Chapter Text
Chapter 5: Tell Me My Dear, If I Asked You To Live For Yourself, Will You Live?
Ace was running.
Along with his brothers. Why, you may wonder. Because a goril-the narrative means their grandfather was chasing them.
Screaming at them to come back here.
He and his brothers spit up.
Unfortunately for Ace, the gorli-his grandfather was after him.
"Come here, you brat."
"NO!"
Ace tripped, how unfortunate.
Garp finally catched him. Ace expected him to hit him but instead Garp hugged him tightly.
Ace felt a wave of panic. It's happening again. He looked from Garp's shoulder to see Dadan hold a wooden club?
Why? Just what is going on?
Body language...
He took a deep breath and starts to pay attention.
Then he saw it, Garp's shoulders were shaking, his breathing was controlled and Dadan's fingers were shaking around the wooden club. As if she was afraid but ready to hit Garp.
Garp then let go of Ace and drag him with him towards the cliff. Even as Ace demanded him to let go. He gave dadan a look something that says I will take care of this.
There they sat down, quiet.
Ace opened his month but Garp beat him to it, "I'm sorry."
Ace's head snap towards the man, "why" he hesitated, "why are you apologizing?"
Garp turns his body to his direction and bows his head, "I'm sorry for telling you everything. You are not responsible for your parents crimes. You are born out of love, Ace. You deserve to live. To love. All for yourself. You deserve to be selfish."
Ace just stares. Why is this happening again? What did he do? Exactly what happened?
"What did I do?" Ace asks
Garp looks him in the eye, "Nothing. You did nothing wrong."
"Then why?"
"Because I love you."
Ace flitched.
"Because you are my grandson. Because you are my family. Let me ask you, if I ask you to live for yourself, will you live? It doesn't matter if you are a pirate, I want you to live for yourself."
Ace stared, stared at this old man. This old man who trained and demanded for him, Luffy and Sabo to become marines, who was against them becoming pirates. This same old man is suddenly telling him that it doesn't because he needs to live. This same old man is bowing to him and apologizing for something-the same way everyone has been.
"I don't understand." Ace murmured
Then a loud voice, "ACE," a wild luffy appears and crushes into him. Sabo right behind him.
"I'M HUNGARY!" Luffy shouted.
"When are you not hungry?" Ace said
They hunt for food. Ace noticed, the way Garp eyed him. Closely and carefully. Luffy holding his shirt. And Sabo remaining close.
Now they were laughing, fighting and eating as if everything was back to normal.
Then nightfall
Ace couldn't sleep. Sabo and Luffy were asleep on both sides.
Ace could hear Garp and Dadan talking.
"How is it possible?" Dadan's voice was different
"I don't know either."
"But he is real and alive."
"He is."
"who else, Garp?"
"I don't know. For now only we know. Whatever it is that made this happen, I don't think I can thank it enough."
"do they know? That crew?"
"I haven't confirmed it yet. I'm planning to track them down tomorrow."
"I told you this before, Garp, and I will tell you this again. I don't blame you anymore. I forgave you. So, please...don't repeat it."
"Never again."
Who? What crew? Remember what? What did Garp do?
What is it exactly? Why must he forgive for something he doesn't even know? Why is he the only one why doesn't know?
And the worst part.
No one will answer him.