He was sure so sure he was going to drown, held under the water like that, watching the air bubbles drift up to the surface. Until even those ran out. Just as dark spots were dancing at the corner of his vision there was a shift and Luffy felt the force holding him down, turn and suddenly he was on the surface again, spitting out bloody water from his lungs as he retched.
As the room came back into focus around him, he tried to sit up. Luffy was lying a couple of meters above the water, on the scaley hand of the largest creature he had ever seen, and he had seen some pretty massive ones.
The slitted eyes of the sea king watched him intently, its huge head lifting from the water as well to be eye level with him.
Luffy stared at the monster.
The human you fear is gone
"Your Real?"
He is moving further away; he will meet up with his kind and return for you
"Your Giant!" Luffy repeated
I sense a killing intent with him-
"It was you!" Luffy said as his brain sluggishly made that connection. He had thought the stupid CP-0 man had knocked a screw out of Luffy's brain when he was hurting him, because after his time with the man all he could hear was their voices. Not normal voices, they were strange… too loud, and too- inhuman. Just… really weird.
"My friend couldn't hear you," Luffy said.
Most humans can not
Luffy huffed, sitting back a bit on the creature's skin. He was freezing and now sopping wet. At least the scary guy was gone. He hoped that meant he was going to leave his brothers and Thatch alone. "How do you know how to talk N' stuff?"
My kind has always talked, it's you who learned to hear us. A rare skill – I've never met a human capable.
Luffy's frown grew. "One of you guys tried to eat me as a kid. You hurt my friend!"
We prey on the weak, that's the purpose of hunting. If you are angered, then you don't understand the ways of the world.
"No," he huffed. "I know. I hunt stuff too. I guess that's fair." He had been an easy target. "Why did you grab me? I almost drowned."
You wanted to hide from the human man you feared, no?
"You helped me? Why?"
Hearing our voices is a rare gift, so is the will of a king you possess. It would be a waste to kill you or to eat you.
"Your kind of nice for a sea monster," Luffy said.
You are kind for a cub of man. The monster responded, hissing as water streamed from its large mouth. Luffy could see its giant teeth from where he sat. They were longer than his entire arm and much thicker, with a pointed tip that gleamed in the dim light of the cave.
"How do you know that?"
I can smell it.
"You can smell me?" Luffy repeated. He sniffed his wet clothing but came up with nothing but soggy fabric and iron. "What do I smell like?"
Blood and Fear. It's overpowering. I could smell you the second you entered the cave. You are right to run from that human man- I can smell nothing but blood lust from him. If you want to keep your life, stay hidden.
"I can't hide forever," Luffy frowned. "I don't understand why they hate me so much?"
They have their human reasons no doubt. Ones not worth your understanding. But it is no matter. This would have happened, either way, the other humans will always hunt you.
"Why?"
Because you have the potential to be a king, because you hear our voices, and because you are different. Humans hunt those that stray from the herd. It is their way.
"Do you know what they're going to do to me?"
The humans upstairs are out for your blood. More arrive on these shores every day- it's unavoidable now. Our waters will run red with blood, and the destruction of man once more. Your kind insists on destroying our home every chance. The creature seethed, its mouth twisting into a snarl. Its claws moved again to tighten around Luffy until the grip became painful.
Luffy pushed at the claws in annoyance. "You're hurting me." The pressure released but it didn't let go of him.
Luffy tightened his grip on one of the claws, grasping it with both his hands. "It's okay. I know what that feels like. I've seen them burn everything because they could, they tried to take my family, and they took me from my home."
The creature was staring at him, its huge eyes narrowed further. There was no expression to read on its face- but Luffy knew it was considering his words.
You are strange
"You are a giant water lizard!" he said. "Your even weirder."
The monster looked back to the cave entrance before shifting. The water silted under its great weight, and waves began to knock against the stone shore as it moved.
Luffy felt its grip tighten once more, closing around him as he was lifted through the air- then it released all together as the creature put him back down on the ground.
