Kill the Rabbit

by Mountain97

Ace, one of the newest members of 2nd division, has been a Whitebeard Pirate for about a year. For him, having a place to call home where people love him is a semi-new experience and he savors every minute of it. But one of Whitebeard's allies knows Ace, and when they meet Ace is...less than friendly. But why? NO PAIRINGS Mild AU backstory changes rated for lang, blood, and horror.

28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28: (A/N: hello once again. I'm stuck at home sick, so I have a bit of time to write. Hopefully this will mean a quicker update, but no promises. As always, I've done my best to update as quickly as possible, and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

LordOfCamels: hahahahaha expect the unexpected. XD That's true of last chapter, and will remain true for this one. Expect the unexpected. Be vigilant! XD sorry…dunno what that was. My brain's a little muggy…damn medicine. Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it! Hahahahaha but they're so much fun! How could I have RESISTED? It was simply too perfect a cliffhanger to just continue on writing. Hopefully the quick update will make up for the ending of the last chapter. :) Congrats! You got the bonus question right! If you'll remember in chapter 11 when Rouge makes an appearance and slaps Whitebeard and Marco, she speaks Italian. Not Spanish. Hahahaha. I said her dress looked like it was "cut from the summer horizon" or something to that effect, right? What color is the horizon during the day? Green is a common color for caterpillars, but this isn't exactly your average caterpillar. :)

Panda Bear: Yup. Nice summary. XD Wow. Stumped ya, did I? :3 Thank you so much! YOU TOTALLY SHOULD. IT'S SO AWESOME. And yes, videogames do rule the world. :D

Guest (no signature): Correct! You're a little off on WHY you're correct, but you are correct. Reading the chapter will tell you exactly WHY you're correct. :)

This chapter has been rated T borderline M for VIOLENCE and SOME EXPLICIT DRUG USE.

OH ALSO! I'm using facts given to me by wiki answers, so if there is false information in this chapter, I deeply apologize.

And now, ON WITH THE CHAPTER.)

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Ace's hand closed around it. He began to slowly pull it from his pocket, the movement calm and even. She was staring into his eyes with such intensity that it bordered on a glare. His hand was now clear of the rim of his pocket and one of her hands moved to intercept his. Her eyes darted down to his hand for a moment, but when he did not open his fist, she turned her gaze back to his. She smiled at him.

"Just give that here, Ace. Then you can stay here forever. With me forever. Isn't that what you want?" Ace looked down, quiet for a moment. A grin crossed his features, then he laughed for a moment. She was staring at him, openly confused. Ace's laughter cut off abruptly and he looked back into her eyes.

"Well played, Caterpillar. But it's figlio or bambino, not niño." Ace was glaring now.

"My mother spoke Italian, not Spanish."

Ace lashed out with his left hand, aiming to hit her hard enough in the head or face to at least stun her for a moment. His hand was moving fast enough, and his aim was perfect. His hand, now just millimeters from her perfect jaw, wasn't moving fast enough to knock her out, he didn't have the arm strength to knock out a fully grown woman from this position, but the blow would be enough to stun her for a moment or two, enough time for Ace to hopefully find some way to gain more of an advantage over the situation. He waited for that sensation, the pain in his hand, her noise of surprise, the hardness of her bone beneath his hand.

None came.

His hand went clear through her head like it didn't exist.

Ace stared at her, completely shocked for a moment. The image of her reformed itself like his hand hadn't passed through it, and her whole image glitched, parts of it momentarily shifting harshly sideways before reforming itself. She stood and glared down at him.

"That wasn't very nice, Ace." The Caterpillar still spoke in Rouge's voice, but it was an ugly sound, a snarl of anger. Her face was contorted into a grimace of rage, and the expression didn't suit her features. Ace stumbled back, shocked by the expression and voice. It wasn't that he didn't expect Caterpillar to be pissed it was just…seeing that on her face…it just wasn't right. It wasn't natural. Her face had always been one of compassion and kindness. Neither was present now.

The Caterpillar's image of Rouge moved with blinding speed, moving towards Ace faster than any human should be able to move. Ace threw himself to the side, automatically rolling around behind her and trying to throw a punch at the softer regions of her back. She spun with inhuman speed and grabbed his wrist. Her grip was like iron and so tight he felt his bones creak under the strain. He was confused, though. Shouldn't his wrist have just passed right through her hand?

It's my domain we're in. You play by my rules here, Ace.

The image of Rouge lifted his wrist above his head slowly. He tried to remain standing, first straightening his knees as far as they would go, then rising up on tiptoe, but she kept raising him up until he was hanging from his arm, her grip around his wrist keeping him immobile and helplessly dangling in the air. She used only one hand to support his full weight, the other hanging loosely by her side. She was staring at him blankly, her face devoid of emotion.

Now, Ace. Give me that key. Ace tried to writhe out of not-Rouge's grip, but she held his arm firmly, and suspended as he was in the air, he couldn't exactly pull against her. He tried kicking her, but each time his feet just phased through her body. She continued staring at him with that blank expression, soulless eyes staring right through him.

I said NOW.

"Never!" Ace could feel Caterpillar's anger, and almost instantly not-Rouge's face contorted into its grimace of rage once again. Her free hand rose slowly, then abruptly moved.

She slapped him. Hard.

His whole head was turned with the force of the blow, and he let out a small, involuntary cry of pain. His cheek smarted from the blow. He was certain a clear, red handprint would develop soon.

Ace looked down into not-Rouge's face, but it had gone dead again, devoid of emotion. Ace felt tears prick at his eyes, and tried to dismiss them as ridiculous. This wasn't his mother. It wasn't her. She would…His real mother would never hit him.

So why did he feel like crying?

It's just the drug. It's still in your system and it's making you susceptible to Caterpillar's trickery. Ace squeezed his eyes shut, trying to convince himself it was truth. Your real mother loves you. She died for you.

"No I didn't." Ace's eyes snapped open, and he stared at the woman holding him. She was looking at him with utter disgust. "I wasn't given any choice. The marines killed me. I was shot twice. Once through the shoulder, and again through the stomach. I bled out on the shore of some God-forsaken spit of rock because they thought I was pregnant with you. I'd given birth to you two months before, but they didn't know, so they killed me just to be sure." Her face was a snarl of anger and disgust, and Ace felt his heart crack. She continued on mercilessly. "That bastard Garp saved you." She snorted. "What a damn mistake that was. I never would have died if it hadn't been for you." Ace was staring at her, eyes wide. "I slept with your father because I loved him, but I never counted on you showing up. I never thought that one mistake could lead to the single biggest regret of my life." Ace felt tears in his eyes, but couldn't care less how weak he looked. She snarled at him, eyes full of anger and resentment.

"I wish you'd never been born and I'll never, never love you."

Ace felt the tears on his cheeks, but could do nothing but stare at her with shock and hurt. Her glare didn't lessen or break, and after a moment he turned his eyes away. She released his wrist and he collapsed to the ground, crumpling as he hit it. He ended up laying on his side, too shocked, too hurt, and too broken to move or resist. She kicked him once, hard, in the stomach.

"The key. Now." She crouched down and looked him in the eye, gaze still hard as granite. Ace couldn't even bring himself to move, and after a moment she gave hiss of frustration, turning towards his still-closed left hand.

"You better get the hell away from my son before I tear you apart." The Caterpillar's Rouge had only just begun to lift her head when she went flying over Ace's still body, coming to rest a few feet behind him. Ace sat up, looking around. He blinked in surprise and confusion.

There were two of them.

One of the Rouges was laying on the ground on her back, and the other was straddling her, pinning her to the ground. The Rouge on the bottom lifted one hand and punched the Rouge on top across the face, her own face a livid mask of rage. The Rouge on top recoiled from the blow, but did not allow herself to be knocked off the Rouge on the bottom. The Rouge on top tried to hit the Rouge beneath her, but just as with Ace, her hand passed right through the bottom Rouge's face. She blinked in surprise, then narrowed her eyes at the Rouge on bottom.

"Two can play at that game, puttana." Rouge on bottom reached up, clearly intent on punching the Rouge on top again, but her hand passed through top-Rouge's face. Bottom Rouge tried to buck top Rouge off of her, but top Rouge would not be unseated. The Rouge on bottom shrieked with frustration, and the Rouge on top smirked down at her victoriously. The bottom Rouge tried to writhe out from under the top Rouge, but once more the top Rouge refused to release her. Top Rouge darted out, seizing both wrists of bottom Rouge and pinning them to the ground. Top Rouge turned her head and grinned at Ace, panting lightly with exertion.

"Get out of here, sweetheart. Mother's just got to deal with a little issue." Ace had gotten to his feet and been staring confusedly at the identical pair. At Rouge's words he blinked, coming back to his senses.

"What?" Top Rouge gave an 'oof' as bottom Rouge headbutted her in the stomach, but as ever refused to release the other Rouge from beneath her. The Rouge beneath her was snarling and writhing like a pinned panther, spitting insults and trying to get free. Top Rouge seemed to give up and raised both hands above her head wielding a…frying pan?

CLUNG

The strangeness of the weapon had no effect on its usefulness, and after just one blow bottom Rouge was out cold. Ace continued to stand there, staring. Top Rouge stood and brushed nonexistent dirt off her light blue dress, panting. She looked down at the other Rouge.

"Well that was fun. I haven't gotten to hit someone that hard in a very long time." Rouge turned away from her unconscious foe and looked at Ace. Her hair was a mess, her dress was wrinkled, and she had a small cut on her lip from when the other Rouge had hit her. She made an effort of straightening her hair and dress, then grinned at Ace. Ace could do no more then stare at her in shock. After a moment, though, the same wild grin came to his face.

"Wow. Somehow I always pictured you more…"

"Ladylike?" Rouge grinned at him. "I had my off days."

"But…why a frying pan?" Rouge pouted.

