-Ace POV-
The cell was cold. Not alarmingly so, not freezing, but I was still uncomfortable. I can barely remember the last time I felt actual cold. With my Devil's Fruit powers, it's not something that happens. But now, with Sea Stone cuffs chaining my arms to the wall and imprisoned so deep below the surface, it's cold. I was also uncomfortable, but not terribly so. My shoulders were a little sore from staying in the same position for too long, but frankly, the final level of Impel Down wasn't nearly as horrible as I expected. There were no torture devices or anything like that, unless of course you counted my grandfather, which might just make up for their absence.
The old man sighed. He was talking about how Luffy and I were supposed to become Marines. Apparently Luffy had caused trouble at Shabondy too since I'd been imprisoned. I couldn't help but smile at that. And he'd finally told Luffy about his father too. Apparently he'd been surprised. I would be surprised if Luffy even realized that he had a father. Gramps had stumbled upon the reason we could never have become Marines. It had always been a ridiculous thought considering out attitudes. But with the blood we had inherited from our fathers, it was just impossible. The only blood family I owed any allegiance to was my mother, and I told him as such.
"Yeah, I get what you mean, but he was just-" There was no way I would just sit here and let Garp defend him, not to me. Not after all I'd been though- was still going through.
"That's why," I cut him off, "Gramps. My old man is Whitebeard and no one else."
I was done talking with Garp after that. There was nothing more to say between us. It'll sound cheesy, but I was going through my head remembering all the important people in my life. Gramps, Sabo, Luffy, they were some of the first. Then came Whitebeard and the others, perhaps I should call them my second family, if that didn't make them sound less important. And Lilith. She just kept popping up now and then. I remember, once we'd just happened to be in the same town and I saw more of Lilith than I had ever expected to. I wondered if she was out doing something like that now. Violent charity work.
"I've got to do something. You can come if you want, but you'll probably be bored."
"Might as well, I've got nothing else to do anyway."
"Then you can help me carry things."
"Sure."
"It's not heavy anyway," she shrugged. "Thanks for helping."
When I realized that I was helping her carry bread, and that she was familiar with the baker, I wondered who she could possibly be bringing this to. Two large bags full of bread, some fresh and still hot and others a day or two old, like the baker had been saving them to fulfill her order in time. The only person I could think of who could eat this much bread was Luffy, and he prefered meat.
As I followed Lilith through the streets of the town, the streets became increasingly impoverished. Suspicious characters languished in doorways on on stairsteps. At first I thought they were inspecting the bags on our back, but then realized that their eyes were instead followed Lilith as we passed. I felt the urge to get her out of there, away from those men and their wandering skeevy glances, but I ignored it. Lilith could take care of herself and she wouldn't appreciate me interfering.
Eventually we reached a small square, little more than a hut's worth or space between tall apartment buildings on all sides, clearly residential and overcrowded. In some ways I was reminded of Grey Terminal, but here everyone was stacked on top of each other instead of being sprawled out across the garbage. Lilith took a seat on a crate, first knocking a glass bottle to the ground and letting it shatter. We waited.
"What are we doing here?" I asked her.
"Just wait," she said. "If you're with me they won't be scared of you."
I wondered who 'they' were but before I could ask I realized. Children were coming. From around corners and out of boxes, out windows and down fire escapes, children of all ages, from toddlers, being carried to people our own age, they assembled. Lilith smiled. "Bread-Lady," I heard. As well as, "Giver-Girl," "Demon-Woman," and "Odd-Rich." Some of the names i understood, others less so. Why call someone who gave you bread Demon-Woman? And Odd-Rich? What was that about?
Lilith didn't say anything, just started giving out the bread. I was shocked to see the children sharing. The older ones looking around to confirm that everyone had something to eat before even taking a bite. Back in Grey Terminal it had been every man for himself, not this… kindness. I could tell Lilith was smiling, even though I was standing behind her, leaning against the rough, splintered wooden wall. Lilith obviously came her at least semi-regularly or the children wouldn't be so comfortable around her. Lilith quickly depleted the entire first bag and started on the second. I realized the crowd was thinning. Once a person had been fed, they left. Nobody said thank you or goodbye.
Suddenly, half the children scattered. Only the older ones held their ground, physically tensing against the presence of the man who appeared across the way. Lilith's countenance darkened as she exchanged glances with the oldest boy there, he looked to be about twenty and his hair fell over one eye, held in place by a bandana.
Lilith turned back to the man. "And you are?" she asked. Her tone wasn't hostile, but it wasn't exactly friendly either.
"You can't just go and feed my brats," he said. "They won't work."
"Beggars work?" Lilith asked the boy, turning away from the man. She gestured him closer and he came. She snatched his head and pulled the hair out of his eye. It was a ruined mess, obviously crossed out with a knife with an x-shaped scar across it. "That's new," she commented, "Did he do it?" Lilith's eyes narrowed and she looked him straight in the eyes. "You're answering me," It wasn't even an order. There was no question about his compliance. The boy hesitated, glancing at the man, swallowed in fear, but nodded. Lilith stood and handed the bag to him. "Distribute this," she ordered. He gave her a confused look. Lilith understood why. "Make sure everyone gets some. If there's extra, it goes to the youngest first." He nodded and stood back against the wall, clutching the bag.
Lilith drew the bat from her back. I decided not to interfere. Lilith obviously held some significance here and I couldn't mess with that. She knew what she was doing and I was, quite frankly, out of my element. Lilith swung the bat at the man, cracking his jaw and sending him flying against the wall. The wall nearly gave under the assault, not that it was very strong in the first place. Lilith proceeded to beat the man with her bat, ignoring his cries and curses even as they turned to pleas for mercy. I'll admit that I was shocked by the violence.
"You do not mess with my children," Lilith said, but the man didn't answer. He was already unconscious… or dead. I didn't check. There was blood on Lilith's bat and boots from where she'd beaten him. I was shocked by how comfortable she was with this. I was not unaccustomed to violence, but it was unexpected coming from Lilith.
"Don't you think that was a little violent?" I asked. It wasn't an accusation, merely a comment.
"Yes, it was," she said, not turning.
"Did you think that was necessary?" I aske.d
"Yes," she replied.
"Why?" I asked.
"Simply because it was."
She moved to leave and I followed her. The boy with one eye came and stood in front of us, tears flowing down one cheek and not the other. He bowed, prostrating himself on the ground, forehead touching the disgusting street muck. "Thank you Demon-Woman," he said.
"You get strong enough to beat the next one off yourself," Lilith answered. "For your the ones that aren't strong enough just yet. You got it?" The boy nodded. Lilith smiled and we kept walking. Without turning around she said to me: "That's why. Because I believe in my own justice. And this is what it is."
And I think I understood that.
