Luffy had a bucket next to him as he sat on the roof of the dorm. He knew that totally wasn't allowed, but as long as nobody knew he was there, there was no real problem. He stood and brought out the wings. He brought out his lights as well, and had them merge with him. It turned him into the wispy light. He beat the wings, and was able to stay up in the air just fine.

He flew in small circles, not feeling the air, but this was faster and smoother than running in the air. The faupta was surprised when he was staying in his light form without feeling sick. He wanted to see how long he could last, so he sat down and stayed there, looking at his glowig and wispy hands.

It was only when his wings retracted that he threw up all over the roof, missing the bucket. Well… it would rain soon. Hopefully. But nobody stayed on the roof like this in the first place. His puddle of vomit would do no trouble. But he was tired now, and climbed back down to his bedroom balcony and went inside.

When he woke up, he was hungry, and felt kind of nauseous. It was earlier than his alarm would wake him up at. He had picked to do the training/experimenting on a night that didn't have work or school in the morning. So, he only had homework to do, and then the rest of the day could be what he wanted, getting better at it or relaxing and resetting after the whole vomiting thing the night before. When he went to the bathroom to shower, he looked in the mirror and saw the tips of his ears were wispy. Like part of him was still in light mode. He tried turning it off, but it didn't. He felt his ears, and they were perfectly solid. Only the furry tufts on the inside and the very points tip were wispy.

Then he looked down and saw his tail was wispy as well. He made Dazzy come out, and asked it to get rid of the wisp. He was unable to do it, didn't know how, but Dazzy could think for itself. It rubbed against Luffy's leg, and the wisps disappeared. It wasn't solid, so it didn't really "rub" against him, but made it look like it.

"Wait… that didn't make me sick," he said quietly, and brought the wings out. Too large for him, but not throwing him off balance. He turned the lights into his wings, and they were now whispy and ethereal like. He went back to his balcony, and climbed down the building before he beat the wings and rose in the air.

But his hopes were too high, and he failed at flying with just the wings wispy. He had to have his wings out and have all of him made out of light. He grumbled to himself and went back up to his room to shower and get dressed. He was irritated, had gotten his hopes up that he could finally use his wings.

At breakfast, he looked sour. "What's wrong with you?" Kaminari asked. Luffy huffed that he'd thought he had a breakthrough with his quirks, but it didn't work out. "That sucks," the electricity user said sincerely. Luffy nodded, and finished his food right before there was a knock on the doorway to the entrance of the student's area of the dorm.

They looked up and saw Rayleigh standing there with his usual smile on. "Rayleigh," Kaminari said in surprise. It was only him and Luffy who were eating breakfast. Luffy should have gone back to sleep. There was no reason why he had to get up early.

"I have some good news," the white haired teacher said. Luffy new not to get his hopes up about going back home. Kaminari asked what it was. Since not everyone was awake yet, the two of them didn't want to be left hanging. "You're going home. Nezu has decided that there has been enough time without a threat to the students to keep you here any longer." Luffy and the blonde were shocked before Kaminari ran up the stairs, banging on everybody's doors obnoxiously. Luffy heard shouts of annoyance and anger until the guy started shouting they got to return home.

The halls were full of the sounds of thundering steps and doors being slammed open and shut. Luffy was sitting on the couch, not having reacted. This had to be a dream. "Luffy, you get to go home to your mother again. I'm telling the truth, and you are wide awake," Rayleigh said kindly. Finally tears poured out of Luffy's eyes, and he pulled on his ears while he tried to control his emotions of relief and worry. Worry the decision would be taken back, and Luffy would be crushed.

But when everyone was in the room, with Sanji struggling to shove his shirt on even as he cleared the stairway, they were silent, and Rayleigh didn't make them wait for a confirmation of Kaminari's words. At least not he wouldn't be killed by angry students if he was lying or pranking them.

"You are all going to go back to your families and homes. If someone can't go back home, then you may remain at a collective dormitory of those who can't return back to their family. We will start moving today, and your families will be contacted if you don't do so yourself. You've done very well, being away from home so long," the man said with true sincerity.

Everyone were cheering or crying, and then they were on their phones, alerting their families immediately. The moving process was decided by a lottery. The moving vans would go in order. And Luffy got first place! His things would be brought home first. So, everyone made a team effort to move the things out and into the vans.

