After venting his emotions, Ritter felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest. The gloom clouding his heart had been swept away by Rouge's gentle, comforting presence. Even though she was still immersed in grief, her warmth radiated like a steady flame.
Couples, honestly...
Calling Moriah, Perona, and Laboon over, Ritter scratched his head awkwardly.
"You guys will need to wait for me here in Water 7 for a while longer. I need to "
Moriah interrupted him before he could finish. "Captain, no need to explain. We all know that if we went with you, it'd attract too much attention. We'd put big sis Rouge in danger."
"Exactly, we totally get it!" Perona added, floating lazily around Ritter.
"La-boon… go… too—" Laboon gently nudged Ritter's hand, his tiny eyes filled with trust and encouragement.
"Then take this time to really train hard," Ritter said with a smile. "Once I return, we'll set sail. I'll leave you with my insights into Armament and Observation Haki. You guys better take it seriously."
With that, Ritter settled down in Windmill Village with Rouge. Just like in the original story, Makino had become the tavern owner there a warm and kindhearted young woman.
He wondered idly if that red-haired kid had ever won her heart. Heh... probably.
Shaking the gossip out of his mind, Ritter, with the village chief's help, rented a small two-story house in the village.
He remembered well that when Garp brought Ace back, he'd left him in the care of a band of mountain bandits. While those bandits had turned out to be decent and responsible people...
That option simply wasn't acceptable now.
Rouge truly saw Ritter as her younger brother, and in return, he was determined to provide her a life of peace and stability.
Bandits were out of the question.
Three days later, a dog-headed Navy warship docked at Windmill Village's harbor.
Ritter was already there, waiting, his appearance restored to its true form.
"Hahaha! Ritter, my boy! Sasiburi da na!" Garp greeted him heartily.
Ritter rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's talk at my place."
Once they arrived at the house, Rouge welcomed them with tea and snacks.
Having already heard from Ritter that Garp was an old friend of Roger's, Rouge bowed her head politely, knowing they'd need to rely on his help going forward.
Ritter stared seriously at Garp. "So, what's your plan?"
Garp clenched his fist and smacked it into his other palm, as if a lightbulb had just lit up above his head.
Ritter's shark-like grin widened. "Only now you think of it? Geez."
Garp roared with laughter. "I'll just say Rouge is my goddaughter! Problem solved, isn't it?"
Ritter didn't share his enthusiasm. "Garp, I appreciate the sentiment, really. But let me ask you something blunt."
Garp paused. "Shoot."
"It might sound harsh, but… are you sure you can stand up to the World Government's shamelessness?"
Garp's smile slowly faded.
He was a Vice Admiral, after all. That meant he couldn't stay in Windmill Village full-time. A suddenly discovered 'daughter' would definitely attract attention from the CP0 agents. Could his reputation really shield them?
With Ritter around, Rouge would no longer take delay-inducing drugs to hide her pregnancy. That meant they couldn't hide forever.
This was the challenge Ritter and Garp now faced head-on.
Garp silently crushed the teacup in his hand. Tea spilled through his fingers as guilt filled his eyes.
Rouge gently set down the teapot and patted his shoulder. "Please, don't blame yourself."
Ritter's voice was sharp and resolute. "I have a plan."
Garp took a deep breath and looked up. "...Let's hear it."
Ritter pulled out a sea chart from his coat and spread it on the table. "The World Government's surveillance is focused on the Grand Line and their bases. The East Blue, ironically, is the safest place of all this is the Navy Hero's homeland, after all."
He pointed to a secluded island near Windmill Village. "Here Mt. Erbo. It's close enough to keep watch, yet isolated enough to hide in plain sight."
Garp frowned. "You want Rouge to live on a mountain?"
"No," Ritter said, shaking his head. "I'll build a small cabin on the mountain as a decoy.
Meanwhile, Rouge will live here in the village, under the identity of 'Maria,' Makino's distant cousin."
Rouge's eyes widened slightly. "But won't that be... risky?"
"The most dangerous place," Ritter smirked, "is often the safest. CP0 will follow the trail to Mt. Erbo, not some tavern in a quiet village."
