How A Feline Screwed Up Marineford

Summary: When Ace's execution is underway, the Marines panic as they realize that Ace is no longer on the scaffold, and why is there a cat attacking Marines?

Or

Ace has the ability to transform into a cat and promptly screws up his own execution.

Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome to How A Feline Screwed Up Marineford! I didn't know how to end this so I am sorry xD I hope you enjoy! On with the fic!

How A Feline Screwed Up Marineford

He had to wait for perfect opportunity. Impel Down was a bust. He would have no way of escaping unless he could somehow get onto a Marine vessel without being spotted. Though Marineford wasn't much better. The vast amounts of Marines, Vice Admirals, the three Admirals, plus the Warlords were an issue. He could easily sneak by them if he wanted to, but the issue was getting off of the scaffold.

His eyes widened as he stared ahead of him at the opening of the bay of Marine Headquarters. The sudden shout of "They're here!" Came over a loudspeaker, sirens blaring. The air caught in his throat. Even after leaving, defying orders, they still came for him. Came for him despite the blood that ran in his veins. His mistakes.

"How did they even get in here?!" Sengoku gasped in surprise. He could hear the panic coming from below. The others being notified to keep an eye out for Whitebeard. Ace looked among the flags and ships coming their way. The entire fleet that was infiltrating Marineford. They all belonged to the sworn allies of Whitebeard. All of them.

"They actually came?" Ace questioned aloud through his own shock.

His gaze was ripped away from their allies as bubbles started to come from the circle of the bay. The water bubbling and popping a second later came next. "It's him." Sengoku growled. His heart was racing as he kept his eyes on the water. The only one unaccounted for were Whitebeard and the Commanders. He was there. He was just underwater. The water began to move, raining down on all of them. "Just as I feared. Why didn't we plan for this?! They got their ships coated to ambush us from underwater!"

It was almost as soon as Sengoku finished speaking that the Moby Dick came from under the water, landing back on the surface. Water splashing onto the Marines within the plaza. Ace could feel the water from where he was chained. The air catching in his throat.

The Moby Dick was followed by the other three Mobys. Breaking the water's surface and balancing out. The coating popping on each them. His eyes immediately settled on the other fifteen Commanders standing on the deck of the Moby. Lined up with determined looks on their faces. His eyes landed on one in particular.

Marco.

Marco's eyes were on him. His expression blank but his eyes flaring.

His heart continued to race. The nerves filling him.

They came for him.

The tension filled the air as the sound clanking on the deck of the Moby came next. The loud foot falls following quickly.

Oyaji.

Whitebeard came onto the front of the Moby Dick, standing there with a grin on his face. Murakumogiri held within his palm. "It's been quite some time, hasn't it, Sengoku?"

Sengoku growled next to him. "Whitebeard."

"We have plenty to talk about." Whitebeard added. "Like you not killing my son." Whitebeard's gaze remained locked to him the entire time. "Just sit tight for a second, Ace."

Ace choked. The sting behind his eyes as he tightened his fists. He squeezed his eyes shut for a second before he threw his head up, screaming out, "FATHER!"

Whitebeard cackled as Ace picked up Sengoku saying, "I can't believe we let them get this close."

Ace felt like he couldn't even breathe as he watched Whitebeard stab his weapon into the Moby, bringing his arms in front of him before he was punching on either side of him. The air next to him cracking like glass shattering. The familiar quake followed. The shaking of the ground that even Ace could feel from where he was.

"A seaquake." Sengoku exclaimed. "He's turning the ocean waters against us!"

As the waters finally began to settle, he kept his eyes on them. This was his perfect opportunity, but he couldn't let them go through with this. They would get themselves killed. "Oyaji… everyone else too…" He gritted his teeth as he tightened his fists again. "I ignored your advice and headed out on my own! Why the hell didn't you just give up on me?! Every bit of this is my own damn fault!"

"No." Ace inhaled sharply as Whitebeard leveled on look on him. One that he had seen many times before. "It was I who drove you to this… my son."

