its months after dressrosa, months since he has felt regret. for the scars that mar his face and the sight he stripped of himself. decades of coming to terms, of acknowledging the world he chose to leave. but one day and one pirate and now he wishes to see once again. to put a face to the warm energy and loud voice that is one Monkey D. Luffy, the next self proclaimed pirate king.
he chuckles at the thought of the larger than life boy. a pirate yes, but to be a king, he still has a long journey.
the wind shifts and the branches rustle, the tap-tap of his cane against soft soil guides him.
a loud tap against stone tells him he has reached steel city, the home of the only marine base on prison island.
'admiral fujitora!,' a nervous energy is jogging towards, must be a new recruit, he remembers being just as nervous when he first caught sight of a high ranking officer.
the recruit leads him through the city, reporting sightings of a flying monkey and colorful jets.
'flying monkey?,' the admiral asks, haki stretching across the city, hope bubbling in his chest. or that could be the lunch he had earlier.
a sharp 'eek' has the admiral turning, haki twisting past his legs and down the path, wrapping itself around something.
he quickly banishs a grin from his face when warmth courses through his head, haki weaving itself around the young man. if he were a cat, he muses silently, he would no doubt bathe in the rays that is monkey d. luffy.
said boy is currently tiptoeing back down the way he came, unaware of the haki tracing his every steps.
'we meet again, young man,' fujitora calls out, a chortle bubbling in his throat when the boy leaps into the air, forgive an old man for finding the antics of the younger generation amusing.
sandels scraping over stone is the only answer he receives, ah so the boy was ready for a fight. but, he tilts his chin to the sky wind carrying whispers, there was no time to bet on such small disputes.
the boy runs off, a civilian guiding him to his next task. the scattered remains of mechanical design surround the admiral, the chaotic energy of the island spreading far.
the admiral kicks debris as he wanders back into the marine base, thoughts straying to the mess at hand.
there was much to do and so little time, and the lingering presence of ice told him that even more would be stacked onto the island's fragile stability.
sometimes he wonders if monkey d. luffy truly realizes the hope he inspires in people, the heroic properties he displays even when he selfishly asks for the impossible.
he watches the sunny-go sail off, cross bones bellowing in the wind and pointedly ignoring the den den mushi that is hurling orders at him from akainu, the fleet admiral would do best to hold his tongue after the rug was pulled out from under them all.
he turns back to the pirate infested port and shares a small chuckle with aokoji, the former admiral having come to see the energetic crew off, perhaps its best they never talk about the strawhats involvement with jail island.
its my first time doing something like this so i hope you enjoy ﹏