Ace came and helped out. Luffy realized how little things there really were in his room. They piles his things inside, as it was really easy to fill up boxes with his things. When he room was empty, Luffy smiled at it before he looked in Law's room. He should have slept with him the night before, but he'd been in his room.

Law came up behind him and said, "Maybe we can have a sleep over some time. And I can meet your mom, finally." Luffy beamed and hugged him. "We still have work and school, it's not like we won't see each other again." But Luffy could tell he had an air of sadness too. More like bittersweet.

Ace came in, and saw them hugging. "Lu~ let's go get you back to your room," Ace said in a sing song voice. Law kissed Luffy's head, and told him to go home. Luffy beamed and nodded, running and jumping onto Ace's back as he sped downstairs and to the gate, where Makino's care was waiting. The moving van was going to follow them home.

It was a mess, as thousands of students were being moved home, not just one class. So there were hundreds of moving vans lined up and down the street that surrounded the school. Luffy got in the back seat of Makino's car, and the mother was crying in the driver's seat while Ace cheered.

Since it was only a few large pieces of furniture and some boxes, it didn't take long before the moving van was empty and went back to deliver another happy child to their home. They unpacked Luffy's room, and besides some new books or photos, it was back how it used to be. Like it had never changed. This was his room. His bedroom was at his home.

Luffy walked around the house, and sat on the couch and started to cry. "I missed you so much!" he cried and ran to his mother. Makino was crying, too, and told him she missed him so much, too. Ace was beaming, so happy for his family. Luffy said he'd help with the cooking.

"Don't you dare. I want to cook all your food for you," Makino said with a smile, wiping the tears away. Ace was smiling, clearly very happy his family was in one place, now. Later, Luffy called Law, Sanji and Zoro. His phone only allowed four people. All of them were on camera, showing they were at home, and all of their faces were glowing.

"Happy being home?" Luffy asked brightly, sitting on his beanbag chair. The fireplace was on, which was a feeling he'd missed. It was so warm inside his home. Cozy. It wasn't state of the art, it wasn't completely modern. It was a house! A home. Not just a building designed to live in, but a home.

"Luffy! Luffy, I wanna see him!" a young girl's voice on the other end said.

"Hang on, Lami," Law said, his younger sister. The image on Law's screen lowered to a girl, maybe six. "This is Luffy. Be nice," Law said patiently. The young girl's face came on view, and Luffy was unsurprised she had to ask where Luffy was. It was just a little boy. "That is Luffy. He's small, but he's my age. He has a small quirk. But look at this. Luffy, will you bring out Dazzy?"

Luffy nodded and his light came out. "Wow!"

"Pretty cool, huh?" His sister didn't know about the second light quirk. Law had told Luffy nobody was telling her about it because Hero was dangerous when it wasn't in the presence of Dazzy or Luffy. "I gotta go now, but I'll color with you later, okay?"

"Yeah! I love you, Law!"

"Love you too, Lami." He closed his bedroom door. "Sorry about that." Sanji laughed, saying that was adorable. "Shut it, she's my sister."

"I didn't say anything was wrong with that," Sanji pointed out. Law was a bit embarrassed, and Luffy thought it was cute. He liked that Law loved his sister like that. He wouldn't have wanted him to be cold and hard. She was only six, just a little kid. At least Luffy looked older than she was. "How's it being home?"

Luffy said he was so happy, and felt like he'd dropped a ton of bricks he hadn't known was on his back. They agreed with the sentiment, before the three heard a gasp from Law. "What's wrong?" Luffy asked in worry. They could see Law's face had gone white, and he was staring at something. "Law?"

"Uh, mm…" he said awkwardly. Then the camera turned, and Luffy turned white. In his doorway was one of the fleshy blobs, but it disappeared quickly. "Did you see it?!" Law demanded loudly.

"I… yeah, I did," Luffy said. "You're not crazy."

But Zoro and Sanji hadn't. "What's the problem? It was your bathroom doorway…" Zoro said. "Did you guys see something different?"

Luffy repeated that he'd seen it, too, Law wasn't crazy. Their happy moods were ruined. "We saw one of the blob students, from the pit. It was in Law's doorway."

