(Dark Carrier AU)
"It's time for the Reverie," Cassidy grinned as Ace wolfed down his lunch. She sipped at her tea and smiled at him. "Aren't you excited?"
"Why?" Ace raised a brow. "It's nothing to do with us."
"Maybe there's a handsome prince or a pretty princess Cedric will fall for. I never got to see your wedding remember? I wanted to wear a pretty dress," Cassidy smiled sweetly.
Ace wanted to snort. He knew Cassidy didn't care. Cassidy was just acting supportive of Cedric's relationships because she didn't want to get hurt. It was a good idea and it was also a relief. He happened to enjoy her company.
"Besides, maybe if your baby comes in time for the wedding they could wear something pretty too!" Cassidy beamed. "I would love to do her hair and give her pretty little braids."
Ace glanced down at that. He was about seven months along now, nearing eight. Cedric had been doting upon him, completely affectionate and Ace had allowed every moment of it. Cedric had been going a bit over the top actually, he was so fretful and every time someone got something wrong Cedric would punish them. Ace did nothing to try stop it, he just allowed Cedric to do whatever he wanted. He was a God after all. They always got what they wanted.
Ace sighed and fiddled with his hair, tying it back much to Cassidy's disapproval. It had gotten a bit longer, enough to tie it back into a short ponytail.
"You should let me braid it."
"Cedric doesn't like it braided," Ace retorted.
"That's because you braided it yourself," Cassidy huffed. "Your hair was suited for a crow's nest!"
Ace snorted. "Thanks."
Cassidy grinned. "Anyway, we should go on a walk after this. A nice stroll around the plaza would be fantastic!"
"You just want to see if there's a commotion at the Mingling Plaza," Ace said.
He wished he could let Cassidy relax, to tell her that she didn't have to be all bright eyed and smiles all the time but neither of them knew who could be watching.
They both had to play their parts as Cedric's wife and husband. Everything was easier that way. If Cedric was happy they would be too.
"I'm so excited," Cassidy beamed. "Oh I hope something brilliant happens!"
.::.
Garp stared up at the clouds. He was standing below Mairejois, the place he knew Ace had been locked away in. It had taken a lot of time and effort and a heavy use of his influence but he had managed to find out who his grandson had been given to.
A Celestial Dragon.
He had entertained the idea of teaming up with Whitebeard, let him past the Marines guarding the area but the moment he had called Whitebeard threatened to murder him without even hearing him out and even called him trash, which had made Garp wince. The old man hung up straight afterwards. Whitebeard was working with Shanks and the Revolutionaries on this but he wasn't even willing to let Garp help his own grandson.
Garp could understand it, it hadn't been his fault Ace became a pirate though. If he had just become a Marine he would have been safe-
No, the thought of the brunette with a wild personality, that Rosetta girl, came to mind. Her screaming and begging and trying to fight even as she was dragged away. A Vice-Admiral of all people. She had been forced into marriage even though she hadn't even been a Carrier. That Saint Cedric had just thought her too pretty to pass up.
Garp had no idea which Celestial Dragon Ace was with but he knew it would be no good for his grandson. He could be dead for all Garp knew or heavy with child or chained to a bed, giving birth over and over again.
He wanted to weep at the thought but he focused on smiling for the crowd instead, smiling and laughing as he escorted Princess Shirahoshi and her family along. He wanted to follow her up to the sky, wanted to storm into Mairejois and demand to see his grandson but he had to follow the laws.
Ace was a Lord now. A Lord who belonged to the Celestial Dragons and Garp had no business messing with them.
He tried to focus on Princess Shirahoshi's smile but that bright, happy look reminded him too much of baby Ace's. The little rascal who crawled around, happy and curious about the world.
Roger would be so disappointed in him. Just like Whitebeard was. Whitebeard didn't even want to talk to him anymore or acknowledge his existence.
He was just lucky that Luffy was happy and free. Hopefully Ace was happy where he was, even with his freedom locked away. Hopefully he had managed to make a life for himself as a Lord.
It was all Garp could wish for Ace now.
.::.
Ace and Cassidy strolled along, arm in arm, taking their leisurely, sweet time. If Ace grew tired he knew a guard, servant or a slave would rush a chair out for him to sit on, they would even carry him home if he willed it. Ace was happy to take his time though, as long as Cedric didn't need him urgently. Ace's brow furrowed when the peaceful quiet was interrupted by a commotion at the gates, screams and cries echoing out from the Socialising Plaza. Charlos had charged through earlier, or at least his slave had, with Charlos riding his back.
"What did Charlos do this time?" Ace frowned.
"He probably saw that pretty mermaid I saw from the window earlier," Cassidy mused as they continued to stroll along. "Want to go see?"
"I don't really care," Ace admitted, shrugging. "The King of the Sea shouldn't have brought his children up here. A pretty thing like the Princess is rumoured to be was no doubt going to be turned into a slave."
Apart of him screamed on the inside to say that but he shut it down without any mercy, ripping the memory of dining in King Neptune's halls, how nice his family were, from his mind. Ace wasn't getting involved with the outside world. He was done with it all. Stressing out so much last time got his first born killed. He had came to after the sedatives and broke immediately at the sight of his still-born baby in Cedric's arms. Ace had wept and begged to trade places with his baby but it never happened. His baby remained lifeless and Ace lost himself too.
Ace swore he wouldn't let himself break again. He had carefully fixed himself back up, piece by piece and promised himself that he would remain that way. Rosetta had helped, they had carefully worked to pull him back together. He only had one duty and Cedric had reminded him of it plenty of times, especially during that time of silence and agony.
