Chapter Three

"Well, that was rather anti-climactic," Nami noted as they watched Thriller Bark sink into the ocean, drowning Gecko Moria and his undead crew.

Luffy lay on the stylized winged sun figurehead of Nika. Luffy was on his back staring upside down at the burning sinking wreck while Brook, who sat beside him, played a lively rendition of Brinks' Sake.

The former captives had escaped on a few more stable ships found around the floating fortress and had already escaped. Zoro had Shisui, but he really wanted Enma. He sat on the deck listening to Perona complain about being taken from her home and the loss of her pets. Nami wondered why Zoro ordered Usopp to save the wretched woman. As far as she was concerned, every member of Moria's crew could have joined their creepy captain at the bottom of the sea.

"Are you even listening to me!" The pink-haired shrew yelled in Zoro's face.

"Hai! Perona-chan!" Sanji cried as he twirled around her with hearts in his eyes.

Perona moved closer to Zoro as she eyed Sanji with disgust. "Leave me alone!" She ordered for the hundredth time since she woke up on board their ship. She turned back to Zoro and growled. "Not only did you kill my crew and sink our ship, but now here being harassed by your disgusting friend who doesn't understand the words "Personal space" and "sexual harassment." Moria kept Hogback away from me…."

"Cook," Zoro's voice was sharp and firm, "Leave her alone."

That caught everyone's attention. Zoro rarely interfered with Sanji's antics. He would insult and berate Sanji's obsession, but he would never tell Sanji to leave a woman alone, much less order.

Nami didn't know much about Zoro's relationship with Perona, but they must have gotten close while Zoro was training with Mihawk if Zoro was going out of his way to protect Perona even though she didn't know him.

"You'll stay in one of the guestrooms," Zoro said to the still glaring woman. "If you need clothes, ask Robin to borrow some of hers. Don't steal from anyone on this ship, and don't use your ghosts on anyone either. You do, and I am letting Ero-cook back at you."

"So I am a prisoner?" Perona demanded with a stamp of one foot.

Sanji made to protest, but one look from Luffy silenced him. Nami frowned slightly. Apparent Zoro had told Luffy more about this two-year training mission than he shared with everyone else.

Zoro looked as if he wanted to smack Perona. She was a fighter and commander of a rival pirate crew, but Zoro wasn't cruel to a defeated enemy (so long as they did not try to harm him or his crew). "Captain is sheltering you until we reach our next destination. While aboard the Nika, you are a guest of Captain Luffy and under his protection."

In the background, there was a cracking groan. All eyes turned to see Thriller Bark collapse in on itself. Brinks' Sake had ended, and another festive tune from Brook's violin filled the air.

Luffy sat up and pulled his hat on with a grin, "Nami, set sail for Sabaody."

With a delighted laugh, Nami called out, "Aye, Captain. Let's go get our helmsman."

Dangerous

Second chances. Garp didn't believe in them too much.

He believed every man made his destiny through hard work and determination. One has the strength to rise and push forward to achieve your dreams.

Garp knew deep in his heart that his precious grandson would never follow his military career. They were too wild, fearless, and honest to be naval officers. His boys would not bow their heads to anyone, and Garp would never want them to do so.

A second chance.

Ace and Luffy have always been his greatest sources of pride and joy since they were entrusted to him.

"…but Fire Fist took the blow instead." Koby had told him as related a fantastical tale of time travel.

There had been more; Koby had corroborated much of Luffy's tale and then provided the World Government's responses and the Navy's actions. However, Garp had stopped listening after hearing how Akainu had murdered one of his grandsons and damned near killed the other.

Akainu, Sakazuki, that walking dead man, had become Fleet Admiral after killing Garp's boy.

Ace, his sweet foolish boy, had died protecting his little brother, and his killer had lived to walk away from Garp.

"…Fire Fist took the blow…."

With a roar, Garp slammed his fist into the side of the mountain and watched dispassionately as the rock face crumbled around him.

