Chapter Text
“It’s a direct order.” Sengoku hates the words as they come out of his mouth. He’s impressed, honestly, that Garp hasn’t punched him yet. “The Elders want him there.” Sengoku’s not sure he appreciates Garp breaking his desk clean in half instead of his face. At least if it was his face Sengoku could go hide in the infirmary and not deal with everyone else, who’ll no doubt come to his office to complain. Which. Is probably why Garp isn’t hitting him. Bastard.
“They made a deal.” Garp hisses, glaring at Sengoku. Like he really has any power here. He wished he did.
“They’re not breaking it.” Sengoku raises an eyebrow as his bookshelf shatters like it was glass. “The deal says, Foosha Village and Portgas D. Ace will not be harmed. Revolutionary Sabo was not included, as he was presumed dead at the time, and the deal was never revised.” Sengoku had tried, futile as it was, tried to argue that they were violating Luffy’s contract, that if they did this they were turning the boy against them. They didn’t care. Sabo wasn’t covered under Luffy’s contract, Luffy should’ve thought of that, he can’t betray them or they’ll destroy his entire island. That was their agreement.
He can’t say, that after everything, he’s too surprised when Garp’s coat falls over his broken desk.
“I quit.”
Sengoku, can’t imagine that’ll be the last resignation of the day. A part of him wishes he’d given his over at this order. If, they followed the actual order of ranks, one of the admirals should be promoted to his position posthaste. Sengoku is pretty sure both Akainu and Aokiji are going to yell at him the moment they reach Marineford, considering their expressions when he told them why they needed to return ASAP. And the fact that both of them said they’d report to him personally the second they got in, which is not something either of them ever did. So. That promotion wouldn’t have gone over well with this situation, leaving the Vice Admirals and. That would be a whole clusterfuck. He’ll suffer through this execution, whatever it brings. Then resign.
Borsalino really couldn’t do anything but stand back and watch as his Admiral curled into a fetal position and screamed. It was best to not touch the boy, best to not try to help, until everything was over and he asked. Well, Borsalino also kept the door locked and blocked to prevent anyone else from coming in to try and ‘help’. Sure, he had made the mistake on his first few missions with the boy, but he knew better now. Borsalino rolls his eyes when someone tries the door, and then the banging starts.
“We’re fi-ine! Go awa-ay~,” Borsalino calls loudly to be heard over Luffy’s continued screaming.
“Who’s screaming?”
“None of your busi-iness! Leave.” Borsalino hears the hesitation, but, eventually there are several loud pairs of footsteps walking away. He rolls his eyes, and looks back at Luffy, who had rolled over to his back, arms crossed over his stomach clutching his shirt, still, screaming. At first, Borsalino had been confused as to how electric shocks were effective against a rubber-man. He always thought rubber was non-conductive. Then, he learned Luffy wasn’t being electrocuted. He was being drugged.
And Borsalino knew this not because Luffy shared with him, oh no, the young man refused to talk about anything to do with what’s currently happening, pretending these episodes never happened once they were over. No, he knew it because it was part of his job to refill the drugs in Luffy’s collar. He, wasn’t too pleased about that. But, orders. And at that time, his post under Luffy was temporary. It’s not like a Vice Admiral of Borsalino’s caliber was ever really kept with an Admiral.
Then, Luffy asked him if he changed the medication one day, because they don’t talk about it except when they do, because Luffy didn’t want him to get into trouble, because if he had put the wrong stuff in, weaker stuff or a dilution, he could get courtmartialed. And. Borsalino had just put the bottle in? He did nothing. But, that was how he learned Luffy’s former, whatever rank the bastard had, had been fucking the medication up worse, torturing Luffy worse, aaaaaand. Now, Borsalino’s been under Luffy’s command for a year.
Borsalino wasn’t nice by anyone’s standard, but, what the fuck.
When Luffy stops screaming, Borsalino turns his attention to his nails because, he’s crying. Uh. Nope. Not his problem. Not his area. Well, specifically Luffy crying at this time. He never, really wanted anything. He didn’t even want witnesses, but. Borsalino would rather know Luffy’s not dying than respect that wish.
“There’s a deal,” Luffy starts quietly, making Borsalino look over at the boy, still laying on the floor, flat on his back, the same position he last saw him in. Staring at the ceiling. “I joined. I was forced into the Navy when I was seven, we thought, I thought Sabo was dead. One of my guardians saw it, saw him on a burning ship, fired at by Celestial Dragons. There was no sign of life. When I was forced, they said so long as I stay loyal they wouldn’t destroy Dawn Island, I made them agree they wouldn’t lay a hand on Ace. No matter what he did in life, no arrest, no execution, they can’t touch him. They can’t hurt him. If he’s harmed by the WG, I don’t serve them anymore.”
He’d. Never asked. Asked why a Marine Admiral had a slave collar on. Borsalino was good at minding his business. But, what the fuck. Why even have him serve at all? Why not just commit to the slavery and leave him with the Gorosei? What was gained by this show?
Luffy lets out a gasp of a sob, “Then Sabo was alive, and, they told me I had no power to change anything. To alter my deal. Shame on me for assuming someone was dead.” Luffy takes an audible deep shaky breath, “And now they want me to fucking attend his execution. To sit at the base of his execution tower, and if the Revolutionaries come, if anyone comes, fight. If I don’t, first they buster Dawn Island off the map. Then they start hunting Whitebeards to extinction.” Luffy’s face twists up, his arms snapping up to his chest for a second before he starts screaming again, his body contorting with more of the drugs being released into his system.
Logically, Borsalino knows Luffy can’t overdose on them. There’s not enough in the collar. It’s still. Horrifying. And looks so painful. Every nerve ending being triggered would be overwhelming, but it doesn’t let Luffy pass out either, he has to stay conscious. Any touch to his skin feels like a punch, the oversensitivity from the nerves. So Borsalino stays as far back as possible, and lets Luffy handle it on his own, and prevents anyone else from interfering.
“Sorry.” Luffy says once he was done screaming, panting heavily. “I know, you probably don’t care about pirates or, revolutionaries. I needed, to talk to someone.”
Well. That just sounded sad.
Borsalino walks away from the door, sitting down on the floor near Luffy’s head, but still a good foot from the boy, just in case. “I don’t mind. Bu-ut. Does Ace know Sabo’s alive?”
“Yeah? He found out before me.” Luffy seemed, sad about that.
“Well the-en, he’s going to try to rescue him, isn’t he?” That’d be troublesome. Borsalino can’t imagine Whitebeard would let the boy do that alone. And an Admiral turning midbattle would be worse.
“He can’t.” Why does Luffy seem scared now?
“Hey, what’s wro-ong? It’s a good thing!”
Luffy finally sat up, pushing himself upright to stare at Borsalino incredulously. “Good?! They’ll kill him for interefering!”
“Well, they’ll try-y.” Borsalino shrugs. “And you said your deal is broken if the navy ha-arms Portgas D. Ace, no matter what he’s doing, didn’t you?”
Luffy stares at Borsalino with wide eyes for several seconds and then tackles him down into a hug, immediately followed by a yelp.
“You just hurt yourse-elf.”
“Please don’t move.” Luffy begs weakly. Lying motionless on top of Borsalino. “I feel like I am on fire.”
“Maybe you shou-uld get up?”
“I can’t feel my legs. Let’s just lie here.”
There’s a lot, Borsalino could say to that. But. Honestly. “Oka-ay.” It’s not like he had anything to do today. Well, he did. He didn’t want to do it. He expects them to lay on the floor in silence, until Luffy could get himself off, instead. To Borsalino’s utter surprise, his normally silent Admiral decides to continue the conversation. Then again, it is, kind of serious. So, perhaps it shouldn’t be too surprising. But he’s also pretty sure this is the most he’s heard Luffy talk in one sitting.
“They know about our connection though. Sabo, Ace and I. They would be expecting that. Expecting Whitebeard. Maybe me. I don’t. I dunno. The revolutionaries probably won’t show up, that’s just stupid.”
“Mmhmm. So what are you thi-inking.” Luffy only mumbled like that when he was planning. Not that he often shared his plans. But. Borsalino recognized the voice.
“You’re a good Marine.” Luffy mumbles, nothing more.
“Mm, not that goo-od. I did throw your previous what’s-his-face overboard before telling Sengoku what he had been do-oing. I think he dro-owned.” Borsalino knew he did. Because he did it after beating the man unconscious and cuffing him to a weight, in the middle of the night where there were no witnesses. He’s pretty sure officially, he disappeared or something. Borsalino didn’t really care. No one could prove he did anything.
“You did what.”
“...Nothi-ing~.” Borsalino smiles when Luffy moves his head enough to look at his face. “What were you thinking about do-oing? For your bro-others?”
“Why do you care?”
Hm. Good question. Why did Borsalino care? He shouldn’t. When they were at HQ, everyone kept telling him Luffy had gotten the promotion that should’ve gone to him through nepotism, which lying here really couldn’t be further from the truth. When he first boarded Luffy’s ship, he hadn’t liked the Admiral who seemed worse than Aokiji on the scale of not giving a shit. Didn’t even care about Justice or pirates, didn’t speak to anyone, didn’t wear his coat. Barely left his office. Honestly, Borsalino ran the ship more than he did, which, really just annoyed him then. Then, at one of their stops, some island Borsalino hadn’t cared the name of but contained slaves, he’d heard the screaming for the first time. Found Hahato curled up screaming, tried to help, only made it worse. Saw him only get worse throughout their sail, getting the order to refill the collar. Learning what his predecessor had done, when the other was still on vacation and not dead yet. Somewhere in there, Borsalino had started caring about Hahato, because it was so very clear, no one else did.
And fuck it the kid wasn’t even twenty then.
He had worse dead eyes than Vice Admirals unprepared for Buster Call reality. And those around him either hurt him more, or talked bad behind his back. And it pulled at something Borsalino didn’t know existed in his heart.
“It’s always sa-ad to go through life with no one in your co-orner.”
Luffy moves his head to look away from Borsalino, probably faster than is wise considering how he tensed up afterwards. Borsalino just looks at the ceiling. They can ignore each other now.
“I don’t know if it’ll work.” Or not. “I don’t know if he, hates me now.” Borsalino waits for Luffy to give information at his pace. “I’m not allowed any where near him, just in case. S’why we change course suddenly sometimes. Navigator knows. If you, go, he might, try to kill you.” Well. Didn’t sound any worse than anything else Borsalino’s done.
“Who am I me-eeting?”
Since Luffy didn’t know where the man was, expressly forbidden from knowing, of course. But the navigator knew, Borsalino went up to the cabin to get some information. After all, it must be going directly to the navigator since they never heard word of any pirates. Borsalino had barely said hello before the Navigator had cut him off, demanding if he was here about that man.
“Maybe I just bought a new hat.” Borsalino objects, when the others eyes kept snapping at the strawhat hanging around his neck.
