Home is wherever you are

by starryyah

Summary:

The Whitebeard pirates, experienced in the practice of piracy, venture to cross a mysterious veil of water. It may be due to the whims of the ocean or simply chance, but their path takes them directly to a date in the future in which practically all of them are dead. None of them make it a priority to return to their time, because being together there is no other place they need to call home.

Then, in a tumultuous time two years later when the world is turned upside down and the hierarchy has just changed, Whitebeard's pirates exist again.

Notes:

This has quickly become one of my favorite fics <3 I hope you liked it!!! English is not my first language, tell me if there's something wrong

Chapter 1: 'Whitebeard' Edward Newgate

Edward Newgate hums happily. Seeing his children happy, and in a good mood, makes his old heart tickle with incessant warmth. At his feet, Ace continues to tell funny stories from his childhood. The hot of the press bounty of his younger brother, the East Blue's most expensive new rookie, sits comfortably on his thigh as he captures the attention of the pirates around him with anecdotes that are almost unbelievable. Marco and his other brothers spoil the second commander by listening to all his ramblings about his younger brother.

Not for the first time, Whitebeard realizes how lucky he is. He has everything he ever wanted: a family to love and a family that could love each other. Pirates are usually not soft, softness leads to docility and this leads to weakness. However, all of his sons have such affection and esteem for each other that sometimes it is even overwhelming.

This is all Newgate wants; to continue living with his family as long as possible. Piracy and other such things can be kept out of it as long as he can continue to enjoy domesticity.

"Oyaji!" Haruta jumps off the mast, cutting off the second commander's ramblings. "There is a curtain of water ahead, should we cross it or go around it?"

Curious, the others look out. Ace carefully rolls up his brother’s bounty to put it in his pocket before approaching the figurehead. Whitebeard himself rises to study the phenomenon.

It is a kind of veil of dark, indigo-coloured water that descends from the sky and covers meters and meters in width that disappear in the fog. Getting around the curtain could be a long and tedious task, as Whitebeard suspects that the fog hides much more length than it seems. Likewise, crossing the veil could be risky, just like each and every one of the phenomena that await the mysterious ocean.

As much as he doesn't want to put his precious family at risk, Newgate is clear about one thing: they are pirates and a true pirate would only give one answer.

"We cross!" Many of their children exclaim at the same time.

"Gurararara!" He laughs without being able to avoid it. "Go ahead, brats, straight ahead!"

And while he's not as arrogant as thinking he can stand up to the ocean itself, Whitebeard will protect his sons with all his might if necessary. The age doesn't make him feel any less excited about living a new adventure, so he stands on the figurehead of his precious Moby Dick, immovable, as the ship moves forward without fear.

It almost feels unreal when they step through the veil and find the warm sun and a calm sea on the other side. Everyone was expecting something crazy, the beginning of another exciting journey as pirates. Instead, they are greeted by a sea of crystal clear water and a blue sky with fluffy clouds not unlike what you would find sailing on any sunny day.

"Wow," Izo sighs slightly disappointed. He fans himself in disgust as he looks at his father, arching his perfect eyebrows. "I left my manicure half done just because of this," he complains.

"Damn, that's awful," Blenheim mutters sarcastically while Curiel rolls his eyes.

"That's the tone someone who wants to eat gun lead for lunch would use," says the commander of the sixteenth division, pulling out a pistol angrily.

"Don't threaten my brother," warns Fossa waving his katana.

Izo snaps his teeth indignantly. Jiru faces the fifteenth commander by giving the middle finger.

"Izo is your brother too, you bastard!"

"Now, now," Marco tries without much effort.

"Speaking of which, have I told you about the time I saved Luffy from a ten-foot alligator?" Ace intervenes, distracted.

"Oyaji! Vista has ruined my hairstyle!" Thatch cries, walking away from the swordsman.

"Sorry bro!" The fifth commander exclaims, following him. "Don't worry, I'll fix your hair," he promises, raising his sword.

Whitebeard rolls his eyes and looks at his children fondly. It's incredible how much they love each other despite not being blood brothers or having grown up together. They all get along so well.

Before the commanders can escalate their argument or the captain can intervene a faint gurgling is heard. It comes from some presences beneath Moby Dick, so faint that even with haki they wouldn't have noticed them.

"Please help!" asks a disconsolate voice. "They're dying, we need a doctor!"

Marco is the first to run towards the cry for help. As he passes, people begin to prepare to receive wounded. As a pirate crew, they are no kind of heroes, but they do have morals. Helping the helpless at sea is a principle of the seaman's code.

Whitebeard pays attention as his sons begin to carry the wounded up. The only one awake has pale blue hair and sunken eyes. His body is tattooed with thorns and he has scars sewn into his face. He looks around madly, with the air of someone who has seen terrors and doesn't know how he survived them. The next man is burly, has blonde hair and part of his face is covered by a broken mask. His body is bruised and blood is spilling from fresh wounds. Finally, there is a red-haired man on the verge of death. The clean cuts on his body dye his entire skin red and he has a prosthesis made of metal parts broken by the enemy that has caused all this.

He peeks out to see a piece of driftwood, probably the only remnants of a ship. These are pirates who have been ferociously exterminated by a merciless enemy. Wanting to know what kind of savage enemy prowls these seas, he approaches the only conscious one. The man looks up in disbelief as if he were experiencing a hallucination.

"Brat, as long as you're on my ship and you follow my rules, no one else will hurt you," he assures him. "Who was the enemy who did this?"

The man seems resigned, not believing that he is actually alive at this point. With a broken voice, he answers:

"It was him...Akagami..." He mutters heavily before passing out.

Their children drag the three wounded men to the infirmary. Whitebeard stares at the horizon thoughtfully. Akagami is not an unnecessarily cruel man, so he must have had his reasons. It is not usual for him to massacre entire ships for pleasure like Kaido or Big Mom would do.

"Oyaji," Rakuyo approaches him, looking at the hoverboards uneasily. "You know that I keep up to date with what's happening in my home sea; the South Blue. I recognize the redhead and the one in the mask, they've been making a name for themselves there."

Whitebeard listens carefully.

"But Oyaji... It's completely impossible for Kid's pirates to be in the New World right now," he says, shaking his head. "They are rookies, not even luck can take them that far. Besides... The available photos of these brats are different."

"Then we may have found some very convincing doppelgangers," Whitebeard says.

"No. I've been keeping an eye on these guys, they've been acting cruelly towards civilians and the captain recently received a forty million bounty," he says confidently. "Something else is happening."

Whitebeard sighs and shakes his head. "I guess we'll have to wait for any of them to wake up," he says.

They spend a few days sailing in relative tranquillity. The blue-haired man, Heat says his name is, is of little help in providing information. He spends hours raving about the death that has come in his search. It is not until the fourth day that the blonde, Killer, wakes up. The first thing he does is look for his captain. Strangely enough, his first reaction upon seeing the man lying motionless on a bed is to laugh.

"Faffaffaffa," he laughs with tears in his eyes, collapsing on the bed. He then looks at Whitebeard and the rest of the crew. "The hell that awaits us is strange. Finding a Yonkou dethroned after facing another Yonkou?"

"¿Yonkou dethroned?" Marco questions severely.

Killer mocks.

"Half the occupants of this room shouldn't be here," Killer says, looking only at the blonde commander. "So I assume one of us has come to the wrong place."

"And why do you assume that?" Press Marco.

"Because the last time I saw you, you were in Wano and the rest of your crew was in a fucking grave," he says with a sneer.

Even if he thinks he's seeing ghosts or whatever's going on in his head right now, Whitebeard is surprised by the young pirate's sheer nerve. Not that he tries, but usually his very presence serves to intimidate even the most experienced.

"Dead?" Thatch scoffs. "I think you're delusional."

"You can think what you want, but I know that what I experienced until now is not a lie. Go ahead and call any of your allies. If they are not surprised by your call, then I will be forced to eat my words."

The commanders look cautiously at the man, obviously in disbelief. Whitebeard, however, has seen many eyes in his life, and this is not the look of a mad man. He takes out a Den Den Mushi from his pocket and dials. First, he calls Oars, but the snail doesn't make a call. With a sick feeling, he calls Squard.

"Maelstrom Spider crew speaking," he responds immediately.

"Squard, it's me," he says, staring at Killer. "Whitebeard."

The pirate doesn't respond, but through the snail, they can see his reaction. His eyes widen enormously, first with disbelief, then with anger.

"What kind of insane joke is this?! Anyone who dares to impersonate Whitebeard will meet the blade of my sword!" He threats.

Izo shifts nervously next to him. Ace frowns.

"Why do you assume that?" The second commander asks.

"That voice... Oh, you're impersonating Ace too? The demons in my head and my regrets are punishment enough! Go to hell!"

After that, Squard hangs up. Reluctantly, Whitebeard has to admit that there is something wrong. He decides to try one last time before giving up.

"This is Aladine," a voice greets.

"Aladine, I'm looking for Jinbe, could you put him in?" He says tentatively.

There is a bewildered sound coming through the speaker. Then, in a good mood, the fishman answers:

"Hey, I don't know what cave you've been living in, but Jinbe is no longer part of the Sun Pirates," he says. "Who are you? I can give you the number of his new ship if I think it's important."

Ace mutters words he can't hear and Thatch jumps in surprise. Marco shakes his head as if this is all crazy.

"Jinbe being on a new crew?" Izo snatches the snail from his father and hangs up without saying goodbye. "None of this makes sense, what the hell is going on?"

"My guess," Vista says, brushing his moustache. "It's just that we're in the future," he looks at Killer questioningly. "Because we're supposed to be dead, and these pirates were rookies just a few days ago."

Haruta and Namur exchange a stunned look before saying in unison, "It was the fucking veil."

"What? But that's impossible! A future where we're all dead?" Ace shakes his head. "How could that happen? I refuse to believe it!"

"I mean, we know the risks that come with being a pirate," Atmos says. "But..."

Everyone shares uneasy glances. Whitebeard himself is filled with dread for a few seconds. He is not worried about his death, he has lived long enough to be satisfied. However, hearing that his crew could be wiped out is disturbing, to say the least.

"I can only tell what I know," Killer says. "As thanks for saving us. However, I am not aware of the details nor do I care about them."

"Good," Whitebeard says. "We are listening."

"Two years ago, there was a war over the execution of Fire Fist. For being the son of the Pirate King."

Ace freezes. Of anything that could come out of the blonde's lips, that is the most unexpected for everyone. Of course, for Whitebeard, this is nothing new. However, the others gasp in surprise.

"Ace is my son," Whitebeard's voice echoes throughout the room, both for the blonde and his commanders. "And anyone who thinks they can try to kill my son for his blood will suffer."

"You may say that, but neither he nor you left Marineford that day," Killer laughs at the pirates' faces. "And after that, the crew without a captain went to confront Kurohige, the man who had handed Firefist over to the Marines, for revenge. That guy killed almost everyone. He was the one who died most recently, in the battle of Wano," he says, pointing with his chin at Izo before looking at Marco. "And you are the only survivor of all."

Whitebeard shakes his head, not knowing what to say. He would like to call the man a liar, but he can see the sincerity in his words. Likewise, no officer whose captain hangs between life and death would play with them like that. It is disconcerting and morbid in some ways to know that he gets to know the world after his death.

"Then we have to get information," Thatch says. "We have to know what happened so that we all ended up dead... And change it when we return to our time!"

"That's if we can go back," Jiru says. "Maybe the veil only works in one direction."

"Wait, do we want to go back?" Haruta says with wide eyes. "Think about it, if all this is true, we are like ghosts right now!" He says excitedly. "Why do we want to go back in time and fix things when we can stay here and terrorize all those who celebrated our death?"

Some of the bad mood dissipates thanks to the twelfth commander's words. Marco is too quiet for the captain's liking, but someone else catches his attention.

Ace takes a step forward without looking at any of his brothers. It is due, he assumes, to his ingrained self-hatred in relation to his 'cursed' heritage. At some point, Whitebeard will have to talk to him about it and show him that none of them have a problem with him for it, but right now, his scared look is more important. The boy approaches Killer putting a hand in his pocket.

"You said there was a war over my execution," he says shakily. "As much as I hate the idea, I know there is someone who would definitely come looking for me. You may not know his name, but I need to know if he was in Marineford."

The young commander unrolls his brother's thirty million bounty poster to show Killer. At first, the blonde's eyes widen as he sees the paper. Then he snorts and turns into a raucous laugh with each passing second. Ace takes the laughter the wrong way and clenches his fist.

"What is so funny?!" He blurts out.

"You want to know if Mugiwara was in the war?" He says it like it's the best joke he's ever heard. "Of course he did, that damned led the war. Making a fuss and screwing people is the only thing that bastard knows how to do well."

Judging by Ace's expression, Whitebeard can tell that he is as lost as he himself feels upon hearing the man's spiteful words.

"I advise you to find out more information on your own, I'm not a News Coo or the fucking Morgans," he suddenly snaps in a bad mood. "Now everyone out, I want to rest."

As much as he is an Emperor and doesn't follow orders from a brat, Whitebeard accepts that it is time to leave. The blonde is right, after everything they have learned, it is time for them to start looking for information from real sources. He needs to know what happened to his crew and what the state of the world is right now.

"Oyaji," Marco calls. "If all of this is true, then there is a place we should go to seek confirmation."

Whitebeard nods and the first commander begins to give orders to the navigators. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Teach and some other pirates approach Ace and Thatch looking for information about what happened in the conversation with Killer. However, Whitebeard ordered them to silence for the moment. There is no need to alarm the crew before analyzing and confirming the facts.

Chapter 2: 'Blackbeard' Marshall D. Teach

Summary:

A rat eavesdrops on some revelations.

Marshall D. Teach has been on Moby Dick for enough years to know what path the sailors suddenly took. However, it is entirely unusual and that’s what gives the commanders away about whatever they are hiding.

Sphinx is Whitebeard's home island. It is a peaceful place and its inhabitants live with what poverty allows them. It is a prized place for the captain of his ship and, as such, he does not usually visit it to avoid putting a target on the island. Throughout his entire piracy career, Teach can count on one hand the number of times he has set foot on the island.

The commanders remain in thoughtful silence the entire way. They've been like this since they interrogated the wounded. Teach has sneaked into the infirmary from time to time to try to find out what's going on, but this Killer guy hasn't opened his mouth again. What he does hear is Marco informing Whitebeard about leaving the ship to collect newspapers from some nearby island. The first commander takes flight in his phoenix form, leaving Teach with more questions than answers.

It is true that lately they have been lacking information, mostly because being in an area close to Wano and Elbaf, not many News Coo venture into these seas. However, the last newspaper they obtained didn't say much other than the bounty of their commander's prized little brother.

Said commander is quieter than ever since he left the infirmary. When Teach approached Ace to see if he could get information from him, he got only monosyllables. He is absolutely confused until he overhears a conversation with Izo.

"Ace," the sixteenth commander calls. "You know we don't care whose blood runs through your veins, right? The only man I've ever heard you call 'father' is Whitebeard, I think that's enough."

Although that doesn't reveal much, Teach keeps it in his memory for a later time. When he gets the Akuma no Mi that he has been searching for for years, he believes that Ace could be a good ally. If he can't take him with him by chance, maybe he could blackmail him.

When Marco arrives at the Moby from the back to avoid attracting the attention of those who still don't know what is happening, it is just a coincidence that Teach sees him. From his hidden place, he sees that Marco is carrying a mountain of newspapers with him.

"Look what a cute News Coo," Thatch taunts as he strokes the phoenix's feathers. "He’s such a good boy, look at him... Oh! Bastard!" He screams as the golden beak catches his hand.

The bird snorts and preens the feathers that the other commander has touched. Then, it transforms.

"I brought everything I could," Marco says with his usual stoic expression. "It was a small island, so I don't know if they're really up to date."

"Okay, commander meeting to gossip about what's happened in the world since we kicked the bucket, I love this," Haruta says sarcastically.

That makes Teach freeze. Unconsciously, he leans a little closer to hear better. It’s not necessary to deeply analyze the phrase to understand its meaning, but it’s hard to think about what the implications of Haruta's words mean.

"I think it's interesting! I want to know who the new Emperor is who will take Oyaji's place," Vista says with morbid curiosity. "Ah, no offense, Oyaji."

"Gurararara! Don't worry, son, I feel the same way. I never thought I would be able to see what the state of the world would be after my death. Not everyone is so lucky."

Pressing his head against the wall, Teach lets out a snort, narrowly avoiding a laugh. A man like him could never have survived on this crew without being minimally intelligent. It doesn't take long until he discovers what phenomenon they have been involved in and excitement bubbles in his chest. The future. A future in which Whitebeard, and presumably several of his commanders, are dead. Which could mean that his plans have finally come to fruition.

Peeking carefully, he sees Fossa pick up one of the newspapers.

