I had been outside hanging up the laundry the day Portagas D. Ace had come to us, or rather the day he had been dropped off. In the midst of hanging the bed sheets on the line to dry, I heard the sound of crunching twigs and leaves under foot from the direction of the forest path and looked up. Everything seems to be in order, I thought, Dogra is piling up the collected fire wood by the side of the house, with Magra. Poah is digging up a bone he buried last night, Monkey D. Garp is walking toward me from out of the forest, and the rest–– GAH GAH GAH GARP! I dropped the damp sheet I had been about to clip up and gasped. At the sound, Dogra and Magra looked up from their piling and shrieked as well, dropping the firewood.
No no no! It can't be! I was not supposed to see him ever again! We even moved our base and everything! How did he find us? Why didn't the watch give a warning? How did he get past with out them seeing? Are they still alive?
I decided to go on the offense, HOW DID YOU FIND US!?" I shrieked in a panic, then inwardly cursed myself. Damn it! That was supposed to sound fierce not terrified. Garp was dressed in his Vice Admiral's uniform, his coat bunched bizarrely to one side. At my words, menace oozed from his pores.
"Did you really think I would not be able to find you?" He growled. I tried to say something but my throat would not work.
"Bah that's not important, I don't have much time, I'm not on vacation. Down to business." Garp continued dismissively. Just like that the feeling was gone. I knew it. It is all over now. He's here to bring me in. Why did he wait so long? Scrambling back a few steps, from the mountain that was Vice Admiral Garp, I frantically looked around for a weapon. I spied the axe that Dogra and Magra had used to cut wood. It is my only chance. It's owners were now inching behind the side of the house and the rest of my family was sneaking peeks through the windows. Cowards! I silently yelled at them. I looked back at the axe, and tried get my knees to stop shaking so I could move and grab the weapon with out falling. It's a good ten feet away maybe if I dive for it…
"Don't worry Dadan I am not going to arrest you. If you do as I ask." Garp interrupted, reading my thoughts. His tone was probably meant to sound reassuring, but I was anything but comforted.
"Wh What do you me-mean 'if you do as I say' that is blackmail, you can't blackmail me!" The instant the words were out of my mouth I wished I could take them back. The supportive whoops from my family faded as the atmosphere turned lethal. Garp's eyes glinted out at me, pupils contracting and suddenly I knew how mouse must feel when face to face with a hawk.
"Can't I?" He murmured, quietly.
"Yes! Absolutely Garp-san!" I announced, too happy I was still breathing to care. I ignored the glares that were now being shot my way from the house.
"This is not black mail, it is a favor between friends, right Dadan?" Garp asked. His cheer returning, like the first day of spring after a long winter.
I groaned internally he gets whatever he wants doesn't he. Friends? Hah!
"Yes Garp-san." I droned, quietly.
"What was that?!" The deadly atmosphere was back as quick as lightening.
"YES GARP-SAN!" I chirped, resisting the urge to tell him to bug off.
But Garp wasn't paying attention any more, he was looking down at something in his arms. I strained to get a look at what he was holding. The something was making a soft sighing noise, almost like a baby. Garp brought out a light blue bundle from under his coat. What the? That kind of looks like a baby. But Garp? With kids? Haha, yeah right. Garp got straight to the point offering the baby to me,
"I want you to raise him." I smothered a laugh. Hmmmm maybe my hearing is going… I am getting older after all, I am not what I once was… could have sworn he asked me to raise this brat.
"What did you say?" I asked. As he tried to place the baby in my arms. I retreated a few steps. However, Garp did not appear to be listening because he just continued walking toward me.
"His name is Ace, and in exchange I will over look your crimes. I will be back soon to check on him and train him." He told me as he seized my arm with his free hand and place the baby in it with his other. When Ace almost fell, my other hand automatically came up to cradle him. I was still gaping at the Vice Admiral.
WHOA WHOA WHOA. Hold up!
"WAAAAH! WAAAH!" I stumbled, unable to process what had just happened.
"We can't raise a baby! Who do you think we are? Were bandits not nannies." I yelled at him.
"I know exactly who you are Dadan," he threatened, looking up from the bundle "and if you don't want me to forget our friendship then you will do this for me, keep him safe." My arms tightened around the bundle in response to the fear erupting inside me, Garp gave the baby one last kiss on the forehead before turning to leave.
"Whose child is he?!" I screamed after him but he was already across the yard and at the head of the path waving as he went.
"I'll be back to check on him when I am on vacation." He yelled back without turning.
How am I going to explain this to them? I wondered turning with Ace in my arms and toward the curious faces now venturing out form the door way.
A baby being raised by bandits, what a joke. A Baby. A baby. What was the brat's name? Ace… he said Ace. Ace what? No last name? Was Garp the father? NO! No that would be ridiculous. Garp's kids would be demons like him. And look at the baby he is rather cute and not demon-like, no way is he a Monkey. But why did Garp bring him here? He knows full well who we are. He could have brought him to the Marine HQ and found parents there. Why us? Who is this child? Oww! Something is pulling on my hair. I snapped out of my reverie and looked down at the source of the pain. My eyes met the dark, almost black eyes sparkling in the afternoon sun. The baby gurgled when he saw me looking at him and clapped his hands, letting go of the fist of my orange hair he had been yanking on. I then realized that we were alone with a baby. AHHHH! Its awake, I mean he's awake. What do I do? I knew this was a bad idea, I know nothing about children What does it want? Food? The toilet?
"Dogra get food" I barked, panicking. A confused Dogra ran into the house to fetch some food.
"Magra get the toilet….." My command was met with silence. No that wasn't right, I thought, trying to make my way through the fog of panic filling my brain again. The baby gurgled louder. AHH! Is it in pain? Is there something wrong with it?
"Dadan" came a worried voice from behind me.
No time for that, I thought and screamed
"Magra get the medical kit!" Magra ran into the house, spurred on by the panic in my voice. Almost running over Dogra, who was on his way back out with a stick of meat. I sunk to the ground, facing away from my shocked and confused family. Dogra skidded to halt a foot away.
"Dadan what's wrong are you hurt? Magra is coming with the medical kit! What did Garp do to you?" He demanded in a voice shrill with fear. In the next instant Magra came skidding to a stop next to Dogra with the medical kit in his fist.
"Dadan I got the stuff, where are you hurt?" He asked. I finally found my voice,
"No Garp did much worse," I said, rising to my feet and turning around and holding Ace up so everyone could see. "The evil son of a gun has charged us with taking care of this baby or he will arrest us."
"WHAT!" They all screamed.