Author's Note: Hey everyone! This chapter took longer than I thought it would lol...but here it is, finally complete :) I hope ya'll enjoy it!
To zlap: Hey there! So, you're totally right. Honestly, when I had the idea of mana, rangers vs. summoners abilities, and stuff, your explanation was what I had in mind, but I think some of it got lost when I wrote it on the page :') I read your review, and was like 'but that's what it is, right?' but then I went back and read my actual description, and was like '...well shoot.' XD Anyway, thanks for pointing it out! Sorry it didn't make a lot of sense lol. All the logistical stuff won't be mentioned as often the further we go into the story. As for Zoro's dad's superstition, it has a lot to do with Zoro's backstory which I have yet to fully reveal (some of which is actually in this chapter). I do have a legitimate reason for the superstition...basically, Zoro's not superstitious, but his dad was as he didn't know creatures existed until his kids were discovered to have lots of mana and old habbits/ideas never really left him. Zoro carries on his practices because it reminds him of his dad (and in his mind, it may have helped keep Mihawk away). Thanks for the nitpicks! I always appreciate constructive critisim and I hope my explanations shed some light on my thought process for this complicated story XD
To livinganime14: Haha sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy the new chapter and thanks for the review :)
To Enolez: I'm so glad you're enjoying my story so far! Oh yeah, Luffy's gonna be a boss lol. Look forward to more on 'demon king' stuff later on ;)
WARNINGS:
- Guilt
- Friendship
- Past trauma/death
After his rescue, Luffy found that the weeks flew by. Though confined to the infirmary at first, once he'd shown signs of recovery, Doctorine finally released him, allowing him to return to Quiet Creek.
Ace and Sabo stayed on the Mesa for a total of one month, only returning home once he was deemed well enough to take care of himself without difficulty. They'd left him with hugs and a stern warning to not let himself get 'summoned to another world' or 'kidnapped' ever again.
Apparently it wasn't good for their health.
Gramps stuck around for a little while longer, always at his side when the Headmaster would question him (over and over again) about the incident with Surume. For whatever reason, the upper-brass cared a lot more about this 'traitor' than they did about the monster, Balak, or even the demons who'd attempted to abduct him from the dark-elf village.
Luffy did his best to answer all of their questions, and found it was easier with his Gramps' steady presence at his back. But, even so, there wasn't much he could tell them.
As for his schooling, some of his professors were more…helpful than others. Shanks gave him additional lessons on mana control along with other skills he deemed necessary for the final exam while Lucci mandated he stick to Doctorine's physical therapy program to slowly get his strength back (thankfully, Luffy was already way ahead of the rest of his class when it came to martial arts and combat).
Mr. Kuro was no help at all, forcing him to go to Robin for tutoring. The retired ranger was very knowledgeable and, in Luffy's opinion, a much better teacher. She was patient and taught in a way that he could understand.
A lot happened…but Luffy wasn't one to let it keep him down.
Especially with the end of the summer quickly approaching.
Luffy stifled a yawn as he shoveled out Sunny's stall, not quite used to getting up at the crack of dawn again. Still, he was glad his life was back to normal again (or at least, his new normal). It felt good to be able to use his legs again. Once he finished arranging the hay how Sunny always wanted, Luffy stood back and admired his work.
'Not bad…' He thought with a grin. Hopefully Sunny would like it.
After taking a drink of water, Luffy stored his tools in the shed and jogged out to the pasture, where his charges were grazing.
Kaku had given him time off to recover but told him he could come back whenever he was ready, so naturally, he'd started working again as soon as he could. It was important that he regain his strength quickly (and money was a nice thing to have).
Merry perked his ears up when he saw him coming and whinnied in greeting, not bothering to get up from where he rested in the soft grass. Not far from the bay was Sunny, looking a bit peeved his space had been 'invaded' by the newcomer.
"Good morning, Merry!" Luffy exclaimed, trotting up and rubbing the horse's soft nose. Merry rubbed his face against him, making him giggle. "You hungry?"
