All right friends it's time for this chapter! The last chapter in dark-arc. Warning for un-graphic torture and violence.

XXX

There was so much noise. He was trying to sleep but it was just so loud. He could hear the heated argument taking place in the hallway outside. Teach with his gravely voice and that dumb marine guy were fighting- about him. Teach was worried that if Luffy died then he was going to loose his trump card, and the marine guy- well he wanted Luffy to die. He pretended not too. It wasn't like he hid his disgust of him or anything but he defended himself by claiming to follow the orders of his superiors. But Luffy somehow knew that the man's real intentions were to kill him. And right now it would be really easy for him. He wanted to send him back, to that CP man as they called him. He said something about teaching a dragon a lesson or whatever. But Teach refused, thinking if they sent Luffy back to that man he wouldn't be coming back and Luffy agreed with him.

He tried to tune their words out, choosing instead to focus on the other conversation taking place just outside the walls of their cell. And unlike the argument that was equal parts aggressive and very public, this conversation seemed to go unnoticed. Almost like Luffy was the only one who could hear it. He had first heard it a few days back, when that man was hurting him. In between his pain he started to pick up bits and pieces of words, but everyone else just seemed to think he had finally gone insane. He had expected it to go away but it hadn't. When he woke up a few hours ago back in his cell he heard it clearer then ever. From his spot on the floor he tried to look around for the speakers only to see nothing. The voices sounded like they were coming from the other side of the wall, from the ocean.

The humans …..at it again

They talked a lot about humans.

…Felt the awakenings of a conqueror again last night

That's a rare power in humans

It's getting stronger

But conqueror is dying

-They would rather kill the cub then let it continue to grow it's power

Luffy didn't really understand what they were talking about. He figured they meant him when they said someone was dying but the rest just sounded like nonsense. He wished they would shut up.

Humans kill that which they are afraid of

-Shame…..a while since I felt a spark like that one

A powerful cub indeed…. Into a powerful adult

A warm hand rested on his forehead distracting him from the words. "Hey your awake," Thatch's soft voice drifted over to him. Luffy looked up at his friend, he looked relieved but so-so tired at the same time. He moved his hand to Luffy's bruised cheek giving it a soft pat.

"You hanging in their kid?" His voice was low over the argument taking place outside their cell but Luffy could hear him all the same.

"What are they talking about?" He asked his voice rough from screaming.

"Don't worry about it," Thatch told him petting his cheek. "It's going to be okay."

But Luffy shook his head pointing to the cell wall behind the man. "Out there," he told him.

Thatch turned to look at the wall in confusion. When he turned back to Luffy the expression melted into worry. "We're on a cliff, there is no one talking out there."

That was the same thing the psychotic CP guy had told him. He bit his lip in annoyance. Why could no one hear it.

"Yes there is!" He insisted.

"Luffy-," Thatch began but he cut him off.

"That is a human war ship anchored on this island. They will bring more back with it. Others will come to fight them for the cub. I worry these waters will run red." Luffy recited the words he caught back to Thatch wondering if the man knew what they meant.

Thatch opened his mouth before closing it. He stared down at him for a second unsure of what to say.

"I hear them!" Luffy insisted hoping his friend would listen to him. Something on his face must have gotten through to him as he looked back to the wall.

"Who is it?"

Thatch could only shake his head. "I don't know Luffy," he told him honestly. "What are they saying?"

….The cub doesn't have long left now

"I think their talking about me."

"What are they saying?"

I sense bloodlust from the war human. He will kill the cub before the others can come.

With tremendous effort Luffy pushed himself off the stone floor with his elbows, trying to fight the dizzy feeling in his head as he sat up. Thatch stabilized him, pulling him the rest of the way as he put a supporting hand on his shoulder to keep him from pitching over.

"What is it?" He asked as Luffy stared up at him. He reached out to tug on the goggles, still wrapped around Thatches wrist like a cuff.