You asked why I saved you? Most humans are boring as I said- and I did not want to waste one with potential. But I enjoy eating humans, particularly the powerful ones. Their conviction makes them taste better.
"You're not going to eat me," Luffy told the monster. "I can tell." There were a lot of things he feared right now, but this creature was not one of them.
You have great fear in you, and great amounts of pain but you also have a great capacity to love, and your desire to protect is overwhelming. I sensed it on you the first moment they brought you here- and even now. No matter what has happened that has never wavered. You are trying not to let your fear overpower you by instead acting to protect. That is why you ran in here and that is what makes you keep holding on. From what I have seen observing humans, they let fear and old pains sway their decision- and justify terrible things because of it. You are only a cub, yet you show traits the others could not obtain- even in several lifetimes.
He had lost Luffy pretty early on in that speech. His head was too fuzzy to keep up with the sea king. For a big lizard, it talked a lot. "Yeah…," Luffy said, answering the parts he understood. "There is no other way."
That's not true- there are multiple paths to take
Luffy shook his head. "Not for me."
The monster nodded its large head in understanding. You have an unusual capacity for human love. As long as you continue to act on it, then you have my word I will not harm you Cub, nor will my kin in these waters.
"Luffy-," Luffy said. "My name is Monkey D. Luffy."
More humans are coming, leave this area quickly if you wish to survive.
"Thank you for saving me."
I wish you well, the large creature began to slither back into the water, its limb retracting from the shore until only its great head rested above. The giant green orbs met Luffy, and he could see his reflection in them. He was so small in comparison.
Goodbye cub
And then it was gone, the water growing still.
"It's Luffy," he told the still water.
XXX
Ace hadn't said a single word since the CP-0 guy left but Izou could tell from his posture that he did not want to talk. Everything about him radiated tension. His hands were clenched at his sides, and Izou knew they were shaking. He couldn't tell if Ace was furious, or terrified, or sad, or something else- something dark. No one had talked to him because not a single one of them had anything useful to offer. Except for Sabo's soft "We will find him," no one had said anything at all as they searched the dark tunnels.
They had literally just told Ace they were going to protect Luffy, it was six on one, and they had failed to stop the cipher pol agent. Now Luffy, who could barely stand, was out here alone. Izou didn't even want to think of what would happen to the kid if he found them. They couldn't let that happen. Not to Ace, and not to the kid.
The marines were getting much too close for comfort. A couple of times they had turned down the wrong ally only to catch sight of the white uniforms right around the bend. Thankfully they managed to evade the search party but the longer they were here, running through the same tunnels, the higher their chances of being caught.
After a little while, they decided to split up- or rather Ace decided to. They turned around and he was gone. Sabo left as well after that, either to bring Ace back or to find Luffy, he didn't say. Neither boy was really talking much.
There was no telling where the pipe Luffy disappeared into had let out, so they had spent a while wandering the halls nearby to try and sense him. The process was further hindered by having to wait out the passing military. Finally, Sabo faintly sensed Luffy's direction and they followed him. Like a scent trail, his energy got stronger the closer they got until everyone who was able to, could sense him. And then- he was gone.
There was no warning, no nothing- his presence just disappeared. As if he had evaporated into thin air. That was when Ace took off, too impatient to keep waiting for the marines to pass. After that Marco decided they would have a better chance of finding the kid before the marines if they split up.
Izou had been walking the tunnels for what felt like hours when it happened. He heard a now-familiar voice.
"Thank you for saving me."
It was soft and broken from too much abuse, but undeniable.
Breaking into a run Izou turned the corner entering a giant room, near flooded with ocean water. The surface of the sea gleamed black in the dim light. It rippled as if being coerced by the wind, but there was no wind here.
Luffy sat in the middle of the floor, his back to Izou as he watched the water still.
"It's Luffy," the kid told the ocean.
"LUFFY!" Izou's voice came out much louder than he meant it to- especially with the marines so close. But his relief was nearly overwhelming as he started towards the boy.
