Chapter Text
It had been one of the hardest battles fought, after Vegapunk revealed to the world what the Void Century had been and why the World Government didn’t want anyone to know, they started getting much more active in the way they dealt with those that formed a danger to their dogma. It was small at first, but it became clear that they were gunning for the Strawhats and their allies soon after.
Luffy was one of the biggest treats they had, with how he was able to awaken Nika and use the fruit as an extension of himself. He was everything they wanted to keep hidden, the very reason why they had given the Nika Fruit another name. So no one would know, no one did, until a kid from East Blue ate it on accident and managed to figure it out.
Shanks had been right to bet on him for this new age, but sadly that bet wouldn’t be enough when it came to it. Luffy was strong, there was no doubt about it, but he wasn’t even nearly ready take on Imu. Especially not an Imu who was hundredth of years to prepare in the possibility that Joyboy or Nika would return. He needed support, and Marco could accept that with most of his original crew and Ace not here, it was up to him to give that support.
Flying into battle in a way that he hadn’t done since the hight of Oyaji’s reign, he became an active pirate again. Someone who was either on the Sunny or the Red Force. Someone who people knew, he was a phoenix after all. Even if they shot him out of the sky, he would get up again and again.
Marco shook off the latest attack, not wanting to look around him in fear of seeing more nakama who had died trying to bring freedom to the world. Although he had wanted to retire, he had eventually chosen to set out again when it became clear Luffy would be smack in the middle of everything going on here. Teach had his eyes set on the youngest Yonko, and for that alone Marco was willing to lay down his life. That traitor had taken away too much already, he wasn’t about to let him take away Luffy as well.
Once Teach had been dealt with, a joined effort between Garp, Sabo, Shanks, Marco and Luffy, they stumbled into an ambush laid by the World Government, they wanted Luffy dealt with and they wanted so now.
In an effort to get to him, they had attacked viciously, which ended in losing quite a number of allies. As they tried to hide it, it was revealed that Morgans was Momora, formerly of the Roger Pirates. He kept up to date with everything and used those connections to keep his former crew up to date. Once the news hit about what the World Government wanted to do, there were riots all over. Several marines quit on the spot, knowing that it was such monsters they were serving.
More crews than ever before joined Luffy in an effort to make sure that whatever happened now was at least a last stand of those that wanted freedom. With the person embodying freedom leading them, that had to give them an edge.
But it had been a disaster, it seemed that the World Government knew their weak spots and went after them with icy cold accuracy. Sphinx was no more, nor was Dawn or any of the Strawhats’ home island. Most nights, Marco could hear Sabo and Luffy sob when they realized that those they had seen as family were no more. Shanks had been there to console them, showing a side that Marco hadn’t seen since they were children. It was the man he knew would become a Yonko and a force to be feared.
“Marco!”
Looking down, he sees Law sitting there, a hand to his side which is slowly oozing blood. A tired smile on his face as he looks at the other doctor, “He’s up ahead.”
Nodding, Marco touched down and went ahead on foot. He didn’t know what he would find. But seeing Luffy sitting there with Sabo and the remnants of his crew around him was not what he expected. From their still bodies it was clear that they were dead.
Letting his eyes wander back, he could see Law slumped over without movement. A sharp pain in his heart telling him that they were the last here. He hadn’t wanted to look as to not see those he had counted as Nakama, even if he had seen Beckman and Jinbei not too far away.
Swallowing thickly, Marco settled down next to Luffy, “Luffy…”
A weak smile was what came over the Pirate King’s lips, “Marco… You’re alright.”
There was a voice sounded out from behind them, “It takes a lot more then that to keep him out of Davy Jones’ coffin, Anchor.”
Turning, he didn’t think he had ever been happier to see Shanks. The man’s white shirt was red with blood, both his own and not. His eyes were dead, and Marco knew it was from seeing his own crew among the casualties. Marco knew how that felt, he didn’t regret this, but seeing the dead around him. Still happening as they stood there, it was almost too much.
“Shanks - Dad.”
A strained smile took over Shanks’ lips as he settled down next to Luffy, his hand coming up to cup Luffy’s cheek.
“Hi sunshine, what do you want to do?”
Luffy looked around him, tears running down his cheek before he coughed and there was blood coming up. His teeth stained as he looked at the both of them, his eyes glowing red with Nika’s power. It was terrifying, to know that this God made Flesh was dying. Marco felt it in his heart, and while he pressed hand engulfed into blue flames to Luffy’s chest he knew it wouldn’t be enough to keep him going for much longer.
