XXX
Ace met Burgess on the docks just as the sun was beginning to creep over the horizon. The man was waiting for him in front of their boats with a baby den-den and a clear set of instructions.
"You are to keep this on you and on at all times. If you turn it off even for a moment the first thing I am going to do when I get back is break every one of your baby brother's fingers. If it still isn't back on by then I'll move on to the toes. Then I guess I will have to start getting creative. Do you understand?"
Ace glared up at him. There were many things he wanted to say but all of them would risk him taking out his wrath on Lu who didn't deserve any of this. So instead he held out his hand.
"Give me the damn thing before I break your fingers."
Burgess grinned at him. "Anybody ever tell you that you're pretty hot when you're pissed off?"
He was mocking him now. Ace rolled his eyes as he grabbed the baby den-den from the man. A specialized one as he had explained it, that was wired only to the master one which Burgess would hold at all times. Everything Ace said and did would be relayed strait back to the mother one. Meaning everything he said would be tracked.
"It's almost like you don't trust me," He told the man.
"Boss trusts you all right. He trusts you to go running strait back to your pathetic crew the second you get the chance. Blubbering about friendship and family or whatever lies the old man preaches."
Ace felt his face flush red with anger as he slandered Whitebeard. But Burgess continued on before he got the chance to tell him to shut it.
"I however disagree."
"Why's that." Ace asked clenching his hand into a fist to stop himself from punching his smug face where he stood.
Burgess gestured to one of the bags he held and Ace instantly knew what was in there.
"Because of this." He told him grinning cruelly. "Face it kid blackmail or not you are a traitor now just like the rest of us. Do you really think the old man is going to go any easier on you just because you're sorry?" He snorted. "No I think he would kill you for what you did. And I think you know that. You're safe right now because they don't think it was you but I promise if I get one word, one sign that you are thinking of betraying us for your old crew we won't hesitate to clear up that little misconception. Then it's your head someone is going to be scraping off the walls. So," He reached over to pat Ace's cheek, "Do as you're told like a good little puppet and everything will go according to plan, got it?"
"Got it!" He repeated as Ace finally nodded, his face red with anger.
"Good now shove off already. I got places to be as well and I need to see you off first."
"Where are you going?" He asked.
"Mind your own business."
"I thought you were taking the recruits back." Ace persisted.
"Recruits went back yesterday. I have… other things to do." He rifled through one of his bags pulling out a picture and waving it in Ace's nose. When the teen tried to reach for it he held it back.
"What is that?"
"This?" The man was smiling again. Seemingly laughing at an inside joke. "This was for you until you went and pissed the boss off with that mouth of yours. Now it's going to be used for… other purposes." Ace tried to grab it again but the man held it out of his reach.
"Too bad," He goaded. "You would have liked it. Oh well." He stuffed the picture back in his bag as he turned to Ace.
"Now go! Head directly for the Moby Dick and don't even think of making any other stops. Trust me I will know. Otherwise…"
"You will break Lu's fingers yes I got it," Ace finished for him irratated.
The man blinked at him. "You call him Lu? That's awfully cute of you."
Ace cursed his own carelessness as he snapped, "Shut the hell up!"
He looked past the man's shoulder to the buildings beyond the harbor. He could make out the outline of his brother, watching the two of them from one of the rooftops.
Ace nodded to him ever so slightly. Telling him goodbye. He could see Sabo do the same. Wishing him good luck. But when Burgess turned to see what Ace was staring at he was already gone and all of Ace's attention was back on the man. He had already said goodbye to his brother early this morning. Surprising both of them he had pulled the blonde in for a tight hug. Something he never remembered doing before. No doubt Sabo didn't remember it either. What's even more surprising is after a moment of shock the other boy hugged him back before hurriedly whispering the plan in his ear. The same plan they had gone over time and time again. Ace knew it in his sleep by now but it didn't stop Sabo from repeatedly telling it to him every chance he got. If Ace didn't know his brother better he would almost say it was nervousness. Sabo had also reminded him that if Ace messed up and got caught he would move heaven and earth to get him back. Which, despite Ace's insistence to focus on Luffy, it was nice to know at least someone would morn him if his head did end up being scrapped off the wall like Burgess claimed.