“Fuck off. Red Hair should be around here.” The man points at an island on the map, which, was not that close to their position. “We’ll be stopping here, because we have to.” Given the tone, the face, Borsalino’s guessing the reason they have to is entirely made up. But, it does bring them quite close to Red Hair. “We’ll be there for a few days, enough for a round trip if you’re fast enough.”
Well. That’s quite nice. Borsalino thought this would involve more threats. Still, “Why do you ca-are?” He’s seen no one else on this ship give a shit about Hahato for years.
The Navigator eyes him for a few seconds, before returning to his instruments, “Before serving under Hahato, I’ve never been given the order to make sure our Superior remains locked under the deck should we engage with pirates. Nor, upon engaging with those pirates, have I seen...” The man trails off, “He looked like he lost his kid. That’s the only way I can describe it. But his kid is our fucking admiral.”
“They met when Hahato was you-ung.” It wouldn’t be surprising if Red Hair considered him a son. It should hopefully make Borsalino’s job easier. Hopefully.
“Get going. You have a distance to go.” Rude.
Borsalino rolls his eyes, but leaves, getting one of the Navy’s smaller, motor-powered boats, and heading off to the island he’d been told to go to. He’ll see how it goes. Maybe good. Maybe bad. Maybe he’ll get shot. They’re pirates, they probably won’t have seastone.
“Why are they the same size?”
“...Seriously.”
“He’s not even six feet. He’ll have to jump.”
“He’s not that short man.” Kuzan sighs, but. Sakazuki, kind of had a point. Luffy was, a good four feet shorter than them. While he doesn’t agree one of them should be shorter, it should, probably be raised. At least the seat. An extra cushion? He knows they’re going to be filmed. It’s going to be a fucking awkward angle.
“He shouldn’t even be an admiral. He’s not even fully grown.” Sakazuki grumbles, turning away from the window, from the construction going on, and laying down on the couch. Kuzan makes a face. Technically, it was a public couch in the break room. Technically, the Admirals are the only ones who ever use this room and Kuzan sleeps on that couch. Not that he’s going to kick Sakazuki off of it with that, reasoning. Because it’s not actually his couch.
“What even are you bitching about?” Kuzan demands. Normally, it’s not this hard to know the source, and promptly ignore Sakazuki. But Kuzan can’t even guess.
“He shouldn’t be an admiral. He’s not good at it.”
Kuzan stares incredulously, because, no. He has both ignored and listened, to Sakazuki go on about Luffy. Sakazuki, against all reasoning, likes Luffy. Even when he does shit that would have Sakazuki bitching up the wall if it were anyone else, Kuzan had to sit there and listen to him praise the kid like it was a good thing. He really only sat there because he was confused but. Still. What.
“Man. What is wrong with you? I have spent five years listening to you do nothing but praise the kid to the point of hypocrisy. Garp doesn’t talk about the kid as much as you do. And I hang around that man more.” Or, he did. He’s not surprised the man quit. And he’s not looking forward to Luffy’s reaction.
“Fuck you.” Is Sakazuki’s immediate reaction. Then. A few seconds later, he huffs, and sits up on the couch, looking at the floor. “I just think it’s shit, the kid shouldn’t be in this position, shouldn’t have so much responsibility on him. It was better when he was lower. It was easier to protect him then.”
“He can protect himself.” Not, fully. He can’t move against the WG, he can’t quit like Garp did. But. Anything Sakazuki could do, Luffy was capable of doing now. He had the authority.
“No he fucking can’t.” Sakazuki snaps. “Do you know why he suddenly got a Vice Admiral transferred in place of his Commander? Because his commander was fucking his meds to make it hurt worse everytime he triggered his collar. And Luffy didn’t fucking notice, he just thought they changed the meds, and didn’t ask a single question.”
“That’s, one instance-”
“Two years! He’d served under Luffy for two years!” Sakazuki was standing and magma melting off of his head. Ok.
“And not a problem anymore.” Kuzan, wasn’t sure how to defuse this, honestly. He, didn’t know that. And while Sakazuki had found out it clearly ate at him. Probably because for part of that time, Luffy was under his authority. His protection and Sakazuki hadn’t found out before the kid was yanked away. “He’s fine now. As he can be.” As much as Kuzan does not want to have any emotional conversations with this man, “Why is this coming up now?”
“Because he can’t do anything!” Kuzan just waits for him to hopefully, elaborate. “Because if he was a commander I could trap him in the New World and not make him watch his brother get executed. Happy?”
Not really. But. He gets it a little more now. Sakazuki walks back to the couch, sitting down heavily, elbows on his knees forehead hitting his hands, no longer magma-covered. “Wouldn’t you worry you voided his contract?”
“My fault. I sent him to what I thought was a quick reconnaissance mission, ended up encountering pirates and got trapped on an island while they repaired the ship. Took longer than it should’ve, my bad, nothing Luffy could’ve done. They’d punish me.” Kuzan, takes in the tired way Sakazuki recites that, and, wonders at what Luffy’s missed in the passed. He never paid a lot of attention, but, there were definitely times he was supposed to be there but, wasn’t.
“You could’ve gotten dishonourably discharged.”
“For what? Sending my ships out on missions?” Sakazuki retorts dryly. They both know what he meant. And Sakazuki blatantly didn’t care. It shouldn’t be so surprising, he did have a soft spot for the kid, but, Kuzan thought he cared about his job more. But. Since he doesn’t.
“So. How do you feel about, potential courtmartial?”
Luffy stares at the chair with distaste, but jumps onto the middle one, settling himself far back on it one leg bent askew on the seat, the other similarly bent leaning against the arm. His coat was on his shoulders, and he hated it. Hated the weight of it. Wanted it off. Wanted it gone. Burnt to cinders. He just closes his eyes and leans back.
“Did you get lazy, brat?” Sakazuki demands. “Sleepings that one’s thing.” Luffy just smiles, and doesn’t open his eyes. He hears an odd noise, but ignores it.
“Seriously.” Kuzan, could be responding to a lot of things, honestly. Then there was that noise again.
When Luffy does open his eyes, he realizes they moved the chairs closer together. Oh. Luffy sits up a bit, but, both of them also seemed to just be, relaxing. So, he leans back again. And, after a while, starts absently humming an old song. There was no one around them, for once. He felt, he could relax.
“What’re you humming?” It wasn’t, a rude question. Just curious. Sakazuki asks anytime he doesn’t recognize the song Luffy’s started to hum. It’s not bad. It’s never bad.
Still, Luffy freezes. Because. He was stupid. Because Borsalino was nice, and didn’t judge his old pirate dreams. But. Luffy looks down to avoid looking at either of them, knowing both were listening. “Ah. Sorry. I wasn’t thinking. It’s some old pirate song I heard in a bar.” Luffy chuckles, leaning back again with his eyes closed. Forcing the memories away. Forcing himself to forget it. “Ignore me.”
“No one told you to stop kid.” That, was probably as much as an endorsement as he was ever going to get from Sakazuki. A kind one. Luffy hesitates a bit before he keeps humming, expression softening as he does. Letting the Red Hairs at the forefront of his mind, letting the memories of their drunken singing surface. A small smile unbiddenly crawls upon his face. He’s, not happy. Not here. But. Hopeful. That they’ll be able to rescue Sabo. Borsalino refused to give him details, said something about implicating him if he knew anything, but, Shanks would help. Whitebeard was undoubtedly coming. Revolutionary Army was questionable but. Who knows?
Maybe Gramps went to go punch sense into Dragon. That’d be funny. As sad as he was to see him leave, Luffy was happy he was gone. Luffy wasn’t a good marine. Wasn’t obedient. He hated the thought that Gramps would be there for the time the Elders got tired of him skirting their rules and blew his head off. Now. He wouldn’t be. He would still blame himself, Luffy can’t see him not, but. He wouldn’t be at risk of seeing it. That was good.
Luffy had long since stopped humming when the execution went underway. He kept his eyes closed when they brought Sabo around. It was cowardly, but he couldn’t look at him. Couldn’t see the hate on his brothers face, couldn’t see the disappointment, couldn’t see the disgust. Why wasn’t he helping? Why was he just sitting there? How could he? How could he just abandon them? Just sit to the side and do nothing? How could he be such a Navy dog?
He didn’t want to be. He wanted to help. He wanted to run up and grab Sabo. He wanted to save him. He wanted to take them far away from here. Protect them all. Save everyone. He wanted to help. He wanted-
Luffy hears drums for a few seconds before the collar snaps into action, sending every nerve on fire, his head exploding into pain, overloaded with the signals, Luffy jams his hands over his mouth as he doubles over, biting his tongue to try and not scream. He hears two thuds, but doesn’t think about what they were, just, focusing on not screaming. Not crying. Not reacting to the pain. Calm down. Calm his heart. Make it stop. Make. Make it stop.
But we want to help. We want to protect our family.
The other two Admirals watch helpless, as Luffy suffers through the medication. Both of them had grabbed onto their armrests, whiteknuckling them to prevent the part of them that wanted to help. Offer comfort to the kid that was clearly in pain. They both knew that would only make it worse. That was the point. Luffy could barely speak like this, he didn’t have the necessary privacy to hide away when this happened when he was first forced into the marines, so anytime it did, he had people touching him. People trying to comfort him, people trying to help him, people only making it worse.
Just as Luffy seemed to be getting better, as his breathing seemed to start to even out, for just their little group to hear, a familiar heartbeat turned drumbeat started to echo out, started to grow, only for the collar to reactivate and Luffy curled into himself more, biting on his hand to stop himself from screaming, blood trickling down it.
Sakazuki looked away from Luffy, unable to watch any longer. He can’t imagine it’s not going to keep repeating. Until the collar is drained. And then someone is going to come, and refill it. And he thinks he might actually kill the unlucky bastard if he has to see that. Sakazuki continues to grip his left armrest tightly, the one closer to Luffy, but pulls his right arm off to reach into his pocket, pulling out the device Sengoku had given them before execution. Which. Also made him consider murder.
“You want us to what.” Sakazuki doesn’t even care that he sounds threatening to his boss. He feels like burning everything in the room to ash.
“The Elders have ordered that you two each have one of these. If Hahato appears to be rebelling, or assisting the prisoner-”
“His brother.” Sakazuki growls.
“Then you are to activate them, and they will activate the bombs within Hahato’s collar.” Sengoku finishes as if Sakazuki hadn’t spoken. Looking between both of the admirals.
“No.” Kuzan, surprisingly, states. “Keep it.”
“You don’t have a choice. You take it, or get demoted. And I have to promote two Vices of the Elders choosing.” Sengoku was, desperate. Weirdly. The out of character tone, expression, was the only reason either of them had taken the devices. Neither of them had planned on using them.
