Idealize, Devalue, Discard

Luffy stared into the big orange orb of the sea, it's waving slowly padding and crawling into the shores. The ocean soon forged its own song as it hit the rock shaped like an arch in the middle of the crowd, it struck out. It's gray charcoal color mudding into the sea. Cylinders of light moved across the sea, the orange setting sun dawning upon it. The sun slowly frying his skin, drying the red paint tattooed into his nails; cracks of his skin looking like lighting forks creeping into the red splats. The raven child didn't know how to explain it, the urge to forget everything and jump into the ocean looked very tempting right now, whether it was the salty smell of brine or the watery wonderland drenched in everything red and orange. A fracture of yellow tinting through the clear water.

Below the cliff, the sea gnawed at its ankles. One step, that was all it took to jump into his demise, his freedom. The raven child shivered as the wind whipped up and the sea simmered. The waves were merely snoozing, he was entranced by it all. His hand shot out and touched the air above it all, he groaned lightly; almost feeling it. He was immediately snapped out of his daze and turned his head around at the sound of a branch crunching as it was stepped on. The boy behind him shifted his calm eyes to the striking red below his arms, his hand. The once bored gaze suddenly turned into suspicions, his eyes widened and he subconsciously took a step back. His tongue felt dry as he tried to mutter, anything, this didn't look so good on his brother. Blood never looks good on anyone. Luffy seemed to be clawing his way from the mint green leaves, leaving a trail of a reddened brush paint on each. He saw his brothers' hand twitch, a slight quiver before he prepared to run.

His left foot harshly dug a print on the mud, before he left another footprint, he was shoved into the crinkly forest floor. He thrashed around, struggled to get away from the prying hands of his brother on his wrists. Luffy grabbed a small rock from beside him, continuously punching his older brother with a rock. He threw the bloodied rock as soon as he found his brother unable to breathe correctly, almost fainting. He let go of both of his wrists and proceeded to gouge both of Aces' eyes. Blood soon started to slip from his snapped shut eyes, the younger of the pair caressed his cheeks that seemed to cry rivers of blood. Ace spoke, his voice raspy as if he hadn't used it in a long time.

"W-who.. are you?" it pained him to even speak, not having enough energy to the ones he stored were wasted on the struggle. His eyes ached for medical attention, his head throbbing and his lungs urging itself to latch away from his chest as the rocks that seemed to be made of steel had tried to kill him. His memory soon forgot whoever it was that dared to blind him, he only wanted a name. He didn't care, hair color, eye color, skin color, anything! He wanted to be able to hunt this person down, whoever it was. But the reply he got, unexpected.. was a bit of an understatement, to say the least. Spit dribbling on his chin, he spat the name out as the boy left the area. When he had woken up, his eyes were covered in bandages and both of his wrists were still healing by the strong grip, his Grandfather 'donated' a pair of eyes from somewhere he would never know where, the cold eyes sat firmly, he had a hard time adjusting to them. He stopped going to the forest, leaving his distant brother to hunt.

This was the last encounter between 'Sabo' and Ace. He had moved his treasures elsewhere and had threatened Luffy not to go near their former bond brother, this was also the first time Luffy had begun to come home early with hands over a liquid robe. Wet fingers, a hint of blood in his hair. No one asks.

"Hey, Luffy, what do you think about being crewmates?" the sea was buzzing with its dormant strength, this wasn't the other side of the Foosha Village. It was at the docks of the village. Men carried heavy luggage behind them as they spoke, the spices of their afternoon meal tingled on their tongues. Luffy, in his hand, was boneless chicken, small in size it seemed to satisfy his usual bottomless pit routine of eating. The freckled boy had a small description of his brother, a boy who does what he wants, the moment the impulse strikes him; regardless of what others might think/want. Though at moments like this, he starts to suspect if he knows anything about him.

"Crewmates?" he mutters absently, "That means I have to protect you, right?" Ace feels the uneasy silence, the uncomfortable tension in the air.

His ears strain, searching for the slightest sound to counterattack that feeling he has. He only replies a soft gentle nod, something he'd never expect himself to voice. "Yeah." In almost an instant, his brother replies.

"Hmm, I guess if you were strong I'd want to be crewmates." like a jab in his heart, Ace is reminded of the times he had kept himself huddled in the soft cover of the bandits. The times he left his younger brother out to hunt and never caressed the fact he was getting weaker by the moment, while Luffy had gotten stronger. The moment had he left his own brother to fend for himself, but Ace is selfish. He doesn't want to accept that, he sees this as training but cannot get over the feelings of guilt and shame welling up in his heart.

"What do you mean, Luffy? I'm way stronger than you!" he retorts, a grin on his face. Luffy shifts his gaze from blue to black, he watches as his brothers' grin slowly crumbles into an uneasy awkward smile. The freckled boy soon frowns as Luffy speaks.

"If you say so," they both sit in silence for a few moments before his brother continues, "but I don't see the point in taking on responsibilities of any kind - they just weigh you down."

Ace is a burden. He wants to get stronger, he'll get stronger. His will is stronger than ever, he wants Luffy to acknowledge him.

This is the last time Luffy declares his want to become the Pirate King to Shanks- Ace, everyone. When he leaves earlier than his brother, he finds a new meaning of life.

Ace stops his make-believe game. He has a goal. The moment a newspaper rolls in, he finds out his Brother had became a pirate. He intends to do so, but that isn't the only reason. He knows he's strong enough to take on Sabo any moment now, the next page of the newspaper leaves him angry and determinded.

When he fights Sabo, he knows their strained relationship is now healed. He knows where to go, he knows who is the problem. And he won't forgive him, even if the underlying feeling not to mess with him nudges him endlessly.

"Yeah, do ya remember that kid?" the freckled man strolls in his division' cabin. There's a horde of people gathered together, seemingly lit a lantern and talking about someone who had been here, a 'kid'. Ace leans in closer with meat in his hand, he squats down and listens on to his group, not noticing him. A name pops up, Ace fires up.

"Yeah, Luffy, right?" a drunken man grates in, he squeaks once he feels the numb burn on his hand and jumps away, he looks at his commander and flinches at the look on his face. He calms down, and asks them who this Luffy is, their description of him does not match the young Luffy he 'knows.' It is only when he almost leaves the cabins to get more meat that he freezes.

"Too bad he left after Thatch got killed, he's probably mad and lookin' for Teach.." a mumble, "that poor kid."

"It is a bit suspicious, though.." someone voices in.

Ace dies, Whitebeard find out Luffy is his brother. But the unsettling feeling they have is relieved once Luffy leaves, and his other brother Sabo enters into their life and explain what had happened, it seems Luffy had cared a lot for Ace, that must be the reason why he can't bring himself to cry. Sabo had also cared for Ace, when they were young, that is.

In the newspaper, it is revealed that Sabo is a hidden member of the Strawhats, possibly the first mate.

The End.