Chapter 3 – On The Battlefield
Luffy stared at the battlefield as it progressed and watched as more lives were lost. She wanted to stop the killing, to take over the minds of the Marines and make them surrender but she knew that if she did that then the strength that she would need for when she and her siblings escaped would have already been used up. Luffy knew she was strong, but she knew that couldn't stop an army and control the strong minds of the Admirals. She hated feeling so powerless. To simply wait for the correct time, and silently cursed, the war and the Marines for making her feel like this.
She didn't blame her grandfather, she knew what kind of man he was and that he did feel guilty for making his grandchildren hostages to the Marines. Her brothers didn't believe her since their grandfather had neither apologized nor looked the least bit sorry for his actions, but as Luffy had gradually cut off all her outward displays of emotions and muted her inner emotions she had gotten better a reading body language, it also helped that she had read her grandfathers mind and saw just how much he missed her old personality from when she was a child. But the past couldn't be changed.
She was jolted out of her inner musings when she saw that all three of the Admirals had join the battle. 'Finally!' She thought. 'With those three monsters gone, the execution platform only has Sengoku,' who was standing on the platform next to Thatch, 'guarding it. We can finally make our move.'
She stood up and placed her coat onto her shoulders and fixed it in place. She turned to her brothers and gave them a sharp nod. It was time to set their plan into action. She placed her straw hat on her head and tilted it so it shadowed her eyes, both her brothers were adjusting their own hats so that they were secure, Sabo ran to grab his metal staff which had rested against the wall, since it was his favourite weapon. When they were ready, they both nodded at her.
Ace created a dozen small fireballs in his hands which Sabo then quickly swiped his hand over, teleporting them to the frame of the execution platform; setting it alight. All three watched with anticipation as the blaze grew while the Marines had no idea what was happening behind them. Sengoku was the first to notice, when he felt the heat of the flames underneath him and quickly barked out orders for the flames to be dowsed.
This was the distraction they needed, while Sengoku was looking elsewhere, Sabo teleported behind Thatch and unlocked the chains with a spare key that Luffy had ordered one of the guards to give her several days previously. Of course she had made them forget the whole incident and the Marine had continued his day with no idea of what he had done. Once Thatch was free from the chains Sabo was to then teleport Thatch to the base of the wall where he would both Thatch and his siblings across it. Luffy had told all of them that once they were on the other side of the wall, their first priority was to make it to Whitebeard, without being noticed. If they were seen then all the Marines would focus on finishing the execution of not only Thatch but the traitors who had helped him escape.
Meanwhile Ace and Luffy vaulted over the edge of the balcony and crept towards the wall. Luffy spread out her power gently touching the minds of the Marines around them and encouraged them to ignore her and Ace sneaking by. This skill used less power than simply ordering the Marines to ignore them. The soldiers saw the two siblings but with being gently influenced with Luffy's mind bending it didn't register with them that there were two people creeping past them.
However, things do not always go as planned. Sengoku noticed that there was an extra person on the platform, due to Observation Haki. When he turned to see who it was behind him and saw that one of Garp's grandchild was knelt behind the prisoner, busily unlocking the chains that tied the pirate down. He was shocked. He had thought that the threat of killing their sister would be enough to ensure that the two pirate brothers would obey the World Government but apparently he was wrong. His mind work furiously in the split seconds he had before he had to take action, and his mind came to one conclusion 'Luffy'. She was a true genius her, in some aspects she had even surpassed him but he had one thing on his side that she didn't… experience. Seeing as her brother was currently freeing the pirate sentenced to death he could only assume that Luffy had asked him to and had planned to make her move during the battle when all other Marines were too preoccupied to keep an eye on her and her brothers.
However, before he could attack the brat the platform gave a shudder distracting him and when it collapsed it knocked him off his feet. When the dust settled enough for him to see, both the brat and the prisoner were gone. He cursed, and called himself ten kinds of fool for not predicting that this would happen. Garp's grandchildren were trouble makers to the very end. Left with the only option left he raised the alarm.
"Attention all Marines! The prisoner has escaped! He is accompanied by two pirates and a deserter. Kill them on sight!"
He regretted that the girl would have to die. She had so much talent and potential but she was too dangerous for him to let her live if she had turned traitor.
When the said pirates and traitor heard the shout they were already on the other side of the wall. If they had heard the shout then both the Whitebeard pirates and Marines had also heard him. Both sides were looking confused, and were looking around, though the pirates had small smiles after hearing that the commander had escaped.
Luffy's eyebrow twitched a millimetre, her own version of showing irritation. Her plan had barely started and already they had been discovered. She knew that there was a high possibility of this happening yet she had naively let herself hope that things would go smoothly. Their backs were against the wall (literally), and in front was a raging battle, they would have no choice but to make a dash to Whitebeard, using the fighting as a cover. She turned to Ace.
