They Don't Know About Us
Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome back to They Don't Know About Us! I do hope that you are enjoying this fic! Thank you all for all the comments and kudos! I really do appreciate them all!
I have been away for a hot minute from this fic, cause honestly, I had no idea what I was going to do with some things and wanted to fix it up and plan a bit more. I'm entering into a "Mihawk Arc" for a bit because I ended up getting hit with an idea that I really wanted to do but needed to see how it would work. So, I hope you enjoy it! Anyway, enough for me!
On with the fic!
Chapter Warnings: Mentions of Discrimination, Threats of Death
Comment Shoutouts: TheAlien20, MiyaneYamato48, robinpoem, Coolseal9, Midnight_180_Wolf, AvatarPabu97, MarinaLucci, tis_helen, CorpseJester, PattiLue
Chapter Forty-Six: Impossible (by James Arthur)
Chapter Summary: As Mihawk falls victim to Luca's power, he awakens to find himself in Purgatory. With his part of the deal, Luca acts to save Mihawk and Shanks. Meanwhile, Teach showed that he had ulterior motives but someone steps forward to put him in his place. Later, Mihawk learns something shocking.
He was so warm. He could feel the grass on his neck and hands, curling up towards his ears. The sun that was on his face. The smell of the ocean. He blinked his eyes open, letting them adjust to the light to see that he wasn't staring at the sky that had been above the Moby Dick before.
Mihawk pushed himself up, looking around. He was on a cliffside. One that he knew very well. It was his home village. The cliff that overlooked the entire place. He pushed himself completely off of the ground, looking around. Well, this wasn't good.
"I'm dead." Mihawk stated.
He couldn't allow for this.
He had made a vow to Roronoa Zoro that he would make sure to stay alive, keep the title of the Greatest Swordsman so they could duel one day when he became stronger. When he was strong enough to defeat him. He would not fail that promise. He had broken enough promises in his life. He refused to start up again.
Yet, there was nothing he could do here.
He might have defeated Luca in that fight, but he was also defeated. Luca had caught him in the chest with a palm. He had gotten careless. No, it wasn't carelessness. He had been careful. Luca had just managed to break through his defenses and use that Devil Fruit of his.
This must have been similar to what Shanks had seen. He was in purgatory. The middle of life and death. Though, he was curious on the significance of his purgatory bringing him back home. A home that he hadn't been to since he was eight.
"I didn't think I would get to meet you." Mihawk had frozen, turning to see a small girl standing not far from him. Her long red hair was the first thing he noticed. Her golden eyes that reflected his. "Hello, Papa."
Mihawk was in shock.
"Who are you?" Mihawk questioned. It felt so stupid to ask. He knew exactly who she was. Though, she looked like a child.
She smiled at him, tilting her head with her hands curled behind her back. "I'm Lacey."
Mihawk hummed. So, it was her. "What are you doing here?" He questioned instead of anything else that he could think of. He could remember five years before. How much pain Shanks had been in. How apologetic he had been. How much he blamed himself for what happened. Mihawk never knew until after the fact. They never actually got their chance to meet her.
It felt so bittersweet that it was happening now.
"To tell you something." Lacey replied.
"And that would be?" Mihawk went on.
"It's not your time."
X
There was a stunned silence across the decks of the ships. Eyes wide as they watched both Mihawk and Shanks hit the deck. Ace was already trying to move, unable to do so from Deuce's arms looping around his waist and hauling him back. "Deuce! Let me go!" Ace screeched. The Omega was in shock. How did they both go down?
Shanks hadn't been showing his full power this entire time. Not at Marineford. Not on that island. Not during that fight. He had been holding back. The same went for Mihawk. Neither of them had been using their haki or their swordsmanship to the best of their abilities. He didn't understand why. There was a reason Mihawk was the Greatest Swordsman in the World and Shanks was one of the four Yonkos of the Sea.
"No can do, Commander Ace." Deuce hissed. "Both of those men are dangerous and Teach already turned you in once."
Ace ceased struggling for a moment, his nails digging into Deuce's forearms. "I don't get it."
"Get what?" He heard another person question. He couldn't tell who it was though from where he was standing.
"Neither fought at full capacity. They could have easily won that. Overpowered Devil Fruit or not." Ace whispered.
