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Magnus sat there for what felt like days as he wept silently into his hands. His mind was a swirling typhoon of memories and emotions he usually kept buried under a stone cold demeanor. He remembered his family before they were taken. His time enslaved by various people, being passed around like an object, his only worth tied to his size and potential. A young boy and his mother, both of giant blood, were sure to fetch money for anyone who decided to sell them. Unluckily, the man who took them sought such money and sold them off to a powerful warlord of the sea, he ended up on a forested island in the grand line. It was terrifying, he was in an unknown environment with a scary looking man and other off characters. Those are some of the last things he remembered before blacking out, and waking up what felt like hours later to the sight of his father. It must have been a dream, every moment after that seemed so unbelievable. His father and another odd group of people fought for their lives against a massive wooden statue and won, and just like that he was free, and so was his mother, and his father was there too. After all he had been through it seemed too good to be true, but then he went to sleep that night and woke up again to the foundations of a new village, named after his father. This was life now, and it wasn't easy to get used to but he was safe.
The years passed by after that, and another young boy around his age named Spruce was his only real friend. Most people found him too tall and scary and avoided him, but not Spruce. They grew up together, bonding over their backgrounds and their new home. In the initial months after his dad left they'd read the papers and find out about his various accomplishments. Taking down assassins, destroying a cult alongside the amazing marine hero Trevor, taking over the Oasis, killing his estranged older brother and taking down a Yonko, it seemed like his dad really was the strongest man. But one day the news coo brought along some different news, the crew his father was a proud member of had disbanded and went their own separate ways. After hearing this, Magnus figured Ragnar would return home soon and they could be together as a family again, but the months ticked by and no sign of him ever came. The newspapers held no sign of him. After a year or so, his mother grew sick, and all the doctors said it was fatal. There was nothing Magnus could do. His dad wasn't home, he seemed to be missing in fact, and all Magnus had was Spruce and his mother. A couple of weeks went by with Hertha's condition worsening slowly but surely. She was bound to her bed, her voice a thin rasp and her eyes sunken in. The news coo’s that day came and went and with it was the news of Ragnar starting up a pirate crew of his own. He wasn't coming back, and he looked different in the picture shown. His hair had gone white, his muscles bulged to an unnatural degree and there was a tint of blue to his eyes. Magnus couldn't believe it, he had hoped for so long that his father would come home, and yet he was out at sea with a new crew looking like his drug-addled brother. Over the next few days all he did was sit with his mother until she passed, the resemblance her husband had to her first son shook her, and she couldn't bear it much longer
Life continued on for Magnus though. He and Spruce continued their lives in Ragnarton. Unfortunately the name of the town was now the name of the man who abandoned his family for drugs and power. What good was all that strength he sought when he'd never come back to see his own family? If the village got attacked would Ragnar even care? Probably not is what Magnus suspected, and he petitioned alongside Spruce to rename the town in Hertha's name. Simply Hertha was what they ended up naming the town, it was all Magnus could come up with, and it worked. The town of Hertha, and in the centre a statue of her was placed, the wood grown by Spruce and carved by Magnus.
One day however, a ship began pulling into the shore. a marine ship, the first one most of them, Spruce and Magnus included, had ever seen. When it docked in the harbour, a rugged looking man stumbled, quite literally, off the boat. He came looking for Ragnarton, as he had heard Ragnar's family had lived there. When he was introduced to Magnus and heard the story of his life he gave him an offer. His dad was making waves on the grand line, he was a powerful force and only getting stronger. The Marines had to nip this in the bud before he was granted Yonko status and fighting him would then be rendered a fool's errand, or worse, a death sentence. Magnus, upon hearing this, decided to join the Marines. Figured it was a way to see his father again, and bring him to justice before he could do any more harm. Spruce joined too, wanting to help however he could, and the rugged man, Rummy he called himself, took off to marine base G17.
