Chapter Text
Modern Day Japan, 2001
Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan
Main Hiragi Compound
This was the routine now. They were trying to beat the information out of him. For five days, he had been tortured. One thing after another as they tried to get the information out of him. Trying to figure out exactly where he had sent Guren.
Sakae’s body was battered and bruises as he heaved, coughing up blood as he spit it out onto the floor. His hands were still cuffed to the chair. They had given him a truth serum, but thankfully, he was managing to fight it off. He refused to say a word. He refused to tell them where he was. His son’s life depended on it. The heinous things that they had said.
His smile.
That’s what he had to think of.
As long as if that smile didn’t leave his son’s face, that was all that he could ask for. His safety. His security. His life. That is what meant the most to him.
Right now, Sakae was the only person who stood in the way of them finding him.
And, like Hell, they were trying.
Sakae grunted as a fist slammed into his jaw, sending his head snapping to the side as his tooth cut into his inner cheek. The metallic taste of blood was in his mouth. Exploding and choking him for a second as he also spit that out.
“What enchantment did you use, Sakae?” Tenri questioned, “All you have to do is tell us, and all of this will stop.”
Sakae lifted his exhausted gaze, eyeing the Hiragi Head. Tenri was glaring at him. His amber eyes burning into him as he stepped forward. “I don’t remember, Lord Hiragi.”
Tenri scoffed, “What kind of father are you?” That was rich coming from this man. This was the same man who constantly made his own children fight against each other. Physically fight one another and use spellcraft against one another. This man only cared about superiority and having powerful children. Not about loving, caring, and nurturing them. They would always be different there. Tenri Hiragi was a monster. Tenri eyed him again, crossing his arms as he stared down at him, “What kind of father sends his own son away?”
“I had no choice.” Sakae panted out. “Kill me if you wish, Lord Hiragi. I’d deserve it.”
Again, Sakae was met with a fist to the jaw. He was pretty sure that one actually broke or fractured it this time. Tenri wasn’t lifting a finger. He was using his underlings to torture him. Tenri was just there to listen in and give orders. They weren’t to kill him. They were going to keep him alive as they tortured him for more information.
“That bastard of a child never should have been near my daughter.” Tenri stated, “It was his punishment. He had to know that he is not worthy. He will never be worthy.”
Sakae chuckled, “And you think your daughter is?” Whenever he lifted his gaze, he had seen the change in Tenri’s eyes. He had struck a nerve. “We’re in the same boat there, Lord Hiragi. I do not wish for my son to be near your daughter either. I made that possible. You don’t have to worry about that ever again.”
Once more, Sakae was only greeted by another fist.
He could go through this plenty.
Do their worst.
“We will find him, Sakae.” Tenri stated, “And we will bring him back. The punishment for this is severe. By not returning home, Guren is defying the Hiragi family on his own.” Sakae lifted his gaze again, watching Tenri turned to leave the interrogation room. “And when I find him, you won’t recognize your own son anymore.”
He wasn’t going to break.
Not this time.
He couldn’t protect his son before, but he could this time.
Sakae would do whatever it took.
Ace had to admit, the kid had talent. Guren was holding the pipe as if it was an extension of his own body. Fighting with it as if it was an actual sword. He had been trained in this before. Guren was eager and ready to do it. He was getting better with each passing day. Ace could feel a pride going through him each time that he watched Guren getting better each time. The Omega man was surprised. It was like Guren was analyzing his movements, trying to get better each time. That was good. Extremely good. And for a moment, it made Ace stop and think. Guren was already used to this kind of thing. It made him think of every single thing the kid had said to him.
What kind of world was Guren really living in before he ended up here?
Ace spun on his heel, managing to knock Guren right down to the deck. The boy fell down, panting as he laid face down. “You’re getting better, Guren.”
Guren was practically trembling as he pushed himself up. Ace had a smile on his face that slowly started to drop as he heard the soft cries coming from him. “I’m… I’m not strong enough.”
