Sabo and Robin arrived at Amazon Lily without much trouble, the Calm Belt's namesake weather downright boring after the random insanity of the Grand Line. They tag teamed the single Sea King that attacked their ship with surprising ease; even an enormous monster would be distracted by a dozen hands smacking it in the eye.
Their docking did not go as smoothly, however. As Sabo disembarked with his things, using the ladder draped conveniently over the cliff face, he was besieged by several panicked Heart Pirates demanding to know who they were.
"Do you even understand where you are? Shit, you're gonna bring the Amazons down on us! We're here with special permission and we can't even leave our camp."
"Calm yourself, mister. We know exactly where we are and have a perfectly good reason for being here." Sabo gestured to the woman who'd scaled the cliff to stand beside him. "And I doubt my companion will be much of a problem."
The pirate gripping Sabo by the collar relaxed a little, though the revolutionary assumed it had more to do with their ship hauling anchor and rowing away like the devil himself was on their asses than Robin being female.
"Good luck with Straw Hat!" the captain shouted. Sabo raised a hand in acknowledgment.
"Straw Hat?" Abruptly, the pirate shivered. "Whatever you want with that guy is impossible. Last we saw of him, he was tearing through the jungle like a rabid animal."
"He's awake?" Sabo seized the other man's shoulders and shook him roughly. Damn it, he and Robin were hoping to get here before that happened! If Luffy had seen their faces first thing after opening his eyes it may have been enough to put a stop to any immediate extreme reaction. But now the entire situation had become more complicated than Sabo anticipated.
"Look," he barked urgently. They were running out of time, and he needed a new plan. "I'm Luffy's brother, and this is Nico Robin, one of his nakama. We can help but you have to tell us exactly what's going on!"
The pirate gazed at them for a long moment, brow furrowed and deeply suspicious. "The woman is kinda familiar…but you - you can't possibly be Straw Hat's brother. We're in this mess because Portgas was killed."
As if in response a high, keening wail echoed between the trees. A flock of birds fled their branches as goose bumps erupted across Sabo's arms, and he felt nails digging into his bicep where Robin had grabbed him instinctively. She stared, stricken, towards the place their friend was suffering. A potent mixture of anger, fear, and protectiveness seared Sabo's heart.
"Get out of the way," Sabo growled, "or we'll beat you down."
"There's ten of us and two a' you. You're not gonna win this." The swarm of pirates drew their swords almost as one. Sabo reached beneath the back of his jacket to retrieve his own weapon. Any other time he wouldn't bother beating punks like these with anything but his fists, but right now he wanted to end it as quickly as possible.
"I suggest you comply with Sabo-san's request," Robin said, crossing her hands over her chest in a pose with which Sabo was quickly becoming familiar. "For your own sakes."
Though the group shuffled back warily when Robin sprouted two new pairs of arms in a display of power, they held their ground with audacity despite knowing they were outclassed. Sabo crouched in preparation.
"Wait!" A man Sabo recognized as Trafalgar Law, captain of the pirates he was two seconds away from beating the crap out of, stood close by. Abruptly, Sabo cared about only one thing: the straw hat Law was carrying.
"Oi, give me that hat." Sabo dropped his fighting stance and started towards the pirate holding Luffy's treasure. He trusted Robin to twist the heads off of anyone who tried attacking him.
"Red Hair Shanks himself saved it from the battlefield," Law said, running his fingers across the straw's delicate weave. "One of the strongest men in the world stopped to pick up a battered old hat. Is it really so precious?"
"It decorates Luffy's Jolly Roger for a reason."
"Oh? If it's so important, why give it to you? As Mr. Straw Hat's nakama Nico Robin would be the better choice."
"Give it to Robin if you like; but as I said, I'm his older brother."
"And the Pirate King's son?"
Sabo grabbed Law's wrist. It took a great deal of self-control not to break it. "Ace was my brother too."
The doctor held Sabo's gaze, and he glared back fiercely, irate and unsure why the guy was so interested in Luffy to begin with.
"I see." Law tugged at the grip Sabo had on him. "If you'll release me, you and Nico Robin can be on your way." He pointed at the destroyed portion of the makeshift wall erected by the amazons, where Luffy had charged through in blind grief, offering up the straw hat in his other hand.
Sabo snatched it away and strode through the gaping hole without looking back, but Robin stayed where she was, waving a hand to urge Sabo on.
"I will be along shortly, Sabo-san. There is something I would like to ask the doctor first."
"Just hurry." He pushed his way through a bunch of fern-like plants and disappeared from view.
"Now then, Doctor-san." Robin leveled Law with a look that made lesser men cower. "I'd be grateful if you'd tell me the seriousness of my captain's condition."
