Chapter Text
He left one of the papers on the nightstand, without needing to get up. The curtains were drawn, and he felt far too sleepy to keep drawing, even if it was only mid-afternoon.
Bepo stretched, throwing off the blankets that had been holding him down. The day was boring—just like all the others lately. He glanced around at the things decorating the room, searching for something that might keep his mind busy a little longer, at least until dinner.
He didn’t want to bother the captain by going to his room yet again—he’d been doing that every day, and was only waiting for the moment the captain got tired of him.
That’s not going to happen.
Well, you never knew —Bepo preferred to give him space, knowing the human recharged his energy in solitude, like a stray cat.
A soft breeze drifted in through the window, lifting the curtains. Bepo scratched his head; the cold was beginning to seep through the fortress’s foundations—good for him, but also a sign that the season had changed again.
And they were still there.
He looked up at the calendar hanging on one wall, squinting to make out the date. The month was nearly over, and Bepo knew he still had a few boxes left to mark. Winter would be arriving soon.
He made a mental note to turn on the heating in the captain’s quarters. Maybe this year they could decorate for Christmas, bake cookies in the kitchens, and make hot chocolate at night. Bepo could ask for permission—Doflamingo was so kind—
He shook his head, biting the inside of his cheek.
Doflamingo was the one keeping them locked up. He was the reason the captain had lost everything he had left when they first met on Swallow Island. He was the reason they had been separated from the rest of the crew, and the captain was suffering.
Doflamingo was not kind.
Bepo sighed, letting all the air leave his lungs, and flopped back onto his pillows. Right now, he just wanted to leave and spend a good day with his crewmates. He pulled the blanket over himself, stretching out a paw to grab one of the fallen pencils as well.
Maybe it would be a good idea to keep drawing. He could finish the map of the islands they had already visited without the time limit he usually had on the Polar Tang—while also trying to keep the submarine on course. He glanced at the pages taped to the walls, assessing the missing cartographic details before starting the legend on the sheet in his paws.
He hummed softly, sketching a new frame in the paper’s corner. Inside, he drew the outline of figures with large mallets and prominent horns.
Two giants—Little Garden.
The adventure on the island of the men of Elbaph had been a long time ago. Bepo remembered being just as scared as he was excited when he first saw it from a distance as they surfaced. The creatures were massive—enormous, at the very least—and incredibly strong. The captain had never wanted to fight, ordering a stealth mission to gather whatever provisions they could find before heading to a new island.
While they were collecting fruit, Bepo couldn’t help but marvel at the shapes emerging from between the trees. His heart pounded fiercely, anticipating the rush of adrenaline if he got to see them fight—the sheer force of their blows shaking the air all around.
A primal instinct urged him to join them, to test his strength against theirs for once. But Bepo knew better than to stick his nose into situations that wouldn’t go in his favor—it would only worry his captain if he ended up hurt. Besides, it hadn’t been a full moon for his mink form to emerge.
It hadn’t been a full moon in a long time.
Bepo flexed his claws, staring in disappointment at how short they had become.
In the depths of the sea, inside the Polar Tang, the light of the full moon couldn’t be seen through the thick layers of water that acted as a heavy barrier. The captain would order them to surface at least one night each month so Bepo could transform, burning off the energy he’d built up by swimming and roaring freely.
He’d play with Shachi and Penguin, diving and winning. Ikkaku would test new weapons on him—with the captain’s approval—and they would send him to catch large prey.
It was fun.
Now, Bepo was kept in a windowless room with the captain every month. At first, he hadn’t noticed, since they’d both been in underground cells, too busy tending to the captain’s wounds. But once they were given their own rooms, the routine became obvious.
Maybe he could take down a few captors if he transformed—Bepo had wondered that more than once. Maybe they were afraid of what might happen if they let him see the moon. Maybe that would give them a chance to escape.
Maybe…
Maybe…
Maybe…
Bepo wanted to be stronger.
He covered his face with his paws, feeling the all-too-familiar sting in his eyes.
Bepo heard the soft sound of a door closing at the end of the hallway; a single click echoed through the space. With light steps, he walked comfortably down the long corridor.
