Ah ;w; Well, I was going to do the bonus story but then I was like . . . . nahhhh. Too Lazy and I haven't updated this fic in a while sopleasedon'tkillmei'magoodgirl.

Anyways, this is a plot-twisty chapter that leads up to the big juicy stuff ~ c:

"You're going shopping?" Hiken glanced at the list in Ace's hand with great distaste. "Do you even know how to shop? Because I don't. I tend to set the food markets on fire whenever I'm near them. They creep me out."

"There are some very noticeable differences between us. Besides, you don't even have to come! I didn't invite you." Ace answered calmly, not looking up from his list as he walked towards the metal death trap that was labeled as a car. "Wait. Food markets creep you out. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Oi, at least I don't stalk my little brother as he walks to school, moron." Hiken shot back, watching as Ace's ears turned a nice pink color. The fire-user wore a satisfactory grin, teasing the male beside him.

"I-I don't stalk him!" Ace yelped, getting all flustered for a second. He stared waving his hands in random directs and tripping on his own feet. "I just make sure that he's getting to school safely! I don't know about your world, but there are a lot of people that might rape my little Lu."

"He can handle himself."

Ace snorted. "Your Luffy can, but mine is too stupid."

"They're equally stupid, okay? You just have a serious brother complex." Hiken sighed, allowing the small grin on his lips to grow into a full-blown smile. His smile only widened as Ace stuttered and tried to create coherent words to counter Hiken's statement.

Since no words would come out of the young adult's mouth, he settled for a huff and stuffed his hands in his jacket pockets. "Just get in the car. Wait, no. Before you get in the car, put on a shirt. I think I left one on the couch."

"Why the hell is there a shirt on the couch?"

Ace just shrugged. "Blame Thatch."

With a grin, Hiken disappeared behind the wall, only to re-appear a second later with a green shirt on. When he walked by Ace, the man stuffed a hat on his head to hide his face.

Almost immediately, Hiken started to complain about how it was itchy and was ruining his hair and then said that he missed his hat and that he needed a new one. Fed up, Ace slammed his fist on the other man's head, successfully shutting him up. "Quit bitching, I don't want anyone to know that I have a double." And with that, he pushed the fire-user out the door, towards the car.

Without another word, Hiken opened the door to the metal dead-trap and slid in. He watched as Ace took the driver's seat, turning the engine on. "Are you sure this is safe? I mean, your narcolepsy could kick in and that would be bad."

"I take pills," Came the reply. "Besides, don't you think I'm a safer driver then Luffy? I mean, I can let him drive if you want. He got his license last year. Maybe Mugiwara should try it out."

Hiken glanced up at the room where his little brother was still supposedly sleeping, and shook his head. "No, no. I think I'm good."

That was him, wasn't it? Luffy's eyes widened as he started out the classroom window, mouth slightly agape.

Fat, no shirt on and had bushy chest hair. The man that was currently talking to some other shady men in the corner of an alley way just in Luffy's line of vision.

Hiken had described the man well. It couldn't be anyone else.

Marshal D. Teach.

Without giving it much thought, he suddenly stood up, faking a stomachache. "I'm going to the restroom," He declared, ignoring the twenty other eyes on his as he rushed out of the room. He took down the hallways, barely registering his teacher that was yelling at him.

What was he doing here?

That was the man that scarred both Hiken and Mugiwara. The man that could crush him and Ace under his foot like bugs. The thought made him shiver as he pushed open the front doors. He would stop him. He would stop him before that man could do anything to hurt them again.

He ran around the school, careful not to be seen from the classroom windows. The last thing he needed was to get in trouble with the principal again. The first time was enough and this time he needed to be there.

It could very well be life or death.

The boy skidded to a halt, peaking into the alley. His black hair swished in his face and he strained his ears to hear what the men were talking about.

" Two boys?" He heard someone scoff, but couldn't see the speaker.

There was a laugh. "You people of this world are so cocky," There was a dramatic pause. "Underestimating them will get you and all your men killed."

"I think I'm the one that is being underestimated, Marshall." The other voice replied in a cold tone. "Watch. I'll get rid of your little problem."

Luffy could hear footsteps coming out of the alleyway and he panicked, looking around with wide eyes. Thinking quickly, he slipped behind the trashcan that was right outside and successfully hiding himself from unwanted eyes.

Luffy let out a breath of relief when he couldn't hear the footsteps anymore and stepped out of the trashcan. He stepped into the alleyway curiously, forgetting that there was one more person that he needed to worry about.

"Well, ain't this a surprise? You're this world's Straw Hat, yah?" Luffy took a step back as a man emerged—quite literally—from the shadows. "Guess that bastard won't have ta kill you since I can do it right here." He smirked. "I'll love heard your screams."

The fat man shot out his hand, tendrils of black sand shot out at lightning speed, aimed right at Luffy's heart. The boy yelped, hastily dodging out of the way and stared in horror as the sand continued on straight into the brick building behind him and cut right through it.

Was this the power of a devil fruit?

The raven-head scrambled to his feet, only thinking one thing; run. He sprinted out of the alleyway, hearing Blackbeard's evil cackle as he ran. Where could he go? Where could he go?

The warehouse!

Luffy grinned, ignoring the growing pain in his side. The warehouse was they only safe place for him and his friends. Franky had rigged it with all sorts of traps so that no one, except for those who knew where the traps were, could get in. Blackbeard wouldn't stand a chance.