"It's dated just a few days ago," he says. "Well, a few days and two years into the future for us," he scoffs before opening the paper and freezing. "What is this?" The commander of the fifteenth division asks, stunned.

"What's going on?" Izo walks over and takes the newspaper. His eyes widen and he glances at Ace briefly before handing Fossa the newspaper back and gesturing for him to read it.

"The Yonko 'Mugiwara Luffy', captain of the five thousand six hundred strong Straw Hat Grand Fleet, and his nine commanders are wanted for the following bounties."

Teach tries to remember where he heard that name. Before he can figure it out, Ace lets out a screech.

"Yonko what?!" The second commander blurts out in disbelief.

Thatch searches through the yellowing bounty posters until he finds the one that Teach assumes is Luffy's. He reaches into Ace's pocket to pull out the thirty million bounty that he carries with him everywhere and compares them.

"Three billion?!" Jozu is the first to notice the new price, leaving an incredulous silence around him. Teach himself widens his eyes uncontrollably. He sees that even Whitebeard has a hint of shock on his face.

"They don't even look like the same person," Haruta says.

Teach's hands itch to snatch the poster from them to look at, but he asks for patience. He has come too far to give himself away with something as silly as the nerves caused by having a new rival on his way to his goal.

"Young people nowadays dyeing their hair colourful," Blenheim shakes his head in disappointment.

"I don't think the aesthetics are the priority right now," Izo says. "In just two years his bounty has risen alarmingly. He’s been named Yonkou," he says, pointing at the paper with his pink fingernail.

"With a fleet and everything," Jiru gasps. "Ace, what the hell?"

"I don't know," the raven boy shakes his head stupidly. "Joint hallucination, perhaps?"

"No, Ace, this is real," Marco rolls his eyes. "And it may be surprising, which is why we should try to make a timeline with all the events we have missed."

"No, let me see my brother's crew," Ace says, nudging the first commander. "Look how cute this little animal is. I don't even know what it's supposed to be."

"A raccoon, obviously," Curiel says.

"What about this girl? I hope she hasn't tried to seduce my brother," says the boy.

"Your brother looks like a fool, forgive me for saying so," Thatch says grumpily. "I don't think he has what girls want."

"Excuse me? That fool-faced guy is an Emperor, you moron, and I'm sure even this little girl can wipe the floor with you," Rakuyo taunts before Ace has a chance to start a fight.

"And this? I think Ace's joint hallucination theory is real," Haruta says pointing to another poster. "It's a fucking skeleton. Do they have a dead man on their crew? Why don't we have any dead people?"

"Do the dead people around here seem few to you?" Jiru asks, pointing around.

"Ah..." The other commander says.

"Next up is 'Iron Man' Franky, but I think this photo is of their ship," Izo says. "Isn’t it cute?"

"Yeah, it's not very scary," Vista says. "Nothing about this crew is intimidating. Aside from the skeleton, of course."

"Look at this big nose, what kind of bounty poster is this? He looks half dead," Jozu complains.

"What I see there is the aftermath of a fierce battle from which he emerged victorious," Thatch says. "God Usopp," he says with some amazement.

"Ace, your brother has Nico Robin on his crew," Blenheim says a little worried. "She's had a bounty since she was eight."

That detail catches Teach's attention.

"Nico Robin can read Poneglyphs," Whitebeard reminds him. "That's the only reason she got a reward at such a young age. Although his current bounty is probably deserved," he says with a laugh.

Ace's younger brother's crew is turning out to be an interesting target. Unfortunately for him, he doesn't think he can face them now. It would be different if his future self were around with the Gura Gura in his possession.

"He also has officers worth more than a billion," Izo points out. "Of course, a crew worthy of a Yonkou."

"Blackleg Sanji..." Fossa reads. "And...Jinbe?"

The commanders gape as the man shows off his old friend's bounty.

"Man, Jinbe's new captain is Ace's younger brother?" Namur asks. "That kid can't be just any guy, it's not easy to impress Jinbe."

"Of course he's not just any guy," Ace complains. "But...Jinbe in Luffy's crew? I feel like I'm having a really strange dream."

"The world has definitely gone crazy, there's no other explanation," Thatch says.

"And this guy, Roronoa... He seems intimidating," Izo says. "Reminds me a bit of Katakuri."

"Or Marco," Vista interjects. "He totally has the aura of a first officer."

"Well, this is all wild, I don't think I can handle any more shocking news," Blamenco says.

"Then don't listen to this," Fossa turns the page of the newspaper and shows a picture. "Cross Guild, an organization that issues bounties on marines."

"What?!" Everyone exclaims.

Teach perks up again. It is a great and unprecedented idea. In addition to putting the Marines at risk, it will keep them busy enough to allow the pirates to make their moves.

"That’s crazy. Who is the leader?" Jozu asks.

"The leaders," Fossa corrects. "A strange combination: Buggy 'The Clown', Sir Crocodile and Dracule Mihawk."

"Buggy? Isn't that Roger's other brat?" Whitebeard asks.

"Yes, Oyaji. He was settled in East Blue, I thought Ace's little brother defeated him," Marco says.

"Crocodile and Hawkeye are not men who follow anyone's orders, no matter how Shichibukai they may be," Izo says. "How the hell did he get them to subordinate to him?"

"Well, he's a Yonkou so I guess he had a lot hidden," Thatch mutters.

"Him too? Well, that's strange. We know Shanks is still active," Ace gestures vaguely to the infirmary. "If Luffy, Shanks and the clown are emperors, who is the fourth?"

"Well, it's already surprising to me to know that either Kaido or Big Mom have been dethroned," Haruta says. "So either one of them managed to keep his title, or there is some other monster on the loose."

"If we keep reading, we'll find out," Jiru says.

"Okay, what other crazy things have been going on?" Fossa hums as he reads. "The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army assassinates the king of Alabasta and now both he and the nation's princess are missing."

"Holy cow," Izo gasps. "Even the revs? What has made them all so wild?"

Whitebeard frowns. "That's not Dragon's usual way of acting... Who's his second in command? Ivankov?"

Fossa shakes his head and shows the photo. "His name is Sabo."

Out of nowhere, a hand snatches the newspaper from the commander. Ace looks at the paper with wide eyes.

"What the hell?" He gasps as his eyes fill with tears that he desperately tries to push away so as not to lose sight of the paper. "Sabo?" He says quietly, carefully caressing the photo.

"Ace?" Marco asks. "What's going on?"

"It's..." The boy shakes his head and hugs the newspaper to his chest before running away. Marco and Izo get up and follow him.

Teach looks carefully at the others. They all stare at the spot where their second commander was sitting, uninterested in the papers scattered on the boards of the rear deck. Whitebeard shakes his head and stands up with a sigh.

"Fossa, take the newspapers to my room. I will take a look at them tonight. Tomorrow morning we will arrive at Sphinx, if we are lucky, Future Marco will be there. He will answer any questions we have left."

The rest of the commanders walk away after their father leaves. Fossa collects the papers neatly and heads to the captain's cabin.

No one notices Teach sneaking after him. No one sees his manic smile when he sees his face plastered on the front page of some newspapers talking about power, greatness and status.

Notes:

thaaaanks for the support in the first chapter!!! i was so happy when i realised all the comments i got <3 I'm sorry for the delay, I normally prioritize my stories on Wattpad and even those I haven't been able to update lately

i got some comments asking about Sabo: he'll probably appear just at the end.

hope y'all liked this chapter <3 some reminders:

-Eng is not my first language
-SPOILERS SPOILERS MANGA SPOILERS
-have a good day!!

Chapter 3: Marco 'The Phoenix'

Summary:

A not-so-little bird tells them.

Dawn light bathes the sky as the ship reaches Sphinx. The view of the island is like a breath of fresh air for Marco. Although he proposed making the stop knowing that there he could find the answers they seek, he mentally congratulates himself when he sees his father's permanently tense shoulders slump with relief.

The commanders have been nervous since all this started, but at least the jokes from Haruta and the rest serve to lighten the atmosphere a little. Whitebeard, however, is one of those who have borne the brunt. Knowing that his precious sons have died in the narrow space of two years is any parent's most twisted nightmare. Seeing that his home island still stands and that he might find at least one son alive there, makes his nerves calm.

Marco did not want to analyze his own feelings. Over the years he has seen many of his brothers die, but the idea of being completely alone is something that never crossed his mind. Between that and the way Ace has shut down since he read the paper yesterday, he's terrified of what he might find if they keep digging.

In the background, he hears his father asking Fossa about the papers he was supposed to leave in the captain's cabin yesterday, but he ignores him in favour of planning how they are going to operate from now on. The closer they get to the shore, the more he can feel the strange sensation of the wild presence that remains dormant in the centre of the island.

"I can faintly sense Marco's haki," Izo says, approaching the ship's railing to look at the island in surprise. "I cannot believe it."

"Two Marcos in the same place," Thatch says, feigning a shudder.

"Just as we felt it, he must have felt us too," Marco says. "We'll let him come on his own."

"Yeah, okay. This way we keep the townspeople from having heart attacks when they see a bunch of ghosts wandering around," Vista agrees quickly.

"Let's stop the ghost talk here, okay?" Blamenco says, looking around a little terrified. "We don't want to invoke anything."

Almost as if on cue, the sleepy haki resting on the island lights up and begins to approach. Marco is aware that most of the crew still remain oblivious to what's happening, but he can't see their reactions because he's too busy staring at the blue and gold blur approaching them.

Phoenix Marco, the one from the future, stands above them with his arms turned into flaming wings. Although it's like looking at himself in the mirror, he also notices the differences. His future self is paler and thinner. The dark circles he hides under his glasses are damning. Even though he tries not to show any emotion, his stunned expression gives him away.

"Is that Commander Marco?" One of the pirates on the deck asks, looking from one Marco to another in surprise.

Future Marco inhales sharply as the giant figure of his captain approaches the railing. Whitebeard moves slowly, as if afraid to scare him. The phoenix gazes at the pirates on the deck for a second and then ignores them in favour of flying to the captain's feet. The flames go out when his feet hit the wooden boards and the man freezes, not knowing what to do. Then he takes a few tentative steps to touch his father's leg with one hand.

"You're real," he says, his voice a whisper. "Oyaji..."

Whitebeard sinks one knee into the ground to crouch down to the man's height. "My son," he says, opening an arm in invitation. "Thank you for taking care of this place even when I'm not here. I'm sorry I left you behind, Marco."

The man's lips tremble. It is then that Marco 'The Phoenix', the experienced pirate who has survived hundreds of battles -including those that took the lives of his brothers- bursts into tears and throws himself into his father's chest like a child seeking comfort.

"Oyaji! Guys!" Sobs loudly. "I felt so alone!"

Many pirates show confusion, asking quietly to find answers. The commanders, however, freeze with their hearts in their fists. Thatch brushes his arm against his first commander's, both watching the scene in shock. Vista gasps softly, his weak heart shuddering. Marco feels the same way.

"We should go into the meeting room," he says, swallowing the lump in his throat and avoiding looking at anyone. "Deuce, I'm tasking you with supervising these guys to keep them calm," he says pointing to all his brothers on the deck before pushing Izo and the rest inside the ship.

"Why me?!" The man gasps, just as confused and lost as the others.

Whitebeard gently guides Future Marco into the meeting room and sits next to him. Marco looks at the seat next to his older self and pushes Ace away before sitting between him and Jozu. The phoenix, and Marco will call him that in his head to avoid confusion, continues to sob when the commanders have finished settling into the room.

"Come on, come on. Izo is supposed to be the sentimental one here," Thatch scoffs, trying to lighten the mood.

The sixteenth commander throws his fan at the man with the pompadour from his place on the other side of his father, earning a target for his perfect aim. The phoenix looks at Thatch and then at Izo, then sobs harder. Izo shakes his head and passes a handkerchief under his father's chair.

"First of all," Whitebeard begins, looking sternly at his fourth commander. "You might be wondering how we are here. I'm glad you at least recognized our haki."

"How could I not?" The phoenix asks, wiping away his tears. "I would never confuse my father with anyone else."

Whitebeard nods and runs a comforting finger down his son's back. He then explains to her what has happened since they crossed the mysterious veil. Marco snorts at the mention of Kid's pirates, but his gaze turns dark when they tell him about the news of their deaths.

"Teach," the phoenix says solemnly. "Where is he?"

"Teach? Do we need him for this meeting?" Thatch asks innocently. "I think he went fishing, I saw him go to the boats with a travel bag yesterday afternoon."

"And you left him?!" Blenheim spits altered. "Thatch, we're in the future! Teach might be in danger!"

The man with the pompadour raises his hands to defend himself. "I saw him leave Oyaji's room! I thought he got his permission!"

Whitebeard frowns. "Teach didn't come to me at any point," he says. "Why would he be in my cabin?"

"I don't know, he was carrying a handful of papers that..." The man stops and his eyes widen. "The newspapers!"

The commanders begin to talk among themselves with concern, but Marco just fixes his gaze on the phoenix. His future self runs a hand over his face, looking terribly tired. For a moment, he looks almost ready to get up, but then he settles back into his chair.

"The newspapers?" Marco asks.

"Yes, the newspapers that Fossa left in Oyaji's room and that mysteriously disappeared," the commander explains.

"I don't understand. If Teach found the newspapers for some reason, the logical thing would be for him to come talk to us," Haruta says.

"Unless..." Marco gives his future self a questioning look.

"Guys, stop it," the phoenix says in a soft tone. "First of all, let me tell you the truth of what happened two years ago... Teach's true face."

The phoenix's words do not suggest anything good and that does not go unnoticed by anyone. When the man opens his mouth to speak, Ace raises a hand and stops him. It's the first time Ace has shown any emotion since yesterday, so everyone prepares carefully.

"Teach can't be bad. I have reasons to believe that in this... world we're in, different things happened than the world we came from," the raven young man says flatly.

The phoenix raises its eyebrows curiously. Marco himself also looks at his brother with a curious expression.

"Why do you say that, Ace?" He asks.

Ace pulls out the newspaper they were looking at yesterday. The news of the assassination of the king of Alabasta stands out in large letters.

"Sabo," he begins, caressing the image on the newspaper. "This man is my brother."

Haruta gasps and Izo makes a strange face. Jozu tilts his head in confusion.

"Your brother? We know about little Luffy, but you never told us about a revolutionary brother," the third commander says.

"That's because... Sabo died when we were ten," he says, eyes wide. "He was killed by..."

"...a Tenryuubito when he sailed from Dawn Island," the phoenix completes.

Ace raises his head to look at the older Marco in surprise. The man raises a hand to stroke his hair with a loving look and shakes his head.

"Ace, you had a logical thought, but I can assure you that this future is the future of the world you come from. I can also assure you that your brother Sabo never died."

"What?" Ace blinks in confusion, his face showing disbelief even as he seems to drink in the words of the first commander of the future. "Impossible, Sabo died that day. I... There is someone who saw it happen."

"I know, Ace. The real story was in the news a few months ago," Marco says. "Your brother Sabo suffered serious burns during the Tenryuubito attack," the image in the newspaper points out to emphasize this. "But he survived thanks to the Revolutionary Army. They healed his wounds and let him join their cause."

Ace inhales sharply without taking his eyes off the paper. "Sabo never came back to us."

"And he had a good reason, Ace," the man says quickly. "Your brother suffered from amnesia. You know what it is, right?" He waits patiently for the young man's assent before continuing. "Unfortunately, I couldn't remember beyond his name."

The second commander raises his head to look at the Marco of the future. He seems devastated and hopeful at the same time if that's possible.

"And he...does he remember now?"

The phoenix grimaces before nodding solemnly. "He had a trigger, Ace. He regained his memories when he saw his older brother's death announced in the newspapers."

"Fuck," Marco mutters under his breath.

"Wow," Ace's eyes fill with tears, but the young man is smiling. "That idiot... He's supposed to keep Luffy out of trouble and all he does is make trouble himself," he says, looking at the newspaper with a mix of affection and exasperation.

The phoenix lets out a small giggle. "Don't give him an impossible mission, Ace. No one can keep Luffy from getting into trouble," he scoffs. "Besides, you're the most troublesome of all."

Ace snorts in annoyance at the last sentence but then gets excited.

"Did you meet Luffy?" He asks.

"Yes, Ace, I did," the man's eyes crinkle in amusement. "I can tell you everything about him, but I'll start telling the facts from the beginning."

"Thank you, Marco," Whitebeard says, looking at his son appreciatively before turning back to Ace. "Are you okay now, son?"

"I..." Ace takes out his little brother's bounty poster again and places it next to the picture in Sabo's newspaper. He caresses the unrecognizable image of the minor with a sigh. "I'm scared. My supposedly dead brother has turned out to be alive, but now he's missing and the news suggests something that doesn't match the Sabo I knew years ago. And then... Luffy has grown so much that he's reached a point where I can no longer protect him, and everything happened while I was not watching and supporting them. I am terrified for them, for you and for everything that is happening."