“What are you talking about?” Ace questioned, “You’re just a kid. You really think that you’d have that power so soon?”
Guren shook his head, “No.” Guren curled his fingers, clutching onto the pipe he was holding, “What if… What if I can’t do it?” The boy was just getting frustrated. That much was clear to him. Ace sighed softly, stepping forward and kneeling down. “Dad… I…”
“Calm down, Guren.” Ace murmured. “You are on a ship full of people more than willing to help you. We will help you get stronger. You can’t think like that. It will consume you.” Ace was talking from experience. He had been there. He understood this kid perfectly. The need to be strong. The need to prove himself. Ace reached out, placing his hand on the top of Guren’s head as the Omega boy looked up at him with tear-filled eyes. Ace smiled, laughing softly, “Where’s the spunk, huh? You were so excited to do this. You’re already doing great, Guren. You just need time.” Guren pouted a bit, looking down as Ace could see the hint of heat coming to his face. “Why don’t we take a break for lunch? Sound good?”
“I guess.” Guren grumbled, diverting his gaze again.
Ace laughed softly again, standing back up as he held his hand out. Guren took it and the Omega man helped the boy to his feet. “You’re talented, Guren.” Ace stated, giving him a soft smile as he moved that same hand to place it on top of the boy’s head, “Things are different in our world compared to yours. It will take time. Don’t beat yourself up so much. You’re already doing good.” He watched the pink tint show up on Guren’s face again as the light glittered in his violet eyes. “You’re getting better every day. Before I know it, you’ll be stronger than me.” The redness on Guren’s face only got more intense as he attempted to duck away to hide it.
Ace lifted his gaze long enough to see Marco coming up behind the boy. Marco reached out, scooping him up underneath his arms. Guren gasped, letting out a shocked sound as Marco placed him on his shoulder, “Let’s go get some lunch.” Marco turned the boy in his arms, hooking him on his arm instead as he turned to walk away. Marco gave him a wave, saying that he would see him in the Dining Hall.
Ace sighed, clasping his hands before stretching his arms above his head. His attention was grabbed as he heard the caw of the News Coo from above the ship. He looked up, digging into his pocket for the right about of berries that he would need as he walked over to where the bird had perched itself. He simply just slid the money in and took the newspaper before the bird was flying off.
“You two have been at it every single day. He’s picking up a lot so quickly.” Ace turned his head, seeing Izou approaching as the Wano Native smiled at him. “You’re enjoying yourself too.”
Ace laughed softly, looking back to the newspaper and opening it up, “It might be training, but I gotta admit… It’s actually kind of fun.”
Izou laughed softly, turning and leaning against the rail, “I want to start teaching him firearms safety as soon as I can. Despite how small he is. He should know how to handle them with care.”
“I agree.” Ace stated, flipping the page. Though, the thought of the kid holding a gun was kind of unnerving. Knowing Izou, the thing wouldn’t be loaded. Just the gun itself to show the mechanics. From what they had been doing, Guren clearly already had some training. He was just a kid. He still had a lot to work on. It felt great for Ace to have a pipe in his hand again. It had been so long since he used one. Especially after acquiring the Mera Mera no Mi. The more he thought about all of it, there was a lot that Guren needed to learn about their world. From what he could tell, Guren should pick up on it quickly. “I wonder…” Izou hummed looking back to him. “We saw what he did with Shanks. I wonder if he could still learn whatever his spellcraft is. Put it into his arsenal.”
“Is that a good idea?” Izou questioned, “Especially since it greatly resembles the Ancient Language of the Void Century?”
Ace hummed, looking up, “I’m not sure. It was just a thought.” He flipped the page again, clicking his tongue, “I know eventually, I will take him to Shanks for more training. Shanks can help him far more than I can.” Ace flipped to the next page, “You heard Shanks. Guren might be the only one who can send himself home. So, I think he needs to keep his mind fresh on it. We just need to teach him that it has to be a secret.”
