Author's Note: Hey everyone! So sorry about the wait on this chapter, but hopefully it's worth it XD There are some flashbacks at the beginning, but then we jump right back to where we left off. ENJOY!
To carrotluvr: Hello again! Haha yes Carrot will be appearing in not too long ;) Poor Nami, she's not being very subtle is she *sweat drops*. Sabo's a manipulative smarty-pants and I love him. Gotta love Makino and her motherly ways! She's so sweet with Lu! More on Mihawk and Zoro's story later, but yeah, Luffy is in 'must protect friend' mode now XD Kuma is precious and loves his little human friend. Yeah, Thatch didn't have enough time (or at least felt he didn't have enough time) to tell Izo, but they'll know very soon! *cheers Thatch on with you* Thank you so much for the long review and I'll see you next time!
To Yeeyeemgee: Thank you so much and here's the update!
To livinganime14: Haha it really is getting out of hand XD Sorry about the wait on the update, life has been a bit crazy, but I'm super glad you're so invested in my story :) It makes me very happy! Thank you for the review!
To too addicted to fiction: Yes, Thatch to the rescue! Ace and Sabo are the best protective brothers lol...will do anything for their precious baby brother. Thank you so much for your compliments and I'll see you next time!
WARNINGS:
- Violence
- Divination/future sight
- Luffy is confused
- Thatch is a boss
Three days after Kuma rescued Luffy…
Hawkins sat cross-legged on the cliff that jutted out over the Apàti Forest, concentrating his mana.
It'd taken three days of work and Master Kaido's strength to contain Balak. Though they'd attempted to drive the monster back themselves, it was clear the beast was too powerful. Only when the Great Dragon himself arrived and grappled with the Deceiver; did they see the fight shift in their favor.
So angered by the removal of its prey, Balak was not easily calmed. In the end, Kaido threw the beast several of his own men in an attempt to satiate its appetite for blood. This tactic, though brutal, was effective, and now the plains were silent once again.
He'd questioned Hawkins and Drake about what occurred, and they, unfortunately, had very few answers. The Fosians were long gone and the being who'd taken the human away had left no viable trail to follow. Despite this, their Master was quite adamant with his following orders.
'I want that human, seer. Find him.'
"Have anything?" Drake asked, making his brow furrow.
"Not yet…you must be patient."
Presently, Hawkins, Drake, and his platoon were at the so-called 'scene of the crime', attempting to pick up the boy's scent. He'd been trying to prompt a vision by siphoning the area's mana, but it was all very congested and difficult to concentrate.
At least Balak was no longer loose.
"Perhaps we should try somewhere else." Drake put in once again, making Hawkins sigh. The other was obviously antsy, fearing their master's wrath should they fail to locate the human.
"No, this place is optimal…it still retains remnants of the child's aetheric energy." He replied, taking a deep breathe to fill his chest with mana once again, "What of your scouts? Have they found anything useful?"
"Just more nonsensical tracks." The draconic demon hissed, "We are getting nowhere like this!"
Hawkins felt his frustration but becoming emotional would not help their cause. No, they needed to be rational and think through what they knew.
First, the pair was likely still in Skotàdi. Whoever the cloaked creature had been, he was probably a native and could not live without shadow (no one other than one of their own would have knowledge of Balak and his unpredictable nature).
Second, the human was wounded and would require treatment. Therefore, they could not have traveled too far or risk losing the boy to Balak's poison.
Third, the youth was a ranger and had utilized his ability to manipulate mana during his confrontation with Balak, which meant he left residual energy behind.
Just as he thought that, his mana stirred, indicating a vision was about to form. Hawkins focused, eyes shut, prepared to receive the onslaught of images no doubt about to appear. His ability was considered 'unrefined' in nature (different from the purer bloodlines who were capable of seeing clear pictures, dialogues, and events), and usually provided him with a barrage of information that he had to make sense of.
However, unlike pure seers, such as Master Kaido's son Katakuri, all of Hawkins' visions were factual and true. Set in stone. They were pictures of what would occur, or had already happened, and could not be altered by any external force.
Though Katakuri's future sight was impressive and often hard to combat…it could be changed under the right circumstances. His visions were of what could be, while Hawkins' were of what would be.