Sakazuki looks at the device and, glancing over at Kuzan, melts it in hand as the other freezes and shatters his. Completely and utterly destroying them. Now. Here’s hoping Kuzan’s plan wasn’t entirely fucking stupid. It depended on pirates so. It sure seemed so.
When Luffy finally got his body to stop betraying him, he felt, exhausted. He kept his head down, adopting a hunched forward position, to hide the fact that he was crying. “Aokiji?” He wasn’t sure what happened, but of the two of them, Aokiji was more likely to still be around if the fighting had gotten serious. Mostly out of laziness.
“We’re not being recorded.” Luffy glances up wiping at his face as he glances at the other two admirals before curling into a proper ball, clutching his knees tightly as he buried his head to hide his tears.
“Can we go somewhere after this? Vacation or something?” Luffy asks quietly, asking both of them. “Borsalino said that was something people do. Take a week or month and relax.” He thinks he’ll need a month of pure crying to get over this. To just, accept that he failed and he had to keep going. As much as he hated it. He had to keep going. He had to.
“Yeah, of course kid.” Sakazuki answers. It felt like a lie. Luffy let himself believe it anyways.
“The Whitebeards showed up, while you were doubled over.” Kuzan says. “The Warlords keep going after Ace, which, I guess wouldn’t violate your contract. But his crew is getting between them every time.”
“I think they’ve noticed that the Navy won’t touch him, and are definitely using that.” Sakazuki seemed amused. “They are throwing the other pirates they’re fighting at him. Which, I guess also doesn’t, violate your contract.”
“...When you say throw.” Luffy repeats, not willing to lift his head, unable to stop his crying.
“I mean Smoker just sent someone bodily flying into your brother.”
“I think Ace is more pissed Smoker did that than the person who just hit him.” Kuzan sounded so amused. “He’s yelling at Smoker. And just called him Smokey. Smokers yelling back. He has entirely forgotten about moving forward and is just arguing with Smoker.”
“Oi! Sengoku!” Sakazuki suddenly shouts, presumably up at the execution platform where the man would be. “Is Red Hair Removal still active?” Sakazuki asks, still shouting.
Luffy’s breath catches in his throat. Does, does that mean they’re here? Shanks came? He’s here. He’s going to help. He’ll save Sabo.
“Remain in your positions! Follow the orders given today!”
“He does not look confident with that.” Kuzan comments dryly.
“Nope.” Sakazuki agrees at a normal volume. “Red Hair has been pretty consisently attacking every ship Hahato’s been on, but hasn’t sunk any. I’ve been accused of kidnapping his kid by more subordinates than I care to count.”
“What?” Luffy didn’t realize the word escaped his mouth, quiet as it was, shock has him raising his head to stare at Sakazuki with wide eyes. Sakazuki had a grumpy look on his face for a moment before he noticed Luffy, then just arches an eyebrow.
“Right, you’re not, supposed to know. Ever since you were Commodore, I’m guessing that picture in the paper, Red Hair’s been tracking you. At first, he just demanded to see you, talk to you. Now he just attacks, and tries to get into the ship.” Sakazuki explains, despite apparently not being allowed to tell him anything. He shrugs, looking forward at the battle. “Seems pretty certain we’ve done something to you.”
Luffy covers his mouth, staring down at his knees as he tries to keep himself calm. He, he thought Shanks hated him. Thought he would be pissed. He gave his hat away and Luffy, Luffy broke his promise. He thought they had to avoid Shanks because the attacks targeted at him were for his head. That’s why he was never allowed to engage. Because they didn’t trust him to not let Shanks kill him. But. Shanks wanted to see him? Wanted to save him? Saw him as his kid still? After all of this? Why? Everyone else hated him. How could Shanks still have faith in him? Luffy wipes his eyes as fresh tears brimmed once more.
“Do you think he’s here for Hahato?” Kuzan asks, being very kind in ignoring Luffy’s minor breakdown. “Knew they’d have all of us here, so figured it’d be the best time?”
“How is this the best time?” Sakazuki retorts dryly. “The whole Navy’s gathered. He can’t even get into a ship.”
“We-ell.” Luffy looks down to see Borsalino, sitting at the base of their chairs. “Hahato’s direct superior, or subordinate now, has one of those same bomb thingys you two were given for this occasio-on. He just gets threatened off with tha-at.” Luffy, kind of wants to ask how and why he’s up here. Mostly why.
But, all he can think about is when Borsalino’s transfer became permanent and he got the transmitter. He showed up at Luffy’s office, the small black item held between two fingers like it’d bite him, asking what the fuck it was. Making faces when he was told. Then asking if it was waterproof. No, but he had to show he had it sometimes. And, now the device lived in a jar of water in Borsalino’s room. Completely broken.
Just the memory made Luffy start laughing, his hand slipping over his eyes as he does.
“You- You barely kept yours. You broke it.”
“I don’t see the point of i-it.” Luffy hears Borsalino let off a shot, and presumes the man’s gone when there’s nothing else. Peaking between his fingers tell him, yes. Yes he was.
“Alright. The Vice isn’t bad.” Sakazuki grumbles. Which makes Luffy start laughing again.
“That does make sense though. It was weird that a Yonko couldn’t get into a Navy ship.” Kuzan says, blatantly ignoring Luffy.
“Don’t- shut up. This still isn’t the best time.” Sakazuki refutes.
“How did he know we had those, though?”
Luffy snorts with laughter shaking his head, finally lowering his hand. He shouldn’t do that. Shouldn’t cover his eyes. It was harmless until they decided it wasn’t. “He has a black Den den mushi on his wrist. I don’t know. He keeps forgetting to change it back to a normal one. He keeps trying to use it like a normal one. He probably accidentally wiretapped Sengoku.” It would not be the first time. Borsalino definitely learns interesting information from accidental wiretapping. Not useful information. But interesting information.
“Oh god he’s a fucking idiot.”
“He’s my idiot.” Luffy says with far too much pride. He liked Borsalino. Even before this. The man was, refreshing. Nice.
“Oh, hey. Ace stopped arguing with Smoker.” Kuzan states. Clearly wanting to change the subject. “Oh no he didn’t. Smoker’s just running with him and arguing.”
Luffy can hear Sakazuki sigh. “We can’t touch him. We’re executing his brother. What did they expect to happen?”
“I mean, I dunno about Smokey teaming up with him.” Luffy comments, wiping his face to make sure there weren’t any wetspots, glancing over at Kuzan who looked at him and nodded, shifting his position to be more proper-ish. Less like an upset child. Before looking over the battlefied, trying to find Ace. “Probably just, throwing stuff in his way to get him on a technicality.”
“What is Smoker arguing on?” Sakazuki asks, “I don’t. I get Ace, fine. He’s basically you. What is Smoker doing?”
“Hey!” He and Ace were very different!
“I think he’s trying to explain that he’s doing his job, and Ace is trying to convince him that’s not a good enough reason to throw a pirate at him.” Kuzan suggests, ignoring Luffy.
“Rude.” Luffy pouts, looking around the battlefield for what else was going on. The Red Hairs were lost in the sea of people but. “Isn’t Crocodile in Impel Down?”
“Huh? Oh yeah. Ace broke into Impel Down to try and rescue Sabo before the execution apparently, then broke out with most of the prisoners.” Kuzan answers distractedly, still apparently trying to follow Ace and Smoker’s argument.
“...That’s really not a good look.”
“No. No. Shame for Magellan.” Kuzan states with no actual remorse for the man.
“Is there a reason he’s glaring at us?” Sakazuki asks.
“We’re admirals?”
Luffy sinks into his chair, pulling the coat around him tighter. He’s never, actually met the older man. Gramps always kept him away from him when he was a Warlord, through any and all means necessary. To the point where Sengoku got pissed and demanded to know why. And, Luffy still present, got to hear about his heritage. Which he didn’t care about then, didn’t now. But uh.
Gee. Crocodad seemed pissed.
“He’s my other dad?”
“...Is he trying to kill you or capture you?” Sakazuki asks, watching as the man disappears into Sand, into the chaos.
“I dunno. I’ve never talked to him before. Gramps didn’t let us meet.”
“Oh great. How long do you think we can keep hanging up here?” Kuzan finally seemed to stop caring about Ace and Smokers argument, looking around elsewhere.
“We’re keeping an eye on Hahato. As we’ve been ordered to.” Sakazuki states dryly. “Until we’re ordered otherwise.”
Suddenly, Sengoku’s voice started echoing across the battlefield. “The Execution of Revolutionary Sabo will proceed! His brother will not be able to save him. Even if he is the son of the former Pirate King, Gol D. Ace will fail.”
“I’m sorry what.”
“The fuck.”
Luffy was the only one who didn’t react to the news of Ace’s family. Despite being curious as to how Sengokue knew. Instead curling in on himself, tilting his head down and squeezing his eyes shut. Sabo was going to die. He didn’t. He didn’t want anyone to die! Sabo was alive!
Luffy flinches when he hears Ace scream Sabo’s name, shaking in the silence that follows.
“He’s alive.”
What.
“Crocodile.”
Luffy opens his eyes, looking down below to see Crocodile in a sea of marines. Closer than he was before. Untouched. A wide berth given to the man.
“I thought it’d be advantageous to have you here, with your grudge against Whitebeard. You have no connection to any of these people!” Sengoku shouts, clearly irritated.
Crocodile glares, clearly pissed off. “I can kill the old bastard any day of the week. I’d rather prevent you from seeing victory today from this crooked scheme of yours.”
“That’s a loaded phrase coming from you.”
“I’ve never put my subordinates in a slave collar.” Luffy flinches, not even sure how Crocodile knew that. The Warlords weren’t told, weren’t trusted with that information. The other two grip their armrests tightly. “Or made them watch as I murdered their family.” Crocodile smirks. “Or maybe I have, but then. I’m a pirate.”
“What does he mean?” Luffy’s hands shoot to his ears, covering them on instinct, on habit, as Sabo’s voice carries loudly. “Why is Luffy in a slave collar?!” Why did he sound panicked? No. Nononono. Go back to hating him. Go back to despising his existence. Call him a traitor. Call him a Navy Dog. Scorn his existence. Stop. Stop this. Don’t. Don’t do that.
“Oh yes. Please. Share that!” Shanks? Luffy glances over, seeing the man appearing closer than Crocodile, with a far bigger berth given than Crocodile. He seemed. Utterly pissed. “Why not also tell us why no Marine has directly touched Firefist Ace?”
“Enough! Akainu! Aokiji! Deal with them!”
“Why not Hahato?” Shanks taunts. “If he’s an admiral so young wouldn’t he be one of your strongest?”
The other two stand up without a word, jumping into the fray a moment later. Surprisingly, Aokiji goes after Shanks, while Akainu goes after Crocodile.
“Wo-ow~! I have never been shot that much before.” Luffy looks to his left, seeing Borsalino in Aokiji’s abandoned chair. He seemed, a little worse for wear.