"It's gone, now. There's nothing in here, it's just my bathroom. I don't understand it," Law said, sounding frantic. "You guys really saw nothing? But Luffy saw it." They all didn't know what had happened. "I'm gonna go, I'm gonna call Tokoyami and Shoji."

Luffy said he was going on that call, too. Zoro told them to text them later, both he and Sanji sounding worried. Luffy was scared. For himself and for Law. God, how would he feel, now? He saw one of the blob students in his bathroom. Regardless of how long it was there, it had been. But was it solid, or maybe just a mirage or vision?

But it wasn't all in Law's head since Luffy saw it too. For Law's sake, Luffy was glad he saw it. Then he could prove he wasn't hallucinating or going crazy. They called Tokoyami and Shoji, but only Shoji picked up. "Hey, guys," he said, sounding surprised.

"Hey," Luffy said. "We have something to talk about with you." Shoji was on guard immediately as Law explained what had happened, Luffy quickly backing him up with him seeing it, too. Shoji was quite concerned. If it showed up at Law's place, what guaranteed it wouldn't appear at the other survivors' places, too?

"That's worrisome. If anything more happens, tell me and if something happens to me, I'll tell you."

Law said they'd try Tokoyami again later. Shoji and them didn't really have much in common other than their experience in the hell, so there wasn't much to talk about before the call was over. Luffy stayed on the line with Law, for a while. Eventually, dinner was made, and they had to get off the call. If something happened, they'd tell each other immediately.

Ace was gone for dinner, and Luffy sat at the table with his mother. They both smiled while they ate. Her cooking was on par with Sanji, so Luffy had nothing to miss about food. He looked forward to making his way to school on his own. Running there. Every morning he'd have a nice run, which he didn't get to do much anymore. Not daily, at least.

After dinner, he went to his room and watched a movie on his bed, which was much more comfortable here than at the dorm for some reason. He still couldn't believe he was at home. Finally, after so long! Home with his mom, who he'd missed so much. He would miss sleeping with Law, but that was always going to end eventually. He enjoyed it while he could.

When he got up to use the bathroom, he came out to see the blob in his doorway. Just as grotesque as before. He took a chance and walked forward, standing in front of it. Taking another risk, he reached out to touch it, only to find it wasn't solid. It was like a mirage. "What are you here for?"

"Gllhniggh," it sounded. It couldn't speak, obviously.

"How can I help you? Are you alive?" It made another disgusting, wet noise. Makino came out, and asked what he was doing. The thing faded, and Luffy said he saw a spider. She thought it was strange, but of course didn't point this out. Luffy went into his room again and called the three again.

Even if it was late, knowing they weren't solid was a true relief. It wouldn't crawl on them or harm them in any way. It was just there in sight. Tokoyami answered this time, and had been filled in by Shoji. "One appeared here. I tried to touch it, but they weren't actually there. Not solid, only like a marriage. I tried talking to it, but it's still a blob, and can't speak."

He felt bad for calling it an "it" when they had been a human before. But he didn't know what they looked like or anything. But, why now? And what caused them? Were they some sick joke that somebody's quirk was doing? But who would know what they looked like other than the survivors and the kids who'd died in the pit.

"You don't think they're actually them?" Tokoyami asked. Law asked how they would know to contact them. And they should be dead by now. They all had hoped that was the case, but the pit didn't make sense that way. Nothing there seemed possible in the first place. But it was Blackbeard's power, wasn't it?

He had created that space. It wasn't real, right? But… what if it was a real place? Well, they had no way to know. He didn't want that thought to haunt him. That he could be doing something. But they must all be dead. Time hadn't worked differently there. It went normally. They were in there for hours, and came out hours later.

Law was looking ashamed. If he hadn't killed Blackbeard, maybe they could have gotten everybody back. Nobody said a thing. He didn't like being seen as weak in front of anybody but Luffy. "We should try and learn the quirks of those that had been left behind. Those that were alive. Maybe… maybe they have a way to contact us or something."

"They were all mutant quirks, though," Tokoyami pointed out.

"What about if they had extra quirks like me and Law, though? Our light quirks have nothing to do with the mutant or transformation quirks." Shoji asked what he was talking about. So, Luffy finally explained why they thought they had developed extra quirks. The head injuries they both sustained, the only thing in common about it.

"So, if we hit our heads, then we'll have more powers? What if it just has to do with how similar both of you appear? Your original quirks?" Tokoyami asked.