"That is not something I think any one of us could answer." Deuce replied. "You know your parents better than anyone here aside from your brother. You probably know why."
Ace didn't care anymore as he broke away from Deuce, sending himself up into the air and landing down on the deck of the Moby. His heart was pounding as he went to run forward, but he halted as Luca of all people raised a hand to stop him. Marco had noticed the movement, immediately going to attack, but stopped short. Ace paused, just millimeters away from Luca's palm. His palm wasn't glowing like before, so it was probably safe to assume that he hadn't been using his Devil Fruit abilities.
He looked up, eyeing Luca's face to notice that he wasn't paying attention to either Mihawk or Shanks but rather someone else. Ace followed his gaze and looked right at Teach. Teach was standing there with that same sadistic smirk on his face. Bellowing out a laugh a second later. Ace felt his stomach drop.
Don't tell me. He thought. He gritted his teeth, balling his fists. He had also noticed the way that Luca stepped in front of him, blocking Teach's path.
"It's over, Teach." Luca growled.
Teach was still chuckling as he walked forward, his boot slamming into the side of Mihawk's face. His jaw specifically and sending his head to the side. "Who would have even thought they would see the day that Hawkeyes and Red-Hair went down. It's almost sweet that they went down together."
Ace growled, shouting, "Get away from them!" He had to tread carefully. He knew he had a way to defeat Teach. He could do it again. This time, he had the backing of four different pirate crews including the Revolutionary Army. Teach wouldn't be this stupid. He wouldn't be gloating in front of them without reason to.
"Hawkeyes has maybe five minutes at most." Luca whispered, "Red-Hair depends on how much energy he has left. My guess… it's low."
The Omega paused. Why was the Alpha telling him this?
"Please…" Ace whispered. It hadn't been long before he was being joined by Luffy and Sabo. He could see the fear in Luffy's eyes, staring down at Shanks and Mihawk.
"We have to be careful." Luca stated, for a moment, he could see the conflict on the Alpha's face. As if a revelation had hit him. "What he said to me… There was also something else… something that shook me to my core… my mind had been clouded for a long time, but maybe that kid is right. Maybe, I'm a split personality but for now…"
Ace didn't say anything back, but if it meant that Luca was going to reverse what he had done, he would take it. "Just give them back to us!" Luffy snapped. "You keep talking that life bullshit, but you just kill anyone you see?!"
"Pretty hypocritical." Sabo added.
Luca was looking back down at the two unmoving forms of Ace's parents again. "I will… once we get past the issue of Teach standing there." His gaze moved back up, sharpening for a second, "Red-Hair must have known this was a risk that he was willing to take." Ace watched the blue of his eyes glow again, his palm starting to glow as he raised his hand up, "Smart. He used you. Used that erotomania of yours against you for his own personal gain."
Teach cackled for a second, "I should have known back in Sabaody. It's not the time for me to fight him yet, but what can I say? I had to take my chance." His smirk only got bigger as his hands started to get covered in black smoke again, "I've knocked him down a few pegs. That's plenty enough for now. I made good on a promise I made to him."
Ace paused for a second. Luca's words reflecting in his ears. Erotomania? What the hell was that? He looked over to Marco, giving him a questioning look. Marco had moved, keeping his eyes on Teach for the time being. "Basically, what he is saying is that Teach believes Shanks is in love with him. It's become a delusion at this point." His own gaze was fixated on Teach as his shook his head, "There's more to it. I know it. Red-Hair had a reason. We just have to figure it out."
Ace grumbled, "I finally kill this bastard and my mother of all people has to allow him to come back." He huffed, standing in a fighting position. "I can do it again."
That's when Teach smirked, shaking a finger, "Too bad for you… my heart no longer resides in my chest."
The Omega blinked. The stunned silence that came next. What in the absolute hell did he mean by that?! Luca growled, balling his fists. "Son of a bitch." He hissed.
"What's going on?" Luffy questioned.
"Well, this just became a problem." Luca replied.
Honestly, Ace was getting whip lash. One second, Luca wanted to kill Mihawk and had Shanks underneath his control. Teach had been fighting alongside Mihawk. Now, Teach appeared to be exactly what he was like before and Luca was defending them or at the very least, facing off against Teach.
Teach was cackling, holding his hands out beside him. "I'm practically immortal." Ace was practically choking on the air in his throat. "Red-Hair screwed up the second that he helped revive me." Teach was cackling, "As long as he allows… I live."
