Hello my fellow readers and writers, Forzarismo here with a brand new chapter for The Rubbery Vengeance! So, as most of you hopefully and probably know already, the notice I put up on April 1st really was an April Fool's Joke... Except for the part about my left arm being all well now, that part is the truth. I've been putting more time and effort into trying to make this as believable as possible, so please do bare with me when some characters act a little OOC, I never intend for that to happen so I apologize in advance. Aside from that, I would like to thank each and every one of you has either favorited, followed, reviewed, or at least views it once in a while. Also, this story has finally reached over 680 favorites and over 770 followers! Not to mention, this story finall has over 95k views! You all have been such great support and I hope I don't let any of you down.
On a different topic, if any of you guys are a fan of or are interested in reading some Dark Luffy fanfics, I recommend you all to read A Twisted Strawhat and Darkest Day by Gmann. He is an incredible writer and I recommend you all to take some of your time to check out his fanfics as they are really well written and have good build-up. Anywho, here are the current stats on my story:
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Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece, but I do own my ideas and my OC's, so at least that's something.
Chapter 11: The Truth
9 years before canon…
'Well, this is awkward.' Luffy thought as he found himself getting the life hugged out of him by a crying and topless Hancock while everyone looked on at the scene in shock, or in Robin's case, looking on emotionlessly with the only thing giving off what she truly felt at that moment is the small vein bulging on her forehead. 'How did I get myself into this?' Luffy pondered on as he thought of the recent events that had happened before this moment.
Flashback…
It's been about four months since they have stayed at Amazon Lily and it has been one the best decisions Luffy has ever made. In the beginning, Ace and Robin had to deal with loss after loss in coliseum seeing as they fought women who were much more experienced as well as stronger than either of the two, showing them that had a long way to go, even with Ace's use of the Rokushiki and Robin's Flower-Flower Fruit powers. By the second month, they had begun winning against the weaker half of the fighters in the coliseum. Soon after, they began fighting those in the stronger half taking some advice here and there from the Kujan warriors. Even he has had his occasional fight in the coliseum fighting the Kujans and once in awhile either Robin and Ace to see how far they have gone.
During this time, Luffy noticed something akin to a rivalry going on between Robin and Hancock. Once in awhile, he'll notice them sending each other near nonexistent glares or each of them trying to get closer and spend more time with himself, for reasons he has yet to know of. For example, one time Hancock invited Luffy inside the palace by himself for dinner which she made herself. Obviously, Luffy being Luffy, had accepted the invitation wholeheartedly and really enjoyed the food she cooked. If she wasn't already a captain along with him not knowing about Sanji, he would've asked her to join his crew as the chef. During the third month, she noticed a massive shortage of meat thanks to Luffy's stomach and loudly pondered on what to do. Luffy knew that Amazon Lily is surrounded by Sea Kings, so he left the island, coming back in an hour using his Atom-Atom Fruit powers to transport six massive Sea Kings into the island, restoring the Kuja's supply of meat.
Robin is another story. With Robin, she has asked Luffy if he could use his Atom-Atom Fruit powers to copy some of the manuscripts on Amazon Lily's history for her, which he did for her gladly, seeing as she never got to live long enough to see her dream come to fruition. Even after copying said manuscripts, she'd always ask him if he would like to read with her, to which he always says yes to, as he really enjoys reading with Robin, especially when Ace is not there to tease them about being so close to each other.
Currently, after some fights in the coliseum and it becoming sunset, Luffy and Ace were walking on top of the walls that surrounded the village in Amazon Lily as they were chatting about.
"So…When are you going to stop beating around the bush and tell Robin what you feel about her Luffy?" Ace asked suddenly causing Luffy to look at Ace as if he grew an extra pair of eyes.
"What are you talking about Ace?" Luffy asked knowing what he was asking, but played oblivious despite that.
"You know what I'm talking about. You love Robin don't you?" Ace teased as Luffy soon had a blush adorning his face.
"N-No I don't, stop talking crazy!" Luffy lied as he looked away from ace as he waved his hand in front of his face.
"You know Luffy, you suck at full on lying. What you did now especially gave you away. Why don't you want to tell her what you feel?" Ace question Luffy who just looked up at the sky in contemplation.
"Because I'm new to this kind of stuff. I don't know what I'm supposed to do or say to her Ace." Luffy explained as he looked at Ace dead in the eye.
"What if I gave you some advice?" Ace offered, making Luffy suddenly laugh at that idea.
"Shishishishishi! You? You think you can give me advice when you yourself haven't even gotten a girlfriend? Oh, that's so funny! shishi-pfft-HAHAHAHAHA!" Luffy bellowed out as he began to hug his sides.
