Crocodile Tears
Title: Crocodile Tears
Rating: T
Fandom: One Piece
Summary: [Alternative Ending to The Tale of Crocodile and Alligator] Alligator died at the War of Marineford, protecting Luffy. His last request was for Crocodile and Daz Bones to join the Straw Hat Pirates. He wanted Crocodile to learn how to care about others again.
Akainu was about to blast Luffy with a magma fist. Luffy couldn't move, exhausted from his previous battle with Magellan. His eyes widened as Akainu attacked. Ace himself was tired and wouldn't get there in time. The Straw Hat captain felt a shove and fell to his side, avoiding the Logia's fist. However, the rescuer had taken the hit instead.
"ALLIGATOR!"
Crocodile's scream had sounded throughout the island. He stopped his fight with Doflamingo and rushed to Alligator's side. His younger brother's whole torso had been hit by the magma. Alligator coughed up blood. "Croc…"
"Rear-Admiral Alligator just defended Straw Hat Luffy!"
"What the hell is Alligator thinking!?"
"Crocodile seems concerned! What the hell is going on!?"
"H-Hey," Luffy said. "Marine guy, you saved me!"
"Alligator you're going to be alright!" Crocodile gently cradled his brother. "Big brother will make sure of it!"
"Big brother?" Luffy then realized who that man really was to Crocodile. "Is that Marine guy your brother!?"
"I can't lose you too…" Tears fell from Crocodile's eyes.
Everyone was shocked. The term crocodile tears referred to fake, insincere tears. However, Crocodile wouldn't even attempt to cry fake tears. Sir Crocodile, a former Shichibukai, and the Desert King, was crying. Not only that, but he was crying in the middle of a war while the whole world was watching.
"No way," Marco said. "Is Crocodile really crying!?"
"That man would only cry if he really cared about someone," Whitebeard said. "That Marine he's holding must be someone close to him,"
"Mugiwara…" Alligator rasped.
"Yeah?" Luffy asked.
"Let my brother and Daz…join your crew…" Alligator requested. "Please…"
"Huh!?" Luffy was caught off guard by that request.
"Help him…learn how…to care about…others again…" Alligator pleaded. "You're someone capable of that…" He coughed up blood.
"Al don't speak!" Crocodile ordered. "You're going to be alright! I don't need Mugiwara to teach me any shit or join his damn crew!"
"Croc…you know I won't last much longer…" Al said. "Please…go with Mugiwara…"
"Alligator…" Crocodile whispered, more tears falling.
The three of us are brothers forever
When you're feeling lonely, look up to the sky whenever
Together, for each other, we will shelter
Alligator wiped away his brothers' tears as he sang.
None of us will never be lonely
We will always have each other
Where we are will never matter
Alligator's hand fell from Croc's face and went limp. "Al…the song's not over…" Crocodile gently shook him. "Al…wake up…Please wake up…Please Al…" The tears were practically a river flowing. Alligator remained unmoving and unresponsive.
"Croc—" Ace began.
"SENGOKU!" Crocodile screamed at the Fleet Admiral. "WHAT KIND OF FATHER ARE YOU!?" His expression had turned from sorrowful to anger, but the sadness still showed in his eyes and tears. "YOU LET ROCINANTE GO ON THAT SUICIDE MISSION! AND NOW ALLIGATOR IS DEAD TOO! WHAT KIND OF FATHER LETS HIS SONS DIE!? WERE WE NEVER YOUR SONS TO BEGIN WITH!? ANSWER ME!"
"S-Sons!?" Both pirates and Marines who have never known about the brotherhood exclaimed.
"C-C-Crocodile is Sengoku's son!?" Buggy yelled in shock. He turned to Galdino. "Did you know about this!?"
"Yeah," Galdino gulped, eyes wide. "I never expected Crocodile to ever reveal it to the world like this though,"
Before Sengoku could respond to Crocodile's outburst, Akainu attacked the pirate. "Boss!" Daz Bones did his best to block his comrade from the attack but both were still hit. Magma covered Crocodile's face and Daz Bones' arms. "Traitors like you should die, Crocodile," Akainu raised his fist once more.
"Leave them alone!" Luffy shouted. "They're my nakama now!"
Ace create a wall of flames between Akainu and the pirates. "Luffy, get out of here!"
Marco flew by Luffy. "Get on my back-yoi," He ordered.
"What about Crocodile and his friend?" Luffy asked.
"I'll carry them too," Marco said.
That's when Trafalgar Law's submarine, the Polar Tang, surfaced. "Bring them over here!" He called to Marco. "I'm a doctor!"
"Can we trust him-yoi?" Marco asked as he flew up, Luffy on his back and the two pirates in his talons.
"Law…" Crocodile whispered, managing to open one of his eyes just enough to see the Surgeon of Death. "He's my…nephew…"
Marco flew over to the Polar Tang, tossing the former Warlord and his comrade to Jean Bart who easily caught them. Luffy then jumped down from Marco's back and onto the Polar Tang. "Get them to the operation room!" Law ordered his crew.
