~ Talia's POV~

My heart raced as I waited in the library making sure everything was in order. I looked to the crates filled with papers I had slaved over for the past weeks. It had taken a lot of time, paper and ink to do it, but somehow, I managed to recreate every single classified case file I had ever read in the marine's record department. Everyone was going to be furious with me, it was definitely going to put a bigger target on my back. The ship surfaced in the bay and I felt anxious as I heard the bubble coating of the ship pop.

Chancing a glance out the library windows I spotted three giant monitors and felt my heartbeat quicken. I was right, they were going to live broadcast it. One of the rookies who'd volunteered to help me move the crates, without knowledge of what was inside stepped over to the window and peered out.

"I need one of you to get ahold of one of those transponder snails." I said softly as I looked to the room filled with crates. Crossing the library, I went to the den den mushi sitting at the front desk. "It's Talia."

"We're ready, on your signal." The voices of the many rookies I'd enlisted to take the copies of all the records to various big cities around the entire sea chorused.

"I'll set the portable den den mushi, don't do anything until I say." My voice shook, "Then run like hell."

"Aye, Madame Strategist." The voices echoed.

I disconnected the den den mushi as one of the rookies in the library approached me with the portable den den mushi. He slipped it on my wrist with a bow.

"Are you going to tell us what's inside?" He asked uncertainly.

"It's better if you don't know." I sighed. "Can you move them out to the deck quickly and quietly?"

He nodded and motioned for the others to help him as I slowly made my way toward the library doors and took a deep breath. This was it. There was no going back. If they didn't release Ace, I was prepared to release every dirty little secret the government had tried to cover up for the past century to millions of people. The rookies I'd enlisted to help me were all stationed atop rooftops of large government buildings in big influential cities all over the world and on my signal, were prepared to empty the contents of their crates into the streets.

Shakily, I exited the library and felt my stomach churn as I spotted the entire surrounding plaza filled with marine soldiers all armed and ready for battle. My gaze swept over the bay before resting on the giant scaffold. Ace's eyes met mine and I felt my heart stutter in my chest at the desolate look in his eyes. He was torn, he was happy that we had come for him, scared that he would get us all killed and angry that he had allowed himself to get in such a situation and put his entire family at risk.

I watched Oyaji climb the steps to stand atop the massive white whale figurehead and address the plaza before turning to look in Marco's direction as he stood with the other commanders on the ship to the side. His gaze met mine and he offered me a warm reassuring smile. My face reddened as I thought back to the previous night and I jumped as I heard Oyaji call for me and raced after him.

"What are you planning, little one?" He asked me softly as I reached his side and we both looked to the scaffold.

"You'll just be angry with me if I tell you." I grimaced.

Oyaji turned his intimidating gaze to me, "What is it?"

"I can't tell you. Just trust me, please."

Oyaji reluctantly conceded before giving me a gentle pat on the head, "Get their attention." He motioned to the marines and I held back a smile and thought better than to tell him that our sudden appearance had already gotten their attention.

I traced the symbols in the air with my fingers and whispered the incantation before waving my hands outward and watched in awe as fire sprang to life before the front line of marines causing them all to jump back. Ace was staring at me wide eyed and mouth agape.

Oyaji smirked at the petrified look on Sengoku's face, "Stand behind me, little one." He said softly before raising his thundering voice to be heard throughout the bay and plaza. "It's been awhile Sengoku."

I hurriedly scrambled behind him as he laughed, it wasn't his usual warm hearted laugh that always brought a smile to my face. This laugh was different it was dark and guarded and immediately sent a chill down my spine. Oyaji was beyond angry.

"You better tell me my beloved son is alright." His voice rumbled and I heard several of the marines' gasp as he straightened himself up to his full towering height.

My stomach churned uneasily as a sudden sense of impending doom washed over me. It was just like the time before Thatch got attacked. Frantically I searched the other ships trying to find his auburn hair and kind eyes fearing Teach had somehow managed to finish the job while we were all unaware, I hadn't seen anyone in weeks because of my secret plan I'd been too busy. I relaxed as my gaze fell on him, standing next to Jozu. Worry began to eat at me, that feeling meant something devastating was going to happen. Were we strong enough to save Ace? How many casualties would there be?

I jumped as Oyaji suddenly thrust his fists to the sides and scrambled to cling to the back of his captain's cloak as the sky around us began to crack and shift. A squeak of terror escaped me as the sea began to shift and rise all around us, it felt as if the entire world were trembling. Oyaji's power was truly a frightening thing.

His strong hand reached out to steady me as I nearly lost my balance in the seaquake. I had no idea how all the other commanders looked so calm and steady as the surrounding ships rocked just as unsteadily. None of them appeared to be unbalanced in the slightest and I looked like a foal just learning how to walk stumbling about unsteadily.

