I Am Alive! And here is only 1 chapter (sadly). T^T Real World got me busy,,, It's not proofred nor betaed. Tell me if there's a typo, and I'll get back to that. Well, Enjoy!


Chapter 26

White Thorn island is one of the islands under Whitebeard's territory, however, it only became such because this island was specifically the home island of one of his merchant allies. An ally who'd provided for the Moby Dick in their multiple times of need, even going as far as offering the wears he was meant to sell and asking only for the barest minimum. An ally who'd shown his friendship to the crew, and undoubtedly loyal to their captain. An ally who died of old age—- and a cold.

"Well, the initial reason why we had to go here was because I wanted to visit his grave. To say goodbye to good ol' Reid one last time." Whitebeard says as he carried Dadan in his arm, Luffy having been wrapped around his other tricep as Ace had re-supplying duties to do while Thatch, Marco and a hand full of other commanders pay their respects to the ally they knew and were close to.

The few commanders and crew with them were numbered. There was Thatch, Marco, Kingdew, Haruta and Bleinheim. The rest were older members of the crew, an assortment from the other divisions who knew old man Reid. Mostly chefs from 4th division and those on procurement at 5th. Vista having volunteered to keep Ace from trouble but let the rest of his division go for him.

"I remember old Reid." Kingdew chimes, "He got scared really easily, but he was a good man."

"Well, he was scared at first. But he kept coming back and doing a fair trade. So he's a good guy in my book." Thatch adds. "Which reminds me, this island grows the snowberries he sold us that one time. I'd like to get my hands on those again."

"I remember him mentioning his wife grows them in her garden. We should pay respects to his family too."

"That won't be difficult yoi. This island has the tradition of burring the dead near their home or in their part of the land." Marco adds. "And that's their house right there."

They come across a moderately sized house. You could even call it simple. Outside the house, there was a young boy, about 5 or 6 years old by the looks of it. He was waiting on the porch, bundled up from head to toe, with big fluffy ear muffs that covers more than just his ears. He waves at them, but stands from his seat and runs inside the house. Alerting what could be his mother. One look at the group and she immediately knew who they were. She sent the boy inside the house as she greets the guests outside.

"Good day! Captain Whitebeard, I presume?" The lady smiles. Her dark tanned skin is something uncommon in these lands, and the curls of her hair, tightly wound, is something that intrigues Dadan. She looked like an interesting person. "Father-in-law had said so much about you." She greets, "-and the commanders too! How nice of you to visit him."

"Yes, it's a pleasure to meet you." Whitebeard bows, keeping Dadan secured on his arm.

"Oh where are my manners. My name is Zarhi. Reigh's wife." Whitebeard remembers Rein mentioning his son following his footsteps was Reigh. He was planning to introduce his son to them the next time he visited, sadly, the next time never came.

"That's a pretty name." Luffy says from Newgate's bicep. She smiles at him "Thank you. And you are?"

"I'm Monkey D. Luffy!" He introduces. "And I'm gonna be Pirate King!"

"Well, that is quite a dream." The woman says as she hides her smile. A dainty smile that reaches her eyes. Dadan already gets the impression she was a good woman.

The more Dadan watches her, the more she can't even compare herself to her. The woman before her was charming, in all the right ways. Her words were respectful and her voice had an accent that was rather attractive. She didn't speak softly like Makino, but her speech was pleasant. Her hands moved around, but the motions were smooth and so dainty. Her skin looked soft, and she looked like she took good care of herself.

The complete opposite of her. Who was rash and impulsive when speaking. She could never be as charming as her like this, at their first meeting too. In which Dadan would always try to be the worse that she could to get others off her back.

And her child- who's inherited the chocolate of her skin and the high cheekbones but everything else must be his father's colors. The child was shyly hiding, looking behind the window, obediently staying put as his mother's orders. He looked so well cared for. Wrapped warmly in his well-made clothes, he looked cleaned and loved; and everything she didn't do for Ace when he was at that age.

"Oh, and who could that lady be?" She asks. A small wave of her hand to Dadan. Dadan waves back, a tiny wave she found herself imitating mindlessly from her action. "I-" she stumbles in her words, suddenly caught off guard. "I'm Dadan. I'm just hitching a ride." She says. And Zarhi smiles. A knowing twinkle in her eyes that Dadan thought familiar to Makino. It usually means she sees something most people can't. A feeling or sorts- an intuition… A mother's intuition.

"A pleasure to meet you." She says to Dadan, holding the Captain's coat in a bunch in her hand. It doesn't escape the Captain's notice.

