Author's Note: Somebody asked me an interesting question: why isn't Lelouch a revolutionary yet? Why would he want to? He's already done that – been there, done that, killed whoever had to be killed. Done. He's fulfilled his ideal as Lelouch Lamperouge, why the hell would he join yet another rebellious organization against the World Government? Nah, he's had his fair share of revolution and rebellion, let him live!
Author's Note 2: Lelouch as a pirate? Huh, don't know about that. Might become some kind of... disturbing anomaly always getting his way? But he'll get to fuck up the World Government, that I promise to you. I've already got something in my mind. Ohohohohohoho, this is gonna be great. Of course he'll have his own crew and his own ship: that's already in the works. Oh, and Lelouch and Hancock friends? Why not? As for Crocodile dying... Lelouch might have overreacted, but he shall not hurt the bastard too much. Just... something.
Chapter Nine: The Wraith
It happened three hours before dawn, and Lelouch wasn't prepared for it. Far, far from it. One minute he was sleeping peacefully (more or less), the next he felt himself being pulled from within and he couldn't do anything about that. He might still be sleeping to his friends, but they wouldn't even have the slightest clue to what was actually going on right now. And what creeped him out was that same voice he's heard before he landed somewhere – a voice he thought he'd been imagining until now.
"Now you can't run away, block me out with our own powers, or even ignore me. We'll introduce ourselves this time, Lelouch. No interruption, no one to pull you out of our own subconscious. After all, we share the same mind and body. We've been doing that ever since you ate me."
Lelouch looked around him, frowning in absolute confusion and shock with wide eyes. He was standing in some kind of... black and purple landscape that looked half desolate, half beautiful; the black landscape behind him was bare and sinister, with only one gigantic tree that looked so much like Yggdrasil, the World-Tree from Norse mythology. The leaves of said tree were grayish, almost silvery, much like the bark. It towered over Lelouch, dwarfing him and making the navigator feel so small compared to that giant thing. Nonetheless, it looked as majestic as frightening in that sinister environment and he could feel a dark pull from that tree, which almost made him recoil in disgust. But a big part of him wanted to touch the bark, feel the dark power humming through and burst with joy. This was frightening. Turning around, he observed the purple landscape with an even more confused expression: it was completely different from the other one, since there was a mountain as large as it was long. The 'snow' was pale pink, a shade lighter than Euphemia's beautiful hair color, but it added a soft touch to this all-purple landscape. The mountain spread across both sides until he couldn't see both ends, which managed to frustrate Lelouch as he gaped, clutching his head in his hands.
And now his own subconscious was as creepy as weird – which meant even weirder than concluding that his Devil Fruit was an actual 'host' for some kind of entity. His mind was somehow... split into two opposite landscapes, as if there was someone else with him who lived inside his head. Just what the hell was going on right now? Why couldn't he go back to sleep?
"Beautiful, eh?"
"What...?" Lelouch rasped as he whirled around, only to gasp at who – or rather what – was facing him. His eyes widened as he took in the 'form' of his new found companion inside his own mind, his brain now suddenly halting.
The 'thing' that was looking right back at him was Lelouch himself, with his head and his smirk, and body and everything – except that he was covered in some dark and creepy shadow that seemed to stretch all over his body and cover whatever he was wearing; all black from head to toe except his hair (which were pure white), this entity had bright golden eyes shining in dark triumph and excitement as they took in Lelouch, who was gaping in shock. There was a patch of white skin surrounding the right eye, taking the particular form of a spiral. That thing's aura was very familiar to the one he always gave off whenever he was angry or on the verge of losing control of his own Devil Fruit, and it matched the one the gargantuan tree was also giving off. This can't be true, Lelouch thought frantically as he shook his head, his expression horrified still. If this 'thing' actually was the voice calling to him each time he used the Terror-Terror Fruit to a certain extent before Sabertooth pulled him out of his trance, then he'd been nursing some kind of entity inside his own mind for years, ever since he ate that damn Devil Fruit.
'It' cocked his head to the side, his golden eyes now narrowing in amusement. "'Thing'? Now that's hurtful, Lelouch. We've been sharing the same mind and body for over ten years, it was about time to become intimate with one another, don't you think?"
Steeling his nerves, Lelouch had to gulp down the string of frantic questions before speaking. "Who...what are you?" he gripped, his mismatched eyes never leaving the entity. "I've never heard of Devil Fruits hosting some entities..."
"Ah, I'm actually a special kind," the 'thing' crooned as it sauntered toward Lelouch, who gracefully jumped twice backward to escape him. 'It' chuckled in mirth, a sound that ran chills down the navigator's spine as they seemed to appeal to him, but 'it' still followed him. Thus, a little game began on the half-desolate land of their mind. "one that completely terrifies the heads of the World Government, those we call the Five Elders. As you explained to your monkey friend, should someone as intelligent and insane as you have control of the Terror-Terror Fruit, the consequences on this world would be dire. A world ruled by fear would be absolute hell, but what if... all of it – the endless nightmares, the realistic illusions that would eat your midn – was only your imagination? Someone's incredible, mad imagination? Even Vegapunk would be overwhelmed by what we could accomplish together. Now, Lelouch," the 'thing' chuckled as it almost wrapped an arm around his shoulders to bring him close, but he slipped through like an eel, spreading his legs on the ground to avoid the embrace. 'It' looked down at him in slight annoyance, but shrugged its shoulders with a smirk. "this is part of what I am to the World Government: the horror. The abomination. So is Imagination and all the others that are still confined in Mariejois."
"'Imagination'? The others?" Lelouch muttered after he did some somersaults to put some distance between him and the entity. He landed gracefully on his feet, furrowing his brows in confusion. "What are you – wait, are you saying that you're not the only entity living in those blacklisted Devil Fruits? How is this even possible?"
'It' chuckled again, beckoning Lelouch with a black hand. "Come closer, and I'll tell you."
Despite his calm exterior, the shock had not subsided inside the navigator's head and the glare he sent the living entity was cold and murderous enough to make the most strong-willed people cry. But the entity merely laughed, the shadows seemingly vibrating around its person, and Lelouch steeled himself not to flinch – because he was literally looking at himself, with those goddamn golden eyes that reminded him of his accursed Devil Fruit, and it clearly meant that this entity was somehow...bonded to him.
And just thinking about that possibility made him feel weird all over; how could something like this even happen in the first place? And why Lelouch, when he could have a much more peaceful life in this world?
