Alright, it's time to start the next arc, the Marinford Arc. Damn, this is gonna be crazy, with all the fighting and the exploding and the tears and the blood. So much blood. Well, let's not spend time waiting. Enjoy.
Chapter 8: Prelude to War
"To getting out of Impel Down! Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The inmates, after their tearful requiem for Bon Clay, decided to celebrate their successful escape, so they raided the ship's pantry, took whatever food they can find, opened all the barrels of beer, and celebrated. The stolen Marine ship was peacefully sailing across the circling current, laughter and cooked food filling the air. On the back of the ship, Luffy, Danny, and some of the Newkamas and inmates were still moping, staring in the direction of Impel Down.
"…He saved me again…" Luffy mumbled.
"He saved me too…from Magellan's poison," Danny mumbled. "I haven't even known him that long…but he's a good friend…"
"Yeah…" Luffy said as he and the rest sighed sadly. "Bon…"
"…Look, we shouldn't be sad that he's not here with us," Danny said, wiping his eyes and standing straight. "Bon risked his life to give you a chance to save your brother. Don't be sad, be happy we have a great friend. And besides, I'm sure Bon Clay is alive. He's probably dancing his way to Newkama Land, ready to rule it in his image."
"Yeah…you're right," Luffy said as he stood straight, so did the rest of them. "He's tough. I'm sure he's okay."
"Look, let's get some food. You're gonna need all your strength," Danny said as the group walked back to the center of the ship, seeing everyone enjoying their freedom.
Danny grabbed a big drumstick and ate it while Luffy grabbed the whole bird, though he was eating it slovenly, unlike his usual gusto. After forcing the drumstick down his throat, Danny just walked around the deck, seeing the others celebrating by either gorging on food and drinks, singing and dancing, or just lying on the deck while basking on the sunlight. He spotted Ivankov sitting in front of the door of the cabin, since his head prevented him from entering.
"Sadly, this is all we can do for him," he said as he looked at Inazuma resting on a futon, his shades and wineglass beside him. "We must let the poison run through its course naturally. We can't afford to use my hormones to heal him. He is valuable to the Revolutionary Army after all."
"How is he?" Danny asked as Ivankov stood up. "And you, for that matter."
"He'll be fine," Ivankov said as he stretched. "It'll take more than a little poison to take Inazuma down. As for me, I'm as ready as can be, heehaw!"
Danny smiled at that before he started walking again. He spotted Luffy discarding the bones of his meal and walking towards Jinbei, who was steering the ship as Crocodile stood by, looking at the Fishman. Curious, he walked towards them.
"Those whale sharks…you called them, didn't you," Crocodile asked as he turned to Jinbei, who kept looking at the sea.
Jinbei ignored him, though Crocodile didn't seem to mind.
"Strange…I heard that Mermaids have the ability to talk any sea creature, but never a Fishman," Crocodile continued.
"Is it that strange for a Fishman to talk to fishes?" Jinbei said, still looking straight ahead.
"…No, I guess not, especially if it's a monster like you from a violent race," Crocodile commented with a shrug.
"If a monster can call a school of whale sharks to help us escape prison, then he's my kind of monster," Danny said as he and Luffy walked towards them. Danny then looked at Jinbei. "Thanks for that, by the way."
"Thank you, for trusting me," Jinbei said as he looked Danny before at Luffy. "I owe you for freeing me. You have my gratitude."
"Don't mention it," Luffy said with a smile. "You're Ace's friend, so I trust you."
"Thank you," Jinbei said before a shamed look appeared in his eyes. "I also want to apologize for that debacle, but there's no time for that now."
"You okay?" Danny asked, noticing the look on Jinbei's face.
"I am ashamed that I could not prevent the war, even with my status as a Warlord, but I swear on my life that I will help you save Ace," Jinbei said, a glint of determination appearing in his eyes.
"I'll be counting on you, then," Luffy said with a nod and grin. A few seconds later, his eyes bugged out as he looked at Jinbei in shock. "Eh! You're a Warlord!? That means you're really strong, right?"
"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have told you that sooner," Jinbei apologized to the shocked Luffy as everyone who heard him turned to look at them.
"I mean, everyone already knew that," a Newkama nearby commented.
"Dude, I only learned about what a Warlord is yesterday, and even I knew he was one," Danny said in a deadpanned tone. "Well, with the manpower we gather from Impel Down, rescuing your brother in Marineford will be a snap."
"Hm? Marineford?"
"Isn't a war about to start in Marineford?"
"Yeah, against…Whitebeard…"
"EH!" the inmates cried out in shock, their eyes bulging out of their sockets. "WE'RE GOING TO MARINEFORD!?"
"You idiots do know that the Gates of Justice only connects to two other places, right?" Crocodile said as he looked at the inmates with cold eyes. "Our destination was either gonna be Enies Lobby or Marineford."
"But why are we going to Marineford!?" an inmate cried out in confusion. "Isn't Whitebeard declaring war over there!?"
"We're going to save my brother from getting executed," Luffy replied.
