True, Honest Freedom (and the ones who get to attain it)

by justareader13

Shanks is the strongest omega on the seas, earning his way to the title of emperor. There's no shortage of enemies who want him or his dead. Which is why he can't let anyone know of the secret he has spirited away on Dawn Island. Or, Shanks has a one-night stand with the leader of the Revolutionary Army. Some things change as a result and some things don't.

7. Honesty and Brotherhood

Chapter Seven: Honesty and Brotherhood

Chapter Summary: Town Center's accommodations are significantly better than the crew are used to, not that they're complaining. Buggy isn't ready to be an uncle, but he doesn't really have a choice. Hope abounds but hope given can swiftly be taken away.

AN: Someone has reposted my work on Wattpad, so this is an official disclaimer. If you see this story posted there, it was NOT me. My work is not to be reposted without my permission.

---

Shanks always enjoyed exploring new places.

Islands could vary wildly, even within the same archipelago, but Dawn Island in particular differed drastically from one end to another. The more he walked around Town Center, the more he could understand Uta's disbelief that they were really on the same island. It was vastly different compared to Windmill Village. Where the village had a distinctly homey feeling full of tight-knit people who were happy leading their small slow-paced lives, Town Center was bigger, decidedly faster and much more detached.

In Windmill, people shared everything with each other, up to and including the clothes off their backs. In Town Center, everyone thought of themselves first and foremost before considering anyone else. In Windmill, the people were loose-limbed, their bodies relaxed and their shoulders not carrying the tensions of a life full of burden despite their specific worries. In Town Center, everyone seemed like they were waiting for a shoe to drop, like they had to be poised for a possibility of… something. Not a threat per se, but something that was unpleasant nonetheless. In Windmill, people smiled as you walked past. In Town Center, everyone was rushing to the next thing. The people here were just as hard-working but living in the shadow of High Town made them eager to stay busy. It was like they believed the royals and nobles' eyes were on them at all times, so they had to appear productive and useful.

It worked in the group's favor seeing as how the citizens barely spared them a passing glance, even though there was a literal clown amongst them and Luffy was talking so loudly that Shanks was certain people could hear him two blocks away.

The little boy was still engrossed in his conversation with Eudora, peppering her with questions and chatting up Uta to her, determined for the noblewoman to befriend his sister before they even met. The woman was taking it all in stride, smiling down at Luffy and answering all his inquiries without hesitation.

"Wow, you're from the South Blue? I've never been to any other sea."

"I grew up among the noble families on an island-state called Baterilla in the Sudîle archipelago. It's… very different from Dawn Island, even more so nowadays."

Shanks perked up with renewed interest. Being from Baterilla would explain the hibiscus she wore in her hair and perhaps where she and Buggy met. He couldn't help but wonder if she knew Rouge and what Baterilla was like now after the blood hunt had ravaged the island.

"Baterilla? I've never heard of it."

"It isn't the largest of the Sudîle islands, but it was home. The palm trees grow high to the sky, some a hundred feet tall. It has fields upon fields of hibiscuses and other summer flowers that bloom all year round. It even has special flowers called magma flowers."

"That sounds cool. What's that?"

"Many islands in the Sudîle are home to volcanoes. The dormant ones produce a special flower that can withstand the heat of the lava and grow into beautiful fluorescent blooms of every color. I have some in my private garden at my house. I'll show you when we get there. You have to promise to be careful though. They are temperamental things. If you don't handle them correctly, they'll burn you."

"I'm always careful, don't worry."

Shanks, Benn and Lucky Roux all snorted at the comment, unable to withhold their audible disbelief. Luffy retaliated by sticking his tongue out at all of them.

"Hey Eudora, is Baterilla where you manifested? It's so awesome that you're a gamma," Luffy exclaimed happily.

Shanks winced at how loud he said it. He was going to have to talk to him about what was acceptable when it came to talking about other people's second genders. Drawing attention to a gamma could put them in danger. As it was, his announcement got a few people's attention. Some stared at Eudora curiously and others looked at her with disgust and disdain. Shanks wasn't surprised. Some things never changed no matter where you were. Human nature was one of those things. He grinned in amusement as he saw Buggy flip the sneering people double birds with his middle fingers, causing them to scoff and look away.

"Is it awesome? You know, you may be the first person who's ever said that," Eudora replied, her voice airy but there was a tightness to it that Shanks picked up on.

"Really? Why's that?"

"Most people think it's a curse."

"Shanks explained all that to me, but I still think it's stupid to be afraid of something or someone just because you don't understand them. I'm not going to be like that. You can't be free if you're afraid all the time and a scaredy-cat captain is the most uncool thing ever. Who's gonna want to be on the crybaby's crew?"

"Oh yes, you're going to be a pirate, right?"

"Not just any pirate, the king of the pirates! I'm going to be the freest man in the world, so I can't be afraid of anything!"

Shanks felt Buggy stiffen next to him as Luffy let out a boisterous laugh. Shanks looked over at him. Buggy looked as if he was seeing a ghost. Shanks knew the feeling. There were times when Shanks looked at Luffy and all he saw was Roger. When he laughed uncontrollably, when he was hotheaded and unwilling to back down from a fight, when he was clueless and completely oblivious to the world around him, when he was consumed with utter devotion to the people he loved. It was so much like Roger, it hurt.

Shanks hated those moments because he did not want Luffy walking in Roger's footsteps. Those footsteps led him straight to his grave. But Luffy had made his choice and Shanks had vowed the day they were born that he would let his children be free to choose their own paths. Luffy's chosen path was to become the freest man in the world, just like his grandfather. Shanks couldn't begrudge him the desire, not when it was one that he had felt himself countless times through his life. Luffy was already well on his way. He had the spirit for it and the Will to fight for it. Roger always said that was half the battle.

"What have you done, Shanks," Buggy mumbled to him, frowning in Luffy's direction.

Shanks gave him a slightly apologetic look.

"If it's any consolation, I didn't plan any of this. Keep that in mind when I tell you everything and cut me some slack."

Buggy's face didn't appear as if he had any intention of doing that, but Shanks could hope anyway.

When they reached the dress shop, Shanks expected to find an exuberant Uta gushing over her selections to Building Snake and Gab. Instead, she was sitting on a bench outside the store looking downcast with Gab at her side, rubbing her back comfortingly. Building Snake and Limejuice were holding back an irate Ace, who was hurling abuse and weapons at a man cowering inside the dress shop. Hongo and Yasopp were arguing with a woman at the door.

"There goes any semblance of peace I hoped to have," Buggy groused to himself.

Shanks paused and exchanged a look with Benn as he took in the chaotic scene.

"Uta is sad," Luffy gasped out as he ripped himself from Eudora's side and made a beeline for his twin sister.

"Uta, what's wrong?"

The little girl glanced at her brother briefly, the two engaged in a moment of twinspeak, before Luffy pulled her into a side hug which the young singer leaned into, heedless of his damp clothes.

"What's wrong is these jerks need to be taught a lesson," Ace exclaimed angrily, throwing literal daggers at the man behind the glass. Guess Yasopp had given him an upgrade after all. Shanks was going to have to take those until he was certain the kid wouldn't commit wanton murder with them.

He ignored the honest to God snarling ten-year-old for now and walked over to Uta and Luffy, kneeling in front of them.

"Songbird," he inquired, softly brushing a finger through her white bangs.

"They don't want me to try on any dresses because I'm a gamma. They think my scent will ruin them and no one else will want to buy them," Uta explained after a moment of silence.

Shanks' jaw clenched at that as he heard noises of outrage pass through the rest of the crew at her words. He knew that Uta wouldn't be able to escape these kinds of people. They existed on every island in every sea and belt, but it still angered him that he couldn't shield her from it.

"Yasopp and Hongo are trying to convince the owner to let her try a few on since we've got the money to pay for it," Gab explained.

Shanks briefly met Benn's eyes. He nodded in understanding and went over to end the argument.

"They won't have to bother. She's not getting any dresses from here," Shanks decided.

Uta looked up at that with bewilderment.

"But I need a dress for Mr. Buggy's show. I want to make a good impression for your brother."

"We're not going to beg them for our patronage. If they can't accept you, then they don't need to accept our berri either."

"If I don't have the right dress, I'll embarrass you."

"You could never embarrass me."

"He's right. He does that enough on his own. I'd know. I've had the displeasure of growing up with him," Buggy commented, coming closer to the group.

Uta shrunk a little at the newcomers.

"This is my brother Buggy and his friend, Eudora," Shanks quickly introduced.

