XXX
"Sir," Koala knocked loudly on her boss's door. "Sir?"
When no one answered she tried the door handle surprised to find it unlocked. For days now Dragon had stayed locked in his office, obsessing over something. While it wasn't super out of the ordinary for him Koala had started to worry when he started skipping meals. With Sabo gone, Dragon busy with something and most of her friends off on missions the base had started to feel really empty. She slipped inside. "Are you in here Boss?"
But the room was empty. And she realized, surprisingly clean. Usually when Dragon was in one of these moods it would be a mess. Littered with maps, and plans and strategy's. But this time there was none of that. She frowned looking around for any signs of life. One of the cooks had dropped off lunch at his door but it was still there, uneaten. If she hadn't cleared it away then so would have been the meals from the last few days. It was rare that the boss stopped eating all together. Usually he had a unending appetite.
She checked the balcony but he wasn't there either. He liked to stand out there when he was stressed. Always from the same spot and always looking east. He was a very odd man. Most of the things he did puzzled her. She headed back inside, determined to track down her elusive boss when something caught her eye. Sitting strait on the desk was a small picture frame. This would be a completely normal thing for a man to have on his desk if it were anyone else. But this was her boss. The one without any form of personal life what so ever. This was getting weirder and weirder.
She picked it up, not realizing she was snooping. It was a old picture that had been crinkled a number of times before being framed. A laughing older man, whose hair was beginning to turn white was holding a little boy in his arms. The kid was young, three or four with a smile that could light up a room. Koala put it back confused. Why would Dragon have something like this in his office. Curiosity getting the better of her now she scanned the rest of his desk for an explanation. Papers were neatly stacked in different piles awaiting approval, as always. There was a map off to the side a bit. It wasn't odd for Dragon to have maps. But this one had been written on. It was a map of Paradise, with various X marks on some of the areas. A large circle covered a range of islands. He was looking for something. Sabo? She wondered vaguely. Could he be in trouble. Had something happened. She poked around the piles with a bit more urgency then before. Mostly just reports from the other sectors. She knew having handed most of them off to him. He was getting behind in them, worryingly so. Knowing she was out of line now she opened the top drawer. The concern for her friend was clouding her judgement. An envelope sat on top of the papers inside. She had seen it before, a couple of days ago. It had changed hands a number of times to reach Dragon, before she carried it in with the reports of the day. It had been opened, a number of times by the looks of it. The official seal of the world government was stamped on the front.
'Whatever it is I'm sure Sabo is fine," She reasoned to herself. It would be wrong to pry into her boss's mail. Even if it was out of concern. She closed the drawer and stepped back.
And then she opened it again, opening the envelope, feeling her guilt rise.
To the leader of the revolutionaries Dragon,
As of the 12th of July the world government has taken Monkey D. Luffy into custody. On behalf of our leaders we will continue to hold him until you cease your attack and recall your army's out of all government-controlled lands. Your immediate compliance with these requests is needed. If these demands are not met the well being of Monkey D. will be threatened. You have three days to comply or he will be subjected to an inquisition at the hands of CP-0 . If you do not contact us within a month to discuss the revolutionaries surrender, he will be immediately executed. Any attempt to negotiate will be taken as failure to comply.
-Your move Dragon
The last part was written in messy handwriting and under that was the stamp of the world government. Koala wished she hadn't opened the envelope. This was a threat. It was blackmail addressed to her boss. They were demanding his surrender? How could they possibly expect him to do that?
"It's not nice to read other people's mail," A low voice said and she squeaked in surprise, her heart thundering in her chest.
"Sir, your back." She said hastily putting the envelope down. "I wasn't- I was just- just."
"Going through my desk." He finished for her.
She hung her head, "I'm sorry." Even by revolutionary standards this was a huge no. She could get fired over this.
"I am sorry," She told him truthfully. "I really didn't mean too. But you were acting so strange and I thought that maybe Sabo was in trouble and I- I just panicked. There is no excuse."
"I'll ask you not to do that again," He told her.
She stared into the floor, silently cursing herself. "Never."
He nodded, sitting back into his desk chair.
"Sir?" She said timidly, half expecting his next words to be her termination, but even so the note worried her more than even that. "I read the letter."
"I know I saw you."
If at all possible, her face turned a deeper shade of red. "Y-you, you aren't going to recall our troops will you?"
