Luffy was so screwed. Finished. A dead man. A dead man walking. He had all but seen the killing intent released from his big brother as they made their way to the base of the revolutionaries. Luffy was really afraid Sabo might kill him. If one thing, he'd do that after he got his answers from Luffy. Especially if he were to know about the future thing.
A groan escaped Luffy as he thought of how much effort he's going to make while trying to hide the secret from his big brother. True, maybe he had considered telling his dad, but he had thought he couldn't tell Sabo. Hell, he hadn't even expected to meet him in Lougtown at all. Yet here he was now, tailing after his brother, trying to keep up with his fast step. He himself had no idea how they had gotten away from Smoker and his marines, he had been too busy checking if his brother was doing any attempt to strangle him.
In the mean time, Sabo was lost in thoughts and questions, his mind more at his little brother than at the road he had been walking on. He was going to get answers. Luffy was going to talk. He was going to make sure of it.
"Here we are." Luffy heard Sabo say in a barely audible voice. He looked in the same direction and saw an underground basement, if he had to guess. The wooden doors were closed and at both sides stood people dressed as civilians, chatting, laughing and drinking. Luffy smirked, thinking it was quite a smart way to make it look unsuspicious. The eyes of the 'civilians' were sharp, not leaving for a moment Luffy's figure while they released a slight aura...like they were warning Luffy.
Sabo stormed the doors open and Luffy followed behind. Luffy didn't even have the time to look around when Sabo grabbed his arm and dragged him (literally) towards a desk on the head of the hall, where a brown haired woman was giving out orders as well as keeping check of the confiscated weapons. On her desk were various Den Den Mushis and one of them looked awfully familiar to Luffy. The red tattoo on the face of the snail and the serious look reminded him of someone.
"Zera-san, I'm back." Sabo greeted the lady, who looked up from her paper and smiled kindly at Sabo.
"Ah, Sabo-kun! Welcome back." She seemed to notice Luffy, as her eyes turned cold, her smile vanished. She looked at Sabo with a serious look. "You are aware that you are not allowed to bring strangers here, Sabo-kun. Care to explain?"
Luffy grinned and waved a hand. "Hi there!"
Sabo threw Luffy a glance before turning back at Zera. "This is Monkey D. Luffy and I've brought him here because he requested a chance to speak with Dragon-san."
Zera leaned back on her chair and crossed her arms, an eyebrow raised to show her unimpressed expression, as well as her surprise and disbelief. "And you just bring him here? No explanation?"
Sabo sweat dropped, half in fear and half in nervousness. Well, that was kind of the case, Luffy still hadn't told him how he knew about Dragon ecc., but he sure as hell wasn't going to tell her that. 'And he did do something before that. Played those damn puppy eyes on me. The brat!'
Zera seemed to read it in his expression, as her eye twitched and she leaned forward, a safe distance away from Sabo, much to Sabo's good luck. "Give me one reason. Just one reason why I shouldn't castrate him here and now and have you handle the whole project we're having here, of course dealing with Dragon-san as well."
Sabo gulped at the threat, more because he knew Zera well enough to know that she'd go along with it. Looking around to see if anyone was at hearing range and, when making sure there weren't, leaned to Zera's ear and whispered.
"He is Dragon-san's son. His name is Monkey D. remember?" At those words, Zera's eyes widened and she quickly scanned Luffy's whole figure, a look of complete shock on her face. Turning at Sabo, she asked.
"Are you sure? This guy seems way too cheerful to be the son of Dragon-san, of stoic, serious and scary Dragon-san."
Sabo smiled, understanding completely how she felt and gave a small nod. Zera observed Luffy for some more before leaning back again.
"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible. Dragon-san is not here at the moment." She supplied them and both pouted in disappointment, Luffy looking way too cute and Sabo looking childish. Having known Luffy for only five minutes,and Zera decided the kid wasn't meant to look unhappy. So she said.
"You could wait at his office though, he said he'd come back soon." Sabo sighed in relief while Luffy grinned like the sun and instantly Zera felt better, unconsciously smiling.