Merry snorted and stood to his feet, ears flicking in excitement. Luffy took that as a yes. When he turned around to move to Sunny, he was immediately hit in the face with a wing.
"Ow…" Luffy whined, rubbing his cheek, "What was that for?"
Sunny neighed indignantly, shook her mane, and strutted past Merry, giving the other animal a glare (if horses could glare). The bay, for his part, watched the Pegasus with a tilted head, apparently as confused as Luffy was.
"Well, let's head back I guess." He whispered to Merry, rubbing a hand down his face and slipping him a sugar cube he had stored in a bag on his belt, "Sunny's going to want some food to, shishishi."
As expected, Sunny had returned to her pristine stall and was waiting for Luffy to fill her trough. When he passed the threshold of the stables, the boy yelped in surprise when Merry suddenly straightened next to him, trying to walk in front of the Pegasus with his head and tail held high.
Luffy just watched in bewilderment, eyes tracking the bay until he entered his own stall.
'…what was that supposed to be?'
Shrugging it off as weird horse behavior, Luffy moved on to his next chore: feeding Sunny. Thankfully, it looked like he'd managed to get her stall the way she wanted, so far so good. Though she'd been surprisingly docile ever since he'd returned…
(Considering how sore his body had been early on…he was grateful.)
Luffy walked over to the supply closet, threw a bag of premium feed over his shoulder, and marched it over to Sunny, her sharp gaze following his movement.
"There you go…" He managed, grunting in exertion as he held the bag steady so the contents wouldn't spill anywhere but the creature's trough. When it was empty, Sunny moved forward to sniff it, inspecting the food (likely to make sure it was up to her very high standards).
The Pegasus then did something very unexpected: she rested her head on Luffy's shoulder and wrapped her long neck around him, forcing him up against the trough in an awkward…horse hug?
"Uh…you're welcome?" Luffy said, reaching up to pet along her neck, "What, not gonna kick me or anything?" At that, Sunny released him and bopped him with her head, sending him down onto his bottom.
Yeah, that was more like it.
Luffy laughed, stood up, and dusted himself off, before moving on to Merry's stall. The horse's head was sticking out into center of the stable and he was staring in the direction he'd just come from, Sunny's stall.
A glance behind him revealed the Pegasus was munching on her food, returning Merry's stare.
"Ya hungry?" That brought Merry back to reality and he bobbed his head up and down. When his charges (and the other animals) were all fed and watered, Luffy took a deep breathe and wiped sweat from his brow. Another productive morning…and Sunny had been gentle, which was nice.
Kaku had mentioned training him in the care of some of their more dangerous creatures once he'd made a pact and could defend himself a little better, something Luffy was looking forward to.
"Finished?"
"Yeah!" Luffy replied, turning to smile at the long-nosed man who'd just returned from the further pastures, "I'm gonna head back if that's okay."
"Sure thing." Kaku answered, looking him over slowly, "You feel all right? No pain or anything?"
"Good as new!"
"Just make sure you don't over do it."
"Aye, aye!" Luffy chirped, reaching behind him to unbuckle the tool belt he wore when working. Tilting his head in thought, he grabbed one sugar cube out of the bag before storing it in his locker and returning the padlock to its place. On his way out, he slipped Sunny one, earning him an appreciative whinny.
If Merry got one, Sunny should get one to.
By the time he arrived back at Quiet Creek, some of its other residents were starting to stir and Mr. Smokey was in the lobby, reading the newspaper with a cup of coffee, as he always was this time of day.
"'Morning, Mr. Smokey!"
"…morning, brat." The Residential Master replied, lowering his glasses to his nose to look him over, "How was work? Pegasus kick your ass as usual?"
"Shishishi, I think she's starting to like me!" Luffy replied, putting his hands on his hips in pride, "I only got knocked over once today."
"Good for you. Now go take a shower before you stink up the rest of the building."
Luffy gave the man a salute and took off towards the stairs. Yeah, a shower would be nice.