"Of course not." Was his simple reply.
She sighed in relief, of course he wasn't. Thousands of people would die. He would never allow that.
"Sir," She said again. "Who is Monkey D. Luffy?"
Dragon looked up at her, his face stone serious, as it always was. For a long moment she thought he wasn't going to answer but he leaned forward and tapped the picture frame, his nail over the little boy's face.
"He's cute," She said unsure of what else to say.
"That was taken a long time ago."
"Are they… their going to torture him."
"-Yes, they will."
"That's awful." She said looking back at the picture of the happy kid. She had heard horror stories about CP-0. They were the most dangerous of cipher pol. She wouldn't wish that upon anyone. Not even her worst enemies.
"Is he a criminal?"
"Not that I'm aware of. Not yet at least."
"Then why?"
Dragon fixed her with a look and her mouth snapped shut. "I'm sorry, I just." She started unsure of what to say. This whole thing had caught her entirely off guard.
"Isn't there anything we can do to help him?"
"Short of surrendering? I don't believe so."
"So you're going to let this happen?"
"Koala," He told her and her eyes snapped back to meet him. Well aware she was still in dangerous territory. "You have a gentle heart," he said once again surprising her. "You don't like to stand by when innocent people are being hurt. But I didn't tell you about this because you don't need to hear about it. There is nothing you can do for him. This belongs on my guilty conscience and mine alone."
Her eyes turned back to the picture. He looked so happy there. She was already involved now, and like he said her stomach was twisting at the thought.
"Please," she said finally. "We can't let them do this. Not to an innocent civilian."
"If there was something to be done, I would have done it already. I am doing what I can." He told her cryptically. "But right now, it's not going to be enough to save him this pain."
"Their doing this to get to you…why?"
He stayed silent and she leaned a little closer. Koala realized her presence was unwanted here, but she also hadn't been formally dismissed yet. While she appreciated her boss trying to save her from pain it was too late for that. It wasn't like she could just go back to her duties, while knowing the entire army was currently being blackmailed and some man was being tortured by cipher pol. For them? Because of them. She needed to know why.
"You will not let this go?"
"I can't?" She told him truthfully.
He frowned, turning to look back at the picture. "There are many things I have failed at in this world." He told her picking the frame up. "But allowing this to happen, not being able to stop it. Or not being willing to pay the cost to stop it. This is by far my greatest." He put the picture back in the drawer, face down.
"If you really wish to know, close the door."
She did, feeling guilty to have pushed him so hard. But not enough to excuse herself as she took a seat in front of his desk.
"I am sorry to add this burden to you," He told her truthfully. "But I am not sure how much longer I can continue to act as the leader of the revolutionaries."
Koala was back out of her seat in an instant, panic rushing through her.
"You're kidding! Tell me you are kidding."
He continued on, unshaken by her outburst. "I will need you to compile a list of possible successors for my chair, you included on that list. Your discretion in the area is crucial."
She shook her head slowly. "You can't do this. You can't! We would be lost without you."
"I hope it won't come to it." He told her, his tone level as always. Infuriatingly so right now. "But it is out of my control."
"Because the Government told you too!"
"I ask that you remain level headed about this. We can't risk our emotions clouding our better judgment now."
She closed her eyes taking a deep breath. Why had she had to open that stupid letter! Now it really was too late to turn back.
"Sabo," She told him. There was his list. "He is the second in command, the people respect him, he is strategical, good under pressure-," Mostly at least.
There was a long pause before he spoke again, and his voice was gentler. Rare for the even toned man. "You two are close."
"We are friends," She reminded him. "They had been ever since they were little. Sabo's first friend. Sabo's best friend."
"I am sorry to be the one to tell you this, it isn't my place to speak for him. But I do not know if he intends to return to the revolutionaries or not."
And for the second time that day the world seemed to stop, and she felt the breath leave her lungs bit by bit.
"What!" She managed finally. Sabo was? No he couldn't.
"Did he get his memory's back?"
"Not quite," Dragon told her. "But he has found some people from his past. And depending on how certain things play out I think he might try to distance himself-."
"From us!"
"From me."
"No," She shook her head feeling tears begin to well up in her eyes.
"Why would he do that?"
"It is his business," Dragon reminded her.
"I'll talk to him!" She said. "I'll bring him back here!"
