Chapter Text
«There’s no point in watching this. You’re not the kind of man interested in these weapons more than I am, right, Killer?»
«Yeah.»
Killer stood from the couch to follow his captain through the corridors of their hideout.
«So Strawhat is finally back… and Trafalgar, that creep. I thought he lost it and sold himself to the Government, but he was planning something from the beginning.»
«Apparently.»
«I don’t wanna fall behind. We better hurry up with our plan too.»
Kid grabbed the doorknob of their meeting room.
«Kid, please.» Killer warned «Let’s try to keep things civil, shall we?»
That was a request he would have expressed in any case, but, in that moment, it was particularly important.
Eustass Kid had been unapproachable for almost two weeks after they let you go.
Not even his second in command was able to cut through that wall of silence and rage, at first.
For a while, Killer feared they wouldn’t be able to handle the meeting.
Thankfully, in the past few days, Kid slowly regained his ambition and snarky attitude, at least on the outside.
The plan to take out Red Hair Shanks had probably played a role in that.
«I know! Shut up.» Kid scoffed, opening the door.
Unfortunately, and explosion welcomed them both.
«APPAPPAPPAPPA! HELLO THERE, CAPTAIN KID! It’s been a while since I saw that face! Glad to see it’s disgusting as always.»
Scratchmen Appo greeted him from above his table.
The room was completely destroyed, even the roof had collapsed.
Kid grimaced when he noticed a few of his men down.
«Sorry, captain! We just couldn’t stop him!»
Hawkins sat at the same table, quietly checking his tarot cards.
«WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING TO MY LAIR, SCRATCHMEN?!» Kid snapped, jumping forward.
«Oho? Just being a bit cautious.» Apoo sneered, tilting his head «I thought you might have a sniper hidden here somewhere. Isn’t it what an enemy would do?»
Killer cursed in his helmet.
Why, why on earth did Scratchmen had to use that word?
Predictably, Kid lost it.
All the metal scattered around began to swirl in the air as he charged toward Apoo and engaged him.
«This is a farce. I think I’ll be leaving.»
Hawkins stood and headed out, without turning back.
«Wait, Hawkins! We haven’t even started yet!» Killer called him «And you two, cut it out, for fuck’s sake! The reason we asked you here is to propose an alliance between our crews! Can’t you people be civil for one second?!»
Somehow, his words managed to muffle the chaos, and the three pirates stopped, two of them quite surprised.
Killer quickly glanced at Kid.
He was struggling to control his rage, but at least he was trying.
The first mate suppressed a sigh and walked over, stepping between him and Apoo, just for precaution.
«And, Scratchmen, for your information» he said «if our sniper was really hidden here, you’d be dead by now.»
«So Doflamingo really resigned from the Shichibukai! As we requested yesterday!» Usop shrieked.
The whole crew was gathered around the paper, with Law leafing through it in the middle.
«I think it’s actually suspicious that things are going so smoothly…»
«No, it’s good.» Law observed «It was his only option.»
«But why are our faces here too?» Luffy smiled.
«What?!»
There was another article announcing the newly formed alliance between Strawhat and the Surgeon of Death.
Immediately below that, a similar news about the Kid Pirates, the On Air Pirates and the Hawkins Pirates.
«Oh, them too!» Luffy chimed, snatching the paper in his hands «I wonder if they’re planning our same thing!»
«Don’t worry about them now.» Law huffed «Focus on our plan.»
«Shishishishi, fine!» Strawhat laughed, throwing the paper over his shoulder.
Robin caught it mid-air and started reading it.
«Is there something else interesting, Robin?» Nami asked, leaning beside her.
«Hum, not really, but I found something rather peculiar.» she said, pointing to a brief article right below the alliances’ news.
Law turned, face bored.
«What is it?»
«Apparently, a marine officer that was captured by the Kid Pirates recently completed the rehabilitation and is now back on duty. There aren’t many information, but it says the officer was kept captive for a month before managing to escape.»
«A month prisoner of the Kid Pirates?» a bitter smirk curled Law’s lips «I bet that marine wished he was dead several times, during that period. I can’t believe that officer is back on duty. Must be quite of a man.»
«Or a woman.» Nami added, quirking an eyebrow «The article doesn’t specify.»
«Oh, believe me, navigator-ya,» Law mumbled «you don’t want to even think it was a woman.»
Smoker swallowed back a groan of pain and deeply inhaled from his cigar.