"Brother? Hang on…Aren't they executing Fire Fist Ace?" an inmate said. "You're Fire Fist's brother!?"
"Who cares about that!?" another inmate exclaimed. "No one told us we were going war!"
"Everyone in Newkama Land knew about it, though," a Newkama said to him.
"Well why didn't you say so earlier!?" the inmate cried out in shock.
"Quick! Turn this ship around!"
"I'd rather face Magellan than go to war between Whitebeard and he Marines!"
"Yeah!"
The inmates desperately tried to steer the ship back, but were unable to wrench the helm from Jinbei's iron grip, who didn't seem bothered by their desperate attempts.
"Look, you're here, this ship is going to Marineford, live with it," Danny said to the inmates.
"Danny! Why are you calm!?" one of the inmates exclaimed.
"I did say I'll help Luffy save his brother," Danny said with a shrug.
"We've known you for a year, and you never did us any favors!" one of the inmates exclaimed, remembering how cold and brutal Danny was when claiming dominance in Levels 1 and 2. "You met Straw Hat yesterday, and you're already risking your life for him!"
"I like him," Danny said with a shrug.
As they kept arguing, Danny suddenly heard something. He raised a hand, making them stop talking before they heard the sound.
"Pero, pero, pero, pero."
"Is…that a Transponder Snail?" a Newkama said, looking around the ship.
"Where's it ringing from?" an inmate asked.
They all started looking around the ship for the ringing Transponder Snail. Luffy walked towards the mast of the ship, touching it before he opened a compartment, revealing the Transponder Snail.
"I found it!" Luffy called, causing them to gather in front of it.
"Oh man, it's probably the Marines!" an inmate cried.
"What do we do!?" a Newkama asked.
"Okay, don't panic," another Newkama said. "Let's just ignore it, and they'll probably stopped."
"Hello," Luffy said as he suddenly answered the Transponder Snail.
"Dude," Danny said with a deadpanned expression as the inmates and Newkamas panicked.
"Greetings, from Marine HQ," a voice said from the snail.
"Hello, I'm Monkey D. Luffy," Luffy replied calmly.
"Don't say that, you idiot!" the inmates and Newkamas exclaimed.
"Quiet!" Danny shushed them as he kept looking at the Transponder Snail.
"Listen, kid," the officer said in a bored tone. "We're aware that this ship has been hijacked by escapees. We've received a report from Impel Down. So, let's be honest here. Before contact was lost, we received insider information being fed to us, and based on this, we deduced the two ring leaders of this little escapade; You, 'Straw Hat' Monkey D. Luffy, the brother of 'Fire Fist' Portgas D. Ace, and Danny Fenton, the criminal who murdered a Celestial Dragon and somehow kept himself hidden in Impel Down all these years."
"Wait, what!?"
"Danny killed a Celestial Dragon!?"
"How the hell is he still alive!?"
Luffy turned to look at the cold-faced Danny in slight surprise. Having punched a Celestial Dragon himself, Luffy saw the consequences when it led to his crew facing down the Admiral Kizaru, which led to their separation by the Warlord Kuma. Jinbei looked at Danny with wide eyes, so was Ivankov, and the rest of the inmates and Newkamas looked at Danny with eyes wide and jaws dropped.
"He killed a Celestial Dragon!?"
"How is he still alive!?"
"Even Dragon hasn't killed a Celestial Dragon yet!"
"According to our reports, you were apprehended by Admiral Kizaru after disrupting an important meeting between a world noble and a slave owner and was sent to Impel Down. Before that, you were actually one of Saint Jalmack's slaves before causing an uprising, killing your master, and freeing the slaves before disappearing. We don't know how you hid your mark, but we admit that it's impressive that you used Impel Down to hide from right under our noses. But now that we know who you are, there is no escape for you."
Danny, who was quiet, suddenly grabbed the receiver from Luffy.
"You sure you want you go after me, after I crushed that inflated bag of useless shit?" Danny said, eyes glowing green. "You think I won't do the rest to those overinflated fatasses? Just try it, and I'll kill every Celestial Dragon I see. You really want your precious masters' blood filling the ocean?"
Everyone flinched at the cold tone in his voice, shocked that he would threaten to kill the Celestial Dragons to the Marines. He then handed the receiver to Luffy.
"Listen here, Marines!" he shouted, getting the Marines' attention back. "I'm going to save Ace, and you won't stop me! So, keep your potatoes peeled!"
"…Huh?"
Luffy slammed the receiver before closing the covers before stepping back when the inmates and Newkamas suddenly face faulted.
"It's keep your eyes peeled, not potatoes!"
"Great, now I'll be craving potatoes! Thanks a lot, Straw Hat!"
"Hang on, Danny! You really killed a Celestial Dragon!?"
All eyes were on Danny, who shrug before crossing his arms. He remembered the sneer on the Celestial Dragon's face as he whipped and slapped the people in chains. He could feel his shoulder throb slightly before turning to the inmates.
