The beeping was the first thing his mind registered. Sounds of different machines beeping and then he heard small noises, telling him that he wasn't alone. His mind slowly lifted from the dark and when it cleared, he felt the pain and his back ached like hell. However, his whole body felt drained from energy, like when he was cuffed with those damn Kairoseki. It was not a pleasant feeling at all. Slowly he opened his eyes, only to be met with dim light. He tried to sit up, but his whole boy refused to follow his order.
He heard a chair fall onto the floor and then he saw a man leaning over him, but everything was still a blur and he had to blink a few times, before he could see clearly. The first thing he noticed was very worried eyes, but there was also relief to see in them. It was kind of a shock to him, since he rarely saw any emotions in those crystal blue eyes.
"Marco.." he croaked and then he heard how two others were moving.
"It's fine Ace. You will be fine, yoi," Marco said and gazed at the end of his bed.
Ace couldn't see, but feel the presence of two people there. He tried once more to sit, but this time, Marco held him back, shaking his head as to tell Ace not to move. He sighed and did what Marco in silent told him.
"Who's there?" he asked.
"The two people who saved you, by letting all, but Oyaji, think you died, yoi," Marco said and he looked distressed.
"What? How?" Ace asked.
"The woman has eating the Illusion Illusion Devil's Fruit. She created an illusion where Akainu pierced you with his fist. The truth is that he only burnt your back, while they used their pipes to stop the attack, yoi," said Marco.
"Pipes? Did they use pipes? Who are you?" Ace asked.
"If we told you, you wouldn't believe us, brother," the woman's voice said softly.
Ace's eyes widened. No this could not be. There was no way she was here and alive. Was this a dream? Had he died? Had all died? But if she was here, then the other must be ... Ace started to hyperventilate at the thought, his heart rate increased and Marco looked nervous, as the doctor came in, checking Ace.
"You need to calm down, Ace," the doctor spoke.
"He can't. Not now, anyway," the woman spoke and went into the sight of Ace, her face showing him a soft and sad smile.
"Ann ... But you are suppose to be dead. Dogra saw the ship you two were on explode," Ace said.
"We know. He told us, as we visited them a few months ago. I'm so sorry," she said.
"Sabo?" Ace tried to get up again.
"I'm here brother. Just calm down and get some rest," he said.
"Luffy?" Ace looked at Ann.
"He's with Trafalgar Law. I'm sure he'll be fine. Our brother always bounce back," she said.
Ace nodded and sighed. "You know, I might beat the two of you when I get better," he said.
Ann smiled. "If you can beat us. Don't worry, we won't leave right away. Shanks and Marco won't let us anyway," she said slight annoyed.
"You haven't told them who you are, right?" Ace asked and Ann shook her head. "Then I understand why. Just tell them, but don't leave until I'm healed," he said.
"We'll stay until you can walk around," Sabo said.
Sabo and Ann sat in the room of Shanks. After Ace had woke up, the captain had no trouble of getting them to his room. Now he and Marco looked at the two. Sabo with his blonde hair and scar over his left eye and Ann with her red-orange hair, freckles on her cheeks and a scar on her left cheek.
"So you know Ace," Shanks stated.
"He's our brother, just like Luffy. So we both want to thank you, Shanks, for saving our precious little brother back then," said Sabo politely.
Shanks smiled and waved his hand, as if to say it was nothing. And for him it was nothing. Saving Luffy was something he never would regret. And it warmed him to know that Luffy hadn't been left alone after he left Dawn Island. He had two brothers and a sister to look out for him. However, Shanks was curious to know more about them.
"Ace never talked about you, yoi," said Marco.
"You heard what he said. He and Luffy thought we died 10 years ago. As we were fleeing from our prison, we set sail. Unfortunately we ran into the ship of a Celestial Dragon. Having raised a Jolly Roger and daring to sail close to his ship, the Celestial Dragon were offended and shot at us. Our small ship blew up and we almost drowned. However, we were saved and have been living incognito ever since," said Ann.