'Not that many are capable of challenging Katakuri's futures.' He mused, picturing the ancient demon. The creature was powerful and a master at forcing his visions to become truth. Not many were strong enough to alter them.
Suddenly, his mind was filled with flashes of images. They came and went so quickly that it was difficult to discern any important details, but years of experience allowed him to efficiently file away small things that would help him create a full divination.
Tall trees.
Elves.
The cloaked creature…perhaps…an Ursa? It was too muddled for him to be certain.
The human.
A mountain.
Some sort of building…a pub?
…was that…
Hawkins' eyes flew open and he stood to his feet, startling Drake.
"We must hurry."
"What did you see?" The soldier demanded, motioning for his men to prepare to leave.
"I believe I know where the human is." He replied, conjuring up images of what could only be Mount Colubo of the eleven realm. It was only thanks to his relentless search for knowledge that he recognized a landmark of such an obscure corner of Skotàdi.
Even flying, it would take them a while to get there…and even longer to actually find where they'd hidden the boy. The mountain was the largest in the region and home to many settlements that were known to be friendly with humans.
But the distance wasn't what required haste, no…it was the mark he'd seen.
Whitebeard's sigil.
"It would appear the Bearded Giant has his eye on our target as well." Hawkins stated, making Drake tense up (as anyone would at the mention of a being who was considered equal in power to their Master), "It is imperative we find the boy first."
A few hours before Thatch returned to Goa…
Luffy found it difficult to relax after his strange (and kind of scary) conversation with the now named demon, Dracule Mihawk. Makino returned shortly after he left and took away the broken dishes, saying nothing.
He figured the hawk-demon wasn't someone the elves wanted to cross or anger.
The good news was that the medicine Makino had given him seemed to be working! His legs were finally starting to get some feeling back, though just in the form of pins and needles at the moment.
With a huff, Luffy turned to stare out the window. The beautiful night (or was it day?) sky shown into his room and bathed him in the moon's cool light. Skotàdi was much more beautiful than he'd expected. From what the teachers at school taught him, he'd expected…something different…more evil.
"Luffy, dear?" Makino asked, peering into his room, "How are you feeling?"
"I'm okay." He replied, making the she-elf smile.
"Wonderful! Miss Dadan and I are going to open the bar for the evening, but if you need anything, just holler."
"I will!" Luffy chirped, flashing a grin. Makino was so kind. The elf chuckled before closing the door and going down the stairs, presumably to the bar. Looking out the window and down to the entrance of the building, he saw patrons were already gathered, ready to relax and have a drink.
'What should I do?' He mused, twiddling his thumbs. His legs weren't well enough to hold his weight (he'd tried to stand…it hadn't ended well), so maybe he should just…sleep? Deciding there was nothing better to do, Luffy slipped down underneath the blanket and nuzzled into the soft pillow, drifting off to the gentle sound of people chatting and music starting to play.
Makino hummed as she filled up another keg with ale, enjoying the familiar atmosphere of the bar. They didn't have too many customers but were bound to get more as the night went on.
While she worked, her thoughts drifted to the young human currently staying in their spare room. It had certainly been surprising to see Mihawk again after so long. The hawk used to visit their bar regularly but stopped coming in more recent years. He took his job at Kuraigana very seriously.
Not that anyone truly knew what he did there…not anymore. Makino had asked Dadan about the location's significance when she was young but had only received a pensive stare.
On top of the oddity of Mihawk appearing so suddenly, he'd brought with him a bruised and battered human boy, one he'd requested they take care of. Dadan had immediately protested but agreed after he offered her a sizable fund as payment.
She supposed it wasn't strange that Mihawk had an abundance of coins laying around, being a high ranking demon, but to spend it on a human child was most unusual.
"Thanks, love." One of their regulars said after she placed his keg down, prompting a smile to form on her lips.
"No problem! Remember, you can pay at the bar whenever you're done."
"Aye, aye…I won't forget this time."
Makino chuckled and made her way back to the bar where Dadan sat. The elf was rather heavy-set and had bright orange hair, a rarity among their people. It stood out against the dark tones of her skin and accented her many pale tattoos, indications of her age and status.
