Sorry that this wasn't done in time last month. I tried writing it but I was in a depressive funk that affected the tone. I didn't want to have that tone, so I didn't write it. Finished the entire chapter today (with only a little help from past self's downer writing). Thanks to that pause though, I got a good idea to put into this chapter. It works with what I wanted to happen later and helps connect that plan to the story.
Anyway, I won't keep you. I hope you enjoy the chapter!
Ace and Sabo dragged Luffy back behind cover. Hands on his mouth, no one made a sound as the adult walked past their hiding place. There was no sign the person noticed them. Either he was a great actor or things were going well.
Their inevitable failure made Sabo's chest hurt. What were they thinking? If they could punch their past self, they'd do it. Or canon Sabo. He was kind of in there, making them different from her. This recklessness was definitely his fault.
Sabo shuts that thought down. They had been the one to suggest this. This is what pirates do and they wanted to do this so badly. It's just memories of their time in the gilded cage twisting their gut. The past is the past. This is the present.
The present means they can do whatever they want. Sabo has Ace and Luffy. The War is over a decade away.
Excitement was what kept their heart racing instead of fear now. The scent of the salty sea filled their lungs and let them know everything was real. In sports, how you practice is how you play. This is practice for their years as a pirate in the future. They have to take this seriously.
That meant Sabo should have definitely been doing this alone! These two barely knew what stealth was as a concept, let alone how to do it!
Ace nodded, and the three moved. Sabo was careful to close the door silently behind them as they headed into the narrow corridors. There was nowhere to hide in it. If someone came in, the jig would be up and they'd be done for.
The three had left their pipes behind to ensure stealth would work. Besides, they were no match for these adults. These weren't bandits. They weren't slavers that'd want them alive and relatively unhurt.
They were trying to steal the treasure of pirates. Pirates that had killed without remorse.
And yet Sabo knew they'd be okay. A month ago, they wouldn't have been.
Footsteps were approaching a closed door. Ace and Luffy froze. Sabo dragged them into a room off to the side. It was better to take the chance on it being empty than it would be to stay out where they'd be guaranteed to be spotted.
Being spotted up at night wasn't "fun" in the slightest.
They were in luck. The room was empty. In the corridor, a door opened and the people who went through it chatted with each other as they passed the room the three were hiding. Sabo muffled their own sigh of relief in Ace's shoulder. Their hands were full of holding the two after all.
Sabo sent Ace a look. "Be careful. Freezing isn't how one stealths!"
"Don't worry, we'll be fine." Ace's eye roll communicated back.
Sabo had to resist huffing as the two set about searching the room for valuables. They stayed at the door, keeping an ear out for anyone approaching. Their time in the gilded cage all those years ago left them attuned to footsteps on carpeted and hard floors. Not as useful for the jungle, but with the timber floor beneath everyone's feet, Sabo could actually use it for once.
Luffy cheered at finding something and Sabo flinched at the sudden noise. Leaving Ace to lecture Luffy about being quiet, they instead focused on listening as much as possible. Near silent footsteps stopped in front of the door and Sabo had to silently signal to the others to hide.
It was too late though, and the door opened. The rifle in the man's hands was directed above their heads, and Sabo had to be thankful they were still short. If they weren't, it'd be level with something vital.
Ace swore, Sabo tensed up, Luffy greeted the rifle wielder. Benn raised an eyebrow before sighing. "Luffy, put the knife back where you found it."
So Luffy got them caught for a knife. Sabo groaned into their hands.
The three were led back to the deck, where an annoyed-looking Shanks was waiting for them. She, who had good parents, felt sad and guilty. He, who had bad parents, felt terrified and sick. In short, they hated the emotions a disappointed father figure inspired in them. Ace and Luffy clearly felt none of these emotions, and Sabo was a little bit jealous of that.
"Just what were you hoping to achieve?" Shanks said, crossing his arms.
"We wanted to steal some treasure!" Luffy said. His voice was so bright Sabo had to wince. Ace face palmed, clearly resisting the urge to smack the six-year-old for outing them so easily.
