Chapter Seven : Visit

"Luffy, stop running all over the place." Sabo reminded as he noticed that his younger brother was going farther away from them.

Luffy had almost gotten away from their grasp for the third time now. Too bad for him, his older brothers were watching him like an eagle. They do not want him to cause any more trouble than he already is.

"But I saw a ladybug over there, Sabo!" Luffy pouted, pointing the grasses from afar. He tried stretching his hand to get the insect but it just flew away.

"You can play with them later on." Ace said, surprisingly calm. "I thought you want to visit Dadan?"

"Visit Dadan? Whose idea's that?" Luffy asked.

"It's yours!"

"Oh yeah?" Luffy laughed.

Sabo smiled, not stopping his two brothers from bickering. He did not like being the referee most of the time. And besides, it was entertaining seeing them arguing.

They had left their pipes in the treehouse so they did not have any means to protect themselves from any attacking animals. As long as they stayed on the right path and not bother the creatures here, they would be fine. It would be the first time since they built their treehouse that they were going back visiting Dadan. It was fun having a place Sabo and his brothers call as their own home. But still, there was something about the bandits that Sabo missed. Probably the noise and fighting whenever it was dinner time.

"Is it alright visiting Dadan?" Ace asked after a while.

"Show some appreciation, Ace. Didn't she raised you?" Sabo replied with a smile.

"If you call that raising." Ace deadpanned, rolling his eyes.

"It's fine. Besides, the only reason why we left them is because of your grandfather. I don't think he'll appear now." Sabo added, smirking.

"Luffy, for the last time! Don't go wandering!" Ace yelled as he scolded the boy.

Ace quickly crossed the distance between him and Luffy. He held his brother's hand tightly making sure that Luffy will not go anywhere anytime soon.

"Your hand's warm, Ace." Luffy complimented, with a wide grin.

"S-Shut up..." Ace looked away as his cheeks started reddening.

Sabo grinned at Ace's reaction. He was not used to the affection people were showing him. He was raised by bandits after all. He remembered last month when Makino visited and he was blushing the same way. Sabo only hoped that one day, Ace will stop being flustered with the affection he well deserved.

"Sabo, wanna hold my other hand?" Luffy suggested, excitedly.

"Sure, Lu." Sabo nodded. He went over to them and held his younger brother's left hand. Somehow, it gave him a good feeling.

They soon arrived at the place they once called home.

- - -

Roger found himself in front of a hut.

It was made from woods that were once new, not unlike the trio's treehouse made from scrap. It was well-built and seemed to be clean most of the time. Inside, Roger could feel the presence of twenty people at most.

Without knocking or even announcing his appearance, Roger just barged straight inside. It was their fault for not locking their door. The inside was not bad. The walls made from planks have some holes in it allowing sunlight to enter in. Not much dirt nor moss was seen. The only noticeable thing in the house was the people living.

Upon moments of entering, Roger could already feel a lot of sharp objects in different parts of his body. It was uncomfortable. He never liked the feeling of being stabbed. But ironically, he probably died of stabbing. The people inside were obviously bandits. Their clothes were a dead giveaway. They started searching for his clothes, looking for anything that they can use. But Roger was never the material type. They will never find anything not even a few beris.

"Why the hell are you here?" One of the bandits asked, holding a dagger close to his heart.

"I'm here for Ace, Sabo, and Luffy," Roger answered. His tone was casual.

"Those three brats, eh?" Said by a woman with a curly orange hair. She was glaring at him as she interrogates. If Roger would be honest, her composure was like a man's.

"Yeah. Luffy told me that they'd be here." Roger added. Still, the bandits continue to poking their weapons at him.

"And why should I believe you?" The woman stated, scoffing.

"Where are my manners?" Roger laughed. "My name's Roger."

"Roger?" A small man with a turban echoed.

"Like the Pirate King?" Another asked.

"Maybe," Roger answered with a grin.

"Pirate King my ass." The woman scoffed loudly before yelling. "Ace! Sabo! Luffy! Someone's looking for you!"