Ace's face reddened in anger and launched a haki-infused kick towards Luffy, who merely sidestepped out of the way. Luffy however, forgot that they were on top of the walls and that his particular position is near the edge when Ace threw that kick, causing Ace to continue going and to fall off of the wall screaming his lungs off.
"Uh…Whoops?" Luffy commented offhandedly as he began to walk the other way. "Ah, I'm sure he'll be fine."
*BOOM!*
"KYAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"Wha-!?What's going on!? Why is it wet!? Why are you naked!? Where am I!?"
"You lecherous child! You have the gall to peek on me while I'm bathing!"
Luffy felt a chill go through him when he heard Hancock scream at Ace and he immediately launched himself towards the hole that Ace made when he fell. When he entered the bathing room, He saw Hancock in her robes being guarded by her sisters while Ace looked at Hancock in confusion.
"That mark on your back…" Ace said causing the three women to stiffen up and look at him in shock. "…What is it?"
Luffy's eyes widen when he realized what had just happened. 'Shit! I completely forgot Hancock and her sisters used to be slaves! And now Ace saw what they never wanted anyone to know!' Luffy berated himself as he grabbed Ace and put him under his shoulder. "Hancock, calm down. Please don't do anything rash." Luffy stated as calmly as he could as he sensed via Observation Haki the cluster of negative emotions coming from the Gorgon Sisters. The strongest emotion he felt from them though, made him subconsciously recoil in confusion and slight shame. They felt fear. They know that Luffy had held back on them and had beaten them with incredible ease. Even when he never showed any animosity towards them, the sisters, especially Hancock had small twinge of a feeling in them that the man in front of them is the same like the others, only hiding his true intentions from them.
Luffy obviously knew why they were afraid, and it's pretty obvious when he thought about it. He slowly set Ace down as he raised his open palms in calming manner. Even this slight movement caused the three siblings to take a battle position steeling themselves from what they thought would end in a fight.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whatever it is that he saw, I promise that he won't say anything about it, right Ace?" Luffy stated as he looked towards Ace who nodded his head furiously to show that he will keep quiet.
Hancock stared at the two to see if they are lying. Once she saw that they were indeed speaking the truth, her body visibly relaxed and she let out a long sigh.
"Get out. The both of you will meet me in my quarters in an hour. Keep quiet about it." Hancock ordered surprising both Luffy and Ace that she handled this predicament really well.
An hour later…
Both Luffy and Ace were patiently kneeling on the floor along with Robin who came out of sheer curiosity. In front of them were Sandersonia and Marigold who were standing on adjacent sides of the bed in between the two. Waiting patiently, they were greeted to the sight of Hancock sitting on top of her snake Salome. Topless.
Ace and Luffy soon had a blush on their faces, with Ace's being a Hinata-Level blush while Luffy's is much less red but just as noticeable. Robin felt herself go through some emotion between rage and annoyance. While Hancock did not expect Robin to be there, she paid no mind to her as he put his attention towards the two males in front of her, mainly Luffy. Steeling herself she asked, "What I'm about to show and tell you, is for your ears only, and I will know if you talk about it to other people. Understand!?" She coldly stated while the three nodded in acknowledgement.
Her snake Salome picked up Hancock using his tail and turned her around slowly while Hancock picked her hair up and put it over her shoulder, giving the three guests in front of her full sight of what she and her sisters were ashamed of having as well as never wanting anyone they don't trust to know of.
The Hoof of the Flying Dragon.
This mark essentially yells out to those that see it that the person who has it on is or used to be a slave from the World Nobles. Hancock, obviously uncomfortable with showing her most well kept secret to the man she felt strange feelings for along with said man's younger brother and his female friend.
The only one of the three that is confused is Ace, as he doesn't know about what the Celestial Dragons do to their slaves. Robin and Luffy on the other hand, knew the meaning of the mark and what that meant to the Pirate Empress in front of them. Robin knew through the books she had read during her run from the World Government while Luffy knew from since his first life.
Shakily, Hancock put her hair back into place while Salome turned her back around to face her guests before putting her top on her shoulders to cover her back. Her eyes were shadowed over by her black hair and her lip quivered as she tried to control her emotions. After a minute or two, she spoke. "Me and my sisters used to be slaves to those horrid Celestial Dragons. We were just young children when we were kidnapped and sold to those abominations. They branded us and forcefully fed us those cursed devil fruits for their own damned sick entertainment. We had no hope…and I only wanted to die. No hope in seeing ourselves free again from them…Until four years later when a fishman known as Fisher Tiger freed all of us when he attacked the World Nobles. From there on, we made it back here, but we couldn't truly go back. That was until Elder Nyon came to us and made up a story about how we defeated a gorgon and we became cursed with eyes on our backs that would turn whoever sees it into stone, which was meant to dissuade my people from trying to see how our backs look like. So until an hour ago, no one knew of our secret, but not all secrets remain secrets whether we want them to be or not. So now you know why we were afraid when your brother saw what we never wanted anyone to know about." Hancock told them sadly as she looked down at the ground while her two sisters were weeping silently.
