I cannot believe I accidentally introduced Shanks earlier than I intended, it was definitely an accidental bonus damn hahaha.


"For all that you've been wild, Vice-Admiral, I never thought I'd see you in chains." Luffy smiles up at Magellan, appreciating the sentiment. Of course, the prison warden doesn't know he's only seen Luffy in chains -just, very sneaky, mystery chains.

"Shishishi! It's a little surprising for me too!" He says, nose twisting form the stale elevator air. He'd brought Ace in just a few days ago, it's strange to think that this time he's staying for good.

"I don't know how." Smoker cuts in, and Luffy has been witness to his bad mood all morning. "He's been a menace since day one." The fellow vice-admiral is chewing on his tobacco, but they're unlit due to regulation.

"Shishishi!" Luffy laughs taking it as a compliment, maybe his friend is on to something there.

"Why are you so cheerful?!" Smoker demands, not the first inquiry following that line of thought. Luffy hasn't been able to stop grinning since he got arrested, and Smoker is taking his attitude surrounding arrest like a personal insult.

"Well, it's just... Ace is free." His crew had done it! He looks at Magellan. "I'm sorry about that. Not sorry, sorry, because there's no way I could've left Ace to die but... I know you love your job."

The gaze Magellan sends him is unreadable, but the other man doesn't look affronted. Smoker hits Luffy upside the head. Luffy needs to concentrate to avoid tripping, the handcuffs on him are doing wonders on keeping him just that little bit dizzy and weak.

"Stop admitting to alleged crimes!" Luffy laughs again, delighted. Smoker looks equally upset at Luffy for being an idiot, and at himself, for advising a criminal. Luffy's going to miss Smoker, and Tashigi, he's going to miss Magellan, and Hina... and crap he's met a lot of precious people during this marine business hasn't he?

The doors finally open at level 6, and as soon as Smoker steps out, the jeering starts. It's the usual "government dog", "shitty marine", and stupid stuff like that that Luffy's heard hundreds of times. When the former vice-admiral steps out, though, and the inmates realized he's the one being brought in, the room goes silent. Then, it explodes into cheers.

Luffy ignores them as he goes through without a care. Some inmates are more familiar than others.

"Well, well, well..." Crocodile's voice is gravel, cutting through the ruckus. "Vice-admiral... I'm just thrilled that you'll be enjoying Level 6's hospitality with us." Smoker scuffs at the former warlord with impossible disdain.

"Watchdog!" Guy with wings, he's funny.

"He's in and out of here every week, Mad Monk, do you need to lose your heads every single time?" This is the guy that could turn his arm into a flute. Still pretty cool, Luffy thinks.

"A fellow blue-blood..." A voice cuts through the darkness.

"Keep your mouth shut, Shiryu." Magellan barks.

On they go, deep into the bowels of the prison.

"Chains suit you, Watchdog." Ah, this person, Luffy remembers.

I'm going to conquer the New World.

"Metal guy." He greets, and how nice is it that his cell will be across Eustass Kidd? Luffy wonders if the other's sanity can deal with him for prolonged periods of time, this is going to be fun.

"It's Eustass!" Luffy laughs, looking over at Kid all wrapped up in chains. From here he can see the cut above his eyebrow from where Luffy punched him that one time.

"Shut up, you damn pirate!" Smoker roars. Eustass glares at him, but taking one look at the towering form of the prison's warden, falls decidedly silent. Luffy's cell opens and he's chained up to the wall, his arm stretched uncomfortably. Smoker's movements would never be called kind, but Luffy can tell he's trying to be gentle.

"You're a good guy, Smokey." But Luffy had already known.

"Tcht." The man answers. "Don't get sappy with me."

"We must go." Magellan prompts. Luffy knows that the Warden following them all the way to the cell isn't protocol and smiles at his friend.

"I'll see you soon!" He raises his hand, which moves barely a couple of inches but the chains rattle like the devil.

"Don't act like it'll be for a social call!" Smoker's tone borders on annoyed, but only manages to sound resigned. With the whirring of the elevator the government officials are gone.

"What are you doing here... Luffy?" For a moment he startles, searching through the dark and suddenly, he's grinning so hard his cheeks hurt.

"Jinbei! It's so good to see you! Here I thought metal guy would be my only company!" Luffy says, then frowns.

"Don't you dare drag me into your nonsense!" He ignores Eustass without much care.

"Wait, why are you in prison?"

"I refused to fight at Ace's execution. I will be kept here until after..." Jinbei looks at Luffy intently. "They know it was you... Your comrades made it sound like you had an alibi."

"I do, shishishi, I was with my grandpa at Marineford all morning. The food was fantastic." Even now his mouth is watering a little. " I didn't really think there was a way for Ace to disappear and for it to not be blamed on me, though."

"Because you're brothers." Jinbei states.

"Brothers?!" Exclaims someone down the hall, Luffy thinks it might be the music man.

"Yeah, but Ace's freedom was part of the deal for me to become a marine in the first place."

"What do you mean?"

"Mah, it's such a long story, shishishi." Luffy loks at the ceiling, pitch black. "Besides, it doesn't really matter now, I've been discharged. They'll announce my execution soon."

"They'll execute you?!" Luffy knows why he's surprised, former marine officers are hardly executed, if ever -gives the navy a bad reputation. Apparently the government thinks the public shame will be worth it to stick it to his dad though.

"Nothing official yet," he says flippantly, "but it's just a matter of time."

"Won't your prison-breaking pals come and help you out?" Eustass mocks.

"They could." Luffy acknowledges. "But there's a lot more than these chains keeping me here."

"Luffy..."

"Jinbei, did I ever tell you..." Luffy interrupts, because he's been bursting with energy since morning. "I've always wanted to be a pirate?" And when was the last time Luffy could say that?

"EHHHHHH?!" Erupts all across the ward.

"Shishishishi!" Maybe his stay here won't be so boring, his cellmates are such funny people.

"I can see it." Jinbei says, and there's something serious in his voice.

"Huh?" Luffy questions.

"You as a pirate, Luffy." Jinbei says, and his sounding a little amused. "I can definitely see it."

Vice-Admiral, did you kidnap the mermaid princess?

Luffy laughs because his heart is very warm at the words, but there's something bitter in there too.