Author's Note: Hey everyone! I finally finished Chapter 32 :D Also, I just wanted to take a minute to thank everyone who's followed, favorited, and reviewed this story, YA'LL ARE SO AWESOME AND MOTIVATE ME SO MUCH! *gapes down at over 800 followers in shock*
To kaigirl16: Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
To KitsuneNaru: :)
To yukino76: Aw I'm glad you liked it! I'm super happy for Ace to, bless him.
To Phoenix-Fire-Queen: Thank you so much!
To Beebo X Cuddles: Thank you so much for the compliments! It always makes me happy to know that readers enjoy my work :)
To GoddessOfFanfictionn: Haha well, both of your ideas were very good ;) I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I do enjoy some good fluff and giving Ace love. As for how Dawn Island will go...gotta read this chapter and see! Thank you so much for the review and I hope you enjoy the update!
To runswithcats42: Hey there! I'm so glad you're enjoying my story so far! As for how far I plan on going, I do have plans for a Part 2 that will feature Luffy and his crew, dealing with Teach, etc. I will reveal more details about that a little closer to the end of Part 1 (which will be at Chapter 40). Look forward to it ;)
To SeanaRM23: Aw, thanks so much! You're sweet XD
To demarksparty: LOL XD
WARNINGS:
- A lot of fluff
- Family bonding
- Reunions/Departures
For Luffy, flying was one of the most exciting and awesome things he'd ever done. You could see everything but especially the ocean. It reminded him of why he always wanted to sit on the front of ships: to see the endless blue of the sky merge with that of the water.
Smiling to himself, Luffy swiveled his head over to where Sabo and Ace were, sitting cross-legged on the birds that made up the funny man, 'Su (at least, that's what Luffy called him).
"I'm just saying, it's been years and you still use a pipe? Shouldn't you upgrade or something?"
"Why change what I'm good at?"
Luffy giggled at his brothers' conversation. They'd been talking about a variety of things throughout their long trip and now they were back on the topic of weapon choices. Beneath him, Marco flapped to gain a bit of speed before tilting his head to eye his passenger, as he did regularly.
"Shishishi, I'm good, Mango." He whispered, draping himself across the warm feathers, tail blown about by the wind, "…can't believe we're almost there." Marco cawed in response, probably happy to finally have a decent rest.
They'd been traveling for almost an entire week, only touching down when the birds needed to, which wasn't often. Both the pirate and revolutionary had an incredible amount of stamina. Needless to say, Luffy and his brothers were getting restless…and sore.
A few days before, they'd flown over the Red Line, which had been so cool! Luffy wondered what it would look like from a ship? From the air, it looked…small. He couldn't wait to cross it with his own crew someday.
Now, they were in the East Blue, their home.
'It's been so long…' The little boy mused, pressing his cheek against Marco's back so he could take in the glorious blue beneath him, 'I wonder how Dadan and the others are doing?' He and Ace had rushed off so quickly they hadn't gotten to say goodbye.
"Lu, careful. You might slide off."
"I'm holding on!" Luffy whined, sitting up to pout at Sabo.
"That's what you said the last few times…just before you plummeted to your death."
"Marco caught me…" He muttered, jutting his bottom lip out. Sabo sighed while Ace snickered.
"Yeah…by your foot. You almost lost your shirt and did lose both your sandals."
Before Luffy could reply, Marco let out a sharp caw, drawing their attention forward. There, in the distance, was an island. The little boy quickly crawled up the phoenix's neck to get a better look.
"Ace, Sabo…is that-"
"Dawn Island." A deep voice interjected, coming from the crows beneath his brothers' feet, "We've arrived."
"We're home." Ace whispered, a fond smile appearing on his face. Sabo simply tipped his hat over his eyes as they grew closer, instructing 'Su to make for the center of the island.
They were going to land in Midway Forest to avoid the coasts just in case any unsavory characters were lurking.
When they finally reached the ground, Luffy leapt off Marco's back and marveled at the familiar scenery around them. Everything was the same…the trees, the smell, the sounds of wild animals in the distance. He grinned up at Ace when his brother walked up and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Feels like ages since we left."
"How do you think I feel…" Sabo put in while straightening out his shirt, "It's literally been years." Behind him, both Marco and 'Su changed back into their human forms and tossed them the remainder of their luggage. Luffy secured his bag to his back while Ace shouldered his. None of them had a whole lot of stuff, and that was okay.
What mattered was that they'd made it back.