The Dark Doctor sighed to himself and wished it wasn't always bad news.
Finding Luffy was easy. Sabo simply followed the path of destruction the teenager left in his wake: shattered boulders, uprooted trees, and bloody patches of grass.
What kind of hell did Luffy put his body through for it to still be messed up after two weeks? Even worse, he's probably adding more injuries on top of the old…
The frantic sound of Luffy's raging had stopped, though in it's place was a terrible weeping that sped Sabo's steps. It fell silent for a full minute and he wondered if Luffy had finally passed out. But then the grieving began again, and Sabo backpedaled to avoid bursting into the clearing his brother was kneeling in. No point setting him off again; if Luffy was no longer harming himself, waiting for Robin was the smart thing. Besides, there was already someone watching over the younger pirate.
Former Shichibukai Jinbei, huh. Didn't he have a huge showdown with Ace a while ago? Guess they made up.
See Luffy break apart was worse than listening. No longer the cheerful and determined child Sabo had known a decade ago, Luffy was a complete mess, swathed from head to toe in stained and torn bandages, blood coursing down his forehead to mix with an unceasing flow of tears and snot. Fingers dug into his scalp, as if to rip the memories of Ace's murder from his mind. His choked sobs seemed to linger in the air. Even Jinbei wasn't unaffected. The fishman observed Luffy's sorrow with damp, solemn eyes.
The sight of Luffy laid so low made it hard to breathe. But in the end, it was his brother's own words that finally snapped the fraying edge of Sabo's control.
"Pirate King? What was I thinking?" The words were strangled and slurred yet Luffy might well have screamed it, Sabo heard so clearly. He was dimly aware of a sharp twinge in his palm where his nails pierced skin. "I'm so weak, there's no way I could…"
"Sabo-san?" Robin was crouching beside him and her hand on the distant man's shoulder. Sabo hadn't heard her approach.
"Hold this." He thrust the straw hat towards her chest, shrugging off her wary touch and drawing his bo staff. "There's something I've gotta do."
He stalked towards Luffy a single coherent goal; the rubberman was no longer mourning for Ace but insulting his sacrifice, and Sabo could think of nothing but beating some sense back into his useless brain. He took a deep breath.
"LUUUFFYYY!"
Luffy stared up at him in mute shock, so startled even his sniffling had stopped. He gave the boy thirty seconds to recognize his hat, his face, his goddamn tooth gap.
"S-Sabo?" Jinbei was heading in their direction, but Sabo ignored him for now. "But you're dead…the fire, that explosion…"
"Oh? You remember me?" Uncalled for, perhaps, but he was angry. He needed Luffy to get angry.
"I didn't forget. I wouldn't! Not me, and not Ace-" Luffy trailed off as new tears spilled down his bruised cheeks.
"Still a crybaby, huh? You haven't changed all." He pointed his staff at Luffy's face. "Get up. We'll spar like old times."
"What?"
"Luffy-kun," Jinbei interrupted, "do you know this man?"
"This is Sabo…my other brother."
"Ace-san never spoke of a third," the fishman frowned, "and he made quite a fuss about Luffy-kun being his only brother."
"We thought Sabo died ten years ago. That's why." Luffy couldn't take his eyes from Sabo's. Even he'd given up hope years ago.
"I do hate to suggest such a thing, but are you certain this is the person you knew?" Jinbei held up a webbed hand to forestall any argument, "It is not everyday someone comes back from the dead."
"I- I don't," Luffy dragged his fingers through his hair, emotions a mess of confusion and hope. Sabo's anger lost a bit of it's heat.
"When you were seven years old, Ace stole a bottle of sake from your foster mother, Dadan, which the three of us drank in a pledge of brotherhood. We swore to follow our dreams and meet again no matter what." A nostalgic grin quirked his lips. "My dream was to write a book about the world."
"Ace and I never told anyone about that," Luffy stopped trying to scalp himself and instead let his hands fist in his lap. "He's real."
"That may be so, but I cannot allow you to fight with Luffy-kun's body in such a state."
"I know you mean well, Jinbei, but this is personal," Sabo said. Mentally, he begged the fishman to understand. His part was over.
Some of what Sabo was thinking must have shown in his face (actually, Jinbei spotted Robin smiling dangerously from the tree against which she'd made herself comfortable) because the ex-Shichibukai yielded. "…I'll leave Luffy-kun to you."
The large man lumbered passed Robin, who asked, "Won't you stay and watch?"
"I think it prudent to report the situation to Trafalgar Law. Luffy-kun needs medical attention as soon as possible."