"They did manage to get on the ship and below deck, Captain." One of the crew - Sabo should probably learn their names but they hadn't learnt the names of all the bandits either so eh - said. His voice made it sound like he was saying it in their favour.
"Luffy grabbed a knife." Benn said, looking at a specific crewmember. Likely the owner of said knife.
"Anchor cheered so loudly; it's a surprise Makino didn't hear him." Shanks paused for a second before turning to a member of his crew. "Actually, can you go see if Makino heard him?"
"Hey! I wasn't that loud." Luffy yelled as the pirate ran off to do what Shanks had asked.
"If she hadn't heard you before, she definitely heard you now." Ace hissed.
Sabo had to hold back from saying "astronauts heard him" since one, there's no such thing as astronauts in this world, and two, they didn't want to have to explain it. Luffy would probably take it as a challenge to one day go to space if he knew it was possible.
"So what have you learned?" Shanks said, putting his hands on his hips.
"Don't bring Luffy on stealth missions," Ace said, much to Luffy's resulting whines and complaints.
Sabo bit their lip to resist saying "do not steal" because that's a thing from her life, not his and theirs.
"Correct!" Shanks said, grinning at the answer.
The scent of the sea started to fade. Sabo had to reach out to grab Ace as things tried to become off. They then grabbed Luffy too because it would be an anchor pun. Said Anchor was making a racket as Shanks and Ace both teased him over his lack of stealth. When Makino appeared, the six-year-old raced off to her and stuck his tongue out at them.
Ace leaned on Sabo and pressed heavily down on his shoulder as he kept the teasing up until Makino gave him and Shanks a stern look. Ace did take "grounding" a little too literally, but it was fine.
Shanks, however, took a different approach as he just picked both them and Ace up. He summoned his crew, saying they should have a party for the three's first stealing attempt.
Sabo snorted, "Our first stealing attempt with Luffy you mean. Ace and I have been stealing for years."
"Yeah, we have a lot of treasure already." Ace supported, though his face quickly became annoyed when the pirates gave the two of them condescending looks of indulgence. "We do, I'll show you!"
He squirmed out of Shanks' hold, grabbed his hand, and started dragging the pirate captain towards their hidden treasure. Sabo was content to be carried, it's not like Shanks was going to be around forever after all. Might as well take advantage of it now.
Oh, and a nap sounds nice. The adrenaline crash and relief after terror was making them a little sleepy.
Shanks was impressed with their haul. Sabo was shocked awake when Shanks jolted at the first sight of the super-sized animals of the island. They'd gotten a good look at his shocked but proud gaze when Ace just knocked the animal out with a single hit. Sabo didn't get to see what animal it was, groggy as they were.
"Have you always dealt with such large animals?" Shanks asked.
"Yeah," Sabo said, wiping the sleep from their eyes. "Ace been doing it longer though. Dum dum started hunting earlier."
"Dum dum?!" Ace yelped, running back over to attack them. "I'll show you dum dum!"
Sabo climbed up to slump over Shanks' shoulder, sticking their tongue out in taunt. Shanks was then forced to handle a feral Ace for a bit. He didn't hurt Ace to keep them separated, nor did he abandon Sabo to Ace's tender mercies.
They arrived at their hidden treasure soon after.
"I've documented how much everything that isn't cash is worth." Sabo said, holding their book up for Shanks to take if he wanted.
They tensed a little when he did take it but they turned to slump over Ace in a one-man dog pile. It didn't even make him stumble.
Shanks was turning through the pages quickly, just skimming and scanning the contents but he was gentle with the aging present they got from Ace. He was visibly impressed, and his words were the same.
Sabo clung to Ace tighter as their insides twisted at the positive comments coming from a Dad, and not Outlook's-. Don't think about it! It's been a while, that's all. They were just hiding their blushing face as Shanks complimented how organised they kept it all.
"Even pirates do paperwork." Shanks joked, a little bitterly. "With skills like this, you'll have an easier time with it. Hmm?"