"I see. That must have been hard on you too. Leaving your brothers behind," said Shanks.
"It was, but we knew they had each other. It was too risky for Ann and me to return home. My father would have found out and then ... I don't know what would had happen, but it wouldn't have been pretty," said Sabo.
"So to protect yourselves and your brothers, you stayed away, hoping to meet them once they had set sail, yoi," said Marco.
"Yes. We did try to meet with Ace, but we never got a chance or the time. Our job took a lot of our time and when we had time, we had no idea where he was," said Ann.
Marco and Shanks nodded. That made sense to them and they kind of felt sorry for the two. They could see how much they cared for Ace and Luffy, the pain and guilt was clearly to be seen in their eyes. It must really have been a hard decision to leave Ace and Luffy behind, even risking that they thought they were dead. They were grateful that the two was alive, because Ace would have been dead if they hadn't been interfering.
"So a thanks for saving Ace is not necessary, I guess. You would have done so no matter what, yoi," Marco said and gazed at them.
"Yes. We will do anything for Ace and Luffy. Tough Dragon would not be pleased that we went to the war, even though we wasn't seen. However, there is one thing that will always comes first. Our brothers," said Sabo.
"That is also a reason why Sabo and I work together. We will never leave each other alone. Thus we trust our nakama, we still have a deep connection through the bond and wows we made as children," said Ann.
"I understand. Family is a strong bond, yoi," said Marco.
Ann and Sabo smiled softly. It had warmed their hearts to see how deeply Luffy loved Ace and how much Ace was loved by his crew. And also how much Ace loved his crew and Luffy. His words was forever in their hearts and they felt great pride. Luffy and the Whitebeard pirates had showed Ace what he longed for. That it was good that he was born. Now Ace had peace in his heart and mind. Well, until he started to blame himself for the death of Whitebeard that is. But he would get through it. Sabo and Ann was sure of it.
Sabo was fast asleep, after not having slept for three days. Ann couldn't sleep, though she was tired and haven't slept either. Her mind was just still filled with thoughts, her heart filled with worries and other emotions, which kept her awake. So she stood on deck, admiring the moon and the sunrise. On deck some pirates were sleeping, some being on watch. Sabo and her had gotten a room near the infirmary, but they had been in the infirmary since they brought Ace on board, so she just wanted some air first.
"You should be sleeping by now," Shanks said and came to her.
"I just can't. I can't forget why they wanted Ace to die," she said sadly.
Shanks sighed. "As a revolutionary you should know that is how they sees the world."
"I know, but to actually hear it from the lips of a man, who actually should protect the innocent ... I just wanted to scream," she said.
"You care that much about him? Well, you are sworn siblings, so I understand," Shanks said.
"It's not just that," she said and looked around, before lowering her voice to a whisper Shanks barely could hear. "Ace is not just a brother of a wow we made. I am his twin sister."
Shocked, Shanks stared at her. She looked back at the sea, letting him gain control over his feelings. Unlike Ace, she never hated her father, nor did she like him. In fact she had no meaning of him or feelings for him. He was just a man of words to her. But she knew that Shanks had been on Roger's ship and this was why she told him. Because she felt he had the right to know that his captain not just had a son, but also a daughter.
"Thanks," was the response she got from Shanks, before he left her.
She smiled and went to her temporary room. It was all she needed to calm down. She knew that Shanks would never tell anyone and that he was grateful to know that his captain's name would live on, even if Ace had died. With the thought of have giving Shanks some hope and happiness, she fell asleep, tired of all the emotions and from staying awake for three days in a row.
This won't be a too long story and I won't go into too much detail with their childhood. I'll leave that to your imagination. However, there will be at least two, maybe three more chapters. Ann and Sabo will meet Luffy and Luffy will meet Ace again. I'm working on that.
Also there will be no romance, only love between siblings and nakama.
Please leave a review and let me hear your thoughts.
Oh and if you see some fatal grammar issues, please let me know, so I can change it/them. English isn't my native language, so I would appreciate it, if you would help me out with the worse grammar failures.