Author's Note: Hi everyone! I hope you are all doing well :) I don't have much to say about this chapter except that we have some long over-due fluff lol. For those of you holding out for Zoro and the others to re-appear, know that they will be returning soon. I hope ya'll enjoy the update!
To hana-ya: Yep, he's coming!
To 94Insane: I hope you enjoy the update! Lots of fun stuff to come over the next few chapters ;)
To Aquarica: I'm so glad you're enjoying my story so far! Whitebeard waking up will definitely be a major plot point but I won't spoil anything for you regarding Sabo, Kidd, or the future of the citadel ;) Thanks so much for the review!
WARNINGS:
- Fluff and brotherly bonding
- Some angst (also known as 'Ace's guilt')
- Nightmare/panic attack
- Luffy loves freedom
It didn't take long for the news of Whitebeard's stirring to spread throughout the whole citadel. While the humans looked on in confusion from their pens, many vampires celebrated and hugged each other like they'd heard the greatest news in their life…which frankly, it probably was.
Sabo turned his attention from the window to the others in the room. They'd called an emergency meeting to decide what to do.
"Wait…Whitebeard? As in Whitebeard!?" Sanji exclaimed, biting down on his cigarette in shock, "I thought he was in hibernation!" The young Germa prince was invited to the meeting mostly because of his status. Well, that and the fact that Kidd found his insights to be useful especially with regards to anything occurring in his dysfunctional family.
"It was never supposed to be permanent, yoi." Marco answered, sitting to allow his injured leg to rest, "An…incident…occurred and Pops was severely wounded. He had no choice but to hibernate so his body could fully recover."
"It must've been pretty bad if he's only just now waking up."
"Yeah…it was bad." Thatch put in through gritted teeth, "One of our own betrayed us and tried to kill him." Sabo frowned, recalling Whitebeard's last rather erratic journal entry. The whole event must've been very traumatizing for everyone involved.
"Okay, so what do we do?" Kidd asked with a frustrated huff, "You said he's 'waking up'…does that mean it'll happen soon?" Marco hummed low in his throat.
"Most likely. I suggest we send a platoon out to his resting place and at least see what we're dealing with, yoi. Having Pops back would be…wonderful." Sabo was struck by how relieved and nostalgic Marco sounded when he talked his sire. They all seemed to believe that the old pureblood was the answer to all their problems. He glanced back to Kidd and noted his furrowed brow. His old friend clearly wasn't sure how to take this new development…especially because Whitebeard coming back would probably mean giving up the title of Lord.
"We can't afford to send a whole platoon." Kidd stated firmly, "Honestly, we barely have enough men to finish the repairs and all the other crap we have to do before the Council comes for us."
"Then I will go, yoi." Marco shot back, struggling to his feet, "Stefan can accompany me." The other commanders quickly voiced their disapproval of the plan.
"Absolutely not! You're hurt, brother."
"Yes, and besides…we need you here."
It was true. Marco knew the citadel inside and out. He would be instrumental in getting everything back up and running as they worked to prepare for possible assaults in the future. Sabo pressed his lips together and glanced back out the window. With the hole Ace made still not fully repaired, he could see out into the wastes with no issue.
He couldn't help but wonder how Ace and Luffy were doing…
"Then who would you suggest?" Marco questioned gruffly, "Law? Thatch? Injured or not, I am the obvious choice, yoi."
Sabo surprised himself by raising his hand.
"…I could go." The room went silent at his statement and Kidd's eyes grew wide.
"What!? No! I need you here just as much as I need Marco."
"Actually, you don't." Sabo swiftly replied, stepping forward as he spoke, "Killer and the others will have no problem covering my duties for a few days."
"…'Bo, you're my friend and I respect you, but you have almost no experience in the wastes. Pureblood or not, I'm worried you'll die."
"Wha-" He started, somewhat offended, "I won't die! I'm perfectly capable of crossing the wastes." Besides, if Ace and Luffy of all people could do it…so could he!
The vampires all glanced between each other, considering his offer. Kidd was clearly against it, but Sabo knew he was right. His responsibilities could easily be covered and weren't as important for the wartime efforts. Eventually, Kidd turned back to him with a scowl on his face.
"…all right, fine. You can go."
"Wonderful!" Sabo replied before sending them a sheepish smile, "Uh…so…where am I going, exactly?"
"The Elder Catacombs." Marco informed him, "They're about a week's drive from here." As he spoke, Law placed a holographic device on the table and pressed a button that brought up a map of the area.
"The Catacombs are located here." Law explained, pointing to an empty space of land far removed from the local territories, "Before the Fall, it was purposefully placed on an island to make it easier to protect and more difficult to reach. Now though, with all the oceans dried up, you can just drive there. Still, I recommend you take weapons with you. Even after so long, the sentinels stationed there have not lost their vigilance."
Sabo gulped but focused on memorizing the map.
"Don't worry, you shouldn't need them so long as you present something to validate your claim to our citadel, yoi." Marco added, motioning to the large dog lounging nearby, "Stefan should be more than enough but I'll give you my seal just in case."
"S-So they might attack me?"
"Maybe." Thatch said with a shrug, "You gotta understand, there's lots of elders buried there. The guards are stationed to keep unsavory characters from reviving someone that is better off dead."
