Chapter Text
“You have any idea where the prisoners may have gone?”
Marina glances to her left. Sabo is scanning their surroundings, frowning slightly as they pass yet another block of cells that has no prisoners. She shrugs in response to his question. “No idea. The guard room in Level Two had been abandoned when we passed, so maybe another person broke out and freed everyone else?”
It’s hard to believe that another break-out could have happened, but it is plausible, she supposes, and Sabo hums in agreement. She hadn’t even been aware of Luffy’s break-in due to her meetings with Ivankov taking up all her time and energy (and due to being in Level Six, which was totally unaffected by the break-in), so missing another break-out, lost in the chaos, is definitely possible.
And, she glances to the side, spying the lone man in a prisoner’s uniform here, there’s already been one break-out – the chances of there being another are slim, but they’re there, for sure.
(She can’t believe the thought of another break-out of Impel Down possibly happening isn’t that surprising to her.)
(What has her life turned into?)
They turn the corner, and Marina grins as she sees the light flooding into the area. The exit is close. She hears a bright laugh and a multitude of cheers from around her, both the revolutionaries and pirates excited to get out. She grins at Koala and Sabo, both next to her, memories of escaping from similar situations flashing through her mind.
Though, she thinks, snickering, escaping from Impel Down is definitely a first.
They turn yet another corner, and everyone stops shock still. Silence reigns over the exiting crowd as everyone, including Marina, tries to comprehend what exactly they are looking at.
A crowd of at least 100 prisoners, all looking tough and like they shouldn’t be messed with, are crowded around the exit, piling on top of each other as they peak around the walls they are hiding behind. They are all peering at the ship waiting outside (the sight of the Moby Dick gives Marina chills, and she can only imagine what kind of chills its captain will give her).
What the fuck? Thinks Marina, baffled, looking at the prisoners in confusion. A glance around tells her everyone else around her is thinking the same thing, and she snickers at the sight of absolute confusion on her comrades’ faces.
How the former-prisoners haven’t noticed them is beyond her, but she appreciates it as she finally starts listening to the whispers emanating from the crowd.
“You go ask!”
“No, you go!”
“Shit, he’s huge.”
“I’m not risking my life talking to those absolute monsters!”
“Then why should I?!”
Marina shares an amused look with Koala, and Ace, who has finally started listening to the conversations, bursts out into laughter. The entire crowd jumps, and she hears more than one shout of pain due to a misplaced foot (or three, she thinks, wincing as she sees one poor soul get stomped on by multiple of the surrounding prisoners).
Marco and the rest of the Whitebeards join in, and Marina can’t hold in her laughs anymore when the figure in front (who has a huge red nose, Marina didn’t even think that was possible) squeaks, “Holy shit, that’s Marco the Phoenix and Fire Fist Ace!”
Luffy, beside Ace, perks up in recognition at the voice, and shouts, “Oh, Buffoon!” The figure jumps yet again before scowling, and before Marina knows it, the lone prisoner (she really has to learn his name) they had picked up along the way sprints towards “Buffoon” and kicks him in the shins.
“BUGGY, YOU FUCKING ASSHOLE!”
Marco snorts, and she overhears him tell Ace that he saw Buggy with Galdino (ah, that’s the prisoner’s name) before the Whitebeards took him with them to help get them to the next levels. Well, that would explain the anger she sees as he blasts into Buggy.
Luffy sprints ahead, laughing, and his brothers follow him. Koala and Marina share a fond look as they follow, and Marina laughs aloud, reveling in the feeling of being with her comrades again.
(She had been separated from them for two years. Even though she knew the job was necessary, even though she knew she would get out at some point and be able to reunite with her friends, even though she knew Ivankov was just a block away most of the time, it was still the loneliest time in her life.)
Running with Koala and Hack and laughing at Sabo, she can almost forget those two years of loneliness.
They’re over. She’s with her family.
She’s home, now.
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They emerge from the prison, and Sabo sighs, breathing in the fresh air. He glances to the side, and Ace is grinning, looking happier than Sabo has seen him in days (or ever; Sabo wasn’t there when Ace learned how to smile like that. A pang goes through his chest at the reminder of all that he’s lost because of his memory loss, but he quashes that back down.)
(They’re together now. That’s all that matters.)
A rumbling laugh sounds from above them, and Sabo peers up to see Whitebeard himself standing on the bow of the Moby Dick, grinning down at the incoming group of pirates and Revolutionaries. Ace smiles back up brightly, and Sabo feels warmth in his chest at how happy his brother is.