"Hey kid, I appreciate the effort, but you don't have to do too much to impress me. I'm already impressed that you're in Shanks' care and you're still alive, a dress wouldn't have made much difference. You can do better than their dresses anyway. They're overpriced and gaudy, and that's coming from a clown."

Uta's lip quirked just a little in amusement at Buggy's words, which was a win.

"Hello Uta, I hear us girls have something in common."

Uta's gaze caught on Eudora in confusion. Suddenly, Eudora's scent got much stronger. That very action threw Shanks for a loop, as gammas supposedly were unable to control their scents, but Eudora was doing it now. After a moment, Uta's eyes widened.

"You're… you're a…"

"A gamma, yes. Luffy tells me you've never met anyone else like you."

"No," Uta breathed out in wonder.

"Well, I'm glad to meet you, though I wish this wasn't the welcome you got to town. I know all the shops that won't turn you away for such a ridiculous reason. Plus, I have some dresses at my house that would suit you splendidly. They were for my niece but she has more than enough dresses already and she always ruins the ones I send her in months. You'd likely have far better use for them. Don't worry, you'll get your dress for the show, no problem," the dark-skinned woman assured with a wink.

Uta gave her a wider smile in return along with a shy word of thanks.

"Guess what, Uta? She's a singer too, and she sails with Captain Buggy. She's a gamma singing pirate, just like you," Luffy informed cheerfully.

"I don't think I'd call myself a pirate. Better, stronger women than me have worn that title and earned it, but a singer, yes."

That seemed enough to pull Uta out of her funk and she turned her full attention to Eudora as Yasopp, Hongo and Benn came back over to the group. The shop-owner stormed inside the store, narrowly missing a dagger to the back courtesy of Ace. How many daggers did Yasopp buy for the kid?

"We're banned from the store, not that it matters. We better clear out before the police get here," the sniper commented, collecting Ace's many blades from the floor, glass, door and canopy.

"Weeks here and I've managed to avoid trouble. You're here for all of an hour, and the police have been called," Buggy grumbled.

"To be fair, the shopkeepers are the ones in the wrong."

"They are, doesn't make it less annoying."

"Let's debate that on the way to the house, shall we? There's a lot to talk about that can't be said on the street," Eudora said, taking each twin by the hand and beginning to walk away.

Ace started strutting in the opposite direction, back towards the shop. Shanks snatched Ace by the collar to make him walk with the rest of the group.

"Get off me! Someone's gotta make them pay."

"I know you want to protect Uta, but it's overkill, kid."

"Protect her? Why would I do that? She's a pain in the ass," Ace returned, instantly straightening up.

"You seemed like you cared a great deal a second ago," Shanks returned, amused at the boy's attempts to look nonchalant.

"I just wanted to test out my new daggers on those jerks' faces. Why would I care about the Prissy Princess buying even more ugly dresses just to see some second-rate clown show?"

"Second-rate— who the hell do you think you're talking to, you little brat," Buggy snapped at him.

"Who else would I be talking to, clown? You're pretty hard to miss, don't you think?"

"That's big talk from a kid who can't even reach the top shelf."

"I bet that schnoz of yours would knock everything off the shelf anyway. The bandits back on Mount Colubo can probably see that thing from here."

Shanks quickly stepped between the two as Buggy's eyes flared with murderous rage.

"Anyway, Yasopp, give me back my knives. I'm not done giving them a piece of my mind," Ace demanded, stalking off towards the sniper and completely ignoring the clown who practically had steam coming out of his ears.

"No can do, kid. You promised you wouldn't try to hurt someone unless you were defending yourself and that's the first thing you did."

"This isn't over yet."

"You ever heard of quitting while you're ahead?"

"I don't run from a fight, ever."

"It's not a fight, it's some assholes in a dress shop."

"I don't care! They insulted Uta, so they insulted me."

"Not everything can be solved with violence. I'm not happy those people hurt Uta's feelings either, but the matter is settled. There's no need to fight about it. We can just leave," Benn told him.

"I won't turn my belly and run away like a coward!"

Shanks shook his head as Benn forcibly started dragging the protesting boy away and then looked at Buggy as his shoulder knocked into him.

"Shanks, who is that kid? What's his name?"

Shanks could see the wheels turning in Buggy's head as he stared after Ace with a scrutinizing gaze, like he was a puzzle to figure out. Just like Luffy, there were moments Ace reminded Shanks of Roger. For as much as the kid didn't want to be compared to his old man, he was just as stubborn as him and just as unwilling to walk away from what he saw as a fight, even if it was the smartest or safest play.

Shanks gave Buggy a somber smile in return but walked ahead without a word. Buggy's eyebrows quirked in interest, but he let it go for the moment. It was just as well. Shanks was sure all secrets would be revealed to him in due time.

---

The homes in Town Center ranged wildly. There were some that were apartment blocks, some that were small to moderately sized houses. There were townhouses, bungalows, duplexes, single-storied homes. The people here were not peasants or poor, they were working to middle class, and it showed. Given that they were not of noble birth, there were no mansions but the closer one ranged towards the walls separating Town Center from High Town, the larger the homes became. It was this area of town that Buggy and Eudora led the Red Hair Pirates and their young guests to.

The house the Buggy Pirates, and now the Red Hair Pirates, were occupying courtesy of Lady Eudora was a three-story beige estate with a burgundy tiled roof and trimmings. There was an expansive garden past the front gates full of hibiscuses, orchids, plumerias, jasmine, calla lilies and elephant ears, all of which he knew the names of because they were native to Baterilla. The front lawn was also dotted with palm trees, coconut trees and mango trees.

As they walked into the house, just past the covered entry way was a koi pond off to the left, the orange and white fish lazily swimming past lily pads and towards the small waterfall in the pond. Just ahead was a marble fountain with an octopus fixture shooting out eight streams of water from its tentacles. Several hallways led off to other sections of the ground floor and a radial stairway led upstairs. He could make out an entrance to the backyard across the entryway as well, even more trees visible through the glass door as well as a brick garden house. Curiously, there was a chimney billowing smoke out of the stone greenhouse. Perhaps it housed those magma flowers Eudora mentioned.

"Whoa, is this a castle," Uta asked in awe, looking around the room wide-eyed.

"No, nothing as grand as that. It may be the closest anyone could get within these city walls though. As far as I know, it belonged to a former duchess of Goa before I purchased it," Eudora explained.

"How long are you all planning to stay here? I can't see much point in buying a house if you won't be living here much longer," Benn inquired curiously.

Eudora and Buggy shared a brief look before the lady answered.

"Buggy and I were in search of something that we believed we might find on Dawn. We didn't know how long that would take, it seemed prudent to have a reliable homebase in the meantime," the lady answered vaguely.

The answer piqued Shanks' interest but he decided not to press. Perhaps he could get more information about that later.

"At any rate, there are three floors. Richie's got the east side of the ground floor to himself. Most of the Buggy Pirates are using the rest of the ground floor and the second floor. The top-most floor is free, so it can house your crew, Captain Shanks. There are four bedrooms up there and 3 bathrooms. A loft, lounge area, study, and a library. The kitchen is only on the second floor, I'm afraid so you'll have to come down for food."

"Trust me, we've had worse accommodations, my lady," Benn assured.

"Eudora, please. I don't like to indulge in formality. I only use the label of 'lady' when necessary," she replied, a slight curl of disdain on her lips at the title.

"Beyond that, there is also a pool room here on the ground floor. The pool has been modified and has a moving wave water setting. That way, if there are any Devil Fruit users amongst you, you can use the pool so long as that setting is on."

"Wait, seriously? I can go in the water without feeling icky," Uta asked in disbelief.

"Yes, the effects on your powers and strength will be negligible, though I'd still caution that you limit your time in the water."

"Installing something like that must've taken a pretty penny," Yasopp commented, whistling a little.

"Well, I enjoyed swimming before I ate my Akuma no Mi, and it wasn't something I wanted to lose. Buggy enjoyed it too and we both lamented losing that simple joy. Then I remembered the nobles have had access to this kind of technology for years. I figured I could put my status to some use. I wouldn't have done it if it was just me. Only contractors that work specifically for nobles can complete this task after all and they are hardly much better than their employers, but I knew Buggy would benefit as well," Eudora responded, again with an underlying loathing towards her fellow nobility.

"You have a Devil Fruit too? Wow, you and Uta really are just alike," Luffy commented.

"What Fruit do you have, Eudora? I have the Sing Sing Fruit, even though I sang before I ate it."

"Ah, the Uta Uta no Mi. How fitting for you. It was practically fate. Mine is called the Teishi Teishi no Mi or the Stop Stop Fruit."

