Title: Grandfather's Bleeding Heart
Summary: Torn between duty and family…what will Garp do in the end as he watched the downfall of his own grandson?
Note: Honestly, I've been crying ever since I ran into One Piece's spoiler and I wish I never did. Hell, I was even hoping despite that, that it was unreal despite the confirmation. I told myself I would not want to read the update this week but still, I indulged myself knowing I'd be reading something that would probably affect me. I love reading manga and One Piece probably is the best for me. There are dozens of characters one would love and Ace is one of those characters. Second to Luffy and Zoro, he is my favorite character. I love him and so I can't help but cry after reading this update. I was even crying while I told about it to my friend who was also a fan of Ace. It's really ridiculous to cry over a fictional character but the hell I care. Anyway, this is following my first One Piece fic and I'd like to take the point of view of Garp this time.
I don't know but somehow, I'm more curious about what Garp is up to do next. Sure we probably have a guess of what Luffy might do…but I'm more curious about Garp since there were less interaction seen between him and Ace. Hopefully I don't screw it up here.
Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece. If I do, Ace would not die.
Garp had always wanted his grandsons to become great marines someday and so he trained them at young age in hope to prepare them when they grow old. But it seems the two had no plan to listen to him.
And this is where it led them.
A grandfather watching his grandson die in front of his eyes, he does not know how to react to it. He knew that a fight like this would soon happen considering Ace's lineage. Heck it was for this reason that he had always hoped for them to become Marines, to avoid situations like this.
But Ace and Luffy never listened to him.
Perhaps he had always known it in his mind that piracy would be the death of his grandsons if they were ever so careless. But was it indeed carelessness which drove Ace to his death? If he were to be honest, he was so proud of both Luffy and Ace for what they are now despite the fact that the two were pirates and he's the only one in the family who is a Marine and so he knew that Luffy and Ace were never the type to seek death carelessly.
And being a Marine, he was pledged to capturing pirates and ending piracy. That was their duty and he was a man of duty. And so when Ace was sent to Impel Down after his defeat to Blackbeard, he could not help but feel disturbed inside. He was not expecting him to be defeated at all.
While the Marines were in panic, as they prepared for the upcoming battle against Whitebeard, Garp visited Ace in his cell and his heart ached for the sight that greeted him. He expressed his deepest regret that he and Luffy chose the path of piracy and he still could remember Ace's answer there.
Was he really denied the existence he deserved? Somehow, Garp felt the answer is too painful for him to know. The silent question of Ace about having the right to be born into this world was somehow answered by the Marines decision to execute him. The answer is plain and simple for Ace to see.
He had no right to live in this world because he bore the blood of the late Pirate King.
And perhaps that was the reason why Ace was so prepared to die prior to the attack of Whitebeard and his crew. Garp was there beside him and once again expressed his deepest regret while shedding tears for whatever fate awaits his grandson. His hands were bound and there is nothing he could do to save him.
Hell, he was so prepared to the outcome of this, he had prepared himself that he would be watching his grandson's execution. But as he and Ace both watched the many pirates who told him to hang on, he heard his grandson cry as he expressed his sudden desire to live. It tore at his heart but he did nothing. He even had to fight Luffy to prevent him from going to the platform.
But in the end, Ace's voice rang through his ears and he was reluctant to fight Luffy. In the end, he allowed Luffy to do what he could not – to save Ace.
So his grandsons were able to escape from Sengoku and were running away already. In the deepest corner of his heart, he felt glad that they did. But Aka Inu could not allow the two to escape and so he provoked Ace by insulting the one who fathered him in the sea. And Ace, being who he was, could never allow any of those he loved to be insulted.
And thus he ended up lying in front of Luffy after protecting his younger brother from the Admiral.
Garp could never be more shocked as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. Ace had just used his body to shield Luffy and thus sacrificed himself to protect Luffy's life and dream. And all Garp could do was watch with rage starting to boil up.
Ace may not be of his blood but he is still his grandson nonetheless. Roger had entrusted his care to him knowing he would protect Ace from the atrocities the world might throw at him. And so Garp wondered if he ever did his duty as a grandfather to the man? He felt like there is something wrong.
Ace…
He would never be in that platform if only he had acted so soon. Ace would never have died if he allowed a stop to this execution. It was his fault. He had all the power to prevent this from happening but he remained a bystander, allowing all those to come to pass. The regrets which he had expressed to Ace started to pile together once more as rage started to boil down inside him.
Ace had only wanted a place in this world without being shunned for being the Pirate King's son and Garp blamed himself for not being one of those who reassured him of his own place. Hell, indirectly, he drove Ace to his own death by allowing the execution to commence as well as by allowing Aka Inu to do that to his grandson.
With burning fury inside him, Garp's heart bled for Ace and Luffy now. For Ace – because he was not able to live longer, to enjoy the life he was granted, the warmth and love of those who care for him and accepted him for what and who he was, because Garp was not able to give his own reassurance to him. His heart felt heavy just thinking about it and the anger is continuously burning. And for Luffy – Garp's heart bled for Luffy as well because the young man suddenly became a witness to a terrible death of one he loved so much, because he knew that Ace's death would affect him so, would scar his soul, because he knew that Ace died to protect him and his dreams.
Unable to control the burning rage, he started to move but Sengoku had slammed him down to the ground with a question. What was he doing?
Garp is no longer torn between his duty and his family. He knew what he wanted to do now and so he gave a small warning.
"You better hold me tight here Sengoku or I will murder Sakazuki."
Those were his words and as he watched his grandson slide down from Luffy to the ground, he could do no more than shed his tears. His actions were too late.
.
.
.
The fic is random but I hope I still make good of it. Damn, I can't believe I am still crying. Anyway, thanks for the read. Take care. Hopefully we get to see what Luffy and Garp and Whitebeard would do next. By the way, was it just me or would Ace's death become the first major death in One Piece?