XXX
The last thing Sabo saw was his little brother's face. He was screaming. And then everything happened at once.
Ace was on him, shoving him so hard into the dirt that his broken ribs ground together and dark spots danced in front of his vision, giving way to the ash that fell around them, blotting out the sun. It was like a tsunami of lava behind them.
Sabo was briefly aware of the glow of Marco's fire as the man grabbed both of them, pulling them down as flames sprung up around them, matched by Ace's own, fighting against the descending darkness. They were screaming, but Sabo couldn't make out anything besides from the rushing around his now shattered ear drums.
They were going to die- because of him.
Luffy was here- Luffy had followed them here, in the middle of all this hell. Luffy had seen that.
Sabo's stomach rolled once more like he might be sick. He could feel the flames on all sides of them, trapping them within this bubble comprised solely of the fires of both Marco and Ace, holding back the tidal wave of lava by the sheer heat of the burn. But it wouldn't last long, Sabo could already see it, liquified by the heat and dark red like blood, dripping between their protective flames. They had seconds at most.
He had failed in every way. Once more Sabo felt darkness bubble up over his vision, his head dizzy from the lost blood.
He had failed his brothers again.
He had promised himself he never would again. Things were different from when they were little kids. They weren't weak little things for the world to kick around, to hurt, and separate. At least that was what he had thought.
Sabo closed his eyes, the world going quiet as he drew back his hand, feeling the familiar tingling in his fingers as he focused his energy there. Distantly he felt the heat, as the tips of his hair began to singe.
Luffy had been right there, so close. And now separated by all of this chaos, he might as well be on another island. He had no way of getting to him now.
He grunted again, feeling someone- Ace?- push him down again, all but lying on top of him as the surrounding flames got smaller, pressing in on them.
With everything he had left, Sabo shoved him off, tasting blood in his mouth as he knelt on his knees. With a cry, he threw his hand into the bedrock below, right where he had found the crack earlier.
His form had been wrong, multiple things had been wrong in fact, the least of which was the way the world seemed to pulse, spinning in and out of focus. Sabo felt one of his fingers snap, but the pain felt dulled. He ignored it, willing his hand to hold up as he widened that weakness he had felt in the stone.
For a horrid second, he thought his strength had failed him. But the next moment, there was a cracking sound as the ground gave way. Then they were falling into the blackness, the tidal wave of magma chasing them.
Sabo closed his eyes, feeling two sets of hands on him. They should have fallen straight down, twenty feet at least, into the abandoned tunnels beneath. But Marco had grabbed them, his wings extending out around them, shooting forward and out of the path of the lava.
Sabo lost it for a second. He remembered flying through the air, the labored breathing of the pirate next to his ear. And the next thing he knew, the black spots were receding, and he was on the ground, his back against the wall, the sickly glow of molten earth long behind them, giving way to a different kind of disaster.
Ace was yelling, his face pale underneath soot and blood. Marco wasn't saying much but the man's hand was on his shoulder, as if worried that if he let go Sabo would fall over. He probably would.
He blinked slowly, wondering just how long he had been starting off into space. His hand hurt badly, as did his side. He felt the corners of his eyes grow hot in warning, but they weren't watering from the pain.
He had failed- again.
"I asked if you were okay!"
"You should have said something."
"-Could have died!"
"-Too close."
They were too loud. Sabo turned away. He moved to the side as his stomach rolled again. There was nothing left for him to throw up, and his bile came away bloody.
That seemed to quiet them as Marco swore. "Damn! You should have told us you were-,"
Sabo shook his head. Right now he didn't give a damn how he was feeling. "It was Luffy."
"What?"
Sabo looked up at Ace, feeling dread threaten to turn his stomach again. "Luffy, he was there. He saw that."
"No," Ace said, his voice was soft now, nothing like before. "That's not… Thatch wouldn't bring him there. He just wouldn't."
"Unless something happened to him," Sabo said.
Silence descended on them as they sat there in the darkness of the catacombs. So far down, not even the sounds of fighting reached them. So-so far away from Luffy.