Pretty…big trees. Hunt?
"Shishishi, maybe later." Luffy answered quietly, making Blue keen in excitement, "First we gotta find Papa."
"I will go scout the area for enemies." 'Su stated before fluttering away in a swarm of crows. Marco walked past him with a nod of agreement.
"That's a good idea, yoi. I didn't see any Marine ships on the coast, but better to be safe than sorry. So…which way? You three know these woods better than me."
"…should we go to Dadan's?" Ace suggested, earning a shrug from Sabo.
"I suppose. Marco, do you sense Dogtooth anywhere?"
"He's here somewhere, yoi." Marco answered, making Luffy's ears perk up, "I can't pinpoint his exact location…probably hiding his presence just in case."
"Come on, let's go!" Luffy chirped, rushing into the forest with his brothers and Marco right behind him. As they ran, he felt his body naturally use their old routes, circle around the same trees. It was almost like they'd never left.
All too soon, they arrived at the clearing where Dadan's dwelling was. Luffy's eyes lit up when he saw lights and movement coming from inside. Marco winked down at him and lightly pressed him forward with a hand on his back. Ace and Sabo followed him, coming to a halt in front of the flimsy door.
"Are you going to knock?" Sabo hissed, making Ace shuffle his feet.
"W-Why do I have to do it? You do it!"
"I was dead, remember?"
Luffy chose to ignore his brothers and slammed his rubber fist against the door. After the seventh loud knock, the door was thrown open, revealing an angry red-haired woman.
"ALL RIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH YOU-" Dadan halted her tirade to gape at them, her cigarette falling out of her mouth, "E-E-Eh…Ace!? Lu-"
"Dadan!" Luffy exclaimed before pulling the shocked woman into a rubbery hug, "I missed you!" At his voice, the other bandits piled out of the small shack, tears in their eyes.
"You came back!"
"You're alive!"
When Luffy detached from Dadan and peered up at her face, he noticed there were tears in her eyes.
"Dadan?" He questioned, prompting her to pull him in for another hug.
"…idiots. Making me worry like that." The large woman then released him and moved on to Ace, who she smacked over the head. "As for you, what do you have to say for yourself, young man!"
"Me? What'd I do!?" The freckled teen whined, rubbing his head.
"You ran off and put your little brother in danger! Not only that, but thanks to you, Garp gave us a really hard time and-" Dadan stopped mid-sentence when she finally noticed Sabo. The blonde removed his top hat and nervously approached the bandits.
"Er…hi. It's been a while."
"S-S-Sabo?" Magra stuttered, eyes wide and full of tears, "You're…alive?" Seconds later, they'd moved on from Ace and were swarming Sabo, peppering him with questions and sweaty hugs. Luffy laughed and made to join the fun when he remembered a certain pirate hadn't entered the clearing yet.
"Mango! Come meet everybody!" At his outburst, the bandits all turned towards the forest where Marco was leaning against a tree, a small smile on his lips. The pirate nodded and slowly approached, immediately making Dadan frown.
"You a pirate?"
"Yes, yoi. My name is Marco."
"You helped our boys?"
"I did." Dadan huffed and thrust her hand out with determination.
"Then you're welcome in my country."
Marco nodded and took her hand, making Luffy cheer. Everyone was becoming friends! Now all they had to do was find Papa Kata.
Katakuri wandered through the quiet village with interest, taking in the serene atmosphere. He was in disguise of course, having brought extra clothing with him that would fit a 'smaller version' of his normal self. Using his ability, he now appeared just slightly taller than average.
His scarf remained (of course) but he'd chosen less 'intimidating' attire. Instead of his normal black leather, he wore a simple long-sleeve red shirt and dark cloth pants. At Brulee's insistence, he'd even abstained from his usual boots and spurs.
Needless to say, he felt mildly uncomfortable in the unfamiliar attire, but he couldn't risk standing out when the government was after Luffy.
He'd decided to explore the village despite the danger in an attempt to see where Luffy grew up for at least part of his life. From what Katakuri remembered of the boy's past, this was where he met Akagami and accidently ate his devil fruit.
"You're not from 'round here, are ya?" A voice called, bringing him out of his thoughts. It was an old man with rather beady eyes.
"No, I'm not." Katakuri replied, examining the man with interest, "Tell me, is it true that Akagami came here at one point in time?" The other furrowed his brows at the question.
"Who's asking? You a bounty hunter or something?"