"Oh right," The man said misinterpreting Luffy's interest as he moved to take them off. "I should give these back."

"No," He told him closing his fingers over them clumsily. He could feel the coolness of the steel and the sharpness of the glass. The strap, that darn strap was broken because Luffy had broke it. He broke everything.

They had been on that rickety rope bridge. The one that was always breaking. Luffy had fallen through again and had reached out to try and save himself. It had worked, if only for a second until the strap snapped, then two sets of hands were on him, pulling him back up and into the safety of their arms.

"Can you hold on to them a bit longer," He asked tightening his hand on them one last time. "Give them back to my brother yea? Tell him I'm sorry I broke them again." He felt his chest tighten at the thought of that but instead of crying he laughed. "I keep doing that- breaking them." And they kept saving his life.

"You can give them back yourself," Thatch promised him. "Don't give up on me now bud." His voice was soft, understanding.

"I'm not," Luffy promised sitting up a bit straighter.

Never.

Outside the cell the argument was winding down. There was no need to ask who had won. And Luffy thought back to the letter he didn't get to write.

He turned back to Thatch, the mans full attention fixed on him. Thatch couldn't hear the voices, he didn't know what was going to happen. Luffy wondered if the man hated being alone as much as he did. Maybe he was just better at hiding it.

Behind him he heard the familiar grading sound of the key sliding into the lock. He forced himself to ignore it as he looked up at the pirate. And Luffy smiled at him, putting everything he had into it.

"Tell my brothers I love them- oceans and oceans."

Thatch couldn't hear them. He didn't know what Luffy was talking about but he hugged him all the same. Pulling the tiny teenager into his arms fiercely.

Just as the cell door behind them opened. Teach had lost the argument, that much was clear. Luffy closed his eyes against the insistent arms that grabbed him, tugging and then pulling him away from his friend.

Thatch tried to stop them but he was held back before he could do so much as throw a punch. He looked scared, but not for himself for Luffy. So Luffy did the only thing he could think of. He gave his friend one last bright smile.

"Bye Thatch."

But his words were lost in the noise of the room. He heard Thatch scream at them to stop, and far outside he heard the fragmented words. They were talking about an oncoming war.

What war. Who was fighting a war? Whatever they were going to fight over, it must be pretty important.

XXX

Ace was getting better. It was like a flip had been switched. He went from saying little and sitting alone to his old self.

"Guess he is feeling better," Rakuyo remarked to Haruta as they watched Ace talk animatedly with one of the pirates from his division.

"He must of worked it out," Haruta said happily. "I wonder if he talked with someone or something. Why do you think he was upset in the first place?"

"Marco?" The man said with a shrug. "I don't really know. They were in pretty close contact with Teach right? Anything could have happened."

"Ace would have told us if something major happened with that traitor!"

The other man just shrugged again. "Tattling isn't really his personality is it? But I really don't know anything, I am just glad the kid is feeling better."

Izo seemed to have a similar opinion on the matter. The sudden change in attitude did nothing to stop the careful eye he kept on their youngest ship brother. If anything it was the opposite and Izo made sure Ace was never out of eye sight even for a moment.

"Can't you stop now?" Haruta asked. "He really seems fine. He stole my food at breakfast and everything."

"Just because he seems fine doesn't mean he really is." Acting alright when he wasn't was Ace's go to move when he was hurt.

"If he were to, disappear again or do something stupid he would be getting more withdrawn," Haruta argued. "But he is doing the opposite of that."

"Yes he is. Almost to a fault," Izo answered back evenly.

"Are you saying he is faking?" Haruta asked in surprise.

"No, all I'm saying is that yesterday he was carrying the weight of the world. And today, all of a sudden, all of that is gone." Nowhere to be seen.

"Ace is acting fine!"

"He's too fine," Izo told him. "Marco's missing, We have no idea where Thatch is. He was torn up about it all week and suddenly he's fine again."

"Maybe he really is feeling better," Haruta argued looking across the deck to where the young man stood with a group of their crew mates, a large smile plastered over his face.

