"Dadan," Dogra said, stepping into the hut. Dadan looked up from her bowl of rice. Magra ducked into the doorway as well. The two of them stood side by side, looking somewhat solemn.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, placing down her bowl, "you're back!"

Dogra nodded slowly. Dadan felt that something was off.

"You have the newspaper, don't you?" she asked him.

"Yes," Dogra replied, biting his lip and retrieving the Sunday special from his back pack.

"What's wrong?" Dadan asked. Dogra shifted uncomfortably.

"Magra please," Dogra mumbled, "I had to do it last time, I can't… I can't do it again."

"Do what?!" Dadan said, worried by this point, "What's wrong?!"

Dogra gave Magra the newspaper, and Magra took off the rubber band. Magra unrolled it carefully, and cleared his throat.

"Breaking News," he read aloud, his lip trembling, "Fire-Fist Ace-"

"No," Dadan muttered, shaking her head, "NO."

"Fire-Fist Ace," Magra continued, "has been kil-"

"NO," Dadan interupted him, her eyes watering, "It's not possible. They're lying."

"Fire-Fist Ace has been killed by Admiral Akainu in the closing of the Marineford War."

Dadan shook her head as several teardrops pattered onto the wooden floor of the hut.

"They're lying, don't believe them, Magra, Dogra. The Marines are nothing but liars. M-My Ace is stronger than them. My A-Ace is faster than them. Th-There's no way."

"Dadan, please," Magra begged her, tears falling from his own eyes, "there's a picture."

"NO!" Dadan screamed, "It's not possible! It's fake, ITS FAKE!"

"HE'S GONE, DADAN," Dogra screamed. "DAMNIT, HE'S GONE AND SABO IS TOO."

"WHY-"

"But he saved Luffy," Magra said, cutting off his leader, "he saved him. Luffy's still alive, Dadan."

"He's all alone," Dadan cried, "two of my boys are gone," she lamented, sobbing into her sleeve. "And one is all alone!"

"Garp was there too," Magra said, sniffling.

"That bastard," Dadan muttered, "I'LL KILL HIM. I'LL KILL HIM!" she screeched, throwing her bowl of rice at the wall, where it smashed into a dozen pieces.

"GO!" Dadan screamed at her subordinates, "Go. Before I kill you both."

Magra and Dogra obliged, rushing out of the hut and leaving the newspaper at the door. Dadan crawled towards the doorway, leaving a trail of tears from her sitting place. She picked up the newspaper with trembling hands, and looked at the headline. Fire-Fist Ace has been Killed by Admiral Akainu in the Closing of the Marineford War. Below the headline, indeed, there was a picture. That grown brat, whom she raised for the better part of his life, he who she would call- her son… He was standing over her youngest son, a molten hand portruding from his stomach. The hand was connected to the arm of a cruel-looking man, who she assumed was… the Admiral. Luffy was wide-eyed and shocked in the photo. His expression… It hurt to look at. Luffy looked like…Like he could not comprehend what was happening.

"He's going to be traumatized…" Dadan cried, "My-My Luffy won't- he won't…"

He won't be able to forgive himself. He was so close to saving his older brother. Dadan knew full well this would weigh on Luffy for the rest of his life. Two of her sons dead, and the youngest traumatized for life. What had she ever done to deserve this?

When Dogra and Magra returned to the hut, they found that a wall had been smashed apart. Doga sniffled, and walked into the main room. Weapons, smashed kitchenware, and metal bits were strewn all over. He saw Dadan on the floor, her eyes red and teary. She was clutching the newspaper tightly to her chest.

"He's gone," she mumbled upon seeing them, "Ace is really gone."

A.N.: Have a tear-jerker, will you? Late again, and I don't have much excuse other than I'm exhausted. September's tomorrow, and I'm barely prepared for that onslaught. Ah well, it's my fault. Reviews, Favourites, Subscriptions, Reader Birthdays, and Requests are welcomed and much appreciated! I'll (hopefully) see you in a few hours for Cavendish!