Hi, guys. I'm back. Those of you who read my second story 'Vine, Smoke and Exclamation' know that something about two months ago I lost my portable disk with Chapter plan for D story... I found it... In a place that I looked for like 5 freaking times! I'm so angry! Then again, I found it and I can write again.

Now, to answer your questions:

ScarletRoofs: To be fair Goa and Flevance are a lot alike and at the same time, they are its mirror opposites. The same can be said about Law, Ace and Sabo. While Ace and Traffy are alike (especially their mental state) Law and Sabo are opposites (different view on their hometowns). There will be more of this in my story.

sarge1130: I think that using DF's power is really hard (I mean... Luffy...). Traffy is simply not that good at it yet and use it only in very dangerous situations. I always thought that when you eat Ope Ope no Mi you immediately are resistant to any illness that is at the moment in your body. After Law ate his DF he instantly felt much better.

Syluk: About Traffy's powers... read above. I don't want to write it again. Unfortunately, Luffy won't left Sabo and Ace to nag Trao. He know that deep inside our favourite Pirate 'Prince' is lonely and he would never ditch him. He would rather try to make them like each other.

Okey. I'm done! Enjoy!

Chapter 4: The forest of misfortune

Three figures wandered through the Mt. Corvo Forest. The weather was nice. Sun hidden between a couple of clouds was lazily shining down. Animals were exceptionally calm today.

'Maybe they had a good breakfast' thought Luffy. If he ate something really good, he wouldn't want to fight either... for next 10 minutes.

'Oh... now I'm hungry'

He even forgot about having a snack 15 minutes earlier.

'I'll ask Ace! He'll get me something...' he stopped his track of thinking 'Oh! But I'm mad at Ace!'

"Sabo can we get something to eat?" he asked his other friend.

Sabo only laughed and took a little bag from his coat. It was full of blueberries. Luffy grinned.

To be fair Ace was angry. Luffy, that little brat was not talking to him for a really long time. It started after spying on Creepy-dalmatian. Sabo and Luffy were all about how Law was awesome... well the older one was rather just nodding at what the younger one said. He, of course, thought it was complete bullshit! The guy wasn't cool at all. He was just a Creepy-dalmatian after all! He told them there is no way they were going to talk to him. But of course! Luffy needed to start an argument. It's not like it was Ace's fault that the little brat was stupid!

"Hey! What's your problem?" he shouted. It was like that for last week! Only 'Sabo, Sabo, Law, Sabo, Law, Law, Sabo, Sabo, Sabo, Law...'

"There is no problem!" shouted Luffy and looked left "It's not like I'm mad at you because you're stupid because you think Traffy is gonna replaced you..." he said.

Ace stopped. His blood ran cold.

"So what?! You think he is so cool?"

Sabo's eyes flashed alarmed.

"Traffy is cool, but..." Luffy didn't have time to end when Ace stopped him.

"Maybe he's gonna be a better friend than me, huh?!"

Luffy saw it. The blackness in Ace was bigger. It hurt him. Not Ace! Ace couldn't be black. Blackness was scary and bad! Like Higuma guy!

"Ace!" Sabo's voice was icy.

"Hell, I'm better without you!"

This worlds ended it.

"Go to him! Have fun!" he shouted and run into the forest leaving both friends alone. They looked as he disappeared.

Sabo sighed. He hoped that Ace will rethink what he said. He knew that the guy did have his moment, but in the end, he was smart enough to know that both of them, Sabo and Luffy, would never leave him.

He looked at younger one.

"Hey, Lu... don't worry, Ace-" he stopped. Luffy's expression was unnatural. It wasn't a pout that always was glued to his face when he was mad at either of his friends. The sweat appeared on his skin. Teeth gritted trying to hold a cry of pain.

"Lu!" he shouted. The boy looked ill. As if he got a fever.

"We..." his voice was trembling "We need... we need to find Ace!" he yelled, but it sounded like a cry of pain "We need to find him before... befor-" and he fainted.

XxX

Ace run. He needed to get away. Why did it hurt so much? Why did he felt as if his body was torn apart? Pain. A lot of pain and anger.

He ran before he reached seashore. He stopped violently and cried into the sky. He wanted this pain to go away.

What was consuming his soul? What was this feeling?