"-And maybe he knows we're watching him and he is trying to throw off suspicion."

Haruta actually laughed at that. "This is Ace we're talking about, right? Do you really think he would come up with something like that himself?"

"No," Izo agreed and Haruta felt himself relax. But then his friend spoke again. "But whose to say if he is still acting alone."

XXX

"Hey son…son can you hear me?"

Sabo groaned a bit as he pulled himself up. It took him a second to wake up and realize he had been lying on the floor. He felt the mans old but firm hands close around his shoulders as he pulled him into a sitting position. Sabo let him, trying to remember how he ended up on the floor.

"What happened?" He asked as the man unbuttoned the top of his shirt, pressing a stethoscope against his chest.

"I was hoping you could tell me that?" He told him, moving the device around as if chasing his heartbeat. "-Came out to find you passed out on the floor. I've been telling you for weeks now you were looking a little pale. I figured I would be burying you before you let me take a look at'cha."

"I don't need medical attention," Sabo told him as he moved the device away from his chest. "I'm fine really. I've just been over doing it."

The mans attention shifted to the table where various maps and papers were spread out. "Looking for something are we?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes! I figured I made that pretty clear. All this time and I've hardly seen you sleep other then dozing off during your work and," he gestured to the floor. "This now. What's worth risking ya health over."

Sabo moved to stand but when he did he felt a sudden lightness overtake his head and he was forced to stay down, resting his pounding forehead against his knees as the man watched.

"It's my little brother," Sabo told him, his words muffled against his knee. "He was kidnapped by some pretty horrible people and I have to find him before they kill him."

Whatever the man had been expecting it was not that. Sabo hadn't told him anything as he hadn't seen a need to. The less this bystander knew the better. But now his head was pounding too hard for him to think clearly and he didn't care enough anymore to go through the trouble of lying.

"-Are you joking with me?"

Sabo shook his head.

"Well damn." He said after a long moment of awkward silence. Kindness did not come easily to him after all his years in this place but he tried it now. "I- I'm sure he is alright."

"He's not," Sabo told him finally lifting his head too look at the old man.

"I'm sorry," he said finally. The words coming a little awkwardly.

"Don't be," Sabo told him as he pulled himself to unsteady feet. "It's not your fault." He put his palms down using the stable surface to steady himself.

"How about you get some rest? Your no good to your brother dead."

"I'm no good to him at all," Sabo said. "I'm alright really. I've gone through much worse believe me. Just give me the update…please."

The old man reached over to rummage around in his bag, pulling out an oat square before he offered it to the boy. "Eat this then I'll tell you."

Sabo looked at it before turning his gaze to the doctor in surprise. "What happened to not caring so long as you got paid."

"Can't pay me if you're a corpse," he told him shoving the food into his reluctant hands.

"It's called corpse looting," Sabo told him taking a small bite of the food.

"You're a dark one ain't you."

"Look I'm eating and everything, I feel better already. Just give me the update."

"I'm afraid it's not good news."

"News is rarely good in my experience," he said as he put the food down.

"Look I tried my best I really did. But I can't keep this up forever. It's not working any longer. I don't really understand how or why all I can tell you is it's not."

Sabo nodded slowly, his blue eyes staring into the distance, calculating. "How long?"

"A day or two… I'm sorry boss."

"No it's all right, just do your best and I'll deal with the rest."

The man nodded not looking so sure. "I'll be heading back for the day then," he said a bit reluctantly and Sabo just nodded. He looked like he was barely listening, already coming up with a backup plan and another after that. Still the man hesitated.

"Look- about your brother. I shouldn't have pried."

"It's fine."

"No I just mean… I'm sorry. I hope he knows everything your doing for him." He stuttered a bit when Sabo stared at him, feeling slightly awkward in his continued attempt to be nice. "He's lucky to have a brother like you looking out for him," the man stumbled out, patting the doorframe once and then he was gone.