Sabo nodded and Law turned off the projection. He needed to get some new clothes, a good storage of blood for the road…stop by the armory-
"Don't worry, Sabo-ya." The doctor soothed, placing a hand on his shoulder, "We'll make sure you're as prepared as possible."
Luffy smiled behind his scarf and goggles as the hot, arid wind hit him in the face, almost blowing his hood back. It'd been a long time since he'd truly felt the freedom of the wastes. No matter how nasty it was…it was big, open, and familiar. No cages or chains in sight.
Ace's arm tightened around his belly as he leaned to turn his bike, taking them around the remains of some ancient building. Luffy had to admit, he hadn't expected Ace of all people to be the one who liberated him from the citadel, especially considering he was the one who kidnapped him in the first place.
Not that Luffy was complaining. Freedom was freedom.
'I just hope Zoro and the others don't try to break in…' He thought, smile falling slightly, 'I need to let them know I'm okay somehow.'
The brothers rode for a while until evidence of a sandstorm kicked up in the distance. Ace quickly turned and headed for an old structure so they could take shelter. When the bike came to a halt, Luffy jumped off but stumbled when pain shot up his spine, the seal jarred by his sudden leap.
"You okay?" Ace asked as he steadied him, prompting Luffy to nod.
"Yeah, sorry…I'm still a little unsteady." Stupid seal.
"No worries, Lu." Ace replied before helping him into the more protected area of the broken structure. Once Luffy was settled, the vampire pushed his bike inside and brought tarps out of his bag. The boy blinked in surprise when his brother expertly set it up in such a way that would block most of the sand from outside.
He'd always assumed that vampires weren't as knowledgeable of the wastes because they didn't live there…but clearly he was wrong.
"My time as a scout is finally paying off." The vampire said while adjusting the tarp, "This isn't my first sandstorm." Luffy grinned and pulled down his scarf.
"Shishishi, I can tell. Ne, do you have any food?"
"Yeah, give me a second."
A few minutes later, the two brothers sat next to each other eating while the wind howled outside of their make-shift shelter. Luffy greatly enjoyed the 'packaged meal' Ace had brought for him, heated over the fire. Meanwhile, the vampire dug his teeth into a bag of blood, draining it to about halfway.
"What is this called again?" Luffy asked, holding up the small, warm little bowl of deliciousness.
"Mac-n-Cheese, I think." Ace answered, "It's something Thatch really likes from the old days…" Luffy gazed sorrowfully at his brother when the vampire trailed off, his countenance falling. He was still clearly shaken by the sudden revelation of his past and, even though he was trying to hate the Whitebeards…they'd been together for so long.
It was hard.
"It's really good." Luffy whispered while scooting closer to his brother so he could rest against his shoulder. He wasn't really sure what Ace needed so he decided to try and just let him know that he wasn't alone. "Almost as good as fluffy cakes."
"Really? That's high praise, coming from you." Ace answered, looking down at him in amusement. Luffy grinned and took another bite, humming as the cheesy goodness melted in his mouth.
They sat in silence for a while, the only sound that of the sand slamming against their shelter. When they finished their meals, Ace huffed and leaned his head back.
"Sorry to drag you into all this Lu…I-I can't believe I-" Luffy stopped him with a swift jab to the side with his metal arm.
"Don't apologize. What happened, happened, and now we're here. Besides, if you hadn't kidnapped me…I probably wouldn't know you existed."
"Y-You have a point." Ace managed, holding his side tightly, "Damn Lu…that really hurt." Luffy blinked and looked at his metal arm in surprise. He hadn't hit him that hard…had he?
Deciding to just go with it, Luffy stood up and placed his hands on hips, a cheeky smirk appearing on his face.
"Shishishi, that's because I'm super strong now! Come at me if you dare!"
Ace stared at him for a second before returning his smirk.
"Oh? You dare challenge your big brother?" Luffy laughed and trotted across to the far side of their shelter when Ace stood up, "Come 'ere you little brat!" As expected, despite his best efforts, Ace caught him quickly and subjected him to a horrible barrage of tickles that had him laughing until he cried.
"Y-You just wait…" Luffy muttered once Ace finally released him, "I'll beat you someday."
"You're welcome to try, but I am older than you…and a vampire."
"Then I'll be strong when I'm your age!"
"I'm technically thirty-six, Lu. It'll take you a while to catch up." Luffy chuckled and slumped against Ace with a breathy sigh of contentment.
"…old man." He got a playful bonk to the head for that comment but he didn't mind. It felt surprisingly natural to interact with Ace like he was his big brother. Back at the citadel, he'd felt trapped and unsure…so he hadn't trusted Ace (or anyone, really) completely, especially after everything he'd done. But now that he was free and back in familiar territory, Luffy felt like he could truly let go and give him his trust.
'I need to give him a chance.' He thought, eyelids falling as exhaustion caught up to him. Ace had changed since they first met…and Luffy knew it was for the better.
Ace sat stock still when Luffy made himself comfortable against his side, almost sliding down into his lap. The boy he knew had only just started being okay around him…and now he just-
The vampire barely held in a yelp when Luffy mumbled something in his drowsy state and snuggled further into him, prompting Ace to put a steadying arm around the slight boy's shoulders. Once Luffy started to snore quietly, Ace felt himself relax a little.