"He gonna pay this time?" She asked, eyeing the customer Makino had just served.
"Yes…or so he claims."
"Feel free to remind him, otherwise I'll get it myself."
Makino grinned, watching Dadan take a drag from her pipe. The elf was a tough woman, and most of their customers knew better than to cross her. She was certain they would get their rightful dues before the night was over.
"Luffy's doing well."
"That so…and I should care, why?" Dadan replied, blowing smoke away from the bar, "The brat's eating me out of house and home." Makino muffled a laugh, knowing it would anger the other she-elf. Dadan came across as no-nonsense and dangerous, but she knew she cared for their little guest more than she let on.
Otherwise, why would she have made the boy's meal herself?
"B-Boss!" A shrill voice called from the doorway, drawing their attention. It was Dogra, a short elf who'd gone to purchase supplies at the settlement across the gorge. Dadan rolled her eyes.
"What is it, Dogra? You're disturbing the customers!"
The male elf bowed curtly to the patrons as he passed, earning quite a few confused looks. Makino frowned as they ushered him behind the bar, taking in the sweat on his brow and wide eyes.
"Did something happen?" Dogra swallowed hard.
"W-We may have trouble, Boss." He glanced over the bar, like he was worried someone had followed him inside, "Listen…while I was over in Foosha, some of Kaido's lapdogs were sniffing around."
"So?" Dadan hissed, "The bastard practically owns the entire territory to our north, it's only natural they'd trickle down our way eventually." Makino had to agree. Though they didn't come into their realm often, it did happen.
Dogra bit the inside of cheek and removed his turban to reveal his thinning hair slick with perspiration.
"N-No, listen! I overheard them talking…they're hunting somebody, a human."
Makino inhaled sharply, mind immediately going to Luffy. Dadan cleared her throat, crossing her arms in a motion recognizable as nervousness.
"That could be anyone-"
She went silent when Dogra pulled out a crumbled piece of parchment with a sketch of Luffy's face on it. The likeness wasn't exact, but to those who'd met the boy, it was clearly him.
"Oh no…" Makino breathed, hands shaking, "W-What has he done to anger the Great Dragon and his men?" Dadan scowled.
"I don't know, but we need to get him out of here before he brings death on us all. Makino, go get him up and-"
"-and send him where?" She whispered, clenching her skirt in her hands, "There aren't many human friendly places in Skotàdi, Dadan!"
The orange-haired elf fixed her in place with a determined glare.
"We'll deliver him to his people…at the Ranger Base."
"…but we don't know where that is…" She replied, eyeing the door warily and attempting to keep a friendly expression for the other customers. The human's Ranger Base moved around Skotàdi and was notoriously difficult to locate.
"We'll think of something, just go!" Dadan hissed, "Take him out back and get him on a horse. I'll have Magra ride with him and-"
Suddenly, the door flew open and a cold wind blew throughout the bar. Dogra yelped and hid behind Dadan as a group of demons entered, causing their other customers to either growl or shy away.
The mark of Kaido was clear on their chests.
"I-It's them!" Dogra whispered, eyes full of terror, "H-How did…did they follow me?"
"Relax, idiot." Dadan scolded in a low whisper, holding her head high to greet the newcomers, "They don't know he's here…I'll try to get rid of them."
Makino forced a smile and bowed courteously to the group, doing her best to ignore their armor and weapons. Two in particular stood out: the first with long blonde hair and tattoos on his face, the other a broad draconian with impressive wings.
"What can I get ya?" Dadan questioned, meeting the largest demon's gaze. He didn't answer immediately and scanned the bar, eyes lingering on Dogra for a few extra seconds.
"We're not here to drink." He replied before pulling out the same sketch Dogra had shown them, "Have you seen this human?" Dadan made a show of taking the poster and examining it closely. She shrugged and handed it back.
"Can't say I have…we don't get many humans around here."
"Is that so?" The demon growled, turning his gaze back to Dogra, "Because something tells me you know more than you're letting on."
Dadan scowled at him while Makino held her tray tightly. This wasn't going well…
"Drake." The blonde demon stated, walking forward so he stood next to the head-soldier, "There is no need to question them further." Dogra let out a quiet sigh of relief and Makino felt herself relax a bit.