"But you're here, Ace, and that's what matters right now," the phoenix says with a nod.

"Thank you, Marco," the youngest smiles gratefully. "Tell us. I think I speak for everyone when I say that I can't even imagine how it all turned out like this."

The phoenix takes a breath and looks at the commanders one by one before reaching Thatch.

"Contextualizing, it all started around June two years ago," he says slowly.

"We came from the end of May two years ago," Curiel mentions with wide eyes.

The phoenix sighs. "At the end of May, the fourth division was assigned a regular mission. When Thatch returned, he brought an Akuma no Mi that he had found."

The fourth commander perks up at his mention. The phoenix looks at him with dark eyes and Marco holds back a shiver.

"That same night, Teach murdered Thatch and took the Akuma no Mi."

Izo gasps loudly and the rest of the commanders follow in disbelief. Thatch freezes as Marco inhales sharply. Ace shakes his head repeatedly.

"I tell you, it's impossible for us to be in the same world," he says as if the entire conversation from a few seconds ago had disappeared from his mind. "Teach is our friend, Marco. I know him well, he is in my division."

The phoenix shakes its head and looks Ace dead in the eyes. Marco, of course, can sense the sincerity in them. Everyone probably can, but that doesn't make the news any easier to digest.

"Ace, I know how this news must feel to you, but everything I'm going to say is real," he says slowly. "Teach has been on the crew for years, camouflaged himself well and acted like family, but that man is the biggest enemy our crew has ever created," his voice breaks a little at the end. "He's the man who destroyed Whitebeard's pirates from start to finish."

Ace's face of disbelief and denial reveals everything that Marco, and probably all of his brothers, are feeling. Whitebeard sighs deeply, rubbing a hand over his eyes.

"I believe you with my life, Marco, although I wish I didn't right now," the man admits, looking ten years older by the minute. "The red-haired brat warned me about Teach a while ago, but I could never doubt a son of mine."

"I know, Oyaji," the phoenix says, caressing his father's arm.

Marco swallows loudly and everyone falls silent. Before any of his brothers suggest something stupid like going out to find Teach -which Marco can totally see in Ace's eyes- Thatch squeals.

"Wait! Does that mean I was the first to die?!" He gasps, eyes wide. "Man, no! How could I be such a loser?!"

The commanders look at their brother with growing disbelief. Marco assumes this is another attempt to lighten the mood, but this is too much even for his judgment. The phoenix doesn't seem to think the same, because he throws his head back and lets out a thunderous laugh.

"I can't believe it, Thatch," the phoenix says, still laughing. "Gosh, I've missed you guys."

The sweet confession catches the pirates off guard, but they all respond with the same affection. Marco sighs with a weak smile as he watches his siblings coo at his future self. With each thing they learn, everything seems more disastrous. However, Marco believes they will be fine as long as they stay together.

"Tell us, Marco," asks the youngest of the blondes. "Don't censor anything. Tell us what happened and how it happened."

And maybe it's because they are the same person, but the phoenix seems to sense the revenge in Marco's words and shows it with a dangerous smile.

Notes:

hi guys!! I had to break my previous laptop and buy a new one so that I could finally deign to appear,,, I hope everyone is healthy and enjoyed the chapter ❤️

Remember to take a look at my wattpad account if you want to read more stories!! Wattpad

thank y'all for your nice comments, you are amazing!

Chapter 4: 'Twin-Blade' Thatch

Summary:

This is just Marco trying to make everyone understand why they need to lock Ace in a vault.

Thatch looks with affection and amusement at the two versions of the first division commander. Despite the two years of difference and the traumas acquired along the way, both remain the same in many ways. Their annoyed expressions, for example, make the cook laugh a little every time he sees them reflected on both faces.

"Come on, Marco, let it all out! You've got us in a bind!"

They both turn to look at him and Thatch laughs again at the boredom on the pair of stone faces.

"Call me doctor, I'm not a pirate anymore," says Future Marco. "We don't need two 'Marco the Phoenix' in the same place."

If circumstances were different, Thatch would make some joke about one of the Marcos killing the other to preserve his title. However, he has a feeling that it wouldn't be very welcome right now. The news of Teach's betrayal and his subsequent death still feels like an absurd tale. Just thinking that he really died bleeding to death from a brother's knife makes him feel chills.

"Okay, Doc. Storytime," he says, settling back into his seat. "What happened after I was betrayed and stabbed in the back?" He says, camouflaging his terror with a joking tone.

Doctor Marco gives him an impassive look that his younger self successfully imitates. They both sigh before the older one begins to speak.

"Thatch's death came as a shock to all of us. None of us expected betrayal from one of our own, nor did we expect to lose a brother, all in one night. While some were overcome with grief, others were overcome by anger and revenge."

Thatch listens to the story with his goosebumps, as if he were hearing a ghost story. When Doctor Marco glances at Ace, everyone freezes slightly.

"Me?" The younger commander asks, pointing to himself.

Dr. Marco snorts briefly at the boy's expression of disbelief. Thatch feels the same way. He doesn't know what surprises his stupid brother so much if even he should be aware of how spiteful he is.

"Ace felt responsible for Teach's actions. They were friends and also one of his subordinates, so he took it personally. To get revenge for Thatch's death, Ace hunted down the traitor."

Doctor Marco makes no mention of his reluctance to let the boy leave or any prohibitions from his captain, but his face is easily readable to anyone who even remotely knows the man. Thatch shakes his head in horror.

"Geez, Ace, do you really think I'd be happy if you put yourself in danger just to get revenge?" He looks at the boy with dismay.

The young man clenches his fist in anger. "That damn rat..." He mumbles. "What are we doing standing here?! We should go after him!"

Without warning, Doctor Marco's black-covered fist hits Ace hard. The second commander flinches from the blow and looks at his brother with wide eyes. Future Marco looks at the boy, sterner than he has looked in all the time he has been with them.

"Ace, I've been living with regret for two years for letting you go after him that day," the doctor says with a dark look. "I'm not going to let history repeat itself."

Whitebeard looks sorrowful at his son's words and looks at Ace shaking his head. The other commanders inhale nervously, and Thatch leans forward.

"What happened?" He asks, encouraging him to continue.

The blonde sighs again before continuing his story. "Ace chased Teach throughout Paradise, giving the traitor time to gather his men and learn to control his new power. They faced each other on Banaro Island, Teach won and handed Ace over to the World Government to earn a Shichibukai position," his brother from the future reports with resentment in his voice.

"That son of a..." Thatch mutters.

"I lost?" Ace shakes his head in disbelief. "Teach isn't weak, but I don't think he can defeat me," he says with conviction.

"You forget his Akuma no Mi, Ace," Izo interjects. "What is it and what does it do?"

"The fruit of darkness, the Yami Yami no Mi," says Dr. Marco. "It is powerful, it can nullify the abilities of other fruits."

Ace clicks his teeth loudly. "I was overconfident..."

"We all did, Ace. That was the problem," the man admits. "When we least expected it, the announcement of your execution was everywhere," Thatch shifts nervously in his chair with morbid anticipation. "We were proud, took it as a declaration of war, and acted accordingly. We charged straight into Marineford, just as the Marines expected us to."

"My son..." Whitebeard whispers.

Doctor Marco pauses and then shakes his head, there's a hint of amusement in his tone as he says, "On that note, we should have taken note of your brother's actions, Ace. Seeing everything he accomplished on his own, I can't imagine what he would have achieved with us as allies."

"Are you talking about Luffy?" Ace stirs with concern. "Killer told me he was in the war... What did he do?"

It doesn't go unnoticed by Thatch, and perhaps by no one, how Future Marco's tired expression transforms into a warm smile.

"What didn't he do?" He asks rhetorically. "Instead of going straight to Marineford, he made a short stop at Impel Down. He just caused the biggest mass breakout in the prison's history, I think he made a lot of friends."

Thatch feels his jaw drop, and when he looks around, the others seem as sceptical as he feels himself. Ace nods fervently at the man's words.

"Luffy can even make friends with stones if he wants to, that's how he is," he says. The commanders gape at him for a few seconds before he processes the information correctly and his own eyes pop out of their sockets. "He went to Impel Down?!"

"He caused a massive escape from Impel Down," the man corrects with amusement. "And according to Jinbe's testimony, he was very close to reaching you. After that, he left with a group of prisoners and they went together to Marineford. You should have seen your face when they fell from the sky with a warship, Ace. Or your grandfather’s," he adds as an afterthought.

Ace stays quiet, and from his changing expressions, he must be imagining the situation. Whitebeard lets out a snort of laughter before encouraging his son to continue.

"What happened in the war?" He asks carefully.

Doctor Marco closes his eyes and Thatch looks at him with pity. Having to relive the deaths of his crew members, his family, over and over again must not be pleasant at all. He makes a mental note to prepare a cup of chocolate, warm, domestic and made with all his love, to cheer up his brother.

"The war," the man begins. "It was chaos. At first, it was well organised; there were at least a hundred thousand marines spread throughout Marineford, plus five of the Shichibukai and the Pacifists, which are human weapons created by Vegapunk."

"Human weapons?" Thatch swallows.

"Kuma was turned into a cyborg and used as a prototype to create robotic clones. I'd tell you they're a nightmare, but right now they seem like the least of our problems," Dr. Marco admits wearily.

"Is Kuma the Shichibukai who missed the war besides Jinbe? Because you said that Jinbe was with Ace's little brother during his time in Impel Down, but you also said that only five Shichibukai came," Haruta explains.

Doctor Marco has a dark look on his face as he shakes his head. "The seventh Shichibukai was Teach. He didn't go to war from the beginning because he was also in Impel Down, recruiting infamous pirates for his crew."

Whitebeard growls. The mere mention of Teach, knowing everything he has behind him, makes the atmosphere feel heavy. Thatch sighs.

"But Teach had to take someone's job away, right?" He says looking for a distraction. He pats himself on the back when the blonde's heavy expression clears to reveal a small, proud smile.

"Oh, you're talking about Crocodile," he says slightly mockingly. "He tried to take over the country of Alabasta, Ace's little brother defeated him and his position as Shichibukai was revoked," Doctor Marco lets out a small chuckle. "Although he helped Luffy escape from Impel Down and even saved Ace once during the war. That was strange."

Ace shakes his head, Thatch would find his expression quite funny if it weren't for the fact that he feels surprised too every time he hears a mention of Ace's brat.

"He defeats a dangerous pirate and then allies with him?" Ace asks himself in disbelief. "Is he stupid?"

"Back to the war, it was all a big show for the world. They turned it into a live broadcast, Sengoku just wanted the world to know that you are..."

“Roger’s son," Thatch sighs, looking at Ace with a bit of concern. "Which we don't mind at all, of course," he clarifies.

Future Marco nods, staring at the young man next to him. "The war was not going well for us. Oars fell and we lost our advantage. That's when Straw Hat came to the war with his motley crew of fugitives and okamas. They literally fell out of the sky onto a warship," he narrates with a funny look as if he were reliving the scene, and then he looks at his father. "When Crocodile tried to attack you, he stopped him and then challenged you, Oyaji. He got pretty angry when you told him it was no place for a rookie like him and yelled at you. It was brilliant."

"Gurararara! Is that so?" The captain asks, looking at his son with joy. "You seem to have taken a liking to the brat."

"After what I've seen, anyone would do it," he says with conviction before returning to his story. "A lot of things happened in the war. Mainly, a subplot by the Marines to turn our allies against us. Squard... He stabbed you."

"Squard?!" Marco the phoenix gasps with wide eyes.

"He was deceived," says Dr. Marco, shaking his head. "I know that to this day he still hasn't overcome all his regrets."

"How horrible," Izo says.

"After that, Oyaji joined the fight. I could narrate each and every event of the war, but in the end, it would come to the same thing: with Oyaji's protection, Mugiwara managed to reach the scaffold and free Ace "

Vista lets out a squeal of surprise and excitement that is downright laughable. Thatch feels the same way, but he also knows not to forget that Marco's story doesn't have a happy ending. Getting excited would be naive in these conditions.

"Luffy...  He got it?" Ace asks slowly.

With an empathetic smile, Dr. Marco runs a hand along the young man's arm in a comforting movement.

"Yes, Ace. Despite being weak and inexperienced, he managed to reach you. We could hardly believe it when we saw you running across the battlefield alongside him. For a moment, we could taste victory," the man says.

"But something happened," Thatch inhales fearfully.

"We were all exhausted and injured when Oyaji ordered the retreat. Akainu chose that moment to provoke Ace."

"Ace!" The commanders around scold him with resignation.

The boy rubs the back of his neck, but even he knows what they're talking about. Ace's stubbornness is one of his biggest weaknesses. Thatch himself has warned him several times, joking that this would be the cause of his death.

"Akainu would not let Ace and Luffy leave Marineford. Ace fell for his provocations and confronted him, but Luffy's forces were failing after everything he had been through and he let his guard down. At that moment, Akainu targeted him and…"

"And I protected him with my body," Ace finishes with wide eyes.

Doctor Marco's jaw clenches and the man explodes.

"Damn, Ace!" He snaps angrily. "What was the point of all the haki training?! I know you were exhausted, we all were! But... It was so close to it! Damn! Damn!"

Everyone is frozen in their seats after their brother's outburst. The man clenches his fists so tightly that Thatch can see the blue flames healing his wounded palms. Slowly, he rises from his seat to hug the Marco of the future.

"After that, we used our last strength to get Mugiwara out of Marineford alive. Oyaji was weak when... Teach and his crew arrived."

Marco continues talking without taking a breath, and everyone else seems to have forgotten to breathe too. Horror colours the expressions of the commanders. Izo cries silently on Fossa's shoulder, who seems to have frozen. The biggest, toughest men in the crew look like they're about to cry inconsolably.

"They killed Oyaji... And Teach stole the Gura Gura."

Thatch doesn't know if that's possible, stealing the Akuma no Mi from a corpse. He also doesn't understand the implications of Teach eating the Gura Gura if, according to Marco, he had already consumed the fruit he killed him for. However, he can't be bothered to figure this out when his heart cries for the deaths of his father and brother.

"A year after that, I led everyone who wanted to come with me to take revenge against Teach... And the crew was completely wiped out."

"Marco..." Whitebeard whispers, his voice tinged with pain. "I'm so sorry you had to go through this..."

"Izo died fighting Cipher Pol agents in Wano. After that, I was completely alone," the man says between sobs into Thatch's chest. "Thank you for coming to find me, Oyaji, guys. Being alone... is the most painful thing!"

Thatch gently strokes Future Marco's back. He doesn't miss Ace's look of rage or the protective anger on Whitebeard's face. Maybe Haruta had a point. Why go back in time and try to change events when they can eliminate one by one everyone who dared to hurt their beloved brother?

"You won't be alone again," Thatch promises. "We're here to stay, Doc," he says, pulling the man close to him with a bright smile.

Notes:

Be healthy, be safe, drink water and eat your vegetables!! Thanks for the kudos and comments <3

Chapter 5: Eustass 'Captain' Kid

Summary:

Kid is in denial, so is Ace.

The first thing Kid does when he wakes up in pain is look around. He finds Heat dozing in a chair to his right and Killer staring at him from his own bed on the other side. He also notices the absence of his prosthesis and notices his own wounds. After all, his first impulse is to curse.

"That fucking shit ass. Son of a bitch, that bastard," he spits, his voice hoarse.

Killer gives him an unimpressed look. Outside the room, someone is choking.

"Jeez, did you grow up with Ace in the woods or what?" A guy asks, walking through the door with wide eyes.

"Where the fuck is my crew?" He asks the man. "And that dick Akagami?"

The man grimaces, looks at Killer, and leaves. He hears him say some shit about notifying the commanders. Kid growls and tries to get up, but his friend stops him.

"Kid, stop it," he says slowly. "We lost."

Of course, Kid remembers how they ended up in this state. He aimed a cannon at the Red-Haired Emperor's fleet, and within seconds, the pressure of the strongest will he had ever felt made him dizzy. Haki was so powerful it didn't even rival the clash of wills between Kaido and Mugiwara lulled him to sleep long before he could feel the edge of his sword cutting into his torso. Vaguely, he remembers Heat's sobs, his crew calling for surrender, and the creak of Victoria Punk's wood as it split in half in the waters of Elbaf.

However, knowing it does not mean accepting it.

"We have to look for the others," Kid says. "And get revenge on that damned Akagami, that bastard..."

Killer lets out a laugh that makes the captain's nerves sing. The redheaded young man turns to look at his friend and finds a sour expression.

"We lost," the blonde repeats. "There are no 'others', and there is no possibility of revenge. This is what remains of us."

This is different from Wano, when he was locked up in Udon without knowing the whereabouts of his nakama. Back then, he was confident that everyone would be safe and healthy. His heart sank when he saw Killer's condition, but he was alive.