Ace balled his fists, pulling on his shackles as he yelled back, "THAT'S A LIE! YOU KNOW THE DAMN TRUTH! YOU TOLD ME NOT TO GO AFTER HIM AND I WOULDN'T LISTEN!"

"I'm your Captain and I told you to go." Whitebeard retorted. Ace chuckled down a sob, biting his lip as Whitebeard continued, "Ace was only following my orders. Isn't that right, Marco?"

Marco stepped forward, a fond smile on his face as he looked back towards Ace. "Yup, I heard it myself. Then you left. Sorry for all the trouble." Marco stated, walking forward until he was standing next to Whitebeard on the mast. "Really. Teach broke the rules of our ship and you had to seek justice. Everyone in the world knows what happens when you mess with one of our crewmates. If you do, you're going to pay the price."

The rest of the Commanders had joined Whitebeard where he stood. "THAT MEANS IF ANYONE LAYS A FINGER ON YOU, ACE, THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH US!" Thatch screamed. "DON'T WORRY, ACE! WE'LL GET YOU OUTTA HERE!"

Ace couldn't stop the tears that fell down his face now as the rest of the Whitebeard Pirates yelled out in agreement. "Get ready to make hell your new home, you Navy bastards!" Izou called out. The cheering continued as Ace sniffled, wiping his face on his shoulders.

He couldn't let them do this. He could at least give them a distraction and maybe get out of this himself. Sengoku had stepped a little bit forward, just ahead of him as Ace eyed him for the second. Ace gritted his teeth again. He could do this. He had his distracted. He moved his head down, working at the beads around his neck before he caught them in his mouth and jerked his head to the side, leaning forward and shaking until he felt the beads starting to slip.

He had the biggest trump card of them all.

They wouldn't even know what hit them.

The beads clattered to the scaffold as he felt the familiar flare run through his veins. The pain shooting through his body as he looked up to see the others still looking at him. Preparing for all out war. Sengoku was still distracted. This was his chance.

He felt the cuffs slip from his wrists as his body started to morph. Changing by the second before his vision even changed. Getting sharper. His sense of smell higher. He moved forward, grabbing his beads between his teeth before he was turning and starting down the steps.

"Where the hell did Fire Fist go?!" Sengoku shouted.

Ace smirked as he trotted along, beads still dangling from his mouth as he maneuvered through the panicking Marines. His opening had been given to him. Sengoku had been distracted and now here he was.

Now, to somehow get back to the Moby Dick and then they could get out of here.

"Fleet Admiral sir! The shackles aren't undone!" One Marine shouted.

Ace hurried his pace. His very much smaller legs making this even more difficult. He still had a good distance to go, but they were too distracted looking for him as a human.

"How?!" He heard from somewhere next to him.

He let out a loud mewl as hands wrapped around his torso and pulled him off of the ground. A finger scratching behind his ear. "You shouldn't be out here little one." He heard. He peered up, catching sight of shaggy pink hair. Gentle eyes looking down at him and a soft smile flashed at him. "It's about to get pretty rough. No place for a kitty like yourself."

You know, at least I haven't been caught. Well, kind of.

The Marine looked at him again, flashing him a smile before he was blinking and looking at the beads dangling from his mouth. "What are those?"

He let out a hiss, the boy blinking at him for a second.

Another rumble followed again as he looked out to the sea. A shocked sound leaving the Marine holding onto him as he heard, "Is that a… tsunami?!"

The Marine holding onto him stumbled from the shaking of the ground, dropping Ace in the process. Ace took his moment to race off, zipping through other Marines even faster. He would just use his flames now that he could but that would get eyes to turn to him. He huffed as his paws carried him. If he could just get to the plaza wall, they would see him, and it would be fine. Marco could fly and grab him. No blood would have to be shed. This war didn't even have to happen.

He craned his head as he saw the shadow, seeing Admiral Aokiji jumping up with a shout of, "Ice Age!" Freezing the oncoming tsunami.