After leaving Luffy at Water 7, Garp told Sengoku he was taking a vacation instead of returning to Marineford. Senny must have heard his barely contained rage since he allowed the request without arguing. He told Garp to take as much time as he needed to get over whatever was pissing him off.

Koby was thinking about leaving the Marines.

He told Garp that he had been promoted to Marine Captain and was in SWORD. He owed Luffy a debt of honor, but that wasn't why he thought about leaving. Garp understood and laid this at that red bastard's feet as well.

For his peace of mind, Garp decided to stay in Paradise. He found an unoccupied summer island with plenty of wild game and fresh water and kept his eye on the two Vivre cards that meant his sanity right now. Inside his pocket watch were two photographs of two babies with jet black hair and dark eyes.

Ace and Luffy were Garp's treasure. He felt sick and enraged, but mostly Garp was ashamed. For the moment, his precious grandsons were safe. No one knew about their parentages, and no one knew where they were since Luffy left Water 7 and Ace had disappeared after he was last seen in Alabasta.

Garp didn't know if he needed to go after Ace to ensure the boy was okay.

But the one thing Garp knew he shouldn't do was be anywhere near Akainu. Right now, Garp couldn't control his rage. He knew the second he laid eyes on that bastard, Akainu would be dead.

"…Fire Fist took the blow…."

With a roar, Garp slammed his fists in the crumbling mountainside as a black wave of his killer intent wrapped up in his Conqueror's Haki bled over the island laying waste every living for a nautical mile when he was on his knees amongst the rubble for who knows how long when Bogart stopped beside him with a snail.

Sengoku impatiently waited for Garp to get his ass on the line. Garp would have hung up on him, but before he could, Sengoku started swearing.

"Garp, your damn family is out of control!"

They could burn down the world, Garp thought maliciously even as he checked his boy's Vivre cards. Neither were burning, so his grandsons were still safe.

"This is my vacation, Senny," Garp ignored the rough rasp of his voice as he reminded his friend of his leave. "If they haven't stormed Marineford, I don't care—"

"It's Dragon's boy," Sengoku hissed, "He killed a Tenryubito."

Dangerous

Technically, Luffy wasn't trying to kill anyone, but he was so angry that those filthy Tenryubito had tried to steal Nami and Camie that he just snapped. Zoro and Sanji had taken out the Cipher Pol agents and the Marines guarding the fat bastard while Robin, Brook, and Franky were taking on the reinforcements. Nami had been shot in the arm and her top ripped by the Marines who tried to take her. Luffy had removed his blue vest to cover her before leaving her Chopper and Usopp to return to the fight.

People were running and screaming about an Admiral coming. Luffy didn't care.

No one hurt his crew or his friends while he was around. And they best pray that he never heard about it because he would still come for their asses.

It had been a little more than a week since the crew had been reunited with their musician and since then had a minor repeat of their adventure with Camie, Pappag, and Hatchan. Luffy invited their friends to join them on their journey to Sabaody. They needed to stock up and gather more intel for their raid to Impel Down to rescue Ace. Robin and Brook were going to infiltrate the Marine base Grove 66. Nami, Sanji, Chopper, Usopp, and Franky would handle the supplies at Grove 30, while Luffy and Zoro were going to fetch Jinbei in Grove 13. Hatchan was going to escort them to Shakky's Rip-off Bar, where Jinbei had been staying for the last two weeks. Camie and Pappag were tagging along because they did not want a repeat of the slave auction if they could help it.

Nika was docked at Grove 42 as they had been the last time they were at Sabaody. It was easily in the middle of the archipelago, and everyone could return to it immediately if the situation demanded. Luffy, along with Chopper, Usopp, and Camie, looked forward to going to Sabaody Park after completing their tasks. Yes, he was worried about Ace, but they couldn't do anything but wait until Robin and Brook returned with their intel.

As a group, they were headed to Sabaody Park to get a few Bon Chari and have a spot of lunch when some pirate head got blown up. And it just went straight to hell right there.

The old man in the bubble suit knew Luffy and was talking crazy. He wanted to add Luffy to his "Pirate Captain collection." Zoro took exception to that.

