Chapter Text
Tap Tap Tap…
Is Ace-ya still alive…
Or maybe gramps and the rest are fighting now?
Tap Tap Tap…
What different I could do? Was there any way in which I could save Cora-san? Or Wolf, Bepo, Panguin and Shachi? Or Sabo-ya? Or get Ace-ya before he got to Blackbeard?
Or to help save him now?
Tap Tap Tap…
And what about Luffy-ya? He will be completely broken if Ace-ya…
Toxic thought about my uselessness was all that I could have while caged in this cell on my own. Time was passing and no one was saying anything, leaving me to the imagination of my brain and quilt.
Commotion from outside made me reconcile from them. Someone, I think a clown from East Blue who Luffy-ya beat to get bounty, has shown up all of sudden.
“Ah, sorry, didn’t want to intrude…”
“Wait, what’s going on?” normally I would not let my voice be so… begging, but special circumstances means special measures.
“Who do you talk to, Bugggy? We need to save Ace!”
That voice… hearing him completely clears out my mind.
“Luffy-ya…?” but is it a dream? It is in no way reality, he can’t be in Impel Down, he wasn’t caught or brought in or anything…
“Torao!!? What are you doing here?” damn, it is him. And pinching myself doesn’t wake me up. I hoped this is a nightmare and he is not actually in Impel Down trying to save anyone. This is the last thing Ace would want for him.
It isn’t though.
“Lost while trying to save that dumbass? I was close though.” And no one will tell me otherwise.
“OOOH, wait a moment, Ivankov! I found another brother of mine!”
Ivankov…?
That Invankov???? Revolutionary Army?! Of course, leave it to Luffy-ya to get such a friend in his crazy plan.
With some help, my cell was opened and the sea stone cuff’s down. And hug grunted me.
“It is fine, Luffy-ya, I screw up… Never mind me, Ace-ya needs help, gramps for sure will fight for him, but…” I bit my lips and I think we both think the same and voice it actually:
“I will save him!” of course, future Pirate King.
“Well, if you’re done with cuddling…” glare was enough to scary that Buggy clown.. wait…
Buggy the Clown? Wasn’t it… Okay, part of the respect for Oro Jackson has now deflated.
“Come on, Magellan can come at any moment!” right, poison guy. Very powerful poisonous paramecia guy who is also a guardian here.
Fuck.
With this we started to run, taking Crocodile on the way and having Inazuma-ya and Ivankov-ya taking our back. Over 200 prisoners of Impel Down. Luffy-ya is miracle maker for sure.
Still, guardian guy catch up. Amazingly, abilities of Nr 3 ( the name…? ) were able to stall him, Luffy-ya punched him and so I kind of cut him into pieces with Radio knife – a special one I prepared if I were to ever confront Trebol. Leaving him behind in pieces was a pleasure, especially after getting to know he nearly killed Luffy-ya ( if he wasn’t here, I would end the guy permanently )
“Nice move, Torao! It was a while from the time I saw it, it’s so cool!” one of the praise I would be keen on taking from him, for sure.
“That fruit… you’re part of Whitebeard’s…?” Crocodile’s eyes narrowed dangerously and so I look at him unimpressed.
“And you’re former Shichibukai like that pink bastard. We’re even then, get going or I will misplace your organs!” I think that any comparison to Doflamingo made him even more disgusted.
“You know that shitty flaming?”
This is where Luffy-ya obviously perk up.
“Pink? Isn’t it the one guy who kidnapped you before you escaped to that biggest parent ever’s crew? I will beat his ass if I see him!” ignoring what he actually remembered from all I told him about Whitebeard, I groan, aware there is no way to make Luffy-ya not try to do just that. And how he made a connection based on color? Normally he remembers only about food. Thankfully, he might forgot for the time.
“Kidnapped? What the hell, he never boasted about having Ope Ope no mi’s user and he’s always boasting when he’s ahead of everyone else. That arrogant face of his with shit eating smile is haunting me in nightmares sometimes. And pink. Anything pink.” I couldn’t not smirk hearing it. The scowl he said it with so evidently show his disdain and I think I am starting to like him.
“We share the hatred toward the color then. And if you ask him, he will tell you I was stolen by Whitebeard, brainwashed and lost my way in life. Good to get to know about it, after all nine years of being in bliss” sarcasm could roll off my tongue if it had physical form at the moment.
“You look like you did” if his amused reply is anything to go by, he does hate gramps, but Doflamingo is not much lower on his list. “That can be useful through, think you can open that big gate over there with it?”
I bit my lips while calculating.
“It may be possible, but we will see when we are there. I should be able to get us behind the door without opening it, but it won’t be easy on my stamina…”
He grumps as a reply and the escape from the most guarded prison continuing.
