11 The tide turns

- Fall back! Dammit! FALL! BACK! We need to form a battle line! Fall back!

Bitterly, vice admiral Momonga is forced to usher that cursed order, never in his life has he ever thought he'd have to endure the shame of having to retreat on the battlefields of Marineford itself. Yet what choice does he have? What choice do any of them have when fighting a foe such as this? The vice admiral clutches at his katana, teeth clenching tightly as marine soldiers rush pass him to get to safety, retreating, nay, fleeing from the ranks upon ranks of interlocking tower shields protruding with bristling spears slowly marching toward the plaza. Behind them roll massive wheeled war platforms, dotted with murder holes and arrow slits filled with guns that spew not bullets, but beams of searing light that simply burn a hole through flesh, like a weaker version of admiral Kizaru's beams. The silk-clad warriors fight in phalanx formation, an impenetrable moving fortress of blades, shields and spears, with gaps opening for naïve marines to charge through, only to close up behind them, surrounding and cutting them down from all side. Momonga squeezes the handle of the blade harder, recalling how close he was to sharing the same fate has it not for his battle prowess. They're not fighting the usual ragtag gangs of outlaws who rush blindly into battle, they're fighting a professional army with tactics and strategies, something that the majority of their forces have never faced before and completely unprepared for, and there are so many of them. In a proper battle, the marines would be the shock troops while their enemies are the core troops, and in a proper battle, unsupported shock troops always lose.

- Vice admiral! Vice admiral! - A captain runs toward him, panting heavily as he bends forward to try and catch hi breaths. - V-Vice admiral…news….command…

- Easy son, take your time. - Momonga says calmly, planting his katana down in a challenging gesture aimed at the slowly advancing army.

- Y-yes sir… - The captain nods furiously, adjusting his breathing before standing up for a salute as he reports. - New command from the fleet admiral, sir! We're to retreat and hold out at the main plaza, the execution is to proceed as planned, sir!

- "Retreat" he said? - The vice admiral narrows his eyes, then turns his gaze toward the enemy fleet still sitting ominously in front of the bay, swinging his sword to block an energy beam fired at them, they're running out of ground to hold and time to prepare. - Aye, we can possibly hold out in the plaza. But we still have the fleet to content with, does the fleet admiral have any solution for that?

- The special force, sir. - The captain says quietly, ominously, Momonga could see the fear and anxiety in his eyes just from mentioning "Them".

- Very well, - The vice admiral nods. - inform the others, and get the wounded to safety.

- Yes, sir!

***

Lucious seems almost nonchalant at the newly developments of the battle, the smirking grin on his face only seems to grow at time passes. What is he planning? Whitebeard wonders as he glances at the inquisitor every once in a while, each time making him feeling more and more dreadful, his anxiety made even worse by the suspicious actions of the marines. They're falling back from the bay and the walls, even though they could have hold those positions even against Lucious' janissaries had formed a proper battle line to greet them. And yet, they didn't. Even in the bay, the fanatical, almost suicidal charge of the desperate marines has stopped, the white tide is slowly retreating back into the plaza, firing ragged volleys into the horde of pirates to slow their advance, buying time for the rest of the marines to get to safety.

- Tenacious little bastards. - The Lord Inquisitor snarls, taking a step forward to survey the battlefield, his golden eyes dart from on corner of bay to another. - They're cutting your children off.

- How can you tell? - The old pirate captain turns to his ally with concern.

- This is an inverted crescent mood fortress, with inward pointing cannon turrets, go figure. - Lucious hisses amusedly. - Question is if they're not defending the walls, how are they planning to encircle you?

- That sly bastard Sengoku. - Whitebeard smiles grimly. - He's planning on something.

- It matters not. - The Anacondrai scoffs, tapping his talon on the hard wood of the Moby Dick's bow. - One final push, that's all we need for…

- Houston we have a situation. - Zorus' voice rings from the communicator on Lucious' wrist.

- Houston here, speak. - The Lord Inquisitor brings his wrist near to his face, eyes still glancing at the battlefield.

- The remaining ships of these "marines" are acting weirdly. - Zorus' tone sounds amusedly nonchalant to Whitebeard. - They just dropped off a sizable chunk of their forces then circle behind our fleet.

- Well deal with them for Alfai's sake. - Lucious rolls his eyes and sigh exaggeratedly at his lieutenant's ridiculous notion. - Honestly Zorus, had I not knowing any better, I'd have thought you're afraid of these human. Mortal! Human! Zorus! With primitive, black powder weapons and wooden ships! Am I to believe that High Inquisitor Zorus himself is afraid of some Morai'hak armed with nothing more than a boom sti…

- Uh boss, they have more than just Morai'hak. - Ulrich's voice chimes in, followed by the shrieking of a hecatoncheire just flies by. - And they just incapacitated several of the special shock troops. And they're a bit too close to be fire by the big guns, without damaging our ships.

