Me: Well, time to get this chapter on the road! Hope ya like it, for it took some careful thinking to know how to get this chapter going.
Zoro: … Careful thinking? You?
Me: I always do careful thinking for my stories!
Zoro: *snorts* More impulsive, if not.
Me: oohhh~ big word there.
Zoro: Are you calling me stupid?
6. Hot Brother
"Piyo, this way!"
His new friend chirped as he ran alongside the happy, hyperactive child on the shores of the beach. They were just playing and enjoying the day: the rubber human child and the yellow baby chick.
The island seemed like a playground to Luffy, since this is the first island they came across in fact.
It had been five days since they left Dawn Island and they were able to last out in sea with still a good amount of supplies, which is partly amazing if you ever met the two. Seeing the island up ahead near them one day, Luffy begged his older brother to explore the island for a while. Since he saw no harm in it (and there is also the fact that there is no way he could resist those big puppy dog eyes), they did just that.
Apparently, they have gotten friendly with the native flightless birds that occupied the island, who are quite intelligent in fact, and they agreed to help them gather more supplies to be prepared for however long they would be out to sea. The chief in charge, a blue bird with cool scar on his neck carrying an awesomely big fork and knife (apparently, both brothers brushed it off since they have a gut feeling, and just a gut feeling, that they wouldn't hurt them with no logic applied to the situation), is currently showing Ace where he could get some food and maybe some other things that could've aided them in their travels. The other birds didn't mind that Luffy is playing with their chicks.
"Bet you can't catch me!"
The yellow baby chick that Luffy called "Piyo" chirped at the challenge, a determine glint in his eye, and ran faster and faster towards the human with the seemingly endless bound of energy.
But the chick did not expect the child to immediately stop to where he is, painfully running into his leg. Chirping angrily to see what would make the child stop so suddenly, when he was just having an enjoyable time playing tag, Piyo froze to see a washed up adult human. Both young ones blinked curiously at the body.
The human is a male, so far as the chick can identify. His face is turned towards them, pale and ghastly. He had a rugged beard and long messy hair. His clothes looked torn and ripped; by the sea, by time, by a creature with sharp teeth, it's hard to say.
In a normal situation, a child would scream/panic/cry/wail or does something that would alert the island and probably the next island and the island after that.
But Luffy decided to do an experimental poke on the forehead.
The man groaned.
Luffy poke once again.
The man groaned once again.
Poke.
Groan.
Poke.
Groan.
Poke.
Groan.
Somehow thinking that there is a fun button on the man forehead to make him groan; the chick decided to join along and peck him on the same spot where Luffy pokes him.
Poke.
Groan.
Peck.
Groan.
Poke.
Groan.
Peck.
Groan.
Poke.
Groan.
Peck.
Groan.
Pok-.
"WOULD YOU STOP POKING ME?" The man snapped, shooting up instantly as he looks upon the two with obvious annoyance.
Then he suddenly lost energy, seeping back down on the sand in a lifeless heap.
Both the chick and the child look at each other before looking back at the wash away man.
Luffy poke the man on the forehead and the castaway groan once again; this time, more towards defeat.
The weird bearded man slowly cranes his head towards Luffy, slightly squint for the sun is behind the child.
"C-Child of the f-future…"He said in an old, quite voice that seemed rather parched and spent. "P-Please take t-this precious but dangerous t-treasure… I'm sure someone as pure as you would m-make good use to it…"
From under his body, the castaway dragged out a regular, wooden, medium sized chest and shakily pushes it towards the child, looking up at the raven-haired boy with a peaceful smile.
"And now that I k-know it is in g-good hands..." The man completely relax himself upon where he lay, sighing contently as he close his eyes in a slow dramatic way. "I can finally rest in peace…"
And then, the man stop talking, laying on the shores of the beach.
Luffy looked upon the man, then upon the chest.
With roused curiosity, he picked up the chest, it wasn't too heavy for the child but that is probably because of the fact that he's well trained, and tried to look at it in every perspective he could. Wondering what is inside, he lightly shake the chest and put his ear close to it to hear whatever is inside of it.
Then his grip slip and the chest accidently landed on the castaway's head. A loud yowl was heard from the supposed 'dead' man.
Well, if he wasn't unconscious then, he is now.
Luffy blinked towards the man and then he looked towards his friend, Piyo, who was innocently tilting his head.
