It's been a month since that incident.
The three of us are doing our SS as usual and we moved back into Dadan's house. Too many memories of Sabo, I suppose. But sometimes we go there to do our Education Session, or ES for short.
Yesterday, I took a visit to Gray Terminal, where the trash heaps started to build up again. They're just repeating the same thing again after the event. I just watch the place with a dark look before going back into the forest, where Luffy and Ace are having their SS.
"Are my words wrong?! You could only hold back big blows!"
"Don't you dare insult my Gomu-Gomu no Mi! One day, I'm gonna make you cry!"
I sigh in exasperation as I rub my temple. They're arguing again, and it's only been a month after we made that vow…
"You're spoiling him too much, Sabo!"
"Right? I told you I'm stronger than before!"
"Right, Sabo?!"
Both of them turn to look at a boulder, mistaking it as Sabo. They quickly realize what they did and suck their lips in embarrassment before Luffy walks away for a few steps and sighs heavily.
"Sabo was such a nice brother." He says with a pout. Ace did not like that.
"What did you say?! So you said that I should be the one that dies?!"
But before it can escalate further, I approach them and give them a hit on the head. That stops their arguments.
"That's enough! Stop this petty argument!" I quickly say with a huff, "I swear, I can't take my eyes off of you two for a hot minute without you two arguing on every little shits you came across." Both boys just humph-ed and I can only sigh.
"Let's just go and hunt for dinner." I tell them and then they both immediately perk up.
We hunt for dinner and we eat with the same ruckus, only someone is missing from the picture. I eat slowly as I watch the others fighting for their foods, with Takao and Flame also joining the mess. I'm not really in the mood, so I just eat a little.
Days come and go, and after a particular argument, now the boys decide to live separately. They basically just build their own shacks right next to Dadan's. I stay in Dadan with my partners and keep my eyes on those two. Heck, even Dadan seems tired of these antics that she can only sigh heavily and keep on drinking. She'll be an alcoholic if it keeps on going…
With Sabo gone, Ace is slowly being a jerk again.
Ace and Luffy are gone hunting in the forest. I got left behind because I have other things to do, but I managed to catch up with them. But when I arrive, I see the huge bear from last winter standing menacingly in front of Luffy, and I spot Ace relaxing on a tree branch, just watching Luffy.
I grit my teeth as I hold my curse when the bear lunges to attack Luffy, but I quickly push Luffy away from the range of the attack, letting the claws rip the flesh on my back instead and the impact throws me a few meters away. I gasp for air as blood pools under me, but even the act of taking in air is incredibly painful.
Fuckfuckfuck it hurts it hurts it hurtsithurtsithURTS—
"ERIS!"
The more blood I lose, the more I feel myself getting weaker and weaker. My senses are numbing down, even breathing has become a chore to do. Can't hear, vision blurring, breathing slowing, heartbeat…
I try my best to stay awake, but it's getting harder and harder to do. I feel someone toting me up and I slowly recognize it as Luffy. From the vibration I feel from him, it seems like he's shouting things to someone else. Maybe it's Ace?
"Eris, you better not fall asleep! Don't you die on us, Eris!"
It's cold…
So sleepy…
…
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()
XXX
I wake up with a stiff body and throbbing back. My mouth is super dry and I'm in desperate need of water. I open and close my eyes, trying to adjust with the sight and the crusty feeling before slowly taking in the fact that I was sleeping on my stomach. Ugh, how long have I been out?
"W-water…" I croak out weakly, trying to push myself up but I'm too weak to even be able to lift my arm, and I just give up. Tired. Is this what it feels like to hang on from the brink of death? Honestly I hate it. 0/10 would not be recommended.
"E-everyone! Eris is awake!"
Ugh, who the fuck shouted that…?
"ERIS!"
"MASTER ERIS!"
"ARF ARF!"
Ugh, so noisy…!
"Shut uuup… Lemme sleeeep…" I groan out as I try to drift back off to sleep.
"OH NO YOU DON'T, YOU SHITTY KID!"
Ugh, Dadan is so louud…
"…Just so you know, Master Eris, you were in a coma for 10 days. I don't think you would like to add more to that."
I immediately open my eyes.
"WHAT?!" I yell out and I whip my head to Takao, "YOU MEAN I MISSED 50 MEALS?!" I exclaim out in horror and almost everyone literally face-faults hearing that. Except Luffy and Takao.
"Why the hell did you count it as five meals a day?" Ace asks, seemingly incredulous on my outburst.
"Because I ate three normal meals and two snack times a day?" I answer in confusion, as if Ace just asked me the most obvious answer in the world. Ace and the bandits, I shit you not, literally facepalms.
"…So what's up?" I ask, changing the topic. "Other than the fact that I missed 50 meals, obviously." I quickly added.
"I-I thought you're gonna die!" Luffy exclaims out, bawling his eyes out.