"Are you sure?" Marco asked after a moment that seemed to span for eternity.
Sabo nodded, feeling hollow. He couldn't imagine what Luffy would have to do to get there. He imagined his little brother, hardly able to stand, wandering through the dark tunnels alone. He hadn't said it, but Sabo knew he was scared of the dark now. Anytime they blew the candles out to get some sleep, he always heard Luffy's breath hitch, and felt his little brother shuffle to get closer to one of them. It was never something that had bothered Luffy before and Sabo tried to stop himself from imagining what the world could have done to change that.
How Luffy managed to reach them was anyone's guess. And now what? What was he doing right now? Right this moment, having just seen the three of them burned to death. What could Luffy be feeling right now?
His stomach threatened to turn again.
"You're wrong," Ace said quietly.
Sabo shook his head. "I'm not." He studied his brother's face, blank with worry, and uncomprehending, before he couldn't look anymore and turned away. It was Ace who looked like he was going to be sick now. Both of them understanding what this meant.
They had failed. Total and absolutely failed their little brother. The same one they would have done anything to protect. Well, they had gotten their chance, a one in a million chance to find him, and tell him it was all going to be alright. And they had left him…
"He survived this long." Marco's voice was like a shout with how quiet the tunnels were. "He can take care of himself- even against all the odds."
Ace nodded, his face unreadable. "I won't underestimate him, but we need to get to him right now."
Marco shook his head. "We have a plan."
They did, one that seemed to be important at the time, but neither Ace nor Sabo could give a damn about it right now. Still, Marco insisted.
"The marines are after you Ace… you too, Sabo. If they get you-and you survive, you don't know what they will…" he trailed off.
"Say it," Sabo said, feeling anger take hold.
Marco said nothing, looking at the two of them, with what might have been something close to understanding and sympathy. Like an older brother trying to stop their younger siblings' impending meltdown.
For once, Ace's anger had abandoned him, while Sabo's was welling up in him, threatening to burst. Damn near, killing the cipher pol agent had done little to quiet it, and it was back now, stronger than ever. Sabo was furious at Marco for thinking that any of this mattered to them. At the Whitebeards, for getting his brothers caught up in this mess in the first place. At Dragon and Garp, for not caring enough about Luffy to stop this, at the world for doing, at everyone and everything, himself most of all. Some sibling he turned out to be. Sabo had such a small little family. And he would have given anything to protect them, his job, his title, his life, his happiness, his freedom.
He had trained so hard his entire life, every single bone in his hand had been broken and reset, he was so strong, he could break these tunnels with his bare hands. He was so powerful that he had commanded armies in Dragon's wake.
And none of it meant anything. He just kept getting it wrong, over and over. He had never been of any help so… what was the point of him? If he was always going to be this useless, he may as well of stayed a noble.
"Say it!" Sabo said again.
Ace moved, "Sabo," his voice was soft. "Stop."
Marco met Sabo's eyes with his cool gaze. "You don't want to know what they will do to you if they catch you."
Marco was tired. They all were. He hadn't been thinking when he started the sentence. Because- of course they knew what the world would do to them if they were caught. Because they had done it to Luffy.
Marco knew better than anyone, in fact. He was the one who had spent the last few days desperately trying to patch Luffy up. He knew what Ace and Sabo had so far only glimpsed.
Sabo didn't care so much about that. It was the simple fact that Marco honestly thought he gave a damn what happened to himself right now. Like the pirate thought that the world government should scare Sabo. Like this- this right now- was the easy part. Like anything the world could do to him would be worse than this horrible feeling in his stomach, of having someone hurt and scared, someone who trusted, and relied on you, and failing them. Of not knowing what happened to them. If he could, he would have traded places with Luffy in an instant, and never looked back.
"That would be terrible," Sabo said, his voice low, daring the other to disagree. "To be at the mercy of the marines for months."
Marco never wavering. "I know you're angry. I am too. You're right, I do know what they do. But dying isn't going to help anyone."