"Okay, thanks! Come on Luffy!" Both of them started running, Sabo leading the way and Luffy following behind, still grinning and momentally forgetting that Sabo still was going to question him.
Zera then recalled something. With a devilish smile, she called. "Oi, Sabo-kun!"
Sabo didn't stop and called back. "Yeah?"
Zera put on a fake kind smile in order to hide her amusement. "Koala-chan came back a while ago. She is waiting for you, coincidentally, at Dragon-san's office. Wanted to know why suddenly her partner abandoned his post and mission, so now she's dying to see you. Have a nice time."
Sabo had stopped the second Zera mentioned Koala, his expression was like 'Oh shit.' while Luffy furrowed his eyebrows in confusement.
"Who's Koala?" Sabo paid him no mind as he was mentally bumping his head on a wall. How in the world had he forgotten about Koala?! Now she was going to murder him! Sabo could hear Zera giggling and shaking in what he thought to be contained amusement.
'Damn you!' The blond mentally cursed as he and Luffy reached the office of Dragon and then, filled with dread, entered what people would call hell.
Koala was furious. Just wait till she got her hands on Sabo, the Blue Gentleman, she'd make his face blue too, by suffocating him. How dare he! How could he leave her to deal with all the weapons as well as manage the men that, she should mention, Dragon left on his hands.
A click sound made her turn around to face that one person she wanted to see. Sabo entered the room with a sheepish expression while Luffy entered after him, his face grinning. The second Sabo stepped inside, Koala grabbed the collar of his blue shirt and started shaking him wildly, while yelling at him with as much voice as she could muster, already making Sabo feel dizzy.
"You goddamned idiot! What the hell was going on in that empty place you call a brain when you disappeared without leaving a clue, let alone getting permission! And you let me deal with all those idiots! I had to fight the ones of the black market because they didn't think a little girl was going to be a threat! Wait till I tell Dragon-san about this! That if I let you walk away with your head on you shoulders!"
Sabo took hold of her hands and breathed as much as his lungs allowed him to. "God woman, that hurt!" He complained.
Koala would have none of it. "It was supposed to! And that was just a little! I'm giving you two seconds to give me a good reason for your disappearance or else!"
Sabo adjusted his hat and held out two fingers of his hand. "And I'm givng you two words." He pointed at Luffy. "His. Fault."
Koala blinked at Luffy, who held up a hand and greeted her. Differently from what Sabo expected, Koala glared at him and once more grabbed his collar, bring his face inches away from hers. It was so close, Sabo couldn't help but blush.
"You brought him here?! Have you gone insane?! It is strictly prohibited bringing strangers at a revolutionaries base no matter the situation, he'll be forced to join or he'll be silenced for good! What is wrong with you!"
Sabo quickly went to explain, otherwise she'd really kill him. "Relax, he's not a stranger! Monkey D. Luffy is Dragon-san's son."
Koala gasped in surprise and freed Sabo from her tight grip. She turned at Luffy with a shocked face and, like Zera had done, analyzed him from head to toe. With doubts on her mind, she turned at Sabo with a raised eyebrow.
"You sure he is? He seems too carefree to be Dragon-san's son." She commented and both guys couldn't help laughing. They realized that'd be the reaction of anyone who knew Dragon personally and was told Luffy was his son.
"Yep, sure as hell. He also happens to be my adoptive brother that I forgot for these last ten years." He told Koala, who now gasped with noise, her eyes widened a great deal and she turned sharply at Sabo.
"You remember?!" She shouted in shock. After an affirmative nod, Koala couldn't help a few tears of joy form on her eyes, as a smile formed on her face. Without warning, she threw herself at him, her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. Sabo had no other option beside hugging her back, wrapping his arms around her waist so she didn't fall.
"I'm so happy for you." She said as she buried her head on his shoulder. Sabo smiled.
Luffy stared and stared with a blank expression, before he broke out in a grin. Koala had just leaned back, her arms still around Sabo's neck when Luffy said something that shocked the duo to the core.
"Hey, are you two getting married or something?"