"What's the matter with a frying pan?"

"Nothing. I just…never thought of it as a weapon." Rouge laughed.

"Neither did your father until he was out cold on my kitchen floor." Ace gawked at her.

"What?!" Rouge scratched the back of her head awkwardly.

"On the day we first met I kind of…accidentally attacked him and half his crew." Ace stared at her blankly. She looked at him, blushing. "What? I thought he was breaking into my house!"

"And you won."

"Yes!"

"With a frying pan."

"He didn't wake up for four hours. Lucky for the other half of the crew Rayleigh explained they were just there looking for shelter from a hurricane. I would have had them begging for mercy. I swear some looked about ready to soil their pants. They were just lucky I didn't have my cast iron." Ace stared at her for a moment, then laughed. Gol D Roger, most feared and powerful pirate in the entire world, and his mother had knocked him and half his crew out cold for four hours. It must have been some damn fast talking on Rayleigh's part to keep the other half from the same fate. She could have had them all unconscious and turned into the marines. His mother. Ace felt a near absurd surge of pride.

"You're going to have to teach me how to use one of those things." Rouge laughed.

"Maybe later. But for now we have to get out of here."

I don't think so.

Ace had only just begun to turn when a dozen white, gloved hands materialized seemingly from nowhere. Four of them closed in on him, lifting him off the ground and restraining his movement. The other eight turned to Rouge, some attempting to wrestle the frying pan from her grasp. At first she batted them away like she was playing tennis, but eventually they out maneuvered her and seized her and the weapon.

Playtime's over, Ace. Give me the key. Ace struggled for a moment, trying to free himself from the restraining hands. They didn't budge, and he remained stranded in midair, powerless. The key. Now.

"No."

Yes. Now hand it over.

"No. I won't give you the key." Caterpillar seemed to sigh.

I had really hoped it wouldn't come to this. The hand holding Ace's left arm released him and moved over to Rouge. It wrapped long fingers around her throat. Ace blinked, then laughed.

"Threatening her won't make me give you the key."

Oh? And why's that?

"She may be here to help me now because my life's in danger, but…" Ace looked down, into Rouge's eyes. His expression was sad. He sighed quietly. "But it doesn't change the facts. 10 years ago she died. I don't know why or how, but she's allowed to visit me sometimes. When I really need her to, she shows up. Just like…" Ace swallowed, the memory replaying itself in his mind. "Just like when Sabo died." Rouge tried to smile at him comfortingly. Ace looked back up.

"So threatening her is pointless. You can't kill her because she's not alive."

I can't kill her, but she can still experience pain while in this world. So can you, creator dear. Ace's eyes widened. Caterpillar's hand moved from around Rouge's throat to her hand, gripping the pointer finger firmly. I believe you're familiar with exactly how much this will hurt?

"Wait! Don't do it!" Rouge looked up at him.

"Ace don't you dare do this. I'm here to help you, not to get you into a deeper mess. If you let go of that key, young man…" Ace turned to her, almost glaring.

"What? You'll ground me? You've already been through enough on my behalf, I'm not about to see you tortured for my sake!" Rouge scoffed.

"I can deal with pain, Ace. But I'm not about to watch you give up something this important. Please, don't do this." Ace stared into her pleading eyes for a moment longer, then addressed the room at large.

"You want it? It's in my left hand. I want to see your face, though." Ace could feel Caterpillar's sense of victory, yet there was that niggling confusion.

Why do you want to see me?

"I'm giving you a prize, remember? This kind of thing is usually done face to face."

…No.

"Oh? Why not?"

I don't take unnecessary risks. Ace laughed.

"Scared! You're afraid of me?" Caterpillar seemed to snarl.

I'm not afraid. Ace shook his head.

"Sure you aren't. Sure. Because 12 against 2 is totally fair."

There are not twelve of me.

"You do have twelve hands, though. Isn't that cheating?" Ace was looking around, searching for something, anything, anything out of place in the airdarksmoke.

I cannot control how I was made. It's by your doing that I have twelve hands. Ace continued his search. There has to be something, a body somewhere. The hands must be attached to something. Ace was careful to guard the thought, not allowing it to enter the open mindspace.

"Yet you still use all of them to fight."

…I repeat, I do not take unnecessary risks. Your mother is quite talented with that…weapon of hers.

"…So you're scared of a frying pan?" It was a slow process, but Ace was able to discern somewhat of a direction from which Caterpillar's 'voice' was coming, and by that he could, given enough time, triangulate his position.

A weapon is only as dangerous as the person who wields it. That woman is far more dangerous than most give her credit for.

"It's still not fair."

All is fair in love and war.

"You know, I never actually read that book."

And, by extension, I haven't either. Now, enough dawdling, give me the key.

Ace swallowed. He was out of time. He didn't know exactly where Caterpillar was, but he had a general area. Ace allowed a smile to come to his face.

"Congratulations, Caterpillar. The contents of my left hand are yours to do with as you please. Happy birthday!" Ace made a wide, sweeping motion with his left arm, simultaneously opening his hand.

The salt sprayed out of his hand in a wide arc, covering a large area. Since he had been able to deduce Caterpillar's approximate location, the majority of it hit Caterpillar.

And damn if he wasn't big.

Caterpillar was still invisible, but as the salt came into contact with his body, Ace heard him scream and based on the way the airdarksmoke whirled and eddied sporadically, he was writhing.

Everywhere the salt came into contact with Caterpillar's body hissed, giving off foul-smelling smoke.

The whole room seemed to lurch sideways, and gravity seemed to be changing its mind about which way was down. Ace's stomach revolted at the unfamiliar sensation, but he refused to be sick. For just a moment, Ace felt as if he was seeing through the room, like it was just an image superimposed on a barely transparent screen. Before him was a gigantic worm- no, Caterpillar himself. His hands were desperately trying to free his body of the salt, and he was rolling and writhing in agony.

The hands around Ace finally released him, preferring to aid Caterpillar in his attempt to get off the burning salt. Ace fell to the ground, not quite managing to land on his feet with the shifting gravity. Rouge was beside him in an instant, helping him stand.

"What did you do?" She had to shout to be heard over the rumbling of Caterpillar's movements and the near earthquake-like shaking of the room.

"I threw salt on him. Enough salt will kill a Caterpillar. Don't think it's enough to kill one this big, though." Ace shouted back with equal volume. He looked around. Crystalline pieces of ceiling were raining down, and the pair began to sprint for the exit. Or in what Ace hoped was the direction of the exit.

The airdarksmoke continued to interrupt Ace's vision, and he couldn't make out the entrance to the tunnel that he had come in through. The rumbling was only getting worse and larger and larger bits of ceiling and walls were coming crumbling to the floor.

Eventually they came to the edge of the massive room, the transparent crystal wall arching gently to form the spherical chamber. Through the wall they could see the city outside, and Ace pulled the two of them to a stop, shocked by what he saw.

The entire city was collapsing.

Crystalline towers were crumbling down, colliding with others as they fell. The whole city rang with the sound of shattering glass, and Ace could see some of the city's ethereal inhabitants fleeing the buildings. As he watched, the tower next to the one he and Rouge were in crumbled, collapsing on itself and falling almost straight down. Ace watched boulder-sized pieces of crystal rain down on the streets below, and the noise. If someone dropped one hundred champagne glasses all at once the sound wouldn't even come close to the noise the collapsing tower made.

A piece of ceiling hit the floor a few paces away from Ace, shattering at the impact. Ace threw up his arms to shield himself from the shards of glass. Rouge grabbed his wrist and began leading him away.

"We have to go. Now." Her voice was urgent and her tugging on his arm insistent. Ace didn't feel the urgency of a life-threatening situation, though. Something…something about this wasn't triggering his survival instincts like he would expect if he were actually in a collapsing tower. He refused to move, and Rouge finally gave up pulling on him. She turned to face him, expression showing urgency and concern. "Ace we have to get out of here now or else the entire building is going to collapse!" Ace shook his head, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He opened his mouth to speak, but flinched back as another piece of ceiling hit the floor and shattered. He shouted over the noise.

"Something's different. I don't think we're actually in danger here."

"What?! What are you talking about? Ace this whole building is going to shatter and come crashing down and if we aren't out of here in the next two minutes, it's going to bring us with it!"

"I don't think so. I don't think…" Ace took a deep breath, then looked Rouge in the eyes. "Mother, I don't think this is real." Rouge sighed.

"Ace I could have told you that from the beginning, but this place is your creation, kind of like a dream. If you die in a dream, your mind stops functioning and you really do die, so for the love of God I'm going to get you out of here." She began pulling on his wrist insistently again, but Ace still refused to move.

"No, Mother. This isn't real even in Wonderland." Rouge turned to him, confusion in her face.

"What?"

"This whole building, this whole city, isn't real!" Rouge looked at him like he was crazy. "No, I'm serious! For a moment, back when I threw salt on Caterpillar, for just a moment I could see through this! Caterpillar's got me drugged and I think it's some kind of hallucinogen."

"Wha-" The whole building shook and began tipping to one side.

"Listen, I just need a minute and I think I might be able to get out of this." Rouge looked at him and he met her gaze evenly. After a moment she sighed.

"Okay. Just…I don't want to see you hurt." Ace smiled at her.

"We wouldn't have been able to get down anyway. There isn't a staircase." Before Rouge could respond, Ace shut his eyes and reached out to Caterpillar.

Hello again. How'd you like your prize? Ace heard Caterpillar sigh.

Very clever, Ace. Very clever. You didn't manage to kill me, but I'll not bother you anymore. Ace could sense Caterpillar's distaste. I'd not enjoy another encounter with sodium chloride or your mother's weapon.

What's happening, Caterpillar? Why is the whole city collapsing?

Caterpillar sighed. The death of a dream is neither pleasant nor gentle.

A dream?

