One Piece - Tales of the Pirate King
Disclaimer: One Piece is property of Eiichiro Oda. I am not Eiichiro Oda
Chapter 1 - The Three Brothers
The time for Shanks and his crew to stay in the peaceful Foosha Village, inevitably, came to a close. The crew of adventurers was led by a captain that travelled to the ends of the world, and while it was all well and nice to pass the time in the East Blue, it was simply too weak for the crew of the red-haired pirate
He seriously wondered what possessed Buggy to stay here. He just… stopped being himself, ever since he ate his Devil Fruit
As the 'Red-haired' pirates started to prepare their ship for their last voyage on the peaceful ocean, a small pitter-patter, not much dissimilar than a mouse's, was heard approaching, making the captain smile: - "Luffy! Came to see us one last time?"
The child had changed ever since he was a few feet from the murder of the mountain bandit by his idol's hand, and surprisingly and fortunately, it was for the better. Luffy finally started agreeing with Shanks that a seven years old simply had no place in a pirate ship, instead challenging the 'old man' into a competition for One Piece, the blood-haired man giving him his straw hat and daring him to give said hat back, since only then the child would be ready to gain the ultimate treasure of the world, according to him
"Yup" - Popping the 'p', the child raised his arms, demanding to be lifted into the redhead's lap, and with a laugh, the man did just that: - "Are you going to see Usopp now?"
"Usopp? Yasopp's son?" - Scratching his small beard, Shanks actually through that wasn't such a bad idea: - "Probably"
"I'd bet he'd be happy if his father visited" - Glibly stated Luffy, making the blood-haired man twitch. Was the boy trying to guilt trip him for not thinking of doing so before?
Not that it mattered, Shanks already deciding that Yasopp would love to see his wife and child again: - "Anyway, can you get of my lap for a moment? I have something to give you"
The decision didn't come lightly, but the man ultimately decided that the child would need all the help he could receive, since he insisted in going as soon as he completed seventeen, much too early in the man's opinion
He was well aware of how hypocritical that made him, having started at roughly fourteen when Gold Roger visited the West Blue, but he wasn't the captain, nor had much responsibility other than keeping the Oro Jackson clean and fighting for the crew when called, either with his sabre or as a powder monkey
"Benn! Luffy's here! Bring the chest!" - Soon his first mate Benn Beckman, a dark-haired man with a black shirt and dark green pants held by a yellow sash, walking with heavy looking dark green boots and the chest under his arm, one chest that had Luffy suspiciously squinting at it
"I've seen that chest before somewhere…"
"Really? Where could you've seen it?" - Asked Shanks, putting Luffy on the ground to pick the chest, opening it to reveal a… fruit
It was, admittedly, a very strange fruit, almost perfectly round with various curly traces on it and coloured pink, with a stem resembling the infinite symbol, not that Luffy recognized it. For him it was just a big and round and strange fruit that he had indeed seen before: - "I remember now! I saw that fruit and chest when you… fought the… mountain bandit… whose name I've kinda forgot now"
Shanks blinked: - "Why would we take the chest to the- you know what, forget it"
"This, Luffy, is a Devil Fruit" - "Devil Fruit?"
"Yes, a special fruit that gives super powers to whoever eat it"
Luffy's eyes sparkled: - "Really?"
"Yeah, I had an old friend who ate one; could divide his body into many parts, which was an absolute horror to fight with a sword, I'll tell you" - At least, until he learned of Haki
"So cool! Wait, shouldn't you eat it? It sounds awesome!"
"That's because whoever eats a Devil Fruit gains a massive weakness: they become cursed by the sea" - And those where the words his old superior used: - "And cannot swim anymore. Not on the sea, not on rivers, even a bathtub would sap your energy"
Luffy's eyes still sparkled, nodding rapidly as he heard his idol's words: - "So if I eat it, I won't be able to swim anymore. Doesn't matter, can't swim anyway"
Shanks snickered, the child's eyes finally diming as the boy glared at the elder for laughing at him: - "Still, you'll need a crewmember with you who knows how to swim, then. My old crew called Buggy, the boy who ate the Devil Fruit, a fool for sacrificing his swimming skills for the powers he gained"
"I suppose that for someone who lives on a boat that'd be incredibly dangerous" - Said Luffy, almost making Shanks laugh again at the matter-of-fact tone that could be misconstrued as sarcasm: - "So, you're just giving it to me?"
