Welp, new story. I'm not particularly happy with it, but I'm never happy with my writing and I was told I should just bit the bullet and publish it. Know that I did my best ;-;.
Also, fair warning, she's a beast of a chapter. Thought about splitting it, buuuuut then I didn't.
Side note: Ripples in the Rockpool is a song by Rita Connolly. Subject matter (the real life Pirate Queen Grace O'malley) has little baring on the story, but it is a cool song (Celtic folk and orchestra fusion), so maybe check it out.
Chapter warnings: swearing and upsetting themes. Also, Garp is portrayed as a good grandpa in this, and some of the more . . . problematic aspects of his relationship with Ace and Luffy are fudged or ignored. If that upsets you, this might not be the story for you.
Enjoy
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Dappled sunlight colored the jungle floor in spots of light yellow as foul smoke wound through the trees and to his nose. Grey terminal had burned for hours now, but still it smoldered and smoked. Evidently trash and rot and corpses made for great fuel.
That and accelerant, Ace thought bitterly, grimacing at the rough calluses he'd won lugging gallons of gasoline to the terminal against his will for Blue Jam.
He ran a hand over his face, pushing snarled, sweat soaked hair to the side of his head. He and Dadan had needed a rest, but they wouldn't make it for long at this pace. The guards from Gao would slaughter them both if they found them, hell bent as they were on cleansing the Grey terminal of trash, human and object alike. Not that he and Dadan were even from there to begin with, but it wasn't like the survivor hunters would care.
They'd continue their escape in a moment, he resolved with a small nod, after he and Dadan had rested. She needed it, by the looks of her wounds.
The thought of the woman drew his eyes to her sleeping form. Her wild curls were frayed and singed and in the clear-cut light of day, her wounds looked even more ghastly.
The sight made something ugly coil around his heart. This woman, this bandit, this cruel and conceited criminal, was the closest thing to a mother he and his brothers had, and though she had hurt him, she loved him. He had always hoped, and after her valiant attempt to save him, he now knew.
And pirates had almost taken her from them. Permanently. Still might, if they didn't get her treatment. They had almost taken Luffy too, once back in the fire, and before, when they had tortured his seven-year-old brother over a hand full of coins and wounded pride.
That ugly something started to burn.
Pirates actually had taken his other brother, snatching Sabo away from them when they needed him most. Perhaps he went willingly, Ace still didn't know, but none of it would have happened if it hadn't been for those damn bastards.
Nobles may have ordered it, but pirates were the ones that burned the people of Grey Terminal alive.
Everything that had gone wrong recently had started with pirates, he realized, with those people who thought they could hurt him, hurt his family, and ravaged any and everything that they felt like.
The sharp crack of undergrowth beneath boots pulled him from his abstractions and made his heartbeat accelerate.
"Old hag," he hissed, prodding the woman sharply. She stirred momentarily but was otherwise unresponsive.
"Dadan," he tried again, jabbing her maybe a little harder than was appropriate for someone with fresh burns. Her eyes peeled open, one at a time, but they were glassy, and their pupils dilated. With a huff, he threw her over his shoulder gently. Well, gently-ish. He nearly toppled over when his center of mass shifted with the extra weight, but he corrected himself with ease and began the arduous process of running through heavy vegetation with an injured woman three times his size on his back.
Dadan came to slowly, cussing under her breath when she became aware of their predicament.
My thoughts too.
"Fucker got me good, didn't he," she heaved, labored and out of breath despite the fact that, for all intents and purposes, she had done nothing the past four hours. He nearly tripped on an especially gnarled root when he felt something wet and warm soak through his shirt.
"Your wound opened," he informed coolly.
"Y-Yeah, no- damn, this road is bumpy- no shit."
They continued in silence, the only sound the decrescendoing echoes of soldiers trampling through the jungle and Dadan's breathless wheezing in his ear.
