He's been waiting for this day for years. Preparing for it even.
He'll finally be free.
He will be free.
"It's time." He whispered to himself, smile wide, but still not too wide. He's not alone yet. It was still time to play pretend. "Let's put on quite the show, shall we?"
"Of course! This marriage will be magnificent!" His servant said joyfully.
A woman who wore an elaborate dress flapped her fan close. "As it should. My outfits are absolutely perfect for the princess and soon to be prince." She then dabbed her bright eye with a kerchief. "Just to think, not even five years ago had I dreamed just a day where royalty were to wear my designs."
"Prince Sabo and Princess Nantokanette will be the glorious stars of the magnificent wedding today! Your gorgeous outfits will complement them, and they your outfits!" The servant continued. Honestly at this point it wasn't known if this was all genuine or someone trying to stay in good graces.
Sabo chuckled. "Oh please, I'm not quite a prince yet. Just Lord Sabo will do for now." He said, turning his head to his servant.
"Oh but-!"
"Hush!" The woman interrupted. "If this is Lord Sabo's wish, then we must respect it! Now go, I grow tired of you."
The servant glanced at Sabo, who nodded.
"Please do let my mother and father know that I shouldn't be too long." He said in a gentle tone.
He wouldn't dignify them with the sight of his appearance. Not in the disgusting groom's outfit. Not in a Prince's uniform. No, not even in a King's robes.
His servant, who he had barely even known for the day, bowed and left.
Silence.
"Ugh, finally, I thought he'd never leave." The woman groaned.
Sabo's chuckle became more real at that. "Well, it's not every day you're helping out royalty get married."
"Oh boo. Magnificent wedding this, magnificent marriage that. The sap wouldn't stop saying those damn words." She said, tone as crass as her words.
"Oh but Belladonna, don't be so hard on someone so nervous-"
"Nervous my ass!" Belladonna snapped her fan towards Sabo. "I'm the one who should be nervous! If things go wrong today they'll have my head!"
The blond held up his hands. "It'll be fine. I have you helping me after all."
Belladonna just pursed her lips.
Blue eyes stared into blue.
The designer sighed. "Fine. Fuck it, whatever. I already signed up for this shit so I might as well go through with it."
Sabo gave her a real grin. He knew she would come around in the end.
Opening her fan, Belladonna hid the lower half of her face as she stared at Sabo with half lidded eyes.
Obviously she was thinking of something to say, but was unsure of saying it. With a tilt of his head, he invited her to speak her mind.
As if she needed his permission.
"You sure you don't want to join us…?"
Ah.
"I will admit, you have helped me throughout these years. And I you. But this is something I need to do." He said with such a strong conviction. Almost as if one would about their religion.
He could hear her huff through her nose. "Why did I expect anything different?"
She turned away from him, but he could see the small smile she had on her painted lips.
"I'll inform your loving parents that I felt that you were in need of a different flower than the one you were provided with. After all, the best deserves the best!" She harrumphed, going back to her elegant way of speaking. "Oh and Sabo?"
"Hm?"
"Good luck."
With that she walked away, leaving Sabo all alone once the door closed shut.
"Good luck huh?" A gloved hand ran through his hair, messing it up. "If I had good luck then I wouldn't be here."
But he had enough to get the allies he had. To become as strong as he was.
(And yet he knew he was still too weak. He was practically starved in his golden cage. Only when he pointed out that the kings of the past knew how to fight and how he wished to emulate the greatness of those kings were he able to train officially.
What little unofficial training he got from a certain man he took to with a fever of a man dying. It's what he could get with in exchange for all the information he could gather and give. If only they could do more. If only he could do more.
If only his family weren't-
Could Sabo fight against Ace and win? Sabo was so incredibly weak.)
There was only so much time Sabo had. He had to act quick.
And then the show could truly begin.
With a wild grin Sabo walked around the room with purpose. A certain grace was now embedded within him to make it look almost like a dance.
Oh how he wished to tear that Grace out of him.
Faster he worked, setting the scene. Oh how their faces would look when they see the sight. Just the thought made him giddy. Shame he wouldn't get to see it.
Hopefully they wouldn't paint Belladonna as the culprit. No. They wouldn't. The alibi was perfect.
He was almost ready.
Knock knock knock
Ah. Just in time.
"Wait just a moment. I'll be with you in just a moment." Sabo called out. A frown took its place for a heartbeat. He said the word moment twice. Maybe he could use that to his advantage?
Hm. And… there! Now it was perfect! A masterpiece. Perhaps if an artist was needed he could fit into that placement. No, a musician was what was most wanted. Sabo was decent with certain instruments, but his talents lie elsewhere.
Oh, a glance to the mirror showed that his hair needed to be fixed. With a speed that was not normal for most people, Sabo got it to the way it was before Juliet left. Ah, and he had that smile on him again. It looked so beautiful. So real.