He didn't have time to focus about that now. He just had to keep going.

X

Ace could hear the fighting happening now. He was still a bit away from the plaza entrance. This place was a lot larger than he would have liked. His body was already exhausted. The fatigue clear within his body. He just had to get there.

"Fire Fist has to be around here somewhere!"

"Find him!"

He let out a breath of relief as the plaza wall came into his line of sight. Despite his screaming limbs, he rushed forward. Using his claws to climb up the backs of the Marines. Jumping on their heads to skip even closer. The shocks sounds coming around him from his sudden appearance. He settled on the top of the wall, eyes now back on his fighting nakama.

Well, his other appearance.

"What the hell is a cat doing here?!"

His hair stood up as he heard, "Get out of here, you damn pest!" Before a foot as slamming into his side, sending him off of the plaza wall and crashing into the ice. The beads falling from his mouth.

No!

His vision turned dark as his small body slid across the ice. Head slamming into wood. The world danced in black dots before his body gave out and he slumped.

X

"ACE!"

Luffy…

Ace jerked awake, mewling as he lifted his head up off of the ice. Vision blurry as he looked around to find the source of his name. The fighting was still on the ice from what he could tell. Marines and the Warlords against the Whitebeard Pirates. His heart was beating hard against his chest as he moved his paws to stand back up. His side hurt like hell since it was harder to use his Devil Fruit abilities like this. It wasn't impossible, just harder.

At least that kick got him closer to home.

He was still a distance away from the Moby, but he needed to find his beads if he was going to get out of this. He couldn't transform back without them. He never did tell the Whitebeard Pirates about this or the reason that he always kept on his beaded necklace. They were still fighting for him.

The feline peered around, trying to catch sight of where his beads might have landed. He had dropped them when he hit the ice and who knows where they ended up.

He blinked as he noticed a ship was within a large hole on the ice now. The hole was created not far from where he landed. He craned his neck, looking up to see Impel Down Prisoners on the ship. His jaw dropped the second his eyes landed on who was leading them.

Luffy?!

Luffy was standing there, looking around like he was trying to find something. Eventually Luffy's eyes landed on him, looking at him in confusion for a second before suddenly the recognition lit up on his face.

Okay, Ace was absolutely going to scratch his eyes out. Well, once he was able to get to him. Why the hell was Luffy here at Marineford?! Doesn't he realize this could get him killed?! He had to somehow get Luffy out of here, but he had no way to communicate with him in this form. Ace jumped as a body slammed down by him, bringing him back to reality. He started around the ice again. Putting his focus back into finding his necklace. There was no use in leaving Marineford and getting the hell out of here if he couldn't transform back. Luffy had to wait one minute.

"Ace! Hey, wait a minute!" He could hear Luffy call after him.

He heard the confusion around him from the others. Most of them looking everywhere in an attempt to find him. He weaved through legs, jumping over others as he tried to locate the missing beads.

This was bad.

Really bad.

"ACE!" Luffy tried again. "YOU'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!"

Luffy, shut up for a damn second so I can think.

The sudden gasp of pain behind him had him stopping in his place, turning his head to see Luffy getting a cut across his torso. Ace could only see red as he hissed, turning, and rushing towards the Marine that had slashed his brother. He lunged, claws extending as he sunk them into the face of the Marine. Hissing and clawing with each passing second as the Marine struggled to get him off.

Ace could barely hear Luffy, feeling the hands wrapping around his torso before he was being tossed again with the shout of, "Why the fuck is there a cat here?!"

Ace hated to admit he was flailing as he was thrown through the air. As he moved, he could see all eyes on him. Jaws dropped and eyes wide as he flew through the air. He grunted as he landed on wood. He blinked as he pushed himself up. His body screaming at him as he looked around.

He was on the Moby.

That bastard had managed to throw him home. Dumbass didn't even realize that he had their missing prisoner right in his grasp. He looked up, seeing Whitebeard eyeing him. The yonko humming and looking down at him with a smile. "Oh, hey there." Whitebeard muttered, reaching down, and holding his hand out.

