Chapter 45: Chaos at Dadan's #45
"Dadan's place should be right ahead," Vice Admiral Garp said as he pushed away the leaves and branches blocking his path. "Dadan and her people might be bandits, but they're a good bunch," he added, halting and smiling as he spotted a decently large, dilapidated shack.
It was a humble dwelling made of wooden planks with a thatched roof, giving it a rustic and rundown appearance. The exterior of Curly Dadan's house was covered in weathered, chipped paint, and it had a crooked, leaning chimney protruding from the roof.
The house's walls were adorned with various makeshift decorations, such as old fishing nets, seashells, and pieces of driftwood, giving it a distinct, haphazard look. The entrance had a simple wooden door with a cracked window and a tattered cloth serving as a makeshift curtain for privacy.
Surrounding the house was a small, unkempt yard with overgrown grass and weeds, scattered tools, and empty barrels.
"Come on, brat," the vice admiral said as he resumed walking. "And remember to be on your best behavior... the two brats already have a ton of bad influence in their lives already," he added, still grinning as he approached the entrance and gave it a light knock.
"It's more likely that your two grandsons would be a bad influence on me," I muttered as I followed behind the admiral, promptly shutting my trap as he gave me a glare that promised pain.
"Who is it?!" came a gruff feminine voice from inside the shed moments after the vice admiral knocked on the door. "I'm telling you right now, whatever it is you're selling, I'm not buying, so you better scra--" said a middle-aged woman with long, curly, orange hair as she opened the door, only to freeze as she locked eyes with Garp.
The woman was tall, slightly taller than me, and she had a broad build that more than filled her white shirt and chequered trousers held up with a wide brown leather belt.
"Hello, Dadan," Garp remarked in greeting as the orange-haired woman opened the door. "Are the brats home?" he asked, looking past her and into the interior of the shack.
"Mr. Garp," the woman said as she put on a forced, nervous smile at the vice admiral's words. "Welcome back," she added, her eyes anxiously shifting as she spoke.
"Luffy and Ace, they... erm," Dadan went on, seemingly hesitant on how to go on, only for inspiration to suddenly dawn on her. "The two brats are training in the forest... I asked them to hunt some game for training," she added with a grin.
"Is that so...?" Garp said, not sounding suspicious or skeptical at Dadan's words. "It's good that you're taking your duties as their guardian so seriously," he added with a satisfied nod as he walked past Dadan and entered her shack without permission, much to her chagrin.
"I guess we'll wait for them inside, then," the vice admiral said as he stopped and turned to me. "Come inside, brat... make yourself at home," he added, and I barely held back a chuckle as I saw Dadan's expression twitch in annoyance and exasperation.
"By the way... this brat's name is Cedric... I brought--" the vice admiral said, pausing halfway through his sentence with a shocked expression as Dadan suddenly threw herself on the ground and gripped the cuffs of his trousers.
"Please, no! Don't give me another one of your terrifying brats to take care of!" Dadan said, tears running down her face like a waterfall. "Ace and Luffy are already driving me to the edge of insanity! I can't take another one! Please!" She went on, blowing her nose on the vice admiral's trousers, much to his bemusement.
"Stop it, you idiot!" Garp said, knocking Dadan on the head, causing her to stop crying and start writhing on the floor, seemingly in despair. "I didn't bring the brat here to stay... I'm taking him with me when I leave..." The vice admiral added, and Dadan's anguished expression instantly turned relieved at his words.
"Oh! Thank you, God! Thank you so much!" Dadan said, her tears of despair instantly turning into ones of joy and relief, prompting the vice admiral to give her another knock on the head.
...
The interior of Curly Dadan's house was cluttered and messy, reflecting the carefree and laid-back nature of the people living within it. The main room seemed to serve as a common area, with a makeshift table and chairs where Dadan and her associates often gathered.
As Cedric sat next to Vice Admiral Garp, enjoying a cup of tea inside the main room, he couldn't help but smile, feeling the cozy atmosphere of the dilapidated shack.
The young man stayed silent and merely enjoyed his tea as the vice admiral questioned Dadan about his grandsons and what they were up to while the bandit chief nervously replied to his questions, lying through her teeth more often than not.
As time passed, more and more of Dadan's followers, or rather her family, returned home, and each of them almost fainted at the sight of the vice admiral leisurely sipping tea and talking to their chief.
Still, Garp didn't seem to care, nor did Cedric. Ultimately, two more hours passed before Luffy and Ace came home, carrying a rather large deer as they entered the main room.
Like the many bandits before them, the two boys instantly froze as they locked eyes with the vice admiral as soon as they stepped into the room, and Ace quickly reacted. "The old man is back, Luffy! I'll hold him back! Hurry up and run!" He said, dropping the deer as he stood between his brother and the vice admiral.
"Is that any way to greet your grandpa, you two imbeciles?!" The vice admiral bellowed, clearly affronted at his grandson's words as he sprang to his feet and lunged at the boys, delivering two fists of love to the top of their heads, respectively.
"You got what's coming to you, you brats," The vice admiral said with a grin as he blew a light breath on his fist and wiped it over his marine coat, satisfied at a job well done. "Now sit down and tell your grandpa what you've been up to," he added, his grin turning into a doting smile as he watched the two boys rub their heads in agony.
...
"You're still talking about being pirates even after what happened to your friend!" Vice Admiral Garp bellowed, delivering one knock to Luffy's head after the other with every word he spoke.
"That's why I always tell you to keep that big mouth of yours shut..." Ace said with a sigh, rubbing his forehead in exasperation as he watched his brother get the beating of a lifetime. "I swear it'll get us both killed one day..." He added, instantly flinching as the vice admiral turned to him with a glare.
"Like you're one to talk, brat! You're his elder brother, but just as much of an idiot!" Garp said as he turned his attention to Ace. "Instead of talking him out of it, you're just encouraging your stupid little brother...!" He added, rolling up his sleeves as he prepared to give him the same treatment.
"You can't bully Ace, grandpa!" Luffy said, spreading his arms wide as he moved to stand between Ace and the vice admiral. "We'll become pirates when we grow up, and you can't stop us!" He added, spreading his arms wide with a resolute expression that only served to fuel Garp's anger.
"You stupid little twerp!" The vice admiral said, stopping his fist one inch away from Luffy's head. "Why can't you be like this little brat here?!" He added as he gestured toward Cedric.
"He's your age, but instead of talking gibberish about becoming a pirate, he wants to join the Marines..." Garp went on, causing the two boys to turn to the blonde young man.
"Our age? Have you grown senile, old man?" Ace blankly said, alternating his gaze between Garp and Cedric. "This guy looks at least thirty..." He added, much to the latter's exasperation as he almost face-planted.
...
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