"You really think that you'll get away with any of this!" Rouge snapped, "There's only one of you versus all of us! Every person here with maybe the exception of a few have a vendetta against you!"
Teach turned his head enough to look at where Rouge was standing. The Omega woman stood there with her sword drawn, the haki embedding into the blade as she glared at him with sharp wine-colored eyes. Teach cocked his head to the side as the Alpha cast a look that even Ace couldn't explain. All he knew was it sent chills down his spine. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Luca moving. Carefully toeing forward in the direction of Mihawk and Shanks.
"You really haven't figured it out by now, Commander Rouge?" Teach questioned. "You can't get rid of me. Not that easily. You just hate that your son holds my heart." Ace frowned, sharing a look with Luffy. There was something about what Teach just said that bugged him. Maybe it was the erotomania that Luca had been talking about. How Marco explained it. Maybe, if they could keep him talking and keep him distracted that they would buy enough time.
So, Ace decided to step forward, moving in the opposite direction of Shanks and Mihawk, side stepping to get into Teach's line of sight. "Teach…" He could hear Luffy and Sabo trying to talk him out of moving forward. Even Sabo had reached out to try and stop him, but he raised his hand in their direction. He had heard it all from Teach on the island. Heard what Shanks had said. The way that the two of them had played into his delusions. What Shanks had to do. "You remember what happened on the island, right?"
Teach was eyeing him now, a calculating look on his face before he was smirking again, "Would you say I'm the fool or that you are?"
Ace was confused, looking over to Luffy, "What?"
"Sure, having the two of you by my side and within my crew would give me all the power I need. Having Red-Hair's place as a yonko…" Teach stated, "Don't you get it, Commander Ace? If I take him out of the picture, I can take his spot."
Then it dawned on Ace. There were always ulterior motives behind what he had been doing. The Omega shook his head, "At Marineford, you said yourself that you weren't ready to fight him or his crew. Why the hell did you think it was a good idea to kidnap him and have a target on your back?"
Ace could hear Luffy's growl. Low primal ones that only an Alpha could make. Luffy was getting lost in his instincts. Ace could tell almost immediately. He trusted Sabo to make sure that Luffy didn't do anything stupid. Luffy definitely was one to react before thinking. They had to thread this carefully. Ace wasn't sure why he was trusting Luca, but he had to buy the Alpha some time. There was something about the way he was speaking before. Something that was screaming at him to trust him.
"What is your damn problem?!" Luffy finally snapped. "Can you not make up your damn mind?!"
Ace was still being bugged about what it was that Teach meant. That he was connected to Shanks. That Shanks held his heart? It didn't make sense to him. He was missing something here. It seemed like the only one who could tell them was currently unconscious.
As he looked back at Luca, he could see that he had a palm on Mihawk, but the way he had leaned over Shanks. His lips glowing the same as his palms. Ace curled his lip, cocking his eyebrow as Luca's lips connected with Shanks' for a second and the palm of his hand had been glowing over Mihawk's heart. It was his power. He knew that much.
Ace had to shove it to the side. He would ask later.
With his attention on Teach again, he took a deep breath, "You're insane." Ace hissed.
Teach just cackled inside, moving towards the side of the ship as he continued to laugh. Reminiscent of the one that Ace heard whenever Teach defeated him the first time. "There's always another motive behind someone's movements. You should know this better than anyone, Commander Ace."
X
They had stood there. Just looking at each other for the moment. The wind moving as Lacey giggled, moving around, and skipping across the ground. The way that she acted had reminded Mihawk a lot of Shanks. She looked a lot like him even. Except for her eyes. Those belonged to him.
"I lost." Mihawk stated, "He used his power, that is something I cannot change."
Lacey smiled. It was a knowing smile that had Mihawk stopping. She shook her head, making a noise. "You really don't know who he actually is, do you?"
She sounded so smart for her age. Well, she was much older for her age anyway. "What would you know?" Mihawk went on. "You're just a child."
Lacey giggled again, stopping just short of standing directly in front of Mihawk. "Things are different here." She stated, "If I was alive… it wouldn't be the same." She did seem to make a point. Things would probably work differently in the world of the dead than it would for those living. This was an afterlife, especially if they weren't just within the middle between the two like this. He could believe those words coming from her.