In the end, while we were all on the ship, the information were told and Buggy guy was revealed to be ‘great pirate’ from Roger’s ship. Not wanting to hear that nonsense, I was readying myself to open those big doors.
Truly I did, even started to create a room when… it went on without my assistance.
“Good job!” Crocodile yelled and I yelled back “ It is not me!” his confused stare meet mine, that is until that Clown has presented himself as ‘God’ and Luffy-ya actually believed him…
I want to hit my head onto something or I will go crazy with all those unexpected events going on. That is it, I can never ever go with Luffy-ya, there is no order or plans or even logic wherever he is involved.
While proceeding toward the freedom, we are stopped in the air, frozen water keeping us high.
The fuck, is today a day when I am going finally snapped? Or maybe a month… or a year… it must be.
Luffy-ya proposing way out is… fine with me, but the end they have gone to is different from mine. Horrified expression overcame me while I am trying to shout it is wrong one, but too late.
And we’re falling.
A ship.
With prisoners from Impel Down.
Falling out from the sky toward a icy ground where gramps and everyone are fighting…
During the discussion of us crashing the floor, I am thinking up the amount of energy needed to save them all and before I can create room, my dear baby brother, remembering he’s from rubber, hug me tightly, making me unable to create room, and while I am trashing to make him let me go, he’s screaming way louder and closer to my ear that he won’t let me die…
By the time we are reaching ground I kind of give up and wished them all good luck with only breaking spine as that I can fix later on.
Miraculously, once again I think I had to get to use to them being a everyday’s doing, we have landed into that big hole with water and got fished out.
I think I have lost few years of my life as well. After being gotten out of the water, I look up again at the sky to ask what the hell happened.
“We’re alive!!” after a moment Luffy-ya with his never ending energy shakes me hard “ You’re fine, Torao! Let’s go save Ace!”
I am crazy, but…
“Yea, let’s repeat it one day as well!” I really want to if I think about it again. Such adrenaline is a good sport.
“Yea!! It was fun! Shishishi next time with Ace!”
“Sure, he would be angry if he missed such a drill, so first thing is to get that idiot back, don’t you think?” Luffy-ya nods and I have never saw that much determination in his eyes. Or anyone’s apart from the day Cora-san has saved me… “ I will go tell gramps I am still breathing and maybe some…” but he is already gone to talk to him and yell about going to save Ace-ya and becoming a King of Pirates. What a headache.
Someone else I need to talk to was spotted.
“Isn’t he cute little thing, Marco-ya?”
“Isn’t it our grounded doctor yoi?”
“You still remember it? How? Shouldn’t you already forgot? Be more lenient!” I was never that happy to see them, through “How is gramps…?”
“Worried. But we’re managing, thanks to your medical prodigies abilities, he’s in good form. We can do it when it comes to power, but as long as Ace is there… ”
“We’re getting our 2nd commander back! Got it” having my own (stolen) sword drown, I steal one from marine. It is not the best, but enough to do what I have in mind.
“Luffy-ya! Want to ride a phoenix if first one won’t work out?” a shout ‘Always!’ is my answer.
“Law yoi, you’re crazy?” he looks at me and probably see intention in eyes “ Fine, part transformation may be enough, but cover for me if it comes to this, yoi!”
“For sure, commander!”
First try was disaster. We tried to get into range by ground as riding phoenix can burned us if something backfired, but… we’re smoothly stopped by Shichibukai Hawkeye and others strong marines. It was hard enough to cover for the idiot brother all the time. IF only I could get into range of my ‘room’ without one or the other admiral attacking me… While we were at it, they wanted to kill Ace-ya before the scheduled time and Luffy-ya used Hashuoki Haki. It was impressive to witness.
Second, that crazy one, was successful.
While on Marco-ya’s back I’m telling them a plan and try hard not to look at Doflamingo or Sengoku. I can’t distract myself on this one. “Room” and this one word has made any Admiral on guard again as in mix with Marco-ya, it can and will be a bother to deal with, right now as long as we’re close enough we can reach him.
That is until we’re nearly slashed by Hawkeye ( again) and barely shambles away and then Aokiji tries to freeze us, but Marco-ya ship us off and blocks him and that Akainu growls, but he and Kizaru are way too busy with keeping up with gramps and not being killed on the spot.
Still, we’re not succeeding yet.
Next one are two legends like gramps after all.
While Marco-ya does get us there, he’s kind of getting busy with Aokiji and now we’re on our own while he change into full phoenix ( I am shambles-ing us as close as possible, enough to face those two fucking monsters, but I don’t kid myself Sengoku won’t knock me down immediately if I try to get Ace-ya back with my ability. I’m not fast enough yet).