"They can do what they want," Ace said, speaking the words in Sabo's head, "I don't care."
"You can't avoid them," Marco told him. "Their hunting you, you know why. If you find Luffy, you will lead them straight to him. Why else are we doing this?"
He was right, Sabo knew he was right, and he hated it. With the military swarming them like bee's there was no opportunity to go after Teach, no chance to even breath. They needed a distraction, a break to regroup and make their move. So in the chaos of the admirals attack, Sabo was meant to break open the rock floor with his Dragon's claw, just enough to fall into the tunnel below. The magma would hide the evidence so perfectly everyone would be fooled. Long enough to buy them time to make Teach pay, as long as they were sneaky.
It had seemed like a good idea at the time, their only idea, actually. They hadn't meant to scar Luffy for life. They had just been trying to survive.
"Then they can go after me," Ace said, turning to look at Sabo. "I'll distract them just like before. You can find Luffy and get away."
"No," the words came quickly. That was as good as a death sentence. "I told you, I'm staying with you."
"We don't have any options," Ace said. "You know I'm right. Don't you want to save him?"
"Ace you will die?" Marco told him.
"You were supposed to save him," Sabo told Ace. That was why you did all this. I'll do it. I can keep them away from you."
"Your half dead already," Ace's words cut like a knife. "You can't even throw a punch anymore, let alone distract the marine admirals."
"That's why it has to be me," Sabo said, ignoring the insults. He was half there already, what was the other half? But he had to have just enough left to buy some time.
"What the hell is wrong with you guys?" Marco asked them. "Why are you so eager to die? What kind of older brothers are you?"
"Crappy one's," Ace said.
The man's jaw clenched. "That wasn't what I meant. Don't try to throw away your life, not now, when we are so close."
"If I can't save Luffy, I don't want my life," Ace said.
There was a reason they were friends. There was a reason they had been drawn together. They were both fucked up. Sabo had always thought so. Even though Ace had insisted that Sabo wasn't, that he was the good one. The one who deserved to live.
Other people called it bravery. Fearlessness. But it took a special kind of idiot to run headlong into danger each time, to tempt their own death every week. And brave wasn't the word for it. Rather, it was someone who kind of wanted to see what would happen, who wanted to push fate as far as it would go. Because part of them thought that just maybe… they deserved it. More so than they deserved the air they breathed.
It hurt Sabo that his brother, the one who he spent his childhood beside, was still chasing down death at every corner, all because of some dead guy he had never met.
But at the same time, he understood what it felt like to despise the blood that ran in your veins, to feel sickened by the people who brought you into this world. To feel dirty, not because of what you did, but what you were. This knowledge- that deep, deep inside of you, you were rotten, just like the ones who came before. And nothing you did could make up for it. It was so heavy, so overwhelmingly huge, that sometimes it was hard to breathe and sometimes you just wanted it: All. To. Stop.
"You guys both seriously scare me sometimes," Marco told them, and for whatever reason Sabo felt himself soften. He knew that the pirate wasn't scared of them, but for them. Despite all they had done, he still seemed to view them as endearing snot-nosed brats.
Marco turned to Ace. "I have no use for a corpse, especially not after I spent these last few months looking out for you. So if we do this, we do it my way."
Sabo made a noise of protest, realizing what Marco was saying. But he was cut off. "Ace is right, there is no turning back now. We have to stick to the plan."
"I'll do it."
"It has to be him. You're not up for it."
"I am."
"They will go after him before they go after you," Marco told him.
Because as tempting as the revolutionary secrets inside Sabo's head might be, the only son of the King of Pirates was always going to be a better prize. One they couldn't pass up.
"I'm not letting you do this," Sabo told him.
"You don't have a choice," Ace told him. "You're hurt Sab. Just find Lu, and take him away from here, as far as you can get."
"Not without you!"
"This is what you signed up for," Ace told him.
