Ace wiped sweat from his brow and eyed the animals around him. He was out numbered. There were half a dozen wolves surrounding him, teeth barred and eyes glowing. He spun the steel pipe around his hand. He made eye contact with the largest wolf. There no way he was going to outrun them, but he wasn't going to go down without a fight.

The wolf snarled and leapt towards the boy.

Ace kicked off a large rock. He had more air. His pipe came in contact with the wolf's skull and the animal whimpered in pain.

Another came from the side. He swung but the wolf had more momentum. Ace's body slammed into stone and something in his arm snapped.

The boy howled in pain. Tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes. His left arm hung limply at his side. Blood dripped down from his elbow and he could see white sticking out from the red. Ace gritted his teeth. The animals surrounded him. He had his back to a wall as the large beasts closed in.

A sudden howl caused Ace and the animals to turn their heads.

A man with salt and pepper colored hair pulled a sword from the alpha wolf's side. The pack forgot about the young boy and began to converge on the bigger threat. One wolf charged.

"Old man, run!" Ace cried.

The animal jumped in the air. Ace turned away. The wolf bit down on the man's left leg. The boy opened one eye and gasped. The man stared down at the feral beast, seemingly allowing it to gnaw on his leg without displaying any indication of pain. The old man raised his right arm and swung.

The animal's head fell from its body. The large canine fell over. Its body spasmed a few times before lying still. The man used his sword to pry the dead animal's teeth off of his leg. The man's pants had ripped. The skin below his knee didn't look like skin at all… it looked like it was some kind of prosthetic.

The young boy's jaw dropped. The other wolves stared down the stranger. The man simply stared back at all of the creatures. Ace felt a shiver run down his spine. There was wrath burning in the man's wrinkled eyes. It was the look of a man who'd killed countless times before.

"Get lost," the old man growled. The pack took a final glance at their fallen comrades before scuttling off.

The man had wild hair and eyebrows. As his dark eyes locked on Ace, the boy felt fear strike through his heart. His left arm refused to move, but he held the steel pipe in front of him, ready to defend himself if need be.

The old man made a grunt. He flicked the blood off his sword in one smooth motion and replaced it. Ace watched incredulously as the old man's sheath became a cane. The curved handle of the sword slid into a sheath that looked like it was simple wood. The ragged looking man hobbled towards Ace. There was a large pack on the man's back, which he placed on the ground and used as a seat.

"Boy, your arm."

Ace tried to move his left arm and winced in pain. The man motioned for Ace to let him see. Reluctantly, Ace walked towards the stranger. His wrinkled eyes scanned the boy's injury with a solemn expression. The boy grimaced as tan fingers poked and prodded his skin. The man gently placed Ace's arm back to his side.

"Who the hell are you?" Ace asked.

"Ryoku," said the old man gruffly. "Call me Ryo."

He placed both hands on his cane and stood with a grunt. Ace watched as Ryoku found two sturdy sticks and hobbled back over to him. The man wordlessly rifled through his large bag and retrieved something Ace was quite familiar with: bandages.

"What are you going to do?" He took a step back in worry. The man eyed him sternly. Ace gulped.

"You want your arm to be messed up for the rest of your life?" The old man rested his hands on the cane and waited. Hesitantly, Ace took a seat on the forest floor. The man produced something from his backpack and handed it to the boy. It was a shirt.

"What's this for?"

"Ball it up and bite down on it," Ryoku commanded.

"Why?"

"You're gonna need it."

Ryoku and Ace stared at each other. The man's eyes didn't blink or falter in their intensity. Finally, the boy averted his gaze and complied. He rolled the shirt up and stuck it between his teeth, feeling rather stupid as he did so.

"Ready?" Ryoku asked. Before Ace could respond, the man squeezed his elbow and pushed the bone back into its proper place. Even through the cloth, his scream echoed throughout the mountainside. The old man's hands worked quickly. He wrapped Ace's arm with the bandages and placed the sticks along his forearm. Ace felt hot tears and snot running down his face.

"That should do," Ryoku said. He pulled the cloth out of the boy's mouth and wiped his bloody hands on them.

"What'd you do?" Ace asked with narrowed eyes.

"I fixed your damn elbow," Ryoku growled. "You're welcome. Damn brat."

He packed up his supplies and put the large pack on his back. Ace watched the man walk, his cane moving along with his left leg as he travelled. The man was heading in the same direction of Dadan's home. Ace followed him curiously, wondering who this mysterious man was. It was a slow, painful walk, but he felt relief watch over him as the familiar shack came into sight. Dadan was outside hanging up laundry. When she turned, Ace could see she had her usual cigarette between her lips.

