Chapter 3
Chapter 3
It had been a long time, Crocus realised, since he’d felt as light as he did then. Many, many years since he’d met a very different and at the same time similar crew.
That Mugiwara boy… he reminded him of the good old times on the Captain’s ship. And with that came along the memory of another dark-haired child that still brought tears to his eyes.
Watching that familiar straw-hat get further away, he looked at Laboon and wondered what its legacy would be this time.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Ace shook his head as he listened to his little brother’s crew arguing in the kitchen over whose turn it was to clean the dishes.
Remembering Makino’s lessons on how to be polite, the older pirate had offered to do it, but the blond cook had refused once more, citing that he was still their guest. Luffy and the long-nosed guy had done it after lunch, so they were complaining over having to do it again.
Ace smiled a bit. From what little he’d got to know them already, he could tell that Luffy’s crew, despite being a rather odd bunch, was made up of good people.
However, their raucousness reminded him so much of his own that he’d found himself expecting to see Marco’s sleepy gaze, Izo’s painted face, Thatch’s pompadour…
Pain shot through his chest at the last thought. No, he wouldn’t think of that. Not now. Maybe never.
He missed Oyaji and his siblings almost more now than he had whilst travelling alone after Teach’s trail. But he wouldn’t go back to the Moby Dick without completing his self-appointed task.
It was much later, at night, when Luffy and he met at the figurehead of his little brother’s ship to exchange stories, that Ace told him of Kairyuu.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
When Sengoku arrived at Impel Down this time, he did so accompanied by a contingent of soldiers to aid in the security. After all, they couldn’t afford to lose Crocodile.
The Shichibukai had been soundly defeated by the Mugiwara boy and promptly been detained by the World Government. After all, they had enough trouble as it was with facing the judgement of Arabasta for the crimes he had committed; they couldn’t let him get away after everything that had been revealed.
Though if he was honest, Sengoku himself could think nothing but ‘good riddance’ in regards to that.
Once the criminal was in his solitary cell and the escort trailed out, the old marine stopped for a moment to gaze into the darkness of another smaller cell.
He was watching Sengoku through piercing green eyes, but no word left his lips even once he was addressed directly.
Not that Sengoku was surprised, more resigned to the fact he wouldn’t talk. Prisoner 686 hadn’t spoken a word since he denied having a brother.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
“Ace! Be my nakama!”
After those words, a white noise filled his head. He couldn’t really hear anything over it, over the words of the man that had killed Thatch.
The man who had intended to capture and hand over to the marines his little brother.
His only remaining brother.
He thought back to Sabo, with that mismatched smile and bright optimism, and to Kairyuu, whom the world hadn’t even allowed him to meet.
He burned with fury. And he let that fury burn outside of his body until he was like the sun.
They collided, the sun and the void.
And then he knew no more.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Crocodile was a rambler.
Not many would dare to tell you so nor would actually know it, but his speeches to that blasted Mugiwara boy more than proved it. As a rambler, he loved having someone to listen to, but he’d also sometimes like having some feedback and knowing he was being listened to.
Maybe that’s what bothered him so much about Prisoner 686 ―even the name had been provided by a more talkative guard, or as much of a name as apparently anyone knew of him― that he didn’t know if he was actually listening to Crocodile’s complains.
He couldn’t be deaf, seeing as he was always the first to hear the guards coming and back up to the end of his cell.
It wasn’t until he mentioned that blasted straw-hat that he got a reaction at all, showing him that, yes, the other prisoner actually listened to him.
“A yellow and red straw-hat?” repeated the other, his voice scratchy from what he guessed correctly to be disuse and an unnamed emotion.
Figures that would be what the other fixated on.
And so Crocodile rambled on about the damned Straw-Hat Crew, knowing finally he had someone paying attention.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Garp walked determinedly down the corridor and to the familiar office, entering without bothering to knock despite knowing Sengoku was in as meeting.
One look at his face and the old Marine Admiral sent the young sergeant out of the office.
For a while, neither Garp nor Sengoku said anything as they stared at each other. The silence was broken by Garp once he couldn’t hold himself back any longer.
