"Hey, brother! I heard that you're pretty stupid. Mother and father were always saying that behind the curtain. But you have the devil's luck 'cuz they're gonna take care of the burnable tomorrow night. If you had stayed in the Gray Terminal, you would've died tomorrow. Well, it would've been better for me if their real son didn't come home..." Haughty, the young boy before the newly retrieved Sabo says to him however he soon falters from Sabo suddenly snatching him by the collar.
"W-W-What are you doing?! I'll tell father!" Scared, Sterry, Sabo's newly adopted brother squeals scared. He wears a shirt with frills going down the middle along with a bow-tie and suspenders. He has a round head with a thin, flat nose and a bowl-shaped haircut.
"What were you talking about?! What's going on? Tell me everything!" Sternly, Sabo demands from Sterry.
"Th-There's gonna be a fire in the Gray Terminal tomorrow." Stuttering, Sterry answers anxiously.
"A fire?!" Flabbergasted, Sabo says shocked.
"Yeah. You don't know about it because you weren't here. But they decided it months ago. Did you know that the World Government has sent a group of inspectors to go around the East Blue? They're gonna arrive in Goa Kingdom finally days from now! And they have a World Noble, a Celestial Dragon with them so people are panicking! The members of the royal family don't want him to see our shame, so they decided to burn down the Gray Terminal. Then this country will be clean!" Cheerily, Sterry smiles from ear to ear.
"What are you talking about? That's impossible! There are a lot of people living there! They can't take away their home!" Sabo argues anxious, he gave himself up to his father and Bluejam group so his brothers would be safe!
"Let go of me! Weren't you listening to me? They're gonna burn up all the shame of this country." Cockily, Sherry smiles from ear to ear, joyous at the thought.
"You mean, the people, too?" Tense, Sabo says shocked.
"H-Hey! Where are you going? You can't just jump down..." Sterry calls out taken aback as Sabo leaps down out of the window heading off, unaware of the boxes being places down by Ace and Luffy, oblivious to the explosions and oils inside as Bluejam ordered them to set the boxes down near the terminal with his other lackeys.
"Well, well, well look who comes crawling back!" Brow furrowed, Dadan's hues narrow at the blonde entering the hut.
"…Last I checked I didn't crawl and you were throw out of the treehouse." Tiredly, Ann deadpans, boredom clear in her tired tone eyeing the bandits littered about the house.
"You could have told me about that trap!" Dadan snaps scowling shoving some newspaper down showcasing some celestial dragon approaching as Ann furrows her brow by the title of the newspaper.
"Yeah I could have…" Ann admits giving Dadan that taking out her book bored, she could have but…
"But…" Brow twitching, Dadan growls glaring at Ann.
"But it was funnier to watch." Ann argues.
"You're waay to honest!" Dadan shouts scowling at the unapologetic blonde.
"So how are the boys?" Befuddled, Ann asks as she takes a seat around the fierce flames, watching the flickering flames dance dubiously before the bandits.
"How should we know? They're on their two feet now." Bitterly, Dadan growls glaring to the side scowling, crossing her arms over her chest, cigarettes of a handful shoved into her mouth musting Ann as to how she managed to put so many in her mouth, pondering how she could breath through so much smoke…
"Huh they made it this long, fair play." Fairly, Ann gives the kids that.
"Don't fair play them their kids!" Dadan roars raising her voice to Ann as said blonde doesn't bat an eye to the woman's raised voice.
"Crafty kids you gotta give it to them." Truthfully, Ann argues they deserved to be trusted to take care of themselves.
"Tch just take a seat we're about to have dinner." Dadan grumbles glaring at Ann as she soon stands scowling turning towards the kitchen.
"Sure." Aloofly, Ann shrugs waiting for the food ahead unaware of what was to come…
"What's going on?" Scared, a thief calls out amongst the gray terminal residence when seeing said fierce flames feast upon the land of Gray Terminal.
"It's like a wildfire! It's never happened before!" Terrified, one resident of Gray Terminal adds screaming scared staring at the fierce flames.
"It's dangerous - evacuate Edge Town!" One of the thief residents holler horrified to see said searing fierce flames spread out as the thieves try to evacuate.
"All residents must head to Downtown! Leave the lifesaving and fire extinguishing to us military!" The armed government workers wearing a gray suit and gas mask of sorts stands guard, guns in hand, armed and ready for what was to come as the thieves rush over.
"We made it to the Great Gate! We're safe now! Wh-What are you doing?!" Relieved, one of the many inhabitants of the terminal smile relieved only to falter from the gun aimed at him.
"We only protect the residents here!" The masked men report pointing their gun at the terrified residents.
"No way!" The thief staggers back many of the other residents of the terminal taken aback at the ring of fire around them and the guns aimed at them like cows being taken to the slaughter…
"How can you do this?!" Terrified, one of the residents roar, tears in their eyes.
"Let us get in!" Incensed, one of the terminal residents demands but it falls to deaf ears.
"Help us, please!" Pleadingly, one of the residents cry.
"You gotta run! The fire is spreading all around!" Another voice soon screams.
"We can't stay here!" Horrified, one of the residents realizes.