Luffy nodded, saying that was a possibility. They didn't want the other two to start trying to get concussions. What if it only causes brain injuries? They both said they weren't going to risk it. They weren't stupid. "We just have to be strong enough with our own quirks." Luffy was glad neither of them were thinking about trying to replicate the conditions of the pair.

"Do you think the others have seen something? Should we have a group call?" Law said that sounded like a good idea, so they opened the group chat they'd used for the memorial service. Everyone answered, and when the conversation got to the point, about seeing the blobs, the chat turned into a video call on Luffy's computer, as his phone couldn't have him see all of them.

"I've seen one, too. It was underneath my mom's car. It disappeared, and nobody else saw it. I haven't told anybody…" it was the girl that they'd almost sacrificed. Luffy was glad she didn't hold a hateful grudge against them. They'd apologized to her about it long ago, and had been truly sincere.

"I didn't see a blob, but I saw one of the two that stayed behind willingly. She didn't say anything, was just in my doorway at home."

"We should learn what their quirks were," Luffy said. They listed the quirks after spending hours contacting the friends of those that had passed. None had the power to contact them from somewhere far away. Nobody could do what they were doing. "It was Blackbeard's power. But, was that place really someplace unknown? Was it actually a quirk, or was it an actual place? Could we find it?"

"And do what?"

"Rescue them. That place was impossible. It made no sense. Maybe this is another aspect of it. They can contact us from the pit. This can't be somebody else's quirk, only we know what the blob students look like. It can't be some asshole messing with us. It has to be them," Luffy said confidently. He was asked how they were supposed to find them without killing themselves in the process, or turning into the blob students themselves.

He wasn't sure, but he knew that his power made him unaffected by anything around him. "My quirk's power, the second one, the light that I used, it can make me into the light, with nothing around me affecting me. What if I'm immune to the affects that way?"

"No, you're not risking that," Law said firmly. He said it was too dangerous.

The smaller faupta sighed, looking down and away from his screen. "It was us who left them behind. We left them there. It should be us that do something to reach them. It's our fault they're trapped there, whether they're alive or not." Law once again looked ashamed for killing Blackbeard.

"Still… it seems reckless. And too unknown." Law agreed. Tokoyami and Shoji had stayed quiet until the birdman said, "I agree with Luffy. I'll go with him. Dark shadow is strong in the dark. I've improved enough in working with it that I can envelop my entire body in him. I might be in the same boat as Luffy. Immune to any affect of the things around me."

The girl, the only girl that survived, said, "I don't want to go back. But I owe it to the one who sacrificed himself and let me live. I owe it to him to do what I can to find his body. No matter what it might look like now, they all deserve proper burials." Two of the others agreed. Shoji sighed, and said he was in, too.

Luffy then said, "We have something we've kept from the public. My second quirk, the one that had the lights guide us through the dark, it only appeared after I hit my head. And wings formed after I hit it a second time. When we were taken into the pit the first time, All For One was at the other end. He chose us because he drugged all of our mothers, to see if he could strengthen quirks artificially.

"But with All for One not being on the other side, we don't know if Blackbeard took you all just for fun, or if you have the drugs, too." They were all silent. But then they all shouted in alarm when one of the boys that had been mostly silent slammed his head into his wall. "What the hell?! What are you doing?!"

The camera fell, and the students were screaming, trying to alert the reckless kid's parents, or anyone in the house. It worked, and soon adults were in there, and the phone laid forgotten as an ambulance was called. The phone continued to record even as the house was emptied.

The students were shocked, and Luffy said nobody else should try. And they weren't planning on it. After all, they didn't know for sure if those were in the same boat as the four students. "So, what do we do? If we want to find them, how do we do it? Does somebody have a search power? I can't think of any heroes who do," Shoji said.

Luffy and Law both thought of Haruta. Though he could only access the internet. Though, how else would they look for such a place? They didn't say that, not wanting to get their hopes up. This might be a failed mission. They might not succeed, but Luffy was full of conviction and resolve. If he could save those kids, those that were contacting them somehow, then… well, it would be the most heroic thing he'd ever do.

And he wanted to make up for leaving them behind. He wanted to find them and save them, even if the blobs could never be turned back to their original form. They would at least be buried. Though how would they tell them apart? And he was confident he could go through it again without dying.

