Okay, this is completely unexpected... I just wrote this little one and I apologize to all that are reading for any mistakes. This morning I had the idea and just couldn't get it out of my mind. Crazy mind of mine. First time I write something in english language, please review, I need the feedback to up my skills. Oh wait, what skill, I don't have any... I'll quit my rambling now.
SUMMARY: It started as a meeting, so he was told, and then he finds himself fighting the Whitebeard pirates. He likes battles, so that's fine... Until a certain brother appears and his world starts to crumble... Along with his dream.
WARNINGS:
-smart!Luffy, strong!Luffy, marine!Luffy
-flirting and future Marco x Luffy, ya been warned
-rated T for little swearing
DISCLAIMER: I own nothing. No One Piece, no cute little Luffy, no thing.
EDIT (01/04/2018): Just to change from hyphens to quotation marks as for what concerns the dialogues. I've also checked some mistakes ;D
Words: 4088.
Enjoy!
01 – Everything crumbles
A light breeze shuffled his spiky black hair and his white cape, the word 'Justice' fluttering as were the long sleeves. He wore blue pants and an azure shirt, a few buttons free on the chest, revealing his skin. A loose black necktie followed the cape's movement. His precious straw hat wasn't on his head but hanging between his shoulders thanks to a thin red string. Luffy grinned deviously, sniffing the tense atmosphere.
The sky was clear, not a cloud on the horizon. He was quite surprised when, a week before, Senny called him and requested his presence at a meeting. He had whined. A lot. But he couldn't simply ignore an order and be safe after, so he complied. And, even if unwillingly, left his crew mates anchored at Sabaody. They accepted it only because the orders were from Sengoku himself, but whined a lot nonetheless. Franky, Zoro and Sanji had wanted to fight, Nami and Chopper had been, and certainly still were, worried, Robin just giggled, Usopp had been grateful, Brook had cried for being separated from his captain but had sang in any case.
A week had passed and he already missed them dearly. But, apparently, this wasn't a simple meeting. A lot of marines were standing, waiting for a fight. He had met his grandfather a little while before, hugged him and taken his appointed place. There were hundreds of men and women scattered in the open space. Some still as statues, some fidgeting and some utterly shivering. He didn't get to ask what exactly was going on, but… well… A fight, pirates to beat up, Smokey at his right… Delightful.
His grin widened.
"What a day…" The Commodore at his side said.
"Indeed."
"You don't know a bit of what's going on, right?"
"Nope. Don't care."
"Of course…" A sigh.
Luffy wasn't sure about that, in reality. He had had a nudging feeling from the moment he heard of Marshall D Teach. The bastard had the guts to, first, betray Whitebeard, and, second, to request the title of Shichibukai. Now, he wasn't an ally of Newgate, but he had to admit that he liked the way the Captain dealt with his crew, his 'sons'. So, knowing of the betrayal, he felt furious… and worried. His brother was one of the 'sons', after all. He had wanted to kill the man. The name of the man stabbed at his back was never known, but he knew for sure that Ace was safe.
… For that matter anyway. Now, he felt like something was amiss. The feeling was one of uncertainty and, maybe, fear. Perhaps the sightly off expression of Garp when they met pissed him more than he initially thought. Or knowing that Marineford was set with a scaffold and they were facing the sea as if to protect it. Or Sengoku and his gramps on it.
"Are you sure you don't want to know what's happening?"
Aww, Smokey concerned. Luffy would have teased him if he was in for a joke. But that concern was a bit…
"Ok, tell me something." He surrendered, never dropping the grin.
"It's an execution."
Oh. Oh. That was the problem. He growled, showing his fangs. "What."
"You heard me."
Another growl, less angry this time. Luffy didn't like these kind of things, at all. He hated them to the core, damn Government and their shitty laws.
"Stay calm, bud. Try, at least."
He huffed, taking then a long breath. "Who."
"That'd be…"
He didn't get to finish the sentence. Luffy interrupted him with a hand. He had heard a strange bubble sound. All of a sudden, a huge ship surfaced right at the center of the little bay in front of them. Luffy recognized the Moby Dick, that resembled a whale, his Captain, sitting on a huge wooden chair, and Marco, the Second in Command, near him.