“I have a feeling that he’d be good at that.” Izou mused. Ace lifted his gaze, looking over to Izou as the older Omega man smiled. “When do you suspect you’ll be traveling to see Shanks?”
“We’re still working out the finer details, but probably soon.” Ace admitted. “It’ll be easier to travel alone on Striker. It was also keep less eyes on me and Guren but also cut travel time down significantly.” He had been thinking about a lot of what Shanks had said. Shanks believed that Guren was sent to him for a reason. That there might be some sort of connection there. Just like Wano and Japan and their Ancient Language and his spellcraft. Shanks seemed to be under the impression that only Guren truly had a chance of sending himself back. That was a lot to put on a small child’s shoulders. Hell, all of this was. Maybe there was no coincidence in the fact that Guren had ended up with him. “Honestly, the faster we get him trained up… the better I will feel.”
“You worry so much about him.” Izou purred, “It’s adorable.”
Ace smiled softly as he put his attention back on what he was doing, “He’s a good kid.”
Izou hummed, smiling as he leaned against the rail. His painted lips quirked up a bit more as Ace saw him looking at him through the corner of his eye. “He even has Marco wrapped around his little finger.”
“That’s not that hard.” Ace shot back, grinning a bit, “Have you seen the kid?” Marco had this good balance of being able to be serious when he needed to be and absolutely fun-loving the next. It was one of the aspects about him that Ace genuinely loved about him. Even if Marco tried to act like Guren didn’t have him wrapped around his little finger, he absolutely was. Ace could see that from a mile away.
“Marco…” Izou murmured, “Makes an incredible father. Don’t you think, Ace?”
Ace found his smile softening. Every single time he watched the two interact, his heart soared. His little family. Guren had asked if he could call them his parents. They treated him like a son. Hell, he was their son. Ace didn’t care what anyone else thought. He couldn’t explain it, but he really did feel like this happened for a reason. That Guren came to them because of a purpose. Rather people believed in fate or not, why did it feel like it was somehow fate that brought them together?
“He does.” Ace agreed.
“Considering what we’ve learned about the kid,” Izou whispered, “He ended up on the perfect ship.”
He knew what Izou was referring to. Whitebeard might be known for taking in the strays, giving them a home, love and care that others did give to them, but Izou was right. The misfits. The people that no one wanted. The people who the world hated. They lived on this ship. Ace didn’t like thinking about what happened to Guren. He still saw those injuries sometimes. His injuries had been bad. He was just a little kid, and he had been beaten that badly. It wasn’t Ace first show around when it came to something like that. He had similar experiences as a kid. Growing up with mountain bandits and in the woods.
For just a split second, Ace wondered what Dadan would think of Guren. What she would say. Probably would cry about another to take care of but welcome him anyway. That’s what happened with Sabo. Ace was indebted to her. He did love and care for her. She was his mother in all purposes. She had raised him, protected him. She earned that right. Even if she didn’t necessarily want him at first. Dadan didn’t sugarcoat a thing, and he was glad for it.
Ace reached up, messing with the beads around his neck as he flipped the newspaper again. He paused for a second as he came up to the bounty posters before he was laughing.
On the bounty poster and smiling like a mad man was one Monkey D. Luffy.
“He finally did it!” Ace exclaimed, holding up the bounty poster in pride. “He’s on the sea.”
“Who is that?” Izou questioned.
Ace laughed softly again, “It’s Luffy. My brother.” Ace’s smile softened again, “I can’t wait to see him again.”
The Omega quickly turned on his heel. Intent on showing off the bounty poster to anyone he came across. He had a few people specifically that he had to show this too.
As he walked away, he had a pop in his step.
