AN: I'm back!
Thatch
When Thatch dies he is forty-three years old. He rather fancies himself too young to die. If Ace heard that he'd probably laugh and call him an old man, but Thatch ignores that little thought for the moment.
He'd never expected to die this way. He's a pirate and thus death is not a foreign subject nor is it a rare thought to think about, however he had always thought that he would die in battle. Maybe facing a great enemy or protecting one of his many siblings. He knew when he joined Oyaji twenty-seven years ago that it was unlikely that he would die of old age or anything similar. But he had, despite knowing all this, and despite knowing that most pirates are scoundrels who lie and betray he had never ever expected to be killed by one of his own nakama, literally stabbed in the back.
He feels numb. He dimly registers that a drop of blood has broken free from the pool around his abdomen and is trailing sluggishly towards his face. Rain beats against his face but he barely feels it. He loves rain. While others find it dreary Thatch has always found it refreshing and life-giving (as long as one doesn't stand outside too long and catches a cold). Rain can give life to anything, it's vital for growing most things he uses in his kitchen and it can save the lives of anyone lost, whether it be in a desert or at sea. Besides, while loving to play in the sun he had always loved playing in the rain just as much as a child, not to mention that it was the perfect excuse to stay in and read cookbooks. How ironic that he would die under the showers he has always seen as the opposite of death.
Thunder roars but it sounds oddly muted in his ears, like his head is underwater, but despite this Teach's laughter still rings in his ears. His vision is fading as well, black spots taking the place of the deck and railing he knows he should be facing. The pain in his back is nearly non-existent now, he hopes that it's just the adrenaline numbing it, and not something else, not death.
His head is starting to feel fuzzy and his vision is fading quicker. It doens't take much longer before he has slipped away completely. When he does his mind starts getting clearer again. He can't feel anything, no pain, no rain, no wind, no nothing. He can't see, hear, or smell, there's just darkness. So this is death, huh? He hopes his family won't be too sad. While he loves attention, always has, he much prefers it to be positive attention, like high praise for his skills, not grief. But he knows they will, he knows they will cry and miss him just like every other time they lose one of their own, like when they lost Dai, the Second Division Commander before Ace. But he can still hope, he has always hated seeing his family cry, he doesn't want them to cry for him.
With time the darkness fades. In its wake it leaves a light breeze, the sight of the blue sky, the sound of seagulls crying out and the smell of the sea. He takes a deep breath, filling his lungs with air. Out of all his senses smell is the one he treasures the most after taste. After all, how can he be a good chef without being able to smell the food he's cooking or the quality of his ingredients?
He sits up to study his surroundings. The sea is calm, a stark difference to the storm he has just witnessed, and he spots a ship bobbing on the surface close by. He shrugs inwardly and picks up a pair of oars from the bottom of the otherwise plain skiff he has found himself in and starts rowing towards the ship. He's dead anyway, it's not like it could do any harm. It feels weird thinking that and knowing it is true, so he hastily scraps that thought.
He studies the ship while he rows; it's a big Galleon with a plain jolly roger flapping happily in the wind at the top of the tallest mast, while the second tallest mast sports a black flag with a depiction of a golden hourglass that has half of the sand in the top and half in the bottom for some reason. The name of the ship, The Lovely Rouge, is handwritten on the side of the ship in beautiful, cursive letters. The crew itself seems to be big, the men and women milling around on deck could easily be a hundred pirates. He dearly hopes that they aren't the same kind of scoundrels as Teach. It would be incredibly bothersome. He has a feeling they're not, however. He can spot the Captian of the crew, standing tall and proud by the helm, his grin is so wide and bright that Thatch can see it from where he is, at least five dozen yards away. He has the air of a man who has everything and is content with it, but not that of a murderer. Hopefully his crew will match that.
The watchman finally spots him after a few more strokes of his oars and Thatch is rather surprised that no-one has seen him until now. When then man leans back from the binoculars attached to the railings of the crow's nest it becomes clear why; the man is missing both of his arms and squints with his one eye in a way that speaks of an injury, the other eye is completely covered by an eyepatch.
At the call of the watchman five men rush to the railing. Every single one of them is familiar in one way or another. There's a man he recognises from Gol D. Roger's old crew but he can't seem to remember the man's name. That's a bit of a blow to his self-esteem, he thinks glumly. Maybe he isn't too young after all, if he's forgetting stuff, he has always been the one to remember things. He never forgets a face, a bounty or a birthday, never, but it seems he does forget names.
