Yup another story! My classes are done so now I have plenty of time for the things I want to do…and I feel kind of bad for leaving all of you hanging for so long.

I do not own either the Anime or the Manga known as One Piece. All characters and rights to One Piece belong to its creator Eiichiro Oda.

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Fighter

When Luffy was born it had been very early….Ace still remembers how small he was…too small…

Born so premature the doctor said it would be a miracle if Luffy survived the first night. And Luffy gave them that miracle when they had woken up to see Luffy still breathing and sleeping in his bassinet. Not that anyone had slept that night…Ace hadn't slept at all. The idea of losing his new baby brother just hours after being born was an upsetting idea; he had been looking forward to being a big brother ever since his mother had told him she was going to have a baby. But Luffy suffered from heath problems most of his childhood because of being born so early. As a baby Luffy was almost always sick with something and it exhausted Ace to know end. Luffy would cry from the fever making him uncomfortable, Ace standing by with a bowl of cool water as Makino helped to try and cool Luffy down by bathing him until his baby brother finally recovered. Whenever Luffy got sick he would scream and cry, and Ace always made sure he was there to comfort his brother anyway he could.

Ace often found himself sleeping in his brother nursery, scared that something would happen during the night if he dared to sleep in his own room. Makino was a great deal of help during those years; Ace's narcolepsy caused him to fall asleep at the worst possible times, he remembered when he fell asleep when trying to rock Luffy to sleep. He had woken up later; Luffy curled up asleep in his lap cuddling the stuffed shark Makino had made for him. Those moments he fell asleep all turned out okay but they could have turned out much worse, every single possible scenario raced through his mind of what could have been.

Years later he can remember all the scenarios his young mind imagined.

But as Luffy got older, he got stronger, he didn't get ill as much as he used to as his body got stronger with growth. Luffy's skinny frame always concerned him; Luffy was naturally skinny, but after years of watching Luffy sick he became sensitive of anything that could be wrong with his little brother. He remembered wondering if Luffy was getting enough of curtain nutrients. Luffy took to training with him because he wanted to be as cool as his Niichan and prove he could become stronger than him. Luffy would always lose those sparring matches; later Ace would find Luffy training himself, he remembered how Luffy would push himself to his limit before passing out on the ground.

Luffy was a fighter that was for sure, Luffy proved it every time that he was a fighter.

Every time he made it through another fever.

Every time the doctor said that Luffy wouldn't make it through the latest illness, and proved him wrong by recovering from it.

That day he was born and the doctor said he would not make it through to daylight; Luffy was fighting for his life from birth. And he won every battle that was thrown at him.

He remembered all those events during the year Shanks and his crew came.

Now at twenty years old and the second division commander of the Whitebeard Pirate Crew he stared at the latest newspaper. In it was the report about the fall of Enies Lobby and the defeat of the CP9 at the hands of the Strawhat Pirate crew along with the Strawhats declaration of war on the World Government. He looked at the photographs taken during the fighting, knowing all the crew members by name exempt for the blacked haired woman called Nico Robin. He couldn't help but laugh; but not in mocking but with happiness and pride. His brother had come a long way; proving how strong he was through his determination and will, along with his stubborn streak.

Luffy was strong, happy and healthy with loyal Nakama who willingly followed him. But still like any good older brother would, Ace still worried about him during those quite moments as he sailed on the sea.

Giving the photograph of Luffy and his crew once last glance, he folded the newspaper article and tucked it into his shorts pocket. He stood up and allowed his feet to become fire and power his small boat. As he sailed through the waters to Banaro Island to check on his newest lead on Blackbeard he couldn't help but wonder how his and Luffy's future fight might turn out to be. His brother was going to give him a run for his money that was for sure.

They would meet again at the top, and Luffy could prove just how strong a fighter he is.

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