So I didn't really to mean to write this. I just sat down and started typing and this is what came out.
I adore the thought of Luffy and Sabo on the Moby Dick with Ace before Luffy starts his journey. Lately I have been playing with an idea where ASL grow up with the Whitebeard Pirates and I wanted to write about Luffy leaving the Moby Dick.
This is very AU! Characters might be OOC.
Farewell
The Moby Dick was floating peacefully in the East Blue, a fact that probably had the marines and nobles alike freaking out. Ace And Sabo sat gloomily by Pops' chair watching as Luffy made preparations to leave. They hadn't actually thought this day would actually come, the day Luffy was actually going to leave them. Sure the younger teen had been talking about leaving to be pirate king since they met him but things were different than when they met.
Ten years ago Garp had thrown them on the Moby Dick with no explanation other than it was for their protection for what was supposed to be six months. They had been with the Whitebeard Pirates ever since.
Three years ago, at age seventeen, Ace was made the commander of the second division and Sabo was made his second in command. Both boys had accepted the positions happily and never looked back.
They were happy on the Moby Dick and they had thought Luffy was too.
"I told you I don't want it," Luffy yelled at Marco.
"Why not," the blonde asked.
The first division commander was trying to convince Luffy to take a small ship that Pops had gotten a hold of and had given to the youngest pirate. For some reason the boy refused. Not only that but he was insisting that he didn't want anyone to come with him to the East Blue where he planned to start building up his crew.
"Because that would be cheating. I'm going to become Pirate King on my own. I don't need Pops' help. I'll take the boat I got. Besides I can't control that ship on my own!"
"That's a row boat," Thatch pointed out looking at the pathetic excuse of a boat that Luffy had bought at the last island they were docked at. "You'll be lucky to get anywhere on that."
"It'll be fine," Luffy said nonchalantly sticking his finger up his nose.
"You're going to die before you even get to the first island," Marco yelled.
Over the years the years Luffy and the blonde had grown particularly close. Besides Ace and Sabo, Marco was the closest to the younger pirate. The first division commander didn't want him to go almost as much as the two older brothers.
"Don't be stupid Luffy," Sabo finally spoke up. "You should really take the ship and a few crew members with you. Just until you are able to find a navigator and a chef."
"And a doctor," Lyra, the doctor on board, spoke up. "A doctor is one of the first crew mates you should look for."
"How about me and Sabo go with you," Ace volunteered perking up a bit.
"No."
Whitebeard sat drinking his Sake, laughing at the scene. The man had tried to do everything in his immense power to make sure that Luffy would have a smooth send off and that he would be safe but every time the old man offered something Luffy turned him down with a 'No thanks' and a laugh. It was driving the two older brothers crazy. They respected their brother's desire and dreams, if they didn't they would have tied him down already, but that didn't mean that they were happy to see him go.
"Leave him be," the captain finally spoke up. "It's the East Blue. He'll be fine until he can find a crew."
Luffy grinned at the man. "Thanks Pops," he chirped.
Ace shook his head. A pirate captain should not chirp for any reason. Not if they were going to be a taken seriously anyway.
All attempts to convince the boy to take a better boat and a few crewmates with him stopped immediately.
The giant man turned his full attention to the straw hat boy. "You will be leaving tomorrow morning?"
"Yup!"
"Then let us celebrate! Luffy is following his dreams, let's send him off in style!"
A cheer sounded through most of the crew.
Ace and Sabo just continued their pouting.
They felt like they had every right to. They were being denied their right to go and protect their little brother. Who was going to rescue him when he got eaten by something? Or when he was kidnapped? True he had been able to fight his way away from those bounty hunters two months ago without a problem but that was beside the point. Without them there with him, Luffy was probably going to end up in a whirl pool or something and end up on some enemy pirate ship without even meaning to.
They were broken out of their thoughts when Luffy threw himself at Sabo and both brothers crashed into Ace, the rubber boy laughing the entire time.
"Cheer up! It's a party!"
"How can we party," Sabo asked pushing Luffy off of him so he could sit up.
"You're leaving tomorrow," Ace added.
Luffy cocked his head to the side. "Do you not want me to go?"
"No," both responded as one.
Luffy sat cross legged in front of them hand on his chin. "Well I suppose I could wait another year," he said thoughtfully.
"Or you could stay with us and not go at all," Ace said.
"Nope. I promised Shanks."
Sabo sighed. It was the same argument they had been having for over a month now. Luffy was going to go whether they wanted him to or not. He had made up his mind a long time ago. They were the ones that had given him the idea of leaving when he turned seventeen and tomorrow was his birthday.
"You should go," the blonde said sadly. He wanted his brother to stay but he didn't want to hold him back from his dreams.
"Don't listen to Sabo's crazy talk," Ace said jumping in front of the blonde so that he was blocking him from Luffy's view. "You should stay. We can become great pirates here, together.
"No. I want to be king of the pirates and I can't do that if I sale under Pops. I have to be captain of my own crew. Become stronger on my own. Have my own adventures."
Ace sighed in defeat. "Fine. But you're taking the den den mushi. No arguments."
"Why?" Luffy whined.
"Just in case," Sabo said.
Luffy studied both of them for a minute. "Why don't you want me to go," he finally asked looking uncharacteristically thoughtful.
The two brothers blinked. Then blinked again. "We just want you to be here with the family," Ace finally said.
"Is that it?"
"Yup."
Luffy grinned widely. "Come on let's party!" He jumped up and ran towards Marco, tackling the other man to the ground and wrapping his arms around him a few times.
Ace and Sabo watched amused. They would miss their little brother, more than they could say, but it was his choice and they had no right to stand in between him and his dream.