Both revolutionaries flinched in shock and immideately let go of each other, both of them bright red and facing opposite directions. Luffy, not having gotten a 'no', beamed at the two. "Really? That is so awesome! Wait till Ace hears about this!"
Sabo paled in fear as to what his older brother would say if he were to know about this. Ace'd never stop teasing him if word reached his ears. "Are you crazy?! Of course we're not getting married!" Sabo denied, making Luffy stare at him in confusement and, dare I say it, disappointment.
"Why not?! You just hugged, didn't you?" He asked, sounding really upset. "That means you'll marry each other, right?"
Koala just stood silently with a red face as Sabo stared blankly at Luffy. "Do tell me how you ended up in that conclusion."
Luffy tilted his head at the side and raised an eyebrow, as if asking Sabo if he was stupid. "Well, there was this girl that hugged me and said she did that cause she loved me, so she said we should marry together...or something like that."
And it was true, Hancock always went on and on about them marrying, it was kind of weird to Luffy. Sabo meanwhile was staring at Luffy in complete shock. He was frozen worse than a person wearing summer clothes in a blizzard.
"We are going to talk about that one later." The blond promised. Nodding to himself, Sabo couldn't help but think what Ace would say to that. Changing the subject, now it was Koala who spoke.
"By the way, how long have you known about Dragon-san, Luffy-kun? I mean, I know that he's been a revolutionary for the last two decades and I was thinking that Dragon-san wouldn't reveal himself as your father, cause that would have caused you many certain problems."
Luffy gulped in nervousness as Sabo glared at Luffy, remembering all the things he had to ask his brother, and he knew really well that if Luffy didn't want to talk, he'd have to lock the kind older brother in a closet and let out the mean one.
Before either of them could add anything, a new voice spoke. "And that is a question I'm rather interested in myself."
All three turned at the door to see none other than Monkey D. Dragon. Sabo and Koala immideately saluted him by straightening up and saying simulately. "Sir!"
Luffy though..."Hey, Dad!"
Sabo for a moment thought that his eyes were playing tricks on him, cause he could have sworn he saw Dragon's lip curl upwards for a fragment of a second. Dragon let himself in and sat at his desk, the others turned around so now they were face to face with the Revolutionary Leader.
"So Luffy...start talking." Sabo ordered while Luffy swallowed the lump in his throat. He could just refuse, but he was sure either Dragon or Sabo would make him talk. On the other hand, he could just spill the beans and then have himself murdered by Sabo for messing around with time. Then again, if he knew Ace was executed, he'd sure forgive Luffy, still he'd get really upset. But in that case, he I will insist on telling Ace, too. And there was a certain former Pirate King that didn't want that. Not to mention Luffy didn't want that either, and there was also the problem regarding Whitebeard-ossan's thoughts on the matter...It was a tough decision.
"Well?" Pressed Sabo impatiently. "Gonna answer my questions before?"
Both Koala and Dragon seemed confused. "Questions?" Repeated the brown haired girl.
Sabo nodded. "He knew that it was Dragon-san that saved me ten years ago, as well as my rank on the revolutionaries. He also wasn't the least bit shocked that his dead brother was still alive. Surprised? Yes. Shocked? Not in the least bit. Care to explain?"
"I'm going to hear about that 'dead brother' thing." Dragon announced and looked at both boys, clearly waiting for an explanation. The other topics also interested him greatly and he'd be sure to talk those out.
"Aah. Well, I was around ten years old when Garp dumped Luffy to live with the mountain bandits where he met Ace. The three of us became close and decided to become bond brothers. Then, Garp decided to adopt me, that actually meaning to involve me into his 'training'."
Dragon actually winced slightly at the last part. "I see...I'm sorry."
"Yeah that reminds me. I don't think I'll ever forgive you for stucking me with Jii-chan of all people, his training was hell on earth." Luffy stated.
"Don't say that, believe me, I've had it worse." Countered Dragon and all three males shuddered at unpleasant memories. Koala felt like she was missing something. And it really was something big. But she sure was surprised by Dragon's behavior.
"Come on, it couldn't have been that bad!"