He wore no shoes, letting himself feel the chill of the tiles against the pads of his paws, occasionally scraping the walls with his claws, leaving faint marks that someone would soon erase. The sun had begun its descent, its orange light painting colorful waves across the horizon—he took a moment to appreciate the view.
He leaned as far as he could against one of the windows covered with seastone bars, feeling the sea breeze ruffle his fur. The day looked beautiful.
And the captain was in better shape than he had been all week. It was definitely a good day.
Dinner would be served any moment now—the call had already been made—and Bepo couldn’t wait to eat and then sneak into the captain’s quarters. With luck, he’d get him to tell another story before bed—one about Luffy again. Those always made the captain smile more often.
Bepo hummed to himself, standing on tiptoe and pressing his snout between the bars, narrowing his eyes to catch any unusual movement among the waves, hoping for a glimpse of a sea king or a pod of whales.
Would Bepo be lucky enough to befriend one like Luffy had?
He remembered the huge, scar-covered whale that waited at the entrance to the Red Line—after all, the captain had curiously pointed out the open wounds on the animal’s head. Now Bepo knew they were self-inflicted, born from too much heartache while waiting for a group of pirates who had died on their journey to the New World. The story was moving—far too sad for his taste—but if the adventures Luffy had told his captain were true, it was tragically real.
Bepo hoped he could greet the whale once they completed their journey around the world—this time he would… if they managed to get out of here first.
He could ask the captain to retrace their steps, visiting Skypiea and the famous restaurant in East Blue, the island where Gol D. Roger died, and even the triangle where ships vanished. There were so many adventures to be had, great islands to visit, and monsters to face—just like Straw Hat Luffy had done.
Sometimes Bepo wondered if it was all real. If the world truly held so many dangers… or if only the captain—
Luffy was as strong and powerful as a legend—and Bepo wanted to be like that.
To fight a cerberus and tame it, to face creatures thought to be myths, and to discover new ways to leave his mark on the world. To be able to protect his family without failing like he did now.
His ears flattened unconsciously as he stepped back from the window, making his way once more toward the dining hall.
How much of the stories were real?
How much could Bepo ever achieve?
He was locked in a prison in the middle of nowhere, with only his captain and tales that made his imagination soar.
Where was that savior the captain spoke of?
He turned on his heels to take the next hallway, noticing how the voices grew louder the further he went. Soon, servants and soldiers filled the corridors, entering and leaving rooms Bepo had no access to, talking among themselves or walking briskly toward some specific destination.
There were hundreds of faces that seemed to change every day—but Bepo knew they were the same. There were just so many of them that memorizing each one was impossible.
“Move.”
Bepo jumped to the side, dodging the man before his shoulder could slam into him.
“Sorry.”
No reply—only more silence and murmurs from the other strangers.
He tensed, feeling the dull stares of the humans on him. Every day, it was getting worse—he knew it. He couldn’t ignore that fact.
They had treated him much better than the jailers who had guarded the pits where they’d first been confined—still did, technically. But over time, the politeness and even kindness Bepo had once noticed were fading away. They were getting tired of them—not just the soldiers, but everyone.
Blackbeard showed his face periodically, spitting insults at anyone who dared approach him, always looking for fights. Davy Jones and Shiryu too. Bepo could see it on their faces—how the anger kept growing, doubling with each passing second.
He feared Doflamingo might start showing those signs too—weariness, exasperation.
What would happen if everything started to crumble?
What could Bepo do?
Fight?
He clenched his fists, feeling his claws push out slightly.
Could Bepo protect his captain from them?
Rip them apart—more than once he’d dreamed of doing it. Ending a fight with a victory of his own, with the strength to beat them.
Luffy would—Bepo knew—Luffy could take them down without hesitation, without doubting himself the way Bepo did.
If only Bepo had even half his courage…
But how would that end?
How had it ended for Luffy?
Far out of reach, his whereabouts unknown—could they even say he was alive?
“Where is Trafalgar?”
Bepo jerked his head toward the voice. One of the soldiers, wearing the Germa army uniform, had approached him, leaning down to his level—but just as tall as he was—to look him in the eye, hands in his pockets.
“What?” he managed to say.
“Where is Trafalgar?” the soldier repeated slowly, threateningly.
His nostrils flared at the danger. “Why do you want to know?”