"Not exactly-"
"Mayor! Stop harassing the poor man!" A female voice cut in, making the elderly fellow flinch. Katakuri turned and blinked down at the young, green-haired woman. Thinking back to what Luffy had explained about his time in the village…could this be 'Makino'? The woman bowed to him. "Please forgive him, he'd suspicious of everyone these days."
"It's no problem."
"Might I interest you in a drink?" She asked, motioning to a building called 'Party's Bar'. Katakuri considered the woman's offer for a moment. He definitely had no intention of drinking, but perhaps she could give him more information on Luffy.
"No thank you, but some time out from under the sun would be welcome."
The young lady grinned and introduced herself as Makino, the bar owner. Katakuri (pleased with himself for being right) followed her inside. The bar was quaint and well-kept though it currently had no customers. Perhaps that's why she invited him inside?
When he settled himself at the bar, he glanced behind him, noting the old man had also entered the bar…still eyeing Katakuri with suspicion.
"Perhaps you'd like to join me?" He asked the elderly man, making him jump in surprise, "I have nothing to hide." Well…he had a lot to hide, but hopefully not from people Luffy trusted.
Makino chuckled to herself when the man hobbled up to the bar before turning to make him a drink.
"What do they call you, stranger?"
"Katakuri." He answered, "And you?"
"I am Woop Slap, the Mayor of this here town." Katakuri hummed, now understanding his vested interest in outsiders. He likely saw it as part of his duty to vet strangers. "If you ain't a bounty hunter…what are you?"
"I am a pirate." Katakuri continued, taking in the other's scowl, "Fear not, I am not here to cause trouble."
"Do you know Shanks?" Makino asked while sliding the Mayor a chilled drink, "I overheard you asking about him before."
"We are…acquaintances." He admitted, bringing his arms across his chest, "How curious that a pirate of his caliber would dock at such a small village for so long…"
"Yes, we thought it strange as well! But Luffy loved him and-" Makino stopped midsentence and covered her mouth, fear clear on her face. Katakuri smiled under his scarf, realizing right away that she was worried he'd come hunting for Luffy.
"So it's true then, you two know Luffy."
"W-What's it to ya!?" Woop Slap exclaimed, holding up his cane, "If you're here to try and-" The old man trailed off when Katakuri chuckled light heartedly.
"Forgive me, I was simply curious what you'd say. I am no threat to Luffy." The two villagers blinked at one another in confusion before turning back to him.
"What do you mean?"
"It's a rather long story but allow me to explain."
Makino and Woop Slap listened intently as Katakuri told his story, starting from when he'd purchased Luffy from a slave auction. He tried to keep his description of Luffy's trauma to a minimum, knowing Makino especially would take it hard. When he finished his tale, the woman had tears in her eyes and Woop Slap looked to be trying to hide the emotion on his face.
"So he's all right…" Makino managed, wiping her face with her palm, "…and Ace too. It's more than we could ask for."
"Aye. When we saw his wanted poster…we feared the worst." Woop Slap put in with a sigh, "They're troublemakers, but no one deserves the fate the Government would give them."
Katakuri cracked a fond smile at their relief, glad to have found people who were Luffy's allies.
"And to think, after all this time," Makino giggled to herself, "little Luffy's found himself a father. How wonderful!" Katakuri blushed and pulled his scarf higher.
"I…I simply followed my instincts."
"Well, I'm sure Luffy feels the same." She continued, bowing slightly at the waist, "Thank you for taking care of him. God knows he deserves all the love you can give him."
Katakuri nodded in reply before suddenly sensing something in the distance. It was a group…full of familiar presences.
'They made good time.' He thought, excitement coiling in his belly, 'I should return to Brulee and go meet them.'
"Thank you for your hospitality." Katakuri said, standing and bowing, "However, I must be off." He'd lingered at the bar for many hours…it was time to get back on task. Just as he turned around, he stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"Would you two like to accompany me?"
Luffy flitted around the bonfire the bandits started in celebration of their safe return (and Sabo's return from the dead), laughing as he went. He and his brothers had gone hunting, like old times, so there was plenty to go around. In the dying light, the little boy could see the light dancing off everyone's faces, and it made him so happy.
He'd hoped to see his Papa Kata by now, but Marco told him to be patient.
"Oh my, this is quite the party!" A familiar voice called, making Luffy's tail point straight up. He knew that voice!