Everyone has stopped around them, and even though Marco had told the prisoners surrounding the door that they could get a ride from them no problem, Sabo can still see the fear coating each and every one of their faces.
Not that I can blame them, he thinks as he looks back at the imposing figure above them. Whitebeard is known for being a monster, undefeatable, a relic from the old era. If it weren’t for knowing he is Ace’s family, Sabo would probably be nervous around him.
Okay, maybe not, he reconsiders, remembering his typical attitude around people more powerful than he.
Still, he’s Ace’s father. Sabo could never be scared of Ace’s family.
Plus, looking at his brothers, one beaming with so much joy that Sabo smiles in turn, and one laughing obliviously at the reactions of everyone around him, he couldn’t stand next to them if he was scared of someone like Whitebeard.
“Pops!” Ace calls up happily, and Whitebeard laughs, greeting his youngest son.
“Ready to come back aboard, son?” Ace nods rapidly, and multiple ladders are lowered, Whitebeard and Marco (who had flown up immediately) having apparently already called people over to handle lowering them. The crowd clamors for the ladders, and Sabo follows Ace to the nearest ladder. Ace is clearly planning on shoving through those not on his crew to get there first when Sabo feels something wrap around his waist.
Looking down, he gulps as he sees a rubber limb wrapped around him and Ace, and he hears, “Shishishishi!”
Ace startles next to him, before he swears and says, “No, Luffy, don’t-” Luffy gleefully ignores him, and sends his other arm towards the top of the ship. Sabo’s stomach drops as they are flung through the air, and they smash into the deck of the ship. Sabo groans as Ace lands on top of him, and Luffy, the little shit, is just laughing as he lands beside them.
Ace sits up, rubbing his back before standing and saying dangerously, “Luffy.” Luffy stops laughing at the growl in his older brother’s voice, and Sabo snickers at the look of fear that crosses his face as he backs away. “How many times have I told you not to do that?”
Luffy turns his head to the side, mumbling while gnawing on his lip, “A lot…” Ace nods, and starts stalking towards Luffy.
“Then you know what’s coming next.”
Luffy turns and sprints away, and Sabo laughs as Ace chases after him, yelling for Luffy to, “Get back here, you little shit!”
Sabo hears a chorus of laughs behind him, and turns to see Marco and Whitebeard plus a group of pirates gathered, obviously having watched the show. Marco, leaning against the railing with crossed arms, asks with a lopsided grin, “Are they always like that?”
Sabo laughs, looking over at where Ace is now mercilessly giving Luffy a noogie and says, “Yeah, pretty much. Ace has honestly mellowed out since we were kids.” Memories of Ace punching Luffy whenever he messed with Ace and of Ace’s constant anger at the world flash through Sabo’s brain. Ace has honestly changed so much, and Sabo’s glad that constant anger seems to be gone.
Ace is so much happier now.
Ace’s crew all has wide eyes, and Sabo snickers at the mutters of, “This is mellowed out?” and, “I’m afraid to ask about what he was like as a kid.”
Whitebeard lets out a chuckle before looking at Sabo contemplatively. Sabo unconsciously straightens up at the analytical stare, and Whitebeard says, “So you’re the mysterious ‘twin’, huh?”
Huh, so they do know about that. Good to know.
Sabo smirks, bowing slightly and is about to confirm it when he feels a heavy arm drape over his shoulder, and he curses and struggles to regain his balance. The warmth radiating off of the arm tells him it’s Ace, who says cheerfully, “Yeah, this is my twin, Sabo!”
Whitebeard chuckles at the obvious joy in Ace’s voice, and says, “Well, any family of Ace’s is family of mine, so welcome, Sabo.”
Sabo grins as Ace laughs, and Whitebeard’s attention turns to Ace.
“I’m glad you’re alright, son.”
Sabo hears Ace’s breath hitch, and Ace takes in a shuddery breath before saying, “…Thank you.” He removes his arm from Sabo’s shoulder and turns to face his entire crew, which is now crowded around, soft smiles on all of their faces. Sabo smiles softly and edges towards the Revolutionary contingent, which is to the side of the ship.
This is a moment for Ace and his family. He shouldn’t interrupt.