Edward Newgate was an abnormally large human, roughly three times the size of a normal one. He had a prominent white crescent-moon-shaped mustache, many wrinkles around his brown eyes. He wore a black bandanna around his head, a white captain's coat, which hung loosely from his broad shoulders and bore his Jolly Roger symbol, loose pants tucked inside his large black boots and a dark pirate sash around his waist. His bare chest had several scars, some really big. A wide grin on his face spoke of confidence, strength… and hid well many worries.
At his right side, his first crew mate, Marco, stood proudly with a well matched smile. Lean, muscular, blond-haired with a rather sleepy look on his face and some stubble around his chin, he wore an open purple jacket and a light blue sash adorned with an elaborate golden and yellow belt around his waist, dark gray knee-long pants and black sandals. The mark of his 'pops' was tattooed on his bare chest.
Two more ships appeared in the same fashion, a bit smaller, and several pirates on the decks. Among them were the other Division Commanders: Jozu, Vista, Blamenco, Rakuyo, Namur, Blenheim, Kuriel, Kingdew, Haruta, Atmos, Speed Jiru, Fossa, Izo.
"Everyone is here." A voice said from his left.
He turned to see Coby. "Yo!" He greeted.
"Luffy-san." He nodded in response.
He looked around once more. The shichibukai were now standing in all their glory: Dracule Mihawk, Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock, Donquixote Doflamingo, Gekko Moriah. He briefly wondered where Jimbe was. But, at the same time, he was now curious of who exactly was going to be… damn. Executed. Right below the scaffold, the three Admirals were seated and waiting: Kizaru Borsalino, Akainu Sakazuki, Aokiji Kuzan.
He set his eyes on the pirates again. On the horizon, several ships were approaching, surely Whitebeard's full fleet.
'Who the heck are they going to kill here for him to move everyone?'
"Gurararara! How many years has been, Sengoku?" Newgate said with his profound voice. "My beloved son… Had better be unharmed."
He stood up, crossed his arms with fists clenching and punched his sides. Cracks appeared in the air. Luffy readied himself, as did everyone that knew of the power that was about to be let loose. At either side of the island, two huge waves began to race towards them. He saw Aokiji disappear from his chair and jump up in the sky, freezing the sea with his own power. The admiral attacked Whitebeard but got cracked instead.
All hell broke loose. Pirates launched on the marines and these defended the platform. Luffy sprung to action, intercepting a few that were bypassing the lower ranks. In a few instants, a pile of unconscious bodies lied at his feet. Smokey and Coby didn't move, opting to plainly observe their colleague.
Cannon balls didn't reach them as they were sliced and deviated by swordsmen. Mihawk seemed worried and soon he sent a slash towards Whitebeard. It was stopped by Jozu, his body turned into diamond. Next was Kizaru. He was going at the speed of light to Newgate, but clashed in midair with a blue flame. When they separated, Marco appeared in his Phoenix form. Jozu took a giant chunk of ice sea from the bay and threw it at the scaffold. Akainu intervened with his magma power, making it evaporate.
All the while, the piles were growing under Luffy. He then grinned, it seemed Izo was coming his way. He was a cross-dressing man who wore a pink and purple kimono, was pale with hair tied like a geisha and had a light red spotted cloth tied around his waist. He was wielding a pair of flintlock pistols and had a thin sword sheathed.
He stood in his way looking at him with predatory eyes. Izo looked at Luffy, grinning. They circled each other for two strides, before Luffy launched, dodging bullets and punching him in the stomach. The effect was blood spits on his cape and Izo dropping on the floor.
"Did I use too much strength?" He asked no one in particular.
The pirate was coughing blood on the floor while holding his belly with fierce eyes. "Of course not." He said, standing again.
"Maybe you should lay again, I don't want to kill you."
"Yet you're going to kill one of my brothers." He hissed.
Luffy snarled. "Not me, but I guess you're right. I'm sorry, though. Things shouldn't be this way…"
"Luffy." Smoker called.
"Yeah, I know. Smokey, you didn't tell me who they're going to execute."
"Oh, as I was saying…"
But Izo reached for his sword and took that moment to attack Luffy, that skidded to his right, gaining a serious expression. The pirate managed to regain his step and slashed at the chest. The marine bend backward and gripped Izo's wrist, clenching and making him lose the hilt. The cross-dresser hissed and knelt, while Luffy straightened his back. He was going to make him lose consciousness when his eyes caught a blue blur at his left. Luffy jumped out of the way and the Phoenix himself was standing between him and his enemy.