What defines dream and reality? That which we accept becomes reality. I disliked the last world I was a part of and chose to create my own. Can you truly condemn me for that? Ace paused for a moment.

…I'm not that hypocritical.

So you accept that your current reality is merely a lie you've accepted in lieu of the truth?

Yes. Caterpillar laughed.

Lies are so much prettier, aren't they? Are you and I so very different, Ace? I created a fairytale out of my nightmares. It may not be reality, but it makes me happy. I was allowed to create perfection. Unattainable perfection. I stood in the place of gods and I built my dreams.

Perfection. Yet…imperfection even within that.

Because we are imperfect. Tainted. Stained you and I. Ferocity taints your dreams, so what taints mine?

Fragility. Fragility and ignorance. Caterpillar laughed briefly, then turned thoughtful.

…I could have built anything. So why a city? Why bother creating an entire city if it's just my dream?

The solitude of a creator is perfect and unbreakable, Caterpillar. It's another flaw in our dreams. No matter how perfectly different your living creations are, they're still only a self-portrait. Caterpillar paused, thinking. After a moment he sighed.

I'll concede this round to you. Keep your key. I like my dreams better.

I'm sorry I broke them. Caterpillar waved him off. There was a moment of silence, and Ace felt like he was rising out of a very deep pool. He was near the surface of that pool when Caterpillar spoke again.

Goodbye, Ace. Come back someday, and maybe we can dream together, you and I. Create our impossible, perfectly imperfect worlds. Grow old as lonely gods together, sated and starving in our dreams.

Maybe one day. Ace could feel his mind losing touch with Caterpillar's. Maybe you can teach me the secrets of holometabolism and we can fly away, you and I. The stars seem a nice place for dreaming. Caterpillar was now almost entirely faded from Ace's mind and he felt like he was floating in darkness. A moment of silence passed. Ace felt the last traces of Caterpillar slipping away. …Goodbye, Caterpillar.

Ace's eyes opened.

He was lying on the ground in a clearing. The sun was going to rise soon, and already some of the stars had faded. Ace sat up and instantly violent dizziness came over him. Ace rubbed his head, squeezed his eyes shut, and groaned. His limbs felt like they were made of lead, his head was spinning, and his fingers felt about as dexterous as sausages. Note to self: don't do drugs.

Ace opened his eyes again slowly, looking around the clearing.

There was no city. No tower. No ephemeral creatures. No sign that they had ever been there, and indeed they hadn't. Just a clearing. Just a clearing with a small plant growing near its center. And, hanging from that plant, a small cocoon of light white-grey silk. And, in front of the cocoon, two perfect white gloves, woven from the same silver-white material. Ace took the gloves and folded them neatly, putting them into his right pocket. He nodded to the cocoon. Thanks, Caterpillar.

Standing proved more difficult than expected. Ace's first attempt had him back on the ground before he had even fully made it to his feet. The second attempt was adequately more successful, with Ace managing to stand for about 5 seconds. His successive attempt at taking a step forwards, though, landed him on his face and back at square one.

By the time the dizziness had warn off to the point where Ace could stand and walk slowly, the sun had just finished rising. He had made it to the edge of the clearing and out into the light forest beyond when a familiar voice made him pause.

"How was it? Of all the things I expected of you, getting high wasn't one of them." Ace took a deep breath.

"It wasn't exactly intentional. And you could have warned me that what I thought was mist was actually Caterpillar's…whatever it was he was smoking!" Cheshire laughed.

"But watching you trying to stand up again afterwards was worth it." Ace sighed.

"Well enough about that. Lead me to Queen."

"Oh you think you can give orders now?"

"No, but since I can't ask questions, there was no other way to phrase it."

"Touché." Cheshire had padded around and was now seated in front of Ace, massive grin still in place, as ever. Ace sighed.

"Will you ever be more bearable to live with?" Cheshire laughed.

"No. But it's not by choice that I'm your roommate. Or…brainmate, in this case."

"Oh?" Cheshire met his gaze, eyes full of desire.

"I want to be by own being."

"You what?"

"I want to be in charge of my own personal body and mind. I am merely a construct of a piece of your mind, but I want to be more than that. I am more than that. I deserve more than that." Cheshire's voice had taken on a different tone than before, full of desperate want. His eyes had gone hard, very, very hard, and he took a step towards Ace. Ace took a cautious step back.

"Cheshire you're scaring me." Cheshire stopped and met Ace's eyes.

"You're scaring yourself. It's not my fault you're scared of your own mind. I am you. We all are you. Don't ever forget that." Cheshire blinked, then looked away. He took a deep breath, then looked back at Ace. His eyes were calmer, showing none of their former hunger. He met Ace's mildly fearful gaze. "Queen's palace isn't far from here. But you'll have to pass through his gardens first." Ace swallowed, then nodded.

"Okay."

"Queen himself lives in the palace, but the grounds are quite extensive, and the majority are manicured gardens. He's very fond of roses and has an entire maze formed out of the damnably spiky things. You don't have to go through the maze itself, but you will have to walk through the majority of the garden to see Queen." Ace winced.

"That sounds time consuming and I get the feeling I don't have a lot of time left." Cheshire's grin seemed to widen.

"No, there's no time at all. You see, the Location has moved again and all of them, Queen in particular, are searching desperately for that key."

"Queen has some kind of advantage." Cheshire nodded.

"Because the location is currently just outside his gardens." Ace bit his lip.

"And I'm practically leaping into the jaws of the tiger."

"An eloquent summary of current events. But if you ever mean to escape from here, this is the best time." Ace raised an eyebrow meaningfully. Cheshire continued. "If you remain here much longer, you'll eventually be caught up by one of the others and let me tell you, by our standards, Caterpillar was playing nice. Run while you can, Ace. The monsters are taking off their masks."

Cheshire disappeared.

---

Ace could do nothing but stare in wonder. Damn the gardens were big!

Rows upon rows of perfectly maintained red roses were growing in pristine condition. Well-ordered paths wound among the flowering plants, and the whole area smelled of the blood-red blooms. Ornate, black iron fences bordered the beds of flowering bushes, and the occasional fountain murmured quietly to itself.

And then there was the maze.

It seemed endless. The hedges that formed it were tall, about three times as tall as Ace. The hedges were rose plants too, but seemed less focused on their flowery nature than their thorny one. The maze twisted and wound in ever more complex patterns, and Ace couldn't even guess at the correct route through it. Hell, Ace couldn't even see the edge of it. One edge was pressed against the right side of the garden, sure, but the other side stretched past the horizon and Ace couldn't make out the end of it. Ace shivered. Glad I don't have to go through there. Ace could easily imagine himself getting beyond lost in that tangled labyrinth.

"Cheshire!"

"I really shouldn't indulge you like this. If I continue, you'll become a spoiled brat soon." Cheshire's voice was weary, but he appeared anyway, a ways off to Ace's left. Ace turned to face him.

"I need you to tell me where the Location is." Cheshire raised an eyebrow.

"I thought you were going to see Queen?"

"I am. It's damnably stupid of me to go and see Queen, I know it is, but I feel like it's necessary for me to. I want to know where the Location is so I can make a fast exit if necessary." Cheshire laughed at that.

"Fast exit indeed. You want the Location?" Cheshire's grin widened. "It's on the other side of the maze." Ace leaned back against a tree with a sigh.

"Damn it." Cheshire chuckled.

"Eloquent as ever, Ace. As for your visit to Queen, you do need to see him." Cheshire's grin remained wide as ever. "He's the one that has all your memories locked up. You'll need them if you ever intend to regain normalcy back in the real world." Ace blinked at Cheshire.

"Wh-"

"Forgetting is just forgetting, except when it isn't. Make no mistake, Ace. Your memories were stolen."

"He has my memories? But how? Where is he keeping them? Some of them have come back to me naturally as I've experienced similar stuff, but…wait a second. How can he 'lock up' my memories? Memories are just thoughts and thus nonphysical."

"Not here. They have a physical form in Wonderland." Cheshire's eyes were focused sharply on Ace. "They take the form of something important to you. In this case, a book." Ace blinked incredulously.

"A book."

"Yes. I believe once you see it you'll remember its value. You're lucky. Someone from the great beyond is on your side. They were the one that saved all your memories and reassembled them."

"Who?"

"As ever, I don't answer questions. However, once you see the book I'm certain you will be able to answer your own question. It's quite a gift this person has given you, don't waste it."

Cheshire left again.

"Damn that cat." Ace muttered to himself, then turned and began walking towards the castle. A book, huh? And if Queen is trying to keep it from me, he will have hidden it somewhere very hard to find. Ace sighed to himself. A tiny fleck of doubt wormed into his mind …What if I don't like what the book says? What if it tells me something I don't want to hear? My past is almost entirely lost to me, what if…what if… Ace shook his head. There was no way to know until he found the book, and he couldn't fathom anything that was so bad it would be worse than Wonderland and the ferocity of the Caucus Race. …But then why would I flee to Wonderland in the first place? What was I running from? Ace sighed again, and turned towards the garden. If he intended to get through the gardens, see Queen, find the book, get out of the palace, and make it to the Location unscathed before dark, he was going to have to hurry. It wasn't yet noon, but the sun was fairly high and the maze was going to take a very long time.

Ace took a deep breath and began making his way through the gardens.

---

Now Ace had a deep appreciation for talented gardening, but even he was getting sick of these damnably perfect roses. Queen must have had a veritable army of gardeners to keep these plants this well maintained. Ace had been walking for what he approximated to be an hour and a half, and he was getting sick of it.

After passing yet another perfect shrubbery, Ace lifted his eyes from the ground in front of his feet. He blinked in surprise, eyes widening.

He had made it. He was at the palace.

The doors were gigantic, reaching about 15 feet above Ace's head. They were formed out of polished wood that had been painted deep red, red like the roses.

Red like blood.