He snags Luffy to stop him from interrupting as Ace continues, voice thick, “Thank you all for being willing to come for me. Thank you for loving me!” He bows his head, silent sobs shaking his body as his crew gathers around him. Marco reaches him first, pulling him into a tight hug and murmuring into his ear as the rest of the crew gathers around, loving words and cheers echoing as the reunion starts in earnest.
Luffy lets out a bright laugh as orders are shouted for them to set sail, and Sabo smiles and throws an arm around him as the ship sinks back under the water, a good burst of Conqueror’s Haki from Whitebeard keeping the sea kings from attacking. He shares a grin with his comrades, who have returned to his side, and they smile back.
He’s with his family, both old and new, and, for Sabo, things have never looked brighter.
There’s a shout that draws Sabo’s attention, and he turns his head to see someone running out with a large box in his hands. Marco takes the box, and, after the person whispers in his ear briefly, dons a massive smirk. He turns to Ace and calls out to him.
“Hey, Ace! We have a surprise for you!”
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Twenty minutes later, the ship has devolved into chatter and chaos, with food and booze being brought out and disappearing as quickly as it appears. The Moby Dick and small Revolutionary ship are sailing side-by-side, with only cursory attention being paid to the small ship as they celebrate. The fact that they have escaped has finally sunk in, and ex-prisoner, revolutionary, and pirate alike mingle and laugh together.
Impel down is behind them now, left desolate and empty in the upper two levels and devastated in the other four.
Ace grins as he looks around him, seeing all of his crewmates happy (and in many cases, already drunk.) The surprise reveal that Teach was dead, his head alone in the box (even gift-wrapped, seriously, how extra can his crew be) proving it quite well to Ace, had shocked him. The fact that Teach had gotten so close to his crew caused Ace to shudder, thinking of the last time Teach been around his crew, but he quickly shook those thoughts away.
Teach is dead. His father kicked his ass. That is all Ace needs.
He doesn’t need to worry anymore.
Luffy stretching around him, grabbing all the food he can and stuffing it in his mouth, brings Ace back to the present. He grins at Luffy, noticing his energy hormone is still going strong, and though that’s fueling his brother it’s still reassuring to see his brother acting as he normally does.
Sabo is right there with them, stuffing his face as well. Ace grabs for a large piece of meat, and grapples with Sabo for it. He wins and smirks at Sabo, bringing it up to his mouth. He’s about to bite down on it when a rubber arm comes across and steals it. Ace jerks his head around, mouth dropping open in disbelief as Luffy snickers through the food (Ace’s food) in his mouth.
“Luffy! You little shit!”
“Shishishishi!” His brother has the audacity to just laugh at him, so Ace takes the completely reasonable option and steals all the food that’s in front of Luffy from him. Luffy lets out an audible gasp of horror and promptly steals all of Sabo’s food.
Sabo jerks his head up when the meat in his hand disappears, and he glares at Luffy, who is now whistling ‘innocently’ as he stuffs his mouth full of food, his cheeks comically expanded. From there, an absolute free-for-all breaks out, and Ace grins at the familiarity of the interaction.
He vaguely notices his crew starting to gather around and place bets on who will eat the most, and laughs as the revolutionaries, who have experience with their appetites mislead them. He snorts as some mutter, “Oh yeah, Ace is definitely the biggest eater.” His crew buys it because they’ve seen his ravenous appetite but never seen Luffy’s.
It also helps that they don’t know the Revolutionaries have seen Luffy’s appetite, Ace thinks, snickering and grabbing more food.
Soon enough, he feels full, and he leans back at around the same time Sabo does, to the outrage of his crewmates and the laughter of those who had secretly placed their bets on Luffy. He shares a grin with Sabo, happier than he has been in a long time.
He’s with his found family, both old and new, and nothing in the world could make him happier.
(Unless Makino and Dadan could be here. That would be perfect.)
Luffy finally leans back, a satisfied look on his face. His stomach is comically extended, and Ace resists the urge to poke it like they’re children again. Money changes hands in the crowd around him, and Ace snickers at the mulish faces of his crewmates who lost the bet.
He looks around, spotting his father sitting in his chair, the IVs and other medical tubes reconnected to his body and him chugging some beer. He looks in high spirits, and that makes Ace happy even as he worries about his body failing on him. Marco is perched on him like a parrot, and they’re both watching over the festivities with smiles on their faces.
Pops notices him looking over, and toasts him with a rumbling laugh, and Ace grins and toasts him back.