He's too busy placing the other men in his mind to wonder over what the combination of that bright smile and one of Roger's old crewmembers might mean, but he's got an inkling, and it's interesting.
The other four men he defienitely knows the names of. They are all former Whitebeard Pirates and his heart aches a bit at the same time that it does a jump when he sees them. They are family after all. He could never forget these people, nor could he forget their names, or even nicknames. There was Tommy the Pony (don't ask, they were very, very drunk when the name was come up with, but it stuck), Weird Al (Thatch's heart aches a bit extra when he sees the man who had once been part of his Division and had died on his watch), the Little Lad (who's actually a rather big and burly man, don't ask about that nickname either) and there was Spitfire Dai, the old Second Division Commander. A warm wave of nostalgia washes over him when he sees all the familiar faces but is soon followed by a wave of longing for the family left behind.
"Commander Thatch!" Al is the first to cry out, soon followed by Dai's call of "Thatchy!" while Tommy the Pony waves in greeting and Little Lad - who is a silent and strong type of guy - just quirks his lips in welcome.
Thatch secures the oars to ensure that they don't float off with practiced ease before lifting both of his arms to wave enthusiastically in response.
"Missed me?" he calls, surpressing the waves of emotions washing over him.
"God, yes!" calls Al. Thatch knows that Division Commanders are important, knows that when in battle the one thing that can save you if you get in trouble isn't luck or anything like it, but your Division Commander, a responsibility he takes - took, he reminds himself - more seriously than most other matters. Therefore it makes him glad to know that Al doesn't blame him for his untimely death.
"Not at all!" Dai shouts jokingly. It's good to see him again. If one was looking for an interesting conversation Dai was always the one to go to. While usually calm the younger man could become a real spitfire - thus the nickname - if one pushed the right buttons and had a sense of humour that could easily be turned into scorn but never did.
"It's impossible to find someone who's as fun to drink with as you around here!" is Tommy's answer while Lad keeps as silent as usual. Thatch silently agrees. While he has met some truly great and interesting people through the years not one of them is as fun to drink with as Tommy, apparently the feeling is mutual. Thatch laughs at them all, he has certainly missed them.
He brings his skiff up to the side of the ship and Little Lad (who's real name is Baruki Conroy) throws him a ladder to climb up. Thatch grabs it and climbs up easily, his body being completely used to the swaying and imbalance of both ropes and ships.
As soon as he sets foot on the deck they're upon him, Dai dunking his back and Tommy patting the other side (albeit just as hard as Dai's dunking) while Al grabs his hand to shake it in welcome and more of the crew - who turns out to be more of his old brothers and sisters - crowd around to greet him.
He focuses on the family surrounding him and a smile spreads across his face. The part of his family who are still alive will grieve for a while, but they will eventually join him, and until then he has the rest of his family to keep him company.
He feels a weight on his shoulder and glances questioningly to Dai, whose hand has moved from Thatch's back to grip his shoulder tightly. His face has gone serious and he meets Thatch's eye with a worried look in his own. He opens his mouth and speaks.
"Thatch… how did you die? Should we be expecting any more to follow?" he asks worriedly. Thatch immediately understands. Commanders dying is a rare occasion and the younger man is no doubt remembering his own death, a battle with a Marine Admiral that hadn't only killed him, but twenty more of their fellow siblings.
He shakes his head.
"I don't think so. I was stabbed in the back…" he trails of to take a deep breath, "by Teach."
Dai's eyes widen. He knew Teach, the man having been one of his subordinates. Teach had been with them nearly twenty-five years now, twenty when Dai had died, the notion that he would betray them - that any Whitebeard Pirate would - sounded ridiculous.
"Te-Teach?" he chokes out at last, "Ho- why?!" he asks in disbelief. The rest of the former Whitebeards had quieted down at seeing their Commander in such shock, but Thatch doubted that all of them had heard why, if their confused expressions were to go by.
"I'd found a Devil Fruit, I hadn't eaten it yet - was planning to sell it - I was out on the deck in the rain in the middle of the night, and suddenly I felt something pierce my back, I think he severed my spinal cord. He laughed, laughed, Dai, and then he told me all about how he'd joined Oyaji with the goal of finding that fruit and wasn't planning on staying a moment longer. Then he took off, I think he stole one of the lifeboats." Thatch explains, his voice, as well, tinted in disbelief.