Did he really was that worthless? Was it because of his blood. A blood of a demon? Maybe it didn't matter that Luffy didn't have a clue about that. Maybe it was destiny. It was the only way. To be alone. Because he wasn't worth it. He didn't deserve that.

XxX

He was back in Dadan's hut good couple hours latter. When he entered he saw Sabo. The boy was kneeling beside Luffy. The small boy had a fever and was shaking violently.

When the blonde heard the steps he immediately turned around and grinned as he looked at his best friend.

"Hey, you're finally back!" he said happily.

"So?" asked Ace after good five seconds of silence.

"Well, I know how you sometimes need a time for your own. Oh, but in the end, you know better."

Pirate King's son only winced.

"What about him?" he asked as he pointed at Luffy with his leg.

Sabo blinked at first.

'Something was wrong.' he thought as he stared at Ace.

"He fainted. He had a fever. I have no clue how we omit that" he said finally.

Ace looked at their little friend and only scowled.

"Weakling" he split and spin around to walk away.

Sabo's blood ran cold. He grabbed Ace's shoulder and turn him around to look into his eyes.

"What did you just said!" his voice was like ice.

"Let me go." said the other one calmly. There was nothing. His eyes were dead.

"How can you... why are you acting like this?!"

Black abyss of Ace's iris twitched with pain.

"Shut up! In the end, it's always like this! You all will leave me alone!" he yelled. He wrenched his arm from Sabo's grip and run away into the wood again.

Sabo looked at his disappearing figure second time this day and as before sighed. He glanced at Luffy again. The boy was violently sweating again. Magra said it could be contagious but he didn't care. He lied down next to the ill boy and hugged him.

"Don't worry Lu" he whispered "Ace is being stupid again. He just needs time, you know..." he yawned. His eyes closed "Don't worry Lu." he repeated again "I'm here. You're my little brother after all" he muttered as he fell asleep.

And at this moment Luffy's soul felt lighter.

XxX

The next day when he woke up Luffy was a lot better. The fever was down, but the little boy still felt tired. They decided to eat and head towards to the main room of bandits hideout. Ace was eating in front of the fireplace.

"Meat!" shouted Luffy at a sign of big roasted wild cow. He jumped to jump on the food, but before he even put a finger on it, Ace smacked him with a pipe. Rubber boy flew through the room and smashed with the frame of the door destroying part o a wall in a progress.

"Hey!" yelled Sabo "What the hell is your problem?!"

"His weak! And that's mine! If you want your own why don't you catch it yourself, huh?!"

At the same time, Luffy shook his head to fight the dizziness. Then he felt it. He looked left. On the other part of the door frame was standing Law with his arms crossed. He looked at him. For a second something passed through Law's eyes. Said boy only shook his head.

"Okey! Whatever you want!" they heard Sabo's yell. The blonde looked at Luffy. He went close to him and helped him stand up. He was so focused on his anger at Ace that he completely omitted Law. "Come, Lu. We're gonna hunt and get breakfa..."

Before he had any chance to end the sentence, Dadan walked in. The woman looked tired with dark purple bags under his eyes (she couldn't sleep because she was worried about Luffy, but shhh! Don't tell anyone!). She wasn't pleased that these little troublemakers make a mess again not to mention destroyed part of the construction wall. It was a miracle that the hut was still standing.

"Or maybe you four will go together and bring us something, huh you selfish brats?!" she yelled. She grabbed by collars Sabo, Luffy in one hand and Law in another and throw them outside. Ace was kicked out.

"And don't go back before you bring food!"

Three boys glared at her while the youngest of them all just shouted "Okie Dokie!" and waved his hand as she disappeared inside the hut.

"Okey, let's get over with it." said Law as he stood up. All four head into the forest. First, was Luffy beaming like a sunshine, happy that both Ace and Law were here. Deep down he knew that it wasn't still that but it was more then he could ask for. Just after him, went Sabo and Law. The older one was looking at the happy kid and smiled sadly. Luffy was so alike Lammy it hurt. He knew nothing could bring her back but that doesn't mean he didn't miss her. Sabo only looked at both of them curiously. On the end was sulking Ace. He was glaring at others.

'What is so great about him!' he yelled internally. But didn't said a thing. After all... he didn't deserve it either.

As they went deeper and deeper into the forest Sabo decided to say.

"You like him." it was a statement.