The palace itself was massive as well, formed out of marble and shadows. The architecture was late medieval, towers soaring overhead and thin, grated windows puncturing the walls. The main doors opened into the largest room in the castle, presumably the main hall, and it was the only room Ace could see with large windows.

The hall was big, probably 2 stories tall. The larger windows were on the upper part of it, and Ace guessed the hall had a main floor and some kind of upper tier, like a balcony or something. Ace could hear faint noises from within, and sidled over to one of the windows to get a peek inside.

Queen was holding court.

The interior of the hall was just as grand as the outside. The large windows of the upper floor provided ample illumination, and Ace could see the entirety clearly.

The hall was massive. A red carpet ran like an aisle down the center of the hall, and it stood out like spilled wine against the white marble floor. On either side of the central floor, balconies could be seen, filled to brimming with men and women splendidly dressed in elegant clothes. The women wore bright hoopskirts and the men elegant suits and tailcoats, and all looked dressed for a grand ball. Each balcony had its own staircase which led up to it from the end of the hall opposite Ace. Ace's eyes traced the grand, curved staircase down from the second tier back to the main floor. His eyes stopped moving and widened.

He could see Queen.

Ace stumbled back a step from the window and almost fell over. He raised a shaking hand to his mouth. His mind was racing, and his whole body shook. It didn't make sense. It couldn't be possible. How-…How could this be? Why? Why was his own mind betraying him like this?

Why was he terrified?

A name was trying to writhe out from behind the lock on his memories. A name to go with the face Ace had just seen. It struggled, straining against its bonds, and finally broke free like a snake hatching from its egg.

Edward. Hare.

The name struck his mind like lightning, all reason and emotions fleeing expect that one, that one that would always be there, that would never leave him be.

Fear.

Ace wanted to run away.

Ace wanted to escape, wanted to hide, never wanted to be found. He knew this, knew the feeling of this fight-or-flight instinct that was pumping through every vein, every bone, every muscle, every sinew of his body. Terror. Complete, unbiased, impenetrable terror.

Yet he could not remember why he was scared.

Ace swallowed and tried to force down his rattled nerves.

Why was he so afraid?

Ace tried to coax more memories from behind that unbreakable void, but no matter how he tried he could pull no more snippets of his past from beyond that wall.

Ace took a deep breath and approached the window once more.

Queen was seated on his golden throne, dressed in scarlet. He was wearing a tailcoat of deep burgundy with dress slacks to match. Beneath he wore a buttoned waistcoat of embroidered gold thread over brownish crimson, and beneath that a perfectly, perfectly white shirt with a white cravat decorated by a single, oval shaped ruby pin.

He looked like he was dressed in blood and bone, and Ace could think of no more fitting attire for that face.

Queen's face was familiar to Ace, and instantly his mind associated it with that name. Edward Hare. Queen was Edward Hare.

And damn if Ace wasn't terrified of that man.

Ace leaned back against the cool stone of the wall and tried to calm his frantic breathing. The stone was comfortingly solid against him, and Ace shut his eyes. His heartbeat was frantic, but it was beginning to slow. The fear wasn't receding, but Ace had it under control. I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. I will face my fear and I will stand against it and it will pass through me, then there will be nothing left. Only I will remain. Taking one final deep breath, Ace opened his eyes and pushed himself off the wall.

He approached the door with trepidation, but he did approach it.

Ace raised his hand and knocked three times, firmly.

It was Rabbit who opened the door. Ace looked up into his familiar face, and accepted the polite smile. The Rabbit whispered so only Ace could hear.

"You're so close to late you nearabout gave me a heart attack."

"Evening Rabbit." Ace put on a mask of confidence, and once it was on found no difficulty in shoving his fear into a corner of his mind. He faked a smile. "I hope you didn't actually have heart failure. I'd feel terrible." Rabbit glanced at Queen, who was looking towards the two with curiosity, then back at Ace.

"Listen, you must remember your manners. Queen is horrifically short tempered. Approach the dais, but go no closer than 8 feet. You will then bow, greet His Majesty, and present your gift." The Rabbit blinked, then asked, panicked. "You do have a gift, right?"

"Yes, yes. Caterpillar gave me a pair of gloves." Rabbit nodded, then opened the door more fully and turned to address the room at large.

"Now presenting Portgas D Ace, creator and inhabitant of Wonderland, here to cordially greet His Majesty Queen." Rabbit lowered his voice so only Ace could hear again. "Good luck." Ace nodded, then turned and began walking down the red carpet towards the throne.

As he walked he felt the eyes of the assembled people on him, but didn't lift his gaze to look at them. Doing so would have been impolite, and after all the warnings he had received about Queen, he wasn't about to do anything stupid. Ace's heart felt tight to the point of being painful, and everything in his mind was beating against him to run the hell away, but Ace refused. He needed to confront that which terrified him but more than that he needed to live and to get his memories back. Running now would mean losing and Ace. Never. Lost.

Ace's eyes were locked on Queen and he couldn't bring himself to look away.

Queen was staring right back, and his face held bored curiosity. He was slumped in his chair as if he didn't really want to be there. Both arms were sprawled over their respective armrests, and the scepter in one hand was held lazily, almost touching the floor. Queen's eyes remained focused on Ace as he approached, and when he was about 12 feet away, Queen's empty hand moved to touch something in his left breast pocket as if reassuring himself it was still there. The gesture was absent, and Ace was fairly sure he wasn't supposed to notice it, but he did and his eyes darted momentarily to Queen's pocket. You bastard. You have it on you, don't you? Well that won't be enough. Keeping my book in your pocket won't be enough to keep me from getting it. You think you're clever, Queen, but you're not. Trying to scare me? I'm going to kick your ass. Ace felt anger, resentment, hate, even, overtake his fear and he allowed those feelings to swell. He'd need them to bolster his courage if he meant to actually confront Queen.

When Ace was almost exactly 8 feet away, he stopped and bowed. He allowed a polite smile to come to his face and turned his eyes downward momentarily as a sign of deference.

"Greetings, your royal Majesty. I apologize if I am somewhat delayed in my visitation to your court. I was underprepared to meet someone of such high standing as you, so I made a few visits to procure the necessities for properly greeting your Highness. To properly apologize for my unpunctuality, I've brought your Highness a gift." Queen was studying Ace with interest. He nodded and gestured absently for Ace to come closer. Ace approached, now merely four feet away.

"You may present your gift." Queen waved his hand again, and a butler appeared and approached Ace, holding out his hands expectantly. Ace reached into his right pocket and pulled out the silk gloves, handing them over to the butler. The butler accepted them and brought them over to Queen, who looked them over. After studying them for a moment, he waved again and the butler began to take them away. Queen gave a bored sigh.

"Very well. We accept your gift with thanks and-"

"Your Majesty, if I may." Dammit why did I cut him off? It was too late to stop now, though. Ace swallowed, shoving back his fear. "I…have another gift to present to you." Queen was looking at him with interest again, like a spider watching a nearby insect draw nearer to its web. He waved again, and another butler approached Ace, expectant hands reaching towards him. Ace glanced at the butler, then looked back to Queen. If this is going to work, you have to be ready. Ace licked his lips nervously. Either this was going to work or he was going to get his idiot self killed for his efforts.

"With all due respect, Your Majesty, this gift I'd prefer to give you personally." Queen was looking at him closely now, and a small smile came to his face. His fingers drummed against the armrest of his chair, and he was studying Ace like Ace was a broken clock, trying to figure out what made him tick.

"What are you playing at, Ace?"

"Again with all due respect, I don't think you want this gift to touch anyone else's hands before it touches your own." Queen pulled once at his lip, smile still in place. After studying Ace for another moment, he beckoned for Ace to move forwards.

"Very well. Present this 'second gift.'" Ace swallowed and began approaching the Queen once more. His fear was shoving itself back up his throat and he felt a cold sweat forming on the back of his neck. You're in over your head, Ace. This is a really, really bad idea.

Ace drew up next to the throne, about a foot away from the seated Queen.

"Well? What is it?" Queen was looking at Ace expectantly. "I don't see any other gifts on you. If you've wasted my time, I won't be very happy, Ace." Ace took a deep breath. All hell was about to break loose. I must not fear, fear is the mind-killer. I will face my fear and I will stand against it and it will pass through me. Then there will be nothing left. Only I will remain. Ace took a deep breath, steeling his nerves one last time. He was totally screwed. He was completely, utterly screwed. But there was no backing out now.

"No tricks, Your Majesty. No waste of time." Ace made sure the fake smile was still on his face. Ace raised his left hand. "Just this."

The room went completely and utterly still.

Ace could feel every eye in the room trained on him, Rabbit's and Queen's most especially. Silence didn't even begin to describe that one moment of peace as every one just stood and stared. Stared at Ace. Stared at his left hand.

Stared at the key he had just taken out of his pocket.

And then the moment died.

"GIVE IT TO ME NOW!" No more was the lazy boredom of the slouched monarch, now there was only want. Queen lunged out of his chair, stretching to reach the key. He moved fast, faster than Ace had expected, and Ace only barely managed to pull his hand out of the way before Queen's hand would have closed around it. Because Ace had positioned himself on Queen's left, the harsh movement left Queen's side totally exposed and unguarded, and Ace darted out, pulling an object out of Queen's pocket in less than a second.

It was a book. A simple, brown leather notebook.

Ace made sure he had a firm grip on the book and then turned to begin sprinting back towards the door. He had to get out, had to get away, before all the others showed up ready to commit murder for this damned key.

What he didn't count on was Rabbit tackling him to the ground, nearly knocking him unconscious on the marble stairs just behind him.

Ace shook the ringing out of his ears and begun squirming, trying to get out from under Rabbit's grip. One of Rabbit's hands was holding his left wrist, pinning it to the ground as Ace squeezed tightly to the key still as of yet in his fist.