Now he doesn't even feel alive himself.

There is a rattle behind the door before it opens. Kid gives the intruders a flat look.

"What the fuck," he spits.

What he gets in response is an impassive look from one of the blondes and a snort from the other. The two Marco El Fénix cross their arms and open their mouths at the same time.

“You…” They both stop and look at each other. For a second, there's a staring war between the two. The Marco with the glasses shakes his head and speaks again without the other interrupting him: "I imagine that your nakama has informed you of the situation. Oyaji wants to see you."

Kid blinks. He may not have been very aware of the news while he was in Wano for obvious reasons, but as he remembers, there was only one Marco El Fénix and his father was very much buried. He looks at Killer, who looks away guiltily. Then he looks back at the blonde.

"I have no fucking clue what you're talking about," he admits.

The two blondes stop for a moment. Then their heads turn to look at Kid's best friend.

"Right," he says with a laugh that Kid knows is unintentional. "Whitebeard's crew travelled back in time and are now alive again."

Kid's mind goes so blank for a second that even that savage Mugiwara could seem smart next to him. He looks at his friend to see if he's fucking with him, but Killer's eyes are sincere. Then he looks at the two Marcos and somehow the situation makes sense.

"Whitebeard wants to see me?" He asks mockingly.

The Phoenix of the past seems about to make a sarcastic comment, but the Marco he met in Wano just shrugs.

"Yes, though if you feel too weak to stand in front of him I would understand. I think you've had enough of Emperors for a while."

The redhead is speechless.

"What are you…?!" He stands up with an angry shout, ignoring his ailments. "Take me in front of that loser! I'll show him who's a weakling!"

He can feel Killer slap his palm against his forehead and Heat wake up with a start. Most of all, he can sense the latent amusement in that prick Marco, who seems to have become familiar enough with him in Wano to know which buttons to push.

The Phoenix of the past guides Kid's three pirates to the deck of the ship. The hundreds of scattered pirates easily go unnoticed when Kid senses Whitebeard. He sits in a huge chair and remains attached to several tubes and catheters. Contrary to what anyone might think of a dead man, a man who even in life looks old and sick, he looks fucking imposing. It is easy to reconcile this man with the one who died standing with his back intact in the Summit War. When Whitebeard sees them arrive, he gives the Phoenix a nod and stands up to look at the rest of the pirates.

"My sons!" He exclaims, drawing the attention of all the pirates. "Give me your attention for a few minutes. There is a story I want to tell you."

Under the watchful eye of the Moby Dick pirates, the captain tells a hard-to-believe story about the ship that crossed a veil that took them two years into the future. He keeps the details aside, but Kid doesn't miss the repeated mention of deaths and the traitor's name. Around them, the pirates look incredulous. When the story ends, Whitebeard utters some unthinkable words.

"When you decided to call me father, no one took these types of circumstances into account. Therefore, it’s time to choose."

"Choose what?" A wide-eyed pirate asks.

"Anyone who wants to stay on Moby Dick should know that I have no intention of looking for a way back," he says with his chin raised. "This ship and I remain in this new Era to which the seas have brought us. However, you must know that this will not be peaceful. My status as Emperor, as well as the ostentatious title of 'Strongest Man in the World', have been revoked. The seas have undergone countless changes in these two years, so much so that they may sometimes seem unrecognisable. In this world where the Whitebeard Pirates have ceased to exist, we will have to fight to once again have a name and a place."

Kid shifts uncomfortably from his spot on the deck. Beside him, Killer looks at the man surprisingly enthralled, caught up in his speech. Heat has an unusual gleam in his deep-set eyes. Even Kid, a captain in his own right, feels helpless before the man's speech.

"Right now, the Whitebeard Pirates have one main objective," the man continues, creating excitement among the others. "I promise, my children, that we will take care of everyone who has hurt this family."

Words that would typically be greeted with shouts and cheers are met with stony silence. Whitebeard doesn't seem fazed by this and ends his speech by sitting down again. The pirates seem to be deeply considering his words.

Kid sees –who he assumes are– the commanders gathered around the man's chair. He doesn't move for a few seconds until the Future Phoenix turns impatiently and gestures for him to follow.

The look of Whitebeard and his commanders when they land in front of him does not intimidate him. The man leans forward slightly and observes him as if he were an unusually interesting ant. Kid growls.

"How did that happen?" Whitebeard asks, gesturing to Kid's absent arm with his chin.

The young captain hesitates for a few seconds before answering: "Beckman, from the Redheads."

The old man looks at him for a few seconds before bursting into laughter.

"Gurararara! I knew that red-haired brat was resentful for his arm!"

A vein pops on Kid's forehead.

"What are you laughing at, you bastard?! Do I have to remind you which one of us was worthless enough to die?!"

Another of the commanders Kid recognizes from Wano steps toward him. He hides a mocking smile behind his fan when he says: "At least my captain doesn't owe his life to anyone."

This makes him angry. Killer notices his seething fury and places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Brat," the giant man speaks again. "According to my son, your bounty is three billion. However, you were defeated by Akagami in the blink of an eye."

"You must have pissed him off, huh?" Another of the commanders laughs.

"What's up with all that?" Kid growls, ready to explode.

The old man looks at him for a few seconds before letting out a laugh. Then, he offers him a hand.

"I like courageous idiots. Join my crew!"

Kid freezes. The words spin in his mind on a loop as he processes the proposition. When he realises what the man just said, he explodes.

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING?! ARE YOU MOCKING ME?!"

"Kid, Kid," Killer murmurs, grabbing him to prevent him from lunging at the man.

"Gurarara! It's okay! You can think about it for a few days if you want, my son!"

"WHO THE FUCK IS YOUR SON?!"

Whitebeard laughs again and shakes his head. Kid isn't one bit amused, but calms down when the air around the man changes. He looks at him and the Future Phoenix considering them.

"Ever since I heard the story, I've been thinking," he admits ruefully. "As much as I want to jump in to face Teach right now, we are two years behind. Even so, Teach is not someone to underestimate. After all, Yami Yami and Gura Gura are a dangerous combination."

"Yes, Oyaji," says the unmistakable figure of Fire Fist. "We will have to train hard."

The Phoenix of the past nods. "Over the past few years, we have become overconfident. Being part of such a powerful crew makes us conformist."

"I'm sorry to be the one to break your illusions, but even with all the training possible, our chances aren't as good as you think. Teach is a monster. I've faced him. I know even Oyaji might have trouble with him," says the Phoenix from the future.

"And what can we do?" asks a pompadoured commander. "We're not going to let him go unpunished!"

"No," Whitebeard says, looking back at those from the future. "That is why I need you to help me choose possible alliances with the most powerful pirates of this New Age."

The information slowly settles among the group.

"ALLIANCE?!" The astonished pirates shout.

"What...? Oyaji, we... An alliance?" Firefist asks slowly. "We already have alliances..."

"Times have changed. Two years ago, our crew was on par with the other emperors. Now..." He gestures toward Kid. "The greats of the ancient Era fell at the hands of crews that grow with each battle."

"Big Mom and Kaido are ruled out for obvious reasons. Teach isn't even worth mentioning," says the Future Phoenix. "Right now, the closest bounties to Oyaji's are Akagami, Hawkeyes, and Buggy the Clown," he says with a grimace. He then points to Kid. "Eustass, Trafalgar and... Mugiwara."

There is a moment of awkward silence as everyone, including Whitebeard, looks at Firefist. Ace seems distracted for a few seconds until he notices the eyes on him.

"What?" He asks confused. "Why are you looking at me like...?" His eyes slowly widen as the realization comes to him. "Oh... No, no, no... How- Do you want to make an alliance with Luffy? You're crazy! It's Luffy! My weakling little brother!"

"Weakling?" The Phoenix shakes his head. "Ace, he dealt with Kaido by himself," he says earning a growl from Kid. "Not only is he incredibly powerful, but his open personality and ties to you would make the alliance a lock."

Ace opens his mouth to refute but, to Kid's surprise more than anyone, it's Killer who interrupts him.

"As much as it pains me to say it, Akagami and Mugiwara are the best options you have, not only because of the strength of their captains but because of the crew in general," Kid knows he remembers Roronoa and Beckman as he says this. "In Wano we got allied with Mugiwara. He's a fucking threat and does whatever he wants, but he's strong and crazy. He'd accept the moment you propose."

"But..."

Firefist takes a rolled up paper from his pocket. One of the commanders groans and mutters 'for God's sake, someone take that damn paper away from him'. The raven looks at him deeply before sighing in surrender.

"Don't you want to see your little brother, my son?" Whitebeard asks. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear from you."

"That's if he doesn't get an aneurysm," the Wano commander shakes his head. "For god's sake, Oyaji, think about the boy. He went to war for his older brother who ended up dying in his arms," he says, ignoring the others' grimaces.

"Ace’s not his only brother to come back to life, he'll be fine!" Exclaims the idiot with the pompadour optimistically.

The Future Phoenix sighs but approaches Firefist to get his attention. "Trust me, your brother will go after Teach sooner or later. What better way to do it than at your side?"

The raven young man nods. The rest of the conversation is lost when Killer grabs his arm to pull him and Heat away from the pirates.

"Kid?" His friend tilts his head. "What do you think of Whitebeard's offer?"

The redhead's eyes widen immeasurably. "What do you mean what do I think?" He inquires. "I don't think anything, the old man is at the age of delirium."

"But boss..." Heat mutters. "We have nowhere to go..."

That makes Kid stop. He has not yet fully accepted the fatality of what happened in Elbaf. It's hard to believe that his men... He prefers to think that the redhead took pity on at least some of them, letting them escape even with a boat made of three planks. Mourning mixes with the desire for revenge inside him, and the offer that he had not even considered begins to float.

Killer nods softly. Whatever decision Kid makes, he will accept it. The question is whether Kid himself could ever accept something as crazy as sailing under another flag.

Notes:

This chapter may contain many mistakes since I did it mainly with Google Translator. I'm feeling lazy today but I wanted to update. And no, Grammarly, I didn't mean 'the kid' and 'the killer', leave me alone.

Thank you so much for the kudos and the comments <3

Chapter 6: Sengoku 'the Buddha'

Summary:

pleaseee READ the note at the end of the chapter, I need help with something!! and enjoy Sengoku's suffering <3

At times like these, Sengoku can't help but remember the times of yore. He wonders when did he become so old and nostalgic. Tsuru paces back and forth, casting fleeting glances at the Den Den Mushi on the table. There is no news yet.

To say the world is upside down would be an understatement. Not even in his youth, at the peak of the Golden Age of piracy, could he have imagined such a catastrophic succession of events. At that time; Xebec, Roger... All his problems came down to them. The Rocks pirates were violent, and thirsty for fame and fortune they indiscriminately killed enemies and allies. Roger's pirates were strong dreamers, unable to allow a single attempt to obstruct their path. In general, pirates were considered terrifying beasts that made anyone who heard their names turn pale. It was understandable to point to them as the source of the world's problems.

This current New Age is indescribable. Although pirate crimes continue to be a constant, there is much more behind it. Whatever the Revolutionary Army is planning is beyond his imagination. He only knows that, in recent years, their public acts have increased. They have stopped hiding, which can't mean anything good. That, and the order issued from the Gorosei to track down and eliminate the Flame Emperor immediately if any news about him emerges, make the severity of the situation even more serious than simply the flames of revolution being fanned all around the world.

Cross Guild is a threat that no one could have foreseen. In the history of the Marines, there has never been such humiliation as these three pirates have caused by placing bounties on soldiers' heads. There have been resignations, a death count and uprisings around the world. If pirates were a threat before, now they have managed to make even innocent civilians become a danger. Adding to that, the ringleader of it all, Buggy, was on Roger's ship for years.

Marshall D. Teach is another of the Old Era's former subordinates who has proven to be a bigger threat than predicted. He meets pirates' expectations successfully; violent, heartless, bloodthirsty and greedy. However, to that is added the singular secrets it seems to possess, being the only known consumer of more than one Akuma no Mi. Aokiji's involvement with his crew is something that worries Sengoku more than he lets on, and now, with no news from Garp, it becomes a bigger concern.

And if we're talking about Garp-related concerns, Monkey D. Luffy tops the list. The last news he had of the threat was about Wano and being an Emperor. Sengoku did not want to delve too deeply into the topic knowing that it is no longer his responsibility to deal with all these problems. However, according to the screams he heard coming from Sakazuki's office, the pirate has once again managed to find himself involved in an issue that is none of his business and will end up escalating until it is something the government will have to deal with.

Frankly, Sengoku is very happy to be retired. He realizes why Garp always takes things so calmly: if you're not in charge, watching the headaches of the higher-ups can even be fun.

That's his firm belief until the Den Den Mushi rings and the person on the other side is not a member of SWORD.

"Um... Is this Inspector General Sengoku?" The voice through the snail asks tentatively.

Tsuru, who had stopped for a few seconds to pay attention to the call, sighs and walks back and forth again. Sengoku looks at the snail in confusion.

"Vice Admiral Bastille?" At the Inspector General's voice, the man lets out a tired sigh. Sengoku narrows his eyes when he hears the commotion in the background. "What is happening?"

"I'm sorry, I... I didn't know who to call," the more he talks, the heavier his breathless words become. "The seas know that Fleet Admiral Sakazuki would hang up before I finished explaining the situation."

Tsuru rolls her eyes. "What is wrong?" She asks out loud. "Are you in a battle?"

"I... I don't know how to describe it. This is an unprecedented situation."

In the background, there is a knock followed by a laugh that does not match the worried tone of the man who shouts: "Be careful, Kid, you're still hurt!"

"¿Eustass Kid?" Tsuru vocalizes in a whisper.

"Vice Admiral Bastille, where are you? Do you need backup?" Sengoku asks alarmed.

"No, no," the man gasps. "I don't know," he admits. "It looks like hell."

"He hit his head?" Tsuru murmurs, approaching the Den Den with concern.

"Vice Admiral Bastille, focus," Sengoku says. "Who are you fighting and what is the closest island to your current position?"

"Sphinx," the man says heavily. "And... Whitebeard's pirates."

The two elders freeze. A second passes in which only static and fighting can be heard in the background while the two exchange incredulous glances. When Sengoku is about to leave the snail to Tsuru while he goes to send reinforcements and a doctor in Sphinx's direction, another voice rings out.

"Who are you calling?" There is a small struggle in which the snail changes appearance. "The Fleet Admiral? Killer said Sengoku resigned, who is he now?"

"Akainu!" A voice shouts in the background.

"Holy cow, how horrible," says another.

None of them are voices that Sengoku recognizes, but hearing them makes him feel uncomfortable. The one who took the Den Den speaks again, this time accompanied by footsteps.

"Oookay, Akainu, hey, buddy! How's life been for you these last two years? Few problems to deal with, right?" The man laughs.

"I'm not Sakazuki," Sengoku answers slowly. "I'm Inspector General Sengoku, who are you? Are you one of Kid's pirates?"

"Ooohhh, so you are Sengoku! And Kid's pirates? No-no, in any case, Kid's pirates are ours now," the footsteps stop. "Oyaji, remember what I said about terrorizing those who celebrated our deaths? Make them pee their pants!"

Before Sengoku can react to his words, he hears a deep laugh that freezes all his senses and sets off his alarms. The Den Den changes hands again, this time taking on an appearance that he recognizes even before he hears the voice following it.

"All right, Haruta," the man says before pausing. "Sengoku, isn’t it?"

The Marine doesn't respond, so his partner speaks slowly.

"That voice... Whitebeard?"

"Oh, and Tsuru. Is old Garp around too? I have a pending conversation with him."

He knows it's impossible. He saw Whitebeard die with his own eyes, half the world saw him die. He still remembers his last words, the horror he felt upon hearing them and the fear that never fades in the face of man's inhuman strength.

"With you too, Sengoku," the old pirate continues. "You thought it would be a good idea to attack my family, my children. You thought you were free of me and, stupidly, you thought you were free of Roger's will."

Tsuru gasps silently at the man's words. Sengoku remains frozen with his heart pounding.

"You were wrong. Killing Ace wouldn't make Roger's will disappear. However... It definitely called upon my rage. I'll give you just one warning, Sengoku, don't try to go after my family again. I won't rest until I make sure that all those who threaten my son’s happiness have been eliminated. If you make a move before I do... You will regret it."

Sengoku chokes. If he weren't miles away, he'd easily say he's under the effects of the most intimidating haki he's ever felt. The situation is completely surrealistic, like a deranged nightmare. The idea that it could be real... Makes me want to lose my mind.

"And," he ends by saying. "On behalf of my son Ace, fuck you."

"That's it, Oyaji!" shouts the voice he undoubtedly recognizes from the hours they spent together on the execution platform. "My only father is Whitebeard, you moron!"