"Ace! What the hell happened?!"

"Nothing," the boy spat. He turned away and began to walk away.

"Your arm's messed up and that's all you have to say?!" Dadan yelled. "Don't ignore me when I'm talking to you!"

Ryoku hobbled towards the hut.

"You're the same as ever, Dadan," Ryoku commented.

"Ah, Ryoku. Thought you were done doing business with us mountain bandits," said the large woman. She called for Dogra and Magra. The larger man greeted Ryoku warmly and relieved him of the supplies.

Ace turned to see the adults walk into the cabin. Tempted as he was to sneak in and eavesdrop, he decided instead to sit on one of his favorite perch and look out at sea.

Ryoku. Ryo, for short.

That's what the man said his name was. Ace had never met him before. He would remember meeting a strange cripple. The man's wild hair and beard made him look homeless, but he had nice looking clothes on. Who was he? How'd he know Dadan? And why would he go through the trouble of saving Ace and patching him up?

Ace tried crossing his arms but winced at the pain that shot through his left arm. The boy settled for crossing his legs instead. He glared out towards the sea and allowed his young mind to wander like a ship on the ocean.

"You're still out here?"

Ace blinked the sleep from his eyes. The sky was nearly dark. He thought a gruff voice had spoken to him but maybe it had been his imagination.

"Hey, brat, you're gonna get sick if you sleep out here."

The boy sat up suddenly. His arm jolted and he let out a pained moan.

"You little idiot. You should be sleeping inside," Ryoku said. The old man sat beside him. His backpack was considerably less bulky. It looked like he was having a much easier time getting around.

"Who are you, old man?" Ace asked with furrowed brows.

"You bump your head or something? I told you already."

"Ryo," Ace said. "I know, but who are you? What the hell are you doing here?"

The old man looked out at the sea. The sun was displaying the very last of its light for the day. A small splotch of purple was still visible on the horizon.

"I'm a merchant," he said simply. "Every now and then I supply Dadan with certain things." The merchant eyed the young boy. "You're Ace, right?" The boy nodded. "How old are you?"

After a moment, he replied. "Seven."

"You're awfully young to wander these woods alone."

"What do you care?" Ace snapped. "You don't even know me."

"I have a niece about your age…" said Ryoku. There was a faraway look in his eyes. The merchant shook his head and looked back at the boy. "How's the arm?"

"It's fine," Ace lied. Much to his surprise, Ryoku laughed. It was a man's laugh, hearty and loud. It reminded the young boy of Garp.

"I like you, kid," the merchant said. "You're a real spitfire."

The sunlight had faded for the day. The sky was partly cloudy but the moon shone brightly over the Goa Kingdom. It just didn't shine brightly enough to illuminate the man's flushed face. When the wind changed direction, Ace could smell alcohol on the old man's stale breath.

They both looked up at the sky. Stars twinkled behind dark clouds.

"Well, I'm off," Ryoku announced. Ace watched him strike the ground with his cane and pull himself to standing. "Keep the damn sling on until I come back," the old man said as he walked away.

Ace made a "tsk" sound. The merchant stopped and turned towards the young man. It didn't need to be bright for Ace to see the look in his eyes.

"If you don't, I'm going to break your arm again."

Ace swallowed. Despite being a cripple, there was a ferocity about the old, skinny man. He watched the merchant light a torch and start the slow journey home.

It was weeks before Ace saw the old man again. Magra kept an eye on his arm and made sure to the wrappings every so often. Ace once demanded Magra remove the ridiculous wooden splints from his arm but the bandit insisted he better listen to the merchant. It almost sounded like he was scared of the old man. It made Ace wonder even more. He was sitting on his favorite perch when he heard the same gruff voice.

"Looks like you listen better than Dadan gives you credit for." Ace turned and frowned at the merchant. He laughed his deep, throaty laugh. The man had his cane but was without the large pack this time.

"What are you doing here?" Ace demanded.

"I live nearby," the merchant said breezily. "I just thought I'd stop in."

The man motioned for Ace to come closer. The boy walked over to Ryoku and held up his arm. The old man whistled a jolly sounding tune as he unwrapped the bandages and removed the splints.

"How's it feel?"

Ace tried to bend and straighten his arm. He frowned. It was tender. But it worked.

"Fine," came his reply. The merchant rummaged through a small pack he had on his good leg and threw a few pieces of cloth to the boy. Ace caught them both with his right hand.

"What the hell is this?"

"For your elbow," Ryoku said.

Ace observed the strange gift and slid one of the pads over his joint. He straightened and bent it again, this time without wincing. The old man turned and began walking away.