- What do you mean by…? You know what? Fine. Fine! - Lucious rubs his temple with frustration, before barking into the communicator. - Hold the line, I'll be right there. Just try not to lose anymore of the hecatoncheires, copias pendejos? Those are NOT cheap!

- Problems in the rear? - Whitebeard asks concernedly.

- If I have a crown coin for every time… - The Lord Inquisitor mumbles while rubbing his forehead. - Can you take care of things here for a moment? I need to take like fifty pills of aspirin just to deal with whatever bullshit they're throwing at my rear guards.

Before Whitebeard could utter a word, Lucious has bolted away, each step propelling him dozens of meters toward the entrance of the bay, where the third front has been opened. The old pirate captain could see flashes of light and explosion coming from the great fleet of his allies, something is firing at them from both side, while the marines have mobilized the remaining, yet to be destroyed ships to the rear of their great ships. He scoffs at their foolishness, at their naivety, those ships are moving fortresses of their own rights, even if they concentrate their cannons on a single ship, it would just like pissing off a rhino with a fork. But what could cause them to be such reckless? Whitebeard wonders, his golden eyes staring at the explosion raging as whatever it is that's bombarding the outer most positioned ships continues, though their attacks were mostly negated. Yet even with their rear compromised, the columns of the janissaries are still marching onward, uncaring of the rain of shrapnel falling down from cannonballs taken out midair by well aimed jezzail shots.

Nearly two third of the pirate alliance's forces have made it into the bay, swarming like locusts over the frozen sea and fields of broken marine bodies, trampling the dead and the dying alike, their fanatical zeal for rescuing their comrade burns like a wildfire. And still, despite their remaining forces outnumbering Whitebeard's at the very least three to one, and their home field advantage, the marines are simply fighting in a running retreat. Whitebeard watches his pirate alliance rushes toward the plaza, almost uncontested, haltered only by the ragged volleys from the troops lining the walls and the remaining cannon turrets. Even the Shichibukai and the admirals have retreated from the main fighting, now focusing on picking off the few lucky pirates that have managed to get to the plaza or fending off the janissary legions. What are they planning to do?

- Pops! - A pirate captain with long, wavy hair walks quickly toward the old pirate from behind, dragging behind him a massive bloodied sword, his entire attire torn and stained with blood. - Pops! News from the rears.

- What news? - Whitebeard turns to one of his pirate captain, one of his sons, Maelstrom Spider Squard, checking him up and down for injuries as he seems to have fought his way to get to him.

- The marines! Those damnable bastards! - Squard roars, walking back and fort in frustration.

- Calm down my son. - Whitebeard speaks slowly. - Speak, what happened in the rear lines?

- Bartholomew Kuma, Pops! Twenty of them! - Squard screeches in despair. - They've taken out three of our ships!

- What?! - Whitebeard's eyes open wide at the news. He turns around looking at their rear lines, where indeed there are three great pyres burning brightly even in the dense sea fogs. - Damn…those must be the "Human Weapons" we've heard rumors about. What about Lucious' forces? Are they engaging them?

- They're holding a defensive position, but last I check, the Grand Inquisitors were preparing their forces to retaliate. - Squard reports with concerned tone. - Also, we've intercepted a piece of intelligent from one of the commandeered marine ships.

- Really? What is it? - The old captain raises one eyebrow.

- The message is that there's a MASSIVE SHIP FALLING DOWN FROM THE SKY! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!

Just as the captain's reported, a marine battleship is falling from the sky, the same ship that Marco has reported seeing from the top of the glacier, one that Lucious' suspected to be from an ambushing second fleet caught in the tsunami. But a closer look, along with the chaotic screaming from the ship suggest otherwise, as the crews that are falling along with the ship don't wear the white of the marines, but in black and white striped clothing of Impel Down's convicts and…unfortunate to look at clothing of the okama freaks from Kamabakka Kingdom. Yet even in that screeching flock of raining people, Whitebeard, Squard and indeed most people could pick out a few distinct individuals, individuals that could turn the tide of war with their allegiance, if only Lucious and his forces weren't here first.

