A/N: AAAAANNND, IM BACK! This time on time too! So, I've got some good news, and I've got some bad news. Good news first, or bad? We'll go bad first. The bad news is... my laptop keyboard broke. The tiniest bit of water slipped on it about a week ago now and the keyboard went crazy, typing double letters, turning up he brightness when I hit the letter s, etc. and then after a few days it wouldn't type anything from cde, all the way to the left. SO! What does that mean for the story? Well, that's the good news. Luckily, my trusty IPad came in handy and I'll be typing everything there for now, but that means the chapters might be a tiny bit late sometimes seeing as it takes forever to type on it, and even when I do I make a million typos in the process. So those are my life updates, expect to see a possible increase in typos, though I'll do my best to fix them!
Enjoy!
"So, what made you join up with someone like Monkey?" Nami asked, curious as she studied Law. Normally people did their best to avoid the Straw Hats because of their destructive nature and chaotic Captain, but on the off chances that they helped someone, like Vivi for example, it was because of a troubling past or just because Monkey wanted to. Law didn't falter in the slightest under her gaze, though, and his expression stayed neutral.
"Common interest." He said simply. Nami, seeing that she wasn't going to get much more out of him, nodded. All of the past members were listening in on the conversation, some more than others, as well as Monkey, Sniper and Tony, and, by force, Vivi.
"So you're a Captain too?" Sanji asks, curious about their future friend.
"Y-"
"Yeah! And he's a doctor too!" Monkey interrupted, Law merely shaking his head in annoyance.
"Really?!" Chopper asks in excitement.
"Surgeon." Law says before Monkey could interrupt him again.
"He's really good too! He helped me out after the war!" Monkey says without a second thought, causing everyone to go silent a moment. When they noticed Monkey didn't seem to be affected by the comment they quickly shook off the somberness and tried continuing the conversation.
"O-oh! Really? You must be really good then!" Chopper said, Law looking at the tiny reindeer and nodding.
"I guess so, my devil fruit helps, the ope-ope no mi." Law says nonchalantly, shrugging as he continued walking.
"So you've got a devil fruit then?" Zoro asks, curious. Law nods in response.
"What's it do?!" Chopper asks excitedly.
"It allows me to control anything inside my room that I create." Law says, demonstrating by spreading his room around the group and looking to a rock peaking out of the sand. He picks up a grain of sand and twirls it in his palm.
"Shambles." He says, the sand quickly being replaced with the rock.
"WOW, SO COOL!" Luffy, Sniper, and Chopper shout in amazement.
"So that's what you did when you landed here." Naming said, finally figuring out how Law went from the sky to behind them, seemingly disappearing. Law nodded, pulling out a handful of pebbles from his pocket.
"After being around Monkey I always keep these on my just in case." Law says with a slight sigh to his words. Nami shakes her head and Monkey laughs jubilantly.
"Shishishishi! Its more fun that way!" Monkey exclaimed happily.
Ace was slightly further behind the main group, though still listening. He was happy to hear that there was a skilled doctor to help Monkey after the war, and his opinion of Law, as a result, increased. Everyone continued walking for another few minutes, the main groups conversation continuing without pause, Ace and Sabo both walking in silence.
Ace didn't really know when it had happened, though. One minute Monkey was in the front, gesturing wildly and talking loudly, and the next he was in the back, falling behind. The past and future members were all still talking, either not noticing or ignoring the fact that Monkey was now gone from their conversation, while Sabo was just slightly off to the right of the giant group, and Ace was just slightly behind them, though now Monkey was furthest behind, a look of contemplation on his face that seemed out of place on the usually smiling boy. It made Ace uncomfortable to see his little brother making that look so he slowed his pace down to match the ravens, the two walking side by side in silence.
"You know, its weird to see you looking so... thoughtful." Ace said, a small smile on his face as he looked at Monkey. Monkey remained silent, looking at the ground, same look of being deep in thought on his face.
"Oi, oi, careful Lu, you might hurt yourself thinking that much." Ace said, reverting back to the nickname he had given Monkey long ago. Monkey finally seemed to notice Ace's presence as he looked up, his eyes doe like in nature, giving him a look of innocence, despite everything he's been through.
"Ace?" He asked suddenly, ignoring Ace's previous comments completely. Ace's smile fell at the sudden serious tone in his brothers voice.
"Yeah, Lu?" He asked, voice also going serious as he looked ahead, though stayed close to Monkey's side, their shoulders nearly touching as the walked.
"I'm sorry." The apology threw Ace off, having not expected that to be what he said. The freckled teen raised an eyebrow in question, turning to look at Monkey. When he looked he could see the already slight moisture in Monkey's eyes and he had to refrain from stopping and hugging him.
"What for?" He asked, the confusion clear in his voice, along with the worry and concern. Monkey's lip trembled and Ace was thrown back to when they were kids and Monkey cried over everything.
'I don't like crybaby's!'
'I-Im n-n-not cr-ryiiiinnnggg~!'
