Chapter Text
Athenais Dracule didn't need permission to do what she did best: fight. She had the blood of a fighter. And the young woman did not intend to apologize either for joining forces with a group of globally wanted pirates to save the life of her boyfriend.
However, Athenais' resolve had softened a little earlier when her adoptive father's disapproving golden eyes landed on her. The young Dracule then took a step back to hide in the shadow of Whitebeard.
"Somebody's going to get scolded," Marco had teased with a smile.
Athenais glared at him, but didn't answer. Marco was right. Her father, Mihawk "Haweyes" Dracule, was going to have a long talk with her for disobeying his order to stay back. But how could she obey wisely when Ace's life was in danger? Athenais was not stupid, she had chosen to ally herself with the stupid companions of Ace, whom she did not like very much, knowingly. She knew what she was risking by allying herself with Whitebeard: her bounty was going to increase and Athenais was going to lose the protection that the name "Dracule" had brought her until then. As the daughter of a Sichibukai, Athenais had always enjoyed a degree of impunity but that would be over now; the Marine was going to hunt her as a pirate now.
Participating in this war meant putting her life on the line.
It was perhaps because Athenais had accepted her death the moment she had set her foot on the Mobi Ddick, that she disobeyed the last order of Whitebeard, who had never been her captain in all way, and ran toward the danger.
The young swordswoman had not given up everything for the mission to fail and Ace to die despite everything. Especially not because of his misplaced ego or his strong sense of protection.
Ace would never turn his back on one of his enemies or let his little brother die.
But Athenais refused that he sacrifice himself.
She refused to go on living without Ace.
So Athenais tightened her grip on her sword, Destiny, and ignored the cries of the pirates ordering her to stay back. Athenais could only hear the erratic beats of her heart beating in her ears as fear went through her, she was afraid of not running fast enough and of arriving late. So Athenais forced her tired muscles to hurry. The echo of her heels trampling the ground with each stride joined the symphony of her heartbeat and ragged breathing.
The young swordswoman had just a split second to coat Destiny in Armament Haki as she stepped between the two brothers and Akainu. Athenais gritted her teeth as Akainu's fiery and deadly fist smashed against his sword which managed to hold the shock. She had to put her second hand on the blunt side of the rapier to fend off Akainu's attack.
"Move away, Dracule," grumbled the Admiral, a vein threatening to burst in his forehead.
The heat emanating from Akainu made Athenais sweat and drops of sweat ran from her forehead to her cheek, mingling with the blood already present on her face.
"You wish," she replied with a grunt. Athenais managed to push him away, but Akainu attacked again and she parried the attack before thinking about it. "Let them go."
"You're in no position to give orders, traitor."
Athenais parried again, almost too late, and she felt the warmth of his fist brush against her arm. Her white shirt melted where the admiral had almost touched her.
Her eyes widened when she heard Ace say her name in amazement, "A-Athenais, no. You can't… "
Ace was ready to sacrifice himself but that didn't mean he was ready for his girlfriend to face the same fate.
Athenais smiled but didn't let herself be distracted, so without turning around, she ordered: "Take Mugiwara and go, Ace. I take care of him."
Akainu chuckled. They all knew she couldn't beat him, Athenais wasn't pride enough to think she was up to an admiral. Not yet, at least. But she was strong enough to hold him back. She'll die trying.
Ace didn't walk away with Luffy as Athenais had just asked him to, he actually flared up.
"Ace!" repeated Athenais, desperately. She couldn't reason with her boyfriend and fight Akainu at the same time. " Go away. Your companions have already sacrificed too much. Please, go."
"I can't leave you, Princess," Ace said as he approached her, he put his hand on her shoulder to support her and they push Akainu away together. The Amiral was grinning maniacally as he listened to the exchange.
Athenais felt tears welling up in her eyes even though she refused to cry.
She didn't want to lose Ace to Akainu.
At this moment, Athenais would give a lot for her father to intervene and save them. But he had warned her. If she decided to fight with the pirates, then he wouldn't fight her, Mihawk was unable to lay his hands on his own daughter, but he wouldn't help her either.
So, Athenais should manage on her own. She placed her hand on Ace's shoulder to force him to get behind her, he was physically weak enough to let her. Athenais didn't wince as blisters formed where Ace's fire had burned her hand.
"How cute, two criminals in love," Akainu said with anger and disgust, "I will kill you both in the name of justice."
"Stop hiding behind your damn justice to absolve all your sins! I'd rather be a criminal than respect your justice!" cried Athenais, letting her anger run wild. She pushed Akainu away and retaliated so quickly that she managed to slash à little the Admiral's face. Blood came out of the tiny cut. "Let us go!"
Athenais chained the attacks even if they were without effect, until Akainu hit her so hard in retaliation that Destiny had been thrown away from its owner. The swordswoman breathed heavily as she and Ace were now defenseless.
There was only one thing left to do.
Justice had to prevail for them to survive.
The Marines had to win and the pirates lose for Akainu to calm down.
Athenais grabbed the dagger that was hidden in her boot, turned around, and planted it in Ace's stomach.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks as she put her hand on his bare chest and helped him to the floor.
"P-pr…princess?" Ace asked, coughing a little.
That single word conveyed all the betrayal Ace felt.
Athenais choked on her tears and sobs, "I'm sorry, Ace."