"Yes, I did," Danny said in a toneless voice.
"Oh man, the Marines now know where we are, we're dead!" an inmate cried, which triggered a mass shouting.
"Crap! I just got out of hell! Now, I'm being sent to another one!"
"'I'd rather get shit on by Magellan than fight in Marineford!"
"That does it!" an inmate suddenly grabbed a sword and pointed it at Jinbei. "Move away from the helm, Jinbei! We're taking over this ship!"
His reckless action made the inmates feel brave and they suddenly grabbed any weapons they could grab on. This caused Luffy, Crocodile, Mr. 1, Jinbei, Ivankov, and the Newkamas to tense as the inmates all walked towards them.
Suddenly, Danny appeared between them and released a small blast of energy. It didn't hurt, but it stunned everyone enough to stop attacking.
"Stop!" Danny exclaimed with a slight echo in his voice, shaking the stun out of everyone. Danny then looked at the inmates with a slow shake from his head. "…Well, I guess Magellan won in the end, then."
"Huh?"
"What the hell do you mean?"
"I mean, look at you," Danny said, gesturing at the inmates. "I bet before getting dragged into Impel Down, you guys wouldn't care what the Marines think when you plunder, and pillage, and ransack a village and you didn't worry nor care! But along came Magellan, and look at you, bunch of men turning into wussies with your tail between your legs."
Some of the inmates grew mad at what he said, though there was a hint of hesitation in their eyes, making Danny press forward.
"Think of this as an opportunity," Danny said as he grabbed a sword from a nearby inmate and twirled it around. "Any loser can decide to hide in a hole while the war is fighting, but if you go out in that war and attack the Marines, oh man, no one would want to mess with you, right?"
That made them perk up, as they imagined the notoriety they could get if they attacked the Marines during the most important war that could change the course of history.
"Well, are you in or out?" Danny asked before raising the sword in the air. "If you're with me, give a shout!"
All the inmates shouted and raised their swords and guns.
"We'll lead you back to your glory days, after we tear the Marines and those stupid World Government bitches a new asshole!" Danny shouted, making them cheer as well.
"Let's attack the Marines!' they all shouted.
Danny smirked, seeing that the inmates were now on their side. He walked away from them before he sighed.
"Wow, that was awesome!" Luffy said as they went back on deck while the inmates and Newkama were prepping themselves for war. "How'd you do that?"
"You just gonna know the right words," Danny said with a shrug.
"It's good to have more hands on deck," Ivankov said as he looked at the energized inmates, loading up weapons and ammo. "Let's hope their motivation can get us to Marineford."
"As long as they don't cause a mutiny, then we don't need to throw them overboard," Danny said with a shrug.
"I must say, you have quite a way with words," Jinbei commented as he calmly steered the ship alongside the waves. The way Danny passionately inspired the terrified inmates actually reminded him of his late captain.
"I have experience causing riots," Danny said with a shrug. "Came in useful when escaping Mariejois."
"I see…" Jinbei said, giving him an understanding look.
"So, you really killed a Celestial Dragon?" Luffy asked, looking at Danny with a blank expression.
"Yeah…and I don't regret it," Danny said with a cold look.
"…I don't like them, either," Luffy said. "They hurt my friend and tried to buy another friend of mine, so I punched him."
"…Glad to see I'm not the only one without common sense," Danny said with a smirk as Jinbei looked at Luffy in shocked.
"I didn't think I'd ever see anyone brave enough to stand up to the Celestial Dragons, let alone two," he thought as he looked at Luffy and Danny with respect.
"Well, now that that annoyance is settled, it's time to get back on track," Crocodile said as he took a puff from his cigar. "We should prepare ourselves, since there's a chance that we can't get through the Gates of Justice, now that the Marines know we're coming."
"We'll burn that bridge when we get there," Danny said, though he was worried about that, since if they missed the gates, they might be forced to miss their destination. "For now, let's focus on getting ready to fight."
"Huh? But it's a gate, not a bridge," Luffy said in a confused tone.
"…Shut up, Luffy."
Marineford…
Located at the center of the world, Marineford HQ was a big, intimidating fortress, representing the power of the World Government's military might, the only thing keeping the pirates from overrunning the world. The citizens of the island were quickly evacuating their homes, saying goodbye to their Marine family members tearfully, knowing that this might be the last time they'll see each other. Meanwhile, hundreds of Marine battleships were approaching the docks of the fortress, unloading every soldier from across the world, ready to fight the strongest pirate crew in the world.
All Marine soldiers of every rank gathered at the bay in front of the giant execution platform, tensed as they steeled their nerves. Thousands of battleships were docked, cannons were loaded and ready to fire, swords sharpened to cut down any pirate that would dare get close to the execution platform. All the lower rank were gathered to the front, and they couldn't help but stare at the forces gathered behind them, like the various captains that achieved their ranks, the dozens of giants all carrying large weapons, and the ones who truly made a name for themselves.