"Well, you'll have to give my hat back some day, right? It is your choice if you'll eat the fruit or not; it can sell for one hundred million Berrys"
Luffy's jaw dropped with the sheer amount: - "O-one hundred million? And you're just giving it to me?" - Luffy asked again, this time almost crying: - "You're the best, Shanks"
"Captain, we're almost ready!" - Called Lucky Roo, a fat man with a green shirt with blue stripes, light beige pants, held by a blue-green sash, an equally green and white bandana, red shoes, and a yellow coat over his shoulders
"Very well. Men! Set course to Gecko Island!"
"G-Gecko Island?" - The voice came from the crow nest, muttered and almost unheard, if not for the sudden silence that preceded it, coming from the sniper of the crew, Yasopp, wearing a blue button-up shirt, dark green pants, and blue shoes with buckles, his name easily seen on the blue band on his head
"Yeah, we spent a year here" - Easily ten months more than planned, all thanks to a little child who loved pirates too much for his own good: - "A week or two more won't be missed"
"R-right away captain!" - "Men! To your stations!" - Benn commanded as Yasopp thanked his captain, the man giving the small chest to Luffy, the chest almost as big as the seven-years old's torso, the child silent as he watched Shanks wave goodbye, the captain entering his ship and said ship soon departing
However, Luffy still had his last words to give, the ship approaching the horizon when the boy finally spoke: - "Shanks"
"Yes~!" - Called the pirate back
"I'm gonna be the Pirate King!" - And with the chest on one shoulder, the other waving wildly, Luffy laughed, the crew laughed, and even Makino and Woop Slap laughed, Shanks once again feeling the wind of change he felt when he killed the mountain bandit
"I know you will, Luffy, I know you will" - Spoke Shanks, unheard amidst the laugher. And he could hardly wait
Luffy's meeting with Garp was… troublesome
The child had grown enough to understand that being a marine was busy work, and deadly work, with as much adventure as a pirate's life, if with more rules than one could actually break. But still, one year passed, with a powerful group of pirates inhabiting his grandson's village, and only now, after the group disappears, does the man appear?
It smelled fishy for the child, who now didn't want to be a marine more than ever, if it meant staying in a post in the middle of gods-know-where when his family was under a potential threat
Especially when that threat was one of the cabin boys of Gold Roger himself, all grown-up. Wasn't that a surprise, to learn that the old boss of Shanks was none other than his predecessor? Luffy asked himself why Shanks never told him, but eventually accepted that perhaps was to stop the boy from doing something more stupid than stabbing himself under the eye, if there was such a thing, in hopes of being taken by the pirate
It didn't change the fact that such detail still stopped his grandfather Garp, 'Hero of the Marines', from appearing to visit his grandson; in fact, it left the child more incensed and the marine ranks more undesirable, the boy declaring unafraid that he'd be the pirate king, over the protests of his grandfather
So now, here he was after finally seeing his gramps after more than a year, or rather, exiting the place his grandfather put him after finally seeing Luffy after more than a year. A bandit's hideout
And the man expected Luffy to not be a criminal and join the marines!
The first meeting with Curly Dadan wasn't much to write home about, the woman cowering under Garp's gaze then demanding that Luffy did a set of chores upon the marine's exit, and telling him that either he hunted his own food, or he would only eat rice, but he didn't care much about what the overweight and orange haired woman demanded, instead focusing on the other boy he was steadily attempting to follow, in spite of said boy's first action upon meeting each other being to spit on his face
Portgas D. Ace
The freckled boy couldn't be older than ten, thus the only interesting company that Luffy met since arriving, even if Luffy found him extremely rude. Thus, to the surprise of the bandits watching, Luffy completely ignored them and went after Ace, who, after dropping a massive dead bison on the ground, had sneaked back into the forests surrounding Mount Colubo
Luffy, the curious child with a few lacking brain cells, naturally followed, in spite of knowing nothing about said forest and being, frankly, as weak as a seven-years old should be
He'd still return one week later, after Ace knocked down a bridge he was traversing, getting lost in the jungle, evading wild beasts and having to eat mushrooms and wild berries, and being surprisingly tenderly cared by the bandits, who were almost as motherly as Makino was
The child with the straw hat thanked them, washed himself, ate decently for the first time since he arrived on the hideout, and decided to do the smart thing, rather than attempt to track down Ace without any knowledge of how to do so
He simply sat down, and waited
Ace for his part felt somewhat satisfied that the brat gave up so easily. Why'd someone follow a person that spat on their face other than for revenge? Mind you, his true target had been Garp's shoes, the only safe part that Ace could aim for without being scolded with a 'Fist of Love', but he hadn't noticed the small child on the way until after he released his shot
Another part of him snarked that it was perfectly acceptable to knock said person from a bridge, when a simple apology would suffice to make the little boy stop following him. Guilt gnawed slowly through his wounded heart, especially as he returned and the nameless child with his big straw hat did not
So seeing the boy a week after he dumped him in the wolf infested cliffs of Midway Forest brought a little of relief to Ace, that he hadn't killed the boy with the straw hat. Still, he departed long before the kid could notice him, going back to the trash mountains of the Grey Terminal, and spending a few more days with Sabo, his brother in all but blood
Then, two days later, as Ace delivered a bear to the bandits, he was ambushed; through perhaps that might be too strong a word, Luffy simply approaching him noisily as the elder of the pair rested atop his prey: - "Hi! I'm Luffy! Let's be friends!"