"He'll be fine." They both looked up to see their father and captain standing behind them, holding a large tankard. "He has a will like no other. I have no doubt that we will be meeting him one day in the New World and he will be stronger than ever before."
"But what if he gets hurt," Ace asked distressed.
"What if he gets captured by the marines in the first town he ends up in," Sabo questioned.
"What if-"
Whitebeard held up a hand to stop the questions. "If something happens to him then we will be there. He might be going off on his own but he still carries my mark and will forever be my son."
Reassured the brothers smiled and went to join the party.
Pops wouldn't let anything happen to Luffy.
That night Ace and Sabo ended up in Ace's cabin playing cards with Marco, Thatch, Izo, Namur, and Vista. So far the two brothers were winning leaving the older pirates distressed.
Ace threw down his hand smiling. "A royal flush," he announced.
The others groaned and threw their cards down.
"Wasn't I the one that taught you how to play," Thatch complained handing over the money he just lost.
"Yup." Ace smiled.
"Then why are you better than me?!"
"I guess you're just getting old," Ace said sticking out his tongue.
"I'll show you old!" Thatch was about to tackle the commander to the ground and show him a thing or two but he was stopped.
There was a quiet knock at the door.
"Come in!"
The door opened slowly to reveal Luffy. "Oh sorry. I didn't know everyone would be here," he said rubbing his neck.
"Shouldn't you be resting," Sabo asked. "I thought you wanted to leave early."
"I did- I mean do." Luffy looked down, kicking his foot back and forth across the wood floor.
"Lu, is everything alright," the blonde asked standing up and walking across the room looking concerned.
"Yup. I'm great." The cheer in his voice was fake. The two older brothers traded a look.
"Games over," Ace announced.
The other commanders nodded before leaving, each stopping to say goodnight to Luffy. Once they were out of the room Sabo closed the door and the pushed Luffy across the room so that he was standing in front of Ace.
"What's wrong," the freckled man asked.
"Nothin'."
"Luffy," Sabo said with a warning in his voice to let him know that they weren't playing around.
Luffy, still looking down, looking unsure and biting his lip spoke. "What if I'm not strong enough?"
"What?"
"What if I'm not strong enough? What if I can't find anyone who wants to be on my crew? What if I end up alone?"
The last one struck both of them. They knew that even now, Luffy's greatest fear was being alone. He had spent the last ten years surrounded by people and he had thrived. He was now setting off by himself and for the first time since he had made the announcement that he was leaving months ago he was now showing doubt and fear.
"That's not going to happen," Sabo said putting a hand on the younger's shoulder placing a hand under his chin and forcing him to look up. "You're going to find people who are going to be on your crew and who will want to be with you. You're going to be strong enough to protect them and do what's necessary to keep them safe. You're going to be a great captain."
"But what if I'm not and what if I don't find anyone?"
"Then we'll come and get you," Ace said simply.
"But I'm leaving. I'm going to be competing against you guys. What if Pops won't let me back?"
Both older boys snorted a laugh at the thought. "Do you really think Pops wouldn't welcome you back with open arms," Ace asked grabbing Luffy by the arm and pulling him onto the bed. Sabo sat on the other side of the younger boy.
"We're all family. If things don't work out, and they will, you'll make it happen, then we'll just drag you back and you can try again when you're older," Sabo declared wrapping an arm tightly around Luffy's shoulders.
"There is no way we're going to let you end up alone little brother," Ace said rubbing Luffy's head.
The smaller boy's grin was back on his face. "Thanks. I feel better now."
He tried to get up to go back to his cabin with his old division. "Where do you think you're going," Sabo demanded tightening his grip.
"You're leaving tomorrow and we won't be seeing you for a long time," Ace said. "We're all staying the night in here tonight."
Ace threw his blankets on the ground. It would do for a makeshift bed so that they could all huddle together, Luffy in the middle of course.
The smaller brunette slept peacefully, unaware that his brothers sat up all night, dreading the morning.
"Well this is it," Luffy said standing on his tiny, not at all sea worthy, vessel. He put a hand on his hat so that it would fall off as he looked up towards the deck of the massive ship before him. "I'm off now!"
The crew all yelled goodbye and waved, some cried to see the boy go. He had grown up on that ship and the crew considered him family and now he was leaving.
"Safe travels my son," Whitebeard said.
"Thanks Pops. I'm going to miss you all!"
"Luffy! Be safe," Sabo cried leaning over the edge of the ship, making sure that he could be heard and seen by his brother.
"I will don't worry."
"Don't lose that den den mushi! If you need anything don't hesitate to call," Ace shouted.
Luffy was too far to see that both had tears in their eyes. Both were proud to see their brother finally go after the dream that he had talked about for so long. But it didn't stop their worry.
"I won't need to!" Luffy said as his little boat drifted further away from his family.
He continued to wave until he could only see a tiny speck in the distance. He sighed sitting down, opening his bag of food.
Man was he hungry.
He was going to miss Sabo and Ace and Pops and the rest of the family but his dreams were important to him and nothing was going to stand in his way.
He was going to find a crew and become stronger than Pops so that he would be able to protect everything and everyone that he loved. He was going to become King of the Pirates.
He just knew he would.
So let me know what you think. Would anyone be interested in reading more about this AU? It would be an entirely new story and it would be a prequel to this chapter. It would be Ace, Luffy, and Sabo first arriving on the Moby Dick and adjusting to life on the ship. I actually have it pretty well planned out if anyone is interested.
Also if you have anything you want to see in this story I would love some prompts.
I do not write any romance though. I just can't. It doesn't turn out right when I try.
Let me know what you thought :)