He looked back at the man before turning to his skiff behind him.
"I hope you get eaten by a shark."
"Goodbye to you too kid," Burgess said.
XXX
An entire three days passed after Thatch's enlightening conversation with Teach. In that time they were more or less left alone. Food was still thrown in once a day but there was no further contact which was most likely for the best except for the fact that Thatch was losing his mind of boredom. Whatever they had done to Luffy had left him mostly unresponsive. He woke up only once for several moments and in that time ate two days' worth of food before passing out again. Thatch was incredibly frustrated. He wanted to know what was going on, what Teach seemed to be so excited about and where the hell his family was. But it was impossible to tell from down here so instead he was going crazy waiting.
It was early in the morning on the third day when Thatch felt the boat slow to a stop. He was sitting on the floor with his back against the side of the bed, too fidgety to sleep and was instead waiting anxiously.
He stood up listening intently. Down here near the bottom of the ship the silence was enough to drive anyone mad. Usually he had Luffy to fill it for him though. He hadn't realized how much he had come to rely on the kid until now. Thatch didn't like this new quite Luffy who had replaced the loud hyperactive one. He knew it was a product of his injuries and fatigue and that a month ago he would have killed for the boy to be just a little bit less energetic as at the time it had felt like reigning him in so Teach didn't have to was literally, not figuratively, killing him. Although he had always been secretly proud every time Luffy's apparent lack of warning instinct kept him insulting and otherwise aggravating the insane pirate. A feat even the bravest of men would think twice about. Luffy it seems had no such reservations and he never failed to infuriate the traitorous bastard.
Thatch sat down on the side of the bed shaking his shoulders gently at first and then harder when he didn't react.
"Kid- Luffy…,"
Thatch pulled him up to a sitting position and let him lean against his shoulder as he waited the some odd minuets it took for Luffy to wake up enough for him to give a slurred moan.
"Are you alive?" Thatch joked a bit tensely. Lately it felt like the saying was hitting too close to home.
"Alive?" He repeated confused, "Where are we?"
"Still on the ship." Thatch told him. "It seems like we stopped."
"What ship?"
"What did they give you?" Thatch asked in bewilderment. "-and did you bring some for me?" Honestly that seemed much better than sitting here slowly going insane.
"Give me?"
Thatch sighed as he tucked Luffy's head underneath his chin, letting him have a moment to come back to reality. If he even did.
"Your okay," He told him as the boy moved to try to get up.
"Where-?"
"Where are we?" He guessed.
Luffy shook his head. "Where is Ace."
Of everything Thatch was expecting him to say that had not been it. He felt himself caught off guard and unsure of how to answer.
"Luffy," He tried slowly. "We are on the boat remember. The really dark and cold one?"
He tried once more to get up but Thatch easily held him in place unsure of what he wanted. "He was here," Luffy told him. He pointed a shaky hand at one of the darkened corners. "He was right here!"
Thatch brushed Luffy's bangs out of his eyes in the same way he always did for his younger siblings when they were injured or upset and he needed them to focus.
"You're a little out of it right now," He told him gently. "Ace isn't here. I know you must miss him." Or at least he imagined that he did. He never outright said it but if this was any indication then he missed his brother more then he let on.
Luffy tried once more to free himself of the man's grasp but he wasn't much of a match for the gentle but insistent arms.
"But I saw him!"
"Okay," Thatch caved. He figured they could have this discussion a bit later when Luffy was acting more like himself. "But he is gone right now and I think we have a problem."
"Gone? Why?"
"How many fingers?" Thatch asked without bothering to hold up his hand.
"Fingers?" Luffy repeated confused. "Whats-,"
"You are not much for conversation right now are you?" He told him with a small grin. He should have figured as much. He hoped Teach got bit by something poisonous in the next bed he slept in for doing this to Luffy.