'It' blinked, and cocked his head to the side once more. "Bonded... yes, you can say that. We've become bonded the second you first reviewed someone's most haunting fear – which was that tall bastard, Donquixote Doflamingo. To answer your previous question about the blacklisted Devil Fruits, I am one of those who haunt them in order to find a suitable host; someone who can function like we do – like an unpredictable, insane parasite. The kind of parasite that would make anyone act unlike themselves and disturb the balance of the world." At those words, the 'thing' suddenly teleported itself, making Lelouch's eyes go wide for a second, and the navigator used all of his senses and Haki to track down the entity, alert. To his surprise, 'it' reappeared right behind him and, before he could swing and strike a deadly attack, caged Lelouch's head in his arms in a headlock. The entity clicked its tongue at its host's struggling, suddenly impatient. "Stop. Being in denial and refusing to accept me will only result in triggers, many triggers that will happen more and more because you just won't accept your other half."
"I'm what you aren't, Lelouch," 'it' hissed in Lelouch's ear with a wide smirk, eyes glinting. "who you aren't, and you're everything I'm not and don't aspire to be. Call me... the Wraith. The Other One. I'm the entity everyone else would refuse to believe that actually exists, I'm the one who causes endless nightmares, with no real chance or hope to escape from your deepest fears, I'm the one who is much more monstrous than the Boogeyman. I... am another part of yourself now, Lulu."
"Don't ever call me that," Lelouch ground out, eyes flashing.
The Other One chuckled, shaking its head. "My apologies, Your Majesty," he said sarcastically – too sarcastically. Then the entity nuzzled its head against Lelouch's cheek almost lovingly, still smirking. Lelouch nearly jumped out of his own skin, utterly disgusted by this familiar, yet uncomfortably sweetness from the thing. "but understand this: this bond between us has been created the second your powers attacked Donquixote Doflamingo and nearly ate his mind; being a former Celestial Dragon has both its perks and downs, but that traumatic experience he and his brother went through in their younger years was absolutely fantastic!"
The fact that the Wraith was drawn to Doflamingo's traumatic past didn't surprise Lelouch that much, because he actually expected that entity to have loved what it saw in those horrible memories, but what made the navigator sneer in astonishment was the sickening feeling in his mind; while he firmly thought that what he'd seen in Doflamingo's past shouldn't have happened to any child, Celestial Dragon or not, something whispered in his head that he agreed with the Other One, that this traumatic and devastating past truly was fantastic and was beautiful in its horrible, sickening way.
Is this the Devil Fruit? Lelouch wondered in horror, closing his eyes shut. The idea was possible, since the Terror-Terror Fruit already showed signs of possession when he was about to unleash his powers on Blacken Felicio, and he'd been very careful with it ever since; not only was it a blacklisted Devil Fruit, but it also seemed to have a nasty, malevolent influence on him powerful enough to make him appreciate or love something so unbelievably horrifying. Was his own Devil Fruit influencing him somehow? How much of an impact on his friends?
The Other One, who'd been patiently listening to his trail of thoughts, hummed in agreement and released Lelouch's head, who nursed his neck with a grimace. "Why yes, Lelouch!" 'it' cackled happily, sauntering around Lelouch, who eyed its shadowy form with narrowed mismatched eyes. 'It' spread its arms wide toward the moonlit sky – which Lelouch hadn't even noticed yet! "It's the beauty of our bond: my emotions affect you accordingly to your own, which would most of the time result in having murderous thoughts you can't control because I'm the murderous one between the two of us. Tell me," the Wraith crooned as it leaned down on the navigator, smirking widely at him like a Cheshire cat while the original just snarled. "how long do you think you can go on witholding such alarming secret from your friends?"
"If what you're saying is true, then you should already know that I plan on telling them as soon as I'm awake," Lelouch rasped coldly, getting back up. His chilling stare bore into the Other One's skull, not that it actually scared the entity to the core. "I've got no secrets for Saber and the twins."
"Oh, is that so...? Not even the most absurd secret surrounding the previous existence of Lelouch Lampe –"
Lelouch's hand blurred so fast toward the Other One's throat that 'it' didn't even see it coming; firm, deadly fingers wrapped around its throat, feeling the muscles struggle against the sudden and unexpected chokehold, and Lelouch briefly smirked upon seeing the surprised look on the entity's face – his face – before it started to struggle lightly against his hand. Then, a cold, indignant outraged expression replaced the navigator's snarl as he leaned in to stare into the golden eyes that were the bane of his existence. Never had he felt so angry to almost hear that name again, in this world, because it didn't exist and would never exist. No one should even hear it, not even his friends.
"That name," he muttered dangerously to the entity, the pupils of his mismatched eyes widening slowly. "has no place in this world. It has no meaning, no importance whatsoever. The man who was called that died and will remain dead. There's no need to bring him up. No one needs to know someone from a past that holds no importance in a world where it had never belonged before, therefore I don't understand why you ought to remind me of who I was until I died – I know, and I decided that it doesn't matter anymore. He's the past and belongs to it, he's history. I don't see why I should tell my friends, since they've never heard of the world Lelouch Lamperouge used to live in until his death. He doesn't belong here. Do you hear me, monster? Do you?" He shook the Other One lightly, squeezing a little more until 'it' rasped a "yes". "So I'm going to say one sentence, and I want you to repeat it after me. Got it?"
He needed to make things real clear with that monster living inside his mind; if the Other One was prone to taking possession of him from time to time when he wasn't careful, then putting his foot down before 'it' could even think of being too mischevious was the best course of option (since he doubted that thing could be killed without damaging himself). For now. Then, they'd work things out. But should he try anything against his friends, Lelouch would take more drastic measures.
"Lelouch Lamperouge... is dead," he ground out to the entity, softening the pressure of his fingers on the Wraith's throat enough for 'it' to speak. "Repeat."
The thing leveled Lelouch with one burning stare, silent for a few moments as they challenged each other in a game of wits and will, and Lelouch merely stared back. Both of their auras were strong and sinister, all over the place and would have had anyone sensible to fear highly sensitive to them. There was another deafening silence between the two of them, which was decisive, until the Other One finally opened his mouth and repeated the words that made Lelouch smirk.
"Lelouch Lamperouge is dead," 'it' spat venomously.
Lelouch's smirk widened ever so slightly. "Again," he commanded.
The fuming expression he saw on the shadowed, identical face almost made him lose it. His horrifying self was beyond furious and he was enjoying every single second of it; play with something deadly, you might get mauled or killed. There was no way he'd take himself out by doing something drastic to his mind, but he didn't know what the Other One could do or say to anyone, so the safest solution he found was to stand his ground, stand up to that thing and shut him up. How long had it been since he'd had a potential host who was already insane to begin with? How long? If 'it' wanted to remain with Lelouch, he would have to be on his best behaviour.