"Hey, I'm not that easy to kill! You gotta try harder than that." I tell him with a roll of my eyes and a grin. "Anyway, help me up?" I ask.
Ace and Luffy help me up gently, although I have a little difficulty staying up in place, so I use Ace to lean my weight on.
And immediately grab him by the arm.
"Sorry guys, but mind leaving me and Ace both alone? Gonna have a 1-on-1 private conversation with him." I tell the others with a sweet smile. I can feel Ace flinching under my grip, while the others immediately bolt out. Huh. Is that fear on their faces?
Once we're alone, I let my grip on Ace and just lean on him in silence. He's warm.
"…I'm sorry," Ace starts shakily, "for being a bad brother."
I hum in reply. "…Well, I suppose I accept your apology. You're new to this, after all." I reply with a small shrug.
"But that didn't change the fact that I endangered both of you and Luffy from that bear." Ace snaps, his fists clenching on his pants that his knuckles go white, "Back when we beat that tiger, it took the three of us as one to beat it, not by ourselves. I should've known that. I'm such an idiot." He berates with a grit of his teeth.
I stay silent before letting out a sigh from my nose. "Yeah. You're a big idiot." I tell him with a small smile, "But at least you're our #2 idiot." I add and snicker when he turns to look at me with a pout and a blush on his freckled cheeks. Fuck he's so cute!
"'#2 idiot'?" Ace echoed questioningly. I nod.
"Well yeah! Luffy is obviously the #1 idiot, you're #2, and I'm #3." I explained to him seriously. I can literally see Ace sweatdropping. "We're literally the dumbest, dumber, and dumb!"
"I can't believe you just call yourself dumb." Ace shakes his head with an amused smile. I just grin at him.
"Nyehehe, humility is a good consideration for others, y'know?" I tell him with a chuckle and Ace gives me a light hit in the head for that.
"You really are a dumbass, for shielding Luffy like that," Ace points out, "He was really scared, you know? For losing you."
I stay silent as I glance at the door. I can hear Luffy's muffled voice outside, arguing with Takao and Flame for not being allowed to enter the house while we have our talk.
"Yeah, I know." I reply, "That's why I won't die. I don't care if the world wants me to die or hunt me down until the end of time, but as long as Luffy still wants me to live, I will live for him." I firmly tell him my resolve.
Ace is silent as he looks at me with a blank look before he opens his lips, "What's Luffy to you, anyway? You both stick to each other like glue and it's kinda annoying." He asks, raising his eyebrow.
"Nyehehe, jealous, ain't ya?" I tease him and his face immediately flares up, his freckles lighting up.
"I'm not! I'll kick your ass if you're not injured!" He protests, but I ignore him.
"Aww, but I understand the jealousy. Luffy is super cute and he's basically a ball of sunshine. A pure sunshine child with a cute toothy grin and curious owlish eyes, that's also so easy to tease with. There's nothing cuter than Luffy in this whole world." I gush out with pure adoration for Luffy that I can imagine literal sparkles around my face, while Ace seems a little disturbed by that.
"I knew you're a weirdo, and that just confirms it." He comments and yelps when I pinch him on his side.
"Like I said, Luffy is super cute and a ball of sunshine," I start again and Ace says 'yeah I get it, weirdo' but I ignore Ace and continue thoughtfully, "That's why I will never let anyone break him. He's the sun of the show, and I will be the shadow behind the curtains to support him."
"That's why if you're hindering him, I'll kick your ass." I tell him with a grin. Ace just huffs and lightly hits me in the head again.
"As if you can. You're just a shrimp!" Ace teases with a smirk.
"That won't stop me from backing Luffy up! And I will grow up taller than you! Just you see!" I huff and Ace just rolls his eyes.
"Try to be taller than Luffy first." He says with a smirk.
I muster up strength to slap him in the head before groaning out in pain and he just laughs at my misery.
Damn you, Ace!
"…And I guess it goes the same to you too. If you need saving, I'll save you." I tell him and he scoffs.
"As if I need a weakling like you to save me."
"Maybe, but we won't know that in the future." I shrug, recalling the huge event in the future that will happen. "But until then try not to die, okay? Not only will it devastate Luffy, it will devastate me too." I tell him as I hold his hand.
Ace is silent for a moment, before tightening the hold of our hands. "I promise I won't die." He says firmly and I grin at him.
"Good." I reply, "Because we won't let you die either."
XXX
It's been a month since my private talk with Ace.
The wound on my back is almost fully healed. I can move around, but not too much, so I've been skipping SS for a whole month and it's aggravating to see the boys and the beasts having their SS while I was just watching them.
Apparently it was a miracle that I can even stand at all, considering the wound is pretty deep on my back and pretty sure it got my spine and ribs. But I pretty much survived it, leaving a cool huge scarring on my back behind. I guess it's another entry into the 'Weird Shits of OP World' file.