Who knew coming out into the wastes would have such a profound impact on his brother? He was being playful and relaxed and…being the Luffy he'd only seen glimpses of while in the citadel.
'I'm sorry for taking this from you…' Ace thought while looking at his little brother's sleeping face fondly. Though Luffy was looking at the positives of their time together, he knew that he didn't deserve the boy's forgiveness, not after everything he did to him.
Honestly, Ace was a terrible person and a part of him didn't want to dirty the innocent teen with his bloodstained hands. Because of him, Rouge and Dragon were left defenseless and Luffy was kidnapped. It was his selfishness that took his little brother's freedom and no amount of atonement could fix everything. Luffy's arm…the trauma…it was a miracle his brother would even speak to him.
"…stop movin'…" Luffy muttered, startling Ace out of his thoughts, "…makes it hard ta' sleep."
"Sorry, Lu." He whispered back, taking a moment to scratch at the boy's scalp, drawing out a content whine from the sleepy human.
"Gotta learn ta' be a good pillow…" Luffy managed, eyelids fluttering closed again, "…first lesson of the wastes…" Ace chuckled softly at the nonsensical statement and simply leaned back, allowing Luffy to be more comfortable. He instinctively continued to scratch his fingers into his brother's raven locks, lulling the kid into a deeper sleep.
Right then and there, Ace decided that he would protect Luffy…no matter what. Even if the boy eventually came to his senses and decided he hated him (which would be completely understandable), he'd make sure he was safe.
Because that was what he could do to atone.
Ace took them through the wastes following his 'memories of home' and Luffy's not very helpful directions. Unfortunately, all the sand tended to look the same and neither of them had clear memories of how to find the place.
"Um…I think it's that way." Luffy said, pointing East while Ace pulled up a map on his bike, "I remember it was surrounded by what my Dad called 'trenches'."
"Right, I remember that." Ace replied, tapping on the screen to zoom in, "Actually, Lu…if the trenches are what I think they are, we should go South." As much as he trusted his brother, Luffy had only lived in that house as a young child and had been unconscious when he left. If his memories could be trusted, they needed to go to where the ocean once was and find the 'island' their parents had turned into a home.
"Okay, let's go!" Luffy chirped while pulling himself back onto the bike. Ace smiled at his excitement and pulled the boy's hood up before peeling out. He gradually changed their direction, avoiding sand pits where he could. Thankfully, his bike was made for the wastes so it wouldn't be stopped easily.
That is, except by Luffy's insistent whining.
"Ace~" The boy all but whimpered, "Please, can we stop? I'm thirsty!"
"You just drank like a whole bottle!" Ace replied with a huff, grateful for the half mask that stopped sand from getting into his mouth as he spoke, "I'm sorry but we only have a limited supply of water and I can't let you have any more."
"Then let's get some more!" Luffy exclaimed, pointing at what looked like…nothing, "Pull over!"
Ace wasn't sure what the boy had seen but stopped the bike anyway. Luffy leapt off and winced but didn't slow down as he approached an old rock formation. He pushed the bike behind the rambunctious teenager, curious what he'd seen. While he turned on their ride's camouflage mode, Luffy gently ran his hands over the smooth surface of the boulder, like he was looking for something.
"Uh…what're you doing?"
"I'm looking for a marker." Luffy answered (like that somehow explained everything), "I noticed one earlier which means there's a watering hole nearby!"
Ace had heard of watering holes, of course. They were hidden sources of water and sometimes food that humans guarded fiercely. The Whitebeards knew of the location of only one within their territory but suspected there were others.
"Here." Luffy said quietly as his gloved hand wiped sand away to reveal a symbol carved into the stone. Ace leaned in closer and recognized it as an arrow. "This way! It's not far."
The vampire followed Luffy through a literal maze of abandoned vehicles, buildings, and whatever else humans could carve symbols into, amazed the boy could understand (or interpret) the meaning of often ridiculous 'markers'. While the one Luffy originally pointed out was easy enough to understand, how were they supposed to know that a smiley face meant 'death that way' or a circle meant they had to backtrack and then head West.
Luffy claimed some 'nice people' taught it to him but still…
Human code was weird as hell. No wonder vampires had such a hard time finding them. The only reason the Whitebeards found one was because Thatch had accidentally fallen into it during one of their training missions. As a fledgling, Ace had just laughed as his 'mentor' flailed around in the underground pool of water like a fool.
'No! Stop thinking about them.' He thought, forcing down a smile. They're the enemy…not his people.
"We're here." Luffy whispered, peeking around a metal beam into a very well-hidden cave entrance. Ace could smell humans inside but didn't see any guards. "Keep your hood up and don't let anyone see your eyes."
"Easy enough."
"Oh, and don't do anything, uh, vampire-ish." Luffy added, making Ace raise an eyebrow.
"Like what, exactly?"
"I don't know, hiss or something!" Ace chuckled at his brother's pouty face.
"Okay, I won't hiss at anybody. We good?"
Luffy nodded and led the way towards the entrance, pushing his hood back the second they were out of the wind. Ace looked around and pulled up his half-mask when the scent of humans increased. He had to admit, it felt a little weird to just waltz into a human 'sanctuary', but Luffy seemed to know what he was doing.