He slipped into his and Zoro's room as quietly as possible, not wanting to wake his roommate. According to Usopp, his friend hadn't gotten much sleep during his absence and was still catching up. Luffy smiled softly down at Zoro's snoring form before gathering his clothes and exiting the room.
Luffy's smile fell when he started down the hallway and his thoughts wandered back to their conversation that night, the day after he was rescued.
Zoro arrived at his room moments after he'd finished cleaning the blood off his neck. If he'd run into Nami on his way in, his friend didn't mention anything about it.
"Hey."
"Hey!" Luffy replied, forcing a smile. He was very concerned about Nami, but he was also worried about Zoro and a certain demon. Right now, his roommate had his full attention. "You wanna sit down?"
"Yeah…thanks." The other muttered, pulling up a chair, "So…you met him again? Did he do this to you?" Luffy shook his head.
"No, he actually helped me…if you can believe it."
Zoro growled.
"Tch, yeah, I can't believe that. Dracule Mihawk is a monster. If he helped you, it was only to further his twisted agenda."
"What does he want with you?" Luffy asked, hating the fury and sorrow that flashed across his friend's face. Whatever this creature had done…it was bad.
"He…t-to be honest, I don't really know…but he's been stalking me since I was a kid." Zoro continued, wringing his hands together, "Though, I didn't notice until my oldest sister awoke to her summoning abilities and saw him."
His friend chuckled sadly.
"Man…Koushirou just about had a heart attack when he was contacted by the Academy. That's my Dad by the way…he adopted me and Perona from an orphanage. Kuina was the only one related to him by blood." Luffy nodded in understanding. "Can you imagine how shocking it was for someone as superstitious and traditional as my Dad to be told magical creatures existed? He almost had a heart attack on the spot!"
Luffy chuckled alongside Zoro, thinking about his own family. Luckily for him, Gramps and his brothers were well aware of the worlds outside their own.
"When we started our preparatory training…that's when it got really obvious." Zoro's brow furrowed, "Mihawk was like a shadow, always watching me…following me. When I told my Dad, he made me talismans that seemed to help, but the feeling of being watched never went away."
"Did he ever try to talk to you?" Luffy interrupted, recalling his conversation with the demon and his mention of Zoro's 'destiny'.
"He only approached me a few times, and what words he did say made no sense." Zoro snarled, "Dad and the other adult summoners hypothesized he was likely fascinated with my high mana level or something and didn't do anything about it since he hadn't tried to harm me…"
Zoro bit the inside of his cheek and Luffy's heart tightened.
"…that is, until he came to my house."
"…what happened…?"
"I've blocked out most of the memory," Zoro admitted, hands shaking, "at least, that's what the shrink they sent me to said. So, I can't really tell you exactly what happened but…I vividly remember waking up in that bastard's arms…his claws covered in blood."
Luffy closed his eyes, emotion bubbling up. His friend had mentioned that his family was gone…but to think, they were…
"I remember feeling confused, and when I looked around…I saw the bodies of my sisters…and my dad…" Zoro growled and slammed his arm against the bed-side table, knocking a flower vase off, "That bastard murdered my family. I-I have no idea why he left me alive…probably because of his crazy obsession with me."
"I…I'm so sorry, Zoro." Luffy put in, unsure what to say.
"Thanks, Luffy." His friend replied, taking a few deep breathes to calm himself down, "That's why I want to someday travel to Skotàdi. To kill Dracule Mihawk and get justice for my family. I'm sorry…I feel responsible for bringing you to his attention."
"It's not your fault!" Luffy quickly corrected, "But…if he comes again, next time…we can face him together." Zoro's lips curled up into a small smirk.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." He stated, putting out his fist, "That's what friends are for."
Zoro's smirk morphed into a full grin as he bumped fists with Luffy.
"Damn straight."
Luffy sighed contently as the hot water poured over his head, washing away his sweat and bringing him out of his thoughts. Zoro had been through so much…and to think, he'd come into contact with the being who'd taken his family from him.
'I was lucky he didn't kill me.' The teen mused, figuring it was yet another thing to thank Kuma for. Perhaps he'd been spared out of respect for his bear friend? Or maybe the demon hoped to use him against Zoro one day.