Luffy turned around so fast and the fear on his face made Izou freeze mid-way across the room. His shock wearing off Izou took in the odd details about the image. First off, Luffy was completely soaked. Second, he was sitting in the middle of a huge puddle of water in the center of the room. It was an odd picture. The kid tried to stand but his legs weren't supporting his weight and he ended up on his knees, watching Izou with wide eyes. Despite everything Luffy didn't look glad to be found, he seemed anxious. Anxious about what Izou was going to do to him.
Between their desperation to find him, and the bravery Luffy had when he was with his brothers, Izou had forgotten things between them were as tense as they had been when they first stumbled across his cell. For a moment he considered going to get Ace, but he quickly dismissed that. There was no time, and no guarantee Luffy would be here when he got back.
He continued across the room, putting up his hands in a peace offering when Luffy tried to back away. "Luffy are you okay?"
Izou knelt down beside him, and Luffy gave up on escaping when it was clear he was too exhausted to do anything other than squirm. Instead, he drew his leg up to his chest, watching.
"Luffy listen, marines are on their way, that man is looking for you. I need you to come with me."
Luffy shook his head.
"You can't stay here! And it doesn't look like you are going anywhere on your own right now."
"…"
"Will you come with me- please?"
Luffy shook his head again.
They didn't have time for this. Leaning forwards on his knee Izou reached for him. The kid gave a noise partway between a snarl and a whine as Izou felt the force of the heavy sea stone cuffs smack his face, the same time Luffy bit into his hand deeply.
Izou pulled away with a yell, having to yank his hand roughly to dislodge it from Luffy's mouth. When he did let go the kid fell back in exhaustion, the fight draining out of him. Yet when Izou tried again he received a kick to the stomach that was hard enough to make him rethink his plan.
Frustrated he sat back down beside the boy, rubbing the set of teeth marks in his hand. He had no idea what Luffy was like before all of this, but he figured Thatch was right. Luffy really was Ace's brother. It would be too much struggle to force Luffy to do anything- he had proved that to them time and time again. Izou could only imagine how Teach and the government had faired, trying to force the kid into submission. Izou couldn't even get Luffy to come with him, and he was too exhausted to stand.
"Okay fine," Izou told him and Luffy's eyes flickered back to him. "This is a lot funnier when it's happening to someone else so I won't make you come with me- but I'm not going to leave you here either. So, I'm asking you again, please kid. You are soaked, and it is freezing. Your brothers are freaking out, everyone is looking for you and there is no way I can fight off the whole military. So please come with me, I'll take you to your brother okay. You have my word that I'm not going to hurt you."
"He's a Liar," Luffy said, turning back to the ocean. Izou realized with surprise that the still water had started to ripple again. It seemed to calm once more the longer they sat here. "I don't need his help!"
Izou got the strangest feeling that it wasn't him Luffy was talking to. Despite everything, goosebumps broke out across his arm. It was probably just the stress, and the grim atmosphere but something prickled at his neck, an early warning signal that someone was watching him. Chalking it up to either Luffy's declining mental state or his declining health, Izou asked, "When did I lie?"
No sooner had he asked, than he remembered Luffy yelling at him earlier. He had screamed that they were liars when they said Ace had died. Oops
It was worth a try.
"Kid- uh, Luffy listens, I really am sorry I told you that Ace was dead. I didn't know that he was your brother, and I didn't mean to lie to you."
Luffy sat up, his attention back on Izou now. The ocean was still as glass behind him. "You weren't just being mean?" he asked.
"About Ace?"
Luffy nodded.
Luffy thought Izou had told him that, in the moment everything was going wrong, just to trick him. No wonder they got off on the wrong foot.
"God no! I really thought he had died, it's a long story but I swear to you I didn't know."
Luffy tilted his head thoughtfully. "I'm not sorry I bit you," he said finally, "… but I won't do it again."