Like Commodore Smoker, who apprehended the former Warlord Crocodile from taking over Alabasta, Captain Hina, who apprehended Bon Clay of Baroque Works, all the Vice-Admirals like Tsuru Tsuru, John Giant, Bastile, Dalmation, Onigumo, Momonga, and Monkey D. Garp, the only man who equally fought Gold Roger, there was also the three powerhouses of the Marines, the Admirals, who were sitting beneath the execution platform with their arms crossed, Admiral Aokiji, Admiral Kizaru, and Admiral Akainu, and finally, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, who stood on top of the platform, staring out to the sea.
Then there was five of the Seven Warlords; the Greatest Swordsman, 'Hawkeye' Dracule Mihawk, the King of Dressrosa, 'Heavenly Demon' Donquixote Doflamingo, Gecko Moriah, a pirate who can control reanimated corpses, 'The Tyrant' Kuma, the government's first human weapon, and the most beautiful woman in the world, 'Pirate Empress' Boa Hancock.
Despite the power they have gathered, they were still nervous, for coming to them was the World's Strongest Man, the man who rivaled Gold Roger during his time.
Transponder Snails were active and broadcasting in every major kingdom, especially in Sabaody Archipelago, where a lot of nobles, reporters, even pirates gathered to watch in front of the large screens, all waiting nervously for Whitebeard to appear.
"D-do you really think Whitebeard will come?"
"Maybe he won't. I mean, it's just one guy."
"It's not just one guy! It's 'Fire Fist' Ace, the Second Commander! Even if he wasn't, he's still a member of the Whitebeard Pirates! You know the rumors!"
"I heard he once slaughtered some pirates for wrecking an island that belonged to his drinking buddy."
"Oh man, I hope the Marines win."
"If the Marines defeat Whitebeard, it might make other pirates think twice before causing trouble."
"But if Whitebeard wins, then the pirates will take that as a sign to go wild."
"Either way, one thing is certain…the world will change after this war."
Back in Marineford, everyone suddenly quiet down as the prisoner slowly walked up towards the scaffolding in chains. Ace was being led by two executioners before being chained down to the floor of the scaffolding before standing behind him. The Marines and Warlords all looked at him since he was the catalyst of the war.
"That's him…He doesn't look any different from any ordinary man out there."
"Yet he's the reason we're fighting this war."
"Whatever happens today, it'll be on him."
Garp, an old man with a hulking figure, spikey gray hair, a gray beard, black eyes, tanned skin, and a scar across the upper left eye, had a frown on his face as he looked down, his fists trembling slightly.
"Garp, it's not your fault," Tsuru, an old woman with white hair tied to a ponytail, tanned skin, and black eyes, said, still looking ahead.
"Hahaha! You always have to be the motherly type, huh, Tsuru," Garp said with a smile to his old comrade before he looked back up the scaffolding. Sengoku, a tall, bulking, and intimidating man with black, afro hair, black beard, and black eyes, wearing black glasses and a hat with a seagull on top of it, looked at Ace before walking forward.
"Pass me a snail," he said to one of the executioners, who quickly handed him a Transponder Snail, this one used to make his voice louder, and turned to the Marines and Seven Warlords. "I have some information you all need to hear."
That confused everyone, wondering what could be so important that he needed to say it before the battle for their lives, but they all remained quiet, waiting for him to continue.
"This man is Portgas D. Ace, and the significance of his impending demise is more profound that you first thought," he announced, making everyone looked confused. He then turned to Ace, who kept his gaze on the ground. "Fire Fist Ace, what is the name of your father?"
That caused Ace to slightly turn his gaze to Sengoku as everyone started muttering in confusion.
"His father?"
"Why does that matter?"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Ace stared coldly at Sengoku before looking back to the ground.
"The name of my father is Whitebeard," he replied with no hesitation.
"That is not true," Sengoku said, making Ace glare at him fiercely.
"Yes, it is! My father is Whitebeard, my only father!" he exclaimed.
"We made a long and painstaking search for you before your birth," Sengoku announced, ignoring Ace. "When we learned of the possibility of your father having a child, it rattled the World Government, and we took it very seriously. Thanks to some small information we received from Cipher Pol, we searched every island where he has been last seen before his death, we talked to every possible pregnant mother, searched at every newborn child, as well as preborn children. But no matter how high or low we searched; we couldn't find you. Though, not really surprising, considering the lengths your mother did to ensure your safety. She performed a miracle that could only be done with the love of a mother."
The Marines were getting more confused but couldn't help but be intrigued by this information. Sengoku then looked at Ace, who went to gaze back on the ground, trying to ignore him.
"As a result, she misled the Marines…No, she misled the whole world," Sengoku continued. "You were born on an island from the South Blue called Baterilla. And the name of your mother was Portgas D. Rouge
Ace's eyes widened as he heard Sengoku say that, a cold sweat forming on his head as his face paled.
"She accomplished a feat that completely defied the laws of nature, all to protect you, and kept you in her womb for twenty whole months."
The Marines and reporters from Sabaody were all shocked to hear that, to learn that a woman had kept a child in her womb for twenty months. Ace was shaking as he realized that Sengoku knew the truth.