"Stop Stop Fruit? Sounds dumb. What's it do anyway," Ace commented.

"You're so rude, you jerk! I'm sorry about him. He was raised by bandits, he doesn't have manners or brains," Uta apologized with an embarrassed look on her face.

"Don't worry. My sister was raised in high society, and you'd never be able to tell. The Stop Stop Fruit creates a space in which everything inside is rendered inert. It cannot move on its own. It does not age or decay. It becomes frozen in time and space."

"Huh, that actually sounds kind of cool," Ace mumbled under his breath.

"Feel free to explore the house. I leave it up to you which rooms you choose to stay in. Dinner will be ready and waiting for us after the show. If you need any clothes, you can check the storage closets on the ground floor. They're fully stocked with men and women's clothes in case you're in need. You kids can come to me personally, I'm sure something that fits will be available if need be."

Shanks' brow ticked up a bit as he continued to glance around the space. It wasn't often he experienced this much luxury.

"Perks of being… friends with a noblewoman, I suppose," he muttered to himself.

"Why'd you say it like that," Buggy questioned, turning to give Shanks an irritated glare.

"Say what like what?"

"You know exactly what I mean."

"Can't read your mind, brother."

"Friends. Why'd you say it like that," Buggy pressed, angrily.

"Oh, that. No reason," Shanks replied innocently, knowing full well he was winding Buggy up.

"You said it strangely, like we're not really friends."

"Oh, you two made it quite clear that you were, as you say, just friends."

"Now why did you say 'just' like that," the bluehead questioned, his hands balled into fists as his face got redder by the second.

Shanks had to dig his nails into his thigh so he didn't burst out laughing right then and there and give up the naïve act he was putting on.

"Honestly Bug, you've gotten very paranoid over the years. I've no clue what you're talking about."

Buggy's jaw clenched tight. Shanks saw one of his fists detach from his wrist. He quickly retreated behind Benn's larger form, knowing full well how hard Buggy could hit when he was mad. Meanwhile, the kids, who weren't aware of his powers, descended into chaos.

"What the hell!" Ace exclaimed.

"His hand fell off! I didn't know hands could do that," Uta shouted in shock.

"Will mine fall off?! Oh no, Uta help me," Luffy cried.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"Didn't you read about this in any of your books?"

"Why would this be in any of my books?"

"What kind of weird trick is that?" Ace said with disgust.

Shanks laughed as the three continued to freak out before he was forced to duck a flying fist after Benn moved out of the way. He gave his first mate a look of betrayal before continuing to evade the hand, hanging on to his hat so it didn't fly off from his abrupt movements.

"Is that really necessary," Eudora asked softly, coming to Buggy's side.

"This is exactly why I prefer there to be an ocean between us. He's a childish asshole."

"Buggy, dear, you don't look very mature at the moment either. He's your brother. A light ribbing comes with the territory. If my sister tried to kill me every time I teased her, you and I would've never met. Besides, I think the kids need a moment to process."

Buggy looked over at the three children who were still in the middle of a meltdown and loudly arguing about whether their own limbs were going to fly off. Luffy seemed to be of the belief that it was their impending fate while Ace stoked his fears with a devilish smirk of glee and Uta tried to calm her twin down while simultaneously threatening Ace with severe bodily harm.

The clown rolled his eyes at their antics as his hand reattached itself.

"If you're all going to be this loud the whole time, you're going to sleep with the lion," he threatened.

All three children paused at that before they rushed up closer to Buggy.

"Can we pet it," Uta asked.

"Can we fight it," Ace inquired.

"Can we eat it," Luffy added.

"Luffy, it's a pet. You don't eat pets," Uta chastised.

"Aw, but I've never had lion meat before."

"Too bad. He has a name, you can't eat him. And you can't kill him, Freckleface. Stop trying to fight things that are bigger than you."

"You're one to talk, Prissy Princess. That's all you do."

"That's different. It's no fair fighting smaller things and if I didn't fight things bigger than me, I'd never get to fight at all."

Buggy stared down at the children mutely for a moment before looking back at Shanks.

"I hate you."

Shanks had a feeling that sentiment wasn't going to change by the end of the day.

---

The room Shanks took on the top floor of the home was an expansive master suite decorated with warm mahogany furniture and painted in the scheme of gold and red. The bedsheets were cotton and satin that felt soft on his skin with curtains and pillowcases to match. The bed was large enough for three grown men with a pile of about 10 pillows in varying sizes. Shanks always wondered why nobility and women in general liked to bury beds under mountains of superfluous pillows. What were they all for anyway?

Despite the ridiculous number of cushions, he was happy to see a bar tucked next to the armoire with various liquors sitting in crystal decanters with shiny clean tumblers. The master bedroom was also connected to a smaller en suite which the twins would be sharing along with Ace. Shanks hoped that didn't lead to any incidents of murder attempts and mayhem but with Ace and Uta sharing a space, he found that hope to be a futile one. Hopefully, Luffy would act as a natural buffer between them.

After they had settled in, the kids almost immediately left. Shanks decided to stay in his room, knowing that Buggy would show up eventually so that they could talk.

Shanks took brief stock of himself as he waited. He felt alright. He wasn't as nervous as he thought he would be nor as reluctant as he previously was. He was ready to tell Buggy. He realized his brother would not be happy about the risks Shanks was taking nor about how shortsighted his actions were in the first place, but he didn't think he'd be truly angry at him or that he wouldn't accept the twins.

He found himself briefly wondering what Roger and Rouge would've said. Roger would likely want to seek out Dragon and give him a Divine Departure, even if Shanks was sure to tell him everything between them was consensual. Roger could be extremely possessive when the mood struck, especially when it came to other alphas. There were times he was so keyed up that he wouldn't even let Rayleigh near Shanks and Buggy. However, he was certain that Roger would've liked the twins, especially given how chaotic they could be. His father would've encouraged it and even give them some ideas.

Rouge would've been less likely to go after Dragon. She would've asked Shanks first if this was his choice before she ran off to defend his honor. She would've been at his side his whole pregnancy, able to support him from her own experience with Ace and walk him through all the quirks of being pregnant. Rouge would've adored the twins but would've laughed at Shanks as he dealt with their shenanigans and reminded him how much of a handful he and Buggy were when they were that age.

He would never know what their reactions would be for sure, so perhaps there was no point in thinking about it.

Rayleigh is out there.

He jolted a little at the stray thought. He hadn't considered telling Rayleigh about the twins in years. The only time he'd seriously contemplated it was when he was still pregnant. He had deliberated the wisdom in going to his Uncle Ray and begging him for help, asking him to keep the twins safe so they would not be on the Red Force with Shanks but would still be somewhere he could visit at any time, had thought of seeing if they could be raised on Sabaody.

He had decided against it because he did not want to drag Uncle Ray into his mess when he was retired and trying to live a quieter life with Shakky. And, though it pained him to say, there was a part of him that did not completely trust Rayleigh, especially back then. He still felt raw about losing his pack and being abandoned. He saw Rayleigh to talk and reminisce about the past when the need overwhelmed him, but even while they sat across from one another there was a part of Shanks that was consumed with thoughts of the years he spent alone.

He had lost countless hours of sleep as he lay awake, staring at the ceiling of whatever place he'd managed to secure or the cabin of his old ship, unable to fall asleep because he feared the minute he shut his eyes would be the moment that Marines would burst in and drag him away. His days had been spent in terror that someone would recognize him from his hair or the hat he wore or the log pose on his wrist and that would be the end of him. Even when he got his crew, he wasn't safe. He looked at Rayleigh's face and he saw the faces of former crewmates that had given their lives in exchange for Shanks'.

Nevan, an omega boy who was the same age as Shanks. He was a street urchin he'd picked up in the West Blue who had been just as determined as Shanks to overcome the constraints associated with his second gender and become a great pirate. He was killed from a thrown axe that was meant for Shanks. He still remembered the sound Nevan's skull made when the axe lodged into his head, the jolt his body gave when he fell to the floor.

Tysha, a beta woman twice Shanks' age but with a childlike fervor to live out her lifelong dream of becoming a pirate now that her mate had died and her daughter had a family of her own. She had treated Shanks with maternal concern, always fussing over what he ate and drank and if he slept enough even though he was her captain. She had jumped in front of a bullet meant for him and bled out on the deck of their ship while the rest of the crew had had to continue fighting, unable to aid her until the Marines were defeated.

