Author's note:
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The chapter was beta'd by the amazing Gerbilfrind who helped me a lot with grammar and paraphrasing. All my love and respect (*Ace's deep bow*).
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Warnings:
English is my fourth language. Warning may change in the future.
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To the 'guest' reviewer (about Arlong and Jinbe)
Thank you for your review. I wish to give you some information about Jinbe (of course, you could watch the Fishman Island Arc, or look for Jinbe in Wiki).
Jinbe did much more than Arlong (could ever dream) to protect the Fishman Island and it residents (you can't even compare them in my opinion, Arlong philosophy is eye for an eye, discrimination, racism and general hate).
Jinbe was a soldier of the Neptune Army, their is job to protect the island and the merpeople. Jinbe resigned from the military and joined the Sun Pirates (Fisher Tiger) to save and rescue slaves (Arlong joined too). Tiger spoke with Jinbe and Arlong telling them not to kill humans; to do otherwise would mean stooping to their level (Arlong killed humans, Nami's mother for one).
After Tiger's death and Arlong's capture, Jinbe took over Fisher Tiger's legacy and became the new captain of the crew. Jinbe joined the Shichibukai, his goal was to strengthen the bond between species (released Arlong from the prison). Jinbe fought Ace (before Ace joined Whitebeard), due to the fishman seeing Whitebeard as a hero for protecting Fishman Island.
Jinbe was also imprisoned in Impel Down, due to being the only member of the Shichibukai who refused the summons of the World Government to stand against the Whitebeard Pirates in the Marineford war. He resigned from the Shichibukai and stood with Whitebeard, because without him the Fishman Island would be without protection (which mean slavers and pirates would attack the island). He joined Big Mom (and not Luffy) to protect the Fishman Island too.
Jinbe is selfless, honorable and a person with great humility. That is my opinion according to the OP facts!
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Thank you to all that followed and favorited.
It really warms my heart and gave me inspiration to continue writing.
THANK YOU, seriously!
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To all of you who reviewed, then I would like to say: you are awesomeness itself ;). Your feedback motivate me to create more! Here is the next chapter XD
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Hope you enjoy,
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see notes at the END, please.
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"There are now eight different Whitebeard allies spotted in Paradise," a deep male voice announced.
"I get some reporters today that confirmed they were also spotted in Sabaody," a female soft voice confirmed.
"And the news about Fire Fist Ace, did he really join the Whitebeard pirates?" an authoritative cold voice colored with annoyance and impatience asked.
"Yes, it has been confirmed that he joined under the Whitebeard flag," the female voice answered calmly.
"His bounty?" demanded the cold voice.
"It will be increased accordingly," the deep male voice assured.
"We have some unrest in Fishman Island," the female voice declared.
"Fishman Island," the cold voice repeated and paused, "isn't it one of Whitebeard territories?"
"Yes," the female voice confirmed. "We weren't able to confirm the reason for the unrest, but some reports indicate the unrest is caused by the kidnapping of mermaids."
The deep male voice added, "I have reports that Jinbe, one of the seven Shichibukai, has asked for information about known slavers in Paradise, and demanded that the marines in Paradies keep watch on specific ships, I could go into more detail .."
"No need," cut the cold voice impatiently.
No one dared to speak.
"Did you find anything about any kidnappings," the cold voice demanded.
"No, sir. My sources weren't able to confirm that there was kidnapping of any kind nor any information on missing mermaids," the female voice answered.
"No, sir," the male voice declared.
After long pause, the cold voice asked calmly.
"Anything more to report?"
"Erm.. we lost visual of two of Whitebeard's ships," the female voice announced, a note of hesitation was barely visible in her voice.
"Oh?" the cold voice said.
"There was a surprise storm and we lost visuals, we were able to find one of the three ships. We are still looking for the others, it is not the first time something like this happened because the weather in the New World is very unpredictable," the female voice explained hurriedly.
"I see," the voice said blankly, the impatience disappeared, he asked coolly.
"Is it the flagship? The one Whitebeard himself stays on?"
"No," came the grudging answer.
"Anything else?" he added.
"Yes," the female voice reluctantly answered and then added after small pause.
"We lost track of Red-Hair. It isn't the first time this has happened either. The Red Force is very hard to track and they don't stay in any place for more than few days, even in their own territories... "
"Where did you lose him?" the cold voice asked evenly, cutting her babble.