As they walked down the slopes of the cave, they followed more markers until eventually they emerged in a large open area lit by lanterns. Ace's first impression of the watering hole was that it was quite pleasant. The pool of water looked clean (for the wastes, anyway) and the air was much cooler underground.
There was a good amount of humans enjoying the water, most of which looked like travelers. He saw a few people that had booths and obviously lived there, but watering holes clearly weren't popular places to settle down.
Without a word, Luffy walked up to the water and plopped down to dig one of their many water jugs out of the bag. Ace decided to stand at his back so he could see everything (and everyone), just in case. He didn't feel particularly threatened by anyone, they were just humans after all, but you couldn't be too careful.
One old man in particular hadn't stopped staring at them from the moment they entered the cave. Ace eyed him as stealthily as he could, resisting the urge to hiss. Instead, he placed a hand on Luffy's shoulder possessively, letting the human know that if he messed with his baby brother…he'd be in for a very one-sided fight.
"Something wrong?" Luffy asked quietly, finishing up with the first bottle.
"Everything's fine, Lu. Keep going."
By the time his little brother had finished, the old man was on his feet and approached them bravely, prompting Ace to tighten his grip on Luffy. If he wanted a fight-
"Luffy? Is that you?" He asked, his silver hair cascading down his shoulders. The boy blinked up at the man for a few seconds before breaking out into a wide smile.
"Rayleigh! It's been so long!" The old man grinned at Luffy when he broke free of Ace and hugged him (much to Ace's annoyance).
"Yes, it has. You've really grown up."
"Mn!" Luffy affirmed, grinning widely, "I have so much to tell you."
"I bet. Come…let's go to my quarters."
Ace reluctantly followed the pair when Luffy began to tug him along, unsure how he felt about the old man. He seemed to know the boy though…maybe they'd crossed paths when he was younger?
After turning a few corners, Rayleigh led them inside a carved out portion of the cave, definitely man-made. It was…cozy, Ace supposed, and though sparsely decorated, it gave off a homey feel. A female human sat in a chair facing the door, drinking something that smelled suspiciously like alcohol.
"Oh, Lu-Lu! Welcome back." The woman greeted, easily accepting a flying hug from Luffy.
"Hi Miss Shakky! It's good to see you again!"
"How do you know these people?" Ace asked, curiosity finally getting the better of him. Luffy turned away from the female to smile brightly at him.
"Rayleigh and Shakky took me in after Katakuri dropped me off here when I was a kid. They taught me everything I know."
'This is that watering hole?' Ace thought, blinking in surprise. Who knew.
"Would you or your friend like something to drink?" Rayleigh asked, turning towards the clay 'kitchen'.
"Yes, please!" Luffy chirped, "Oh, and this is Ace, he's not my friend…he's my brother!" The two humans looked surprised at that but turned their smiles to him nonetheless.
"I see. Well, it's a pleasure to meet any family of Luffy."
"Likewise." Ace muttered, sitting down at their insistence. While Luffy flitted around Shakky in the kitchen, he found himself sitting across from Rayleigh in rather awkward silence. He didn't dare take a drink from the mug they'd given him because that would involve pulling his mask down.
"Ace, right?" Rayleigh asked, prompting him to nod, "…or rather, Gol D. Ace." The vampire immediately went stock still, eyes widening.
"How do you-""
"I was a friend of your father, Roger." Rayleigh quickly answered, stopping him from elongating his claws, "I recognized you the second you walked into the cave, mask or no mask. You have his eyes."
Ace frowned at the man and slowly reached up to pull the mask down. Luffy looked over at him with big eyes when he flipped his hood back, eyes flashing red.
"…you were turned, huh?" Rayleigh put in casually, taking a sip from his own drink, "I heard about your disappearance, but feared the worst. Rogue was worried."
Ace said nothing for a few moments while Luffy gathered his cup in his hands and joined him on the rickety couch. The boy looked a little worried and glanced between them cautiously.
"How did you know my parents?" He finally asked, appraising the human before him.
"Roger and I were childhood friends." Rayleigh explained, "Believe it or not, we fought vampires together in our youth, but he disbanded our hunter group when he decided to marry Rogue. Wanted to settle down."
"Funny, he never mentioned you." Ace replied while placing his cup aside so he could lean forward over his knees.
"A-Ace, they're good people." Luffy quietly said while tugging on his sleeve, "You can trust them."
"It's all right, Luffy." Rayleigh put in, waving the boy off, "His suspicions are warranted. Shakky, would you bring over that picture?"
"Sure thing, Ray." The woman replied, moving over to a locked trunk in the corner. Ace watched her closely as she opened it, dug around for a moment, and pulled out a photograph that looked old. "This the one?"
"Yeah, thank you." Rayleigh answered before holding the picture out to Ace, "Here, take a look at this."
Ace frowned as he took it but gasped softly the second he recognized the faces on the photo. It was his parents, Roger and Rogue, smiling along with the human couple before them. They looked happy and were posing outside of what he recognized as his childhood home. Rogue's belly was swollen with pregnancy.
Luffy peeked over his shoulder and his lip trembled with emotion.
"I-It's Mom."
"Yeah…and my Dad." Ace whispered, running the pad of his thumb over Roger's face, "I guess you really did know them. What was he like when he was young?"
"Where to start…" Rayleigh answered with a far off look, "He was a great man."