"Makino!" Luffy exclaimed moments before he threw himself into the woman's arms. She caught him with practiced ease and hugged him close to her bosom.
"I'm so glad you're okay, sweetheart." Makino whispered into his hair, coaxing a low hum from his throat.
"M-Makino." Ace stuttered, nervously shuffling up to the woman, "It's good to see you again." She released Luffy to smile at his freckled brother.
"Likewise, Ace. It's only been a few months but I can tell you've matured." The teen straightened at that, a sheepish smile appearing on his face. Beside her, Luffy yelped when his hair was roughly tousled.
"And I see someone wasn't quite as dead as we thought, hmmm?" Woop Slap grumbled, eyeing Sabo with an appraising eye, "Troublemakers, the lot of ya…making Makino worry."
Luffy was pretty sure the Mayor had been worried to, but in the moment, he didn't bother trying to argue. Instead, he took their hands and led them over to the fire where Marco was chatting with bandits, being treated to some tea.
"Mango! This is Makino and Woop Slap, from Foosha. They looked after me before I came to live in the forest."
"It's a pleasure, yoi." The pirate answered, inclining his head to them respectfully, "I've heard a lot about you." A few minutes later, they were all seated, enjoying the warmth of the fire. Luffy looked up at the stars, wondering if Kata was nearby.
He wanted to see him…
"Ne, Makino?" Luffy asked, poking the woman in the shoulder, "You saw Papa right? Where is he?"
"Mr. Katakuri said he needed to change into something 'more comfortable'." She explained, "I'm sure he'll be here any minute."
It was only when the bandits re-stoked the fire that his Papa finally appeared, nearly scaring the life out of everyone but Luffy, his brothers, and Marco. He emerged almost silently from the forest, towering over all of them and looking exactly the same as when he left all those months ago.
"Holy Mother of-" Woop Slap cursed, holding his chest, "I thought you meant a change of clothes, man! Not a-a-"
"PAPA!" Luffy cheered, rocketing himself into the massive pirate's arms for a hug. He wasted no time rubbing his cheek against Kata's, glee bubbling up in his chest. "I missed you so much!"
"As did I, little one." Papa Kata replied, allowing him to curl up in the crook of his neck, "I apologize…I did not mean to scare you all. This is how I normally look but I didn't want to draw attention to myself in the village."
"I-I see." Makino managed while lightly fanning Dadan, who'd fainted, "Well, the world is full of surprises, hmmm?"
Meanwhile, Luffy tuned out the rest of the conversations, content to bask in Kata's comforting scent. It was just like he remembered: a mix of bread dough, the ocean breeze, and something sweet…probably frosting.
"Is Auntie Branch here to?" Luffy muttered, making himself comfortable in Kata's scarf.
"Yes, she's waiting in the mirror world. Should we need to make a quick escape, she will be ready."
"Mmmm…that's good…" He slurred, the warmth lulling him to sleep.
"Tired already?"
"Yeah…g'night Papa."
"Good night, Luffy."
Katakuri carefully transferred the sleeping cat-boy from his shoulder to his lap, worried the sleeping child would roll off in his sleep. He'd catch him, of course, but it was better to be safe than sorry. Across the fire, Ace and Sabo nodded to him, which he acknowledged with a nod of his own.
He imagined the former was quite excited to finally get to leave for his journey. Hopefully it would all go to plan.
"Dogtooth." Marco whispered from where he now stood, having moved from his position next to the fire, "May I have a word, yoi? In private?"
"Of course." Katakuri replied before looking for someone else to hold Luffy. Sabo quickly caught his eye and trotted over, accepting the snoozing boy gently. Once the little one was secure against his brother's chest, he motioned for Marco to lead the way.
The Phoenix led him quite a ways from the bandit's camp and stopped just on the edge of the forest.
"Over the last few months, we learned something new about Luffy's trauma and its…consequences."
"Is that so." Katakuri replied with a frown as he settled onto the grass. Marco sighed and ran a hand through his hair.
"I should've seen it, yoi. I'm ashamed I didn't for so long." The Whitebeard said, setting his jaw and turning back towards him, "Apparently, the damage to his nerves was more severe than I thought…he's…constantly in pain."
"What!?" Katakuri exclaimed, tightening his hand into a fist at the implications, "This entire time!?"
"Yes, yoi. Luffy has his reasons, but not even his brothers know." Marco continued, sorrow in his eyes, "He opened up to Jimbei of all people." Katakuri felt his stomach drop. That meant they'd only learned of Luffy's pain a few weeks before…when he'd already been on the Moby Dick for months.