"What's so special about him?" Mihawk questioned.
"There's more to that man that you realize." It was a new voice that had Mihawk freezing completely. The air catching in his throat as another man started to walk up behind Lacey. Reaching down and scooping her off of the ground. Mihawk didn't recognize him in the slightest, but the little girl seemed comfortable with him. He was tall with jet black hair and bright blue eyes, looking right back at him. Mihawk tried to think of who this man could be but couldn't think of any possibility. "Hello, son."
Mihawk's eyes widened. This man was his father? "What is going on here?"
"You're in the middle!" Lacey exclaimed as the man put her back down.
He paused as he noticed the way that the world started to feel like it was disappearing around him. He lifted his hands, noticing that they were turning transparent. He blinked as he watched the change.
Lacey smiled as she started to wave. "I'm happy I got to meet you!" She exclaimed; her voice sounded so far away. It had been so little time. There was so much that Mihawk wanted to say. Not just question her about her presence or what she had meant.
X
Shanks felt really light as he felt himself coming back to reality. His heart rate leveling out by the second as he cracked his eyes open. The first thing that he had noticed were the soft blue eyes looking at him before their attention had moved next to him. Everything had sounded far away. Like he was in a cave and everything was echoing around him. His body was screaming at him, and all the previous events were playing back in his mind.
How Teach got the one up on him.
How he threatened his family.
The promise that was made.
That promise was now over.
In the end, he was a pirate, so everything he did was for his own personal gain. Regaining some control back that Teach had taken from him. He would bounce back. He always did, but he was no longer feeling anything about what Teach had said to him all those years ago. Maybe, this event was just what he needed to realize that he was far stronger than he had ever thought. Even when Teach had been hiding in Whitebeard's shadow.
He had so much left to do. Make up for. He had family he had to see. This was not going to be the end of him. Luca had gotten the jump on him from how exhausted his body was. How clouded his mind had been.
That would never happen again.
Everything had just been falling back into place. He refused to lose it now.
However, there was one thing that he had learned from all of this. Within those few moments of locking eyes with Mihawk, he had realized something. Their connection was far deeper than anyone could ever do. Teach could break their bond. Try and demoralize everything about them.
Mihawk was his true mate. An equivalent of a soulmate. He had seen it within the rainbow colors flashing in Mihawk's eyes. The swirling colors he had seen before he had lost consciousness. Even with their bond broken, they were connected still. Teach could never take that away from him.
Shanks had pushed himself up, quickly noticing what was happening around him as his senses came back to him. He should have known the second that Teach fulfilled his promise, that he would revert back to his old ways.
A part of him had been baking on it.
He had a plan, even if the others didn't know it.
Luca made eye contact with him briefly before Shanks was pushing himself up. Using the moment of everyone being distracted to his advantage as he slipped away. He had something he needed to go get.
If Teach thought he could leave this unscathed, he was sorely mistaken.
X
Ace could barely think straight from how much anger was coursing through his veins. When he had thought that this was finally over, here it was, rearing its ugly head at him once more. The Omega balled his fists, letting his nails bit into his palms. Everything was screaming at him to complete this again, while the other part was telling him to stay back for the sake of his pups.
Haven't they gone through enough?
What else did they have to go through before this world finally let them have some peace for a little bit?
There is no peace or equality in this world. He could remember Shanks' words from when he was little echoing in his head. He hated just how right he was. Weren't they pirates so they could have a taste of the life of freedom? Free of the rules of the World Government? He already had been helpless during one war, he refused to sit back any longer. Everyone had been fighting for him. He lifted one hand, letting the flames dance over his hands and arms.
Once again, Luca was placing himself between him and Teach. "I wouldn't do that." Luca stated. "He's trying to goad you into attacking him."
Ace scuffed, "You're one to talk. You got involved in all of this. Why don't you just fuck off, so we can handle this."
"He's not wrong, young man." Luca stated. "Because of what Red-Haired Shanks did… no physical attack will kill him."
Ace paused as he looked over at his brothers. Seeing the same calculating and confused looks on their faces. What the hell did that mean? "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Sabo questioned.
"Exactly what I said." Luca stated. He sighed as he shook his head, "We need to find his heart. I left it on that island so I don't understand what is happening here."
"You're shitting me." Luffy scoffed. "That island burned to the ground!"