(It still boggles Ace’s mind; Sabo let himself get captured for him, Luffy broke into Impel Down for him, his entire crew attacked the prison for him, even the revolutionaries helped (even if that was more for the purpose of a mass-breakout than for him).
He is so loved. They all couldn’t stand the thought of losing him so much that they risked their lives to get him (especially Luffy; god, the torture and loss of life Luffy had to experience and the screams he let out still taunt Ace and he knows they’re going to haunt his dreams forever.)
They all want him to live. Even though many don’t know he’s the son of the devil; that he has evil blood flowing through his veins, for the first time, he feels he may be accepted for who he is regardless of the blood in his veins.
He may not have to hide anymore.)
He is shaken from his thoughts when Sabo hums, looking at Luffy contemplatively. Luffy is oblivious, looking around at the various people with obvious interest, but Ace nudges Sabo and raises his eyebrows, not noticing anything wrong with their younger brother. He looks relatively healthy and in high spirits, though Ace knows better than anyone how good Luffy can be at hiding when he’s upset.
Sabo leans closer, murmuring while still keeping an eye on Luffy, “From what you told me, he is very close to his crew, and they are very reliable.” Ace turns to face Luffy, and realization crashes over him.
Luffy’s crew isn’t here. Luffy, who loves being around people. Luffy, who thrives on people being there to drive him forward. Luffy, whose greatest fear is being alone.
(Luffy, who broke into Impel Down to save him, alone. Luffy, who almost died, alone. Luffy, who gave everything to save Ace, alone.)
Where is his crew?
Sabo echoes the question running through his head right now, saying, “Then, where are they?”
And Ace doesn’t know.
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“Hey, Luffy!”
Luffy turns away from observing the pirates around him (there’s a dude who can turn into diamond and a phoenix! How cool is that?!) to see his brothers waving him over. He hops up, grabbing another drumstick on the way (because you can never eat too much food), and joins his brothers.
(It still makes him giddy that he can say ‘brothers’ again. His grin widens and a bounce enters his step as he remembers he has both his brothers back with him, safe and sound.)
He plops down on the ground in front of his brothers, looking up at them expectantly. They share a look, loaded with something Luffy doesn’t recognize and then Sabo asks, more gently than he has since they reunited, “Luffy, what happened to your crew?”
Luffy freezes, mouth full of meat that he forgets to chew as those words echo in his head. He sees flashes of bubbles popping, of light, of Kumas attacking, of his crew disappearing, gone, gone, gone, Zoro, Brook, Usopp, Sanji, Franky, Nami, Chopper, Robin, where did you go?!
“What’s wrong with me…? I couldn’t save…any of my friends!!!”
The memory of the loss of his crewmates (of his family) crashes over him, and he shudders as he remembers them just...disappearing, from right in front of him. He feels wetness drip down onto his hand, and brings a shaking hand up to feel tears trailing down his cheeks. He looks up and can barely see Ace and Sabo through his tears, only just able to make out the looks of concern on their faces.
He looks back down, choking out, “Kuma attacked when we were at Sabaody…he sent my crew away. I don’t know where they are.” Luffy glances up and makes out Ace and Sabo sharing a look before tears flood his eyes again.
“Oh, Lu,” Ace murmurs, bringing Luffy in closer to hug him. Luffy buries his face in Ace’s chest, fighting against the tears stubbornly coursing down his cheeks. The arm that wraps around his shoulders from Sabo just makes him come even more undone.
“I failed,” Luffy chokes out. “I’m their captain, yet I couldn’t save even one of my friends - what kind of captain am I if I couldn’t even do that?!” He finally breaks, sobbing into Ace’s chest, barely able to hear his brothers murmuring into his ears. He vowed to become stronger, and stronger, and stronger, and yet here he is, having lost his crew. Did he learn nothing from losing Sabo?
…Almost losing Sabo.
That’s right! He frantically takes off his hat, digging around in it to find the precious piece of paper that Rayleigh had given them. He notices Ace and Sabo share a confused glance over his head, but ignores it as he finally locates the vivre card. He pulls it out, placing it on his palm.
Luffy impatiently wipes the lingering tears away as Ace and Sabo hover over the paper in Luffy’s palm, keeping reassuring arms around his shoulders. “Whose vivre card is this?” Sabo asks, eyeing the paper contemplatively.
“Rayleigh’s!” Luffy glares at the paper, willing it to immediately lead him to his crew. He needs to find them. He needs to.
