5 Hours Until Execution

The Heart Pirates show up two hours early to the Navy HQ. Corazon made sure to call ahead and let Sengoki know they'd be there, just so the Navy would leave them alone, so long as they kept their distance. Standing on the deck of the Polar Tang Corazon smokes and waves at a passing navy ship. The men and women on board scowl and ignore him. Cora feels a bit hurt by that response, but he understands; as far as they've been told the Heart Pirates are just here to observe the execution from up close, which is not entirely false. Law joins him on the deck and leans on the railing.

"What do you know about Ace, Cora-san?"

Cora looks over at him. It's rare for Law to show an interest in people he can't use or recruit.

"Not much, honestly." He puffs out a plume of smoke.

"I know he is the son of Gold D. Roger and Portgas D. Rouge. After Roger's execution the world was looking to kill Rouge, who was still pregnant with Ace at the time. A year went by and neither of them was ever found, so both were presumed dead. The navy stopped the search in the official sense, but Rouge's bounty is still valid."

"And Ace. Where has he been since then?"

"No clue." Cora accidentally drops his cigarette, tries to grab it out of the air, burns himself and drops it again.

"Ah! Neither I nor the nay knows where he was before joining up with the Spade pirates and the Whitebeard. We would have gotten to him a lot soon if we had."

"I see." Law extends a hand to Cora, taking the singed hand in his.

"Why do you suppose that was?"

"Cause he was a kid." Cora obliges the hand taking.

"Miss Rouge might have entrusted him to someone, or he was raised unaware of who he was. I'm more partial to the first theory."

"Why's that?" Law does some quick first aid on the burn.

"Because of his name, Portgas. It was his mother's name and the only way he'd use it is if he knew."

"Hmm…" Law traces the healed patch of Cora's hand in thought. Ace feels similar to himself, a child hunted for reasons that were out of his control, the loss of both parents at a young age, falling in with bigger pirates… it almost stirs his empathy.

3 Hours Until Execution

"Hiiiiieee!" Bepo reals back from the scope.

"What is it! What happened?" Penguin turms and looks at him.

"Scary! The-the admirals are here!"

"So it's starting, huh? They're really going all out for this, huh?" Penguin looks over through the open door at Law and Corazon, still chatting on the deck. He checks the time.

"Still three hours to go though. I wonder if they're preparing for an early start? Move." He nudges Bepo out of the way and pears through the scope.

The view is small, even at maximum zoom, but the scene is clear. There are the three admirals, sitting just below the execution platform, overlooking a massive crowd of navy soldiers and recruits. The fortress of Navy HQ looms behind them and the platform, doubling down on the aura of impenetrability. A small movement catches Penguin's eye. There, on the platform, is three people. Two executions with naginata and dressed in green are leading a lean young man in chains to the edge.

"It's Ace! They brought him out!" Penguin exclaims.

"Captain!"

"What is it?"

"It's Ace, they have him out on the platform."

"What? The execution is three hours away?" Law scowls and heads into the control room to see for himself.

Penguin steps aside.

"That's what I said, but there he is."

Law looks through the scope to see the executioners stand back and brandish their naginata in front of Ace, almost practicing the motion they will use to kill him. Law shivers. As he watches another figure steps up to the platform, a tall man dressed in the robes of the fleet admiral.

"Sengoku…" Law says aloud.

"The fleet admiral?!" Penguin is in awe. He steps away from the scope, as if Sengoku might hear him through it.

Corazon hears that and looks over at the HQ in the distance. He can't see him from here without a scope, but mentally is standing beside his mentor and father figure. What would he say if Sengoku could hear him? Corazon turms back to the ship and lights up another cigarette.

It doesn't matter. Nothing I say would change what's about to happen…*

Law watches as a soldier hands something to Sengoku. He takes it and moves to stand on the left side of Ace.

"Turn on the den-den-mushi, Navy's news broadcast. It looks like things are finally starting."

Penguin rushes over to the control panel and turns the dials. The snail on the counter wakes up and the microphones throughout the Polar Tang turn on, so all the crew can hear what's about to happen.

"...I have some information you all need to hear. This man is Portgas D. Ace, and the significance of his impending demise is more important than you might realize. Ace, I would like you to tell everyone the name of your father."

Law looks over at Corazon. Cora is staring at the deck as he smokes. It's hard to read that expression, a blank facade of calm. There are few times Corazon is not an open book, and it's always when Law most wants to know his thoughts. At the moment, Corazon is realizing why they started everything so early. An early execution might not be out of the question, but the Navy clearly wants to rile up the public with this. Giving them the truth at this time will only rile them up, so by the time the execution takes place the whole world will already be on their side. It's just more of their clever propaganda.

There is a long pause on the line before another voice speaks up, chapped and strained but clear and proud.

"The name of my father is Whitebeard–Not true!" Sengoku interrupts.

"YES IT IS! Whitebeard is my father, my only father! Ace roars back.