Ace felt like he could cry in that moment, but very unfortunately, he couldn't return home yet. He nudged his head against Whitebeard's finger, looking up at him before he was turning and jumping off of the Moby again.

This wasn't complete yet.

"Ignore the damn cat!" One Marine shouted. "Find Fire Fist! He must be executed!"

"Hey!" Luffy called again. "Stop running off!"

Ace had no choice but to ignore Luffy. Luffy would understand what was going on. Well, eventually. His paws could only carry him so fast with how small this form was, but he was agile so that worked in his favor. He could still hear the shocked exclamations around him from the sight of him running around. He probably looked like a maniac, but at least they haven't realized who he was yet. There was on thing on his mind, and it was finding those beads so escaping was all worth it.

How fucking far did I drop them?!

X

Marineford was nothing sort of chaos. Pirates and Marines alike were confused on Ace's sudden disappearance off of the scaffold. He was positive that he could see Garp practically losing his shit next to Tsuru. At least, that's what Ace believed her name was. Most of the Warlords, with the exception of Doflamingo, looked unimpressed. Mihawk had been sitting there most of the time ever since his initial attack just watching the chaos unfold. Ace was pretty damn sure he could hear Boa Hancock screaming at people to leave Luffy alone. The anger that radiated off of that woman had the hairs on the back of his neck standing as she kicked anyone in her path.

Luffy had spent most of the time chasing him down, but Ace was determined. He had seen Marco fighting in the skies mostly. Taking on Kizaru and defending Whitebeard from any attacks. Ace had been watching his movements closely. None of his nakama even realized he was right there with them the entire time. It was his own fault. He never told any of them about being able to do this. It wasn't something he liked to do. What it was originally connected to. It seemed like his only chance to get out of this alive and try to keep causalities down to a minimum.

He wasn't even sure at this point how long the war was going on for now. The others were staying mostly in the bay. He could hear Whitebeard telling them to be cautious and that everything was going to work out.

He just wanted this to be over so he could go home. Be with Marco. Be with his nakama. Just be free. This just wasn't going as planned.

He was positive that he had ripped claws straight out of his nail beds with how many people he has scratched now for messing with Luffy. He had managed to stay away from Luffy for the most part. Dodging any chance that he had of catching him. His brother didn't seem to realize the predicament that Ace had found himself in. He really wanted to claw out the eyes of the Marine that kicked him. He would already be home if that the outcome was in his favor.

"No one has been able to locate Fire Fist!" A Marine stated, speaking to one of the Vice Admirals that were close by. "It's believed he just waltzed out the back. That he might be on an ally ship."

Fucking dumbasses. Did really no one see me transform?

Ace huffed as he continued. This freaking sucked. He was spending more time doing this instead of focusing on escaping.

Whatever. It would work out.

Maybe.

"Do the Whitebeard Pirates have a cat or something?" A Marine questioned, pointing directly at him that had him freezing in his place. Ace turned, preparing to launch himself again. "That thing has been scratching Marines and messing up gunfire this entire time."

"Eh, forget the little bastard." Another replied. "What can that cat possibly do?"

"Be a dick."

Damn straight, asshole.

Ace hissed, leaping, and knocking the Marine to the ground from the shock alone. The Marine panicked. Swiping at him and trying to knock him off. Ace bit down on his ear, smirking at the wail that followed before he was sitting straight up. Swishing his tail as he looked down at the Marine. The Marine was looking at him in shock. Blinking as he tried to comprehend what just happened.

Cats are dicks. He really wished he could say that, but now was not the time. He looked up, seeing the light blue glow of flames as Marco was chuckling in the air. Shaking his head as he swooped down and knocked the other Marine away.

"Good job, little guy." Marco praised.

Ace purred, turning, and trotting off in the opposite direction.

