Luffy, Flame, Takao and I were at the Ace Cliff. Luffy was lying on his stomach, Flame was right beside Luffy, Takao was beside me, while I was just hugging my knees and facing the sea. Then I heard footsteps get closer before it was revealed as Ace's. Then he stood right beside Luffy and hit his head, making Luffy burying his face into his straw hat.
"How long are you gonna stay like that?" Ace asked as he was facing the sea, Luffy didn't say anything in return but he was shaking, "Our treasures we hide in Midway Forest were completely gone. In the end, Sabo never gonna use it anyway. Besides, I'm didn't care anymore. Even though we're already stored it but can't protected it, it was totally not worth it." he said.
"A-Ace… I…" Luffy started, "Want become stronger! More! More! More, more, more, more, more! More, more, more, more! More, more! I want to become stronger!" he exclaimed.
"So I can protect everything and no one gonna die anymore!" he said, both Ace and I turned to look at him, "So please…" he started, "Ace and Eri… don't die, okay!" he finished as tears and snots were started streaming down.
Then Ace punched him in the head and replied, "Don't be an idiot! Instead of worrying about us, just take care of yourself! You're still far weaker than us!"
"You better remember this, Luffy! I won't die!" he exclaimed, which was quite ironic because in the end he can't fill that promise and died. "Sabo already told me, so I promise! I never will die! How could I die?! Leaving a weak little brother like you and a little sister?!"
"I'm not smart, so I don't know what the thing that killed Sabo was. But it must be something that the opposite of 'Freedom'! Sabo maybe was died without having a feeling of what freedom is, but we're already shared drinks with Sabo and we're still alive!" he exclaimed, "That's why Luffy… we must live a life without any regrets!"
"UN!" Luffy replied.
"Someday we will set sail to the sea! And live with our own will! Become freer than anybody else! Because of it, we would face many kinds of enemies, including Jijii! We will sacrifice our lives!" Ace said, "We will set sail when we're seventeen! We're gonna be Pirates!" he finished.
"Pirates… gonna be freer than anybody else…" I muttered and smiled before turning to Luffy and put an arm around Luffy's shoulder, "That's right, Lu-chan! We're gonna be freer than anybody else and live without any regrets!" I told him and grinned at him, "That's why you should wipe off your tears and snots from your face, K?"
He nodded and brushed off the snots and tears from his face using his shirt, "We should become stronger and more courageous than anybody so we can protect everyone that dear to us, then we're gonna be freer than anybody." I told them before giving Luffy a noogie as I snickered at him.
"I'm going to become stronger, so I can protect you guys from the cruel world that judging you guys. I'm gonna become you guys' shadow, who is gonna protect you guys from behind and always following you guys everywhere." I exclaimed and grinned.
Yes, I would definitely protect you guys no matter what, I promised myself.
XXX
It's been a month since that incident. The three of us were training like usual and we moved out from our usual hideout to Dadan's house, and yesterday I just taking a visit to Gray Terminal, which already build up again, completely repeating the same thing again. I was watching the place with dark look before turned back to the forest, where Luffy and Ace were training.
"Does my words were wrong?! You only could hold back big blow!"
"Don't you dare insulting Gomu Gomu fruit! One day, I'm gonna make you cry!"
They arguing again… and it's only a month after they made that vow, I sighed and rubbed my temple.
"You're spoiling him too much, Sabo!"
"Right! I told you I'm stronger than before!"
"Na Sabo!"
Both of them was looking at a boulder, mistaking it as Sabo. They quickly recognized it and sucked their lips in embarrassment before Luffy walked away a few steps and sighed heavily, "Sabo is such a nice brother." He said.
"What did you say?! So you said that I should be the one that die?!" Ace exclaimed.
I sighed as they started to argue again, I rubbed my temple in circle before decided to stop their arguments, "Alright you guys, stop it, this is totally unimportant arguments, okay? Now, why don't we hunt for dinner?"
We hunted for a dinner and we ate like usual ruckus, only there is someone missing, Sabo. I missed him already… and it's only a month, I thought as I ate slowly and kept an eye on my food. Takao and Flame were joining the ruckus as I ate in silence at the corner; I was not in the mood of eating, so I just grab a meat or two for dinner.
The days were slowly changing, and the D brothers decided to lived separately, but still in Dadan's house's area. I was staying at Dadan's and keeping an eye on those two. The three of us become a little distant to each other after Sabo gone, and Ace became a jerk again.
One day, both Ace and Luffy were hunting at the forest; I was being left behind because of things and I finally catch up with them, only saw a huge bear from last winter right in front of Luffy, about to attack him, and Ace completely didn't do anything. I quickly ran and pushed Luffy off from there, only to get attacked by that bear at my back, leaving a deep claw injury, which I bet gonna leave a scar. I was being thrown a few meters because of the impact and blood was pooling myself as I lied there, completely can't move.
"ERI!"
My back was hurt like a bitch and I felt I was getting weaker and weaker. My breathing, hearing, even vision were starting to function badly, I can't hear, my vision was getting to blur, and my breathing was slow. I even felt that my heartbeats were starting to slow down a bit.