“Let me see him.”
“No.”
“Sengoku-”
“No, Garp. I think you’ve already caused enough trouble.”
“And I’ve solved many more.”
“That’s-”
“The truth.” Interrupted Garp. “He was a baby and no danger to anyone. I brought him, despite believing he wasn’t a danger either, didn’t I?”
“The situation was different.”
“How? How was it any different?”
“I will not be discussing this with you, Garp. You were forbidden from speaking about this. You know what’s-”
“I don’t care.” Interrupted Garp again. “Don’t make me say his name, Sengoku.”
They stared at each other, defiance in their gazes. But Garp knew who was the most stubborn of them both and he also knew something else: he knew that feeling shining in the Admiral’s eyes, he knew it because he felt it every day. Guilt.
Setting his jaw in stubbornness, Garp took a deep breath of air and opened his mouth.
“Ka-”
“Stop!” barked Sengoku.
Garp did.
“You owe me at least this much, Sengoku. Let me see him.” He said instead.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Crocodile frowned slightly at the men outside his cell, not that it had much of an effect on them.
Apparently, they were there to move Prisoner 686 deeper into Level 6 and into a new cell. When he asked why, the four guards laughed.
“Don’t worry, you won’t be alone for long. You’ll have a new cellmate soon enough.” Said one with a smirk.
“Yeah. I hear they’re already on their way here. Hope you enjoy having Portgas D. Ace as your new mate.”
He wouldn’t have seen it had he not been looking so closely at him, but at the name it was like a light lit up behind those green eyes of the prisoner. Just before he slammed an elbow into one of the guard’s guts and twisted around another in a way that must’ve dislocated his shoulder but he made no sound for.
His resistance was for naught, though, as more guards appeared and subdued him ―forcedly― before dragging him away.
It would be a while still before Crocodile solved the mystery of just why Prisoner 686 had reacted that way at the mention of one of Shirohige’s brats.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Meeting the Mugiwara Crew brought back memories of the good old times like nothing had lately. He could almost feel the wood of the Oro Jackson under his hands and hear the laughter of three children as they were chased around by a Captain that often seemed like another child.
But nothing brought him back to those times as much as when Luffy stared seriously at him, his eyes wide and amazed, and asked about him. Beside him, Shakky seemed as perplexed as he felt, a difficult task to accomplish in itself seeing as she was the Spider.
“So, Rayleigh-ojichan, you must have known Kairyuu. Will you tell me about him?”
Kairyuu had been dead years before this little rookie was born, he was the member of the Roger Pirates nobody seemed to remember. And yet here was Luffy asking him about the little boy his heart still hurt for.
Rayleigh took a deep breath― Shakky’s hand on his own over the bar-top unnecessary but welcome― and started to talk.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
A meeting between two Yonkos didn’t happen often and, when it did, it never went unnoticed.
As the bigger ship came into view, Shanks knew very well that they were being monitored from a distance. The marines would never let such a meeting occur without keeping tabs on it.
Also, they weren’t far enough that the redhead couldn’t feel their faint presences.
The Red Force abarlowed to the Moby Dick, he touched a hand to his sword and effortlessly jumped the distance between ships, his Conqueror’s Haki shaking loose of his tight control and knocking out a good number of the weakest of Shirohige’s crew.
If the old man wanted to make a show of intimidating him by making him face the whole crew at once, Shanks wasn’t about to be overshadowed.
The tension on the ship was palpable, but he knew well it was due to much more than his presence.
Rumour was they had recently lost a high-up member to Teach’s treason, and they may very well be on their way losing another one with Ace’s capture.
Shanks was only here to try and make it so the least blood would be spilled.
It turned out to be pointless. War was already on the cards.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Garp stood before his grandson, taking in his battered appearance with a clenching heart. The boy wasn’t talking to him, but he could tell he was listening intently.
“Nobody can stop it now. We’ve made the king of the seas angry!” he said, thinking about the anger in the reports about Shirohige. “I wanted Luffy and you to become good marines. But instead, both of you brothers have become notorious hoodlums.”