'Yes you are!'
'A-am not!'
'Are too!'
Ace almost smiled at the memory but his attention was brought back to Monkey when he spoke again.
"I-I couldn't... couldn't save you in t-time..." Monkey said, the tears threatening to fall. Ace opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out as he watched Monkey look at him, lip trembling and eyes watery.
"Lu..." He only managed the small nickname before Monkey was talking again.
"You didn't want me there, you told me I should leave, you told me you were mad that I showed up at the war, but I ignored you and told you I was your brother, my only brother left, and I tried so hard, and-.. and..." Monkey's trailed off and with every word Monkey said Ace's heart sank further.
"And I got you out of the chains, and we were together again, and running, and fighting..." Once again Monkey trailed off, gaze falling to the ground at the memories. Meanwhile, Aces heart was pumping. He knew what was coming next in this story, and it wasn't something he was looking forward to hearing, especially when it was coming from Monkey, his little brother.
"And then... Akainu... he started mocking giant Ossan, and you didn't like that, but no matter what anyone said you wanted to fight him, and I only looked down fo- for... for a second, but then you got hit and... and..." Monkey couldn't continue anymore, the tears becoming too much to the point that they began to overflow. Ace closed his eyes, unable to look at Monkey anymore. He hadn't done these things yet, yet he was already mad at himself. Of course it was his stubborn nature that would get him killed, Sabo always said it would. Though he still didn't know exactly how it happened, due to Monkeys slight vagueness, he had more of a clue.
"Lu, its not your fault..." Ace said weakly, slinging his arm around Monkeys shoulders comfortingly. Monkey took comfort in the physical touch of his oldest brother, something he missed, and shook his head.
"B-but it is!" Monkey cried.
"Y-you die because of me, 'cause I was too weak!" He continues, fat tears and snot running down his face. Ace didn't know how to reply to this, deciding to squeeze Monkeys shoulder in a weak attempt at comforting him.
"Lu, I'm sure that whatever happened it wasn't your fault, not unless you were the one to attack me. Sure I don't, and didn't, approve of you showing up to my execution, to a war no less, and sure I didn't like that you were fighting to save me when it should only ever be the other way around, but it could never have been your fault that I died." Ace said reassuringly to Monkey who tried to slow his tears, sniffling heavily.
"But-"
"No, no buts. I'm sure- no, I know, that as long as you were ok that no matter how I died, it was ok with me." Ace said firmly, though the firmness of his tone was meant to end the argument it only furthered Monkeys anger with himself.
"It may have been ok with you but it wasn't ok with me! Who said you could go and die like that? It wasn't fair! It shouldn't have happened like that, if anything I-... if anything... I should have died..." Monkey said, the last part coming out in a whisper. Ace froze, not quite believing what he was hearing.
"Luffy!" He growled out, dropping the surname completely as he addressed Monkey. Ahead of them a few turned to look what was happening, thinking Ace had been calling Past Luffy, but seeing the anger on Aces face and the shame on Monkeys had them all turning back around, pretending they hadn't seen it in the first place.
"Never say something like that again!" Ace said in pure rage. Hearing those words coming from his baby brothers mouth, someone he was supposed to protect, someone he was supposed to keep safe, someone who was always happy, made him feel as if he failed as an older brother.
"Well... Why not?! You always said stuff like that, you still do! No matter how many times Sabo and I told you how much we loved you, how much we wanted you to live, you would always feel as if you shouldn't have been born! Why cant I feel the same way after what happened to you?! After I felt like I was the only one of us three to live?!" Monkey was beyond sad at this point, he could feel anger flowing through him like it was his blood, the unfairness only fueling that anger. The group ahead of them could hear the whole thing, despite their attempts at starting new conversations with themselves. Everyone could feel the tension between the two brothers and they all shifted uncomfortably at Monkeys words, no one used to, or liking, him talking like that.
"Well that's... different!" Ace shouted indignantly, looking away and scowling.
"But its not different!" Monkey shouted back, the two looking at each other and glaring. It was just like when they were kids, always at each others necks, and with how things were going the others were surprised they weren't throwing punches at each other. Suddenly Roronoa sighed, rolling his eyes as his Haki picked up on something, or someones that is.
"Oi, Monkey." Everyone's heads swiveled to look at Roronoa, the crews and Vivi out of shock, Sabo with slight confusion, and Law with an overall look of disinterest, seemingly more interested in Monkeys fight with Ace.
"What are you doing Roronoa?!" Sniper asked out of fear of his friends life. Monkey and Ace looked as scary as Cat Burglar when someone threatens her money.
"Marines." Roronoa says simply, ignoring Snipers shouting. Most everyone got into a defensively position, except Roronoa, Sabo, Black Leg, and Law, knowing that the two heated brothers would handle it before they even had a chance to blink.
"Again?! Are there anymore Admirals?! I don't think Monkey could fight another Admiral with his wound!" Tony shouts. They could see the marines charging up the dune they had just climbed, all of them sweating, yet looking angry.