Be a good husband.
Suddenly loud stomps began to head towards them and Ace stared out as a vaguely familiar giant creature stormed quickly towards the gates, two servants on his back. Cassidy bloomed in excitement and a squeal escaped her.
"What's happening?! What's happening?!" Cassidy beamed, to the point where she clung to his shoulder.
"What's got you so hyper?" Ace raised a brow, stuffing his hands into his jacket pockets.
"Nothing ever happens here!" Cassidy crooned. "This is something different!"
This was almost border lining overacting though. The thought made Ace cringed, although Cedric liked Cassidy overly sweet and happy, so maybe what she was doing was fine. It wasn't for him to decided anyway, it was Cedric who did.
"IT HURTS! IT'S SO PAINFUL! DAMN THAT MJOSGARD!" Charlos' voice cried out from the back of the giant and Ace couldn't help but stir in interest.
Did someone finally hit that moron again?
"Saint Charlos! Please be calm! You'll worsen your wounds!"
"Open the gate!" the other servant cried out. "Saint Charlos has been badly wounded!"
Cassidy sniggered quietly. "Should I cheer?"
He snorted but felt his lip twitch into an almost smirk. "Don't."
The gates slowly creaked open and the group yell to hurry to a doctor but it was Saint Roswald who got in the way, riding on top of a familiar man-
Ace's heart sank a little. It was Kuma the Tyrant. Once a feared pirate and Warlord and now turned slave. He looked pathetic, and it was a sorry sight. Ace blanked it out though, the guy probably had gotten any emotion beaten out of him, if he even retained his mind, after all the operations and torture he had probably been through.
He was probably more robot than human now.
"Oh Charlos! Are you alright?" Roswald called out. "I was on my way to pick you up after I heard the news!"
Ace had to admit though, he had a healthy respect for Mjosgard Donquixote now.
.::.
Sabo had pressed his back against the wall as soon as he spotted the commotion at the gate. He couldn't help but peak round, curious why the Celestial Dragon Luffy had punched was a mess again. Whatever happened it was probably hilarious!
His eyes trailed away though when he felt a vaguely familiar presence and he froze when he landed on the dark haired man standing beside a red haired girl. Sabo's blood instantly boiled when he saw the growing stomach and the blank, disinterested expression on his brother's face.
Ace was here. He had been given to a Celestial Dragon of all people. Sabo had heard the rumours from some of the slaves they had rescued but he hadn't been able to find anything on his brother being locked up here.
It made Sabo want to throw up. He clenched his fists, growling lowly but his fury spiked when he heard clanging. Kuma was being beaten by the Celestial scum sitting on him. Kuma who never would have allowed it to happen if he hadn't been forced into all of this!
Sabo snarled and rushed out of his hiding spot. He'd tear them all apart, the Dragons then the guards, the servants too if they tried to stop him. He'd tear them all down with his claws and save Kuma and Ace. He'd get Ace out.
He had to get Ace out.
A murder of crows came flying at him though and grabbed him from behind. Karasu's arm wrapped around him and another clamped over his mouth, muffling his protests. Sabo thrashed, beyond livid, but a large hand grabbed them both and dragged them down. The moment Karasu released him Sabo found himself punching their giant, green bag in sheer frustration.
"Don't be mad, Sabo!" Morley frowned. "This is why boys are so scary!"
"Staying calm is the hardest thing to do right now!" Sabo snarled, whirling round to face them. "Look at what they're doing to our friend! Our kind Kuma!"
Sabo wasn't even started. "And Ace! My brother has been here this whole time. Married to those monsters. He's pregnant! Those bastards raped him! And he's- He's-"
He couldn't get that blank, dead look Ace wore out of his mind. Ace just looked so emotionless even as the girl at his side squealed and looked so gleeful but even her eyes held fear in them, absolute terror.
He hated this world. Despised it. It needed fixed so badly.
"We got you. We all feel the same," Lindbergh reassured him, or tried to anyway, it didn't help. "We won't let them keep doing this, not to Kuma-san and not to your brother either."
"That's why we're here right?" Karasu said. "However, even when we release them they won't go back to how they were. They won't be their old selves."
Sabo could hear his teeth grinding against one another. He was surprised he hadn't managed to break his jaw yet considering how tight he clenched them together.
"Kuma-chan and Ace-chan are prime examples of the World Government's oppression!" Morley added in.
"Kuma-san was formerly a King of an allied nation while your brother is a Carrier. This is them telling the world that anyone who goes against the Gods, rich or poor, will end up with this fate! Meanwhile Carriers that they deem need help to find the perfect marriage are dragged off by the priestesses and given away to the richest of the world even when someone has been happily in a relationship for years! Just like your brother and Marco the Phoenix," Lindberg declared. "The Celestial Dragons have the CP-0 and the Marines behind them! If we mess this up and get captured-"
"No. Failing is not an option. We either succeed or we die," Sabo growled.
"Do you want to call Marco?" Karasu asked.
"He won't reach us in time," Sabo frowned. "For now we're on our own. Lindberg, get a message out to Team B down below, just in case something goes wrong. Tell them to message the Whitebeards if we don't come back."
"Will do."
"We're adding in another target. Portgas D. Ace, heavily pregnant. Karasu, I need you to do some more scouting, see if you can access his medical file," Sabo ordered, glaring at the walls around them.
"I'll work on that now,"
"Thank you, stay safe if you can," Sabo sighed, rubbing his forehead.
They couldn't fail here. Not now. Not when so much relied on them to succeed.
Ooooh, look who is here to save the day! (Hopefully o.o)