Ace asks, “Does your entire crew have those?” Luffy nods distractedly, still staring at the paper.
Sabo hums, glancing around to where they have finally surfaced, now an hour away from the prison. Luffy barely glances up before returning his attention to the paper and asking distractedly, “What’s the best way to get to Sabaody?”
“Gurararara!” Luffy jerks his head up at the sound of a laugh, and sees Ace’s captain sitting to the side. “We can take you to Sabaody, brat.”
“Really?” This old guy is really nice! “Thanks, old man!”
Ace chokes next to him, and Luffy turns in concern (did he choke on something?) while silence reigns around them.
Sabo sighs, saying, “Luffy, you do know who this is, right?”
Of course, he does, he’s not stupid after all. “Of course! He’s Whitebeard, right?” Ace sighs next to him, and Sabo laughs. A thought then occurs to Luffy, and he jumps up, pointing at Ace’s captain.
“You want to be Pirate King, don’t you?! Well, I’m going to be Pirate King!” So there, Luffy thinks as he stares defiantly at Ace’s dad. Even though Ace really likes this old guy, Luffy still isn’t going to let him beat him!
“Gurararara! Cheeky brat, we’ll see about that.” The old man just looks amused, and aww, that’s not what Luffy was going for at all. He pouts as the entire crew bursts into laughter around them. He vaguely notices the prisoners that Buggy freed staring at him in shock and fear, and tilts his head in confusion. Why would they be afraid?
Ace sighs and drapes an arm around Luffy’s shoulders, saying, “Yeah, so, Pops, this is my idiot younger brother, Luffy.” Luffy beams before the words process in his head, and then he turns on his brother with a fierce scowl on his face.
“I’m not an idiot!” He could definitely beat that old man, anyway! Well, maybe not yet, he thinks as he glances at the captain, who has just started to laugh again. He looks pretty strong.
“Luffy, you just broke into the strongest prison in the world, without your crew, and challenged the strongest man in the world within 24 hours. I’m pretty sure that constitutes being a pretty big dumbass.”
Before Luffy can respond, someone in the crowd that is still watching shouts, “And punched one of the Celestial Dragons!”
Both Ace and Sabo whirl on Luffy, and Ace shouts, “You punched a Celestial Dragon?!” Luffy nods vigorously. He tried to buy Camie, he shot Hachi; of course, he was going to attack him!
Ace groans while Sabo slaps a hand to his face, saying, “I heard about some idiot punching a Celestial Dragon, but I was so busy with meetings that I missed that it was my idiot doing it.”
“Sabo,” Ace starts, turning towards him. “Isn’t it kind of your entire job to punch Celestial Dragons?”
Sabo sighs exasperatedly. “Yes, and I’m proud of you, Luffy, I really am, but we always have a plan to get out, at least! Though, I haven’t actually punched any Celestial Dragons before,” he mutters at the end, and Ace, a mischievous smile on his face, cuts in.
“So, Luffy’s doing your job better than you, huh?”
Sabo spins on his heel to face Ace, snapping, “No, he isn’t, we’re just...lying in wait!”
“Wait, does that mean I’m winning, then?” Luffy asks, and both Ace and Sabo round on him, Ace contrasting Sabo’s fierce scowl with a wide grin.
Ace says, elbowing Sabo and smirking at him, “I think you are, Luffy.”
“He has a point, Sabo!” Luffy glances over and laughs as he sees Sabo’s friends leaning against the railing, the one who had punched Sabo when reuniting in Impel Down smirking at Sabo. The not-Sabo-puncher laughs, and Sabo pouts at them.
He says petulantly, “You’re just saying that to mess with me, Marina.”
The two redheads share a look, shrug, and give Sabo identical cat-like grins. “Maybe so,” Marina says.
Ace snickers, throwing an arm carelessly over Sabo’s shoulder. “Guess you’re outvoted, huh?” Ace says, and Luffy laughs as Sabo snaps, tackling Ace and sending them rolling all over the floor. Luffy gleefully throws himself on top of his brothers, grinning.
(Luffy missed this.)
Unfortunately, their fun comes to an end when Pineapple-head grabs him and Ace by the collars of their shirts, giving them an unimpressed stare as he lifts them in front of him. “You guys done yet, yoi?” Luffy pouts, but nods, recognizing that stare (Nami always uses it when she wants him to stop - he knows to stop when he sees that).