“It’s dinner time, idiot.” A growl. “He’s been acting high and mighty lately. Don’t forget you’re prisoners. We can do whatever we want with him, with you. How much longer do you think he can take? We’re getting bored, teddy bear. Trafalgar needs to—”
“Enough, Daiki.” Another soldier approached them, placing a hand on his companion’s shoulder. “They say the young master is arriving any moment now—you know how he gets when his orders are disobeyed.”
"Young master? You sound like one of his dogs," the first man mocked. "Whatever, I wasn’t doing anything against it."
Nothing else was said before the murmurs began to fade, and the silence among the dozens of people became palpable. Tension hung in the air, making Bepo’s fur bristle in warning — his breathing grew shallow as he felt the overwhelming signature of haki spreading far too quickly.
The soldiers snapped into formation, servants lowered their heads, and the sound of Donquixote Doflamingo’s footsteps echoed powerfully through the walls.
"Told you."
Bepo suddenly found himself alone in the middle of the hallway, the two soldiers having dashed toward a corner to join their unit. He felt more exposed than he had in a long time. His captain wasn’t there — no one was by his side — only cold walls, and Doflamingo was approaching with a smile far too wide to be friendly.
He was much taller than Bepo, wearing a coat that made his frame appear even broader — intimidating, radiating waves of fear.
"Well, look what we have here," Doflamingo purred, his voice resonating deep in Bepo’s chest, vibrating like a drum. "Law’s little bear."
Bepo said nothing. His heartbeat pounded in his ears, and thinking was becoming difficult.
With his hands in his pockets, Doflamingo leaned forward until they were face-to-face. "Enjoying your free time? It’s a beautiful day, don’t you think?"
There was nothing friendly in the tone, even if the question pretended to be casual. It was sweet — overly so — but rough and heavy, almost painful to hear.
"Yes," Bepo replied quietly, resisting the urge to cover his ears.
"And Law?" Doflamingo tilted his head, a grin spreading across his lips to reveal perfectly white teeth. "Where’s he hiding today?"
"He’s not hiding," Bepo shot back, almost barking the words.
Doflamingo didn’t seem to care — not about the way Bepo’s claws dug into his own skin to keep himself in check, nor about the rumbling growl building in his throat. On the contrary, every move Bepo made only seemed to feed the man’s mocking amusement.
"Hm..." he hummed, stepping closer and forcing Bepo to retreat to maintain distance. "Is he having a good time... or still wearing that cheap martyr face? Watching him beg was a lot more fun than this. It’s a shame our dear Law is losing his edge."
Bepo’s claws pressed harder into his arms, piercing through his fur and into the first layer of skin. The rush of adrenaline pounded his heartbeat into his skull, his ears, until it felt like it came from every part of his body — mixing with emotions bubbling dangerously close to the surface.
"Funny thing," Doflamingo continued, circling around him like he was inspecting a new specimen — seemingly interested in Bepo for the first time in months. Until now, the man’s attention had been solely on the captain, and more than once Bepo had wished he could redirect those attacks toward himself, give Law some relief — and now, for once, he had it. "He’s treated well, given everything. I’ve made sure of it myself... and yet he acts as if he’s being dragged to the gallows. Humans are so... complicated. They like to suffer for nothing."
"It’s none of your business," Bepo snapped.
He could hear the low murmurs of soldiers. Silence stretched, and adrenaline mixed with fear surged through him.
Bepo could do this.
"Isn’t it?" His outburst was met with laughter. "I think it is. After all, I gave him this life — he belongs to me. Doesn’t matter how much he cries otherwise."
Bepo lifted his head, baring his fangs, ignoring the voice in his mind screaming at him to run. "No."
"And when he accepts it," Doflamingo ignored him, his voice dropped low, slow, savoring each word, "I won’t just settle for the surgery. I’ll take everything... and I’ll make sure he knows exactly who he belongs to while I do it. That dear fruit has too many uses to waste."
Could he do whatever it took to keep the captain safe?
A low growl escaped Bepo, his fur standing on end. "Don’t dare say that about him or you’ll regret it."
"Well… I just did.” Doflamingo’s laugh thundered down the hallway, unrestrained. “What you gonna do about it, champ?"
There was no turning back.