The ship and its crew rams into the ocean where Jozu has created a hole in the ice, sending upward a great waterspout that rains down on the battle field. For a moment, the entire battleground is drowned in a deafening silence, save for the panicking sounds of the escaped convicts as they haul themselves out of the water. The entire battle seems to have halted, every combatant turns to the battleship and its crews newly arrived at Marineford, not daring to believe what they've just seen and heard, the sight of a straw hat and a voice screaming the name of the soon to be executed criminal. Yet it was the least of their worries, as the marines could see some of the more notorious faces amongst the escapes, the golden hook and signature fur coat of the former Shichibukai Crocodile, the blue, hulking form and kimono of the fishman Shichibukai Jinbei, the disproportionately large head of Ivankov of the Revolutionary. And standing in front of them all, in his yellow sleeveless vest and shorts, along with his trademark straw hat, is the one Ace, and Garp, have hoped to not make it.

- AAAAAAAAAAAAACCCCCCCCCCCCCCCCEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Monkey D. Luffy, has arrived at Marineford.

***

They have never seen anything like this before, not from any primitive cultures that they've came across. Breiton rubs his skeletal chin as he observes the massive "Human Weapon" from up close, a precise copy of the "Shichibukai", one Bartholomew Kuma the Tyrant, but with slight differences. The Anacondrai Apothecary zips and dashes between the closest "Pacifistas" along with the rest of his Order of the Apothecarium Mechanum, gracefully, effortlessly avoiding every of their clumsy attacks, though their long ranged beam attack is quite powerful, even for Anacondrai at pointblank range, their melee attack, a result of them being so tightly situated, leaves much to be desire.

- Pacifistas! What are you doing?! - A large human wielding a massive two handed axe screams in frustration. - Attack already!

- They're too tightly packed, Sentomaru-san! - A marine soldier exclaims. - They can't shoot without damaging themselves!

- And those…things…aren't making things easier, either. - Sentomaru, the officer commanding the Pacifistas murmurs, eyes narrowing in frustration at the sight of lanky, almost skeletal humanoid with raptorial lower body simply dance around their mightiest weapons with ease while carefully studying them. - They can't risk shooting at the ships if they're surrounded by them.

- Wh-what do we do? - The marine officer asks, eyeing the wreckage of one of the Pacifista that was given the order to ignore the creatures and to fire at the ships, only to be taken down with a single blow.

- They seem to be only interested in the ones that are still operational. - Sentomaru speaks quietly, scratching his chin in consideration. - We should take this chance and assail the ships ourselves.

- I advice against it, Morai'Hak.

Before Sentomaru can turn around to address the new voice that has arrived just behind him in the soldier's place, he feels a powerful impact in his side, sending him almost flying a sizable distance away. Burying his axe into the hard ice to halt his sliding, the large man grabs his side, wheezing and coughing at the sheer force of impact, his vision is blurred and his ears ring like bells. He falls onto one knee, panting to regain his strength, confused and baffled, even caught off guard and activating in a pure instinctive respond, his tekkai should have negated some of the force. Yet whoever, whatever that has hit him has not only broken through his formidable defense, but also has cracked at least one rib. Sentomaru could hear the victim of his assailant before the he could see him, struggling to breathe in the constricting grab of the thing's hand. Whatever he is, he's the same as the things that are studying the Pacifista, yet this one stands proud, classed in what seems like a black, more correctly measured and proportioned version of the marines' cape, with belt strapping around his waist holstering a rapier and a mechanical, almost futuristic looking handgun. Yet the most distinctive, and shocking thing about Sentomaru's attacker is that his face bears a great resemblance to the pirate Monkey D. Luffy.

- My, my. - The newcomer smiles, lowering his tail that just a moment ago was recoiling from the strike. - For a species with such short lifespan, you mortal sure like to rush into deadly situation.

- No! Wait!

Sentomaru screams out for the man, the thing, but it was too late, with a swift motion, the Luffy's doppelganger snaps the marine's neck, chuckling at he watches his victim's body falls limp. He tosses the marine aside with no more effort than one tossing away a piece of trash, much to the remaining marines' horror and Sentomaru's rage.

- You…monster! - He roars, swinging his axe at the newcomer.

- You people just wouldn't listen, do you? - The man frowns disapprovingly, almost uncaring of the incoming battle axe.

The abnormally large human roars, bringing the axe toward doppelganger in a wide arch, intended to cleave him in half for such a heinous crime. All Sentomaru sees is red, his ears bubbling with the sounds of his boiling blood, so blinded by rage that he can't hear the frantic screaming of his men, warning him of the incoming attackers. The haki coated axe in his hands suddenly feels so light, as if a portion of it is removed. And it is, a good two third of the axe's blade has been cleaved clean off before it had the chance to get near to nonchalant doppelganger, the cut seems sizzling with green glowing particles. The man, the thing, still stand, still looking at him, at Sentomaru's soul with unblinking, considering golden eyes, next to him stands another, taller figure with hair the color of moss, his double bladed sword still swirling in his hands, blazing with the same green particles as it's planted to the cold hard ice.