So feral.
Calming his smile, Sabo turned to the door. He walked forward, and opened it a crack, as he was accustomed to do.
It was the head of the Royal Guard.
"Good afternoon my prince." He bowed.
Sabo slid out of the room, as he was also accustomed to do, and held a hand up. "Ah, what are all these 'prince' today? I'm still not a prince yet. Please, stand up my good sir."
The older man stood back up straight to say, "ah, but we are all excited for this day. In our eyes you might as well be the prince already."
It took an enormous amount of willpower not to grit his teeth at that.
(If Sabo was a different man he would stay and become king. He would do everything to change this kingdom of Goa into something more kind.
Sabo was not a different man. He was quite selfish in fact.)
"As heartwarming it is to hear that, I must decline. After all, it's not proper edicate." Sabo had said instead.
The guard nodded his head. "I wished to see you to the church." He came to explain.
Oh no, he can't have that.
With an apologetic frown, Sabo shook his head. "I'm sorry but we can't do that yet. Unfortunately I'm not quite ready. My flowers aren't just right, and well…" he trailed off, looking off to the side.
The guard frowned. "What's wrong?"
"I'm just worried. Sir Gladiolus, that I might not be fit to be this kingdom's prince. To be king one day."
At this point he made himself act… nervous. Suspicious.
"I-I think maybe… it would be best if…" he gulped, genuinely hating the words that would come out of his mouth. "If Stelly… were to-"
"My Lord, please excuse my insolence but do not finish that sentence." Sir Gladiolus interrupted.
Sabo stared at him with wide eye shock. His jaw had dropped a little. This was- out of character for the man.
"You are more than fit for our kingdom. Dare I may say, you're what this kingdom needs." For the first time he saw the man's eyes soften. "Do not doubt yourself my Lord. Young Stelly could never shine as bright as you."
Young Stelly? Ha… ha! The guard never called Stelly a lord! Haha… ha…
Sabo hates how much he's finally starting to like the man.
The young man closed his eyes before Sir Gladiolus could see his hatred. He breathed deeply in, then out.
Truly, it's a shame that Gladiolus put so much misguided faith into Sabo. Perhaps Sabo would let himself pity the man that much.
"If I may, I think I'll stay in my room just a tad more. Just until Madam Belladonna comes back."
Once he was back under control did he open his eyes again.
Sir Gladiolus was still staring at him with those soft eyes. "Of course my Lord." He rumbled.
Sabo paused for a moment before saying, "could you apologize to my parents for me? I told them I shouldn't be too much longer, but it seems that it's been extended."
"Yes my Lord." Sir Gladiolus bowed one last time before he too, left Sabo alone.
It was hard; not to sigh. But he couldn't let himself slip. He worked too hard for this.
It was either freedom or death.
He turned back to his doors. Cracking it open just enough for him to slip back in.
Blue eyes gazed at the room that jailed him for ten years. The bars had disappeared once his parents grew compliant. They had no idea that Sabo was playing the long game. Satisfaction grew within Sabo as he saw the state he created within. Only to the one side, just in case anyone were to look in as Sabo opens his crack within the door. Just as he had done with the head of the Royal Guard.
Sabo may not have been able to escape before he became recognized as a noble, but he sure as hell will escape before he can be recognized as fucking royalty.
Perhaps it truly was luck he was able to push back this marriage for as long as he had.
With a shake of his head, he got rid of such thoughts. This was not the time. Later, perhaps. Now it was for the next scene.
With a wide grin Sabo began to tear at his clothes. Gems clattered, cloth fluttered, and his heart soared.
It was time to make his great escape.
He pushed his window open, but instead went out through the hall. He hid in shadows until he got to a spot within the servant corridors. There his cloak was waiting for him. Swiftly he adorned the item of clothing.
And he went on to disappear.
It was at the docks did he fully change into a new set of clothing. Something that he asked Belladonna to make for him… and to find.
Like a set of second skin did Sabo adorn a blue gentleman's outfit, with black coat. The blue hat held within black gloved hands looked like it was waiting for him. The goggles that were sitting on the hat, however, looked like it was welcoming him.
It fit him perfectly.
The cloth of his clothes, as well as the leather of his boots, were such good quality. But a different type of quality that Sabo had come to wear. No, this was sturdy. Strong. Something that should hold well in a fight. And Sabo planned on getting into many of them.
The final touch to all of this was gleaming in the light of the afternoon sun. A pipe, so similar yet not, to the one he used as a child. It was longer, for one. But this one was also not made out of metal. No. This was made out of sea stone.
Placing the pipe to his back, Sabo turned to the pile of clothes on the ground. Oh how sweet was it to see such precious, pristine, clothes get dirtied.
"Who's there?" A gravelly voice called out.
For a moment his heart stopped.
From the shadows, Sabo turned his head a little to look at what disturbed him. Out in the light was a man.