His other hand was around Ace's throat.

Ace was choking, couldn't breathe under Rabbit's iron grip, and Rabbit was screaming at him. Rabbit raised Ace's head via his grip around his throat and slammed his head back into the stairs. Ace's vision flashed white, and darkness threatened to close in at the edges of his vision.

"GIVE ME THE KEY! I NEED IT! I WANT IT! IT'S MINE!" Rabbit slammed Ace's head into the stairs again and again, and Ace was sure he was about to pass out or die, that this last idiot plan would truly be his last, when suddenly Rabbit was just gone.

Ace registered movement to his left and turned his head in time to see Rabbit slam into the wall with enough force to kill a tiger. Ace turned his head to his right, looking for whatever had sent Rabbit flying.

It was Queen, of course.

He was standing now, and wielding the scepter like a mace. His left arm was still raised from the follow-through of his blow to Rabbit, and hate-filled eyes were focused on his unmoving victim. His eyes shifted to Ace, wide, livid, and utterly inhuman. For a moment hazel-grey eyes met hazel-grey eyes and Queen raised his scepter again.

As soon as Queen moved, Ace rolled instantly to the side, only just managing to dodge a blow that left a veritable crater in the marble of the staircase. Ace rolled onto his feet and began running. He moved up the stairs, going faster than he could ever remember going in his life. Adrenaline pumped through him, and he could process nothing except run.

He reached the top of the stairs, and instantly began sprinting towards the other end of the hall, not even glancing back to see how close Queen or the Rabbit was. He had no doubt that the Rabbit was still alive, still after him and the bedamned Prize. This was Wonderland and it would take more than one blow to finish off one of the inhabitants hell-bent on getting the key.

Ace ducked under the reaching arms of the assembled ladies and gentlemen, still sprinting for the exit. He was about halfway there when he registered the shouts of pain coming from behind him, and turned his head to glance over his shoulder.

Queen was on a rampage. Behind Ace, people were sent flying from his blows. Some went careening into walls with meaty crunches, and others were sent flying out off the balcony and onto the main floor below to smear scarlet onto the perfect white floors. Ace turned back to look forwards again and only had just enough time to drop to the floor and slide beneath Rabbit's outstretched arm. His hand caught a woman in a blue dress instead, and he pulled ferociously on her arm, tearing the appendage off with the popping of joints and the ripping of meat.

He was trying to climb up to the balcony, one hand gripping the railing, the other still holding the dismembered and bleeding arm. His eyes focused on Ace and registered that Ace had escaped him and he threw the bloody arm away with a snarl of frustration. Ace sprinted past and didn't turn to look back, focused only on his objective and getting there as fast as possible.

He was there he was there he was so fucking close. Ace's legs burned from the exertion of the mad sprint, but he didn't slow down and he didn't look back. Runrunrunrunrunrunrunrunrunr unrunrunrunrunrunrun...YES! Ace brought his hands up to shield his face and head and threw himself at the window.

The moment passed in slow motion for Ace and he registered every tiny segment of the fall, watching the shattering glass raining down beside him. He reached the ground and rolled neatly, absorbing the majority of the impact. He didn't stop to celebrate, though. He wasn't out of this yet.

Ace got back to his feet and made a straight dash for the maze.

Once inside, Ace instantly turned to his left, choosing his direction randomly and continuing to sprint as fast as possible. He had no clue how the maze was organized or what the solution was, but what mattered most right now was losing Queen and Rabbit. Ace wove randomly, moving through the maze haphazardly. Finally, about 6 minutes later, Ace came to a panting stop. His mad dash left him with sore lungs, an almost caved in head, and a scratch on his face from where one of the rose-hedge's thorns had cut him. He was hidden, seated almost under one of the hedges that made up the maze. He had stopped to catch his breath and to rest because he was fairly sure his legs would have given out under him if he hadn't.

He leaned his head back, waiting for his breathing to slow.

"I do believe that was the single stupidest things you have ever done." Ace's eyes shot open and focused on the source of the voice.

"Cheshire!" Ace's voice was filled with relief. Cheshire was grinning as ever, and seated about ten feet away from Ace.

"What made you think that was a good idea? Honestly, how did you even consider that a viable solution?" Ace grinned cheekily.

"I didn't. It was spur of the moment." Cheshire rolled his eyes.

"I'll just chalk it up to luck that you aren't paste right now, then." Ace bit his lip.

"They're still looking for me, aren't they?"

"I don't answer questions, but this seems a special circumstance. Yes. Yes they are. And if you don't get out of here now they will find you and the outcome won't be pleasant." Ace took a deep breath and thought for a moment.

"How the hell am I supposed to get out of this maze when every turn could either lead me to a dead end or to someone who's determined to bash my face in? I don't even have a map of the maze!"

"I can't lead you out, but I can give you a useful piece of advice."

"Oh?"

"I actually gave it to you some time ago, but I don't trust your memory. Remember this, Ace. This place is your mind. Can't find a way out? Make one." Ace nodded and stood, ready to head off again. "Oh and one more thing." Ace turned back to look at Cheshire. "Rules don't apply. Not anymore. So don't bother following them." Ace's brows furrowed, confused.

"Cheshire what's that supposed-" Cheshire was gone. Again. Ace ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Damn that cat and his damn teleportation!" A twig snapped to Ace's left. His head instantly swiveled towards the sound, and not a moment later he was off, sprinting in the other direction.

---

Leaves and the occasional ruby red bloom swept by him in a blur. No matter what Cheshire had said, he was still running randomly. He didn't even know where the damn maze ended, only that the Location was on the other side. He had no means of orienting himself, as he was now so deep into the maze that he couldn't see the palace anymore. He didn't even know the general direction he was supposed to be going! He had had the occasional near encounter with Rabbit or Queen, which always led to a panicked flight down randomly selected corridors of green, red, and brown.

Ace came to a stop after another such flight, pressing against the wall, ignoring the thorns in preference of the semi-concealment they offered. He panted, raising a hand and wiping some sweat off his forehead. Damn everything I can't keep this up forever! Already Ace' throat was feeling very dry, and Queen and Rabbit seemed to be catching up with him more and more frequently.

And it would only be so long until one of them led him into a dead end.

Swallowing, Ace forced his breathing to slow and headed off again at a fast walk. He needed to conserve his energy for the bursts of speed when Queen or Rabbit caught up with him. The others could be here by now too. Everyone but Cheshire seems dead set on winning the Caucus Race, and the key…pulls them somehow, I think. Ace took a deep breath, trying to calm his ragged breathing.

A twig snapped to Ace's right and he froze, pressing back against the hedge wall.

He was at an intersection of two paths that ran parallel, and Ace watched with widened eyes as Rabbit walked past the opening in the hedge. His eyes were…inhuman, the same way Queen's had been. There was no soul, no mercy, no compassion, only want. His eyes were insane.

Ace stayed pressed against the hedge, praying that Rabbit wouldn't find him. Rabbit's breathing was as slow as ever, but he stood slightly hunched. His appearance had changed somewhat. His shoulders hung lower now, wider, and his arms were much longer than they used to be, disproportionately so. He was much taller, his highest point being the hunch in his back from which his shoulders and neck hung. He was about 9 feet tall now. His fingers had grown longer and bonier, and the end of each was tipped with a long black nail, more like a claw. His footsteps paused at the opening in the hedge. One ear twitched and a manic half grin came to his face.

"I hear you!" His voice was almost singsong, and he turned his head about, wild eyes roving over the hedge searching for Ace. Ace put a hand over his mouth, eyes widened, trying to hide the noise of his heavy breathing. His back was pressed to the hedge and the opening was about 3 feet to his right. Rabbit's footsteps drew closer, and Ace could only watch in horror as Rabbit stepped through the opening.

Ace's breathing stopped entirely, widened eyes focused on Rabbit's back. If Rabbit turned he would see him. Ace's blue shirt stood out against the dark leaves and branches of the hedge like a candle in a darkened room.

"I'm going to find you, Ace." Rabbit addressed the area at large, and Ace's heart tightened fearfully. "I'm going to find you and I'm going to take that key." Rabbit's head was swinging about as he looked for Ace, but he had yet to discover him. He stopped moving and snuffled like a dog looking for a scent, then turned slowly around and walked back through the opening he had come from.

"I smell your blood, Ace."

Ace held perfectly still, not daring to even twitch. The Rabbit's footsteps faded slowly away, heading behind and to Ace's left.

Ace released his held breath in a gasp. The noose around his heart loosened somewhat, and he took several deep gulps of air. He leaned his head back against the hedge and closed his eyes, trying to calm his erratic heartbeat. He raised his hands and scrubbed at his face, trying to ease some of the tension out of his shoulders and back.

After several more deep breaths, Ace lowered his head again and opened his eyes.

"Hi Ace." Rabbit's wide, insane eyes were less than ten inches from Ace's own. Ace had only begun to throw himself backwards when Rabbit's hand closed around his throat and raised him off the ground. Ace instinctively grabbed at the restraining hand, trying to release the pressure on his throat that was cutting off his air supply, but no amount of struggling would loosen the suffocating pressure on his throat. Rabbit was staring at him with that same manic half grin and the same inhuman eyes, watching the slow asphyxiation.

Ace wriggled and writhed in the Rabbit's grasp, but no amount of struggling freed him of Rabbit's hold. Now that he had him, Rabbit had gone as still as a statue, merely watching Ace strangulate. Ace was running out of air and really starting to grow desperate. This is my own mind! How can my own mind be killing me?! Aren't we all on the same side? Cheshire's words echoed through his mind. "Remember this, Ace. This is your mind. Can't find a way out? Make one." Ace's last attempt had failed miserably, but Ace was running out of options and time fast. Ace shut his eyes. I'm not going to die. I'm not going to die. No one's mind would ever create threats without creating something to counteract those threats. I'm not going to die. My own mind is attacking me? My own mind is going to save me too. A strange calm came over Ace, and he turned his head towards Rabbit, opening his eyes and looking down at him.

