Chapter Zero: The Tale of Genji
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High up in the clouds, far from the insanity that was the Blue Sea down below, was where Shiki finally retired. The view was amazing up in the sky with nothing but birds and clouds to accompany him. The sound of the wind and the cries of seagulls brought him back and allowed him to reminisce on days gone by.
Don't get him wrong, he was still very much a pirate at heart but without Roger, the seas weren't that interesting. He could have conquered the world but was it even worth it if he had no equal to gloat at? Life was interesting when Roger was around because that man brought out the best in him. He had a dream and that was to wipe the smile off that infuriating mug of his rival but the fucking Marines of all people took that dream away from him.
It wasn't he, Shiki the Flying Pirate that killed Roger, but two faceless men whose sole task was to execute the Pirate King in the weakest sea. It was insulting and down right infuriating that they didn't even have Garp kill him or even one of those rising stars like that mad dog or that cold mother fucker. No, they had to give his rival the most ignoble of deaths and that didn't sit right with him. He took that personally and with that, he'd made the dumbest and most boneheaded move he could have done. Stupid as it may have been, he'd still done it but at least it was over; it'd been twenty years if he remembered correctly.
He scratched his knees while he sat on the edge of the wall surrounding the deck of his ship, "Damn harness' itchy as hell. I miss them being buried in my legs," He grumbled out as he chewed on the butt of his cigar while he fiddled the leather straps holding his swords in place. He tightened them back up as soon as he had a good scratch.
"And have you die from infection of all things?" Called out the voice of a young man behind him as the clacking of wooden geta hitting the stone deck filled his ear. He glanced towards his back before grinning at the spitting image of himself staring back at him, if only a bit younger, taller, and with slightly softer features.
The young man grinned back as he tossed him a gourd of sake. A mere tap was all he needed to stop it from tumbling down to the ten thousand foot drop ahead. It floated beside him as the young man took a seat to his left. Shiki came prepared as he pulled out two cups just for the occasion. He opened up the bottle and took a whiff before pouring himself a cup. The restrained scent of the clear sake was a treat all on its own.
"Better it itchy than that. Also, didn't I tell you to knock off the cigars? There's a god damn reason your hairline receded." The young man scolded, making him frown as he let out a puff of the harsh acrid smoke. With a heavy sigh, he pulled the cigar off his mouth before tossing it off the edge.
"Does everything good in this world come at a cost?" He lamented out loud, much to the annoyance of the young man as he rolled his eyes at him; cheeky brat. Shiki ran his hair on his thinned, but still luxurious mane of hair. He had bald spots but nothing like having a clear dome atop his head. He was way too old to have his head look like it was shaved.
"Not everything, you can enjoy things in moderation but not cigars. I swear, fucking cancer sticks." The golden haired youth shook his head. Shiki found him too much of a worrywart but that was a good thing considering their profession. Caution was something you couldn't have an overabundance off especially in the high seas.
Shiki tossed the man the other cup before he offered to pour him a drink. The younger man took the offer as he held out the cup with both hands, making sure that he gave him a generous amount before setting the bottle down between them. The boy took his time savoring the scent of his drink before he downed it all down. He offered to give his companion a refill but he simply shook his head as he set his cup down by his side, which had Shiki quirk an eyebrow at. Good sake and not in the drinking mood? Must be something special then.
"So, what brings you to your old man? Nothing as frivolous that trip we had to Skypiea, I hope." He asked as he teased his son on that particular adventure. He gazed up to look at the jagged blacked scar running up and down the trunk of the main mast; the trip had been well worth it.
His son laughed, accepting the ribbing sent his way in good nature as he shook his head before replying, "No, nothing of that kind. I'm just here to say my goodbyes."
Shiki was just about to pour himself another cup when his son dropped that particular bombshell. He glanced back towards his son and noticed the armor he wore on top of his rugged clothing as well as the particular nodachi he had strapped to his back. The boy was serious and he was kitted out for a trip out even in the harshest of weather.
Allowing himself another cup before placing back the cork of the bottle, he gave him his answer, "No, I refuse," Shiki downed the cup and savored its clean and refreshing flavor going down his throat. The only thing missing was some sashimi and he'd have a wonderful time, but not everyone can have everything he supposed.
"Oh come on! I thought you said I was ready," The boy grumbled out as he shook his head in dismay. As much as he might complain, Shiki refused to budge.
