Author's Note: Who's ready for 'THE CALL'? Lol XD Also just wanted to say how thankful I am for everyone's support of my work. I am continuously amazed by how many followers and favorites this story has, so thank you! Ya'll motivate me so much with your sweet comments :)

To FawntheFox: I love writing adorable things, especially cuddling and bonding XD You're welcome and I hope you enjoy the new chapter!

To Sarah Huege de Serville: Thank you so much! I hope you had a Merry Christmas :)

To L'assassin orange: That's a perfect way to put it, trouble in paradise. Poor Katakuri, right when everything was going great lol. Yeah, gotta hope the government will stay away, but they do tend to stick their nose in where they're not welcome... Thanks for the review!

To myzmsandraa99: Haha nice guess! Papa Kata isn't quite used to being Papa Kata XD bless his heart. Hope you enjoy the update!

To yukino76: Gotta read the chapter and find out ;)

To Shion Lee: They did indeed... what will happen o_o

To Verochi chan: Thank you so much! You're so sweet :) Papa Kata is the best lol.

To SiZodiac: Hey there! Yep, Amande was totally a mistake... my bad. I should've checked online about that, but I didn't... One thing I've noticed about writing the Charlotte Family is that they're very complicated and can be difficult to portray accurately lol. But, since that was a pretty small moment/detail, I think I'll leave it for now, maybe go back and fix it later, unless it comes up again (and I'll make sure it's correct next time). I had no idea about the earring thing, pretty impressive you noticed something like that (makes me want to go online and read up on conspiracy theories lol). I think I'll leave Katakuri's on the right since this is an AU... we'll call him a rebel against the norm. But if I ever do this in another story, I'll put them on the left. I always appreciate feedback so thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the update!

To starelight: Thank you so much! ASL is so cute, if overprotective XD

To KitsuneNaru: Welp... it's finally here! Hope you enjoy it!

To Smiley-Nami: Thanks!

To SakuraKoi: Thank you!

To coolkidz: Hello! Thanks for giving my story a try :) I think I know what story you're talking about, but I can't remember the title lol. To answer your questions, yes, Sabo is still in the Revolutionary Army as the Chief of Staff, he's taking a little break to help find Lu. He just didn't predict being adopted by Whitebeard as well XD As for Garp... that's a good question. Would he really sell them out? *winks/wiggles eyebrows* Garp is going to be coming back soon so we'll just have to see, but as a hint: We all know how much he loves his grandsons so... Anyway, don't want to give too much away. Thanks for the review and I always welcome questions! Hope you enjoy the update!

To SvalbardGirl: Hey again! Lol yeah it should be an interesting conversation. Papa Kata, along with everyone else, is weak to the kitten eyes XD Lol Ace and Sabo probably won't be too happy about Lu getting his ears pierced ;) Awww... you're always so sweet. Haha I totally understand the hardships of school and work. Fanfiction is relaxing and a nice break. Thank you so much for the awesome review and I'll see ya next time!

To OtakuReaderForever: Thank you! Here's the new chapter for ya ;)

To Renny D'Vongola: Lol sorry about the cliff hanger, but I couldn't resist XD Happy New Year and thanks for the review! Enjoy the update!

WARNINGS:

- Panic attack

- Stress eating

Whitebeard's crew was silent as they pulled up next to Shank's ship. The sun had just gone down, so it was time to make the call. Though, Ace was also nervous about meeting the other Emperor face-to-face. Honestly, he had no idea the pirate Luffy admired was such a big deal!

His sweaty hands reached down to feel the straw-hat attached to his belt, shaky and unsure. Would the Emperor want his hat back? Lu would be depressed if he did.

From what Sabo had told him, the East Blue was the weakest of the seas and also one of the most isolated, so what had Shanks been doing there? Ace was starting to think everyone was trying to kidnap Luffy, whether they knew it or not.

Tethered to Shank's ship was a slightly smaller… tart?

"Sabo…" Ace whispered, "Is that ship made out of food?"

"Yep. Apparently, everything in Totto Land is composed of some sort of food." Sabo informed him, "I heard a rumor that it snows cotton candy and there's an island where everything, even the buildings, are made out of chocolate!"

Well crap… getting Luffy out of there might be more difficult than they thought. What if this Dogtooth guy was brainwashing him with endless food!?