"We launched a painstaking and exhaustive search for you at the time of your birth. When we heard rumors that your father had a child, we took them very seriously! Thanks to CiferPoll, a small but reliable amount of information was presented to us, based on this, we checked all newborns as well as all preborn children. We spoke to many mothers, but no matter how far and wide we searched we couldn't find you. No surprise though, especially when you consider the lengths your mother went to to hide you. She performed a miracle that could only come from the love of a mother. As a result she misled the navy–no. She managed to mislead the world. You come from an island in the South Blue called Badelina, and your mothers mothers name is Portgas D. Rouge. She pulled off a feat that completely defied the laws of nature, all to protect her child. She kept her baby inside her womb for an entire twenty months."

"What?!" Law recoils and makes a face. Medically that is impossible. To delay a birth that long would not only require her to be inhuman in capability, but would also risk the lives of both child and mother. What reliable info from CiferPoll, this is bullshit! But the broadcast continues.

"And once she finally gave birth to you she lost all of her strength and passed away. Thus, a year and three months after the death of his father, a child was born with the blood of the world's worst villain in his veins. That child was you! Surely you must know the truth! Your true father is Gold Roger, the King of the Pirates!"

With that final statement the world seems to sit still for a moment, perfectly silent in stunned reference of the words just spoken. Corazon hangs his head and Law stares at the den-den-mushi with a silent intensity. Even though Corazon warned him of the truth, it is still a shock to hear publicly. Behind him, Penguin, Satchi, and Bepo all choke on the air in stunned silence, same as the rest of the heart pirates below deck and the marines gathered at HQ. Slowly everyone across the world, watching and listening in, begins to murmur and whisper. The shock turns into a cry of disbelief, rage, and interest. Anyone looking to avoid the execution will not be able to now. As word spreads the video feeds and radio snails are turned on, broadcasting whatever happens next all over the world.

"He's too dangerous to live." They murmur.

"If only I had caught him!" Laments a few.

"What a twist! This will be interesting." Others muse, entertained.

"Did he get his powers from his father?" Wonder some.

"Does he know where the One Piece is? Does he have it?" Cry others still.

"What does it matter, he's going to die today. The line of Gold Rodger ends with him."

Back at Navy headquarters Tashigi stares up at the platform from the crowd in shock. For a moment she glances over at Smoker next to her. He is scowling, teeth digging into his cigars, glaring daggers at the execution stand. It's hard to tell if his eyes are locked on Ace or Sengoku.

Boa Hanckock looks back and up, catching a glimpse of Ace. From this distance he does look like Lufffy, but older and beaten. If he is the son of Rodger and Luffy's brother, then that means Luffy is the son of Roger too! That doesn't make sense to Boa, something is off.

"Then Ace… isn't Luffy's real brother after all." How could he be if Rodger and Rouge were both dead when Ace was born? She looks away and gazes out to the sea. It appears Luffy did not save Ace in time, despite breaking into Impel Down. Boa sighs and leans on her snake, now thinking up a way to get Luffy out of jail and tell him his brother died. He's going to be inconsolable.

Doffy scoffs hearing that. He was summoned to HQ for this whole affair, but until now found it increasingly tedious. This information was worth the trip, and might lead to some fun later. He grins maliciously up at the platform and the boy on it. If only Ace had fallen into his hands, negotiations with the World government might have gone better for him. Use him as leverage, turn him over to them… what a waste.

"It's so quiet." Boa pouts.

"Yeah, you could cut the tension with a knife." Doffy hums back. The Kuja pirates interest him, but Boa herself is a bit much. Honestly, Dofflamingo would rather not work with her at all. Her self confidence defies his charisma, which is annoying but fine. Confident people are the most fun to pull under, like Law. At the thought of that kid and his brother, Doffy grins again with a chuckle. He hopes they are watching the broadcast.

Law is certainly watching. As soon as the radio wend silent and the crew could be heard discussing the revelation of Ace and Rodger, he went back to the deck. Law leans on the railing next to Corazon.

"So, what now?"

"There's nothing to do until after the execution." He puts on his sun glasses, falling back into a rare dower mood.

"All we can do is float here and wait for it all to pass. The world will be changed after today…" Corazon looks up into the sky at gathering clouds.

Suddenly a siren goes off at the HQ. Law looks up at the fortress and Corazon turns as well.

"They're here!" Calls a soldier over a loud speaker, audible even at this distance.

"Ready to battle stations!"

Law and Corazon look back out to the sea, both rushing over to the port side of the submarine to get a better look at what's approaching. Law's jaw drops and Corazon removes his sunglasses. They both gape at the fleet of ships that appeared suddenly and out of almost nowhere. Each pirate ship flies a different flag, but they all share a similarity that stuns Corazon.
"They're all… New World pirates. This has to be the Whitebeard extended fleet!"

"What!?" Law stares at him.

"Why are they here?"

"To get back Ace, I presume." Corazon grimaces, a bead of sweat forming on his head.

"They're doing what the Stawhats did back in Enies Lobby. They're declaring war on the World Government, all for the sake of one person."

Law flinches. He couldn't believe the story when he first saw it, but seeing the Stawhats for himself in Sabbody was more convincing, especially with Nico Robin present. He looks back at the allied fleet and scowls, matching Corazon's expression. This is going to be a mess…