"I'm dreadfully sorry. I'd invite you inside, but I don't think you boys can fit in our humble home." She points out the problem beforehand. The men towering over 20 to 15 feet high certainly cannot fit through a 7-foot door. Neither can they cram in 7 people in one tiny hut.

"It's no problem, yoi. We were only here to visit Reid's grave. We wouldn't want to intrude, yoi." Marco speaks for them.

"Father-in-law's grave, yes. It's right around the back of that house, right there." She points to the house just below a hill. Behind it seems like a public cemetery of some sort. "It's close by, but he's behind a few other graves of the relatives. The path is also very narrow, I could only take a few at a time." She explains the situation.

"If it's no bother, could you guide one of us through? We can take care of the rest once we find out where old man Reid is buried."

"I could, but…" Zarhi looks back to her house, to the boy looking through the window. "I can't take Rein with us, he's been sick the past week and I wouldn't want to risk him getting sick with a cold again. I'll need to call someone to watch over him, just for a few minutes."

Dadan was comfortable on Newgate's arm. In fact, she didn't want to leave the warmth of his elbow and his chest. However, time was of the essence. A winter island shouldn't have as much daylight as her mountain's. Waiting would just be a waste of time if you ask her- but after looking around if anyone would be willing to stay with a sick kid, no one volunteered; so begrudgingly, Dadan raises a hand. "I'll watch over him." She offers.

Whitebeard adjusts his hold on her until their eyes could meet, giving her a questioning look.

"Yeah, I've got experience with baby sittin' for long periods a time. An, I dunno yer' friend so I dun really need ta' visit him." Dadan reasons. "I can watch over Luffy and the kid." Dadan reassures.

"Oh that would be wonderful." Zarhi says as Dadan was put down on the shoveled path.

Dadan speaks-up. "Just to give you a warnin' tho. Your house might get hit by a hurricane called Luffy."

Zarhi stares questioningly. "Oh, alright, I guess…" Little did she know the mess she got herself into.


After packing for the short trip, Zarhi leaves the house in Dadan's (capable) hands.

"Luffy, behave." Dadan's fist command to the energetic youth, who found himself occupied with a bunch of children's toys that belonged to Rein. Luffy didn't have toys growing up. He'd lived a simple life, barely had any of the colorful things that Rein had in his room and scattered all around the house. Dadan thinks the kid was spoiled. Luffy thought it was cool.

Rein himself was back on his bed, huddled to a corner against the wall with a simple wooden toy boat in his hands.

"Ya' alright kid?" Dadan asks as she sits down a comfortable looking chair. It probably belonged to Zharhi.

"That's mama's chair." He says instead. Dadan doesn't stand up. "I just sat down for a bit, don't be shooting me those glares brat."

"That's mama's chair." He repeats instead. Dadan sighs. "I ain't replacing yer' mom. I'm just sitting' on a chair. She can have it back when I'm thru resting." Rein only shoots her a glare. Dadan doesn't even scoff at it. Ace's glare was worse- she notes. Kids looking at her wrong never bothered her. In fact, for all the things she's done, she thinks she deserves it.

"Ne! Rain. What's this thing?" Luffy asks the boy. Shoving a colorful toy on the bed. One which took the boy's attention to explaining how it works instead.

While looking after the kids, she tries to remember how did she spend her days when Ace was sick?

Most people would say it seems like it was only yesterday when they were taking care of their kids. For Dadan, it's been ages since she's taken care of Luffy and Ace when they were sick. The two idiots don't get sick either, probably due to their high stupidity- since stupid people don't get sick. Well, that was until nurse Hanna explained "Immunity system"? Was that what it's called? And "Gene-ticks"- the little fleas or ticks or somethin' Luffy got from Garp and Dragon.

Ace hardly ever got sick. She recalls. Most of her bandits don't get sick. Injured sure, but sick… Huh, maybe they were all idiots. None of them are related by blood so the Gene-ticks don't work on them, but maybe the ticks jumped around until all of them had the same immunity system… Well, since none of them get sick so easily, their immunity system must be really top-notch. Probably the best immunity system in the world, since even she didn't get sick while on the boat nor White Thorn Island.

"Dadan-san, may I have some milk, please." The boy asks, politely. Good to know his mother taught him something.

"Ne! Hot chocolate for me too!" Luffy shouts. Loud and excited, a stark contras to the polite boy on the bed. He sniffles a bit and dives under the comforter a little deeper.

"Yer both getting' milk." Dadan huffs as she stands up from the chair to go to the kitchen to prepare some milk.