Ace stared wide eyed at the boy, unable to believe what he heard. He spat on his face! He threw him down a wolf's den! And he wanted to be his friend!?
Ace just ignored the brat, turned his back to him, and jumped into the forest. He could rest atop a tree!
To his surprise, Luffy followed again, in spite of the last time almost having him ending as dinner for wild beasts. Luffy wouldn't lose track of Ace, and would follow him no matter how much the pipe wielder tried to shake his dogged pursuer, the analogy helped by how much the little one reminded Ace of a puppy following its owner as if in search of a treat
"I'm sorry for spiting in your face! Can you just go now!?" - Shouted Ace, atop the tree he was hiding, Luffy clinging to a lower branch and searching for a foothold he could use to keep climbing
"I forgive you! And no, I want to be your friend!" - Answered Luffy, finally finding one, or so he though. Ace cringed at the fall, watching it all from his perch, snickering against his will at the creative curses the small boy aimed at the tree, secretly glad, even to himself, that other than some bruising, that the child was well in spite of the long fall
"You have a long way before being able to follow me, never mind being my friend!" - Declared Ace with a snort, jumping away further into the forest. He was wrong, as Luffy, in spite of being the weakling Ace believed him to be, successfully followed him into the Grey Terminal, dodging wild beasts and nature's traps to now stand in front of him, panting and tired, with his feet bleeding and bare, his sandals not surviving the journey, scratches and bruises covering his small frame
With a look of pity, Ace admitted defeat: - "Okay, you're far closer to being my friend than I believed" - If the kid had the capacity to travel through Midway Forest, he had the capacity to not be a liability, perhaps being a little more than a nuisance: - "But now we'll go right back to Dadan's hideout to take care of those feet"
"Eh? But- we just got here!" - Panted Luffy with a whine
"No excuses; you look ready to fall apart, especially those legs" - The freckled of the pair said in turn, shaking his head and pointing at the direction he memorized since he was tinier than Luffy: - "We'll go right back and take care of you"
Luffy wanted to argue that he was not defenceless, nor a weakling, and that he could be a good friend, but his brain reigned his impulses, the little boy admitting that perhaps having someone look after his wounds would be better than risking an infection or worse
He knew of pirates with one leg, but with none? That was just silly
Somewhere, a gold-haired man sneezed, and the swords serving as his legs fell off, much to his dismay
"Makino! I'm here!" - The call echoed through the hideout, the bandits blinking in shock, having spent the day tending to Luffy's feet
Approaching the hideout, a kindly looking green-haired woman pushing a wheelbarrow filled with bottles of rum and sake, also carrying a heavy looking backpack, the backpack taken with some difficulties by Luffy, who carried it into the hideout. Makino the barmaid offered the bottles as a peace offering, securing herself a small corner outside, the bandits commemorating their newly gained loot and the ease of it, Makino and Luffy hugging each other, much to Ace's awkwardness, the freckled boy curious about the strange woman that appeared from nowhere
"Makino, this is Port Gas D. Ace" - "Portgas" - "He's a friend I made here"
"Ace, this is Makino" - "Hi Ace!" - "She's the big sis I had when I lived in Foosha"
Plopping himself on Makino's lap, the woman sitting on an empty barrel, Luffy asked: - "So, what brings you here?"