I was trying to keep myself awake, but it's hard because I was getting sleepier and sleepier. But then I felt someone was toting me up, who I quickly recognized as Luffy. He was shouting things at the other one, who was Ace, as he was fighting the bear off. But he can't fight it, so they ran away as fast as possible.
"Eri, you better not fell asleep! Don't you die on us, Eri!"
Then Ace was the one that toting me up, replacing Luffy. They kept ran as I felt something wet was started pouring from the sky, which I quickly recognized as rain. My vision was starting to flicker as I couldn't hold the drowsiness anymore, but Luffy's ranting and Ace's shouting were successfully keeping me awake.
Then we stop for a moment to knock a door before someone was opening it, who was Magra. They quickly take us inside and Magra was starting to treat my injuries slowly but surely. I couldn't felt any pain anymore and I was as cold as ice. After Magra finished treating me up, I blacked out.
XXX
I woke up with stiff neck and pain on my back, and my mouth was feeling greasy because I need water. I looked around and saw the D brothers and my partners were on either side of me and the bandits were circling me.
"M-minna…" I called them; my throat was feeling greasy because I haven't drink for… I dunno, few days or even a week? The four of them snapped out from their own thoughts and looking at me, their eyes widened and began to glows back.
"ERI!" the D brothers shouted.
"Ojou-sama!" Takao shouted.
"A-Arf!" Flame shouted.
"H-hey… what's up?" I asked them, a little cheerful for a sick and badly injured person.
"I-I thought you died!" Luffy exclaimed, bailing his eyes out.
"I'm pretty much alive, Luffy… sorry for making you guys worried about me…" I replied and smiled weakly, I tried to get up, only to wince because of the pain on the back.
"Careful, you're still injured." Ace said softly.
"'s okay, by the way, how long I've been out?" I asked.
"Around ten days." He replied.
"What?!" I yelled before winced in hurt, "You mean I missed fifty meals?!" I exclaimed, making everyone except Luffy sweat-dropped and some of the bandits were fell-over anime-style.
"Why the hell you count it as five meals a day?" Ace asked.
"Well, because I ate three normal meals a day and two snacks time a day, what do you expect?" I asked back, as if it was the obvious thing in the world. Slowly, I tried to get up, the pain was great, but I endured it and successfully sat up.
Both Ace and Luffy helped me out to sit up properly and gently, I bid them a thank-you and look at Ace, which making him flinched and sweating a bit, then I turned to look at the bandits and said, "Would you mind if you guys leave the two of us alone? It's kind of private."
In a matter of time, the house was finally empty, only both of us are here. Then I turned to Ace and said, "You sure know what I'm going to tell you right, Ace?" with low voice, he flinched a bit as he shifted his sit into seiza*.
I stared at him for a moment as he looked down and shadows were creep his face, I sighed and exclaimed, "I'm here not to say that it's your fault, Ace, no. it's quite the opposite, actually." He didn't say anything in return, I continued, "I'm just saying, that you still have long way to do to become a great older brother. I know, I'm the youngest here, and I'm being hypocrite, but I also have little brother."
"He's actually kind, loud, a human parakeet, and totally energetic boy. Everyone's love him, he's smart, and he's really… outgoing. I was happy… that I finally got a baby brother. But deep down… I–I was jealous." I sobbed a bit and sniffed before continuing, "Because of that, everyone's attention changed toward my brother. At first, I don't really mind it. but in later days, people were starting to judging me, comparing me to both of my siblings, and started to… I dunno, cornering me? Yeah that."
"Because of that, I was started to hating both of my siblings. I pushed my brother away from me, making myself distant to my relatives, family, or even my own siblings. I-I didn't know what was in me, but I hate it when he got the most… attention. That's also that made me losing trusts toward people." I stopped a bit and continued, "But then, everything was changed."
"Right now, my family was gone, I got no one until Shanks found and saved me, taking me to Luffy and Makino-san. And then Garp-jii came, he brought both of us to you, Dadan, and Sabo. The three of you were making my trusts toward people, and especially boys, changed." I smiled a bit, "But then Sabo is gone. Because of it, our relations became distant, and you become a jerk again, like before Luffy and I met Sabo." I added.
"And I'm just saying that… you should protect your siblings, either they are blood related nor just formed by bonds. Our pain, are sometimes the older sibling's responsibility. And sometimes we also crumbles if our older sibling, that usually become our place to reside our pain, was gone." I told him and smiled weakly, "You know what I mean, right?" I asked and grinned at him.
He just stared at me with wide eyes, but amazement and awe were in his eyes. Then he nodded and told me, "I promise I will protect you guys, and I won't die." with firm tone, I grinned and replied, "That's great to hear."
XXX
It's been a month since my talk to Ace, and my wound on my back was almost fully healed. But I decided to take off the bandages. The bandits were scolding me because of that, but I don't give a fuck.