"We must respect Sabo's decision." He told her calmly. "He is entitled to his own choices. And if he does choose not to return then we must have a list of possible back up's for leadership."
Koala couldn't believe this was happening. Not to her, not today.
"Tell me why!" She said finally. "You owe me that much. Tell me why you are stepping down…Please sir."
He sighed wearily, rubbing his face with his hand. And she realized he was very tired. More so then she had seen before. The skipping meals, locking himself away in his office, ignoring his work. It was all making sense. And she hated that. She should have taken the out when it was offered to her. But if it wasn't too late then it definitely was now. At the very least she wanted to know why. Why he would be willing to undo his life's work. Jeopardize thousands of lives. Give in to the government, his sworn enemy.
"This can never leave this room."
"It won't sir." She promised him.
He nodded, "very well Koala. As you know the world government is blackmailing me personally. They wish my cooperation for the life of that boy," he gestured to the desk drawer where the photograph lay. "I can't give in to their demands without costing losing thousands of lives in the process. But I can't simply allow them to torment and kill him. If he can't be rescued in time, then I will give up my life for his. But the only way I can do that without risking the destruction of the revolutionaries is stepping down from my position and stripping myself of leadership.
"You would go that far-,"
"-For my son." He finished for her.
"No!" She shook her head, "He can't be."
"I assure you he is."
A thousand things rushed around Koalas head, doubt, the strangest feeling she was the punchline of the world's worst joke, a strong urge to demand a paternity test…. But more then anything she was just-
"-Sorry."
"You have done nothing wrong."
"I'm sorry their doing this to your kid." She told him mournfully. "That must be- really hard."
He regarded her carefully for a moment not answering.
"Can we- can we go get him?" They had the force, armies if necessary.
"I haven't the feintest clue where he is."
"The marines?"
But he just shook his head again. "They would like to have me believe that. But I know things they don't realize I am aware of. They aren't the ones pulling the strings in this, they are only pretending to."
She didn't know what that meant. Only that any attempt at a rescue would have to wait until they tracked him down.
"Surely someone must know?"
"Sabo is working on it."
"He is?" She asked growing steadily more confused. "At the moment he is the best chance of rescue."
"But he won't get there- is there nothing you can do to stop this?" She asked looking back at the note. Three days time…that was today.
"No," He said softly, moving his gaze off of her to behind him, where the balcony door was left open. "It appears not this time."
XXX
"You've returned my son," Whitebeard said as Ace came to stand before his great chair. "Your siblings were worried about you."
Ace's gaze flickered to the side, avoiding Whitebeards eyes. The man noted that he looked different, older, or maybe just wearier. He had been through a lot in the last few weeks. It had taken its toll on him. Especially since Ace had always struck him as someone who could handle 'a lot'.
"You have a brother," Whitebeard continued a bit softer.
Ace nodded, his gaze still on the deck.
"You two are close?"
He nodded again.
"We will get them back my son," he said laying his giant hand on Aces shoulder.
Ace shrugged him off, although not rudely. More out of guilt as his eyes finally slid up to meet the mans.
"I'm sorry I left without telling you." In the pirating world that was bad form.
"You had good reason," the man waved him off.
"Besides many apologies are in order Ace. Teach has been with us since he was a child, and yet after all that time I could have never predicted there was this kind of darkness in him. That failure is on me not you."
Ace didn't say anything, his gaze going back to his feet. Something was definitely wrong with him.
"Did you see Marco before he disappeared?"
Ace said nothing, his attention fixed firmly downwards.
Oyaji waited a moment longer, expecting Ace to answer but when he didn't the man sighed.
"We will find him my son. All of them. Until then I am glad you are back with us."
Still Ace said nothing, waiting to be dismissed. It seemed like there was nothing he could say.
"I've spoken to your brother," The man mused to himself. "Monkey D. Luffy right?"
Or almost nothing.
Ace's head shot up in surprise. "What?"
"All of you D's are so head strong," He mused. "It was a while ago now. He was causing trouble on Teaches ship. Picked up his den-den by accident. Funny kid. He's a lot like you."
"I hope not," Ace said quietly.
The man regarded him for a long moment.
"Go to bed my son. You look like you have had quite the week. We can talk more later. But for now rest."
Ace nodded, giving in without protest as he moved across the deck. Whitebeard watched him disappear below the deck. He sighed again summoning Izo over.