Red eyes looked at both Shanks and Marco, sadness in those eyes that were able to pierce their very soul.
“I want to give another chance, I can’t go. I’m too broken right now and I wouldn’t be able to do much right now. I… It has to be you, there is no one else left but this can’t happen again. There is nothing else left, and I… I can’t see this happen to Nakama.”
It’s one thing to expect this to happen, and another thing to hear Luffy mention it so readily. Marco knew that this would Luffy’s decision, he loved his nakama too much, the knowledge that there was nothing left wouldn’t be enough for him to keep fighting. He wanted to have fun, to give freedom to all of them, there was nothing left if his loved ones weren’t there. Shanks and Marco were still there, but they were both also without a crew unless one would call them each other’s crew. But it wasn’t the same, they couldn’t live in a world like this either.
“So, you’re going to send us back?”
Luffy nodded, “Law… Law tried to use operation: eternal on me but it didn’t work. However, it did give me the needed powers to send you back in time. Someone needs to do it and…”
Shaking his head, Luffy coughed once more. His hand coming up to cover his mouth and when he pulled it away it was stained in blood, “I can’t… But things still need to happen, certain things, but others can be prevented, I think.”
He grinned at the two of them, “Maybe this time around you can both stop pretending too, I know there is something there. You’re happy, even if you’re not right now, but hiding isn’t going to bring you anything.”
It was still odd how deep the kid could be, he saw right through them. Ace had too, when he first saw Marco and Shanks together. They were his big brothers in a way, as Shanks should have been his older brother if Roger and Rouge had lived. So he treated them both like that, was closer to Marco than anyone else on the ship and even covered for him and Shanks at the dispense of himself. People believed he and Marco were a thing, when in fact Ace was his little brother.
“I guess you have a point there, Luffy, it took us long enough -yoi.”
Looking at Shanks, Marco smiled softly, “I knew we should have asked Oyaji to marry us, before. I’m sorry we never did -yoi. I… There is nothing left here, but I want us to have that if we go back. To take it as another chance of life, a chance we never took before. I’m sure we can get back to the East Blue and to Dawn to save those three gremlins -yoi.”
His eyes found Sabo’s body, knowing how much Ace missed him, if he could he would make sure that those brothers wouldn’t be separated. He would raise them alone if he needed to do so, he would raise them, take care of them and make sure they were the monsters he knew they were meant to be.
“I want that too…”
Shanks was soft spoken, for once, his eyes on Marco as he added, “I want to make sure that I can see all three of them grow up. To support them, what I wanted to do but was too scared to do. But if this is the alternative I’ll let them grow up on a pirate ship.”
Laughing softly, Luffy grinned at them, “Then let’s do it!”
They helped him up and to go to a place not too littered with bodies. Closing the eyes of all those they came across. To start with Law, slumped over where he had been standing when Marco touched down. If this could, maybe there was something they could do for him too. He was a nice man, and he and Luffy had this special bond.
Finally settling down, Luffy took a hold of their hands, grinning widely as he let gear five take over. The tiredness they could see in his face was new, and Marco knew that when he ended his transformation Luffy would be dead.
Pressing close to peck his forehead, Marco grinned, “We’re proud of you, I hope you know that -yoi.”
The bright grin was all they needed, before light started to form around Luffy. Turning brighter and brighter until they couldn’t see him anymore. The only reason they knew he was still there was the hold on their hands. They were in the middle of what seemed like a supernova, light all around them. Until it warped around them, pulled them into its light. The sun becoming a black hole as Luffy activated this move.
Looking at Shanks, Marco could see an outline of his lover, grinning as he called out, “See you on the other side -yoi.”
Closing his eyes, he felt the world shift even more around him. Spinning and moving, until it all seemed to stop and he felt a bed under him. Opening his eyes, Marco breathed deeply before looking around himself. He was in his room on the Moby, the date on a report on his desk making it about the time that Shanks had made his way into the New World again, without his arm and his hat.
Biting his lip, Marco ran a hand over his face before he was moving out of his room and towards Oyaji. He needed to talk to his father and hope that the man believed him. This wasn’t just any story he was about to tell.
Knocking, Marco felt tears appear in his eyes at the deep voice of Oyaji answering, opening the door he looked at the old man and grinned.
“Oyaji, you’re never going to believe what I am going to tell you -yoi.”