X

The pirates were exhausted. So were the Marines. Ace could see as much. The time was ticking on, and it was getting closer to the time that was set for his execution. What he didn't expect was the sudden arrival that shook the entire battlefield. He had been so focused that he hadn't even realized that everything had come to a standstill.

Ace had barely noticed throughout his search until a hand was scooping him straight off of the ground. A finger scratching behind his ear. He recognized the fragrance on the shirt immediately as he craned his neck to look up. Seeing the striking red hair first. The smile aimed at him before he was being slipped underneath the cloak that Shanks wore.

"It's Red-Haired Shanks!" He heard the shocked shouts.

"Do we really have to fight him and his crew too?!"

"How did he get here so fast?! He was fighting Kaido and his crew just yesterday!"

Ace looked up at Shanks, nudging away at the exposed tanned skin. It gained him another scratch behind the ear as he heard, "Portgas D. Ace is long gone." Shanks stated. "You were so busy fighting this war, you never realized he was already gone. Let's just end this war while you still have the chance. There is no use spilling blood whenever your prisoner isn't even among you anymore."

The Marines murmured among each other, looking in confusion. Just the same as the Whitebeard Pirates. Ace felt bad. That his nakama would believe they fought in vain.

"We can't allow that." A Marine hissed.

What shocked Ace was Sengoku stepping forward, a frown on his face. Ace listened in as Shanks and Sengoku traded words. Requesting that the fighting come to an end and allowing the Whitebeard Pirates to leave without issue. Ace was completely stumped as Sengoku agreed.

What shocked him more was Sengoku reaching out and petting the top of his head. "So, this cat belongs to you."

Shanks hummed, scratching his ear again. "He does." Shanks replied. "His name is Spade. He has quite the temper and got mad at me the other day and decided to stay on the Moby Dick. He doesn't take kindly to Marines. Sorry for the trouble."

Sengoku smiled, rubbing down his back again before he stepped back. "Just this once, Shanks… because it's you."

Shanks fixed his cloak, concealing Ace once more as he backed away. "Whitebeard-san, please just walk away. This isn't worth it anymore."

"Ace will always be worth it." Whitebeard replied.

"I know." Shanks hummed. "Ace is safe. Trust me on that."

Ace couldn't see them anymore, but he could feel the movement of Shanks walking and the small scratches behind his ear again that had him purring and leaning against the yonko. He was tired. He wanted to sleep. He meowed, patting at Shanks. He still had to find his beads.

"Don't worry." Shanks whispered. "It's being taken care of."

Ace meowed again, leaning his head back down and slipping his eyes shut. He could trust Shanks.

X

Ace was jerked out of his slumber as he heard Shanks call out for them to sail out. Ace poked his head out of the cloak as Shanks walked over to the nearby table and placed him down. Ace purred, moving around before he was sitting and looking out on the deck. Among the Red Hair Pirates were the Whitebeard Pirates. What he realized was he was on the Moby Dick and not Shanks' ship. He looked over his shoulder, seeing the Red Force moving behind Whitebeard's ship. The rest of the Red Hair Pirates back on their own ship.

"Red-Hair, we have to find Ace." Marco stated, moving forward with a pleading look on his face. "He's still out there. What if they catch him again?!"

Shanks chuckled, shaking his head. "No need to worry. Ace is perfectly safe."

"Red-Hair—" Marco was stopped by Luffy running across the deck. Ace found himself being scooped up again as Luffy buried his nose in his fur. "Did your cat really hide out on our ship?"

"No, that was a lie. I don't have a cat." Shanks stated.

"So, you just grabbed a cat and said mine?" Thatch questioned, laughing as he sat down in his normal spot. Ace was happy to see Thatch. Thatch had been in a coma last time he was aboard the ship. Barely hanging onto life from the attack from Teach.

This was finally over.

"Well…" Shanks murmured.

"This is Ace!" Luffy exclaimed, holding up Ace from underneath his arms, showing him off to the others.