She kept her hand on Ace's chest where his heart was and pressed down until a micro shock hit.
"I forgive you, Princess," he whispered with a soft smile after making sure she was looking at him with a hand on her cheek. His heart was already slowing down. "T-tells Luffy that I have no regrets a-and promises to protect him."
Athenais nodded but didn't have time to promise.
The hand on her cheek fell.
The young swordswoman stopped pressing Ace's heart when she felt it stop beating under her hand.
She barely had time to memorize the peaceful expression on his face when a hit forced her to move away from Ace. Athenais groaned as her body bounced against the ground several times before stopping. A large hematoma was already forming on her cheek. More tears streamed down her cheeks when she saw Luffy kneeling next to his big brother. Athenais knew it was her fault that Luffy would live with that memory forever and have nightmares about it. She deserved him to hit her and more.
Athenais flinched when someone knelt beside her and touched her shoulder. She had nothing to defend herself with now that her dagger was in Ace and Destiny was a few feet away from her. But it was only her father who finally came to support her.
"I-I had to. I had to do it."
"You did well," Mihawk muttered, pulling her closer to offer physical support.
Athenais was shocked by the rare moment of affection shown by her adoptive father, especially in public, and took advantage of it. She leaned against him and hid her face in his jacket, the comforting scent did nothing to help her this time as her shoulders shook violently with sobs. She felt like she was still five years old and going to Mihawk's bed, her teddy tight against her chest, after having had a nightmare of her previous life. It was worst this time, nothing Mihawk will do or say will take Ace's blood from Athenais's hands.
Against her best hopes, Ace's death was not enough for Akainu and he attacked Luffy. Athenais stepped back and watched in horror at what was happening, "You have had your justice! Leave him alone!"
The young swordswoman would have got up and taken Destiny if Mihawk hadn't stopped her, "you've done enough."
She shook her head, "I have to protect him."
"This is no longer your fight. Look. You have to let them fight this battle, Athenais."
Athenais obeyed and saw that Jimbei was already protecting Luffy. In fact, strangely, Law also went out of his way to protect Luffy. The young Dracule nodded, "Let me go to him, then."
Even though what Athenais had asked didn't make sense, Mihawk understood and he let her go even though his lips were pursed and his eyebrows furrowed. Athenais didn't know why her father was angry or if it was just worry, but she didn't try to understand. She was no longer sure that her brain could understand anything.
She had killed Ace.
It all that mattered now.
For his own good, she reminded herself as she limped over to Ace's lifeless body.
Was it really for his good? What if your plan keeps failing? What if you were wrong?
Athenais ignored the treacherous voice in her mind and knelt beside Ace. She touched his still chest with a trembling hand and new tears made wet paths down her cheeks. Athenais brushed the strands of black hair that had fallen over her boyfriend's face with her other hand. She stared with hazy vision at the smile on his lips, the freckles she adored drawing on her fingertips, and his face emaciated from his time in prison.
Athenais felt her heart break knowing that the act she had committed was unforgivable. She had killed her boyfriend, what kind of girlfriend was she?
It's for his own good, she told herself mentally.
She rested her face against his chest, hoping she could feel his heart beating anyway. But there was no longer a beat, she had made sure of that. Ace's body was already starting to cool down, returning to a more normal temperature while Athenais' was shaking with sobs.
"Forgive me," she kept whispering so only Ace could hear her.
For Athenais, there was only her and Ace. Nothing else mattered. She didn't even realize what was going on around her. That Luffy and Jimbei were safe in Law's submarine thanks to Buggy. Or that a second admiral had just joined the conflict. Or that Akainu had just changed targets and was now heading toward her. Athenais felt his presence behind her back at the last moment, she turned around and saw him dominating her from all his height, his fist smoking with lava. Athenais automatically covered Ace's body with hers to protect him.
But the frenzied admiral never had time to hit her because one of his subordinates, a young man with pink hair, came in between them and shouted: "Enough!"
Athenais' eyes widened when she saw that a Marine had protected her. And his speech was touching, it was a shame that Akainu didn't care. She never thought Akainu would be mad enough to punch one of his subordinates though.
A sword prevented the admiral from killing the poor fool who had intervened.
Athenais, who was behind the marine, only saw a black cape since the man's back was turned towards her. But she easily recognized the sword, Gryphon, for having trained countless times with its owner. And Athenais only knew one man crazy enough to intervene in a war wearing nothing but sandals.
After this war, Athenais now understood that Shanks had always let her win during their training "game".
Because it was impossible for the man in sandals who had just stopped the world war to have ever been beaten by an eight-year-old girl.
She felt the fear leave her now that Shanks and his men were there.
Nothing bad could happen now that Athenais' second father was here.
After ending the war and negotiating for the repatriation of the bodies of pirates who died on the battlefield, Shanks knelt next to Athenais near Ace's body. She finally looked away from her late boyfriend to look at Shanks's serene face, his red eyes nonetheless filled with regret and sadness. An old friend of his died today.
But Shanks ignored his own grief and hugged his adopted daughter to him, his left hand in her hair, "keep crying, Athie," he advised, his voice deadly serious for once, "they must have no idea that Ace is still alive."
New tears, this time of relief, streamed down Athenais' cheeks as her fingers gripped the familiar cloak.