Chapter 38

Gold Roger Declared King of the Pirates!

Marshall looked at the headline, absently paying the familiar News Coo as dread welled in his stomach, the albatross looking concerned as it looked between him and the paper.

Caw?

"Huh? I'm fine, it's just...something is going to happen soon, something I wish I had more time to prepare for. I didn't want things to end so soon..."

Caw-caw?

"All good things must come to an end..."

Ca-caw...

"...I'll miss them..."

He and the bird shared a brief moment of silence, the albatross resting a sympathetic wing on his shoulder. Eventually, as if by unspoken agreement, the two parted, Marshall straightening from where he was leaning on the rail and the News Coo taking flight. "Fly safe!" He called out, lifting a hand in a brief wave.

Caw!

You too, the bird's parting cry seemed to say.

Oh, how he wished that was an option, Marshall sighed, leaving the paper on the railing but taking the bounties as he turned to head back to his quarters. The countdown to the end was starting, and he could hear the sand pouring threw the hourglass already. Dark clouds were forming on the horizon, roars of thunder ringing out in warning.

There was a storm coming.

As if on cue, Chuckles began to ring.

The moment he announced that he was heading off alone to meet Rouge, his crew erupted with exclamations of surprise and questioning shouts. He'd expected such a reaction, but it still took a minute before he got them to quiet down enough for him to explain, "Rouge called, she has something important to tell me and doesn't want to deal with you guys or her own crew eavesdropping,"

Which they would and they knew it, Zarazan and Cino included, not one of them having the decency to look sheepish at being called out.

"You guys can go meet up with Rouge's crew or split up to have fun, I don't care as long as Coddi isn't damaged." He said, rolling his eyes at the excited looks they exchanged at his words. "I'll head out when we reach the next island in a few days, so try and restrain yourselves until then."

Another exchange of glances, followed by pointed silence and mischievous grins.

Marshall sighed.

Miraculously his crew did behave themselves on the way to the island, meanwhile he found himself wound tighter than a bowstring stretched to the breaking point. He had a sneaking suspicion he knew what Rouge was so excited to tell him that she'd barely managed to get out the request to meet in person.

He had the name of the island Rouge wanted to meet on; if his calculations were right, he should be able to get there within a week even taking into account possible detours.

Tilting his hat down to hide his face as he heard the calls of farewell behind him, he sent his crew a backwards wave as he walked off, bag slung over his shoulder.

If his eyes were wet, well, no one could see it beneath the shadow of his hat.

Two days and one island later, he found himself staring at the rowboat bobbing beside the dock, untied and just big enough for him to stretch out, Marshall sighed. "Looks like I've come full circle, huh..."

Oh, why not? He'd started out his journey in a boat just like this one, seemed fitting to set out on the end of it in one too. Shrugging, he climbed into the boat, checked his Log Pose and grabbed the oars, pushing away from the dock and out to open sea.

It took a full week of travel to reach the island his sister had chosen for a meeting place, and by the time he tied his new rowboat to the dock he was freshly shaved and felt ready to face what Rouge had to tell him.

Rouge was sitting at a table outside a small cafe overlooking the beach when he found her, and he smiled as her face lit up. "Marshall! You made it!" She cheered, jumping up and throwing her arms around him in a hug that he happily returned. He sat down across from her after the hug ended, more relaxed than he'd been since he'd seen that headline. There was already a glass of tea waiting for him, and when he took a curious sip he tasted a hint of something fruity. Not bad.

"I didn't expect you to pick a place like this to meet," he commented, waving his hand to indicate the cafe, the idyllic village, the island itself.

"I know! Isn't it awesome? I actually found this place completely by accident!"

'This place' being one of the many islands in the Plaeides Archipelago, a collection of small, sparsely populated islands in the New World just a short jaunt across the Calm Belt away from the South Blue (the significance of which was not lost on him).

"Seems pretty peaceful," he noted, adding. "Tea's good too."

"It is!" Rouge said cheerfully, taking a sip of her own drink and letting out a happy sigh. "Thanks for coming so quickly; the latest ghost story has the Coddi near Erebas Island so I wasn't expecting you for at least another couple days."

Shooting her a disbelieving look, he looked pointedly at his glass of tea and then back at Rouge who just grinned and said, "wistful thinking," as the two of them shared a laugh, teeth bared in wide grins. As they caught their breath Rouge's eyes met his, the look in them a mix of uncertainty and excitement. Fidgeting in her seat, his sister was practically vibrating as her excitement overshadowed her trepidation and she blurted out, "I'm pregnant!"

The world stopped, or at least it seemed to as Marshall looked at the beaming smile on Rouge's face. His mind went blank, thoughts dissolving into static as the sound of blood rushing through his ears became all he could hear.

It was happening.

In his mind, the countdown reached zero. Canon loomed like a tidal wave, poised to send them all to the Locker as Rouge continued to smile, oblivious to the storm her announcement would unleash on the world.

Roger's execution. The Golden Age of Piracy. The hunt for the Pirate King's child. Baterilla.

Hidden beneath the table, one hand curled into a tight fist. Like hell he was going to let that massacre happen!

"-shall! Marshall!" Rouge's voice startled him out of his thoughts, causing him to blink and look up to see the concerned look on her face as she asked, "are you okay?"

Mustering up a smile, he waved away the question as he replied, "yeah, I'm good, just had trouble wrapping my head around the idea that Roger finally got a clue and swept you off your feet." Rouge's worried look melted away, leaving behind a radiant smile as she giggled. Reaching across the table, he put his hand over his sister's and met her eyes as he smiled, saying honestly, "I'm happy for you."

Slotting their fingers together, Rouge smiled back, teasing gently, "aren't you a doting uncle already?"

"Seas yes, how else will I keep the kid from turning out as oblivious as his father?" He shot back without missing a beat.

Rouge outright cackled.

"So we actually have some names picked out already," Rouge told him after her laughter subsided.

Already having a feeling what he was about to hear, Marshall nonetheless put on a curious face as he asked, "so soon?"

The blonde woman nodded, "yup! We decided on Ann if it's a girl, Ace if it's a boy. What do you think?" Underneath the seemingly casual question was a thread of nervousness.

What answer could he give other than, "they're both great names,"

His sister let out a relieved sigh, the last bit of trepidation appearing to leave her with the sound, the space left behind filled by joy as she straightened and immediately began telling him about the various ideas she had and plans she was making, unaware that with every word his heart was breaking. The hope in her voice was nearly his undoing, and it was as Rouge was talking about all the stories she'd tell her baby that the idea came to him.

Pulling his recording dial out of his coat, he interrupted.

"Hey Rouge, I had an idea..."

"So, where are you heading now? Back to your crew?" Marshall asked as they walked down the beach a few hours later, the sun setting and painting the horizon bright red.

"Nah, I figure I'd head back to Baterilla and share the good news. I've got family there and that means that they're going to be the kid's family too, you know?" Rouge rambled, practically skipping to keep up with his longer strides that he lengthened purely to see her grumble and pout, the expression fading into giggles when he laughed at her.

Stopping and turning on his heel so he stood in front of her, he pulled his sister into a hug, lifting her off her feet. "If you need any help, just call." He said into her hair, and he could hear the smile in her voice as she replied, her arms coming up to wrap around his neck.

"I will."