"You're still what? Like 16 years old?" He argued, refusing to acknowledge his son's age as he went on his usual spiel, "I'd be an irresponsible parent if I let you on your own at such a young age. Genji, you're my heir, be reasonable here," He stressed out. Shiki had a shitty upbringing and he refused to have his own blood experience it. Making them tough his ass, that was just people's excuse for not being responsible with their own children. One's son or daughter can grow up tough so long as one has a firm but steady hand in rearing them.
"I'm 21 you jackass," Genji shot back and the grin on Shiki's face grew larger. He barked out a laugh as he grabbed the bottle of sake and slipped it in his tattered cloak. He was going to keep this and enjoy it later when his son wasn't around to scold him.
"Eh, way too young. Come back to me when you're a year older," Shiki waved him off as he stuck his pinky in his ears to clean it. He could have said it better and more diplomatically but what was the fun in that? Especially when his son hated being told off.
"You said that last year as well," Genji gritted out through clenched teeth, reminding Shiki of the incident they had last year.
"And I proved you weren't ready when I beat the ever loving crap out of you," Shiki reminded his wayward son as he gazed at him with hardened eyes. The flock of seagulls passing by froze up before they passed out and plummeted down to the clouds below.
"That was last year and you're a year older you rat bastard," Genji met him as his equal as he refused to back down on his own.
"Oho? Looking for a repeat of last year?" Shiki asked as he got up from his perch and rolled his shoulder to limber up. He kicked his feet a bit, letting the sword cut through rock to remind his son who he was facing but he remained unphased as he got up and unslung his own sheathed blade.
"I'm looking for a reversal, this year," His son cockily replied as he walked up to the center of the deck where there was enough space for them to have their little spar.
"Bring it on brat. You're a hundred years too young to beat me!" Shiki snorted in amusement as he followed along, letting him have his moment. He stood there at the center with his boy with only a few dozen paces separating them both. With hands outstretched, he taunted him and dared him to strike him down, "Well, is that all bark and no bite?"
Before he could even think, Shiki bent backwards as the sheathed blade of Genjis's nodachi sailed just above his nose. His bones creaked but he ignored it as he retaliated flipping away from him, letting his twin swords strike upwards. Genji proved just how much faster and youthful he was as he dodged the strike.
"Is that all you got!?" He shouted as he launched himself back at his boy and began their deadly dance. They struck each other but both of them refused to parry the other's strikes as they danced around the flashing blades. His muscle ached at the effort but he could comfortably keep up. He kept low to the ground, grabbing as many things as he could before he made his move.
"Fancy tricks you have there, but unless you have something else, ain't nothing will help you now," Shiki yawned as he had enough. He jumped back and floated away and hovered just out of the boys jump. Shiki gestured down on nearby cannonballs and they started floating upwards. He had the superior attacking angle and his son had no gun on him.
"You haven't seen anything yet!" The youth fired back as Shiki started pelting him with shots. The boy struck out with his sheathed blade, shattering the wrought iron spheres that he couldn't dodge before he did something Shiki only saw the members of a particular government do before; the boy was walking on air. Shiki's eyes widened as the boy started rising up, jumping on top of the things he was throwing down.
His brow twitched as he stopped his barrage and had the leftovers orbit around him, opting to use his pistol instead to attack but his son just proved to be full of surprises. The moment he reached the last cannonball, he jumped off it before he started rising in the air on his own with quick light steps. For a second there, he thought he was kicking rapidly but no, he was merely stepping on air.
Shiki laughed out loudly as his son joined him in the air. Shiki would quickly find that the skies were no longer just his to command as Genji proved himself capable of rising up to meet him eye to eye, "Well I'll be damned, you actually did it!" he cried out in joy as he lashed out at his son with a kick to the face.
"Didn't I tell you to never underestimate me, old man?" His boy laughed out as he parried his strike, pushing him off balance just as a fist came to meet his jaw. Shiki was rattled by the punch but he was made of sterner stuff. He amped up the ante, striking at him with almost indiscriminate fury while tossing in stuff to keep him occupied but the little shit was dodging every attempt he made. Curve balls were sidestepped, boomerangs were ducked under, and attacks from above and below were dodged by jumping to the side and the boy kept on coming. They fought with barely any pause as the sun traveled across the clear blue sky.
The boy was keeping his strikes economical, jabbing at his stomach to drive out the wind out of his lungs whenever the opportunity came up as well as bearing down on him with his weight. The boy was sapping his stamina and he damn well knew it. Shiki was starting to sweat from the effort of having to fight for so long. The sun was starting to set and they had been at it for fucking hours.