She starts off by finding the ingredients, cups and put to boil the water in. She spots a jar called powdered milk on the table. That was convenient, but just to make sure, she takes a pinch to taste. -It was sweet. The kind of flavor kids milk would be. Ace had a jar of this once. Just a jar tho. Garp didn't bother to send over another just like it. On Ace's side, he whined a bit when she couldn't pilfer one from the merchants, but he soon forgot about it and went about eating something else more readily available in the mountains… like mushrooms or milk from wolves or something.

The water boils on the hearth, she takes a rag to hold the kettle and to take it out. Pours it in the cups with the powdered milk she'd put on beforehand. She recalled Magra had told her once, that babies prefer it more diluted, so the water goes first before the formula. But kids prefer their powdered milk creamer, so use three tablespoons of it before pouring in the water. The difference was so apparent, Ace knew when Dadan made it and when Magra made it. Dogra was a bit more of a scrooge with the powdered milk. He would give Ace milk diluted with tea instead. And apparently, Ace liked it better- but that doesn't count. Kids aren't supposed to drink that stuff until they're 5 or something. But hey, nothing bad happened to Ace. In fact, Ace got that high immunity system because of something they did right… right?

Lost in thought, she dips a finger in one cup to taste if the milk was good. Then she dips the same finger in the other cup, simply because that's how she got used to doing it. She'd remember tasting the milk before she gave it to Ace, for reasons what she wanted to make sure it was the way Magra prepared it. -Deeming the two cups good enough, she places them in a tray and brings them up to the boys.


The boys were rowdier now. Something you'd expect with Luffy. However, it wasn't just Luffy being rambunctious now. Rein was also playing pirates and merchants with him. Rein being the merchant- doctor? Well, that's not impossible but it isn't easy either, but heh, Luffy wants to be the Pirate King, who am I to say they can't do it?

With that, she knocks on the door and opens it, to find the two making a mess of Rein's bed. Luffy jumping on it like the monkey that he is, and Rein throwing play coins at the boy. Her entrance is noticed, not without ceremony. "Dadan's back with the booze!" Luffy cheers. One last jump before landing his ass on the corner of the bed and feet on the floor. He goes to where she stands and grabs both cups.

"Share ya' little punk!" Dadan says off handedly, tucking the tray under her arm. She notes that Rein was back on the bed, flushed and coughing something bad. Until she hears him coughing out actual phlegm and spitting the stuff into a trash bin. "Sounds bad." She says casually. "Better keep yer self on the bed. Luffy, you too. Don't make him over exert himself, ya hear." She reprimands.

"Un." Luffy says as he was already drowning one cup of milk. "Ahhhmmm, this is good." He says, satisfied after licking the cup free of milk, and the corner of his lips which also had milk. When Rein was settled down, Luffy hands him his cup. "Here's your booze, it's good." He says, before sitting cross-legged on the carpeted floor of the room. Once again, playing with the toys, and even collecting the play coins that spilled off the bed.

"Thank you Dadan-san, Luffy-san." He says politely before drowning his milk.

Dadan huffs, but she was proud. It's been some time since she's made milk for someone. She's happy she remembered the process Magra had taught her.

After some time, the cups were collected and placed to the side. She was just about to sit back down on the chair, enjoying the peace and the drowsy Luffy nodding off on the floor, until the boy on the bed started smoking thick puffs of white smoke.

"Shit."


AUTHOR'S NOTE:

I Have Another Chapter,,, on the way,,, but I'm exhausted... T^T

To Konohamaya Uzumaki: OMG THANK YOU! XD XD XD -I actually thought Dadan could be shipped with 3 people, exactly and only 3 people. :D

To Guest: Whitebeard has taken in teens and orphans. The way I see it, he's a sympathetic man. And people with that much heart get hurt 7X more than actual parents who've lost or hurt kids they've raised since they were babies. Most of his crew joined as pre-teens, but that makes it worse,,, because he helped them out of the emotional baggage and the painful and awkward years! DX On Ace tho- he's got TWICE the amount of teen angst and I blame GARP. Sure, Dadan once called him the devil's child when she was drunk,,, but GARP! KNEW! AND! DIDN'T! STAY! TO! TEACH! ACE! HOW! TO! HANDLE! THE! TRUTH! - But anyway! Thank you for the comment! Stay tuned for more! XD

To chibi-no-baka: Thank you for your comment! Yeah, Ace is gonna try harder. He swears. XD As for Whitebeard reflecting on what could happen when he dies- I actually have something planned for that, but I'm writing too slow and the plot is messed up! DX DX I forgot where I wrote the plotline for this fic! DX

To everyone else! Thank you for the wait! Have a great day and enjoy! XD