Ace opens his mouth, undoubtedly about to shoot out a petulant response, but at his friend’s pointed stare to the destruction around them (including food, oops), reluctantly nods. Pineapple-head, satisfied, drops them and walks back to his captain’s side.
Sabo picks himself off of the ground, straightening his napkin and saying, “My point was that I don’t punch Celestial Dragons right next to Marine Headquarters, Luffy!” Luffy frowns briefly at the reminder that the punch ultimately was what caused his crew to become separated, but then perks up again at the reminder of what Ace’s captain had said.
(“You don’t punch Celestial Dragons at all,” Ace mutters under his breath.
Sabo elbows him. Hard. Ace yelps, and retaliates with a kick to the shin. Luffy laughs as his brothers continue subtly fighting, the familiarity filling him with warmth and making him grin brightly.)
He turns towards Ace’s dad, asking, “Old Man, you said you could take me to Sabaody?” Whitebeard lets out a rumbling laugh and nods, and Luffy jumps for joy. He can see his crew again. He’ll be able to see them soon, and he has his brothers with him!
The ringing of the transponder snail interrupts his celebration, and he listens curiously as Pineapple-Head picks up the snail. A lazy half-smirk makes its way onto the snail’s face, and a familiar voice rings out, causing Luffy to perk up.
“Hi, Newgate.”
Whitebeard lets out a rumbling laugh and says, “Well, hello there, Rayleigh. It’s been a while.”
Luffy dons a wide grin as everyone around him, including his brothers, shout, “THE DARK KING?!”
Buggy bursts out from the side, where he had been hiding from the pirates and rallying his prison-cult, and yells, “RAYLEIGH-SAN?!”
Luffy, at the same time, says brightly, “Old Man Rayleigh!” The pandemonium stops, and his brothers turn towards him with gobsmacked expressions on their faces.
“…Luffy, I can’t believe I didn’t question this earlier - how do you know the Dark King?” Sabo stares at Luffy as he asks that, and Ace’s facepalming next to him, though Luffy has no idea why.
“I met him at Sabaody!” He turns towards where Ace’s Pops is holding the snail and watching them with a grin on his face.
Ace spins on his heel towards his dad and says, “Wait, Pops, how the hell does the Dark King have your transponder snail number?” Oh yeah, that is a good question. Luffy looks expectantly at Ace’s dad, waiting for an answer.
The old man smirks, and a guffaw comes from the snail, as well as a few members of his crew (including the cool diamond dude!). Ace’s Pineapple friend, to the side of him, lets out an audible groan and slaps a hand to his forehead. “Please don’t tell them,” he pleads, and Buggy lets out a whine.
“Wait, no, stop, you can’t tell them!” Whitebeard just lets out another laugh before speaking.
“Well,” he begins with a smirk, “You see, son, when our and Roger’s rivalry was at its height, Marco here and Shanks and Buggy, two brats from Roger’s crew, were babies.”
Marco (nah, he likes Pineapple-head better – it sounds better) turns on his heel to glare at him. “I was not a baby, yoi! I was a teenager!” Buggy glares from the side, and Luffy’s surprised to see him not flinch when Whitebeard glances at him.
He waves a hand dismissively. “That’s basically the same thing. Anyway-” Pineapple-head sighs and Buggy lets out a scream in frustration and stalks away, which causes Luffy to let out a laugh and Ace and his crew to snicker at him, “-Rayleigh and I decided we each needed someone to talk to about the shenanigans of Marco and Roger’s brats.”
“Shishishishi!” Luffy laughs as Ace almost collapses on the ground laughing, clinging onto Sabo, who’s barely stopping himself from collapsing from laughter as well.
Ace manages to reign himself in slightly and gasps out, still clinging to Sabo, “So-” he hiccups on another laugh. “So, you were calling to complain? About Marco?” Pineapple-Head lets out another groan as everyone lets out another wave of laughter.
Ace’s Pops nods with a broad grin, and says, “Let’s just say Marco wasn’t always this good with his devil fruit. As in, I still have scars from him clinging onto me so he wouldn’t fall into the sea.”
The ship erupts into teasing and laughter once again. Luffy overhears a mumble of, “My reputation…it’s ruined…” from Pineapple-head and bursts out into laughter again. Buggy’s continued screaming in frustration is just the icing on the cake for Luffy.
(Someone crows, “He had to deal with Marco’s puberty! No wonder he needed to complain!” Everyone in the area laughs even harder.)
