Yikes so much feelings regarding the story 3 Makes me so happy! Trust me, I get surprised by this story everyday haha. We're almost at the halfway point!

Thanks so much to SupImHere, 12Slytherin, Le055Li0n, PoulPellott, himekuroyuki, and BlueThief for your reviews, they've really kept me writing like you have no idea. RIP to my job, lol.

Anyways, hope you enjoy!


When Sengoku sees them on the bow of the ship challenging the might of Marineford he will not be surprised. He has known, at some level, that with each signature of approval he'd sign, the deal was slowly fading away. Their application papers, vouched by their leader, showed powerful and just recruits... Men and women who wouldn't tolerate corruption or abuse of power or enslavement. But these men and women sworn-in their white to the whims of one Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Luffy, not the World Navy. As they gather together, all of them emerging from different ships at different times, bringing allies each more outrageous than the next... they stand at the front of a rebellion that they have orchestrated, ready to die for the sake of one man. There aren't enough collars in the world, he thinks.


Ace emerges from the backroom of the kitchen -where the crew keeps their den-den mushi- with eyes more red than when he left but the ghost of a smile is visible and Ussop knows what the answer is before he says it.

"The Whitebeard Pirates will help us. They already have a plan to sneak into the Marineford Bay." Nami throws her hands in the air and leans back. It's not enough yet but it's definitely a step in the right direction. "They don't know if they can convince their allies to participate though, I'll be making some calls to my own friends though, hopefully give them a push to help us." Ace looks uncomfortable, Ussop notices.

"We will need all allies we can get." Sanji agrees, already lighting a cigarette. Not unusual behavior, though Sanji tends to avoid smoking anywhere near the kitchen. Most of the table nods in agreement.

"We only know of one man who can free Luffy before they can kill him, though." Robin says.

"Heavy artillery will do nothing for us if we cannot get the collar off him before they blow him up." Zoro adds, painting a mental picture none of them wants to entertain. Ace seems to be choking on air.

"Someone with the power to remove the collar without killing him..." Nami catches on. Ussop has his suspicions, but he really hopes he's wrong.

"Oh!" Brook says smiling. "I think I know who we're talking about! A most unlikely ally, yohohoho!"

"Who's that?" Ace finally caves to his curiosity.

"Worst Generation Member and War Lord, Trafalgar Law." Robin states, making Ussop's heart twitch... Of course it had to be the creepy doctor, of course.

"Do you think he will help?" Ace's face scrunches in confusion, as if trying to understand why a pirate would put his life on the line for his marine brother. Intellectually, Ussop sees the confusion but... well, this is Luffy they're talking about, he's seen weirder things.

"He might." Nami jumps in, before deflating. "Luffy and him have an… understanding, but he also holds on to a bit of resentment."

"…What did Luffy do to him?" Ace ventures cautiously as the people around him start averting their gazes.

"He, uhm. Well, he ripped off his arm." Ussop finally says. That weekend in Sabaondy had been wild now that he's thinking about it.

"What?"

"He totally put it back together!" Chopper is clearly defending Luffy but there's no avoiding how flustered he was. "And then Luffy vouched for him to become a Warlord. I checked his arm myself, perfect working condition."

"Is the revolutionary army worth a try?" Zoro interjects, but Robin is shaking her head before he even finishes.

"No one knows how to contact them and even if we do, there's no guarantee they'll help us."

"It's too risky to lose time in what might be a wasted effort." Nami agrees.

"We know of a another group who owes us a favor." Sanji says, and his one visible eyebrow is frowning, but his voice is firm.

"Oh, Sanji-bro, are you sure?" Franky questions.

"It's now or never, right?" The blonde cook states, though he certainly looks unhappy at the prospect. "We should also contact Duval and his band of bikers."

"That's so manly..." Franky yells. "SUPER! I can definitely ask the Franky Family to help!"

"Do you guys think... Rayleigh would help?" Ussop says softly, almost as if he doesn't want them to hear him. It's a crazy idea, but then again, everything about this plan is crazy.

"He does have a bit of a soft spot for Luffy..." Chopper mentions, thinking.

"Like everyone else on the planet." Zoro snorts derisively, but there's no masking the fondness in his voice.

"Well, maybe if the right person asks..." At Robin's tone, some eyes swivel towards Ace who immediately frowns. Ussop is confused... why should Ace ask?

"Who are we talking about?" The pirate questions, arms crossed over his chest. His muscles are bulging and Ussop is very easily reminded that this man is a Whitebeard Pirate, a commander no less.

"Oh well, Rayleigh is an incredibly powerful man!" Brook jumps in, hand stopping from where he's been tuning his violin. "He used to be the first mate of the pirate king, yohohoho! We've ran into him once or twice while we've been on Sabaondy." More like turned a blind-eyes to his entire existence but sure, that also works, and Ussop's supposed to be the liar.

"He's SUPER nice!" Franky's opinion seems to miss Ace, who blanches and stares accusingly at Nico Robin. As always, their no-nonsense archeologist does not look the least bit disturbed. One day, Ussop wants Robin's absolute nerves of steel.

"I'll ask." Is all Ace says, but Ussop is still confused... Shouldn't Franky go? Him and Rayleigh had hit it off geeking out on ships or if anything maybe Zoro...?

"Why is Ace asking?" Nami covers Chopper's mouth with her hand, and straightens her shoulders, ready to let the subject go when Ace answers.

"Gol D. Roger was my father." Ussop takes a sharp breath, almost choking on air. What is up with Luffy's relatives for god's sake. That's one way to silence a room. Ace is staring at the table hard enough that he might actually set it on fire.

"SUPER! Rayleigh might actually agree." Franky says, dismissing the air of surprise. Ace looks at him with wide-eyes, but Ussop isn't sure what reaction the other man is expecting. I mean, it's surprising sure, but it's certainly not the biggest shock Ussop's had this week.

"There's one more person who might help." Nami says.

"Who?" Ussop asks, because in his mind these are so far all the allies they've had.

"Red-Hair Shanks." Ace immediately perks up.

"He gave Luffy his hat..." He seems to stop. "But Luffy doesn't..."

"We have the hat." Ussop interjects, something in Ace's face softens in a way that Ussop would've never thought possible for such an infamous pirate.

"Shanks absolutely adores, Luffy." Ace tells them. "When I met him, he threw a party for me just because I was related to him. I don't know if he'll help you now, in Impel Down I started hearing that Luffy has quiet the reputation as marine, but if you find him and bring him the hat you might just convince him."

"Sounds good. I'll also give Lola and her crew call." Nami says, looking down at the notes she's been taking. "Let's go over who's going to contact who. Luffy's execution is in 6 days, we all need to meet on day 5 back in Sabaondy."

And so, Franky leaves for the helm while the rest of them stay long into the night planning out each detail of the craziest plan they've tried to execute yet.