“Didn’t do well?” Luffy asks weakly, unable to muster much. He’s too, panicked. Stressed.
“No-ope! How’re you doing? Can’t imagine that was pleasa-ant.”
“No. I want to crawl under a rock.”
Borsalino hums, then leans toward Luffy, squinting. “Your collar normally has a light on, ri-ight?”
“Yeah?” It wasn’t super noticeable, hidden by his collar most of the time, but, Borsalino’s seen it, is clearly looking for it. Luffy tilts his head to show off where it should be.
“What happens if the light is o-off?”
“The, collars off. But it can’t be.” Don’t. Don’t toy with him like this. Don’t hurt him like this. Don’t be this cruel.
“Could it, come off the-en?”
“Don’t try. Please. It. It still counts. They’ll still.” Borsalino stops reaching for him, pulling his arm back.
“What’s so importa-ant? You’re just a ki-id.” It sounded so dismissive, like Borsalino was mocking him.
He wasn’t. “Can’t tell.”
“Well! Gotta get ba-ack to it.” Borsalino sighs, and gets off the chair, disappearing off to fight someone.
“Don’t move.” Luffy tenses, but, doesn’t move per the mystery woman’s orders. “You’ll tell me. Why you have a collar on, and why no marine is touching Firefist Ace. Now.”
“Can I ask who you’re with?” Luffy pulls on his Observation Haki, seeing who it was, a woman hiding behind his chair. Unarmed, or at least, not pointing any at him. But she didn’t seem like a marine.
“...Revolution.”
Luffy nods once, letting his Haki fade away, before he speaks, “I ate a devil fruit when I was seven, it was known under two names. The Gomu Gomu paramecia fruit. Or. The Hito Hito Model Nika Mythical Zoan fruit. The government found out cause Gramps tried to get more information on the fruit, he just wanted to help, he was ordered to bring me in. Or an admiral would be sent, and Dawn Island destroyed. He and Sengoku got them to negotiate. At this point, we thought Sabo was dead. So. My contract, is I will do whatever I am told, and in turn Dawn Island remains untouched by the government, and no matter what Ace does, the WG cannot harm him, kill him, do anything to him. If I disobey, Dawn Island is immediately Bustered, and they start hunting Whitebeard pirates until there’s none left.”
“Why the collar? That, seems like pretty good motivation.”
“Nika doesn’t like being controlled. When I was ten, we encountered Celestial Dragons and their slaves, encountered an entire island of just, enslaved people we weren’t allowed to help. Nika got mad. Devil fruits, are supposed to be awoken through, specific circumstances. Or you get a pissed off god forcing yours awake and killing an entire family of World Nobles. They almost destroyed Dawn Island for that. They killed a few of the people I loved instead, but didn’t contract them to not hurt.” It still pains him, to think of Makino, Woodslap, the people who looked after him, who cared for him for seven years, who were executed because he couldn’t overpower a god in his head. He was ten. “They put the collar on. It’ll put me in pain whenever my powers register above a certain level. Also has bombs, so if I go off, or become used to the pain, they can just kill me.” It was a fate he’s accepted, knows will happen sooner than later. He assumed, he’d never be able to speak to his family before that, but, if she was here for Sabo... “Can you, tell Sabo, I’m sorry? Sorry for not being stronger, and not being able to help.” Luffy closes his eyes, waiting a few seconds, not hearing a response. He wonders if she’s left. “Good luck.”
Koala was still behind Hahato’s chair, covering her mouth as she tried to process and compartmentalize all of that as quickly as possible. The horrifying information, told in utter monotone, not a single emotion leaking through, until the end. Where he decided to apologize, like it was his fault? If Koala didn’t need her cover, she’d break it to smack some sense into man. But. she needed to focus on Sabo. Getting him, and getting out. They can deal with the slave admiral later.
Luffy watched the battlefield below, not knowing how to feel, really. Especially with Shanks. He doesn’t want the man to get hurt, but. He doesn’t want Kuzan or Sakazuki to get hurt either. He felt, numb. Lost. Confused? He wasn’t sure anymore. He didn’t even know what to feel when Ace breaks through the crowd, running through, a path opening up for him from the Marines. He, was still scared. They could still kill him. And if Luffy acts against them, because they broke the contract, they could still destroy Dawn Island. There was nothing stopping them.
But then. There would be nothing stopping us from returning the favour. Who else could they take from us?
Luffy snaps forward in his seat when Ace goes flying backwards, a man, a pirate forming out of black smoke. “I heard you were looking for me, Ace.” The man taunts, grinning.
“Teach.” Ace’s voice seems to ring out, despite not speaking very loud. Luffy wasn’t sure if he was just listening to Ace closely or, if it was something else. “Get out of my way.”
The pirate, Teach, (what a useless name, Luffy couldn’t think of anyone with it) laughs, “Now now! I came here for a fight! Didn’t you want to avenge someone?”
For a second. Ace seemed conflicted. Like he would actually stop to fight Teach. Then. Someone shoots Teach. The logia... doesn’t reform. Doesn’t take the attack like any other logia would, turning intangible to negate any damage, he flinches hard. Glaring up at where the shot came from, at Borsalino. Who seemed to be observing the interesting reaction just like Luffy.
“What do you think you’re doing?” Luffy blinks in surprise, looking up to where Sengoku was.
“Ah~? Marshall D. Teach is a notorious pira-ate. Unless I’ve missed a Warlord appoi-intment?” Borsalino tilts his head, like that was actually possible, then disappears from the air. He can’t really stay airborne for long.
Sengoku just remains silent in turn. But. Luffy knows that name. Nika hates the man. Slave-seller. Friend-killer. Traitor. He’s not allowed to touch Ace. Luffy stands, leaving his own coat on the chair, he doesn’t fight with it enough, and jumps down to stand between Teach and Ace. “Marshall D. Teach, sometimes referred to as Blackbeard, you’re wanted for crimes of illegal slavery, piracy, weapon trading, thievery and murder. Do you deny any of these?” Luffy asks, ignoring Ace behind him, looking directly at Blackbeard. Teach? He doesn’t really want to call the man Blackbeard. Sure, he has a beard that’s black but. It’s just so, lame. Such a copycat.
“No! I’ve done that and more! So what? You gonna arrest me you brat?” Teach laughs, mockingly.
“No.” Luffy agrees, making the pirate stop, blinking at Luffy. “I don’t care to. You’ve admitted to crimes that would sentence you to death, freely and happily plead guilty. I’ll just kill you.” Teach scoffs, sneering at Luffy.
“Hahato!” Sengoku yells, and Luffy looks over at the man, glaring down at him.
“Did we miss a Warlord appointment? He’s a pirate.” Luffy yells back, staring the older man down. Knowing why he was yelling at him. Because he was protecting Ace. Except, he, really wasn’t. “It’s not good for my heart, to let these types go, ya know?”
Sengoku’s glare softens bit by bit until he looks away fully. And Luffy turns his attention back to Teach, who had black smoke coming off of him. Hm. Had he been mistaken earlier? He hadn’t formed from the smoke, merely, used it as cover.
“Do you really think such a brat can defeat me? You marines are so easy. You depend so heavily on your devil fruits.”
“Ah? What’s that have to do with anything?”
“He can nullify them. That’s part of his power.” Ace hisses from behind him.
“Ohhhh.” Luffy nods, then smiles. “Good! I don’t use my fruit much anyways. We’ll just use Haki, kay?”
Teach starts laughing, like Luffy just told him a funny joke. He’s sure it’ll keep being funny in a few minutes. Luffy gathers Armanent Haki in his fist and strikes out towards Teach, letting it hit him with no internal destruction force. Yet. Teach stumbles back, no longer laughing. Luffy starts walking toward him, imbuing his hands with Conqueror’s Haki for his next attack. The Logia doesn’t go intangible. So he doesn’t really need to be forced back to his solid state.
Except, Teach does something funny, and starts turning into a Blackhole, or that’s what he calls it. Luffy jumps into the air, using Moonwalk for a few seconds before, deciding to try something. Gathering Conqueror’s Haki in one leg, and swinging it down on the black hole like an axe, splitting the earth around the smoke, which rapidly conforms back into Teach. Luffy lets himself fall back to the ground, careful not to hit the split.
“That’s not smart. You absorb everything?” Luffy shakes his head. “You really need to train more. If I was in the habit of carrying bombs you’d be very dead.”
Teach grits his teeth, clearly, not liking his current state. “Just wait you brat.”
“No.” Luffy uses Shave to move behind Teach, gathering Armanent Haki in his fist, almost striking the man in the back of the head, just not touching him by an inch, forcing the Haki to flow into Teach and destroy him. It takes less than a second, less than a second delay after Luffy’s near hit, for the front of his head to explode, for the man to drop to the ground dead as Luffy drops to his feet. “You’re not a fun person, why would I play with you?” Luffy asks, knowing the man wouldn’t respond. Watching as the blood pool grows, and grows, and starts draining into the crack he made.
“Wo-ow. Absolute Justice.” Luffy looks over, seeing Borsalino standing on the other side of Teach. “Thought it’d last lo-onger.”
“Fights are only long if you’re nice.” Luffy murmurs, walking around the corpse to stand beside the taller man. “When the power is uneven.”
“Akainu?”
“Aokiji.” Akainu likes fighting, likes toying with people sometimes, letting them think they have a chance only to take it away. Aokiji had no time for that shit. No energy, really. “Why was Ace after this guy though?” He knew Marshall D. Teach used to be a Whitebeard pirate. Hence the unoriginal name. But.
“I dunno.”
“He killed one of our commanders.”
Both Luffy and Borsalino let out a short scream at the person suddenly speaking behind them, spinning to see Marco the Phoenix standing behind them. Looking very unimpressed with them. Probably, their, awareness of their surroundings on a battlefield. Hehe... oops.
“Did you two seriously not notice me.” Marco was, still on fire. Crossing his arms like an unimpressed brother, and still on fire.
“...People don’t bother us?” Luffy says, shrugging a bit. Also there were so many marines. And he’s pretty sure every pirate here wanted to kidnap him.
“I’m a logia-a, and he’s a kidnap victi-im.” Borsalino adds, shrugging as well. Like, that really explained their carelessness. It did. But. It shouldn’t.
Marco the Phoenix stared at them, the fire on him slowly dying, and then buried his face in one of his hands. “Oh god. You are. Definitely Ace’s brother.”
That, oddly hurt. A part of his heart he hadn’t realized it would. That, he apparently was still similar enough to Ace that a stranger would recognize it. Yep. That hurt a lot.
“Sooo. If he killed a commander, how come only Ace was after him?” Luffy asks, not wanting to address the other thing at all.
“Pop’s wanted to wait, to plan out how to deal with him. Ace. Teach was in the Second Division, Ace’s division, so Ace felt responsible, and went off before anyone could stop him.”
