AN: Please read the next to see what is happening with this story.
Summary: The mist holes the people of the world in fear. Knowing that when it does, it was be the end of the world as they know it. Ruffy a college student who studies history, would not mind if the ends comes. Of course he did not truly know what it meant for him once it does...
The teacher talked loudly as he wrote on the blackboard, he kept turning his head around and staring at the students who were writing note in their books.
Ruffy frowned as he leaned forward, trying to write down his notes as quickly as he could before the teacher rubbed the words from the board. He hand was aching, he hated this lesson because it had a lot to take in.
The 'pips' sounded.
The college students began to raise from their seats, as they all started talking to the person next to them. The lesson was over, most were hurrying out the classroom for their next lesson, some had to get to their part time job and others are just heading home. Like him.
Standing Ruffy pick up his bag and started to gather his things together; he held his bag at the side of the desk and ran his arm over everything, pushing it into his bag.
The tall dark haired young man walked slowly down the row of desks and chairs, eyes still on the blackboard. He loved history, and learning about it; but at times it was just soooo boring. Or was it just the people who taught it make it boring.
He tore his eyes off of the board and left the classroom, joining the stream of students out in the large hallway.
"Ruffy!" A voice breathless voice called from the crowd, causing the nineteen year old to glanced around. He did not stop walking though. "Ruffy! Stop moving so fast!" The voice said again.
Ruffy paused and glanced down behind him. Seeing that the taller had stopped moving, the small round teen double over with his hand on his knees trying to catch his breathe.
"Marcag?" Ruffy asked as he blinked down at his old classmate, he had not seen since he left high school."What are you doing here?"
"What?" Marcag said as he straighten up, flush faced. "Not pleased to see me?"
"Huh? No?" Ruffy asked this as a question, unsure what happened to the normally sullen teen. "I thought you weren't going to leave our island."
"Been-" Marcag broke off with a coughing fit and held out his hand to stop Ruffy from helping...even though Ruffy did not make a move to help, he just blinked. "Been over a year since we last saw each other," He said as he recovered, "I am surprised you managed get through your first year at college, and look now you're in your second!" The small round teen laugh nastily, "I'm here for my course work, and we had a lecture this morning."
"Oh..." Ruffy said with another slow blink, he really did not care much for Marcag. "You are studying for writing or something right?"
"Journalism." Marcag said with a nod, "I can't believe you're studying history! But then you always liked anything to do with pirates!"
"Mmmm..." Ruffy agreed and walking again more, the other half ran half walked beside the taller teen."Pirates make up a large amount of our world's history, I loved playing pirate-"
"Yes yes yes." Marcag broke Ruffy off, "Listen, I doing a essay and in need of a boat or ship something! You have a licence right? I want to go as far as the Red Line."
That made Ruffy halt. He always wanted to see the Red Line. "I do."
Marcag grinned evilly, "Can you take me there?"
"I can't." Ruffy replied happily and started walking faster this time.
"Why?" Marcag demanded as his going red for a different reason now, "Can't you help out an old friend?"
"You and I were never friends." Ruffy said with a laugh as he walked, "And even if I do have a licence, I won't go as far as the Red Line. Do you know how many ships sunk just trying to get near it? And not just because of the cliffs."
"Of course I do!" Marcag said running now, "That's why I'm asking you!"
"No." Ruffy said simply, they reached the main entrance many people were pouring in and out of the building, "I far to busy to take some time off. Find someone else."
"Be that way." Marcag spat out as he pushed into Ruffy side, "I know that Avon is also in this city."
'Avon? He's here?' Ruffy thought, but said nothing. Avon was a crazy person, who believe that 'it' was going to lift some time in their lifetime. 'Be interesting if 'it' did,' Ruffy watch Marcag pushing his way between two much smaller teens than him.
It was drilled into everyone from a young age the dos and don'ts. Always fellow the law of the land, everyone must fit in with this way of life, or be seen as crazy. Only a few people raised up and did something outrageous; this gave them even celebrity states or a dangerous person.
Ruffy wanted a way out. Wanted to be free, but he was free. Everyone told him.
Ruffy walked outside and glanced up at the grey skies.
This world has reached it's limit, every corner of the Four Blues Seas had been explored many many years ago, there was nothing new.
It was rare in this day and age for people to leave their home island. Unlike the past, people could only travel to set places, had to travel through set gates...like cattle. Others thought buying a passport was too much of a waste of money.
Ruffy was once thought of a crazy; likely pirates was right one of the many reasons. And went he finished school he got his sailing licence. This planet was a water world, so getting a sailing licence was a big thing. Many people try and set businesses up, only to fail and became member of staff of some other ship or boat.
Blinking Ruffy saw the sea through the jungle of concrete, it was a beautiful sight to behold. And the ones around him were walking right passed him, with their heads down all in a hurry for something.
They trapped themselves in their own little bubble and failed to stop to watch the world around them. And yet they called this their freedom.
'I'm trapped too.' Ruffy thought as he dragged his eyes away and began walking in the crowd again.
One day Ruffy set himself a realistic goal for himself; to become a history teacher. And thus trapping himself with the ways of society.
His parents were so proud of him then, because of his wild nature when he was little they thought that he would not get anywhere in life.
'But still this world lives in fear.' Ruffy thought as he gazed at the back of someone's head as he walked, 'Everyone. Because of 'that', something that happened so long ago...' Ruffy blinked as he looked around himself, head was nearing his block of flats. He did not need to think of how to get there, his feet knew what path to take , because he did this everyday.
Day after day.
He stopped at the crossroads, wondering what would happen if he chose to go left instead of right. A slow smile appeared on his face.
'I hope the Mist really will lift one day.' Ruffy thought as his smile turned into a strange grin, 'I chose this path for myself, I'm going left.'