All three of them stared at her like she had gotten insane. Luffy looked at Sabo with what could only be described as pity, though there was also a hint of...teasing? "You will eventually have to show your girlfriend just how crazy Jii-chan is, Sabo."
Both teenagers blushed once more and Sabo glared at Luffy, thinking that he liked the past Luffy better. At least in this situation, he wouldn't have annoyed Sabo like this. "She's not my girlfriend!" He denied in frustration.
Dragon shook his head, though his smirk showed he was amused. "Such a pity." He said teasingly.
"Dragon-san not you too!" Now the blond teen's voice was exasperated. Luffy laughed loudly while Dragon let out a small chuckle, that may have been the first one they had ever heard.
"Now down to business." Dragon said and Luffy's laugh faded away. A serious and tense silence fell on the room, before Koala reached for the door.
"Koala?" Sabo asked, a little confused at the girl's actions. Koala just smiled.
"I'd better go, this is clearly something you three should solve on your own. Also," she glared at Sabo as she continued. "Thanks to someone, I still have the report to do for Zera-san. So I'll excuse myself. Oh and don't get your hopes high, I'll still tell Dragon-san, and if he doesn't punish you for it, I will." And with that she left the room. Luffy mentally thanked Koala. The less knew the truth, the better.
Sabo groaned in near desperation while Dragon shot him a look that promised that they'd talk later, to which Sabo responded with a sheepish laugh. "Well then Luffy, why don't you tell us the answers we want to know?"
Luffy hung his head and took a deep breath. Then, he looked at both of them with a face set in stone. Sabo almost took a step back back when seeing Luffy's face looking so...cold. It was like he wasn't looking at Luffy anymore. He glanced at Dragon and saw that he too noticed it.
"Listen, this may sound really ridiculous, but you yourself asked for it, so here is the truth...I am from the future, two years to be exact." Luffy informed them.
Sabo's eyes widened the size of dinner plates and his jaw dropped in shock. He hadn't heard that right, right? Luffy, his sweet little brother, wasn't from two years from the future, it just was a trick he was playing to tick him off, right?
Dragon only widened his eyes, but otherwise stayed calm. "How?" He asked simply.
Sabo couldn't believe it. "You simply accept it? Just like that!?" Dragon looked sceptically at him. "And you don't? Someone would think you'd be the first to believe your brother. And how else would you explain how he knew about me? As much as an idiot my father is, he wouldn't inform Luffy of me unless it was highly necessary."
Luffy sweat dropped at that last remark. 'Err...highly necessary...?' He thought as he remembered how he had learnt about Dragon. '...I think not.'
Sabo took a minute to accept that in his brain the shrugged. "Fair enough. Continue Luffy. How? When? With whom? Why? And what have you changed already?"
Luffy then started telling the story. Again. "Well, I am here thanks to One Piece, I've been here for the past few days. I haven't changed anything major yet. I am here with my first mate, Roronoa Zoro. We found Raftel two years from now."
Sabo's jaw dropped once more, but this time he didn't comment, either way, his chest burned with pride. His brother was Pirate King. A similar feeling could be noticed on Dragon's eyes, as there was this strange new glint of light. Sabo wondered though, why Luffy was so sad about it. When he found out, he certainly wasn't happy.
"But the price that came with it was far too high for me to pay...I couldn't call my dream complete without my crew there...Two island away from Raftel, we were ambushed by a group of marines, all of them vice admirals or close, as well as three admirals and Fleet Admiral Akainu Sakazuki. We managed to somehow beat almost all of them and leave the island, still gravely injured. The weather in New World didn't help either. On the next island, there was the new Yonko that didn't have a week that he had obtained his title, waiting for us. The battle with the marines became news fast. And that was when we broke down, all of my crew beside my first mate died...right before my eyes...just like he did."
Luffy refused to let the tears on his eyes flow and Sabo was burning with anger. Dragon was close to that too, but he had to calm his nerves. The first time he saw his son and he goes and tells him just how much the government harmed him. Now his grudge with the marines was personal. He was going to raze the government to the ground.
