บท 2: Talking

The echo of alarms resonated through the dark corridors of Impel Down, blending with the desperate cries of prisoners and the frantic footsteps of the guards. The brutal Blugori, with their gigantic, hairy bodies and axes in hand, ran through the hallways, trying to contain the chaos that spread through the prison like an unstoppable tsunami.

In the upper levels, an unusual group led by Monkey D. Luffy descended swiftly, fighting anyone who stood in their way. The young pirate, along with his unexpected allies: Buggy the Clown, Mr. 2 Bon Clay, and other freed prisoners, advanced with a single goal in mind: to save Portgas D. Ace.

But in Level Six, the atmosphere was entirely different.

The air in Level Six was thick and heavy with silence, as if the roar of chaos from the upper levels couldn't penetrate the walls of that forgotten pit. Portgas D. Ace sat chained to the cold stone wall, staring at the bars that kept him imprisoned with a mix of resignation and melancholy. Next to him, the imposing Fishman Jimbei remained calm, though the weight of the situation hung heavy on him. In front of them, in an unusually relaxed posture for someone who had been imprisoned for twelve years, Blackthorn D. Alaric toyed with a pair of small gold earrings that he had received during a recent visit.

Alaric examined the earrings with interest, turning them under the dim light of the cell. "Do you think these would look good on me?" he asked, holding one of the earrings up to his ear, looking at himself in a barely reflective metal surface. "I don't want to look sloppy when I escape from here. And of course, it's my duty to look good… how else could I present myself to the most beautiful woman in the world?"

Jimbei frowned, surprised by Alaric's calm demeanor given the current situation. "You're planning to escape? Really? We're in Level Six of Impel Down."

"Dear Jimbei," Alaric replied with an ironic smile, "if I didn't take care of these important details, Hancock would think I'm a mess. Don't you think? Besides, if I'm to present myself to the world again, I must do it with style. Escaping is only a matter of time." Alaric winked, continuing to play with the earring.

Ace let out a brief, bitter laugh without taking his eyes off the ground. "You should focus more on getting out of here than on how you look."

Alaric smiled at him, but his expression changed slightly, becoming more serious. "You're right about something, Ace. It's not just about how I look when I get out… but also about who will help me do it."

Jimbei raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Alaric leaned forward, lowering his voice a bit. "During Hancock's visit, she told me something interesting. Apparently, a young pirate named Monkey D. Luffy has broken into this prison with a single goal: to rescue his brother, who just so happens to be you, Ace. She helped him infiltrate… but on one condition: that, besides saving you, he also frees me."

Ace snapped his head up, shocked by what he had just heard. "Luffy is here?"

"That's right," Alaric said with a broader smile. "That kid's got guts, I'll give him that. And if he's anything like his grandfather, he won't stop at anything to save his family."

Ace, still reeling from the news, let out a disbelieving laugh. "That idiot... always doing whatever he wants without thinking of the consequences."

Jimbei, who had been quietly listening, narrowed his eyes. "So Monkey D. Luffy is your brother?"

Ace nodded slowly, still processing the information. "Yeah... he's my brother. But he shouldn't be here. It's too dangerous."

Alaric leaned back against the wall, satisfied with Ace's reaction. "Too dangerous? Don't underestimate the boy. Hancock told me he's already caused havoc in the upper levels. If he keeps moving at this pace, he'll be here soon. And when he does... that will be our chance."

Ace sighed deeply, as if the risky plan of his brother wasn't enough to ease his own fate. "I don't have much time left. They'll be taking me soon. No matter what happens here, Luffy shouldn't have risked himself."

Jimbei clenched his fists, trying to contain his frustration. "Don't talk like that, Ace! Your brother is here to save you! There's still hope!"

Alaric watched the conversation with his usual calculating look. Something seemed to be brewing in his mind as he played with the earrings. Finally, he broke the silence casually, though his tone was still intriguing. "You know, Ace, I've been thinking about something lately. Your surname, that 'D.'..."

Ace frowned, uncomfortable. "What about it?"

"Well, it's not something you see every day," Alaric continued, spinning the earring between his fingers. "I also carry the 'D.' in my name, and it's always fascinated me. My master, Monkey D. Garp, the 'Hero of the Navy,' always spoke proudly of what it meant to be a 'D.' And over the years, I started noticing little details that caught my attention."

Ace looked at him with a mix of curiosity and skepticism.

"Garp," Alaric continued, "used to make frequent trips to the East Blue. He always visited a small village called Foosha. It was a routine. Every time he came back, he had this paternal smile on his face, like he'd seen something or someone very important to him. And not only that. When I heard the rumors about Gol D. Roger, about his son, I started putting the pieces together. A boy with the 'D.,' protected by Garp... And here you are, in this cell, waiting for your fate."