Luca grumbled for a second. "Leave it to the Marines to get spiteful and Buster call a place because they have a grudge." There was so much distaste in his voice.
There was still so much bugging Ace about what Teach had been saying. It was so mocking. He loved the fact that Shanks had somehow resurrected him and freed him from the world that Luca controlled. He had known part of Teach for three years now, there was something there but he was missing it. He was sure of it. But there was one thing that Teach always tended to show.
His overconfidence.
Ever since that moment, ever since he had found Thatch, he had taken everything that Teach said with a grain of salt. Never fully trusting anything that came out of his mouth since. Teach would know that. He would know that no one here trusted his word.
So, that could mean one thing.
He was telling the truth.
"Hey, you." Ace said, dropping his voice as Luca looked over his shoulder at him. He needed to understand more of this power that this Alpha held. It was so overpowered. Connecting the world of life and death, but Shanks had told them of another place connected to his power. Not something that was the afterlife and not the world of the living. But something in the middle. Like a purgatory. "Is it possible to give something to someone when you are in that middle world?"
"Ace?" Luffy questioned.
Luca looked at him for a second before he hummed. "I see." He turned to face Teach again as he nodded, "It's possible. It's called the Middle. Anyone in it has a connection to either the afterlife or the world of the living. Anyone still within the world of the living can bring something back with them. It originated from an old tale. A lover giving their heart to their beloved. Quite literally…" His voice started to trail as his eyes widened. "A tale that… Ace… I think you're on to something."
"What's going on?" Luffy questioned, interjecting once more.
"I don't think Teach is lying." Ace stated. "It's not a figurative thing he's saying… that Mom holds his heart. He means it literally."
"So, you're saying…" Luffy's sentence trailed as he looked away, "Wait, where is he?"
Ace looked over to where Shanks and Mihawk had been laying and sure enough, Shanks was gone. Where did he go? They didn't even notice that he had even moved. Mihawk was still laying there, unmoving, and still completely out. Ace had to believe that Luca had used his power to reverse what he had done. He don't think he would use that death power on him twice.
"Mom…" Ace whispered.
Teach was cackling again, pulling their attention back, "Do you think I would be stupid enough to do that?"
"Possibly." Ace shot back immediately. A smirk came to his face as he cocked his head. "You see… a person in love does stupid things in the name of love. Didn't you say for yourself that you would rather him be dead than anyone else having him?" Now, he just had to stall. If Shanks was awake and if they were right, that would mean that Shanks might have gone to do something about it. Shanks could be secretive but he was still Ace's Omega father. He would like to think that he knew him well enough to know what he might be planning.
The Alpha just started to laugh again, shaking his head as his black smoke started to move out. The exclamations came next as Teach yelled, "Nothing will stop me! Now that I'm alive again, I'll find my crew and I'll move on to that treasure! I'm going to be the Pirate King, and no one here can stop me!"
Ace felt the sweat drop. That felt like one of the worst things that Teach could say as he heard Luffy growl for a moment. "What did you just say?!" His Alpha brother exclaimed. He started to march forward, uncaring of the stuff around him, "I will say it once. The only one who is going to be the King of the Pirates is… me!" Ace could have laughed the second that Luffy stretched out his arm and his fist slammed in the side of Teach's face.
It had caught Teach off guard as he stumbled back slight, a hand coming up to meet where Luffy had punched him in the face. The Omega was waiting for Teach to react. Do anything. But it never came. He didn't even react to the hit from Luffy. Instead, just chuckled.
Why wasn't he doing anything?
The action had stunned everyone. No one knew what to do in that moment. Ace was pretty sure they were all questioning why Teach didn't try to lash back out at Luffy. Even Luffy looked stumped.
"He just let him hit him?" Marco questioned. "That's…"
"I made a promise." Teach stated.
Ace felt the air catch in his throat. "What?"
"I can't do anything to any of you." Teach replied.
Then it dawned on him. Even Luca looked rather pleased for a moment. "Red-Hair somehow must have figured it out." Luca muttered, "Smart man."
Ace eyed the other for a second, shaking his head. He wasn't going to question it for a moment. "Now that you have your life back, why not just leave and leave us the hell alone?!" Ace snapped. "You got everything you needed from turning me in! I killed you once! I'll do it again!"
