Thank you so much to SupI'mHere, 12slytherin, Le055Li0n and the 2 guest reviews for prompting to keep writing. I'm glad you were surprised by that little plot twist, hopefully it's not the only time I catch you off-guard. Already half of this story is written and a third of it is published and all of it is outlined. I'm not sure how it turned into this little master, but I'm enjoying it.

Have fun with this :)


Whatever mirage of peace they'd endured at Impel Down's secret level disappears swiftly as Ace and his surprise rescuers sneak-run their way up the prison. Ace has been changed into a full marine uniform, cap and all. When there is no way to sneak, they march right past some guards -hiding in plain sight. At certain points, they pass so close to other groups, Ace's hairs stand on end. He is coiled tighter than he thought possible, he is not a sneaky pirate by any means.

All of his rescuer are equally outfitted, or at least enough to look like marines at first glance. The woman (Nami from what he'd heard the other man call her) sports a white, tight, short dress and a marine cap. Strapped to her lower back is some kind of odd white-and-orange tube, Ace has no idea what it could be.

Don't you dare set yourself on fire. Under any circumstance. Nami's warning rings true his ears.

The tanuki (I'm a reindeeer!) that had done a perfunctory examination on him before leaving the cell had transformed into a man (?) and was wearing a sleeveless vest and shorts, pink hat undisturbed by his size change.

The third member of the rescue party, a man who'd sighed sadly at having to put out his cigarette, is wearing a navy blue suit with a white coat on his shoulders. Ace catches a glimpse of the kanji for justice on his back, it leaves a sour taste in his mouth. It also reminds him of his shitty gramps. He looks at his rescuers again.

Shut up, before you put Nami-swan in danger, asshole! We've been sent by your brother.

They're going up Level 5's mostly empty corridors. The tense silence is driving Ace insane, but when he looks like he's going to ask a question, Nami meets his eyes and shakes her head. Ace realizes the way her hands are clenched. Some of the guard groups seem familiar with his fellow marines, a couple of times they even murmur pleasantries as they walk by -this is better and worse. No one asks about Ace, dismissing him as a no-name member of the Vice-Admiral's squad.

When he arrives at the marine vessel (the same one he was carried in?), Ace feels the tension slip out of his rescuer's shoulders. He almost thinks they are actually going to make it. Nami and Sanji walk off, most probably to help the ship set-sail and Chopper takes Ace to the ship's control room, where a green-haired man is waiting for them.

The man looks them up and down, his expression unchanging. One eye pins Ace down and immediately he can feel his hackles raise in challenge, the swordsman (were those 3 swords?) dismisses him. One hand rests inside a dark green kimono, he looks almost lazy for a man guiding an operation to break into the world's most secure prison, or to be committing high treason for that matter.

"Does he need medical attention?" The small reindeer doctor shakes his head.

"Everyone else is getting ready to leave. Luffy?"

"Still with Garp." For a moment Ace ponders if this is a mutiny, and if his brother's crew is actually betraying him. "We'll make it in time for him to still be there when they realize Ace is gone." Ace feels only slightly when the ship starts to move. Tension returns to the swordsman's shoulder. Like Ace, he knows that no matter how smoothly the rescue has gone, they're not out of the woods yet.

Ace couldn't have thought about it too soon when the ship's den-den mushi starts to ring. All three pairs of eye swivel to stare at the contraption. The green-haired man wastes no time in answering, though not before barking orders

"Get Robin. I need her to relay orders to the rest of the ship." The reindeer transforms again, this time looking like an actual reindeer and sprinting down the ship. "This is rear-admiral Roronoa Zoro speaking."

"Your identification code, please, Rear Admiral." The voice requests. Zoro glares at the phone, and Ace can deduce by the snail's expression that the glare looks just as intimidating on the other side of the line. For a moment, he thinks the marine might apologize for just doing his job, but before he has the chance Zoro rattles off a string of numbers. "Anything else?" He asks, but the tone of his voice distictly says that there better not be.

