Chapter Text
Al had not planned for this.
None of them had planned for this.
They really should have just left after meeting up with Ace and the Straw Hats at Alabasta, having dropped Sabo off long before that, unfortunately not being able to reunite the brothers, not stayed for the rather expected party that was thrown.
She'd woken up under the same blanket as Ace. That really should have clued her in.
It wasn't until three weeks later that she realized what had happened.
One night stands were a bitch. Especially when their need to make sure caused them to miss Blackbeard by a week.
She was four months along now, holding Ace's battered hat as she tried to hold herself together.
Ed was stone cold as she stood behind her sister, a hand on her shoulder, her hat shadowing her eyes.
This... changed everything.
Of course, they'd been preparing for this scenario, they'd been training and planning just in case.
Making sure Ace survived had just become more urgent. But first...
Ed led her sister back onto The Truth to calm her down for long enough to make a few calls. While Ed could, in theory, play The Informant, she just wasn't as convincing.
The call made to the Revolutionaries was pretty straightforward. Ace had been captured and was set to be executed, Luffy would somehow make his way there, knowing him, and the Marines would reveal just whose blood ran through his veins. She also told them it would be a golden opportunity for either sabotage or other shenanigans. Dragon had agreed rather amicably, even if negotiating a price for the information had been stilted.
“We want only one thing, Dragon-san... and it's not something you can offer. Let's just say you owe us.”
Dragon hadn't really liked the thought of owing them, but let it slide.
Next, came calling Shanks. It was both easier and harder, but it wasn't nearly as hard as calling Whitebeard would be.
Al took a deep breath before dialing. Her own Den Den was already plugged into a White Den Den Mushi, but she wasn't going to go into too much detail, since she wasn't sure how secure it really was. At least when calling the Revolutionaries, she could be certain that it, too, was plugged into a White Den Den.
“Hello?”
Al smiled a little at the sound of a groggy Akagami, but spoke in a grave tone “Rouge's son will die.”
There was some noise from the other end even as she continued “You've met him once, so you'll recognize him in the papers. The marines will tell the world his name and though that cannot be stopped, his death can. Be prepared, Akagami, for your colleagues will try and take advantage of a Father's crusade for his son.”
With this, she hung up on the man, hoping she'd helped a little. Perhaps if he knew to expect another Yonko, he'd be able to disengage sooner and thus arrive at Marineford earlier.
Now... for arguably the toughest call she'd ever have to make.
“Moby Dick.”
She couldn't recognize the voice, but that didn't matter “If you have a White Den Den Mushi, plug it in and take me to your captain. I can't have Marines hearing what I have to say.”
The person on the other end was understandably suspicious “Who is this?”
Alexia took in a deep breath before she answered “I am the one who knows all. Now take me to your Father.”
Evidently, the person on the other end realized just who they were talking to and scrambled to do as she said. Sometimes it was good to have a reputation.
“Pops! The- The Informant's on the Den Den!”
Al could hear the surprised and incredulous murmurs, but she ignored them as she spoke in a respectful tone “Whitebeard.”
“Gurara, what does the world's greatest information broker want with me?”
Al's face went carefully blank, as did her voice as she said the next words “Portgas D. Ace has been handed over to the Marines.” she waited for the shocked and dismayed noises to die down “By that third-rate traitor, Marshall D. Teach.” once again, she paused until the angry noises died down “They're going to execute him at Marineford.”
The uproar was loud enough for Leo to peer in to check on her, but she waved him off “But this isn't even half of it, so if you'd shut up for a moment.” she paused at the silence “Thank you. Now, Admiral Sakazuki is going to use some bad blood and misinformation to turn Squard against you during the inevitable War at Marineford that they're trying to pull. You know of what I speak. The Marines will announce it for the world to hear. Oh, and watch out for Straw Hat Luffy. Knowing him, he'll make his way over there as soon as he hears about it... that is, if he doesn't break into Impel Down first, we'll see, the kid is a little unpredictable, even if you know how his mind works.”
She paused before adding one last thing “Right, please do not shoot the Ouroboros Pirates when they turn up, either before or at Marineford, depending on which happens first, their Jolly Roger is that of a red winged serpent chasing its tail around a red six-point star. You're after similar enough things, after all.”
“And what would that be?”
Alexia could understand the skepticism in the man's voice, so she was not cryptic in her answer “The continued survival and happiness of one Portgas D. Ace.” she then smiled humourlessly “Even if that latter goal is very much impeded by the subject himself, what with his self-worth issues.”
“You know a lot.”
Al smiled faintly “It's my job, my dear Yonko. And it's not like I deal with just anyone.”
“Gurara, alright, the Ouroboros will not be taken out by me or mine.” the strongest man in the world said.
Al appreciated the levity “That's one thing off my chest, then.” she said “Here's to Marine humiliation and the hope that our Fire Logia lives until he's your age.”
There was a round of laughter at that even as she cut the connection and leaned back with a sigh. Now all that was left to be done was intensive training and planning as they made their way towards Marineford. They didn't have much more than a month, she reckoned.
Even a small ripple could create waves, and they were aiming for a storm.