"Permission to come aboard!" A voice called, breaking the silence.

"Granted." Whitebeard bellowed back. One of the men connected the two ships with a gang plank and a red-haired man walked across. Ace knew that this must be Shanks. He didn't look like much, but his missing arm was a clue. Plus, it was like he radiated power… much like Whitebeard. Ace didn't really understand it, but he knew the pirate was strong, very strong.

Shanks brought three crew-mates and a tied-up man who must've been on the dessert when the pirates attacked.

"Y-You bastards won't get away with this!" The prisoner screeched, his voice breaking, "Our boss will come for us, he always does!"

"That's what we're counting on." Shanks said with a smile as he grabbed the man by the collar, "You and your mates are the bait. Oh, and we're taking your snail."

The red-haired man threw the guy to one of his subordinates and approached Whitebeard, giving Ace and Sabo a friendly grin, eyes darting quickly down to the straw-hat. Shanks's expression darkened for a second, but soon it was gone and replaced with a wink.

"Everything's ready to go, Whitebeard. All we need to do is call him."

"Aye." The old man replied, "Come to my chambers, we'll do it there. Izo, watch the boys." At that, Ace immediately protested.

"What!? But we need to be there!"

"No." Whitebeard said firmly, "I'm sorry, son, but this is a very delicate matter. One wrong word, one outburst, and Luffy's life may be in danger. Do not forget who we are dealing with here."

Ace balled his hands into fists and was about to protest again, but Sabo stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"He's right. We should leave the negotiating to them… think of Lu."

He was thinking of Luffy… how much he wanted to see him again and hear his obnoxious laugh. How could they take this opportunity away from them! A light tap to his forehead brought him back to reality. Had Akagami just… flicked him?

"Don't worry, Ace. Everything will be fine." Shanks soothed before ruffling his hair, "We'll get your little brother back, you just need to trust us." The pirate then reached down to gently touch the straw-hat, his determined look hardening, "We WILL get Anchor back, I swear on my honor."

How could he possibly go against a statement like that!

Ace swallowed his pride and nodded, relenting to their authority. As much as he hated to admit it, they had more experience with kind of thing. But… would Dogtooth really agree to a trade? Most pirates he had met (not counting recently) could care less about their subordinates.

"Why don't we go to my quarters, boys." Izo said, taking him and Sabo by the arms, "I can take your measurements and get to work on some new clothes. Those rags simply won't do."

"Rags!? I beg your pardon!" Sabo exclaimed, looking down at his tailored outfit.

"I was more interested in future and additional outfits for you, dear. Though, Ace certainly could do with a make-over."

Somewhat in a daze, Ace didn't resist as they were pulled into the ship, using a different entrance than Shanks and Whitebeard. He prayed that the negotiations would go as planned.

Marco gently closed the door to Pop's room and approached the table where the den-den mushi had been placed. Benn Beckman was leaning against the wall with a lit cigarette between his teeth and Thatch appeared to be… stress eating.

"Take it easy, yoi." Marco reprimanded, tearing the fruit cake away, "You've already had three of these today!"

"I can't help it!" The chef exclaimed, "This is Dogtooth we're talking about! I'm glad we calmed Ace down, but in reality, no one knows that much about him!" Pops hummed at that and stroked his facial hair.

"He's a serious brat born into an unfortunate family, but no one to feared if given the respect a pirate of his caliber deserves."

At that, they all gathered around the snail, dialed, and listened to it ring. It took only a few seconds for him to pick up.

"Sweet Commander Katakuri."

The pirate's voice was deep and somehow fit the snail dressed up in a scarf. Pops didn't waste any time and said,

"This is Edward Newgate." Shanks then turned the snail towards him and added, "and Shanks, we need to speak with you, Dogtooth."

For a moment, everyone froze. No one moved, and no one spoke. The tension was almost palpable. Finally, Dogtooth broke the silence,

"I must admit, this is a surprise. It's not often that not one, but two Emperors contact me on my personal line. How is it that you came across it?"

Marco found himself impressed with how the man kept his composure. Most would be at least a little shaken when faced with the possible wrath of two Emperors.

"We commandeered one of your ships." Shanks informed him, "Your men are all fine, just locked up in my brig."

"I see. And why have you provoked me, Akagami? There must be something you want, especially considering you bypassed Mama to contact me directly."

