~R~

Things got intense right off the bat. The commanders rushed into battle shortly after one of the Fleet Admirals froze the tsunami. I didn't go down to fight right away. I had to think a little bit first. Besides, I used a long range weapon. I climbed onto the figurehead where Whitebeard was standing and looked out at the battle below. I notched an arrow and let it loose. It hit a marine, which wasn't very impressive if you think about it. There were lots of them scuttling around down there.

I was about to loose another arrow, but a crumbling sound caught my attention. I looked around, and then suddenly a whole marine ship and some ice fell from no where. "What the-" The ship crashed into the ocean. Lucky for them they landed right where Jozu had gotten rid of a giant chunk of ice. I heard joyful shouting. They were probably relieved they didn't hit the ice.

"Luffy!" Ace called.

"Ace! I finally found you!"

I spotted the kid with the straw hat standing in front of a group of escaped prisoners. "So that's the little brother Ace told me about..." I said. It looks like he's teamed up with quite a few famous guys there. Their sudden appearance definitely caused a shock, especially for the marines.

"So that's your answer then, Jinbei!?" Sengoku asked.

"That's right! I quit being a Shichibukai!" A fishman yelled. I decided that was a good thing, since the Shichibukai were supposed to be our enemies at the moment.

I was so distracted by what was happening before me, I didn't notice anything behind me until it was almost too late. I turned around in time to see a man with slicked back hair and a cigar aiming an attack at Whitebeard. Ace' brother was there in a flash and defended the old man.

"We had an agreement." The man said to Luffy. I recognized him. He was Crocodile, a former Shichibukai. "Why are you protecting Whitebeard?" he asked.

"So this old guy really is Whitebeard after all." Strawhat replied. "Then don't touch him. Ace really likes this guy!"

"Kid...That straw hat. It looks like the one Red Hair used to wear." the old man stated.

"Huh? You know Shanks, old man?" Luffy asked. "I borrowed this from him."

"So...You've come to save your brother, huh?"

"That's right!"

"You know what you're up against, don't you? Someone like you won't come out of this alive!" The old man taunted.

"Shut it! It's not up to you to decide that!" Luffy said hotly. "I know all about you! you wanna be the Pirate King, right? Well I'm gonna be the Pirate King!"

The rest of the people that the kid came with all watched in shock.

"You cheeky little..." Whitebeard grinned. "Don't slow me down, you snot nosed brat!"

"I'll do whatever I want! I'm the one whose gonna save Ace!"

I smiled. I like this kid. He's gutsy!

~A~

I won't struggle anymore. None of them will listen to me, even though I keep telling them to forget me and leave. If they succeed, then I'll go with them. If they fail, then I'll accept my fate. I'm done fighting it. It's not like I can do anything while I'm stuck up here, anyway.

Still, even though I made this decision, I'm still worried about everyone. All I can do is helplessly watch them fight.

"Jeez, Garp's brat sure is causing, trouble, ain't he?"

I could hear what some of the marines nearest to the platform were saying. That sounded like Grace. Why wasn't she fighting alongside the other Vice Admirals?

"Yours is there too, isn't she?" someone else asked.

"Yeah..." Grace said sourly. "She's not very strong-" I frowned, "-but she's clever. keep an eye on her. She has a knack for disappearing."

Huh. That must be where her nickname came from. I looked around the battle field to see if I could spot her. Luffy was easy enough to spot. He was causing a lot of damage. He really has gotten pretty strong, hasn't he? I finally spotted Rory nearer to the far end of the battle field. "Rory..." I murmured softly. My gut clenched with fear every time an enemy came at her, but to my relief she seemed to hold her own. I blinked. Suddenly I couldn't see her. A group of marines ran near her, and by the time they passed, she was just gone. Now I know what Grace meant by disappearing. When I spotted Rory again, she was a little closer. I watched, then she disappeared again. I spotted her, and she was even closer. No one seemed to notice her movement as she gradually made her way toward the platform.

She definitely could pass as a ghost. Not that I'm reassured though. This is still the last place I wanted Rory to be.