With those farewell words, the snail goes to sleep. Sengoku and Tsuru remain tense in front of the Den Den Mushi, without moving a single muscle. He can't tell how much time they spend staring at nothing with heavy breathing, but he is startled when there is a knock on the door.

"Go ahead," he murmurs.

A soldier enters, pale as a sheet. He carries what appear to be photos in his hand, and before seeing them he already knows what they are. Still, the man reports:

"Vice Admiral Bastille's ship... has sent some really strange images," he communicates, trying to maintain his composure, and holds out the papers in the Inspector General's hand.

The first image shows the imposing figure of Moby Dick from afar, clearly captured before the battle broke out. The next one shows a closer perspective in which, in addition to the pirates on the deck, the figure of Whitebeard can be distinguished. It's just as he remembers it before his death, connected to several tubes. He certainly hasn't gotten any younger, but he is clearly alive. The other images show familiar faces such as the recently deceased Izo, Firefist and even the commander of the fourth division. The last image is a terrifying capture of not one, but two phoenixes with blue and gold flames.

With a swipe harder than necessary, he puts the pictures back in his desk drawer and glares at the man.

"Don't let any of this leak," he warns.

"Y... Yes, sir!"

As the soldier leaves the office, Sengoku falls heavily into his chair. Tsuru hasn't spoken yet, instead giving his old friend an inscrutable look.

"How did this happen?" The horrified man wonders. "This is the worst thing that could happen. Now that the world is upside down... It's a madness."

"It is, indeed," the old woman agrees.

"And why do they keep coming to me with all this stuff? It's Sakazuki's responsibility!"

"..."

"Are you feeling sorry for me?"

"A lot," she admits.

Sengoku covers his face with the palms of his hands, inhaling deeply and trying not to burst into tears. When something hits the door, he jumps out of his chair.

"What the hell is it now?!"

The door opens slowly revealing his beloved goat. The tension in his shoulders relaxes as the animal approaches harmlessly asking for petting.

"Don't eat what other people give you," he scolds when he sees a piece of paper in his mouth and removes it to leave it on his desk and continue petting the goat.

Tsuru reaches for the paper, flips through it, and drops it before walking away without a word. Sengoku exchanges a look with his goat and shrugs before casually picking up the newspaper.

He freezes when he sees that it is a special edition released today. The first news talks about the entrenchment situation on the Island of the Future, Egghead. According to the newspaper, the Straw Hat Emperor has taken both Vegapunk and its facilities hostage.

It's just as Sengoku predicted: the boy has meddled in something that was none of his business and as a consequence, he will face something scarier than a Buster Call. The newspaper says that an admiral is on the way, but he wouldn't be surprised if one of the elders finally decides to take charge of the D. that is causing so many problems.

The second piece of news congratulates the successful return of the young hero Coby and laments the disappearance of Garp the Hero in Hachinosu, presumably at the hands of Blackbeard.

He reads the words over and over again with a lump in his throat and shaking hands. Garp is someone who has always been by his side throughout the years. Even after disastrous battles against Rocks or Roger, he was always the definition of 'the devil looks after his own'. However, declaring him missing only translates one way. He entered the Pirate Island and could not get out of it.

Finally, the images he has had in his possession for less than an hour, alleging the appearance of the 'ghosts' of Whitebeard and his crew, greet him as a mockery. There's even a shot of Fire Fist making the peace sign with his fingers. It's ridiculous, impossible, and yet there it is.

With a heavy sigh, he slumps against the back of his chair and rubs his face with one hand. He's been in his office all day, but his muscles are sore as if he'd fought a war.

With humor, he remembers that just a few hours ago he thought they were living in the worst of situations. As happens more and more often, he was wrong. Perhaps, instead of retiring, he should have fled to a tropical island and changed his name. He looks at his goat and sighs again. How easy some have it.

Notes:

I'm doing an experiment for my final degree dissertation and I need english words that the participants of my experiment don't know. They are all doctoral students and graduate linguists so they are beyond my knowledge :(

FOR THOSE WHO HAVE ENGLISH AS L1 (FIRST LANGUAGE): please tell me uncommon english words that you think people don't usually use. As much words as you can

FOR NON-NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS: please tell me english words (no matter if you think they are common or not) that are difficult to learn. Again, as much words as you can

Thank you very much for your help <3 I hope you liked the chapter and I promise I'll update again on Monday if I get to finish my experiment before that. (Only two more chapters before what you're all expecting!)

Chapter 7: 'Diamond' Jozu

Summary:

*shocked* they read the newspaper... AGAIN

Jozu stands by his father as he watches his brothers go crazy over a Vice Admiral's ship like kids in a candy store. He watches Blamenco look at a navy-coloured hat as if it were his new favourite toy before stuffing it into his cheek pockets. Vista waves a club as if his dedication to swords has met an end in favour of a new weapon of more grotesque qualities. Ace is sitting in a hammock while chewing on a piece of something he took from the pocket of the last man he knocked out.

"I hope it's not raw," Thatch says, sitting on the arm of Whitebeard's chair. "I told him that just because he's made of fire doesn't mean that food gets cooked inside him. He thinks his gastric juices are like a cauldron! That kid needs a biology book."

Whitebeard laughs, looking like a man who hasn't just launched a bloody threat against the Inspector General of the Marines. Then he looks at his other sons, who are gathered in a huddle around a passed-out Bastille.

"We should sell him to that Cross Guild organization. We could get rich!" Haruta exclaims with a fanciful sigh.

"If I wanted to be rich I would have already sold Ace," Blenheim mutters, looking askance at the fire boy in the distance.

"I would give him away," Izo declares without even hesitation.

Jiru gasps. "Why don't we play a prank on Ace?! When he falls asleep we can leave him on the next ship we find. I can make a signboard to make him think we've sold him because we're low on funds."

"I don't think the poor unfortunates who find Ace on their ship will find that a funny prank," Curiel shakes his head, scratching the back of his neck.

"We are not going to sell or give away anyone," Marco says approaching them along with his older self.

"But Ma..."

" No ."

Jozu is fully convinced that the two Marcos have silently agreed to respond in unison sharing the same expression. The two blondes seem very satisfied when their brothers hang their heads in scolding.

"Leave this guy on his ship and pick up our strays, we're not going to deal with these losers until lunchtime," Doctor Marco orders, his eyes crinkling in amusement. "I think the message is clear now."

"And the others have had enough fun..." The first commander says as he watches Killer and Ace play hot potato with a cannonball while Kid vents all his anger against the ship's sail.

"They'll fit well," Izo says wisely.

"They'll fit well," Doctor Marco agrees with a hum.

Jozu gets distracted from the conversation when he sees a News Coo flying over. The other pirates have already been informed of the circumstances of the future. Still, he prefers one of the commanders be the one to check the newspapers before the news circulates throughout the ship. He walks away from his father to intercept the friendly seagull and digs into his pockets to pay the fees.

"That stingy Morgans has tripled the price of the newspaper in the last two years," he complains, earning a coo of empathy from the little animal.

When he takes the paper and opens it to a random page, he swallows all his complaints against Morgans. The man may be miserly, but he also seems to be omnipresent. Jozu can’t understand how it is possible that in the couple of hours they have been playing with the Marines he has already announced his return to everyone in the world.

The corners of Jozu's lips lift in amusement as he sees his brothers' faces all over the paper. He walks back to his father and climbs into his chair so he can look at the newspaper. He clears his throat to get the attention of the pirates on deck and begins to read.

"Vengeful spirits, an elaborate prank, or joint hallucination?" He begins by saying, capturing the interest of some. "If you've ever wondered what hell is like, you might want to contact Vice Admiral Bastille after his traumatic experience being attacked by a troop of ghosts." Izo's eyes widen and Thatch lets out a surprised laugh. "That's right. Between the two most pressing news of the day, which find their common denominator in the same family (see page 1), there is an unprecedented report that comes directly from official sources. The Moby Dick, ship and residence of the former Whitebeard Pirates that was destroyed during the Summit War, as the wandering ship that terrorizes the Marines with men -whom we all saw die- on board."

"Oh my god," Haruta mutters, almost unable to stop his excitement. "This is the best day of my life."

Jozu smiles but doesn't look away from the paper. "Edward Newgate, once named 'The Strongest Man in the World', returns to life along with many of his sons who had already been declared dead on other occasions. Among them, Gol D. Ace himself, son of the Pirate King and directly connected with other renowned people (see page 1)."

"GOL D. WHAT?!" Ace exclaims angrily.

"Shh!" Izo slaps his arm with his fan admonishingly.

"Evidence of this resurrection, because there is no other way to call it, is found in the various images that the Vice Admiral's ship captured before and during the assault. Although it is not ruled out the use of some Akuma no Mi as part of a terrible, ingeniously crafted prank, one of the images shows the damning evidence of not one, but two Marco 'The Phoenix'. This could very well mean several things; from an invention of Dr. Vegapunk that has gotten out of control during the current hostage situation of Egghead, to some real proof that humans can come back to life. Be that as it may, it's clear that the last thing the Government needs after the crazy events that have been happening uncontrollably for a while is a new addition to the pile of trouble that has been brewing in the New World. To top it off, it seems that Whitebeard's pirates have found a head of three billion berries among their new recruits."

"WHO THE FUCK ARE YOU SAYING IS A RECRUIT?!" Kid shouts from below.

"Now the important question is: where does the former Emperor Whitebeard stand in this new hierarchy that just changed? And what we all thought about after reading this news..." Jozu wrinkles his nose in disgust, but finishes reading. "How will the new Emperor Straw Hat react to seeing that the brother he failed to save has come back to life?"

"That bastard!" Ace growls at the newspaper's last words.

"That was really low of him," Izo says with a frown. "And I also don't like that he announced that Ace is alive like that. It would have been better if Marco talked to the boy to prepare him for the news."

"It'll be fine," Dr. Marco interrupts. "Luffy is not a child, he is a pirate. Plus, he has his nakama with him. And I suspect he doesn't have much time to read the newspaper right now."

"What do you mean, son?" Whitebeard asks curiously.

Doctor Marco shrugs and signals to Jozu to get his attention. "Look at page one."

"Oh, yeah. They mentioned that a couple of times," Namur says.

"Well," Jozu does as instructed and his eyebrows raise in disbelief at what he finds. " Well . Our brother is right, Ace, Straw Hat has too much on his hands to stop and read a newspaper. He, uhm, must be very busy laying siege in Egghead with the genius Vegapunk and his inventions as hostages... I guess."

Ace's face crumples in disbelief. "That doesn't sound..."

"That sounds exactly like Straw Hat," Kid mutters earning a laugh from Killer and a nod from future Marco.

"My brother would never lead a hostage situation!" Ace gasps, offended on behalf of the minor.

"Of course not," says Dr. Marco. "But he's pretty good at finding the biggest problems of the moment and getting involved in them. I'm sure something was brewing in Egghead and Luffy's arrival only increased it."

Ace exhales to give a rant in defence of his brother but deflates when he realizes that's really what must have happened. Then he perks up again when he realizes it.

"Egghead! We can go there!" He exclaims excitedly. "Luffy is there and... Oh, I should be worried but I want to see him again so badly..." He admits.

"Gurarara! And you will, brat!" Whitebeard exclaims. "Heading for Egghead, my children. We cannot allow these New Age rookies to continue making the front pages of the newspapers."

At his father's words, the pirates cheer and begin rocking the ship, carelessly tossing Bastille overboard. Jozu smiles tightly, looking at the rest of the information on the first page.

While it is true that Luffy takes up the majority of the sheet, there is a reason why two family-related news items were mentioned. Ace's relationship with his grandfather is not a secret, but it is not something that the boy brings up either. He's not entirely sure how much Ace appreciates old Garp, but in these moments of mixed emotions, he thinks it's best to keep it a secret. Above all, seeing who is the perpetrator of what could become a great misfortune. The disappearance of Garp in the territory of Blackbeard, the Teach of the Future, will only cause Ace's fire to burn at extreme temperatures.

"Stop worrying," his father tells him, patting him on the shoulder. "That old man has more lives than a stray cat. There's no reason to worry Ace."

Jozu nods and gives the paper to his father before joining his brothers.

The expectations of what they will find there; new allies and some action more demanding than a Vice Admiral, make the pirates excited. Blenheim and Fossa have an impromptu sparring match in the middle of the deck. Jozu gets his turn when Thatch challenges him and the cook ends up biting the dust without even breaking a sweat. Kid shares the same fate as Thatch when he is delusional enough to believe he can defeat Izo regardless of the commander's wit. They all share laughter with each fight, but Jozu half enjoys it when he sees that the Marco of the future is giving them a melancholic look from the side.

"Hey, brother," Jozu says walking over. "What's wrong?"

Marco gives him a nod in recognition, but remains silent. Only after the other Marco defeats Ace by throwing him overboard does he speak.

"You all are weak," he murmurs reluctantly. "You are so weak... The world is two years ahead of you. How can I fight by your side knowing that I can lose you again at any moment?"

Jozu's heart sinks when he hears the insecure voice of his most trusted brother.

"We're not," he shakes his head. "Look, Izo just wiped the floor with Kid. That brat's head is worth more than yours, but price doesn't equal strength. It's just that the Government has become more paranoid, but..."

"No, Jozu. Izo is very good at provoking people because he's smart and Kid is very easy to provoke because he's impulsive. Besides, it's just a bit of training. If Kid were serious, there are only two people on this ship who could stop him; Oyaji and I."

"You mean three..."

"No, two. Do you think my past self is up to the current threats, Jozu? That's the problem, you guys don't realize what we're up against. Marco doesn't stand a chance against the Teach of this time. I know, I was there."

Jozu looks at the blonde in front of him with a frown. Since the day he joined his father's crew, Marco has always been an untouchable figure. The Phoenix is the strongest, no one can defeat him. Yet here is that same Phoenix, looking defeated before an invisible enemy.

"Look, Marco, we're going to train hard, I promise," Jozu says. "But you have to trust us a little, okay? You won't lose us again."

Jozu phrases it as a promise, but from the other man's expression, he doesn't believe him in the slightest. Still, Jozu pats him on the back and stands up to challenge Vista. It won't be many days until they reach Egghead, so he will train as much as possible to ease his brother's worries.

However, the fact that it takes them almost a full minute to notice the two people who have just landed on the deck of their ship attests that they are truly unprepared for this Era.

Notes:

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the help you gave me after my request. I didn't expect so many comments!! It makes me very happy that there are many good people willing to help <3 I promised a chapter on Monday and you have it in advance. To be honest my experiment is not finished yet, but that's because I was hooked reading Harry Potter fics... But I got the list, and that's the most important part! I will inform you of the results of my experiment in the next chapter, which will hopefully be out at the end of the week or the start of the next.

As always, thanks for reading (and for the kudos and comments!)

Chapter 8: 'Surgeon of Death' Trafalgar Law

Summary:

*the world is falling apart*
Law: it must all be Mugiwara's fault, I'm sure.

With ice in his veins, ignoring the stabbing pain in his chest, Law rows the small boat. Bepo is dozing next to him as he hugs the piece of paper that represents their only hope.

Even days after a monumental failure in his position as captain, the humiliation still boils just as strongly in Law's blood. There is a host of shame, pain and self-hatred that he does not believe he can overcome in the short term. Such is the restlessness that the craziest idea passes through his mind: your old ally could help you.

At first, the thought sounds ridiculous. Mugiwara is a pirate, one he promised to see as an enemy the moment they crossed paths again. However, the days aboard the Sunny replay in his mind against his will. All the miracles he has witnessed come to mind thanks to the unparalleled wit, strength and bravery that exudes from the crew. Following the pattern of the moments he spent with them and the stories he has heard from their lips, it is more than likely that they would help Law and Bepo. Even if Luffy is too dumb to realize the seriousness of the situation, Law is willing to humiliate himself and subordinate himself to the new Emperor. It's something that wouldn't have crossed his mind in Wano, falling so low as to beg Mugiwara to help him save his crew, but Law is tired and all he wants is to get his precious friends back.

Bepo mutters in his sleep and squirms in his place clutching the newspaper to his chest. They came across a flock of News Coos just a little while ago, carrying with them information that completely changes Law's course of action.

The first thing they found on the paper was news about Luffy and a precise address: Egghead. Law never thought that after his vocal complaints about the hyperactive captain's personality, he would end up appreciating the pirate's lack of discretion. Whatever issues Luffy has with Vegapunk and the Government at the moment, defeating Blackbeard takes priority.

Unfortunately, the newspapers also talked about Blackbeard. More specifically, the disappearance of Garp the Hero in Hachinosu. In the place in his mind where he stores information that he doesn't give a shit about but that might be useful in the future, Law found the memory of Luffy and Garp's relationship. He wonders if this fact, coupled with previous grudges over what happened two years ago, could motivate Mugiwara to help Law's crew more urgently.