"You shouldn't worry. Though he's like this, Luffy is strong. Sabo-san will not injure him too badly."
"But if things get out of hand, will you-?"
"Oh yes," Robin said calmly. "I'll intervene if it becomes necessary."
Jinbei nodded and walked away. Robin watched him go with a small smile; what Sabo had said about Luffy making easy friends was quite true.
"Alright, no more disturbances." Sabo kicked at Luffy's knee. "Let's fight."
"Eh? You weren't kidding? I don't wanna fight you! Tell me where you've been!" Luffy's temper was rising quickly, he was pleased to see. They'd never get anywhere if the pirate refused to shake off a good part of his depression. Other people could only do so much.
"I'll tell you everything if you're strong enough to beat me."
Just like that, the embers of growing anger were snuffed out. "But I'm not. I couldn't protect anyone!"
"If you won't get up, I'll make you." With that, Sabo swung his staff into his little brother's face.
It was something to see, the infamous Straw Hat Luffy being pushed around by a normal guy with a pole. It seemed this was nothing new; some of the things Robin heard the revolutionary shouting implied Luffy'd been beaten by his brothers on a regular basis when they were children, and the swift, darting movements of Sabo's staff suggested a great deal of suppressed skill. Even when Luffy staggered to his feet, he had no chance of dodging the lighting fast blows Sabo rained upon him. Though the man was holding back so much that each impact made barely a sound, Luffy shrunk away as though burnt.
Robin was uncertain if the vast majority of the pain Luffy was experiencing stemmed from the hits or the words Sabo spat like venom. Aching disappointment and guilt so thick she could almost taste it radiated from the revolutionary. Luffy was so caught up in his own negative emotions he did not notice, and now Sabo was getting desperate.
The last attack wasn't really an attack at all, at least not physically. Sabo lay Luffy flat on his back in the grass, the rubberman's gasping breaths suddenly labored. He shoved weakly at the staff pressed to a small gap in his bandages, and Robin finally noticed the rippling, liquid sheen that painted Sabo's staff. The weapon was coated in kairoseki.
"You think you're weak? Fine. You think you don't deserve to be the Pirate King? Fine again." Sabo hauled Luffy close with a fistful of bandages. "But if you give up THEN WHAT THE HELL DID ACE DIE FOR?"
Sabo tossed his weapon away and released Luffy so the boy was standing on his own. "If you're weak, then get stronger! If you don't deserve it, then redeem yourself! Whatever you choose to do, just don't lay around feeling sorry for yourself and let the chance pass you by. The world is in chaos and new pirates are taking to the sea in droves; get your act together or someone will snatch One Piece from under your nose. Do you understand?" Ever so slowly, Luffy dipped his head in agreement. "Good. Remember you aren't alone in this. You have me, and you have your nakama."
"Ah!" Luffy's whole body jerked at the word. "I've…I've gotta find them, Sabo. We need to get to Sabondy!"
"I'm sure someone'll give us a ride." Sabo tugged on a lock of unruly black hair. "Where the heck is your hat?"
"Waaaah, Boshi?"
That was her cue.
"Not to worry, captain. I have it here." Luffy froze mid-freak out as Robin emerged from her hiding place, straw hat held out like a shield. Perhaps Luffy wouldn't tackle her if his treasure was in the way?
"Robin…!" Hat or no, Luffy was far too overjoyed at seeing his crewmate to let it stop him from hugging her. "Are you okay? How'd you get here?"
"I'm fine," she said, rescuing the hat from here it was being squashed between them. "Sabo-san and I sailed together."
Luffy stretched an arm to snag Sabo's collar and drag him close enough to glomp. "Sabooo, thank you so much!"
"If you had this much strength left you should've fought back, idiot."
"No way, I don't wanna fight with you." The pirate squeezed Sabo's shoulder tightly. "I know I didn't do anything, but will you tell me what happened that night?"
"If you promise not to cry." He received a hard poke for his trouble. "Let's go back to shore first. I'm not supposed to be here."
"You most certainly are not!" A tall and extraordinarily beautiful woman swept into the clearing, followed by a host of Amazons bearing towering plates of steaming food. Luffy cheered a little at the sight and bound over to give the woman an enthusiastic bear hug. Sabo struggled not to gape as the Pirate Empress flushed red and swayed ever so slightly.
"I'm so glad you're okay! You guys, this is Hancock. She helped me get inside Impel down and stole the key to Ace's cuffs. She's really great!" He waved them closer for introductions.
Sabo gestured for Robin to walk in front of him. The Empress didn't look happy to see either of them, but his female friend was less like to be turned to stone on principle. The woman sneered (a subdued version, one that wouldn't twist her face into anything unattractive) and craned her head back so she was staring at the sky. "Tell me who you are!"