After a while, his legs began to scream, and Dadan was clearly suffering too much to continue. They were close to the hideout, so close, but they had to stop. Besides, it wasn't like the soldiers would search this far in the woods anyway. Probably.
"We'll stop here for a while. Get going in a few minutes."
Dadan flopped down gracelessly against a nearby tree. Her breathing evened ever so slightly, though her brow and mouth were pinched tight in pain.
"D-Damn pirates," she said eventually, "They should all b-burn in Hell."
Ace crossed his ankles and looked back at the plum of black smoke billowing from Grey Terminal.
"Yeah," he whispered, "Maybe they should."
Ace wasn't a good person, by any definition of the term. He was violent, angry more times than not, and not good about remembering which items were other's and which were his, to say nothing of his cursed blood. Still, he couldn't help but recoil at the idea of claiming the same title of those who had caused so much suffering.
The title of pirate.
He blinked at that thought and shook his head. Fatigue must be getting to him. Piracy was his dream. There was no way he'd ever give that up.
/\/\/\/\/\
Sabo was dead. Sabo was fucking dead and it was all those damned nobles' fault.
"Don't die, don't leave me too!" Luffy wailed, little arms flailing and tears and mucus leaking down his face.
"Dumbass! Quit crying! I'm not going to die," Ace said resolutely.
Luffy, bless him, stopped bawling and sucked in his lips, though Ace could still see a few tears building in his eyes.
"P-promise?" he sniffled.
"Yeah, promise."
/\/\/\/\/\
He didn't want to go back to the city. Neither of them did. There were too many memories, too many ghosts. He and Luffy had managed to avoid the place for months, but there was a storm coming and with Grey Terminal gone, the only place to get supplies and fortification was a store.
The brothers had argued about who should go, both making increasingly outlandish excuses why they couldn't go, both dancing around the real reason why they wouldn't. But Ace was the big brother, and he wasn't a coward (he wasn't), so here he was, lifting bolts and screws off stand tables and ignoring the way his chest felt heavy every time he saw a familiar street corner or a kid with hair just a little too blonde.
"You coming to the pub tonight? We're celebrating the 12th anniversary of the execution. Drinks on me!"
Ace tilted his head, eyes boring into the back of a tall bald man chatting with a stand owner.
"Gold Rodger's execution?" the shop keep asked, sorting through his wares.
"No, the hairy troll that keeps stealing my socks. Of course, Gold Rodger," Baldly said incredulously.
"Shit, has it really been 12 years? Time moves funny, huh?"
Baldy cackled at that and snickered, "It does when you're old."
The shop keep cracked a sharp smile. "Yeah, I'm old, no getting around it. Still, a whole decade plus since the Pirate King got killed. You may not remember, but the world was a right mess before they got him."
"Mm-hm, I heard the stories from Ma. Right lucky thing they caught that bastard when they did," Baldy nodded sagely.
"Yeah? How so?"
"Well, can you imagine if he had children? The nightmare would never end!"
"True. Got enough problems in the world without some no-good devil spawn running amuck. What time are we-"
Their conversation was swallowed by the hum of the market as he wove through the throngs of people. He withdrew from the square, scowl firmly set.
Why did that man always haunt him? Every step he took, every corner he turned, Rodger was there, reminding him how empty and cursed and wrong his existence was. A small part of him, the part dedicated to his brother and his family, knew that wasn't correct, but was soundly drowned out by the screaming of Devil! Devil! Devil! in his head.
Rodger, he scoffed to himself, toeing his way down a winding path. What a scumbag. All this pain in his life because of his unfortunate affiliation with the bastard. The Pirate King . . .
His problems really did all stem from pirates, huh?
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Months rolled by. If Luffy noticed his lack of enthusiasm when his younger brother fantasized about his future life of piracy, he didn't show it.
Ace loved the idea of pirates. The promise of the ocean sounded liberating in a way island life could never be, and if there's anything Ace loved, it was his freedom. Piracy would fit him too. Ace was strong. Maybe not as much as Gramps, but leagues above kids his age and most adults on the island. He was also known to be more than a little light fingered.
