Hi everyone! I'm back with the third chapter to this story! I want to thank everyone who favorites, followed, or reviewed because OMG it means a lot! I hope this chapter answers a few questions and, as you may see, this is a longer chapter! Hope everyone enjoys the fruits of my labor :D
I do NOT own One Piece, though it would be awesome if I did.
It had been five years since that fateful night they escaped the fires of Grey Terminal and consumed their devil fruits.
Devil Fruit training had overtaken much of their spare time, the determination to master their respective powers in order to defeat any who stood in the way of their single yet united goal: freedom. Before that night when the two elder brothers ate their fruits, they had a hard time understanding how Luffy could be so terrible with his fruit. He was made of rubber so why was it so hard for him to understand how to be rubber? Now, though, both Ace and Sabo let their sympathies out to Luffy because they understood.
Eating a devil fruit might change one's body, but not the mind. For ten years, Ace and Sabo had been human boys, but now they were different. Ace was no longer human, he was fire. Every lick of warmth and every whip of flame was him. His normal appearance, his default look with raven hair and silver coin eyes, was still fire. He could expand himself to be larger than even the Tiger Lord or smaller than a blade of grass because as long as there was heat-warmth-fire-flame-burn-hot-scorch then he was there. Sadly, his mind didn't quite understand this, at first.
Sabo, on the other hand, was now both boy and dragon. Sometimes, he was a simple boy as normal as anyone else, some of the time he was a fierce dragon that could easily crush the ancient trees on Goa or small and slender like a simple serpent, and some of the time he was a mixture of the two. His scaled form had the ability to range in size, to grow and shrink at whim. So, when he was not a boy and not a mixture, he was usually the size of a snake and wrapped around one of his brothers. A third of the time he was part-dragon-part-human and therefore not completely one or the other but something else entirely. Unlike Ace and Luffy having to relearn their own bodies, Sabo had a separate mind altogether housing within him. When he was a dragon, this mind woke up and when he was a mixture, it kept itself aware. Sabo was just thankful that this 'dragon' inside of him carried no will to overtake him. In fact, from what he could gleam from the second conscious residing in him, it found the three brothers amusing and gave Sabo advice when needed.
That being said, he was absolutely no help when it came to the power over air currents he now possessed.
It took a lot of research and prodding at his dragon to discover that he was a mythical zoan and wasn't that a shock. Not only could he transform into a dragon at will, but now he had the ability to control the wind!
If only his dragon would be a little better at teaching him how to do so.
Meanwhile with Luffy, ever since his two elder brothers had eaten their devil fruits and learned of the hardships that came with being a user, he'd been able to receive all sorts of help from them! Now, that didn't mean Ace could suddenly tell him how far he could stretch or Sabo could tell him what moves he could possibly do, no. They helped by learning control right beside of him. As such, his aim problems were almost a thing of the past. Learning alongside Ace who wanted to aim fireballs or Sabo who wanted to throw compressed balls of air helped him figure out his own problems and solve them. He'd even got a great idea from Sabo's dragon form for a new move!
And that was only what they had accomplished with their devil fruits.
After Garp had made a random drop-in once more and found that not one but all three of his grandsons were devil fruit users, he was a hair's breath away from shipping them all to a marine base for training, but something made him stop. Some voice in the back of his head that he rarely listened to told him that to train them on Dawn Island would be better than taking them to a Marine base where their identities could be found out. Usually he didn't listen to this little voice called sense-or-something, but this time he did. So, he decided to train them and train them he did. Just because they were his sweet, adorable grandkids didn't mean that he held back on them, no! It just meant that he had to go all-out that much more to make them strong! Sure their new powers meant no more random swim tests, but he just thought of better improved ways to train both them and their fruits! After a while they could pretty well hold their own against him one on one. When they all three fought him together, though? Even he had a little trouble! Just what he would expect from his grandkids!
Garp also decided that they needed to learn something else while he trained them.
Haki.
It was ever observant Sabo who seemed to realize that Garp's hits all actually connected with Ace even though he was a logia. It was with much prodding and adorable puppy-looks that the ASL trio managed to pry basic haki training out of him. That "basic" training eventually turned into a full on class from Garp until he was sure they were above the average haki user.
They'd also got him to speak briefly about Conqueror's haki and they were all silent about what had happened the night of the Grey Terminal fire, about what Ace had done. Sabo had been told by Ace and Luffy who had been just as confused, but now they had an explanation. Sure, Sabo had to slap a hand over Luffy's mouth to keep him from piping up, but then he and Ace had explained to him that this was something to keep quiet about, to not speak of.