"Lelouch Lamperouge is dead."
"Again."
"Lelouch. Lamperouge. Is. Bloody. Dead."
The smirk was now wide on Lelouch's face, and his eyes were shining in sickening mirth. "A-gain."
This time, an angry snarl deformed the Other One's face, and once again, Lelouch almost twitched at the eerie resemblance between the two of them – this wasn't even mimicking, it was the same gestures, expressions and reactions that made it so weird. It was just so disturbing that he burst out laughing, never breaking eye contact with the entity, who looked ready to jump at his throat as he kept laughing. Harder and harder, because he just couldn't help it: that monster right here thought it could seduce him into giving in, be one with the insanity his Devil Fruit actually was and never regret it. While the navigator had now accepted that his powers had turned him into some kind of wraith like those god-forsaken Nazguls in The Lord of the Rings series, he was still very much attached to what was left of his humanity (his friends were what's left of it and he didn't want to get rid of it).
Lelouch was going to give that bastard a good reason to hate him just to show him that, while he may be very much insane, he wasn't one to be toyed with.
"Feeling mighty, you insane navigator?" the Wraith spat venomously, despite the wicked grin showing on its shadowy face. "Do you feel so confident that you can actually believe that you'd just force your will on me, so I can do whatever you say? I thought you were smarter than all those idiots I've corrupted after they've proven themselves unworthy of my power. It doesn't work like that, child."
"Oh, I know," Lelouch managed to wheeze between two chuckles, the same sickening mirth shining in his eyes. "I was making you do this to make a bloody statement you shouldn't violate, in case you want to die and wait an undefined time for another wielder to become your new host. See, Wraith? The problem we're encountering is that you're thriving for someone worthy of your might, someone who might understand and use the power you want to offer with a price, yet you fail to realize that you might have to sacrifice something as well." His smirk soon turned mocking as he caught the slight twitch in the Wraith's manic grin and eye. "To have power over someone, something has to be sacrificed. I sacrificed half of my mind in order to learn how to handle this Devil Fruit, but you making an appearance in my – our – mind at the worst time has forced me to reevaluate a lot of things. And I don't like this."
Mismatched eyes narrowed in repressed anger, as his other free hand balled into a fist coated with Haki. Somehow, the manic grin Lelouch was also sporting looked magnificent on him with his right violet eye flickering to gold for a few seconds before it came back to the original colour. "I don't like unpleasant surprises that might actually mess up my plans to the point even I have to overthink."
If Lelouch thought he was used to the Wraith's mimicked expressions, he was however floored to see its features soften considerably in less than a few seconds after pondering his words; the insane expression he was previously sporting disappeared completely, leaving an expression of eerie calm that set him on edge almost immediately. The golden eyes closed softly, as if in silent acceptance. Lelouch could only stare at the Wraith, his face frozen in surprise. Then, his surprise shifted to astonishment when a somewhat sincere smile brightened its face – which looked awfully weird on the entity.
"That's very strange, you know. None of your predecessors knew how to properly handle me or my influence on their conscience," the Wraith said absently, as if reminiscing. It snatched Lelouch's wrist in a strong grip before he could retract it to his side, preventing the navigator from backing off. "It's not just because your best friend is here to snap you out of your trance, it's also because you pretty much found a way to prevent me from taking over your mind and body. Is it your... mental state? Your willpower? Or your personality?" Golden eyes opened, seemingly shining with excitement as they appraised Lelouch with a penetrating gaze, to which he did his best not to flinch. "There's still so much more to explore with our powers, yet you seem very reserved and hesitating... why is that? You've got much more potential than all of the other wastes that served as my host in the past."
That got a sharp reaction from Lelouch, whose eyes suddenly widened in anger and astonishment – the way he shifted from mirth to wrath was fascinating to the Wraith. "Wastes? 'Wastes'?" Lelouch was almost shouting at the entity, enraged as his other hand fisted easily around its throat once again. "Humankind doesn't exist as a bloody test subject for you to see how you can create an empire of terror and horror, you bastard! I am not another test subject who will fail and become another waste, because I'll find a way to suppress you within my subconscious. I don't think you'll like it very well, since I'm mental."
The Wraith scoffed, rolling its golden eyes in a dismissive manner. "While I admit that your mind is something I haven't come across in a long time since my last host, I'm rather experienced in the matter of extreme insanity," 'it' drawled nonchalantly, slapping Lelouch's hand away easily. "I drove my previous hosts insane, so insane that some of them literally dug their own graves by threatening the one called 'Im'. That was a pleasant experience. That is, until my Devil Fruit got locked up again in their damn vault for years before you showed up," the Wraith chuckled, shaking his head, but the golden eyes had taken such a vicious glint that the navigator felt the hatred burning behind that gaze.
And Lelouch immediately stopped listening and was now staring at the entity with wide, curious eyes. While he could represent himself the faces of the Five Elders pretty clearly, thanks to Admiral Kizaru's description of them the second time he and the tall Marine met, but this was a name he'd never heard before. Im. Who the hell was that and how did the Wraith know about him or her? And what's more, the burning hatred radiated off their bodies in waves, almost making Lelouch crumble under the powerful emotion wracking his insides. Just how could a simple name have such impact on a Devil Fruit?
A hand slapped on his shoulder, grabbing it painfully, and Lelouch grunted a little, blinking at the entity in confusion and curiosity. The Wraith was no longer smirking, and the expression adorning his face was positively eerie, cold and deadly. So whatever or whoever Im was, the Wraith hated his guts like no tomorrow and would kill to have his hands around that person's throat.
"Curious, aren't you? Can't blame you, because that's someone you actually need to be wary of," the Wraith said venomously. "Since you've become my newest host, there isn't just the World Government after you: Im himself has set to retrieve you at all cost, whether you're missing a limb or not – depends on how desperate the Five Elders will be to get you. Watch yourself, Lelouch. This 'Im' I hate so much might actually be the one to control the World Government and, most certainly, the world. So the Five Elders are his beloved puppets, as is the entire Marines corps. Should you ever get captured by Spandam or those bastards..."
For the first time ever since Lelouch ate his Devil Fruit, he felt his heartbeat drumming wildly against his ribcage as his whole body went suddenly numb and his mind blanked in less than a second. His face was contorted in a horrified expression of terror, which was ironic to say the least (considering he was the embodiment of fear), and he looked like he was about to scream. But no sound would come out, it was as if his throat had but all of a sudden blocked itself. It felt terrifying. Was this the influence of the entity living inside him? Was it that powerful? Just how much more powerful could this Devil Fruit get?
