(Celestial Dragon AU)

"So this is Sabaody Archipelago. Why is it filled with so many commoners?" Jermanic scowled, seated comfortably on top of a fishman.

Their father was the same, sitting on top of a fishman who was crawling but Ace was walking. The pair had tried to convince him not to but Ace refused, saying that he had two perfectly working legs so he could walk.

"Why do you always complain so much?" Ace grumbled, the twelve year old fed up of his elder brother who scowled.

"Don't argue you two. It's unbecoming." Father hushed, tugging Luffy's chain who was standing a few paces behind them, collar on as usual and a long chain acting as a leash for his little brother.

It made Ace stiff and uncomfortable but a glance every so soften at Luffy managed to relax him. Luffy looked amazed, this was the first time he had been outside in about three years and the sight comforted Ace. That there was still some light left within Luffy. His father seemed to notice as well however and swiftly corrected that. He booted Luffy's face, making him look down at the ground again before using a bat to hit his back.

"Don't look up you little beast!"

Ace bit his lip, forcing himself not to say anything while Jermanic laughed himself silly but Ace couldn't hold himself back when he saw blood on Luffy's back.

"Father! Stop please!" Ace cried out, tensing when he earned his father's disapproving gaze. "I... I wanted to say that I was hoping for some new books for my collection today..."

"You know we could easily have them sent to our home, completely new and sealed." His father reminded him, thankfully distracted. "In fact I could even get the author's themselves to bring them to you."

He saw Luffy's eyes and instead turned away. They looked completely blank.

"Yes but there's something about a nice, good book store, like the nice one you took me to the last trip we had out. I always enjoy them." Ace insisted.

"I see. Well I guess after the auction we can go browse the book stores son." Father mused.

"You're too soft little brother." Jermanic snorted as he rode past, the fishman slave carrying him along down the street as father began to move on too.

Ace threw one more glance at Luffy before forcing himself to turn away and walk on. During the auction though Ace pretended to fall asleep on his father, using his narcolepsy as an excuse. Of course Ace got the best medication for it in the world but there were still times when he became drowsy and dozed off during the day only to have someone have to catch him mid fall so he didn't crack his head open. The last time someone didn't catch him had been years ago.

The person who had missed hadn't been seen ever again while Ace had been forced to remain in bed for the entire week to be coddled.

Ace carefully slipped his hand into his father's pocket, gripping the group of keys his father always liked to keep on him just in case. The keys were for collars, cuffs, chains, boxes, everything his father owned. All copies of the original which was kept safely back at home.

Ace was going to free his little brother and they then would run. They would be free.

.::.

Ace struck when his father, brother and guards were distracted by a large, rowdy group of drunken pirates who were singing and dancing and yelling loudly and irritating his brother. Ace slipped in beside Luffy and quickly unlocked the chains and the collar, his little brother at first tense and wide eyed before relaxing, eyes filled with relief.

"Let's get out of here." Ace whispered, clutching Luffy's hand and tugging him back, trying not to attract any attention from his father but at that moment his father glanced back.

His father's eyes widened and Ace cursed as Luffy tugged him into a run, noticing his father's livid expression immediately.

"Come back here with my son immediately boy!" Father roared and Ace picked up the pace, scrambling after Luffy. "Get them! Bring my son back to me immediately!"

"Yes sir!"

Ace ignored the guards and ran into the alley behind Luffy, noticing his little brother grabbing two old cloaks from a stall and tossing him one making Ace grin and slip his on as he popped the bubble around his head. He beamed at the air rushing past him as he ran next to Luffy who laughed joyfully, his eyes the brightest they had ever been.

If this was what freedom tasted like then he never wanted to go back home ever again!

"Let's go out to sea Ace!"

Ace grinned. "Yeah!

(So I have some exciting news to share with you guys! I'm finally recruiting beta readers for my book and I wanted to check in and see if any of you guys wanted to join in on the fun! Okay so here's what's going on:

My book is about an agent who works for the government called Zack McLauchlan. He is forced to go and infiltrate a secret research project designed to create super soldiers through genetic research all due Zack's branch hearing rumours about the research and experiments growing unethical and no longer following the government's guidelines. So it's Zack's job to find out if there are dark secrets within the project and if the project's director, Malaki Reynolds, was up to something dangerous or if these rumours were just made up gossip.

I believe it's for young adults and it's sci-fi. These are also the warnings: Foul language, character death and my terrible grammar. The terrible grammar is due to the book not having been sat down and properly edited yet (only a brief one over a few days) as that is not my main focus right now due to wanting to make sure the plot is at it's best first.

So if you're interested here's what I'll need from you:

Name, Age, Gender, (Email Address and Social Media accounts would be excellent as well because that way we can get in touch quicker if we add one another on Facebook but if you prefer to just privately chat on messages here then that's alright :) )

Also why do you want to be a beta reader? (I know, it's like we're going through an interview here :P)

I would also love to know your favourite books, tv shows (can include anime/manga or cartoons)

So if you want to join in then just send me a private message. I'm looking for ten beta readers for now because I've never done this before so a small group will ensure I don't get too overwhelmed o.o So if you don't get accepted the first round don't worry, I'll have about two or three more of these to go xD

Thanks for reading and let me know what ya think :D Always love to hear from you :3 And thank you guys so much btw, I doubt I would have had the confidence to do this if not for all the help you guys gave me when I was at my low a bit ago :)