They ended the call, and texted the idiot who bashed their head, telling them to contact them when they woke up, immediately. Those but the four UA students left the call. "Is this really a good idea?" Law asked, sounding uncertain.

"We won't know until we find out," Luffy said solemnly. "I think we should tell the Whitebeards." Law said he agreed with that, only they might shoot their idea down. "Well, we can't do it by ourselves. We at least need Haruta's help. I doubt we'd find anything on our own. But we can look."

The group agreed to do their research while they were off school for the week to enjoy their time back at their homes. They were also to report if they saw anymore mirages. Luffy didn't want to. He really didn't, he wished he could move on. But he turned his discomfort and disgust of the blob students into hope that they could reach them again some day. That the pit was real and accessible somehow.

And Luffy being unaffected by anything in his light form gave him an idea. What if he could do the same to others? Put one of the lights inside of them. But he had had to use all of them to put him in that state of intangibility. Well, he'd just need to improve his quirk even more.

When he was going to bed, he saw one of the blob students again. "We'll do what we can to help," Luffy said quietly, not wanting his mom to hear him talking to what seemed like nobody again.

He had a nightmare. Seeing them didn't help, and he ended up going into his mom's room and sleeping on an air mattress next to the side of the bed she was sleeping on. It wasn't cuddling Law, but being near her felt loved and warm. Law felt safe, but being warm and comfortable wasn't a step down, it was just different.

-x-

Luffy found nothing on a pit. He googled everything he could think of to describe the hell they went through, but found nothing. But Tokoyami and Shoji both had seen one of the students. Those that were alive, and the blobs. They could tell the blobs apart, but not tell who they were. Luffy was so glad they weren't solid, they weren't actually there.

When they were going to the Whitebeards, Luffy dashing to the train station and then taking it to the agency, he and Law were all out of ideas on how to find the place, if it existed, by themselves. They did both miss walking together, but they lived far from one another, so walking together just wasn't practical unless they started out at school, which wasn't how it worked without the dorms.

"Haruta, can we talk to you?" Luffy asked after their time was over. They were able to stay longer now that they had no curfew. So they could do night patrols, too. Their parents just picked them up that way, which they had no problem with.

According to all of their classmates, their families were pampering them for their return home. It was nice and caring. Luffy didn't miss staying in the dorms. Being with his friends had been cool at first, but he'd rather be home.

"Sure," Haruta said, curious. They went to the information room, with the massive computers that the small commander used. "What's up?"

"Will you search for an abyss, a pit with no known bottom. That nobody has ever explored before? Maybe people went missing inside. Or it is some natural anomaly?" Luffy asked. Haruta raised his brows, and asked what this was about. "Just… can you search, and if anything comes up we can tell you?"

"Sure," Haruta said easily, and pressed his fingers to the computer wall, closing his eyes. It took ten minutes of him searching, everything speeding through his mind at a rapid pace. When he opened his eyes, he had an answer. "In the indo-pacific ocean, there's an island with an unexplored cave in the ground that light doesn't reach. People have gone in, but have never come out. Nobody knows how deep it is, or what the inside looks like. The sky is always dark above, so there's not much sunlight to even light it," he explained. "Now, what is this about?"

Luffy frowned, and closed the door. He and Law sat on the other chairs, not the fancy, comfortable one that belonged to Haruta. "We want to go explore that cave."

"Yeah, that's not happening. Nobody has ever come out. Why would we let you go?" Luffy frowned deeply.

"It's important. We have to go see it," Luffy insisted. Haruta asked why again. "Because… that's where we went when we were all taken. I think. It fits the description."

Haruta said, "But you were in Blackbeard's ability, Luffy. It's not a real place." Law pointed out that Blackbeard made portals. He could have just taken them there. "Still, it's way too dangerous. We'd never let you go there. I'm sorry." He didn't sound that apologetic. But now they knew that was there. If they could get there… maybe they would be able to sense if it was the actual place by standing at the top of it.

They needed somebody who could make portals. Nobody in their class could, and the survivors couldn't either. If Luffy got more quirks, maybe he could eventually get a teleporting quirk. His face hardened. "I don't like that look, Luffy," Haruta said sternly. Luffy frowned deeply, looking down. Law looked concerned, too.