Regardless, he needed to be ready for another encounter. It was unlikely Dracule Mihawk would stay away for long and, as they'd learned…just because they were on the Mesa didn't mean they were completely safe.
When he stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist, Luffy's thoughts turned to Nami. The girl had been utterly terrified and someone laid hands on her, a thought that made Luffy's blood boil.
He wanted nothing more than to charge over to her dorm and demand she point him in the direction of whoever had done it (so he could beat the living crap out of them), but he knew better. Doing that would probably just make her angrier.
After the incident, Nami started avoiding them. Vivi was the only one who ever saw her and claimed the other wasn't acting like herself or seemed 'ill'. It was clear that whoever her tormentor was, they were still around.
'No matter what, I'll be here for her.' Luffy determined, looking himself in the mirror, 'Me, Zoro, and the others…we'll be here when she needs us.' With that thought in his mind, Luffy washed his face and headed back to his room, ready to meet with his friends later that morning, as they'd gotten into the habit of doing.
"Luffy, get your butt over here!"
"Noooo…I don't wanna eat your nasty cherry!"
"It's good for you, damn it!"
Zoro watched in amusement as Sanji chased Luffy around the picnic table, trying to force some fruit down his throat. His roommate would eat just about anything (though he was partial to meat) but for whatever reason, hated cherries.
It was nice to finally see things back to normal…everyone acting like Luffy hadn't been trapped in the World of Darkness for over a week. Usopp was working (or attempting to work) on some homework, and Vivi daintily ate her lunch, giggling at the antics of her friends.
One of Luffy's ranger friends had also stopped by to eat with them, the short one named Chopper. He was a sweet kid and laughed loudly when Sanji finally caught his quarry. Nami, of course, was nowhere to be found. Maybe she'd finally moved on to people she actually liked.
Now, Zoro wasn't an idiot. He'd seen Luffy's scars, the ones that wouldn't heal. His best friend would forever carry the marks of that place, and it made him sick. Out of all of them, Luffy was the kindest, most caring person he knew.
He hadn't deserved to be torn away and tortured, both mentally and physically.
The guilt Zoro felt at being part of that summoning circle that took Luffy away was still there and it probably wouldn't go away anytime soon.
"Bleh…that was gross." Luffy complained, coming to sit back down with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. Sanji, for his part, simply smirked triumphantly and tousled the shorter teen's hair.
"Oh, be a man. Just think about this…you're now full of nutritious vitamins and minerals."
"…doesn't make it taste any better."
"Oi, oi…shouldn't you guys be, oh, I don't know, studying!" Usopp exclaimed, motioning down to his notebook, "Finals are in a week, you know. A WEEK!"
"So?" Zoro asked, earning a gasp from the long-nosed teen, "We've still got like…a week."
"Are you crazy!? We have to not only do well in General Practices and Foundations, but we ALSO have to demonstrate athletic competence and present at least one contracted creature to the HEADMASTER! How are you not freaking out!?"
"That's because Marimo doesn't have to contract a creature." Sanji said with a smirk, making Zoro's eye-brow twitch, "He's already got some, and-"
"You want to go, Curly Brow!"
"Anytime, Marimo!"
Luffy's contagious laugh stopped them in their tracks. Zoro's anger immediately fizzled as he thought about how much he'd missed the idiot's radiant happiness.
"Well, what about you two?" Vivi asked, ignoring Zoro and Sanji to question the rangers at the table, "What's your final exam like?"
"Ah, we're going to the other worlds." Luffy stated, making Zoro's mouth drop open. He…wasn't serious…was he?
"Mhm." Chopper affirmed, face blushed red from the attention, "We gotta go make pacts with the elders of whatever creature group we pick. That means going to their world to meet them."
"Yeah, we'll be gone for like…a week I think?" Luffy continued, tilting his head in thought.
"D-Do you think that's a good idea?" Zoro asked, making the table go silent. His roommate met his gaze steadily.
"Zoro, I'm not going to Skotàdi. No one is."