"And once she gave birth to you, she lost all her strength and passed away, right then and there. And thus, a year and three months later, after the death of your, you were born, carrying the blood of the world's most heinous villain."
Everyone was now captivated as Ace shook, his chains jingling in fear as Sengoku looked at him coldly.
"I know that you know the truth," he said as Ace gritted his teeth while Garp looked down and closed his eyes, remembering the smiling face of an old acquaintance, who was behind bars, the light of the lantern flickering the shadows on his face.
"Garp…Look after my son."
"Your father is Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates!" Sengoku announced loudly and clearly.
Everyone became silent as their minds processed to what they heard before they all released shocked exclamations.
On Sabaody Archipelago, all the people had mixed reactions.
"No way! He's the son of Gold Roger!?"
"The blood of the monster still lives!"
"Damnit! If only I caught him, I could have made a fortune selling him!"
"Hahaha! My, what an interesting development!"
"It still lives…the blood of the King of the Pirates still lives!"
In Marineford, all the Marines and the Warlords were looking at Ace with shocked eyes and surprised expressions.
"Kishishishi!" Gecko Moriah, a large, gray man with a fat belly, large arms, short legs, spikey, violet hair, a huge, stitched scar across his chest to his forehead, wearing a white polo shirt, black coat, orange and yellow patterned pants, and black boots. "Well, this was an unexpected surprise!"
"So…He isn't really Luffy's brother?" Hancock thought in surprise as she stared at Ace.
"When I heard Straw Hat was Fire Fist's brother, I thought he would also be Dragon's son," Helmeppo, a young man with long, blond hair and a prominent butt chin, wearing a pair of black shades, a long-sleeved, white button shirt under a green vest, brown pants, and black shoes with a pair of Kakuri knives on his waist, commented to his friend.
"Yeah…" Coby, a young man with pink hair, a scar across his forehead which was kept by a tropical bandana and a pair of round glasses, wearing a standard Marine trainee uniform, said with a surprised look. "I wonder if Luffy knows…"
"So, is Straw Hat also a son of Gold Roger?" Smoker, an intimidating looking man cigars smoking two cigars at once with white hair, wearing a white jacket with black fur on the cuffs and the kanji for Justice on the back, black gloves, black pants, and black boots, his chest strapped with, his signature Sea Prism jute resting over his shoulder.
"Well, they're brothers, so that's a possibility," Tashigi, a young woman with blue hair and black eyes behind pink, squared-lenses glasses, wearing a light blue jacket with white fur on the cuffs, white gloves, pink pants, and brown shoes, a long sword displayed proudly on her waist, commented, though she looked doubtful.
Ace gritted his teeth as his biggest shame was revealed to the whole world. He only told two people his secret, and he did so reluctantly. He never liked his father, who left him to deal with the people's hatred towards him. He just let himself get killed and left his mother to suffer alone before she died, giving her life for him.
The only thing he respected about his father was becoming King of the Pirates, and that's why he became a pirate, to surpass him, to see that the One Piece was real, and show the world he didn't need his blood to become infamous.
Meanwhile, Garp looked down in shame. Despite being enemies, he truly did respect Roger. He was a pirate, but he was a nice and honest man, so when Roger asked him to look after his son, he just couldn't say no. He was there when Rouge gave birth and named him Ace before passing away. Ever since then, he took care of Ace and treated him like his own, even introducing him to Luffy.
"Two years ago, you took your mother's maiden name as your own and with exquisite speed and strength, you quickly took notoriety throughout the world as the unrelenting captain of the Spade Pirates, and that's when we put the pieces together. There was no doubt that Roger's blood had been passed on," Sengoku continued once the crowd got over the shocking revelation. "But, Whitebeard came to the same realization and got to you before we did."
Ace perked up at that and stared at Sengoku in confusion. Whitebeard didn't knew about his dad. Ace told him about after joining the Whitebeard Pirates.
"In order to secure your mantle as the next King of the Pirates, he took you in under his wing, and raised the son of his old rival aboard his ship."
"That's not true!" Ace exclaimed in anger. "I joined my father's crew in order to make him the next King of the Pirates!"
"Nobody believes that but you," Sengoku said, staring down at Ace, who glared defiantly at him. "Why did you think it took so long for us to finally catch you? It was because you were under Whitebeard's protection. So, we now know that if you were to go free, you would use your abilities to become the next King of the Pirates. The only course to avoid such an inevitable risk is to execute you, even if it means facing the prospects of going to war with Whitebeard!"
The Marines all shouted their agreements, unsheathing their swords and raising their weapons in the air, not wanting another King of the Pirates to be born.
"We got a situation!" a Marine said, running near the platform, getting Sengoku's attention. "Fleet Admiral, qe just received a report that the Gates of Justice have been opened without our orders, and we can't get in contact with them!"
"What!?" Sengoku exclaimed in shock.