Guren had ate his lunch mostly in silence. Marco was sitting next to him as he did. Thatch had made him curry and rice again. Just for him. Guren had no complaints. It was his favorite meal in the entire world – well worlds? – so who was he to deny it? He had been thinking a lot. Playing out his training with Ace in his head over and over again. He had to get better. Stronger. That’s what he had to do. He was no good to anyone if he wasn’t.
Guren turned his gaze a bit, listening as Marco spoke to Thatch and some of the other Commanders. He was still learning a lot of names. He knew the names of the Commanders. The rest of the crew was hard. There were so many of them. There were one thousand, six hundred members of the main crew alone from what he learned. That was a lot of names to try and remember. One thousand, six hundred nakama. He was one of them now.
Guren was proudly wearing Whitebeard’s mark on his back. Ojii-san. Grandfather. It made him feel bubbling inside to think. Though, the thought was there again. He wanted his father to meet all of them. Ace and Marco said it wasn’t wrong to view them as his parents. He couldn’t explain why he felt it either. Just that he… did.
It made him… happy.
Would his father be upset if he found out about this?
If he knew that he was calling another man Papa? Guren never knew his mother. So, it felt less strange to refer to Ace as Dad. Ace was an Omega like him. An Omega like his mother had been. Marco was an Alpha like Sakae. Both had said it was okay. Okay to have another.
Would he ever see him again?
Would there ever be the chance that all of them could meet one day?
“Something on your mind, Guren?” Guren blinked, turning his head to look up at Marco in surprise. Marco was looking down at him with that gentle smile on his face. He had reached out, ruffling at Guren’s hair. The young boy pouted, swatting at his hand despite finding himself leaning into the touch.
“Not really.” Guren replied.
Guren was on a pirate ship. He was an apprentice to the Whitebeard Pirates. He even had a bounty. This all felt like a fever dream. Would anyone even believe him if he somehow made it back home to Japan? They might lock him away thinking he was crazy.
Portgas D. Guren.
That was his name now. Well, sort of. It was the name that this world had branded him with, and he wasn’t upset about it. Ichinose was his name. It would always be his name. He was proud of it. He was proud to be… Guren hummed, turning his attention towards Marco again, “What does the D in Dad’s name stand for?”
Marco looked surprised for a second before smiling, “No one knows.”
“Huh?” Guren questioned, titling his head in confusion, “No one knows? But Dad knows, right?”
Marco shook his head. “No.” The Alpha replied, “No one knows.”
“How is that possible?” Guren questioned, “It’s in Dad’s name though?”
Marco chuckled softly, looking back to his meal, “Many people carry the name D.” Guren was surprised, “But no one knows the true meaning behind it. I know of a few people aside from Ace that have a D in their name. They call it the Will of D. I guess now you also carry that name even though you wouldn’t be in the bloodline.”
Guren hummed, still trying to settle that information in, “That’s weird.” He stated as he shook his head. “Really, nobody knows?”
“I’m sure there are people out there who do.” Marco stated, “But, unfortunately, none of us do.” Marco sighed, leaning forward a bit, “Those who carry that name are known as enemies to the Gods. So, you do have to be careful with that name too. They used that name for you because this world believes you are Ace’s biological child. There is no changing that now.”
Guren looked down at his empty bowl for a second before shaking his head, “I don’t want to change it.” He had seen the slightly surprised look on Marco’s face before the Alpha’s face softened. “Is that wrong, Papa?”
“Of course not, kid.” Marco murmured as he reached over and ruffled Guren’s hair again. “Ace is just as much your family as the Ichinose are.” Why was there something off to him about the way that Marco had said that? Well, not off but just… strange. “In a way, we can also protect the Ichinose name if no one knows it. You could use it if you wish or even want too. Since your not from our world, keeping everything that we know about it under wraps might be for the best.” Guren never really thought of that. Marco smiled again, propping his chin onto a closed fist as he kept his hand on the top of Guren’s head. “Taking the Portgas name doesn’t take away that you’re still an Ichinose. You had a mother, right?” Guren nodded, “Think of it your mother. Taking the name Ichinose but still belonging to your mother’s birth family.” That made sense. “Portgas D. Guren… Guren Ichinose… You’re still one of us, and always will be.”