Jimbei observed the conversation in silence, while Ace kept his gaze fixed on Alaric, with a mixture of anger and resignation. Finally, Ace gritted his teeth. "It doesn't matter what you think. I don't care about Roger. My only father is Whitebeard."

Alaric smiled slightly, though not mockingly, but with a mix of understanding and patience. "I understand your loyalty to Whitebeard. But you can't deny your origins, Ace. I'm not someone who's easily fooled. Gol D. Roger is your father, and Garp has been protecting you for years. I figured it out long before we got to this point."

Ace clenched his fists, irritated. "I don't care what you believe! My father died a long time ago, and soon I will too. Whitebeard is my real father. He's the one who gave me everything."

Jimbei, stunned by Alaric's revelation, looked at Ace with disbelief. "You... you're Roger's son? But, Ace, you never said anything..."

Ace took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "It doesn't matter," he repeated more firmly. "My fate is sealed. I'm not Roger, and I don't want to be. And as for me, my only family is the one I found at sea. Edward Newgate is my father."

Jimbei remained silent, processing what he had just heard. The conversation had taken an unexpected turn, and the reality of the situation weighed even more heavily on them.

Alaric watched as Ace curled in on himself, while he continued to toy with his earrings. "Well, be that as it may, I think everything's going to change soon. And when it does, I have a feeling that you, Ace, will have to make some tough decisions." He finally put one of the earrings on and looked at Jimbei. "What do you think? Stylish, right?"

Jimbei looked up, baffled. "Do you really think now's the time to worry about your appearance?"

Alaric let out a soft laugh. "There's always time to take care of yourself, my friend. Especially if you're going to meet someone special. Besides, if there's a chance to escape, better be ready, don't you think?"

The creak of metal doors interrupted the conversation, and a group of guards entered the cell. Portgas D. Ace looked up, knowing what was coming next. The guards, without saying a word, began releasing him from the chains that kept him bound to the wall. The metallic sound echoed through the cell, breaking the heavy silence that had fallen after Alaric's revelation.

Jimbei took a step forward, but the chains holding him back stopped him. "Ace!"

Ace stood up slowly, giving his cellmates one last look. "There's no point in fighting. My fate is written."

Alaric, always with an ironic smile on his lips, watched him as they led him toward the door. "We'll see each other soon, Ace. Don't forget to take care of yourself. Maybe there's more to live for than you think."

Ace, already with his back turned, paused before leaving through the door. In a softer voice, he said, "Take care of my brother. He shouldn't be here, but with his stubbornness, he'll try to save me to the end."

With those words, he disappeared through the door, heading toward his execution at Marineford, as the atmosphere in Level Six became more dense and oppressive.

Jimbei watched helplessly as Alaric reclined against the wall, his gaze fixed on the void, while his gray eyes shone with an intensity Jimbei hadn't seen before. Just a few days ago, this man seemed like nothing more than a shadow—silent, with a dull look in his eyes, as if he had already accepted his fate. But today, that same man spoke with renewed energy, almost as if he was remembering who he truly was.

Jimbei observed him in silence, intrigued by the change.

"Jimbei," Alaric began, his voice echoing in the dark cell, "have you ever seen someone fight for days and nights with a spear, without rest, without feeling tired, and each battle only made them stronger?"

The Fishman looked at him, frowning. It was a strange question, but not as strange as the way Alaric asked it, as if he was recalling something distant, yet deeply personal.

"And it wasn't just any spear," Alaric continued, now with a slight smile. "It was a black spear, with crimson tones. Every time it pierced an enemy, it seemed to absorb their blood, as if it fed off the battle. The more I fought, the more brutal I became. What started as a weapon in my hands became an extension of my own fury."

Jimbei slowly nodded, realizing what Alaric was doing. He wasn't talking about someone else. He was talking about himself.

"That's why I'm here, in Level Six," Alaric said, with a dry laugh. "Not because they defeated me easily, but because the more I fought, the more I lost myself in that darkness. My thirst for battle grew with each fight, and I became uncontrollable. That's why they didn't leave me on Level Five with the others. They knew that if they ever let me loose, there would be no turning back."

Jimbei listened intently, without saying a word. There was something in Alaric's story that felt strangely familiar to him, and then, Alaric continued, saying something that caught Jimbei's full attention.

"Fisher Tiger," Alaric said, letting the name linger in the air. "I knew him before he became a legend. Before his rebellion in Mariejois. He was an impressive man, and I helped him free those slaves. I don't know if he ever mentioned me to you, but we shared something... a vision. Even though we knew our lives were doomed, there was something greater worth fighting for."