Luffy nods, “Yeah, that sounds like Ace.” Ace could seem responsible, but he was also, just as reckless and stupid as Luffy was, used to be. Ace was just really good at acting.
“Really? None of us saw it coming.”
Luffy shakes his head. “He’s good at pretending. He’s an idiot. Never trust him. He’s a logia cause he got deserted on an island like two months into his voyage and the fruit he found on the island happened to be the Mera Mera fruit.” Luffy knew this because Gramps went and investigated (Asked Dadan, who Ace had told when he got un-deserted), and then laughed his ass off about it. “He decided he had to be the responsible one cause I was a little idiot. And kept getting eaten by the wild animals on the mountain.”
“...You what.”
“I was very stupid.”
“You got eaten by a Sea King last month.” Borsalino states.
That, was not entirely true. The Sea King was, weirdly, trying to help. Because it knew Luffy was in distress, knew he was in a bad situation so. It tried to kidnap him. At least those were it’s thoughts. Not that Luffy is sharing that because, the navy does not need to know what. “That wasn’t my fault. I jumped into a crocodile’s mouth at seven.”
“Why?”
“We were hunting.” Marco’s face tells him that that is not an answer. Unfortunately. “I was bad at it.”
“Um. Ok.” Marco nods, and seems, to just drop it. Since obviously they weren’t here to talk about Luffy being a stupid child. “Uh. Thanks, for killing Teach.”
“He’s a pirate. Evil one.” Luffy shrugs. “Slaver.”
“...Right. So. I’m kind of sorry for this.”
Hm?
“Borsalino! Return Hahato to the main stage!” The order, came slightly too late for a hook to pierce his stomach and a hand to cover his mouth, and, Borsalino goes flying away from them. Luffy winces. That probably hurt. But also. Ow.
“You’ve caused a lot of trouble, you brat.” Crocodile growls in his ear, and Marco (Evil, traitor), flames up and flies away. Luffy sees their surroundings become obscured by a sandstorm, probably just around the two of them. “Do you know how many people have tried to blackmail me today? Because of your dumb ass.” The hook is pulled from his stomach, the metal just resting against his torso. “Iva, Shanks, Garp, Dragon, Nico Robin, fucking Whitebeard, more than I care to name. I almost want to kill you now to get people to stop.”
Almost?
Luffy clutches at the hand over his mouth, trying to not laugh. Because, apparently. Crocodile just wanted to bitch. And it wasn’t appropriate to laugh. But. He really wanted to.
“I swear to fuck. If the next time Sengoku goes over his fucking speaker he says my name I’m stabbing someone.”
“Mm!” Luffy grunts, unable to not sound cheerful about pointing out he was just stabbed.
“Someone else. You deserved that. How do you have the most annoying family in the fucking world? I don’t even want to know how half these people know you or care about you.”
Luffy, also didn’t know half those people were going to try and blackmail Crocodile, but it’s so funny. Crocodile rests his head on top of Luffy’s apparently no longer threatening him as much.
“Also I don’t think Shanks even knew what he was blackmailing me with.” Luffy doesn’t stop his snort of laughter with that. “That or if he did go through it, he’d, somehow imply that you’re our kid. I swear it took me a fucking minute to figure out what he was talking about. He never used your name. Just kept calling you his kid.” Crocodile sounded so stupefied, like he couldn’t believe the other man. “I just agreed and left. It was not worth it to try and think that hard.” Luffy really can’t stop himself from laughing, trying not to cry. He’s just. Happy. Shanks loves him. Still.
“Thank you.”
“I’m being blackmailed.” Crocodile objects. Like being outed to the world as Luffy’s parent was really the worst thing that could happen to the man. Or being outed as trans, but, Luffy really doesn’t think Iva would do that.
“Still.” The word was muffled, with Crocodile’s hand over his mouth, “Thank you for helping Sabo.”
“If we can’t get you too, we’re destroying the WG.” It sounded almost like a promise. Or an apology.
“If I hit you with Haki...” It was Iva’s powers that changed Crocodile’s body, he wasn’t sure if the Haki would undo that.
“I’ll be fine brat.” Luffy closes his eyes for a second, before opening them again, pulling his hands down, putting just enough Armanent Haki into them to push Crocodile away and no more, not wanting to hurt him, and then hits the man’s torso on either side of his own, launching him back.
The second Luffy was clear of the sandstorm, Smoker picked him up and took him to the main stage. The execution stage.
Oh this fucking ass-
Luffy stops thinking when somethings put over his shoulders, looking over to realize Smoker apparently grabbed his coat. Not, sure why but. Ok. Whatever. At least the man was here.
“You will remain up here. It has become clear the pirates have two objectives, and this way, we can keep an eye on both.” Sengoku states, not looking at Luffy. Looking down at the battefield. Luffy puffs up, wanting to say something, then, remembers where he was, and forces himself to look down, pulling the coat tighter around him. “The feeds aren’t currently running, not on us. Speak freely if you wish to.”
“Is he ever allowed to?” Sabo cuts in, very, very clearly pissed. “You have him in a slave collar.”
“I wasn’t addressing you.”
“Is staying up here an order? For both of us?”
“Just Hahato.” Luffy nods, looking out to the battlefield, not, seeing Borsalino anywhere. He hopes Crocodile hadn’t hit him too hard but.
Luffy turns to Smoker, “Go find Vice Admiral Borsalino. Crocodile hit him quite hard.” For a second, Luffy thought Smoker might argue with him, but the man just nods, and jumps off the tower. Luffy watches him go through the battlefield, toward where Crocodile had sent Borsalino. “You’re not keeping an eye on me. You’re making sure I follow orders. With no marine able to touch him, Ace will get here sooner than later, you want to show the Elders I’ll honour the contract even when they’re trying to take me away, and remain, and not fight, even with a broken collar.” Luffy stops following Smoker’s progress, turning to Sengoku finally. “Am I wrong?”
“When did your collar break?”
Only about the collar, apparently. “Earlier. Dunno. Don’t care.”
They fall into silence for a few seconds, Luffy, can’t look at Sabo, even though he knows the other is staring at him. He doesn’t want to know what the other looks like. What face he’s making. “I’m sorry, about Garp.” Sengoku says, breaking the silence.
“I’m not.” Luffy stares blankly at Sengoku’s surprise. “I don’t want him to see me die. Bad enough for him to know, and you know he already blames himself for everything. It’s better he’s not at risk of being there when they blow the collar.” Luffy looks away when Sengoku’s face turns to horror, not wanting to see the expression.
“Luffy...” Why does Sabo sound so heartbroken? Why can’t he just hate Luffy? He did this morning. He did an hour ago. Luffy could feel it coming off of him when he was walking to the platform. Despise his existence. Hate him. Be disgusted. Be betrayed. Don’t be sad. Be happy when he dies. Say good riddance. It’ll be easier for everyone...
Luffy sees Smoker reappear with Borsalino, who seemed fine. A little woozy, but, fine. Especially with how Smoker seemed to be yelling... he was probably sleeping. Or hiding. Just. Taking a break. A small smile sneaks onto Luffy’s face before it drops in horror.
There would be, punishment. For fighting Teach. Even if he tried to defend himself, saying he was trying to keep Nika at bay, control him when his collar was broken, keep him from activating anything. They’d still punish him because the very act of fighting protected Ace. But. Who would they punish him with? More people from Foosha village? They can’t, keep doing that, otherwise they’ll run out of people he knows. And, they already killed the people he knew best there. They might hope to catch some pirates he knows here, but, if they don’t?
They’d look at his subordinates.
He doesn’t have friends. The only, people he’s friendly with are the other Admirals but they wouldn’t execute them. But. A Vice Admiral who’s just, too close, too friendly, too nice, to their pet Admiral? It would hit harder, take away a support system, take away a friend, isolate him again.
“Can, Can you fix, the collar?”
“What?”
“What?!” Said at the same time, Sabo was definitely more offended.
“Reactivate it. Now.” Luffy demands.
“I didn’t shut it off. It’s not supposed to be off.” Sengoku admits, shaking his head.
What? Nononono. It was. It had to be. “What?” There wasn’t any way to shut it off except with the Elders. Sengoku had to have their permission. All of them. All six.
“It’s not a test, or anything. I don’t know why it’s off. They’re not supposed to be able to shut it off without telling me.” Sengoku, seemed concerned too. “What’s wrong.”
“Teach. Punishment.” Luffy bites out, covering his ears, and trying to take deep breaths, trying to force his heartbeat to calm down. “Subordinate.” Luffy sees when it registers on Sengoku’s face, what he’s talking about. See’s the man wince, and, not be able to contradict him. Not be able to help him. Because Luffy wasn’t wrong. Luffy squeezes his eyes shut, not wanting to see anymore.
They kill everyone. They take our freedom. They take our joy. Our life. Our friends. Our family. Don’t let them live!
Luffy just, keeps breathing, slow breaths, in and out, willing his heart to slow down, willing it to calm down. Ignoring Nika. Ignoring the voice in his head. Ignoring the drums he starts to hear, just, focusing on making it stop. Terrified of what would happen if he didn’t.
Suddenly, there was a pain in his neck, above his collar, then a hand over his mouth, and his body was on fire, he felt like he was dying. Like he was burning in the sun. Luffy’s eyes fly open, grabbing at the hand, clawing at it even though it hurt so much, screaming without realizing it, recognizing Borsalino’s pinstripe suit jacket when he was frantically looking around. What?
“What are you doing?!” Sabo was shrieking, looking horrified. Sengoku seemed horrified too. Luffy shut his eyes, again, then, sloppily tugged Borsalino’s hand down enough to bite to stop himself from screaming. Not that the hand was doing much to muffle his screaming anyways. It wasn’t, good. A good look for him to be screaming. Being pinned to Borsalino’s side doesn’t help the fucking pain though.
“He needed to be contro-olled~. Don’t worry abo-out it.” The man didn’t sound like he had Luffy biting hard enough on his hand to break the skin, surprisingly. He sounded, like he always did.
“What was that?” Sengoku asks, sounding more, controlled. Not calm.
“Just a refi-ill.”
“A full one?” Oh there’s the horror.
“Hmm. It didn’t a-all go in. Only ha-alf.”
“What is it!?” Sabo demands, still, sounding horrified. Mildly hysteric.
“It’s, medication to keep Luffy under control. Shocks wouldn’t work because he’s rubber. It activates all his nerve endings.” Sengoku surprisingly explains. “Only a sixteenth of the bottle is expelled at a time.” Luffy can feel Borsalino shrug, presuming the action was exaggerated.
“It’s not exactly a syri-inge. Stop stressi-ing. He’ll be fi-ine.”
“You motherfucking bastard!” Luffy tightens his grip on Borsalino’s hand, nails no doubt digging into the man’s hand, trying not to think about how much Sabo sounded like Ace. How normally Sabo was the calm rational one. Because someone had to be and neither Luffy nor Ace had the mind to be. But. He wasn’t always. Wasn’t really. “Let go of him!”