"Hey hey, watch out there, he has a mythical-beats type zoan devil fruit." Came an off-hand comment from Kizaru, that flew away right after.
"Smokey, I have a new nickname for him, Captain Obvious."
The Commodore snickered along with Coby and, surprisingly, Marco grinned more.
"Oh, interesting. I made the second in command smile, that's something." Luffy looked at those half-lidded black eyes. "Not bad…" He whispered to himself.
From the slight widening, he understood that the pirate had heard, so a grin plastered once more on his face. Blue flames were still lingering on his arms and torso. Luffy looked at his hair and smirked playfully.
"Pineapple?"
That was all he needed to do to tick him off. Oh, yeah, his best ability. Making people snap at him. This day was becoming rather enjoyable.
Marco launched himself at him with a punch to his gut, but was met with haki-infused black skin. He clearly didn't expect it, so he backed a bit and looked at the marine with studying eyes.
"Yes, you're underestimating me. But, really, don't think I'm gonna go and tell you how much."
The pirate grinned again. "Very well, yoi."
He attacked again, this time using the same power to kick him in the same place. But Luffy simply dodged and, with unpredicted speed, circled his enemy, going for a punch. Marco jumped forward to evade it but got scraped, so he ignited a flame right there and waited for a shout.
It didn't come. He turned slowly and saw the marine grin and waving his not hurt hand.
What. The. Hell.
He decided to discover what was going on fighting, so they exchanged blows, punches, kicks, all haki-infused. Again and again, his flames touched the boy without leaving a burn, a mark, nor a dirty spot.
Marco was officially dumbfounded. "A devil fruit." Yeah, but which?
"I'm not gonna tell."
The marine seemed to be truly enjoying everything. A tick mark appeared on his forehead.
"Oooh. Am I too much a pest for ya?" Again, that devious smirk.
"That may be." He admitted.
"Stop playing, Luffy." Smoker said, lighting two cigars.
"You're no fun, Smokey." He pouted.
"Wait, your name is Luffy? Monkey D Luffy? The Commodore?"
The marine turned all his attention to his enemy, narrowing his eyes. "What of it?"
"You're Ace's brother…"
Luffy was too much happy to notice the widening of eyes all around. "I am! Can I ask you where he is? I thought he was in you crew. Maybe an outside mission… Or a undercover one."
Marco looked at him with unbelieving orbs, then growled. "What are you talking about. He is–… "
"Everyone, listen." Sengoku's voice thundered all throughout the place.
Luffy turned a bit, without losing sight of the Phoenix. People scattered fell into silence, before some pirates started fighting again.
"Today, we are here to execute a man that has in him the blood of a demon, of a monster."
The Commodore snarled, mouthing: "The fuck." that didn't go unnoticed by his enemy.
"Today, we ensure that justice is brought on pirates. This man escaped for too many years his rightful end. Bring him."
Somewhere above the scaffolding, a door opened.
"Here is the only and still alive son of Gol D Roger…"
Luffy's eyes lost the hold on Marco and widened, looking on his chief with a horrified expression.
"… Gol D Ace."
He felt his knees hit the floor as his older and beloved brother walked on the wooden planks and knelt under two crossed and sheathed swords, two marines holding him.
Ace was dirty, wounded in multiple places, blood dripping slowly here and there on his naked chest. His face was contorted in pain, sorrow, fear and some kind of happiness when he saw his crew. He nodded at his Captain with a small smile.
Luffy was speechless. Someone was calling for him, but he ignored whoever that was and stood again. He gritted his teeth, put his hat on, shadowing his eyes, clenched his fists and breathed long and calming. Everyone, Marco and Izo included, looked at his figure as he evens his breathing.
When he lifted his gaze, there was a raw determination in his orbs. Rage too, barely controlled. He took another deep breath, not releasing it this time. Instead, he shouted.
"GRAAAAAMPS!"
Some battles stopped and a certain Vice Admiral came into view on the scaffold with a sorrowful expression. He looked over at his grandson. As did Ace. He wanted to gain attention from his little brother, but then he saw the ire and decided to shut himself, biting his lower lips. He knew better than to interrupt him.
"YOU…."
Garp flinched and said something, but it wasn't heard because of the chaos around. Luffy huffed, looked at his brother, nodded and turned to Smoker.