Garp told him about the trouble the younger Monkey D. had gotten into at Water Seven and Sabaody.
“I’m so proud of my grandson!”
And he was. Even if Luffy and Ace hadn’t gone the path he’d laid out for them, he was still proud that they had stood by their convictions. And Luffy had hit a Tenryuubito, for which Garp wouldn’t complain even a little.
“Oh, yeah, I told Luffy about his father.”
Remembering Luffy’s reaction to the knowledge made the smile on his face a bit more genuine.
“It doesn’t matter to us. Because Luffy and I unfortunately,” the stubborn boy said finally. “share the blood of the most infamous criminals in the world. I took on the name Portgas for my mother, to whom I owe so much, but I’ve never wanted the blood of my good-for-nothing father. Because I don’t have any memory of him and I don’t owe anything to him.”
“Ah, yeah, but he tried…”
“What I’m saying, jiji,” the irrespetous boy interrupted. “is that my only father is… Shirohige.”
It made something dark and unnamed settle in Garp’s stomach, to hear Ace so callously deny his blood ties to the man that fathered him, and in consequence, to the little boy who’d given his life for his freedom.
A freedom that he’d squandered on a life of piracy. A seemingly about to be very short life.
‘But it’s my fault.’ Garp reckoned. ‘Maybe if I’d told him about all that was sacrificed in his name, he wouldn’t have taken this road.’
It was too late for regrets, though.
Then, as if he’d read his mind, Ace’s eyes narrowed on him and he spoke.
“Why did you never tell me about Kairyuu?”
The name was like a knife straight to his old heart.
“I can’t speak about him.”
‘I don’t want to speak about him.’
“Just tell me why.”
Garp kept silent. Their eyes held each other, defiance shining in them. The old man was the first to look away.
“It wouldn’t have changed anything.”
He couldn’t know that, not really. But facing what he’d done, even now, so many years later, was too hard still.
Standing up, Garp brushed off the dirt from his uniform. Ace watched him quietly, not saying anything but following his every move with his gaze. Before leaving, Garp stopped once more to look at the boy that, for all intents and purposes, was his grandson.
“You think you owe your mother, boy?” he said softly. “Well, you owe your brother even more!”
HPOPHPOPHPOP
It was a day like any other. Or so it seemed to the villagers of Foosha when it dawned.
They went about their routines like any other day, undergoing their own daily rituals, sweeping floors and watering crops.
And like any other morning, the newscoo arrived at midmorning.
Makino stared at it, ignoring her customers as the first page attracted her full attention.
In it, smiling a wide and painfully familiar smile, a young boy looked back at her with dark eyes. There was a joy in his face though, that she’d never seen in him before he left the village.
Ace looked happy in the photo, with his finger lit on fire.
Mutters reached her from the patrons, but she was too busy watching the words on the newscoo to pay them any attention.
PORTGAS D. ACE’S EXECUTION. WAR BETWEEN WORLD GOVERNMENT AND SHIROHIGE?
It was the bang of the door slamming against the wall that shook her out of the stupor she was in.
Lifting her head, she watched as Dadan walked to the bartop and sat on a barstool with a dark cloud of anger surrounding her.
But Makino knew Dadan and she knew that her anger was but a front to hide her pain, her agony at what she must have just read.
“Pour me a whiskey.”
And Makino didn’t protest that it was soon for that or some other such nonsense; Makino cleared the bar, poured her a drink and another for herself, walked around the bar and sat next to her.
She listened as Dadan spoke of her boys and the trouble they’d gotten into as children.
And she listened as the story of another boy left her lips for what must have been the first time in near twenty years. The story of a boy who gave his life for his only remaining family and for knowing which the Government would kill them.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
When Sengoku received the news that there had been a break-in in Impel Dawn, he was furious.
When he learnt the identity of the one who broke in, he was choleric.
He called Garp to his office immediately.
“What are you laughing about, Garp!?”
Garp may have been his colleague for ages, but he still managed to drive him crazy. Of course, there was the fact that Garp didn’t fully know what was at stake with the break-in ―and he wondered if he would care, either way―, but one would think he would be at least worried or ashamed that his pirate grandson had broken into the World Government’s prison.