Ace already had a burning hatred for the World Nobles, but to hear even more about what they do and how they treat people really set something clear into his heart: To kill any and every World Noble out there, regardless of the consequences. Robin knew how it felt to be hated by the world and to be considered the lowest of scum, so when she heard Hancock's life story, she couldn't help but feel a sort of bond be created between her and the woman at that moment. Luffy stayed silent. Even though he knew her story, it still pained him to hear it coming from her mouth. Suddenly Luffy stood up, gaining the attention to those around him.
"World Nobles are the scum of this planet, there's no question about that. Me, Robin and Ace don't care about whether or not you were a slave before. You are our friend. Our nakama, and nothing will change that." Luffy told Hancock truthfully who looked at him in surprise.
"Truly? You truly mean that? Me being a former slave doesn't disgust you in some way?" She asked softly showing hope for the first time since Luffy's met her in this timeline.
"Of course I mean it. Why would I be disgusted by something that is far from your control? So no, you being a former slave doesn't affect my opinion about you. I detest those damned Celestial Dragons as much as you do. In fact that's how I met Robin, through killing a World Noble." Luffy stated as Hancock and her sisters looked at him in shock. This man in front of them had killed a World Noble? Was he the one the World Government was looking for in the East Blue? Hancock needed to confirm it.
"Which sea are you originally from Luffy?" Hancock asked.
"The East Blue." Luffy answered.
Hancocks eyes widened as Luffy's answer gave her the answer that she needed. Before she can say anything, Elder Nyon barged into the room.
"No wonder you were so familiar Luffy." She stated as she had a rather withered out newspaper in her hand. "Hancock, this man right here, is responsible for one of the greatest spectacles that has happened since Fisher Tiger attacked Mariejois. To think that you would openly oppose the World Nobles and live to tell about it. How and why did you do it?" Nyon asked curious as to how the man in front of them was able to get through a Celestial Dragon's security and kill him, not to mention escape from their clutches.
Luffy just shrugged as he began to explain to the Kujans the now dead Saint Jalmack attempted to kill his brother Sabo just because he raised a black flag and crossed his boat's path crossed with his; How Luffy waited until he and his were far enough so that they wouldn't bring in a Buster Call to kill him with his devil fruit powers, destroying his ship in the process; How he got captured by the Marines before eating a second devil fruit, rescuing Robin before escaping the Marine's clutches. Once he finished his story, he could see tears flowing down from Hancock's eyes.
Hancock could not believe that such a good man existed. Sure, she has met Rayleigh, but he's Rayleigh, so that doesn't count. This man, different from almost every other man however, truly meant every single word he said. He never spoke a lie since he entered, which meant that he truly does care for her and doesn't care if she used to be a slave or not. He sees her for who she truly is, not who she used to be. She has never felt so relieved since…ever! She has never felt this relieved before. Not when she and her sisters realized that they were free again, or when her home accepted her back and crowned her their empress.
"Hehehehe!" The Pirate Empress couldn't help but let out a laughter of joy as she saw the man in front of her in a new light. "I like you Luffy. You truly are an amazing man." She said as she smiled a kind, radiant smile. Luffy grinned while Ace did the same. Robin let out a small smile in seeing the Pirate Empress showing a new side of herself that she has never seen before.
'Hey Luffy?' A feminine voice inside of Luffy's mind said getting his attention.
'Ms. Atom? It's been a while, what do you want?' Luffy asked inside of his mind.
'I have a way to remove those marks from your friend's body and it's going to utilize that new technique you learned, but I'm going to have to control your body for a bit to minimize the amount of energy you use. Is that alright? You will still be able to control what you say so I'm also going to ask you to tell Hancock what you and I are planning alright?' Ms. Atom asked.
'Okay! Of course you can! I think it will help put Hancock's mind more at ease.' Luffy stated happily as he began to feel his body move by itself walking towards Hancock.
"Hancock, do you trust me?" Luffy asked the Pirate Empress who looked at him nodding a yes at him. "I'm going to ask you to turn around and show me that mark again. I'm going to try something that hopefully will work." Luffy explained causing Hancock and her sisters to look at each other a little hesitant to agree what he wants her to do. Even so, they know from what they know of him so far that he is a trustworthy man. So nonetheless She agreed and took off her top once more before being turned around by her snake Salome.