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"Getting tired old man? You know you can give up," His son taunted him as he bounced around, fresh as daisies while he floated there panting like a geriatric. He really should stop with the cigars like his son recommended him. He shouldn't have been this tired but there he was, sweating like a pig as well.
"I'm merely getting warmed up," He growled out as he launched himself at his boy one last time but his vision doubled and his son smiled. His eyes widened as he found his limbs feeling like lead and his body feeling like it was holding up the weight of the world. He couldn't move and he was powerless to stop his son from finally striking him down. As soon as his son unsheathed his sword, he knew it was over. All he could was brace for impact as his son made his strike.
Blinding pain ripped through his body as the blade connected. It was over in an instant and the next thing he knew, he was inside a small crater in the middle of the deck of his ship. Stone crumbled around him as he tried to force himself up but he could not muster the strength to do so. The large diagonal wound from shoulder to hip did not help but it wasn't as bad as it looked. It barely cut through the skin and the problem he faced now was his sudden lack of strength.
He cursed out as he collapsed back on the crater. He ran his tongue against his teeth and found it numb to pain. "Clever little shit," he cursed out at the tell tale sign of some form of mild paralytic. No wonder the boy chose to drag out the fight.
"Fucking finally and stay down!" His son shouted as he landed with a heavy thud. The boy flicked the blood of his sword before sheathing it. He walked up to him, guarded and with his hands on his weapon despite the state which Shiki found himself in.
"Fuck it, I give." Shiki groaned out as he decided to simply lay there and find a far more comfortable position. He might have been weakened but he could still move.
"Wait, just like that?" The boy asked skeptically and Shiki couldn't help but roll his eyes at him. So melodramatic this one, he blamed the boy's mother for this.
"Fucking hell boy, I know when I'm beat, now help up your old man." He shouted in irritation. He really wanted to get out of this crater because of all the sharp jagged rocks poking his poor back. The boy finally relaxed as his shoulder sagged and his grip left that of his weapon so he could better help Shiki up.
"That is going to leave a mark," He commented as he looked down at the scar his son gave him.
"I'll go call Indigo," Genji offered as he set him down atop an upturned box of cannon balls. He was pulling out a snail dial but Shiki shook it off, refusing to call the doctor when everyone heard their fight.
"Nah, no need. He heard the commotion, he's coming. Just help me tie this up," Shiki shook his head at that as he shakily tore off a piece of his ruined coat. He grimaced at the sound of silk tearing; he really liked this coat but it was well worth the price for what his son managed to achieve today.
He extended his hand and his son gave him the vial of antidote he had along with a bottle of sweetened orange juice, "It'll help you down the damn thing," His son said with a grimace and he barked out a laugh at that. For a boy who had yet to eat his own devil fruit, he sure was cock sure that the liquid inside the vial was vile. He popped off the cork before down it. It was damn bitter but not bad. He only drank the orange juice to help with the shaking.
He sat there as his son started to bandage him with the torn fabric. He stared down at his hand as he clenched and unclenched them without any sign of fatigue. The method he used might have been underhand, but they were god damn pirates and wasn't that poison effective. He didn't even notice it until after the effects started to hit. Insidious little thing, he'd be sure to make use of it in the future.
They sat there in silence as the bleeding was stemmed. Just him and his son as they watched the sunset together. For the first time in so many years, he was beaten and what he felt now lifted the weight bearing down on his shoulder. Twenty years was not spent in vain.
"This brings me back," He sighed out as he reminisced of times long past, of times when he and his rival butted heads with him usually being on the losing end.
"Memories of your gay lover?" His son mouthed off, making him cuff the boy in the back in the head in turn. This boy and his filthy mind, was the youth of this day and age this crude with their humor?
"Oh fuck off you shrimp. Roger had a wife and a child while I have you. I'm more a man than you'll ever be, I fucked your mom!" He hollered out laughing making the boy palm his face. Hah! Two can play at the game he was doing.
"God fucking damn it. That was bad and you should feel bad," The boy snorted out as he looked away with a small smile on his face. Shiki sighed out fondly as he reached out and gave the boy a pat on the back.