Once the water had settled, Oyaji made sure I was steady on my feet before releasing me from his hold. Still clinging to his cloak feeling small, weak and insignificant I chanced a glance around him at the scaffold. Ace appeared to be battling with himself.

"Oyaji!" His gaze swept over the other commanders, "Everyone! I ignored your advice and took off on my own! Why didn't you just give up on me?"

I felt my heart begin to crumble and tears well in my eyes, "We don't give up on family." My voice came out in a soft squeak I was sure only Oyaji could hear.

"I'm the one who caused all of this!" Ace yelled from the scaffold struggling against the shackles that kept his hands bound behind his back. We had to save him! A single tear slipped from my hold and fell to the deck.

Oyaji gently pat me on the head as he addressed Ace, "I'm the one who told you to go, my son."

Ace was battling for control again and I noticed tears welling in his eyes, "That's a lie!" He shouted as he struggled against his shackles again, "You told me not to go, but I-."

"I'm the one who told you to go!" Oyaji's voice boomed and I nearly fell over with a terrified squeak, I'd never seen Oyaji so angry and terrifying. "Isn't that right, Marco?"

I chanced a glance in Marco's direction his electric blue eyes were burning with fire and determination, his gaze softened when he looked on me before turning his attention to Oyaji, "Aye, that's what I heard. I'm sorry that we put you through so much, Ace." They were trying to make Ace feel better for going off on his own and trying to trick the marines into thinking it was part of their plan. "Everybody in this world knows what will happen if they mess with our family."

The rookies began carrying the crates from the library drawing the attention of all the commanders. Marco threw me a questioning look and I hurriedly buried my face behind silken sheets of frosty pink hair to keep from revealing anything on my face. I had to do this, for Ace.

After a very tense stare down between the commanders and the strong opposing forces of the marine's Oyaji reached down as if to steady me, "Hold tight, little one."

"Wha-?" I cut off with a squeak as the sea began to rumble and the ship rocked unsteadily. I desperately clung to the arm he offered me for support and stared in awe as I saw two massive tsunamis approaching from either side of us. "O-oyaji?!" I squeaked in terror.

He chuckled softly, "It's alright."

Out of the corner of my eye I spotted the rookie I'd sent to find a transponder snail, he'd somehow made it to the plaza undetected with his rokushiki geppo which somehow gave him the ability to walk on air, though only for a short distance.

A massive shadow fell over the bay as the colossal waves towered over Marineford threatening to crash down and destroy everything and everyone in their path. Oyaji let out a roaring laugh and I felt my knees go weak.

Admiral Kuzan, a tall lanky man that wore a blue green plush eye mask atop his head of dark curls as he was always prepared for a nap, leapt from beneath the scaffold and I stared in awe as he stopped the tsunamis, freezing them in place. His gaze swept over Oyaji and I before shooting three spears of Ice straight toward us.

"Oyaji!" I squeaked.

Oyaji punched the air above us and I felt my breath hitch in my throat as I watched the air crack. The spears of ice flying towards us broke apart and I shook my head as tiny snowflakes fell down around us. Aokiji took a direct hit from the attack and was sent plummeting toward the bay. Just as he was about to hit the water's surface he landed safely on a platform of ice and froze the entire bay freezing all of our ships in place.

Once the ships were frozen in place the marines opened fire. Canons soared through the air striking the ice in the bay and falling all around us. I heard the cries of some of the commanders and crew and felt my heart drop as they raced into the bay across the ice. It had begun.

My heart raced as I noticed the marines readjusting their cannons and taking aim at a group of some of the lower ranking commanders as they raced across the ice. Automatically, my hands traced the symbols in the air and the words spilled from my lips as the canons were fired. I felt a numbness spread through my body and a sharp pain in my skull as thorn covered vines shot from the ice behind the commanders and slapped the cannon balls away from them hurling them back at the marines.

"Talia." Oyaji said my name gravely and I realized my nose had started to bleed.

"I'm okay, that one is always tough. I don't think plants like me very much." I laughed softly as I dabbed at my nose with a tissue I had stuffed in my pocket earlier in the morning knowing I was going to be suffering from many a nosebleed and it was going to upset the crew. None of them liked me learning to become a scribe, they thought it was dangerous and unnecessary, though I think it was mostly due to the fact they all wanted to protect me.

I spotted the rookie with the transponder snail return to the ship and felt my body tremble as my nerves got the best of me. This was it. Oyaji cast a glance in my direction and I saw worry lines etched into his forehead, I must have revealed something on my face.

"Talia?"

"I need to address Sengoku-san." I said quietly. "Please don't stop me."

"Talia, you're shaking." Oyaji noted worried.

"I know." I tried to smile, "I'm scared."

He looked as if he were going to stop me, but thought better of it. "Alright, but stay by my side so I can protect you."