Marlin and Marin, two young fishmen brothers who had escaped slavery and chose to live their lives free on the sea with Shanks. They had been torn apart by cannon fire and sank along with Shanks' first ship after they had thrown him overboard, refusing to let him go down with his ship.

There had been more and as much as Shanks carried the weight of their deaths on his shoulders, a part of him also could not help but blame his former pack. If they had not abandoned him, he would've never met Nevan, Tysha, Marlin, Marin or any other crewmate he lost. They would still be alive. He wouldn't have his current pack, but he would rather that if it meant all the friends he'd lost would have their lives back.

He had spent years feeling completely and utterly alone in the world even though he had had pack members out there. Rayleigh had been one of those pack members. Shanks could too clearly see a situation where Luffy and Uta ended up abandoned just like he and Buggy were. He could not stomach the idea of them building the same resentment and pain in their hearts that Shanks had in his, so ultimately, he had not gone to his uncle for help and had not considered informing him of the truth since then because there was no reason. He hadn't even known where the twins were, what point would there be in telling Rayleigh of their existence?

He could tell him now though. Now that he knew where they were, knew what they were like.

But would he?

He didn't think Rayleigh would sell him or the kids out to anyone, he was never that type of man. But did he trust him with his kids? Doing that would be the same as trusting him with his heart and soul again. Shanks had already been burned, he didn't think he could face that disappointment again.

So no, he probably wouldn't tell Rayleigh, not unless his hand was forced.

Shanks sighed to himself and walked over to the bar where he poured himself a glass of whiskey. His thoughts were getting too maudlin for his taste. He needed something to chase them away.

He glanced up as a knock came at the door before Buggy entered the room, a look of disdain on his face.

"The freckle-faced kid you brought was trying to hunt the koi fish before Cabaji stopped him. He and Luffy were planning to eat them."

Shanks winced a little.

"Yeah, they don't exactly get out much."

"You don't say? You know, of all the ways I've pictured you making my life more difficult than it needs to be, I can honestly say that you showing up with three hooligans didn't even make the list."

"What can I say? I'm full of surprises."

"And apparently secrets too," Buggy shot back, joining Shanks at the bar. He poured a glass of whiskey for Buggy and topped up his own for good measure.

"How much of this am I going to need to get through your story?"

"You don't have a show tonight, do you?"

Buggy closed his eyes briefly before he picked up a full decanter and his glass and moved to the desk, sitting down in one seat and nodding for Shanks to take the one next to him.

"Fine. I'll listen but I reserve the right to judge you all throughout this little story of yours."

"Noted," Shanks replied, taking the seat across from him.

He sat silently for a moment, sipping his drink.

"Any day now."

"I'm just trying to figure out where to begin."

"The beginning is generally a good place to start."

"I've no doubt that that had a part to play but it's not as important at the moment. Though I suppose I can start at our second beginning: Loguetown."

Buggy sat up a little straighter at that.

"That forged us into the men we are just as much as our childhood did, if not more so. We've both spent a third of our lives running because of who we are, who we're associated with, and yet unwilling to turn our back on it all the same."

"Speak for yourself. Most people have no clue who I used to be and I'm better for it. I prefer it. Besides, it's nothing new. Most orphans are nobody important when it comes down to it."

"Most, but not us. We can bury it all we want, but all it would take is the right stone being unturned for everything we are now to cease to matter. We'd go right back to being Roger's pups. The death sentence for that apparent heinous crime would go right back into effect. Your bounty sure as hell wouldn't be 10 million berries if anyone in the East Blue knew the truth."

"Which is why I'm happier that they don't."

"I know, I understand that. I just need you to keep that in mind before I tell you everything. Although, I suspect you have your suspicions already."

"It's hard not to. I grew up with you after all, I know what you looked like as a kid. The resemblance is hard to miss. I'm willing to listen anyway."

Shanks nodded in return and took a deep breath before launching into his story.

"You know, I spent two years away from the Grand Line, running for my life obviously, but also getting stronger and gathering my crew. Before I returned, I stopped in Loguetown. It just so happened that the day I docked was the anniversary of Roger's execution and so I visited the platform."

"Why in hell would you do that?"

"I suppose I'm more of a masochist than I realized. I stood there with the hundreds of other people, pirates, who also decided to visit the platform and it was like being back there again: standing amongst the crowd, watching him march to his execution like he was taking a victory lap, like he had won the greatest prize he ever could. I mean, why wouldn't he be happy? He was getting what he wanted. He got to go out on his own terms. I stood there, remembering his words just as clearly as the first time I'd heard them, and I felt… the sea has always been a comfort to me but what I felt then felt like drowning in water that wasn't visible but was just as unyielding and untamable as the ocean."

"I know what you mean," Buggy assured him as he paused to see if his words made sense.

"Every year on that day, I still feel the same way. I'm not foolish enough to go running back to Loguetown every damn time to torture myself, but there was one year, the fifth year, where I went to Sabaody instead to drown my sorrows with Uncle Ray. I met an alpha there."

"You see, that's the part where I'm stuck. Fucking alphas for you is as attractive as fucking a cactus."

Shanks snorted at that analogy as he took a sip of his whiskey.

"Any other day I wouldn't have looked twice at him. But I felt shitty and sad, I was drunk and lonely and so angry. Being with Rayleigh didn't make me feel as good as I'd hoped, it just dredged up everything I resented him and the crew for, everything I was mad at Roger for. Everything I was mad at myself for. The alcohol wasn't helping me ignore all that as much as I'd hoped it would, so I turned my attention to him instead. Which worked, perhaps too well in the end. I don't even remember most of what happened. I went into heat at some point and was pretty delirious for most of it, which is exactly why I avoid alphas in a sexual context."

"You probably went into heat because you avoid alphas so much," Buggy pointed out.

"Maybe, either way. It happened. That was the only time it ever happened between me and an alpha, but that one alpha was enough to end up pregnant with the twins."

Buggy nodded, unsurprised by the news.

"Who else knows?"

"The crew. Their alpha father and grandfather. They also have a caretaker in Windmill Village who knows, the mayor knows too."

"Windmill Village?"

"It's where they live. I gave them to their alpha grandfather the day they were born. He wouldn't tell me where he took them. I only found them again after I left Mirror Ball Island. It was completely by accident. I felt them, so I followed the feeling to them."

"You didn't keep them on your ship?"

"I remember just as well as you do what our childhood was like growing up on the Oro Jackson. How could I subject my children to the same thing?"

"It's dangerous for them to be anywhere, you've realized that, I'm sure. Handing them over to a civilian isn't exactly the best safety policy," Buggy replied, taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Their grandfather isn't a civilian, it's… it's Garp."

Shanks jumped as the alcohol Buggy was drinking came spewing out of his mouth and nose, causing him to go into a coughing fit. He grabbed a napkin and handed it over, lightly patting the older man's back to help him out while simultaneously trying to hide a smirk at his brother's reaction. Buggy had been taking everything in stride so far, but Shanks had been sure at least one revelation was going to tip him over the edge.

"There better be another Garp that you're talking about, because I know you aren't implying that your kid's alpha grandfather is Monkey D. fucking Garp."

"He's the only Garp I know."

"How the fuck…? Who would procreate with that madman?"

"Someone must've been crazy enough to because the twin's alpha father is his son."

Buggy shook his head in disbelief.

"Only you would get drunk, fuck a Marine hero's son and get knocked up by him. Only you."

"In my defense, I didn't know who his father was before I slept with him. He only told me afterwards when he asked if I wanted to be mates."

"Aww, how proper of him," Buggy mocked.

"Oh, shut up. He was being considerate. He's the only alpha who has ever actually asked me. All the others I've met who wanted me just demanded me, said I had no choice, that I was theirs now whether I liked it or not. It was… nice, being given an offer with no expectation that I had to agree."

"Yes, how nice of him to do the bare minimum."

"Most don't."

"I suppose. If he's so lovely, why didn't you leave the kids with him?"

"He's not exactly in a better position than I am."

"What? Is he a pirate? No, he's Garp's kid so he must be a Marine. I suppose having a kid with a pirate puts your mystery man in a precarious position, but he wouldn't be the first in history. Besides, if he's a Marine and Garp's son and he still didn't recognize you, then that's his own fault."

"He's not a pirate or a Marine."

"Then what the hell is he?"

Shanks paused, briefly deciding how to phrase this in a way that didn't reveal secrets that weren't his.

"He's a part of the Revolutionary Army."

Buggy stared at him blankly for a moment.

"I'm sorry, I thought you just said Garp's kid is a Revolutionary. But that's silly, because there's no way that Garp the Fist, Hero of the Marines, the man who captured the pirate king, the slayer of Rocks D. Xebec, lapdog of the World Government, is the father of a government-fighting, noble-hating Rev brat."