He turned left. As he walked he raised his head up and took in the new surrounding as he walked down the unfamiliar path, he saw a sweet shop that he never knew was there and may never have known if he had not taken that path.
'How exciting!' Ruffy thought as a odd throb began to pulse just behind his eyes. "What?" He asked himself, knowing he would get no reply.
The grin dropped from his face, he allowed himself a small sad smile; he knew he could not go any further than this. He still had homework, his part time job and bills to pay. He was not a child any more and could not daydream.
Ruffy spun around and began making his way back down the road side, towards his flat. It was then he spotted people running in panic, frowning he stared at them. Looking around he saw others frowning at these people.
"It's happening!" Someone cried out as they ran, causing those nearby Ruffy to look on in terror at their words,"It's happening!"
"It's a joke, a prank!" An middle aged man glared at the people who ran off down the road.
"No. No" Another person shouted out as they stared in horror at the tiny Cell-Den. "It is not a prank! It is happening!"
Everyone on the roadside fell into silence.
Ruffy strangely enough, did not feel any fear, while he knew what this meant for the world. This would be the end of the world as they knew it. He began walking fast, knowing that there was a bar with a big Tele-Den.
As he came closer he saw that he was not the only one with this idea. A lot of people there trying to cram their way into the bar. Ruffy felt like laughing, but he swallowing it down; there were many times he wanted to laugh at things that he knew were frown upon.
Ruffy came in front of the bar, as he joined the pushing crowds moving back and fore, he caused him to want to laugh more. Somehow he managed to be inside the bar, the screen was on and the speakers about the bar was up full; on the screen was a news reporter chatting away speedily as movement was seen behind him.
Ruffy knew where he was reports from; the man made island that lead up and closed off the Reverse Mountain. Every Blue Sea had one.
"They said it would not happen in our lifetime!" Someone behind him said aloud, many nodded their heads in agreement.
"Remember that scare they had forty years ago," A man's voice said a little louder from behind, "People are saying that meant have been the beginning."
Ruffy blinked as he saw something moved, from behind the reporter mist was moving over the water and coming down. The screen suddenly went blank.
There was a deadly silence in the bar as they waited. They did not have to wait more as the news channel came back to their studio.
Ruffy glanced down, he had remembered what he was thinking not long ago; 'I hope the Mist really will lift one day.' He hid his grin again, sure that his boring existence was now over.
"I don't get it!" A young voice came from somewhere on the floor. "What's it all about?"
"How old are you?" A rough voice demanded, "Don't your parents teach you everywhere?!"
"I'm sorry!" A woman's voice call out and movement was heard, "I'll explain properly! Come with me!"
Ruffy walked the back of the woman leaving and chose to fellow, he did not want to be here any more. He could get home and watch it from his flat.
"Please listen...mmm..You've seen those old films right," The woman said to her son as she held his shoulders and stared him right in the eyes. "Well...errr...you see..." She was at a lost, everyone grow up learning about, knowing about it so she did not know how to tell her child.
"Five hundred years ago," Ruffy said stepping in, "The world was over run by pirates," The woman turned and smiled her thanks as she moved away for him to come closer.
"Most of these pirate sailed on the Grand Line or The New World, as it was known," Ruffy kneed down so that he was on the boy's level, he could be no older than four, so it was almost understandable that he did not know everything. "One day a big big fight broke out between the pirates and the World Government. But in the middle of this strange fight, the whole of the Grand Line, New World and Calm Belts were completely covered with a mystery mist, called Rainbow Mist."
Ruffy looked at the child, who was listened to his every word, no doubt wanting to know what was causing his mother to be so frighten.
"This Mist is different from normal mist, because it knocks the concept of time right out the window," Ruffy smiled as the child frowned. "In other words, it is said that only five weeks have passed inside the Mist while five hundred years out here in the Four Blue Seas."
"So..." The boy asked unsure what was the fuss was about.
"Pirates that are rare in our day," Ruffy said as he leaned forward, "Are alive inside that Mist, waiting to come out!"
"Oh.." The boy said as he looked towards his mother, "But what does that have to do with the old films?"
"Oh that?" Ruffy said with a laugh, making that child jump in surprise "Nobody believes that!"
"Huh?" The boy blinked in confusion, "But..."
"Well," Ruffy began as he smile at the boy, glanced at his mother who nodded and turned back to the boy. "A few people out it out of the Mist before it took over everything. Three hundred Marines and forty pirates, most of the pirates were captain of their crew."
"We saw their heads getting chopped off!" The boy cried out as he remembered the film.
"Yeah, that film was made for the people inside the Mist," Ruffy grinned at the happy boy, "Explaining what happened to them and to the ones that were bought out."
"That film we saw is going to be played over and over," The mother came forwards and placed a hand on her child shoulder, "So where ever they are in the Mist, they all will know what happening to them."
"I think I know now!" The child said and hugged on to his mother, "Can we get that ice cream now?"
"Yes of course." The mother said as she stood, "Because life goes on." She finished with a small smile and nodded her thanks to Ruffy before walking on their way.
Ruffy watched them go, feeling a little dishearten. Life goes on. He had forgotten this, the film was in place for the ones inside and the people were protected by the man made islands should they try and get through the Calm Belts. Life would go on, just how it always had, they were only raised to be in fear on this happening but once it is over...
"Then what?" Ruffy said aloud as he stood from where he was still kneed and looked around as more people were trying and failing to get into the bar.
'Even if the Mist does lift,' Ruffy thought as he started for home, 'Everything will just carry on as normal. Nothing will change.'
'Unless I made the change.'
Ruffy stopped and turned to glance behind him, no one was there.
"You did not tell the boy everything." A familiar voice came from above, "You never told him what it is that 'nobody believes'." Ruffy looked to the top of his steps and saw Marcag standing there grinning down at him.
"Mmmm..." Ruffy hummed as he walked up the stairs and met the other, "Because no one does believe, it came out three years after the pirates there executed."