"And risk the lives of your pups again?" Teach questioned.
Ace tsked. Gritting his teeth as he recoiled for a second. Teach was right rather he liked it or not. He had to think about the unborn lives now. This wasn't just about him anymore. "Keep them out of your mouth!"
Teach just shrugged. "I just want to get out of here, but I need something first."
"And that would be?" Sabo went on.
"His heart." Ace froze, turning on his heel to see that Shanks was standing there. A heart in hand that he was holding up in full view. All eyes were on Shanks now as he looked down at beating organ in his hand. There was an unfamiliar look on his face for a moment before he was looking back at Teach again. "Right, Teach?"
"As smart as ever, Red-Hair." Teach drawled. The tone sent a chill down Ace's spine. He did not like it in the slightest. The way he was speaking was reminiscent of what he had been hearing on the island. He really just wanted Teach to be out of their lives forever. Hell, he wished he had stayed dead. It felt almost unfortunate that they had needed him to fight against Luca, but now Luca seemed to be helping them.
Honestly, this was all confusing. It was like getting whiplash.
If you asked him, he almost wanted to be at Marineford instead. At least then, he had more of a clear sight of who was foe and who was a friend. Though, there was an aura coming off of Shanks that had even him freezing in his spot. The look that Shanks had on his face. His demeanor.
Shanks was not screwing around now.
It was a look he had never seen on his face before except for only a handful of times.
It was a look that he would only hold if his family was being attacked. If they were being threatened. Ace felt his body relax for a second as Shanks' gaze moved to him and Luffy momentarily. A soft smile coming to his face, even if that fierceness did not leave his eyes. Even now, he was still showing that same gentle parent that he was, even when he did have to be stern with them.
Shanks started to walk forward, and one by one, each person started to back up, clearing the way for him. Even Luca moved out of the way as Shanks stood before Teach now. The Omega held his head high as he crossed one arm over his chest, holding Teach's heart up a little higher.
"I hold your fate in my hands, Teach." Shanks stated. "The next thing you say to me will tell me rather I crush it, or I let you live. I would love nothing more to see you dead. Ace killed you once, and I'm already thinking of handing this over to him and letting him decide what to do with you." Ace peered over to Shanks, seeing the seriousness on his face. The contemplation that was there. "Don't think for a second that I didn't think you wouldn't have ulterior motives when we made our little arrangement. You're a pirate after all. You hide in Whitebeard-san's shadow for years. I know what kind of person you are, but I also know that your strength can be an asset." Ace wasn't sure what Shanks was getting at now. The confusion that was going through him as he looked over to Marco for a moment. This was Shanks' battle. All of this had been for him. Teach had kidnapped him, broken his bond, tormented him in ways that Ace didn't want to think about. This was Shanks' time to stand tall all over again. He was still clearly exhausted, still feeling the effects of what Teach had put him through. In the end, there was a reason that he was crowned a Yonko of the Sea. That he was one of the brightest on the sea. "If you want to live, you will leave my family alone. My nakama. My family's nakama."
"Wait… Mom!" Ace started.
Shanks was giving Teach an ultimatum. This was not something he had seen coming. He had been expecting Shanks to just crush the organ right then and there.
Shanks eyed him for a second before he was looking back at Teach. The Omega walked forward, his hand landing on Teach's collarbone before within seconds, the Alpha was hitting the deck, Shanks' foot replacing his hand as he stood over him. Ace realized in seconds what he was doing. He stopped and sighed.
"Red-Hair!" Teach exclaimed in shock.
"I'm tired of the violence. Our issues were done and over with for a long time." Shanks continued. "We just left a war… then what happened back at that island. We're all tired. We all deserve a time to rest and heal. You are not going to get in the way of that like the snake you are." The Omega was looking down at Teach with a glare now, clutching onto the heart for a second that had Teach choking on the air in his throat. "I've always done my best to show my children the good side of this world, but they have also seen the bad. There were many times that Luffy would get angry at me because I allowed people to use my dynamic against him. Throw insults at me. When you're stronger than the person insulting you… when there is no reason to fight… you win a fight without ever lifting a finger. I learned that lesson from my Captain."
"What are you—" Teach went to interject but was stopped as Shanks squeezed his heart once more, stopping him effectively from speaking.