Marco, sensing the stalemate between the two of them, broke in. "I'll watch his back," he promised. I know you don't like it, but we don't have a choice. Ace is right. Luffy needs your help right now.
God, Marco was annoying. What's worse was he was almost always right. Sabo really wanted to bite his head off at that moment. If for nothing else other than a way to channel his fear and anger of their situation. But he couldn't do that. Not to this man, who was a stranger until a little while ago, who had risked his life again and again for Sabo and his brothers. He didn't deserve Sabo's ire. He really owed the man his undying thanks. But he was fresh out of that, so instead he held his tongue, nodding tersely. Maybe one day, when they were all alive and safe, he would try to repay Marco. But until then-
"If you die," he told Ace, "I'm going to kill you."
XXX
The Marine had run off, tail between his legs and blubbering. All thoughts of him drained from Jozu's mind as he turned back to the kid. He wasn't dead. At least he didn't think so.
His hand was still reaching towards the little plastic pieces that lay just beyond his reach. His eyes were open, but they were dim, staring beyond him, not focused on anything in particular. The wound on his chest was bright red, staining what was left of his shirt and the bandages beneath.
He had been awake when he had grabbed onto Jozu's leg, stopping him from attacking the marine. But his energy had drained away after that, as he lay there, looking up at the sky.
"You're okay, you're okay."
He cussed to himself, one hand pressing down upon the injury. Blood squeezed between his trembling fingers, and Jozu forced two shaky breaths to calm himself. He was not usually squeamish with blood, but- damn it! Why did it have to be him? He wasn't a doctor. He wasn't the right person to be handling this. Yet here they were.
"It's okay Kid- Luffy- It's okay Luffy. It's all going to be okay."
He was lying. If Luffy had been listening to him, he would have picked up on that. Jozu felt stupid for saying it, but he wasn't sure what he was supposed to say. 'That Marine stabbed you, and if you weren't going to die before, you are most certainly dying now.'
He reached up with one hand, clumsily feeling for a pulse against the kid's neck. He found it, slow and sluggish. When his hand came away, it left a bloody fingerprint in his wake.
He didn't know what he was doing. He didn't know what the heartbeat meant, how slow it was, how long he had left. "HELP!" Jozu yelled, realizing he needed it. "HELP!"
He watched as the kid's fingers twitched, still outstretched.
"Kid! Can you hear me? Hang on."
Luffy blinked, long and slow, the only sign of life in his unseeing eyes.
"Luffy! Stay with me. Shit Luffy!"
Jozu was gentle when he slid his hand under the kid's cheek, trying to force him to meet his eye. Give him some sign that he could hear him. But there was no sign of recognition in the half lidded dark eyes. He made a noise, soft and strangled.
His finger moved again, reaching out towards the black shreds of plastic. Coming up short by a good foot. Jozu watched him distractedly, his frenzied brain unable to comprehend what the hell could be so important about that.
He heard the trampling of feet, instantly tensing, wondering how he was supposed to ward off the marines while his hands were the only thing stemming the bleeding from the kids… well he really hoped it wasn't his heart that had been pierced by the sword, or his lungs. But honestly Jozu couldn't imagine being stabbed in the chest and managing to miss something vital.
When he turned around, his hands soaked with blood and slippery, it was Thatch who stood behind him, having managed to sneak away from Garp and come after him.
The man's eyes were wide, his face pale as he stared past Jozu.
The pirate felt his shoulder slump in relief. Thank god. He would have taken Marco, or someone who knew more about medicine, but Thatch was good too. The man was good at keeping his composure, and he knew the kid much better. He would know how to save him.
But Thatch didn't look like he knew anything. He just stood there, staring.
"Thatch!" Jozu barked, trying to shake the other out of it. "Come help!" Still Thatch didn't move, frozen to the spot. Jozu cussed. "Tell me what to do?"
"What…what happened?" Thatch's voice was soft, barely there. Like nothing Jozu had heard before.
"A marine stabbed him. I tried to get him but… just come help me!" Jozu was quickly realizing that Thatch was more useless than he had hoped. "Go find help!...Thatch- he's dying."
