Chapter 15

Dragon called the brothers into his office, once they reached Baltigo, he wanted to show Ace the truth and make Sabo know more about the deeds of the government. He knew Luffy wouldn't care much, his carefree son has always been that way, but he wanted to know his reaction to the ugly realities.

There was a knock on the door and Dragon took a small glance at the stack of folders that lay on his desk.

"It's open," Dragon voiced. He didn't like that his sons need to knock on his door to enter. But Ace was learning manners from Sabo and Ivankov, so, it wouldn't hurt to help him.

He saw the brothers smiling. He would bet that they have done something again to make Ivankov and Kuma stand on their heels. He chuckled as his mind formed the image of the angry but not-so-angry faces of his friends.

His gaze went onto Ace, who raised his eyebrows at him. "How much do you know about your Dad?" Dragon steeled himself. Ace's eyes widened and then realization dawned on him. He took a step back. But Sabo was quick to stand by his side to support him.

"I- " Ace was looking down, with his knuckles bleeding white. "He was a demon and a monster and everyone hates him. I shouldn't have been born because I'm his son." Dragon felt anger course through him, but he knew what he had signed for. He could feel Ace forgetting all his joyful mood and looking angry, making Dragon himself feel guilty. Dragon could see in the corner of his eyes, Luffy stopping in his tracks to break some files, he looked like he wanted to say something but Dragon shook his head at him, while Sabo looked shocked and was making gaping sounds like a fish.

"I see," Dragon said and opened the files. "Take the seats." Dragon pointed to the chairs in front of him. Ace and Sabo took it without hesitance but Luffy climbed up onto his shoulders and he didn't mind.

Dragon opened the files in front of him. The photos glorified themselves in front of the nervous boy, who was looking at his lap and biting his lips. "These are the truth, which I wanted to show you." Ace lifted his head and the first picture frooze him. He gulped, and then took the file in his hand.

He could see Ace getting visibly shocked after turning each page and Sabo's anger getting fueled. Luffy was making no sound, he was quietly staring at the pictures. It didn't look like he understand much. So, Dragon started speaking as Ace turned the pages.

He pulled the next reports from leather folders and laid them out to illustrate the story, before putting them back to make place for the next ones.

Ace could only stare and listen, and slowly start to shake all over at the picture Dragon sketched. Beside him, Sabo and Luffy made all kinds of noises. Some were surprised, others shocked, but most with incandescent fury burning behind them. Only Dragon's stern looks kept them from interrupting beyond that.

At one point, Sabo started to whisper curses under his breath.

Ace just sat frozen, barely able to keep processing Dragon's words and the evidence he presented.

Each page in the folder revealed exactly how, when, and, how badly the World government had twisted the people's views and spread the lies about the Pirate King, a man who was nothing like the Government depicted. As each page was turned Dragon uttered the exact stories which had happened. He told the kids about how the government falsified the information. He told them how his father freed the civilians from the tyrannical rulers of a country, how he reigned destruction for the sake of his crew or in defense of innocents, which got twisted till it was made clear that he was the actual villain who was the cause of the fights when the real threat and the cause had been the marines themselves who had been willing to kill innocents just to capture a few wanted men.

He told them all about the war in God Valley where he and Garp fought together with the Rocks Pirates, but the whole incident was covered up by Marines claiming that they were the ones who were responsible to eradicate the most heinous crew in the world. He told them and showed the articles which showed how Roger's roles had been completely erased and denied as if it didn't matter that he was one of the hands which helped the marines to remove scum. He presented all the examples where Roger was framed when in reality he was only protecting his crew and the innocents. He showed them how the whole world, the innocents had been lied to.

He didn't deny that Gol D. Roger was monstrously strong, even without a devil fruit. He told them about his devil luck, which always made him the center of trouble, but he would always emerge victorious and more strong. He added how his luck was like Luffy, who kept on attracting trouble, wherever he went. He told them about his horrible temper, like Ace himself, which was quick to catch fire and made him a devil incarnate when his loved ones were threatened. He told them how he never cared about people's opinions about him when he knew his loved ones didn't give a shit about it. He told Ace that he had never been some sort of evil demon, a curse upon the whole world.