"That they come back to live when the Mist lifts?" Marcag grinned as he followed Ruffy down small hallways to his door, "One was a Fruit Person, said to have the power to carry-"
"Fruit People are myth." Ruffy said as he stuck his key in the hold and turned. "Like I said. No one believes in that."
"And yet a Mist that can stop the hands of time can exist?" Marcag said as he pushed by Ruffy and walked into his home, "But Fruit People can't? You used to believe."
"'Used to' being the key word here." Ruffy said as he flopped down on his sofa throwing his bag somewhere he reached for the control for his tele-den. "I don't believe in fairy tales any more. I've grown up."
"Whatever," Marcag said as he sat of the single sofa, "Avon won't help me..."
"So you came back to me?" Ruffy asked dully as he stared at the screen, they were still in the studio.
"No, I have no place to go." The chubby teen said as he turned to the screen, "You're such an easy going guy, I don't think you care much; so long as I say I'll buy you some good meat from the butchers and not that frozen stuff you hate."
Ruffy grinned and sat right back in his seat. Marcag was right, the promise of fresh meat was a wonderful thing for him. He loved eating meat right off the bone.
The pair fell quite.
"You think those people really will come back?" Ruffy asked as he man's voice over the screen sounded a little higher pitch than normal.
"Yeah. All those dead people of that list will come back." Marcag answered with hard eyes, "And I want to be there when one is found."
"They're going through the list soon," Ruffy said as he noticed the normal news report, "I'm getting some food, think they'll deliver? Or will everybody be watching this?"
"Everyone will be watching this," Marcag said as he beady little eyes look at Ruffy, "The whole world seemed to have stopped, only a few are trying to get things moving again."
"Got some old pizza," Ruffy said as he opened a cupboard and looked inside, "I ordered ten too many."
"YOU had left overs!" Marcag laughed out, causing Ruffy also to snicker.
"Yeah, this world really has got to pot!" Ruffy laughed fully now as he bought over the ten boxes and sat three them in front of Marcag.
"You made me sick," Marcag said as he opened the box and grabbed as slice, "You ate the same amount as me and yet you were always so slim. But you never laughed at me when I ate."
"Why would I laugh?" Ruffy said as he blinked in confusion, "I like eating. Food in good!"
"Not to all of us..." Marcag trailed off as he glance down at his large belly, "I can't do much field work because I'm so over weight, that was why I jumped at the chance to come here."
"You have a dream." Ruffy said as he shoved a whole piece in his mouth and swallowed, "I respect that. I really do not have one."
"Thought you wanted to be a pirate?" Marcag said with that same nasty grin as before. "Well doesn't matter now. Let me tell you my story!"
Ruffy shoved another piece of pizza in and leaned forward, waiting for him to continue.
"Have you seen the Prince of Caramel? The man made island off to the west of the Reverse Mountain." Marcag asked as he reached down to a bag that Ruffy had not seen and opened it, pulling papers out, "The Prince looks a lot like one of the persons on that list!"
"That Prince is famous," Ruffy said a little bored, it rarely with the world's happenings, "And if you noticed why hasn't someone said so before, he get in a lot of papers. Even I heard of his name."
"I know!" Marcag answered grinning as he stared down at the papers, "Its like he's saying 'look at me! This is me! And there's nothing you can do about it'."
"So who do you think he looks like?" Ruffy asked as he gazed at the screen, the reporter from the studio was holding his earpiece close, nodding his head sharply.
"Portgaz D. Ace." Marcag said with a low voice as he tried to add drama behind the name, "Son of the Pirate King!"
Ruffy head throbbed at the sound of that name, it always did. He turned to look at Marcag to see if he was serious or not.
"Proof?" Ruffy asked simply and held out a hand, asking him to show him something.
"The proof is that they both look like the same person!" Marcag roared as he stood slamming something down into Ruffy's outstretched hand.
Calmly Ruffy took the paper, and brining it to him he look over the contents there. It was an photo copy of Portgaz D. Ace's wanted posted, and a photo of the Prince standing outside somewhere. Ruffy looked between the two photos.
'Ace!'
Ruffy blinked as he looked around him, if felt like someone was looking out through his eyes.
But there was not doubting the fact that these two looked like the same person. Ruffy rubbed his eyes and looked closer at the modern photo; behind the Prince was a other young man, blond hair could be seen coming out of his odd top hat.
'Yes!'
Ruffy blinked as he handed the paper back over to Marcag, who had been watching him carefully the whole time.
'Sabo!'
"I am trying to gather a small team together." Marcag said still watching him, "And go to Caramel, for that I need a captain. You and Avon are the only two people I know who can be a captain. Avon said he wouldn't, but I think someone else has gotten to him."
"Gotten to him?" Ruffy asked with a frown, "What do you mean?"
"People are going to try and get over the mountain!" Marcag said in his going low once more, "They want to see if the same thing happens again."
Ruffy blinked but he knew what Marcag meant, when the Mist first appeared ships sailed right into it and came out next to the place they entered from. The only way to get around the Mist is over it; the Grand Line, New World and Calm Belt ran through the centre of the planet, cutting if off. For two hundred years, The Four Blue Seas did not have much contact with each other, apart from the Den-Dens.
"You want to travel over it?" Ruffy asked thinking that was the reason why Marcag wanted him for his captain.
"No." Marcag said sharply, "Listen to what I'm saying! Caramel is the place I want to go, to write a story on the Prince. No one is willing to take me after I tell them about my theory."
"Well I told you I can't." Ruffy said firmly as he grabbed another pizza box and opened it, "I'm busy with college and my job, I won't have any time off until the summer and that's two months away."
"Whatever!" Marcag said as he too opened another box and reached in, "It is worth a try, can I ask if you know anyone else?"