"Trust me, he's not thrilled about it."

Buggy stared a moment longer before he burst out laughing. Shanks watched him with a small smile on his face. It was nice to hear his brother genuinely laugh again even if it was at someone else's expense.

"Oh, that's exactly what that old bastard deserves. I hope his kid is one of the commanding officers or something. Please tell me he is."

"His identity is not my secret to tell. He's gone through a lot to keep it hidden. He trusted me enough to tell me even when I probably didn't earn that trust. I'm not going to be the one to reveal it. All you need to know is he's a Rev, so he's in no better position than me. Both of our reputations put the twins in danger. Garp's is the only one that protects them. He's got his fair share of enemies but not many are foolish enough to knowingly court his wrath. Though the ones who do it unknowingly have caused more than enough damage," Shanks replied, his voice growing dark near the end.

Buggy sobered then.

"Your daughter, she's a gamma."

"She is," Shanks confirmed, his jaw ticking in anger.

"Knowing you, you're blaming yourself for that. It's no one's fault but the prick that did that to her."

"I know. He's gone, Garp made sure of it, but that doesn't make me any less angry… or make me feel less guilty."

"I know nothing I say will change that. For some reason, you like to make all the world's ills your fault. It's actually incredibly self-centered of you."

"Oh yeah, that's me. The egotist," Shanks shot back sarcastically, topping up his glass of whiskey and taking a long sip.

"You did the right thing, giving them to Garp. You gave them a chance at a relatively normal life. No kid should have to grow up around constant mayhem and blood. I mean, I was already pretty fucked before Roger got to me. The orphanage wasn't exactly five-star living, but I saw things on that ship no kid should see and so did you. There was no way that wouldn't have happened to them. They're little chaotic beasts, but they wouldn't be nearly so innocent if they spent these last seven years on the Red Force."

"If they were with me, Uta wouldn't be a gamma right now. She wouldn't be scorned and ridiculed for something she can't control. Luffy wouldn't be bullied and ostracized. They wouldn't be so deprived of love and affection that they latched on to the first halfway decent adult who gave them attention. They wouldn't have told me that they don't even know what a home is and that they don't have one. You know, they already said they see me as a father figure? And Uta told me she wondered if her parents would even care if she died. I mean, what am I supposed to say to that?"

"Why haven't you told them the truth," Buggy asked with a shrug as he sipped his drink.

"Because it'll make it all the harder when I leave."

"Well, you can't just leave now."

"What? But you said it yourself, I can't take them on the Red Force."

"I said they shouldn't have grown up on it, and they haven't. But now that you've introduced yourself into their lives, you can't just drop everything and walk away. You can't abandon them the way we were abandoned."

"Do you really think that's what I want, Bug? Every second of every day, I struggle to resist the urge to take them with me. I want that so bad. But I know that that's just my selfishness talking. Don't forget that just before I left the Grand Line, I got in a fight with Whitebeard and battled him to a draw. I have a reputation there that didn't just disappear, and I've been gone so long that when I get back, I have to make big waves to remind everyone that I'm still a player in the game. They cannot be on my ship while all that is going on."

"No, they can't."

"Then I don't know what the hell you want me to say or do here."

"They can't be on your ship right now, that's what you need to tell them, but eventually they can be. When you're an Emperor, it'll be different. The World Government won't just go after you or them. You'll still have to deal with some pirates attacking you but that will decrease with your new status. It'll mostly be young upstarts trying to get over on a yonko or the usual alpha idiots trying to claim you. Uta's going to face her fair share of those, Luffy too since he's so hellbent on being king of the pirates, they'd better learn how to deal with them early. All this wouldn't be now, of course. It'll be when you're an Emperor. That'll take you a couple more years at least. Still, you can tell them the truth in the meantime. There's no point in keeping them in the dark."

"This isn't like you. I didn't think you, of all people, would be telling me to take them with me. Not with how vocal you've been about how foolish it is for kids to grow up on a pirate ship."

"It is foolish. I suppose you'd be even more sensitive to that than me. You were there since you were a baby. Roger picked me up when I was 5 years old, most of the damage had already been done by then anyway. I thought the worst I was ever going to experience in my life was that orphanage. Abandoned there by my parents at birth because they didn't want me. Going to bed hungry, wearing rags, worrying if the bigger kids were going to "beat the freak" awake again. The Oro Jackson was the safest I had ever been. Despite everything, it wasn't hard to eventually see Roger and Rouge as my parents, even though I had no concept of parents, because regardless of whether I knew what it meant, I knew I wanted it anyway. I had it for ten years and then I lost it all over again, because my father walked out, again. He made a choice that didn't take me into account, but what's new? I guess the point is, I'm looking at this from the twin's point of view. What do you think they'll feel if some time down the road, after you've gone back to the Grand Line, they learn that you were their birth father after all, that you kept it from them, left them at birth and then left them again without a backwards glance? Don't do that to them or yourself."

"What am I meant to do then, Bug? You know I have to go at some point."

"You do, but how you leave is up to you. You'll be an Emperor in about two years or so, I don't think it'll take more than four years for sure, but that's if the World Government is being particularly stubborn. So you go back to the Grand Line, you raise holy hell, you become the biggest thorn in their side that you can, you become a yonko. When you have, you come back here for the twins. In the meantime, I'll stay with them."

"Buggy, I can't ask you to do that."

"You're not asking. I'm going to be in the East Blue anyway."

"But Garp—"

"Garp can shove it up his ass."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

"Bug—"

"Look, you said they have a caretaker in this village of theirs, right? They can remain with them. Eudora's already bought this house and she only enjoys sailing with me sparingly. She'll stick around Dawn Island and the kids can spend weekends with us or something. I don't know, we'll figure that out. I'll have to leave at some points for my shows. I've got to make money somehow, but if I have to raid a few other pirates it's no big deal. Pirating is a side gig but it's a fall back."

"Buggy, you'd really do that for me? I've been an awful brother, you don't owe me anything."

"I'm not doing it because I owe you anything, I'm doing it because you're my little brother. My shitty, annoying, shortsighted younger brother who has taken way too much after our father and did a stupid, boneheaded thing. Now, it's not just you but those two gremlins you birthed that I've got to worry about. As the oldest of the family, it's my duty to actually use my brain to think and not just to take up space. This is the most logical solution at the moment, at least until you've got enough influence that that overrides everything else."

Shanks stared at Buggy for a long moment, his eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Ugh, please don't look at me like that. It makes me think you're going to do…"

Shanks lunged forward and threw his arms around Buggy in a hug.

"…do that," Buggy finished lamely, irritation clear in his voice.

"Thank you, Bug. I can never repay you for this," Shanks informed him, pressing his face into his shoulder.

"For the last time, I don't need to be repaid. Besides, you'd never be able to afford me if I did make you pay. Now get off of me. You're creasing my jacket."

Shanks gave him one last squeeze before pulling back. Buggy dramatically dusted off his shoulders and straightened his jacket before going back to his drink.

"That's not all you wanted to tell me though, is it? There's the other kid, the violent one. He resembles the twins quite a bit, but he's not one of yours. Though, if he is who I suspect he is, who he belongs to in this family is relative. Those freckles, that face, that temper. What's his name?"

"Portgas D. Ace."

Buggy nodded silently to himself.

"Mom, she's…" Shanks trailed off, unable to say the words but Buggy got it anyway.

His face tightened at that as did his grip on his glass.

"I know. I wasn't exactly holding out hope for a different outcome. When have you ever known me to be the optimistic type?"

"He'll want to talk to you about her. You saw her later than I did, you might be able to give him better insight than me."

"Last I saw Mom was a month before she gave birth. Eudora's family was harboring her on their estate in Baterilla. The Marines were getting suspicious, enough that their noble status wasn't going to keep them away any longer. Eudora had to leave to throw the Marines off the trail. Mom made me go with her to protect her while she stayed back with Eudora's grandmother. When we got back to the island, we were told Rouge died giving birth and the kid disappeared. They buried her on Baterilla because it's what she wanted but they didn't know where Ace was, just that Mom had given him to a cloaked Marine who took him away."

"Why didn't you tell me before?"

"Probably for the same reason you didn't tell me about the twins before," Buggy replied, giving him a pointed look before he continued.

"I'll talk to the kid. There are some things he should know. Plus, Mom left some things for him. They belong to him, he should have them."

Shanks nodded silently in reply.