"Where are you going?" Ace asked the old man.

The old man held up one hand as he walked away.

"I'm a merchant. I have business to do."

Ace followed the old man all the way home. It wasn't too far away but the walk felt excruciatingly long to the seven-year-old. The merchant was easy enough to keep track of. All Ace had to do was keep him in sight. Ryoku lived on a cliff close to Windmill Village. The port town could be seen past a few rolling hills. From the cliff, there was a fantastic view of the East Blue and the small village's docks and downtown area.

The boy stayed behind in the cover of the forest. The man hobbled inside a decorative wooden building. Ace sat on a sturdy branch and rested his back against the thick trunk. There was a sign that hung on above the door but Ace couldn't see the words from this angle. The home was about the size of Dadan's but it was built much more intricately. Windows lined the sides and white curtains flowed freely as the breeze blew through the home. Every now and then, Ace caught the slightest smell of cooked meat and something sweet.

He stared at the home. There were at least two people in there. The old man took a seat by one of the windows. A thin, dark woman with sharp features set food down across from the merchant. The young boy's mouth watered as he saw the food layed out on the table.

Rolls, rice, fish, meat, vegetables, fruits, nuts, and colorful treats Ace couldn't identify were all laid out in front of the couple. It was like a feast compared to what Dadan and the bandits had every night. His stomach grumbled.

Ace clenched his fist. There was so much food for just the two of them. The old man looked like he could have lived in the woods but he obviously had money. The seven-year-old felt his temperature rise in anger. How did this old man make a living like this? Was he selling illegal stuff to bandits for a profit? Why had he gone out of his way to help Ace in the first place? What did he gain from it?

Patiently, the boy waited until the couple stood from the table.

There was still plenty left when they were done. The old man placed a kiss on his wife's forehead before Ace saw him exit the house donning his cane as usual. Ryoku turned away from the forest and began walking towards town.

There must have been another door that Ace couldn't see. The woman appeared outside as well. She was carrying a plate with the half eaten fish and a small dish with milk.

Her voice carried to Ace's perch but he couldn't make out what she saying. A black cat appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the woman. Her thin frame bent down to feed the animal.

Ace jumped down from the tree. This was his chance. The grass muffled his footsteps as he ran towards the house. He aimed for one of the open windows. He struck the ground with his steel pipe and used it to propel himself into the house. The small boy made it through the large window and nimbly rolled onto the wooden floor. The food smelled good from outside but the smell from inside was overwhelming.

He stuffed his pockets with some of the smaller items and his mouth with the others. There was so much food he couldn't decide what was the best.

The meat was delicious. It had flavors and spices the bandits never put in their food. There were different kinds of bread in baskets. He ate small, sweet cookies and savory rolls bigger than his fist. They had a pitcher with milk that Ace guzzled down. The rice was wrapped in green leaves and shaped into triangles. Then there were colorful steamed vegetables. A round pie sat in the middle of the table with a dark purple filling. He didn't know what was in it but it was sweet and delicious. He finished it off in no time.

The small feast tasted better than anything the bandits ever had to eat.

Ace was too preoccupied with the food in front of him. He didn't notice the woman making her way back into the house until the back door opened with a loud creak. He froze, his hands dirty and mouth full of food. The tall woman eyed him down.

"Who are you?" She demanded.

He swallowed his food and put two food-stained fists up.

"Don't come any closer, you old hag."

The woman's back straightened. An eyelid twitched in irritation as he addressed her.

Ace kept his fists up, prepared to defend himself from the woman. There was no fear in her eyes, just a hard stare that made him feel slightly nervous. He didn't like the look she gave him. It was like she knew something he didn't. The two glared at each other for a few moments when the boy's stomach grumbled loudly. Sweat dripped down his face.

The tall woman merely sighed. She placed the dishes in her hand down on the counter. She calmly walked towards the table and blinked. The young boy cleared out more food than the couple had eaten combined.

The boy was frozen in his fighting stance. The older woman ignored him and began to pick up the empty plates and dishes. He looked at her in confusion.

"Seems I don't know how to cook for two," she said, more to herself than to him.

She stacked the plates and bowls neatly. She placed the silverware and serving utensils in the now-empty pitcher and walked back to her sink. "You may as well finish eating," the woman told him. Ace stared at her back. "Before my husband gets home and finds you."

Ace swallowed. He thought back to how the cripple had defeated the giant wolf so effortlessly. Ace was fortunate he hadn't been at the other end of the man's blades.

Suddenly, the young boy resumed eating. He was ravenous. The woman calmly cleaned her dishes as Ace scarfed down the remaining food. He polished off everything on the table and plopped onto the floor.