"Yeah, listen to your friend!" Dadan put in, pointing at the door, "If you're not gonna buy anything, leave."
Maybe they'd get out of this unscathed?
The blonde then did something that made Makino's stomach drop: he looked up.
"There's no need to question them because I know he's here…this place was in my vision." He tilted his head to Dadan while speaking to his companions, "Find him. I'll be waiting outside."
At that, the soldiers of the platoon pushed their way past Dadan and began to tear their bar apart. For all her protesting, there was nothing they could do to stop the powerful creatures from chasing out their patrons, flipping tables, and punching holes in the walls.
When the one called 'Drake' made for the stairs, Makino began to cry.
Was there truly nothing they could do to stop them taking Luffy away?
Luffy was jolted awake by shouting and vibrations coming from beneath him. Unsure what was going on, he forced his aching body into an upright position and craned his neck to see if he could glimpse what was happening outside.
Many of the patrons were rushing out of the bar, escorted by some mean looking (and heavily armed) creatures. Were they under attack?
He scooted to the edge of the bed and placed his legs over the side, not wanting to be caught relaxing when something was terribly wrong. Though, in his condition, there wasn't much he could do to help.
While he situated himself on the mattress, the door to his room was violently kicked open, causing his wide eyes to fly up from the floor to the intruders. Three large demons entered the room, their wings folded neatly against their backs. The leader had reddish-brown hair with a mask-like piece of cloth pulled across his eyes that accented the dark colored scales scattered across his face.
"We finally found you…" The demon muttered, making Luffy frown.
"Who're you guys?" As he voiced his confusion, the largest creature motioned for the two behind him to move, prompting one to stand between him and the window, and the other at the end of the bed. Luffy followed their movements with caution, knowing that if they attacked, there wasn't much he could do to fight back.
Still, he wasn't just going to sit back and take it. Eyeing the demons surrounding him, he channeled his mana sight, determined to defend himself.
"We have been tracking you for days now," The leader explained, coming to loom over him, "ever since your…encounter…with Balak. Master Kaido wants to see you, and we have questions that need answering."
"What?" Luffy asked, casually examining the creature's deep purple mana that swirled around his body, "But…I don't know anything about that! I got pushed in!"
"Yes, we know." The draconic demon continued, "Unfortunately, the Fosians escaped and cannot explain the reasons for their actions. Additionally, due to recent divinations, your presence is required for interrogation."
Luffy didn't like the sound of that.
Without waiting for him to reply, the demon snapped his clawed fingers, signaling the creature closest to him to grab his arm and wrench him to his feet…where he promptly collapsed.
"Ow, ow, ow…let go, jerk!" He growled, pulling at the vice-like grip coiled around his upper right arm. The leader squat down and examined his legs, humming to himself.
"I see, you are still suffering from Balak's poison. Well…all the easier for us."
The other soldier then reached down for his left arm, recoiling when Luffy snapped at him. Wasting no time, he slammed his hand down over the claw grasping his right arm, boiling the mana, and causing the being to release him with a howl of pain.
Eyes bright, he burned any piece of flesh that attempted to go near him (which was made particularly difficult by the fact that his legs were completely useless). However, he was forced to stop when one of them hauled him up onto the bed with an arm over his chest and covered his eyes with their large hand.
Almost immediately, his sight was darkened, and he could no longer see his enemies' mana. He quickly understood that this was what Shanks had meant about creatures knowing how to counter a ranger's abilities.
"I got him." The creature holding him growled, keeping him from thrashing too much and forcing his head back with his firm grip on his face, "Squirmy little thing, ain't he?"
The demon didn't seem all that bothered that his hand smelled like burnt flesh. These guys were tough.
With that, Luffy was carefully passed to the leader who pinned him to his chest with his broad arm, removing almost all possibilities of escape. The other creature kept his eyes covered until the largest one voiced he could release him. Blinking, Luffy attempted to move, but it was like trying to hit a brick wall.
Switching tactics, he tried to flex his hands so that he could access the beast's mana, but he couldn't move them even an inch.
"Put me down!"