"That look in the kid's eye…"

"He's angry at everyone and everything. Mostly though, I think he hates himself. He thinks he shouldn't have been born because of who his parents are. Hell, we'd be hypocrites to tell him to feel otherwise, wouldn't we," Shanks mused.

"Maybe, but I don't care. Might be late for us, but the kid's still got a chance."

"He thinks he killed Mom, that he's the son of the devil, that he's a demon that should've never existed."

"Mom wanted better for him, she bet her life on him. He's going to accept that she loved him one way or another."

"He's a hard nut to crack."

"Who said anything about giving him a choice? Let's go find the little brat."

"Now?"

"No time like the present."

"Maybe when you're a few less drinks in, eh?"

"You're telling me to be cautious? Maybe I'm drunker than I thought."

"Ace is… delicate. I know it doesn't seem like it, but he is. Every word you say needs to be the right one."

Buggy rose an eyebrow at that but didn't question Shanks.

"Fine. I've got a show tonight anyway, better to not be dwelling on the kid's reaction."

Instead of seeking out any other company, the two settled in to continue drinking and contemplating the future.

Shanks couldn't deny that he felt a lot better knowing that he had Buggy's support to fall back on. What happened next with the kids was up to Shanks.

---

The tent that the Buggy Pirates had set up for their show in Town Center was slightly larger than the one Shanks had seen on Mirror Ball Island, taking up an entire corner of the local park. Outside was lined with snack stands as well as food stands from vendors who had relocated from the market to the park in anticipation of customers. It did not have disco balls on each pole like the other one did but did have light bulbs flashing different colors and the same large neon sign announcing the name of Buggy's show.

"Wow, it's even bigger than I imagined," Uta commented, staring up at the tent in awe.

"I know, right? I wonder how many people can fit inside," Luffy mused, pulling on his bowtie a bit with discomfort.

"Don't drag it, Lu. You'll rip it."

"It's choking me," he complained.

"You're the one that wanted to match."

"I thought you would wear something more comfortable."

Uta was wearing a white and red striped dress with a red ribbon tied artfully into a bow at her waist and her hair sporting a matching ribbon. Luffy was dressed similarly in a white and red striped polo shirt with red shorts and a red bowtie around his neck.

"Just take the tie off if it's bothering you," Uta advised.

"But you have a ribbon, I need one too."

"We'll still be matching even without it."

"I have to have a ribbon. I have to."

"Fine, then don't complain."

"But it's really uncomfortable," Luffy whined.

Ace scoffed before he reached forward and ripped the bowtie off.

"There. Now, stop acting like a crybaby."

"Hey! He's not a crybaby and give that back," Uta demanded.

Ace stuck his tongue out in reply and stalked inside of the tent without a backwards glance.

Shanks shook his head at the older boy's antics. Luffy was looking down dejectedly about the loss of his hated bowtie. He was so dramatic when he wanted to be.

"How about this, Anchor? I'll let you borrow my hat. It has a red ribbon, so you and Uta will be matching perfectly."

Shanks felt all eyes in the group turn to him. The crew knew just how protective (possessive) he was when it came to his hat. He barely ever let anyone touch it and the crew respected his boundaries when it came to it just as much as they respected his possessiveness over his log pose.

"Really? You're going to let me wear your straw hat," Luffy asked in disbelief, Uta mirroring the look.

The twins must've picked up on how special the hat was to him as well. He hadn't told them that it belonged to Roger before him, he hadn't told his crew either, though he was certain some of them realized as much. Still, they knew it was precious to him.

"I will, but it's very special to me. It's one of my most prized possessions, so you have to promise to take good care of it while I'm loaning it to you."

Luffy stared up at the hat as if it was gold before he turned to Benn and pulled the man down to have a quiet conversation with him. Luffy straightened up and returned to his position in front of Shanks after a moment of deliberation. He placed his left hand on his heart but quickly switched it to his right hand after Benn cleared his throat.

"I, Monkey D. Luffy, do salamily swear—"

Uta tapped him and whispered something to him.

"Oh, shallowly swear that I will protect the straw hat with my life. Cross my heart, pinky promise and everything."

Shanks stared down at the boy lovingly.

"Wow, a solemn vow and a pinky promise? You must be serious then. Alright, I believe you. Here you go."

Shanks placed the hat firmly on Luffy's head. It was too big for him, nearly covering his eyes completely, but Luffy didn't care. He shot a huge grin at Shanks and ran forward to wrap his arms around him in a hug.

"Thanks, Shanks! It's great, I love it!"

Luffy ran back to Uta to show off the hat, as if she hadn't seen it every day for months now. Uta complimented it all the same, adjusting it so it wasn't covering half of Luffy's face anymore, before looping her arm through his and striding ahead into the tent. Shanks and the crew followed right behind, walking in with the rest of the excited attendees.

The benches were filling up fast, but Shanks and the crew had a special VIP section for themselves, so he wasn't worried about it. There were more concessions inside the tent and Shanks knew it wasn't going to be long before Luffy and Uta (and Ace) wanted something to eat, so he went over to the food stands with Benn while most of the crew went to settle into their seats.

"How did it go," Benn asked him as they perused the different concessions, trying to decide what to get.

"Hmm?"

"You and Buggy?"

"Oh, better than expected. He didn't freak out as much as I thought he would, which was mildly disappointing actually."

"Perhaps he's just too used to you being… you."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Says the pouting 27-year-old."

"I'm not pouting."

Benn looked pointedly at Shanks' folded arms, which prompted him to relax his posture.

"Doesn't it ever get boring, being right all the time?"

"Someone's got to have their head screwed on in this crew. If I didn't, all of you would probably be locked up somewhere or dead."

"True. What would we do without you?"

"I dread the thought."

Shanks chuckled a little before taking a step closer to his first mate.

"Buggy says he'll stay in the East Blue with the kids after we leave. He thinks I should go back to the Grand Line, become a yonko and then come back for them. He thinks I should tell them the truth before I leave."

"And you want my opinion on that?"

"I always need your opinion, Benn. Like you said, I wouldn't have made it this far without you."

"Now you're trying to flatter me."

"Just telling the truth is all," Shanks replied, accepting a cup of fruit juice from a vendor. It had less alcohol than he'd like, but it was nice and fresh.

"So? What do you think?"

Benn turned the words over in his head before he slowly nodded.

"That could work. It's full of what ifs for sure, but it's not a bad plan."

"You think so?"

"Let's be honest, Shanks. The likelihood that you could leave these kids behind with no guarantee of when or if you'd ever see them again is extremely low. And the crew probably would revolt against you if you said we would never come back for them. They're our pups too, we love them. Uta's got three of the fiercest men I know ready to drop everything to talk fashion with her and have tea parties. I think Yasopp's living vicariously with Luffy the things he can't with Usopp. Have you ever known Lucky Roux to share food with anyone? But for Luffy and Uta, he'll make an exception. The twins got Hongo to make mudpies with them. Hongo, who's about ready to have a heart attack at the slightest sign of dirt or dust. They're practically pack already in case you didn't notice. We'll go with Buggy's plan, but we'll do it smart, think through all the possibilities and make sure that we're ready for them."

Shanks gave Benn a smile as he could see the gears turning in the alpha's head, a plan forming already.

"I really do appreciate you, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah. Remember that the next time you piss me off."

"What about that other thing? Telling the twins the truth?"

"The truth about what?"

Shanks startled a little and turned back to where the twins had reappeared, looking up at the men curiously.

"Oh, hey, where'd you pop up from?"

"Fighting Ace."

"Of course you were."

"What truth should we know," Luffy asked curiously.

"Oh, well… what truth was that, Benn," Shanks said, taking a sip of his fruit juice while Benn rolled his eyes at having the heat thrown on him.

"Oh, just about the time Shanks had to dye his hair."

Luffy and Uta turned to look at Shanks inquiringly as he shot Benn a look.

"Really?"

"You remember his swordsman friend he told you about?"

"The warlord guy?"

"That's the one. Well, he lost a bet to him and as a result, we ended up being the Platinum-Blonde Hair Pirates for about a month. It didn't exactly get the same response as our usual moniker," Benn continued.

Both children giggled at that.

"Silly Shanks, you'd look weird with blonde hair."

"Well, it was either that or bald," he mumbled.

"Anyway, do you want any of this juice? I'll get a cup for you or Roux's getting corndogs if you want that instead," Shanks informed them, nodding for the vendor to pour two more cups.

"That's nice, but we have something important to ask you," Uta replied.

"What is it," Shanks inquired, taking another sip of his drink.

"Where do babies come from?" They asked at the same time.