"It was near the borders of Kaido's territory."
Only the sound of breathing could be heard.
"Is there any noteworthy information about the other Yonkos?"
"No," come the female's fast answer.
"No," echoed the male deep voice evenly.
Silence prevailed again.
"Find them and keep me updated."
Clank.
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...
The sea was a really mysterious place, marveled Shanks.
A week ago if someone told him that he would be sitting with another Yonko, Whitebeard himself, having a drink on the Moby Dick, and the drink would be provided by Whitebeard himself no less, (they had already finished the sake that he brought) he would have laughed himself into oblivion, after giving the poor sod something strong to drink because he obviously needed it.
Nonetheless here he was in the Moby Dick having a drink with Whitebeard (the good kind too) and waiting.
Ohhh, Shanks snorted inwardly, he still wanted to laugh himself into oblivion.
It was not like that this was the first time they had shared a drink and they did get along, well, as much as two former and current enemies, or two Yonkos could, mused Shanks to himself.
The sea was mysterious thing indeed.
All of this, wondered Shanks amusedly, because of one little brat.
He hoped his little anchor was doing well and being here did decrease his worries a bit (more than a bit he grudgingly admitted to himself).
Shanks remembered when almost a week ago Lucky Roo burst into the party they were having in the honor of hmmmm … he couldn't remember now what were they celebrating, probably some new recruits joining, or buying new sake or beating new drinking record or Yasopp shooting new record … anyway, it didn't really matter...
Lucky Roo burst with newspaper in his hand instead of his usual huge chunk of meat.
Seeing Luffy's wanted poster Shanks had felt different kind of happiness, like a father watching his son take his first step. When he scanned the poster, his first thought was that no one could mistake that big D smile. Even after eight years it stayed the same, and the precious straw hat was safe on his head, he had felt quite proud before reality settled in and he then started panicking.
He was actually ordering his crew to prepare the ship to set sail to East Blue to find what the hell in the freaking world happened!
Bad and worst case scenarios had been running in his head and all he could think of was what the heck has happened?
Luffy wasn't supposed to set sail until he was 17 according to what Ace told him when they met, Luffy had promised.
Luffy took his promises really seriously.
He knew that people changed, that worlds could change. He lived in the New World, for God sake. Here nothing, and he meant literally nothing, could be taken for granted, not the weather, the sea, the creatures, or the islands….
But he had no doubt that Luffy would not change, would never change, if he had any doubt Shanks wouldn't have entrusted him with his treasure, his hopes and his dreams.
So he knew that only a disaster could had occurred for him to leave with his sister (Marcy if he wasn't mistaken, he remembered Ace telling him about her and that she was supposed to set sail a year before Luffy, he had asked Benny to keep an eye on when her news began to arrive, she was a sister of two troublemakers, meaning she would definitely cause all kinds of newsworthy troubles).
They didn't set sail to East Blue of course. Benny come back to the panicked preparation, got the story from him (Shanks didn't know how, he was hysteric!) and the crew, and then calmly pointed out that Luffy wasn't in East Blue now, and if Luffy and his sister were in any kind trouble or danger, they were gonna try to contact their family, Ace.
Shanks become speechless. He knew that Ace was Luffy and Marcy's big brother, he had met the guy like eight or nine months ago. How could he not think of that himself?
He could only imagine how Ace was feeling. If he was hysteric with worry, how would Ace be handling this situation.
Well, Benny did what Benny did best, and talked some sense into him, Skanks didn't know what he would do without his adorable first mate.
They decided if anyone had the slightest idea about what was going on it would be Ace, and they knew where to find him.
To tell the truth, he was a little worried about Ace, when news of him disappeared after he had left to challenge Whitebeard (his attitude and determination did remind him of both Luffy and his old captain Roger), he was considering finding the old man Whitebeard soon anyway and having pleasant chat with him over some good sake (demanding some answers from him about Ace's fate).
He knew Whitebeard would not kill the boy, he wasn't that kind of pirate but news on Ace had ceased to exist. So he had fretted and worried that maybe there was an accident, maybe the fight went too far and Ace...
How would Luffy handle hearing that his brother...… No, that didn't matter anymore because it didn't happen and nothing would happen to the beloved youngest son of Whitebeard he mused to himself.