"I'm not going to bother explaining things to you if you're not going to understand or remember any of this." Thatch told him standing up slowly from the bed and looking around for anything he could use to defend them. There was a syringe in the trash from weeks ago. He had discovered it yesterday on accident. He retrieved it now, buried as it was under the layer of dirty bandages and, ugh throw up. For the first time Thatch was thankful that they never bothered to clean the trash. He tucked it into his waist band before grabbing under Luffy's arms and hauling him onto unsteady feet. Not trusting him to stand on his own he kept a firm grip on his arm, practically dragging him to the back wall.
"Just stay behind me."
Luffy pressed back against him, seemingly annoyed by people continuing to treat him like a sack of flour. But Thatch easily won out pushing them both against the wall as he stepped in front of him. His back shielding the smaller kid from the door just as the rattling footsteps reached his ears. They were coming.
The familiar rattling of keys sounded in the lock before the door was flung open with a bang and the lackeys stood outside, looking a little anxious. Thatch noted that about half the group seemed to be sporting injuries from their time dealing with the two prisoners. No doubt they were not eager for more. But Thatch felt very little sympathy for them. He figured whatever they got they deserved for choosing to follow the man they did.
"Oi!" Broken nose said catching sight of the two of them at the back wall. "Come along then."
"Where are we going?" Thatch asked tensely.
The group looked at each other before the man spoke up again, his voice slightly nasally from the injury. "Never you mind, just come on."
Thatch shifted, having to use one of his arms to keep Luffy in place.
"No," He told the group. "I think we are better off here."
"Well the boss disagrees," The man growled.
"Then why don't you get the boss down here?" He shot back. "Have him come and talk to us."
"Boss is busy." The man said taking a step closer, flanked by the rest of them. "Now give us the brat and this don't have to get ugly like last time."
"Let's let this get ugly." Thatch told them narrowing his eyes. He preferred it ugly. The only ones who seemed afraid of that were the cautious group.
The man in front seemingly lost his patience as he stormed over to them, reaching out to push Thatch away from the wall. The second his wondering fingers made contact with the fabric of Thatch's shirt he was suddenly reeling back with a cry. Fresh blood flowed from the gash in his forearm as he cried in rage.
The men behind him looked in surprise at their fallen comrade and then to the bloody syringe in the man's hand and seemed to realize at the same time that this was going to be harder than they thought.
"Bloody hell!" One of them groaned as he pulled out his knife.
As they moved to attack Thatch was much quicker. He slashed upward with the syringe breaking the skin on the man's arm and forcing him to drop the knife as he too cried out. While he clutched his arm in pain Thatch kicked him squarely in the chest winding him. Seeing their comrade downed two more moved to attack together.
Thatch was ready for them as he caught them both around the back of the head and shoved their foreheads together with a loud crack that was sure to give way to a very nasty headache. However Thatch couldn't find it in himself to give them any pity. The rest of the gang cried out in anger, all of them charging him at once. Thatch grit his teeth feeling the ache of his healing side protest the movement. He used one hand to keep Luffy in the corner where no one could take him away and the other to grip his makeshift weapon. If these bastards wanted a fight then a fight is what they would get.
In the end things got a little out of hand. Or so Thatch thought as he wiped the blood off the syringe and onto his already dirty pant leg. When they had tried to corner him he had gone from defensive to downright vicious. It seems that this little prison experience from Teach was effecting him and his self-control more than he had originally thought. That was something to think about later. For now he should worry about any of the downed men waking up and sounding the alarm. That was the ones that still could wake up. He was pretty sure he had killed one of them.
The foolish man had pulled a gun on him. His aim had been horrible and he was in desperate need of practice but Thatch took the threat to heart and before the fumbling finger could press the trigger the needle of the syringe was buried a good three inches into his throat, much to the surprise of both the man and Thatch who hadn't intended to do that. Still it had gotten the point across to the rest of them. After that taking down the rest was like swatting flies.