XXX

By the time Oyaji returned to his chamber it was quite late. Most of his children had headed off too bed hours ago and only the night watchman and the few odd members were still awake, so when there was a soft knock on his door he was rather surprised.

"It's past bedtime brat," his voice boomed through the office as he laughed at his own joke.

"Oyaji can I talk to you," came the soft reply and he recognized the voice instantly as Ace. The smile was quickly gone from his face as he granted permission. He was under no illusions that Ace was here for a casual chat.

Ace slipped into the office, looking especially small and young amidst his collection of giant-sized furniture.

"I was wondering when you would come talk to me," Oyaji told him as he settled behind his desk wearily. He was not as young as he used to be, nor as healthy and he found his old knees would creak and groan on nights like these.

"-I was starting to doubt you would," He added glancing back to the office door. Ace must have gotten around Izo somehow. He could not sense his presence nearby and considering Izo was not one to shirk his responsibility Ace must have work hard to lose his tail. Meaning what ever he had to tell him must be pretty damn important.

"I didn't know how to say it," Ace said his voice low and unsure. Everything he was not.

"This is about Marco." It wasn't a question, but Ace nodded anyways.

"It's about a lot of things."

"What trouble have you gotten yourself mixed up in son." Oyaji knew there had to be a reason for Teach to target Ace out of everyone on the crew. He had known this all along but chose to keep it to himself. Whatever secrets Ace had were his and his alone. But Oyaji could not help him if he didn't know what was going on.

The boy shook his head, sorrow clear in his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"What have you done?"

"Everything."

Oyaji shifted in his great chair. He had been expecting this, on some level. from the way Ace had been acting he guessed something catastrophic had taken place. But he had hoped he was wrong.

"Tell me." He said his voice low but commanding and it left no room for argument. It was the order of a captain.

"I didn't want to." Ace told him, his eyes honest.

"I know." Oyaji told him. No one ever meant to. That was how blackmail worked. But want to or not Ace had been under Teach's thumb since the day he got that old straw hat. After his years on the sea Oyaji firmly believed that while strength and bravery won wars it was love that stopped them. And even though he was showing his age by admitting it he knew not to over estimate it. But for Teach to use it in this way, for him to use the love of Ace and the Whitebeards to manipulate them - then his heart was blacker then he could have ever thought. And it was time to put an end to all this heartache.

"Where is Marco?"

But Ace only shook his head again, refusing to answer. "Why did you invite me to join you?" He asked suddenly, his eyes searching the old mans face. As if he looked hard enough he could find the answers there.

"Because you were already one of us." The answer came easily. "I like hot headed idiots like you."

But that did not seem to satisfy Ace and his frown grew. "One of you? You don't even know me."

While it was true Ace had not been with them very long, a few short months, but in that time his personality had switched from cold indifference to the kindhearted young man he really was.

"It's not the length of time that matters but what you share with them," He said. After all Teach had been with them for years but it hadn't mattered in the end.

But Ace didn't seem to take the words to heart as he moved to stand in front of the mans desk. "I could be anybody," he told his captain softly. "I could be from anywhere. "

"We are all children of the sea," Oyaji reminded him. "That is all that should matter. Now tell me where my first mate is."

"Do you trust me," Ace asked resting his hands on the desk delicately. He was avoiding the question, a question he knew the answer to despite claiming he didn't. It wasn't like Ace to lie. It wasn't like him to do any of this.

"I trust all my children. And you are my son."

"Your trust has been misplaced before," Ace reminded him softly.

"As was yours I'm sure. It's a hazard of piracy my boy. We all want to look into someone's eyes and believe so desperately they see the world as we do, but there are so many eyes out there, and life doesn't always play out how we want it to."

"You trust me."

"Yes."

And for a split-second Ace looked angry, a dark emotion flickered over his face as he turned away. When he met Oyajis gaze once again he looked hurt. Or rather he looked like he was hurting.