After two bombshells like the ones he had just read, anyone would be satisfied. However, Morgans is never satisfied. It's ridiculous that there are still things that can leave him speechless at this point, but that gossip bird definitely did it this time. The image of Firefist waving peacefully, noticeably more alive than the last time he saw him, burned into his retinas. Bepo and Law stared at the image in silence for a long moment until they processed the information correctly.

"That damn Mugiwara..." Law muttered because if he had to curse someone, Luffy would always be first on the list. It is no surprise that he is directly or indirectly involved in another event that changes the trajectory of the history of the unfolding Era.

"They've been seen near here," Bepo murmured, reading the newspaper before looking Law in the eyes. "Captain, don't you think we should look for them?"

At that moment, Law's jaw dropped. The suggestion was unusual and he couldn't understand what had motivated it. With a grimace, he expressed his thoughts as subtly as he could.

"What would we gain by doing that? Right now we need someone strong, Bepo. Those guys have already been defeated."

Bepo gave him a long look. The mink has always been of few words, but these days his eyes seem to express a thousand things per second.

"They have a personal vendetta with Blackbeard, their grudge may be even deeper than ours," he said slowly before pointing to the image in which two Phoenix appear. "And to carry out their revenge, they also need someone powerful. Marco was with us in Wano and saw the same thing we saw."

His friend's reasoning slowly dawned on Law.

"And if there's anyone Mugiwara-ya would never deny something to... It's the brother he just got back," he finally realized, looking at the photo of Firefist. "Bepo, you're a genius. Let's head in that direction, we can't let them escape."

His navigator looked more cheerful than he had in days when they changed course. Law can understand the feeling a little. If the dead can rise from their graves, then perhaps Law can live a peaceful future with his crew. Everyone safe. Greater ambitions are forgotten in favour of seeking comfort. Looking at the photos in the newspaper out of the corner of his eye, he realizes that he is not the only one. If Eustass Kid can put his pride aside, Law believes he can too. Besides, he'll be better than that loser. At least he plans to subordinate himself to the crew of a man who has turned the world upside down in two years and not to a fossil from the ancient Era.

When he sees the Moby Dick from a distance, Law doesn't hesitate. He wakes Bepo up by gently shaking him and uses his abilities to jump straight to the deck. As they fall onto the wooden boards, Bepo looks around sleepily. It takes several seconds for the pirates to notice their presence and Law snaps his teeth. In that time he could have done a Tetris game with their organs. That just proves that they are too inept, too green to survive this Age.

To Law's no surprise, the first to pounce on him and alert the pirates to his presence is an avalanche of metal objects. When he dodges it without breaking a sweat, there is a body lunging at him.

"Have you come to challenge me, Trafalgar?!" Eustass exclaims with a savage smile.

"No," Law says, moving out of the way to let Bepo deal with the man.

"No?!" The redhead shouts in an offended tone.

Law takes a second to analyze the deck. They are now surrounded by pirates on guard, all with their weapons drawn. Studying them, he can't speak for the filler pirates he's never met, but he remembers meeting Izo in Wano. Seeing the man face to face, the differences with the person who died a few weeks ago are evident. He seems healthy, although less robust, and much less exhausted; He looks like someone who hasn't seen his family die. He is also missing the scar that crossed his right eyebrow and when their eyes meet there is not even a hint of recognition.

Not only that. The presence of two Marcos is a phenomenon without equality. An anomaly that, under other circumstances, he would have been fascinated to study. Now, Law realizes he doesn't give a shit.

"Who is in charge of this ship?" He asks haughtily with his chin raised, unconsciously channelling his inner Nami.

"Who...?" Firefist snorts with laughter. He thinks he wouldn't laugh so hard if he knew Law had literally been up to his elbows in his brother's guts, but he guesses it's not something worth mentioning right now. "Do you live under a rock? This is Whitebeard's ship," he says, pointing to the flag above them with one hand and the tattoo on the nearest Marco's chest with the other.

Law looks at Ace with a raised eyebrow. He then ignores him to look at the more familiar Marco.

"I don't know how you manage the hierarchy right now. I thought the living would have more power than the dead, but I don't judge what everyone does on their ship," he says in a mocking tone.

The phoenix looks infinitely tired and its lips form a disappointed grimace. Compared to his reaction, the rest of the pirates seem horrified by his lack of respect.

"Oyaji will always be the supreme authority under this flag. What do you want, Trafalgar?" The phoenix asks slowly.

"We have some interests in common." Law approaches Bepo and pulls a tattered bounty poster out of his orange jumpsuit. He unrolls it to see the pirates' expression quickly change. "I know you want revenge. I do too. Therefore, we both have the same destiny."

"Teach," the younger phoenix growls spitefully. "So what? Do you want to ally with us and go to Pirate Island?" He questions with a frown.

Law lets out a small, inevitable laugh that greatly offends the pirates. The arrogant smile on his face doesn't help, but Law can't help but mock the crew's smugness that was nothing but ashes until a few hours ago.

"To ally with you? No. Our common destination is Egghead, that's where the only person who can help me is."

The reactions to his words are varied. The future phoenix rolls his eyes, while Firefist's eyes widen in surprise and then narrow in suspicion. Eustass starts laughing maniacally.

"As it was expected!" The man laughs, approaching Law to pat him on the back with his only hand. "A loser becomes another loser's subordinate. Can't you stay away from your captain?"

Childish teasing shouldn't affect him, but Law grits his teeth before growling at the redhead like a wild animal.

"You say so, Whitebeard's subordinate?" He blurts out, lowering himself to the other's attitude.

"Huh?! How do you say?!" Eustass brings his face closer to Law, almost biting him with his response. "I’m no one's subordinate!"

Instead of answering, Law looks away and lets out a snort. This reaction angers the other man even more. Killer laughs and Bepo looks back and forth as if he doesn't know where to start in dealing with them. Marco the Phoenix seems to be regretting something deeply.

The fight could continue for hours, but it is interrupted by low laughter and heavy footsteps approaching. Law raises his head to look at the giant figure of the captain of this ship.

"Indeed, we are heading for Egghead. I don't know what gave it away, the direction in which we were sailing at high speed or Morgans' conspicuous comments."

One of the pirates approaches his captain and gives him a piece of paper that Law recognizes as a reward. He guesses it's his from the way the man looks from the paper to Eustass and then back to Law himself with interest.

"I wonder what makes you think this is an open-access cruise," his tone isn't threatening, but it's not entirely friendly either. "And why do you think we would accept an arrogant brat like you."

Law smiles again, showing no signs of being intimidated.

"Take it as returning the favour you owe me. After all, I was the one who saved Mugiwara after everything he did at Marineford only for you to let him die."

Being objective, these pirates did not witness Marineford, or else they would not be facing him. However, a pirate's pride is somewhat predictable. Whitebeard looks at Marco for confirmation and nods slowly.

"Did you save my brother?" Firefist asks, slowly approaching.

"After his heart stopped a couple of times in his surgery, yeah," he says frivolously . "I know Mugiwara-ya intimately," he adds because he can.

The raven young man's eyebrows arch in surprise. Eustass laughs again before making another useless comment.

"He's Mugiwara's obedient dog," he laughs. "He even lets his beloved Mugiwara call him by that humiliating nickname, To-ra-o."

"I'm sure you only mentioned the nicknames to show off your own, Gizao ," he responds scathingly.

"I don't quite understand their relationship," mutters a man with a pompadour.

"Don't ask," Marco the phoenix requests.

When a few minutes pass and Law and Bepo aren't brutally thrown off the ship, he takes it as a victory. However, he doesn't know if Whitebeard's frown and distracted appearance are good news. The man squints at the horizon as if he were having a fateful vision of a tidal wave.

Firefist hesitantly approaches to ask about his brother. Law isn't interested in making small talk about Mugiwara, of all people, but the sadness on Ace's face when he ignores him is hard to beat. It's disconcerting to see a man who became a legend pouting on the verge of a tantrum. When he relates him to his brother, the most famous clown on the seas, he can understand where his attitude comes from.

He is about to give up when the clouds darken the entire deck. A common, unconscious reaction when clouds cover the sun that Law had never contemplated is to look up, yet no one does. Everyone freezes on the wooden planks when, suddenly, the boat begins to float higher above the surface of the sea.

"What the heck...?"

Law hears the gasp of one of the pirates in front of him, but all he can hear is a terrified familiar voice begging for mercy:

"Put us down! I swear if you don't leave the Sunny in the sea, I'll...!"

Nami's familiar complaints are drowned out by an amplified sound whose source is literally above Law. Resignedly, he looks up to see Luffy's colossal face of concentration as he holds the Moby Dick in one hand and the Thousand Sunny in the other. The boy whistles to imitate the sound of a ship crossing the sea at high speed while he moves the Sunny in the direction of the other ship. The occupants of the two ships scream in terror as they are both millimetres away from colliding and Luffy lets out a frivolous 'BOOM' imitating the sound of a collision.

"Zoro! Cut off that moron's hands!" Nami shouts once again on the verge of crying.

"Our Father, who art in heaven..." Usopp recites clinging to the body of the former Shichibukai Jinbe.

Luffy turns a deaf ear to his crew's pleas. With his giant body floating, he sings a meaningless melody and waves the boats childishly. Law is calculating the size of a room large enough to cut off both of Mugiwara's massive arms when Ace, next to him, unfreezes with a mutter.

"¿Luffy?"

His voice is not louder than that of the Mugiwaras by any means, but it successfully reaches Luffy. The big, pink eyes move in his direction and Law sees the exact moment the young Emperor recognizes the Moby Dick figures. A second later, the boats and the body holding them fall into the sea.

 

Notes:

Next chapter is 'Fire Fist' Ace! For plot reasons, I won't be following Egghead's canon events now. There's too much to deal with... Hope you enjoyed this chapter!!

Thank you for reading and for all the love you give to this work <3

Little reminder: you can check my other works on wattpad (only in spanish!) starryyah

Chapter 9: 'Fire Fist' Ace

Notes:

Hi! Last week Erui made a drawing of that scene in last chapter and I wanted y'all to see it!! Here it is, don't forget to leave your like/kudo or whatever tumblr uses :') Erui fanart

The idea that he will be able to see his brother again after –what for him has been– three long years is the only thing that keeps him afloat on behalf of the exhaustive task of trying to keep his sanity intact after the news that has been receiving. He is afraid of how Luffy might react to his presence in this future, but he can't help the feeling of impatience to see him face to face again. He’s spent days thinking about what he should say when he meets him and what his reaction will be after seeing him. Will he cry? Will he get angry? He knows it's not a fair thought, but if he doesn't hate Sabo for being dead for over ten years, he can't hate Ace for dying for two years.

In the end, all the planning is for nothing, as it always turns out to be when Luffy is involved. Instead of letting Marco or anyone else gently present the possibility of Ace being alive, they meet in the most unexpected way.

He is different in appearance, but Ace would recognize this person anywhere and anytime. He has a fluffy cloud of white hair on his head and exotic pink eyes. It's huge, like two or three Oars stacked together. He floats above them holding the Moby Dick and another ship in his hands. From the concentration on his face and the sounds he makes, it takes Ace a few seconds to realize that he is childishly playing with the ships. Incredulous, because not even in his wildest thoughts would he have imagined a situation similar to this, he lets out his brother's name with a shaky sigh.

That's when Luffy sees him. The sunlight behind him and the veil of white smoke surrounding him make him glow ethereally. They both look at each other as if they were looking at an unknown specimen. When Ace relents, pursing his lips slightly before smiling hesitantly, his brother's bulging eyes widen and the world begins to spin. Staggering, Ace grabs onto the ship's railing as everyone falls back into the sea. The boats are barely staying afloat with the ripples and waves that appear when the colossal body falls into the water.

Ace gasps and peeks over the deck. "Luff...!"

Before he can panic, he sees a blue blur leap from the other ship to reach for the body that is sinking as if it were the heaviest anchor.

The boats stabilize a few minutes later. From the whale-shaped figurehead, Ace sees the figure he now recognises as Jinbe carrying his brother onto the other ship. There's movement on the deck, but Ace can't look away from Luffy's body as the little reindeer he remembers from the bounty posters runs toward him urgently. He stares at the scene until a body blocks his vision. From a distance, all Ace sees is green.

"Roronoa doesn't seem very happy to see you," Killer says behind him with a breathy laugh.

Ace looks at Roronoa Zoro, who slowly draws two of his swords. He bristles at the obvious hostility he conveys and has to take a step back to remind himself that he's not an enemy. Roronoa's reaction is very normal in this situation and, under other circumstances, Ace would applaud the pirate's reflection.

With a sigh, he steps back onto the deck of his ship in search of his captain. "Oyaji, can we get closer?" He asks in a demanding tone.

Whitebeard has been unusually quiet since Luffy showed up. He gives the other ship a cryptic glance before looking at Doctor Marco silently asking for his opinion on the matter.

"It's not good that we found them like this," Marco says with a tired sigh. "Maybe I should go first."

Ace growls. He's about to share his obvious disagreement when Thatch interrupts them. He points to Luffy's ship and everyone takes a moment to recognize the man and bear that appeared on the Moby a while ago. Ace didn't even catch their names in the time they were here, but the man speaks to Luffy's nakama with familiarity.

"How the hell do they keep doing that?" Thatch asks himself.

"Oyaji, Marco," Ace insists, his patience at the limit. "Can we get closer?"

From the way his father and brother look at him, they are both aware that Ace is about to jump the striker. The only reason he hasn't done so yet is because he understands that they are in a delicate situation, not knowing how the other pirates might react to their presence. However, Ace is not willing to wait any longer to see his brother. He is going with them or without them. Finally, Dr. Marco nods slowly and barks orders to the other pirates. Ace sighs in relief before going completely rigid.

"It's all right, my son," Whitebeard puts a hand on his shoulder in a comforting motion. "No matter how many years pass or the circumstances that separate you, he is still your young brother.”

The comforting words do little to ease Ace's nervousness. As they get closer, he hears the voice of this Trafalgar talking to the other pirates. The man talks to a tanned woman and a big-nosed boy. The boy shakes like a leaf and his scream reaches where they are.

"B... Blackbeard? No way! Our alliance to defeat dangerous guys expired a few weeks ago!"

The woman, Nico Robin as he remembers, tilts her head slowly.

"Not that I'm trying to make light of it, Torao-kun, but we have some important matters to discuss right now." Her gaze strays and lands on Moby Dick. "And it seems like the list is getting longer."

"Do you mind explaining?" Says a blonde approaching Trafalgar, 'Torao', with an incredulous air. "Is this some kind of joke?"

Unfazed by the accusatory looks the pirates give him, Torao crosses his arms and arches an eyebrow.

"Do I look like a joker to you?"

The blonde seems seconds away from lunging at him to strangle him and Torao shows no signs of wanting to explain the situation. Doctor Marco lets out a squawk of annoyance before launching himself onto the deck of the colourful ship.

"I know what this looks like, guys, but let me explain it to you," he asks, facing the blonde and green-haired man who act as a wall. "You'll listen to me, right, Straw Hat?"

The pirates are startled and turn to see their now-conscious captain, leaving the boy in sight. Ace's heart stops for a second when he sees the familiar figure of his brother, black hair and deep eyes, sitting on the ground while shaking water from his hat. Luffy glances at him briefly before looking at Marco without moving.

"What is all this?" He asks in a low, unusually peaceful tone.

Marco doesn't move from his spot, but Luffy seems fully aware of his movements. Ace has hunted with his brother for many years, but he has never seen such a predatory approach from him. In the same way, Marco is completely open to him, trying to pour all his honesty into his words.

"These guys come from the past, like Momonosuke and Kin'emon," he explains, motioning vaguely to the ship behind him. "It may seem far-fetched, but I know that even though your observation haki was not developed at Marineford, you can feel the familiarity in them."

"That does not make sense," Nico Robin interjects. "Momo and the Red Scabbards were transported from their time to the present, and although in their absence they were presumed dead, they were alive. In this case..." The woman has enough subtlety to stop at the last second, but everyone understands well the meaning of her words.

"I don't know the theory behind all this," Marco admits. "As far as we know, it was not the work of the Toki Toki no Mi, simply some phenomenon from the New World. They come from May 1522."

The orange-haired girl jumps. She's been staring at Ace like he's a ghost this entire time, which turns out to be appropriate for the situation. When she hears Marco's words, she looks at her friends with wide eyes.

"At that time we barely knew each other," she says slowly.

"It's weird for us too," Thatch chimes in with a shrug. "If it had been a couple of weeks later, I would have been dead already! Can you believe it?" He says, laughing humorously, only stopping when he realizes that no one finds it funny.

"So, let's recap," Big Nose looks at Ace intently. "You're saying that you, who all died, are now here alive. Wait, why exactly are you here?" He asks, pointing to his ship with a strange calmness in his tone.

"We were looking for you," Izo says obviously.