Izou smiled at him as he rose to his feet. "You shouldn't be sorry- about anything. If I were you, I would be trying to bite off the fingers of everyone that grabbed me. But I appreciate you left me mine…. Can you please come with me? You have my word, on my captain's head, I am not going to hurt you."
Luffy hesitated, tucking his legs back underneath him. "Your captain is the same as Thatch's?"
Izou nodded, "And the same as Ace's. He's a good man."
Luffy nodded slowly, and Izou smiled in relief. He knelt down, one knee braced against the frigid stone floor, his back to Luffy in a silent ask for him to climb on. When Luffy didn't move Izou pushed a little harder. "You can't stand. I'll be quick."
Finally, Luffy moved, his bounds arms wrapping around the pirate's neck. Izou stood, locking his arms around Luffy's legs to keep him in place. "Don't let go," he warned him. "I'm going quick."
Luffy turned to look over his shoulder, his gaze back on the snow crystal still water. "Bye."
His hands tightened as Izou began to run down the corridor, pausing at every subsequent turn to ensure the way ahead was clear. The one good thing about the marines was how unsubtle they were.
"Who were you talking to back there?" Izou asked him and Luffy's hands tightened once more.
"My friend."
Well, that was creepy. Goosebumps rose on Izou's arms as he remembered the hostile aura he had felt from that room. "There's no one there but us kid." Luffy didn't answer, and the resulting silence became crushing.
Izou shifted his grip. Even though his clothes, he could feel how hard the kid was shivering. He had no idea how Luffy got so wet. Didn't he have a devil fruit? Those were certainly sea stone cuffs Luffy had looped around Izou's neck. So then why would he risk going in the water? Or better yet how? The risk of drowning in that deep black pool was too great to casually think about.
"Can I ask you something?"
Luffy huffed, the sound came across right next to his ear. "I don't know anything!"
He really didn't. That was obvious to Izou, even after knowing Luffy a couple of days. "I know," Izou said. "I was just going to ask…" this was harder than he thought it would be. "- Are you mad at Ace?" Another soft huff against his ear told Izou Luffy didn't like that question.
"Ace isn't responsible for the stuff other people do!"
"You knew-," Izou realized. "You knew who Ace's dad was this whole time, didn't you?"
Luffy huffed for the third time and Izou got the message.
Apparently, he wasn't as clueless as everyone thought. "Okay," Izou said, getting the message. "It's not what I wanted to ask you."
"People aren't responsible for other people," Luffy said again. "It's stupid to blame Ace, and if you want to blame him then you're stupid too." He sounded tired, really tired. If Izou was a little kinder he would leave the younger boy alone, but he had to ask.
"I know," he said. "I agree with you. "I just meant about everything. You're like fifteen, right? So, Ace left you on your own when you guys were younger. Then all this bad stuff happens to you. Do you blame him?"
He expected Luffy to huff him again, but the younger boy was silent. So much so Izou thought he fell asleep.
"Why do you care?" Luffy said finally. There was no annoyance in his voice, only vague interest. As if he found it odd Izou was asking.
Izou contemplated the answer for a moment, tempted to shrug it off. But at this point what did it matter if Luffy knew. It wasn't like he would go telling everyone.
"I emphasize with Ace," Izou said. FAR too much. "It's not his fault all this happened but he is paying for it all the same. And I can't imagine what that's like- if it was me instead of him. And it was my little sibling who all of this happened to…"
"You think the stuff that happens to your family is your fault, cause you left?" Luffy said, catching Izou off guard.
"That's not what I said."
Luffy shrugged against Izou's shoulder. "It's what you meant." No one was giving Luffy near enough credit. "But how should I know?"
"I know, It's- never mind, it's not important." But it was, so- so important that sometimes it was all he could possibly think about, and the unshakable feeling of failure filled him to the brim until he was sure he would explode.