Being part of Rummy's squadron was odd at first. The man himself was certainly a character, quite tough looking but a real softie. He liked to drink a lot, and seemingly used his alcohol in many different ways, even breathing fire with it. One of their first missions was to a man called the Tinkerer on a boring island. This is where Magnus got his axes, from a guy who looked very familiar. He couldn't place it at first, but it turns out he was one of Ragnar's old shipmates, Verona. Magnus had many questions for him, but no time to ask. The axes were made in anticipation of him coming, Rummy had asked it be made for Magnus and the Tinkerer obliged, being paid enough to make it for his cremate’s son. Following that was a bunch of scouting missions, something Magnus found to be boring and useless. Why not charge right in? Surely it was simpler to just go in guns blazing and kill everyone. Rummy had told him it was so they could plan around enemy capabilities and make sure they could win the fight but Magnus could never wrap his head around it. After the scouting came the main event, combat. Magnus got to rush in and fight pirates, taking out and rushing towards the strongest guy. Rummy had told him it was a bad idea, but it went well this one time so he let it slide. Time after time after time they had gone on these missions and time after time Magnus had to be reprimanded for killing when he shouldn't. Rummy didn’t really care much, some criminals weren't worth the space in prisons, but Marines shouldn't kill and Magnus had to learn that before he got his rank stripped away.
There was 1 event, 5 years ago, that changed everything. Most of Rummy’s squad were to infiltrate a facility for juicing the blood of Blue Blood’s children to be shipped off to Ragnar. The plan was simple, get in, shut the place down, rescue all the children there and put them under marine protection. The execution was a harrowing event. As they stormed the factory they realised they were outmatched. The factory workers were easy to take on but the foreman wasn't. They barely saw him, they never even knew what he did, it seemed like a blur as sirens blared, screams of anguish and terror echoed out. Dead bodies and a mixture of red and blue blood covered the floor, creating a disgusting purple mixture. By the time Magnus stumbled out, ears ringing, vision clouded and searing pain all over his body there was nothing left. The factory was reduced to nothing, no trace of the foreman whilst the squadron, factory workers and the blue blooded folk were all lying on the floor, dead. Magnus limped over to Rummy’s body, his severed arm laying some feet away and his left eye pouring with blood. His chest rose slowly up and down, a sign he was alive but Magnus didn't know how long that would last. He lifted up Rummy and carried him to the boat when he noticed another survivor. A red haired girl, one of the blue bloods, sitting against a wall, severely injured. Magnus walked over, threw her over his shoulder and made his way to the boat. Every step sent pain through his body, adrenaline and rage fueling his journey back. Breathing made it difficult from the smoke filled air. As Magnus reached the boat, a cheery voice behind him warned him to not mess with Ragnar. Magnus whips his head around, with fury in his eyes that was greeted with nothing but the sight of the ruined factory, so he continued wearily onwards.
Once on the ship he takes Rummy and the girl to the medical bay and uses his frankly limited knowledge of first aid to provide as much support as he can. If only Spruce came along, he'd know how to help, but Spruce was currently back home visiting his dad’s farm. It was just Magnus for now, and he'd have to make do. First of all he tended to Rummy, his wounds were severe and Magnus could only buy him some time, although he wasn't sure it was enough to get to the closest marine base. Then the girl, her wounds weren't as bad. Just a broken leg and some cuts. Magnus made sure to bandage her up as best he could and then left them for now and went to steer the ship. After a few sleepless days, he finally docked at G20 and was greeted by a barely clothed man by the name of Jiro. His right hand man, an old looking guy, took Rummy and the girl to the hospital on the island whilst Jiro asked Magnus what happened and filed a report. The following days were spent preparing a funeral for all the marines who had died. After waking up, Rummy had promoted Magnus and then retired, planning to leave after the funeral. The young red haired girl woke up too, a couple of days before Rummy, and introduced herself as Scarla. She helped out with a few things but was ultimately told to rest for now. The day of the funeral Spruce came to G20, and together with Magnus started their own squadron. Vowing to finish what Rummy had started. Scarla joined too, wanting to thank Magnus for saving her and having nothing else left, so they spent their time training and fighting pirates and other criminals of the world. Things were simple, the way Magnus liked it. Fight, arrest, train more. Fight, arrest, train more. They operated somewhat under Jiro’s supervision but Magnus had his justice coat and was allowed to go on his own missions. G20 became home, an odd one with that other guy with the mushroom cap around. Spruce and Scarla never liked Gus, but Magnus tolerated him because he was a superior officer.