"Hah?" Law looked at him surprised.

"Luffy... I mean" he smiled as he pointed at the boy with his head.

Law blinked for a moment and blushed a little. Only a tiny bit!

"Um... he reminds me of someone... about my little sister..." he said finally and smiled still embarrassed.

'Sister?' both Sabo and eavesdropping Ace thought.

"You have a sister?" asked Sabo clearly surprised. He thought that older boy was an orphan just like them with no family and completely alone... he didn't count these bastards as his family, just so you know.

"Had." said Law and stopped where he was. "You know" he needed space "I go forward to check if there is something out there, okay?" he said loud enough for Luffy to hear and go forward.

Sabo got the message across. Maybe he wasn't that wrong about Law being an orphan.

He looked at Ace that stood just behind him.

"Do you still think that the guy is weak?" he asked him.

Ace only huffed. Deep inside he felt like saying 'no', but outside was a facade that kept his mouth shut.

"What are ya talkin' 'bout, Sabo," said Luffy as he bounced to them. His mouth full of blueberries. "Traffy is strong. Like Ace~u!"

Ace looked away.

"But his better right?!" he almost shouted.

"But Ace-"

"If you think you can fight without me then go ahead!" He jumped on the tree branch and sat "I'm not gonna move!"

Sabo hissed. He was now really irritated with his first best friend. He had no freaking clue what got to him this time but it was going too far!

"Look out!" they heard Law's yell. The giant bear, one of the kings in Mt. Corvo forest, jumped from the jungle. Law was just behind it. It was running at Luffy. Sabo jumped to cover his brother. Bears paw smashed him and he felt himself flying through the air.

'Why we didn't hear it coming?!'

He crushed at the tree second later. He was lucky that he was hit with the back of the paw and he will just have a giant bruise instead of deadly wound.

"SABO!" he heard Ace's and Luffy's shout.

He opened his eyes. The bear was about to kill his little brother.

'No!' thought all older ones. None of them was fast enough. Law was too far away. Sabo could barely stand up after the crash and Ace was just about to jump. Bear's claws crashed with Luffy's rubber body. Blood splashed across the ground and suddenly everything became silent.

Sabo's eyes winded. He heard nothing besides to shouts.

"ROOOOOOOOM!"

"LUUUUUUUUUU!"

In a second something like a shield appeared around them and some incredible power took his breath away.

And like that the bear was left unconscious.

Ace immediately run to Luffy. Law was just after him. Sabo stood up when he finally felt like he could breathe again. He heard as Ace almost sobbed Lu's name.

The youngest was bleeding so hard. The crimson liquid was everywhere creating a bloody flower on the ground. He could see some of the organs. He felt like puking.

"Get away!" Law's voice was commanding.

He pushed them away and took out a knife.

"What... what the hell are you doing!" shouted Ace.

"I'm a doctor. I try to save him... no I know I will save him so move and give me the place to work!"

Immediately both boys moved away.

"Room." around Luffy's body appeared a small sphere. It was enough to cover his wounds.

"Devil Fruit?" whispered Ace.

On Law's forehead appeared first drops of sweat. He moved his fingers in the air and blood stopped flowing away. He took his knife and moved alongside his hands. They tried to understand what was going on but couldn't.

"Sabo-ya," Law looked at the blonde boy "Make bandages out of your shirt."

Sabo blinked at first but a second later took off his T-shirt and started dividing. A couple second later he gave it to Law. Said boy waved his hands in the air. Luffy's body flew maybe an inch above the ground. The bandages started place themselves on the small body as Law was spinning his hand.

When he was done, oldest boy almost collapsed on the ground.

"Law, you alright?" asked Sabo.

He got a weak nod in reply.

"We need to move back to Dadan's..." he said weakly and fainted.

A/N: To be fair, the bear scene happened now in my story, because Ace needed to understand how important Luffy is for him. Of course, he still has Sabo here, but that's not the point. Not to mention that in this piece of writing I'm creating the whole Terminal Fire and events after it will go a lot different if we think about LASL pov.

In next chapter, we will have more of Law's and Luffy's point of view and how Luffy resemble Lammy. Also, a bit of Ace and Sabo before they met one another. I try to update faster this time, I promise!

Oh, and btw I downloaded this app 'Grammarly' and its brilliant.

Please R&R!