Nami and Camie were on a Bon Chari with Chopper between them. The snotty-nosed bubble head looked at them when they declared they would be his wives. The Cipher Pol agents moved towards Luffy, and some Marines followed the two girls.

Luffy took exception to someone trying to steal his navigator (Shiki had been shot down the second he was in the range of Nika's radar.) When the fool tried to attack them on their ship, Luffy one-shot him, sending the Golden Lion into the bottom sea. Luffy wasn't playing around. He had to get the last of his crew and rescue his brother. He moved past the Cipher Pol agents and went after his real enemy. It was an unfair fight, but Luffy was a pirate. The woman Tenryubito screamed when she saw the snot-nosed Tenryubito on the ground. His helmet had been shattered. Half of his chubby face was missing. Luffy didn't even try to hold back when he hit that first one.

The world seemed to go still as everyone in the vicinity of the Straw Hats saw one of the supposedly untouchable Saints, a Tenryubito, dead on the ground at the feet of a pirate.

Then the older one was screaming, ranting, and then he made his second mistake since appearing before Luffy. The bastard made a wild shot. Nami screamed in pain before falling to the ground with some bastard Marine holding on to the back of her shirt.

It wasn't Luffy's intent to kill anyone, but he checked out and went to work.

When he checked back in, the Tenryubito all were dead. People were running, and the Marines were sending reinforcements. Luffy knew he could face an Admiral. He faced three at the Paramount War when he was half dead. But he wasn't going to risk Kuma showing up and separating them. They managed to avoid him at Thriller Bark; Luffy didn't want to press his luck here.

"Captain," Zoro called out to him, "What are your orders?"

"We get our helmsman, and we get out," Luffy told them. He unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, and people dropped like flies. "Sanji, Usopp. Get what we need and get back to ship!" He ordered. "Zoro, you make sure everyone makes it back. Franky, once you have everyone, meet us at the bar. Get as close as you can because we will be coming in fast. Brook, Robin, you are on me."

Chopper had Nami and was racing back to ship with Camie and Pappag in a Bon Chari. Hatchan had the other Bon Chari, leaving Sanji with Usopp and Zoro with the last one. Luffy didn't want to raid Sabaody, but they had no choice.

Dangerous

Ace knew Luffy would not land at Sabaody and not cause a ruckus. He would have been disappointed had his little brother not caused a fuss. But what he saw outside Shakky's windows was nothing short of pandemonium.

It was absolute chaos.

People were running, screaming about Admirals and the Straw Hats. And that wasn't good. But then some terrified person rushed in and said Straw Hat Luffy had killed three Tenryubito and the Straw Hats were fighting the Marines (and winning). Ace knew he was about to call 'Bullshit' and then go out there and find out who was trying to set up his little brother. Some merdinha filho da puta was going to wish they never heard the name Monkey D. Luffy by the time Ace was finished with them.

"Oy, Sabo," Ace said to his brother, seated at the table Ace had just been sitting. There was a bottle of rum on the table with three hands of cards. "I think someone is out there besmirching our baby brother's good name."

Sabo wanted to side with Ace, but from Jinbei's reaction, Sabo was thinking this might be Luffy, his Luffy from the future. And if it was their little brother, Sabo was going out there. No arrombado Admiral would lay a hand on his little brother. Not while Sabo was still breathing. Before he could reply, Jinbei came thundering down the stairs carrying his two pieces of luggage. He looked at the brothers before turning back to Shakky and inclining his head toward the bar owner.

"Madame Shakky, please relay my Captain's sincerest apologies to your dear husband. I fear Captain Luffy will not have time to meet with him today."

Shakky smiled warmly at the blue fish-man, "Ray did give you his gift for Monkey-chan. When he's ready, Ray will find you." She said with a wink. She looked at Ace and Sabo, who were still in the same positions they had been in when the Jinbei had returned. "Boys, aren't you going with your brother?"

Translations:

Merdinha filho da puta (Port) – Piece of shit bitch (Thank you, fangirl_anelim, for the correction.)

Arrombado (Port) – Asshole or jerk