Whatever his brother was wrestling with right now, the kid did not have time to wait. That seemed to move the man as he nodded, turning around to go back through the crowed, leaving Jozu alone, kneeling on the cold stone ground, his hands pushing into the wound. He didn't know how long he was there, time seemed to bleed together both impossibly fast and far too slow, knowing any second might be the kids last.
He checked his pulse again, hoping that it was just his imagination that it seemed weaker, harder to find. "Hang in there!" he told him stiffly. "You're not going to let them win, right? Not now… look!" he pointed up at the sky. "That's what you wanted, right? It's right there." When he got no response, he pressed on. "I know you don't like me much, and I can't blame you. But do you really want my voice to be the last thing you hear? MINE? Come on, hold out for a better offer kid," his laugh was gruff and pathetic in the following silence. Jozu wasn't foolish enough to think anything he said could stop the inevitable. But it felt too ironic not to be said. "Come on…." He tightened his grip. "You're not going to do this to Ace are you? He did all this for you. You know that right… I mean, I know it's none of my business, but the world is cold. Sometimes when a kid get's taken by pirates, or bandits, or slavers, the parents are too scared to go after them. They think there's no way they can go up against them… so they just don't. I've seen it happen. So… Ace must have really loved you- loves you-." Jozu corrected himself. "He loves you. So much he decided to take on the Whitebeards, and Teach, and the government. Most people go their entire lives without ever meeting someone who would do that for them, let alone two people. And… well, your grandpa sucks, but the rest of your family…. They seem worth sticking around for, yeah?"
The kid said nothing, and Jozu fell silent, having run out of things to say. He wished Thatch had traded placed with him. He had seen his fair share of death in his life, children too sometimes. But that didn't mean he wanted to watch another. Nor feel it beneath his fingers. Like squishing a fragile butterfly to death beneath his large and bumbling hands. But it was more than that. Jozu had a personal stake in this. Ace had been his friend. He had thought that Ace had betrayed them, that he failed as a Whitebeard pirate when he had sided with Teach. But Jozu had it backwards. He was the one who had failed Ace. Only Marco realized that Ace had needed help. Thank god for him, because the rest of them were so wrapped up in their betrayal, their anger and loss, that they didn't notice Ace drowning. That they had just accepted that this was who he had been all along, a lying, manipulative traitor, just like Teach.
Even when Jozu had been given the chance to hear it from Ace's mouth himself. Even when he could have given their youngest brother the benefit of the doubt, he had tried to kill him. And now, Ace's little brother was dying beneath his hands, Ace was… Ace was who knows where. None of this was Jozu's doing. He knew that. But at this point, with so much hurt and loss, saving Ace's baby brother felt like the least he could do. But he couldn't even manage to do that properly.
Someone was yelling. The noise drawing nearer, pulling Jozu out of his thoughts as he looked up. Thatch had managed to find somebody alright, although not a doctor.
"LUFFY!" Jozu let out a sigh he hadn't realized he had been holding as Sabo crashed to his knee's beside him.
"You're okay!" He told the boy, shocked to see him again after…. "How are you okay?"
Okay, might not have been the best word. The younger boy was covered in blood, staining his clothes and his face, all of him covered in dirt and ash. But he was alive. His blue eyes standing out against his soot covered face.
Sabo ignored him, assessing his little brother with a sweep of his eyes. Unlike Thatch, who seemed scared to touch him, Sabo moved forward, pushing Jozu's hands out of the way to press his own against the wound, his grip firm and unwavering.
"Luffy, LUFFY!" One bloody palm came up to feel the younger boy's cheek, trying to get some kind of response from him. But there was nothing. At some point, Luffy's eyes had slipped closed. Jozu wasn't sure exactly when it was, or if it mattered. He hadn't been with them for a while.
"What happened?"
"A marine stabbed him, right through the chest."