With a shrug, the child picked up the chest, tucking it in under his arm and then grabs the man by his collar.
"That's take them back to the camp!" Luffy exclaimed quite happily and quite so innocently, as he roughly dragged the man back to whence they came, excited about their find. Piyo chirped in agreement as he followed his happy human friend back to their nesting grounds.
"I don't think he'll appreciate it if you eat him chief. Besides, you don't know where he had been." Luffy stated innocently as he watched as the big blue bird picked up the knocked out human with a raised eyebrow.
Understanding what the child had said, the smell that the human man gave off only confirming it, the chief dropped the poor castaway not so subtle on the ground, walking away as to make sure everyone is here while he was away with Ace. Ace decided to ignore the man all together, not wanting to know where he came from and why Luffy was dragging him in the first place.
"What do you have there, bro?" Ace asked as he saw the chest that is still tucked under his little brother's arm. Though in truth, he couldn't care less if it wouldn't do any harm to them.
"The man said it's a precious, but dangerous, treasure!" Luffy exclaimed happily, holding the chest out to Ace.
The teen just ruffled his little brother's hair.
"Oh? Better make sure that it wouldn't be stolen then." He joked with a little twinkle of amusement in his eyes, thinking that it was just an empty chest that Luffy found washed away on shore. The child's eyes widen as he saw and understood the dangers of what, or who, would steal this precious treasure.
"Why not bury the loot to keep it safe? Only you know where it was buried then."
Despite that he was only playing, it made it all worth it to see that huge grin on his little brother's face. After glomping Ace, squealing at the fact that he is going to bury his first real treasure, he ran off to find a suitable place where one could bury a treasure chest.
Ace smiled contently as he watched his brother running off to another one of his crazy adventures.
Ah~ He just love his brother~
The chief sweatdropped as he saw a goofy smile on the teen's face, as if the child was rather his cute proud son than his brother. Well, Ace did raise him.
Luffy found the perfect place to bury his treasure! A spot on the beach enclosed with rocks all around. He doubted that the waves could get here through the rocks and the rocks would also give protection to whatever that could happen!
But looking at the treasure, Luffy wondered; what could be in it that makes it so special? He supposed that it would be proper to know what is inside the chest before burying it, how many feet deep needed.
Putting the chest down at his feet, Luffy opened up the chest to see what waits in this little storage place.
This is something worthy of a jaw drop; though Luffy did no such thing.
It was quite amazing to anyone's greedy eyes. In that very same chest, whether one decided to accept it or not, gold coins and diamonds await you inside. There is at least 30,000,000 million beries in that very same chest, promising to make anyone at least living comfortable for most of their lives. But the treasure isn't what caught the attention of Luffy.
It's the fruit inside of the chest.
A fruit with a swirly texture, colored as beautifully as the sunset with a tuff of gathered leave on top of the fruit that reminds him the shape of a flame.
He was obviously confused, by the way his cute, childish face twisted up. This is a fruit, not a treasure. And fruit should be eaten, not buried. That would be a waste of a perfectly good fruit! Everything else in here fits the criteria of a good buried treasured; but this fruit obviously does not belong here! And since so, in his logic, Luffy took the strange fruit out of the chest and close the lid.
Putting the fruit to the side so not to get in his way while he bury the treasure, making sure that no one around would even think of stealing his snack, he started to dig a hole for the chest, using only bare hands since he doesn't even want to bother going to back to Ace and ask for a shovel. He found it actually much faster to dig with his hands.
After a few hours, able to at least dig a hole 20 feet deep, he heard his name being called out by Ace.
Luffy popped his head out of the hole as he looks around to see where his big brother is calling out from.
"Luffy! Dinner!" he heard not so far from where he's at.
The straw-hat wearing child grinned, ecstatic to get some food into his empty stomach. He pulled himself out of the hole, with help from his rubber powers and not so subtly drops the chest down the deep chasm.
"Luffy!"
"Coming Ace!" He reassured loudly, quickly running over to the mountainous pile of sand, deciding to push it towards the hole so that he could cover it. Soon, the pile of sand was dropped into the whole, covering any kind of signs that shows that there was someone digging here as he patted the place flat and quickly grabs his fruit. Going over the rocks, he saw his brother waiting not too far away and quickly greeted him by running at full speed, tackling his legs.
