Title: Beginning of Our End

Theme: #1 - Ghost

Claim: Whitebeard/Marco

Words: 267 words

Rating: K

Warning: Angst, spoiler for you-know-what in Marineford.

Disclaimer: Eichiiro Oda

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How far we could slither down in this slippery slope, Daddy? It was as seemed that we had reached our end. Had we lost not only countless brothers and two commanders… but also a captain and a dear father.

What would be good the Whitebeard Pirates without Whitebeard as our captain?

Ghost of the past, no longer was haunting me. Fifteen years of sorrow had easily replaced by three decades of happiness under your custody. As far as I could remember, you were always been there. You raised me to be strong, Daddy. Not to take your position when you could no longer be around, but to protect of what it left. Your other sons, my brothers. The Whitebeard Pirates.

But this… This was just too much. Soothe me, Daddy, I was hurt. Hold me. It was so much hurt I no longer could bear. It wasn't my wounds. They'd healed quick. It neither was your death —no, you would be very angry to me if I do so. No, I did not want that.

It was the fact that we were falling apart.

One by one, not very long after we mourned over your death, my brothers had take their leave. One by one, they resigned from our family, seeing that it was pointless to follow the captain-less pirate fleet. I was angry. Had they forgotten your sacrifice so they could live and free? But… I was also sad. I was disappointed to myself.

I couldn't do anything to prevent us from falling apart.

If you were present, would you be disappointed to me too?