Eleutheromania

Chapter One

#Author note:

The publication of this is all Shibo26's fault – she demanded my headcanons, and suddenly I had five chapters written XD

Please check out her story A Brothers Greatest Treasure!

Sabo's seventeenth birthday went much the same way as Ace's had, two months earlier. Luffy, the Bandits sans Dadan, Makino-san, and Woodslap, the mayor of Foosha Village, were all gathered on the cliff that faced concealed the bay where the small sail boat he'd fashioned for himself bobbed. After his last (failed) attempt at setting sail, Sabo had put considerable more planning into this; the scars on his body were a constant reminder, as a pirate, to be cautious. This time for sure, there was no Tenryubito to stop his journey.

"Don't forget to train, Sabo!" Luffy cheered. "I'll overtake you!"

Sabo couldn't help but laugh at that. "Don't forget your centre!" He yelled back instead. "Ah! And please pass on a message to Dadan for me! Tell her she really is a manly woman amongst men! Alright, I'm heading out now!" He thrust his pipe into the air and waved it once, released his boat from its position, and turned away from his home island. He heard Makino-san call out about manners and hygiene, the bandits sobbing about how they couldn't wait to see his bounty, and then there was Luffy, his precious little brother.

"DON'T FORGET OUR PROMISE!"

That first day, he sailed only as far as the next island, one he vaguely remembered from his "accident" almost seven years prior. Pulling up to the peer and tying off his mooring line, Sabo picked up his pipe and bag, and after asking for directions, headed for the Dojo.

It was as he remembered, a single story, organised sprawl, with whitewashed walls and sloping tiled rooves.

"Hello!" Sabo called from the mudroom. The sound of training students paused for a moment, and perhaps a half minute later an aging man with greying black hair came forward, his round glasses familiar.

"Do you remember me?" Sabo asked the trainer cheerfully. "I was here seven years ago on a ship shaped like a dragon, and –"

"I helped tend your burns!" The sensei exclaimed. "Yes, I remember you! You were raving about getting back to your brothers in Goa, so Dragon-san left you in my care!"

Sabo laughed. "I was wondering if I could have your hospitality again, Koshio-san!"

"Of course!" The older man laughed as well, though his was far softer than Sabo's, barely a chuckle.

At dinner that night, it was just Koshio and a powerful-looking young man with green hair, who Sabo thought he might recognise.

"What brings you to this island again, Sabo-kun?" Koshio asked.

"I'm writing a book about all of my adventures!" Sabo replied eagerly. "I'm going to travel the oceans, and see heaps of different people and places!" His smile was infectious. They ate in silence again for a little while, before Sabo finally placed the green-haired man.

"When I was here last, I saw some of your training," Sabo mused. "Lifting rocks, right?"

The green-haired teen grunted in acknowledgement, but continued eating, which made Sabo laugh again. "Yeah, two swords! And the only person I ever saw come close to beating that girl was you, right? Has she gone home, too?"

Both he and Koshio froze then. "I suppose you could say that." Koshio answered softly. "Zoro and I don't really like to talk about it."

"Her name was Kuina." Zoro growled under his breath, putting his bowl down sharply. "If you wanted to pay your respects, she's out in the graveyard, with the rest of her family!" He stormed from the room, slamming the door behind him.

Sabo was frozen in his seat for a spell, before turning back to Koshio. "I'm really sorry. I didn't know."

"It's fine, Sabo-kun. Even if our islands are close, information rarely passes between them."

Sabo shook his head slowly. "I've been living in the forest, anyway. Unless you knew my brothers, there was no way to get a message to me. But still, I'm really sorry for bringing it up, especially after you've shown me such good hospitality."

Even though Koshio still politely refuted Sabo's stuff up, Sabo knew he'd already outstayed his welcome, especially with Zoro. The next morning he stayed only long enough to purchase another map of the surrounding East Blue Islands and some more food from the market, and thank Koshio and Zoro. He was gone as quickly as he'd arrived.

Nico the Demon Cat: Since this is fanfiction, obviously my Human doesn't own anything
Sabo the Green Budgie: Except for the non-canon characters, of course!
Noji the Blue Budgie: Please review!