"I know, but-"
"I need to do this." Luffy interrupted, "I've been waiting for this all semester…the opportunity to become strong enough to protect what matters. There's no way I'm missing out."
No one spoke for a few seconds, everyone ruminating on Luffy's words. Finally, Zoro sighed. The idiot was stubborn, that much was certain.
"Just…be careful."
"Shishishi, of course!"
One week later…
On the morning of the first day of exam week, Quiet Creek dorm was a mess of activity. The summoner students were up early to get in some last-minute studying while perfecting their circles for the practical test. Meanwhile, the ranger students spent the morning packing up their survival kits and outfitting themselves with the proper attire.
For Luffy, since he was going to Louloùdi, that attire consisted of light leather armor the color of the forest (a waterproof hood on the back of his tunic, both for stealth and in case it rained), brown boots, and fingerless brown gloves.
All-in-all, Luffy thought he looked pretty good.
They'd be given some basic weapons when they arrived at the Portal Pasture and one of the professors would be checking his bag to make sure he didn't forget anything. Not that they could bring much…Luffy would be traveling light.
It would take a few days to reach his destination: Amazon Lily, home of the Kuja ad Valera tribes. He'd been taught a lot about them and their customs by Robin but…
'Well, I'll figure it out.' Luffy thought with a smile. He was just excited to finally get to make a pact!
"Wow, you look good." Zoro commented from where he stood, leaning against the doorframe.
"Thanks!" Luffy replied, tying his bag shut and slinging it around his body, "Oh yeah, is Usopp here? He wanted to know about the General Practices test."
"Uh, no. I think he's at the library."
Ranger students took all other non-ranger finals early so they'd be able to concentrate fully on their fieldwork. Luffy, thanks to Robins tutelage, had managed to pass his other exams. Now all he had left was his pact.
"Shishishi, well his loss!" He giggled, knowing he didn't have much time to spare, "See ya in a week, Zoro!"
"Be careful." His roommate replied, holding out his fist. Luffy grinned and bypassed his fist to playfully punch him in the shoulder.
"I will, and when I get back, I'll be the strongest ranger you've ever seen." Zoro chuckled and motioned with his head for him to get going, prompting Luffy to jog past him. He waved goodbye to some other students he knew before rushing out the door, eager to get to the designated pasture.
When he arrived, he was immediately waved down by Shanks.
"'Morning, Luffy. How do you feel?"
"Great! I'm ready to go!" Shanks smiled fondly at him before leaning in a little closer.
"You sure, sport? After everything that happened-"
"I'm recovered," Luffy interrupted, smiling up at the veteran ranger, "and good to go. I wouldn't miss this for the world."
"If you say so." Shanks replied with a wink, guiding him over to some tables that were set up in front of the portals. Lucci was waiting for them and motioned for him to place his bag on the table for inspection. The Realm Combat instructor was dressed for battle but his armor had a red tint to it.
"You're good." Lucci said when he finished rifling through Luffy's bag, "You may now go arm yourself."
Luffy nodded and broke free of Shanks' hold to excitedly trot over to Robin's table that was covered in various ranger weapons.
"Good morning, Luffy." She greeted, smiling sweetly at him.
"Oooohhh…which ones are mine?" He asked, practically bouncing in place. The older woman chuckled and pushed a set of traditional ranger weapons forward.
"These are yours. Each one should be tailored to your height and strength. We are aware that you have your own fighting style, but it is regulation to send students out with these particular weapons. Once you make a pact, we shall adjust your weaponry accordingly."
Luffy looked over his weapons with awe. The first one that caught his eye was a short dagger that he swiftly attached to his belt.
Could definitely be handy.
He held in a whine as he picked up the bow and strummed the string. Out of all the weapons they'd been trained with, ranged weapons were his weakness. According to Lucci, he couldn't hit the broad side of a barn. Still, he buckled the quiver around his torso and swung the bow on right after it.
The slingshot he stored in his bag, unsure when he'd need it, and the smaller knife he put in his boot.
"Thanks, Robin!"
"You're very welcome."