They ended up lounging in the small cave-home until that evening, just listening to stories about Roger and Rogue. After about three hours, Luffy turned Ace's lap into a pillow, but he listened with aft attention, loving every tale that came out of Rayleigh's mouth.
"It sounds like you two had a lot of adventures together." Ace whispered, trying not to wake his brother.
"We did, but he wanted nothing more than to create a safe place for his family to thrive in." Rayleigh continued, "I'm sorry to hear about their deaths…these are troubling times we live in."
"I-If I had just been there…" Ace hissed, newly recalled memories coming to the front of his mind. Unfortunately, there wasn't anything he could have done to save Roger, but he could have saved Rogue. "The Whitebeards took everything from me."
"They're the ones who turned you?" Ace nodded.
"They turned me against my will and stole my memories…so I took Lu and ran." He explained, placing a hand on Luffy's mop of hair as he spoke, "We're going to go to his home and visit Rogue's grave. Dragon's as well…that's Luffy's Dad."
Rayleigh hummed in thought.
"Hmmm…yes, I know Luffy's story, but to be honest, even if you had been there, I don't think you would've made a difference." He held up a hand to silence Ace's protest. "Listen to me for a second. Though Dragon preferred his solitude, he was one of the strongest D's alive. Whoever attacked their home was a very powerful vampire that not even a seasoned Denali could best. Frankly, Ace, you probably would've died with them."
Ace grit his teeth in frustration.
"I-I just…I'm so mad at myself. I wasn't even there for Lu's birth and-"
"But you're here now." Rayleigh interrupted with a knowing stare, "I can tell that Luffy trusts you and that you are making an effort to reconcile your relationship. Don't live in the past…look to the future. That's how Roger lived and it would suit you well."
He nodded, feeling the human's words deep in his soul. It would still take time for him to overcome his guilt…but he'd do his best to live without regrets from then on.
For Luffy.
They ended up staying with the watering hole 'community' for a few days. Ace had wanted to head out sooner rather than later, but Luffy had so much to tell Rayleigh and Shakky that one day simply wasn't enough. To their credit, they dutifully listened to his rambling even when he got sidetracked by something.
Ace found himself listening as well, curious what the boy thought about his time at the citadel.
"-and then, I got a metal arm, and beat Ace up! It was fun!"
"…sounds like it." Rayleigh answered in an amused tone while Ace just huffed. He'd never live that down.
While Luffy continued, Ace's eyes moved over to Shakky. The woman had pulled him aside the day before to ask about his little brother's well-being. He'd been honest with her about what happened at the citadel, which brought a tinge of sorrow to her eyes.
"That poor boy has been through so much…I hope he never has to be someone's captive again."
'Yeah, you and me both, lady.' Ace thought, reaching out to snack on some sort of weird chips the couple set out for them eat. Luffy's mental (and physical) health was already a hot mess they were desperately trying to put back together. Thankfully, giving him his freedom had been a big step and his true personality was already shining like the sun.
Ace stopped midway between grabbing another bite when loud voices carried through the cave. He frowned while Luffy went silent, tilting his head as he listened.
"What's going on?"
"I'm not sure." Rayleigh admitted, standing to his feet, "Most likely a rowdy traveler. I'll go check it out."
"We'll come to!" Luffy chirped as he stood, bouncing on his heels. Ace huffed but followed the young boy's lead. As they walked down the carved out hallway, he tugged his mask and hood back up.
When they reached the main cavern, they saw what could only be described as a disturbing sight. An older, somewhat plump human was cackling devilishly as he kept a small child from getting to the water. The other humans around just watched, wary of the weapons the man's subordinates carried.
"That's right, brat!" The man screeched, grating on Ace's sensitive ears, "No one drinks before Orochi-sama!"
"Who?" Ace whispered to Luffy who frowned.
"Dunno, never heard of him."
"I have, unfortunately." Rayleigh put in, crossing his arms, "He's your traditional sycophant who delivers other humans to his vampire Lord in order to gain money, comfort, and other things. Calling him a slimy piece of trash would be a bit too kind in my opinion."
"Which Lord?" Ace asked quietly, barely withholding a hiss when the human kicked the little one in the chest.
"Kaido, I believe."
He hummed at that. Kaido's influence didn't extend out this far but he supposed having a human do his dirty work under the noses of the local Lords was a surprisingly smart (if not dishonorable) strategy.
"Get lost!" The fat human bellowed, causing the child (who he identified as a little girl) to retreat with a frightened cry. Surprisingly, she looked up at Ace under a layer of intense muck and, barely holding in her tears, she threw herself around his leg. The vampire looked down at the filthy thing, not really sure why she was clinging to him of all people. "Let that be a lesson to all of you!"
Ace scowled behind his mask as the disgusting excuse for a human laughed. Too often he forgot how different humans could be…some were innocent angels like Luffy, while others just took up perfectly good oxygen.
"Y-You'll get it now, stupid head!" The cry suddenly exclaimed, drawing attention to herself and Ace by proxy, "My Daddy will get you good!"
Ace's mouth dropped open in shock.
…Daddy!?
"Oi, you this whelp's Father?" Orochi asked, prompting some of his subordinates to point their weapons at him.
"Uh…" Ace managed, glancing to Luffy who just shrugged.
