Chapter Four : Help
"So I cannot see him now?" Luffy asked, tilting his head sideways.
"Yes, Luffy." Sabo nodded, grimly.
"Why?" Luffy asked again, eyebrows were furrowed.
"See Ace? The man hurt Ace last night." Sabo replied, pointing at their brother who was in the other side of the tree house just silently listening to their conversation.
"He did? But he's really nice, Sabo! He gave me back my hat and he know Shanks!" Luffy exclaimed, adjusting the hat in his small head.
"Of course, that'll be your reason for liking anyone." Ace grunted while rolling his eyes.
"Luffy..." Sabo sighed, looking at him straight in the eye. "Just listen to us okay? We're your older brothers. We know what we're doing."
Luffy just stared at him. He repeated his question. "But why?"
"Because I said so!" Ace turned at them, snapping.
Luffy was startled by Ace's eyes. It was the same eyes he had seen in his brother months ago when they first met. It has the anger and fury swirling inside, trying to get out. His hatred churned within, hungry for destruction.
Luffy whimpered. He hated seeing Ace looked like that. Luffy thought that Ace finally stop that habit of his but he was wrong. Right now was the proof of that.
"Stop it, Ace! Don't be like that to him!" Sabo barked, scolding his other brother.
Ace turned back and started going downwards initially. "Whatever Sabo. Go and handle him."
Luffy watched as Sabo tried to stop Ace but to no avail. Silence befell upon Luffy and Sabo. Luffy waited for him to scold him also.
"I'm sorry..." Luffy apologized, bowing his head.
"Luffy, Ace has his reasons. He don't want you close to that man. Don't make him angry and listen to us, okay?" Sabo said.
"Okay." Luffy nodded, wiping the small tears in his eyes.
Sabo chuckled, patting his head. "That's my brother."
After getting their pipes, the two also went down. They start their day everyday by hunting down food for breakfast. They did not know where Ace went. Sabo had a hunch and so they followed it. Sabo held Luffy's small hand tightly, not wanting to let go of him and wander again. Not with that man in this forest.
Luffy brooded. He kept thinking of the man who he met yesterday. Luffy always know when someone is nice. And Roger fell into that category. Roger saved his life and his straw hat. He also set sailed with Shanks. Luffy wanted to ask stories about Shanks.
He was torn. He wanted to go to Roger and talk to him. But Luffy did not want to anger Ace any further. One of Luffy's greatest fear, was being alone and hated by his brothers. Luffy clutched his hands tightly onto Sabo. He shook his head. They would never do that to him. They are brothers. Brothers always look after each other. Their bond was his greatest treasure.
"You fine there, Luffy?" Sabo asked, tone laced with concern.
"Does Ace hate me?"
Sabo gave him a reassuring smile. "He would never hate you. Ace is not angry at you. He's angry about your words earlier."
Luffy stared, surprise. "There's a difference?"
"There is, of course. So stop worrying about us hating you. That will never happen." Sabo explained.
"Alright." Luffy nodded, satisfied by his answer. He gave his brother his signature wide smile.
Sabo has been the one who was always there to assure him whenever he and Ace fought. Sabo know what words to say to make him feel better. And he appreciated that a lot. Ace always has a sharp tongue but that does not mean Luffy did not love him the same.
Suddenly, Sabo and Luffy heard a loud growl from a ferocious animal that stopped them from their tracks.
"What's that!?" Luffy questioned.
Sabo gritted his teeth. "I have a feeling that that's Ace."
They followed the source of the sound. It was then that they saw Ace, holding a pipe in his hands. Grunting loudly as he fight for his life. He dodged everytime it attacked not being able to hit it back.
His opponent was the bear of Mt. Colubo. It was one of the most dangerous animal in the forest. Something they cannot defeat just yet even if they tried to team up.
"Ace!" Sabo lunged forward as Ace was almost got by its long sharp claws. Sabo tried distracting the bear giving Ace enough time to maintain his posture.
The bear immediately move on to its next prey. Luffy stretched his arms, a pipe in his hands. He tried hitting the bear but his aimed slipped. The bear then noticed it and grabbed his hands with a claw. He was then smashed to the ground. Sabo and Ace immediately tried to struck the bear with their own pipes. The bear let go of Luffy.
Luffy sat up and rubbed his head. "You stupid bear!"
"Luffy!" Ace grunted. He was able to dodge one of the bears attacks. "Don't just stand there and run!"
"What!? Not fair I want to fight, too!" Luffy complained, whining loudly.
Luffy threw himself at the grizzly bear yet again. The trio did everything to try and gain the upper hand but they were kept on the defensive side everytime. It was obvious that they were no match to the bear. The bear was still full of energy and was hungry. Any ferocious creature will attack when they were famished. While the three brothers were exhausted and already obtained bruises.
"On your knees!" A commanding voice boomed.
Luffy turned to Roger, he was walking towards them. Something was different to him today. A different aura was emitting from the man. As Luffy analyzed, Roger was angry. His eyes was glaring straight to the bear. His black eyes were cold, rigid, and hard.
The grizzly bear whimpered, frozen on the spot. Roger intimidated it to the point it obeyed his order. The bear came into his knees. Fear was obvious from its feature.
Roger laughed and went over to the bear. He patted its head quite happily. "There, there..."
