Warning: child abuse
They had failed. Rose was dead. The mission was failed. But it didn't have to be for nothing. They would save every single innocent and burn the ship to ash.
Thatch had met up with Marco. The moment he saw his friend's grim expression he had known. They returned her to their ship, making sure she was safe before they went back to their mission. Marco had told him what the blond slave had said. They had been too late not only for Rose but for most of the others as well. They needed to find that boy, and the other survivors and figure out what had happened for the crew to start killing their expensive cargo. And they needed to do it quickly. Before reinforcements arrived.
Thatch went after the captain, figuring that was the best way to get answers. By this time the enemy ship was a mess of scattered guards fighting the pirates. Thatch had little doubt that his brothers and sisters wouldn't have the crew sorely beaten and gathered up withing the hour. But the captain, he was his.
He had gotten directions from the first guard who had tried to stop him. The captain's quarters were near the top of the ship. As far away from the slaves as you could get. They had done some digging after Rose disappeared. The captain was known to be a heartless man. As all of the slave traders were. But his reputation for cruelty exceeded him. Although Thatch had also heard he was good at what he did. So it made no sense why he would snap now of all times. Slaves were money to these people. Cruel or not the more they delivered the more they got paid. Losing an entire shipment like this. Well that was a mistake their employers would certainly not forgive. Not like they would make it there now though.
Thatch broke down the door to the captain's quarters. It was an impressive collection of rooms nicely furnished. The first of which was an office. Thatch heard the crunch beneath his foot as he passed the desk and crouched down to see what he had broken. There was a small collection of wooden army figures lined up besides the desk. Like the kind a child would play with. His weight had snapped the arm off of the general. He frowned as he picked it up. A weird thing for a captain of a slave ship to be playing with. Surely, he hadn't brought his kids with him right?
He had. He had brought his kid. Or at least some kid. Which, to be clear, was horrible parenting.
When Thatch entered his bedroom, he found the kid whose toys were scattered across the floor of the office. A boy was asleep in the bed, peacefully snoring away. Apparently even monsters had children. Thatch froze when he saw him, a million things running through his mind. At the top of the list; Shit! This complicated things.
Unsure of what else to do he crossed the room, shaking the kids shoulder until he woke up. Sleep in his eyes as he sat up. Thatch was quick to cover his mouth.
"Don't scream," He told him. "I'm not going to hurt you."
The kid nodded, and there was no fear on his face, so Thatch took his hand away. Trusting him not to bring a swarm of guards upon them.
He looked young. Definitely still child age not yet a teenager. His skin and clothes were clean of dirt, and he didn't look like he was starving. At least not right now. He was still quite small, and his skin was stretched tightly around his bones. His clothes were also much too large to be made for him. Instead they looked like adult clothes altered to fit him. His hair was messy, and sleep mused.
"I'm not going to hurt you," Thatch promised as he knelt beside him.
"Kay," the boy said. He didn't sound afraid. It was odd how normal he sounded.
"My name is Thatch."
"Hi Thatch," The kid smiled, just a little bit, as he spoke. "Whatcha doing?"
"I'm uh," What was he doing. "I was looking for the captain. This is his room right?"
The boy nodded.
"Is he your dad?"
The kid's nose crinkled at the question like he didn't like the thought. He huffed a bit. "I guess."
"You guess?" What does that mean?
When he didn't answer Thatch tried again. "What's your name bud?"
He tilted his head curiously but didn't say anything.
"It's okay if you don't want to tell me. I will understand," Thatch promised.
"It's not that." The kid said.
"You're not supposed to?"
"Maybe… I don't remember right now."
"That's okay, maybe later."
"No, I mean I forgot. I think It starts with an S."
And the pit was back in Thatch's stomach. Something was seriously wrong here if the captain's son didn't know his own name.
"Sam, Sal, Sock, Soup, Slead, Sabo, Sim, Slim, Sid, Skate-," He sound out the names trying to find the right one. "Maybe it doesn't have an S after all."
"How do you not know?" Thatch asked in horror.
"I bet you forget things too!" He defended.
"Yea, sometimes I forget my friend's birthdays or lose my wallet. Never my own name."
That seemed to offend the kid as he glared at Thatch, sticking his tongue at him. "Jerk!' He said.
"Okay, I'm sorry." Apparently, that was a sore spot. "Kid I'm sorry. Your right I've done it from time to time."
"Really?"
"Sure, can you tell me why you're here? Where is your dad?"
"Don't know?" He looked around, as if realizing his surroundings for the first time. "Sometimes he puts me here."
"Why?"
"Uhh- I think it's like a message or something…"
"What?"
"Like he does it when he has to work. I don't really know. That's what he says. So I don't get scared or something when I wake up- which is stupid. Why would I get scared?"
"Sometimes kids get scared when their parents leave," Thatch told him. "It's totally normal."