"Ace! Ace! I buried a treasure!"
Ace couldn't help but laugh, for his brother was absolutely adorable (not that he'll admit it out loud at this particular moment) when he looked up at him with those big sparkling eyes full of joy and affection.
"Congrats bro." he genuinely congratulated, smile softly ruffling his little brother's hair which earning him a giggle. "Let's go get dinner; they're having feast back there."
If possible, and knowing that it is possible, Luffy's grin had just gotten bigger.
"Yaaaayyyyy! Meshi! Meshi!" Luffy cheered as he went on full speed back to the nesting grounds where their camp is near, full out ready to indulges himself into the big feast.
Without question, feeling very happy that his brother is happy, Ace follows, distracted with his own thoughts to notice the strange fruit that his brother had under his arm with him.
The birds tried to keep a steady pace of food coming to the table, though it was a difficult task when the two owners of the famous black hole stomachs wouldn't give in. The baby chicks that Luffy had made friends with couldn't help but be amazed to how much the child can swallow. The chief, knowing these two the best since he hung around them more than the rest of the adults, sweatdropped while trying to enjoy his own plate. The rest were a bit scared at their monstrous appetite. They do wonder at this time if they are really monsters.
Luffy had keep the fruit that he found in the chest near him on the table, laughing happily as he talked to some of his friends, tried making some cheesy yet horrible jokes, and practically eat most of the time. Ace was the same too, except a lot more calm and he didn't tried to tell any jokes. But despite so, the two D.'s were eating nonstop, trying to fill in their stomachs as much as they can to the point that it would probably burst.
Luffy tried to eat all the meat first before going to the handpicked recommended fruits, which is actually a lot in truth. Ace and Luffy often ridiculously fought over the food from sometimes or another, earning many laughs and entertainment to the birds.
Ace tried many different fruits as he could for he wanted to try the native fruits. They will be going to many different seas and to different parts of the world. Who knows when they'll be back to taste any East Blue fruits? East Blue own native fruits aren't exactly common in the Grand Line. So he tried all the spicy fruits, orange fruits, red fruits, green fruits, rainbow fruits, star-shaped fruits, long fruits, short fruits, round fruits, swirly sunset colored fruit, purpl-
Ace choked on the last fruit he just ate, feeling the need to gag up for the horrible taste it possess. He coughs multiple of times, enough to even make Luffy stop eating and tend to his brother.
"Ace! Ace! What's wrong?" Luffy asked as he patted his brother's back repeatedly, looking worried.
Ace, instinctively having the need to soothe his brother's worry, gives him a thumb up to reassure Luffy and reached for the cup of tropical juice that their benefactors served them. He quickly drank it, desperately wanting to get the taste out of his taste buds.
"I-I'm fine. Really." He said, sticking his tongue out to emphasis the horrible taste. "It's just that I ate something that tasted… really bad…"
The birds look at each other in concern. Every fruit they picked out for this feast have been picked out carefully, the best of the best. Maybe human's standards are not like theirs?
Except for the weird little incident, everything was fine from there. People were having a blast, and except for just a simple little feast; it turns out to be a big tremendous party. Luffy wasn't afraid to dance, laugh, or make a fool of himself; becoming the party's clown as he was able to make the most serious of birds laugh like no tomorrow. Ace was telling stories to stories to stories, always entertaining anyone around him. If they weren't near the bond fire, dancing their life away with his little brother, they were near Ace hearing his stories and conversing with him.
Not surprisingly, this lasted out until midnight, everyone almost asleep. Though, there is the exception of the two D. brothers. Both were too excited and awake to even bother going to sleep, still having a lot of energy to burn even late at night. They were quietly conversing together. Well, not exactly quiet since Luffy talked pretty loudly, but Ace mostly listens with content.
"Hey! Where's my fruit?"
"Fruit?"
"Yeah! The fruit that was in the treasure chest!"
Ace is obviously confused by this. Why would anyone lock up a fruit? It's for eating, not locking up unless they planned to save it. By why in a chest then? Unless he meant the 'fruity' castaway but he doubt it, since Luffy had forgotten about the man since he went off to bury the treasure.
"What did it look like? I can't guarantee that it hadn't been eaten but it should be worth the shot."
"Um… it's swirly and um… has this pretty sunset colored!"