"No." The demon replied, not intimidated by his bared teeth, "You are going straight to Master Kaido, little ranger, and I suggest you prepare yourself. I imagine it won't be a terribly pleasant experience."
Luffy thrashed against his captor as he was unceremoniously carried down the stairs. When they entered the main bar area, his eyes widened at the destruction. Thankfully, Makino looked like she was okay.
He flashed a soft grin at her when she placed her hands over her mouth, tears forming in her eyes. Luffy didn't want her to worry or blame herself. He was grateful for everything they did for him and, from here on out, he would have to take care of himself.
Especially since he was fairly certain no one was just going to jump out and save him. No…he was on his own this time.
Present…
"Call me back!? Excuse me-"
Thatch hung up on his brother, knowing he didn't have much time. He'd suffer Izo's wrath later, when the kid was safe. The drake who held Ace and Sabo's little brother started giving orders while the blonde one approached and grabbed the youth's chin, forcing it back and forth.
The boy's eyes glowed silver, indicating he was a ranger, and he growled low at the demon. Thatch whistled lowly when the blonde quickly retracted his hand after it started to smoke on the human's skin.
Rangers almost always manipulated mana through their hands, but this kid was…damn. Thatch smirked. The boy had obviously given up trying to get at his captor's mana and had turned to his agitating his own.
Smart kid.
The blonde soldier didn't seem angered, just…interested.
As Thatch continued to sneak towards them, using the crowd to hide his presence, the boy was dropped on the ground and efficiently tied up with course rope. His hands were secured behind his back and an extra circle was wrapped tightly around his arms. The demons tied his ankles together, though Thatch didn't think that was necessary seeing how they drooped and were limp in the creature's claws.
As a final touch, a blindfold obscured the boy's vision (effectively ending his ability to manipulate mana). Any creature who had fought a ranger knew how important it was to take out their eyes.
Temporarily or permanently, there were many options. Pops preferred charmed cloth that was difficult to remove. It was safe for the human but kept them from getting hurt while handling the ranger. Examining the blindfold, Thatch determined this one wasn't charmed, so it would be simple to remove.
'I'll have to be careful though…' He thought, agilely rolling behind the tree across from Dadan's bar. If he surprised him, the boy could try to hurt him as well.
"Let's go!" The large one bellowed, prompting one of his subordinates to throw the trussed-up kid over his shoulder, "Master Kaido has waited long enough."
Bending his legs, Thatch waited until most of them were in the air to leap out and tackle the one who held the human to the ground. He swiftly knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head and grabbed the kid, throwing him over his own shoulder.
"Wha-"
"Easy kid," He whispered, readjusting him as the demons swiftly banked back towards him once they realized someone was interfering, "I'm here to help." Taking a few breathes, he took off into the woods, intending to lose their pursuers under the dense canopy.
"Stop him!"
When he ran around the back of Dadan's bar, he did a double-take. There, saddled up and ready to go, was a strong bay horse. How convenient.
"Who are you!? Let go!" The kid exclaimed, fighting him as he pushed him up into the saddle.
"I'm a friend of Ace and Sabo." Thatch replied, making the boy go still, mouth dropping open, "I'll tell you all about it, but not right now, 'kay?"
He swung himself onto the horse and kicked it straight into a gallop, heading into the forest.
Thatch glanced backwards, cursing at the sight of the entire platoon (minus one) flying after them. This was going to be a bit tricky. Holding the human practically in his lap, he whispered words in elven to the horse, explaining what he needed it to do and the urgency of the situation.
The bay whinnied and took off, much to Thatch's relief. Sometimes horses could be difficult to convince, but this one was young and willing. While the horse took over, he reached up to the feather bobbing back and forth as they rode, willing it to come to life and call his brother back.
"You better have a damn good explanation-"
"I've got him, Izo!" Thatch interrupted, "Ace and Sabo's little brother, I mean."
"…I'm sorry, what?"
"Yeah, long story short, I'm currently trying to get away from a platoon of Kaido's soldiers who were about to take him away and could really use some back-up. Say hi, kid!" The human tilted his head in confusion but mumbled a soft 'hi' nonetheless. Good sport. Izo was silent for a few moments before replying.