“He’s caused us so many problems. Ennies Lobby. The incident with the Tenryuubito. And now Impel Down. How can he be your grandson, Garp!?”
“What a star, I expected nothing less from my grandson!” laughed Garp with no hint of regret.
Sengoku growled.
“Blast that Bartholomew Kuma! He said he finished off the Mugiwara Crew in Sabaody. I knew it was a lie.”
“That’s what you get for trusting the word of a Shichibukai.” Replied Garp, only managing to incense his colleague further. “But I wonder how he got through security… could he have flown there?”
“Stop with the stupidity!” shouted Sengoku in his face, hand fisted on his white pristine uniform. “If people didn’t call you the ‘Hero of the Marines’ I’d already have made you responsible for all your family!”
Much to his aggravation, Garp outright laughed in his face.
But under Snegoku’s fury, hid fear. Fear of what would happen if Firefist Ace got free. Fear of someone else being discovered and escaping into the world. Fear of what changes would come should he be left out.
A small treacherous part of him, though, hidden deep in his heart, couldn’t help but wonder what those changes would be and if they would truly be so bad.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
The Shirohige Crew, as much as they didn’t want to admit it, were relieved to receive the Akagami Crew’s call informing them that they were about to intercept Kaido’s ship.
No matter if they liked the Akagami Captain or not, they all knew he was an honorable man, which was more than most could claim in the New World. And as he hadn’t been able to change Shirohige’s mind about the path they were threading, he was still clearly set on reducing the loss of life as much as possible.
“You know there’ll be heavy loses in this war. Not just on the side of the Navy.” Warned the redhead through the snailphone, his voice unusually grave.
“They dared take one of my sons; they will pay for it.” Answered Shirohige in the same way.
“I still advice you to be cautious. You’re playing into their hand by doing this; you all dying won’t save Ace, Shirohige.”
The Whitebeard Pirates that weren’t busy sailing the ship watched closely as their Captain and Father leaned forward in his gigantic chair, bringing his face closer to the snail held by Marco.
“Well, kid, I don’t need your advice. I’m telling you now: Ace won’t suffer the same fate as Kairyuu.”
Everything, even the currents, seemed to still for a moment. Shanks’ whisper sounded loud and clear in the quiet that fell over the deck.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
Their father’s face didn’t change, his eyes still shadowed and his face close to the almost weeping snail.
“It means that Ace has a crew willing to back him up; something that Kairyuu clearly lacked.”
The snail’s face accurately relayed the anger, the fury truly, that the redhead was feeling. His voice was low and dark as he began to speak, but it got louder and more heated in no time at all.
“Why bring that up, Shirohige? The situation isn’t even comparable and the blame for what happened then lies with the marines!” he ended up shouting.
Any semblance of calm disappeared with that, the snail’s mimicry of the red headed captain’s face being the only thing that assured them he hadn’t cut the communication.
“Go. Before I change my mind on holding the Beast back.” He finally said, voice impassive.
And with that, the Shirohige ship set a straight course for Marineford.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Shanks lowered the speaker of the snailphone, his body still trembling with anger and stared at his men, who were busy readying the cannons, checking their personal weapons, making sure the ship stayed on course…
There was a certain tenseness in the air too. After all, they were going to foil another Yonko’s plans.
Next to him, his First Mate took a long drag of his cigarette and released it slowly, the wind dragging the smoke away before it could form a could around them.
“What do you think that was about?” he asked in a low voice, well aware of the men’s gazes settling on them every few seconds.
His crew had been startled at hearing the redhead loose his temper and he didn’t want them to worry. Not when they needed to be focused on the coming battle.
Benn remained silent for a couple of minutes and his Captain didn’t bother him in that time, knowing after so many years that the older pirate would answer in his own time. He may love annoying the man, but this wasn’t a matter even he would make light of.
He saw the moment his First Mate had found a likely explanation by the way his hand froze whilst bringing the cigarette to his lips. And by the way his eyes darkened, he knew he would not like what he’d hear.
