Poised

Ace sat slumped on the chair he was chained to, gazing at the sky and fretting silently. Luffy really had broken in to Impel Down and was likely now trying to break out again; seriously, only his little brother would do something that crazy. The worried older pirate had tried to go back inside when he'd heard the announcement, but weeks of short rations and Sea Stone chains had made him weak as a kitten. The only thing keeping him going right now was the knowledge that Fox would never let Luffy rot in prison and the glimpse he had caught of a very specific Sea King as he was brought on board the Marine vessel that was carrying him to Marineford.

The Sea King he had seen was one of Spitfire's: his big sister had named it Trudi for some inane reason. Trudi looked like the bastard lovechild of a hummingbird and sea slug and was just large enough to sink the Moby Dick if she ever tried to climb onto it. Trudi was also startlingly smart, very poisonous and very, very mean. She bullied wild Sea Kings something dreadful, which was probably why she had been left out here at the edge of the Calm Belt to wait for Ace as the local wildlife wouldn't give her any trouble at all.

Even now as they approached the Gates of Justice Trudi was likely cruising along under the ship, shadowing him. Ace had met several of his big sister's pets, some of which were too big to really get your mind around, but Trudi gave him the creeps because she stalked you. Runt was brash and straightforward, which was rather terrifying on a creature as large as a good-sized island, but he was also fairly simple and friendly provided Spitfire liked you. Trudi on the other hand was just about small enough to follow a ship around without being conspicuous and had once done so to the Whitebeard Pirates for an entire month, which had driven them all half-crazy with paranoia until Spitfire came back and revealed what was wrong. Ace was not the only member of the crew who thought the monster had been doing it on purpose.

Trudi being here meant Spitfire was already in Marineford and had left her smallest pet behind to keep an eye on him as he arrived; meaning his rescue was in the works. Ace hoped Spitfire wouldn't mind rescuing Luffy as well if it came to it.

Fox woke late on the morning of Ace' execution and immediately set about preparing herself for her captain's summons. First she ate a large breakfast, then had a thorough wash with a special soap that neutralised smell. She only ever used it when she intended to wear her killing suit, as it was part of how she disguised her gender. There were a small but significant number of people who could identify a person through smell; Zoan users were only the tip of the iceberg. A good disguise covered more than just your face. Fox then braided her hair tight against her skull, coiled and pinned it in place and put on a loose grey outfit to warm up in. She would not put on her Phantom Fox outfit until she felt the initial summons from Luffy, but there was plenty that needed doing before then. She had to be ready for action.

"What're you doing, Eyas?" Shanks asked, pushing the door open.

Fox did not pause in her exercises. "Keeping myself from worrying," she replied easily; it was true enough. Shanks had never stopped calling her by that nickname and likely never would; he never stopped seeing the baby she had been. Fox didn't mind too much. It was reassuring to know she had not changed so completely that the babyish nickname was no longer appropriate.

"You slept a full day away," Red-Hair noted. "Feeling better?"

"Much," Fox said candidly. "Everything is in motion now; it's all going to hinge on timing."

"I promise we won't be late," Shanks told her with a grin. "Don't overstress yourself, Eyas."

Fox snorted. "Like I could."

"Dahahaha! First time for everything!" He saw himself out. Fox knew he hadn't taken her words at face value, just as she hadn't taken his that way either. Shanks knew she was up to something, but he also recognised she was a grown woman and was allowed to do whatever she wanted. Especially considering she was only a guest on his ship and didn't have to follow orders. He still worried about her though, which she appreciated and tried to respect. But Ace and Luffy were her priority right now, so Shanks would have to cope.

As the Gates of Justice just outside Impel Down closed behind Luffy and the ship Crocodile and the fishman that knew Ace had helped him commandeer, the Straw-Hat pulled the bit of paper Fox had given him out of his hat band as he wiped his nose on his arm. Bon Clay had saved them again; Luffy wasn't sure what to think really. But he had to save Ace and they would catch up soon, which meant it was finally time to use the favour his assassin had given him.

Bounding up to stand next to the large fishman, Luffy neatly tore a thin strip off the edge of the thick paper, remembering Fox' precise instructions: tear off a little bit at least half an hour before you need the help, then tear it in half when the moment arrives. Then you will have exactly two hours of my colleague's time in which he will do exactly as you ask. Be careful to word your requests precisely.

Fox had stressed that 'exactly' and 'precisely' so Luffy knew he'd have to take care. Certainly he'd have to make sure his help, whoever they were, understood he didn't want everyone to be killed. Fox very nicely didn't go out of her way to kill people who got in the way but she did that because she knew he didn't like it. The guy who owed her a favour probably wouldn't care, so he'd have to remember to ask.

"You have given me another chance to save Ace!" the fishman told Luffy as he steered the battleship towards Marineford. "I am forever in your debt!"

"Aw, come on!" Luffy replied, turning around and shoving the paper scrap back into his hat band. "There's no need for that! It's reassuring for me too, having you along! You're as strong as hell!"

"You can call me Jimbe," the fishman said. "I was a Shichibukai, but they have certainly stripped me of my title by now. I intend to go all-out at Marine Headquarters! To honour Okama-kun's last wish I shall definitely rescue Ace!"

"Whaaa?!" Luffy shouted. "Holy Guacamole you're a Shichibukai? So that's why you're so strong!" the rubberman paused, remembering a conversation from well over a week previously. "Hey, are you Fox' uncle Jinbe who taught her fishman karate?"

Jinbe nodded. "If your Fox is also called Lisska, then yes."

"Oh, cool!" Luffy said brightly. "She promised to introduce me if we met you but you've introduced yourself now! She wanted to come and help me rescue Ace but she couldn't, so she's staying with Shanks. She did promise to heal Ace once we rescued him though, so that's good."

"It is a relief to know she is staying out of trouble," Jinbe agreed. "I would have expected her to hurry into trouble after Ace; they are very attached to each-other."

"Well she wanted to," Luffy said quietly, sidling closer, but she's pregnant so she can't."

"Ah." Jinbe frowned. "How… fortuitous. Did she mention by whom?"

"You're not cross with her are you?" Luffy asked.

"No, just surprised," Jinnbe said calmly. "When I last saw her five months ago she did not mention having a lover at all."

"Well she hasn't been with Zoro for very long really," the rubberman pondered aloud. "Just a bit over a month. But they've been acting like two halves of one person after what happened on Thriller Bark and I don't think that's going to change."

"That explains a lot," Jinbe muttered. "Roronoa Zoro, you say? Perhaps he will survive then."

The clock ticks closer to Execution Hour.