'…and with me for longer.'
"I've started him on some basic pain medication." The smaller pirate explained, tossing him a bottle of pills, "It's not much…I don't want him to become dependent on them."
"Is there a way to cure him?"
"There is, yoi." Marco answered seriously, "You need to find a skilled surgeon, one who can repair his damaged nerves. It will be difficult to find someone with the proper qualifications, however…" The pirate pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to him.
Katakuri opened it and read over the text written in scrawled cursive.
"…maybe I can help narrow your search."
"North Blue, huh…?" Katakuri muttered, brows furrowing in thought. Of course he'd heard of the Op-Op Fruit, it gave incredible power that, in the hands of a skilled doctor, was very impressive. In his missive, Marco had written down the names of islands where it had recently been seen. "Do you think it's been claimed?"
"Perhaps. Apparently, it went missing in a scuffle with the Donquixote Pirates," Marco crossed his arms, "but between you and me, I've heard rumors about a young pirate in that area…one with an ability that could very well be the one we need, yoi."
Katakuri hummed, memorizing the name on the parchment.
"Trafalgar Law. Perhaps we will make a pit stop in the North Blue before returning to Mama." He said, stowing the paper in his vest, "We need to bring some sweets back for her anyway."
Ace looked down at Luffy's sleeping form fondly as he snuggled deeper into Sabo's shoulder, his fluffy tail limp against the ground. After so long…they were finally home and no longer had to worry about kidnappers or slavers.
It was a surreal feeling.
He breathed out slowly, feeling all the accumulated stress leave his body. They'd made it, they'd survived.
"Looks like you three made some strange friends." Dadan said while seating herself down next to him and Sabo. His blonde brother chuckled quietly.
"You could say that…tell me, Dadan…how've you been?"
"How've I been!?" She growled, clumsily lighting a cigarette, "I've been a damn mess because of you brats!" Ace flinched and looked away in shame. It was true, he'd taken Lu and left without even thinking about Dadan's feelings.
The curly-haired woman sighed and puffed out a ring of smoke.
"But…I can't stay mad. I'm just glad you're not dead."
Ace smiled at the woman, the one who'd (attempted) to raise him. She would always deny her motherly and protective instincts towards them, but they knew how she felt. Dadan was a good and caring woman, somewhere deep-down…underneath all the cursing, cigarettes, and roughness.
Both he and Sabo looked up when Marco and Katakuri returned to their little camp, looking a bit…serious.
'I wonder what they talked about?' Ace mused, giving Sabo a subtle, questioning glance. His brother merely shrugged, coaxing an adorable whine from Luffy. When the two pirates re-settled, Makino stood and clapped her hands together, successfully gaining everyone's attention.
"Everyone! Given the occasion, I took the liberty of bringing something to help us celebrate." While she ruffled around in her basket, the bandits began to mumble amongst themselves, likely hoping it was booze. When Makino removed chocolate and marshmallows from the confines of the picnic blanket, Ace felt his mouth instinctively water. She grinned sweetly at the group. "Would anyone happen to be interested in a smore?"
"YES!" Came an excited shriek from Luffy, who'd gone from being completely out to fully awake in less than a second, almost head-butting Sabo in the chin. The cat-boy sniffed the air and scrambled out of his brother's lap so he could bounce excitedly in front of Makino.
"Of course, Lu." The woman said with a giggle, reaching down to smooth out his fur and place his straw hat gently over his ears, "Why don't you start with two?"
About fifteen minutes later, pretty much everyone had started roasting their marshmallows while chatting and laughing. Ace noticed right away that Dogtooth had refused his portion, just like he'd refused Thatch's lunch when they'd first met.
"Hey, 'Bo."
"Hmm?" Sabo hummed, raising an eyebrow as he meticulously turned his marshmallow over, keeping the browning symmetrical.
"Why do you think Dogtooth won't eat around other people?"
"Who knows…I mean, he wears that scarf all the time. The two issues are probably related." Ace blinked, putting two and two together. It was true, he'd never seen the bottom half of Katakuri's face. Pondering to himself, he called for Luffy who was munching on a smore while perched on the Charlotte's knee.
Luffy's ears perked up at his call and he padded around the fire to him, licking chocolate off his fingers as he went.
"Hey, Lu." Ace whispered, pulling his baby brother in by his shoulders, "I've got a question for you."
