The screen played again showing the after-effects of the war. It showed Blackbeard’s appearance along with his crew in Marineford and his clash with the Whitebeard. Luffy is still sitting in front of his now-dead brother and crying. His eyes were all white and his mouth was wide open. It looked like his brain stopped functioning. Akainu who was thrown by Whitebeard earlier was on Luffy’s tail again. Jinbei was trying to protect the unconscious Luffy but Akainu still managed a hit.
On the other side, the clash of Whitebeard and Blackbeard was also futile for the old Yonko. He knew death was the destination. He told Teach that he was not the one carrying Roger’s will and screamed his last words “One Piece is real”. He died standing straight with Naginata in his hand. Teach laughed and covered him with a black cloak when he emerged again from the black veil, he gained the ability of Gura Gura No Mi.
People in the room were shocked by one after the other revelations. Whitebeard suddenly remembered what Shanks had told him. He explicitly said that Blackbeard Teach wanted his position. He wanted to dethrone him. But Whitebeard dismissed his warning.
Shanks may be the youngest and laid-back Yonko but he holds the knowledge far bigger than him. He was Roger’s prodigy. He had seen the secrets void from the world. His instincts are widely better than the old veterans. However, he was not given an ear when he went out of his way to warn about the upcoming bloodshed. What can they do now there is no medicine for regret.
Shanks was seething right now, looking at the kid he and his crew adore so much in such despairs. He can feel Ben’s Haki as well who felt the same as him. He wanted to chastise Ace for his muddle-headedness. In his nonsense rage, he broke Luffy and the sacrifices of all the people who died. But he couldn’t bring himself to say anything to Ace who was motionlessly seeing the play.
“This is what happens when you think the world is all about you, Whitebeard” Shanks gritted out.
“Brat….” Whitebeard sighed “I do not regret my decision, no matter what if one of my own is threatened I will go to protect them”
“And what about those who are left behind, your scattered crew and allies, the territories under your protection, and the pirates who died? Are they not as much of a son to you as the commanders?” Shanks knew he should not say this but he was aggrieved for his child. The kid should be goofing around the seas with his brightest smile, that is the only expression for him. But now he is critically injured. No one knows when or if he will come back.
“Everyone who joined my crew is my son, don’t you dare mock that brat. They went to the battle on their own will. They made the choice themselves. They knew it was a war and death was reality”. Whitebeard raged. And people around him feel his aggressive aura.
“The choice they didn’t have to make if you were a better judge”, Shanks replied with the same aggression. The older Yonko’s crew gritted their teeth at Shanks’s proclamations. They knew they cannot fight right now but they wanted to get back on him for insulting their father.
Shanks ignored them and locked his gaze on Ace. The same Ace who fights the lost battle with the Admiral because he threw a few words at the old Yonko was not reacting when he was arguing with the same man.
Ace was gazing at the screen showing his broken brother, dead captain, and comrades and laughing traitor. For some reason, he didn’t feel anger but only guilt and sadness. He was unconsciously releasing the aura that will not let anyone approach him. The walls Luffy break to reach him are building again. He was locking everyone out.
People related to the pirates and especially the young rookie were grieving and sobbing. The worst was the straw hats. They keep remembering how Luffy protected them in different ways but he was all alone when the sky was falling on him.
“Where is Luffy? Take us to him. He doesn’t like to be alone. I beg you, please.” Nami cried as soon as she saw the blue figure.
“Look you share these memories with those bastards, bring us to our captain,” Sanji said fisting his hands tightly.
“Your captain is all right. He went under major surgery. He is in good hands. The moment he will wake up and the healer gives a green sign I will reunite you, so don’t worry”. The figure said almost gently. Straw hats wanted to protest but they had seen Luffy he was badly injured.
The screen showed the clip where Dadan was at Party bar, drunk. Villagers gathered around the bar. When someone said Garp the hero is here they sighed a relief. Dadan stood tall in front of the old Marine, a thick wooden stick in her hand. Her eyes were shadows and she was breathing heavily. “How dare you come back and show up here?” Dadan shouted and Garp was sent flying with his forehead bleeding. “Stay out of this I know her”. Garp ordered his subordinates. Makino and the band of bandits were gaping at them.
And the next second, she was at Garp’s face, showering him with hard punches. People were astonished as Garp stayed motionless letting Dadan beat him.
The audience in the hall was also shocked when they saw the reputed and undefeatable marine beaten up by a woman.
“You bastard, you were there on the battlefield……. You were with them what did you do to help them?”
She kept shaking him “Why? Why? Why? Why?” Her tears fall over Garp as he looked at her with surprise “Why did you stand by and let Ace die?”
It made sense to the audience that she was connected with Ace and the news of his death had caused her breakdown. Ace himself was shocked. He always thought that Dadan didn’t care but now seeing her beating Garp his misunderstanding was cleared. He knew at the mere mention of Grandpa’s name she shivered but now she was fighting him because he didn’t help him. Suddenly Ace wanted to meet her.
