Ok this just keeps dragging on

As you know I am still catching up with episodes, so I don't actually know how much longer the childhood arc is going to last, tbh I've started to condense and cut out a lot of stuff, just for the sake of moving the story along. I'm on episode 500 now, and I am unfortunately done for the night. As I went out after work I didn't have much writing time and I don't like writing after 10pm for personal reasons.

So this chapter is very rushed, very brief and honestly not my best writing,but I promised a chapter today so I got it out.

I am finally saying it, I don't know how much longer this arc will last, but I'm hoping a few more chapters, I am rushing this.

I will not be writing tomorrow, for for the two maybe three days after that, as I have my convention,work and a house inspection so writing is going on the back burner for now, which will also give me time to get a good chunk of episodes watched.

Either way I hope you guys enjoy, and I do apologize that it's not my normal length or quality. See ya'll in four days!

Time passed strangely for the four wayward children, somehow slowing a crawl but at the same time sped by before they knew what to do. It all blurred together into daily adventures and misadventures. Some days stood out more than others, like when luffy made his first catch only to have it stolen by the Lord Tiger. Or their bright idea the next day to fight said Lord Tiger to determine who would be the Captain of their crew.

Leo hadn't been there when they made the attempt, already having decided she didn't want to be a captain, she just didn't have the same ability to lead like her brothers. She instead decided she would help her brothers in their job as captain...except when the time came to it, she wasn't sure of who she would end up following.

She had always assumed it'd be Luffy, that was what they had always planned after all...but now the choice wasn't so clear, because her loyalty no longer squarely lay with Luffy...it was spread equally among her brothers.

Of course their plan didn't go as expected, instead of coming across the Lord tiger they instead pissed off the giant scarred bear that lived in the forest. To be saved by Naguri, who as it turned out used to be a pirate. Leo of course didn't hear any of this until much later after the events. She was at first worried when Ace got back long before her other brothers, but she didn't push, when he was in one of his dark moods it was stupid to push. Still she worried.

And then Luffy and Sabo climbed back into their hideout, and Luffy opened his big mouth shouting about Ace being the son of Gold Roger. She shouldn't have been as surpised as she was, the clues were all there once you connected the dots. And then Luffy had to aggravate the older raven more, and then Sabo joined in, resulting in one of the worst fights Leo had seen the boys get into.

They all but destroyed the inside of their home, and once they were finally out of fight angrily declared that from that point on they were no longer brothers. Caught up in their fight and anger with each other they didn't notice Leo's disappearance. To be honest they didn't even realize she was missing! Ace and Sabo assumed she went with Luffy, and Luffy assumed she was with Ace and Sabo. It wasn't until a week later when they all ran back into each other did they realize the girl was with none of them.

They worried about her sure, but they then became so caught up with helping Naguri with his ship they almost forgot...well that's not entirely true...They didn't forget, how could they forget? How could they not notice the empty space in their sleeping pile? How could they not notice the silence when there was usually her soft laughter. They noticed alright, and the silence? The empty space? It hurt, hurt deeper than any of the boys had ever realized they could hurt. But they knew their sister, and if she wanted to be left alone, if she wanted to leave...well they wouldn't stop her.

What the idiots didn't realize was that she really hadn't been missing. After their initial fight she had ran yes, she had ran and ran until her legs gave out, then she curled into a ball and cried, and cried until her tears dried up. Her chest felt like someone had punched through it, and tore out her heart leaving an empty hole. And for a while she remained like that, running everyday until she collapsed and cried until she couldn't breathe.

Until one day she hit the ocean, there was literally no where else she could run. The fates for once were kind, for she stumbled her brothers, sure they didn't notice her, but she noticed them. Even though the had sworn they were no longer brothers, they still worked together to help this old man. There was hope!

Then came a thought, all this time they carried on, becoming stronger, and but had she done? She ran, and cried, like a pathetic baby. She made a vow then, to herself and to the ocean, she wasn't going to run any more. But still, she didn't want to reveal herself to her brothers, she was still pissed off. Instead she trained every day, with her fists and with her sledge hammer. She never strayed far from her brothers, keeping an eye on them while keeping her distance.

It wasn't until the morons had challenged the Lord tiger did she finally reveal herself. As usual Ace attacked first, but was quickly defeated and thrown to the side. Sabo attacked second, his own attempt being thorted. It left Luffy, her poor stupid Nii-chan. His punches had gotten better, but against the Lord tiger? Useless!

She wanted to jump out then, but froze when the Tiger stood above Luffy, watching in horrered shock as the Tiger bought down its clawed paw. She nearly screamed out, but once the dust cleared she nearly slumped in relief. Ace and Sabo had caught the paw, saving their brothers life. Having decided that they had properly learned their lesson the youngest finally decided it was time to rejoin the gang. With a war cry she dove down from the trees, bringing her hammer down hard on the Tigers tail.

The beast yowled with pain, giving the boys the chance to escape.

"Leo!" "mouto!" "Sis!" the boys cried out,

"When this is over I'm going to fucking murder you guys for what you've put me through!"she snarled

Suddenly the tiger looked much more appealing.

Then for the first time they actually managed to work as a team, Sabo distracting the Tiger while Ace order Luffy to stretch himself into a slingshot. Leo stood waiting, and when they were ready provided the extra force by spinning and smacking her brother with her hammer, sending Ace flying ,hitting the Lord Tiger with such a force that he actually knocked the beast out!

"We did it!" they cheered,

"I guess that makes Ace the captain, Huh?" Sabo realized mournfully,

"I trained so hard too!" Luffy cried,

"Just give it up, Luffy"

"Sheesh, don't worry about it" Ace muttered, "I won't become the captain"

"Eh?! Why not?"

"It's not like I defeated the tiger lord on my own"

"Eh Ace..."

"Eh no worries, someday you three are gonna be begging me to be your captain anyway"

It took them all a few moments to register that he had said 'three' instead of 'two'. Leo had been leaning over to pick up her hammer when a hard force crashed into her, sending her to the ground,

"Wahhhh! Moutou!" Luffy cried, "Where have you been! I've missed you! Please don't leave again!" Luffy cried

Leo shrieked when she fell to the ground, she glared, hitting her brother but didn't push him away,

"I've literally been following you morons for the last god knows how long" she glared, "You were all acting like asses so I couldn't be around you!"

Sabo laughed, pulling them up only to join in the hug. Still the girl refused to hug back just yet,

Ace stared at her a moment, before asking the question they had all wondered and worried about, scared for the answer,

"Why'd you leave?"

At first they thought maybe she just needed space, but when she didn't return they began to fear that maybe she didn't want to be their sister any more...they really hadn't considered her during their fight,

"You didn't want to be brothers any more" she quietly admitted after a moment, "I thought...I guess I thought...best leave then before you decided you didn't want me any more?"

It was then that Ace joined the group hug, and only then, with tears running her face did she hug back, sobs shaking her body even as she fought them,

"I fucking hate you assholes, I really do" she whimpered as she hugged them close, never wanting to let go ever again.