Chapter five: The Brother's Past
Ace sat down at the table and soon after the Straw Hat's followed. He placed his hands under his chin and closed his eyes.
"Are you sure you want to know about this?" he asked. "Our past is a sad story. Are you sure you want to know it?" The Straw Hat's nodded their heads and Ace sighed. He nodded and looked at Luffy who looked like he didn't want them to know their past.
"Luffy they have the right to know," Luffy nodded and left the room not wanting to hear their lives story again. Ace looked at the Straw Hat's and looked at each of them in the eyes. "Alright it starts like this. When I was 8 and Luffy was 4 we lived on a peaceful island in the West Blue, yes the West Blue, and our father taught us a song that we sang all the time. That's right he taught us A Pirates Life for Me.
"But one day pirates came to our village and we couldn't defend ourselves. They kicked in the doors of homes and killed everyone in side them. That's what happened to our parents. Me and Luffy were out in the woods gathering mushrooms for our mother's soup and by the time we got back our village was in flames and everyone was dead. Luckily me and Luffy knew how to fight but while I was fighting the pirates off they took Luffy. It took me five days to find him and when I did he was almost dead. He was bleeding from several wounds and I rapped them up as best I could and stool a boat and we left our island.
"We sailed until we made it to a small island in the East Blue called Fuusha Village, or the Windmill Island. The Mayor of the town saw our small boat and told some people to come and help us. By the time we got to the island Luffy was barely breathing. I cried and told them what happened and the Mayor got an island doctor and healed Luffy.
"Mokino, the bar owner, took us in and raised us. So we spent the rest of our lives on that small island and every day we would go down the road and sing the song our father taught us and we told each other that when we were separated and we missed each other that we should sing that song and in our minds we would be together.
"I'm sure Luffy already told you about Shanks so I'm not going to even go into that." Ace ended his story and looked at the Straw Hat's again. He sighed when he saw the stunned expressions on their faces.
"They were all... dead...?" Nami asked. Ace nodded his head.
"Yes, everyone was dead." he said. Zoro clenched his hands till his knuckles were white.
"How come he's always so happy? Why does he always look so happy but deep inside he's in pain? Why? I'm his first mate and best friend couldn't he talk to me if something was bothering him?" he asked. Ace shook his head.
"It's because it's who he is," he said. The Straw Hat's looked at him confused. "He would put his friend's life before his own. He would rather be in pain than one of his friends be in pain. Am I wrong? I heard about Arlong. He did it for Nami. Luffy would also jump in the water if one of his friends were drowning. Am I right? I'm sure he's done it before." The Straw Hat's looked at each other.
"He has done that before... He jumped into the sea to save Chopper and when we got them both back up I yelled at him for being stupid and he just grinned at me and said that he was sorry." Zoro said. Ace nodded his head. Robin put a thoughtful hand to her chin.
"So Captain-san would rather us be happy even if it leaves him alone and in pain...?" she asked the eldest D. brother. Ace nodded his head.
"That's right. That's also what I meant by taking care of him. Please, if he has something he wants to tell you, even if it is just you Zoro, please listen to him. It will really help him." Zoro nodded his head.
"Don't worry, I will." he said. They heard laughing coming from outside and they left the galley. Luffy was standing on the White Beard Pirate ships railing laughing his fool head off.
"Ace! I like this brother of yours. He knows how to have a good time!" White Beard called over to Ace. Ace laughed and jumped up to the railing to stand next to Luffy.
"Yeah well this fun little brother of mine sometimes makes me worry. He can be a little thick in the head!" Ace laughed, all serious mood gone. The Straw Hat's laughed and climbed on board the White Beard Pirate ship. Every thing made sense now and it explained the way Luffy sometimes acted.
"Hey Ace! I bet I can eat more than you!" Luffy yelled.
"You're on Luffy! Just remember, I've never lost at anything we did!" Ace yelled back sitting beside his brother at the table of the White Beard pirate ship. Every one laughed and had a huge party. Luffy wasn't depressed any more. And every thing was back to normal, or as normal as it could be on the Merry Go.
End of A pirate's life for me.
I'm sorry that it took me a while to update I was trying to finish another story and I'm proud to say that I have. Please R&R.