Shanks' eyes immediately widened as he started choking on his drink, going into a coughing fit as his throat tried to clear itself. He could hear Benn laughing at his expense while he stood there damn near dying.

"Are you okay," Luffy asked, staring at him with innocent concern while he and Uta patted his back.

"I'm fine, I'm fine, just… what… where is this coming from," he asked once he got his bearings back.

"We saw two women with a baby and we realized there are no babies in Windmill Village. Luffy and I are the youngest kids there," Uta started.

"Then Ace said of course there's no babies, they don't fall out of the sky. So, we asked him where babies come from," Luffy continued.

"He said we should ask you," they finished together.

Shanks glanced over to where Ace was standing a few feet away, an amused tilt to his lips that told Shanks he knew exactly what he was doing. Shanks shot the boy a glare, but his smirk just got wider as a response.

That little shit.

Shanks looked back at the twins who were still looking up at him with inquiring eyes. He glanced over at the vendor who shrugged in reply and then he looked at his first mate with a silent pleading look. The alpha stared back stoically for a long moment before he rolled his eyes and nodded at the twins to follow him.

"Come on, kids. I'll tell you what you need to know. Shanks will probably just tell you some nonsense about babies coming from treasure chests or something."

"That's what my father told me. I only believed it for two years until Mom told me the truth," Shanks protested, a slight blush coloring his cheeks.

"That's two years too many," Benn shot back.

"Wimp," Ace called to Shanks as he followed the trio, likely just so he could see the twins' reaction to the truth.

Shanks decided to respond to that in the most mature way he could by sticking his tongue out at the boy, who rolled his eyes in response and continued on his way.

Shanks took a deep breath after dodging that bullet and went over to the seats where everyone else was. Roux's arms were loaded with snacks for himself and the kids. Gab and Building Snake were debating over whether to approach a group of betas that were batting their eyelashes at them. Yasopp was cleaning his gun, heedless of the stares he garnered for it, while Hongo was lecturing him on the importance of gun cleanliness. It was a familiar and comforting scene for Shanks, the kind he was glad to be a silent observer in any day. His crew was his life, his family, and to see them happy and safe gave him as much fulfillment as chasing his dreams did.

An announcement was made soon enough for everyone to take their seats in preparation for the show to start. Benn returned just then with the kids. Ace had a satisfied smirk on his face while Uta seemed fascinated and Luffy was disturbed. That seemed about right actually.

"Alright?" Shanks asked as the twins took a seat on either side of him and Ace sat next to Yasopp, pestering him to let him hold his gun.

"Yes," Uta replied just as Luffy said the opposite.

"No, it sounds gross."

Shanks wondered how detailed Benn was, but he was sure his first mate only told them what they needed to know.

"Well, don't do anything you don't want to. You're free to make that choice," Shanks replied, adjusting the hat on Luffy's head just as the lights dimmed and the drums sounded, indicating the show was starting.

The show was just as spectacular as Shanks remembered with the same line-up of fire-breathers, acrobats, lion tamers, sword swallowers, jugglers and magicians as before. However, now during the intermission, Eudora came out to sing. Her voice was enchanting. She was easily one of the better singers Shanks had heard. Uta was obviously sucked in, so much so that Shanks had to stop her from falling off the bench after she leaned forward too far. Eudora sang three songs and then on the last, bubbles began to rain down. She displayed her Devil Fruit by freezing them midair. A lightshow began which turned the still bubbles into little mirrors, reflecting the light and leaving the crowd shocked and delighted, before she allowed the bubbles to continue their motion and naturally pop as they hit the floor.

The applause was raucous all throughout the show. Shanks once again felt a swell of pride in his chest that Buggy had found a place for himself in the world, that he was experiencing success. It was all based on his natural talents and those of the people he surrounded himself with. It hadn't been an easy road to get there, but he was glad Buggy got there nonetheless.

The rest of the night proved mostly uneventful. After the show, the group went back to the house where a veritable feast was waiting for them, but considering it was food for two pirate crews it was hardly excessive. Unsurprisingly, Luffy, Roux, Ace and Uta managed to decimate a third of the food between the four of them. This was only worsened by the fact that Luffy and Uta challenged Roux to an eating competition to prove their strength and allow them to join the crew. Shanks had made them stop before they got sick while Buggy shook his head and grumbled about the appetites of D's.

After dinner, Uta and Luffy were still in a competitive mood. Shanks ended up overseeing a wrestling contest between them and Benn, which they predictably lost. That turned into a match between them and Ace, which they also lost, though it was much closer. Then that spiraled into a less friendly wrestling match between the two older children which prompted Shanks and Benn to separate them.

Uta and Luffy then turned their attention to the pool room, begging Shanks to teach them how to swim so they could be great pirates. Uta still wouldn't be able to swim in the sea, but at least she'd know the mechanics and Luffy definitely needed to develop the skill. Shanks didn't know how he lived in a coastal village for seven years without ever learning until he realized there was no one around to teach him.

After changing into bathing suits, they entered the pool room. Eudora was already there with Buggy, the two sitting in the smaller hot tub and having a quiet conversation, their heads pressed close together. Shanks let a small smile alight his lips as he led the kids past the intimate moment between the "friends" to the large pool.

"You can teach Luffy first. It'll be harder for him to learn with the waves," Uta said, moving to sit on the edge of the pool.

Shanks gave her a smile and led Luffy into the water, catching the excited boy as he nearly tripped and fell face first.

"Careful, it might be a pool but it's still water. It can take life away as swiftly as it gives it. Respect it, that's the first thing you need to do when you're learning to swim."

Luffy nodded obediently and followed Shanks more cautiously into the water. Shanks moved a little bit further in and nodded for Luffy to follow. He gave the water a considering look before diving forward, face down and arms flailing, fighting the water as much as he was moving through it. Shanks moved close to him and lifted his face up as he spluttered water out and gasped. He pulled him closer, calming him down.

"I've got you, Anchor."

"You alright, Lu," Uta asked worriedly from the side. Luffy nodded in response.

"The second thing you need to do is not fight it. If you're fighting the water, you'll lose every time. You can swim against the current but it's much tougher to do than going with the flow."

"I'm not afraid of doing something just because it's tough."

"Trust me, I know that, Anchor. Still, you've got to work with it. Move your legs, it'll help you keep afloat."

Luffy started kicking his feet vigorously, drawing a chuckle from Shanks.

"Stop fighting it, kid. Don't kick it like it stole your money, move your legs side to side. Make waves with your feet and move your hands with it."

Shanks demonstrated for him. Luffy started imitating him, doing a passable job of treading water.

"That's better. Let's get you to float, that's the best place to start."

Shanks led him a little further into the water and gently gestured for him to lay on his back.

"But I'll sink."

"You won't. Trust me. I've got you."

Luffy nodded and laid flat atop the water's surface with Shanks' arms supporting him.

"Now just relax and breathe."

Luffy complied and Shanks took his hands away after a moment, watching Luffy beam up at him with pure joy on his face.

"You're floating, Lu," Uta cheered enthusiastically.

"See? You're a natural. Ready to learn to swim?"

Luffy proved a quick study, only taking a few unnecessary risks. Uta cheered him on from the sidelines as he improved in real time. After a while, Shanks activated the moving water setting. Uta stepped inside cautiously but after nothing happened, she happily splashed in the shallow end with Luffy for a while. Shanks taught her to tread water as well and how to float. It was a little harder with the waves, but they were small, nothing compared to natural waves on the sea.

Eudora and Buggy joined them after a while, Eudora and Uta trading refrains from their favorite songs and stories about the East and South Blue.

The constant motion of the water seemed to lull both children into a drowsy state, and after a while they ended up clinging to Shanks, their heads pressed sleepily on his bare chest.

"I'm going to get them ready for bed."

"We're not tired," Luffy protested.

"Yeah, it's still early."

"You're practically asleep already. You two are better off taking a shower and going to bed. We'll still be here for two more days, you can have more fun tomorrow."

Both children pouted but didn't protest anymore as Shanks stepped out of the pool practically carrying them.

"Come downstairs once you're done. We're all having drinks in the parlor," Buggy informed him, his eyes switching with interest between Shanks and the twins.

He nodded in reply, grabbing towels to wrap around both children before leaving them to shower while he did the same.

The showers were all stocked with the fluffiest robes Shanks had ever felt. Again, he thanked his lucky stars for Buggy falling for a noblewoman that wasn't the devil in disguise.

The three hustled to the third floor to change into dry clothes, though Luffy and Uta put up a valiant effort to sleep in the fluffy robe only. Shanks didn't blame them. It was ridiculously soft. Still, he had to be a responsible adult anyway.