The Wraith had a demonic smile and expression on his face as he stopped inches away from Lelouch, golden eyes wide in dark hunger.
"...I will make you kill everyone," he whispered in a dark promise.
These were the last words Lelouch heard before he felt himself being pulled away from his mind, as if sucked by an otherwordly force. He came back to his own body with brutal force, jumping awake and in cold sweat. He looked around wildly, looking for his friends; Saber was asleep not too far from his position on his right, his sword in hand, the twins were huddled up together on his left. It was still nighttime, but dawn was near – he could tell from the stars. Lelouch tried to calm his breathing, his unsettled mind reeling from all the informations he just got from his 'inside trip'.
He exhaled deeply, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead and sat with his elbows on his knees. That... was a lot to take in, and he needed to process everything one step at a time, but with the whole Alabasta ordeal that was about to get worse, he didn't have the luxury of time. The World Government, this 'Im' person who must be on top of the world and above the Five Elders – this was too much for the time being, and right now wasn't the moment to start plotting. Crocodile needed to be dealt with first, then he'd have to reconcile with Sphinx and see how king Cobra and princess Vivi intended to change things for the country.
Now isn't indeed the time, Lelouch.
"What the – God!" Lelouch hissed in a low voice, having nearly jumped out of his skin. Hearing the Wraith's voice – his own voice! – in his head when he thought he was somewhat back to being alone frightened him to the point he'd almost woken everyone up.
He breathed deeply for a few seconds, scowling at the ghost-like mocking laughter in his head. Having someone else in his head would give him gray hair sooner than later, and Lelouch would rather stay young and age like everyone. Now that he thought about it, he could sense something heavy in his mind – the presence of something far more powerful, with an astonishing willpower that felt overwhelming. It was almost suffocating to feel it, but Lelouch refused to be intimidated. I suppose that now we've introduced ourselves to each other, you'll hear and see everything from now on? Couldn't you have told me that instead of frightening me while I was trying to process what you've shared with me?
Aw, but where's the fun in that? Besides, you'd have figured it out on your own; sharing a body and a mind with me is the least you could do. But more importantly... what are you going to do with Crocodile? Due to what I've learned in your memories of your encounter with those Strawhats, I take it that you might not let him live another day?
Lelouch shook his head, pinching the bridge of his nose. A nasty headache was coming, probably due to his 'inside trip', and the Wraith wasn't making things easier by mentioning the Warlord; he was still thinking of killing Crocodile in the most gruesome way possible, but there had to be something else he could be useful for. Should he be arrested and thrown into the lowest level of Impel Down, then Lelouch would have front seats to see if he'd been right all along – Straw Hat Luffy taking down Crocodile instead of himself, the present Marine officer in Alabasta getting all the honors despite doing nothing, and Lelouch might get Smoker in his pocket for the obvious reason that he might become disgusted with the World Government. At least, he'd have someone not corrupted inside the Marines; making another friend would be beneficial and terribly needed, as he had no idea who might betray him. Vergo was automatically out of the question, Admiral Akainu was a no-no and as for Admiral Aokiji... Lelouch was quite reserved. He still had to talk more with Admiral Kizaru to decide if he liked the man or not.
No. No, killing him would bring more problems and I don't want any more focus on me and my crew than we already have; some goons of the World Government are most probably on their way here to get me, so the least I should do is leave Crocodile alive, though that doesn't mean I can't plot something to trick Spandam into thinking he might get his moment of glory.
His lips slowly curved upward into a dangerous smirk that he didn't even feel as his own. Oh? Please do tell, don't keep me in the dark.
Moments of silence passed peacefully as Lelouch shared his plans with the entity, not leaving any juicy details that might conjure up some unexpected and unpleasant consequences. The World Government having most probably sent Cipher Pol agents in his pursuit, it would be best to confront them somewhere familiar where he'd quickly get the advantage; the desert would have to become Lelouch's friend once again after so many years apart, and getting rid of tenacious cockroaches without exposing himself could be dangerous. So there were more options presenting themselves to Lelouch and the Wraith. Much, much more delectable for both of them.
Spandam himself was the problem, since he was the one trying to capture Vergo's protege and parade himself with him as a trophy. As if being the chief of CP9 wasn't good enough for someone as despicable and pathetic as Spandam, he now desired to possess the wielder of a blacklisted Devil Fruit (even though there was little to no indication that the bastard actually knew, Lelouch still wanted him taken out). If there was anything Lelouch knew about greed, it was how far people would go to acquire something they desired – Spandam won't ever relent on capturing him, neither would he for Nico Robin. Such ambition was too dangerous, especially if he didn't even know how to handle such power at hand.
A feral smile had now bloomed on Lelouch's lips, positively vicious. It would be even more magnificent if you lot visited him at Enies Lobby, where he'd think he's completely secure and protected by his dogs. But you've had that in mind, haven't you?
Without hesitation. While Spandam must expect his agents to come back with his newest trophy, he must also consider all possibilities of me killing them. Sending more would get the attention of his superiors, and the 'future hero of the world' would probably get yelled at for wasting the potential of the assassins of the 'Dark Justice'. Now that wouldn't be pleasant on his resume, would it? But I'm wondering: would Spandam descend into madness if we explored his fears and exposed him via a Transponder Snail?
To the world?
No, let's leave it to his subordinates to find him in a state of absolute madness. That should be enough to discredit him, should he fall to our trap. But I'm pretty sure someone as arrogant as him would fall for that with open arms.
Looking up at the sky, Lelouch stifled a mocking laugh as both him and the Wraith reviewed the plan patiently. A bloodthirsty smirk bloomed on his lips, chilling and cold.
"And I can't wait to taste your fears, Spandam," he murmured, swearing to whatever god up there that he'll get to damage the chief of CP9. "Now come out and play... come out and play with us."
Actually, Lelouch, I know exactly where to start. Watch and learn.
Enies Lobby, a few seconds later...
Spandam wailed loudly as his teaccup suddenly crashed on the floor, the scalding hot liquid splashing everywhere. One might believe that the arrogant man had been incredibly clumsy once again, thus ridiculing himself, so they would ignore him easily as they were used to it. It had become a daily routine for anyone who knew Spandam, especially the members of CP9. But today, there was no cussing and screaming about his legendary clumsiness; instead, there was a frightening, chilling silence following his outburst and an expression of pure horror deforming his already messed up face.