"The kids are still there. We can go and save them," Luffy replied just as sternly. "I- we failed them once. The least we can do is go get their bodies." Haruta frowned in sympathy, but didn't budge.

The two left, disappointed and disillusioned. But Luffy didn't lose any conviction. "We'll do it with or without their help," Law said, voicing Luffy's thoughts. The smaller nodded. He and Luffy held hands as they walked to the train station to go home. "Do you think that mystery pit is actually the pit? We didn't even get it's name."

Luffy said, "I don't know. But it matches what we went through. Nobody came out alive. But, there's the problem of Blackbeard's room with the students in it. Or their bodies in there."

"We just have to hope the portal is still there. But, even if we only recover the deformed students, we're still showing respect to them, even if it's way too late," Law said with a sigh. Luffy's middle arms were crossed as he held hands with his top left one. Law didn't really make movements with his middle arms, at least not absentmindedly like Luffy did. They sort of just stayed limp.

When they got to the train station, they had to go separate ways. Law kissed Luffy's head and said he'd see him at school the next day. But Luffy would talk to him and the other two about their information. It was lucky Haruta asked what they were going to do with the information after giving it.

And now that they weren't at school, the students wouldn't be monitored all day. They could do things without others knowing. Go places like the park and practice what they wanted. As long as nobody suspected he would do anything dangerous or stupid. Because going to the pit was dangerous and maybe stupid in some aspects.

But it was what must be done.

When he got home, he did homework and then got on his computer in his room and searched for the information Haruta had. He knew why he hadn't gotten the information on it. It was in a different language and foreign website. He spent the evening researching it. Haruta summed it up pretty well.

Most people didn't know about it because it was uninhabited and there were fences around it, blocking passage. That's why they needed to teleport there. At least to the edge of it to see. Just to see. If they could tell it wasn't the place they needed, then he'd never go back. He made a video chat with the few that had said they would come along and do what they could. The four UA students and two of the others.

The girl who had almost not made it out, and a quieter boy. "We got some information," Luffy said, and he and Law explained. Luffy sent a link to all of them so they could look on their own. "Were there any more sightings?" Luffy asked.

The boy, named Tenzen, looked sick before saying, "The one who cut his wrist was lying in my doorway. His body was there. Still intact, but dead. I think that it is the pit that is showing us these things. How would he bring his body here? To show us? It only makes sense that it's not one of the students, in their deformed body or not. I think the pit is otherworldly. Nothing made sense there."

The others agreed, and Tokoyami apologized for him having to see that. Luffy said he'd seen one of the blob students again, with Shoji saying he had also seen one of them for the first time. He sounded disturbed. "My sister was in the room, but didn't see it. It's only us who see it. I'm so glad I'm not the only one."

The other five agreed. After the chat, sharing information, they ended the call. Luffy ate dinner distracted, with Makino sitting in comfortable silence until she asked if he was okay. "Yeah, just distracted about something at work." She nodded, and asked no further questions.

Luffy found the next morning that he could get barely any sleep and function fine if he had his light heal his body, restoring all energy. When he went to school, after class, he and Law went to the training field, just a large grassy area. There weren't many places for anybody to watch them.

He and his boyfriend were trying something risky. Luffy had his healing light nearby. It was able to heal Law, and Law only for some reason, but only after Hero came. They didn't question it that much, knowing they'd probably not have an answer. "Ready?" Luffy asked, voice strong but face showing a bit of worry.

"Yeah," Law said, sounding nervous but determined. Luffy had the green light enter him. He cringed at it, and Luffy started to panic. "Don't worry, it just feels cold. Doesn't hurt." They watched as the green spread along his body, lighting him up and making him wispy. Luffy walked forward, and his hand went through him.

It worked! Luffy had Dazzy enter his body, wings out to not get sick, now strong enough to light him up. He walked forward, and Law went through his hand. Luffy told him to try and walk in the air. Law nodded, and jumped up, staying in the air. He made a way to walk up steps. But then he fell and the light jumped out, with his taller boyfriend vomiting all over the grass.

Luffy rubbed his back, not grossed out at all. He threw up a lot and then dry heaved. When he stood up, his face was bright red. Luffy hugged him, saying he expected that to happen. "I threw up in front of you, too, remember?"