"It'll be fine." Black Leg said, watching the two brothers closely.
"Look Sir, you were right, its the Straw Hats!" One of the Marines shouted, pointing to the large group of pirates.
"Of course I was right, when am I ever wrong?!" The supposed leader boasted. Before the unknowing marines could register there being double straw hats, and a very much alive Fire Fist Ace, Monkey was glaring at them intensely, a wave of power radiating off of him and towards the unsuspecting marines. They stumbled and then, one by one, they fell to the ground. The past members stared, dumbfounded, and even Ace was shocked, not having expected his little brother to have just used Conquering Kings Haki and have control over it as well as he did. The future members were relieved and were already watching the two brothers again, wondering if they would start arguing again.
"What was that?" Sanji asked slack jawed, but Roronoa dismissed it as a 'future power' and the past members were forced to get over their shock, knowing they weren't going to get anymore information other than that.
"Since when could you...?" Ace trailed off and Monkey shook his head in response, features turning from angry to sad as he sighed.
"A little before the war. After I went with Rayleigh and he trained me more." Monkey said, the familiar name registering in Ace's mind.
"You've met Rayleigh?" He asks, though he knew he was getting off topic. Shaking his head he remembered their previous argument.
"No, never mind, that's not the point right now." And just like that the anger was back on both brothers faces as they glared, once again starting a shouting match like nothing happened.
"The point is is that its different! Everything is different, and you should never say those things again!" Ace scolded, like a mother would her child. This only further fueled Monkeys glare and he practically hissed at Ace. He could never hate his brother, but that didn't mean he couldn't feel a strong dislike towards him. All siblings fought, and this was just another fight, one that Monkey felt he would regret, especially if it got anymore heated then it already had.
"I can say anything I want! Back then... back then I was alone and... and... BEING ALONE IS WORSE THAN DEATH!" The shout rang across the whole desert, everyone freezing and looking at Monkey with wide eyes, Ace included. Everyone could feel their hearts sink at the raw emotion in Monkeys voice, the past and future straw hats, Vivi, Sabo, even Law.
"Id rather be dead than alone, and after the war, after you died, I wanted to die too! I-I probably would have too if it weren't for Jinbe and my crew..." Monkey continued, trailing off at the end. The future Straw Hats, though over the mass majority of their guilt, could feel a small piece of guilt inside themselves grow. That guilt they thought they had gotten over was still there, and sure their talks with Ace helped significantly it was painfully obvious to them now that that wasn't going to help them completely.
Aces mouth opened and closed, not quite sure how to respond. He and Sabo had always known about their brothers fear of being alone, but hearing just how much of an affect it had on Monkey shocked him. Glancing at Sabo he could see the pained look in his eyes, though he tried to keep his expression neutral, save for the hints of concern etched on his face.
"Lu..." Aces voice was pained and soft, the anger washing off of him like cold water. How could he have just had a shouting match with his brother, one that, in his time, had lost his older brother, one that had thought he had lost both brothers?
"I'm sorry Lu..." Ace said, though he didn't know how much help that was going to be. Sensing the fight was over the others all tried to go back to walking and talking and ignore the two, but after what happened no one was up for talking as they walked, just silence.
"You big m-meanie!" Monkey sobbed out stubbornly, his past tears coming back full force.
"You're right, I am pretty mean huh?" Ace asked softly, Monkey nodded.
"And stupid."
"Hey, lets not push it now!"
"Shishishishi!" Though he was still crying Monkeys laugh rang loudly around everyone, calming and soothing them, signaling the end of the fight. Ace smiled, pulling Monkey in for another hug, which Monkey accepted easily.
"Lets both never fight like that again." Ace said softly, leaving no room for anymore argument, not that Monkey was going to. Monkey nodded and the tears he had been trying to stop started all over again as he felt all the guilt that had been weighing on him for almost a year dissipate all at once. Sure it didn't all leave, he still felt to blame for what happened and he had a feeling that no matter what Ace said he would always feel that way. That didn't change the fact that a lot of it was gone though, and he felt lighter than he had in a long long time.
The brothers had stopped walking without anyone's knowledge and before Ace knew it had Monkey wrapped his rubbery arms around him tightly, not that he minded in the least.
"Come on Lu, we should catch back up." Ace said with a laugh, running his hand through Monkeys hair. He looked to how far away the group was and turned back to Monkey, breathing easier as the tight arms unwrapped themselves.
"Mm." Monkey hummed, eyes slightly red and puffy and tear tracks visible seeing as his face was covered in muck from fighting Akainu. The two started walking again in silence, though the previous tension that was once felt between the two was gone.
"Ace?" Monkey asked suddenly, grabbing the fire users attention.
"Yeah Lu?" He asks. Monkey turns to him, smile on his face, though not as big as it normally is.
"I've missed you." He says before turning back to the large group ahead of them and running off after them. Ace stares, dumbfounded for a moment, before smiling as well.
"I've missed you too Monkey."