"Well, this, for starters" - She answered by pulling nothing else than his chest from the backpack she brought with her
"My treasure! Thank you, Maki~!"
"Maki? That's new" - Giggled the barmaid
"Your treasure? What's inside?" - Ace recognized that it was Luffy's, and while not seeing him as much as a friend as Luffy saw him, also recognized that it would be wrong to steal from the boy. That didn't stop him from being curious about it
"It's a Devil Fruit" - Luffy, the chest on his lap, opened it, revealing the round and pink fruit in all its devilish glory. Ace's recognition went through a window
Salivating at the prospect of easily a million Berrys or more, his plotting for the fruit was swiftly interrupted by Makino cleaning her throat, the woman staring at him with lidded eyes, as if saying 'don't even think about it'
Ace's greed was also defenestrated, this time out of self-preservation. Who would expect a kindly barmaid to be so scary!
Still, the freckled boy saw the need to ask if Luffy was going to eat it, with the younger truthfully answering he didn't know, considering eating it only in case of an emergency, which Ace found to be surprisingly sensible, coming from the younger boy
The gentle barmaid also brought with her shirts and tops, shorts and pants, sandals and boots, and even a nice little formal blue jacket
Ace also took his chance to update his wardrobe, throwing away his ratty white top for an equally ratty dark red top, if slightly bigger, alongside blue trousers, keeping his own flip-flop sandals
Luffy himself would guard said jacket for special occasions, and would wear it like a cape, just like Shanks used to, until he realized that as he grew older he'd surely outgrow the child jacket. His new common wear would be a new shirt very similar to his old one, light yellow with a blue anchor drawing on the front, with khaki pants and the lightest pair of boots he could find, a brown one, ensuring protection from the thorns of the forest; finishing the ensemble, on Luffy's back, held by a belt, was his Devil Fruit chest, carried like a hefty lunch box
A goodbye kiss on the cheek later, and so ended was Makino's visit, leaving a happy Ace, a warm and fuzzy Luffy, and several inebriated bandits
Shortly after getting their new clothes, Luffy found himself finally meeting the mysterious Sabo
Sabo, in turn, finally met the mysterious new friend of Ace, who would make the freckled kid be late every once in a while for their plots
Sabo was actually impressed with Luffy, recognizing the smaller boy was at least as strong as the pair when they themselves where younger, which admittedly wasn't much for Sabo, who was of noble birth, but for Ace? He already could hunt the massive bison and tigers and bears of Goa, if with some difficulty, so the short boy was respectable indeed
Dressed in a blue coat with a dark blue undershirt, dark blue shorts and shoes, a dark blue top hat with a white band, and a band-aid on the left cheek, Sabo looked really pompous, Luffy decided
"So you're the Luffy who's been stealing my best friend" - The blond jested, smiling: - "Name's Sabo"
"Hi, I'm Luffy, and I'm sorry for stealing your friend" - The straw hatted boy laughed: - "Let's be friends too!"
Sabo agreed. And while Ace taught Luffy how to hunt, to seek food, and to survive in the wilderness, the blond child taught him how to be a pirate. Petty theft, outright robberies, dinning and dashing; the blond was a menace for the high-class society of Goa, and while Luffy didn't like to attack defenceless people, he soon discovered that there was no one truly innocent in the Grey Terminal or in the kingdom
The friendship developed by the three came swiftly and warmly, Ace and Sabo seeing each other as abandoned children, unloved by the world, with the sole exception of the little boy who doggedly followed them. Luffy was also abandoned, having no one there for him, dragged away from his kind big sister by a well-meaning but ultimately abusive grandfather, but unlike the two he didn't stop greeting the world with a smile, always there to motivate the children into going forward
Especially when he started to catch up. No way in hell were Ace and Sabo be beaten by a seven-years old!
"You know, I want crocodile" - Stated Luffy one day, months of mischief later
"Luffy, a snowball in hell has better chances than you having a crocodile for a pet" - Snarked Sabo, having met Curly Dadan and pitying the lady for dealing with the serious and taciturn Ace and the wild and boisterous Luffy. Luffy answer was an attempt to slap his brother upside the head, but Sabo easily evaded with a laugh
"I mean I want to eat crocodile, Bo" - Corrected Luffy, well aware Sabo knew what he meant and was just joking: - "Besides, we can sell the hides, can't we?"