But every time he indulged in the hope of one day flying his own black colors, he would think of Blue Jam or Porchemy and immediately the idea was drowned in disgust. If they didn't do the job, his father did. Anything that made him more like that man was something he was appalled by.
So, despite how excited Luffy was to begin his life as a pirate, of Ace's shared dream with Sabo, and how good a pirate's life sounded, he wouldn't be a pirate. Not now, not ever.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Garp was back. That alone would have constituted a bad day but coupled with the fact that it was the first anniversary of Sabo's death, it was downright abysmal.
"Go away Shitty-Gramps," Ace huffed, arms crossed and stance wide. He could see Luffy hide behind him, but he said nothing of it.
"What was that brat!?" the old marine yelled, "Don't treat your loving grandfather so cruelly! Sounds like someone needs a Fist of Love!"
Ace glowered, but slowly uncrossed his arms and placed them around Luffy's shoulder.
"I'm serious Gramps," he said, "I know you have illusions of turning us into 'marines,' but today is . . ."
"Today's the day Sabo died," Luffy said plainly, scuffing the ground with his foot.
Garp froze for a moment before his face softened impossibly.
"First anniversary huh?"
They nodded solemnly.
"Hmmm, then today is a day of celebration!" he declared, a token Monkey D. smile splitting his face.
"Um, what?" Ace said, sharing a look with Luffy.
"These sorts of anniversaries aren't for crying. That makes the dead sad. So instead, we do whatever it is we can to have a good time and honor them. Come grandkids! We're hitting the town."
"But," Luffy started, "Shitty-Gramps-"
"What was that, brat!?"
"Goa makes Ace sad," the little one finished.
"What? No, it does not!" he protested.
"Yuh-uh, does too!"
"Does not!"
"Yeah, it does!"
"Naw, it makes you sad."
"What! No, you!"
"You!"
"We're not going to Gao," Garp interrupted, scooping the bickering children up into his arms, "We're off to Foosha!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Turns out Garp's plan wasn't so much "honoring the dead" as much as it was buying them enough meat and candy to drown out their grief.
Ace was a big enough man to say that maybe, just this once, Garp had a good idea. At the very least, it kept Luffy from crying. The day was spent with Makino at the bar and around town, causing havoc and running under-foot. Woop-slap was . . . unhappy, but honestly, that just made it more fun. When night fell, they sprawled out on the spare cot and floor of the living room in Makino's quaint home.
"There's a pile of blankets on the chair. Just tell me if you need anything else," she said kindly before going to bed.
Garp and Ace piled blankets on Luffy, who immediately rolled himself into the thickest one he could find. He crashed immediately, lulled to sleep by a full stomach and the warmth of the thick duvet he had cocooned himself into and of the love of his grandfather and brother.
Ace wasn't so lucky. He tossed and turned. Despite the feather soft blanket, no position was comfortable.
"Can't sleep, older brat?"
Ace bent his head up to see Garp leaning over his cot and smiling down at him.
"How'd you know I was awake?"
"Gahaha, it's all about observation. I'll teach you how when you're older and a marine."
For some reason, that statement irked him, far more than it usually did.
"Pah, as if."
"Now, now, you'll make a great marine one day! Gotta fix that attitude first though . . ."
Ace grit his teeth and said nothing.
"Don't ignore your loving Grandfather when he is giving you important information for your future career."
Something in Ace bucked and before Garo could say more, Ace was out the door and into the moon lit night.
As he raced down the dirt road through the village, he cursed himself. He knew he was overreacting. It wasn't like Garp didn't spew recruitment junk like this before, but today . . .
Ace willed the rage to taper down, but it roared and flared anyway. Sabo always said that he should get his anger under control, though he never did. Walks helped though. Sometimes, anyway. He slowed to a stroll and shoved his hands in his pockets. His feet lead him to the outskirts of the village and as he crested the last hill, he was met with the sight of the village ports. Ace found he rather liked the peace of the scene and slid down the hill.