"Yeah, and he's super strong!" The girl put in helpfully before sticking her tongue out at the man, "You'd better leave before you get beat up." Ace sighed, which really seemed to really tick Orochi off, and soon his men were stalking towards them, clearly aggressive.
"Oh…I have plans for you, brat." Orochi sneered, making the girl hide again, "No one crosses me and gets away with it. I'm sure Kaido would love to have both you and your 'Daddy' as snacks."
Ace had to chuckle at that. What a fool.
"You think this is funny!?"
"Yeah, actually." He answered while reaching down to pluck the light (and very filthy) girl off the ground and place her in Luffy's arms, "It's hilarious that you think you can beat me."
At that, Orochi ordered his men to attack and Ace rushed forward to meet them. He tried to keep his strength in check so he wouldn't accidently kill them but did accidently snap one of their arms. Oops. When another came at him with a rifle, Ace swept the floor with his leg, sending him crashing down.
These guys were too easy.
All too soon, Orochi was the only one left and he crawled away from him like the sniveling weasel he was. Ace swiftly caught up to him and grabbed him by the collar, pulling him close.
"Get out of here…and don't come back." Ace whispered, making his captive tremble in fright, "Oh, and I suggest you change hunting grounds. This place is under Whitebeard's protection." Orochi whimpered when he let the human see his red eyes for a split second, just so he understood that he was serious.
Luffy cheered for him when Orochi ran off, still holding onto the dirty girl. The other humans meanwhile simply swarmed into the pool, grateful they could finally have a drink.
"That was awesome, Ace!"
"Thanks, Lu…" He muttered before turning his attention to the little girl, "Hey, what's the big idea, huh? It's not very nice to make bad guys fight a stranger." She blinked at him.
"But…you're not a stranger. You're my savior!"
"Your…what?" Ace echoed, now severely confused. The girl pouted and fisted a hand into Luffy's shirt.
"I-I was hungry and tried to sneak into a vampire camp, but you stopped me…"
Ace's eyes widened when he realized who the little girl was. Though now a lot dirtier and thinner, this was the little one he'd rescued during the two week scouting mission. She'd traveled a long way for someone so weak and small. He was startled out of his thoughts when the girl shoved her little hand at him.
"I'm Tama. My friend Komachiyo is around here somewhere too…but it's nice to meet you, Mister Vam-" Luffy quickly silenced her with a hand over her mouth, smiling sheepishly. Beside him, Rayleigh chuckled lightheartedly.
"Why don't you two find Miss Tama's friend and get her cleaned up. I'll deal with Orochi's leftovers."
A few minutes after the incident, Luffy was gently cleaning Tama off in a basin of heated water. Shakky had pulled the curtain closed to give them some privacy and for some reason, Ace hadn't wanted to help. He closed one eye when the girl splashed water on him, grateful he'd removed his shirt before attempting to bathe her.
He'd suspected trying to get a dog and a person clean at the same time could be messy.
As it turned out, 'Komachiyo' was a blonde-furred canine who was just a pup himself. He was just as filthy as Tama so Ace had thrown him in the bath as soon as he found him before leaving them with Luffy.
"Um…is Mr. Ace mad?" Tama asked meekly while Luffy scrubbed a particularly difficult patch of mud from her arm with a cloth.
"Nah, I think he just thinks it's weird that you like him so much, shishishi." He replied, laughing when Komachiyo leaned forward to lick his face, "He's not used to people liking him."
"Why?"
"Cause he's a vampire I guess." Luffy answered with a shrug, "Now come on, Shakky pulled out some clothes that should fit you."
Once she was all clean and clothed, Luffy walked with Tama back to Rayleigh's home, her hand clasped in his. The little girl looked much better and had her hair pulled up into a bun. Komachiyo walked next to her, sniffing as they went. Upon entering the space, Rayleigh and Shakky greeted them while Ace just sat on the couch, face exposed since everyone there knew his identity.
"She's all clean!" Luffy announced, making Tama blush and shuffle nervously under the attention. With a grin, he scooped the little girl up, carried her over to Ace, and held her out. "Now it's your turn to hold her, Ace."
"Wha-" He tried, taking the girl around her middle at his insistence, "Lu, I d-don't know how to-"
Luffy just grinned and plopped down on the ground not far from them, leaning on his hand. His brother looked so…nervous. His arms were locked tight, like he was afraid of dropping her. Luffy huffed and mimicked how he should hold Tama with a nearby, bunched-up blanket. Ace quickly copied him and lowered the girl onto his lap.
She seemed to like that and wasted no time snuggling up to his chest, making the vampire go still.
"It's okay, Mr. Ace…I don't break easy."
Ace sat as still as he possibly could while Tama dozed in his lap (having fallen asleep after Luffy spent an hour showing the girl his picture books), honestly unsure what to do. Getting used to having Luffy around was one thing, but this human was so tiny. What if he hurt her or did something else that was equally as terrible? Like…like scaring her or something.
Luffy, the unhelpful kid, just gave him a thumbs up. Did that mean he was doing a good job?
"She likes you." He whispered, petting the dog that he currently had in his own lap.
"No idea why…" Ace answered in an unsure voice, "All I did was stop her from entering the camp. I wasn't even that gentle, Lu!"
"You still saved her." Luffy said while scratching Komachiyo behind the ears, making his tail thump against the ground, "That's probably the first time anyone has ever been nice to her. Kindness is hard to come by in the wastes."