“You chose your duty over your family? Hey, Garp, you are the hero of the Navy? Go to hell, you old bastard” She was sobbing and hitting him. The bandits were asking Dadan to ease up.
Ace was not upset with his grandfather because he knows he chose a path different from his. They have their destinations, loyalties, and promises.
“Why didn’t you do anything? Why didn’t you save him? You cold-blooded scum.” Garp was bleeding all over his face but he didn’t meet his eyes with Dadan.
Finally, Makino interfered and stood in front of the greying marine. “Stop it. Dadan-San”, she gave Dadan a determined look and shake her head negatively.
“Can’t you see Garp-San is taking it harder than anyone else, because he couldn’t help them even when he was there”
Garp looked down remembering both Ace and Luffy. Dadan’s tears rolled down again “That’s not true”
“That’s not true…...” Dadan cried again “The one who is having the hardest time is Luffy” Tears filled Makino’s eyes as bite her lips. Her memories were shown where little Ace was learning manners from Makino.
“Ok let’s start today’s lesson on how to express gratitude” Makino was sitting on a crate while Ace was standing in front of her and Luffy sitting beside him. They looked no more than 11 and 8.
The audience was awed by the children but couldn’t voice out their feeling because of the overall gloomy atmosphere.
“Yeah, let’s get started already,” Ace said with a serious face and Luffy cheered on him. “Oh, you got it, Ace”
Ace now looking at the screen remembered the good old days which were bliss, he and Luffy were always together. Makino would visit them with different treats. She would teach them and listen to their stories. She would spend the whole day and a night there, would hum a song, and tell them to wash their hands as she set the piping hot delicious meal neatly on the worn-out table in the hut.
Luffy would keep himself attached to Ace, clinging to him, cheering him, running just behind him. Now he can’t reach him because when Luffy broke all the boundaries to get to him, he let him down.
Luffy cheered with his sunny smile and Ace reciprocated with a big grin.
“No, that’s not right. You have to say ‘thank you in advance for that occasion”. The D brothers’ grin fell and an O expression surfaced.
Many snorted at them, amused by their lack of awareness.
“Oh, that wasn’t right? It sounded so cool though” Luffy exclaimed with confusion
Few smiled at his naivety while the people who knew him shook their heads. Seemed that he didn’t grow up much till now. Shanks’s expression turned soft at the sight of the little anchor.
Makino gave the boys a pretty smile and said patiently. “Ace-Kun wants to learn this because he wants to say ‘thanks properly to the captain of Red-haired pirates who helped Luffy”
“To Shanks”, Luffy looked up widening his already owlish eyes.
Shanks gave a small chuckle at that. He remembered how Ace came to thank him meticulously. They partied hard while sharing stories of Luffy. Many were astonished to know that Straw Hat had some connection with one of the Yonko.
Ace placed his hands on his waist and smiled proudly, “Yeah, I will be a pirate by the time I see Red-hair. As a pirate and as your older brother, it’s my job to thank him”.
This time Ace had a small barely visible smile. He remembered his pride in being a big brother. He was satisfied with just being Luffy’s older brother. He felt belonged. Luffy was no Luffy is home.
“Let’s do it pretending that he is right in front of you”
“I’m Ace, who the hell are you?”
At this laughter echoed in the hall. But Ace was too absorbed to feel any embarrassment. His shipmates made a mental note to tease him when they are home. But if they can ever leave was still bugging them.
Makino crossed her fingers “Booh…... That’s not right. It is not nice to say the hell”
Ace was shocked by this knowledge while Luffy jumped to guess “Is it ‘who the heck are you’?”
Straw hats were thoroughly amused as well as stunned that Luffy was paying attention. And Whitebeards were also snickering a little at Ace’s face. Whitebeard himself was mirthful looking at the kids.
Ace gave him a side look and tried again with a serious expression, “Give me your name” Makino again booed
“You have to say ‘you fool’” Luffy added.
Many people couldn’t hold their peals of laughter. Garp was for once thinking that he should have done some training for the kids’ social skills. But then he also shares the same manners as his brats. Dragon defeatedly sighed. He was not expecting much, to begin with.
“Who are you, you bastard”, at this Haruta finally called out to Ace to ask him was he really such a Buffon. Ace just looked at him for an instant and turned back to the screen. He just wanted to absorb all of the memories.
“Who is this?” Ace added again which received a boo.
Straw hats thought was Makino the reason for Luffy to boo at every uninterested thing he come across.
“Whom is this?” Again, Luffy suggested.
Many people cooed at the brothers’ cuteness and snorted at the whole lesson.