"People like you disgust me. I could have told Ace before he ever joined Whitebeard-san's crew about you, but I also knew how much my mother loved Eddie and his sons. I would never taint the name of the man my parents respected." Shanks continued, "I had to teach Ace to fight his own battles. To show him that no matter what anyone thought of people like me and him, that we could be strong. Stronger than even them. It was a lesson he held, and I saw it every day in him." There was a soft smile as Shanks kneeled down, eyeing the heart in his hand. "As you said, this heart belongs to me. So, I think I will keep it. If you step even one toe out of line, I'll take great pleasure in killing you myself. I don't need this to kill you, and you know it."
"You'll make it to where no one can kill me, Red-Hair." Teach stated, actually looking shocked for a moment. "This isn't like you. What exactly do you get out of this?"
Shanks smirked. "What was it you told me all those years ago?" The Omega chuckled for a moment, "People like me deserve to be chained to a bed and serve under people like you?" Teach's face dropped for a second as Ace felt his jaw drop and he looked at Luffy. Ace completely understood what was happening now. He was winning this fight without lifting a finger. He had inadvertently told them what he was going to do and how he was going to do it.
The blood had drained from Teach's face as the realization came to his face. "You…"
Shanks tilted his head, faking an innocent smile as he held the heart up again. "Be a good boy for me, and I might give this back to you." Ace could have laughed at the look of horror that came across Teach's face. Luffy did start laughing as Ace couldn't help it anymore and hide his smile behind his hand. Shanks laughed for a second before he stood up again, standing back to his full height. "You should have just stayed away, Teach. Like you said at Marineford. You were never prepared to fight me, and now I literally have your life in my hands." He went to walk away, keeping the heart held up so Teach could see it. "From this moment on, you work for me. You serve me. If you even so much as displease me… I'll take your life in an instant. Honestly, I should just…" He started to crush it, squeezing his fingers around it as Teach made choking sounds again. For a moment, Ace thought it was actually going to do it.
"Why?" Teach questioned.
"Honestly… it's because of you that I was able to see her, but also… I learned something." Shanks stated, turning to look at Teach as the Alpha stumbled up to his feet. Ace was only able to blink as A sword came up to Teach's throat. A very familiar sword. Yoru. A set of golden eyes staring straight at Shanks. "You broke my bond with Mihawk. You thought you could take away what we had together… but I discovered that the concept my Captain taught me at a young age is true. That some people are just made for each other, and nothing in this world can separate them."
Teach's eyes widened as Yoru nicked at his neck and Mihawk was tilting his head with a smirk on his face. "Think about his offer wisely, Blackbeard." Mihawk drawled, "He's normally not so kind to people like you."
Teach looked angered for a moment before he nodded. He started laughing a second later as he shook his head. "There is a reason the World Government doesn't want to anger you."
"Nope." Shanks stated, smirking for a moment as he turned to look at Luca. "Honestly, even though it was a dick move what you did to me back there… you gave me a chance to meet someone special. To have conversations with people I would have never seen again."
Luca nodded, giving a slight bow. "Likewise, Red-Hair. My encounter with you all has opened my eyes."
Marco blinked for a second, looking impressed, "Did… did Red-Hair just end all of this with just words?"
"How does that surprise you?" Izou questioned.
Whitebeard started chuckling, making his way over before looking down at Teach, "Listen to him, and get the hell off of my ship if you know what is good for you."
"Is this really a good idea?" Sabo questioned. "Just to let him go? How can you be sure that he won't pull something against you again?"
Shanks just chuckled, "Because he knows."
X
Ace could feel a sense of relief falling over the deck as they all realized that this nightmare was coming to an end. Even if Teach was leaving here alive, he was going to trust Shanks' word. They all stood there, watching as Teach was given a small boat before he was leaving the ship. Ace actually didn't have a bad feeling about this.
In the end, he did kill Teach. He fulfilled what he was going to do. Now, Shanks had his vengeance for everything that Teach had ever said to him. Anything that he had ever done to him. It felt so bittersweet. Marco came up next to him, an arm looped around his shoulders and pressing a kiss to his temple.
"Do you think he'll try anything?" Ace questioned.
"He'd be stupid if he did." Marco stated. "There is a reason we don't engage in fights with the Red Hair Pirates anymore."
Ace hummed and nodded.
Was this all truly over?