"Ace-nii I need you to carry me. I will need all of my concentration in order to keep the Marines off our backs. I can't afford being distracted by having to look where I run."
While Ace looked like someone had hit him round the face with a blunt object, Sabo couldn't help but snicker to himself. He knew exactly what Luffy was doing. True she would need every bit of her power in order to help they make it through the battlefield, but it also ensured that their hot-headed sibling didn't do anything reckless like he usually did. If he was carrying Luffy he would be extra careful to make sure no harm came to their precious little sister.
Thatch who watched this short scene couldn't help but smile to himself, he had gotten to know the three siblings personalities a little during their regular meetings when they snuck into the dungeon: Ace was hot-headed and very protective of his siblings, Sabo was calmer and often had to calm Ace down, though he like his brother would do everything in his power to protect his family. Luffy however was somewhat of a mystery, since she never showed her emotions but Thatch had spent years with Marco who was similar in the fact that he was always calm and level-headed, though Thatch did have a talent of making Marco scream his lungs out with the various pranks that he played on his fellow crewmate on the Moby Dick. Luffy obviously cared deeply for her brothers and he could sense a Will of Iron behind her expressionless face, that she would use anyone and anything in order to protect her siblings.
Ace sighed in defeat and bent down so that Luffy could climb onto his back. They didn't have the time to argue so it was best that he just went along with what she told him to do. He stood up when she was settled and she wrapped her arms around his neck, once Luffy knew she was secure she closed her eyes and sent out a strong blast of Conqueror's Haki, knocking out several thousand Marines that were unfortunate enough to be in her target range.
"Now run!" She ordered. "Don't stop for anything or anyone. Head straight for Whitebeard."
The three men didn't need to be told twice, they set off at a dead sprint across the battle filled that was filled with bodies, though most of them were Marines thanks to Luffy's Haki. The unfortunate Marines weren't the only ones to notice the blast of Haki, the many of the commanders from Whitebeard's ship turned to see who it had originated from.
One of these was the First commander Marco who at the time had just finished trading blows with Admiral Kizaru when he had felt the blast of Haki. In his full phoenix he could make out three figures running across the battlefield, while the fourth was being carried. One of the figures was very familiar to Marco, and he was filled with happiness when he saw his brother running through both Marines and pirates. He didn't recognise the ones running with but then he had heard Sengoku's shout, they had helped his brother escape, added to the fact that one of them had a strong enough Conqueror's Haki to knock out several thousand Marines and he was starting to like them already.
He did notice something odd though. Whenever Marines tried to attack them their attacks missed or they would hit another Marine. It wasn't just the Marines around Thatch and his companions, but practically all of the Marines on the battlefield. The war had taken a definite turn, the Shichibukai and Admirals were attacking Whitebeard pirates as normal, but lower level Marines, even Vice-Admirals were attacking their allies. He suspected that this strange turn of events was linked to one of the three brats that had Thatch to escape.
He swooped down to land in front of Thatch and his three companions, and returned to his human form so he could talk and find out what was going on. But Thatch beat him to saying anything.
"Hey Marco, long time no see. Lovely day for a war isn't it?"
Marco felt a vein pop in his forehead. Thatch did always mange get under his skin and drive him distraction.
"Oi, Thatch! Just what is-" He was stopped mid sentence when his brother raised his hand in a 'stop' sign.
"There's no time to explain and as much as I want to have a fun reunion after being locked up for several months I can't. Tell Oyaji to retreat now and to protect these brats, it's thanks to them that my head is still attached."
Marco turned and inspected the two boys who looked like pirates, when his eyes rested on the girl who was being carried, he felt his eyes widen. Her fringe and straw hat covered her eyes so he couldn't see what she looked but he did notice the small scar that was barely visible under her left eye. His inspection of the young Marine girl stopped when his eyes rested on her uniform before looking back at his brother.
"Even the Marine-yoi?"
The dark haired boy with freckles scowled, while the blonde looked at him sharply and held his metal staff more tightly.
"Especially the Marine" Thatch replied looking into his brother and friends eyes, "It's because of her and her brothers that I was able to escape. I owe her a debt and I intend to protect her and her siblings. We need to leave now before one of the admirals realise we're here."
Marco was surprised to hear that Thatch had already given his loyalty to these three brats. If they had helped his brother then they were allies of his as well. His gaze rested once again on the young Marine girl. She looked so fragile lying on her brothers back, as if she would break from simply being touched. He shook his head at the thought, her uniform showed that she was a high ranking officer and she would have to be tough to be able to get such a position.
"Don't worry you overgrown turkey" Thatch told him cheerfully, "With Sabo's ability", with this he jerked a thumb at the blonde brat, "we'll reach Oyaji before you do". With this the three ran past Marco towards the harbour where Whitebeard stood proudly on the deck.