'So that's what he is after.' Ruffy thought as he glanced towards his den-book, which had a list of numbers of people he study with also side getting his licence. "I know a few people, you can photo copy it if you want."
"...thanks..." Marcag mumbled as he bite into the pizza slice, Ruffy just smile and shoved the whole slice into his mouth.
Ruffy glanced toward the screen, they were starting. They were going to send the old film that was made for this very day. If they got any contact they know the Mist in clearing.
'I want to go there.' The random thought just was there, inside Ruffy's mind; making him realise just how much he really did want to go.
'I want to go there!' Another voice echoed deep within. Ruffy blinked and glanced around, but he knew it was coming from somewhere else.
Ruffy blinked. The seagull blinked back.
The seagull had a hat on it's head, and a bag wrapped around it's front.
"Why in Ha'des name does a seagull have a bag around it?" He asked to the air thin; rolling over in his bed Ruffy stared at the seagull that was tapping at his window glass, wanting to come in.
He rolled again this time falling off and onto the floor, he pushed himself up and walking the short distance he opened the window.
The seagull calmly jumped off the windowsill and walked further inside and dipped it's beak into the bag, bringing out a package; it then dropped the package onto the bed and turned back to the window, jumping up and out, it was gone.
Ruffy stared after the seagull disappearing form, not sure if he was still dreaming. Slowly he looked towards the package and sat down on the bed.
"Should I open it?" Ruffy asked himself as he picked it up and place it on his lap. It was a simply brown package, tied up with string. Which was on of his favourite things.
Ruffy glanced towards the clock, he needed to be heading for work now. He had always spent the last twenty minutes having a staring contest with a overly large seagull outside his bedroom window, he doubted his boss would believe him.
Ruffy stood and walked over to his set of draws and placed the package carefully on top. Giving it one last look he began pulling off his clothes, throwing them to the floor and grabbing other clothes he knew was clean.
He did not take long for him to get ready, he only wore a white and blue t-shirt with brown shorts; which he would be taking off once he gets to work anyway, to put his overalls on.
Hurrying to the door he glanced back at the package, and then stepped out the door...only to popped his head back in again and stare at it.
'What is inside?' Ruffy thought as he tried to look through in as if he had x-ray vision.
In the end Ruffy grabbed the package and walked out the door, heading right for the front door without anything to eat.
"I'll eat once I get there..." Ruffy told himself firmly not caring what the boss said, he was going to eat. Ruffy looked down at the front door, a pile of letters were there. "More bills?"
Ruffy bent down and grabbed a small backpack from the floor, he dropped the package in the open, then he moved forward while still bent over picking up the envelops there and threw them inside. One envelop he paused at, blinking as he noticed the handwriting; instead of putting this one in the bag, he shoved it in his pocket.
He zipped up the bag and wiggled his feet into his sandal straps; all while still bent in two.
"I'll look at lunch time!" Ruffy said as he stood up straight and opened his front door, taking the keys off and stepping out he slammed it behind himself.
Ruffy ran down his familiar hallway, down the familiar stair and ran along side the familiar road. It had been six weeks since 'contact' was made with those in the Mist, and everything was going along smoothly, everything was the same nothing had changed.
'Apart from me,' Ruffy thought as he hurried, 'I keep hearing voices. And having weird dreams, I'm putting down to stress.'
Ruffy slowed as he reached the train crossings, the gates were coming down. The backpack hung down low as he held the straps by one hand, before lifting it up and putting it over one shoulder.
While he was waiting he dug into his pocket and pulled out the envelop.
"Marcag's handwriting," Ruffy said as he stared at the words, "Mmm...haven't heard from him since he left." Ruffy began opening the envelop, suddenly he got the strangely feeling he was being watched, "Wonder what he wants...?"
Ruffy took the letter out and unfolded it, his eyes scanned over the words. He frowned, then blinked as a gust of wind blew passed him. He looked up to see the blur of the train speeding by, as quickly as it came, it was gone. But the gates remained down still.
Ruffy looked down at the words once more:
{Dear Ruffy,
Bet you're surprised to hear from me. It been a long few weeks and I lost some weight because of it! But this is not the realise for the letter.
Something is strange here in Caramel; Prince seems to be under watch all the time. I can't even get close enough to talk to the gardener! It's the World Government, they have men crawling every part of Caramel! I even had some coming to talk to me, asking what I was doing. Seeing it's the WG, I let them see my stuff, you know, they're the ones who protect us, so they should know.
Prince goes to different islands bet you don't know that, and on the 11th of Carch, he is coming to your city! So I'll be seeing you sooner than I thought! Can you put up me and my team, I know your flat is small and there is fourteenth of us; we're trying to save as much money as we can, this team does not have a budget from my college, even if it's college related.
I'll be there on the 11th as well, some time in the morning. Hopefully this will get to you in time.
Got some nice cuts for you. Thanks, Marcag}
Ruffy frowned and turned over the letter, seeing if there was any more to it. Nothing.
"Today it the 12th" Ruffy said aloud and noticed he could walk now and began moving; he remembered something about Prince this week. It was on the news, but he was not into anything modern so did not listen. "He should have showed up yesterday."
Ruffy felt something was wrong; he and Marcag were never friends growing up, but became a little close when he stayed with him for a few days. The fact that he could see shadows moving behind some trees did not help.
He reached inside his bag, searching for his cell-den. On feeling it he pulled it out and turned the small screen to him. A tiny snail could be seen inside, sleeping. Ruffy pushed a button of the side and the snail awoke.
Quickly he looked through the local news suits, on anything to do with Prince.
"Prince is at the Gute Dome." Ruffy said to himself quietly as he stopped walking again and looked around to see where he was. 'What should I do?'
Ruffy turned left, heading towards the train station instead of work. As he walked along he pressed the buttons of his cell-den, getting his work's number up.