Garp's role would be to "discover" Mt. Erbo, take a few photos of Rouge "living" there, and then acting as the Navy Hero obliterate half the island.
The reports would say that he'd destroyed the hideout and killed the Pirate King's widow. Ritter would leave behind misleading traces for CP0 to find, but nothing conclusive.
When questioned, Garp would claim he was disgusted by the cruelty of killing a defenseless woman and destroyed the island in a rage. The World Government wouldn't mind. They just needed the appearance of justice.
"Besides," Ritter added, "who's going to believe Roger's wife suddenly had a cousin's brother's uncle's kid running around out here? No one."
He looked squarely at Garp. "Old man, can I trust your brothers-in-arms to stay quiet?"
Garp scratched his chin without answering directly. Then he grinned wide. "You little brat… you've got quite the brain on you!"
Ritter rolled his eyes. "Better than your half-baked 'goddaughter' plan."
That evening, Makino was invited over to hear the plan.
After listening carefully, she nodded without hesitation. "Rouge can stay in the room behind the tavern. It's empty and private."
Rouge took her hand, deeply moved. "Thank you, Makino."
Makino smiled gently. "You're a kind soul, Rouge. I couldn't just stand by and do nothing."
Ritter quietly exhaled in relief. With Makino someone well-liked and trusted in the village backing them up, Rouge's cover would hold.
Three days later, the Navy ship returned. Garp led a squad of Marines on a noisy "search for suspicious individuals" in the village before marching up Mt. Erbo and putting on a dramatic show.
Under his power, half the mountain crumbled into the sea.
"From now on," Garp told Rouge, "you're Maria Makino's cousin. I'll tweak some records and say you arrived a year ago."
Before leaving, he clapped Ritter hard on the back. "Kid, I'll take care of Rouge and the baby. You have my word."
Ritter didn't joke this time. He simply nodded. "I believe you."
Days passed.
As "Maria," Rouge gradually became part of village life, helping Makino in the tavern and becoming known as a gentle and caring woman.
One evening, as the sun dipped low, she gazed at the golden horizon. Ritter leaned against the doorway and handed her a warm glass of milk.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
Rouge smiled softly. "I wonder... will this child love the sea the way his father did?"
Ritter immediately thought of Ace in the original story how he called Whitebeard his old man. With Rouge still alive, would that still happen?
He'd need to keep an eye on that kid. If he started calling random men "dad," Ritter swore he'd demote him on the spot.
After a moment of silence, he muttered, "A captain's kid probably won't be lacking in talent."
Rouge chuckled. "Then I bet Garp will fight to be his instructor."
They both laughed quietly.
"Ritter, it's time for you to go."
Ritter frowned. "Sis, this isn't the time for that."
He had planned to wait until after Rouge gave birth before leaving. It wasn't like Moriah and the others could master Haki overnight.
But Rouge shook her head gently, fingers brushing her slightly swollen belly. "This child... I will protect. But you don't belong here."
Ritter fell silent.
Rouge smiled again, but this time there was a quiet force behind her words. "My husband was a man who chased freedom. He belonged to the sea. And so do you."
She stepped closer and fixed his collar carefully, like a sister sending her brother off. "You have your own adventure. Your own crew. You shouldn't be wasting time in this quiet place."
Ritter's fists clenched. "But if I leave—"
"Garp will visit regularly. Makino will take care of me," Rouge interrupted. "And besides—"
She suddenly grinned mischievously and pulled out a small golden pocket watch.
"This is…?"
"Roger left it for you. I modified it a bit. That bronze shell was ugly as sin. Also, my husband was so secretive about his photos, but the casing? Sloppy as ever."
She winked. "Inside is a piece of my Vivre Card."
Her smile was warm and unwavering. "No matter where you are, as long as you want to come back you'll always be able to find me."
As night fell, Ritter stood alone on the shore, staring at the calm sea.
Rouge had given him the same answer Roger once gave the world.
She didn't want to be his anchor just as Roger didn't want to be the world's.
"Heh…" Ritter let out a low laugh, clutching the watch tightly.
"Seriously... all of you are so damn stubborn."
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