Inside the massive whirlpool that connected the three biggest landmarks of the World Government, the stolen Marine ship finally arrived at the Gates of Justice that were connected to Marineford.
"Alright, we made it," Luffy said with a determined look on his face. "Now, to get to Marineford."
"…How are we going through the gates?" a Newkama asked.
"Danny, can you use your hollow powers to get the ship through?"
"Hollow powers?" Danny asked, confused as he looked at Luffy.
"You know, going through stuff," Luffy explained. "Can you do that for the ship?"
"Not a ship this big," Danny said before he turned to the gates. "I could sneak in and open the gates."
"Too risky," Ivankov said. "It might give us away, and they'll send reinforcements to hinder us."
"Well, I could always raise my hands and shout out 'open sesame!'" Danny said sarcastically as he raised his hands.
Suddenly, there was a loud creaking noise, and everyone saw the Gates of Justice slowly opening, shocking everyone. They all turned to a surprised Danny, who still had his arms in the air.
"Woah! The gates are opening!" a Newkama exclaimed in shock.
"That was unexpected," Jinbei commented.
"Danny's making them open!" a prisoner shouted.
"Oh my God! He's the chosen one!" another prisoner cried out in awe.
"Cool!" Luffy exclaimed in shock.
"I'm not doing this!" Danny exclaimed, putting his hands down. "Something else made those gates open!"
"Is it a trap?" Jinbei asked as the gates fully opened.
"Does it matter?" Crocodile asked back. "They're giving us a way in."
"Who cares why it's open, let's go!" Luffy exclaimed, happy to easily pass the first hurdle.
Jinbei nodded before steering the ship through the gates. Once they were through, the gates closed, giving them no way to retreat.
"Well, we're through the gates," Ivankov said as he stood next to Luffy. "Now, I'm worried your dear old dad Is going to make an appearance. I'm sure those government boys would love that."
"Huh? My dad? Why?" Luffy asked, looking at Ivankov.
"Dragon's not the type of person to sit back while they execute his son," Ivankov whispered to Luffy. "Piss him off, and it's going to get nasty."
"Oh, but me and Ace don't have the same dad," Luffy said.
"Huh?" he said in surprise.
"You're right about Dragon being my dad, but Ace's dad is Gold Roger," Luffy explained, shocking everyone within earshot.
"Huh!?" Ivankov exclaimed with wide eyes.
"Pretty cool, right?" Luffy said with a grin. "It's a shame we didn't get to meet him. He always gets mad when I asked him about it."
"Huh!?"
"Oops! It was supposed to be a secret!" Luffy said, covering his mouth.
"Huh!?"
"Wait, so you two are half-brothers or something?" Danny asked, curious. "You guys have different dads, but same mom?"
"No, I don't think we have the same mom," Luffy said. "The three of us formed our bond over a bottle of sake."
"Three?" Danny asked as a small smile appeared on Luffy's face.
"I had two older brothers…but one of them died a long time ago," Luffy said.
"…I'm sorry," Danny said.
"Don't worry, it's a long time ago," Luffy assured him.
"…So…Who's Gold Roger?"
"Huh!?"
"Stop it with the huhs already!" Danny exclaimed in irritation.
"He's the King of the Pirates," Luffy explained. "The first and only pirate to conquer the Grand Line."
"Ooooh…So…Is Ace like the Prince of Pirates or something?" Danny asked, confused.
"There's no such thing as a Prince of Pirates," Luffy said, giving Danny a look. "You stupid or something?"
"This coming from the doofus who punched a guy made out of poison," Danny said in annoyance. "So, Gold guy conquered the seas and became king or something, and Ace is his heir or something, so I can see why the government wants him dead."
"They won't kill him," Luffy said with a determined expression. "I won't let them."
"Hell no, we won't," Danny said as they looked ahead, towards war.
Back in Marineford, everyone gathered stared into the sea, waiting in dread. The flags fluttering wildly against the wind. They all tensed, seconds feeling like hours.
"It's quiet…" Hancock said.
"It's unnaturally quiet if you asked me," Doflamingo, a tall man with tanned skin, spikey blond hair, and white-rimmed teardrop shaped shades commented, licking his teeth eagerly. He was wearing a white button shirt, pink, floral pants, red shoes, and a pink feather coat.
After what seemed like hours, they spotted shadows forming in the mist. A lot of the lesser soldiers gasped in fear as dozens of large ships bearing different jolly rogers appeared.
"T-they're here!" a soldier cried out from one of the lookout towers. "I don't know where they came from, but they're here!"
"What!?" Sengoku exclaimed in shock. "They appeared out of nowhere! But how did they get here so quickly?"
"I count about…forty-three ships!"
"Look at the captains gathered!"
"'Bohemian Knight' Doma!" a man with black hair kept by a red bandana, black eyes, and a black goatee wearing a tanned button jacket, blue pants, and black boots, holding two swords, with a monkey on his shoulder, holding a pistol.
"'Thunder Lord' McGuy!" a guy with wavy blond hair, a long mustache, and a long nose, wearing a dark blue vest over a blue shirt, blue shorts held by an orange cloth, and brown boots, holding a saber.