"Come on," Thatch told Luffy finally stepping back and pulling him away from the corner. If he was grateful for one thing it was that the kid hadn't been able to see most of the fight from behind Thatch. It wasn't a stretch to assume that Luffy had probably seen some violent stuff in his life. But that didn't mean Thatch needed to go out of his way to show him more. Call him over protective but he didn't want to mess the kid up anymore then he already was going to be from all of this. So before he stepped away to reveal the group of downed men, including the one with the gaping hole in his neck that was dripping blood like a water fall he covered Luffy's eyes with his hand. Luffy reacted immediately, trying to pull Thatch away clumsily.
"Your fine." He promised forcing the hands back down and away from his eyes. "You just don't need to see this alright?"
But Luffy wasn't listening and Thatch wasn't going to budge on this one. He instead grabbed the wrists that were trying to pull his hand away and pulled him out of the room. Careful to step around the bodies. Some groaning lightly. They would wake up soon it seemed. They needed to work fast. He pushed Luffy into the hallway rougher the he meant to just as the nearest man's eyes fluttered open.
He heard Luffy stumble and fall against the ground as he slammed the door behind them. Hopefully trapping the lackeys there for the foreseeable future. He had stolen the key ring from one of them but hadn't realized just how many key's they had on it. Did the ship even have this many doors?
As he fumbled he risked a glance behind him at Luffy. Who was staring up at him wide eyed from his place on the floor.
"You good kid?" He asked trying yet another one of the keys.
"Good?"
"You're a regular parrot today huh?" Thatch told him trying to force the mismatched key into the opening with sheer strength. From inside the door he could hear the man nearest to them beginning to get up. But not before he locked them in the room they had trapped them in for weeks on end.
Finally one of the keys slid in and he snapped the lock shut before taking the key ring and throwing it noisily down the other end of the hall as far as he could.
"Let's go?" He held out his had to Luffy but when the he didn't take it Thatch grabbed his elbow hauling him back onto his feet.
"Next time I tell you to sit still and be quiet you can remind me of this," Thatch told him as he bent down to pick Luffy up and put him over his shoulder. He got kicked a couple of times but in all he hardly noticed as he broke out into a run towards where he thought the stairs to be.
With most of the lackeys gone Thatch only really had to worry about getting caught by Teach. He was the one Thatch was most worries about. After everything that had happened he wasn't sure he had it in him to fight anymore right now. So instead he ran, carrying the both of them up the narrow stairs from the belly of the ship onto the main deck. Up and up where the air was less stale and smelt more like salt water. Thatch figured they had probably stopped at another port. Which meant another chance to escape. All they needed to do was break out of this prison ship and steal away into the crowed. If they could just evade Teach for a few days they would be in the clear.
He paused at the top of the stairs to let their eyes adjust to the dim but natural light, all the while staining to hear any noises from the deck. When he didn't hear anything and his eyes had mostly stopped watering Thatch risked stepping out from the safety of stairway onto the main deck. It seemed empty for the moment. Creates and barrels cluttered the space. Where they in the process of moving the supplies again? Surely Teach wouldn't make it this easy for them…?
It turns out he hadn't. As Thatch moved away from the cluttered crates and onto the open deck he saw what he had missed before and what would undoubtedly prove to be the biggest obstacle in his impromptu escape plan.
He set Luffy down from his shoulder onto the deck. When he was sure the kid's legs would support him Thatch wondered a bit further towards the railing. Eyes taking in the sight before them.
They had not stopped at a port like he had thought. The silence in the air should have tipped him off sooner. Instead of the yells and shouts that usually accompanied a busy city the only sounds were the distant rumbling of thunder. There was a storm headed their way. The sky above was over cast and there was dark clouds on the horizon blocking out any bit of blue sky that they might have seen. Which was fortunate for their light starved eyes as it made the transition back into the light a bit easier. It still stung but any pain he felt was pushed aside by the dread curling in his stomach.