He told them about Kaido and Big Mom, who are far too evil to be considered demons, far too evil to suit the falsified names given to Roger. He told them the sole reason why he was given all those monikers, he told them how the World Government wants to erase anybody stronger than them. He told them how Roger had reached the One Piece and had known the whole Void Century, which gave him the place in their hit list. When Dragon mentioned that he could feel Luffy visibly flinch and then frown, but he will keep it for later.

He told them how that knowledge possessed a threat to the very existence of the World Government, making them shout in the newspapers that Roger was a demon and his blood, which according to them was cursed, should never exist. He told them, how his sworn brother was just a man, who had lived his life however he wanted and bore the consequences with a smile on his face. He told them that he lived with freedom and only wanted to be free and have lots of adventure. He told them how he had never expressed his desire to conquer anything.

Ace's world is titled on its axis. Ace felt sick from the sudden information. He had been told by Luffy that his Dad was a good person but he always thought that he was trying to coax him, trying to make him feel better about himself, but he had never considered that he was speaking the truth and the World which he was living in was constantly lying to him.

Dragon told them about the horrors of the Celestial Dragons, he told them how they praised themselves with cruelty and did things for which they should be executed. He told them the darkest realities of the World Government, he told them how the Marines would turn a blind eye to the innocents and protect the system, how they would eradicate anyone who came in their path. He told Ace about Nico Robin, who had a similar fate to him. She is being hunted for the knowledge she possesses. She is being hunted coz she could read the poneglyphs. Dragon saw Sabo and Luffy getting angry with each sentence he spoke, he could Ace get a horrified expression at every word.

He told them, how some high-ranking marines would abuse their powers and hurt the innocents all for fun. He told them that those people were the actual devils, not Ace's father, not any other innocents.

"I am considered as the Worst Criminal in the World, a monster, who shouldn't exist, only coz I face the Government face on. Only coz I want to protect the innocents and remove the corrupt system. But the Revolutionary Army and the people who know me, know the truth. To my comrades, I am a savior, not a monster. But to the ordinary civilians, we are criminals." Dragon let a ghost smile spread on his face, "Whose opinion should weigh more? Your friends or the world's?"

Dragon observed the boys, Luffy was sitting on his chair now between his legs, listening to each word with full attention, and Sabo was gritting his teeth, his mind and heart wanting for seeking revenge. And Ace... he was frozen.

"Never take someone for what have been told about them. Judge them with your own eyes not by someone else's. There are many sides to a person's story, some untold and some told. Some good and some evil. But it's you, who needs to decide what you want, what you want to see, and hear." Dragon locked his gaze with that of Ace's.

"I can tell you this, Ace, your father was a man of adventure, but he was framed and shown to the World as evil. The only curse you bear is the World Government's obsession with your father, the man who made the Five Elders cower in fear." Dragon looked at Ace, finding something, he wanted to know if Ace was ok. But his trembling hands and shaking body, made Dragon feel bad.

"See Ace," Dragon stood up from his seat and placed Ace on his lap. Ace let out a squeak but didn't deny the comfort. The stronghold made him feel at home and he wouldn't deny that he felt warm.

"You are not a monster. Your existence is not a sin. You deserve to live as much as everyone in the World." Dragon wiped the tears falling from Ace's eyes. Ace was crying. He was just told with proof that his entire life he had been told a lie. His old man didn't deserve all the hate which Ace gave him.

"All... of it, w-was ju..st a li..e?" Ace couldn't even recognize his voice. His voice was so broken. Luffy hugged Ace, giving him his warmth. Ace was grateful for it.

"Yes," Dragon confirmed his words. He could see Ace cry, holding his cloak. He allowed it.

"Those bastards!" Sabo was fuming in rage, "Those damn bastards!" Sabo was there when Ace was all but filled with hatred. He had seen Ace curse his existence, and now he was told that everything was a lie.

"How can we stop them?" Sabo asked, his anger flaring from him and that was when Dragon caught another Conqueror. Dragon gave a sad smile, knowing that they can't stop it now.

"Yeah! We can't let them be mean to Ace!" Luffy supported.

"Right now, it's not possible but once the World government collapses, I plan to bring the World to the light which the government tried to eradicate." Dragon hugged the brothers in his arms, "They wouldn't know what will hit them."

Ace felt himself cracking, he felt himself fall. He felt himself and his hatred crumble into millions of pieces. He couldn't believe that he trusted those people and let them control him.