"I'm Robin, a member of Luffy's crew. And this is Sabo-san, Luffy's brother."
Sabo bowed low and crossed his fingers he wasn't about to be horribly executed. "It is an honor to meet the woman who so graciously offered Luffy assistance and refuge."
Hancock let out a scornful noise and decided to ignore him completely, instead fixing a cold glare on Robin. Directed at him or not, it still sent shivers down Sabo's spine; it was mean to think such a thing, but he was glad it was Robin who'd been singled out. He could practically smell lightning ozone as the conflicting personalities of demon and snake collided.
Why are Luffy's women so scary?
"Um…excuse me? The food will get cold," a pretty blonde woman piped up. Hancock forgot Robin in an instant and ordered everyone to the Heart Pirate's camp.
"I won't have Luffy eating anything that's not perfect! Hurry up!"
As the procession proceeded towards the coast, each step became more and more of struggle for Luffy; the bloodstains on his bandages crept wider. Eventually he stumbled on a stray root and would have fallen were his arms not seized in firm grips, Sabo on one side and Robin on the other, supporting him as they always would.
Night had fallen before Luffy'd been patched up by Law and the feasting began. A raging bonfire had been built and around it sat a mixed group of Heart and Kuja pirates, eating and drinking, the women occasionally slapping aside a lecherous hand. Luffy himself was putting on quite the show with his strange ability to sleep and still shove food down his throat. Robin and Hancock took turns replacing Luffy's plate, the Snake Princess ensuring the helpings she provided were twice as large as Robin's. The archeologist played along in sheer amusement.
Sabo had forgone food for sake and found himself a nice boulder to sit on, away from the merrymaking. Glad as he was to be reunited with his brother he just couldn't work up the energy or desire to join the party. Luffy had his crew member to dote on in any case, and they'd certainly want to catch up when the rubberman woke. He was drinking far too much, the sake he'd always found so comforting now evoking memories he could've done without, driving him to foolishly down the alcohol in greater quantities in an attempt to banish them.
"Whatcha doing over here?" Luffy propped his chin against Sabo's rock. He was carrying a plate of meet.
"Oh hi. Weren't you sleeping?"
"Yeah, but I was missing out. I didn't see you anywhere and thought you might've left."
"Nah. I'll sail with you for a while if it's alright." He took a swig from his barrel. "Don't know where Dragon is now anyways."
"Is that where you were? With my dad?"
"It was Dragon that put out the fire in Grey Terminal, and I ended up going with him. I just…had to get away from that place. I had Dragon fake my death so Father would leave the two of you alone." He ran a gentle thumb across Luffy's cheekbone. "There was no time for a goodbye, though I never regretted it.
"I always thought 'If it's them, I don't need to worry', but in the end I never got to see Ace again." His brother blurred into a colorful blob as Sabo fought back tears. He'd been so focused on Luffy he'd been denying his own grief, and now he was drunk and maudlin the feelings were threatening to overflow. But even more than the sorrow, it was the guilt that ached. "I'm so sorry, Luffy. I wasn't there when the two of you needed me and there's no excuse I can give." Shit, he really was crying now.
His eyes were squeezed tightly shut, so he didn't see Luffy's punch until it'd already flattened his nose. "Ow! What the hell was that for, you idiot?"
"Payback for earlier." Put like that, Sabo kinda deserved it. "Anyway, I'm relieved you weren't there." Luffy climbed into Sabo's lap, burying his face against the revolutionary's shoulder so his next words were muffled. "What if you'd died too?"
"Not gonna die, I pro-" Luffy pressed a finely trembling fingertip to Sabo's lips.
"Don't promise me, just do it."
Sabo'd never seen Luffy so serious. Had Ace sworn and broken the same promise?
"You got it," he said.
Several women noticed Luffy was no longer asleep and called out to him. The rubberman grinned back and slid off Sabo's lap, dragging the man behind him and back into the fray.
"Hey," Sabo said, slinging an arm around Luffy's neck. "Stop trying so hard. No one's gonna expect you to cheer up right away."
"Uh uh," Luffy shook his head. "I'm not completely okay but I really do feel better. I've got you and Robin and Hancock and Jinbei to keep me company, and pretty soon I'll be home with all my other nakama too." He took a huge bite of meat. "'is fo' go' 'oo."
"Don't talk with your mouth full." Sabo's smile turned wistful; the death of his big brother would follow Luffy the rest of his life and it would change him, inevitably, irrevocably. For the better.
Nothing would stop him now.