The Whitebeard Pirates looked stunned before they were laughing in disbelief. "That's a good one, Straw Hat." Haruta stated. "Ace is made of fire. He didn't eat a Devil Fruit like Marco did."

Luffy laughed, shaking his head. "He's always been able to do this!"

"People don't just turn into animals." Marco stated. "Not unless they have Devil Fruit powers, and Ace doesn't have that power."

Ace meowed, bringing attention back to him as Luffy let him down. Ace trotted straight over to Marco, rubbing up against his leg. Purring in content to be back around the other Commander. "Ace was born with a special ability he inherited straight from Captain Roger." Shanks stated.

Ace hissed at the mention of his father as he moved around the deck more. Making sure to rub up against any one of his nakama he could find.

"That's impossible." Thatch whispered as Ace got up to him.

Ace turned back and went back over to Shanks, mewling as he scampered around. Shaking his head like he was trying to pull something off. "If it's really him… why doesn't he just become Ace again?" Izou questioned.

"Well, that's what his necklace is for." Shanks stated.

Ace meowed again, sitting down as he nodded. The others blanching as they realized he was communicating with them. "No fucking way." Marco whispered.

"That's why you were chasing him around, Straw Hat." Thatch stated.

"Yeah." Luffy said.

"I just thought it was a cat that wasn't evacuated." Haruta whispered.

"The Grand Line is a glorious place." Whitebeard chuckled. "No wonder I thought I recognized those eyes."

"Where is his necklace?" Marco questioned, kneeling down, and reaching out. Scratching Ace behind the ear. Ace leaned his head in, rubbing up against Marco's knuckles.

Luffy laughed, pulling Ace's attention to see him digging in his pocket. "It's why I was chasing him around!" Luffy exclaimed. "He must have dropped them. I'm pretty sure this is why he was running around instead of heading back to you guys."

Luffy kneeled down as Ace meowed, swatting his paw at the necklace. Luffy handed it over as he caught it with his remaining claw and slipped it back onto his neck. He felt the change almost immediately. The scream of his bones as he collapsed to the deck. He let out a gut wrenching mewl, withering in pain as he felt his limbs changing again and the fur starting to recede back into his body.

He could hear the meows changing to actual screams as he flipped onto his back. Huffing in exhaustion as he placed a hand on his chest. "Son of a bitch." He muttered. "I hate doing that."

"Holy shit, he really was the cat." Thatch exclaimed, jumping up to his feet.

He was surrounded before he could even blink, being pulled into the others' arms. Being passed around as hands clapped him on the back. "Welcome back, man."

Ace smiled, shaking his head as he looked over his shoulder to Luffy. "You dumbass." He whispered, reaching out and pulling Luffy into him.

"You're the dumbass." Luffy replied. "I was trying to get your attention that time, but you wouldn't stop."

Ace laughed, taking the moment to just hold onto his brother before they let each other go. Laughing again as he pushed himself up. Ace sighed, looking out to the others. "I'm so sorry… I never meant for any of this to happen."

"We know." Jozu stated.

"We are just glad you're alive." Izou added.

The other agreements followed as Ace turned to look at Whitebeard. "I'm so sorry, Oyaji."

"You have nothing to apologize for, son." Whitebeard said, smiling as he reached out and placed his palm over the top of Ace's head. "You are home and that's what we care about."

Ace smiled as he turned again, only to be pulled into another set of arms. A hand on the back of his head and a nose buried in his neck. "You scared the shit out of us, Ace." Marco whispered, pulling back, and placing his hands on either side of his face. Leaning in and pressing their lips together for a brief moment. Ace melted into it, grinning as he looped his arms around the blonde's shoulders. Marco pulled away, leaning his forehead against Ace's. "Who knew a feline was going to fuck up Marineford."

Ace shrugged, grinning as he whispered, "I didn't think one would either."

"Good thing it did."

Ace laughed, pulling Marco back into another kiss.

Maybe an ability he inherited from Roger wasn't such a bad thing. He was home. Thanks to that power.