Ace frowned at the distant look on Luffy's face. The kid was probably thinking back to all his own hardships. Though he'd eventually received help from kind people…most of his life was spent enduring unspeakable pain and loneliness.
"You should get some rest…we'll leave tomorrow morning."
Luffy nodded and placed Komachiyo up on the couch before crawling up himself so he could settle next to Ace. The vampire huffed when the boy made himself comfortable against his side. With Luffy on his right, Tama in his lap, and the dog on his left…he really was just an overgrown pillow, wasn't he?
Ace gently repositioned Luffy so his cold metal arm wasn't pressed up against his skin. It was a magnificent piece of machinery but he wished more than anything that he didn't need it.
"You should think about re-locating soon." Ace informed Rayleigh when he re-entered the room, making him raise an eyebrow.
"Why?"
"A war's coming." He continued, choosing to ignore the soft snores coming from the beings around him, "The Council is coming for the Moby Dick and I know for a fact that their Lord intends to clear this whole area out before that. If you don't want to be captured…I suggest you leave."
"I appreciate the warning." Rayleigh replied before sitting down in a chair across from him with an amused chuckle, "Never thought I'd see the day…a vampire cuddling with human children and a puppy. Adorable."
Ace felt his face heat up at that and he looked away, too embarrassed to meet the human's gaze.
"You need to take this seriously! Vampires are no joke, old man!"
"Says the fledgling with the human brother and a daughter."
"She's not my kid!" Ace quickly shot back, "It's hard enough getting used to having a little brother…" Rayleigh just laughed.
"I'm just messing with you, Ace. Thank you for letting us know about the upcoming battle…we will spread the word for other watering holes and sanctuaries to be on alert."
A few minutes later, the old couple freed Ace from Tama's snoring form along with the dog, taking them to the back room where a 'proper bed' awaited. Soon, it was just Ace and Luffy, the boy still dead asleep against him. Just as Ace was about to fall asleep himself, Luffy began to tremble and mumble to himself.
"N-No…don't touch me…" The vampire was immediately on alert when Luffy brow furrowed and he instinctively curled in closer to him, "Please stop, I-I don't wanna-"
"Luffy, wake up!" He hissed, shaking the boy, "You're having a nightmare."
Ace felt a deep sorrow bubble up inside him when Luffy continued to whimper, tears forming in the corner of his eyes.
"No, no, no, no…STOP IT!" Luffy suddenly screeched in a broken voice, waking up with a jolt. Ace quickly gathered him in his arms and shushed him, forcing the boy's head into his shoulder in a selfish attempt to avoid looking at his bloodshot, wide eyes. It just made his guilt worse.
"Shhh…it's okay, Lu. You're okay."
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I-I'm sorry…" Luffy mumbled almost incoherently as he cried into Ace's shoulder, "I'm sorry I'm so weak."
"You're not weak." Ace quickly replied while massaging the skin behind Luffy's ear in an attempt to soothe him, "Lu…you're one of the strongest people I know."
"R-Really?" The boy asked with a sniffle. Ace nodded.
"Without a doubt."
At that, Luffy gave him a shaky attempt at a smile before snuffling back into Ace's shoulder and falling back asleep. He gently laid a hand on his brother's head before exhaling in multiple uneven breathes. Luffy deserved better than him…deserved a better life, one free from nightmares and lingering memories.
"But I wanna come!" Tama whined, pouting up at Ace. The vampire sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"Listen, kid, the wastes are dangerous enough for the two of us. I'm not bringing you or the dog along. Rayleigh and Shakky said they'll take care of you."
The girl looked down sadly but Ace knew it was for the best. Tama was so tiny and vulnerable…frankly, it was a miracle she'd survived so long without a group to protect her. Not far from him, Luffy watched the interaction with a soft smile. The boy had recovered surprisingly quickly from his intense nightmare, which told Ace he had them pretty regularly.
"Don't worry, she'll be safe with us." Rayleigh put in, ruffling Tama's hair.
"Thank you." Ace said, inclining his head to the human, "Come on, Lu, it's time to go."
"Okay." The boy answered, padding forward to hug the couple tightly, "I'm glad I got to see you guys again. Take care!"
"You to, Lu-Lu." Shakky muttered into Luffy's hair, kissing it chastely, "Be careful out there."
A few minutes later, Ace and Luffy were back out in the wastes heading towards where his bike was camouflaged. The vampire glanced over to the boy when he remained quiet for more than two seconds, noting the somewhat downcast look on his face.
"Hey, you okay?"
"Yeah…I just hope they'll all be all right." Luffy muttered as he trudged through the sand, "…you know, with the war coming and all."
"They'll be fine." Ace reassured, reaching over to pull the teen's hood further down over his face so it was protected from the sun, "Rayleigh seems like a strong guy."
"W-Will we be okay?" The boy asked shakily, prompting Ace to stop and place a hand on Luffy's metal arm.
"Everything will work out, Lu…I promise."
Luffy's mood significantly improved when they got back onto the bike and started riding again. It was clear that the human enjoyed feeling the wind against him, which brought a smile to Ace's face. He looked up when they approached 'the trenches' which was all that was left of the ocean of old.
