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The Den Den Mushi rang.
Haruta, the one keeping track of all of it seeing as they were currently preparing for war, looked at the snail as it had personally offended him. Frowning as he tried to think of who might be calling them now. On the eve of their arrival at Marineford, everyone had already been called and no one was supposed to check in again.
“Get me Pops, or Marco, or both. I think they might need to hear this, whoever is calling,” He shoved at one of his underlings. Pointing at the door to get them to retrieve the requested people. Waiting just a second longer before picking up the snail, “Moby Dick, Haruta speaking, state your name and business.”
The other side of the line stayed quiet for a little while, before a female voice sounded, “Lilith, the second Satellite of Doctor Vegapunk. I need to speak with your Captain, it’s of the highest importance.”
Blinking once, Haruta didn’t know what to think of that. Opening and closing his mouth, he didn’t even need to say anything as Marco and Pops entered right that moment. Having heard the tailend of the conversation.
Pops opened his hand, allowing Haruta to place the snail in it. Clearing his through he spoke, “This is Edward Newgate, you wanted to speak with me, Doctor?”
Another pause, before Lilith spoke, very obviously relieved, “Yes, we’re having a bit of an issue and wondered if you could help us out. In return we’d help you out.”
A frown took over Pops’ face, “And how exactly can you help me out?”
Lilith’s voice sounded again, “We have a way of getting the Pirate known as Portgas D. Ace out of Impel Down and into your care without the Marines being all that wiser. He seems like a likeable young man, and not at all deserving of what the World Government and the Marines want to do to him. In our eyes he’s a child… I’m sure it’s the same for you.”
Humming, Pops agreed, his eyebrows frowning as he no doubt tried to piece together what it was that Vegapunk needed from them. Haruta was curious too, and the look on Marco’s face showed the same kind of question. They didn’t know much about Vegapunk, he was known all throughout the world. A revolutionary scientist, but no one had seen him as far as they knew. Even if people like Queen of the Beast Pirates boasted that they had the displeasure of working with the man before.
Narrowing his eyes, Pops spoke, “Let’s say I believe you in the fact that you can get my son back on my ship without the Marines knowing, what is it that you need from me?”
“To give other children a chance…” Lilith voice wavers. Hesitating before there is silence on the other end of the line, they sit there in anticipation before she returns, “My apologies, I needed to attach a white snail as what I am about to tell you cannot be overheard by others.” She takes a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking. Telling them about the massacre on top of the Red Line, the extermination of the Lunarian People, and the few that had been kept for observation and testing after the World Government decided this was needed.
Her voice breaks as she admits to not knowing that these people had been prisoners and not willing subjects to the testing. She, and Vegapunk, had not known that those people died there and she was complicit in that.
It’s clear to everyone listening in that it’s hard for Lilith to share this part of the story, “As far as some people know there is only one survivor of the Lunarian Race, a man who goes by King of the Beast Pirates now. Even if his name was Alber once upon a time. What no one knows, however, is that samples taken from these people during the tests were used for something else, together with unauthorised samples taken from the Warlords of the Sea, children were created in a test tube to eventually replace the Pirates that were the dogs of the military right now.” Lilith’s voice is a whisper, “They are children, much like Portgas is a child, and they don’t deserve to be made to kill, maim and plunder at the World Government’s say-so. Even less so, when they have no choice in that matter, the Five Elders are very clear that once they are old enough they are to be programmed to listen to every command they get and to perform to perfection.”
Pops looks sick, with Marco and Haruta not far behind, “How was this even possible? I can’t imagine any of them giving up DNA like that.”
Lilith agrees, mentioning they didn’t know. There are mandatory meetings for the Warlords and things they touched or drank from are sealed away. “We didn’t know either, to us it was said to be willingly given and to be fair, we were quite naive on that front.”
Her voice changes, “But they are children, and seeing how little the World Government cares about children after the Lunarians, O’Hara, Flevence and Baterilla, we know they aren’t going to look out for the ones we gave life to. So, that brings us to you, Whitebeard, someone who is known to take care of children even if they aren’t his own.”
“Everyone is a child of the sea, no matter who their parents are or where they come from.” It’s clear to his sons that he is considering this. To be fair, Haruta would agree if he could, it sounds like those kids are being set up to fail or to be weapons for those bastards on top of the Red Line. No one deserves that.
Marco cleared his throat, “How are you going to do this, get Ace and those kids here? I can imagine with everything going on the Marines are preparing for all of us to show up -yoi. You told us you had a way, but we need to know to act accordingly.”
The story they tell after, about Bartholomew Kuma and what he did for his own daughter touches them deeply. To know that the man was willing to give it all up just for a change to save his little girl speaks to Pops even more. But it also gives Vegapunk the perfect chance to use one of the World Government’s weapons against them. As Kuma would be human enough to be able to do this and get Ace and the kids on the Moby Dick.