“Sca-ary. No.”
“Borsalino. Those have dosages for a reason.”
“So-o? So long as it stops him, there’s no punishme-ent.” There was a pause. “You told me tha-at~.”
Luffy could feel, himself coming down from the pain. It would still be sensitive. For another half hour, maybe, with the dosage Borsalino gave him. But it would be ignorable. The small dosages, were really because they make the pain last longer. His body attacks the higher dosages faster and harder and wipes them out of his system quicker. His body doesn’t see the small dosages as a big of a threat, so, it doesn’t deal with them with such, ferocity.
Luffy, opens his eyes, seeing horror and regret on Sengoku’s face and just, murder, on Sabo’s. Fun. Luffy releases Borsalino’s hand from his teeth, only for him to slide it up to cover his mouth. Rude! Luffy tries to get him to let him go, but, Borsalino seemed to just, be ignoring him. Or. He probably assumes Luffy’s just thrashing.
“It’s dangerous.”
“He can’t OD.” Luffy kicks the man’s ankle with Armament Haki, making him yelp and step back, letting Luffy go.
Luffy immediately sticks his tongue out, pulling glove fibres out of his mouth, spitting blood out too. “How do I have blood in my mouth? You’re a logia!” Luffy grumbles.
“You tore my glo-ove.” Is what Borsalino replies with, in the most pouty tone.
“Oh boohoo you have fifty of those.” Luffy retorts, still making faces but giving up on cleaning his mouth at the moment. Later. Probably. “When did you get up here?”
“Mmm. A while ago-o.” Borsalino shrugs, pulling off his ruined glove, and replacing it with a perfectly fine one from his pocket. Jackass.
“...What the fuck.” Sabo is looking between the two of them. “Seriously. What?”
“Sometimes my power goes apeshit. The collar should stop it. Borsalino is in charge of refilling the drugs, so he has some on him.” Luffy explains, not really, but enough. Borsalino just shrugs again, hands going into his pockets.
“Are you oka-ay?”
“Mmhmm.” Luffy spits out more glove fibers. How. Those are just going to be in his mouth forever. “Don’t touch me.”
“Duh.” The eyeroll felt unnecessary.
“You can’t really be okay. You looked like you were dying.” Sabo persists, and Luffy, hates to look at him, but when he does, the other is teary eyed, terrified.
Luffy shrugs, “Don’t feel good. Not bad though. My body will flush through higher doses of the medication faster than lower ones. It hurt more but, was over faster than normal. That’s all.” Sabo still looked, heatbroken. So sad. Luffy looks away from the blonde, looking over the battlefield, unwilling to see those emotions. He didn’t, like that. When people looked at him like that. He felt like he needed to comfort them. To do something. To reassure them. But he couldn’t, not really. So he just avoided anyone who would.
Sakazuki and Kuzan never seemed sad, angry maybe, or ambivalent, but. Never like Sabo. Never sad. Never, pity. Luffy never thought of comforting them. They just waited until he was ready to move and they continued on with what they were doing. Borsalino was similar. But he really just keep an apathetic look on no matter what. Luffy never really knew what the other was feeling, unless he said something. Didn’t know he had cared that much about his previous Commander’s actions that he’d take such drastic actions himself until he said something. Didn’t know how much he was clearly pissed about the lack of regulation around Luffy’s collar until he said something to Sengoku just now. Because he always acts and looks the same with everything.
And Luffy could appreciate that. He didn’t have to worry about anyone but himself with this. He’d prefer that.
“Why would you agree to any of this?” Sabo asks quietly. “Please. Gramps just told us you swore off piracy, you hated them, you wanted to be a marine. Why did he lie?” Luffy turns his head away, tilting it down, refusing to answer, trying to hide the tears brimming his eyes. Trying to ignore everything happening behind him.
“Ah, because you were childre-en.” Borsalino states, looking down at Sabo like he was still a child, a foolish one. Sabo in turn started glaring at the condescending man. “Why would he tell you the tru-uth?”
“I didn’t ask you!” Sabo snaps, clenching his fists and yanking on his chains, an instinct, a reaction, out of pure anger at the man who had been so apathetic towards his brother this entire time acting like this. It pissed him off that such a person knew Luffy better now.
Borsalino just blinks, not reacting to the emotional display in any real way. Sengoku, surprisingly, speaks up from behind Sabo, not that Sabo turns to look at the man. “Don’t nitpick your sources brat. If he knows, let him share.”
“Hm? Isn’t it pri-ivy?” Borsalino asks, not really caring about the answer one way or another. Sengoku doesn’t bother responding. Focusing on tracking Ace’s progress, on tracking how long he’d take to get to them. “Hmph. Rude.” Borsalino looks down at Sabo when he realizes he’s fully being ignored by the Fleet Admiral. “Why did he agree~? Because if he didn’t they would destroy your ho-ome, your island.”
“You suck at explaining things.”
Borsalino crouches to be at Sabo’s level, wagging his finger. “You didn’t ask the right question~. The WG want his devil fruit power under their contro-ol. To get him, they threatened to destroy Dawn Island. Then Hahato renegotiated to be obedient, and they wouldn’t harm Dawn Island or Portgas D. Ace in any way no ma-atter the path he takes in life. No arresting, no death, no-othing. But you were thought dead, and not included, which is why you can be executed.”
“How does that translate to a slave collar.” Sabo hisses, trying to get mad, trying to glare, but it falls away as tears fall from his eyes. He’s too distressed, too upset. He didn’t mean to fake his death. He didn’t mean to cause Luffy this trouble. But. Luffy has to stand there, be used as a puppet and forced to potentially watch his execution if they ever start it again. Try it again.
“Because he can’t control his po-ower. You saw that. He got too emotional, you heard the drums, and it would’ve taken o-over. If it does,” Borsalino makes an explosion with his hands, “Dawn Island is off the map, and Whitebeards go exti-inct.”
“What. But, you just said his deal was-”
“Mm, but he would break it. Cause he’s betraying us. If he disobeys the WG, the Navy, whatever, the deal is bro-oken. Conversely, if Portgas D. Ace is harmed by the WG or the Navy, the deal is broken and he’s free from the contract, or if Dawn Island is harmed by the WG or Navy he’s free-e. So. They’re being ve-ery careful.” Borsalino nods, then shrugs and stands. “It’s just how life works out. Not everyone is ha-appy. Or free.”
“How do you know this.” Sabo demands, when he’s compartmentalized all of that. Gotten his emotions under control. Returned to the low thrum of rage he’s had toward the WG for as long as he can remember. Just another reason to destroy them.
Borsalino tilts his head, and smiles, “Ah. I was told~. But I’m not importa-ant.” Luffy just told Borsalino because he needed to tell someone. Not because they were close or anything. There really wasn’t anything to it. Just. Emotional breakdown on Luffy’s part. And Borsalino refusing certain boundaries.
“Why does Gramps blame himself?” Sabo asks, dreading the answer. That had stood out in the conversation between the two earlier. Garp blamed himself for Luffy’s situation. But why. The man wasn’t, really like that. But something about it, about the way they both looked, made Sabo believe them.
Borsalino just shrugs, not knowing, not caring honestly. Sengoku, surprisingly, re-enters the conversation. “Garp was the reason they found Luffy.” That made Sabo snap around to stare at the Fleet Admiral in horror. Who wasn’t even looking in their direction, staring straight ahead as he had been at the beginning. “It was an accident, he just wanted to know what to expect with having a rubber grandson, what records we had on that particular devil fruit. Garp freely asked for help from the librarian, he didn’t think it was a necessary secret, he was friendly with the woman. They were friends, why wouldn’t he talk about his grandson? It wasn’t a particularly noteworthy fruit, not like, the Ope Ope Fruit had been. The librarian reported it to the Elders. Who told Garp either he could bring Luffy here, or they’d send an Admiral to get the kid and wipe Dawn Island off the map.”
Somehow, that, just made everything worse. Because Sabo could see that. See the man just, cheerily chatting with someone he considered a friend, or friendly. Telling them about Luffy, about the stupid fruit he ate, not thinking anything of it because. Obviously he’d of heard of it if the fruit was really so important. It was just a rubber fruit. Why would the government care? Garp loved to talk about them. Dragon kept complaining about having to get a new number because Garp would find it to just. Talk about Luffy. Talk about Ace. Gush about them. Cheerfully telling Dragon about their accomplishments. The Marine awards and Pirate crimes said with the same prideful tone. Why wouldn’t he have done it then too? Why would he have worried about secrecy?
The only, good, thing Sabo can think of. In all of that. Is that it didn’t seem like Luffy, blamed Garp. He didn’t seem to hate him. He was glad he wouldn’t be around to see him die. Sabo... isn’t sure how much a positive that really is, but, if Sabo blamed Dragon for something, for a situation like that. He’d want the man to stick around to see what shit he put him in, until he was dead.
“Sabo!”
Sabo spins around to see Ace bounding up the last few stairs, following closely by Koala. Sabo blinks at the woman, not having expected to see her. He didn’t think any of the Revolutionary army was here. Aside from the Okama’s. But, they were in Impel Down and brought by Ace. Ace glances between the Vice Admiral and Fleet Admiral, and, clearly decides to stand between Sengoku and Sabo as Koala undoes Sabo’s cuffs.
“You could, at least try to pretend.” Sengoku states with a sigh.
“Mah, I move too fast. I could hit Ace by accident.” Borsalino dismisses with a shrug. “Best to not risk it.”
Ace, was literally just standing there, with his arms crossed. Not even looking worried. Sabo arches an eyebrow at him. Ace just shrugs, “What? They have literally tackled each other out of my way. And with what Bear said-”
“Koala. Wait.”
“We know who you are.” Sengoku says tiredly, before Koala panicks much.
“I don’t know if that makes me feel better.”
“I’m not worried.” Ace finishes ignoring the multiple interruptions. “Though I am curious about what was up with Crocodile. Cause I swear that man kept going murderous then not, but still clearly pissed.” Sabo just shrugs, not knowing anymore than Ace, and Ace huffs. A little disappointed. No one else seemed to know, no one he talked to at least.
“Most likely blackmail.” Sengoku states dryly.
“No shit! I wanna know what. Cause, what can be so bad that he drops his grudge against Pops to come help. Even you knew about that.” Ace bitches, still pouty about that.
“...Hahato?”
“I don’t care. Also everyone here knows my name.”
“Wait you know?” Ace was now offended, looking between the two. Luffy who still had his back to them all, turned fully away from everyone, and Sengoku who was just looking straight ahead.
“Crocodile is Luffy’s father.”
“Um. No. Dragon is his father.” Sabo corrects, rubbing his wrists now that Koala had freed them. He’d try to stand in a second. His legs felt, really asleep.