Luffy then remembers something Ace’s Pops had mentioned in an aside and bursts out, “Wait, did you say Shanks?” Luffy gets a short nod in return and a guffaw from Rayleigh and laughs in delight. Shanks’d been on Roger’s crew, Luffy knows, but he didn’t know he was a kid then! And Buggy, too! This is hilarious!
Sabo steps forward with a broad grin and says, “Wait, Whitebeard-san, why was it you and Rayleigh and not you and Roger?” Ace’s laughter dims a little at the mention of his birth father and everyone quiets a little bit in their laughter to hear the answer.
The snail just gives Sabo a deadpan stare as Ace’s dad lets out another loud guffaw. “Roger was basically a child himself; I called more times to complain about him than I did to complain about the brats.”
And everyone on the ship loses their shit again.
It takes a few moments for everyone to regain their composure, and once it’s relatively quiet again Ace’s dad turns back to the snail and says, “As enjoyable as this conversation has been, what was the real reason you called, Rayleigh?”
“Ah, yes,” Rayleigh responds, as if he had forgotten. Luffy perks up in excitement as Rayleigh asks his question, a smirk on his face.
“Do you mind if I pay a little visit, Newgate?”
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“Shit.”
Sengoku finds himself fully agreeing with Garp’s assessment of the state they arrived to find Impel Down in.
It’s an utter massacre.
Bodies and broken parts of battleships litter the waters surrounding the dock and the dock itself, the silence surrounding the prison not boding well for the survival of those inside or outside the prison. There is no sign of movement or life within the prison, and Sengoku sighs as the implications of that sink in.
There is no sign of the Whitebeard Pirates; there is no sign that any sort of resistance to the pirates had succeeded. The chances of the devil children still being here are looking very low.
They press on to Level One, and see a complete absence of prisoners, and guards again cover the surface. Sengoku growls. Those bastards orchestrated a mass break, and the world is going to suffer for it. He can only hope the other levels are not similarly barren.
(If prisoners like Sir Crocodile and Douglas Bullet escaped, the world would devolve into chaos and destruction unlike anything seen since the start of the Great Pirate Age.)
The troops behind him start checking the bodies for survivors, and Garp sighs next to him as he surveys the carnage. Sengoku side-eyes him, and Garp is looking more desolate than he has looked since the news of the breakout reached them.
(Sengoku doesn’t want to accept it, but he knows that Garp was pleased that Whitebeard attacked Impel Down. He was pleased that one of the World Government strongholds was being attacked and that his grandsons could be saved.
He is pleased that they were saved.
Sengoku hates that he can’t quite bring himself to blame him.)
Sengoku shakes himself from his thoughts. Those things don’t matter right now. What matters is the complete lack of prisoners surrounding them as they pass through Level 2 and the fire markings they can see lining the staircase down to Level 3. The confirmation that Fire Fist indeed escaped causes a bone-deep weariness to seep into Sengoku. He shares a grim look with Garp, the implications of this event sinking in.
It is without a doubt one of the darkest days in the history of the Marines.
The world is never going to be the same.
----------------------------------------------------------------
A few hours after Rayleigh’s call (Ace still doesn’t know what that was all about), a shout rings down from the crow’s nest.
“The other Mobys are surfacing!”
A crowd of Ace’s crewmates rush to the railings, shouting down joyfully as the rest of the crew surfaces around them. They’d been absent at Impel Down – one ship full of crewmates was plenty, evidently – and now are here to assist with repairs (though limited, they’re still necessary). They’re also to provide cover in case the Marines manage to catch up to them.
The four ships surface with a vengeance, showering the original Moby Dick with water and plunging it into shade for a short moment. Sabo comes to stand next to Ace at the railings, bumping shoulders with him as they both watch as the water settles.
“Your old crew is on one of these ships, right?” Ace nods jerkily, drumming his fingers against the railing in slight nervousness as he watches gangplanks connect the ships to the main one. He knows his crew likely will forgive him for leaving, but that doesn’t stop him from worrying.
(Plus, his crew is scary while angry. And he has no doubt that this particular stunt will have them more angry than ever before.)
Still, Ace can’t prevent excitement from flooding his veins as he sees the familiar blue hair, skull mask, and polka-dotted figure, among others drop down onto the deck in front of Ace.
He missed them. Three months was far too long.
Sabo squeezes his shoulder, offering a last bit of reassurance before rejoining their younger brother at the table – which somehow still has food. Ace honestly has no clue how.
