Has everybody seen the One Piece world character voting that's out now? You can vote on it once a day, but it's so hard to pick who I want to vote each time xD So far I've picked Ace, Vivi and Nami. The problem is, there are many characters I love, so, oh dear o.o Who have you all voted for so far, if you have? I know one thing, I must pick Rouge at least once :D

Also, I hope you all managed to enjoy the start of 2021 so far :)

(Time Travel AU)

Ace had no idea what was happening. He wasn't sure if maybe he was still suffering from a concussion, passed out, or dead. His narcolepsy might have knocked him out of sheer sympathy and good timing. That would have been nice actually, it meant he wouldn't have to deal with any of this.

His grandpa was long gone, he had went white, then disappeared from the execution platform, as if the devil himself was on his heels. Ace couldn't help but throw a desperate look up at Sengoku.

"What's going on?" Ace asked, cursing how small his voice sounded.

He sounded like a terrified child.

He felt like one to be honest. He had accepted all this, yet his family had shown up, all ready to rescue him, and that had baffled him. After all Ace had been the one who rushed off, had been the one to fail to defeat Teach, and failed to avenge Thatch.

They should have left him to die, but they didn't.

Then Luffy had arrived, his insane little brother, who looked so badly hurt, who should have been resting and recovering from his injures. It also worried Ace that Luffy had none of his crew mates around, that it was Buggy and Crocodile and all those other prisoners helping him.

Oars had fallen, Squard had stabbed Pops, all because of Ace.

Then all of a sudden his grandpa had freaked out, and a face Ace had only seen in the Wanted Poster his father had ever so carefully gave him years ago, had emerged from the ice itself.

He didn't understand how his mother could be here. Why she was fighting for him.

He didn't deserve it. He killed her, he killed her by being born.

"Don't let her scare you men. Fight back, take her down!" Sengoku howled. "She is just one woman!"

Ace was going to get her killed. Again.

He couldn't stop shaking and his head was pounding and he felt sick. He hadn't eaten in days though, so thankfully there was nothing in his stomach to make him vomit. If everything just stopped he could breathe for a moment, and gather himself.

But no, there was still so much fighting and all he could do was watch, all because he was a weak fool. All because he was the son of Roger, that damn monster.

Yet his mother hadn't been upset, she had been angry, and not even at him. She had said everybody should have been scared of her, not Roger.

Nothing made any sense. Nothing.

He didn't know what was going on and felt close to just breaking down and crying again.

.::.

Sengoku was fucking dead. Ace was up there next to him, ready to break down and all that bastard was doing was throwing his men at her. Rouge crushed Onigumo's neck, tossing him aside, ignoring his choked gasps. He had tried to restrain her while she was distracted with Borsalino, and well, he was paying for it now.

So was Borsalino, he wouldn't be rushing back to confront her anytime soon.

"Hibiscus Rouge," a man called.

She glanced back, seeing piercing golden eyes.

"Yes?"

"I must issue you a challenge, as the lone pirate of the seas, you were the best of the swordsmen in your era. I am now the best in mine," the man said, drawing his blade.

Rouge raised a brow. "And who are you exactly?"

"Dracule Mihawk."

"Well Mihawk, I have no patience to entertain your curiosity at the moment. So don't bug me."

Mihawk's energy flickered and he raised his sword. "This is the best moment. You are in a high risk situation, I wish to see your reaction-"

"Vista!" Rouge called.

Instantly Vista was there, attacking Mihawk who scowled.

"My apologises, but Rouge-san has made herself rather clear that she has no time for you!" Vista said.

Rouge nodded Vista's way, and moved on, stepping off the ice and into the plaza, working on clearing herself a path once more. Idiots kept getting in between her and Ace, and it was really pissing her off.

.::.

"Put up the containing wall! That might buy us some time!" Sengoku barked.

Tsuru's snail frowned. "I doubt that will do anything now. The girl's in the plaza."

"Hibiscus will be alone. Akainu will concentrate on drowning the Whitebeard pirates while the rest of us deal with Portgas D. Rouge."

.::.

Ace wanted to scream, just beg them all to stop, but at the same time he couldn't speak. He was so grateful that they loved him, that they wanted him back so badly that his family were fighting for him, even his mother.

He was so conflicted, so confused, and he didn't know what to do or what to think.

His death would be better for everyone, he was the son of Roger, and yet, his family were still fighting for him.

Ace shuddered when the wall went up, leaving his mother alone on their side of the wall, with thousands of soldiers.

Yet she didn't look scared, she looked pissed.

.::.

"Fuckers blocked Eddy off!" Rouge spat.

"That should be your least concern, Hibiscus Rouge!" a random cape guy sneered.

She broke his neck and snarled, marching into the army, and let out a blast of haki, filled with pure, and utter hatred.

The Marines were dead. They were so fucking dead. She'd tear them all apart, rip their heads off, toss them about for fun, and free her son. If Rouge got send back now, Roger would be horrified, because she was getting covered in blood.

She paused. Oh shit, Roger had been there when she had gotten thrown out of time. He was going to be pissed.

Edward interrupted her thoughts, because she felt the blast of energy against her back, and sighed, bracing her feet. Her hair was a god damn mess by this point. Seriously, a bloody, tangled mess. She'd probably have to steal Izo, and get him to fix it after this was all said and done.