XXX
"I can't lose you too…" Tears fell from Crocodile's eyes.
The neighboring islands had broadcasted the whole thing. "Sir Crocodile was crying!?" The citizens and pirates all exclaimed.
"Who was that man that was hit by Admiral Akainu's attack?" A reporter questioned.
"Crocodile screamed the name 'Alligator' so they must be related!" A pirate said.
A few moments later, Crocodile cried even harder.
"We need to figure out their relationship!" One reporter said. However, his question was answered by Crocodile himself.
"SENGOKU!" Crocodile screamed at the Fleet Admiral. "WHAT KIND OF FATHER ARE YOU!?" His expression had turned from sorrowful to anger, but the sadness still showed in his eyes and tears. "YOU LET ROCINANTE GO ON THAT SUICIDE MISSION! AND NOW ALLIGATOR IS DEAD TOO! WHAT KIND OF FATHER LETS HIS SONS DIE!? WERE WE NEVER YOUR SONS TO BEGIN WITH!? ANSWER ME!"
"Did Crocodile just call Sengoku his father!?" The crowd exclaimed.
"This is the scoop of the century!" A report quickly scribbled some things down. "Not only is Straw Hat Luffy the son of the Revolutionary Dragon and Fire Fist Ace is the son of Pirate King Gol D. Roger, but Sir Crocodile is the son of Fleet Admiral Sengoku!"
XXX
Whitebeard had died after battling both Akainu and Blackbeard. Shanks had arrived and ended the war, taking Whitebeard's body to bury it on a peaceful island. Sengoku was sitting beside the ruins of Marine HQ, the tears flowing. "Alligator…"
"Senny," Garp approached the Fleet Admiral.
"Was Crocodile right, Garp?" Sengoku asked.
"Huh?" Garp questioned.
"Was I a horrible father?" Sengoku rephrased.
"You're a better father than me, that's for sure," Garp sat down beside his friend. "You raised them with a father's love since they were kids. I cared about Dragon but I threw him off cliffs, into jungles, and into abysses,"
"But Alligator and Rocinante are both dead," Sengoku said. "A father is supposed to protect his sons yet…I let two of them die! Now my only son left hates me!"
XXX
The Heart Pirates were docked at the bay of Amazon Lily. Luffy's injuries had also been tended to. Daz Bones had woken up but Crocodile was still unconscious. "Will Croc be okay?" Luffy asked.
Daz Bones shook his head. "Alligator meant a lot to him. His whole personality was different whenever Alligator visited Alabasta. He was always more cheerful and less irritable. He would smile and even threw a party once,"
"No way!" Penguin exclaimed. "Crocodile threw a party!?"
"Yes," Daz Bones nodded. "It was for Alligator's birthday after Crocodile became a Shichibukai. Even the Fleet Admiral himself had joined along with another Marine soldier who was a close friend of Crocodile,"
Inside the submarine, Crocodile was lying in bed. His whole face was covered with bandages. Law was leaning against the wall of the sub, watching over him. "Al…gator…" Crocodile's eye shot open. "Where…Al…gator…"
"Alligator is dead," Law informed.
Crocodile sat up. "Where…Al…gator…"
"He's dead," Law repeated.
Crocodile stood up. "No…" He took a few steps towards the door leading to the exit. "Not…dead…"
XXX
Crocodile had destroyed the submarine's entry door and jumped onto the sandy beach. "Where…Al…gator…"
"Croc!" Luffy exclaimed.
"Boss, are you alright?" Daz Bones asked.
"Where…Al…gator?" Crocodile kept on asking.
"Your brother died…" Luffy whispered.
Crocodile finally realized that they were not at Marineford anymore. His confusion turned into anger and realization. His brother was indeed gone, having protected Straw Hat. He glared at the latter. "This is your fault!" He attempted to punch him, not having the strength to use his Devil Fruit.
"How is it my fault!?" Luffy asked. "Akainu was the one that killed him!"
"He protected…you…" Crocodile rasped. "You're weak!"
"How dare you attempt to harm my Luffy!?" Boa kicked Crocodile in the side. "I am beyond furious!"
"Hancock wait!" Luffy stopped her. "He's just upset that his brother's dead! I would be the same too if Ace had died!"
Crocodile didn't bother to get up from his spot on the beach. He was weeping. "You're weak…you're weak…you're weak…"
"Boss?" Daz Bones called.
"You're weak…" Crocodile said. A few seconds of silence followed. "…I'm…weak…"
So then Rayleigh makes his appearance same as in the Canon Universe. However, he offers to train Luffy, Crocodile, and Daz Bones for the next two years. Of course they accept.
Crocodile blamed Luffy because if Luffy was stronger, then Alligator wouldn't have needed to protect him.
Do you want this to be a multi-chapter story? If yes, the next chapter will take place after the two year time skip.