He walked to the edge of the dock and sat down heavily, letting the sound of waves splashing against wood and the tell-tale sound of ship hulls bumping against the dock drown out the spiteful voices in his head.
It's probably why he didn't notice Gramps heavy footsteps thunk across the boards until the man was behind him. So much for peace.
"What," he spat.
The old man, for once, was silent. Ace resolutely did not look at him. Evidently the marine had found a new way to piss him off; standing silently. It was more irksome than it sounded, he promised.
"Are you going to just stand there, jarhead, or do you got something to say?"
Garp sidled to the space next to Ace and sat down, pressing himself against the left edge of the dock to avoid invading Ace's space, despite the man's size and the narrow landing.
"Ace."
The boy turned at the sound of his name but averted his gaze when Garp looked at him with unbridled concern.
"Ace, look at me."
Garp's voice was so soft, so unlike his usual boisterous laughs and booming declarations of justice that he looked his granddad right in the eyes.
"What's wrong, my boy?"
And immediately all that rage came boiling back.
"What's wrong? Like you care. As long as we're training to be 'marines' it doesn't matter, right?"
Garp went rigid. "You can't really believe that."
"Why wouldn't I. And why would I want to be a marine? They're all rat bastards with no morals.
"Ace-"
"I mean, think about all the nasty shit the so-called heroes have done. They abuse their power, kill who they want, bad or otherwise, and they're yellow-bellied cowards. Want proof? Hm, ha, let me think, oh yeah, there was that time they slaughtered hundreds of kids because they were so afraid of m- because they were so afraid of Rodger.
"And their job as defenders is a joke. Where were they when pirates infested our home? Or when people were burning alive in Grey Terminal? Or when Sa . . . when Sabo died. They pulled the trigger for that. Killed a kid 'cause some pig faced noble told 'em to. So where were the marines, Gramps? Where were you?"
He grit his teeth and turned back to glaring at the ocean, waiting for Garp to respond. He didn't.
"Why do you want us to become someone so useless?"
"So you'd rather be a pirate," Garp said evenly.
No.
"At least pirates've got the guts to admit they're doing wrong. Some of them are even halfway decent."
Briefly, his thoughts wandered to a one-armed, red-haired pirate, who sacrificed everything for a dumb kid from the East Blue.
"Some pirates are alright," he repeated, "But marines are scum."
"Including me?"
Ace paused and worried his lip.
"Grandpa, why weren't you here?"
Garp exhaled sharply and leaned back on his hands.
"There's good people and people everywhere, my boy, including the Navy. I think you already know that though"
He paused for a moment.
"I know Sabo's death was hard on you. Both of you," he said carefully, "I understand why you blame the marines, blame me and maybe even yourself."
Ace flinched at that. Just a little.
"I do too. I blame the marines. I blame the corrupt officials that gleefully murdered children and thrived on killing people and licking noble boots. I spend a lot of time blaming the Celestial Dragons too. But most of all, I blame myself for not being able to stop any of it."
He blinked rapidly at his grandfather and frowned.
"I don't-"
"You know what all that blame got me? Nothing. It clouds my judgment and weakens me. Makes me forget my limits and that I'm just one man. I'm sorry I wasn't there, Ace, but I can't be everywhere at once. Believe me, if I knew how bad things had gotten, I would've been here in a heartbeat. But no amount of blame in the world is going to change what happened, and it's not going to help the people hurt by those bad marines you mentioned."
"So, what?" he spat, "These people just walk free? No punishment?"
"No," Garp asserted, "We don't waste time sitting around cursing people, blaming them for our troubles. We act, and dispense justice, hold them accountable. That's what it is to be a marine."
"Yeah? Well who decides what justice is?"
Garp smiled, wide and gummy. It was always uncanny how much he looked like Luffy at times.