He'd agreed readily enough, but Ace and Sabo were still concerned.
Another change had been their relationship with each other.
They still loved each other, no doubt always would, but it was as if their feelings had grown, as if it had even been possible. Luffy gave them silly, childish kisses all the time. He bounce up to one of them and kiss them on the cheek or lips before giving one to the second brother. They'd blush furiously and laugh before giving light kisses of their own. It was all fun and games when it came to Luffy and his two older brothers knew it was because he was still so young. He was only 12, not even a teenager yet, while his two brothers were in the midst of their teen years.
They loved Luffy, yes, but they knew not to go any further than the playful pecks and loving cuddles. As for between the two, they kissed and cuddled, yes, but it was with a slowness that could be linked to exploration. They never went too far, just testing the waters, but they knew how they felt for each other, knew it in their very bones.
They loved each other and they loved each other so dearly that they could never spare a thought like that for someone else.
And while the three grew in different ways, the Grey Terminal rebuilt itself.
The constant supply of trash from the nobles of Goa served as a foundation atop the ashes of the charred memories. People flocked back to the trash like a moth to a flame, as if nothing bad had ever happened. They built homes, lives, some even had families. All the while, the nobles dwelling beyond the wall spared not a thought or care for them, believing that such physical dirt would taint them beyond hope. What they did not know or perhaps didn't care was that their hearts were already stained black with all the filth they had compiled.
The ASL brothers rarely went to the Grey Terminal or to Goa anymore. They were disgusted by what the nobles had done, how they could destroy so many lives without a single care. It was despicable and they felt disgusted when they went. That is to say, they still visited every now and then. Sometimes they would need something that could be found in the heaping piles of garbage outside of the wall. Other times they felt the need to dine n' dash from a restaurant. Their trips never lasted long, and they always felt upset at what they saw there.
People at the Grey Terminal and snobbish nobles in Goa. It was as if the fire had changed nothing.
Then, one evening while walking the streets of Goa with their pockets stuffed and their stomachs full, they saw something that made their souls chill.
-o-
A newspaper fluttered by and Ace grabbed it knowing that Sabo liked to keep up with what was happening in the world beyond the jungle. He briefly looked at the headlines and stopped.
'Celestial Dragon returns to Goa'
He passed it to Sabo who could read the fastest unlike the slow reading Ace and Luffy who couldn't read at all. A frown proceeded to deepen as Sabo quickly read, his brow furrowing and anger visible.
"It says… it says that another Tenryuubito is going to visit sometime next week," he looked up at his brothers disgust marring his face, "It says that there is going to be another 'cleansing.'"
It did not take a genius to figure out what it meant by 'cleansing.' Even Luffy's face darkened at the words.
"What are we gonna do? We can't let something like that happen again!" Ace demanded, his scowl darkening his face that had been bright with a smile moments before.
"I don't like meanie dragons!" Luffy exclaimed, his frown digging into his cheeks.
"None of us like them, Lu," Sabo replied, his top hat hiding part of his face, "So, I guess we'll just have to show them what happens when they do things we don't like."
"What have you got in mind?" Ace questioned, his demeanor almost sinister. Sabo smiled at him and Luffy.
"Come on, I'll tell you."
-o-
It was evening, two days before the Celestial Dragon was to arrive, and three boys were hidden behind the tree line of the jungle overlooking the Grey Terminal. They had already stopped the hired vagrants who'd been sneaking around to hide the explosives. They'd been easy, no more than specks of dust compared to what the three boys could do. They'd stolen the explosives and hidden them throughout the city. They knew that city and all of its shadows, all of the overlooked corners and hidden nooks. They'd been sneaking around so long that their skills in stealth often surpassed the expert thieves in the area.
The bombs had all been placed and they were waiting for their cue.
The three had spent the entirety of the week training themselves harder than before. They had to be ready for this, prepared to show the nobles of Goa just what happened when you tried to take the lives of others into your own hands without a care for the consequences. They had fought diligently while going over the plan again and again. They had to get it right.
Sabo had been the one who did the majority of the planning, but Ace and Luffy had done their fair share, too. It had also been Luffy's idea to dress for the occasion.
The rubber boy wore a black vest, dark grey patterns flowing over the fabric and to the single gold button that held it together. Underneath that was a deep red button up that lacked a tie. Luffy hadn't like the way it constricted his neck so his elder brothers had relented and let him go without. His pants were black slacks and his shoes following suit. Resting on his shoulders, though, was a blood red coat, just like a pirate captain would wear. Atop his head and resting on a nest of mussed, raven locks was his straw hat.