Shanks’ head shot up just a second before Yasopp called out from the gull’s nest, warning them that he had finally spotted Kaido’s ship.
“Will it change anything?” he asked with a sigh, obviously referring to whatever hypothesis he had come up with.
“No,” answered Benn after a small pause. “Kaido will need to be stopped either way.”
The redhead only hesitated a second, torn between his desire to know and the need to remain focused.
“After the fight.” He concluded, Benn nodding once at his order. “For now, we’ll focus on keeping Kaido back. I’ve got plenty of anger to work off now, after all.”
HPOPHPOPHPOP
When the number of guards around his cell increased suddenly, Ace wondered what was happening.
As always, too blunt and honest for his own good, he asked straight away.
All he received for his troubles was a harsh hit to his already tender ribs.
But he discovered soon enough what was happening: his silly little brother was coming for him.
And his fear grew.
But a small traitorous part of him couldn’t help but hoping that his little brother would manage to do the impossible once more.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
“What about you, Iva-chan? Don’t you want to get out? Bon-chan came here to free you.” Said Luffy.
“R-really?” exclaimed all the Candies.
“Wouldn’t you like to come with Ace and us?” asked Luffy totally serious.
“Bon-boy came to free me? I had no idea. What a sweet boy. But I don’t need any help with that. It’s still not the right time for me to leave this place.” Said the King of the Okama. “I know what’s the state of the world right now: the world’s going to turn on its head with the fight between the Marines and Shirohige’s Pirates. But he still hasn’t made his move. I’m talking about the leader of all revolutionaries in the world; my own partner: Dragon the Revolutionary.”
“Ah, you mean my otou-chan?
“Exactly. When your otou-chan makes a move with his army, then and only then will I go back to the outside world. If I leave now, I’ll only manage to be in the public eye and I still have a mission to accomplish here.”
Everyone could see the moment when Ivankov truly realised what he’d heard, his eyes wide.
“O-o-otou-chan!!!???”
“What do you mean otou-chan!?” shouted the Candies.
Actually, it wasn’t hard to believe that the blue-haired man would’ve taken a slap better than that revelation.
“Dragon is… your otou-chan!? Since when does he have a son!?
“Ah, yeah, I’m not supposed to speak about that.” Answered the teen standing up and dusting off his clothes. “Well, doesn’t matter. My grandpa told me: ‘Your father’s name is Monkey D. Dragon. He’s a revolutionary.’” Luffy said imitating Garp’s voice. “I don’t know much about him; haven’t even seen his face.”
That made it even more believable to Ivankov. Of course he wouldn’t know his father, the man was always deep in the thick of things with the revolutionaries. He was THE Revolutionary.
“Where are you from?”
“East Blue.”
That sealed it for Iva-chan. East Blue. What had he once told Dragon? That when he went out for some fresh air he always faced the same direction? He’d asked once, if he was doing it because he was thinking of his family, despite knowing that he wouldn’t get an answer.
An answer would put Dragon’s hypothetical family in the gravest danger if someone where to be listening in on them.
‘But then if Mugiwara is Dragon’s son…”
“Inazuma, find out what time they will be picking up Ace!”
“Yes, right away.”
“The Vivre Card still points downwards; they haven’t moved him yet. I’ll go to Level 6 with Mugiwara-boy!” after berating the happy boy for so thoughtlessly revealing his lineage, he got down to business. “We’re going to save Ace-boy, complete our mission and start on our Impel Down Jailbreak Plan!” shouted Ivankov determinedly.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
“Iva-chan?”
“Eh? What is it, Mugiwara-boy?”
“What is that mission you spoke of earlier?” asked the teen as they plus Inazuma hurried down the stairs to Level 6.
It took a few seconds as the Okama decided whether to answer or not.
“There is a prisoner in Level 6 known as Prisoner 686. Nobody knows his real name, not even the jailers here. The Government wants it this way. Whoever Prisoner 686 is, the Government erased all traces of its existence and locked him down here. If the Government fears even his identity being known, the Revolutionaries could do with their help. Our mission is to drag Prisoner 686 back into the light and, possibly, to the Revolutionary Army.”