He sprinted for another five minutes until the warehouse came into view. Luffy almost cried out in joy.

Almost.

He threw open the giant steel doors and sprinted in, expertly dodging all the traps that had been set. He came into the 'living area' of the place where they hung out. It was only then did Luffy allowed himself to catch his breath.

"Zheehehehehe," He heard a laugh from somewhere above him and his blood ran cold. "I'm impressed straw hat. It seems that your little shipwright can build pretty well in this world too."

Luffy slowly looked up as Blackbeard laughed again. "But it's not enough to beat me. Now I can kill you here, eh?"

"LUFFY!"

A sudden force blasted Blackbeard off his perch and sent him flying into the boxes below. A fall that would've surely killed a lesser person. Yet, Blackbeard got up, grumbling about stupid kids and interrupting things.

Luffy turned his head only to see his friends racing towards him, all with weapons that they only used when they trained. Ussop—the one who had shot Blackbeard—was holding his green slingshot threateningly towards the enemy.

His friends didn't need to ask what happened. All that they cared about was that a nakama was in danger and they were going to protect him. They took up defensive stances around their friend who kept them all together through storm and shine, willing to put their lives on the line.

"Guys . . ." Luffy whispered, his voice found yet horrified. How could he let them get involved? This wasn't their fight. They didn't need to know.

"Tell us stuff like this, okay Luffy?" Zoro practically growled. "We're your nakama. Your friends. Let us help."

"We'll just give this shitty bastard one hell of a beating," Sanji snarled, lifting his foot in the air threateningly while puffing out another smoke from his cigar.

"We-we'll help no matter what!" Ussop said, his legs shaking horribly but a confident smirk was on his face.

"Yeah!" Chopper agreed with him, though he looked just as nervous.

"Honestly," Nami rolled her eyes, shifting her bow staff from hand to hand. "Stop being so selfish. We're here for you just like you are for us."

"It's not SUPPER, straw hat-bro." Franky added while Robin just laughed quietly.

"Yohohohoh!" Brook grinned, holding his sword in front of him. "I'm sure Luffy-san had his reasons, no?"

"How touchin'," Blackbeard pushed himself out of the rubble and grinned. "But it makes my work easier. I can just kill you all now."

Luffy was gone. Luffy was missing. And Ace was freaking out.

This was before their car got stolen and Ace and Hiken were forced to walk the streets, searching for the missing D. Hiken, of course, wasn't quite as worried as Ace was and he kept saying, 'Luffy's strong, he can handle himself." Ace wasn't listening to one word of it.

In the end, Hiken ended up having to punch Ace in the face to keep the teen from hyperventilating, shaking him after for good measure.

"Would you calm down?" The fire user snapped, eyes blazing with fury. "I understand that you're worried but panicking wont do you any good!"

"They school said he just left!" Ace snapped back. "What if he was running away? What if he doesn't like us anymore?"

Small, barley noticeable fire flickered to life on Hiken's shoulders as a testament of his frustration. "This is Luffy were talking about. Luffy wouldn't run away! Not for anything!"

Ace's eyes widened and Hiken left go of his shoulders thinking that he had finally calmed down and started to thing rationally. "You're right." He whispered. "Oh Oda, you're right. That means . . .!" Ace gripped his head. "It must be a pervert! A pervert got my little brother!" And he took off.

"You moron!" Hiken shouted, stomping his feet angrily but chasing after his counter part anyway.

He chased the teen another block before his counterpart finally slowed down, glaring at something in an alley that was in front of him. Hiken jogged up to him, breathing a little ragged. He didn't fully understand the situation until Ace called out, "Who's there?"

Loud footsteps clicked from inside the alley and both males tensed up, fists clenching. They were ready for a fight—Hiken especially. He had been in situations like these countless times.

There was a chuckle from the stranger as he was revealed from the shadows.

Thatch?

Hadn't he gone to work? Hiken thought blankly, eyes narrowing. And this Thatch . . . he looked different yet Hiken had seen this man before. He had known this man before.

"Thatch?" Ace, his poor confused counterpart asked in disbelief. "Why're you here? Shouldn't you be at work?"

"I'm afraid I don't work anymore," Thatch informed him with a smile. "Something came up a while ago but I don't think you'd know about it."

Hiken couldn't figure out why everything felt so horribly wrong.

"What?" Ace's eyes widened for a second before going cold. "You're not Thatch."

The man laughed, apparently amused by the whole situation. "You're right and you're wrong," He informed, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "I am Thatch, just not the one you know."

And then it clicked. The missing piece. The missing link. This man was . . . !

The man that Hiken hadn't seen in such a long time was grinning up at him, his eyes twinkling. "It's been a while, Ace."

Thatch.

It was his Thatch.

The one that had died by the hands of Marshall D. Teach.

The one that Ace had called a brother.

He's alive.

yay. dead people coming back to life. Okay, I admit, I cried when writing the last part since Thatch is like my third favorite character and he didn't deserve to die ;w;

So, sorry for the late update! I have writers block on this story so that's why I didn't do the bonus chapter. It's also why my writing is rather choppy. And I haven't proof read this chapter yet. It's too late to do that. I'll do it in the morning cx

Oh! And I published a new story last night for anyone who wants to check it out! It's called 'Hunted' and I think that a lot of you will like it. It's my first AceLu romance story /squeals.

Anyways, good night my dear readers ~ I hope you enjoyed this chapter.