Ace's vest was dark red, nearly black, with lighter orange swirls that almost looked like flames. His button up was black and shiny, his red tie standing out. He'd taken his black jacket off, he felt like it was holding him back, and it hung over his shoulder while his sleeves were rolled up to the elbows.
Sabo had a blue vest, navy and with a delicate gold pattern. He'd been delighted when he saw it and how similar it was to his dragon form. It had been a no brainer to purchase it, though by purchase he meant steal it from the vendor. His button up was white, though. It was silky and had a shine to it. He'd also kept his ruffles instead of a tie. He had his jacket on, though, just not buttoned up.
All three of them looked slick, dangerous. There was an air that seemed to gather around them that demanded respect and promised pain if they did not receive it. The shadows of the setting sun only enhanced this, making them look darker, sinister. They did not try to dispel this air. They wanted it, wanted the nobles to gawk at them and take nervous steps back at the sight of the three brothers.
A loud explosion split the air and the city beyond the wall glowed with fire.
That was their cue.
They started walking towards the gate that separated Goa from the Grey Terminal, smoke billowing in greys and black from just beyond. The closer they got, the more they could hear the shouts and screams, the terror radiating from the other side.
The nobles hadn't expected anything, nothing at all. They had hired a group of hands for hire to set the bombs around the terminal. They had lounged and laughed the days away and when the night finally came, they set them off. They never expected the explosives to be moved to the city, to bide their times until the moment the nobles set them off and unwittingly set their city ablaze.
While they scrambled around in panic, the guard was at least trained enough to know that they should open the gates to let the nobles leave and decrease the chance of casualty. Several of the guards rushed to the controls of the gate, tripping over themselves to open the door to freedom.
The gate scraped against the scattered debris of the explosions, creaking at the weight of such heavy stone. The crowd that had gathered, eager to escape, began to rush towards the small yet ever growing opening of the door.
They did not go far before they stopped.
On the other side of the gate stood three boys, facing the mob with calculated expressions. They were dressed to impress, their clothes flawless and no doubt expensive, looking towards the nobles with neutral expressions. In truth, they looked like a trio of noble children.
They were not.
The crowd made to rush by them only for the elder raven to make a wall of fire, an inferno that reached up and up with no signs of ever stopping. The nobles were trapped and they felt so weak, so helpless. Behind them was the rubble of their city set aflame and before them stood a wall of fire that they had no hopes of passing. They were trapped between a rock and a hard place and it would no doubt not end well for them.
"This is your punishment," all eyes went to the blond in the top hat that had spoken, "If you think you can take innocent lives so freely and escape any consequences, you are wrong. We are here to prove that."
"It's bad enough that you did it once, but twice?!" the one who had made the fire growled at them and the crowd shivered.
"We don't like stupid people like you," that was the youngest one, his words childish but when coupled with the shadowed look he was giving them made them all take an anxious step back. To say they were nervous, scared, terrified would be an understatement. The adrenaline that had spiked when the explosions had gone off was causing their hearts to beat faster and faster, their minds running on a loop to the rhythm of their heartbeats.
What would they do? They may look like kids but there no doubt that they were much much stronger than they appeared. Would they burn them to a crisp? Would them trap them in the city and let their deaths be drawn out? What would they do? What would they do?
"But," it was the blond again, "We aren't like you. We don't kill."
With that, the wall of fire before them extinguished, a charred line on the ground the only evidence it ever even existed. The crowd did not waste time on a response and high tailed it out of there, never pausing to look back until they were far away from the ruined city.
Those that were still within the once great kingdom of Goa were witness to what the three did after facing the crowd. The three walked on, into the fiery streets where heat encompassed all and ash rained from the sky as buildings cracked and crumbled and smoke wafted on the wind. They paid these no mind, the flames even going so far as to part for them whenever a river of fire crossed the street.
They walked on, not sparing a stony glance towards the people struggling to escape the scorching heat. They did not pay heed to the screams or merciful begging or even the thundering crashes as buildings toppled and houses crashed. They walked on, not once stopping and not once turning back. No one got in their way, no one addressed them. The very air around them was a cold relief from the hot, dry air everywhere else. This freezing aura, the unnatural cold that left the ashen nobles quaking and trembling with fear even in the midst of such an inferno, spoke of deadly promises and killer threats to those that opposed them.
When they reached the second gate, a grand thing of flimsy wood that marked the border between nobility and royalty, they paused. This was an obstacle that dared stand in their way. It had the nerve to block their entrance and they were going to show it just why doing so was a horrid idea.