Right now, I'm standing with my back facing a full-body mirror at Makino's. Because I'm not allowed to do hard work, I decided to just pay Makino a visit once in a while. Takao can fly after all, so I can just go and visit Foosha Village anytime I want, but considering we're pretty much not allowed to visit by gramps, Ace and Luffy won't go in fear of gramps.
Cowards, that's what they are.
So I gave Makino a visit. She seemed surprised, but she said that it's a pleasant surprise.
But anyway, back to my cool scar, it's a pretty cool and huge one. It starts from my upper left back and ends at my lower right back, and it's huge enough to cover most of my back. The scars made the skin look whitish-pink, with obvious claw marks shape, or something like that. I'm no doctor after all, so I have two cool scars on my back from saving the D bros' asses. Neat!
And during my visit, I got myself vaccinated for one thing, and doc Pete told me to visit again each month for the others. Phew, now I can relax from dying in a dumb way, but also I somehow need to bring Ace along to get him vaccinated too. I'm pretty sure the bandits or even gramps actually didn't bring him to get vaccinated, but I'll ask gramps first later when he visits.
"Eris-chan? Are you ready?" Makino asks as she peeks from the door frame.
"Yeah! I'm coming!" I quickly wear my shirt and run to Makino, "Okay, let's go!"
Both of us walk to Dadan's shack, bringing alcohol with us. Takao isn't with us, because I told him to keep an eye on the boys instead. Our journey is pretty smooth and calm and I suspect it's because of the road Makino took, but who knows. I'm just happy that I get to relax for once.
The boys, the beasts, and the bandits cheer up when they see us. Especially the bandits, when Makino gave them alcohol. While the boys and the beasts are relieved to see me alive.
"So how are you guys? Any news?" I ask with a smile, "I hope Ace and Luffy didn't blow up the kitchen again while I'm gone."
"Hey! That was one time!"
"Shishishi! That was really fun!"
"No, everything is mostly fine. Although Master Ace and Master Luffy were arguing last night, that's mostly it." Takao answers and Flame huffs in agreement.
"That's good to hear." I reply with a grin, while Ace just huffs and walks away in retaliation.
"Hey Eris! I found a Hercules beetle! Isn't it cool?" Luffy says as he shows me his findings, and I'm pretty impressed.
"That's awesome! Good job, Lu!" I praise him, giving him a pat on his head.
"Teaching you how to greet people politely?" I hear Makino ask. I turn to see Ace is talking with Makino and nods with a smile. Oh, his smile is super cute this time. What the hell, why didn't he smile like that to us?!
"Yeah, I wanna thank Akagami no Shanks for saving my brothers. As the big brother, I should thank him for saving them." Ace replies with a confident smile and crosses his arms to his chest. Makino stares at him in amazement before humming in amusement and a smile, and it makes Ace blushes in embarrassment, "W-What's with you?!" He snaps in embarrassment.
"Ahaha, sorry about that," Makino replies, covering her mouth as she laughs, "Alright, I will teach you. But first, show me how you greet someone."
"Okay. Hello, my name is Ace." He says as he bows down and straightens up, "Who the hell are you?"
Then Makino makes a buzzed sound and crosses her pointers together into an X, "You shouldn't say that. It's impolite." She explains.
"Shouldn't it be 'bastard'?" Both Luffy and I suggest. While Luffy is wearing his usual innocent face, I'm smirking as I stand next to him.
"Who are you, bastard?" Ace said as he bows down, which makes me snicker in amusement.
"Ahahaha! You guys can't take this seriously, can you?" Makino points out in amusement. I eventually burst out laughing and Ace quickly realized that he was being tricked and hit both of our heads together. We both start arguing and about to jump on each other, but Luffy distracted us both with something that didn't even start.
One day, we ate-and-dashed at the town. The chef is shouting at us until Ace stops us and tells us to thank the chef for the meal, via Makino's teachings.
"Thank you for the meal." We say in sync as the three of us bow down.
"SHUT UP! JUST PAY THE DAMN MEALS!" The chef exclaims out.
"Whoops! Chef mad! Run!" I exclaim as I start to run again in joy and grinning while escaping, with the other two following and laughing along.
Our days went on like that, and everything was fun and games for us.
Until gramps came for a visit.
When he came with his usual bellowing laugh of his, I can only stare at him silently while the boys are all scattering about into the forest. Noticing that I'm staying behind, he laughs again and I frown deeper.
"Are you staying behind to back those other brats up?" Garp asks in amusement, but I cross my arms to my chest in response.
"Shut up, Marine." I spat angrily and that surprised him (and the other bandits in the shack), "You think you can just come here after your boss killed Sabo? Are you here to mock him?"