"Okay." The boy answered, attention still very much diverted by the stickiness of his hands.
"Have you ever seen your Papa's face?" Luffy looked up at him with questioning eyes, "You know…the bottom half?" At that, the kid's ears went back and his tail began to swish erratically behind him.
"Y-Yeah…why?"
"Do you know why he hides it?"
"It's Papa's secret." Luffy stated firmly, looking at the large pirate across the fire, "I don't think he'd like me telling you about it." Ace huffed and dangled his half-eaten smore in front of Luffy's face.
"…not even for my smore?"
The little boy gulped and salivated at the sight of the treat, but shook his head, nonetheless.
"Sorry, Ace…but it's important to Papa." With that, Luffy got up and trotted back over to the pirate, leaving him flabbergasted.
"Damn, Lu just said no to food." He muttered in wonder, bringing a snort out of Sabo.
"I suppose there's a first time for everything."
Later that night, once everyone had stuffed themselves full of delicious smores, the clearing was peaceful. Aside from the occasional snore, there was nothing to disturb them. Luffy chose to sleep with his brothers, wanting to get in as much quality time as possible before they set out the next day.
Ace would be leaving to become a pirate.
Sabo would be returning to the Revolutionary Army.
'…and I'll be with Papa.' Luffy thought, grinning in happiness. He was going to miss his brothers, a lot, but he couldn't deny feeling excited to travel around with his Papa Kata and see his Aunts and Uncles.
The boy yawned and nuzzled into Ace's chest, the teen already asleep. Sabo lay behind him, sleeping quietly as he always did. Luffy blinked up to the sky when he heard a bird's cry and waved his tail at 'Su, who settled himself on a branch far above them.
Tomorrow was the big day, and he was so happy for Ace.
Finally, he got to take a step towards his dream.
"Ace, are you sure about this?" Makino questioned, eyeing the small boat he'd chosen with apprehension, "It's…well…"
"It's perfect." He replied, dropping his stuff at his feet before looking back up at the people who were seeing him off. The bandits were there (minus Dadan, who for whatever reason had refused to come…probably feeling too emotional, though she'd never admit it), along with his brothers, Mayor Woop Slap, Makino, Dogtooth, and Marco, who smirked down at him from his position against a nearby tree.
"Good luck, yoi." The pirate called, "I imagine we'll meet against, sometime very soon."
"You mean when I challenge Whitebeard." Ace shot back, puffing out his chest, "I'll surpass all of you, you'll see!" Marco simply shook his head and raised his hand in a mocking wave.
"Take care, Ace!" Luffy exclaimed, waving his hands wildly.
"Yeah, see you!" He replied with a bright, fond smile, "I'm going now."
"Just you wait, I'll be a lot stronger when we meet again!" His little brother continued, tail fluffed up, "Papa said he's gonna train me!" Ace laughed.
"I bet! Don't give him any trouble, okay?"
"Mn!" Luffy affirmed, purring when Dogtooth pet a finger over his hair.
'I'll have to work hard not to be left behind.' Ace determined, recalling just how strong Katakuri was. If he passed on his abilities to Luffy…he could become a monster. With one last grin to those on shore, Ace pushed off, allowing the wind to catch the sail of his boat. Once he was on his way, he turned back towards Dawn and yelled,
"OI, SABO! WATCH ME!
Sabo huffed before sending him the most blinding smile he'd seen on his face in a long time, raising a gloved hand to him. Ace waved back, suddenly feeling nostalgic. Their entire plan, to set off when they turned seventeen, had originated with Sabo. They'd saved up all that money and jewels specifically for this day.
'Sabo got a head start, but now I get to be the first to fulfill his wish.'
With that, Ace turned his body towards the sea, inhaling deeply. So many things had tried to stop him from taking this first step, but he'd overcome them all. Now, it was time to make his name known.
'Watch me, Lu.' He thought, picturing the sweet kid in his mind. A part of him didn't want to leave Luffy on his own, but he wasn't alone, not anymore. And when they met again, Ace wanted to be somebody his baby brother could be proud of.
"Are you going to follow him?" Katakuri teased when Ace's ship finally sailed out of sight.
"No, yoi." Marco responded with an amused smirk, "As of right now, my orders are to return to Pops and await Ace in the Grand Line."
"I'm sure he'll appreciate that."
"Well…" Sabo interjected, adjusting his top hat, "I suppose this is goodbye." At his feet, Luffy rushed forward and drew his brother into a crushing hug.