Planning on what needs to happen now, they are happy to note that they can just stay where they are even if they need to resurface. Once the call ends and a date and time has been set, Pops tells Haruta to wait until the kids and Ace are on board before calling their allies and calling the war off. They don’t need to be there if Ace isn’t going to be put on the execution platform.
—
Impel Down was cold, or that could be because he had no access to his devil fruit. It was getting to him, both the cold, the darkness and his failure to do what he set out to do. Teach was out there, doing who knows what, going after Luffy regardless of Ace being locked up and he hated it. Hated it almost as much as the fact that Teach had been able to kill Thatch.
Movement at the start of the hallway had him looking up. Glancing up at the Warlord standing there.
He had heard of Bartholomew Kuma before. The man who had been made a Warlord after he had taken out another one. Some no-name, apparently, even if Gramps had told him once Kuma was a Revolutionary but nothing could prove that.
It didn’t make sense, unless he was still a Rev and Dragon had sent him here. For all that he didn’t like Dragon, Ace knew the man kept an eye out on both him and Luffy. Had he sent Kuma in here to get him out? That seemed unlikely, as Crocodile was in here too and Ace knew about that can of worms.
Licking his lips, he looks at the Warlord, “Here to see who they’re going to put to death soon?”
Kuma shook his head, “Here to give one more favour to an old friend and get you home.”
He slaps at the Marines around them, knocking them out or sending them away one way or another. Before he’s opening Ace’s cell and letting him out, “You’ll be home soon, kid, I promise you that.”
The next thing he feels is some kind of weightlessness before he’s crashing against something hard. Voices come from all directions, making his lash out with his devil fruit, before a hand touches his arm, “Ace, Ace, you’re safe on the Moby -yoi. I need you to calm down and call back your flames.”
Opening his eyes, blue ones stare into his own. Blond hair in an uppercut falls around a large forehead as he gasps, “Marco?”
Marco nods, “Yeah, we had an unexpected ally that did us a favour, for a favour -yoi. I’ll get you up to date soon, just rest now. I’ll look you over and get you to the infirmary. You look like hell.”
Passing out, the last thing he says is that he feels like it too.
When he wakes up again, Marco fills him in. Mentioning that the other kids are sleeping in one of the rooms connected to the infirmary. Blue eyes are stormy, reflecting Marco’s anger, at the fact that they are children. Literal children, who would be used as child soldiers for no other reason but to further the agenda of the World Government and the Five Elders.
“They’re still adapting, so we’re letting them sleep after Doctor Vegapunk told us they never knew anything except the facility they were created and born in -yoi. He knows what Pops thinks about kids, so he contacted us. Told us about a way to get you here too, we agreed, anything to make sure you would live,” His eyes are soft as he pulls Ace into an embrace.
Which is everything he needs to break. Wrapping his arms around Marco’s waist as he cries, apologizes for leaving and for getting captured. Thanks to him for getting him out of there, and for allowing him to still be a part of this family.
Pops’ voice sounds from the doorway, “You left because I asked you to, My Son, there is no reason for you to think I wouldn’t allow you back on board after that. You went to avenge a fallen brother, that’s all you ever needed to do. Even if said brother pulled through because of our amazing brother.”
Gaping, Ace could only stare as Thatch appeared. Still a little pale, but grinning as he brought with him a plate filled to the brim, “Hey there, Firecracker, you had us all worried! Don’t worry, rest and let us take care of you, alright?”
Nodding, he took the plate, put it to the side and reached out to pull Thatch closer so he could hug him too, “You’re alive.”
A hand ran through his hair, “Yeah, your fast acting and our resident healing chicken patched me up without issues. I’m not cleared for heavy duty right now, but I am more than able to cook or to look after my younger brother.”
Marco huffed, but didn’t say anything. Instead he just wrapped his arms around the two of them, “Don’t ever do that to me again, both of you -yoi. I think I lost ten years of my life just for that.”
Chuckling, Ace lets it rest. Leaning into the embrace and just enjoying it. He’s home once more, with the only thing still lingering is Luffy’s wellbeing.
Something that gets solved when Kuma sends Luffy and his crew away to train after they wreck holy hell on Sabaody. Leading to his younger brother crashlanding on the Moby Dick and Ace’s worries about Teach getting to him put aside. Instead he worries about Luffy instigating fights with Pops, and other Emperors once Kaido comes across them once the news about the Seraphim gets out and King wants to see the kids for himself.
They allow it, from a distance, as no one on the Moby Dick has any intention of letting those kids fight or be kidnapped by Kaido to fight in his sham of a crew. Something similar happens when Big Mom sails past to come and see the new kids.
Ace has to hide Luffy away to make sure that he doesn't challenge an Emperor like that, because he knows he would. Keeping, or trying to keep, Luffy occupied and somewhat calm now that one war has been prevented. They don’t need another one, not now.
The whole of the crew also gets a front row seat to Ace being the responsible one, and they shiver in horror at the mere fact. Something that gets made even worse when Sabo appears out of nowhere and his crew finds out that he, Ace, is the only one with a working brain cell.