"Ruffy." Came his boss's voice as soon as he placed it to his ear, "Where are you?"
"Sorry something came up," Ruffy said quickly as he moved passed the people also trying to get to work, "I won't be coming in today, sorry. I'll make it up later."
"No." His boss's voice came almost in a hurry, "Don't bother coming back! You're fired!"
Ruffy said nothing, he kept walking fast. He saw the train station's entrance.
"I understand." Ruffy said as he walked through the ache way, and clicked his boss off. 'Something is wrong!' he thought as he headed for the platform, 'Boss sounded weird.'
Ruffy stood on the platform looking down at his cell-den, trying to made sense out of what was happening.
"A seagull came to my window. Marcag was meant to be here. Boss didn't sound like himself," Ruffy said to himself as he looked up seeing the train coming, "And I haven't eaten anything today! Yeah, something is wrong."
Ruffy waited for the train to come to a complete stop before he moved forward, walking through the sliding doors. He gazed around and on seeing no where to sit, he stood near the doors. The doors closed by themselves and the train rocked as it started to move.
Ruffy stared out of the door's glass, watching the city he has lived in for the last year fly passed.
The tele-den that was on every car played out music, the latest hits and golden oldies were always on. Ruffy tired to tuned the loud music out of his ears, but it seemed to dumb into his skull.
'Brook...' The same voice said softly in the back of his mind, causing Ruffy to look up on the screen above. It was an old song, it had been sung by many different singers over the years. 'It is Brook's song. Listen.'
Ruffy closed his eyes and listened. It was a lovely even spellbinding song, it seemed to reached deep within deep and wrap around his soul. Ruffy could hear laugher; many many people laugher along side his own laugh.
The song was over, the spell was broken.
Ruffy felt suddenly very sleepy, wanted to sleep right there on the train.
Ruffy eyes flew open, as a sharp pain flashed through his heart; he started to breathe hard as he now listened to the voice of the a new news reader.
Slowly he lifted his head up and stared. They were giving out the names of the people who died trying to get up the Reverse Mountain. Among the names was Marcag and Oreiler, one the people he studied to get his licence with.
'It can't be!' Ruffy mind told him as he continued to stare, 'Because Marcag wasn't going up the Reverse Mountain! He was on Caramel! No he should be here, right? He's following Prince.'
Ruffy relaxed a little, remembering that he was going to be meeting up with Marcag and Oreiler soon, it said so in the letter.
The more Ruffy listened the more he knew this was not true, somehow they gotten hold of the bodies. Of the whole crew of the New Romance, the little ship Marcag was sailing on.
'How?' Ruffy's mind told him,'I know the Reverse Mountain, I studied it in my classes. It's impossible to get the bodies from the ones that die there. So how? How did they get the bodies?'
Ruffy glared at the screen then turned to the outside, and blinked. He had come this far, he did not even remember the train slowing down and stopping.
Ruffy made a move, walking to the doors opposite to where he stood and waited for the train to reached the next station.
The train came to a stop, the doors slid open and Ruffy walked out. Something else was wrong, he could feel it in his bones. He kept walking, kept looking ahead of himself. But he knew he was being followed.
Ruffy moved a little faster, making his way further into the crowds.
'They must all be heading to see the Prince.' Ruffy thought as he now jogged along, the people around him were growing in number. 'Hopefully this will make it harder for whoever in following me.'
Ruffy increased his speed and then ran. 'Lost them!' He grinned when he felt no one watching him.
"WOW! There are sure a lot of people here!" Ruffy said as he ran through the many people, "AH!" He saw the main road, the crowd was gathering around the road sides all cheering at the top of their lungs.
Ruffy pushed his way through, trying to get as close to the main road as he could. He let out a small cry when he rammed his belly into the metal railing, that kept the many people back.
Coughing he glanced up and saw rows of men walking pass in an orderly line. Looking down the road, he saw a float slowly making it's way down the road; there were figures moving on top. Ruffy allowed the crowd to pushed against his back, all wanting to see the Prince.
Ruffy gritted his teeth slightly, he could already feel a bruise forming.
Ruffy did not know how long he waited before the float was in front of him; looking up he saw the Prince that everybody was raving on about. Beside him was that blonde man he saw in the photo.
'Why did Marcag die?' Ruffy thought as he glared at the Prince, 'Because he wanted to prove that this man was a reborn pirate?' Ruffy placed his hands on the railings and lifted himself, pushing some of the people behind away; he heard some crying out, and he knew that they had fallen.
"ACE!" Ruffy screamed at the top of his voice, but over the screaming fans it was lost. 'What was the other one's name?'
'Sabo...' His mind whispered the answered, seemingly pleased.
"SABO!" Ruffy screamed again, but once more it could not be heard.
'Why not leave it be,' Ruffy thought to himself as he flopped to the metal railing, 'There is no way for them to hear. And what if Marcag lied and did try and sail up the mountain.'
Ruffy pushed away fully and knocked over people as he went; he noticed that others too were running after the float, trying to get one last look at the famous prince.
'Ace looked happy.' That voice came again, 'They both looked happy.' Ruffy frowned at the voice, it was the first time since he first began hearing it, did it sound of tiny. 'I do not want to cause them trouble if they are happy where they are.'
"Also the longest thing you even said," Ruffy told the voice as he continued running after the float, "Did you just want to see if they were happy?"
'Yes....' The voice came again, 'And my crew...are they really still alive in there?'
"Crew?" Ruffy asked as he turned and began ducking under people and pushing; he found himself at the metal railings, the float was slowly moving it's way up. 'What do you mean?'
'I grew up knowing the stories...' The voice said and Ruffy could tell it was grinning at him, 'You saw the execution, my execution and yours...'
"This is getting creepy," Ruffy said as he leaned against the railing again watching the float coming nearer, "It's actually answering me back."