Despite the bandages, all the cuts Doflamingo left on him were still hurting, and he couldn’t move properly.
What a disappointing couple of days.
«…I see. Anyway, thank you.»
Beside him, Kuzan crossed his long legs.
«Stop thanking me. It was fate.»
Smoker hummed, relaxing against the cold ground.
For a while, they both just observed the snow, lazily falling on that desolated land.
«By the way… I, too, have something to ask you.»
The Vice Admiral rolled his eyes to look at his old friend.
It was hard to guess Kuzan’s expression, beyond those dark shades.
«What is it?»
«Not too long ago, I read something on the newspaper about an officer that escaped from the Kid Pirates after a month of captivity.»
Smoker closed his eyes.
He was expecting it.
Kuzan had always been a very perceptive man.
Yet, it wasn’t easy. It wasn’t easy at all.
«The paper was vague about it, so I wonder if you know whom this officer is.»
The Vice Admiral took a few seconds, blowing a small cloud of smoke out of his mouth.
«Yes, I do know.»
«Do you mind telling me?»
Smoker inhaled again.
«You might not like the answer, old friend.»
«Tell me.»
He stared at the white sky, the soft snow tickling his face.
«It was [Y/n].»
Kuzan didn’t reply but, when he moved his eyes on him, Smoker noticed his fingers clenched on the fabric of his trousers, so tight they turned white.
«I see.» his voice was lower than usual «Have you heard from her since then?»
Smoker nodded.
«We didn’t even know anything about it until that communicate was released. They did a good job keeping it covered up. Tashigi contacted her as soon as we found out and…» he hesitated, unsure of how to continue.
Kuzan turned to him.
«What?»
«Well, she’s not permanently injured, so there’s that. She refused any vacation period. She just spent a week in rehabilitation and one with Doctor Vegapunk, and now she’s already back full time.»
«Hm. So you have no information on the month she spent captive?»
Smoker sighed.
«Some indiscretions from her report leaked, yes.»
«Can you tell me?»
«Kuzan… why do you want to torture yourself?»
«Please.»
The Vice Admiral grimaced.
«Apparently, she remembers almost nothing, so they basically had her physical examinations.»
«…and?»
Smoker groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers.
«What do you expect me to say, Kuzan? That, miraculously, nothing happened to her while she was Eustass Kid’s prisoner? C’mon. There is only one possible reason she made out of that hell alive and in one piece, and that is because they… used her some other way.»
Airy ice blew from Kuzan’s mouth.
«You’re right.»
His voice, now, was nothing more than a whisper.
Smoker waited a minute for him to add something else, but it didn’t happen.
«Listen… I know our encounter is supposed to stay a secret. But if you want me to get her some message, I will. I’m sure it would mean the world to her.»
«The world?» a sour smile entered Kuzan’s features «I made so many mistakes, as a marine. Yet, somehow, she’s the one paying for them. And you tell me she still thinks that highly of me?»
He stood, his long cape waving in the cold wind.
«No, no messages. I’ve been screwing up her life long enough.»
Smoker observed him walking towards the shore.
«Where are you going now?»
«There somewhere I need to be.» Kuzan hummed «But I think I have time for a little deviation.»
The marine frowned.
«A deviation?»
«Indeed.» the tall man briefly turned «After all, the Kid Pirates have been around long enough, don’t you think?»
[ To be continued ]
*
Coming soon:
[Captive tie-in]
Mission Dressrosa
It was hard, going back being a marine.
Several clinical examinations, both physical and psychological.
All the lies.
The worst part, though, was the people that actually cared about you.
The worst part was hugging Koby, sobbing for what he thought happened to you, and not denying.
So, when Sakazuki ordered you to escort Admiral Fujitora to Dressrosa to assess Doflamingo’s status, you gladly left Neo Marineford.
It was supposed to be a quick, easy mission, after all.
Of course, you should have known better.
[Captive sequel]
Bonds
It was almost night when you received the enthusiastic call: the Kid Pirates had been wiped away by Kaido.
Probably all dead.
And, if not dead, missing.
And, if not missing, captured.
You were on a battleship heading to Impel Down, and you crossed paths with Jack the Drought.
Inspector General Sengoku told you to wait for his signal before attacking.
Did no one told him before you were terrible at following orders?
While Eustass Kid was rotting on a cell in Wano, the fate of his men tormenting him, but sure not even Kaido could break him.
And, during the worst moments, his only consolation was the thought of you, far away from that place.
Little did he know.