Luffy-ya managed impossible out of love this time as well and shot down the monstrous Uncle Garp – be happy I called you that inside my mind because you let Luffy win – and we’re left with Fleet Admiral instead.
And Ace-ya is in range, screaming for us to run away. As if he ever did it.
It will be a cheating move, one I would have never forgave if someone used it against me, but…
“Cora-san’s last world to me were ‘I love you’ while smiling! Even while dying, he was happy that I will live!” bringing up Cora-san to him at such a moment has got the point, he hesitated.
And I had time to take off Ace-ya’s cuffs while Luffy got to him.
“RUN!!!” and I got that adopted granddad of mine furious. Buddha… NEVER again.
Thankfully, while unleashing fire, our stupid idiot made distraction and all three of us started to fall to the ground, away from someone who was going to beat us half to death.
At least me to half.
I was lucky that Doflamingo was busy with Crocodile and Juzo before as now he was greeting me with his typical grin while on the ground. Shudder has gone through my body and cold has found its way to my stomach. Last time showed me how much stronger he still is than me.
And then he just left me alone which was the weirdest of all that happened today.
Maybe he’s happy I escaped government and he has a chance again? So I passed him and his wide grin, which showed all rows of his white teethes.
“Gramps, we got him!!” this is the moment the strongest man on this world activates his ability once again and start to tore away the part of battlefield with most of members from marines main forces.
“Oyaji, Luffy, Marco taichou, Torao, I…”
“Save it and move, gramps may be not bad in health, but this is too taxing, he can’t continue fighting them all and get out alive too much longer!” after a moment I add “ Beware of Admirals, Crocodile and… Doflamingo while retreating!” This is the moment we’re running, all of us, back to the ship.
Of course, that fucker of Admiral, Akainu, has to insult gramps.
Of course, our fire boy idiot wants to make him choke on the words. Not that I don’t want to, but we have priorities here.
This time I don’t wait or give him time and actually chop him to pieces while all Marineford and Whitebeard pirate’s are looking and I am swiftly passing his head to Luffy-ya to take care of and swinging arms and legs to Marco-ya to do the same. I’m taking caring for the rest, so he can’t morph again anytime soon.
This way, with gramps intercepting Akainu and other Admirals mostly on his own while retreating or with our little help, we actually make a run for it.
Along with us most of those who Luffy-ya has taken along with himself. Uncle Garp-ya actually smiles and cheered secretly ( he started eating cookies – I deadpanned after noticing it). Sengoku seemed as if he knew that going after us now will be too dangerous and let us run away.
We’re the one who won, even if the world will focus of our escape only.
Ace-ya is put back to one piece on the ship too while in the safe distance and is fuming at me. Not that I regret it.
Gramps needs a lot of new meds and sleep, but he will be, eventually, fine. Thatch-ya is awake and kicking, just not in any shape for a fight. I felt like I could breathe better when I saw him. Ace-ya cried out his eyes again that day. Me and Luffy-ya have snickered to call this day a tribute to ‘crybaby’s Ace’ to remember it for future generation. And Luffy-ya wanted to be left at, seriously? , Amazon Lily. I will never understand him. Ever. Enigma, I tell you.
Shortly after, he has apparently started training with Rayleigh of all people to get strong enough to never let Ace-ya or his crew to be in such a danger and had to rely on others to get anything done. And master Haki. The time limit he gave his crew was 2 years if Ace-ya understood correctly.
Fuck, we’re all out of this alive. I couldn’t ask for more. The only last bit is sending a ‘I’m sorry, maybe we will talk another time’ to Fleet Admiral.
.
.
.
After a few days of recovering, treating wounded and mourning those who died there, I have finally time to talk to gramps, who asked for it. I am disbelieved.
His health, despite being depleted because of the exhaustion from fighting and using both Haki and Devil Fruit, was stable and I didn’t have to worry about him collapsing anymore. Ace-ya has already make amends with everyone and despite initial fear of rejection because of his heritage, in the end he understand that it means nothing to them. Even to Squaro, who was just… a little surprised and old wound throbbed and they used it. They used his grief and pain and for this, he feels ashamed, but most people already forgave him as gramps did.
He’s still avoiding me as I haven’t stopped glaring at him from the moment I was patching him. Marco-ya didn’t have nerves to do it.
Actually, they are joking about having pirates’ royalty in our crew and are telling him stories of how annoying Gold D. Roger was and the treasures they got or stole from him and vice versa. The stories I have mostly heard already and he has carefully avoided so far. I think they have good time with this little revenge for acting on his own. Serves him right, little shit, he gave us so much trouble…
“How are you feeling now, gramps? Anything hurts more than before or…?” his smile shows how little he cares for it “ Don’t be so smug that Ace-ya was saved! He won’t be happy if you fell ill because of him, you know it! Cooperate or I am going to get Marco-ya here!”