"Let me go. Now." Rabbit blinked up at him, mad sneer still on his face.

"No."

"I. Said. NOW!" Ace's voice came out in a roar, but it wasn't him that was roaring. The sound was like the shriek of a gyrfalcon, the wail of the starling in its talons, and the dying scream of a lion all rolled into one.

And then a nightmare attacked the White Rabbit.

It moved so fast it was merely a blur. It pounced on the White Rabbit with the ferocity of an enraged tiger, and its momentum carried both it and the Rabbit through the next hedges and out of Ace's sight. When it had attacked the White Rabbit, it had done tremendous damage. Ace lay on the ground coughing and spluttering. Once he had an acceptable amount of air in his lungs he sat up and looked around.

The Rabbit's torn off arm lay about five feet in front of Ace.

There was a massive hole in the hedges where…whatever it was had carried the Rabbit through the hedge and beyond. Ace peered through the hole cautiously only to see the destruction carry on for another seven walls. The Rabbit's blood was spattered on the hedges and on the ground, particularly in a rather massive pool around the dismembered arm. Ace stood shakily and backed away from the limb. He was in shock, he could tell he was. Near death experience plus some kind of monster then attacking the monster that was attacking you and ripping its freaking arm off tended to have that effect on people.

"Holy shit." Ace looked between the limb and the destruction of the nearby maze. Ace ran a hand through his hair. "Holy shit." He looked once more between the hole and the limb. He swallowed, then shook himself. I have to get out of here before Rabbit comes back. Ace glanced at the limb. If he comes back. Ace backed a few paces away from the still bleeding limb, then turned and sprinted down the hedge corridor. Great. Rabbit and Queen are still trying to kill me, and now there's some kind of monster running around and who knows? Maybe it wants to join in the fun and kill me too! Ace looked up and had to skid to a stop to avoid colliding with Cheshire. Cheshire was standing in his path, blocking the way.

"Not that way, fool! It went that way!" Ace braked hard, using his momentum to turn down an intersecting passage. Cheshire ran beside him, keeping pace with him. Ace was already panting from his earlier sprinting, and he didn't have a ton of stamina left.

"What is that thing, Cheshire?!" Cheshire turned his head and looked at Ace. His eyes seemed wider than normal, like even he was scared.

"The sight. The stink. The sinister sound. What have you imagined, Ace?"

"I didn't-" There was that haunting, piercing wail again, off to their right but nearby. Ace ran past another intersection, glanced down it, and saw the true monstrosity his mind had wrought.

It was still attacking the Rabbit, wide, doglike jaws snapping, trying to catch Rabbit's limbs or torso. Blood flecked its teeth and was spattered on its skin, staining the formerly white teeth and pinkish skin with red. Its monstrous, disgusting wings writhed and batted at the air, lengthening its jumps and allowing it to hover occasionally. Lizard-like hands lashed out with sharp, sharp claws and it would rake and kick at Rabbit with its mismatched feet.

The sight alone was enough to freeze Ace to the spot.

The monstrosity turned its attention to Ace as soon as he had stopped, and it absently caught and threw the Rabbit away, a good quarter of a mile distant in the maze. It approached Ace seemingly eagerly, not charging but definitely moving faster than what could be called strictly speaking necessary. It stopped about 15 feet away, and Ace felt he was being studied closely, even though the nightmare had no eyes. It opened its jaws, and for the first time Ace got a look at its tongue.

Its tongue was a human arm.

The arm began to move rhythmically, as if conducting music, and Ace found he could not turn his eyes away from it, even though it terrified him.

Wiser men should run away.

The Jabberwock has come to play.

"ACE WE HAVE TO GET MOVING RIGHT NOW OR YOU'RE GOING TO BE LUNCHMEAT."

Come and play, the dark is nice.

And I've run out of tasty mice.

Ace barely registered Cheshire's shouting in his ear, but when Cheshire clawed his leg the pain pulled him out of the Jabberwocky's lull. Once he came back to reality, he turned away from the Jabberwocky to look down the corridor at Cheshire. Only he looked the wrong way.

And saw Queen instead.

Queen's appearance had changed too. He didn't look like an adult anymore, but rather like an oversized child, like a gigantic 11-year-old kid. He wasn't wearing the fancy red suit anymore, but rather was clothed in simple red pants and a blood-spattered white shirt. He was proportional, but was staggeringly large, the top of his head being about 13 feet off the ground. A small crown floated just above his head, and he dragged his overly large scepter in the dirt behind him. It was more a mace or a warhammer than a scepter now, though. His eyes were wide and held the same madness that Rabbit's had, and the way he walked was robotic and very artificial. His head was skewed at a sickening angle, like his neck had been broken. His eyes still held the clarity of life, though, and he was staring straight at Ace.

Ace staggered back a few steps, then turned and sprinted the other way. Holy hell. Is there anyone out there who isn't trying to kill me? Queen gave a squeal of rage, and Ace didn't need to turn around to know he was in hot pursuit.

Ace sprinted down the corridor, summoning all of his flagging strength to try to escape both of the monstrosities currently trying to kill, maim, or otherwise ruin his day. Fuck everything, I'm screwed as hell if I don't find the exit to this goddamned maze soon. Ace recognized that he was swearing, but it didn't really matter. And hey! If it helped him release the ridiculous amount of stress he was currently under, that was good with him.

Ace flung himself down a side corridor just in time to avoid a earthshaking blow from Queen's weapon, a new surge of adrenaline increasing his speed even more than before. I don't even know where I'm going! If I had some means of orienting myself this would be so much easier! I don't even know where the exit to this thrice damned place is!

Ace ducked down another corridor, again narrowly avoiding an introduction to Queen's weapon. He was panting fairly heavily now, and knew he couldn't hold out much longer if something didn't change really soon.

---

Shanks recognized he was venting 28 days of stress, worry, and anger on the marines and he didn't think he could possibly bring himself to give less of a shit.

His foes were falling faster than new ones could replace them, and if this was the best that the ship had to offer, Shanks was going to need something else to vent on pretty damn soon.

They had attacked the ship about an hour ago, and no one on the vessel had posed any kind of threat to Shanks or his crew. Yet another idiot marine who thought himself some kind of hero fell to Shanks' blade, and Shanks looked around, panting from exertion.

His crew was nearby, and they were all looking at Shanks like they were mildly concerned he might turn around and start attacking them.

Well excuse me for freaking the fuck out! Shanks…was in a terrible mood. They had boarded the ship about 45 minutes ago after pinning her against some nearby reefs. Shanks had been the first one on the damn boat, and his crew didn't even bother attacking the marines, simply waiting for their captain to take them out on his own. They knew better than to get in his way when he was like this.

And now, 45 minutes later, it seemed like every last marine on the ship had either run away or been the unfortunate victims of the massive lump of accumulated stress known as Red Haired Shanks. The ship was now silent, and no one emerged from below decks to challenge the attackers.

Shanks took several deep breaths and attempted to calm his frazzled nerves.

Running a hand over his hair in an attempt to smooth his no doubt manic appearance, Shanks smiled to his crew, nodded, and promptly charged below decks.

The interior of the ship was dark. Very dark. Shanks passed through a mess hall, a galley, a bunk room, the officer's cabin, and finally the first mate's cabin, but could find no sign of the cell area.

He finally came to a panting stop outside yet another door, and took a moment to catch his breath before opening it. You never knew whether some marine brute was going to pop out from behind the next door or not, after all. Taking one last deep breath, Shanks threw open the door, sword raised.

It was the infirmary of the ship.

The whole room, floor, walls, ceiling, examining table and beds, all were sterile white. Of all the rooms in the ship, this was by far the brightest, the white light nearly blinding after the gloom of smashed lanters in the other rooms. Shanks' eyes adjusted to the brightness of the room and he looked around more closely.

"Please! Don't hurt me! I'm just a doctor! Please, I'm only here to heal people!" Shanks' eyes finished adjusting to the harsh white of the room, and he turned his gaze to the source of the voice.

It was a man. He wore a white doctor's coat over loose pants and a blue button up shirt. He was currently pressed up against the wall, using his arms to shield his head. He looked terrified.

Afeter a moment of Shanks not attacking him, the man lowered his arms and looked somewhat fearfully at the pirate. A small, hesitant smile came to his face.

"You're-You're here to save him, aren't you?" He gave a short laugh. "He said you'd come. Captain didn't believe him, but no matter what he never gave up hope." Shanks instantly grew hyperaware, focused on every word the man said. He sheathed his sword and approached the man, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Where is he? Where is Ace?" The man looked terrified again, eyes wide and mouth slightly open. He stuttered for a moment, then replied.

"I can show you where he was being kept. I can lead you to him. Please…don't kill me. I'm just a doctor. I never wanted to be a marine, but the draft is still legal on the island I come from and there was no avoiding it. Please. I just want to go home." He was rambling, and looked scared enough to piss himself. Shanks released him.

"Lead me to him. Now." The doctor raised his hands placatingly, then sidestepped around Shanks and headed towards the door. Shanks turned and followed him half eagerly, half hesitantly.

The man led him down several flights of stairs, deeper into the ship than Shanks had gone before. On the way they encountered some of the other members of Shanks' crew who joined the procession. Not many though, and by the time they got down to the cell area, the party consisted of the doctor, Shanks, Benn, and Yassop. It was dark down here, and Shanks had made a habit of stopping to light lamps and torches from the lamp he had picked up along the way trying to expel the darkness somewhat.

The marine doctor stopped just outside a closed door. He took a deep breath, as if steeling his nerves.

"The cellblock is down there." Shanks looked at the doctor.

"You're not coming with us?" The doctor shook his head.