"No," Luffy said finally. "I'm not mad, not at either of them. When they're happy, I'm happy too. Even if I miss them, and even if it means I get left, and even if bad things happen to me. Maybe your family feels the same way. They might just be happy your happy- even if it means sometimes, they hurt," he paused considering. "But I think they would like you more if you talked less-"
Izou laughed at that, helpless to stop the sound that bubbled up from his chest. It had caught him so completely off guard he couldn't do anything other than keep it to a quiet snicker. "I'm hassling you too much huh?"
"It's making my head hurt," Luffy whined again. "Why do you guys keep asking me so many questions."
"That was the last one I promise," Izou told him, running through the words in his head. He had been more or less expecting that with how completely Luffy defended Ace, but it surprised him all the same. He hoped Luffy was right- he really did. As if there could be some universal little sibling logic that Luffy could tap into for him.
The kid on his back shifted, resting his cheek against Izou's shoulder as they went. He was probably really tired. Izou's thoughts went back to what Marco had told him right before their uninvited guest showed up, and he shuttered.
"Kid?"
"Mnn,"
"I think you might be one of the nicest people on this entire island."
Luffy shifted a little again, "M' not. Being nice is too much work. I just said the truth."
XXX
Luffy must have fallen asleep some time on the way back. When he woke up their location had changed. It was dark and cold as always; Luffy had gotten used to the cold. But he certainly wasn't alone. Dark shapes moved around the room.
Luffy had been laying on something soft on the floor. He tried to sit up, but a gentle hand pushed him back down.
"Easy there, kid," a familiar voice said.
Luffy looked up at Thatch who was sitting next to him. The man smiled warmly at him; affection scattered freely across his face.
"Guy's he's up."
That got everyone's attention and the dark shapes shifted. Two, in particular, seemed to come from nowhere, materializing in front of Luffy.
"Screw You Lu!" Ace hissed, his arms circling him tightly.
"Never Do That Again!" Sabo told him as a second set of arms closed around him, squishing him between the two of them. Luffy heard Thatch chuckle softly at their anger.
"You guys are, okay?" Luffy said, his voice sounding weak even to his own ears. He had abused his vocal cords so much lately that he expected his voice to fade away someday. But he could still use it now, so he did.
"Us!" Ace snapped his face a mix of relief and anger. "You were the one he was after! What the hell were you thinking! I swear if you weren't so sick, I would kick your ass for that!"
"Same," Sabo said. "Seriously Lu, don't you dare disappear on us again- okay! OKAY!"
"They were just worried about you?" Marco said as he came up to them, leaning against the wall besides Luffy's makeshift bed. "That was a dumb move kid."
Luffy turned a little to look over the doctor's shoulder at the others, he could see Izou, and the other two just beyond. Reinforcing the door with scrap wood. Marco followed his gaze.
"The marines are right on our tail, just extra reassurance. They haven't found us yet… neither has the cipher-pol agent but no more stunts, okay? Your lucky you were able to get away."
Ace huffed from beside him, clearly still mad. It was kind of nice to see him mad again. He had been mad over these last few days but that was different. Before Ace had been desperate and annoyed at the helplessness of everything- now he was just straight-up furious at Luffy's recklessness. Just like he used to be. It had been quite some time since Luffy was on the end of his big brother's anger and he had never, ever expected to miss it. But here they were and Luffy realized that he had missed it.
"How did you get away?" Marco was still talking. "And why were you all wet?"
Luffy looked down at himself. His soaked clothes had been replaced yet again. This time with pants and a shirt much too large for him. It was so bad someone had tied a rope around his waist just to keep them up.
"Luffy?" Marco's voice was soft but insistent. Luffy looked up at him. He must have looked clueless because Marco repeated the question. "Why are you wet?"
"It's water," Luffy told him, and the pirate sighed.
"I figured."
"Where did you go?"
Luffy ignored the question, looking around the room again. Something felt, different, better. He was a little stronger, and warmer despite his core still being half-frozen. Things were a little sharper. He didn't understand why until Sabo took one of his bandaged hands in his own, flipping it over to show him his wrist.
"Look Lu, we got the sea stone cuffs off for you."