"Bye, Sabo. You'll come watch me when I leave, right?"
"Of course, Lu." Sabo answered, running a hand through the boy's raven locks, "I wouldn't miss it for the world." The blonde then planted a chaste kiss on Luffy's forehead and straightened up to look over his brother's head.
Katakuri followed his gaze to where the crow-man was waiting.
"Be safe." Makino requested, while the bandits all ordered Sabo 'never die again'. When the teen passed Katakuri, he whispered,
"Stay in touch?"
Katakuri inclined his head in answer. He would never purposefully keep the brothers apart. Though, as they got older and followed different paths, it would be interesting to see how they matured.
'I imagine their over-protectiveness won't be going away anytime soon…or ever.' He thought, watching closely as Sabo climbed aboard one of the crows and flew off into the sky, waving as he went.
"I shall take my leave as well, yoi." Marco stated, taking a moment to kneel in front of Luffy and hug him gently, "If you need anything…anything at all, please don't hesitate to call."
"By Mango…I'll miss you." Luffy whispered, nuzzling his cheek against Marco's. The pirate pet his ears and softly spoke words only the boy could hear. Katakuri imagined he was reminding him to take his pills.
With a salute and a wink, Marco transformed (startling the civilian onlookers) and vanished into the blue sky.
"I believe it is our turn." Katakuri said, standing to his feet, "Brulee is waiting for us."
"May we accompany you?" Makino requested, still brushing tears from her eyes, "Though he'll be coming back in a few years, we would like to see Luffy off as well."
"If that is what you want."
Katakuri led them all through the forest, to where they'd stored a stolen mirror. On the last ship they'd ridden on, Brulee thought it prudent to secure a large mirror for their next voyage. He'd hidden it amongst the bushes along the coastline for their departure.
When they were within viewing distance of the mirror, Brulee stuck her head out, coaxing a frightened screech from the onlookers.
"Auntie Branch!" Luffy chirped, trotting up to give her a hug. His sister fully emerged from the mirror and caught the giggling kitten easily, settling him on her hip.
"And how is my favorite nephew?"
"Good! We had smores last night and Ace finally set out and-" Katakuri huffed under his scarf when Luffy began to regale Brulee of everything he'd done in the past twenty-four hours. Clearing his throat drew the little one's attention back to him.
"Do you want to say goodbye?"
"Not goodbye, Papa." Luffy corrected, wriggling himself back onto the sand so he could walk up to Makino and the others, "It's 'see you later'!" Katakuri and Brulee retreated to the mirror to give the boy some privacy with the now gushing group, all cooing over his cuteness and wishing him well.
"Brulee, do you think you can get us to the North Blue?"
His sister raised an eyebrow.
"Yes…but why?"
"There's a certain individual we need to find, one who can help Luffy." He explained, keeping his voice low, "Plus, we need to bring something back to satisfy Mama."
"True. I'll go calculate a route…but you'll tell me the details later, right?"
"I will." At that, Brulee stuck her face back into the mirror, likely calling out to the mirrors inside to find some that would lead them to the other Blue.
"I'm ready, Papa!" Luffy chirped, trotting up to him with his cheeks all aglow and ears twitching happily. A glance beyond him revealed the now waving group, all seemingly satisfied with the physical touch they'd given the boy.
"Good, then let's be off."
Katakuri motioned towards the mirror and Luffy pounced on Brulee, making her shriek and fall over, leaving only her legs sticking out of their side. The kitten just laughed and catapulted himself fully inside.
With an amused sigh, he bowed to Makino and the others, pleased he'd gotten a chance to meet them. Luffy had many good people supporting him. Just as he entered the mirror world himself (and helped Brulee sit up) a thought occurred to him.
Why hadn't they encountered any marine ships?
Meanwhile, on the other side of the East Blue…
"…the Fleet Admiral will not be pleased."
"Oh, he'll get over it."
"But Sir-"
Monkey D. Garp laughed loudly, helping himself to another rice cracker.
"He should be happy I'm willing to whip these idiots into shape! They've gone soft in this peaceful sea!"
Bogard sighed, adjusting his fedora further over his eyes. He knew very well why the Vice Admiral had suddenly ordered all ships in this third of the East Blue to a 'mandatory training session', but he'd decided long ago not to question his superior's actions.
Besides, how could he be angry when Garp only wanted to protect his family? If anything, it made him respect the man more.