"Of course, I figured." The boy nods slowly before a shiver runs through his body. Joining the little reindeer and the strange skeleton, the three jump up with various expressions of terror. "G… Ghosts!" They scream in fear. "Ghosts are haunting us!"

The orange-haired girl hits all three at once with a single fist, which is a remarkable feat. Meanwhile, Jinbe lumbers over to Luffy acting as silent support.

"This is hard to believe," says the Fishman after a long hesitation.

"Yes, it is." Luffy slowly gets up. It's crazy to think of Luffy as a threat, but Ace doesn't miss the way Jozu tenses and Izo's hands feel through his pockets. Ignoring both crews, Luffy approaches the railing of his ship, facing Ace. Both only separated by the narrow distance between both ships. "I don't believe you, you can't be Ace."

Ace's heart sinks when he hears these words, but he tries not to show his disappointment. With an easy smile, he tries to joke.

"Come on, I heard Sabo did much worse. I still have his letter stored in some drawer in my room. When I see him, he won't have enough ocean to run away!"

All Ace gets in response is a tense silence. His brother has a deep frown on his face and anger does not leave a single trace of pain in his eyes. He's been trying to take all of this maturely and be the big brother Luffy deserves after all the trauma he's probably been through, but a rage he remembers from the days of his earliest childhood washes over him. Stomping on the railing, he leans forward recklessly and blurts out:

"Aren't you going to defend him? Maybe you're the one who isn't the real Luffy!" He narrows his eyes in mock suspicion. "After all, Sabo was always my little brother's favourite!"

His words finally elicit a reaction from the youngest. Luffy also leans forward with a growl and Ace can't help but notice that the difference between their heights has narrowed. The boy clicks his teeth in annoyance and throws an accusing finger.

"I don't have favourites, but Sabo at least was less stupid than Ace!" He shakes his finger inches from the older man's chest, even without touching him. "At least he never said birds were fish on the run that fled their home!"

Ace gapes at the minor's blatant nerve. That anecdote was one that they promised to never bring to light, a sacred pact between brothers that had to be fulfilled at any cost. With a deep blush on his face from the surprised laughter escaping from the occupants of the two ships, Ace crosses his arms.

"Oh yeah? Well, I wasn't the one who thought the rain was a sky people spitting championship!"

"And what do you know, you fool?!" Luffy shouts offended. "Sky people do exist, I was there!"

"Well, poor the bastard who got your spit! You never brush your teeth so you can always taste what you ate before!"

"Okay, that's disgusting," Izo chimes in, being ignored.

"He's brushing his teeth now," the orange-haired girl says over Luffy's shoulder. "Every time he doesn't, he owes me a thousand berries."

"Ace set my favourite shirt on fire and then painted one of his own and gave it to me so I wouldn't notice!"

"And it worked, you didn’t realize! We split up to rob Terminal Gray once and you robbed me!"

"It's because you look like an ugly old man every time you wrinkle your face like you're doing now!"

"You look like a monkey all the time and I don't blame you!"

"You burned 'Ace’s Country' and because of you we had to unify our cabins!"

"You robbed the king of Goa on the street and the only thing you stole from him was a pork skewer that he was carrying in his hand!"

"You gave Makino the alligator we hunted for Valentine's Day and you blushed when she accepted it!"

"You were the bait every time we went hunting because all the animals ended up eating you!"

"And you died in my arms after I risked everything to save you!"

They both breathe heavily without looking away from each other. Luffy studies every part of Ace with his gaze as if he were going to disappear at any moment. With pain in his chest, Ace extends a hand right in front of his brother.

"I'm real, I promise you. I spent months trying to avoid you and you always came back to me. You became the most important pillar in my life. I promised you I wouldn't die and I lied to you. Even more important; I promised you I would die without regrets, but I'm sure I lied to you too. If I died now, I'm sure my biggest regret would be not being able to see you fulfil your dream." Looking at Luffy frozen in front of him, he shortens the distance between his hand and the boy's face. "And now that I know Sabo is alive, not being able to see him again is another of my regrets."

Since they were little, they have been raised with tough love, expressing small signs of affection through hits and insults. The softness of the moment, more typical of Sabo than Ace, breaks the ice barrier that has been separating them throughout the meeting. Luffy jumps into his brother's arms with a scream, and Ace's strength isn't enough to stop the body from knocking them both to the ground. The youngest clings to his brother in a suffocating way and lets out heartbreaking sobs, crying like a child. Ace himself can't stop the tears from blurring his vision. After the stormy days he has spent lamenting everything he has learned about this future, he finally has his brother in his arms.

"ACEEEEE!" The boy shouts in his brother's ear. "I have so much to tell you! I have to reintroduce you to all my nakama because you don't remember them! And you have to introduce me to your nakama! Even though I already met them! Marco fought alongside us in Wano, you know? And Kiku's brother too! And I already met the old man, I even challenged him in the war!"

"Okay, Luffy, but stop spilling snot on me," he whines in disgust. "I don't even have a shirt!"

"It reminds me of the day we played dress-up with each other and you dressed up as Sabo, but you spent so much time trying to put on your shirt that you forgot to put on your pants before you went out!"

The comment draws more laughter from the pirates around him. Ace, blushing, hits his brother's head harshly.

"You little shit! I have a reputation to uphold!"

"Tsk, as if Mugiwara knows what a reputation is," Kid says, looking down at them mockingly.

Luffy jumps at the voice and raises his neck like a turtle. His face shows genuine surprise when he sees the redhead.

"Gizao?" His eyes widen even more as Kid's body disappears and Trafalgar appears in its place in less than a second. From somewhere behind them, he hears Kid bellowing some insults. "Torao?! What are you guys doing here?! Is it a party?!"

"We should have a party," Ace proposes.

"We could have a party!" Thatch supports.

"Let's have a party!" One of Luffy's nakama shouts.

"There's no time for a party," Torao interjects.

"We're not going to have a party," the two Marcos say at the same time, challenging everyone to mention the word again if they dare.

"Mugiwara-ya, this is serious. I want you to help me defeat Blackbeard."

Luffy blinks, somehow not expecting the conversation to turn that way. Torao insists.

"I was there when you told your fleet that they only needed to call if they needed help. So, consider me part of your fleet, if you want. I'll even become your subordinate if you want. I just want my crew back."

Taking advantage of the seriousness that colours his brother's face at the topic, Ace looks at his father and nods.

"Luffy, we actually thought the same thing," he admits. "Teach... He is the one who condemned our crew in this present, we cannot let him remain free now that we are back. However, now Oyaji is not an Emperor, things have changed a lot in two years." He inhales before facing his brother and places his hands on his shoulders. "Luffy, we want to form an alliance with the Straw Hat crew."

"It's a truly powerful union," says an elderly voice behind them. Ace glances sideways to see an older man with the top of an apple crowning his head. "This alliance could make history..."

Ace can see the conflict in Luffy's eyes as he looks at everyone involved. After a slight hesitation, he looks at the old man.

"Apple gramps!" He calls without an ounce of respect. "We promised we would get you somewhere safe, and we will! But..." He looks at the rest of his crew. "Even if I'm not there, my nakama will protect you!"

"Luffy!" The orange-haired girl exclaims scandalized. "Do you want to go alone?! No way!"

The young captain shakes his head. "I won't go alone, we'll be separated for a while! You're my navigator, Nami, you're the only one who can take apple gramps to safety!"

The girl blushes against her will, looking proud and satisfied with the trust her captain places in her.

"It's okay, Luffy," she relents. "We'll be separated again, but we'll get Vegapunk to safety quickly so we can reunite!"

"Nami, do you want to get into the fight?" The big nose asks in a muffled whisper.

The navigator seems to realize at that moment what returning to Luffy entails and her face turns bitter, but she remains silent. Ace watches the interaction with amusement, making a mental note to ask his brother why the hell they have the Navy-affiliated genius with them on their ship.

"Okay! You'll have to prove when we fight Teach that you're not still a weakling, Luffy!" He exclaims animatedly.

His brother's face turns sour from one moment to the next. At first, Ace thinks it's because he's called a weakling. Then he realizes it's deeper than that. Taking a step away from Ace, the boy looks at Trafalgar.

"Torao, we are friends!" He exclaims, ignoring the way the man's face crumples at the term. "I'll help you get your nakama back, I have unfinished business with that guy too!"

"Okay, we'll work on a plan," the man responds immediately only to sink into place just a few seconds later. "Or maybe not."

Luffy clenches his jaw as he looks back at Ace. His gaze rises to face Whitebeard.

"I'm fine with Torao, but you guys are different," Luffy says honestly. "I don't want to ally with the old man's crew."

"Luffy?!" Ace exclaims in confusion.

Luffy, however, stares at Ace's father. Whitebeard looks back at him and everyone begins to feel the tension. The commanders instinctively grab their weapons, and in response, the Straw Hats do the same. Ace shakes his head and looks back at his brother, but the Luffy he finds is different from anything he's ever known.

Thus, Ace witnesses 'Emperor Straw Hat Luffy' for the first time.

Notes:

I hope you liked this chapter <3 Vegapunk is here because the current events of the manga will no longer appear in this work. Thank you very much for the kudos and the comments (I promise I read them all even if I don't respond!!!)

Chapter 10: 'Izo of the Flintlock Guns'

A choked gasp sounds behind him, but Izo is too busy trying to keep his balance to check where it's coming from. Both the Moby Dick and the Mugiwara ship falter under the pressure of the battle of wills unfolding on the deck of their respective ships. The crushing is almost tangible, and there have been few times when Izo has experienced a haki shock of this magnitude.

"You dare to underestimate me, brat?" Whitebeard growls.

Luffy doesn't respond but stands proudly upright. His head is tilted back to look the huge captain in the eye, but he does so in a surprisingly dignified manner, without looking like a scolded child. Izo can't help but feel surprised; He has seen enormous giants bow their heads in Whitebeard's imposing presence.

Ace fidgets and looks at the two men with saucer-like eyes. He takes a hesitant step towards his brother but stops to look at his captain.

"Oyaji," he says pleadingly. "Luffy..."

"Don't let the feats you've accomplished with your luck go to your head," Whitebeard continues. "You're far from being able to look down on me with superiority, rookie."

The young boy's brow furrows, and with that, the pressure around him becomes more unbearable. Izo hears muffled thumps bouncing off the wood of the deck as some of his brothers begin to faint and flinch at the display of power. Glancing around at the boy's crew, he is surprised to find them all standing. The orange-haired girl looks slightly pale, the big-nosed one shakes like a custard and the blond one chews the cigarette in his mouth restlessly, but neither of them gives in.

"I don't want to ally with Ace's crew," Luffy concludes and then with a surprising lack of emotion in his tone, he says, "They're not strong enough for this fight."

As expected, the pirates indignantly refute the young man's words, but their complaints sound weak in the boy's gaze. Izo would never have guessed it before meeting Luffy, but there is something in his eyes that makes it difficult to counter his words, no matter how crazy they sound.

"What the hell are you saying?!" Ace snaps angrily. "We're Whitebeard's crew, you fool, defeating a Yonkou doesn't put you on the level of a legend like Oyaji!"

Luffy breaks contact with Whitebeard to look at Ace. He looks terribly angry, his face red with fury and his eyes narrowed. It's a sight that differs completely from the glimpses he's seen of the boy's personality previously. When he was arguing with his brother, the boy wore a cloak of friendly anger. Now, Luffy seems dangerous. He stomps toward Ace and points at Whitebeard while still looking his brother in the eyes.

"I don't care how strong you think the old man is," he says in a low, lethal tone. "You are weak. Your nakama is weak. What good is a strong captain if his crew can't protect themselves?" His voice is taking on a higher pitch by the minute. "Don't you realize?! Your nakama couldn't protect you, and you died! You couldn't protect me without dying! And I couldn't protect you, and you died, but then I trained until I bled just so I wouldn't fail again! My nakama and I worked our butts off for two years to become stronger! We fight every day to be better!"

He faces Ace with a ferocity that leaves the older brother speechless, but Luffy isn't done there. He turns away from the boy again to look at the rest of the crew with a frown. Finally, he looks back at Whitebeard. This time without shouting.

"I do not know what a father should be like, but I do know what it's like to be a captain," he says solemnly. "Your crew was defeated, and instead of aspiring to be better, you only seek revenge. I don't want to form an alliance with someone like that."

It takes Izo a few seconds to realize that the pressure of both captains' haki has disappeared and he inhales as if he were breathing for the first time. Then he looks at his captain's face and suddenly feels like he's going to vomit. Whitebeard looks remorseful in a different way than present remorse after hearing the whole story told by Marco from the future. With a stone in his stomach and morbid wonder, he realizes that his father thinks there is some truth in Mugiwara's words.

Likewise, Luffy stands in the middle of the deck. He breathes heavily after his tirade and looks small and lost being surrounded by the bodies of the pirates. He no longer looks like a fierce captain, just a sad boy.

Izo takes a moment to survey his surroundings. He feels that there is a lot to unpack in everything that has happened since they encountered Mugiwara's ship. When he sees that no one, not even Marco, dares to take a step, he takes the initiative.

"Okay, the first division will take charge of getting all the fainted to the infirmary. Those who feel weak or dizzy should go to the mess hall to hydrate," he orders. "Fourth Division, bring enough refreshments to the deck for the commanders and our guests."

As the pirates begin to move and the deck clears, Izo sits gracefully on the ground and gestures for his father to follow suit. His captain's face goes through different expressions, from indignation to amusement, before fulfilling his whim. Then, Izo raises an eyebrow at the others.

"Are you waiting for an invitation, or what?" He blurts out violently.

Reluctantly, his brothers and the other pirates sit uncomfortably on the ground. Izo keeps an eye on Luffy, who openly gazes at him with fascination. According to what he knows from Marco's stories, the boy met him recently. He is also friends with Kiku, which is a plus for Izo.

Ace is the last one standing. He looks terribly lost, not knowing what to do. Izo stretches out a hand toward him and waits. A few seconds later, the boy sits down next to him.

"Good," Izo pauses for a moment to savour the satisfaction of having tamed a group of wild beasts so successfully. He then looks at Mugiwara. "Tell me, Luffy, I'm sure you've heard a lot about what an amazing pirate your brother is," he smiles briefly at Jinbe. "But has anyone told you about his first great feat as a commander?"

Beside him, Ace lets out a confused sound. Luffy, however, glows with curiosity and shakes his head slowly.

"Well, it turns out that we ran into a Navy ship, a vice admiral. From what I understand, he was the one who offered Ace to become a Shichibukai and was hurt to be rejected. Ace asked to fight alone to prove his worth. He ended up falling into a silly trap involving meat and was only able to get out thanks to a friend of his who is part of the Marines."

Ace lets out a wail of lamentation. "Was it necessary to mention that? I didn't even remember, we've met Isuka too many times to count."

Luffy, however, has a smile on his face at the story. The boy's companions also have different expressions of amusement.

"It looks familiar," the orange-haired says. "Luffy falls into even the silliest traps. At Crocodile's base in Alabasta, there was a choice between two paths; one marked VIP and the other 'pirates'. You can imagine where we ended up."

There are little smiles all over the deck. The problem has not been miraculously solved, but at least the atmosphere has relaxed. Izo absentmindedly strokes Ace's arm as he looks at the young crew.

"Fighting Crocodile, huh? Care to develop?"

The pirates share a glance at each other before the big nose, Usopp, begins to narrate.

"It all begins on a stormy day when we ventured to cross the challenge commonly known as the Red Line. A good friend was waiting for us on the other side of the line; at that time was still waiting for the crew who promised to return to her. Then..."

Izo can see his brothers' faces vary in expressions between shock and horror as the story progresses. Thus, Alabasta leads to Sky Island, which in turn leads to Water 7, but not before going through the interesting experience in a Davy Back Fight. They had already heard glimpses of these same stories in some newspapers, but hearing it first-hand is an experience in itself. Izo tries to calm his shocked expression when he hears the story of Enies Lobby, but his brothers' faces reflect his feelings. Sometimes different stories require different narrators, like the fight between Luffy and Usopp or the mysterious and seemingly harmless appearance of Bartholomew Kuma on Thriller Bark.

Whitebeard's pirates make a good audience, but they interrupt too much with their comments. Haruta asks not once, but twice for Franky's recruitment story to be repeated, and Thatch whistles theatrically when he hears what happened at the auction house with Kidd and Trafalgar as witnesses. To no one's surprise, Ace is the most vocal during the stories.

"Only Luffy would try to eat someone and then recruit them."

"You can't make me believe that the guy was only speaking through a pigeon. Was it really necessary to get that far into the role?"

"Nothing in that story justifies you being so attached to Rayleigh! You knew him for half an hour!"

When the story reaches the brutal separation in Sabaody, an awkward silence meets them. Usopp has had no problem reliving the traumatic experience of being hunted by an admiral and a Shichibukai at the same time, but he doesn't seem very willing to tell what comes next. In all honesty, Izo would like to hear about Ace's rescue attempt from Luffy's point of view, but he knows this might not be the time. Therefore, he takes a breath and looks at the boy.