Ruffy had seen the film since he was a child, he could always remember one pirate that stood out from the rest. The one that grinned at the camera, his black eyes watching whoever was seeing him dying there. What was scary, was that he grew up looking just like the one who grinned in the face of his death.
'I just want to let them know,' The voice came out, 'So they can move on.'
"Don't you want your life back?" Ruffy asked the voice as he pushed back the crowd again, "Why was you reborn?"
'I did not understand fully.' It said softy 'But this is your time now, your life. I will not take it from you.'
Ruffy stared at the two on the float as if began to pass, wondering if he should try and call out to them again. If this was his time, that means it was their time also. Not the 'Ace' and 'Sabo' his mind was telling that they were.
"Come to think about it," Ruffy said with a blink as he stare at the two who seemed familiar to him, "I don't even know their names in this day and age!"
'shishi…shishishishishishi!"
Ruffy grinned at now stupid he was, he could not believe he let Marcag made him think that this was the person on the list, and now thinking himself was a pirate also.
"Shishishishishishishishishis hishi!" Ruffy snickered to himself, a few people glanced his way but went right back to screaming and shouting at someone who would never look their way. "I'm such an idiot!"
Ruffy pushed off and ran through the crowds for the last time, overtaking the float once more. 'By the way. Your name was Luffy right?'
'Monkey D Luffy!' Luffy said with a laugh, 'The man who should have been the next Pirate King, if not for that stupid little bit of fog!'
"'Little bit of fog' he says..." Ruffy said also laughing slightly.
"ACE! SABO!" Ruffy screamed out again as he ran, this time just for the sake of screaming then getting their attention. "ACE! SABO!"
Then he tripped and fell hard on the ground, he laughed as jumped to feet. And stood, he was tried and no longer had the strength to ran after them.
'I have become such a weakling!" Luffy moaned out from his mind.
Ruffy just laughed and then blinked as he noticed he dropped his backpack on the ground, he bent down and picked it up throwing over one shoulder again.
"I've gone mad!" Ruffy told Luffy as he watched the float disappear, "Talking to myself and thinking that I after-" He broke off not knowing why he was chasing these people. He was insane, perhaps he worked to hard, maybe he should take a break. "That's right! I got fired today!"
'I loveeee the sea!' Luffy's voice spoke out again, 'Why not put out licence to good use?'
"I need a break!" Ruffy said aloud as he turned around fully and began walking away from the float. "I need a change!"
'Our savings! Our savings!' Luffy voice screamed with excitement, 'Buy a small boat and take a year off that horrible learning place and travel for a while!'
"Yeah..." Ruffy said as he walked down the now almost empty road, "I'm going to take a year of college and travel a while. This until I am stress free!"
'Ah!' Luffy suddenly said loudly causing Ruffy to stop.
"What?" Ruffy asked with a frown.
'I forgot! I am are being followed!' The voice that sound much like his own cried out. 'They're back!'
Blinking Ruffy slowly glanced around and saw something move from the shadow, whatever it was, it was trying to hid.
"What are you doing?" Ruffy asked the shadow dully, "Marcag."
"Oh! You knew it was me?" Marcag asked as he crept out of the dark place, "When did you noticed?"
"Not long ago." Ruffy admitted as he stared down at the smaller teen, who was looking a lot more healthier and fitter. "I remember that you are good at rigging things, you fixed the tele-den on the train to make it sound like you've died. I studied the mountain, so I knew that there was no way for your body to come back. You had different members of your team follow me in different area, and called my boss to throw me off balance. "
Marcag was grinning proudly of himself as Ruffy spoke.
"You wanted me to think I need to take a break," Ruffy said eyeing him up, "So I would sail you over the mountain right? You know there is only two more weeks until my summer's break!"
"You just needed a little push!" Marcag said grinning nasty, "I know you would think something was wrong as soon as you write the letter, it worked out great!"
"What was with the seagull?" Ruffy asked as he remembered the bird that woke him up.
"Seagull?" Marcag asked looking at him strangely.
"The seagull that came knocking!" Ruffy said frowning at the person it thought was dead, 'Oh yeah.' He walked over to Marcag, balling his hand into a fist and punched him on the top of the head. "That's for making me worry!"
"That hurt!" Marcag shouted at him, and watched as Ruffy started walking away. "Anyway, you chose on your own right. You're having a break."
"Mmmmm..." Ruffy hummed as he walked along, he could heard loud behind him. Sounding like many voices of many people screaming and shouting all at once, "Yeah," he answered with a nod, "Does not mean I'll take my break with you. Oh hello there Oreiler, just the man I wanted to see!"
Oreiler moved closer his head down in shame, he looked like his was going to burst into tears any more.
Ruffy huff as he walked over to him, "I'm guessing you had a big role in this."
"Sorry Ruffy..." Oreiler said softy, the grown man let tears flow from his eyes and down his cheeks, "I didn't want to, but Marcag wanted to see what would happen if you meant up with Prince."
"Why?" Ruffy asked turning to Marcag who was now frowning towards where the crowds went, "What's the matter?"
"Did you hear screaming?" Marcag asked as he continued to stare, he then looked round at the other two.
"Why did you want to see my reaction to Prince?" Ruffy asked loudly as he moved closer to Marcag, "And yes, I thought I heard something."
"Should we go and see?" Oreiler offered pointing toward the dome.
The three young men started moving back down the road, they could hear more noise the further they meant. It was not cheering, it was screaming.
"Why?" Ruffy suddenly said, "Why did you want-"
"Shut up Ruffy!" Marcag snapped as he glared at his old classmate, "Something is happening at the dome!" With that he took off running.
"Because you look just like one of the pirate of old who died." Oreiler answered as he walked along side Ruffy; both watched as the smaller man disappeared, "Monkey D Luffy, he and Portgaz D. Ace were step-brothers or something. I don't really follow. Marcag thinks you're him, Monkey that is."