Garp is silent as his grin and stance slowly melts away, leaving only an old man behind as he crouches down to be in the same eye-level as me. I look at him straight in his eyes as he returns it with those weary, glassy eyes of his.
The eyes of a grandfather.
"What do you mean by that, Eris? What happened to Sabo?" He asks softly and I grit my teeth.
"You remember back in May when that fucking haughty dragon came to visit this kingdom?" Garp is silent, but his eyes tell me to continue on, so I did, "Yeah, because of that bastard, they burned Gray Terminal down and Sabo got taken away by his blood-related noble dad. He ran away and set sail, but that bastard shot his boat down just because it sailed across his ship."
"Sabo was a noble?"
"An ex noble that craves for freedom, he was." Slowly, I let my arms down to grip on my shirt as I look down, "He was just a kid that wanted to be free, but before he could get a taste of it, the world shot him down like a fucking pig." I spat in fury and frustration tears started to build up in my eyes.
"Why did you serve people like that, gramps?" I choke out as tears start to spill out of me, "Why are you insisting us to be one of the people that serve murderers that killed not only our brother, but anybody else's in this world?"
"Is it not enough for them to take Sabo, but also Luffy and Ace too later in the future? Do you think making them marines will fool and stop the World Government to not look deeper into their bloodlines?! Answer me, gramps!" I yell out as I grab and pull on his stupid flowery shirt collar while he stays silent.
"And you hiding and piling me up along with them both won't fool them either. They'll know I'm an Otherworlder, and I know what humans will do when they get their hands on something incredibly rare." I add with a growl, "They will either catch and sell them as rare commodities, experiment on them, or all of them."
"But unfortunately for them and you, I will never go down that path, because if I go down, I will bring the world along with me." I tell him firmly.
Garp is silent as his lips are pulled into a thin line. His eyes are glassy as he stares into mine until he closes his eyes and puts his hand to cover his eyes.
"…I see." He replies softly, "Where are Luffy and Ace?"
Before I can answer him, I hear familiar hurried footsteps approaching us from behind me.
"Don't make Eris cry, you shitty gramps!" Ace yells out when he suddenly shoves (or tries to) gramps away and shields me from him with his arms out to separate me from Garp.
"Y-yeah! Don't bully Eris, grandpa! I won't forgive you if you did!" Luffy says along as he copies Ace and readying his fists.
Garp doesn't seem bothered by that as he opens his arms out and the three of us just give him confused looks, so he suddenly gets closer and envelops us with his huge and wide arms and chest of his, apparently pulling us all into a bear hug.
"I'm sorry about Sabo." He softly says as he gently puts his big hands to stroke our heads and I can feel both boys to flinch at the mention of that name, but they stay silent as Garp continues, "It must be hard to lose a brother like that. I'm sorry that I couldn't do anything about it. I'm sorry that I'm being a bad grandpa for the four of you."
I stay silent as he presses us into his chest, and I can hear his heartbeats and his salty scent. I know it's not his fault. He has his own reasons to be what he is, and his intentions are good, but it's not exactly fit for us. It's not his fault; he's just another one of the victims of the World Government.
Closing my eyes, I gently grasp on his shirt and take a slow and deep breath, letting him keep us close in a rare but warm embrace.
That night, we stayed like that, just like a normal family of one grandfather of a Vice Admiral of the Marine and three orphaned and lost children he called his grandchildren.
But it's all in the past now, because tonight, our routine is back to normal.
Obviously, he's still so determined to kill us all, but I'm not going down without a fight!
Ace and Luffy can run away, but I'm not gonna run from this shitty old man. If I can't take him down, I won't be able to take the world down with me!
"EAT THIS, GRAMPS!" I yell out as I jump at him and bite on his head. That didn't faze him as he easily plucks me and throws me into a tree.
"Bwahahaha! I like your determination, brat! But pure determination won't save you without proper strength!" Garp bellows out with a huge grin as he stands tall over me.
I just growl at him as I push myself up to my feet again and back to fight him again, in which he easily dodges my attacks and gives me a single punch in the head. It almost knocks me out, but by pure will, I stay awake as I go back on attacking him again.
Of course, the match is one-sided from the start, and he actually throws me from a very familiar cliff and into the sea. I don't know if it's intentional or not, but I curse at him just before I reach the ocean.
"I'LL KICK YOUR ASS ONE DAY, GRAMPS!"
And I enter the cold, dark ocean with a splash.
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()
Early in the morning, I pack my stuff and take Takao with me. I leave a letter for the boys and Flame for our departure, and that we'll be back in a year after doing some research.
As I hold onto Takao's back and the cold, salty air whips around me, I glance back to where Dawn Island was before.
I hope they won't mind and don't do anything reckless, like searching for me…
The end of Childhood Memories Arc…
…Continued to the second Arc: One Not Bounded Arc.
(Posted on April 15th, 2022)