The turning of pages stopped but there wasn't the sound of a book closing. They looked and saw that Shanks was on the last page. The page covered in poor, backwards writing about things she remembered. And while their heart stuttered for a moment, it grew steady as the lie came to them. Lying was so easy, especially to parents.
They opened their mouth, about to calmly but bashfully claim that was early attempts at learning to write. Shanks looked at them, and his gaze made it clear he knew they were lying.
There was a seriousness, a sense of presence, pulling at reality like gravity. The fun-loving, happy drunk Pirate Captain that had been visiting the island for months wasn't standing there. The New World veteran and future Emperor was standing in front of them.
"Sabo, how did you find out about this stuff?" Shanks' voice was calm and gentle, reassuring.
They forgot it was in that book. They'd been so sure no one could decipher it because no one from the East Blue would believe its contents and it was so hard to read. But Shanks wasn't from the East Blue. The large animals only surprised him because of the location.
Sabo's mind kept trying to figure out a lie, telling the truth wasn't even occurring to them. They couldn't speak.
"Sabo just knows stuff." Ace said, reminding them he was here.
"I'm sure they do." Shanks said, still with that same tone. "However, I'm curious as to how. How did you learn about this Sabo?"
He wasn't letting it go. Ace bristled, ready to defend them. The instincts he'd gotten from being raised by bandits in this jungle told him that Shanks was a threat, even though the pirate was trying not to be one.
"It's a weird Sabo thing. They're weird." Ace tried again.
Shanks sat down in front of them and grabbed a shoulder of each of them. There was no running from this grip. It didn't hurt, but it trapped them. Outlook would make sure it hurt, Didit's nails didn't gouge them because of the thick clothes.
"Sabo." Shanks' voice was so gentle, they wanted to cry. Why, they didn't know. They opened their mouth.
"Sabo!" Ace hissed, trying to tell them it was okay to be quiet, he's got this.
"I died." Sabo said, and Shanks' gaze sharpened. "She died. She- I."
They took a deep breath; the two boys were silent. "I remember a past life, she died. But she read about it. Luffy's adventure. Things from that adventure about this world. You were a ship's apprentice with Buggy on the Oro Jackson with Gol D. Roger as your captain. Blackbeard scarred your face. Your straw hat was Roger's, he wore it when he first set out with Rayleigh from Logue Town. His moustache was actually nose hair. I know things, like how you and Buggy never set foot on Laugh Tale because Buggy had a case of I-can't-go-on-this-island-itis. How Roger was there too early. He was sick, but he chose to go out on his own terms and you were in the crowd and you were crying. I know things."
They bit their lip hard. A gentle hand opened their jaw and got the flesh from between their teeth before they could make themself bleed. The hand pulled them into a warm, sturdy chest and a smaller, warmer body was pulled in with them.
"I believe you." Shanks simply said. "I saw the note about the War too."
"I'll explain it." Ace said, his voice muffled. "Don't make Sabo do it. Their nightmares got worse."
Sabo still wrote everything they remembered from the war and its related events down later and gave it to Shanks. If nothing else, it was insurance that it wouldn't happen the same as last time. Even with the differences that resulted, they knew Luffy would be safe. Neither Ace nor Shanks would let him die.
"So, you know about Haki." Shanks stated, carrying the three of them out of their bed at the party Bar.
"Whazat?" Luffy slurred, still waking up. He was fully awake a few seconds later though. His waking drowsiness only ever lasted a few seconds. It was similar with Ace most of the time, not for Sabo.
"Haki's something you have to be able to use to be strong enough for the Grand Line." Ace said.
"Dad is going to train us!" Luffy cheered. He was too happy and loud for it being so early. The sky may be light but the sun hasn't risen yet damn it!
"You can ask your Grandpa to train you in it too. I'll be a good excuse." Shanks said, the second sentence unnecessary and ignored by Luffy. Sabo was just thankful. They did not want to ever have to tell Garp about it.
They were dropped in a clearing in the jungle and Shanks sat down with them. Luffy pouted at the realisation that there might not be as much action as he wanted. Why do kids have so much energy?! And Sabo's saying that while knowing they're a kid with a kid body too. But they're ten and Luffy's three months shy of seven. He's younger and smaller! It counts!