"Yeah, Goa's seamstresses make purses and clothes out of crocodile leather" - Sabo said, knowing from once having to wear a black crocodile leather jacket for a funeral. The irony that was one of his happiest moments as everyone was too grievous to be an annoyance was not lost to him
Shrugging, Ace decided to agree, not having any preference anyway. The three hunted the beasts of the river, Luffy almost being eaten by one of them, and with the help from a bandit skilled with skinning work, prepared the leather to be sold, the three making a human tower under a coat to hide the fact that the three were the miscreants that plagued Goa, the lazy guards not bothering to check, just doing a cursory glance over the cargo the 'man' carried
The sale of the crocodile skins did give the children quite a lot of money, even if still rather far from buying a boat for any of the two. It helped somewhat that the three would save said money, dinning in a small ramen shop, and dashing to avoid paying it, the trio laughing all the while
They stopped laughing when a voice called for them, or rather, for the blond: - "Sabo! Come back this instant!" - And while they could hear the man, dressed much like Sabo, still talk, they couldn't make details anymore, not stopping and soon escaping from the city
The boys would reunite with their money in the tree fort they built for themselves, a small building hidden amidst the Midway Forest, right between Dadan's Hideout and the Grey Terminal. The little house was a legitimate nest for the three to land after a day of adventure, and where the boys hid their treasure
At the moment, two thirds of the group were staring at the last member, both with heads tilted in curiosity. Who was the weird man that looked like a fat and ugly Sabo? Why had he called him over? And why him, specifically?
Sabo fidgeted, and whistled, and tried to evade the question, but between Ace's glare and Luffy's puppy eyes, he eventually caved in, explaining his origins as the son of a noble, who, unable to deal with the loveless environment and desiring to have some happiness in his life, ran away from home
The man was his father, and he wanted his son back for some reason. Not that the dark-haired boys cared
Sabo was Sabo, the devious, smart brother, and the fact he had some blue blood on his veins didn't change anything about him
It did change the environment for the trio, however. Outlook the Third, for that was Sabo's father name, wanted his son back, for whatever reason, so he paid the 'Bluejam' Pirates to capture him
Bluejam didn't bother appearing in person, seeing it a waste of time to do so, instead sending Porchemy, a big man with a very fat neck and flat face, silver-blue hair reaching his shoulder blades, ring earrings, a tattoo on his left arm, and dressed in a red ruffled vest, black boots, and black pants held both by a yellow and brown stripped sash and a golden belt
Between the three however, Porchemy and the crew were easy pickings, their target and his fellow children charging constantly, and the pirates, wanting said target alive, forced to evade and run away from him, as anyone who tried to grab him found himself struck by Ace's pipe and Luffy's kicks and punches. Even bullets didn't work, the trio too packed together and risking striking the wrong person, the trio well aware of this and fearlessly aiming for the gunners
The first encounter with the crew resulted in Luffy acquiring a massive scimitar, easily as big as Luffy, which he instantly fell in love with, aware that Shanks had been a swordsman and feeling himself one step closer to his idol. That's without counting the numerous pistols and muskets they also took, many used to booby trap their fort, through Ace insisted in carrying at least two flintlocks with himself. Mostly because it looked badass
The next meeting had the three children finally meet Porchemy, who proved to be much smarter than the rest of the crew. For starters, he realized that wounded and dead where different things, and struck all three at the same time with a single swing of his giant hammer
"Really, you all should be executed for incompetence" - Snarled the giant pirate: - "They're just three kids, they shouldn't be a challenge"
"What does that speak about you then?" - Snarked Ace, firing one of his pistols, the other having clattered away from his grip. The shot grazed Porchemy's arm, and in his surprise he actually dropped his hammer, but soon he snarled again, lifting his weapon with one hand and attempting to pound the freckled boy into the ground, missing the attack as Ace dived for his other weapon
The other flintlock wasn't picked, however, abandoned as Ace instead decided to swing his pipe from his back, striking the back of the knee of Porchemy, who ignored the attack with a grunt, instead attempting to outright squish the freckled boy with a stomp