"What's wrong with Ace?" He asked in concern. Everyone had noticed the young mans marked change in behavior. And his disappearance had attracted quite a lot of attention.
"Teach," Whitebeard told him simply. "Can I ask you to keep an eye on Ace my son. You have a good head on your shoulders, and he is not acting like himself.
He nodded, "Of course."
XXX
Luffy hadn't fought them this time. He knew what would happen to Thatch if he did, so he followed Burgess down the maze-like corridors of the hold. He had said something about Marines. Luffy hoped it was his grandfather.
It wasn't.
The man had a vice grip on his upper arm and forced Luffy into what must have been the main room. It was at the center of the base and was very large, much bigger then the other, usually tighter spaces of the Hold.
It was made of the same dark stone as the rest, and the huge space was empty except for a single throne like seat that had been carved and shaped up from the floor itself.
But Luffy ignored this, what did he care what the room looked like. Instead his attention snapped to the people in the room. There were a few, most of them dressed in marine uniforms, standing stoically against the wall in attention. Marine lackies as his grandfather had called them when they annoyed him. Teach at the center of the room, standing next to a tall and serious man. He wore a coat similar to Garp's. Luffy figured that meant he was some form of higher-ranking marine.
"This is him." The marine man said, slight disappointment in his tone as he glared at Luffy like one might look at an uninvited rat visitor.
"That's him," Teach confirmed a smile breaking out over his face. "I guess he's finally learning some obedience."
The marine strode over to him, his face like thunder. Luffy stood his ground, not like there was any other choice with Burgess holding him in place.
The man stared at him for a second longer, sizing the younger boy up.
"Your not much to look at son of Dragon," he told him angrily.
"Neither are you," Luffy shot back returning the glare two-fold. He didn't have the slightest idea what the man was talking about but anyone who was partnered with these pirates was an enemy of his.
The mans reaction was instant, he lunged forwards striking Luffy in the face with a surprising amount of strength. It was enough to knock him down and then some, which wasn't such a rare feat anymore these days. A mild gust of wind could take him down but this man's punch would have knocked him easily even if he was at full strength.
Luffy lay on the floor, fighting back the urge to puke, listening to the men talk above him.
"He's always like that," Teach was telling him. "It's annoying."
"Where did you find him?" The stern voice asked.
"Where? Some island in the east blue," Teach said dismissively.
"Was he alone?"
"Uh, yea? Far as I could tell-why?"
"Anyone discovered aiding a criminal is guilty of obstruction of justice."
Luffy felt his blood run cold at those words as he forced his spinning head off the floor to look at the marine. Dark eyes met his own gaze, and the mans face promised blood.
"Well it looked like he was alone. Orphan and what not. Don't think he really had anyone aside from his brother. But I don't really know. I didn't exactly stick around," Teach told him as he gestured to Burgess.
The pirate reached down to once again haul Luffy up and back onto his feet to meet the glare of the marine.
Luffy didn't know what he had done to garner such a strong hatred from the other man. Usually it took another few minutes for someone to dislike him. But this man seemed to hate him already.
"Where were you born son of Dragon?" The man addressed him once again.
"I'm not a dragon!" Luffy told him equally angrily. He thought that much should be obvious with the lack of claws and what not.
"What!" The anger in the mans tone was now mixed with confusion as he whirled around to Teach. "He doesn't know!"
"Looks that way," He said as he began to pick his teeth with his fingernail.
He turned back to Luffy even angrier now. "Your useless." He hissed. As if that was an insult. He was hardly the first person to say that to him.
"I never said he knew anything," Teach told him. "Kids dumber than a pile of bricks and twice as stubborn. If he wasn't so valuable, I'd have tossed him in the ocean by now for how much trouble he has caused me."
The marine turned back to Luffy with his ever present glare but when he spoke it was to Teach.
"You will have no objections to what we choose to do to him."
"What are you going to do?" Luffy said only to be ignored by everyone.
Teach paused in picking, "Don't kill him, I need him alive."
"What you need is no consequence to the government," He growled. "The son of Dragon is now in our custody, that means it's the property of the world government."
"You can't own me!" Luffy snapped as he pulled against Burgess's hold on him.
"Fine," Teach rolled his eyes clearly unamused with the politics. "Then isn't he of more use to you alive?"