Right now, I was standing in front of a full-body mirror at Makino-san's place, my back facing the mirror. I was taking Makino-san's a visit and helped her a bit. To be honest, it was kinda cool. It starts from my upper left side back and ends at my lower right side back, and it was huge, it's almost covering my whole back! Because of the scar, the skin which got a little pinkish because the skin was being peeled off, or whatever that means.
"Eri-chan? Are you done?" Makino-san asked as she peeked from the rear of the door.
"Yeah! Just wait for a sec!" I replied and wore my shirt before running to Makino-san, "Okay, I'm ready, let's go!"
Then both of us walked to Dadan's house, bringing sakes with us. Actually, I was about to take Flame or Takao with me, but then I changed my mind and told them to have an eye to the D brothers. We walked safely and Makino-san went into the house as she showed the bandits the sakes, which accepted happily by the bandits. After that, Ace and Luffy were approaching Makino-san. Luffy greeted her, same with Ace, while my partners were approaching me.
"How were the boys and you guys? I hope you guys didn't make any ruckus when I left you guys for a day." I exclaimed as I petted Flame on the head.
"No, we weren't, well, Ace-dono and Luffy-dono were arguing last night, but that's all." Takao answered as Flame woofed, I grinned and replied, "That's great to hear."
"Teaching you how to greet people in polite words and tone?" Makino-san asked.
"Yeah, I was about to say thank you to Akagami no Shanks for saving my little brother and sister. As a big brother, I should thank him for saving them." Ace replied. Makino-san was only hummed in amusement, which making Ace blushed in embarrassment, "W-what's so funny?!" he retorted.
"Ahahaha, I'm sorry." Makino-san replied, "Well then, first show me how you greet someone." She said.
"Okay, my name is Ace." he said as he bowed down, "Who the hell are you?" he asked.
Then Makino-san made a sound and crossed her index fingers together, "You shouldn't say that, it's impolite."
"Shouldn't it be 'bastard'?" both Luffy and I complied, while Luffy was wearing innocent face, I was smirking as I stood next to Luffy.
"Who are you, bastard?" Ace said as he bowed down, which making me snickered in amusement.
"Ahahaha, you guys totally can't be serious, aren't you?" Makino-san exclaimed, which making me laughed hard. Too bad Ace quickly realized that he was being tricked and hit both of our heads together and we started arguing at each other.
Months later, we were ate-and-dashed at the town. The chef was shouting at us until Ace stopped us and told the four of us (Luffy, Flame, Takao and I) to thanking the chef for the meal, via Makino-san's teaching.
"Thank you for the meal." The four of us exclaimed as we bowed down, while Flame was woofed and bowed down too.
"SHUT UP! JUST PAY THE DAMN MEAL!" the chef exclaimed.
"Whoops, the chef was mad, run!" I exclaimed as I ran away in joy and smiled along our escape; the others were also grinned and laughed in amusement as we ran away.
A month later, the five of us fought the big bear that tried to attack Luffy and injured me months ago. We cheered as Ace said that we're gonna eat a bear soup for dinner, much to Luffy and mine joy.
We still making a ruckus at the town, and I'm still stealing the people's valuable things, much to my joy, haha.
Then one day, Garp-jii was taking a visit and almost making the three of us half-dead, much to my dejection about it, and that night, after he beat us up, I was arguing at him because of things and I couldn't take it anymore and snapped at him. Then in the middle of that night, I was packing my stuffs and taking Takao with me. I left a letter to Ace, Luffy and Flame for them to read in the morning.
I hope they won't mind and didn't do anything reckless like searching for me…
Ends of Childhood Memories Arc…
…Continued to the next Arc.
A/N: YO! And finally, this is the end of Childhood Memories Arc! And it's only… what, 19 chappie? Haha! Isn't that great? Finally the next Arc was coming!
Woah, Eri was running away from home! O.O Let's just hope the D brothers didn't run after her and stuffs! XD (Spoilers: no they won't go after her). Don't worry, the next Arc won't be long, I'm gonna time-skipped it a little faster, so the canon will come in no time!
For my reviewers… hmm, showing Sabo faster than the canon? Well, I can't promise you. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to canon, but if I will, then that would be a secret, K? I won't share a spoiler about that, so please don't ask more than normal spoiler, K? And Takao? No, no, it's not your impression only; I did thought of that too. Well, sorry if he sounded too cold. He's just doing his job that given by Sabo to send the letter to either Ace or Eri, but Eri was still asleep, so Ace then. My writing is improved? Why thank you! I always thought that my writing was getting worse, so thank you very much! Shout out to imafangirlforever! Then again, I hope this chapter is, at least, much for you guys' likings! But there are only a few dialogs and I think Ace was OOC here… especially when Eri told him her backgrounds…
And again, thank you for your reviews, follows and favorites! I really appreciate it, I swear! Aaand, Ace and Luffy! Do the disclaimer now, so I will give you guys a ton meat!
Luffy: Really?! Okay! Eri is belongs to ThiefofStealth only! And One Piece is belongs to the Pirate King and a funny guy named Odacchi!
Ace: Okay, there, he said it, where are the meats?
It was over there *points* but before that! Say the magic words together, K?!
All: DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!