Guren found a smile coming back to his face again as he felt the heat creeping up onto his face. His attention had been grabbed again whenever he saw someone coming into the Dining Hall and a smile broke out onto his face. “Dad!”
Ace spotted them quickly, grinning as he came rushing over to them. Guren had noticed what was in his hands. The sepia colored paper that was like his own bounty poster. Guren couldn’t see what it was as Ace got over to them. “I have something I want to show you, Guren.” Ace stated as he got up to them.
Guren nodded, murmuring, “Okay.”
Ace leaned down, draping over his back as he brought the paper in front of him. Guren had found himself looking down at it. Seeing a young man in the photo. A bright smile on his face, and a straw hat on his head.
Guren’s gaze lingered over it. Reading the words that was on the paper.
MONKEY D. LUFFY
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE
30,000,000
Luffy.
Guren gasped slightly, smiling as he turned his head to look at Ace, “That’s your brother?”
Ace grinned, nodding with the pride showing on his face, “This is my idiot kid brother.” The Omega man replied, “He finally did it. He made it onto the sea.”
Guren found himself looking to the paper and a softer smile came to his face. Luffy. This man was Ace’s brother. That meant that he was family to him too, right? An Uncle? Could Guren call him that? He had heard a lot about him. Guren found himself focusing on Luffy’s smile. It was so bright and happy. He couldn’t see his eyes. He could see a scar underneath his eye.
“Luffy.” Guren whispered.
Was Guren ever going to get to meet him? This meant that he was on the sea now. Since he had a wanted poster and from what he heard from Ace, Guren was going to safely guess that he was a pirate like them.
Ace laughed for a second and Guren found himself looking over to the Omega man. Ace had a genuine soft, proud smile on his face. Guren had seen that a few times already directed at him. It made his stomach flutter for a second. That smile meant something. Ace grinned a bit more and his eyes brightened up a bit more, “Knowing Luffy, he’s already causing a lot of chaos wherever he is. I wonder how long it will take before we see him here on the Grand Line.”
“Do you think I will get to meet him one day?” Guren questioned.
Ace laughed softly again, “Without a doubt, Guren.” Then Ace’s gaze turned to him, “And prepare for him to latch onto you. Once he believes you’re family, he is not going to let you go.”
Why did Guren feel like there was more to the story when it came to Ace saying that?
There was a lot of pride and fondness laced in Ace’s tone of voice. A happiness radiating from him as Ace grinned and slipped an arm around him. Guren found himself melting into it and looking back at the wanted poster.
Monkey D. Luffy.
After all the stories that he heard from Ace, he wanted to meet him too.
He wondered if he’d ever get that chance.
Modern Day Japan, 2001
Nagoya, Japan
Ichinose Aichi Compound
The home was so quiet without his son around. Sakae kept expecting to hear the footsteps of his son approaching him. Quietly asking him to either go train outside with him or if he wanted something. Or just to spend time with him. Sakae refused to regret his decision. It was the best one that he could have made. He knew that.
But, God, he missed him.
He missed him every single second. Is this what it felt like? The ability to breathe being gone? Knowing that he couldn’t see his son. He knew that he was safe. That he would grow up to be happy. Still, the longing and yearning was there.
He wanted to see his son’s smile again. Hear him laughing. See the bright twinkle of his violet eyes. Sakae had been having nightmares. He kept seeing that demonic form in his dreams. The figure of what appeared to be a teenage version of his son. Hatred in his eyes. Anger. The voice that he had heard had been so haunting. He had no idea what it was.
He was so certain that he had found anything to show that his son indeed had a bright future. Was this just a nightmare that he was having? Envisioning something far worse than what it should be.