Down went Porchemy as he raised his leg, both Luffy and Sabo charging with a wordless roar, stabbing Sabo's pipe on the leg planted on the ground, knocking the man off-balance and down. Sitting, the man roared in turn, demanding them stand still as he swung his hammer again, missing all three, having backed away long before he even sat up
"Like a big dumb bison, guys!" - Called Luffy, noticing how similar Porchemy fought like one of their preys: big, slow, and easily flanked
"On it! Hey chum, having some trouble with three kids!?" - Taunted Sabo in turn, having grabbed Ace's second pistol, firing blindly to distract and attract attention. It was not Porchemy's he received, however, the trio having forgotten about the rest of the crew
Sabo ducked hastily, passing under a jumping fellow, then twisted in place to evade another tackle: - "Goddammit! Ace, Luffy, deal with the big guy!" - He said, leading the pirates into a merry chase. Ace and Luffy where on Porchemy in an instant, intent on finishing the fight the fastest they could so they could help their brother
Porchemy tried again to strike with his massive mallet, but as Luffy pointed out, he was too slow to actually strike the swift little boys, who ducked and weaved around him with ease. Before he knew it, repeated strikes at his legs brought him to his knees and in position for a leap from Ace to reach his head, where a pipe blow left him reeling on all four, his nose bleeding and broken, and in the perfect place for Luffy's knee to reach, the attack caving his nose further in
With their target dazed and knocked down, neither delivered the finishing blow, leaving Porchemy just there, angry and confused thanks to the repeated blows to the head. Until Sabo came running that is, pursued by at least five of the original eight pursuers, having lost them amidst the labyrinthine trash hills
Jumping, Sabo stomped on Porchemy's head, slamming him face first into the ground, and bounced, flying high and further away from those after him, many who stopped to tend the fallen pirate, surprised at seeing him defeated. Porchemy would growl and demand them go and catch Sabo, but the blond, alongside his brothers, already skedaddled out of there, laughing and mocking the Bluejam Pirates
The irony that Porchemy was executed for incompetence after losing to the kids was not lost on Sabo. A lot of things weren't
Like how Ace would always try to stay serious and not get involved with Luffy's antics and Sabo's plots, trying to keep them at arm's length. How Luffy would desperately search for them, never doing anything alone. How Dadan, for all she grumbled and moaned, always tended both his brothers and him, even without the shadow of Garp
So, intent of calming his younger brother and pacifying his twin, Sabo explained his plan to Dadan who, while frowning, nonetheless agreed, giving him the bottle of sake he requested
In one of the many books he read before escaping from his parents, was one of 'commoner' rites and festivities, which fascinated Sabo more than any of the rich and posh parties he was forced to attend. Included was a small ritual, explaining that sharing a drink was said to declare someone a brother
Acquiring sakazuki cups, also from Dadan, he poured the drinks, explaining to Ace and Luffy the purpose of the ritual, to make them as close as brothers one could be without blood ties. Ace's face softened, and Luffy laughed with joy, both agreeing to share the bottle with Sabo
The three lightweights, as expected of small children, would spend the remaining of the day in their tree fort, in a pile of giggles and laugher, waking the next day with massive headaches, and fortunately too distracted by it to realize they slept cuddling like puppies
The newly formed brotherhood experienced a challenge soon after. Bluejam started taking personal interest on the kids, both because there was a price for Sabo's 'rescue', and because the three proved strong enough to defeat one of his strongest, even if he proved to ultimately be a failure not worthy of navigating under Bluejam's flag
He deeply regretted it, realizing that Porchemy was not a weakling and indeed worthy of the position of his strongest; the three kids just so happened to be stronger, easily trumping the pirates sent after them, even evading Bluejam himself in one memorable occasion where the infamous pirate joined the hunt, only to be mocked relentlessly by the three and end buried in a pile of trash
Catch Sabo the crew once did, a lucky ambush as the crew found the three brats too distracted hunting to realize that one of their own disappeared, but Ace and Luffy gave chase, and in a moment straight out of the marine's comics, Luffy bounced off Bluejam's head, Ace slapped Outlook with his iron pipe, and the three departed laughing again, blowing raspberries at the concussed males
Fortunately, the pirate had a source of income guaranteed, the nobles, seeing him doing services for one of them, calling him for a job of their own
Do the job, get rich, and dalliance around with some nobles. What else could he ask for?