"I don't…I don't think he wants to see me." Shanks' eyes took on a darker glint.

"And why would that be?" The doctor raised his hands placatingly again.

"I tried to help him once. But…" The doctor looked down. "But captain found out and he…"

"Your captain what?" The doctor looked away. Shanks' stomach tied itself in a not. The doctor would not meet his eyes.

"I tried. I swear to you I tried." Shanks turned to his comrades. He addressed Yassop specifically.

"Stay here with him." Yassop nodded and leaned against a nearby wall.

Shanks took a deep breath and turned towards the door, throwing it wide.

If the hall had been dark, the cellblock was pitch black. Shanks walked down the stairs carefully, fighting to see in the near perfect darkness. The only illumination came from the lamp in Shanks' hand, and it didn't do much to expel this complete darkness which hung like a stagnant smoke over everything down here.

Shanks' stomach was twisting itself into knots from worry and the tension only continued to rise as he walked down the stairs.

Finally reaching the bottom, Shanks began to walk slowly down the seemingly endless hallway, looking into each cell on his left as he passed them by. Most were empty, occupied only by vacant shackles. The whole place was completely spotless, clean to the point of emptiness.

The place had no soul.

Shanks didn't know where the thought had come from, but instantly knew it to be true. People have died here. Again, Shanks didn't know where the thought had come from but inherently knew it to be true as well. Shanks swallowed his rising dread, forcing himself to go on. Ace needed him and by God he intended to keep his promise.

Shanks looked into the cells he passed, moving faster and faster as his desperation grew. Empty, empty, empty, empty. Damn does this hallway go on forever? Empty, empty, emp- Shanks froze where he stood. His heart stopped. Oh God no.

There was a body in this cell.

Thin. Horrifically thin. Thin to the point of starvation, ribs standing out against the skin as if they meant to poke through it. The back of the body was turned towards Shanks, and all across the exposed skin Shanks could see innumerable whip marks. It wasn't just the whip marks, though. There were lacerations from knives, burns from fire and acid. All the way down one arm Shanks could clearly see where a branding iron had trailed down the skin. Shanks' eyes moved lower, down to where both legs were bent horribly in places where legs should never bend. Shanks' eyes moved back up the tiny frame to pause on the shoulder where letters had been carved with knife and acid.

Edward Hare

A name. A name like this poor tormented soul was some kind of possession to be owned, used, and thrown away at will. Shanks' eyes moved farther still to that familiar head of black hair, now matted and sticky with congealed blood.

He seemed so tiny, lying there on the floor of that cell, of that cage. He seemed like an infant again. Ace thought Shanks didn't know, but Shanks knew.

Shanks would know the son of his captain anywhere.

A sudden memory struck Shanks. He had been a teenager at the time, no more than 18 years old. He was in a sunny, brightly lit room. In front of him, a beautiful woman with long light brown hair and nearly childish freckles was smiling and giggling at him. He was nervous, he'd never done anything like this before. The woman in front of him was comforting him, assuring him that he was doing just fine, but he found it hard to believe. Shanks looked down at the newborn baby cradled in his arms.

The baby was still, sleeping peacefully. He had the same childish freckles as his mother, but the tuft of black hair on his head was all Roger. The baby opened its eyes and blinked up at him wonderingly, like Shanks was the most amazing thing he'd ever seen in his short life. The hazel-grey eyes were Roger's too. Slowly the baby reached a chubby hand up as if trying to grab onto something. An involuntary grin came to Shanks' face.

"Do ya like my hair, little guy?" Shanks bowed his head so some of his vivid red hair hung just above the baby. The baby's chubby fist closed around a small lock of Shanks' hair, and he tugged on it gently. The grin was still on Shanks' face, and he bent his head further, shaking it back and forth gently so his hair tickled over the baby's nose. The baby burst into a fit of giggles, and it was impossible not to smile down at him. Rouge was smiling at him serenely, truly enjoying seeing Shanks that happy. She'd practically adopted the entire crew as her sons, and truly regarded and loved them as family.

"Congratulations. You're the first one that's been able to get him to laugh." Rouge giggled at him. "And you were so nervous! Just look at him! He's never smiled so big."

The memory faded, and not an instant later Shanks had cut clear through the lock on the door. He hurled through the now open entrance and crouched down beside Ace. He looked at Ace's face, and Shanks thought the whole world was about to collapse.

Ace's eyes were dead.

"Oh my God…" The words came out as a mere weak whisper, and Shanks' hands hovered over the boy. There were tears in his eyes, but Shanks didn't bother trying to hold them back. "No. No. You can't be dead. Please no." Shanks was shaking his head, his brain desperately trying to convince itself that the sight before him was a lie, that his captain's son, the boy Shanks now looked at as almost his own son, wasn't actually dead. A tear fell from Shanks' closed eyes and splashed onto Ace's left arm.

Ace let out a tiny whimper, audible only in the silence of the room.

Shanks' eyes shot open at the sound, and turned down to the boy. Shanks hadn't noticed before, and even now that he was looking for hit it was barely distinguishable. But it was most assuredly still there.

Ace was breathing.

Each breath was miniscule and seemed to hitch in Ace's throat. Shanks reached down and gently rolled Ace onto his back, then slid an arm under his shoulders, propping him up into a near sitting position. At the contact, Ace whimpered again.

The sound was pitiful, but it seemed the only noise Ace could make. His breathing was too shallow for anything more and something about the way the air hitched in his throat suggested it was painful to him. Shanks now had a clear look at the full extent of the damage Ace had suffered.

His chest was covered with the same whip marks and gashes and burns as his back, and he had what looked like a cauterized bullet wound on his left shoulder. He'd need dozens of stitches, and Shanks didn't think an ocean of bandages would be enough, but Ace was breathing and that was all that mattered.

And then Shanks saw Ace's right hand.

The digits were bent horribly, and Ace autonomically kept the appendage tucked close to his chest, trying to protect it. The hand was mostly curled up, again seemingly in an attempt to protect it.

Ace would be lucky if his hand ever worked again.

Ace wasn't dead yet, and Shanks wasn't about to let him die in his arms. Shanks turned to Benn, frantic and panicked.

"Benn go get Ricky!" Ricky was their ship's doctor and if anyone in the world could help Ace, it would be him. Benn nodded and ran upstairs, taking the steps two at a time.

Shanks turned back to the boy in his arms, cradling him close like he had on the second day of Ace's life.

"I'm so sorry, Ace. I'm so, so sorry. Please, just let me see you smile again. I know I broke my promise and I can never, never hope to make that up to you but please, come back. I'm begging you. Don't leave us. Luffy still needs you, I still need you please…"

---

Ace cocked his head to the side, pausing for a moment. Was that…? Ace kept his ears pricked, attuned for any sound whatsoever.

"Ace I never meant to leave you this long, I'm so sorry…I did my best, I swear I did." Ace's brows furrowed. Shanks…? Upon stealing the book from Queen, Ace's memories had slowly but surely come pouring back into his mind. At the voice, Ace had a vivid mental image of a grinning man with red hair and a straw hat perched jauntily on his head. More importantly, Ace could deduce a direction from which the voice was coming.

"Ace please, please. Come back. Come back home." Ace's head swiveled left and he instantly started running that way. The voice was close. Really close. Ace must have been near the edge of the maze this whole time and not even known it. Queen, Rabbit, and Jabberwocky were still close by and Ace didn't know their exact locations, but if he could get out of here there wouldn't be anything to fear anymore.

Because Shanks was there. And Shanks would protect him.

Ace full out sprinted in the direction of the voice, ignoring everything else. Glancing down a passing corridor, Ace glimpsed Rabbit snuffling about, ears swiveling, but Ace didn't even slow. He was almost there, he was almost free of this. Free of Wonderland, free of the Caucus Race, free of that man with the cold eyes that he remembered now.

Ace knew he was almost free of Edward Hare.

Ace could hear Rabbit behind him again, but it didn't matter because he was going to be free finally free after what felt an eternity in hell. Free to go home, free to see Luffy, his little brother, again, free to live without fear.

And then Ace hit the dead end.

"No. No! Not now!" A laugh sounded from behind Ace and he spun.

Rabbit was standing there, blocking the only exit from the passageway.

"I suddenly find the name to be very fitting, don't you? You've reached a dead end, Ace." Rabbit took a step closer. "And there's nothing to save you now."

Ace pressed back against the wall behind him. It was solid, the hedges thick and unyielding. He'd come all this way, and here he was.

At a dead end. At his dead end.

"Jabberwocky won't save you now. He's too busy tussling with Queen." Rabbit took another step closer. One side of his tattered outfit was completely soaked in blood that still oozed sluggishly from the mass of torn flesh and broken bone where his arm should have attached to his shoulder.

"You know, Ace, I don't necessarily have to kill you. You could make this whole process much more enjoyable for yourself if you just give me the key willingly." He walked closer still, pace even and smooth. Ace swallowed, refusing to show fear. He would not submit to this inhuman monster. He wouldn't do it. Rabbit got closer still until he was two feet from Ace, his face inches from Ace's own.

"You've lost. Now give me the key, Ace." Rabbit's breath was hot against Ace's face, and it smelled like raw meat. It made Ace sick.

Ace spat in the White Rabbit's face.

"Can't find a way out? Make one." Rabbit had wiped the spit from his eyes, and was now glaring at Ace.

"That wasn't very polite, Ace. And you always aught to be polite to those more powerful than you, you end up with less broken that way." Ace felt strangely calm. Like he was in complete, perfect control of the situation. He blinked at Rabbit.

"There's a door behind me. It's the exit to the maze. It leads right to where the location is." Rabbit was staring at him in confusion. "It's a very special door, though. Only I can go through it. You want to know something else?" Ace leaned forward so he could whisper in the White Rabbit's ear. A massive grin came to his face. "There's a knife in my hand." Rabbit had only just begun to pull away from him when Ace lashed out.