"I don't get scared," The kid said. "I just get bored… and hungry."
"Can't you just go get food?"
"I'm not allowed to leave." The kid said.
And yet another red flag. If this wasn't a cry for horrible parenting Thatch didn't know what was.
"Okay that's it! We're going, you're coming with me alright. We are going to find your dad." And Thatch would get his answers one way or another.
The boy perked up at that. "Really! I can come!"
"Of course you can." By the way he was reacting you would think he was never allowed to leave the room.
"Can you get me out of this then?" The kid pulled the blanket aside, showing his right ankle. Red flag number three.
"Oh, What the hell!" Thatch hissed. He was going to break this man's face for sure. What possible reason could he have for chaining a child to a bed. "You mean you actually can't leave?"
The kid nodded, shaking his ankle. "It makes me sleepy. I can't break it. I've tried."
"It's okay," Thatch promised him as he felt the chain out. It was a new one. No weak points. Tied to the post of the bed securely. He tried a kink finding it unbreakable. Possibly sea stone. This just got weirder and weirder.
"Why would your dad do this?"
"Uhh" The kid tilted his head, as he seemed to do when he was thinking hard. "I think it's so I don't leave."
"I got that part. Why can't you leave?"
"He says it's dangerous out there. That people would hurt me, so I had to stay here. But I think I tried to leave too many times, so he doesn't trust me."
"That's horrible."
"But you said I could come with you right!" He looked so excited about the prospect of leaving it hurt Thatch's heart. He smiled softly at him.
"Your covered in bruises."
He hadn't seen it at first but there was a huge purple bruise covering the kids face, another one on his neck, bandages on his wrists and ankles, and no doubt more under his baggy clothes. Someone had been hurting him. That was the final red flag. This man was dead. No matter if he was a father or not.
"Huh?" The kid looked down at himself. "Oh those, it's fine. I want to come with you kay?" He smiled so brightly, showing his teeth.
Thatch nodded. "Yea. Let's get you out of here."
Two hours after invading the ship the pirates had cornered and captured at least half the crew. It was hard to say how many had gotten away. They were either hiding or regrouping for a counterattack. It wouldn't matter. The pirates may be outnumbered but they were sure as hell not outmatched. They would find the rest, including the captain, question them, and then sink this god-awful ship. Rose would have to wait just a little bit longer.
"We couldn't find any slaves still alive."
Marco sighed to himself. This was a really dark day wasn't it.
"There's one- at least. He's young. I'm not sure how old, but he's still a kid. We need to find him before they do."
"Two Marco, I found a boy in one of the storerooms." Juzo interrupted. "I didn't get a good look, but he seemed young. Black hair, super dirty. Be careful if you see him. He's violent."
"Noted," Marco promised his friend. "We'll find them. And any other's we can."
Marco turned to the group of captives in the next room. They were tied securely in the center. All of them looked up as Marco entered. Izo had been tasked, much to his displeasure, with watching him.
"You owe me," He told him.
"You're my favorite brother," Marco promised with a tense smile.
"I'm always your favorite when I do you favors."
Marco turned to the men, the smile falling from his face as he looked down at the people who had killed Rose. "I am going to ask you one more time and then I am going to get angry. Which of your prisoners are still alive?"
"…"
"Don't test me today," Marco warned. "You don't want to see what I am capable of right now."
"No, please." One man cried out. "Listen we don't know. I think it's just that boy- the blond one."
"Why him?"
"I don't really know. It wasn't intentional. We didn't mean to keep him alive. He was like a monster or something. Tougher than the rest of them. That's the only reason. I swear."
"Then why would you kill your precious slaves right before you reached the auction? After you carried them all this way? I won't ask again." He added the threat heavy in his tone.
"We don't know alright!" The man pleaded and the others nodded. "Just spare us please. It was the captains order."
"Why!"
"Are you deaf!" The man cried, so fearful there were tears in his eyes. "I told you we don't freaking know. We intercepted a message from HQ. I didn't hear it but he freaked out. Said they were trying to screw us over. That we would screw them first. And that's when we started letting the slaves die."
"Wow, you guys really are monsters." Izo told them.
"No!" The man cried in panic. "It's just a job. You understand right. If it wasn't us it would just be someone else. It's money. Your pirates you have to understand."
"We don't understand anything." Marco told him. "We might be criminals but there are some lines I would never cross. Not for all the money in the world. From what I saw you guys kidnapped the kindest person in this world along with two children and tortured the rest of the helpless people in your care to death. Just because things weren't going your way. And still you have the audacity to try and beg for your lives. How do you think those people you killed felt? Did you show them mercy?"
The man was crying now. Tears of fear streaming down his face. No remorse in his eyes. "Please, I have a family."
"So did she."