Jimbei nodded slowly, a mix of surprise and understanding on his face. He knew Alaric had been with Fisher Tiger during his rebellion. The story of the slave liberation was well-known, but what he didn't know was the depth of the bond between Alaric and Tiger.

"I was already destined for this prison," Alaric continued, with a melancholic smile. "I knew that sooner or later, I would end up here. It was just a matter of time. But there was something about that rebellion that made me want to sacrifice everything."

Jimbei watched him more closely now. "Why did you do it?" he asked, genuinely interested. "You knew it would lead to your downfall, but you still decided to join him."

Alaric paused before answering. "Because I saw something I had never seen before. I was someone without a family, without a place in the world. An orphan who only knew how to fight. Once, when I was so hungry I thought I'd die, I found a fruit. It was a Mythical Zoan, the Hito Hito no Mi, Model: Ares."

Jimbei's eyes widened in surprise. "A Mythical Zoan?"

"Yes," Alaric replied, his eyes gleaming with the memory. "It gave me an incredible sense for battle, superhuman strength, but also... an insatiable thirst for combat. I couldn't fully control it. The fury, the rage, the thirst for war. Sengoku and my master Garp tried to guide me, but they never truly understood what that fruit did to me. They only saw me as another valuable soldier, someone to send on the most dangerous missions. My only motivation to keep living was to fight, again and again, for the justice I believed in."

Jimbei felt the weight of those words. He had met many fighters in his life, but none like Alaric. The willpower he displayed was impressive, but also dangerous.

"And then," Alaric continued, his tone softening, "I saw the slaves. I saw what the world had done to them. It was on one of my patrols, when we were sent to observe Mariejois. Among all of them, I saw a woman. A slave so beautiful that with just one look, she stole my heart. She was... the only reason I decided to change everything."

Jimbei stared at him. In his heart, he already knew who that woman was. "Hancock?" he whispered.

Alaric nodded slowly. "Her. Boa Hancock. The woman who made me realize that everything I was fighting for was meaningless. Every time I returned from a mission, I would secretly go to see her. She was the only one who brought my sanity back when the influence of my fruit made me lose myself in violence. I knew I was doomed. I knew I would eventually lose control and fall into darkness. So, I decided to sacrifice everything. I helped free the slaves, to give her and her sisters the freedom they longed for."

Jimbei remained silent for a long time, processing everything he had just heard. "So, that's why you joined Fisher Tiger... and that's also why you're here. All for her?"

"All for her," Alaric replied with a sad smile. "She's the only reason I still have a bit of sanity left. And even though I know I'm destined for darkness, I don't regret what I did. At least I was able to give Hancock the freedom she so desperately wanted."

Alaric remained quiet for a few moments, letting his story hang in the air of the cell. Jimbei, still processing everything he had heard, looked at him with a mix of respect and awe. Alaric, who had always been so reserved and calculating, had just opened up in a way Jimbei hadn't expected.

Finally, Alaric broke the silence. In a softer, less ironic tone than usual, he said, "Thank you, Jimbei."

The Fishman looked up, surprised by the sincerity in Alaric's voice. It wasn't often that someone in Impel Down thanked anyone for anything.

"Thank you for listening to my story," Alaric continued, his gray eyes locking with Jimbei's. "It's rare to find someone willing to listen, especially in a place like this. I don't usually talk about myself... but sometimes, it's necessary to remember who I was, and maybe, who I still am."

Jimbei nodded slowly, understanding the weight of those words. "We all carry our own burdens," he replied softly. "And sometimes, sharing them with someone else is the only thing that keeps us sane."

Alaric smiled faintly, a tired but genuine smile. "Yeah... maybe that's true. I can't change what I've done, or who I am. But hearing myself say it out loud... reminds me that there's still a bit of humanity left in me. Even if it's just a little."

"You have more humanity than you think, Alaric. What you did for Hancock and her sisters, for the slaves... that's not something someone who's completely lost their way would do."

Alaric crossed his arms, as if trying to shield himself from those words, but he couldn't stop a slight glimmer of emotion from crossing his gray eyes. "Maybe you're right... or maybe I'm just a warrior who chose his final battle. Either way, I wouldn't change what I did."

The two remained silent for a moment, sharing a tacit understanding of their respective struggles and what it meant to survive in such a ruthless world.

"Well," Alaric added in his usual ironic tone, though with less harshness, "if there's one positive thing about this prison, it's that I've had time to think. And even though my future isn't bright, at least I can say I did the right thing, even if it brought me here."

Jimbei nodded, looking at him with respect. "Not everyone can say the same."

Alaric smiled once more, this time more sincerely. "Thanks, Jimbei. Really. In a place like this, it's easy to forget there's still something worth fighting for."