Sabo blinked when he recalled Luffy's last words. "Wait, he? Who else died, Lu?"
Sabo noticed how Luffy's shoulders tensed and he shifted uncomfortably. He felt dread forming on his stomach when he saw Luffy bite his lip to hold back the tears. One more push and Sabo would snap.
Luffy started talking, though his voice was now shaky, which hurt both the other males. "That idiot did...that stupid, good for nothing of an older brother...Ace did...He..he d-died."
This time, Sabo froze. An unfamiliar coldness rushed through his veins, his face paler than snow and his eyes wide open. He couldn't talk, he couldn't move, he couldn't even blink. His stomach dropped and his hands trembled every second. His vision went blurry as tears welled up.
"W-what? Ace...died?...H-how!? When!?" Sabo thought back to the kid he met ten years ago. That cocky grin with those freckles and black, messy hair. The heartbreaking sad look, the death glare, the annoyed expression when Luffy showed up...as well as the warm smile and grin. How did that happen?! Ace, the good hearted, selfless, protective, idiotic Ace, died. Sabo felt even more tears when thinking about Ace's despair. Had he found the answer to his question? Had he found a reason to love life? Had he laughed because he simply was happy?
With each thought unwilling tears doubled, but still didn't dare drop.
"He dies in about an year from now, probably sooner...he is executed on the platform at Marineford." Luffy answered, trying to block the memories of Ace's last words rushing at him. The piece of information gained new reactions from both of his listeners. Sabo anger, Dragon shock.
"Execution? At Marineford? No one had ever been executed there. There should have been a reason." He exclaimed in surprise. Sabo, though, was furious, completely mad. With a wicked, pained grin he punched the desk, hard, creaking it and sending pieces of wood on the air.
"So those bastards finally figured out, huh? I bet my life it was because he was Roger's son, right? Those damned scum, how dare they?! But of course, since I joined here, I learnt one thing: the marine's justice is just trash, and this proves it. Damn it all!" He shouted in fury as a few tears finally slipped, though he wiped them immideately. He then realized something.
With the same empty, pained smile, he let out a humorless chuckle. He turned at Luffy, the look of whom was one of surprise mixed with sadness. He looked back at Sabo, who didn't stop smiling that fake smile. "And where was I? If he was a Whitebeard, I have no doubt he'd not let Ace get executed without trying to save him. And I'll bet a limb saying you went there as well. And where was I? Probably sitting somewhere, drinking coffee, not givng a damn if my brothers were facing death! Hell, I might have even been watching it and not cared at all!" Sabo brought a hand to rub his eyes, getting rid of the tears of sadness and anger as well as easing an upcoming headache.
Dragon closed his eyes, his curled hands on his forehead. He was quite surprised by the turn of events. 'A war between Whitebeard and the Marines, huh?'
Luffy finally remembered how to form words. "But it's okay, Sabo. I won't let it happen this time."
Sabo turned his head sharply at Luffy, and with a fierce glare, corrected. "We won't let it happen this time." Luffy sighed, remembering how Zoro had told him those exact words. "So, what do you plan to do, Luffy? Is there any way to avoid the war?"
Luffy shifted once more, now suddenly very interested on the ceiling. "W-well, we could but there is someone who would rather not do that, and I agree with him. There would be too many things that could go wrong if Ace is not captured-for example my crew might fight Blackbeard with his whole crew and I don't think we have quite that level yet, I'd be the one captured and my idiotic brothers and crew would start a war for me-and also, I want Ace to be happy. And he can't do that with that self-esteem problems, still can't see the love he has."
Sabo gaped in disbelief. "He still thinks he shouldn't have been born?!" Luffy sighed and nodded. Dragon then decided to speak again.
"You said someone doesn't want the war to be avoided. Who is that someone, Luffy?" He asked and Luffy grinned nervously. He showed them the D. pendant. Dragon's eyes narrowed. He thought he had seen the pendant before...but where?
"The one who gave me this, he has a plan (as rarely as it happens) and wants my help to accomplish it." Luffy explained. Sabo saw this as an opportunity and asked Luffy.