Ace felt himself choking on his tears, he felt embarrassment crawl up to him, but he spoke. He steeled himself for another question. "Then w-why did h-he le..ft M-Mom...?" Ace couldn't even recognize his own voice. If his old man was such a good man, then why did he leave them? Why did he allow Garp to capture him and bring him to execution? Did he never want him?

He didn't notice the sad smile gracing Dragon's face. "He was dying." Dragon said in a soft voice, as if fearing that Ace will break in a million of pieces. Ace stilled. His mind constantly repeated the words. "Your Dad had an incurable disease and he didn't have much time left. As much as I know him, he didn't want to die laying sick on his bed. He wanted to go out with a BANG. Even if he tried to live for your sake, Ace, he wouldn't even be able to see your face."

"Sho..uld I live?" Ace choked out, the last question in his mind.

"Yes," Dragon said without hesitation, making Ace cry out. He could hear his brothers telling yes, he could feel them against his body, trying to hug him, trying to console him. They had just said yes that simply. He was told that he should live, not die. He let out all the hatred and anger flow in the form of his tears. He didn't care if he would be called a crybaby for it. He just wanted to let out all the pent-up emotions within him. He just wanted to be free from his own hatred, which had held him from the day he was shown the truth.

After some good minutes, Ace was hiccupping due to sobbing. Dragon passed him some water, which he drank in a gulp.

"You have every right to live in this World. You are the best brothers that Luffy and Sabo could ever ask for. You may not know how to express yourself, but you are kind to your very core. It's up to you to accept your identity or not," Dragon gave a small smile, "But remember you have a family, you have me, you have us." He said with the three boys sitting on his lap, consoling the eldest brother.

Ace nodded with tears in his eyes, "I have hated my old man till now. I have hated every word spoken about him, without pondering if the words were true. The least now I can do is respect and honor him." Ace rubbed his tears and gave a small smile to his brothers, "The least I can do is keep up my parents' wish and accept the name given to me by birth, Gol D. Ace. But I will do it when I'll get stronger."

Ace felt his shoulders lighting up. He felt the kind of freedom that he always looked for when he stared at the sea. He found the answer to his question. He couldn't help but let a small smile as he buried his head in Dragon's chest. A soft voice came from Ace, "Thank you. Thank you so much." Dragon pulled him closer and ruffled his hair softly and nodded.

"No, Ace, thank you. I know it's a difficult topic for you. But still, you listened to me," Dragon said softly.

"That was no problem," Ace said, he could feel his cheeks brightening and his body heating up.

"Shishishi. When I'm big, I'm gonna make sure no one hurts Ace again," Luffy said with his cherry sweet voice.

Ace felt the heat on his face increase exponentially. "S-Shut up!" he snapped, furious with embarrassment. "When I'm big, I'll deal with them myself! I won't need a little crybaby to help me!"

Sabo laughed. "Maybe I'll beat you to it," he said with cheerful challenge. "You're my brother, no way I'll let them get away with this!"

Ace sputtered indignantly and Dragon laughed. "Whatever you'll do, I'm sure that the three of you together can make the World Government regret their choices," he said, amusement making his dark eyes dance.

All three of them grinned at that, bashful but happy to hear he had such faith in them. Dragon made his way to his drawers and pulled out two jewel boxes. He handed one to Ace and another to Sabo.

"That was the last thing your mother left for you," Dragon said as he saw a confused Ace. Ace's eyes widened and he opened the box slowly. He found a silver-colored chain with a light orange-colored crystal hanging from it. The color was a striking resemblance to fire itself. His shaking hands slowly opened it and he could see his Mom and Dad smiling at him. His fingers grazed their faces and he placed the necklace close to his heart, allowing the tears to fall freely.

"Thank you!" Ace said softly.

"But why me?" Sabo asked, clearly confused. "Aren't these extravagant and expensive." Sabo loved the blue crystal which was hanging from the silver-colored chain. The color was similar to that of the calm sea. He opened it and found it empty.

"Coz you are my son," Dragon said as if that explained everything. Sabo nodded his head slowly, feeling his eyes getting glossy. He will get a proper family. He will get a Dad, who cares for them and doesn't see them as a tool. Sabo sniffled his sob. Sabo and Ace were thankful that they have a place in the world where they can feel safe and have a family. A loving, caring family.