The three brothers just stared at the man. Their mouth hung with lips slightly parted and their eyes were as wide as they could stretch.The bear they were trying to defeat for minutes, was tamed by Roger in less than a minute.
"Shanks! You're just like Shanks! That's what he also did when he saved me!" Luffy bounced happily.
Luffy remembered that event clear even though it happened over a year ago. When Shanks had saved him, he also intimidated the Lord of the Coast to the point it back away quickly. Luffy has always been amazed of Shanks's ability. And now that Roger also know how to do it, it was an awesome knowledge for Luffy.
"Shanks? That kid also has it, huh?" Roger mused. Luffy cannot understand why the man started laughing.
"Didn't I told you to don't follow us?!" Ace irked.
"You saved us..." Sabo breathed out.
"That's so cool! How did you do it? Can you teach me? Please, please, please!" Luffy chanted as he went over Roger.
Roger chuckled. "Only one in a million people have it, Luffy. You need to be born with it."
"Luffy, I said get back here in an instant!" Ace dictated. He was glaring at his younger brother hard.
"Ah! I made Ace mad..." Luffy pouted, immediately obeying his command and came back with his brothers.
"Wait, do you know any place here where I can get supplies?" Roger shouted.
"Tch," Ace started walking away leaving his two brothers again.
"West over here, Roger-san. There's a trash heap and town there!" Sabo answered grabbing Luffy's hand and also walked away.
Luffy turned back to Roger. "Shihihi! See ya!"
Roger waved his hand. He was grinning while watching the trio go away from his sight.
Luffy decided that Roger was a good man.
He will try to find a way to make Ace like Roger.
- - -
Roger found a cloak on his way. It has holes and patches but it will do. He put it on and it did not fit him. He did not care as long as he can hide his face. People always recognize him when they met him the first time. Roger wondered if after ten years, will people still recognize the Pirate King.
Roger arrived to the place Sabo had suggested. The boy was right. It was literal trash heap. A huge wall divided the trash heap from the town. He spotted a large gate. That was the only thing that connects the two place together. He analyzed the surroundings. Every thing you can imagine, it seemed like you can find that here. The only cons was most of the item were broken. Roger laughed to himself. This was the place where the boys had found materials to build their tree house.
He walked towards the gate. He glanced back and forth. There were a lot of people. Either it be thugs or just homeless. It was full of violence. Once in a while, he can hear screams of threats and begging. Roger know how to mind his business so he did not bother to care.
"Hey, you seemed to have a valuable there." A man approached Roger and pointed a gun on his chest.
"No, not really. If you excuse me." Roger laughed. He continued walking away.
"Who gave you permission, huh!?" The thug pulled the trigger.
A bullet approached past as Roger. He was used to this scenario. He moved his head left and dodged the bullet. He heard the thug grunted and threw more bullets at him. He just dodged again with ease. He has no time for this. The thug finally stopped and ran away from fear.
He arrived at the gate. There were guards watching over the people who were entering the area. Once the guards was distracted, Roger was quick to enter.
He scanned the town. It looked normal. Tall buildings and busy streets. The only difference was this town was a lot more dirtier than the town above it.
Roger spotted a store. He grinned to himself. He found the things he will need.
- - -
"Thief! Go arrest him!"
"After him!"
"He's getting away!"
The three brothers turned at the shouting and commotion happening. There were a lot of guards running to catch someone. This was normal for Edge Town. After all, most of the people here on town was from Gray Terminal which was full of thugs and any kind of criminals.
"Ignore it. C'mon, we still need to sell this crocodile skin." Ace said, adjusting the bag in his shoulders.
"It's been a while since we were last chased like that!" Luffy laughed.
Sabo sighed. "Stop that, Lu. You'll just jinx us all."
They came into a dark alley. They silently walk down the crevice. Shouts were still heard from the commotion of catching one criminal.
That was when Ace spotted Roger running towards them.
"Hello there, Ace!" Roger greeted, laughing. He was carrying different kind of things in a sack.
"You're the one they're trying to arrest!?" Ace thundered, surprised by his father appearing out of nowhere.
"That's him!" One of the guards pointed at their direction. They were probably four or five of them.
"Damn— See you three soon!" As quickly as that, Roger started running away.
"I thought you're strong? Why can't you beat 'em!?" Luffy asked, shouting.
"For old time's sake!" Roger replied, chuckling.
The trio hide from the guards. There were crates in the area so they went inside. Good thing was the fact that the guards were much more focused on capturing Roger rather than three kids.
"He looks like the Pirate King!" A guard exclaimed.
"Are you stupid? That man has been dead for years!" Another replied.
Something inside Ace became cold. His eyes went wide staring at the guards who kept chasing after his birth father. His breathing was heavy, feeling anxious about the happenings. He hated his father for always messing up things.
"What is he doing!?" Sabo questioned in irk, after the guards had left.
"He is an idiot." Ace deadpanned.
Too bad for Ace though, he was related to him.
- - -
A/N: I think Roger was a pretty laid back guy. The only time you will ever see him angry was when you threatened to hurt his loved ones. Like Luffy? Exactly.
We are bound to a slow start. Roger can't just simply start hanging out with the ASL trio. Ace and Roger has issues that is to be focused on the next chapters.
One Piece is airing on TV again here on our country after three years! It's still on Fishman Island arc but who cares, still gonna watch it.
Thank you for the follows, favorites and comments! It really made my week. See you next update~!