Now that he was essentially ready to go, Luffy moved to join the rest of his class. Those who were going to Louloùdi with him were Chopper, Bartolomeo, and Nero (who had apparently wanted to go to Skotàdi but had been denied after what happened). They were all dressed in the same armor as Luffy.
The only one traveling to Fos was Kaya and she had to wear what was essentially a hazmat suit. It was supposed to protect her from the dangerous atmosphere.
Coby and Camie were going to Koràlli and were dressed in what looked like wet-suits mixed with armor. Shuraiya was going to Fotià along with a few others. His armor looked like Lucci's, mostly red with some metal plates on the chest and shoulders.
"All right, everyone. Gather round!" Shanks called, gaining everyone's attention. Luffy and the others quickly assembled in front of him. "First of all, congratulations for getting this far in our program. You should all be very proud of yourselves!"
Luffy grinned when some of the professors clapped, making Chopper flush and mumble something under his breathe as he shifted nervously in place.
"Now, I'm sure you all know how this works, but in light of recent events, we've made some slight changes. Listen up!" Shanks motioned with his head for Lucci, Robin, and an unfamiliar ranger to join him. The woman had blonde and glasses. "Each group will have one supervising ranger that will be on standby at the most central Ranger Base. Should you feel that your life is in danger, you may use the whistle in your pack to call us. They're imbued with magic that will let us know your location no matter how far away you are."
Luffy hummed, recalling the whistle they'd been required to pack. He'd wondered what that was for.
"However, you only get one save…so to speak." Shanks continued, "Call us twice, and that will be considered an automatic failure. This test is very important for your development as rangers and we can't serve as your crutch. You have to do this on your own."
"U-Um…" Camie stuttered, raising her hand, "what happens if we fail?"
"Well…since this is a core course…" Shanks answered with a sigh, "Unfortunately, if you fail to make a pact and complete your fieldwork, you will not be allowed to continue in your schooling."
"…harsh." Shuraiya muttered under his breathe while Coby nearly fainted.
"Ah, don't worry! You're all totally ready for this!" Shanks exclaimed, brushing off his earlier comments, "Anyway, as you know, you'll have one week to find your chosen tribe, make your pact, and return to whatever Ranger Base you emerged from. Don't waste time, be smart, and…don't die."
Shanks then flashed a brilliant smile to them that Luffy quickly returned. This was all so exciting!
"Fotià students, follow me." Lucci ordered, "We leave right away."
Shuraiya winked at Luffy when he passed and whispered, 'good luck'.
"For those who don't know me…" The new woman said, adjusting her glasses, "My name is Kalifa and I will be accompanying anyone who is going to Koràlli. This way please."
Coby was shaking and Camie looked nervous, but they both followed the lady, nonetheless. Luffy hoped they'd be okay…Koràlli was a dangerous place.
'Maybe they'll meet Surume!' He thought, swallowing a laugh. Coby would die of fright.
"Kaya, you ready?" Shanks chirped while slipping on his own hazmat suit. The blonde girl nodded and moved to join him, lips pulled in a taught line of determination.
"Will everyone else come this way?" Robin called, gaining Luffy's attention. He'd been so excited about the weapons earlier that he hadn't noticed she wore tight armor appropriate for the forest world. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail and she held a book under one arm. "Louloùdi awaits."
When they emerged on the other side of the portal, Luffy's eyes lit up in wonder. The Ranger Base that served as their initial camp was nestled in a cliff outcrop, giving them a decent view of the landscape around them.
The air was filled with the sound of birds and the whistling of wind. Inhaling deeply, Luffy could smell pine, moisture, and many other scents he couldn't identify. Unlike what he was used to, the trees were very broad, tall, and covered in moss. In the distance, he could see a lake and mountainous terrain.
'It's beautiful…' Luffy thought as he turned in place, trying to take it all in.
"Students, welcome." A new voice said, prompting him to face the speaker. It was an older man with sharp eyes, "My name is Benn, I'm in charge of this base. If you need anything, we'll be here to support you."