Sabo's gaze turned back down to Luffy, trying to rouse him all the while he held pressure on his chest. Thatch left again, going to find a doctor, no doubt. He moved Luffy, so so gently, so that the younger boy's head rested against Sabo's chest, right above his heart. Sabo's free hand reaching out to pick up the broken button, returning it to his brother's cold and bandaged hand. He carefully folded Luffy's fingers around it.
Jozu sat back, no longer having anything to do. He was glad to pass off the responsibility. But now he was as useless as he felt. He couldn't leave, in case someone tried to attack them, but he didn't want to stay.
"How long?" Sabo asked him, without looking up.
"I… I don't know. Ten… minutes, maybe longer. When I got here, the marine who- uh- who got him was trying to call for help. I think he felt bad. But he still stabbed him and removed the sword. I don't think you're supposed to do that. When he saw me, he tried to run. I was going to go after him, but the kid- er- Luffy- stopped me."
Sabo's brow quirked beneath the layers of worry etched on his face. "He stopped you?'
"Grabbed my leg, wouldn't let me. So I let him go to try to save him. He really wanted to get that," he gestured to Luffy's hand, clenched around the broken plastic bits. "What is it?"
"No idea," Sabo told him, already looking back at Luffy. He used his teeth to pull off his glove, sliding his fingers to Luffy's neck, speckled with partially dried fingerprints, checking his pulse as he timed it against the slow rise of his bandaged chest. Whatever that told him, it wasn't good, as he paled.
"We need a doctor."
Sabo shook his head. "No," his voice was soft. "I don't think… only Marco can save him."
Jozu understood what he was saying. Luffy was beyond that kind of help. He nodded, rising to his feet. "Is Marco okay?"
Sabo looked like he wanted to say more, his emotions flickering across his face as he worked it out for himself. Finally, he nodded. "He's okay," his voice was soft. "He's fighting Teach."
Good. Jozu thought. He hoped he killed him. He hoped it was slow. Whatever Sabo wasn't saying didn't seem as important as he got to his feet. "Will you be okay?"
Sabo didn't say anything, hugging Luffy tighter to himself, the hand pressed against his chest never once wavering. Jozu could answer his own question, 'no.' Sabo very much was not okay.
XXX
Teach stood, overlooking the carnage. The battle unfolded below him. He would wait for his chance to go after the old man. Until then, he contented himself with the sight of the Whitebeards scattered across the island.
This hadn't gone according to plan. Not by a mile. Although the situation was still salvageable. They needed to take out the old man first. Permanently wounding the Whitebeards. Crippling the revolutionaries would be a plus for sure. Although that was harder to accomplish now that they lost the brat. Although Teach was still holding out hope that they would find him, that or take Dragon's head, resolving the situation. The killing of Ace, Marco, and that little revolutionary tag along was a start. One that was bound to pay off well for him. He would make sure his part in orchestrating their downfall was not overlooked.
All the players were here, he assured himself. It was just a matter of catching him. After all, those rats weren't going to escape. Not from him, after all those years of planning. Regardless of how annoying some of them were.
The world was still his. It just didn't know it yet.
There was a flash of blue at the corner of his eyes, and Teach turned, feeling familiar sparks of warning prickle at his mind.
He moved just in time to meet the oncoming fist, covered in fire and hot tempered as ever. The blow hit him straight on, cracking his nose, and exploding across his face as the not-so-dead Ace dropped down from where the phoenix had been carrying him, landing in place to give Teach a solid smack.
Not wasting a second, he lashed out with his boot, sending another bone shattering kick into the man's ribs, his fire exploding outwards.
Teach didn't have even a second to recover as Ace came at him again and again, flames swirling around them like a hurricane, and burning Teach's skin.
The next punch landed on the man's mouth, and he spat out a bloody tooth with a cough, staring up at the teenager with shock. "You- you're alive!"'
Ace truly looked like a demon, smoke rising up from his shoulders, molten fire, burning blue with his absolute fury, pulsing outwards with every breath he took.
"You Hurt My Brother."