"You do."
Ace's face screwed up.
"Don't marines got a bunch of rules and shit for that?"
"They sure do! And when you're a little rat private, you follow 'em to a T. But when you get your own command, things change. See Ace, you're right. System's broke and honestly, sooner or later it's going to crumble under the weight of the world nobles. Don't mean we have to listen to everything they say in the meantime."
He shifted to his knees and dropped a meaty hand onto his grandson's shoulder.
"Instead of struggling against the system, marines use it to do good work, and when you and your brother join, so will you. You might even get to change it! I know some officers are trying. Being a marine is following rules, yes, but it is also knowing when to change them. That's something Rodger could never understand, no matter how many times I tried to explain," he said with a laugh.
Ace looked at his grandpa with wide eyes. The old man simply smiled. Ace looked away and fiddled with his hands.
"Do . . . do you think I can escape that man's legacy?"
Garp hummed to himself.
"You find your justice, my boy, and I know you will. Now, let's get back. Got a long day of training ahead of us tomorrow!"
Garp marched but up the hill to the village as Ace trailed behind, eyes glued to his Grampa's broad back.
Justice and legacy . . .
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
"Hey Ace?"
"What?"
"You don't talk about that beardy guy much anymore."
"Whitebeard?"
"Yeah, Beardy."
Ace looked over his spit of meat and leveled an assessing glare at his brother. The past three years had made Luffy taller and, shockingly, wiser. He was still a dumbass, but there were times when he understood more about Ace than he did himself, even without any words exchanged. Wasn't just Ace either. Just the other week, the little rat had talked a would-be-robber out of stealing their money (as if he could) and into pursuing his dream of oil painting. When he asked how Luffy had done it, he just shrugged and said, "He had a look about him."
Sabo would have been proud.
Thing was, Ace was trying to keep his thoughts to himself on his . . . future. Just until he figured out what he wanted to do, for certain. (He definitely knew what he was going to do and hated it.) Pirate was out of the question, but he never really told anyone that. With his childhood dream dead, what was he supposed to do? (He already knew). So yeah. No talking to Luffy until it was all sorted out. His solution was to just not talk about any of it, but evidently that wasn't going to work today. He'd just play it cool to avoid suspicion from his hyper aware, empathic brother.
….
This was going to be a mess.
"What's there to talk about?" he scoffed, "I'm going to find the fucker and put 'im in the ground, simple as that. Show the whole world I'm better than that man."
Technically the truth. He was always going to gun for that old man's head.
"Mmm, better what?"
"Huh?"
"Better what?" Luffy repeated, "Better pirate?"
Fuck. He's on to me. He's asking guiding questions. I'm done for.
"Uh, just, like, you know, a better man."
"Oh, okay," he responded and returned to his meat.
Okay, crisis averted. Heh, fooled him good.
"Hey Ace."
Damn.
"What?"
Luffy tossed his bare crocodile leg bone into the forest and reached over the fire to grab another one.
"You'll always be my brother, no matter what you are."
Ace blinked at that.
"Uh, okay?"
"But if you get in the way of my dream, I'm going to have to kick your ass."
Ace barked out a laugh at that. Yeah, Luffy knew. Looking at him, so full of life and love, he wondered why he ever worried.
"Fat chance of that, little brother. You haven't beat me in a spar even once."
He frowned at that and leapt to his feet.
"Today's the day I defeat you! I can feel it! Just watch!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Ace wasn't sure if he was making the right choice. All he knew was that the it felt . . . right.
It wasn't what he wanted when he was younger, and he was sure Sabo wouldn't have seen this coming, but it was what he was going to do.
Resolved, he squared his shoulders and entered the marine recruitment center.
...
And there ya be. Would Cannon Ace EVER join the marines? No. Did this make any sense? Meh. Did I still write and post it? Yup.
This was so wordy and way too introspective, but I hope you liked it anyway!