There was no doubt that they all had heard him this time. A silence swept over the crowd, broken only by other crewmates he didn't know working and the cries of seagulls from up above. Dai had gone pale and was staring into the distance with glazed over eyes while the rest of the former members of the Second Division were shaking their heads in disbelief or staring at Thatch with the same shock he had felt when it happened.
"That bastard," Conroy says at last, breaking the shocked silence with his deep voice, "he was our comrade for years, not once believeing in us the way we did him?" he shakes his head sadly, "he's a disgrace of a pirate," he finshes, voicing everyone's thoughts. A murmur of agreement goes through the crowd while Dai, as well, breaks out of his daze.
"When he dies I'm gonna beat him into a bloody pulp, Reaper rules be damned, but until then it will do us no good dwelling on it. Meanwhile, how about we get you settled in and caught up on the rules, Thatch?" he says resolutely. The sound of their Commander taking charge again got everyone back on track. It is rather obvious to Thatch that Dai hasn't stopped being Commander just because he's dead. He's been commanding these people despite there being another Captain on this ship because these men and women are children of Whitebeard, and they do not fully follow the orders of anyone but their father or Commanders.
Thatch nods in answer, glad to hear that he hasn't made any permanent damage on the mood. Just as the crowd has started dispersing in order to return to their assigned tasks a voice cuts Dai short of leading Thatch to the bunks.
"Actually, Dai, would you mind if I explained his new situation to your friend?" the voice feels somewhat familiar and Thatch finds out exactly why when he turns around and faces the Pirate King himself.
Dai looks slightly reluctant to leave but doesn't argue, even though he is the one who commands the former Whitebeards it would seem he does have a rather high degree of respect for Roger, something Thatch understands. He tells Thatch that he'll show him around later and takes his leave.
"Welcome to the afterlife, friend," Roger says and grins at him. There is something oddly familiar about the the expression that doesn't come from having met the man before, a fact which Thatch stows away carefully in his mind for later examination.
"Thanks," Thatch says, scratching the back of his head. Before he has had the chance to say anything more Roger speaks again.
"I suppose that you're another one of Newgate's brats?" barely waiting for the nod of confirmation he ploughs on, "I think I recognise you, though I can't say that I recognise the hair," he comments, an amused but teasing expression on his face.
Thatch laughs. "Yeah, I'm Thatch, the Fourth Division Commander. And I guess you wouldn't, it's something I picked up... oh, sixteen years ago," he answers, then his eyes widen and he blanches, "shit, I'm old!" Roger just laughs loudly at him.
"The realisation never ceases to surprise, I'm supposed to be in my sixties myself," he pats Thatch's back before making a gesture to follow him.
"So, Thatch, do you know where you are?" Roger asks in a business-like tone, but with his usual grin in place. It's really beginning to bother him that he can't seem to figure ot where he's seen it before.
"...the afterlife?" it comes out more like a question than anything.
"Well yes, but that's very unspecific. To be more specific, you are currently aboard my Waiting Ship, The Lovely Rouge," he says the name with a strange sense of pride in his voice. Thatch has heard many Captains talk about their ships fondly, but this seems to be directed more to the name in itself than the ship.
Roger then proceeds to explain how this world works, how this is a Waiting Ship, where seamen waits for their loved ones or stay while deciding what to do in afterlife. How there are different ships for different kind of people, pirates, merchants, marines, all kinds of sailors and people who've devoted their lives to sea. He explains how the Waiting Ships are the only places you can enter without consequence and leave whenever you like. How the 'Reapers' - the ones who created and run this place - are very strict and unfamiliar with fickleness. Once you've made a decision you stick by it, according to Reapers. Therefore you will be stuck in the next place you step foot after you've died if you haven't made a decision. The decision can be anything, Roger explains, joining a crew, waiting for your comrades, setting off on your own or even sticking to land. As long as your mind is made up about where you want to go you can do anything. Thatch listens patiently as Roger explains, finding that he doesn't have anything that needs clarified. Roger however does have a question.
"Are you proud of that scar?" he asks, motioning to the crescent moon shaped scar on the left side of Thatch's face. He knows many people who are ashamed of scars they have, but it's still a bit of an odd question. Thatch raises an eyebrow but answers anyway:
"Yes, I am. I got it protecting my nakama, it has never given me an ounce of shame because every time I see my reflection it reminds me that I am capable of keeping them safe."