Ms. Atom took Luffy's right hand and placed it on top of the Hoof of the Flying Dragon and she began to concentrate. She planned on teaching this technique to Luffy when he had much more control with his Atom-Atom Fruit powers, but her sympathy towards the Pirate Empress made her change her plans a bit. Hancock suddenly felt a weird sensation go throughout her body before she noticed blue ethereal ripples flowing around her body. This happened for a good five seconds before it ended.
"Atomic Structure Analysis: Complete." Luffy subconsciously said catching the attention of those around him. Before any of them could say anything to Luffy's new technique, he spoke again. "Atomic Restoration!" He exclaimed as Hancock was engulfed by a bright blue light.
"Sister!" Sandersonia and Marigold exclaimed in worry wondering what is happening to their sister. Soon enough, they got their answer. Once the light receded, they were greeted to the sight of Boa Hancock, looking the same as always. At first, they couldn't see any notable difference about her. She looked the same as she always did…
…Until Luffy took his palm off of Hancock's back.
'It's gone!' They all mentally screamed in shock and amazement as they all saw Hancock's back with widened. The slave brand that used to be there is gone forever, and it shook them deeply. Once they all found their voices, they exclaimed in unison "It's gone!".
Hancock felt a weird sensation go through her when her body began to glow brightly. She felt it mostly around the area where they had branded her, so when she heard those two words that she never thought she would hear in her life, she felt her heart tighten. 'It's gone? It's truly gone? Impossible! How did he do it!?' Hancock's mind went through question after question in her mind trying to get around the fact that she now doesn't have the slave mark on her back anymore.
"S-Someone bring in a mirror!" She exclaimed as Sandersonia rushed to the other side of the room to get a large enough mirror for Hancock to see. Once the mirror was in place, Hancock turned her back towards the mirror to finally see Luffy's work. She felt her tears coming back again. She saw with her own eyes her unscarred back. There was no mark, nothing to show that she used to be a former slave from the Celestial Dragons. She felt nothing but pure joy at that moment. She no longer needed to hide her back anymore. That burden that she used to hold no longer existed. For the first time since her enslavement, she truly felt free.
Freedom.
She slowly turned her head towards Luffy who had his trademark grin on rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "I hope you like it?" A slightly tired Luffy asked awkwardly. Hancock couldn't hold her emotions in check anymore and launched herself at Luffy, hugging the life out of him in joy. She cried and cried in joy that she no longer had that burden.
Flashback end…
'Oh yeah, so that's what happened.' Luffy concluded as he felt Hancock's hug tighten.
"Thank you*hic*…Thank you so much for this*hic*…Luffy!" Hancock said joyfully in between sobs. Luffy, finally brought out of his thoughts, returned the hug. Ace looked on at the scene happy for Hancock as she no longer had to deal with the reminder of her demons from the past. Up until that moment, Robin felt happiness for Hancock…until Hancock launched herself at Luffy to hug him. She then felt her usual poker face come back and a vein around her forehead area bulge in anger. She knew over the past year that she has gotten to know Luffy that despite his biological age, he is an adult both in mind and body. She has seen his strengths, weaknesses, flaws, etc. and she loves every single that makes him…him. At first, she always denied that she felt something for the manchild, but after some time in Amazon Lily and a pep talk from Rouge, She began to consider the feelings she felt about him. Even so, this is the first time that she's felt something like this for anyone, so she had a difficult time to show her feelings towards Luffy.
With Hancock, she finally began to settle down and she let go of Luffy once she realized she is in very closed proximity towards him along with the fact that she's topless at the moment. She quickly put her top back on before looking back at Luffy.
"L-Luffy?" She asked softly.
"Yes Hancock?" Luffy answered.
"Could you please do what you did to me to my sisters as well? Please erase their slave marks." She pleaded as she gave a slight bow of respect.
Luffy, surprised by the amount of humbling that Hancock had showed, was speechless for a good second or two. He never thought he would see the day that the most strong willed woman he has ever met would bow, much less to him of all people. Quickly getting himself back together, he responded with a smile on his face. "Of course! Just let me see the marks."
Soon after, Luffy, who did not have Ms. Atom's guidance to do this this time, put both of his palms on Sandersonia and Marigold's back, using Atomic Structure Analysis to analyze their body structure before using Atomic Restoration to remove their slave marks from their backs. Once confirming that they don't have their slave marks anymore, the younger sisters cried in joy as they hugged each other. Luffy barely had the strength to stay up as the Atomic Restoration technique takes so much out of him. Being exhausted and somewhat disorientated, he didn't notice Hancock slowly walking up to him until she was right in front of him.