Unfortunately, being under Jiro’s wing didn't do much for Magnus. Many times he tried to get Jiro to go on a crusade against Ragnar. humiliating himself in front of many senior officers advocating that they should take him out, unfortunately Ragnar was very recently declared a Yonko and now no one could do anything. Magnus sought out many marines, enlisted aid only for them to back out when Ragnar got brought up. Time after time the same result. There was no one Magnus could trust to get the job done. So many times he had been called out of his mind, a lunatic for even considering it. Some marines resented him for being Ragnar’s son, to the point some even outright denied him assistance for unrelated matters solely on that fact. Magnus was alone for so long, only Spruce and Scarla to help him. The damn Tinkerer was of no use, Jiro was powerless against even his superiors and anyone else would laugh or flee from him when learning his mission.
Then he met Branch 101. They were certainly a unique cast. They had even recruited the assassins that murdered Rummy! In something he had tossed and turned about for nights after, he gave their commander, Damian, a den den mushi that links to his. He figured it nothing would come of it, and went on his way back from Morakot all the same. When Branch 101 returned to G20, he took the assassins and a guy called Pluto with him on their quest. He figured that was all the help that Damian promised to give, which was more than most marines offered. That's why he was surprised when just a week later, when they were ready to go to Blake, Damian called. Said he'd help with whatever they need, and even Jiro said he wouldn't say a word of Magnus’ mission against Ragnar’s crew. Magnus couldn't believe it. He still sat in his chair, head in his hands, thinking it couldn't be true. No way that he'd actually found help. They'll probably turn back after they see Blake's power. Of course they would, what sane people wouldn't? A Yonko Commander is enough to terrify most people and Branch 101 for all their accomplishments couldn't achieve anything. As Magnus still sat there, lost in thought, there was a gentle knock on the door. It told him it wasn't Lur, but he couldn't tell who else it would be.
Spruce's uncertain voice came moments after “Magnus… are you in there Magnus?”
“...Yes”
“Can I come in?”
Magnus responded with an affirmative grunt and Spruce opened the door and quietly shut it behind him, “I’m sorry about Lur, you know how eager she is to kill. I can talk to… talk to her if you want” Spruce said, before looking at Magnus “Are you okay?”
“What does it look like?” Magnus snapped before glancing to the floor
Spruce pulled out a plant pot from his bag and grew the seed in it into a nice lavender, Hertha’s favourite flower, and handed it to Magnus.
Magnus responded with a blunt “Thanks.” and took the flower.
“Look, Magnus. I can't tell what you're thinking, but I think you made the right choice”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean waiting for Damian and his Branch. They're clearly strong. They can help us!”
“And what if they just leave us when things get rough out there? What if they cut their losses and leave us to die?”
Spruce sits silently for a minute, his hands fidgeting as he thinks about what to say next “We can't guarantee if they will or won't stay, but if we put our trust in them we stand a better chance. I know you hate doing this, but if you wait a little longer then I think all of us will get the job done.”
“And you're sure about this?”
“I'm sure this is our best option yet Magnus,”
“...Alright. I just-”
Spruce cuts Magnus off with a smile before taking one of his hands “I know. You don't want anyone to die out there. But you needn't bear the sins of your father, you're not the reason he did any of this. You're actively trying to stop him, and you have mineme and Scarla’s full support.”
Magnus processes what Spruce said as a tear falls down his cheek. He places the Lavender he was holding next to the photo of his family and turns to face Spruce, “Thank you Spruce… Thank you. Let's do this together. Not just me and you now, but the combined force of our squads together.”