XXX
****I said this a few chapters ago, but some people are asking that I remind you all that updated it's email notification policy. So if you want to get email updates for new chapters on any stories you have to go back into your fanfic account setting and resubscribe to receive email updates (it is very annoying) I am working on updating this story on AO3 so I can start cross posting their as well and be done with the headache.
Next chapter will be all about our boy Ace, because he is about to have some very bad news. And he is going to react very badly. And Ace is going to think it's because he's cursed, and people who get close to him die. But I don't agree.
(Thatch didn't want to touch Luffy because he is so traumatized by everything that has happened. And Sabo didn't want Jozu getting Marco because he is worried about Ace's reaction.)
I'm so happy you guys liked last chapter. It is near and very dear to my heart. (If you didn't understand it that is okay, you don't need too.) The only important takeaway is Luffy isn't dead- just almost nearly but not quite yet and won't be- and also Luffy's devil fruit has a soft spot for him (because he preciouse).
Almost there! Hang in there everyone
My life is nuts, please send help. I spent most of August in this tiny tiny tiny town in the north near Alaska with no cell service, only dirt roads, with the closest civilization being three hours away. I was supervising them putting in a drainage system. Then I was back for five days before getting sent out again to another little town to supervise some river stuff. I've been back for two days, and I leave first thing tomorrow to go back to the tiny tiny lil town (which is 10 hours away) to make sure they don't hurt the fishies when they repair the road (my boss is very into fish). And when I get back, I'll be going to Europe with my family, and then back to the tiny town until October.
On the bright side, I've gotten to explore all over northern British Columbia! And I've seen dozens of baby bears, and wild horses, and played hide and seek with a curious mink. (But I would like to live in my house for longer than a few days, cuddle my bunnies, and make some friends so my boss stops pitying me.)
All this to say, I desperately want to wrap this arc up, but I can honestly say I have no idea when the next chapter will be. So, I promise to do my best you guys. If you want to blame someone for the fact that this chapter, was not the happy resolution you were promised, I think you should blame Ace and Sabo, they would not stop talking (I guess they're upset for some reason).
I really appreciate you guys and your support. I will keep writing this story as long as everyone keeps reading it : ) And of course, don't give up on me yet. We are so close. I would say give it 1-2 more chapters, but I always lie, so don't trust me.
But do go check out the one piece live action I loved watching all of our friends find each other again. And I need the show to get a lot of views so we can get a season two. This is very important to me, as I need them to cast my live action Ace, so I can then go marry live action Ace, and become Mrs. Ace's wife, and ride one of my bear coworkers off into the sunset together. (Let me know what you thought of the show!)
XXX
Eternal She-Wolf: Hello my old friend. I'm really glad you liked it. Baby Luffy and Ace are too much for me. They are so cute but also violent. (It was Sabo) but just for right now, Ace is about to get wind of it.
I think Nika knows Luffy is the right one, at the wrong time. So until he is ready he will be patiently waiting in the background.
Yes! It's up to everyone, but my hot take is that Nika spent a lifetime with Luffy, enough to understand the people around him and his relationships. So even though his Ace impersonation wasn't perfect, it was really close, and mirrored how he knew Ace really felt. (I promise the next two chapters will be all about Ace, and how much Luffy means to him).
I've never thought about to overall theme before haha. But I like yours! I think you are right, and also maybe that sometimes really bad things happen to really good people, and that just hurts because it's meant too.
That and Nika wants to give Luffy the most freedom in the world. I love doctor who/ and that quote. I would 100% read that fic, if you write it.
Long reviews are my absolute favorite! They always make my day! I love to know what people thought of the chapter. So thank you for brightening my day! Hopefully you like this one as well.
Caelan0012: Haha, thank you for not being too mad about the cliff hanger. I will do my best to get to happy as soon as I can. It will get a bit sadder before evening out to fluffy.