Marco glanced at Thatch who gulped. Dogtooth was perceptive and obviously very smart.

"That's right, brat." Pops put in, "We want to make a trade."

"What do you want?"

"Monkey D. Luffy."

Katakuri scowled down at the snail when Whitebeard said Luffy's name. First the government and now other Emperors!? He could see why Akagami would want the boy, knowing their past together, but why Newgate? From what he knew, the pirate had no connection at all to Luffy.

Regardless, this was a bad situation.

He valued his men's lives greatly and knew they would likely to be killed if he didn't comply with the Emperors' demands, but he also had no intention of giving Luffy up.

"What is your interest in the boy?" Katakuri asked, hoping to probe for more information.

"We came across another young man, a teen, who is the child's older brother." Whitebeard said slowly, "It is our intention to reunite them."

Katakuri understood now. Luffy's missing older brother must've been rescued by Newgate and asked for their help in finding his little brother. So, he wasn't dead after all…

"Portgas D. Ace, I presume."

"How do you know his name, Dogtooth?" Akagami questioned, suddenly sounding a tad defensive.

"Luffy told me about him." Katakuri replied in an even tone, "I am also aware of his connection to you, Akagami." Shanks didn't respond to that, though his displeasure could be seen through the snail's expression.

"He told you?"

Whitebeard then interjected,

"Speaking of the boy, does he remain in good health?"

"He's fine."

"May we speak to him?"

Katakuri turned his head to glance back at the bathroom where he could faintly hear Luffy splashing in the bathtub. Poor kid had no idea what was going on.

"No. He's currently taking a bath and is unavailable."

"A bath?" Akagami asked, seemingly confused, making him frown. What did they think he was doing to the kid, torturing him?

"I may have purchased Luffy, but he is not my slave." Katakuri stated firmly, now slightly offended. "I don't appreciate what you are insinuating."

"Apologies, I meant no offense." Shanks quickly put in, "We're just worried about him… that's all."

Which was understandable, having gotten to know Luffy. His little kitten could melt hearts of stone with that smile of his.

"What do you say, Dogtooth?" Whitebeard asked, "We are willing to return your men and your ship with no damages, but only if you reunite Luffy with his brothers."

Wait… what? Brothers? Plural?

"Brothers?" He asked hurriedly, "Luffy told me his second brother perished years ago…"

"Yes… During our initial search for Luffy, Ace came across a brother he'd thought was dead, Sabo." Whitebeard calmly exclaimed, catching on that Katakuri had become suspicious, "It turns out he'd survived, but his memory had not. Gurarara, nothing a good head butt couldn't fix though!"

Katakuri fell back against the couch with a huff, now feeling guilty. Now that he knew both of the kid's older brothers were alive along with their location, how could he keep Luffy from them? He was very conflicted.

"Could I have a moment to consider your offer?" Katakuri asked, hearing water draining in the bathroom.

"Of course."

He then mutes the den-den mushi but didn't hang up. Standing, Katakuri stood and moved to the bathroom to knock on the door.

"Luffy? Are you finished?"

"Yep!" The kid chirped, "Just a second, Papa!"

Katakuri smiled and walked back to the couch where he sat and waited for Luffy to emerge. The kitten trotted out with red cheeks from the steam and damp hair which Katakuri immediately frowned at.

"Oi, go get a towel. I don't want you to get sick."

Luffy pouted but did as he was told. Soon, the boy was seated next to Katakuri wearing a soft long-sleeved shirt and pajama pants, getting his hair toweled off. He was careful around the kid's new piercings as the ears were still a bit tender.

Once he was finished, Katakuri placed the wet towel to the side and was surprised to find Luffy staring at him with a strange expression.

"Is something wrong, Kata?" Luffy asked, wrapping his rubber limbs around Katakuri's massive arm. The kid really was good at reading emotions, even his.

"Luffy… there's some people on the den-den mushi right now who are asking about you." He explained, motioning to the snail, "One is an old friend of yours."

"Really? Who?" The kid questioned with a cute tilt of his head. Katakuri decided to let them answer that.

Marco huffed as he watched Shanks pace back and forth in front of the den-den mushi. It had been about ten minutes since Dogtooth had spoken, and it was obviously making Akagami anxious.