"Is that so?" Ruffy said as he noticed the panic of the people around him, "He really thinks all that is real!"
'What a moron!' Luffy shouted out in his mind, then laughed.
Ruffy echoed this by laughing out loud.
"I know it silly," Oreiler said smiling at Ruffy, "Some people even think that the Mist is not real. Or from what Marcag tells me. Some people think that the Mist is fake and that it's there to keep the people under control."
Many ambulances suddenly drove passed, causing the two to stop and watched as the vans headed for the dome.
"Wonder what happened?" Ruffy said more to himself than to the one he was with, "Something happened to the Prince?"
"Oh!" Oreiler said aloud as he remembered something, "Don't worry about him, he's a fake!"
"A fake?" Ruffy asked turning to other, "What do you mean?"
"Do you think nobody would look at the Prince and think, 'That looks like so-and-so'," Oreiler said with a bright smile, "There's one every few years. The public don't know this, but just in case, they have someone who looks just like Portgaz, so that if the pirate do come, they be drew to him."
"Wait a second," Ruffy frowned, "You just said the Mist was a fake."
"Yeah." Oreiler blinked.
"But they place some figure head to drew out fake pirates," Ruffy said still frowning deeply, "From a fake Mist."
"But it's all for show." Oreiler said dully not getting what Ruffy was saying.
"Look," Ruffy said just as dully as Oreiler, "If the Mist is faked, why would they need a figure head that no body knows about, only the ones from inside?"
"I still-" Oreiler began, what was stopped by a sound. A very strange sound.
"What's that?" Ruffy asked looking behind him, it sounded like it was coming next to his head. Just then Oreiler's cell-den went off, and he pulled it out of his pocket and pushed it to his ear. He listen.
Ruffy watched the other as he turned pale.
"Someone attacked Prince!" Oreiler shouted out and then slapped his hand over his mouth, looking at the people around them. It all happened so quickly, so moment the people there staring at him in shock the next they they surrounding him, demanding he tell them what was happening.
Ruffy while this was going on, started backing away. He glanced towards the dome. 'That was not the real Prince?'
'It was Ace...and Sabo!' Luffy said with a huff that sound much like his own, 'I am you. And you think I do not know my own brothers?!'
Ruffy hummed before blinking, the odd sound had stopped. 'Oh well, I'm sure it's nothing.'
'That was not nothing.' Luffy spoke up again, 'That was a Den-Den!'
"You go from barely saying anything at all," Ruffy said with a sigh, "To talking none stop!"
'You acknowledged me.' Luffy replied, again he laughed loudly.
Ruffy just hummed again, he really did not want to fight with himself with all that has happened that morning.
"I could sleep for a week." Ruffy said suddenly feeling very tried, "I'll just find out what happen, then go home."
"Ruffy!" A voice behind called out, "Ruffy!" It was nearer, "Ruffy!" The person is question turned and blinked at Oreiler running towards him.
"Got away I see." Ruffy said with a laugh as the other man caught his breathe.
"You left me behind." Oreiler moaned out, still breathing hard.
"Never knew I was meant to wait for you." Ruffy answered while showing his teeth with a large grin.
"Prince is fine." Oreiler said as he stared at Ruffy, "Marcag said he will passed this way in a car, and that I should get a picture!"
"Off you go then." Ruffy said with a blank face and he turned starting to walking, when he was grabbed by the shoulders.
"Please help me!" Oreiler all but screamed, "I know you must be angry with me! But please!"
"Angry? Me?" Ruffy said as he moved away from the other man, who was about to cry again. "I not angry."
'Give him a punch from me.' Luffy mumbled quietly to Ruffy, as if Oreiler could hear him 'This guy is getting on my nerves.'
"I can't do that." Ruffy said with a smile, wanting to laugh. Then he remembered he wanted to punch the man before, when they were studying together.
"Oh please!" Oreiler said as he came forward and held onto Ruffy arms, "You'll be faster than me!"
Ruffy moved further away. Glaring at the cry baby.
"Fine leave it to me." Ruffy said as he reached for his own cell-den, 'Where did I put it after I spoken with boss?'
'Bag.' Luffy shouted out, 'I was like a sleep walker!'
Ruffy let his bag drop off of his shoulder and opened the zip of the bag, looking inside he saw his post and the odd package from that morning. Reaching within he moved his hand around until he felt the thing.
"Okay, I'm ready." Ruffy said as he throw the bag back over his shoulder.
"Good because here it comes!" Oreiler shouted as he stared down the road, while holding his cell-den up, "I'll try too!" He was not the only one, many people came forwards with their cells in the air, all hoping to get a shot.
'ACE!' Luffy cried out happily as the car zoomed closer, 'SABO!'
Ruffy readied the camera on his cell, the car came. Time seemed to slow down, as their eyes met. A angry red face man, suddenly turned into a look of shock. Ruffy clinked. Then they were gone, he did not try and follow the car with his camera, instead it glanced down at the photo he did manage to get.
Prince and the blonde. Ace and Sabo. Both were staring over his camera and right at him.
"I'm going home!" He called to Oreiler who was trying to send Marcag the photos he had taken, "Why are you taking pictures anyway, you're meant to be his captain right? Not a reporter or camera man'
'This guy is just asking to be punched!' Luffy shouted out, completely annoyed. Ruffy knew the feeling.
"What a strange day..." Ruffy said as he walked down the roadside, "And I have not even eaten anything yet. That only makes it stranger!" Luffy began to laugh at this, while Ruffy smiled.
'Food. Food. Food. Food. Food. Food Food. Food. Food. Food. Food. Food!' Luffy sung as Ruffy walked along, he saw a restaurant.
"It sounds odd when you say the same word over and over." Ruffy commented as he started for the restaurant.