Marco left. Leaving Izo to watch the captives. He was determined to find that boy. He had been Rose's friend. He had stayed with her at the end, holding her hand long past the time most people would of. Doing what they couldn't. Marco owed him a great debt. And he would repay him. Even if he wanted to be left alone.
He continued his search, looking on the upper levels this time. He found another one of the crew, concealed away. This one armed with a gun, waiting to shoot an unsuspecting pirate in the back when they crossed paths. Wasn't he in for a surprise. Marco left him lying in the hallway, hopefully his brothers would find him before he woke up and caused more problems for them.
He made his way to the kitchen next. Figuring that was the first place a half-starved slave would go. And he wasn't disappointed.
At first glance there was nothing amiss. The kitchen looked as one should on a ship this large, a little disordered. But Marco saw the blood. It started in the hallway, leaving a trail all the way to the pantry. Still fresh. And there was no path out.
Was it Sabo?
"Hello," Marco called out coming closer to the door. "Is anyone there?" He put his hand on the doorknob, opening it. The pantry was empty.
And that's when he attacked. A growl ripped from the cabinet behind him as a boy threw open the door, charging straight for him. Marco cussed as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the swipe of the kitchen blade the boy wielded.
No, it wasn't Sabo. Although he was clever. He must have noticed the blood trail he was leaving and doubled back to hide in the pantry when he heard Marco coming. This boy looked to be about the same age but his hair was pitch black and he was dirtier then Sabo had been. Both were obviously slaves but this one looked like a demon. His skin and clothes were coated in soot and he was visibly injured.
Marco held his hands out to him in placation. "It's okay. I'm not them." He promised. "I'm not going to hurt you."
But the words fell on deaf ears. When he charged Marco was ready. He caught the kid, grabbing the hand that held the blade while holding the kid against him. The move was meant to hold him back, not to harm him.
"I won't hurt you." He promised. "We're just here for our friend." The kid snarled in anger, sounding like an injured animal as he twisted and writhed in Marco's grip. Marco sighed, tightening the hand that was on the boy's fingers, forcing him to drop the knife. It hit the floor with a clatter, and he kicked it away with his foot.
"They held you captive." He asked. "Come with us. We will take you away from here."
"Get off!" He hissed desperately pushing against Marco's arm. "I don't need your help!"
"Your hurt," Marco told him. "Badly." That much was obvious.
"I don't need anything from you people!"
"Kid were not them!" Marco told him and there was sympathy in his voice that seemed to set the kid off.
"I don't need anything from anyone!" He hissed. "Let me go or I will kill you!"
There would be no reasoning with him it seemed. "Well we can't leave you here. We are going to sink the ship."
"GET OFF ME!" He snarled still struggling. "I'm not going with you damnit!"
"You want to stay here? With the people who held you captive?"
"Don't pretend to know what I want!" The boy seethed.
"I'm trying to help you." Marco told him but that seemed to set the boy off even more.
"I DIDN'T ASK FOR YOUR HELP!" He screamed.
This one was interesting. Marco saw real fire in his eyes. Like hell they were going to let him drown with the rest of the crew.
"Hey boss," one of his ship brothers called, as they knocked tentatively on the door of the kitchen. "I heard the sounds of a struggle, everything okay."
He felt the boy tense in his arms, trying to pull away but Marco held on tight.
"Here," He called to his crew mates as James emerged.
"Are you okay?" He asked unsurely looking from Marco to the teenager and then the blood on the floor.
"Can you take him?" Marco asked. "I think he's injured."
"Uhh- sure."
"He's a fighter. You sure?"
"I can do it," James promised looking anxious. But Marco knew he was stronger than he gave him credit for.
"Don't you dare!" The kid hissed as he struggled harder, if that was even possible. Despite how worn down he must be he was incredibly strong. Hopefully James could handle it. But as he carefully handed the struggling teenager over to the man his eyes became desperate. "Don't! Please stop!"
"What's here that is so important?" Marco asked him. To no one's surprise the kid didn't answer.
"We can help you," Marco told him seriously as James adjusted his grip on his arms, pushing them behind his back so he couldn't lash out. "You just need to talk to us."
The kid spat blood onto his face. Marco sighed as he wiped it off with his sleeve. "Take him to the ship," He told his brother. "Make sure he can't get back out. And be careful with this one."
The boy growled.
"He has murder in his eyes."
In hindsight he probably shouldn't have trusted someone else with him. But Marco figured James could handle it.
He figured wrong.
The three of them sat on a blanket in the middle of their cell. It was cold, damp and dark. But apparently not even forced slavery could stop Luffy's infectious smile. He kept giggling despite Ace and Sabo constantly having to remind him to stay quiet. He was better during the day, which was a blessing, but right now all the guards were either in bed or asleep at their post. The only people awake to hear him were the slaves in the other cells. And none of them were about to tell the happiest among them to shut it.