Makino laughed with her hand over her mouth “Stop it, are you serious”. Her laughter waved out while her gentle eyes brightened with mirth. Little Ace felt embarrassed and frustrated. So, he shouted at Luffy with shark teeth.
“You are bugging me by saying stupid things, go away”. His tone didn’t affect Luffy at all and he smiled blazingly.
“Listen, Ace, I found an Anaconda’s nest filled with big eggs, let’s go get some now.”
"That idiot always thinking about food. I wish he also learned a few manners." Sanji said but his tone was too fond, the weak trio nodded their heads eyes still blurred with tears. Whereas Robin and Franky were delighted with little Luffy’s cuteness.
“What, big eggs” Ace’s eyes spark. The idea fascinated him. At his behavior, whitebeards snorted. He still gets those moments when he would be beguiled by food.
“No, I can’t,” Soon he rejected the idea. He was trying to be a better big brother after all.
“I wanna learn how to pay respect,” Ace said with determination.
Right now, Ace was thinking if he was a better brother. He broke his promise, he left Luffy alone. Shanks sighed and gave a soft look to his captain’s son. He could see the familiarities in him. He for some reason left his seat and sit closer to him. Ace’s gloom was even rejecting his crew mates but Shanks just came and sit with him. Whitebeard didn’t look happy about this advancement but stayed quiet.
“I could get hurt if no one’s there and Anaconda finds me. But I’ll be fine if you come with me”.
Makino was still smiling and the screen suddenly transitioned to Makino’s now crying face.
Zoro looked wide-eyed; his drastic change of expression gained his crew’s attention. Zoro knows the Luffy on screen is just a kid but he had seen the same look in Alabasta.
“What’s the matter Zoro?” Usopp inquire.
“Ace to Luffy is like a shelter I guess”.
“What?” this time it was Brook who asked. However, everyone in the room was now focused on the rookie band.
“Have you ever seen Luffy depending on anyone? No, since I know him, he never asks to be saved. But in Alabasta I saw the same expression that little Luffy had. To Luffy, Ace is like home, his refuge. He felt most free and at ease when he is with his brother. He would smile a little more than usual and would bounce a little more. He let his guard down, he feels safe with knowing his brother is there for him”.
It was a strange thing coming from Zoro, he is too stoic to understand emotions but his interpretation was valid. People associated with Luffy know that. It was another stone on Ace. He felt more guilty.
Watching everything playing in front of him Ace’s trance cracked as he sobbed hard. He was loved, he was always loved and belonged. He was surrounded by people who loved him all his life. He just didn’t want to see. Makino’s motherly love, Dadan’s protective yet harsh love, Sabo’s understanding love, Grandpa’s tough love, and Luffy’s unconditional love. Then what was he looking for?
Garp sits next to him and pulled him in a hug. All of a sudden Ace felt as if he was covered with a warm blanket. All the childhood piggyback rides and bear hugs flashed in his head. His grandpa’s words and tears on the execution platform resurfaced in his mind. He wanted to ask him why he is not angry. Luffy is in this condition because of him why ain’t he blaming him but he could not fathom the words?
Shanks also settled down. This is not the time to play the blame game. He sighed deeply and leaned his head back while closing his eyes. Then said
“Ace, Luffy made the choice himself, you know how selfish he is.” Shanks looked at Ace and he looked back. “He tried everything to save you because you are his most important person. He selfishly wanted to save you because he doesn’t want a world without you. You know right he loves his older brother.” Ace’s tears rolled down. He nodded his head he knows; how can he not know when Luffy made sure he gets that in his thick head.
Garp wiped his tears. He thought if he end up in the war when he get out of here, he will choose his grandsons over the marine. The title of hero be damned.
The audience was shocked. A rookie pirate can move the sea-hardened pirates and marines to pools of tears. The Yonko and his first-mate are arguing with the other Yonko because he felt angry over the war or because the rookie was hurt in the war. Many had an illusion that they saw Red-haired wiping his eyes. The straw hats that declared war against the world government and defeated two warlords are crying over the same pirate. The marine hero who fought head-on with the Pirate king is embracing the second commander of Whitebeard and crying over the very same pirate. Fire-fist who is known for his hot temperament and super strength is crying without any embarrassment over that pirate.
Many of the warlords were upset and the man-hating empress is even crying over the same straw hat-wearing pirate. The top tiers of Revolutionaries were also radiating gloom for the same D holder. They were thinking now what was so special about the boy, they were intrigued about his tale.
The blue figure appeared again and smiled. He moved towards Ace, put his hand over his head and both of them disappeared, creating a panic in the room.
A/N
I was wondering why people never complete a single reaction stories on One Piece. The scenes I wanna see are always skipped or the authors would drop the story as a whole. Now I understand. It's so damn hard to write reactions:,(
But I'm never going to give up. I'm gonna write the scenes I want other to react on. Difficulties huh..... bring it on