They all waited in silence before loud banging was heard. It was the sound of a person's footsteps running in the stairs. In the door frame, revealed his son, Ace, quickly setting his eyes upon his father being assaulted by bandits. Ace was glaring at him, annoyed by his presence.

"What the hell are you doing here!?" Ace yelled angrily.

"You know this guy?" The woman asked, raising her brows.

Ace was about to answer but closed his mouth. He stared at the woman for a few moments before speaking again.

"No. Go and dispose of that trash the hell I care."

Roger readied himself for a fight. He did not want to but he needs to. The bandits were already angry at him for being an intruder since Ace did not confirm their relations. He was about to release a burst of Conqueror's Haki when Sabo and Luffy appeared in the lounge.

"Hi, Roger!" Luffy greeted, waving his rubbery hands at him. "Why do you have swords pointed at you?"

"Part of being an intruder, brat," Roger answered while chuckling.

"So you do know this guy." The woman asked before turning to Ace. "Why the hell did you answer no?"

"Because I don't know him and don't want to." Ace answered, averting his eyes.

Roger was disappointed with his son's words but he did not show it. He needed to change that sooner.

"Dadan, that's Roger. He saved us when we're fighting a bear." Sabo explained, trying to calm down the situation.

Dadan sighed. "Lower your weapons. We can't do much 'bout him. He doesn't even have money."

The bandits were still glaring at him but they decided to put away the sharp things pointed at him. Roger sighed while rubbing his stiff neck.

"Thanks." Roger chuckled. "I have brought ten deers outside. Mind cooking it for me?"

"Deers?"

"We have dinner!"

"Venison stew! Go and make 'em!"

Almost all of the bandits were howling as they ran outside of the house. That's what gonna happen when you told them about food. They were thieves who were famished enough to kill an unarmed man.

- - -

Dinner was a free for all food fight, as always.

Dadan wondered if there would ever be a time when their dinner would be normal and peaceful. But it was highly unlikely since the trio were here terrorizing all of them. They were little demons who had her wrapped in their small fingers. She thought that she had gotten rid of them but they came back without any warnings. She has no use of them if they were not doing chores around the house.

After the meat has been set on the middle of the room. Everyone was quick to react. That was how things happen here. If you were not fast enough, food will be gone soon. It was a literal fight for survival if you do not want to starve.

Plates, mugs, and bowls started being thrown all over the place. The bandits became like ferocious animals whenever it was dinner time. Dadan noticed that even Roger who was new to the place, keep on shoving food in his mouth. Roger was almost stabbed by a bandit but he was quick to react and punched the bandit making him unconscious. Dadan stopped caring about the man after that. He can handle himself.

"You have your own, Luffy!" Ace barked, grabbing his brother's hand and throwing him on the other side of the room. The wall was then destroyed because of Luffy's impact.

"You damn shitty brats! Don't go destroying my house!" Dadan yelled, pointing angrily at them.

"Mine!" Luffy was quickly back on his feet.

He lunged towards Ace with his fist clenched. Ace dodged immediately. Luffy being at his full speed, did not manage to stop on time and hit the wall once again. This time, a bump was seen clearly at the boy's head. Ace was about to bite on the meat again when Luffy stretched his arms and tried grabbing it away. Luffy rocketed himself towards his older brother. He managed to get a hold of Ace, hugging him with his rubbery arms much to Ace's temperament. The boy started whining and begging to his brother for the venison meat.

"Why can't you just eat yours!? There's no difference!" Ace yelled, still not giving his food.

"I dunno but yours always tasted good! Give it to me! Please! Please! Please!" Luffy begged, jumping and stretching as he tried grabbing it.

"Sabo! Help me!" Ace yelled, finally done over Luffy's antics.

Sabo chuckled, clearly enjoying his brother's fight. "I wonder if my food is good too... Can someone please taste it for me? "

And with that, Luffy let go of Ace and his full attention was turned to Sabo's meat. He snatched swiftly and put it in his mouth.

"Ish good! Shabo!" Luffy replied, mouth still full of meat.

Sabo grinned. "Thanks, Luffy!"