He was having more dreams.
The ocean. A distant flag that he couldn’t make out. A straw hat sitting on his son’s head and a smile that seemed like it would never fade. A mark on his back of what looked like a jolly roger.
Like a… pirate.
What exactly was he seeing?
The more that he had those dreams. The more that he started to fear. Not necessarily fear that his son didn’t have a bright future ahead of him, but almost that he might have sentenced his son to a life of sorrow and hatred. It would be fine. He could handle his son hating him for what he had done. Sakae would deserve every single second of it.
Whenever he connected himself to see into his son’s future, did he somehow keep a link there? That he was seeing more?
He needed to know. He needed to know if he had inadvertently put his son into danger. The entire reason he had done any of this was to ensure the safety of his son. Get him somewhere where he could grow up happy and healthy. Even if that was without him. He could live through that pain and sorrow. Guren’s wounds would eventually heal. He had seen that. Maybe it was a father’s concern. It was his job as Guren’s father to worry about him. Protect him and shield him. For years, he had failed to do so. He submitted himself to the Hiragi family a long time ago. His son suffered because of it. Five hundred years of bad blood between their families. The Ichinose were meant to live only for humiliation. Only for the enjoyment of the Hiragi family and their serving branch families. Just to make them feel better about themselves. To them, they were nothing more than scum. They weren’t even actual people in their eyes.
What did he do here?
Did he dig more into what he had been dreaming about? Or just write it off as nightmares? There was a scream in the back of his mind. An alarm bell rose and telling him that he needed to follow through with it.
What if he just made things worse?
What if he accidentally led Tenri Hiragi and the Hiragi family right to his son?
Not even Sakae knew of Guren’s exact location. All he knew was that he was safe. He was away from here. They couldn’t hurt him anymore. Guren was like his mother. He saw that every single day. There was a fire in him that he didn’t get from Sakae.
He knew Tenri’s plans. Tenri wanted to find Guren, and then he’d execute Sakae. He would make a statement out of him. An Ichinose hadn’t defied a Hiragi like this in generations. As much as he wanted to see his son again himself, he couldn’t bring himself to open up that connection again and go searching. He could lead those he didn’t want right back to Guren’s location.
All he could do was make sure that the enchantment was sealed.
Make sure that no one could get to him. That no one could use Sakae to get there.
As a father, this is what he had to do.
He had to let his son go.
Sakae found himself kneeling at the altar of the Order of the Imperial Moon, smiling softly as he kept his eyes closed. Guren would be far happier without him. He would grow up with a smile on his face. Sakae had to put his own desires to the side. The more that he heard from Tenri and the others, it was the best choice.
“Forgive me, son.” Sakae murmured.
Sakae opened his eyes, lifting a thumb up to his mouth as he stared down at his freshly drawn spell circle. The sigil was illuminated in a soft golden glow. Telling him of the magic that was flowing through. He had to do everything that he could to ensure Guren’s safety. This was the only way to protect his son now.
“I have been proud to be your father.” Sakae continued. He knew that Guren couldn’t hear him. In a way, it made himself feel better as he reached down. For a second, he hesitated. Leaving his bleeding thumb ghosting over the last thing that he could use to get to his son. Once he was done, it would be sealed. The enchantment was still active. Once he did this, it would be done. Sealed away.
It meant that he might never see his son again.
And he could live with that.
He took in a deep breath, blinking as he saw his son’s face come to mind. His smile. His beautiful, beautiful little boy. Sakae took in another slow deep breath and released it.
Finally, he reached down, swiping his thumb over the seal and uttered the enchantment. The golden glow brightened. Illuminating him more as he watched the magic do its work. He couldn’t risk it. He couldn’t risk anyone finding him. He couldn’t risk someone getting ahold of the same enchantment that he had used.
Guren was in a safe place.
That was all that he needed now.
“Seal.”