I saw them, his mind kept chanting repeatedly like a demented mantra. For a second, I saw them. Spandam had gone pale, sweating profusely even though the temperature was rather cool around, and he was staggering toward a wall to prevent himself from crumbling to his trembling knees. He was breathing hard as if he'd just been running around like a madman, his eyes were wide and filled with an emotion akin to how much Rob Lucci made him feel whenever he threatened him.
When was the last time Spandam had been hit with such fear and terror? He couldn't really remember, as it was a hundred times worse than whatever Lucci, in his tall leopard hybrid form, had ever made him feel; the golden eyes that just flashed in his mind mere seconds ago were too familiar to be forgotten, and his father Spandine had once told him a story about how he'd nearly lost his mind to someone with golden eyes. And this certain someone had been the wielder of a terrifying Devil Fruit. Spandam, while not having encountered somebody with the golden eyes his father had described him, secretly hoped nothing would happen to him while he was relentlessly hunting down Nico Robin.
"Please, tell me this isn't going to happen to me," he pleaded as he all but ran toward his office some minutes later. "Not me, not now."
Some bystanders turned to watch the chief of CP9 stagger very clumsily, curious and confused alike, inside his office and slam the doors rather brutally behind him. Spotting the Transponder Snail sleeping peacefully on his desk, Spandam rushed toward it and rapidly typed his father's number. He waited anxiously as the seconds ticked by, the only sound that seemed to echo loudly in this spacious room being his ragged breathing (and that sounded so terrifying in that deafening silence).
"Hello? This is Spandine," his father's voice said in the micro.
Spandam gave out a weird wail, half-crying, half-laughing.
"D-D-Dad? I-I think I'm next," he stammered, his body ready to burst with the nerve-wracking tension it was going through. "I saw them!"
"Son, what on earth are you talking about? Who's 'them'?"
"The eyes! Those golden eyes you've told me about years ago!" Spandam hissed loudly, eyes going wide in fear. "They flashed in my mind for, like, a second and just disappeared, but it was enough to make my mind go blank! A-and the terror I just felt – for God's sake, Dad, I've never felt such fear my whole life! Even though it only lasted a miserable second, it was enough to make me see a glimpse of all. Of. My. Fears. Me falling from grace, Admiral Aokiji never trusting me again, the World Government branding me as a traitor and throwing me into one cell of Impel Down... only to be forgotten forever until I died." He had to breathe several times in an attempt to calm his nerves, but failed. "A-all I want is to be recognized as the hero that would save this world from doom, I can't do it if I lose my mind!"
A brief, stunned silence followed his rushed words as Spandine seemed to process what he's just heard. Spandam waited anxiously, staring into the astonished eyes of the Transponder Snail with desperation and tears in his eyes. He hoped, dearly hoped, that his father could somehow deny his fears and tell him that the dark Devil Fruit that nearly cost him his life was still safely locked up in Mariejois – it had to be, it needed to be. At this point, Spandam didn't need any problem in his path since he felt he was on the way to become the hero the World Government needed. Denial may be a strong thing, but in his line of work, nothing could fuck up his plans. Nothing, no one and certainly not fear.
"Spandam, son... are you sure you had a good night's sleep? You must be very stressed out with work, how about you go take a nap for an hour or two?" Spandine said carefully with a very neutral face.
Spandam didn't know what upset him the most – the fact that his father seemed so indifferent toward his impending mental breakdown, or that he had the gall to suggest taking a nap. But he still screamed in the micro to let his frustration known.
"A nap?! What good would a nap do to me after seeing those nightmares?!" he screeched. "How can I get work done if I'm not functional at all?! Can't you reach out and make sure that the Five Elders still got that Devil Fruit locked up in their vault?"
"Don't be foolish, son. Are you now doubting the World Government – the same organization that has given you such status and importance throughout the years? Such impudence would cost you a lot, should you be caught saying this. Listen," Spandine sighed heavily. "while your description sounds accurate, there's no way to prove the Terror-Terror Fruit has been lost; last I heard, it's been recovered more than twenty years ago when its last wielder was killed by Admiral Kizaru and it's been safe ever since. It still is, in Mariejois and inside Pangaea Castle, where no such fool would be suicidal enough to break into the secret vaults and steal one of the darkest Devil Fruits there is. I'm not even ranked enough to ask such information, that would require someone highly ranked in the World Government to get an answer."
Spandam swallowed thickly, wiping some sweat off his forehead. "But even so, shouldn't the higher-ups worry about any possibility that it might be on the loose somewhere? I should have some agents out there, looking for any trails that may connect to the events of the Void Century and –"
"NO! DON'T EVER PRONOUNCE THOSE WORDS EVER AGAIN!"
The force of Spandine's sudden shout surprised Spandam so much that he jumped out of his seat, crashing to the floor and flinching hard. The Transponder Snail also hit the floor, but still reflected his father's outraged expression. A deafening and tense beat of silence passed between them as son and father merely stared at themselves, via the poor Transponder Snail, with terrified. However, the terror could still be heard in his following words and Spandam couldn't miss it at all, even if he tried to.
"Don't... don't ever mention those events ever again in front of me, Spandam! And certainly not via a Transponder Snail! How could you be so stupid to even utter those words inside a facility so close to Marineford?! I specifically remember telling you not to speak of those horrible events that have taken place centuries before the Void Century, and yet here you are, speaking about something that has been forbidden to talk about! You know you could be killed for speaking about such facts – even someone like you wouldn't be spared by the Five Elders, idiot! There are many reasons no one has to study the events that happened during the Void Century are better left unknown and I heard, from a certain source, that the dark Devil Fruits locked up in Mariejois are one of them. Remember what happened to Ohara and its archaeologists who sought to uncover the mystery of the Void Century?"
Spandam gulped painfully. "Y-yeah," was all he could muster for an answer.
Spandine also took deep breaths to calm himself after all that hissing-screaming. "Why do you think all those scholars were killed? There are some things that may very well be better left unknown and unheard of, and what happened during the Void Century is one. The best you can do is recover the plans of the Pluton and give them to your superiors, thus seeking a higher status. Leave that work to the CP9 agents you've dispatched and you'll be golden."
Once again, Spandam nodded vigorously. Yeah, that's exactly what he needed to focus on: retrieving the plans of the Pluton for himself. And if Lady Luck was on his side, then he'd stumble upon Nico Robin and that would be killing two birds with one stone – he was certain that Lucci would see to it. Spandam couldn't wait to get his hands on the precious plans of the Ancient Weapon and Canterbury Lelouch; recruiting the prodigy that had grabbed the attention of so many high-ranked Marines and World Government officers (such as the chief of Cipher Pol Aigis Zero) was one of his top priorities, he'd be damned if he didn't succeed in bringing him to Enies Lobby before the bastard baby-sitter of the World Nobles got to Lelouch. Why should he get so worked up about a dark Devil Fruit that hasn't left Mariejois in such a damn long time?
