesn't need my help."

Their banter was put on hold as Sabo focused more keenly on the growing number of marines moving their attention on attacking Whitebeards exposed back.

With Ivan's and Dragon's bounties at already staggering heights, Sabo felt no need to add his name to the revolutionary bounty pile if he could avoid it.

Besides, it would also mean less punishment from Dragon for doing something so reckless.

At least he hoped.

Perhaps he could blame Ivan?

As his staff connected with another marine's head, Sabo quickly looked behind him to check on Luffy. She may not have needed his help but that didn't mean he didn't worry about what she was doing and how she was going.


"Oi! Oi! Vhere did you learn to use that?!"

"Huh? Boa said all I had to do was concentrate."

Luffy's quizzical look was quickly diverted from Ivan towards the marines swarming towards her.

Ivan dodged an attack as he slapped his cheeks, partly in surprise and partly in horror.

She hasn't had any training?!

He examined the girl out of the corner of his eyes.

She was a monster.

Just like Dragon.

When Sabo had told him stories of his little monster of a sister, he had always taken them has having a few extra pinches of salt but clearly the boy hadn't been exaggerating.

Ivan was rapidly distracted as Jozu leapt in front of Luffy and let his diamond fist collide with the ground, the impact forcing marines out of the way of his destruction.

"Ace's sister! Run straight ahead! We're going to open a path!"

Izo, who had also made his way in front of them, led the charge with Haruta.

"Was that one of your okama, Ivan?"

Despite the noise that raged on from the surrounding battles, Izo skidded to a halt leaving Haruta to take over leading the Whitebeard pirates and their allies.

"What did you just call me?"

Not giving her a chance to respond, Izo lifted Luffy up by the front of her vest so that she was at his eye level.

"Do not associate me with those people!"

Haruta, finally noticing the missing presence from beside her, located the irate man she was after.

"Izo! Not the time!"

As if snapping out of a trance, Izo huffed before throwing Luffy in the direction that he had stopped her from going in.

"Well? Hurry up then!"

"Shishi, thanks okama-chan!"

Izo almost screamed in frustration. The family of four were by far the most frustrating and infuriating individuals he'd ever had the displeasure of meeting.

Luffy pushed herself harder as her path was cleared of marines, leaving only a direct path to Ace.

Her new position allowed Ace to finally see her clearly, as well as being able to see the extent of her injuries.

Anger welled inside him, until he could no longer contain it, his rage spilling out of him in audible growls.

No one will touch my baby sister.

With a renewed fire in his eyes, Ace pulled on his bindings, the platform groaning with the pressure.

Whilst many couldn't see the transition that Ace had undertaken, Sengoku certainly had.

This has gone on long enough.

Bending down to grab one of the long handled swords out of the fallen executioner's hand, Sengoku had made up his mind.

It was perhaps not proper practise, but the blood of the final remaining link to the Pirate King would wash right off his hands.

Luffy's eyes narrowed as she watched Sengoku move towards the sword.

This was not good.

I don't have enough time.

She paused to place a single palm on the ground.

A pink glow emitted from her skin as she sped up her blood movement.

No one would take her brother away from her.

The ground underneath her back foot crumbled as Luffy pushed herself beyond speeds she had ever travelled before.

Resounding 'booms' created by the displacement of the air beneath Luffy's feet, caused confusion amongst the marines as they desperately tried to locate where the Strawhat Captain was.

Even with his observation haki, Ace was having trouble keeping up with his sisters movements.

What he could tell was that she was getting close.

He had to get out of these cuffs.

Straining his muscles, Ace's efforts were rewarded as the sounds of splintering wood were accompanied by the lifting of the metal plating that his chains were attached to.

Pulling one knee forward and out from underneath him, he was ready to make a move from the platform, chains and all.

However his actions were cut short by a single foot stepping down on his chance of freedom.

Launching into a sky run, Luffy slowed drastically, unable to maintain the supersonic pace she'd previously been setting.

Kizaru being the first to locate the teen, shifted into his light particles, reforming as he took up a position in front of her.

Luffy stalled.

The pair came to a standstill in the air.

Panic crept into the edges of Luffy's mind.

In the air her speed was greatly reduced and if she couldn't even out run Kizaru on land she knew she only had a minimal chance of getting past him in the sky.

"I told you, you couldn't beat us, Strawhat."

"Now that's not very nice. Why don't you pick on someone your own size yoi?"

Kizaru was visibly startled as Marco's renowned kick sent him hurtling towards the ground, the experienced pirate swopping after him to ensure he was kept well away from his brother's youngest child.

Luffy watched completely memorised by the blue flames that trailed behind the falling pair.

Shaking her head, for allowing herself to be distracted, Luffy returned to moving towards Ace, grateful that for whatever reason that the Fleet Admiral had still failed to make a move.

The feelings were quickly replaced with ones of dread as Garp leapt onto the platform, his broad form blocking Ace from her sight.

"Gramps! Move! Please!"

"Over my dead body, Strawhat Luffy."

Garp straightened his back. His loyalty had always been to the Navy.

"From now on I will only ever consider you an enemy!"

The conflict within Luffy's mind over her Grandfather's words flashed across her face but her gaze soon hardened as she reached her decision.

Garp was a Marine.

Ace was her brother.

Ace had been there for her when she needed him most.

She wouldn't let her real family down.

"I'm sorry, Gramps."

Garp's eyes widened slightly at her words. She was his only granddaughter and the closest thing he'd ever had to having his own daughter.

It's for the best, Luffy.

Luffy ceased her sky run, her body now positioned just above Garp's head. Drawing back her right fist, Luffy repressed all of her memories she shared with the man in front of her.

Fulfilling his duties as a marine and a Vice Admiral, Garp brought back his own fist whilst closing his eyes, unwilling to see the destruction he would cause to his own flesh and blood.

His fist never made it as Luffy's increased speed sent him flying off the edge of the platform and plummeting into the ground below.

As her momentum carried her, Luffy landed in front of Ace, resting on the balls of her feet.

"Shishi. Hi Ace!"

Ace stared dumbly in shock.

A dream.

It had to be.

Sengoku spluttered in disbelief. Today had to hold the record for going the furthest against what he had planned in his entire life.

Things always went his way and he refused to let one of the biggest moments in his career melt away before his eyes.

Shifting his foot back to change into his Budda form, Sengoku failed to realise that his foot had been the final thing keeping Ace on the platform.

Feeling the chains go slack, Ace lunged forward, his body pushing him to protect his little sister from the nowhere near peaceful Budda.

Luffy latched one arm around her brother as the sensation of falling took over, her other hand quickly seeking out the key Boa had provided her.

Luffy's fingers griped the seastone tightly as she stuffed it into her brothers cuffs with the faintest 'click'.

"ACE!"

"SHOOT!"

"STRAWHAT!"

"TAKE THEM DOWN!"

The shouts from the marines and pirates faded into nothing as the roar of the torrent of flames burst into the arena.


The new cover image for 'Expect the Unexpected' is courtesy of Tarume, thank you so much!
I can't believe this is chapter 50! Thank you so much to everyone who has faved/reviewed/followed!

Guest Reviewers:
Big Sis of 8: Hahaha, I'm glad you were excited for the last chapter! I hope you were just as excited for this one :) I haven't seen it no, but I shall add it onto my list of things to watch.

Danielle: I'm sorry that you didn't like the cliff hanger. Most of the time I don't mean to make them like that, it just that the chapters work out if I end them at those particular points.