"You're spoiling him." Ace rolled his eyes.

"Ne, Roger. Can I have yours, too?" Luffy asked.

"Here, lad." Roger offered his meat with a big grin.

"I said don't talk to him!" Ace fumed.

"But he's giving me meat!"

"So what!?"

"Can you two stop? Let's just eat."

"Yeah! Go eat Ace! It's delicious!"

"Shut up, you shitty old man! I said don't talk to me!"

Dadan sighed loudly. She was weirded by this Roger man. He just barged in the house full of bandits. He was laughing, not minding that he was being assaulted by them. And he was not even angry. He offered them food after the whole thing was over.

If Dadan knew another person who can act like that, her best bet would be Luffy. It was something that brat would definitely do.

"You shall ready yourselves," Roger said to no one in particular. The man let out a long laugh.

"Why?" Dadan snorted.

"You'll see soon enough." Roger grinned widely. "He's here."

Dadan scoffed. Her first impression of Roger was that he is an idiot.

- - -

It was a familiar feeling for Garp.

When his ship had landed on Fuusha Village, he quickly sensed a strong aura swirling around the island. It was easily the most profound presence here on Dawn Island, maybe even the whole East Blue. It towered other people's presence. He knew that whoever it was, he was the real deal. Garp has cannot remember the last time he sensed a person used Haki this efficient.

Nostalgia can be the best and worst thing in the world. That was what he was currently feeling. The presence he was sensing, was the same he felt all those years ago. It was the presence he thought he would never experience again.

Excitement rose upon him. A smile was in his face but he hid it immediately. He needed to maintain his angry Marine persona. After all, he was meeting an old rival. He ran towards the mountains where it was located. His men tried calling him back but he did not care. All of his attention was focused on him.

When Garp arrived on Dadan's hut, he heard different kinds of sounds inside. Not that it was not unusual. He would be more worried if the house was silent. Without announcing his arrival, Garp kicked the door open and destroying it. All of the people present inside turned to him.

"Hello, Garp!"

Garp locked eyes with him from across the room, arms folded and a hellishly mean glare on his face. Faster than anyone could see, Garp crossed the distance between him and his old rival. With his fist coated with Armament Haki, he gave the man his strongest punch.

And with that, Roger came flying out of the house. A huge hole was in the wall. Everyone present was frozen. Their mind tried to process what just happened in front of them. Almost robotically, their mouths dropped open and eyes bulged.

"What—" Sabo stated.

But before the boy could even finish his sentence, Roger appeared back. Just like Garp earlier, his fist was ready to hit his face. It was also coated with Haki. Garp braced for it. Roger's fist impacted his face straight on. It was his turn to fly out of the house. He was probably forty meters away from the house before he crashed on the large trees.

Garp was back on his feet instantly. It was at that moment that his smile was full-fledged. Adrenaline rushed over his body. He almost forgot about this feeling. It has been years since he last felt the same.

"Roger!" Garp boomed, approaching his old rival.

"Garp!" Roger called back, also smiling.

"Roger!"

"Garp!"

"Roger!"

"Garp!"

Finally, the two of them were face to face. Garp was back inside the house. Everyone braced for what will happen next.

Instead of punches being thrown again, Garp and Roger laughed and gave each other a fist bump.

"Look at you old man! Still strong, I see!" Roger commented with a grin.

"Of course, I am! I can still take you anytime!" Garp replied, patting his back.

The bandits blinked several times. Everything was happening faster than they had anticipated. This was becoming a very long night.

"EH!?" All of the bandits exclaimed.

"G-Garp!" Dadan stuttered, falling back on her knees. "You know him? Who's this man!?"

"Oh, why of course," Garp looked over at her before answering with a wide grin. "This is Gol D. Roger. The King of the Pirates!"

- - -

A/N: I noticed while editing that Roger and Garp yelling each other's name is a reference to the Alex and Marty meme lolll.

Also, everyone seemed to be asking questions. I can't answer them now. Everything would be explained in the future chapters. Please be patient.

Thanks for the follows, favorites and reviews. See you next update!