His moment of glory will come for sure, sooner or later, and he'll be seen as the hero he truly was to the world by capturing those devils. Justice always prevailed.
Taking another huge breath, Spandam regained his swagger and overconfident composure. He picked up the Transponder Snail and smirked. "You're right, Dad. Pardon me for freaking out, I've been working too much these days," he said, forcing a laugh out. "This mission in Water Seven has been stressing me out, especially since I'm pretty sure this is the emplacement of the blueprints of the Pluton, so it's been a long five years."
His father smirked as well, chuckling. "Patience is a virtue, my son. Have patience, your agents will complete their mission and come back with the plans. It's only a matter of months from now on. Nothing should mess up, since you have the most powerful CP9 agent of history to do your deeds."
This time, Spandam laughed for real. His frantic demeanor was slowly fading, replaced by a sick elation at knowing that he'd soon become one of the prime heroes of the World Government. The Five Elders would have to reward him for getting the plans of one of the Ancient Weapons – one element of the legacy of the Great War. Spandam tried hard not to drool over the fact that he'd soon hold the precious plans of one of them. With those in hands, he'd be able to build Pluton and so many will bow before him. Fear would only stall him enough to disturb his mind.
"Son, there's absolutely nothing to worry about," Spandine reassured, a satisfied smirk on his face, reflected by the Transponder Snail. "No pirate would be foolish enough to challenge the World Government and disrupt their plans. Even the Four Emperors are rather careful not to piss us off. Who would be that wily and stupid to do so?"
"Only idiots insane enough to even barge at our mouth," Spandam said before biding his father good-bye and hanging up.
Somewhere else, at the same time...
Spandine put the micro back in its hold. As soon as the Transponder Snail fell back to sleep, the man suddenly crumbled on his desk, breathing so harshly that he sounded like he was about to cough up one of his lungs. His eyes were haggard, wide and filled with terror he hadn't felt in a long time. I can't believe it, he thought fearfully. How can this be?
All of a sudden, Spandine's breathing calmed down slowly as he stood and sauntered toward the giant mirror of his office. He faced the glass, looked at himself, and a bloodthirsty, unfamiliar smile curved its way on his lips. Instead of seeing black eyes, there were horribly familiar and bright golden eyes staring right back at him with such malicious intent that he was quaking in his shoes. Or, Spandine felt like he was because he wasn't the one in control of his own body.
He was. And that was very terrifying to see that he was too weak to even try to force his will on the malevolent entity.
"A son. A son just as ambitious and useless as you were back in the day, when I was about to destroy your mind. Nevertheless, I can't believe you managed to get this far in the World Government, Spandine. I guess being a sucker to kiss the asses of higher-ranked Marines and officers really works for you and your son. But Spandam," the Wraith sighed in a sickening, delectable way, is a nuisance that needs to be taken out. And so should you."
Being possessed by one of the most devilish entities in this world. It felt absolutely terrible not being in control; seeing his mouth and body move without his consent was just awful, because being turned into a puppet through his fear of the Wraith was something he hadn't considered after the Devil Fruit was locked up in Mariejois. Spandine never thought that he'd see the day he'd be confronted to the Wraith once again, somewhere he could be terminated just because anyone would think he'd gone mad. Stuck in his own mind, Spandine could only watch in horror as the malevolent entity reached inside his coat pocket and took out his favorite pistol. No, don't! Spandine screamed internally as the cannon of the pistol was pointed at his head. H-how? How is that possible that you're able to do this while locked up in Mariejois? Unless... unless you have...
The awful smirk seemed to broaden even more, while the Wraith lifted a brow in defiance. "All I have to say is that my new host fits me. But let's go back to you: you didn't age well at all, Spandine. How long has it been, more than twenty years? Thirty? Something like that. I kind of want to say that I missed you, since your mind was the last I tried to eat before that blasted Kizaru killed my previous host. Could have succeeded." The pistol emitted a soft, familiar 'click' that had Spandine screaming and begging in an almost sobbing voice. "Still can take you out right now."
Don't! I'm begging you, please don't do this! It was just incredible how people would let go of their many masks in front of an impending death. No more arrogance, no more swagger and overconfidence – just fear of dying. That was how they showed their true colors; the fear of death always followed the fear of life, and the Wraith had always known, back in the day, that the likes of Spandine weren't prepared to die any time and would never be. They'd always beg for mercy. That reminded the Wraith why he loved taunting this man before his last host was shot dead by Kizaru's light beam. And at that moment, Spandine had a dreadful feeling that no amount of flattery could save his mind from being eaten – kissing his non-existent ass wouldn't work. But if he could spare his son that funest fate, then there was no other option.
What do you want?! Why are you back?! And who's your new host?!
"So many questions for someone who doesn't have long to live anymore, it's very irritating. You haven't earned the right to even question me, as I'm enjoying my newfound freedom and my brand new host. But you, Spandine, have got something I've wanted more than thirty years ago: your mind and all the precious informations that are stuck in your aging, oversized head."
The pistol dropped from his hand, clattering soundly to the ground, then both hands slowly reached up to wrap themselves around Spandine's throat. The fingers squeezed and squeezed hard, digging into the tender skin, and the throat muscles contracted to resist the sudden strangling. Inside his mind, Spandine fought and screamed and begged, panic and fear cutting through his voice like a sharp knife. However, his willpower was easily crushed by the Wraith's enormous one, which was very telling about himself. He was going to die, he was going to die, he was going to die before he and his son could rise through the ranks in the World Government.
Then, his head suddenly exploded with thousands of flashes and voices that would have sounded familiar, had he been in his right mind. All of his fears, those he'd thought he'd buried long ago after the Terror-Terror Fruit was recovered and locked away – they just resurfaced with terrible images that felt so real. Spandine didn't hear himself scream in agony, flailing around like a madman. It just wouldn't stop ringing loudly and painfully in his head. It hurt, hearing all those voices accusing him of being anything he knew he wasn't.
"We have no more use for you, Spandine. You've become what you must have always feared the most – a loose end. And leaving loose ends in this world is more than dangerous. This is a direct order from the Five Elders: either you die... or you'll be driven to Impel Down to be forgotten."