“Guarara, aren’t you overprotective? First, a ban on sake for two weeks, now this? If I’m feeling fine, it is fine.”
“No, you’re feeling fine cause you want to feel fine. You’re too strong for your own good.” The silence of his stare at me is actually unnerving me “ but this is not why you asked me here, isn’t it? You would never asked me to get meds. What is it?”
Being eyed by him and scrutinized is not happy event, it is like someone is looking straight at your soul and you can’t hide. And I want to, desperately want to do just that.
“From the moment you came back, even if in one piece, you’re behaving differently. Something happened before you reached Ace and was defeated?” I scowl hearing it. I was not completely defeated.
“Teach didn’t beat me, he was bleeding and ready for beheading before his crew has got me. I was just careless and overused my devil fruit abilities. My stamina is still too low for a fight where I can’t touch opponent and get their heart out to crush” if my retort made him worried, he didn’t show it.
I did through, it was a while when I genuinely said I wanted to squeeze someone to death like this. Too soon if I could help it and the realization stung. Hard.
He didn’t respond in any other way than looking at me and I couldn’t do anything but look away from him. Why he’s so perspective?
We continued it until silence was too heavy to carry on… He will know one way or another anyway.
“I met Doflamingo on my way to Ace-ya, but it is fine I escaped! But then we talked again in the prison and…” come on, I’m not a kid anymore and talking should help, right? “well, I’m just a little out of character, we nearly lost Ace-ya there and…” my freedom goes unsaid.
“Oh, my stupid son” I mutter ‘grandson’ under my breath through “ Fear is natural emotion and we both know you had reason to fear it. You already lost a lot in your life and there is no way to avoid it in the future. Live in the moment, enjoy it and live to the fullest. I will do all I can to make sure my sons survive, but fate can’t be predicted. Don’t worry about ‘what if’, but go forward. Even Ace is doing it, with his indentify out there. I know you can do it too. And about Doflamingo…”
“No.” I think it is the first time I said anything so harshly to gramps “You don’t finish it, I am fine, everything is fine. We just finished battle with marine! You won’t go around making enemies and risking life. Nothing happened, he just wanted to sweet-talk me with obvious results and I’m just tired now.” His skeptic look makes me repeat it. “ I’m fine, really, no revenge, remember? And he let me off easy in Marineford. He could stand in my way instead of playing around, but he didn’t. It makes us even.”
“If you say so, but I won’t let him get away with it next time. Now, which of those funny pills I am to take this time around?”
If my wicked smile and gramps’ scowl as a response means anything, then the world is at peace again.
.
.
.
Ace-ya was standing on the deck, probably first time in a while alone.
“Oy, everyone is sleeping already, I never took you as insomniac, Ace-ya.” When he turns around, there are tears in his eyes.
I try to act as I didn’t notice them or the way he’s wiping his face.
“I wanted to get some free air, all these stories and…”
I can’t not grin at him, of course he is affected.
“You know, family like this one won’t just leave you alone. Like Luffy-ya wouldn’t. Or even I. Don’t ever get caught again as it will be troublesome!”
“Don’t want to be cut up by you anymore, it was awful experience by the way.” After staring at the sea for a moment, he’s opening his mouth again “Thanks for… everything. I was so scared when I woke up back then and you lied there… I didn’t see anything and tried to kill him again, but I lost and…”
“And get his left arm off. Yea, I heard. This is the least he should pay for injuring Thatch-ya, don’t you think? “
“Definitely! Shame we didn’t get there together on time. Then all of this would never…”
“Don’t. We’re alive. This is what you should care about. Those who died there, you’re carrying the weight of their lives on you from now on, for their sake, you can’t let anyone kill you, always remember it.” Like I remember Cora-san, but I didn’t add it.
“Oi, Torao?” that nickname…
“What is it?” my irritation is being mild by the calmness of nature. Sea being so calm can have a miraculous effect on the person. I can feel myself relaxing while observing the waves gently hitting the ship.
“I’m happy to be born.” The sentence has me caught my breath and I felt extremely proud and happy to hear it, is it what older brother should feel in such a moment? Lami never had a chance to regret her life, always so happy… but I can’t think about her now, it is Ace-ya here right now so I force myself to listen despite my inside turmoil “ And I will definitely see the moment when Luffy becomes Pirate’s King. If I do… I won’t have any regrets.”
I stare at him for a moment before chuckling slightly. Someone should have told him this way sooner. He looks adorable with this self satisfaction on him.
“ Ace-ya, I’m sure Luffy-ya would say the same if he was here right now, but thank you for staying alive.”