"Luffy, before you wouldn't tell me, cause I didn't know anything about the whole future thing. Now you can tell what that 'promise' is, right?"
Luffy blinked in surprise, before rubbing his chin in thought. Sabo was his brother, maybe he had to know. Especially so he wouldn't faint on the battlefield. Luffy shrugged and approached Sabo. Signaling him to lean down, Luffy whispered his promise to Roger and Roger's plan.
When he heard the last part, Sabo almost fainted there and then. He went pale once more and leaned back in record speed to stare wildely at Luffy, who outright laughed at his terrified expression.
"WHAT THE HELL?!" Sabo couldn't help but shout. It was crazy, impossible, completely ridiculous. "You're joking, I don't believe it."
Luffy laughed more while Dragon raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" He asked. Sabo turned at him weakly. "Sir, if you were thinking to send forces in order to help Whitebeard win and overthrow the government, don't bother. That's all I'm saying."
Dragon blinked in confusement, but he believed on his Chief Of Staff, so he'd not interfere. Sabo going there will help enough. Though he was a little bit curious what had shaken Sabo so much, he probably felt it into his core. Sabo for his part, was ready to go swim till he found Ace's ship. This..this was...!
"Hey Dad, can you give me your Den Den Mushi number? I'll need it for later. After I go over things with Whitebeard-ossan." Luffy requested after his laughter had died down. Dragon nodded and did as he was asked. Luffy got the paper and put behind his hat's red ribbon. (Does red ribbon remind you of anything from another anime? XD)
Dragon let out a sigh, knowing and also signaling the duo that the discussion was over. With his neutral voice, he spoke to Luffy. "I must say, I didn't expect out first encounter to be like this. Firstly in the morning, and now with this. You will never cease to amaze me, right?"
Both younger boys looked at him in confusement. "What do ya mean Dad, what did I do this morning?" Sabo stood silent, though his dread filled eyes asked the same. Dragon rose an eyebrow.
"You really don't know?" The revolutionist opened a shelf down his desk and got out a newspaper. There, he opened it and threw it at the desk, where also fell two bounty posters. Sabo took the newspaper with a shaky hand and couldn't believe what he read. It talked about how Luffy had beaten Buggy the Clown, had shown King's Haki with Don Krieg's fleet, also defeating him with a single punch, his first mate holding up with Hawk Eyes Mihawk, as well as defeating the Arlong Pirates and claiming the island on his protection. The marines had already considered them both Grand Line-level pirates. Remembering he was from the future, he quickly tried to convince himself that Luffy was Pirate King.
'This is nothing. This is nothing! Luffy is Pirate King. Luffy is Pirate King.' He kept repeating inside his mind.
Luffy took hold of the posters. Of course, it were Luffy and Zoro's posters, but he had to admit he didn't expect them so high and he did look cool.
Luffy's poster was one taken on Baratiè, in the photo Luffy was standing sideways, taken only the part from his chest up, his face split into a huge grin as one hand held the straw hat and the other clenched into a fist and held up to his chin, on the background the ocean.
Zoro's poster was taken on Nami's village, he was facing the camera, his bandana put on, the three swords unsheathed and on his hands, though they were not completely seen. Like Luffy's the poster was from his chest up, so there could be seen only the crossed edges of two of his swords he held on his hands, as the head was turned a little on the right, the Wado seen completely as it crossed horizontally the other swords. On the background was the almost totally destroyed Arlong Park.
DEAD OR ALIVE
Straw Hat Luffy
120.000.000 Beri
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~#
Pirate Hunter Zoro
86.000.000 Beri
A/N: Too long! Hey guys, I hope you all like it. Please do review! Gosh, these other ones are going to be so boring! Like Skypia or Davy Black or whatever games, I wish I could just go to Marineford and have the most epic battle and get it over with!
To all of you who may think that their bounties are too high, please remember that Luffy showed King's Haki, that only a few can wield, he defeated Krieg and Buggy and remember Nezumi's report? Also, Zoro managed to get a cut AND survive fighting Mihawk who is a strong, if not the strongest, Shichibukai.
I hope you all agree.