"That was awesome until it sucked. I wish Hero could do that." Luffy said he could try. "But Hero is solid. He's affected by his surroundings." Luffy knew that was true. Hero could damage things if he was angry and sparking. Luffy looked at his phone, seeing it was pretty late. He should be going home. Ace offered to drive both of them home, so he picked them up and they got in the backseat.

Luffy was so glad he didn't need a booster seat in cars. That would be so embarrassing, even if only his best friends saw it. Not living together also made it easier to hide Luffy and his fellow survivors' plans, as his three best friends weren't around all the time to see. It was lucky and convenient.

"So, what were you guys up to?" Ace asked, looking at them in the rearview mirror, suspiciously. Haruta must have said something. Luffy explained they were working on their quirks. He was honest, and said he was trying to see if he could transfer his godlike state to Law. "How'd it go?" Ace asked, sounding more interested than suspicious.

"It worked, but it made Law really sick afterwards. Like how it used to do to me." Ace nodded, but then he pulled into a parking lot, not at their homes. He turned around, putting the car is park.

"So, what's this about a huge, dark and dangerous pit out in the middle of the ocean?" he asked, voice hard, face hard as well. Luffy couldn't lie. At least, not to his brother and not something this big. "And you're planning on going there, without help, aren't you?" Luffy was nervous, but then Ace's face softened. "C'mon, tell me. I won't freak out about whatever you want to do. Tell me, please."

Luffy looked to Law, who gave half a shrug, and an uncertain face. "The kids trapped in the pit that we left behind… we're seeing them." Ace was clearly confused. "They appear in front of us. Nobody can see them but those who survived the experience and made it out. All of the others have seen them, too."

"So, you think they're still alive, and you want to rescue them." It wasn't a question, since Ace knew it was the answer. But the two faupta's nodded. "You told me about this place, Lu. You barely made it out alive."

Luffy looked down. "Ace, we left them behind. We just… we ditched them when they were unable to follow us. Even if they're not alive, or if there's no way to turn the blobs back, they deserve to at least be buried. They just have empty graves. And none of the students who were trapped there had any quirk that could make them teleport. What if the pit is showing them to us?"

"And what if it is aware in some way? What if it's baiting all of you to come and die there, too?" Ace asked. He didn't sound angry. Luffy was surprised, but pleased that they were having a calm conversation.

Law spoke next. "As long as we follow its rules, then we could be fine. As long as we're prepared. And climbing down would be dangerous. We need somebody who can teleport. That place - Blackbeard put us there. I want to go. It's my fault we couldn't go back for them. Luffy feels the guilt, but I'm the most guilty."

Ace looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"I killed Blackbeard. He could have brought them back with his quirk, but I killed him when he attempted to take Luffy. While it was good, it was also bad. He could never bring us there again, but nobody could go back and get them," Law said firmly. He hadn't told anybody about that. They'd lied, they'd all refused to give details.

The oldest's eyes widened, and then his face fell into sympathy. "Do you have a plan?"

"If I'm intangible and not affected by anything in my light form, then nothing should affect me. Nothing affected Dazzy or the other lights there. I might be the same. I could explore the place, finding them," Luffy said quickly. He needed to do this.

Ace sighed. "I'm sorry Lu, but we won't let you do that." Luffy grew angry.

"You don't know what it was like there! They were deformed, they couldn't speak or think or show any sign they were aware! They're not human anymore, and we didn't help them, we just left! One was spiked to death, and another fell from a ledge and might be alive. We have to! If we don't, then we're already failed heroes." He was glaring at his older brother challengingly.

The fire user frowned in sympathy and pity. He looked at Luffy's set face, but the tears were there. Tears of guilt. Ace's eyes widened seeing him crying. Law took both right hands. His ears were tilted back a bit, unhappy with what was happening.

"Then I'm coming with you."

"No," Luffy said flatly, surprising Ace. "I won't risk losing you because of my mission." Ace frowned deeply. "I don't want Law or my friends to go, but they deserve to do this, too. They were there, and they did what I did, too. It's our duty to rescue them. This isn't like the first time, where the others were recovered, having gone someplace else. Someplace that wasn't the pit. The students that were there in the second time, they never got out."

Ace frowned, and said that they'd talk about it later. They were getting nowhere. But it made Luffy happy that Ace offered to accompany him.