"Will he live?" I asked the doctor supervising my son's treatment.
"He will," the man replied. "His internal organs weren't damaged. I assume that's because of the Devil Fruit. He was very lucky. An ordinary boy wouldn't have survived this."
"He is ordinary," I hissed.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out several uncut rubies, placing them on the table.
"Make sure he lacks for nothing."
"Social services—"
"Social services?" I snarled. "What we need here is the Navy!"
I stepped closer.
"Pirates kidnapped a child, damn it! They beat a seven-year-old half to death!"
I leaned toward him until we were barely a step apart.
"And what exactly will your precious social services do about that? Take them to court?"
"We will inform the Navy," the doctor said stiffly. "It is our duty. Naturally, you couldn't have resisted a group of pirates, madam—"
"You will inform absolutely no one."
My voice was quiet now.
"Fix my child. Keep your mouth shut."
I gestured vaguely around the small hospital.
"Because if I so much as hear a whisper, I swear by my name I will reduce this charming little establishment to splinters and send both patients and staff running straight to hell."
I was already losing patience with the conversation and the growing list of complications.
"I will handle justice myself," I continued. "Your only concern is making sure my child leaves this place alive."
I turned toward the door.
"I'll return before midnight."
I had almost left when a final thought crossed my mind. A sudden moment of practical sense.
Goa was a comfortable place to live. I had no desire for curious eyes or loose tongues.
I turned back.
"We understand each other, doctor?"
I looked him straight in the eyes.
"No one is to be informed. This is my matter."
I tapped the rubies lightly.
"I reward discretion very generously."
The doctor was a sensible sort of man.
He realized exactly who he was speaking to.
And he was clearly trembling.
He tried to answer twice before managing to get the words out on the third attempt.
"N-naturally, Lady Ralagan," he stammered. "Your son is safe."
I muttered something under my breath and stormed out of the hospital.
Ace and Sabo were waiting in the treehouse, both visibly shaken. The moment I stepped onto the clearing they rushed toward me, nearly breaking their legs climbing down from above.
"Pebble?! What happened? Where's Luffy? We have to teach them a lesson!"
"Sabo," I said, raising a hand, "slowly. Clearly. What happened."
With a small gesture I sent them back inside.
"It's our fault," Sabo blurted, words spilling out so quickly they tripped over each other. "We robbed them, so they brought that big guy, Porchemy, and they grabbed Luffy and took him and we followed them and then we came back quickly and moved the money somewhere else and then we went back to the Terminal and you were already there and—"
He was breathing too fast now, his voice beginning to crack.
We stood in the middle of the room—a strange little space filled with toys that served as bedroom, living room, and library all at once.
Both boys watched silently as I put on my coat, settled my hat firmly on my head, and picked up Habanero.
Ace stood with his head lowered.
Sabo didn't know where to look.
"I left him in your care," I said calmly, making a deliberate effort not to explode. "You assured me you were grown enough to sail the Grand Line."
I stepped closer.
"But apparently not grown enough to watch your younger brother."
I took a slow breath.
"And what exactly does we robbed them mean, Sabo?"
Ace still refused to lift his head.
The blond boy removed his top hat and crushed the brim nervously in his hands, shifting from foot to foot. He glanced sideways at Ace.
My nephew finally took a deep breath and looked up at me.
"We were saving for our own ship," he said. "So we could go out to sea."
His voice was steady.
"That's why we kept going to the Terminal. I robbed Bluejam's pirates. Me. Alone. But I didn't know who they were. If I had known, I wouldn't have gone near them."
He swallowed.
"And when they came after Luffy… instead of rescuing him, I told Sabo we had to move the money first. They might have found it."
Sabo dropped to the floor and buried his face in his hands.
"We hid before they arrived," Ace continued quietly. "But Luffy's an idiot. He walked straight into them." His jaw tightened. "And when they asked about me, he started yelling for me to come save him."
Sabo's shoulders trembled.
"But I didn't come out," Ace said. "I didn't do anything. I was scared. There were four of them. And that Porchemy guy had a huge sword. Almost as big as Habanero."
He looked down briefly.
"He's the kind who kills women and children. Sabo and I couldn't beat him."
A pause.
"But after they took Luffy, Sabo followed them to track where they went."
Ace lifted his head again.
"And Luffy didn't tell them where we hid the money. Not once. They kept beating him, and he still didn't say anything." His voice lowered. "So… I decided we had to go back and get him."
For a moment we simply looked at each other.
He knew his guilt.
And I knew the amount of suffering I was about to bring down upon a certain pirate crew.
But I was also proud.
Proud of Luffy.
"We'll talk when I get back," I said finally.
Ace lowered his eyes and nodded.
"Until then," I added, "you are not leaving this house."