Luffy's eyes widened as he turned over his wrist then the other, inspecting them. True to his word the sea stone was gone, leaving scarred and heavily bandaged patches of skin, chewed raw by days of biting.
"I stole the key from that man's pocket when he attacked me-," Sabo was cut off as Luffy pushed forwards, hugging him tightly.
Sabo just smiled, resting his chin on Luffy's hair. "You're welcome," he said and Luffy pushed tighter against him. Just because he could he wrapped one of his arms around his brother twice, despite Marco telling him not to.
"It's not good to stretch your injuries," he was saying. What a buzzkill. Luffy ignored him… mostly. He supposed for a doctor, Marco was all right. Izou too since he had taken Luffy back to his brothers. Of course, neither of them was as cool as Thatch was, but he guessed Thatch's friends weren't as bad as he initially thought- although the other two he still wanted to keep his distance from.
When he finally let go of Sabo Luffy showed Thatch how stretchy his fingers were, once more.
"Yeah, I know you're happy." Thatch said as Luffy's finger snapped back into place. "But listen to Marco on this one yeah?"
There was no way that was happening, and everyone knew it.
"Give me your hands Luffy," Ace said, closing his palms over Luffy's bandaged fingers. They were still stiff from the cold and the skin was pale. Ace's own were warm, exceedingly so and the heat only grew as he raised his body temperature. It reminded him of that time, all those months ago when Thatch did the same thing for him.
It had been so long since someone had taken care of him like everyone was doing. So much so they cared that his hands were cold, or that he felt sick, or that he was too tired to walk anymore, or even when Sabo gave him his socks for his bare feet.
He caught Ace's wrist with his hand. Ace looked at him curiously. "What is it? Are you hungry?"
Luffy shook his head. "I'll come with you guys- okay. When you leave here."
Ace pulled his wrist free gently. "Yeah," he said. "No shit Lu. Why do you think we're here?"
Sabo frowned from beside him. "Where were you going to go instead?"
There were other places Luffy could go. But he didn't want that- not now.
"Don't run away again Luffy," Ace told him. "We can protect ourselves got that. We don't need you to do it for us right now."
Luffy pulled his other wrist free from his brother, moving forward ever so slightly so his forehead touched Ace's. He really was warm.
Luffy wasn't going anywhere now, not when he wanted to stay right here with his family and friend. If they said they could handle that man then he believed them. "I won't leave anymore if you guys stop leaving too!"
Ace sighed again, although Luffy knew it was in resignation.
"Fine."
"Lu-," Sabo started but Ace elbowed him in the ribs. He huffed. "Fine."
Luffy smiled at them, softly and a bit unsurely as he was out of practice. But he couldn't help it. For the first time in a really long time, Luffy let himself believe that everything would be okay.
XXX
Forced to the back of the caves, deep in the flooded section, the small group was far too close to the marines for comfort. Haruta scouted the area every hour to try and see if the cipher-pol agent had managed to find them again. So far nothing but it seemed like wishful thinking to get their hopes up.
Marco held out hope that if he got too close again Luffy would sense him. But the kid was passed out again, his arms wrapped around Ace twice, exactly like Marco told him not to do. But he seemed so happy that he was willing to let it slide. Luffy had even dropped some of his jumpiness around them and he didn't want to risk disrupting that.
As nice as the progress was, everything else was getting worse. They were running out of areas to flee to, with the marines systematically searching and destroying the rest of the tunnels. To make matters worse, Thatch's coughs were sounding worryingly like Luffy's, and the kid's desperate gamble against the cipher-pol agent had caught up to him and he couldn't stand up anymore. Basically, things were bad.
With Haruta and Sabo out scouting, Izou watching the halls, Marco was left with nothing but his thoughts. Thatch was fast asleep against Jozu, talking in his sleep about the foods he wanted to make. That never failed to make Marco smile.