"Oh, it's swirly-"
Ace stop in mid-sentence. Wait, swirly? But the only kinds of fruit that are swirly are-
Not being able to stop himself, Ace have to burp-
"Whoa!"
-out fire.
There was a long moment of silence.
"Uh… I think I know where your fruit is…"
"No fair! You ate my fruit!"
Omake: Are we Evil?
"Ace, will you really be ok?" Luffy asked as he looks upon his older brother with unhidden concern.
"Yeah, I'll just learn of my powers along the way." Ace reassured as he just shrugged it off, making sure they were on the next course to the nearest island. It would probably be a good idea to get a crew before going to a Grand Line, though he did have every confidence that they'll be fine without one anyway. He just didn't want to risk his little brother if he had to be gone for a while, so he need to find a babysitter and they'll be off.
Despite that Ace told him that there is nothing wrong, Luffy still held an expression of worry. The elder brother sighed, for Luffy has been like this all day since they left the island. Asking him if he's ok or that if he's well or that if he's good and such. He's been asking that all day, making him worry instead. Luffy is usually not this persistence, even if he's actually hurt.
Picking up his little brother, he set him gently on his lap, making the boy blink confusingly at him yet his expression still held a tint of worry.
"What's wrong?"
Instantly, Luffy looked down, only confirming Ace's worries.
"Luffy, I know there is something wrong. And don't lie to me, you're a terrible liar and I think you know that." The straw-hat wearing child pouted at the liar part, though it is true, but didn't say anything against it.
Knowing that his brother would sooner or later speak up, he patiently let Luffy think about his answer a little more, letting the silence take over between them. It doesn't matter how long Luffy would hold off telling him. He is determined to know what would make his brother so upset.
Suddenly, there was a sound of sniffle that broke the silence, quickly capturing the elder's attention.
"Ace…" Luffy looked up at his brothers with big, teary and sad eyes, shattering Ace's heart at how frighten he looked. "Are we bad…?"
Ace was stumped by the question as well as confused. What would make Luffy even think of that? Did he do something that would give Luffy that kind of wrong idea?
"Of course not Luffy." Ace softly and gently reassured, wrapping his arms around his brother as he gave him a comforting squeeze. "What in the world would make you think that way?"
The child leaned into his older brother's embrace, basking in its comfort and love. He snuggles onto Ace's chest, finding reassurance and peace towards the heat radiating off of the teen. Luffy absolutely looked like a terrified young child who wanted comfort from this cruel world. And because he noticed that, Ace tightens his grip.
"T-They say…" Luffy tried to bury himself further into Ace. "They say that people like us are evil."
Ace refrains himself from letting out a murderous aura worthy of the devil, since he didn't want to make his brother any more stressed that he already was. Right now, he has to be there for his brother and help him out of these thoughts. But whoever 'they' are; they better have a death wish.
The freckled teen kissed his brother on the forehead, nuzzling his nose slightly on top of his brother's head.
"Luffy, do you think we're evil? That I'm evil?"
Without hesitation, Luffy shook his head, looking up at his brother with big, certain eyes. "No! You're not evil! You're the best big brother in the world!"
Ace couldn't help but smile happily at that.
"And see? We're not evil. We're just a bit different. What's wrong with that?"
Luffy looked as if he was really thinking about what Ace said; but in the end, the straw-hat wearing child just grinned joyfully.
"I like being different!"
Because of that, he could swipe more food, easily play more pranks and get away faster in eat-and-runs!
Ace chuckles.
"Me too little brother. Me too…"
After finding out that Luffy over heard it once back at Fuusha village from a couple of crude drunks from Goa Kingdom; he made a note to make sure to come back sometimes to pay those very same idiots a little visit… for now, he'll let Makino take care of it.
Me: Yosha! Finish with this chapter! Not exactly cute at first (in my opinion) but I made that up in the omake XD. Does anyone know about the big blue bird and the yellow birds? Actually in One Piece if you can remember them.
Zoro: … I just noticed. You have a very low self-esteem.
Me: Yeah, for some reason, I do. Probably.
Zoro: Probably?
Me: I'm in a very struggling line between egotistic and a person who had no confident XD. Ok, why are we discussing this? See ya in the next chapter! (or maybe in my other stories) XDD
Btw, sorry for any grammar mistakes.