The youngest stepped forward, bringing his thumb to his mouth and biting harshly, those nearby stopped in wonder as his fist grew two, three, four, five-six they couldn't even count how big it got! It grew until it rivaled the fist of a giant! Once it seemed to be large enough to suit his tastes, he drew it back in a punching position, waiting only a split second before launching it forward, the frail wood of the gate practically disintegrating upon impact.
Those that had been on the other side had not been warned and were struck dumb at the sight of the gate splintering into nothingness via the fist of a giant connected to a small boy. The three continued on, not stopping to survey what all damage they had dealt. The nobles and royals scattered around the court yard fled at their sight. They were confused, yes, but these were predators and if they did not move they would become prey.
The brothers had purposefully left the palace free of any explosives. They had wanted to face the king himself and show him exactly how weak he was. They strolled through the court yard and its manicured grass, past the grandiose doors to the palace, and into the throne room.
There was only a slight hum of noise when they entered and it died upon arrival.
The throne room was large, its hall wide and its ceiling seeming to reach the sky. Tapestries in a rainbow of colors hung on the walls and the marble was shiny, cleared of any speck of dust or dirt. Up a few steps and sitting on a platform was a throne and sitting upon the throne was the king, a fat, ugly man who dressed himself in finery to hide his flaws. His face was red and his orange beard was grey with age. Atop his head was a fine crown, golden with gems and jewels the size of his meaty fist.
He frowned deeply when they entered, his beady, black eyes narrowing at them. There were others strewn about the room, no doubt advisors or messengers bringing reports about the damage done. Other more important nobles had come to take refuge in the safest part of the kingdom.
It was not safe anymore.
"What are three brats doing in my hall?" his gravelly voice echoed off the marble walls, giving it the illusion of a commanding tone.
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy were silent as they stepped forward. With them came a blistering heat and numbing chill swirled together so seamlessly that it burned cold and froze hot. Everyone stepped back without knowing what they were doing, it was instinctual to move away from such predatory figures. They were the smart ones.
The king was not smart.
"You insolent fools!" he spat, "Throw these pests in the dungeon!"
The guards did not respond, frozen in fear.
The brothers walked forward until they were standing at the bottom of the steps, Luffy in the middle and Ace and Sabo flanking him. Their eyes were shadowed and Luffy looked up at him from under his hat.
"Stupid people like you make us mad," he said and the king turned livid at the insult, "We hate it when stupid nobles think they control everything. Stupid nobles are useless!" his exclamation carried around the hall like the king's did, but his tone carried an actual weight behind it, "Since stupid nobles think that they control everything, we've gotta show them just what happens."
When he was finished, Sabo morphed into his dragon form, dragging the transformation out so people could see just what was happening. Ace let loose his fire, concentrating on giving it shape. He'd figured out over the years that if he concentrated hard enough, he could control the shape of his fire. It also helped if he had the actual object he was trying to form within his sight. It just so happened that his brother was a dragon. His fire rose up behind him, imitating the size of Sabo who was easily large enough to rival a baby sea king.
With two dragons behind him, Luffy looked all the more powerful. His shadowed eyes never left the king's as the fat oaf finally realized that these were not some brats he was messing with. They were not pests to be tossed around. These were kings, these were conquerors.
As if their minds were connected, Sabo and Ace set off attacking the palace, going for the columns and weak points Sabo had mapped out and drilled into their brains. With two dragons on the loose, people quickly fled, no one stopping to help the powerless king who had clumsily stood up and was helplessly hobbling towards a door.
Luffy stopped him.
He punched him, a weak thing considering he didn't use haki and he'd used the bare minimum of his force.
It was enough to send him flying into the wall, the wall crumbling with a hole where the king had hit. He lay among the rubble moaning in pain and he rolled about. It was pitiful how weak he was, how helpless and powerless a king like him was.
Luffy walked towards him, the king attempting to scramble away, and placed a foot on his large stomach, effectively holding him in place. The king's eyes were wide with fear as he looked at the neutral, almost bored, expression of Luffy's.
"Remember this, stupid head. You are weak and if you wanna act like you're powerful and strong, you've gotta actually be powerful and strong," his eyes narrowed and the king felt his blood freeze, "If this happens again, we'll be back."
With that, he kicked the king in the side and he rolled several feet before stopping in a motionless heap. Luffy turned back towards his brothers, fully intent on joining the fun of wrecking Goa kingdom. All that was left of their plan was to destroy the city as much as possible and a smile finally graced the rubber boy's face at the thought of how much fun it would be.
The kingdom of Goa would fall and they would enjoy every moment spent destroying it.
And that's a wrap!
Please tell me what you thought or if you have any questions. I'd be happy to answer :D
Well, see you next week!