"Based on the numerous adventures you have experienced in such a short time, I can say that you have fought hard to get this far," says Izo. "But I can also say that not only strength influences victory. Sometimes it doesn't influence victory at all."

Everyone looks at Izo, curious about what he has to say. At this point, they seem to have forgotten the main reason why they are sitting like a group of children on a break between classes.

"Well, our captain has the devil's luck," Sanji murmurs.

"Yes, but it's not even luck that got you guys this far," the sniper continues. "Usopp has said it, he is not as strong as Luffy or Zoro, there are many enemies he cannot take on. All crews are like that, not all of us can be super powerful," he explains.

Luffy frowns in clear disagreement.

"But my nakama never wait for me to defeat their enemies," he says stubbornly. "They find a way to do it even if it seems impossible."

"And you're right. It's been a long time since we trained properly, as we've always been considered strong for being part of Oyaji's crew. Your outburst earlier is justified considering that in the time we've been in the future, even after meeting What happened to us, we never tried to become stronger. However, we share something with your crew, we are all motivated by our love and our trust in our captain. If it is for Oyaji, to be together again on the Moby and sail as a family, we are willing to exceed our limits."

He hears some emotional gasps and sighs. Even a small "Izo..." coming from his father's lips. Once again, Izo feels really pleased with how he's handling all of this better than anyone else.

"Luffy, we are not asking for permission. We are going to go after Teach, but we are aware that our crew no longer fits in this new world. We don’t want to fit in either, I think I speak for everyone when I say that our crew no longer needs that 'Yonkou' title. Things are happening that don't concern us and our time to shine has passed. We will take a backseat, but that will only be after settling the score with the only person who could pose a threat to our new life."

Luffy tilts his head, looking at Izo seriously. The others wait in tense silence for the resolution of this whole debacle. Nico Robin moves to stand next to Luffy and whispers in his ear. Izo frowns suspiciously as Luffy's face hardens and the boy nods.

"I don't want to ally with you," he repeats, stubborn to the end. "And if you try to go, we'll stop you. I don't mind fighting you," Luffy challenges, looking first at Whitebeard, then at Ace, and then at Izo. "Or you can come, but then it wouldn't be an alliance."

Some of his brothers tense as Luffy stands up. It's a sign of how his father considers Luffy a captain in his own right when the giant man also stands up, unwilling to sit before this boy. The current stance is reminiscent of the battle of wills that started all of this and Izo is almost afraid that the suffocating haki will come down on them again.

"What would it be, then?" Whitebeard asks slowly.

Luffy doesn't respond, just frowns and looks back briefly. Nico Robin also stands up and takes a step forward. The woman has a calm smile on her face and Izo thinks it doesn't bode well. He is right, of course, when the wildest proposal leaves his lips:

"Become a subordinate captain of our crew, Whitebeard."

Notes:

I'll most likely not appear again in a while... too busy with my last year :( Hope you guys liked this ch though! I hope you have understood what luffy means in this chapter. We are not talking about strength (like punches, kicks and muscle muscle), but about another kind of strength. Thank you for reading !!! <3

Chapter 11: 'Knight of the Sea' Jinbe

Summary:

author makes a risky move again!! (and loves jinbe)

The reaction is immediate; Whitebeard's pirates begin to stir like a sardine shoal at the daring words of Jinbe's captain. On his part, he sees how his nakama are trying to hide their surprise, but Luffy's words are so unexpected that Sanji chokes and Usopp takes a step back from the shock. Zoro looks at Robin with a raised eyebrow and Jinbe imitates him. Even if he hadn't seen the woman whispering in his captain's ear, he might have guessed that the words weren't coming from Luffy himself. He didn't even need to hear the story of how he harshly rejected a fleet of nearly six thousand men. Luffy has never been one to crowd others around.

"What the...?" Trafalgar Law sweats, then shakes his head like he can't believe it.

"He's fucking crazy," Eustass Kid mutters, looking from Luffy to Whitebeard in disbelief.

"What?" Ace finally asks, his jaw dropping in surprise.

For a second, Jinbe feels sorry for his friend. He can't even imagine what he must be feeling now, facing a brother he doesn't know as well as he used to. However, that empathy is ephemeral when he realises that if there's anyone suffering here, that is Luffy. Jinbe knows this better than anyone because he was the one who saw him at his worst. Two years ago, with his brother's death still fresh, Luffy had lost all will to live. It may have been for a few seconds, but even after coming to his senses, he must have surely gone through a long recovery process. Standing in front of Ace and antagonizing himself without even taking time to celebrate his living brother...

Jinbe's respect for Luffy grows, as it usually does with each day he spends at his side. Not even the esteem and infinite debt he owes Whitebeard can make Jinbe take a step back right now. If Luffy wants to make Whitebeard's pirates his subordinates, then it will be that or a pitched battle. He is ready for all possible outcomes.

"Are you mocking us?!" Thatch snaps with an anger Jinbe has never seen from the kind cook.

Immediate death, stabbed in the back. His last vision was one of his brothers smiling at his death.

"Luffy!" Ace's shoulders burst into flames as his expression turns into an angry sneer. "What the hell is going on in that empty head of yours?! Have you gone mad?!"

Kneeling in his own blood without even being able to raise his voice to say goodbye and without being able to make sure that his sacrifice was not in vain.

"Brat..." Whitebeard's low baritone echoes in the nearby waters as if he had used his own Akuma no Mi. Jinbe is certain that the only reason he hasn't attacked is because of the relationship between Luffy and Ace. "I will give you the opportunity to retract your words. If you don't, I will take it as a direct offence."

Gunned down hundreds of times just to give his children a future, blind to the fact that many of them wouldn't make it out the year alive.

All of Izo's previous efforts to calm the beasts are in vain when the two captains once again face each other in a battle of glances. Although there is no intentional haki involved, the aura is tense.

"No," Luffy says flatly.

"L...Luffy! Wait a second!" Usopp looks around waving his trembling hands. "Do you even know what you're asking for?!" He asks urgently, looking past his captain to the face of the crew's archaeologist. "I thought you didn't want to be an important person!" Usopp stumbles over his words, but Jinbe gives him credit for just trying. "Don't you think having such a large crew as subordinates is quite a pain?!"

"Yes," Luffy agrees quickly. "But..." He clenches his fists and looks at Robin, who gives him a small nod and an encouraging smile.

Jinbe also takes the opportunity to look around. Usopp's expression is a little desperate. Franky looks at Luffy as if he's not entirely sure how to react. Surprisingly, it is Brook, with more experience than the others regarding pirate code, who seems to be most supportive of this turn of events. Jinbe wonders what's going through his head right now.

Chopper is the most nervous of all, his gaze darting from one of Whitebeard's commanders to another with heightened senses. Sanji's expression is hard to read, but Jinbe thinks he's considering it. He's sure he would have been more vocal if he thought of the idea as crazy. Zoro is his usual 'self'. He has his arms crossed, looking at the other crew with his chin up. Seeing that much of his attention is focused on Ace, Jinbe believes it's less of an 'I'll defend my captain' situation and more a case of being prepared to act depending on how the older brother's reaction will affect his captain.

Nami looks at Robin with narrowed eyes and then at Luffy with a stern face. Jinbe sees her hands opening and closing as if she wanted to grab something. From his brief experience on the Thousand Sunny, he's pretty sure she's looking forward to slapping Luffy on the wrist. He knows she would do it any other time, but even a crew as messy and casual as his own knows better than to disregard their captain's authority in the face of an 'enemy' crew. 

He believes that, in general, everyone somewhat understands Nico Robin's idea of driving Luffy to make such a proposal. However, Jinbe needs to be sure.

"Luffy-kun, a subordinate crew is not the same as an alliance," he explains to his young captain. "An alliance is typically formed to achieve a specific common goal while subordination is a declaration of loyalty to a larger crew. Like your fleet, a subordinate captain remains captain of his own crew but will end up answering to you if you ask him to. Whitebeard knows this well; he himself had at least twenty subordinate captains, including me," he says. "You should know that proposing something like that to Whitebeard suggests that you think of them as an inferior crew, or at least weaker than your own. It's probably a serious insult," he warns. "Knowing all this, I will support your decision whatever it is. What do you want to do?"

His last statement is met with grunts from Whitebeard's pirates. Marco, the younger of the two, looks at Jinbe with suspicion and a tinge of betrayal shining in his eyes. Jinbe understands them. For all of them, Whitebeard is on the highest pedestal in the seas. This kind of contempt is inconceivable for all of them, and seeing Jinbe, who they've known for years, support him is even worse. However, his old friends know well that Jinbe is a man of great honour and would never disrespect Whitebeard for any slight. He has made the decision that he considers the most sensible, he just hopes that they understand him.

Ignoring the reactions, Jinbe's entire attention is focused on Luffy. The others, whether from his crew or the opposing crew, also remain still, waiting for the captain's response. The boy has his jaw clenched and seems to be having a debate with himself. Jinbe glances at Robin, almost expecting her to approach his captain again to push him to make a decision, but the woman calmly stands aside. After a few minutes of silence and tension, Luffy's shoulders slump.

"I don't want to be an enemy to Ace's father, I want us to be friends and have a great banquet together!" He confesses and, although Jinbe doesn't admit it, he feels a certain relief to see such a typical response from his captain in such an uncertain time. "But..." His gaze darkens as he looks in his brother's direction. "I'm not going to lose Ace again. If the old man is on the front lines, what happened at Marineford will happen again," Luffy looks at Whitebeard defiantly. "An alliance would put us in the same position and what I want is for you to step back. Blackbeard is mine."

Ace growls, "Don't be cocky, Luffy! Oyaji is the only one who can...!"

"He can't! He was already defeated before!" Luffy interrupts.

Ace looks like he wants to scream again, but the words don't seem to come out. Jinbe is more surprised that Whitebeard doesn't respond: he's looking at Luffy with unmatched anger. Future Marco looks out to sea, his mind seems far away. Jinbe thinks he is remembering the war, just like he is doing right now.

"And you won't be?" Ace asks with a moderate tone.

"I don't know," he admits. "But I know I'll be defeated if I have to worry about you dying every second," the words are raw, but not as raw as Luffy's expression right now. Jinbe knows that expression because he saw it two years ago. The others look at the captain as if it's the first time they've seen him, and although Jinbe knows that the Thousand Sunny has seen even the worst parts of each of them, this goes even deeper. "Why don’t you understand?" There is a touch of desperation in his voice. "It is not a weakness to accept that you are not prepared for this battle. It’s been two years, Ace. You have fallen behind."

Luffy's words end with a long, tired sigh. After narrowly escaping Egghead, the last thing Jinbe would have expected is to find himself in a situation like this. They just wanted to rest, take Vegapunk to safety, and go back to causing trouble on any other island. This here? This is like a nightmare come true, no matter how happy he is to see his friends alive.

"Brat," Whitebeard finally speaks. "The only reason I haven't acted yet on all your insults towards me and my children is not because you're Ace's young brother, but because I respect you," he says. "What you said earlier gave me something to think about."

Luffy cocks his head curiously but doesn't let his guard down.

"Oyaji?" Thatch frowns.

"I agree that revenge blinded us all," he admits. "I agree that my name and status made my children relax. It's a weakness I never considered."

"Oyaji, that's not true! You don't have to agree with my brother just because..."

Whitebeard raises a hand and Ace's complaints are immediately silenced. The old man looks not at his son, but at the boy in the straw hat.

"The little I have seen of you suggests that you are a formidable captain. If your crew is a reflection of the new generations, then I agree to take a step back."

"What?! Oyaji!" 

Marco the phoenix shakes with wide eyes. Around him, the other commanders imitate him. Future Marco looks away from the ocean to squint at his captain. Jinbe himself feels unmatched surprise, but he doesn't show it. He can't say the same for his crew, who reel with equal amounts of relief and fear at these words.

"However, I will not back down from this fight," Whitebeard finishes, ignoring his sons' cries. "Teach will die by my hand, and if you plan to argue, then we will have to fight."

And that's it. The last statement weighs on them like a sentence and Zoro is the first to process the words, drawing Enma. This is not the wisest move, because Izo recognizes the sword and tightens his grip on the pistols he pulls out of his kimono. The movements of the two pirates mark the beginning of what could become a pitched battle.

"Wait...! Izo!" Ace exclaims, looking at the other commander with wide eyes. "Oyaji! I...! Are we going to fight?" The boy swallows. He looks from his captain to his younger brother like he can't believe it.

Whitebeard doesn't respond, but instead watches Luffy like a hawk waiting for any sign that will mark the start of the war. Luffy, for his part, looks at Nico Robin. The woman nods and the captain takes it as an indication to speak.

"If you attack, we will respond," Luffy says. "It would be easier if we could just fight, but I don't want to hurt Ace's crew."

"You have a lot of self-confidence," Jozu spits with the diamond shining on his right arm.

"I..." Ace clenches his fists. "I don't want to fight Luffy as well," he admits. "I know we're pirates. I knew we could fight one day, but being enemies like this..."

"I don't want to fight you like that either, Ace!" Luffy says. "That's why I will complete my previous proposal."

Ace stops and Jinbe frowns. His proposal, if telling a legend to subordinate him can be called that, was what almost caused heads to roll. He's not sure he wants to know what comes next or what repercussions it will have. However, the tension in Luffy's shoulders begins to ease little by little and his eyes begin to shine.

"It will be a confrontation, but we won't have to fight as enemies! I'm sure you'll accept!" He addresses Whitebeard, looking him face to face seriously. Raising his fists in a clear sign of a fight, he says, "I propose a Luffy Back Fight!"

And just like that, Jinbe's captain manages to turn the most stressful situation he's ever experienced into a moment where everyone's brains stop working. He even sees Brook comically fall on his back.

"You can't be serious," Nami moans, hiding her face in her hands.

"Damn shitty captain," Sanji pulls out a cigarette and lights it, but seems to want to walk up to his captain and shake him.

"Sorry, a what?" Haruta asks in disbelief.

Apparently, Luffy was waiting for the question. He puffs out his chest with pride and responds.

"Its original name is Davy Back Fight, a game where whoever wins gets nakama!" He explains it much better than Jinbe could expect from him. "But I don't want Ace's nakama, so I changed his name to create a new rule!"

"I imagine," Future Marco says slowly. "That the crew that loses the Luffy Back Fight will be subordinate to the crew that wins."

Luffy nods with apparent seriousness, but you can almost see him glowing with excitement. Jinbe is still processing it, but Whitebeard seems honestly fed up with the situation.

"Luffy, this is not the time," Usopp says with wide eyes.

"He's gotta be fucking around," Law says, as if he's not already used to Luffy and his unpredictable personality.

"Luffy! Is this a joke to you?!" Ace blurts out.

"Of course not!" Luffy exclaims. "It's the only way to reach an agreement! It will be like a fight but without us being real enemies!"

"I can't believe you," the older brother shakes his head in annoyance. "Everything is a game for you, always the same. Luffy, this is serious, we..."

"Actually, that's a great idea," Future Marco interrupts Ace and everyone looks at him like he's gone crazy. "Teach's base, Pirate Island, is where the Davy Back Fight was created. I think it's the best way to resolve this conflict."

"It's not about the symbolism!" Marco the phoenix says with mockery. "A game will not determine the strongest."

"There's nothing to determine, Marco, we all know what power levels we're at right now," his future self replies. "If you keep seeing Luffy as a child instead of an Emperor, then you haven't understood anything."

"Playing this game we won't have any casualties to hinder us in the battle with Teach," Whitebeard says before his first commander can respond. "Then we'll do that."

Chopper screeches. Jinbe sees Usopp panicking, slightly reconsidering his pirate journey and how his life has gotten to this point. He knows his exact thoughts because he feels that way himself. Whitebeard's pirates don't seem much different, all staring at their captain like he suddenly has three heads.

"Good," Luffy nods and smiles. Right now he's not 'Nika' but if there's one thing Jinbe has learned lately it's that Luffy's smile doesn't bode well.

Notes:

Hi! It's been a while, I hope y'all are fine and safe <3

As a small reminder, when we talk about ' strength' in this story I am not talking about physical power. Whitebeard is a legend, and despite his illness I never doubted his status as 'the strongest man in the world'. I think this quote explains it better than I can do it:

"I do not know what a father should be like, but I do know what it's like to be a captain. Your crew was defeated, and instead of aspiring to be better, you only seek revenge. I don't want to ally with someone like that."

Anyway, since I last updated... I graduated!! Now I'm stressed because on Monday I have my driving test and for some reason I drive as if Akainu was hunting me...... but I'm also starting work, so I guess that's good news.

I hope it won't take too long for the next chapter, I have a Luffy Back Fight to prepare :) Thanks for reading!!