Viola finished the first round of dishes. The boy had gotten quiet. She turned to see him sprawled out beneath the table. He lay on his back, quietly snoring as his small belly protruded beneath his shirt.

The woman shook her head. She bent down beside the young boy and used a warm cloth to gently wipe the food off of his face and hands. When he was clean, her gold eyes stared at the young man's features. She observed his dark, wavy hair and the childish freckles on his cheeks.

"You look just like your mother," Viola told him quietly. She picked up the young boy and placed him on the couch. She removed his shoes and carefully set them on the floor. Viola grabbed a blanket and placed it over him. The boy snoozed peacefully.

The woman sat beside him. The child rolled to his side and his small hand fell on top of hers. He unconsciously gripped her thin fingers. Viola ran her thumb against the back of his little hand. He looked so peaceful, so innocent. He certainly didn't look like the devil's son.

"Vi? Viola?"

The woman stood and turned to the door just as Ryoku hobbled in. He leaned on his cane with one hand and held a steel pipe in the other. The old man looked between his wife and the sleeping child on the couch.

Wordlessly, the merchant took his shoes off and stood above the boy. Ace had a small arm raised above his head. He still had on the orange arm band. Ryoku held out the steel pipe and his wife placed it beside the boy's shoes.

"Did he steal anything?" Ryoku asked. Viola shook her head. She stared down at the boy longingly. The man sighed and placed his hands on her shoulders.

"We could be raising him right now," she said quietly. Her gold eyes were locked on the boy's face. Her jaw was clenched. "He would know better than to do something like that."

"You know we couldn't, Vi," Ryoku said in a low voice. The woman's face contorted in a frown. Her hand went to her stomach. "There was a reason our son didn't make it." Viola's eyes flooded. Tears quietly trailed down her face as her husband spoke. "It just wasn't it meant to be."

"Garp asked you to take him in first," Viola said angrily, pushing the man away. He stumbled backwards. The merchant's dark eyes fell. "You said you wanted to be a father. Then an opportunity fell in your lap and you declined. You turned him away to be raised by some lowlife bandits."

Ryoku made a fist. Ace mumbled something in his sleep and pulled the blanket over his face.

"Don't be foolish," Ryoku snapped. "You know who his father is." He sighed and scratched his beard. His eyes softened as he looked at the boy's small body. "The world is hard out there, Vi. He doesn't need a cripple for a guardian. He needs someone who can protect him until he's strong enough to protect himself."

The woman gave a hard sniffle and turned on her heel.

Ryoku heard the sound of dishes clanking.

He turned his head at the sight of sudden movement. Ace bent down to grab his pipe. The boy stood on the couch with the metal weapon pointed at the man's face. His eyes was filled with fury.

"How do you know about my father?" Ace asked. There was fire in the young boy's eyes.

Ryoku lifted his cane and smacked the pipe away with ease. He struck the floor with his cane and leaned against it, glaring back at the young boy.

"I know a lot of things you don't, son of Roger," he said calmly.

"If you knew, why did you help me?" Ace's hands were balled into fists. Ryoku raised his chin and stared down his nose at the boy.

"It doesn't matter whose kid you are. If I stood back and let a child die in front of me, I wouldn't be a man."

Ace broke eye contact first. His fists and jaw were clenched. Ryoku began walking away, hobbling deeper into the home. The young boy stared at the skinny man's back and wondered what to do next.

"You can stay here for the night," Ryoku said gruffly. "But if you steal anything I will hunt you down."

The boy swallowed a lump in his throat. Ryoku disappeared into another room. The lady clanked around in the kitchen noisily. The old couple didn't see him slip out of a front window.

Ace ran all the way back to Dadan's. A warm fire was lit and the bandits sat around it drinking.

"Ace! It's late! Where the hell were you?!" The large woman growled as the young boy walked into the shack.

He glared at her and wordlessly entered the loft. It served as his private bedroom area, mainly because the other bandits were too large to fit. He was the only one who could walk around the upstairs area without the floor creaking. Ace plopped down in front of his window. He stared out at the trees and the starry sky.

He couldn't help but replay Ryoku's words in his head. He said it didn't matter whose child he was. Ace gnashed his teeth together angrily. If it didn't matter, why had he been dropped off in the middle of nowhere to live with criminals? His fingernails dug into his palms.

Ryo's wife knew, too. How many other people were in on his secret? Ace pulled his dark hair. The old couple knew who he was and yet they still tolerated him, even helped him. Him, the spawn of a demon. Why? Why? The boy banged his head on the wall and cried as his young mind struggled to comprehend the concept of kindness he didn't feel as if he deserved.