'Food never sounds odd.' Luffy said firmly and Ruffy thought he felt a pout. 'What about the Den-Den?' Luffy asked as they reached the place.
"Den-Den?" Ruffy asked, but he knew what a Den-Den was, it was an old term for M-Den or Cell-Den. From his books, he known that Den-Dens were a lot bigger than the newest kinds. "Where is this Den-Den?"
'How the hell should I know?' Luffy asked as he seemed poke into Ruffy's mind, 'Just order the fooood!'
Ruffy sat at the further table of the restaurant, close to where the toilet were. A screen was in the middle of the table, Ruffy reached over and began tapping his order in. All he had to do now was wait.
'This is taking to long.' Luffy moaned out, 'Why does it always take ssoooooooooo long.'
'I don't know.' Ruffy thought back to his crazy side, 'I wished it would come in a flash!'
"Excuse me sir?" A small voice came from his right, and on looking he saw a young witness, "I'm just checking to see if the number of items were correct. Are you waiting for others or are you eating alone?'
"By myself." Ruffy answered as he leaned back in his seat, he was very used to this by now.
"Oh..okay, but maybe you should take another look at the amount of food." She said with a kind smile, "There seemed to be a lot for just one person."
"Yeah, I know." Ruffy gave her a bright smile, "I hasn't had any breakfast."
"Right..." The witness looked a little lost as but to do now, "We'll get you your order soon." Then she walked off looking a little confused.
'Fooooooooooooooooooooooooooo d' Luffy moaned out again, 'All that talking, she could have started the food while talking!'
Ruffy was about to say something, when that sound came again.
'It is coming from my bag!' Luffy said loudly, causing Ruffy to frown at his words. Ruffy could not see them as one person, but two.
'But he is speaking from inside my head.' Ruffy thought as he opened his bag and looked in, the package was making the noise.
'I am Luffy. Ruffy is also Luffy!' Luffy said very proud for some reason.
'Whatever.' Ruffy thought as he reached in and pulled out the package and placed it on the table and dropping his bag on the seat besides him, he began to pull at the strings. The strings opened easier than it looked, and soon he was tearing apart the brown packaging.
There was a box with a lid overlapping the main box. Lifting it up, Ruffy gazed in there. And saw a Den-Den, like something right out of a history book.
'It become in a museum,' Luffy laughed loudly, 'Is what I am thinking!'
Ruffy smile and put his hands inside, lifting the large thing out. Well compared to the ones in this age, this was large. He moved the box to one side, and sat it in front of himself. It was still making a odd noise.
'That is normal.' Luffy said as a matter of fact.
Ruffy grabbed of the the handle of top of the shell and bought it to his mouth.
"Hello?" Ruffy said softy, very unsure of who will be on the other end.
"Luffy!" A woman shouted out, the snail's lips were moving with the woman's voice "Where have you been? Do you have any idea how much money I had to spent of the massager gull? They are not cheap you know! And wh-"
She broke off, and the snail began to move his lips in many different and odd ways as different voices came out.
"Oi! Luffy you there?" A man came on now, "Say something if you are."
"I think your gull got the wrong person..." Ruffy said at last, "MY name is Ruffy, not Luffy."
"I am going to kill that massager gull!" The woman screamed, "Sanji when that thing comes back roast it!"
"Hai Nami-swan!" Another completely different called out, seemingly from far off as it was not so loud.
"Roast seagull..." Ruffy said aloud thinking about it, "That sounds good!"
"That is you Luffy!" That woman's voice growled down the snail. "What do you think you are playing at?"
"Huh? No I'm Ruffy." Ruffy said staring down at the Den-Den snail, "No Luffy here, I'm a different person."
"Monkey D Luffy." Another voice said, it was dark and low. "Have you even heard of this name before?"
"Yeah," Ruffy answered still staring at the snail eyes, he just noticed the eyes also changed with the person, "He was one of the pirate who got beheaded some five hundred years ago. Everyone knows that!"
Silence greeted him.
"So Luffy is dead?" A small voice asked at last.
"Define dead." Ruffy said with a laugh as he heard his other self shouting in complete joy at the sound of their voice.
"So it true..." Another woman's voice said softy, "We are sorry we bothered you, Ruffy right? Could you do us a favour and not tell this to anyone."
"Are you in the Grand Line?" Ruffy suddenly asked, it was the place he always wanted to go to.
"No." Another male said came on, "We are in the New World."
"Oh...okay," Ruffy said as he spotted his witness, "In two weeks time I'm going to go over the Reverse Mountain, it would have been nice if I knew someone on the other side."
"Sorry, we do not have time to be your guide." The same male voice came again, "Please excuse us."
"No worries." Ruffy said brightly and laughed to himself as he was about the place the handle back down, "shishisihshishi."
"Sir! Here is your order!" A cheerful came from beside him.
"Ooooooooooooooh!" Ruffy suddenly screamed out as he watched the plates being piled in front of him, "I haven't eaten since yesterday! I can't believe how hungry I am! Thanks."
The restaurant stuff slowly edged away, unable to believe what they were seeing. Suddenly someone screamed.
"What's happening to his stomach?" A man said pointing toward Ruffy's stomach that was getting rounded and rounded as he shoved the food into his mouth.
Ruffy paused to look down, his stomach was very round. For some reason he was not panicked by this, instead he continued to eat faster than before.
'shishisihshishi.' Luffy laugher floated in his head, 'I am made of rubber.'
"Why in Ha'des name am I made of rubber!" Ruffy screamed he stood up knocking some empty plates to the floor.
'When you acknowledged me, you acknowledged everything that is me. You and I will become one...Well that was what the old man said!'
"This is not good...I got to get out of here!" Ruffy said as he glance around at the people in the restaurant, they were all ready to run and scream if he did anything else. Ruffy grabbed his bag pushed the Den-Den inside and take off running.
The people screamed.