"Okay, Marco's on his way but may take a while to reach your location. Try to find somewhere to lay low for a while until he arrives."
It made sense that Marco was coming despite his natural aversion to Skotàdi's darkness as he was powerful enough to create stable portals that would maintain their integrity even with multiple passengers.
"…easier said than done." Thatch hissed, barely managing to dodge an arrow shaft that embedded itself into a nearby tree. Ending his connection to Izo, he reached up and tore the blindfold away from the human's face, revealing expressive, dark eyes that blinked up at him before moving up to his hair.
"Why's your hair look like a loaf of bread?"
"…it's a pompadour…surely you've seen one before."
"Not really." The boy replied, breaking out into a tired grin, "But I think it's cool!" Thatch immediately liked him.
"Thanks, kid. My name's Thatch, what's yours?"
"Monkey D. Luffy."
"Nice to meet you!" He exclaimed, pulling on the horse's reigns to avoid a spear thrown to impale him in the back. "Listen, you're a ranger, yeah? I need to keep an eye on those bastards and tell me if we've got anything incoming. Can you do that?" The boy, Luffy, nodded, eyes returning to their previous shade of silver.
Thatch had always been fascinated by the abilities of rangers. Seen as inferior to summoners (at least in the eyes of the humans) but dangerous and annoying enemies in their worlds, especially since they could literally become them and utilize their own abilities. Without rangers, summoners wouldn't be able to refresh their mana stores and would be sitting ducks.
So, to creatures, rangers were definitely the clear threat and treated with more caution.
"Arrows!" Luffy warned, prompting Thatch to quickly lead their horse into a weaving pattern to avoid them. He clicked his tongue, willing the bay forward into the brush thicket ahead of them. It would be a tight squeeze, but they could make it.
The human boy yelped and curled into him, causing Thatch to curse. The leader of the platoon had caught up to them and was attempting to grab Luffy out of his arms.
"Back off!" He exclaimed, drawing one of his swords and swiping at the demon, causing him to recoil slightly. The drake snarled.
"Who the hell do you think you are!? Master Kaido will have your head for this!"
Thatch just smirked.
"I ain't afraid of that old dragon…" With a flick of his wrist, he hit the demon across the face with the back of his sword, exposing Pops' mark that was emblazoned on the hilt. When the creature recovered, his eyes widened in recognition.
"You are-" He didn't get to finish as they finally reached the entrance to the dense wood, forcing their pursuers to stop or get up close and personal with some tree bark. Thatch chuckled darkly and waved back at the demons, reveling in their frustration.
That's what they get for targeting a human under their protection-
"Look out!" Luffy exclaimed, drawing his attention back to what was in front of them and just barely managing to pull the horse to a harsh stop before they barreled into what was obviously a marsh. Thatch huffed, reaching down to pet the winded horse (who had definitely been focusing too hard on running and not where they were going).
"Thanks, kid. You saved us from a watery…oh…" In his haste to stop the horse, he'd let go of Luffy, and the momentum sent his small body flying into the wet mud in front of them. He grinned sheepishly at the now soggy (and very filthy) human, "Sorry about that, squirt."
The kid spit up some water and pushed himself into a seated position, shrugging as best he could. Thankfully, he hadn't been thrown too deep where he would've sunk straight to the bottom. Thatch dismounted and gathered him up into his arms (ignoring the mud and grime…figuring it was his punishment), before trotting back to the horse.
They needed to put as much distance between them and their pursuers as possible. The thick brush would only slow them down.
"This should work…" Thatch, the dark elf who'd saved him muttered, eyeing the shallow cave in front of them. Luffy glanced up at his savior, tired from the last hour of hard riding. The creature seemed nice but had yet to explain how he knew Ace and Sabo.
"Erm…could you untie me now?" He asked, limbs stiff from being stuck in one position for so long. The elf grinned while he leapt down from the horse.
"Sure, kid. Sorry, couldn't exactly do it while riding, ya know?"
Luffy grimaced when he was lifted, bruises and aching body protesting. Thatch didn't even try to put him on his feet and simply carried him into the cave, gently putting him down on the cool stone.