"The DeCalvin Brothers!" twin brothers with black, curly hair and each missing an eye from, wearing brown captain hats and cat paws with sharp claws on their hands.
"'Swirl Spider' Squard!" a pale man with long, salmon hair on the sides, the top of his head bald, was wearing a gray coat, a white polo shirt, black pants, and brown boots, holding a long, sheathed sword.
"'Ice Witch' Whitey Bay!" a pale woman with light-blue hair was wearing a blue captain hat, a blue vest and a polo shirt that barely held her breasts, a white skirt and brown boots, a sheathed saber strapped on her hip.
"They're all big-name pirates in the New World!"
"And they're all allied with Whitebeard!"
"They came…" Ace said in shock as he looked at his friends just across the plaza.
"Hang on, Ace!"
"We got your back, bro!"
"We'll get you outta there!"
"Their allies are here, but where's Whitebeard?" Garp asked, arms crossed as he looked at the impressive gathering of pirates in front of them.
"Keep your eyes open," Tsuru said in a calm voice. "Knowing Whitebeard, he's probably waiting for the right time to appear."
Most of them were waiting nervously, their hearts beating so hard that they could hear it. Others were eagerly awaiting Whitebeard's arrival, ready to shed blood.
"Come on, already!" Doflamingo exclaimed excitedly. "Let's get this bloodshed started!"
"Kishishishi! Agreed!" Moriah cackled.
"Look at the water!"
They all turned their attention to the water in the circle and saw bubbles emerging. Sengoku's ace paled in shock as he realized how the Whitebeard Fleet managed to get into Marineford without anyone noticing.
"Everyone, get ready!" he shouted, alerting everyone. "They coated their ships and are making their way below the sea!"
Eyes wide, everyone watched as a giant ship that looked like a white whale emerged from the sea, the Jolly Roger of the Whitebeard fluttering with the wind, covered in a thin, bubble-like sheet. The sheet popped once the giant ship fully emerged. Two smaller ships identical to the first one emerged beside it, the sheets popping.
"It's the Moby Dick!" the Marines shouted in terror.
"The Whitebeard Pirates are here!"
"And so close to the plaza!"
"Look, at the deck, I can see them!"
"The Commanders of Whitebeard!"
Twelve pirates walked up to the deck of the ship and the Marines sweated. The Commanders of Whitebeard were the ones Whitebeard himself chose to lead the fourteen divisions of his crew, showing that they were incredibly powerful.
Suddenly, heavy footsteps could be heard on the Moby Dick, making everyone silent. Slowly walking towards up the deck was a giant, hulking old man with a white, thick Dali moustache, various big scars across his body, wearing a white coat with the symbol of the Jolly Roger proudly on its back like a cape, white pants kept by a black cloth, white pants, and a black bandana covering his head, holding a giant murakumogiri.
The Marines quaked under his gaze as Whitebeard stood amongst his commanders.
"Whitebeard," Sengoku said in a calm voice, his eyes narrowed.
"It's been a long time, Sengoku," Whitebeard pleasantly greeted, a grin underneath moustache. "I hope you've been treating my son kindly."
Ace stared at his crew in disbelief, not comprehending that they would actually come to save him.
"Pops!" he called out, his voice echoing across the plaza. "Why!? Why did you came!? Why did everyone came!? It's my fault…I ignored your orders and got caught…You should have left me…"
He was angry at himself for losing control. Both at his subordinate and his temper. Blackbeard was part of his division, and they got along well, but it changed when Blackbeard murdered Third Division Commander Thatch in cold blood and jumped ship.
The fact that Blackbeard, who was in the crew longer than him, disrespected Whitebeard like that angered Ace, and so, ignoring Whitebeard and the other's warning, chased after Blackbeard, which ended in this predicament.
"No, it's my fault, my son," Whitebeard said, making Ace look at him in shock. "I ordered you to chase after Blackbeard and got you in this mess."
"Huh!? What are you saying!?" Ace exclaimed as he saw is crewmates agreeing with Whitebeard.
"I ordered Ace to chase Blackbeard, didn't I, Marco?" Whitebeard said, turning to the man on his right. It was a man with black eyes and blond hair styled in a way that made him look like a pineapple, wearing a purple jacket, black pants tied by a blue sash, and brown sandals. Displayed on his chest was a blue tattoo of a cross with a mustache-shaped crescent across it.
"Yeah, we heard you loud and clear," Marco said as he turned to his fellow commanders. "Didn't we, guys?"
"Yeah, you did."
"You told Ace to go after that fat son of a bitch."
"It's your fault, Pops."
"Guys…" Ace said in disbelief, not knowing why they were covering for him.
"Now then," Whitebeard said as he looked at Sengoku, who glared at him. "Let's get to business."
Placing his weapon down, Whitebeard walked forward and pulled both fists back, crossing his arms. His muscles then started bulging as he grinned widely.