"Ah Rear-Admiral Zoro, sorry to delay you." The voice on the other side sounds young, the now-named Zoro grunts in answer. "We're receiving instructions to halt all transport. Security breach."

"...What type of security breach?" Zoro's voice is gruff and suspicios, and he's eyeing Ace intently. The pirate cannot help thinking what a stupid question that is. Chopper and a woman who must be Robin, silently make their way into the office.

"I have not been informed yet, Rear-Admiral." The control guard says. "Though you know Mister Magellan, could be a drill for all I know." Zoro eyes Ace again. What would be the odds of that?

"Keep me posted, we'll hold position." Zoro says, and without waiting for confirmation, he hangs up. His gaze finally drifts away from Ace to look at the newly-arrived Robin.

"It is too much of a coincidence that they'd be running a drill in this exact moment." She answers the unspoken question. "Even if they are, they might search the ship as part of it." Her gaze is calm and collected, and her voice does not waver. Now that he thinks about it, Ace is sure she's the only completely calm person he's met today. Zoro nods, picks up the three swords he'd had lying on the desk and shakes himself out of his officer coat, leaving it crumpled and barely hanging on to the chair.

"Tell Nami and the others to set sail full-speed towards the doors. Be sure Franky loads the ship for an emergency exit."

"What are you going to do?" Ace demands. "Crash into them?" Ace has never really seen the gaste of Impel Down but like any respectable pirate he's heard of them. Zoro barely spares him a glance as he walks by, the grin he gives Ace is much too bloodthirsty to belong to a marine officer.

"I'm going to cut them out of our way." He leaves an emptyness in the room when he leaves. Robin smiles serenly. (And realy how was she not worried?!)

What?

"Chopper, please go help our dear rear-admiral. We do need him at the bow of the ship."

"Yes, Robin!" The doctor exclaims, and Ace is thinking that he's starting to see that he must be one of the youngest members in this rag-tag group. "Oi, Zoro! That's not the way!"

Meanwhile, Robin has her arms crossed across her chest, brows set in concentration. In a couple of seconds the strange woman's eyes open and focus on Ace, with a hand she invites him to take a sit in the little sitting room next to the desk. She sees the woman pour tea. He cannot help but laugh.

Maybe it's stress or just the absurdity of it all. This woman is preparing a cup of tea while her ship escapes Impel Down, by someone cutting down legendary doors with a sword! This is insane by even Grand Line Standards. Ace sits with her in silence once he gets his mirth in control, but does not miss the groaning of wood, thunderous light lightning striking the sea. For a moment the air embraces the sound of the world imploding, being remade. A gigantic splash follows. Robin's smile is hidden behind her teacup.

As they continue to sail, a part of Ace is completely gobsmacked... Did that just work?

"Why did you save me...?" Ace doesn't think his life is worth all this trouble, do these people even know who they're rescuing? The blood that runs through his veins? Luffy knows, but Ace thinks that, no matter how much a little shit Luffy may have become, it would be out of character for him to mention it... or remember actually.

"You are someone very dear to our captain." Robin says, looking picture-perfect in a cowboy hat, as if the fact that Luffy and him had once been brothers is enough for them to all throw their lives away. She's the only member of this group so far not waring a distictly marine uniform. Her crop-top and long skirt are white though. Never in his life did Ace think he'd meet a marine in a crop-top and skirt.

If we drink this we'll be brothers?

"Luffy betrayed me." Ace grounds out, still weak from weeks in chains. This has been a whirlwind of a morning. He thanks the gods that they appear to be getting away safely, somehow. "We share nothing but loss."

Ace... promise me. Promise me you won't leave me.

"You will find that our captain thinks very differently about you."

"Luffy has said so to my face."

"Then why would he send us to rescue you?" She looks at her watch. Ace has been ruminating on the same question, he still hasn't found an answer he likes. "We'll be switching ships in a moment. This conversation must wait. Come on."