The marines silence was telling enough even though he didn't agree out loud.
"How are you going to convince the bigshot revolutionary then without killing him? From the little that I know about those guys, or that guy, they don't appreciate their hands being forced. I doubt he's going to bend without anything at stake."
The marine signaled to two of the lackies behind him and they came forward towards Luffy. He took a step back, or tried to, glancing around at the people. He didn't understand what they were talking about. But they weren't going to kill him at least…probably.
The man answered, speaking to both Luffy and Teach at the same time, his eyes staring Luffy down like a cat would a mouse.
"There are things worse then death."
Teach shook his head in bewilderment. "And you call us heartless. You guys are merciless huh," he snorted at the irony of it all. But his amusement did not reach the marines as they grabbed Luffy's arms, taking over from Burgess as they began to drag him backwards.
"Stop!" Luffy said trying to push against them. He knew enough to know this was not going to turn out well for him. He dug his heels into the ground trying to slow them down. But it was all for nothing as they continued to drag him away.
"Wait!" The marines order rung out across the room easily canceling out Luffy's protests and the men froze.
"The cuffs, remove them."
"Are you sure?" Teach asked. "Trust me he is much more susceptible to pain with them.
"Our agents are skilled." He said. "They are good with a challenge.
XXX
Ooh, so you guys are definitely going to be mad now right. I'm sorry.
So schools finally out for me! Failed o-chem but onwards and upwards right…right! Like I said last time I will try to get the last few' dark arc' chapters out of the way by (fingers crossed) January. There are only three more chapters left (you can hold me to that) and now that I am on break I should be able to get through them pretty quickly. Then it's rescue Luffy, kick Teaches butt, and karmic dessert time!
-Good luck with school and merry Christmas!
XXX
No tengo esperanza en los idiomas también, ¡es muy difícil! Me alegra que te haya gustado el capítulo. ¡Espero que te guste este también! Gracias por las palabras de aliento. Escribir puede ser un poco difícil a veces. ¡Pero seguiré haciendo ambas cosas felizmente!
¡Saludos desde casa en los Estados Unidos!
Pirulita005
yukino76: Yes he is!
Fluffypuppies: Not quite. They are going to try, but not for right now. I think they would rather keep Luffy here for the time being then transport him which would risk them losing him or behind discovered by Whitebeard or Dragons extremely extensive network of contacts. I hope I remember to go into it later. I think they want to use him to the full extent before killing him. Ace is coming soon with Sabo and company.
Thank you! I will do my best to update soon.
Guest: That's fair. You do you. Sorry to bum you out. Things aren't going their way right now. But they are about to get better in three more chapters! And as always I promise no depressing ending, only happy ones! Everyone is entitled to it! I won't kill off the good guys don't worry! Only the evil ones.
WovlesInTheNight: Love is a powerful driving force : )
DemonKittyAngel: Yay loopholes!
Ace might if he had no options. Or maybe not, who knows. Yes! And more and more of Ace in chapters 30 and onwards. A bit more of Dragon as well!
I know, I never understood that about his character. He promised not to die then he spends his late teens trying to die. I think unfortunately, that the letter wasn't quite what you were looking forwards too haha, I'm sorry. But Ace does feel bad right now anyway.
As always thank you for reading!
ScarletRoofs: Nope, they aren't taking him back to HQ yet. I need to remember to go into it more next chapter. I think if it all goes his way BB will get his title regardless…but it won't. I'm glad you liked it!
-Thank you for reading!
Mudkip246: Me too! Thank you for reading!
MR97: ¡Gracias! Me alegro de que te guste. Espero responder eso muy pronto. ¡Hasta entonces seguiré intentando sacar capítulos rápidamente!
-Saludos de los estados
BlueThief: Sorry to bum you out. I might need to add a disclaimer to the beginning haha. Hopefully you will like the later ones a bite more. Thanks for reviewing!
yuzukikuran476: I will try to update soon again!
RIAEVANS: Of course! Poor Luffy indeed : ( Sabo and Ace are working on it I promise. Even if it doesn't look like it. I will try to update again soon!
Vanimelde Melindel: You can count on it! I am glad you like it! I promise it won't stay a sad story forever. And no sad endings! I always meant to give everyone who deserved it a happy ending. I will try to post the next one soon! As always thank you for the review.
XXX