"Everyone, brace yourselves!" Sengoku said. "This man has the power to tear the world apart!"
Throwing his arms to the side, cracks appeared in the air before a powerful shockwave traveled across the seas.
"W-what happened?" Coby asked, gulping a little.
"I-I don't know," Helmeppo said, sweating a little.
Suddenly, the island started shaking violently, making everyone almost lose their balance, some falling to their knees.
"Hey, look!" a Marine said, pointing at the sea.
Everyone turned and saw a massive tsunami coming towards them.
"It's a tsunami!"
"Whitebeard created a tsunami!?"
"Get ready men!" Sengoku shouted. "The war has begun!"
And thus, the gauntlet has been thrown! Revelations have been revealed and some big names appeared. Luffy, Danny, and the others have made it through the Gate of Justice and the Whitebeard Pirates have arrived in Marineford, ready to tear the world apart.
Oh yeah, reason why I don't describe most of the characters is because there are a lot of them, so I'll only describe them if needed or if they talked. Seriously, One Piece has a lot of characters.
Originally, I was going to make a musical part, using 'Are You In or Out?' from Aladdin and the King of Thieves, since it was kinda fitting, with Danny getting the inmates to be on their side, using their egos against them.
Here's how it would have gone:
Danny grabbed a sword as the rest of the inmates glared at him, trying to get control of the ship.
'Don't you remember those times, when your crime was sublime, and you have endless loots in your lair~.'
He walked between them, grabbing them by the shirts to pull them closer before pushing them away.
'Your plunder and pillage, and ransack a village, with neither a worry nor care~.'
He stopped between two prisoners, throwing his arms around their shoulders before throwing them aside.
'Then along came Magellan and you went to down to hell, and you all cried it's the end~.'
An image of Magellan appeared, glaring intimidatingly at them before Danny crumpled that image like it was paper.
'Go rally the group, you were meant to regroup, return back to your roots once again~.'
The prisoners rushed towards him, dog piling on him, before he pushed them away as they tried to overpower him.
'Are you in or out? Gotta know without a doubt~."
He dodged spears and swords thrown at him before he jumped towards the ones throwing, leaning towards them menacingly.
'We're the ones you need for this dirty deed. We're the best! Success is guaranteed~!'
He then swung his sword that knocked them off their feet before stabbing it to the ground, right next to a cowering inmate.
'Are you men or mice? Take a slice of my advice~!"
He then grabbed the inmate and hefted him overhead before throwing him towards the others, knocking them down to the wooden floor.
'You need a fearless leader, one so strong, no doubt!
What's it gonna be? Are you in or out~?'
As the inmates all recovered, they started to question themselves.
'We used to be scary, terrifyingly heartless, in our ravaging raids, we were rough~!'
Three Newkamas started helping the inmates up as they danced as a group.
'We do what we had to be blissfully bad, before Magellan made us all puffs~!'
The inmates started grabbing their weapons, but this time, they didn't seem to be attacking.
'We strayed from the path of our rigorous wrath, and we're taking a bath in the dust~!
But we'll reclaim our pride, we're along for the ride, in piracy and plunder we trust~!'
The inmates started dancing with the Newkamas, swinging their swords harmlessly into the air.
'Are you in or out~?'
Danny jumped in and grabbed an inmate by the shoulder, handing him a sword.
'Double-crossers or devotes? Put your faith in me, pretty soon, you'll see, we'll succeed! I can gurantee~!'
Inmates and Newkamas lined up, raising their weapons in the air, making an arc for Danny to walk through.
'Are you foe or friend~?'
'This is the path I recommend! You want fortune and fame, we know the fastest route~,
What's it gonna be? You in or out~?'
Soon, everyone started getting ready loading their guns and cannons and sharpening their blades.
'We'll go shooting in all the right places~,
From Impel Down to Marineford~!
Imagine the fear on their faces~,
Before we cut them down with our sword~!'
"Now, what's it gonna be!?" Danny asked out, raising his sword.
'Are you in or out~?'
The inmates and Newkamas took step by step to walk forward.
'If you're in, then give a shout~!'
Luffy then jumped forward and threw a fist into the air.
'Yeah~!'
The inmates and Newkamas raised their fists into the air, roaring loudly.
'We'll lead you all the way, back to your glory days~!
We'll begin our life of crime that pays~!'
Danny and the Newkamas handed weapons to the inmates as they joined the cause, all grinning eagerly.
'Are you out or in~?'
A Newkama asked before he and a few others went to catch Ivankov, who jumped from the mast, almost crushing them.
'Make your choice now, sink or swim, heehaw~!'
'What's it gonna be~?'
Everyone turned to Danny who raised his sword into the air.
'Consider carefully~.'
Danny leaned forward, with Luffy, Ivankov, Jinbei, Crocodile, and Daz behind him, their faces shadowed, showing a menacing picture.
'Are you in or out~!?'
And that's how the song would have gone if I kept it. There might be more musicals in the future, some might make it to the story, others might end up as an omake.
Well, next chapter, the war begins! See you later.