"You knew. You should have expected what I'm going to do."
Luffy started running without waiting for answers nor saying anything else. He simply started running, ignoring later shouts for him, ignoring fights that he surpassed easily, ignoring Marco and Izo that now were following him.
He was pretty far from his brother, and the fact that he didn't know exactly how much time he had to save him was suffocating. But he had to try and succeed no matter what.
Obviously, he hadn't considered his colleagues with higher ranks nor Shichibukai. First, it was Boa, that had intercepted him for a hug, but decided to let him be when she noticed his rage. Then, an unfortunate Pacifista, that was promptly destroyed by a well-aimed haki infused kick at its neck. Next, Mihawk blocked his way, making him stop. He had a strange and rare expression, one that nobody could really decipher to its full content.
"Luffy…"
"No."
"Don't."
"I have already made up my mind."
"…"
The swordsman shifted to the side and he passed, with two flabbergasted members of the Whitebeard crew. Turn for Moria came and, fortunately, he had a seawater pond right next to his feet, maybe from Jozu's non-stop throws of massive ice cubes. Luffy kicked the abnormal man into it and went forward. Several marines were astonished to see the always jovial and happy Commodore storm through the battle without engaging fights and with that look.
Luffy was beginning to think that maybe, just maybe, he would have made it in time before the execution. Looking up, he saw his grandfather had sat near Ace and was talking to him with a hand covering his face. After no more than two minutes, he stood and jumped down towards him. Luffy stopped in his track and so did his enemies right behind him. Garp landed in front of him, cracking the floor, with a forced smile and hands tucked in his pockets.
"Luffy."
"What." Definitely a snarl.
Garp sighed. "I can't let you pass."
"I had no doubt about it." He paused. "After you, there are only the Admirals. Now, do you think you want to stop me, Gramps?"
No answers.
Luffy huffed. "Right." He crossed his arms on his chest.
"I think he's under the trunk."
That made the two pirates almost gag. What. The. Hell.
But Luffy backed a bit and gestured to Marco to come near with his index. He obliged with a bit of uncertainty and wonder.
"Can you cover us with your fire, please? Only two seconds."
Marco looked over at the Vice Admiral before nodding. In a less than a second, the two family members were out of view. When he retracted his flames, the marine boy was towering his unconscious grandfather and started running again. The two exchanged a look and then reached him hastily.
They made few meters more towards their goal when the marines near his brother took away their swords and unsheathed the metal. Luffy's eyes widened. Marco followed his gaze and almost tripped.
"Let go of my son!" Thundered Whitebeard over the chaos.
But the executioners ignored him and lifted their weapons in a half moon. Luffy felt everything slow down around him. This couldn't be happening. Not in front of his own eyes. Not like that. Not when Ace had that expression of… sorrowful acceptance. He was accepting his fate, that dumb brother of his. His rage boiled, bottled up in his body and ready to burst.
"Stop…" He whispered as the swords began to lower. "Stop." Slowly approaching Ace's neck. "Stop it!" Few inches from his skin. "I SAID STOOOOOOOP!"
He screamed at his voice's full extent, feeling his throat burn and his lungs hungry for air, eyes half closed. He watched as everything and everyone froze still. Several thuds and flops were heard then, and he noticed that marines and pirates were falling. But what kept his full attention were the two executioners, falling down from the scaffold… And his brother still alive.
Starting the run again, he didn't cover a lot of meters as Aokiji stopped him with an indifferent expression on his face.
"You now stop, Commodore Monkey D Luffy. What do you think you're doing?" He said in a seemingly monotone. The other knew better.
"I'm going to save my brother, this is not the justice I fight for."
Marco could have sworn that the Admiral hid a flinch at the fierceness of the tone and at the meaning of the words. Kuzan, however, was not a man that would stand aside simply for that. Luffy took an offensive stance and was ready to attack, but a huge man broke the ice directed at him with two swords. He recognized him as Vista, that nodded to him with wary eyes. The marine understood the meaning of the act and fled forward, still followed by Izo and Marco. They were gazing at the fight that their brother was now facing, but trained it away soon.
Kizaru appeared next, and Marco took him on without skipping a heartbeat. Luffy didn't even stop and Izo continued to run. Apparently, Akainu was fighting directly with Newgate, because only something of that caliber would deter him from pursuing Luffy.