From what he knew, the drop-off used to be very steep and it was filled to the brim with water, but now it was just like driving into a valley filled with sand. The years hadn't been kind to the area and now the deep wasn't all that deep anymore. Their destination was located on one of the 'islands' out there…but he wasn't sure which one. They'd just have to go until they saw something he recognized.
"Ace, what's that!?" Luffy called over the wind, pointing at what looked like a dark lump in the sand just on the edge of the trenches. Ace frowned and slowed the bike to a crawl as they got closer.
Before he could stop him, Luffy jumped off and jogged over the suspicious lump, squatting down on his heels next to it. Ace just sighed and stopped the bike completely.
"Well, what is it?"
"Um…I think it's a body."
Ace huffed at that while Luffy flipped the body over. It wasn't terribly uncommon to come across corpses in the wastes. It would be best to just bury it and move on-
"Ah!" Luffy exclaimed, drawing Ace's attention immediately, "I-It's-"
The vampire swiftly rushed over, worried it was someone Luffy knew. He'd lost enough already and burying a friend was always hard. However, when he got a good look at the 'body', Ace's eyes widened in surprise.
"-it's Sabo." Luffy finished, brushing sand from the pureblood's face.
"I…can see that." Ace answered before joining his brother in sand and pulling the other vampire completely out of the sand.
"Is…um…is he dead?"
"No, he's just unconscious." He quickly answered, picking up that Luffy was worried, "What the hell is he doing all the way out here?"
Suddenly a loud bark startled both of them, causing them to turn around.
"Stefan?" Ace muttered as he looked over the massive dog, its tail wagging lazily. Luffy immediately held out his arms and the dog rushed him, slathering his face in friendly licks.
"Shishishi, good boy!"
'Okay, now I'm really confused.' Ace thought while systematically checking Sabo for wounds. Stefan never left the citadel and they wouldn't let one of their purebloods leave unattended, especially in a time of war. Thankfully, Sabo coughed in that moment, spitting up a superfluous amount of sand and almost choking.
Ace quickly moved the pureblood so he was on his side.
"Welcome back." He said, finally earning Sabo's attention.
"A-Ace? Why're you…what happened?"
"We found you in the sand!" Luffy chirped, face beaming from all the licks he'd received, "Are you okay?"
"Luffy…" Sabo managed as he sat up, holding his head as he did so, "I'm fine…I think."
"What're you doing here?" Ace asked, suspicious about the pureblood's sudden appearance so close to their destination. Sabo met his gaze firmly and continued to brush sand from his trousers.
"I'm on a mission, but you don't have to worry…it doesn't have anything to do with you."
"So what, you were attacked or something?"
Sabo blushed at that and scratched his cheek sheepishly.
"…yeah, something like that." Ace's eyes immediately went to his empty satchel where equally empty blood packages were located. He saw some good tools but they looked brand new and like they hadn't been used. Also of note was that there was no vehicle in sight. Surely he hadn't come on foot…
"You have no idea how to survive in the wastes, do you?"
"I-I…I do! I did!" Sabo shot back while crossing his arms, "I just wasn't expecting…I-I mean-"
At this point, Luffy joined them with Stefan at his side, gazing down at Sabo with those big eyes of his. Under the human's concerned stare, the pureblood drooped, sighing deeply.
"…no, no I don't. My vehicle just stopped working yesterday so I got out and walked but then I got dizzy and…well, I guess I passed out."
"Probably heat stroke." Luffy said, clearly surprising Sabo with his knowledge, "If you're on foot, you shouldn't travel for more than an hour at a time without the proper gear."
"Noted." Sabo replied, clearly embarrassed. Ace just chuckled and pulled down his mask.
"Wow, just think, if we hadn't come along-"
"Just rub it in, jerk." Sabo muttered indignantly, puffing out his sunburned cheeks and leaning on his hand, "And besides, I'm sure I would've been perfectly fine without you."
"Yeah? Who's gonna help you then…Stefan?" At his name, the dog barked happily.
"…" Sabo didn't have anything to say to that.
"Ne, can he come with us?" Luffy asked, making Ace's amused smile fall, "I-I mean he'll probably die if we leave him, right?" Sabo twiddled his thumbs at that, face flushing even more.
The last thing Ace wanted was to let Sabo come with them. He left the citadel to distance them from the Whitebeards and, even though the pureblood was new, he was still one of them. Still, Ace also couldn't say no to Luffy's 'puppy-dog eyes'.
"I guess…but he rides in the side-car."
"That's very kind of you," Sabo replied while Ace just rolled his eyes and moved to his bike so he could press the appropriate buttons that brought out the additional seat, "but are we even going in the same direction?"
"That depends on where you're headed."
"The Elder Catacombs." Sabo said, making Ace stop what he was doing, "Not long after you two left…something happened and-"
"Whitebeard." Ace whispered breathily, eyes wide in shock. Marco had often told him about his sire, the great pureblood who'd built the Moby Dick. "He's waking up."
"H-How did you know?" Sabo questioned while Luffy helped him to his feet.
"That's the only reason Marco would send you there." Luffy seemed confused by their conversation and just looked between them while running his gloved fingers through Stefan's soft fur. "You're lucky…it's not far from where we're going."
Sabo frowned at that while Ace's excitement grew.
What better way to take revenge than to confront the very pureblood who was responsible for it all?