"I said who's there?" He growled again.
Oh. Sabo recognized him.
Sabo could never forget that voice. That face. No matter how time treated it. Or how much it changed due to scars from a fire.
It seems one of Bluejam's men survived.
Sabo continued to stare with a wide, piercing stare. An idea began to grow. An idea that he didn't really have since he was a child. One that made him scared back then. It was a good thing really, that he didn't go through it then. Sabo couldn't imagine a life without having met Luffy and becoming brothers with him and Ace.
But this? Oh Sabo would hold no regrets.
No regrets!
Oh no regrets to be seen here.
No. Just a little revenge.
His silence had beconned Bluejam's underling closer all the while spewing insults. And closer. And closer.
And-
"Umph!" Sabo's hand shot out over the man's face. Hands dirtied by a hard's day work scrapped at Sabo's own hand. Then his arm. But nothing else. Sabo's reach was longer than the man's after all.
"I remember you." He rasped. "Do you remember me?"
The man's eyes were wide with terror. Then rage.
"Good. Then you know what will happen next… right?" He asked, tilting his head just a little.
The man looked confused… but became terrified once more once Sabo began to smile.
"It's quite simple really. And it won't hurt. Or at least I don't think so. Do eggs get hurt when they're crushed?"
The man began to scream, and his frantic attempts to escape grew. But his screams were muffled and his attempts were useless.
How did that one child's poem go? Round and round the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel. The weasel thought it was a joke…
Pop!
Goes the weasel.
"Hm, a bit more like a watermelon than an egg." Sabo muttered to himself as he let the body drop, shaking out his hand.
It was quick work, changing the once underling into Sabo's old clothes. The other set could be left… or it could go into the ocean.
Into the ocean it went!
Sabo got into his vessel as he watched the underling's original clothing float and sink with the waves. With a smaller smile, Sabo got to work on the boat.
He rowed and he rowed and he rowed. With the help of the wind he got to go at a decent speed. When he got to a distance that he liked, he dumped the body overboard. As he got further away he saw an injured Lord of the Coast get close to the body… then snapped it away into its jaws.
Sabo couldn't help but laugh at the sight of the creature.
"Luffy got to you huh? I bet he's been waiting a long time for that one!"
Sabo stood there, on the boat, as the wind and the currents took him away. He really wishes he could make a detour to see the old hag, her gang, and Makino. But he just simply didn't have the time. Or perhaps he did but he couldn't risk it. Maybe one day…
He stared at the Goa Kingdom, wondering if they had by now seen his room. They must have! How horrifying it must be! What a travesty! The kingdom's darling new ruler to be gone missing! And if any scraps of fabric are seen on shore, or limbs for that matter, then that could only mean one thing! Lord Sabo was dead!
Laughter began to bubble within him with these thoughts.
Oh but imagine their shock when they see his eventual bounty poster! The dear Lord they loved so much had went and become a pirate! Free from lectures, from societal rules, from the disgusting hypocrisy of nobles! Free! Free!
Sabo was finally free!
Laughter turned hysterical as tears began to stream down his face.
Sabo was free as a bird! He was free to do what he want!
And what he desperately wanted was to see his brothers…
"Ace! Luffy! Do you see me?! I'm free! And I'll find you! We'll be together again! I promise!" He yelled into the sky.
Never had the sun looked so bright.
"Luffy… I hope you'll let me join your crew… Ace… I hope you'll forgive me for joining Luffy instead of you." He paused before snickering. "Although I don't think I could handle having you as a captain."
He thought of his last exchange with Ace through their secret letters.
Thank everything he held dear for the Revolutionaries.
(A bitter pain struck through his heart. He knew why the Revs didn't do anything with moving Ace and Luffy. And yet he couldn't help but still resent them for not doing more.)
"Ace. One of us has to keep an eye on Luffy. Our dear crybaby would cause too much trouble if we're not careful."
Sabo looked on to the vast blue horizon.
The widest, most manic smile sat upon his face. His truest smile finally came out. Sabo was going to find his baby brother. Sabo was going to be wild again.
And Sabo was going to burn his noble self to ashes.
"I'm never going back! Ace! Luffy! Here I come!"
Okay I'll be honest idk if I want this title for this fic but I didn't really like the other title I was putting it under. Yes this is a lyric from a song I was listening on repeat while writing this fic. It's Gloria by The Dear Hunter btw. Dunno how long exactly this will be but I don't plan on it having it that much longer after Alabasta.
Also yeeeeeaaah Sabo's unhinged as per usual. Maybe a smidge more so. But well, considering the *gestures to his situation* it's all not that surprising. Also he gets to have his first kill. As a treat.
P.S. pls excuse any plot holes I just really wanted to write this. It's based off of this post (not exactly to a T but ya know.) bumblebeeappletree/697984077588054016/i-just-thought-of-a-bonus-addition-sabo-was-meant