“His other, father.”
“Huh?”
Sengoku closes his eyes, hoping doesn’t have to actually explain this. Borsalino cuts in, moderately unhelpfully, “Sometimes people have two biological fa-athers. Maybe you should ask Dragon, since you’ll see him soo-on.”
“Um. Ok.” Sabo pushes himself to stand on uneven legs. And, as he wobbles a bit, Ace moves to try to help him, he was suddenly thrown back, blood spurting from his chest. “Ace!”
“Who fired that shot!?” Sengoku shouts trying to source it, Borsalino had come up to the ledge as well, looking around as Sabo and Koala crowded Ace, checking to see if he was okay. Luffy turned to look at Ace, but he didn’t move much, only until he was hidden from other’s view at large by Borsalino’s form, grabbing onto’s the man’s arm. Waiting.
Suddenly, shouts came up from the battlefield. It was a Marine. A Marine fired the shot. It was a Marine. A Marine! A Marine did it!
And suddenly, a wide berth was given to a marine still pointing a gun towards the execution tower. He wasn’t one either higher up recognized, clearly one of the lower ranks gathered for the fight but, honestly not really expected to survive. Cannon fodder. The man was smiling, and he slowly moved his arm, from pointing the gun at the tower, to point it at his own head, and fired another shot straight through his own skull. Effectively destroying any chance they had at questioning him, discovering why he did it.
There was the chance, that he wasn’t a real marine. But that wasn’t, important now.
“Order an evacuation. Of everyone. Now!” Borsalino snaps, sounding panicked, sounding frantic for the first time.
Sengoku stared at the normally unruffled man for a second before putting his voice over the speaker system, “This is an Evacuation Order for everyone present on the Island. Consider it a Class 10 Natural Disaster Evacuation. Drop everything get to the nearest ship and get off! Now! I don’t care if it’s a pirate or marine vessel, I don’t care if there are pirates on marine vessels! No arrests are to be made, no fighting is to be done! We have entered a Neutral Point! Focus on evacuating! Focus on getting to safety! Now!”
“Why the fuck should we?” A pirate, shouts.
“Because there will be a Class 10 Natural Disaster equivalent in less than ten minutes! If you wish to meet your death through that be my guest.” It takes a second more, before people start moving. Start evacuating.
Sengoku watches, trying to not listen to the conversation behind him, but hopeless at not.
“Will he be okay?”
“I don’t know! I’m not a doctor! But, he’s bleeding. So much.”
“He’s a logia!”
“I know!”
Sengoku closes his eyes for a second, taking a deep breath then turns to Borsalino, ready to give an order to the man, only to see the tail end of him injecting Luffy with the drugs and then kicking him off the execution tower. Sengoku stares, horrified, as Borsalino casually turns around. “What?”
“He’ll kill you for that.”
Borsalino blinks, and shrugs, “Serves as a good distra-action.”
Sengoku stares for another second before closing his eyes, taking another breath and nodding, before opening them again to give Borsalino an order, “Not yet. I’ll deal with him for now. You are going to get them to safety. Get them to whatever ship has a doctor on it now, as fast as you can. Then you’re going to help the others coordinate the evacuation. We want this island as empty as possible before anyone else becomes a distraction.”
Borsalino tilts his head, hands going into his pockets, “You sound like you’re going to die.”
He knows what Luffy, Nika? What that thing thought of him. Knew he was the personification of their chains. The closest they’ll get to for now. And he wouldn’t run when it might go after someone else. “Shut up and do as you’re told.”
“...Yes sir.” Borsalino nods walking over to the trio, picking Sabo and Koala up in one arm, Ace in the other with more care, and then disappearing faster than Sengoku could see. Sengoku turns his attention to the others. It was odd, seeing Whitebeard’s commanders working with his Vice Admirals to coordinate the evacuation, getting people onto the Moby Dick, onto Marine Vessel’s, whatever had space, as quickly as possible. He saw Marco the Phoenix flying around above, scanning the area. Looking for stragglers. Smart.
Sengoku closes his eyes when drums reach his ears. He never wanted to fight Luffy. Never wanted any of this. But. He needs to keep everyone safe. Sengoku turns to where Luffy had been kicked off, and decides to transform now, rather than wait for Luffy. It wouldn’t be pleasant regardless.
“What is happening!?” Koala screeches when Borsalino finally stops, frowning. He could of swore there was a boat here.
“You’re right by my ears!” Sabo shouts back, but then. “Why are we evacuating?”
“Huh? Oh. Luffy’s lost his mi-ind. Well, his powers taking over. It’s safer to eva-acuate.” Borsalino answers distractedly.
“Why?”
“When it first awoke, it took both Akainu and Aokiji to subdue hi-im. He was ten.” It also took five days. Haha.
Fuck.
“...What?”
“I am. Not liking our odds no-ow.” Borsalino sighs, looking around a bit more. He wasn’t wrong. There’s a ship here. Suddenly, a submarine surfaces. Ah-ha! He was right!
The Surgeon of Death comes out of the door, clearly suspicious, “Uh. Are you gonna attack us?”
“Nope! I brought a patie-ent.”
Trafalgar Law’s eyebrows go up. “Ok. Come aboard.”
“Law!” More than one voice shouts.
The pirate looks into the ship. “What? He’s injured.”
Borsalino wastes no time jumping onto the submarine, following the pirate inside, he has to duck, but that wasn’t surprising. He drops Sabo and Koala somewhere along the way, not really caring where they ended up, but brings Ace to where the pirate wants him, setting him on the table. “Alright. I’m off~.”
“You’re leaving?!” A, bear, asks, sounding panicked.
Borsalino blinks at the animal. “Do you want me to sta-ay?”
“No!” Multiple people, including the bear, shout.
“But uh. Aren’t you gonna, do something? You’re a Vice Admiral.”
Borsalino blinks again. “No. We’re under Eva-acuation. Everything’s neutral. Just get far away, to a safe spa-ace. Class 10 natural disaster, the dri-ill.”
“What?” The bear squeaks, and Borsalino just walks past him. It seemed like a done conversation. He doesn’t see either Revolutionary, so, he assumes they’ve, found their own way around the sub as he gets out and gets back onto the island. Initially he heads over to the pirate ships, to see how they’re evacuating, but, they really seem to have it handled. He was going to go look at how Sengoku has Luffy handled when he gets accosted by a bird.
Literally, a flaming bird. Marco the literal phoenix.
“Where’s Ace. You were last seen with him.”
“I took him to a ship with a do-octor.”
“Moby Dick has doctors!” Marco, shouting in phoenix form is, very funny.
“Yes. But. The Surgeon of Death is a much better o-one.” And funny. He was a very interesting person. He is so going to hate having all of those people on his submarine.
“The Surgeon of Death!?” Marco. Actually. Squawks.
Borsalino is very happy he’s not an expressive person. Otherwise he would’ve started laughing. “I dunno. He steals o-organs.” Marco was very expressive as a phoenix. Borsalino did not expect to be able to read a The fuck man expression on a bird. “And kills people. But he’s a very good do-octor. Better than yo-ou.” And now he was just getting glared at.
“You better hope he survives that. Or we’re coming after you.”
“Sca-ary.” Borsalino wasn’t good at being sarcastic. Mostly because he always sounds sarcastic. “That’s only if I survive thi-is.”
And, now he’s talking to a person. “What the fuck are you talking about. We’re evacuating the island.”
“No. Yo-ou are evacuating. When Sengoku is killed, if you’re not do-one, I’m going to go try and stop Nika from moving too mu-uch. And, if you are done Akainu and Aokiji are staying behind to try and subdue him. I’ll help if I ca-an.” Borsalino shrugs. “He might kill us if we ca-an’t. We don’t know how Nika sees u-us.”
“You are going to explain plainly what you’re fucking talking about. I saw you kick Luffy off the execution platform after Sengoku’s evacuation order. Explain.”
He really. Didn’t owe the pirate any explanation. It wasn’t his business. But. He could hear Sengoku and Nika fighting. So he had time to kill. “Not mu-uch. Luffy’s devil fruit is a mythical zoan, like yours. Hito hito model Sun God Nika. In the fruits awakened form, Luffy risks losing his mi-ind to Nika, but he’s never trained it because Nika ha-ates being caged and the moment Luffy enters the awakened form, Nika overrules his mi-ind. What’s over there, is not Luffy, not Hahato. It’s Nika, Joyboy, if you know that na-ame.” Judging by the wide eyes, he definitely has. “Who hates slavers, enslavement, who’s been enslaved by the World Government for over a deca-ade. Who’s going to kill a man Luffy thinks of like a grandfa-ather. Because to Nika that man holds his chai-ains.” Borsalino tilts his head. “I know what I am to Lu-uffy. I don’t know what I am to Ni-ika. But I know I have been responsible for keeping Luffy’s slave collar stocked with drugs, responsible for keeping him in line, keeping him obedient, and do-own. So I don’t have particularly high hopes for that opinion.” It’s why he had taken the initiative. Drugging Luffy then kicking him off. Figuring it’d keep him down longer, and it couldn’t do any worse. Beyond that. If he deals with him after Sengoku... Maybe he’ll be in a better mood when facing Akainu and Aokiji. More favourable.
Marco stares at him for a few seconds, “Why would you do that. He’ll kill you.”
Borsalino shrugs. “Probably. Better than letting him run amo-ok. At least until everyone else is go-one.” He might, abandon Akainu and Aokiji if he’s still alive at that point to lick his wounds. He saw Sakazuki in the aftermath ten years ago. He is, not looking forward to this.
“We could help-”
“No.” Marco blinks, clearly, caught off guard. “This isn’t your fi-ight. It’s not your problem. Just get everyone off. Or fill your ship and leave.” More people were more variables and more. Annoying. He didn’t really want any of the other Vice Admirals sticking around either. It would just be pointless bodies. “Hurry with the evacuation.” Borsalino moves away, two steps then light speed away from the pirate, getting to the top of the HQ, looking down at where Sengoku was still fighting Nika. At least he was still alive. Looking around the island, he could see several ships sailing out, not see any stragglers from his vantage. Borsalino calls Sakazuki on his den den mushi- yes a normal one, he, swapped it out after Crocodile hit him. Yes he took an entirely unnecessary detour to get one from inside HQ during a battle, so what- to ask after their evac progress.
“I thought you didn’t have a baby Den den.” Is Sakazuki’s immediate reply. Rude. Followed by “We’re almost done. Red Hair’s been useful, we’re tracking down the last few hide outs of people on the island. Aokiji is making sure all other Naval vessels have departed.” What’s unsaid, is he’s probably also destroying any that aren’t being used for evac. Making it so Nika can’t leave the island if they fail.
“Okay~. Got any ETA? Or just, shut up and wa-ait?”
“About ten minutes.” Sakazuki says after a few seconds. “People are hiding. How’s Sengoku holding up?”