"That was your mistake," he told him and there was something cruel in his voice. Resentment perhaps.

"I'll ask you this one more time, where is Marco," Oyaji told him beginning to rise from his desk.

"He's dead."

"You can't know that for certain."

"Of course I do, I watched it happen."

"You saw Teach's crew take down my phoenix?" Whitebeard asked, disbelief and fear clouding his once sure conscience.

But Ace shook his head slowly. "Not them, me."

"No!" Oyaji told him his voice raising. "You couldn't." Even if he wanted to he didn't have the strength to take down Marco. And that was a big if. The two of them were close friends, Ace would never want to hurt him.

But Ace was already reaching into his backpack. He pulled a tiny vile with a purplish liquid that sloshed around.

"It's a jellyfish neurotoxin," he told him. "The most poisonous in the world."

The old mans eyes narrowed at that. He recognized it for what it was. And while it was incredibly toxic it was also nearly impossible to attain, even for Teach. How had Ace managed to get that much.

"Why are you telling me this," He asked danger lacing his tone. Whitebeard, while a benevolent man, also commanded a great amount of authority. And when angered not even the most oblivious man could ignore that feeling of fear. But Ace had always been a brave brat, and even knowing the looming threat he continued to speak.

"I told you I was sorry," He said his low but sincere. "-and I meant it. For everything. And when I told you about the poison I did so because it's in you too."

"Your lying," Oyaji told him. He would have known if he was poisoned.

But Ace pointed behind him and despite himself Whitebeard followed. At first he saw nothing but his darkened office but then the glint of the steel pole caught his attention and he understood. It was in the I.V. bag that his daughters put in his arm twice a day everyday. And for the last week poison had been flooding his veins without his knowledge. But not just any poison, the most deadly known to man. The poison that had killed Marco. A poison that was slowly killing him.

"You came back to us…" he began.

"On orders," Ace finished for him. But despite everything there was no joy in his voice. His tone was completely void of anything but sorrow.

"To kill me."

"I'm so sorry," he told the man honestly and his voice broke a little bit. "I couldn't let him die."

"Oh my son," the man sighed heavily. "There is always another way."

"I don't have a choice."

"We always have a choice. It only seems like we don't sometimes."

No!" Ace said with such resolution.

"Then this is my choice!"

And that was all he said.

Pulling a dagger from his boot the teen charged Whitebeard, the intent to kill hanging in the air like a deathly aura. The situation was eerily similar to how Ace used to attack him. If only this could end like the last hundred times. But Ace wouldn't allow that.

Whitebeard deflected the attack, his giant hand swiping the blade and sending Ace crashing into his desk with enough force to shatter it.

"Stop this!" He commanded as the boy dragged himself up, dagger still somehow clutched in his hand, his other clasping his broken ribs. The blood staining his side from some wound under his clothes dripped grotesquely over his clasped fingers. "You will attain nothing," Oyaji told him darkly.

And Ace, with such hurt in his eyes said, "not until I kill you." But that looked to be the last thing on earth he wanted to do. He looked like he wanted to cry. But rather then cry he charged the man one final time.

Only this time he worked quicker. Ace had grown in the times since he used to attack his captain. He had gotten stronger, but he had also gotten quicker, all the while Oyaji slowed down. So when the dagger came inches within his throat the old man reacted instinctually and mercilessly. His reflexes picking up the slack for his age-addled mind. And without a thought he sent Ace flying strait into the wall so hard a deep fracture appeared in the sturdy wood.

Ace caught himself against the cracked wall, panting as blood bubbled up into his throat. The wind had been thoroughly knocked out of him at the impact and he was bruised and broken. His captain looked on in sympathy. There was no mercy for traitors, but family, however misguided was a different story.

"Ace," The captain said meeting the deep hurting eyes. "It's over." He said softly. "Stop this now. It's not to late to fix this mess and save them my son."

And Ace dropped the knife and it clattered at his feet. He brought his free hand up to wipe the blood at his mouth. And for a second Whitebeard truly believed the young man would concede. But the next moment Ace spat up blood.