"Heh," He snickered out as he reached up for his son's shoulder and gave them a squeeze. The boy turned and looked back at him. Even as a grown man, Shiki couldn't help but see the same old boy that barely reached up to his knees with those old wizened eyes but… the scar on his chest showed him that he was more than just his son now, he had become a man and he was here to see it for himself. "Son, I'm proud of you," He whispered out with a proud smile stretching across his face.
The boy looked at him with surprise before he smiled back and shook his head, "You goddamn sentimental man... Thanks Dad," he replied.
Shiki laughed as he pulled his boy close to his chest, making the smaller man cry out in annoyance, "Now come here and give your old man a hug!" He howled out in laughter as Genji tried to push him off but he underestimated the strength he possessed. He held onto the boy as he ruffled the golden mane atop the youths head. He might be a grown man now but he'd never be too old for a hug from his old man.
"Oh come on! You're covered in blood, It's going to be a pain to wash off my clothes!" The boy protested but Shiki refused to let go. Finally, his son relented and stopped struggling. "… oh fuck it fine," He sighed out as before he finally let him go.
"Raising you was the best plan I ever had. You're the best son a man could hope for," He declared proudly as he stood up with his hands firmly gripping the boy's wrist. The boy looked at him in confusion as he dragged the boy up from his seat and off to the bow of his mighty ship.
"Dad…you're crushing my arm… Dad?" The boy called out in confusion as bewilderment gave way to panic. He tried to pry off the grip he had on his arm but he held on to him with all his strength. He shook his head at how his son failed to notice his plan. He was still young but he'd learn and now he was to impart him an important piece of wisdom.
"Now let this old man give you one last piece of advice," He shouted through the howling wind as the ship plowed into the jetstream up ahead. The ship lurched forward making the boy stumble as he dragged him atop the golden lion head. With him unbalanced, he pulled, bringing the boy above his head as he looked down at the ground shrouded by the clouds below; just as planned, "It ain't over till it's fucking over!" He declared as he tossed him off his ship.
"Mother fucker!" The boy cursed out as his very clothes dragged him down to the ground below. The boy rocketed away, quickly becoming a speck until he couldn't make him out. He laughed out maniacally as he watched the boy disappear from view.
"I'll toss a ship down with your things later! Just survive the landing," He shouted, he was crazy and cruel, yes, but he wasn't a bad father. He would not deprive his son the tools he had intended to use in this journey of his. He also wouldn't toss him somewhere he couldn't survive. The boy would thank him later once he got out of the trouble he'd most certainly land in both figuratively and literally.
Right on cue, the squeaky shoes of his doctor and head scientist could be heard from a distance. He turned and watched as the blue haired clown waddled up to him with a medical kit held atop his head. "Captain! I heard the commotion, is the young master in need of medical assistance?" The man asked as he looked for his son.
"Nah, he's fine. I'm the one that actually needs it." He waved off his concerns before gesturing down on his chest. As good as the blood soaked bandages were in keeping him from bleeding out and staining the deck any further, he'd rather have clean bandages on.
"Wait, he finally did it?" The good doctor sputtered out in surprise as he boggled at the large wound he now sported.
"And I couldn't be any prouder," He declared, a wound of this caliber was something to be celebrated. A shame that he wouldn't be drinking the sake given to him.
"It's finally time, I'll call the crew." The man excitedly whispered as he turned and was about to bolt off. Shiki grabbed the man before he could alert the fleet of their impending sortie back into the Blue Sea below. It was time but he had some plans before committing to that plan.
"Not quite yet. I just need to see what my son will do there. He might not know his role but I've been waiting for twenty long years for this day. Let's see just how much chaos my boy will bring." He told the man before letting him go.
He turned around and walked back to the prow of his ship and savored the salty scent of the sea brought up by the updraft. Today was a special day for today was the day that his son finally set out on his own. The Age of Pirates might have long since started when he and Roger set out to sea but it'll just be as exciting as before, now that his boy was there to mess things up. He spread his arms wide as he grinned out wide.
"Look out Sengoku! My heir has finally arrived! Shihahahah!" He shouted into the wind as the ship plowed ahead with the sun behind its back.
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A/N:
Welp, I just noticed that this was popular enough in my snippet page so let me give this its own thread. It's definitely fun having Shiki be a good father who was always there for his son unlike Aces. It kinda mirrors Shiki and Roger quite well. I do have two places I could have him land. One would involve him fighting for his life and one would be him fighting to give someone a good life. White or black, I wonder who'd be more fun. There are other choices but those two I have in mind is definitely at the top.