"Relax, Captain." Benn said with a puff of smoke, "He doesn't appear to be the type of man to leave us hanging."

"I know, I know…" Shanks hissed, turning around again, "But this is Luffy we're talking about! Sweet, innocent Anchor who stabbed himself in the face to prove himself a man for crying out loud! Can't blame me for being a little overprotective!"

"He… what!?" Thatch exclaimed, trying to hide the potato he was munching on from Marco by hiding it in his shirt, "Is that how he got that scar under his eye?"

"Yeah… little brat is something special." Shanks chuckled, finally coming to a stop.

Marco smiled softly and glanced up to Pops, who appeared to be deep in thought.

"What's wrong, Pops?" He asked, curious why the old pirate hadn't entered into the conversation.

"Hmmm… I'm not sure." Whitebeard hummed, "There was something in the Charlotte brat's tone… the way he talked about the boy, it was different than what I was expecting."

Before Marco could question him further, the snail popped back to life with a slight crackle, and a young voice whispered,

"H-Hello? Who's this?"

That was obviously not Dogtooth. It was a kid, likely the very one they wanted to speak to. Hearing the quivering voice, Shanks inhaled deeply and knelt in front of the snail.

"Anchor? It's Shanks… are you all right?"

"S-S-Shanks?" The boy whispered, sniffling a little, "I…I…" The kid then started to cry, heart wrenching sobs. Shanks tried to get a word in, but couldn't, his eyes full of sorrow.

"Hey, hey, what's wrong?" Akagami soothed, "Shhh… don't cry, please don't cry."

"I-I messed up, Shanks." Luffy hiccupped, "I'm sooorrryyyy…." The boy's voice was drowned out yet again by sobs. Marco was starting to worry about the kid as it sounded like he was hyperventilating.

"Luffy, take a breath." Surprisingly, Dogtooth spoke once again, and it sounded like he was… comforting the kid? "Lu- crap…come here, boy." All the pirates listening leaned in, immediately worried.

"Is he okay?" Shanks asked quickly, getting in the snail's face. They couldn't quite hear what was going on anymore, but it seemed like Luffy was starting to calm down.

"S-Sorry… I'm… I'm okay n-now." Luffy's quiet voice came back, this time slower. Whatever Dogtooth had done, it seemed to have worked.

"Thank God." Shanks breathed out, "Don't push yourself too hard, okay?" Luffy made a noise in acknowledgment.

"Give him a moment. His breathing isn't quite under control." Dogtooth demanded, earning a small protest from Luffy, though they couldn't hear exactly what was said, "No, not until your head feels normal again."

So, they waited. A few minutes later, the kid seemed okay again.

"Shanks? I-I… I lost your hat!" Luffy blurted out, definitely still upset, "I'm s-so sorry I-I there were b-bad people and-and-"

Akagami chuckled, earning a confused look from the snail.

"I know, Anchor. But it's okay."

"W-What? How do you- B-But it was your treasure and-"

"Anchor… it's here, with us. With your brother, Ace." The kid went silent, though his eyes grew large and filled with tears again.

"Ace? H-He's okay… and he h-has Hat? Really?"

Pops then motioned that he wanted to speak and turned the snail a bit towards his bed.

"Brat, my name is Edward Newgate, or Whitebeard. I'm a pirate just like Shanks." He explained to the kid who was just barely holding in the new tears, "We rescued Ace a while ago and he's been with us ever since, searching the entire ocean for you."

Marco smiled as the kid started crying again. Such a cute little brat.

"He's alive… Ace is alive!" Luffy choked out, "Papa, my big brother's okay!"

His smile dropped at that, confused. Did he just call Dogtooth…?

"P-Papa?" Shanks questioned loudly, also shocked, "Luffy, what did you just say?"

"He's talking about me, Akagami." Dogtooth put in, making Thatch drop his potato. Marco was now concerned. Calling him Papa was a bit…

"Kata saved me, Shanks!" Luffy chirped, suddenly a bit happier, "He freed me so he's my Papa now."

Marco wasn't sure the kid knew exactly what he was talking about, but he supposed it was cute… with anyone other than Charlotte Katakuri. Suddenly, Pops burst out laughing, taking everyone by surprise.