.7: That's fair. I brought this upon myself haha. So your right, it really wasn't gear five. Joy boy was pretending to be Luffy's brothers in dreams throughout the story to suss Luffy out/ challenge/ help him. Not important overall! It was just a weird little dream like chapter I was trying. We will return to our regularly scheduled plot stuff from now on!
Zahadacem: Aw, your review was so sweet. I am so happy you liked it. I am sorry I killed the great sea beast known as Lizard! He was a good friend. A thousand kisses back! And I did end up having fun at adult work camp! I certainly befriended a lot of doggies.
eri1325: Sorry! That was my bad, I should have been clearer, no gear five. At least not for right now. Maybe near the end of the story. There will be hints of it throughout the rest of the fic.
Urutiyori: Ugh, I know, stupid . I really wish they didn't do that, I lost a lot of reviewers. I was not consulted by the gods, and I resent that haha. I will do my best to post the next chapter this month, but I don't know how successful I will be.
Guest 1: Wish granted my friend.
Armoise asphodle cytise bruyre: Hello!
That's really neat! I'm French Canadian, and my mom's side of the family speak French as their first language. But so far, they keep rejecting my requests to translate this story for me (something to do with it being 70 chapters lol). But that is so cool that you like it! I wish I could make a translation for you, but despite years of French class, and a mom who is a French teacher, Mon française et mal, tres mal.
I haven't heard that one before. But I think it might be because the longer I practise writing, the more fancy/ convoluted way I tend to write things that could be simple. So it's probably my fault! Over the years a lot of people have approached me asking to translate the series into Russian, Spanish, german ect. I haven't gotten one for French yet, but I will keep an eye out and let you know if anyone ever takes it on!
Why thank you, that's really nice. I like your metaphors. Poor Luffy indeed.
So Luffy still wants to be taken care of, but specifically by Ace and Sabo, because he is already used to relying on them. At this point in his life, he doesn't understand adult- parent relationships like the one Thatch is trying to have with him. He views other people as equals and does not like being treated as a child by them. So he is specifically fighting against other people babying him. (Wano is so good!)
Shin1Ah: Of course! This story is my baby. Plus I also need the fluff that is on the horizon. And that is so sweet, thank you. I am so glad you liked it! I will do my best to have the rest out quickly.
Abehsi: Why thank you.
Yumi-nachan: I am so happy you liked it. Last chapter was so fun to write, I love the joyboy twist in the manga.
jx378940: Aw, thanks.
MorningStar: You and me both, but try as I might, I can't seem to get through this as fast as I was hoping. I have been planning this part of the story for ever, so there are still a few plot points I'm missing for the story to make sense. But as soon as I get the last ones (very Ace centric) we can leave the sad parts behind.
I was just having a bit of fun last, chapter. I am sure I was way off the mark in terms of what Goda has planned. (But Joy Boy is a real Caribbean legend from a book called the encyclopedia of things that never were. Oda got some other ideas for one piece from the book as well.)
Rose Narcissus: I'm glad you liked it! Thank you for the review. I will try to be quicker next time.
CaffienatedAF: Why thank you! I am so glad you liked it. It made me cry too haha. That is so sweet to hear. The last chapter was very near and dear to my heart.
Dragonalw: Oh no! You mustn't let win. You can go turn back on the notifications in you settings if you would like to receive updates again.
Thank you! I am so happy to hear you like it. Luffy has maxed out on bad things happening to him. When he wakes up things will get better for him bit by bit. And have an awesome amazing day as well!
evelynromano0808: Aw, shucks.
Nancy2239: Wow! That is so sweet to hear. I'm choosing to believe you because I would love to add psychic headache curer to my resume haha. But I am glad you are feeling better. Surprise headaches are fun for no one. I am so glad you liked it! I had so much fun writing that last one. Hopefully you like this chapters as well, and the headaches leave you alone. (I will try to work my magic fanfic powers for you to ward them away but no promises).
Wishfull-star: They will be! They won't leave him, after this. But he is going to be really skiddish after all of this. Stay safe as well.
XXX
That's all for now folks. See you next time. (As soon as my work allows).