"Huh? Something wrong Hanc-mmph!?" Luffy didn't have time to react to Hancock suddenly grabbing his cardigan and smashing her lips onto his. Once his mind registered what had happened though, he felt his heartbeat raise up exponentially and his cheeks heat up considerably.
Hancock did not know what went through her mind, but something inside of her told her to kiss the man in front of him. A small, small part of her told her not to do it, but in the end she gave in to her urges. When she felt her lips touch his, she felt like she had reached Cloud Nine. She had never experience such a wonderful moment such as the one currently taking place.
Robin just looked on emotionlessly as she felt a twinge of pain in her heart at seeing Luffy kissing someone who isn't her. She knew if she didn't make a move soon, he would be gone forever. Not wanting to see this anymore, she left, but her leaving caught Luffy's attention.
Ace, on the other hand, is having a field day. He had gotten so many things on Luffy that he could tease about whenever he wanted to. He knew that this was a good moment to remember, so he discreetly took out his den-den mushi camera and took a good amount of photos of the scene happening in front of him before putting the camera away in his pocket.
Once Hancock finished the kiss, she looked at Luffy with bliss before rationality hit her like an elephant ramming through a wall made of wet toilet paper. Her face turned beet red before shrieking and pushing a surprised Luffy and a very amused Ace out of her room. Once she was sure that they left, she walked towards her bed and let herself fall on it, ignoring the shell-shocked looks her sisters were giving her and the passed out Elder Nyon on the floor.
"Mari. Sonia. Please take Nyon out of here and let me rest in peace. I need to think." Hancock ordered exhaustedly as her still gaping sisters did as they were told, albeit in a manner that more resembled retarded-looking zombies than their usual guard duty. Once the three women were out, Hancock put her attention towards the ceiling wondering if these past couple of minutes really happened or not. When she thought back to when she kissed Luffy, she felt her heartbeat accelerate and her cheeks heat up.
"What's happening to me?" She asked herself as she began to doze off.
With Luffy…
Luffy and Ace went to their manor seeing as it has become night. During the walk, Ace kept teasing Luffy to what had transpired in the Empress' room. Luffy tried his best to ignore his older brother, but found it really difficult when he brought up the parts where he felt the most confusion. Once they had entered the manor, they went their separate ways with Ace going to take a bath while Luffy went in search for Robin. Using his Observation Haki, he soon found her outside of the manor at the balcony facing the ocean. When he found her, he saw that she had a glass of wine in her left hand and looked a bit saddened.
"Robin?" Luffy said making Robin know of his presence.
Robin turned her head around not surprised that Luffy found her. "Hello Strawhat-san, need anything from me?" She asked professionally making Luffy frown and narrow his gaze at her.
"Robin, what's wrong? You're not acting like your usual self and you're using that name you gave me when you first met me, which you never use now." Luffy stated as Robin's neutral looking face gave a small frown, and said nothing.
"*Sigh* Robin, you are someone very important to me, and you know I will do anything for my nakama." Luffy stated as walked towards Robin's right side.
What he said perked Robin's attention. "Anything you say?" She asked slyly.
"Yes! Of course!" Luffy reassured Robin making her chuckle.
"Then…close your eyes." Robin requested.
Luffy cocked his head in confusion as to why Robin wants him to close his eyes, but nonetheless he did as he was told. "Okay, I closed my eyes, now wha-mmph!?" Luffy was caught by surprise once more when he felt a pull from his neck and a soft pair of lips tenderly kiss his own. He opened his eyes to the sight of Robin grabbing onto his neck as she planted a soft kiss on his lips. The feelings he felt when he got kissed by Hancock came back to hit Luffy like the Sea Train hitting a marine grunt. Luffy's face flushed beet red and his heart started beating so fast he genuinely thought he accidentally entered Gear Second.
"A small gift to you Luffy. And there's more where that came from." Robin whispered into his ear before she let go of him and entered the manor leaving a star-struck Luffy gaping out in the open with one thought in his mind.
'What the hell is going on!?'
With Ace…
Ace had been in the bath for a few minutes when he felt a tingling sensation go throughout his body.
"Why do I get the feeling that I missed a golden opportunity?" He asked himself as he began to get out of the bath to dry himself.
Well... let the romance begin!
I hope you all have enjoyed this chapter and make sure to favorite follow, and review! I really appreciate all of the support you all have given me over these past couple of months and I hope to post a new chapter for you all soon.
Forzarismo
April 15, 2016