"But it is," he told his ex-captain. "It's too late for me- and your not my damn father. And before Oyajis eyes he threw himself into the cracked wall with all the force he had left. The weakened wood groaned at the weight before it snapped all together and Ace fell through.

Whitebeard moved to catch him, but it was a empty gesture. He made it to the wall just in time to watch his son disappear into the black waters below.

XXX

So just in case it wasn't made clear this was the 'favor' Teach meant last chapter. Ace was sent back to his ship to kill Whitebeard. Thus why Sabo was so panicked about him being caught and executed for treason. Whitebeards office was one of the exterior rooms of the ship meaning the broken wall was actually the wall of the ship. I know I didn't go super in to it but there wasn't really a whole lot of room in that tense scene to start talking about room layout.

Anyway this chapter is the last of the dark-arc. I was considering writing one more but now I think it is a little too corny so I will probably skip it and jump right into the next part of the story. You guys will be happy to know this next one is called the saving-Luffy-arc. And it will be significantly lighter, and more action filled then this one.

When it comes to reveals I never know what you guys think when you are reading this. Like with the goggles Sabo gave to Luffy, I had no clue if you guys were like 'why is Sabo obsessing over his dumb glasses' or if you were miles ahead of me on that one. Anyways the reason I bring this up now is….. no reason. It's not important- honest.

Anyways I am super grateful for the support. Thank you so much my friends. Hopefully you are not too mad at me after this. As always thank you for reading and please let me know what you thought. I promise you will like the next chapter.

XXX

Pirulita005: Hi! Happy new year to you as well. I am really glad you are enjoying my stories. As far as hobbies go they it's a fun one to be lucky enough to have. I'm also glad you thought they were funny. I make myself laugh when I write them but I never know if it gets other people to smile as well! I will keep writing as much as I can manage!

-Greetings from back in Canada

xellos-sore-wa-himitsu-desu: I think I have decided Shanks is going to be in it. But I'm not exactly sure when yet. Not at all, I am really happy you like it and I would love to keep positng regularly if school allows for it!

Zaffra: I am glad you like this despite it not being your type. Hopefully from now on it's going to get a lot better. Of course! And I always do! Thank you for the review!

Mel72000: Of course! Thank you for reading! And happy new year to you too!

Onar27: In good news it should start getting much better so hopefully you won't have to decide. I will get on the rescue part now that this chapter is out of the way. I'm glad you still liked it the second time around (and that I was able to get the feels). But I stand by that promise. I know it might seem confusing but hopefully as the story gets happier it won't be as far fetched. And I ahte Akaniu more then Teach, he killed Ace :.(

I will keep posting don't worry. Thank you for reading and sticking with it! Hopefully you will like the next few chapters more.

Sophia Mendes-Coruja: Thank you for always being so nice! That is so sweet of you. I wish a happy 2020 to you as well! Luffy will be okay long term (not so much short term). But his brothers are coming for him, even if it doesn't seem like it their working on it. I hope you like the next few chapters as well. I will do my best to make them live up to the hype. -Thank you, as always, for your nice words.

Greer123: Thank you!

JustCallMeCookie: Aw, I am sorry to hear that. That must get old really fast. I am really glad you like my story though. If your crazy then so am I as I do that to other people's stories (and maybe my own) all the time. Thank you for the support.I really hope you feel better.

WolvesInTheNight: At least he talked to someone in this chapter! Although that might not have been what you meant.

BlueThief: Don't worry it will get better! Slowley at first but starting next chapter. But Ace did tell Whitebeard finally. But Sabo is smart so if he is the orchestrator then his plans usually work and if not he has Aces back don't worry!

RIAEVANS: Of course! And thank you. More Sabo next chapter. Don't worry Luffy is going to be okay in the long term, just not right now. I know it seems like they are doing nothing but they are! And I will devote some Teach Karma stuff as promised.