I nodded and motioned for the rookies to bring two of the crates to me and the transponder snail. My hands were shaking uncontrollably, my heart was racing sporadically in my chest and I felt a heavy dread weighing heavily upon my shoulders.

The rookie with the transponder snail stood in front of me and I watched as all three of the screens in the plaza shifted to my face. Two of the crates were set beside me and the rookie slowly removed the lids revealing thousands of sheets of paper. However, one was very special and had not been released to the other rookies all around the world, it didn't contain case files. It contained personnel records, every last detail of every single marine and government official down to blood type, ailments and the names ages and locations of all their family members. It was my last resort.

"Sengoku-san." My voice came out much steadier than I had anticipated, "My name is Talia. A few years ago, I was an intern here in the records department. The girl you all tried to silence by lying in the papers in an attempt to get pirates to murder."

Sengoku's eyes widened.

"Release Ace, and I will take all of those secrets to my grave." I closed my eyes trying to steady my nerves. "If you do not comply, I am prepared to broadcast them to the world. I have many operatives scattered all across the world in large influential cities ready to release every single case file to the public."

Oyaji choked beside me.

Sengoku looked on the verge of panic but steeled himself after a moment. "You're bluffing, you didn't steal any of the records." Sengoku replied calmly.

My hands trembled as I reached into the first crate and I plucked the case file from the top and scanned the case number. It was the truth about Ohara. "No, I didn't steal the physical copies. I am a scribe. I've made hundreds of replicas. Such as this." I held up the case file and prattled off the case number and date and waited to see what he would do.

He didn't recognize the file number but was thinking of the date heavily. "I call your bluff."

I closed my eyes and held the file in front of the transponder snail and recited the entirety of it word for word stunning everyone in the bay and plaza with the truth. The government had been fearful of what a few scholars could do if they managed to get their hands on the poneglyphs and massacred an entire country of innocent people.

Sengoku was red faced and looked ready to blow a fuse.

I hesitated, he wasn't going to accept; I raised my hand so the portable den den mushi was hovering in front of my lips, "Spread the word." My voice shook.

"AYE!" Came the chorus of voices from within the portable den den mushi and the rookies dumped their crates from the rooftops.

Sengoku looked livid.

"Last chance." I pleaded with him as I looked to Ace and reached for the other crate full of personnel files, "Release Ace or all of your families will suffer." My voice cracked, I didn't want to threaten the lives of innocents, but I had no other choice.

"What are you talking about?!" Sengoku snarled as I reached for the crate.

"I have every personnel file of every last marine and government official, I know the names, ages and exact locations of each of your families."

"Talia." Oyaji stared at me in awe.

"Don't think you can just casually threaten my family without putting your own at risk." I felt anger welling up inside of me as I thought back on the night my family was slain, "I won't let you take this family from me too."

"Enough!" Sengoku snarled. "Silence her." He ordered and I felt terror and panic grip my heart as a blinding flash of light formed in the air above me and the man from my nightmarish past appeared in a flash.

"Yasakani Sacred Jewel." Kizaru said calmly as he crossed his arms in front of his chest and began charging light beams in his hand.

My body was frozen, paralyzed in fear as the haunting memories of the night he'd killed my family played on repeat in my mind. "No."

"TALIA!" Marco's voice roared as I clammed up and I watched in horror as he soared in half phoenix form and blocked Kizaru's attack taking the full brunt of the barrage of bright beams to protect me. The rookie lost his hold on his transponder snail as he dove to the deck and covered his head with his arms and it fell over the side of the ship.

"MARCO!" I shrieked in horror fearing he'd be killed in the onslaught and ran forward.

Oyaji dropped to one knee and caught me in his arms shielding me from the blinding flash of light as Marco's brilliant blue flames were drowned out by Kizaru's harsh golden beams. "He's fine." Oyaji's voice shook me from my internal struggle.

Once the blinding light had vanished I chanced a glance in Marco's direction and watched in awe as his blue flames washed away all of his injuries. Hot tears clung to my cheeks and I felt as if I'd collapse.

"That was foolish, Talia." Oyaji scolded me lightly, "Did you think Sengoku would just stand by and do nothing while you revealed marine secrets and dished out empty threats."

"They weren't empty threats." I cried, "All the case files have been released to the public."

Oyaji stared at me in horror.

"What about the-?"

I shook my head as tears streamed down my cheeks, "I didn't want to hurt anyone, I was hoping he'd cave." None of their families would be harmed, I didn't want innocent blood on my hands, I'd been bluffing hoping he'd see reason.

Oyaji held me close and rocked me in his arms gently, "That was very brave of you, little Talia." He paused and I saw worry in his golden eyes.

"And reckless." I bowed my head.

Oyaji smiled somberly, "Very reckless."

Video- "Soldier" By Fleurie