The bright steely knife flashed with the late afternoon light as it arched through the air first silver, then red. The Rabbit recoiled back with a shriek, the deep gash on his chest bleeding crimson over his perfect white fur. The knife seemed to burn him even after he was no longer in contact with it and he continued his wail of agony, back arching as he writhed in an attempt to escape this pain. The Cheshire Cat grinned from his place beside Ace.

"The Vorpal Blade is swift and keen and always ready for service." Ace looked down at Cheshire and grinned back at him. He fingered the knife, twirling it experimentally.

"You know, your advice really seems to be working now."

"As with most things, you were just over thinking it before. Simple problems have simple solutions, Ace. If something is simply trying to kill you, it's simply a matter of killing it back." Cheshire begun to fade, then seemed to change his mind, reappearing again. "…I don't think I shall be seeing you for quite some time. So before I go, I'll give you one last piece of advice." Cheshire's eyes went dark. "Aim for his eye. And don't stop until he isn't screaming anymore." And he vanished.

Ace blinked, confused. The Rabbit's agonized wailing woke him from his confusion, and he turned.

Just as he said it would be, there was a door behind him.

It was a simple door, plain wood with a brass handle. Ace took the handle in his hand a turned it. It moved without any kind of squeak from its hinge, and the door swung outwards, revealing openness.

Ace had made it out of the maze.

Ace suddenly realized how suffocated he had felt in that never-ending hell of thorny hedges and blood red blooms. Not to mention the fact that there wasn't a monster breathing down his neck and another two down every turn. Ace breathed a deep sigh of relief. He turned, searching for whatever the Location would be.

It was a door. A freestanding door, seemingly unattached to anything but the ground. Theoretically it should lead nowhere, but Ace felt drawn towards it, knew it would take him somewhere much more meaningful than nowhere. It was wooden and unassuming. It was painted, but the paint looked old and was beginning to flake off in some places. The door was once white, but age had somewhat faded its perfect paint to an off-white. It was imperfect. Stained.

Ace could think of no door that better represented himself.

Ace reached carefully towards the door with his left hand, bringing out the key from its place of semi-safety in his closed fist. He had imprints on his palm from how tight he had been holding onto it. The key was as simple and unassuming as the door. It, too, looked ancient, and looked like it was made of brass or bronze. The metal was dull, and didn't really reflect the light all that well.

Ace slid the key into the lock and turned it slowly clockwise.

The lock clicked home with an almost satisfied sounding pop. Ace turned one last time to survey his Wonderland, his perfectly imperfect delusion and wondered just what it said about him. It was violent and savage and fierce, yet it held such beauty unto itself. Ace would never forget the splendor of the Gate or the grandness of the palace or the elegance of Caterpillar's dream. It was flawed, yet wasn't the beauty all the more wonderful because of it? Ace smiled out at his creation, and hefted the Vorpal Blade in his hand. He turned it about in the light, studying its delicately engraved blade and simple hilt. He smiled at it like an old friend, then turned out to Wonderland once more and tossed it out into that world.

He would take nothing with him but the memories. Wonderland was what it was, and Ace was what he was. There was no changing it. Ace knew this place was his and that he was this place and he could belong here, could dream himself a world all his own. But no. Because Ace had better than a dream. Ace closed his eyes and created one last thing for himself.

Luffy's drawing had been perfectly preserved in Ace's memories, and the recreated image was exactly the same as the original. The handwriting was just as sloppy, the figures were just as disproportionate, and the freckles on Ace's drawn face looked more like some kind of disease than freckles, but to Ace it was more beautiful than any Gate or palace or crystal city he could ever dream up. Ace grinned down at the drawing, then uncreated it just as he had made it.

Ace turned towards the door and opened it, never once looking back at Wonderland or even the door itself. He left with no regrets, there was no need to look back. But Ace did look forward because he had something to look forward to.

Ace was coming home.

---

"Captain I can fix all of his physical injuries but…" Ricky was looking into Shanks' face, clearly trying to judge how much the truth would break his captain's heart. "Captain, I-…I can't fix…that." Ricky gestured to Ace's cloudy, staring eyes. Shanks looked like a lost puppy.

"But…you must be able to help him. Of course you can help him."

"No, Captain. I can't. I'm…I'm sorry." Ricky spoke gently, pushing his thick-rimmed glasses further up the bridge of his nose. Shanks looked back down to Ace's face, to his cloudy, dead-looking eyes. Shanks swallowed thickly, then bowed his head. A tear fell from Shanks' face, and everyone pretended not to notice it or how Shanks' breathing had grown tight, hitching occasionally in his throat. Everyone there looked completely broken. They all knew it. They had failed their friend. They had failed their friend and now they had failed their captain too.

"I'm so, so sorry Ace. I tried so hard. We all tried so hard…" Shanks swallowed down another sob. His eyes were squeezed shut against the tears. "Can you ever forgive me for breaking my promise?" Ace had needed him. Ace had been suffering all this time, been in complete agony all this time, and Shanks hadn't been there to save him. He had failed his friend when he needed him most and Shanks could never atone for that.

"What are you talking about? You never broke your promise." Shanks' eyes shot open. The voice had only been the barest of whispers, but it had been there. Shanks looked at Ace's face.

His eyes were clear again.

"What are you apologizing for? You kept your promise." Another tear fell from Shanks' eye.

"No I didn't! I should have saved you, protected you from all of this!"

"But you did save me. I never could have lasted this long if I didn't have hope. I knew you were coming. It was enough to keep me going. And now you're here and everything's going to be better." Ace's eyes went serious. "Is…Is Hare dead?"

"Who?"

"The captain of the ship. Is he dead?" Shanks nodded. There was no way the captain could have survived his murderous rampage throughout the ship. Shanks remembered now. The captain's body had been in the infirmary on the examination table. He had a long, deep gash across his neck and chest, and the doctor had apparently been trying to save him before Shanks came in.

"Yeah, Ace. The captain's dead." Ace took a deep breath, looking relieved. Ace chuckled and smiled weakly up at Shanks. "And you always tease Luffy when he cries. You big baby." Ace dropped the smile after a moment. It took a surprising amount of energy and Ace didn't have a lot of that right now. Ace licked his parched lips. His whole mouth was parched, actually. His tongue felt about as moist as sandpaper. "Shanks?"

"What is it, Ace?" Ace bit his lip.

"When you…when you came down here, was there anyone else in the other cells?" Shanks looked at Ace in confusion. He glanced at Benn, and Benn shook his head.

"No, Ace. There was nobody else." Ace's eyes were closed, and he swallowed thickly. He was being foolish, he knew. Hare had kept everything pristinely clean down here. There was no way he'd keep a body for that long. I'm sorry, Sabo. I'm so, so sorry. I couldn't protect you. Just like I couldn't protect Gabriel. I'm sorry. I never did anything to deserve a brother like you. I'll never forget you. Ever. I promise.

"Shanks?"

"Yes?" Ace looked around the cell and shivered.

"Can we…Can we leave now?" Shanks smiled down at the boy.

"Yeah. We can leave." He stood gently, cradling Ace in his arms. Benn approached him before he could leave and addressed Ace.

"…There was no one else in the cells, but we did find this." Benn held out a book. It was simple, just a plain brown leather notebook. Ace stared at the book, eyes wide. "It's…It's for you. On the inside of the front cover…. It's dedicated to you. It says it's from your brother." Ace swallowed hard, trying to bite back tears. He nodded, and Benn placed the book in his lap, seeming to sense his inability to reach out and take it right now. Ace closed his eyes as Shanks began making his way out of the cellblock. By the time they reached the top of the stairs, Ace was deeply asleep. Shanks made no stops until he was back on his own ship and had Ace gently tucked into one of the infirmary beds. Benn followed after his captain at a more reserved pace, and stopped to confer with the marine doctor at the top of the stairs.

"Could you…Could you please take me with you? The others took all the lifeboats when they were running away, and I won't be able to get to land by myself." Benn seemed to consider it for a moment, looking the doctor up and down. He didn't seem like a threat, timid and terrified as he had been the entire time. Benn sighed.

"Fine. But try anything funny and you'll be dead faster than you can blink." The marine smiled, looking genuinely relieved.

"Thank you so very, very much." Benn waved him off, preferring to jump back onto the East Wind. Halfway across the deck he paused and turned back to face their guest.

"What did you say your name was again?" The man smiled at him, ice blue eyes not really reflecting any warmth from the expression.

"My name's Gabriel. Gabriel Gowdel."

---

(A/N: Holy hell this is the longest thing I've ever written in my entire life. This chapter is a freaking MONSTER. Sorry about that, if that's a bad thing. I don't even know where to start with my rambling after writing this. Guess I'll start at the beginning?

Did anyone see it coming that the whole city of Caterpillar's domain was just a drug-induced hallucination? It was, like, a hallucination inside a hallucination. HALLUCINCEPTION. XD yeah that was fun. Rouge beating the shit out of fake Rouge was fun too.

What'd you all think of Queen? Did you all, like, understand what was going on and how I didn't explicitly describe his face? You can tell what he looks like if you read the section carefully enough. Whatever, I bet you all understood what I was talking about the first time. Dunno why I'm wasting your time talking about it.

And then Ace had the stupid idea to end all stupid ideas. Lucky for him it worked out in the end. That could have ended VERY badly.

And then Shanks kicked some ass. And then had angstiness. And then Ace had some angstiness too. And then he finally got some legit REST. He earned it. For sure.

Hee hee. And what's with this guy? Didn't Gabriel Gowdel, like, DIE in chapter 21? ;D

Anyways, I'm off to sleep now. It's about 1 in the morning, I'm sick, and I have to go to school tomorrow, so sleep is necessary. Bye y'all. See ya later. As always, please review! ~Mountain97)