"Thank you." Robin replied, smiling at the man before turning to Luffy and the others, "Benn is a close friend of Shanks and is a resource at your disposal. There are no rules about gathering information or additional supplies if needed. Remember your timeline and be careful."
With that, the veteran ranger shot them a wink and moved over to a chair in the shade of the main building to open her book. Chopper blinked and looked around in panic when all the other rangers, including the newly named Benn, returned to their duties.
"U-Um…er…should we-"
"Hehe, looks like we're free to go." Bartolomeo said with a smirk, turning to look at the front gate, past the wooden barricade, and into the wood, "Where're the rest of you headed? We could travel together for a while or-"
"Tch, I don't think so." Nero interrupted, pushing his way past the crest-headed teen, "No way I'm going anywhere with you losers."
Luffy smiled and waved at their classmate as he jogged off into the forest. Meanwhile, Chopper was clutching his side, body trembling.
"L-Luffy…I'm n-not sure I can do this…"
"Shishishi, sure you can! You're one of the smartest guys I know."
"Y-You, that doesn't make me happy, you bastard!" Chopper denied while doing a little jig, prompting Luffy to laugh. His friend was so funny!
When they brought out a map of Louloùdi, they discovered they wouldn't be able to travel together at all due to the distance between their destinations. Chopper needed to reach the far mountains while Bartolomeo was going West.
"East? What's out there?" Bartolomeo questioned, tapping his finger over Luffy's destination.
"Robin says that's where I'm supposed to go," Luffy answered while tightening the straps that wrapped around his forearms, "so I'm gonna go there."
"Eh…well…good luck."
Luffy said goodbye to his friends and slowly walked to the side gate, the one that pointed straight towards Amazon Lily. He wasn't terribly good with directions, but thankfully, he didn't need to be.
"The fýlakes fidión, or snake guardians, will guide you."
The boy let out a sound of excitement before taking off into the forest and climbing the nearest tree. It didn't take long for him to reach a tall branch that gave him an unimpeded view of his destination. There, in the distance, was a tall cliff face that jutted out of the dense wood around it. Emerging from it like living creatures were massive carvings of snake heads.
'I can't wait to see it up close!' Luffy mused, squinting in an attempt to see the engravings that decorated the snakes and the rock itself. According to Robin, the Kuja had erected those stones with magic eons before as an intimidation tactic but now they also served as a boundary line separating their territory from the rest of the forest.
Somewhere past the snake heads was also the Valera tribe, his goal.
Taking another deep breathe of the crystal clear air, Luffy flipped up his hood and jumped down to the ground, landing in a crouch.
It was time to go.
Meanwhile…
"Pops, you really need to let it go, yoi."
Whitebeard whined, leaning on his hand as he pouted. The giant still couldn't believe his beloved children had denied him what he wanted: meeting Marco's humans (and their small hatchling, of course).
Thatch and the aforementioned phoenix stood before his throne. At first, they'd tried to placate him by saying they'd 'bring them later' or 'it was for the best', but now they were just straight up telling him to 'let it go'.
"But…I picked them outfits and everything…" Whitebeard continued, holding up some small human clothes he'd stealthily had Izo make for the boys. He wasn't sure they would fit but he'd been excited to see the adorable humans wearing the little tunics with his mark on the back.
Thatch and Marco groaned.
"You were going to…Pops, I love you, but those aren't exactly…in style, anymore." Thatch said, eyeing the long tunics. Whitebeard hummed and looked at the small articles of clothing in confusion. What was wrong with them? Humans wore this kind of thing all the time.
"I'm not even going to comment on the fact that you made them clothes." Marco added, looking rather exacerbated, "Pops, things have changed since the last time you were in the human world. Besides…I don't think Ace and Sabo would appreciate being…er…taken care of…by any of us, yoi. They're independent spirits. And Luffy-"
"Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, hmmm?" Whitebeard muttered, a gleam in his eye. Ignoring his spluttering sons, he stood to his feet and made for Izo's quarters, determined to get the humans' names emblazoned on their new tunics.
They'd love them, he just knew it.