"Everyone in the world is capable of learning Haki, even though not everyone does." Shanks began, and Ace and Sabo straighten up while Luffy wilts thinking this would be boring. "It is a power that allows one to utilise their will in various ways and to different effects. There are three types: Armament, Observation, and Conqueror. However, not everyone can learn Conqueror. It is something very few people can possess."
Ace jabbed at Luffy who was trying to doze off. Shanks smiled indulgently at him.
"How about a demonstration, Luffy?" Shanks said, getting up. "First up, Armament."
A sound Sabo hadn't heard but she had came about as Shanks' hand got covered in a black sheen. Luffy was definitely paying attention now. Shanks walked over to a tree and gripped it with a single hand. The ancient tree, as thick as Shanks was tall, snapped. The pirate then easily lifted the behemoth and tossed it into the air. It came crashing down on Shanks, but his Armament covered arm was pointing up at it and the tree snapped again instead of crushing him.
Ace poked them, "I can see why." Something that would make them stronger, something that would be required. Something canon Ace might have been too stupid to use because of his daddy issues and the fact that Roger conquered the Grand Line with Haki prowess and not a Devil Fruit. Something that got him killed.
Fire burns hotter than Magma, but Haki surpasses Devil Fruits.
"Sabo, can you explain to your brothers what Armament is like." Shanks asked them. He wasn't asking them what it was.
"You're solidifying your willpower into something defensive and offensive. It's your will to defend and your will to attack. It's an armour you form around yourself and it's made of determination and willpower." Sabo frowned after using the term willpower so much. They left it there.
"Correct. Good job, Sabo." Shanks said.
"Armament Haki allows one to harden themselves to better protect themselves, hit harder, and even hurt people who might not be hurt by an ordinary punch." He was referring to Devil Fruits there, but he didn't go into it. "People can also imbue it into weapons to get the same effects." He said, drawing his sword and then turning it dark. He didn't even look as he cut a new tree in twain.
There was a gouge in the ground too, he'd cut into the earth and gotten all the roots too. The tree was still healthy otherwise. It could probably recover from this.
"What can the others do?" Luffy asked, wriggling in his spot.
Shanks pulled out a blindfold with a smirk. "Next up, Observation. It grants the user a sixth sense. With it, one can see people their eyes can't see, sense the emotions other people are having, feel how strong other people are, and know what attacks are coming their way."
He tied the blindfold over his eyes and grinned at them confidently. "Try attacking me."
Ace was the first to try, Luffy following after his failure. When Sabo tried just javelin throwing their pipe, wanting to have Shanks show off how it was effective against ranged attacks too, he called out their intent and dodged it easily too.
It went on for a long time, and Sabo couldn't help but feel that Shanks favoured Observation from how long he let this go on. Over an hour later, and the three had still yet to land even a glancing blow, they were finally halted. Luffy's stomach asked the question, and Ace's responded in kind. Shanks' and Sabo's both chorused in unison as they also realised they were empty.
They dragged Shanks to the Crocodile River, and it was there that he showed them what Conqueror Haki could do. The entire river, unconscious in an instant.
They splurged on two Crocodiles, Shanks having to carry one by himself, and brought it back to the Party Bar where Shanks' crew was in disarray over their missing Captain. Benn's calmness and the greeting he sent them without even looking at them had Luffy asking if he knew they were there because of Observation Haki.
No, they were loud and he had working ears. Though he had felt they were in the jungle, hence why he wasn't like the rest of the crew and running around like a headless chicken. Brunch was yummy.
He knows. He knows. And I know he knows~.
Sorry, it just popped up in my head. Shanks knows now! Didn't plan on that but it happened. I just took advantage of that to have ASL learn Haki sooner. Though I doubt that Luffy has the proper motivation to get good at it at the moment.
Next up, what I had planned for this chapter which I thought would maybe end with Luffy's birthday. Fifty-fifty on whether I manage to write the thing in time. I'm trying my hand at writing a short story for another fandom. I keep writing things that'll take forever and have no known end, and I wanted to try something different.