He is quickly distracted, though, as a familiar masked whirlwind of a man stalks up to him, blue hair trailing behind him. A fierce glower settles on Ace, and he braces himself for the punch he knows is coming.
“You absolute dumbass!”
True to form, Deuce immediately punches Ace on the top of the head, and Ace whines as pain erupts, gripping it and pouting at his best friend. Just as quickly as Deuce punched him, though, he brings Ace into a tight hug – almost painful as Deuce clings onto him, fingers digging into his back.
Ace wraps his arms around his first friend outside of his brothers, gripping him back tightly.
Fuck, he had missed him.
Deuce continues, managing to sound both relieved and completely pissed off, “First you run off on a suicide mission while we’re away on a different mission, then you disappear off the radar for three months, and then, when we finally know where the fuck you are, it’s because of your fucking execution being scheduled?! What the fuck, Ace?!”
Ace looks down at the ground behind Deuce in shame, but says petulantly, “It’s not like I meant to get captured.” Deuce releases him and crosses his arms, leveling an unimpressed stare on him as the rest of Ace’s first family-away-from-home gathers, each looking more severe than the last.
Ace finally says, looking up at them hesitantly, “I’m sorry?” His old crew lets out an exasperated sigh as one, and Banshee steps forward, knocking Ace in the temples and giving him a firm stare.
“Dumbass or not, we’re glad you’re safe, Captain.” The old epithet causes a knot to form in Ace’s throat, and he swallows thickly as he takes in the soft smiles on each of his old crewmates’ faces.
He grins shakily, and says, “Thank you guys.” I missed you, he doesn’t say, but from the looks on his family’s faces, they heard it, loud and clear.
The fondness shining in their eyes as they look upon him say, we missed you too.
A small commotion sounds in back, and multiple of the old Spades snort, glancing over their shoulders.
“This one in particular really missed you,” Skull says amusedly, and confusion rises in Ace before a distressed mrow rings out, and joy floods Ace as a wide grin forms on his face.
“Kotatsu!” Ace opens his arms as Kotatsu bursts through the crowd, yanking himself away from the crewmate that must have been holding him back from launching himself at Ace this whole time. He’s not stopped this time, and Ace laughs even as the wind is knocked out of him, falling to the ground. The purring lynx crushes his chest, and is intent on rubbing his face against his as hard as he can.
Ace laughs again, rubbing Kotatsu’s face with both of his hands and saying joyfully, “Hey, Buddy! How’ve you been?” Deuce comes over, crouching down next to Ace and giving Kotatsu a fond pat on the head.
Mihar, coming on the other side of Ace, says dryly, “Driving us crazy because you weren’t there, but pretty good, all things considered.” Ace laughs brightly, sitting up and causing Kotatsu to fall onto his lap (which gains him a disgruntled mrow that only serves to make Ace laugh).
“Were you driving them nuts because you missed me?” Ace asks, a stupidly happy grin on his face as he scratches under Kotatsu’s chin. Kotatsu, shockingly enough, doesn’t give a verbal response, simply purring and shoving his face closer to Ace’s hand, chasing the pleasant warmth and scratches.
“More like ‘kept us all up way too late because he wanted his sleeping buddy,’” Deuce grumbles, but Ace knows how to read his best friend, and the slight upturn of lips belies his fondness as he looks upon Kotatsu.
Ace chuckles, rubbing the top of Kotatsu’s head as he settles against Ace, content to fall asleep against him as they sit on the deck. “Sorry for the trouble,” Ace says out of habit, but the grin that he can’t seem to take off of his face (not that he really wants to) betrays his joy at hearing that. Deuce sighs exasperatedly, but he breaks out into a grin as Kotatsu lets out a tired mrow, settling fully into Ace and closing his eyes.
Deuce then raises his head slightly, and, seeing the pure fondness shining in Deuce’s eyes as they meet his, Ace knows he is forgiven. Still, the slight narrowing of his eyes sends a clear message to Ace.
If you’re that stupid with your life again, I’ll kill you.
Ace grins at Deuce. I know. I won’t be that stupid again.
Deuce nods in satisfaction, turning away slightly before stopping still in his tracks. Seeming to have had an a-ha! moment, Deuce turns back towards Ace, pointing at him as he exclaims what Ace is now thinking seems to be the question of the century.
“Also, what the hell is this about a twin?!”