He looked over, seeing Shanks and Mihawk standing there. Looking at each other for a moment. Ace felt the smile slip onto his face as he saw Mihawk make eye contact with him. Without a second thought, he was rushing forward, letting his arms wrap around his Alpha father as Luffy joined in, his arms wrapping around them all and pulling them in.
This actually felt nice.
That he could embrace his family in front of everyone. That they didn't have to hide anything. This was all finally over.
That was until Mihawk pulled away after a moment, his eyes lingering on Luca, who had stayed, standing off to the side as he tapped his fingers on his collarbone. Ace figured it out pretty quickly. It was a nervous tick. He did the same with his nails a lot. "Go." Shanks muttered, motioning for Mihawk to walk over to him.
Ace leaned into Shanks' side as the red head wrapped his arm around him and Luffy took his other side. Mihawk stepped back, reaching out and ruffling both his and Luffy's hair for a moment before he was walking over to where Luca was standing. He waited for Mihawk to be out of earshot before he whispered, "Can we trust that man?"
Shanks made a noise and shrugged, "Honestly, I don't get malicious intent off of him anymore. I do believe that whatever he saw… actually made him have a revelation." The Omega Captain stated. "I've seen many people change alliances in battle before. It would not surprise me."
Ace nodded, letting his gaze fall on Mihawk for a second. He was very curious on what was happening over there if he was being completely honest.
X
Mihawk wasn't even sure how to go about this. What he had heard within Purgatory. What he had seen. There was one thing really sticking out to him while he was in the middle of life and death. He had seen his deceased father. He had seen his daughter.
Yet, there was one person missing.
His mother.
His father had said that this man was special to something. He didn't quite understand it, but now he needed those answers. They were heading back to Sabaody Archipelago. The others would split off for their training, and he had promised to train Roronoa Zoro. Yet, he needed these answers.
"I have one thing to ask of you." Mihawk stated as he approached.
Luca looked up at him. No longer giving him that look of pure hatred. "Really now?"
"If you are truly changing your mind about me…" Mihawk started, "I can't excuse my past to you. I almost took your life over a misunderstanding, but I need you to answer something for me."
Luca hummed and nodded, a serious look coming to his face as the two Alphas squared their shoulders. Neither of them giving off the intent to fight but giving the seriousness of the conversation. "I suppose I owe you for my own mistakes… well, killing you and putting your mate into an eternal sleep, but besides the point…"
Mihawk grunted for a moment, crossing his arms, "When you are in that… purgatory or so called Middle, who do you see?"
Luca gave him a confused look for a second before he nodded, "Normally, the people who will either guide you back to the world of the living or the afterlife. Usually people that are significant."
Mihawk nodded. "I saw my father and my little girl."
"I see." Luca muttered, "And?"
"How does that work exactly?" Mihawk questioned instead.
The Alpha cocked his eyebrow as he leaned back against the rail, crossing his arms as he sighed, "When a soul is passing into the afterlife, it calls out to those who they care for or hold a high respect for. Usually, a parent or a loved one. So, those souls go to guide them." Luca explained, "I've helped plenty of lost souls go to where they need to go. It's part of my Devil Fruit powers. Is there a certain reason you are asking me this?"
Mihawk had decided to recount what he had been told by his father and Lacey – that was her name, while it wouldn't have been the name they gave her, it felt right for her since it's how she introduced herself – and repeating anything he could remember. "So, why is it that my father would be there… but my…" He choked for a second, letting his fingernails dig into his arms for a moment before adding, "Mother not be there?"
Luca nodded for a second, raising his hand, "I can check, but I need to know who she was."
"She had been dead since I was an infant." Mihawk immediately said.
Luca chuckled for a moment, "Honestly, since you have a blood bond with her… I only need to check your subconscious memories. In utero, pups create bonds with their biological parents so I can check through that."
The Alpha Swordsman nodded, "Alright."
Luca's palm had started to glow a soft white, his eyes changing to a brighter blue as he reached forward, placing his hand on Mihawk's chest. It was like he was seeing it himself. A warm embrace around him as he could hear a soft voice of a woman feeling his ears. He blinked as Luca's hand pulled away and the other Alpha stood there in shock. "Oh wow."
"What?" Mihawk questioned.
Luca let out a laugh of disbelief, "I don't know a better way to tell you this, but your mother didn't come to see you in the Middle because… she's still alive."