"How could you leave the knowledge of Spandam trying to revive one of the Ancient Weapons? Have you forgotten that the higher-ups of the World Government have forbidden any revival of these terrible weapons? The power they hold is too much for us to be controlled. And your son – Gods, that idiot son of yours – is going to get himself killed. And maybe he should, as he's considered a traitor to the eyes of the Five Elders."
Interesting. So your ambitious, coward of a son wants to revive the Pluton?
There was a ghost-like, mocking laugh in his mind amid the accusing voices, dripping with venom and sickening elation at seeing in such a vulnerable state. But Spandine, in his mental breakdown and hysteria, didn't seem to register that people had gotten to him, alerted by his screams and nonsensical words, and were trying to help him out. Hands grabbed him, other voices tried to calm him down, but he couldn't listen; and when he laid eyes on his subordinates, he didn't see Marines – he saw the Five Elders, all of them. They still accused him of being a traitor, still threw him away like a broken, used tool and looked down on him, and Spandine spewed words of apology, stammering and tripping over his own feet when he tried to cling to each member. He begged, but they remained cold and unrelenting.
You still retain the same fears as thirty years ago. Pathetic.
"Someone get some chains, chief Spandine's completely gone insane!"
The same ghost-like laughter echoed once again in Spandine's fractured mind, stronger this time around. It's a shame you couldn't master your old fears, as that an enormous amount of courage would have banned me from taking over your mind once again and mislead your son in his assumptions. But as the arrogant, cowardly man you've always been, you refused to work on your issues. Alright, Spandine. It's time to bid farewell to the land of the living and embrace the dark paths of insanity. But not to worry, you'll become useful to us.
At the last word, an excruciating pain exploded in Spandine's head, ripping one of the most horrible screams from his throat.
Back in Alabasta, the Desert Kingdom...
Lelouch opened his eyes quickly and blinked several times, his breathing evening slowly. The right eye, which had become bright gold after the Wraith started his deed, faded back to its original purple color. He also felt the unfamiliar scalding hot sensation of his powers cool down to a pleasant drum inside his body, which made him sigh in relief. But the downside of that massive mental attack was the extreme exhaustion that was numbing him on the ground, and Lelouch was too tired to be irritated at the fact that he wouldn't be able to move until dawn. He yawned, his eyelids becoming heavier by the minute.
The Wraith settled back into his mind, with his presence not as imposing as earlier. It almost felt... comfortable to feel the monster this way – it was as if he was accommodating his current condition, and the navigator appreciated this. The entity hummed pleasantly, as if entirely satisfied of the havoc it had just caused within the mind of a retired officer of the World Government. No, wait – he was satisfied of his deed! Scoffing lightly, Lelouch tried hard to conceal his amazement at what he'd just witnessed by asking a question. All these informations they'd just retrieved from Spandine's mind, while some weren't interesting, were still something worth a small gold mine.
How... how did you manage to take over Spandine's body? I didn't know I could do such thing, which would be very useful in tricky situations.
Sleep. You need to replenish your energy.
Slightly incensed, Lelouch fought the sleep and attempted to force his willpower onto the Wraith. His own defiance and morbid curiosity needed to be sated, no matter how exhausted he was. No, tell me. How –
Something akin to a powerful mental punch hit him hard, and Lelouch fell back on his back, positively knocked up and asleep once more.
Next to him, Sabertooth was wide awake and scowling down at his best friend, scanning his body. His Haki had alerted him of a highly unusual activity with Lelouch, which had woken him up almost instantly. Since he wasn't unable to rouse him from sleep, he'd decided to watch and observe.
And the second golden eye hadn't escaped him. Thousands of questions were now flooding his mind, all unanswered, and his curiosity was piqued after witnessing the strangest thing yet with his best friend.
"What the hell, Lelouch?" he murmured, stunned.
After a quick breakfast with captured Sandora lizards, Lelouch told them everything that happened that night – the discovery of the Wraith inside his own Devil Fruit, how he became bonded to him, the information about that certain 'Im' who must be on top of the World Government, what the Wraith did to Spandine until he went absolutely mental. He didn't leave out any detail, as all those things were still fresh in his mind as they were settled on the back of another giant crab. While the twins looked both aghast and astonished, Sabertooth was more reserved and composed, looking down at him with those serious green eyes. The Wraith's full attention turned toward the hybrid, really curious to hear about his side of the story.
Lelouch bore his mismatched eyes into him, apprehensive. "How much did you sense last night?" he asked bluntly, turning toward him.
"A lot more than usual, and that's frightening," the half-Mink answered just as spontaneously, sitting down beside the navigator. His green eyes never left the mismatched pair, inquiring. "The way your powers surrounded your body, when you're not even conscious that you're using them, was completely different from the last times; your aura wasn't all over the place, but just circling you like a... protective halo? I really don't know which word would fit best to describe what I felt, but that's what my Haki sensed. It was something far, far more powerful than you, Lelouch," he admitted, worry now settling into his expression.
The Wraith hummed in appreciation. The Mink is more insightful than I thought. And his mental shields are raised around you, in case all hell breaks loose. Smart child.
"Agreed," Lelouch nodded with a sigh, looking away. His gaze settled on the horizon – that beautiful horizon that he used to love watching before training and now looked so foreign to his eyes. "I... I really don't know what he is and how old he is, but after seeing what he could do so easily to someone his previous host has laid eyes on, I need to be even more cautious than ever. His willpower, guys... that's something ten thousand times stronger than whatever I've felt around powerhouses such as Vice-Admiral Garp, Fleet Admiral Sengoku or Doflamingo. I don't think even Whitebeard could match that in terms of willpower and mental strength: while the Emperor is nearly ancient, something in my guts tells me that the Wraith is much, much more ancient than I think."
Noctis and Nasse looked at each other, bewildered, then both turned toward Lelouch. "As ancient as... the Void Century?" Nasse asked, crawling to sit right behind Lelouch. Both best friends stared at them, surprised that she'd know such thing. She slipped her arms around his shoulders, resting her chin ontop of his head. "Just because I don't always listen to so much serious matters doesn't mean I don't do my own research. If what that Wraith has told you is true, then he must belong to the unspeakable era of the Void Century."
"That old? We're talking about... more than 800 years ago in the past!" Noctis exclaimed, slumping on his back. "That's plain crazy! You're telling me that your Devil Fruit has been passed down to a crowd of people, who were later driven insane by this entity living inside said Devil Fruit because they couldn't bear the crushing willpower of that thing... and you're now his wielder?"
He lifted his head to look at everyone, an expression of utter disbelief on his feline features. "Did I get everything right?"