The boy had joined the Whitebeard pirates after putting a quite an impressive fight, Whitebeard seemed quite smug telling him all about it.
Hmmm, Shanks took a gulp of his sake, looking at the sky, ignoring the old man's stare and enjoying the cool sea air and his walk down the memory lane of the last week.
It took them four days to trace where the Moby Dick was sailing, another three days to be able to follow them, and find them without alerting the Marines (which was quite tricky! Lucky there was a storm and they had one of the best navigators on board who had maneuvered the Red Force skillfully though the weather and under the marines' radar).
The Marines, thought Shanks with a grin, were more than probably in full panic mode now, losing sight of him and Whitebeard in the same time.
Hmmm, they were able to sneak under the marines' radar this time but they shouldn't push their luck, the marines weren't stupid despite how they behaved most of the time. They had no doubt dispatched many ships to look for them. He made Benny (who had given him the stink eye that promised that there would be a heavy price to pay later) take the Red Force and conceal it far away, so if even in the case of the marines finding the Moby Dick they wouldn't know that Yonkos were having a meeting. No need to take any risky chances.
Hmmm...
While they were sailing at the speed of light (yes the Red Force was that fast. No, of course he was not exaggerating) to find the Moby Dick scenarios were running in his mind, he couldn't sleep a wink, and he couldn't enjoy drinking either. Shanks didn't know what Benny told the crew to explain his unusual behavior and why were they searching for the strongest man of the world, if not to pick a fight with him (in those last few days, he noted that some of his crew members had become a firm believers in variety of gods), but nobody disturbed his gloomy self.
And here he was waiting with Whitebeard for Ace to return from his voyage (Whitebeard refused to explain where and what Ace was doing! giving Shanks a glare intensified with Haki for emphasis when he continued to ask), but according to the last transmission they should be here soon.
He wondered how Ace was doing? From what he gleaned from Whitebeard, Shanks did not think Ace was doing so good. Shanks could imagine that since he took the news poorly to Ace it would have been his worst nightmare coming true. He wanted to make sure that the kid (Ace) was okay and console him a bit (when he told Benny that, he snorted and shook his head muttering about idiots needing consoling themselves and how they should mind their own damn business..) and not only because he was Luffy's big brother, which made him quite special. To be chosen by Luffy was an honor bestowed only in few. He had no doubt that Luffy pursued him and nagged at him until Ace give up and agreed to become his brother.
Ace was quite the impressive young man in Shanks' eyes, not because he was a new super rookie that was able to get famous quite quickly, and even had the world government after him trying to recruit him into becoming a Shichibukai, which he refused vehemently, or that he challenged Whitebeard (that one made him an idiot actually) and then impressed the old man enough to want him as his son and then have Whitebeard brag loudly about it.
That did make him impressive to anyone else but not in Shanks' eyes.
No, it was how seriously he took the mantle of brother, seeking him, a Yonko, just to bow to him in thanks for saving his younger brother years ago (a time that Ace had not even known of Luffy's existence). A young man whose eyes lit up and his face brightened when he told him about Luffy and Marcy, his little family. This was what made Ace have a special spot (small) for himself in Shanks heart.
He took another gulp of the sake eyeing Whitebeard, who was staring back at him, his eyes narrowed, thinking about the little information that the old man shared with him. Apparently some of the old man's allies were able to track down Luffy and his sister to an island they just departed from in Paradise, and that they were able to find the next island the siblings intended to sail to, which should make tracking them easier. Hopefully, they would be able to find them real soon.
When Shanks asked for more details, Whitebeard had a strange glint in his eyes and called two commanders to explain (he can't remember their names, it was the one with chef attire and brown pompadour hairstyle AKA the hairdo weirdo, and the other short one wearing strange green outfit with ruffled collar, AKA the tights weirdo), which lead to one the of most bizarre one sided conversation he ever heard (and he was known to have one sided conversation himself with rocks, ahem Benny ahem), between their fits of endless giggles he was able to glean somethings happened involving (maybe! If he understood right!) gods falling from the sky, a cannonball balloon resistance, followers of the meat God, volcanos of gold, the religion of meat eaters and a balloon like sculptor of some kind for protection (he had no idea what he just said), and somehow Luffy and his sister were involved.