“Oh, so this guy’s strong? Cool!”
The Okama had no time to remind him that they had no idea before they arrived at Level 6.
“Here can be found the most legendary criminals, in the Eternal Hell.”
Luffy’s one-track mind was already focused back on the task of finding his brother, though.
“Ace, where are you!?” shouted the teen. “I’ve come to get you out! Ace, where are you!? Ace!!”
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Much to Luffy’s despair, they were too late to Ace’s cell, the prisoner already being up and escorted by a whole contingent of marines.
However, Ace’s cell wasn’t empty. Inside was held the Knight of the Sea, Jinbei, the Shichibukai who stood against Ace’s execution and war with Shirohige. But Luffy still didn’t know that.
So he rushed towards the lift where Ace was apparently being carried up and left him behind.
The lift was a trap and Mugiwara almost got caught in it, but his fast reflexes saved him and they went back for the stairs, but that was a trap too and Luffy ended up asleep.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Hearing that Luffy was in Level 6 and Magellan planned to capture and torture him, Ace resisted for the first time since he’d been caught. It caught the guards off-guard and he managed to take down a few of them before the Warden intervened, and tied with Kairoseki as he was, he wasn’t a rival for Magellan.
Furious and frustrated by his apparent weakness, Ace could do nothing but scream.
“Your brother’s a pirate too, he couldn’t be saved.” Said Magellan.
‘Luffy, why did you come? I hoped it was a lie, but… I don’t want to lose my last remaining brother!’ Ace thought.
HPOPHPOPHPOP
After being berated for his imprudent idea of going to the Marine Headquarters, which Luffy still stood by, they were left with the same problem as before: they first needed to get out of Impel Down and they were trapped in the lowest level.
Then a sinister laugh came from another cell. One familiar enough to Luffy, who was after all responsible for his being there.
“If you want to escape from here, set me free. I’ll make a hole in the ceiling. What say you?”
It wasn’t an easy choice, setting free the man who’d messed up a friend’s life as easily as Crocodile had, but it was his brother’s life on the line and Iva-chan apparently had shit on him.
And then Jinbei asked for the favour of being allowed to help them save Ace and Luffy, feeling his honesty, accepted.
With both Crocodile and Jinbei onboard, there was only one thing left to do.
“Now, do either of you know where Prisoner 686 is being held?”
HPOPHPOPHPOP
The first thing that he noticed was the straw-hat.
That boy wore one.
No, not one.
The One.
The one that may as well be a crown.
And then he spoke.
“Hey, they say you’re strong. Will you help me save my big brother?”
He coughed a couple times to clear his throat and then spoke in a low raspy voice.
“Who’s your brother?”
Not that he much cared. If it gave him the chance to escape now that the World Government was after Ace, he would help anyone. As much as he was capable, at least.
“His name’s Ace. Portgas D. Ace.”
He didn’t have to think about it.
“I’ll help you.”
HPOPHPOPHPOP
Prisoner 686 wasn’t what any of them ―save Crocodile, of course― were expecting at all.
He was a young man, no older than maybe twenty-five. He was dirty and small and his body spoke of years of malnourishment and rough treatment. There was something familiar about him, though, in his dark rebellious hair and his high cheekbones.
But there was a unique feature to him: his eyes. They were a green unlike anything they had seen before.
For a moment, Ivankov wondered if they had the right person, but he knew Crocodile wouldn’t have lied to them. After all, the man really really wanted his past as a female pirate to be kept quiet.
Not that Iva-chan thought it was something to be ashamed of, but the man was and he knew what it’d do to his reputation if it became known.
Anyway, how Prisoner 686 could be of help remained a mystery, but they would wonder about it later, when they were out of this place.
“What’s your name?”
The man seemed startled, as if he hadn’t expected the question. Of course he wouldn’t, his name had been forbidden to be spoken aloud for years.
“Kai.” He answered after a moment of hesitation.
Iva didn’t doubt he was lying.
Mugiwara-boy didn’t even blink. Not at the name and not at the man’s appearance. He was fully focused on his purpose.
“Yosh! Let’s go save Ace!”