He was weighing the merits of getting a couple of hours of sleep when it happened. The walls above him began to rattle, then the ground beneath them shook. The very air of the cave seemed to vibrate with energy and power.
Marco smiled, looking around the tiny room. All around them he heard pillars crash as the bedrock of the island itself shook. Roused from sleep his brothers began to stir beside him.
"About time," Marco told the stone ceiling.
"We were sick of waiting."
XXX
I have some story art for this chapter. I'll finish it tomorrow and upload it. It's of Luffy talking to his sea lizard friend.
So the line 'I'll come with you, when you leave,' that was Luffy's way of telling his brothers he isn't going to die. He's made up his mind that for sure he isn't going to let himself die here. Especially now that he is recovering, at least mentally, with all the free cuddles everyone keeps giving him.
They just need to make it through the war…
XXX
JulieAnnaMai: Luffy is okay! It was a short-lived cliffhanger. Luffy will be happy and cuddled by his brothers soon enough! And a lot more of fixing Ace to come a bit later.
ThePansexualFish: Yes! Everyone will find out about Luffy dying. Just not right now. They have a lot going on. I think their reaction is 'lil baby no!' or something along those lines haha. I promise I will get to it.
Drayukken: It was the voice of all things. Luffy's just befriending sea kings in his spare time now. The creature just grabbed him to hide him. It goes into it a little more here.
Nadeshiko666: Oh haha, sorry about that.
Godfanfic: Haha, I am sorry. They wil throw a huge party and all will be well. Once they get past the war things will be much brighter.
Yumi-nachan: Luffy is a special lil guy indeed.
RozenDark: Here is another! And yes, the cipher-pol guy deserves a lot of things. But Luffy is good at making friends. Sorry about the stress.
Bro: thank you for the nice review! Of course.
Aquarica: Lols, there he goes indeed.
Miqila: Yes! You got it in one. It was a nice sea king so he let him go. And yes, Ace did freak out.
xXxWolvesInTheNightxXx: Aw, thanks. Luffy always makes me laugh in OP.
Mel72000: That's why I love him so much haha. And yes, that was the voice of all things.
samantha. 4: Haha yeah. I just started writing there and then thought 'I'll just fill in the details later. My spirit is lazy. Luffy si so cute! That is why I love him. And an idiot. But willfully so. Hopefully some Dragon/ WB next chapter! I'll try. That a good assessment for Shanks.
Sakihinata: yes he does! And thank you.
Vick1006: Sorry about that! Things are going to get a little worse again. Luffy has been found and is safe again.
Wishfull-star: Yes! Luffy was saved by a good lizard fish. Thank you, stay safe too!
Guest: Don't worry. Luffy was just making more friends. He didn't disappear in the puddle as much as the sea king grabbed him and dragged him under the water, leaving a puddle where its big claw snatched him. Luffy's escape was his desperation adrenaline, he seems to always unlock in the cannon. But he is pretty spent now.
Guest: Oh thank you, haha. These chapters are such a rush job for me now. But I am glad you like them. Thank you for the nice review.
kagome11: The sea king nabbed him! And yes, Luffy isn't thinking as clearly. But in that case he was more going down the line, of everyone standing next to Ace. He was kind of impatient right then.
And don't worry. The three of them will get lots of hugs as soon as everything is over. And of course cuddles.
Hiraya1998: I was thinking a dragon creature but crab works too! Thank you.
Oh no, the first creature I thought of is a crab! Great chapter by the way
Starlightjuice: Thank you! I stan for protective Thatch! More on him protecting Luffy later. Luffy is a cinnamon roll to the very end. I hate the CP guy as well! And stupid Akainu, and Teach and that crew. I haven't decided what's going to happen to him yet! But I am certainly open to suggestions! I can add that to the list haha.
Urutiyori: of course! And good luck on your test! I hope it went well. I bet you will succeed! And way to work hard.
redninjan21: Haha poor Luffy. I love his silliness too. He is a little slower than usual. But Luffy was always really good at hanging in there. He is a really tough kid. And thank you!