Sabertooth nodded with a small smile, amused despite the somber tone. "That pretty much sums up everything regarding the Terror-Terror Fruit, yes. But then there's the situation with all the info inside Spandine's head." His smile dimmed a little and he pinched the bridge of his nose. "The fact that he's clashed with the Wraith thirty years ago, and nearly died, is bad news for us; he basically revealed himself to this bastard, even though he hasn't said Lelouch's name to sell him out, and there's a chance that Spandine will end up spouting things about golden eyes, a new host and some things of the same kind."
"That shit can reach unwanted ears – those of the Five Elders if we're unfortunate enough," Lelouch almost spat, scowling. "To be honest, whether they kill Spandine off for becoming a broken tool or not, it's not safe to let him in such a state with the knowledge of the Wraith being on the loose for ten years. His previous host already clashed with Kizaru before being locked up again, so what if he manages to tell him about my Devil Fruit? Being insane sometimes has its perks in situations, and whenever you're having a mental breakdown, you know that whatever comes out of your mouth is always the truth." He sighed tiredly. "Spandine's fragile state will stall Spandam for a while, that's for sure, but who's to say the bastard won't shout the Wraith's name to someone who might take him seriously?"
"You're right, Saber," Nasse muttered miserably, nuzzling her face in Lelouch's neck. "Leaving Spandine alive might be a mistake that can be fatal to us. And even though he's no longer mentally all there, maybe ending his life right now should be merciful to him, but beneficial for us? Lelouch, we know you would do it in a heartbeat. Can you reach Spandine's mind, trigger all of his fears once again, and have him commit suicide wherever he is right now?"
Lelouch blinked up several times at her, stunned. Nasse merely blinked back at him, aloof and cool. There was an air of seriousness about her that seemed familiar – was he somehow influencing her, the youngest of their small tribe? He knew she wasn't innocent and that she stopped being a little girl a long time ago due to her upbringing in that damn circus, but he'd thought that she might want to tone down the killing. He and Sabertooth killed whenever it was necessary, though there were times Lelouch would go overboard and frighten bastards to death until they went absolutely mental, but hearing that Nasse would really suggest such thing? Damn. That was too much influence.
"Are you OK with this?" Lelouch asked hesitantly, frowning slightly. "This is something I can't go back from, once I'm inside his mind, I won't let go of it until he's certified dead. This is a drastic decision, Nasse."
Her unseeing eyes remained aloof as she lifted a brow in slight defiance. "I am. I know. And I find myself not caring about the consequences of our implication in his death, should you be found out. But you're more important than one ambitious, weak-willed bastard who'll never be the same person ever again." Nasse closed her eyes, as if accepting her words and their meaning. "I would have done the same if it were Noctis."
"As would I," Noctis said firmly, nodding.
"See? You're outnumbered, Lelouch," Saber scoffed gently, nudging Lelouch on his side with a quiet chuckle. "Because we care, we all do. And you can't change that fact, even if you try to claim to hate us."
Lelouch's 'glare' was positively annoyed as he looked at each of his friends one by one. "But I do hate you. You're unaware of that fact, but I might be plotting your demise in the shadows."
An expression of false incredulity settled on Sabertooth, Noctis and Nasse as they gave their friend and leader a sceptic look. They were silent for a few seconds, staring at each other. Then all of them burst out laughing, the tension lifting from their shoulders and minds for a little while as they all laughed.
Lelouch himself admitted later on that he felt somewhat better, despite having to listen to the Wraith's rebuttal of his friends' suggestion of offing Spandine. To say that he was rather disappointed about having to give up on killing the retired World Government agent was an understatement, but he quickly understood how the man could still be useful for a while before dying.
"So," Noctis inquired curiously. "how did Spandam take the news of his father going insane? A man as proud as him wouldn't ignore his father's condition for so long, I bet he dropped everything to rush at his side."
Lelouch was about reach into his mind, uncover some of the memories about the Wraith's magnificent handiwork when his Haki suddenly flared up and he was immediately alert, jumping to his feet. Saber was already up, ready to pull out his sword, having felt the spike around them as well, and both turned toward the source of that change in the atmosphere.
There, in the rays of the sunset, was someone walking casually toward them. Lelouch squinted his eyes a little bit, taking one of his favorite combat stances. He could make out some dark robes with flames on both sleeves and downward, open up front to show a well-built and slender chest. The most noticeable thing about that person was that loud orange cow-boy hat, adorned with two blue smiley faces sitting on the brim like goggles. The man was wearing dark shorts and boots in this unforgiving weather, which prompted Lelouch to question whether this guy had a death wish or didn't feel the heat of the desert. Nonetheless, the navigator's expression turned slightly stunned as he finally recognized that orange hat. Who actually wouldn't, when the owner had become such a big shot in the New World?
"Unbelievable," he muttered, his mismatched eyes widening slightly.
Beside him, the twins and Sabertooth shared the same reaction. "What's he doing here?" Nasse whispered frantically, slowly edging behind her brother.
"Looking for someone he wants dead," Sabertooth muttered as an answer, tilting his head slightly as the newcomer stopped once he was close enough (they had climbed down the crab to allow the giant crustacean to eat a little about fifteen minutes ago).
Black eyes looked at them emotionlessly behind droopy eyelids, but Lelouch was ready to bet that this man was a mighty fighter who earned his bounty – he wouldn't be worth millions otherwise. He observed them one by one, and his attention zeroed on the navigator as he inspected him silently. Relaxing his stance a tiny bit, Lelouch allowed himself to wonder what was going on through his head; had he offensed him somehow? Had he spiritually pissed in Whitebeard's favorite ale while in dreamland? If not, then what was a pirate of this importance doing in Alabasta? Surely he didn't have any unfinished business with the likes of Crocodile, did he?
"Might we know what such pirate like you is doing in this part of the sea?" Lelouch asked leisurely (almost too leisurely), though he remained alert for anything. "Or should we expect something else entirely different and unpleasant?"
"None from me," Portgas D. Ace replied, taking a few more steps until he was merely ten feet away from Lelouch. He and Sabertooth had some sort of short-lived staring contest, for a good minute, until both men decided to look away, annoyed with each other. "but from the cockroaches sent after you, wielder of the Terror-Terror Fruit. You've made some noise, you know. Can we talk?"
Author's Note 3: Pfiou... that exhausted me. But I'm rather satisfied with the results. Let me enjoy your feedback, ok? By the way, I cried too much at the end of Avengers: Infinity War (part 1) because my little Spidey died. What was your favorite moment?