Just then, Sengoku initiated some plan of his. I sat in silence, watching the battle rage on below me. I heard something about a wall not being ready, after a while. Apparently the ice was too thick, or something. I didn't care. My heart went to my family.

A series of events unfolded in front of me, and Pops ended up using his power to make the island shake. It threw everyone off guard, but somehow it didn't touch the execution platform. It was the Admirals' doing. I'm not sure how, but they kept the platform from taking damage.

"Luffy..." I swallowed hard, and watched my brother. He nearly made it to the plaza, but a wall suddenly sprang up from under the ice. The wall started to surround the bay, but...There was one section that didn't rise.

"What's the problem?! We need the wall fully in place!" Sengoku snapped.

Little Oars Jr...his body must have been too heavy for the wall to lift. I over heard someone say his blood was clogging up the machine or whatever too. It looks like the others will still be able to get to the plaza if they climbed over his body.

However, Akainu was a step ahead of them. He made magma comets fall from the sky and melt the ice, as well as heat up the ocean to a boiling point. The attack covered a wide radius, and even the Moby Dick was ultimately destroyed. The old man tried to break the wall, but not even his power worked on it.

Sengoku then announced that the early execution would commence.

~G~

Good lord, that Strawhat kid will definitely prove to be more trouble than he's worth in the future. If he survives this, that is.

That giant demon-like guy woke up all of a sudden and distracted everyone. Then Monkey D. Luffy shot over the wall with the help of a jet of water. I didn't pay any mind to him at the moment though. I swear I saw that daughter of mine just a moment ago. She's better than I though she was. I don't how she did it, but she got past the gap in the wall without anyone noticing. I suppose she took advantage of the fact that she wasn't a big target.

I spotted movement in the corner of my eye. I looked up towards the rubble surrounding the plaza. Rory was ducking behind a pile of boulders. She had an arrow notched to her bow and kept her eyes trained on her target. I followed her line of sight. It led straight to Fleet Admiral Sengoku.

Trying to snipe the brains of the operation, eh?

I took out my gun, and just as she loosed the arrow -as it whistled through the air- I took a shot. I never miss. The bullet hit the arrow, snapping it in half and causing it to bounce harmlessly onto the platform. Sengoku and Garp managed to keep a straight face. The executioners were slightly startled but they stood their ground. Fire Fist looked up and spotted the assailant.

"Rory...!"

She swore, and glared at me. I gazed back steadily.

Meanwhile, I heard Sengoku. "Do it!" I glanced over for just long enough to see what happened. Ace bowed his head just as the executioners prepared to bring their weapons down. However luck seemed not to be on their side. A sharp wave of sand knocked them off of the platform.

Crocodile...What's his game? I thought he wanted the geezer's head.

I didn't concern myself with that. Instead I calmly stepped to the side, letting an arrow whiz pass me and hit the ground. "You don't have many arrows to spare, girl." I said.

"I've got plenty." she replied. She turned and bolted into the rubble behind her.

I took off after her. I'll be damned if I let that kid escape. I mean that literally. Akainu has been on my case about letting her run wild like I have been. He doesn't scare me, but he's annoying. I hate the fact that I've got to follow his orders.

I slowed to a stop just in time to let an arrow fly passed me. "You're quick." I said. I looked to the side to gaze at Rory. She already had another arrow ready to go.

"I don't have time for this! I should be saving Ace!" she said.

"Why?" I asked.

"That's what we came here for."

"No...I mean why do you want to save him so badly? You specifically." I said.

"He's important to me."

"A pirate."

"So what if he's a pirate? Ace isn't a bad guy!" Rory stated.

I regarded her for a moment and then sighed, closing my eyes. "You inherited more from me than I thought..." I murmured to myself.

"What?"

"Nothing." I replied. I opened my eyes and watched my daughter closely. I wanted to see just how serious she was about this. "Let's see just how much you've learned this year. I know you know more than just using that bow." I said. I took off my coat and tossed it the ground.