The day before Roger's execution, it was Garp himself who came to escort him.
Garp arrived at Level Six of Impel Down to retrieve Roger.
One hand was buried in his pocket. The other dragged a bag of rice crackers along the floor, with two bottles of rum hooked casually between his fingers. As he walked, the bottles bumped lightly against each other, producing a dull clinking sound that echoed through the corridor.
"Hey, Roger."
Garp stopped in front of the cell, his voice rough, picking his nose without a shred of ceremony.
"Last day today. Have a drink."
Roger lifted his head, the chains around his wrists clinking softly. He broke into a wide grin.
"Hahahaha! To have the Hero of the Marines personally send me off. What an honor!"
Garp snorted and gestured for the guards to open the cell. The jailer hesitated and glanced toward Magellan nearby. Magellan frowned, then waved his hand.
"Vice Admiral Garp, you have five minutes. Any longer and Fleet Admiral Sengoku will come charging down here himself."
"Yeah, yeah, I know. Let's go, let's go."
The moment the cell door opened, Garp strode inside, tossed the rum and rice crackers onto the floor, and sat down cross-legged. Roger did not hold back at all. He grabbed a bottle, bit off the cork, and tilted his head back for a long swig.
"I want meat," Roger smacked his lips. "I'm about to die and you can't even give me a piece of meat?"
"Quit whining! I want meat too!" Garp glared in the direction Magellan had left. "Rules are rules. He wouldn't let me bring any. Do you know how much trouble I went through just to sneak in these crackers?"
Garp took a drink as well.
They sat in silence for a while. Then Garp spoke abruptly.
"That kid named Reed… he went to the South Blue."
Roger's fingers paused for a split second. Then he burst out laughing.
"Hahahaha! So the brat finally listened?"
"Hey, Roger." Garp spoke again, his voice heavy in the enclosed prison. "That kid went to the South Blue."
The clinking of chains stopped.
Roger threw his head back in laughter, the chain around his neck rattling loudly.
"Hahahaha! I knew he couldn't sit still!"
He turned toward Garp, grinning.
"So? Did he make Sengoku jump through the roof?"
"He didn't go there to play," Garp lowered his voice. "Sengoku already sent people to keep an eye on him. If he dares to act recklessly…"
"He won't," Roger cut in firmly. "That kid knows better than anyone what he should do and what he shouldn't."
Garp shot him a sideways glance. "You really trust him that much."
"Of course," Roger grinned. "He's one of my crew's kids."
Silence stretched for more than ten seconds.
"Hey, Garp." Roger flashed a toothy smile at his old rival. "That look on your face. Don't tell me you're actually sad."
Garp punched Roger on the head.
"Don't get full of yourself! I just regret not beating you with my own hands and throwing you into Impel Down myself! Hmph!"
Roger blinked.
"Hmph. He's not easy to deal with," Garp took another gulp of rum, a hint of helplessness in his voice. "But… you told me Reed promised not to interfere with the execution."
Roger nodded, staring into the endless darkness beyond the cell. "Yeah. If he promised, he'll keep it."
The air between them seemed to freeze, leaving only the sound of liquid sliding down their throats. Garp's fingers unconsciously rubbed against the bottle before he finally spoke in a low voice.
"Roger… do you really have no regrets?"
Roger suddenly laughed, his voice echoing off the stone walls.
"Regret? Hahahaha! Since when did you get so sentimental, Garp?"
He raised his bottle and clinked it hard against Garp's.
"I've lived my life to the fullest!"
Garp glared at that grin with open disdain.
"Bastard! Can't you act scared like a normal person? Even pretending would be fine!"
Roger's smile faded. He let out a rare sigh.
"Garp, one of us is a Marine, the other a pirate. From the day we met, our paths were set. But…"
He lifted his bottle again, a soft light flickering in his eyes.
"Having one last drink with someone like you isn't bad."
Garp turned his face away, his Adam's apple bobbing.
"Don't flatter yourself! I just came to make sure you wouldn't try to escape at the last moment!"
Roger blinked, then leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"Hey, Garp. There's something I've always wanted to ask you."
"What?"
"Reed keeps telling me… that our relationship is pretty famous within the Marines. Is it true they've been spreading rumors about us having a decade-long abusive relationship?"
Garp spat out his rum in one explosive spray, his face turning beet red.
"You bastard! You're about to die and this is the nonsense you care about?!"
Roger slapped his thigh, laughing so hard he doubled over.
"Hahahaha! Your face is priceless!"
Garp's beard bristled with anger, but in the end, he joined the laughter. Their shadows overlapped on the prison wall, as if they had returned to their younger days, chasing each other across the seas.
After a long while, Garp stood up and brushed off imaginary dust from his pants.
"Time's up. I should go."
Moonlight streamed through a small window, blurring the line between them. On one side stood a Marine vice admiral in a crisp coat of justice. On the other sat the Pirate King in a tattered shirt.
"Garp." Roger's voice suddenly dropped. "Ace and Annie…"
"My grandchildren will be taken care of!" Garp cut him off roughly. "And you, bastard, how did you even know you had twins? Tch!"
Under Roger's smiling gaze, Garp turned his face away again.
"…They'll become outstanding Marines."
"Ku hahahaha. Who knows what the future holds." Roger sighed deeply, his chains chiming with the movement.
"Thank you, old friend."
Roger nodded and set the empty bottle aside.
"Yeah. See you tomorrow."
Garp's back paused at the doorway. He did not turn around.
"…Tomorrow, then, Roger."
Suddenly realizing something, Garp grinned, baring shark-like teeth, and roared back at him.
"What do you mean 'see you tomorrow'? I'm here to take you away! Move it, you bastard Roger!"
Garp grabbed Roger's chains and dragged him down the dark corridors of Impel Down. Roger stumbled a few steps but kept smiling lazily.
"Hey, hey, Garp, easy. I'm a sick man."
"Shut up!" Garp roared without looking back. "Say one more word and I'll throw you into the sea to feed the fish!"
Roger shrugged, his gaze sweeping over the savage criminals in the surrounding cells, all silently watching him.
"Hahahaha! Looks like I'm pretty popular. Alright, brothers, I'll be off then. Hahahaha!"
Garp snorted. "Don't get cocky. They're just waiting to see you make a fool of yourself."
"Is that so?" Roger tilted his head, looking toward a cell deep in the darkness, where a pair of crimson eyes stared intently at him. "I think he's kind of interesting. Don't you?"
"Him? Are you out of your mind?!"
Garp did not bother responding further. He simply tightened his grip and picked up the pace.