The ship had taken anchor out here to avoid the jagged rocks that seemed to litter the water in this area. There was no hint of land or an island in sight and it appeared they were still in the open ocean but about half a mile away strait off the main bow was a towering rock structure that shot strait out of the ocean like a mountain of black rock. A jagged outpost surrounded on all sides by sharp rocks and sheer cliff faces. In the dim light Thatch could just make out the structure built right into the cliff face. It looked like it was made out of the same material as the cliff it sat on. Only the rock had been carved into stone blocks to build the decrepit structure upon. A near impenetrable fortress. No help would they find here, nor anywhere. He had no clue where they even where let alone how far it was to the nearest civilization. Thatch turned to look at Luffy expecting him to be staring at the outpost before them in a similar state of fear. Only Luffy was smiling.
He wasn't even looking at the rocks before them but up at the cloudy sky above. He didn't look scared at all only happy. Happy to be outside Thatch realized with a pang. He was happy to see the sky again after such a long time. Even with the clouds it was beautiful in the way that it seemed to stretch on forever. Thatch never imagined there would be a time when he missed the sky but here they were.
"It's pretty huh?"
Luffy turned to him, smiling brightly and despite himself Thatch felt like smiling as well.
But the next second there was a slam behind him and a sharp pain shot through his leg. His knee buckled under his weight and he felt himself slam into the deck with a cry.
"Nice try," Came the familiar taunting voice and from Thatch's spot on the deck he could see both Teach and the Doc work their way towards them from the stairway.
Thatch pushed himself up to a sitting position as his hands clutched at his right leg just below the knee where blood was beginning to soak through his pant leg. He had been shot! The bastard had shot him.
Besides him Luffy's eyes grew wide as he stared down at the growing red stain. Still not in his right mind but apparently coherent enough to understand that something was wrong he moved towards Thatch. But the Doc beat him to it as he knelt beside the downed man, muttering to himself as his medical kit fell open on the deck.
"Do you realize how much work you make for me?" He asked.
"Shut up." Teach told him shortly intercepting Luffy before he could reach Thatch and dragging him away.
"You did a number on my men," Teach said, this time talking to Thatch who glared at him through the pain.
"You have some pretty weak un- Ahh, underlings." He tried to push the Doctor away as he touched the wound.
"I'm trying to fix it geez!"
"I think I'm better off without your help."
"He used to be so nice," Teach said with fake sympathy for his ex-crew mate.
When Luffy tried once more to help him the man grabbed his jaw turning his head away from the bloody scene before him to instead meet Teach's own black eyes.
"Now he is only nice to you. Why is that?" He was mocking them now. Thatch answered anyway.
"He is the only one on this whole –OW, Freaking boat that I don't want to see dismembered by a sea king.
Teach regarded the pirate for a moment before turning back to the kid. One of his large fingers tilted his head so he could look into the glassy eyes of his prisoner. Luffy stared back at him obedient and quiet, nothing like his usual self. His pupils were blown wide and didn't seem to be focused on anything. Teach smirked and let him go.
"You know I think I like the kid better like this," He told Doc Q as Thatch's head snapped up.
"He is less trouble," The other agreed.
"Leave him alone!" Thatch growled.
"Relax," Teach adjusted his grip as he pulled them both over to the bow of the ship. "I'm just showing him. At least one of you can appreciate all my hard work."
"Well," Thatch groaned as the doctors jostled his knee by accident. "Being a murderous, kidnapping slime ball is a full time job."
Teach laughed at that in honest. His checkered teeth showing as he grabbed the rigging with one hand and used it to pull himself onto the railing of the ship. He reached down, hand once more tangling in the stained shirt as he pulled Luffy up beside him.
"One more comment like that and the kid is going for another swim. Now do you know what that is brat?" He gestured at the base before them.
When he failed to answer Teach told him, "That's the Hold?"
"The hold?" Luffy's voice was childish and bordering on timid. Wholly unlike his usual tone. But it made Teach grin. For once glad someone seemed to be recognizing his authority. In his arrogance he seemed to miss that all Luffy was doing was copying what everyone else was saying, not truly keeping up with the conversation.