How? He didn't know and he dare not ask.
Shanks had wasted more than hour trying to decipher what the hair weirdo and tights weirdo had meant and now he was questioning if it had been worth it (his only consolation that he now had good sake to help cure the epic headache).
Really! For the sake of his own sanity he did not want to know.
But what's important was that the two brats, as Whitebeard had dubbed them, Shanks snorted inwardly at the title, were alive and probably okay, and the Whitebeard allies were getting closer and closer to find them.
But what put Shanks in such good mood, was Whitebeard's unconcealed interest in the two brats, especially in Luffy.
Whitebeard bluntly asked him if Luffy was the one that he bet his arm on, and demanded explanation to why.
Shanks was surprised out of his wits, and all he could do was laugh hysterically. Even when he wasn't here Luffy was still able to be the center of attention and, well, trouble.
His laughter made both crews tense (This was before he ordered, Ahem, convinced Benny to leave and conceal the Red Force). Especially when Whitebeard's aura intensified. Shanks told him, when he was finally able to control his laughter (it took a while), that yes, Luffy was the one that Shank bet his arm on, and that Luffy would most definitely bring a new era. He refused to add more on the subject.
Whitebeard had become agitated at getting only a monosyllabic replies from him while Shanks had a knowing smile on his face. Finally, Shanks added to pacify him (while cackling joyfully inside) that he didn't want Whitebeard opinion to be colored with other things, he should meet the brat himself and form his own opinions (this olive branch was given only because the old man was sharing the good kind of sake with him).
But really, Shanks didn't want to ruin the surprise that was called Luffy.
Even though Luffy was a walking unpredictability, he didn't see the need of giving (really he was against giving any clue. It would simply ruin the fun) the old man any help to prepare.
He wanted to be around when the two of them met for the first time.
It promised to be quite the entertaining show. Especially if the old man tried to recruit him, ohh, dammit! Why did he make the promise with Luffy again, he was gonna miss the most entertaining show in the seven seas. Maybe he could hide here until the allies brought them back to the Moby Dick, it would be only month or two.
It would be worth it and he could enjoy the old man sake. He would give it the old man, he had good taste when it came to sake.
A plan was forming in Shanks's head when a picture of his first mate appeared in his head and in swift wind destroyed the sand castles of his imagination. Benny would not be amused (he would probably drag him by the ear before even finishing the first sentence) but still… damn ... at least plant a recording Den Den Mushi, hmmm, maybe have several of them placed to watch the face-off...
Ohhh, maybe he should have a small talk about this issue with the hairdo weirdo and the tights weirdo, he had feeling they would appreciate the ….
A clearing of throat cut through Shanks musings and plans.
A broad-chested, heavily-armored man was standing at the end of the stairs leading to where he and Whitebeard were sitting enjoying their drinks and chat.
Whitebeard signaled for him to come closer.
The man eyed Shanks warily. Apparently Shanks left quite impression when he first stepped on the Moby Dick. He had to admit he might have gone a little bit more overboard than he intended to, but in his defense he was anxious and stuck with his gloomy thoughts for a while, and at the first option to let some steam off he Hakied off (oops).
Shanks eyed him, trying to remember who he was, he was a commander for sure. He had a long face with black stripe-like patterns for his beard and his hairstyle.
'Diamond' Jozu, the 3rd division commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
The stoic and solemn man ignored him and walked to where Whitebeard was sitting.
"Pops," he began tensely eyeing Shanks covertly.
A raised eyebrow from Whitebeard caused him to relax his shoulders and he continued calmly.
"A ship has been spotted sailing in our direction."
"The boys?"
"We can't see the Jolly Roger yet! The ship is still too far, and we also can't seem to connect them by the Den Den Mushi."
Whitebeard grunted in acknowledgement before he ordered, "Be ready for anything."
Jozu nodded and left to prepare the ship and the crew for anything that might come their way.
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The scene between Shanks and Whitebeard I wrote right after I posted the first chapter (I was waiting patiently to posted it ^^).
Sooooooo, what do you think?
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I am a little bit lacking in inspiration and motivation to write the next chapter (which should be an awesome one because we finally heave some characters meet, shishsi, not telling you who!, you can guess..), so help!
Leave a review.. Pretty please.