The shower appeared to have given the twins a second wind because they tried to fight sleep for a whole hour, making it a contest to see who could stay up the longest. Shanks shook his head at them and grabbed a book that Eudora had given him before dinner, a book of children's stories from the South Blue. Shanks flipped to one Rouge would tell him and Buggy when they had issues sleeping.

Sure enough, it didn't take long for both children to turn boneless and fall asleep. Shanks smiled down at them and tucked them in.

Just as he made to leave the room, Ace walked inside. His eyes widened when he saw Shanks and he quickly hid something behind his back. Shanks rose an eyebrow at that.

"Shanks, what are you doing here?"

"Just putting the kids to sleep."

"They're sleeping already? It's only 8:30, damn babies."

"You should probably get some sleep too, it's been a busy day," Shanks advised, glancing down at Ace's hands. He couldn't see what he had behind his back, but his hands had a fluorescent blue and green residue on them. Shanks figured he must've taken one of Eudora's magma flowers. He couldn't imagine why. Maybe he had liked them.

"I'm not a baby like them. I'm fine."

"Well, we're all going to be drinking in the parlor if you need anything from us."

"I won't need anything."

Shanks held his hands up in surrender and started moving past Ace, who edged around so Shanks couldn't get a clear view of what he was holding. Part of him wanted to press and see what he had. What was the big deal about a flower anyway? But he remembered how defensive Ace was. If he wanted Shanks to know, he would've told him. He decided not to push his luck and walked down to where all the others were already drinking, singing and trading stories.

Tonight seemed like a good night to get drunk.

Shanks stopped keeping track of time at some point during the night and got lost in between drinks, bawdy stories, sea shanties and raucous laughter. The Red Hair Pirates and Buggy Pirates meshed well together, especially when they were drunk, which everyone soon was. It wasn't until well past midnight that Shanks dragged himself back to his room and found himself dropping to his bed like dead weight. A part of his brain spared a thought to getting up and checking on the kids before he fell asleep, but before he could force his body to move, darkness closed in on the edges of his vision and before he knew it, he was fast asleep.

Bird song woke him in the morning, a beam of light coming in from between the curtains as his head pounded. He hadn't drunk that much liquor in weeks and his body was now reminding him of that fact. His mouth felt dry and full of cotton as he stretched and forced himself to get up. He checked the clock through blurry eyes.

Eight o'clock.

He was surprised the twins hadn't woken him by now.

He went to the bathroom to go through his morning ablutions and splashed water on his face to look less like a walking corpse. He sighed, rubbing his temples to try to soothe his headache before he trudged towards the en suite.

"Alright guys, I know why I'm getting up so late, but you all don't really have much excuse," he said as he opened the door to the kids' room. He blinked as he saw it was empty. Ace's bed was made up like he hadn't slept in it and the twins' bed was left unmade with their night clothes strewn atop it.

They must've woken up already and gone for breakfast. Although, I'm surprised they managed to do it quietly. Or I was just that fast asleep. Probably the latter, Shanks thought to himself before he shrugged and dressed for the day. He could do with some breakfast himself.

After he was ready, he leisurely stepped out of the bedroom and went downstairs to the kitchen where most of his and Buggy's crew were strewn about in various states of misery while Lucky Roux and Buggy's cook made breakfast.

"I see you're all feeling as shitty as me."

"Top shelf wine is deceptively strong," Yasopp groaned.

"Trust me, we learned that the hard way thanks to Eudora," Cabaji replied, looking slightly better than the Red Hair Pirates. Slightly.

"Where are the kids? I figured they must've come down here already since their room is empty," Shanks commented, taking a seat next to Benn who shrugged.

"Haven't seen them. They must be with Eudora or Mohji and Richie again."

"Must be," Shanks mumbled in return as Roux placed a plate of food in front of him. He went for the thankfully bland toast first, hoping to sop up some of the liquid in his stomach with the bread.

"We weren't planning to do anything today, were we," Hongo asked, chewing on a banana.

"Seas, I hope not. I feel like I've been run over by a horse," Building Snake moaned.

Just then, Eudora and Buggy burst into the kitchen, Eudora looking harried while Buggy looked angry.

"Where is it," he demanded.

Everyone in the room looked at him blankly in reply.

"We're too hungover to guess what you mean, Bug," Shanks informed him.

"The treasure that was in the stone greenhouse, it's missing."

The Red Hair Pirates shared a clueless look amongst themselves as the Buggy Pirates all straightened up.

"What do you mean, 'missing?" Cabaji asked seriously.

"Is there another definition for 'missing' that I don't know about? It's not there. If one of you ate it or stole it with the intention of selling it behind our backs, then I swear—"

"Buggy, dear, the crew is loyal. They're your pack. They wouldn't betray you for profit, you must know that by now," Eudora cautioned, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. Buggy took a deep breath before turning his gaze to Shanks.

"I don't even know what you're talking about. My crew would never betray your hospitality by stooping so low," Shanks replied to the silent question.

"Maybe the treasure was misplaced. Are you sure you checked the greenhouse completely," Cabaji asked.

"It's not a mansion, it's a roomful of fluorescent flowers. A chest with something that valuable would be hard to miss," Buggy snapped back.

"The Red Hair pirates didn't know it was there and I don't believe the Buggy Pirates would betray you for it. The only other people who saw it were… were the kids," Eudora said reluctantly.

Shanks' brow pinched at that.

"I don't know what this treasure is, but the twins wouldn't steal it. Why would they want to?"

"I don't think they took it with the intention of selling it or hurting anyone, but if they do have it, then they're in danger," Eudora replied, a troubled look on her face.

"What is this treasure anyway," Benn asked.

Eudora and Buggy shared a look before Buggy nodded.

"It's an Akuma no Mi," Eudora admitted.

"You had a Devil Fruit," Benn asked suspiciously.

"We've been holding it for an important exchange, but now it's gone. Where are the kids," Buggy asked.

"We thought they were with Eudora or Mohji."

"Mohji and Richie are at the park site overseeing the tent. They left hours ago and they left alone."

Shanks pushed aside his feelings to think clearly. Eudora was right, none of his crew would have a reason to steal a Devil Fruit and he didn't believe Buggy's crew would betray him. Even if they had, they wouldn't stick around the house after taking the Fruit. Uta and Luffy went to bed early and Shanks had spent the whole night drinking. He hadn't gone to check on them once which left almost 12 hours for something to have happened by now. But would they have taken it? No, what reason could they have to do so? They both knew what a Devil Fruit was, knew the effects of it. Luffy wanted to be able to swim, he wouldn't have asked to learn if he was planning to eat or steal a Devil Fruit.

That left Ace. The last time he saw Ace was before he started drinking. Ace had returned to the bedroom and he had had something with him. Shanks hadn't seen it, but he assumed it was a magma flower. The Akuma no Mi was apparently housed with the flowers. But why would Ace want the Fruit? Did he even know what it was or what it did?

Shanks pushed down any panic and turned his attention inward. The bond between him and the twins had been shifting and changing lately, but he could still generally feel where they were. He reached within, paying attention to the gut instinct that told him their general direction before he felt his heart skip a beat.

"They're gone. They're not here."

"What?"

"The kids. They're nowhere near here. They're not in Town Center."

Benn looked over at Shanks whose mind was racing. The kids might have a Devil Fruit. Uta and Luffy were aware of what they were but what if Luffy or Ace ate it? Seas, what if Uta ate it?

"We need to find them, now."

---

AN: A longer chapter as we continue in the Town Center "arc". I wanted to get as much fluff in as possible because we're going straight back into angst territory for the next few chapters. There will be a few fluff/bonding moments, but we're going to be ranging into darker territory.

I hope Buggy's reaction makes sense in the context of my story. He's still bitter and grumpy but he's also, as he said, seeing things more from the kids' point of view given his history than he is from Shanks', though he also gets where he's coming from. Because of that, and because he does not want to do anything more than be a small fish in a weak pond, his offer to Shanks made sense in my head.

Oda has mentioned in a SBS that moving water (i.e. rain or waves) doesn't affect devil fruit users while still water (i.e. oceans, rivers, lakes) does. I question the logic of that but it's canon, so I've decided to utilize it to my benefit anyway.

Eudora's Stop Stop Fruit is an original fruit of my making which will come into play later for this story and a possible sequel story.

The next chapter will feature Uta's POV of what's going on with the kids, and possibly Ace's too, I haven't totally decided yet. But Sabo will definitely enter the story.