Ace had picked up a small rock from the deck and brought it back to keep Luffy entertained. They used it to draw on the cement floor of their cell. It wasn't much but it did pass the time. And Luffy had fun, which was why he kept laughing.
It was like tic-tac-toe but much-much more complicated. They had a lot of free time on their hands after all.
"Here?" Ace asked him and Luffy shook his head, a delighted smile on his face.
"Here?" He pointed at the shakily drawn X on the floor, working his way down Luffy's line.
"Nope!"
"Here!"
He looked away, avoiding their eyes. "I dunno…I forget."
Ace grinned at Sabo. "It's here."
"For sure," He agreed.
"Guys it's not!" Luffy tried.
"Damn Lu, your poker face is too good." Sabo teased and he stuck his tongue out, a gesture the other returned.
"It's not that one Ace! So don't pick it kay?"
"Do it," Sabo encouraged. "I want to go to bed."
"It feels too easy." Ace argued.
"That's never stopped you before."
"Don't do it!" Luffy encouraged. "It's not that one… honest. Like I'm serious."
"So it's not the third one?"
Luffy shook his head. "Yea it is!"
His brothers stared at him.
"AHH! I mean not it's not. It's not." He corrected and Ace laughed.
"Well I guess I trust you. I mean you wouldn't lie right? Then which one is it?"
"The first one!"
"Guess I'm picking that when then."
"There is no other option." Sabo agreed, as Ace pointed to the first X.
"YES!" Luffy shot up like a spring, cheering all the while. Under where he had been sitting was three X's in his crappy handwriting.
"I won! I won!" Luffy was overjoyed, like embarrassingly so. He ran around their tiny cell jumping up and down.
"Hey lady!" He cheered, running to the bars. "Lady!"
"Luffy let her sleep," Sabo said quickly getting up. "Sorry about him," He apologized to the woman, laying in the adjacent cell.
"No-no," She said sitting up. She reached a pale hand threw the bars to pat his head and Luffy beamed. "At least someone's having fun. Good job sweetie."
"He didn't even win." Ace said. "He literally just won a round. He still lost, by a lot."
"By seventeen points," Sabo said waving goodnight at the woman as he came to sit down beside them. They watched Luffy do a cartwheel, and then a backbend before collapsing onto his back. Exhausted from the extended effort under the influence of sea stone.
"This was the first point I ever got!" Luffy told them, still smiling like he had won the world. "I tricked ya," He said happily.
"Yea I figured." Ace told him.
"Yea, because I just told you."
"Can I have a do-over?" Ace asked. He was feeling less charitable after Luffy's extensive gloating. Most people wouldn't brag about winning a single point. Luffy was really a glass half full kind of guy.
"Let him have this." Sabo told him. "Look how happy he is. And you beat me by two points so you're still the winner."
"Good for me." Ace said.
"I bet I'll beat you next time! I'm sure of it." Luffy said happily. An embarrassing and crippling defeat yet again seemed to do nothing to dampen his spirit.
"I wish I had that much misplaced self-confidence."
This time Luffy stuck his tongue out at Ace, who flicked him off in reply.
"Wow, winnings really gone to your head hasn't it." Sabo said and Luffy nodded. "We can team up next time and beat him yea?"
"Yea!" Luffy cheered as Ace wiped the scribble marks of their game away with his palm and a little spit.
"You can't team up if there are only three of us."
"How much of a team up do you think it is if Luffy can't get a point?" Sabo pointed out.
"Yea, I guess that's fair."
"I can get all the points!" He said proudly.
"Whatever you say." Ace yawned, stretching widely. And Sabo didn't miss the way he winced as he did so. "Let's go to bed."
Their cell was small, and there was nothing, but a straw filled mattress and a blanket for the three of them to share. But they had made do with worse.
They pushed together in the corner, sleeping in a pile. Just like they were back home in their sunny country. So close that Sabo could hear every breath of his brothers as they drifted off to sleep.
The situation was bad. Really bad. They had been here for almost two months, with no sign of things getting better. They had no plan, no idea what to do. Resourceful as they were- they were still young. Not yet ready to take an entire ship of slavers down with their hands cuffed behind their backs.
But Sabo would think of something. He always did. Until then, they stuck close together. And looked out for each other. It would be okay. As long as they stayed together. Nothing could break them if they were together.
So the post about a chapter two that wasn't actually there was thing long computer thing, anyways. I did not post a chapter two last night I just had to trick the computer into thinking I had so I could report the first one because the format was all programmy. But here is the second chapter for real! I will try to post one every three days becasue I want to finish this story quickly so I get get back to updating the other ones.
Thank you so much for reading this story guys. I know it is a little weird. I didn't mean to write it, it just sort of happened. And now I'm seventy pages in and like none of my homework is done. But I hope this chapter will help things make sense.
Please tell me what you think.
Happy Halloween.