"Gurarara, now I see!" Pops laughed, slapping his knee, "You've taken a page out of my book and adopted a lost boy! Since I've got the other two, we're basically in-laws now, gurarara!"

Katakuri sighed at Whitebeard's outburst, holding a very confused kitten in his lap. This call was becoming a hassle. First, Luffy had nearly passed out (though he'd managed to calm him down by having him listen to his heart beat, knowing the kid had done that in the past), and now Whitebeard was claiming they were related!?

"Ne, Kata… what's the old guy mean by other two?" Luffy asked under his breath, "and what's in-laws? Is that bad?" Katakuri whispered that he'd explain everything later and turned back to the snail.

"I won't deny it, Whitebeard. By all rights, Luffy is my… my…" He cleared his throat heavily before continuing, "my son."

Wow that was still strange to say, but it definitely made his kitten happy as Luffy giggled and snuggled into his chest at his declaration.

"Gurarara, good for you, brat! I can tell you're quite fond of him." Whitebeard said with a chuckle.

"As such, I am willing to bring Luffy to you for a reunion with his family." Katakuri stated, rubbing his boy's twitching ears, "It would be wrong to keep him from them after so long. However, know that our discussion is not over, and I expect the safe return of my men as promised regardless."

"All right, you've got yourself a deal." Akagami agreed after conferring with Whitebeard for a moment, "We'll be waiting at Gob Island."

Katakuri nodded, recognizing the name of the island. It was a medium sized island a few days journey from Totto Land. It had tall trees and many hidden coves that would be useful to hide such a momentous meeting of pirates.

"I'll be there in a few days."

"Thank you for this, Dogtooth." Akagami said with a nod of the head that was mirrored by the snail before the other pirates hung up and its eyes closed. Katakuri fell back against the couch, finally able to take a breath. Luffy got up on his knees to poke at the snail before jumping back against him and grinning.

"Can you believe it, Papa! Ace is okay, and we get to go see him! Though…" Luffy trailed off and bit his lip, "I'm not supposed to see Shanks against until I'm a great pirate…"

"I'm sure it'll be fine, Luffy." Katakuri soothed, running a hand over his fluffy hair, "If you're worried, I can call him tomorrow and ask." Luffy nodded and pulled himself close to Katakuri, his cheek squished against his chest.

"Papa Kata… what did they mean by 'other two'? It's later now, so can you explain?" Katakuri sighed, but didn't want to keep such important information from the boy. Especially considering how upset he was over his brother's 'death'.

"Well… that's because they don't have just Ace with them." Katakuri said softly, pulling Luffy upright, "Sabo's there too."

At that, the kid's eyes went wide, full of confusion.

"W-What? No that's impossible… he's d-dead… Dogra said so!" Luffy cried, his tail swishing in distress.

"Whitebeard gave me no reason to distrust him. Apparently, Ace found him during their search for you."

Luffy didn't seem convinced and frowned down at his hands. Katakuri chuckled at his face and picked him up, making the boy whine.

"Nooooo… I don't wanna go to bed yet!"

"Yes, you do. Don't you want to be rested for our journey to see your brothers?"

"B-But Sabo probably isn't… and-and Ace is-"

The kid stopped rambling when Katakuri placed him on his bed and pushed the stuffed bunny into his arms. Luffy went to protest again but stopped short when Katakuri gave him a serious look.

"I know you're excited, and probably confused, but that's no excuse to not get some sleep. Or, if you like, Smoothie can make some of her 'sleepy juice' for you again?"

Katakuri smirked when Luffy shook his head vigorously and immediately laid down. He wasn't sure what his sister put in that particular drink, and frankly, he didn't want to know. There was no denying its effectiveness though.

"What if I'm not tired?" Luffy asked as he tucked his tail underneath the covers.

"Sleep will come, and if it doesn't, you can sleep on the ship." Katakuri soothed, brushing hair out of Luffy's eyes. The kid smiled up at him, definitely excited for their impending journey. Katakuri stayed with him for a while, stroking his ears and cheeks until he fell asleep and soft snores filled the living room.

Taking the den-den mushi to his bedroom, Katakuri prepared to inform his closest siblings of the situation and what he intended to do. They would likely be disappointed but would understand. Of course, he didn't intend to leave Luffy with the Whitebeards or Akagami… there had to be another option…

One that he would hopefully think of before they reached the meeting point.