Marco sighed and took flight, where he landed beside his captain and father-figure to report the new developments.
"Oyaji, I've got some news-yoi."
"What is it Marco?"
"Thatch has managed to escape and is making his way here. There are three brats with him who will need protection-yoi"
"Three brats?"
Marco nodded. "According to Thatch, they helped him escape. Three siblings. Two look like pirates the third is a Marine-yoi"
"Gurarara! Well that is interesting." Whitebeard raised his bisento (his huge pole arm, a more massive version of the Japanese naginata) and shouted out for the whole battlefield to hear. "All men retreat! We've gotten what we've come for! Protect your brother and the brats with him!"
All pirates on the battlefield acknowledged him with a cheer and started to retreat, ignoring the jeers from the Marines, claiming they were cowards for turning their back to the enemy. They didn't care, their brother and friend was free and if the brats with him had helped their brother then they were friends of their too.
One particular person who had heard Whitebeard was not pleased. Admiral Akainu, hated all pirates and the thought of them escaping, especially one that had meant to die on the execution platform was unforgivable. His fellow admirals, Kizaru and Aokiji were absorbed in their own battles with Whitebeards commanders, which suited him just fine. It meant that we could wipe out the pirate scum with his own hands.
Looking down at the battlefield from his position on top of the wall he searched for a certain group of pirate scum among the masses that were running back to their ships with their tails between their legs.
'There!' He thought. He had finally located them along with the traitorous bitch being carried on the back of one of her worthless brothers. His eyes narrowed to slits and he prepared to jump from the wall and eliminate them.
Thatch, Ace, Sabo and Luffy felt the blood thirst that was directed at them seconds before they were sent flying from the impact of Akainu's landing. The all jumped to their feet and Luffy's eyes had snapped open the moment she had felt the Admirals mind focus on them. Their bad situation had just gotten considerably worse.
Ace was standing with his knees slightly bent, prepared to either run or fight. Quickly glancing around her she saw Sabo and Thatch were in similar defensive stances. Akainu pulled his arm back and sent his magma fist forward with every intention of obliterating Luffy and Ace.
'No!' She thought desperately.
"I won't let you touch my brother!" Luffy screamed at the Admiral and grabbed his mind with every ounce of power she had.
…
Ace stared for several moments trying to process what he was seeing. Admiral Akainu's magma fist was several inches away from his sister nose, from where he was holding he piggy-back style. Neither party moved but both had looks of absolute concentration on their faces, while looking into the eyes of the other. It was Luffy's quiet voice that broke him out of his stupor.
"Ace-nii, put me down very slowly." He complied with her order and felt his sister slide off his back to stand tall with the deadly fist of the Admiral still precariously close to her. He wanted nothing more than to snatch her away but he didn't dare move her for fear that it would make the incredibly dangerous situation worse.
"Sabo-nii, teleport Ace-nii and Thatch onto the deck of the Moby Dick. Don't try to move me or talk back since it's taking everything I have to keep Akainu at bay."
Sabo nodded, he knew she couldn't see him but he could hear the strain in her voice as she spoke. He was going out of his mind with fear seeing his baby sister mere inches away from certain death, but the last thing she needed was to be distracted. He grabbed his brother and Thatch and teleported them onto the deck of the ship behind them, where the two landed in an unceremonious heap. He reached out his hand to do the same to her when he was stopped when she continued speaking.
"Don't. If you want to help, then get as many pirates onto the ships as you can. I'll hold Akainu back as long as I'm able to. Now Go"
Sabo sprinted away tapping whoever he passed, those he touched disappeared and then re-appeared on the decks of the various ships in the harbour. He felt like shit abandoning his sister to face a strong enemy alone but he knew that he wouldn't be able to help her even if he stayed. So he helped in a way that only he could, getting Whitebeard pirates back to their ships so that they could sail away.
'Please stay safe Luffy' Sabo thought desperately, 'Losing you would kill both of us. Don't you dare try to play the hero and abandon your brothers.'
While this was happening Luffy and Akainu continued their staring match. Sweat was dripping down her forehead in the effort of holding a single Admiral in place. She had tried manipulating him into thinking she was harmless only to discover that Akainu's mind was full of stubborn, narrow-minded thought that originated from his hatred of pirates and his belief that everything he did was right. His mind was truly her worst enemy.
Internally she was starting to panic. She knew that she was wearing out fast and that in only a couple more minutes Akainu would break out of her control and kill her. However, they both Luffy and Akainu were broken out of their staring contest when a new voice rang across the battlefield.
"Zehahaha. Long time no see. Glad I could see you before you die…Oyaji!"
Blackbeard had made his presence known on the battlefield.