"That's our new headquarters. That's home now for all of us." Thatch looked on in disgust.
"A near impenetrable fortress from before the start of the great pirate era. It's been abandoned for centuries." He smiled broadly. "Until now boys."
When Luffy turned from the hulking slab of dark rock and grey stone to look at him Teach smiled. He reached out his large calloused hand to stroke the bruised cheek in a way that someone that didn't know him may have mistaken as affection rather than egotistical.
"Do you know what else it is?"
Luffy shook his head.
"It's the place where your brother is either going to join me or I am going to kill him. It is where I am going to defeat the Whitebeard Pirates and gain worldwide fame and recognition. Where I will win over the world government and take all that I can from them." His grip turned hard as his hand tilted Luffy's chin upwards again.
"But for you little one, this place is where you will die."
XXX
So according to my little calendar (yes I have one I told you I was too invested) it is July 12th right now. This chapter is the end of the Sabaody section and chapter 25 is the start of the next one which I can't say the name because it will give it away. But after that is the 'Saving Luffy arc' which is hopefully self-explanatory. Until then I have to warn you this little section of chapters starting at 25 to 29 is going to be the darkest in the whole story. But 30 onwards things will get better for everyone I promise. Even if it is still kind of a dark story overall.
Hopefully you guys liked the chapter!
XXX
choco-muncher100: Yep!
Fluffypuppies: Yay! I'm glad you liked it. I don't really know about Dragon. I think he probably does care about Luffy. Although I don't think he cares that he pissed Ace off. They all have a lot of bigger fish to fry at the moment. Ace and Sabo are the best! Haha thanks for the review. Hopefully you liked this one as well.
Mel72000: Of course!
MelodiofHope: I think in his own way he will! Thank you.
WereWolf2000: Yes! I will. Not just yet but a little later everything will blow up in his face I promise.
Guest #1: I have not. I have updated three times in the last month. I promised I have not abandoned this story.
Guest #2: Yes! It came into play in this chapter. And it will again in the next one. Just not in the way it was supposed to. And yes I promise I will get to the conversation between Ace and Teach. I just can't do it right now because it might give everything away. Thank you for the kind words! I will do my best.
DemonKittyAngel: No it was fine.
Wow I'm glad you liked it. That's sweet to say. I got a lot of satisfaction from writing it. Luffy would never say those things. I'm glad to know someone else did too.
I promise I will get around to Sabo and Dragon talking but I think Sabo is a little too tactful to say that to his boss, at least in this version IDK what he would do in the canon. And yes! Something along those lines. Except he won't necessarily be sneaking. Nice guess though. Close. And yes, more Thatch taking care of Luffy because he loves him! Thank you for the review!
RockingTheGraveyard: Wow thank you! That's sweet to say. I'm glad you like it. I try my best, especially with how cute those two are together. Ace is going to do nothing good unfortunately. But he has Sabo to look out for him. Haha thanks. He really did, no one gives him enough credit for that. Anyways thank you for the review I am glad you liked it! Hopefully you liked this chapter as well.
GabyRose-12: Thanks! And thank you, I'm glad you like the personifications of them. I try
SoulMore: !
yukino76: Of course!
XxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Just a little bit. They will go down more in the next five chapters.
StrawberryEspada: Thank you! Hopefully it will be exciting stuff.
Sophia Mendes-Coruja: Absolutely! And he is not doing great. But he will be better next chapter. I really don't know about the Woods Run Red. I'm trying to finish Dolls first but I lack motivation. Probably a few times in the next month of two. I know that's not super specific but I usually play it by ear.
Catspirit: Alright! I'm not going to do that otherwise it wouldn't be a surprise but I really like the enthusiasm.
If you remind me I owe you an answer in a few chapters I would be happy to give you one. Although you might not need one anymore then.
the-lurkingAnon-reader: Yea, they are a little bit. For everyone. But I promise the WB's and Revolutionaries will be in it a little more from now one. Yea, he is causing waves for some powerful people.
Guest #3: Thank you! And me too. He has it the hardest.