Roger nods in approval before diving into another explanation. He explains how the Reapers do want the best for the humans in their care and therefore patch up any unwanted wounds and scars as well as reverting the humans to their prime ages again when they die. How they do it is however beyond human understanding Roger says with a laugh and Thatch suspects that he might be missing out on an inside joke. When he's finished a question pops into Thatch's head.
"Dai said something about the Reapers' rules when he said he'd beat up Teach, what did he mean by that?" he asks curiously.
"Ah, I'm glad you asked! You see the Reapers have certain rules, and the most important and prominent one is that you shouldn't deliberately try to kill someone. It's nearly impossible to kill someone here in the first place, so actually managing to do it is a sin punishable by being taken from this paradise of a sea and exposed to your worst fear or some similar hell like place. Beating someone up isn't as grave, but you will still be punished, just not for all eternity. That's a fair warning for you." Roger explains patiently. By the end Thatch nods in understanding. These Reapers aren't ones to mess with by the sound of it.
By now they have walked almost all the way around the ship, coming to a stop on a lower deck that looks more like a garden than anything else. It is crowded by flower beds, bushes and even trees. He'd never seen anything like it on a ship before. In the middle of it all stands a woman with her back turned to them, watering pot in hand. She has strawberry-blonde hair cascading down her back in ringlets and a gardening hat on her head. When she turns around at the sound of of them approaching he is hit by another wave of familiarity. He is certain that he has never met the woman before - he'd remember a face like that, no doubt - yet there is something about her that reminds him of someone he knows. She smiles softly at them and puts down her pot.
"Another new one?" she asks. her voice is soft and melodious and manages to sound like the soft a rippling of a water surface when a water drop hits.
"That's right," Roger answers, coming to stand next to the woman, "he's another one of Eddie's brats," he tells her, then he turns to stand in just the right position to make introductions.
"Rouge, this is Thatch. Thatch, this is my wife, the real lovely Rouge," he says proudly, like he can't believe that she's actually his. That explains the name of the ship at least.
"Nice to meet you, Thatch," the Pirate King's wife says, slipping off one of her gardening gloves to shake his hand. When she steps back to stand next to Roger again something hits Thatch like a bludgeon to his head. He suddenly know why they feel so familiar, why he has seen their smiles and Roger's eyes and Rouge's freckles before. He has seen them on Ace. These people are Ace's parents.
"Huh," he says out loud, "I'd never have guessed… that you'd be Ace's parents." The reaction he gets is strong, as he should've expected. Roger's eyes widen and his jaw drops while Rouge's hands fly to her mouth. She hastily lowers them again however to take a step forward and ask;
"You… you know him? You know Ace?" she says carefully, like she's scared of the answer.
Thatch nods proudly, "He's one of my best friends, one of my brothers," he states resolutely. Rouge's face breaks out into a wide smile. She takes his arm and guides him to a white, spindly garden table under one of her largest trees and sits him down on a chair. She takes the one opposite him herself while Roger - who followed as if second nature to him - takes the one next to her.
"Please, tell us about him," she requests politely, but there is something about the tone of her voice that leaves no room for arguments. Thatch doesn't mind though, instead he launches into the tale of how Ace defeated their now-ally Douma the Bohemian Knight. The proud parents are both excellent listeners - or at least when it comes to stories of their son - and Thatch ends up returning to the alcove under the tree most days for the coming months, sharing and listening to tales about the sea.
It continues this way until one day his brothers and sisters who are supposed to be alive start arriving in dozens. When Ace arrives he's silently glad that he didn't tell every single story he knows, Ace needs something to talk about, too, after all. Then Oyaji arrives and they all take off with him on Moby Dick II.
It's not, however, the last time he sees his new acquaintances. After all, Whitebeard is quite fond of his old rival and they meet up for a drink at least every other month.
This is the way Thatch spends his afterlife, sailing with his father, brothers and sisters, drinking, partying and getting into a shipload of trouble. He has never been happier than the day Marco arrives and his family is once again complete. Then Thatch is completely content in death.
AN: There we are! A bit longer than usual to make up for last week. Along with a lot of exposition, I felt the need to clarify some stuff. Also I'd like to say thanks to Haurvatat for letting me borrow her interpretation of Thatch in '100 Days of Ace Being a Buttwipe' (it's a great read, I'd recommend it) for a bit. Thanks to GuestGal as well for pointing out a mistake about the time Teah and been with the crew, it's now been fixed!
Next up: Zoro