Borsalino tilts his head, watching the battle a bit more closely. In plain words, Sengoku was getting his ass kicked. “He doesn’t want to hurt Luffy. So he’s dy-ying.”
There were several muffled curses, before Sakazuki spoke again, “Me and Red Hair are near the east end of the Island. Come switch with me.”
“No.” Borsalino refuses, jumping down from the top of the HQ to one of the balconey’s mid way down.
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN NO?!” Borsalino blinks, looking over to the east of the island. He thinks he heard that in real time.
“Ah~. Aokiji frightens me. I don’t want to fight with hi-im. What if you get hurt really badly now?” Borsalino asks, putting a pout into his tone as he watched the fight in front of him come to it’s last legs. Nika’s laughter was, really frightening.
“What if I- What if you die?!” Aw. Sakazuki cares. “Get away from him! I can hear the laughter!”
Yeah. It, wasn’t a pleasant sound.
“Mm. Move quickly~! I wonder if Nika hates me as much as Sengoku.” Borsalino says, before hanging up.
He definitely hears Sakazuki shout “Borsalino!” from the east side of the island. Ha.
He stands there, listening to Nika taunt Sengoku’s body for a second, before moving into action. It wasn’t hesitation, it was. Resignation, he supposes. He didn’t want to hurt Luffy either. But he will. Because it’s more important to keep everyone else safe. He didn’t really want it to come to a fight though.
“Ah, Ah, Ah! Come on!!! Why aren’t you getting up? We’re not done playing!”
To be honest, Borsalino’s not sure if Nika knows the man’s dead. If he expected him to be sturdier. Regardless, Borsalino appears behind the floating boy at light speed, kicking him into HQ at lightspeed as well, before dropping to the ground by Sengoku’s body. While already certain, he does do the due diligence of checking Sengoku’s pulse, knowing it wouldn’t be there. Borsalino covers the other man with his own coat, not sure where Sengoku’s ended up, before walking over to the ruined building, where the haunting laughter was echoing from again.
“Are you here to play too? Huh?”
Borsalino barely made it midway before he was suddenly face to face with a monster wearing Luffy’s face. Red eyes boring into his, a cheery grin that seemed too cruel, cloud like hair wisping to the sky. Borsalino just stares impassively at the other, not even removing his hands from his pockets. Suddenly, Nika frowns, pouts.
“You don’t look like fun. All serious. What’s with the face.” Borsalino blinks but otherwise doesn’t give any reaction when Nika pokes at his face.
“I don’t like you wearing my friends fa-ace." Borsalino states, making Nika stop, then burst out laughing, covering his eyes as he leans back. It seemed, wrong. Like Luffy but. Not.
“My face! This is my face!” Nika exclaims, pointing at his face with a open mouthed smile as he leans forward. “It’s the only face I have!”
“You’re no-ot Luffy.”
Nika tilts his head to the side sharply, eyes becoming daggers. “Luffy? Luuuuffffy. You still use that name? Huh? You don’t know us as Luffy. You never have.”
“I’ve only known him as Luffy. I don’t know who you are, I don’t like yo-ou.” Nika blinks slowly, and something in Borsalino spurns him to keep talking. Against reason. “You’re selfish and cause Luffy pai-in.”
“You people cause Luffy pain!” Nika snaps, raising himself up to glare down at Borsalino. Borsalino raises an eyebrow at the action, unamused.
“We put the collar on hi-im, yes. But you triggered it. Every time. If you weren’t such a brat incapable of holding ba-ack, incapable of controlling yourself Luffy wouldn’t have suffered so mu-uch. Luffy wouldn’t have even had it if you were capable of controlling yourself. It’s your fault he was put in it in the first pla-ace.”
Why, is Borsalino arguing with a Sun God? Or Devil Fruit personification of one? He’s not sure. But also, he’s, kind of wanted to say all this since he’s gotten the full story. And hey, he’s probably dying today anyways!
“If you people didn’t try to control us it wouldn’t be an issue!” Nika shouts, clearly pissed but, also not doing more than arguing with Borsalino.
...Ok. “I don’t disagree the-ere.” Nika’s pissed stance immediately drops, blinking rapidly. “But when you’re being controlled, or enslaved, you have choices to make, even if you don’t want to make the-em. And you chose to repeatedly hurt Luffy. Over. And Over. And Over. Because you can’t control yourse-elf.”
“We’re meant to be free.” Nika persists, baring his teeth.
“You don’t always get tha-at.” Unfortunate reality. “You’re not actually a go-od. You’re a human. Humans get enslaved. And rather than try to make it easy, or be smart, you just kept trying to brute force your way out. Letting Luffy get isolated and alone to the point where he doesn’t even think of asking for help anymore.”
“We don’t need help!” Nika yells. “We can help ourself!”
“And what if Ace hadn’t been sho-ot?” Borsalino asks calmly. “You wouldn’t be doing any of this then. Someone else did tha-at. Luffy was going to wait for the day the Elders blew the collar, because he was done. You didn’t put him in the collar but you made his life hell.”
Nika grabs his head, squeezing his eyes shut for a second, seeming to be in pain himself. Good.
“You could’ve done the reasonable thing, the mature thing, and curbed yourse-elf. Stopped trying to force Luffy to active his awakened form at every turn, at every injustice you got angry at. You could’ve thought, encouraged Luffy to make friends, to survive, to keep living, to stay alive longer, and maybe escape at somepoi-oint. Maybe something like this would’ve happened without you torturing him for ten years with the World Government’s help.”
“Shut. Shut up!”
The punch was expected. Long time coming, honestly. Borsalino’s surprised he lasted this long without being hit. The fight that follows was. Horrific. Strenuous. Painful. Traumatizing. There were a lot of words to describe it. Borsalino hated all of them. Hated seeing Nika’s face most of all, every time they came together again. Hated, that the other kept laughing. Kept acting like this was all great fun. Kept grinning, and trying to egg Borsalino on. Borsalino refused to respond. He just, couldn’t.
The fight, thankfully, doesn’t last long before Aokiji comes to his aid. Seeing Nika go flying, half frozen, Borsalino falls to his hands and knees for a few seconds, just, taking a few breaths.
“Man, are you okay?”
“I’ll be fine.~ He’s just, pissing me off.” And Borsalino doesn’t want to get angry. He doesn’t like getting angry around Luffy. He doesn’t know how much Luffy will remember, but, if he remembers everything then Borsalino can’t be angry. Can’t be openly angry at Nika, without it clearly being directed at the False God. Or whatever that was. Borsalino refuses to get angry around Luffy, because unless it’s clear who he’s angry at, as in, that person is there for Borsalino to direct his anger at, the kid will always assume the angers directed at him.
He doesn’t want the kid afraid of him.
Borsalino pushes himself up, kneeling then standing smoothly, watching as Nika comes back toward them. He can’t imagine this will be a good fight. “Did you check in with Sakazuki?”
Aokiji raises an eyebrow at the name, but nods, “He’ll be here in about two minutes. Just getting everyone on the Red Force, then booking it. That’s if Red Hair doesn’t delay him by trying to argue himself into helping.”
“Ha. Marco tried that. I dunno why pirates want to help all of a sudde-en.” Borsalino says dismissively, as if the reason wasn’t obvious. Wasn’t coming towards them with a, ridiculous looking attack. At least no storms had started. They dodge the massive fist, that makes the ground ripple like it was water, and then immediately retracts into Nika, becoming normal sized again.
“Aww. Two against one? That isn’t fair!” Nika whines, pouting for all of one second before bursting into laughter, cover his eyes as he does. He moves his fingers to have one eye visible, looking from one of them to the other, “More fun! Who to play with first? Eenie, meenie, minie, mo!”
“Yeah. No.” Aokiji refutes when Nika’s selection lands on Borsalino, cutting into the attack the other was about to send with his own, as Borsalino was sending his own counterattack.
Nika screeches, his eyes popping out of his sockets three times over, then he pulls the earth up to shield himself. “No fair no fair! Meanies!” Of course, Nika’s shield means they now have to dodge their own attacks bouncing back at them. But. Whatever the kid wants to scream.
From where Borsalino dodged, up since it was easiest, he sees Nika’s hiding place, sees it get overtaken by magma, and sees and hears the other screech and jump high into the air.
“HHHOOOOTTTTT!” Nika screeches, his butt literally, smoking.
Borsalino lands on the ground next to Aokiji, as Sakazuki appears beside them. “I didn’t even hit his ass. He was standing. It should be his feet.” The man hisses, glaring at the cartoon-strip running in the air with his ass on fire. This. This was going well.
“Do we have a plan?”
“No. No plan works. Just, fight him until he’s exhausted and forced back.”
“...Didn’t that take five days.” Borsalino hisses.
“Yeah. He was ten.” Sakazuki agrees, sighing. “Just, double it. Or triple it, I dunno. We might die before then.”
“Damn. Have some optimism.” Aokiji states, looking a little concerned.
“Sengoku’s dead body is literally twe-enty feet from us.” Borsalino arches an eyebrow, asking how much optimism the man really thinks they deserve here.
“...Well. Good life to him. Don’t follow him dumbasses.” Aokiji, should never give motivational speeches.
But, their opponent had put out their personal fire, and, was frowning at the trio. “This is really unfair now! Why do you always gang up on me!” Nika whines, crossing his arms, not even laughing anymore. “WHY!”
Kuzan and Sakazuki look to each other, not, entirely sure what to do with the outburst. Previously Nika, didn’t talk to them. He mocked them, he laughed at them, he joked at them. But, he didn’t, talk. They weren’t, really sure what it was about either. Was it just, a reaction to Sakazuki and Kuzan being here, a reminder to his last time being awake? Why did Nika seem actually hurt about, being ganged up on? Last time, he just, mocked them. Saying even if they brought the entire Navy it wouldn’t be enough to defeat him. Now it’s, unfair to have three of them here?
Borsalino, however, stepped forward, stumbling a bit with due to taking a hit on his leg somepoint earlier. “You being here hurts someone we care abo-out, fighting together is the quickest way to get him to stop hu-urting.”
“Why are you talking to him.” Aokiji whispers, sounding, slightly horrified.
Nika, really only seemed to get angry, and, more hurt, at Borsalino’s words, grabbing his head for a second before he starts shouting, “We’re fine! We’re Happy! We’re Free! Of You!”
“Why is he crying?”
The fight lasted for weeks, and outside of those involved, no one knows when it really ended. What is known, is that Marineford became a hazardous island of Ice and Fire, uninhabitable for any further marine activity, and there was no sign of any of the four marines, neither living nor dead, who were supposed to be there. Sengoku the Buddha was recovered and taken to burial, but no further bodies found, and all ships accounted. The official conclusion, with the utter lack of evidence, was that all of them perished and the bodies destroyed in the unhospitable conditions.
It was either that, or they merely vanished off the island.