"What happened to your legs?" He questioned, pulling a knife from his belt and sawing at his bonds. Luffy sighed in relief when he was finally free and rubbed at the raw skin underneath.
"…it's kind of a long story."
"Welp, we've got some time." Thatch said, chuckling softly before whistling for the horse to follow them into the cave. Luffy watched as the animal did just that, trotting over to him and making itself comfortable on the cave floor behind him. He didn't protest and leaned back against the gorgeous bay, enjoying the warmth. "Heh, looks like it likes you."
"Shishishi…I guess so. Can you talk to animals?"
"A bit." Thatch answered, "It's kind of an elf thing."
"Does he have a name?" The dark elf just shrugged.
"Dunno…probably not."
Luffy pursed his lips in thought before turning around to stroke the horse's neck.
"You look like a…Merry. Yeah, Merry!" The horse whinnied and rubbed its head against his hand, making him giggle softly. He was naming all sorts of creatures…first Surume, and now Merry.
"That's a nice name." Thatch affirmed, seating himself across from Luffy, "So…I heard the basics from Izo, but…care to share your story?" Luffy took a deep breathe before explaining what had occurred over the past week (though he was unconscious for most of it). It was hard to believe he'd survived the amount of harrowing stuff he'd experienced in the different worlds.
"B-Balak!?" Thatch stuttered, eyes wide, "You fought it!?"
"Well, more like I tried not to die." Luffy clarified, thinking about how a certain Ursa had bravely rushed in to save him, "Though, I definitely would've been had Kuma not been there."
"I wonder if that's why Kaido wants you…" The elf mused, making him shrug. He honestly had no idea why the demons from before tried to kidnap him, other than their vague explanation. "And Mihawk involved himself for whatever reason…"
Luffy yawned and leaned back against Merry while the dark elf mumbled to himself. He was exhausted despite apparently sleeping for a whole week (did being unconscious even count as sleep?). Staring up at the beautiful, starry sky made him miss the Mesa and his friends. Their nights were so similar…the only difference being that they had the Sun to look forward to in the morning.
"Ne…" Luffy put in, earning Thatch's attention, "How do you know Ace and Sabo?" The elf laughed.
"My brother happens to be their contracted creature. In fact, he's on his way here right now to help get you home." Luffy hummed, thinking about what his brothers had told him about their summons, which wasn't much. "His name is Marco, though his actual title is Su-zaku. Let me tell you, he's pretty awesome…but can be a stick in the mud when it comes to having fun and stuff-"
"Oi, that's not very nice, yoi." A new voice said, startling Luffy and making Thatch yelp, immediately reaching for his swords. A blonde male stood in the entrance of the cave, appearing almost human except for the fact that his arms were wings of blue flame.
"M-Marco, buddy!" Thatch greeted, recovering quickly, "You got here fast!"
"Yeah." The creature replied, raising an eyebrow at Luffy and his appearance, "What the hell happened to you, yoi?"
"Thatch dropped me in some mud." He stated, making the bird-guy turn and glare at Thatch.
"I-It wasn't my fault! If you're going to blame anyone, blame the horse!" Merry looked up at the mention of his new name and snorted, as if to say 'yeah, whatever.' Marco sighed.
"Never mind, it's not important." As the creature entered the cave, his wings dissipated into human arms. Luffy tracked him, examining his powerful mana while he knelt in front of him. "There's no need to be frightened, yoi."
"'m not scared." Luffy responded, eyes growing wide at the beautiful yellow and turquoise aura the being released, "…your mana's so…pretty." Marco smiled.
"Thank you, yoi. That's very kind."
They stared at each for a few seconds, Luffy still trying to make sense of the creature's mana while Marco looked him over fondly.
"So…" Thatch interrupted, "What's the plan, brother? Kaido's dogs are definitely still out there. Are we bringing him back to Pops?" Marco stood to his feet before replying.
"No, yoi. Let's take him directly to the Mesa."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." Marco said with a huff, "We both know it's better that way. Besides, I'm not missing the show when you tell his brothers you dropped their precious hatchling in a swap, yoi."
"W-What…noooo…why meeee…?"
Luffy giggled at the creature's whining, finally feeling his body relax.
He was going home.