He couldn't afford to lose any more time and was near enough, so he jumped the full length remaining to his goal and took the metal key from his pocket, freeing his brother as Sengoku started changing to his devil fruit's form. He felt energy draining touching the sea stone handcuffs, but then… Ace was free. His brother was finally free, with his fire on his skin. He wanted to cheer, he wanted to hug him, to ensure that he was completely okay. That smile he was receiving would have to suffice for now.
After all… He still had important matters to discuss with his chief. Luffy turned full to the now huge Buddha near them. He strapped his cape from his figure, held it high towards him and then threw it down the scaffold.
"Ace, if you'd be gentle enough."
His brother didn't need any more words. His hands took gun's form and he shot at the white cloth, that soon was burnt to ashes.
"I resign, Senny. It's been good until now and thank you for everything." He bowed, took hold of his shitty brother and fled, leaving a stunned Sengoku behind.
They were down soon, and running again towards the bay. The pirates were creating a path for them to take and retreating at the same time.
"You didn't change one bit, Luffy." Ace suddenly said, voice filled with fondness.
"You neither, shitty brother. Always in trouble."
"Hey, you're a trouble-magnet, too!"
"Yeah, right." He laughed, though.
This was nostalgic, to the point he just wanted to stop, sit down with him and just talk and enjoy his presence. But, first things first. They needed to head out of there. And, the sooner the better. The smile that twitched his lips, however, didn't falter.
They were running and reaching the Moby Dick faster than expected. Obviously, that was when things changed… and danger arose. Akainu appeared behind them. A magma punch was heading towards the back of his unsuspecting brother.
Luffy didn't even have the time to think. He coated his right hand in haki, sped to the Admiral and deflected the punch, hissing a bit. Soon, another fist came down to him and he deflected it again, controlling his reaction to the pain. A kick, a fist, and then Akainu opted for a magma burst. He shot a lava river towards them and the brothers jumped up. As they collided to the ground, Luffy saw the man head towards Ace and knew he couldn't make it in time. He tried, he ran, jumped, screamed his brother's name. Magma touched his sides and Ace shouted in pain. Lava was stronger than his fire.
A crack in the air made Luffy sigh in relief. Whitebeard was near Akainu and, an earthquake later, the Admiral was nowhere in sight. He was about to stumble on the ground when he felt two strong arms support him. Luffy looked up and saw Marco taking him up bridal-style and running like mad to his ship, as all his crew mates were doing.
He started to fight a bit, not sure about what was going on. His goal was to take Ace on the Moby Dick and be sure that he was safe. His brother was now in his adoptive father's arms, the safest place he could hope for. So, what then?
"Calm down, you can't return anymore, yoi."
He gazed at the man, uncertainty clear in his features.
"And, sure as hell, after what you've done, pops won't leave you here."
Luffy pondered his options while taken away from battle. He was on the ship without even noticing, the crew setting sail and defending their retreat. Marco put him down on the deck. Luffy steadied on his feet and looked around in search of Ace. Before considering his own situation, he had to be sure that he was okay. He zeroed on Newgate and started pacing towards him, when someone stopped his tracks.
Turning around, Marco had grabbed his wrist and was holding him back. He looked at him with confused and pleading eyes. The man blinked before shaking his head and letting him go.
"Ace is okay, I saw the nurses take him into the infirmary. Oyaji is going to need medical treatment, too. And you don't seem to notice the state you're in."
Luffy gazed at him, then at himself. His clothes were dirty with dust and blood. A few scratches had torn them here and there. But the worst of all were his hands, he lifted them for a better view. They seemed cauterized. The magma… He touched his knuckles, where the skin was red and deformed, hissing at the coldness of the unharmed fingers.
Marco grumbled as he took again hold of the younger boy, this time of both his hands. "Are you trying to hurt yourself more?"
"Well, it's just strange. I don't feel anything from the wounds."
"Adrenaline rush?"
"Maybe." He shrugged.
"Okay, better take care of them." Marco called a nurse and pointed at the… ex-marine. "He needs treatment."
His sister didn't waste time in taking the boy and pulling him away. The Phoenix sighed before he, too, was dragged by another crew member mumbling about stupid brothers.
Yeah, they had successfully saved Ace and… Maybe… With the needed time… He could have gained a new brother.
Thank you for reading, let me know what you think please :)