Another blow collides with Sentomaru, but this time, it hits him squarely in his chest, sending him completely flying a few meters away. His attacker is an almost perfect clone of the pirate Sanji, though missing the signature swirling eyebrow and the sparse goatee, giving him a more youthful appearance than his pirate counterpart. The blond man sports a set of formal black officer uniform, not unlike those worn by the jailors in Impel Down but more intricately decorated, with medals, tags and accessories fashioned from rare and valuable metals stringing from his pockets and hanging from the many leather belts wrapping around his waist. A large coat drapes over his shoulders in a mocking resemblance to the marines' coat of justice, billowing in the cold sea wind ominously like a folded pair of dark wings.

- Pa…-Pacifista! - Sentomaru screams out an order, hoping that the human weapons would be enough to buy him time to warn the others.

He tries to make a run for it, his soru allows him to distant himself from the pirates' new and dangerous allies, leaving behind the marines and Pacifista to buy him some time. Yet they don't last long, almost immediately all nine remaining Pacifista are taken down, a hail of arrows rips through several, while the rest are cut to pieces by nimble, petite, almost children-like warrior with shimmering blades and spears. Gods, what kind of monsters are they? Sentomaru thinks, clenching his teeth as he dashes through the air toward the nearest, still intact marine ship, if he could just get to a Den Den Mushi, if he could send out a swift warning, the sacrifice of all ten Pacifista and the marine soldiers of the strike force would be entirely worth it.

- Nice toys you've got there. - Chill runs down Sentomaru's spines as he hears the doppelganger's voice next to him, the thing is keeping pace with him effortlessly, smiling at him mockingly as he does. - Mind telling me more about what you're doing with them at my ships?

- Be gone! - The large warrior spins midair and thrusts his opened palm at his pursuer, sending out a powerful shockwave with his haki that causes the thing to seemingly lose his footing and staggers off course.

- Do try to make it easier on yourself will you? - A ruse, Sentomaru realizes it far too late as the doppelganger reappears right in front of him, his raptorial legs curled up for a full power kick.

A sound echoes across the outside of the bay, a mixture of a thunder bolt and a cracking of the many thronged whip the marines usually use as punishment, sending the atmosphere of the third front into utter silence as the marine soldiers are frozen in place. Theirs is a combination of awe and utter horror from witnessing a display of sheer physical power, with a single kick, the absolute massive warrior that is Sentomaru was brought low, his face's all but completely shattered, his neck almost gave into the force has it not for the thick layer of muscle fibers. Still he's incapacitated entirely while his assailant simply shakes his slender yet muscular legs in a casual fashion with his arms behind his back, before stomping onto the down man's windpipe, his face barely shows any emotion.

- My my, this is just embarrassing for you. - The doppelganger says, pressing down at Sentomaru's windpipe, just enough for the barely conscious man to feel the pain when breathing.

- B-bast…tard… - The sumo warrior coughs, almost unable to speak.

- I did warn you to make it easier on yourself, didn't I? - The monster continues, shrugging his shoulders dismissively. - Oh well, can't be helped, can't be help, let's get things going and be done with it already shall we? So what were you doing at my ships? What are you and your little friends planning to do?

- F-fools…all of…you… - Sentomaru tries speaking, yet every word escaping his mouth, every breath feels like a firework of pain exploding in his mouth and throat. - N-none of you…will leave this…place…all…will… Hckgh!

- I am not interest in wasting friend, amigo. - The doppelganger presses his clawed foot down harder. - Just tell me what were you planning, and I'll let you die with some dignity.

Despite his injuries, despite the blood coughed up with every of his breaths in his death rattling, Sentomaru still manages to let out a weak, gurgling chuckles. He could see it, the confusion, annoyance in the doppelganger's golden eyes and his lips moving, he's saying something, yet his hearing was so damaged by the powerful kick and the aftershock that he couldn't hear a thing. Yet still he chuckles, the laughs, a desperate, maddening laugh as the last of his life force slowly ebbs away from him, having succeeded in his endeavor, the trap was sprung, all ready he could feel the rumbling of the siege walls and the grinding of gears, this island will become a tomb for all of them.

- You're too late… - The sumo warrior barks weakly, much to the confusion of the doppelganger, his hand shakily raises, pointing toward the portion of the siege walls slowly pushing at the giant ships, closing up the inner bay. - Whitebeard…and all of his lackeys…die…here…

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