Not being betrayed by the nobles, that's what
The dirty work the nobles wanted him to do was spread barrels of gunpowder, oil, and assorted explosives through the Grey Terminal, then light the wick when the time was right to burn it all to the ground
Payment, in theory, was not only considerable amounts of money, but also a position amongst the nobles, something Bluejam desired more than anything in the world; to be born under a lucky star, on a golden crib with a real silver spoon. Instead, he and his crew were locked outside the Great Gates as the world burned around them, the visiting World Noble probably finding it 'remarkable' that pirates and trash were being burn together
But, as the pirates burned alive, Bluejam didn't shout. He didn't cry, nor did he curse the nobles or the heavens, he didn't even try to escape to the forest and the river. He was amidst his treasure, and he was going to die with it, what more a pirate had the right to ask for?
And Ace, Luffy, and Sabo? They watched, from afar, in their little fort, as their playground and hundreds of lives were snuffed by the raging inferno, unaware of the cause but able to deduce, thanks to the massive ship approaching, easily as big as the harbour, followed by displays of fireworks and the many songs echoing through the night
Then Ace and Sabo realized that Luffy wasn't with them, and a burning, horrible smell assaulted their noses, as a red something covered the flames and snuffed the fires
Time passed
The mystery of horrible stench sent the elder pair laughing themselves sick, 'till they discovered it also made Luffy immune to most of their attacks. Goa also recovered, the Grey Terminal soon growing again, the nobles soon returning to their habits of throwing trash over the walls, even after the kingdom was declared the 'Jewel of the East Blue'
And the children weren't children anymore
Luffy watched the coast, remembering the boat carrying Ace and Sabo traveling in the distance. The pair couldn't accept not being the captain, so they would separate later in their travel and have their own journeys
And little Luffy? He could only wait now, three years alone until he was ready for his own journey, learning to read more than the necessary just so he could follow his brother's adventures on the newspapers, studying them as his opponents and admiring them as his elder brothers
Sometimes Makino would stop to visit, sometimes Dadan would invite him for a heist, sometimes Garp would come for another hellish training season. But he couldn't help but feel lonely, his brother's achievements reminding him they weren't with him anymore
Still, at least he knew they were alright, as the date of his own journey approached, the news reaching him and Makino
Ace became known as 'Fire Fist' Ace, apparently owed to a Devil Fruit he ate, the Flame Flame Fruit, with a massive bounty of five hundred million Berrys, having reached the mark of one hundred million before his first year of piracy ended; his bounty poster had him holding a hand on fire, pointed at the camera, with a conical straw hat, a smirk, and the collar of a gold coloured jacket
Sabo himself was called the 'Gentleman', and had the admittedly small bounty, in comparison, of one hundred and forty-eight million Berrys, but had the fame of being a real hero, hunting down evildoers and corrupt marines; his bounty poster had his unblemished face almost obscured by his blue and black top hat, having exchange his pipe for an actual wooden staff, hanging from his shoulders
And soon it was going to be Luffy's turn. He was still rather short, still looking like a boy rather than a young man, his straw hat still a little too big for his head, even his clothes still similar to that of his childhood, a white short sleeved shirt with a red anchor over his chest and blue pants with simple brown shoes at his feet
But he was old now, almost seventeen, and it was soon time for him to start his own journey
Now, if time passed, just a little faster!
AN: Gah! This has to be the third time I'm writting this AN, because of my bloody stupid internet
Anyway, first, thank you all, for the follows and favourites. They've made my days
Second, I've found something to post on ANs! Simply, the differences between canon and this fanfiction
The first, and most obvious, as it is on the summary, is the different Devil Fruit that Luffy has, and that he ends eating to try and save as many lives as possible during the fire, smothering it with his new powers. What they are? You'll see next chapter~
Number two, the lesson that Luffy learned when Sabo 'died', that people do die. He learned it earlier, when Shanks killed Higuma, while also learning that he could kill, even without meaning. If he were to keep his mouth shut, the story would have followed as canon
Third, Sabo 'surviving' his childhood; Luffy being more competent, meant that the trio of brothers could deal with Bluejam and his pirates. In a way, locking Bluejam to die in the fire was the biggest and most literal 'You're fired' in the world
Lastly, Luffy's patience; he does seen like the idiot who would have tried to track Ace, in spite of not knowing anything about tracking or about Mount Colubo and Midway Forest, but in here he is more willing to wait for Ace to return, and thus able to establish a dialogue. It results in their brotherhood blooming faster and much earlier
... And that's it. Thank you again for all the attention, and until the next update, which will probably be next Sunday
Peace!