"It's no use, give it up!" One of the residents fall flat to the ground, the tears freely falling from the sobbing wreck.
"Oh! The fire has gotten to the shore already!" Anxiously, another states the obvious.
"The entrance to the forest is ablaze, too! Damn! Where should we go?!" Sweat slides down the tense temple of another resident.
"We're stuck!" Screaming, another sharp sob soon breaks through terrified at death looming over them.
"Burn everything, guys! When we complete this task, my long-cherished dream will come true!" Bluejam proclaims proudly to the high heavens happily turning to head towards the tall towering gates his lackeys following after him, turning their backs to the terrified residents of Gray Terminal.
"You're right. We don't give a damn about the other people living here. But even if this place is so crappy, it's good enough for us to hide in, King." Bluejam smirks smugly leaning back in his seat, on his throne of sorts smirking smugly legs crossed over the table as he resides in his hideout, his lackeys, two of them to be exact stand by his side ready to serve if necessary while his crew are sat on the sofa smirking.
"I'm aware of that, Bluejam. But when this is over, you no longer need to hide. I will make you and your friends nobles by my authority." The posh looking snail says to Bluejam as Bluejam's eyes widen with his crew.
"Will you really?!" Baffled, Bluejam gawks gapes at the news leaning lurching forward flabbergasted by the reveal by the offer by the benefit Bluejam and his crew would achieve form it, his crew himself look eager at the thought as they turn their attention to the boss and the snail shocked by the offer.
"The king will give us titles and we'll live in the High Town as privileged nobles! We better get moving. Let's get to the Great Gate! The military is waiting." Boastfully, Bluejam beams brightly at the slammed shut doors as the fierce flames feast behind them.
"Captain, we left the brats in the hideout..." One of his lackeys point out conflict clear on his furrowed features at the thought of the tied up children being left for the fierce flames to feast on them.
"Forget 'em. They could've joined my crew if they told me where the treasure was. Fools can't live long anyway." Annoyed, Bluejam grumbles glaring to the side scowling at the thought of those troubled kids, not being his problem.
"But it's closed, Captain!" Concerned, one of Bluejam's crew points out.
"Don't panic. They just don't want other people to get away. The plan is for me to give them a sign, then they'll open the gate. It's me, Bluejam. Open up. Hey! Don't you hear me?!" Mad, Bluejam bellows raising his fist harshly hitting the door, the sharp sound of metal echoing however he is met by still silence only hearing the fierce flames behind him, feeling the scorching searing heat to boot as sweat slides slithers down his temple as the penny finally drops…
"Is this...Captain, could it be..." Terrified, one of the crew queries worriedly.
"Hey, you guys, what are you doing?! Open the gate! The plan was you let us evacuate from here, right?! This is not what we agreed to! You bastards! What happened to your promise, King?! You said that you'd make us nobles... You set us up? King! Dammit!" Desperately, Bluejam screams screeches banging on the door desperate distraught drenched in his tone.
"Did you hear? Bluejam, a pirate in the Gray Terminal, started the fire." One of the nobleman on the other side of the wall murmur to another noble.
"That's what I thought! No one else would do that." The nobleman refuses watching the scarlet sky seeing some ash flying above.
"He did it to try to keep the observers from the World Government away. How terrible he is!" Another nobleman murmurs.
"It's hot! It's hot!" Panicked Luffy cries the tears freely falling as he stares at the fierce flames beofre him tied to the pole with Ace.
"Damn! We didn't wanna be involved in this!" Angrily, Ace curses, cradling a piece of glass, swiftly snapping said rope coiled around the two.
"We can't get away! I don't wanna die!" Distraught, Luffy screams sobbing his heart out.
"I'll leave you behind if you don't stop complaining!" Cross, Ace threatens as Ace stands scowling at the fierce flames.
"It's not hot. Whoa, it's hot! No, it's not. The fire is everywhere outside! I can't breathe. Yes, I can! The air is hot! No, it's not." Luffy corrects himself
"It's gonna be alright! I'm here with you!" Ace assures Luffy.
"Open the gate!" Screaming, Sabo rushes towards the armed men.
"What are you talking about?! You brat! Take him away!" Annoyed, one of the masked men order.
"Ace! Luffy! Run!" Screeching, Sabo grabs hold of the clog clinging to it.
"Stay away! Stay away from the lock!" The masked men rush over raising the back of their guns.
"No! Ace! Luffy!" Soba screams as they begin beating Sabo black and blue but he remains firmly locked onto the lever until…
"Be a good kid and evacuate! Don't give us any trouble!" The masked man throws Sabo away making him hit the floor below.
"A-Ace... Luffy..." Sabo whimper weakly, his hues narrowing, black dots soon forming but before he could descend down into the dark depths of below.
"What happened to you, boy?" A man in green holds the blonde boy.
"O-Old man... The royalty and nobles are... behind the fire... Believe me... This town smells worse than Gray Terminal. It smells like rotten people! If I stay here... I'll never be free! I'm…ashamed of being born a noble!" Crying, Sabo whimpers weakly, the tears freely falling from the child clinging to the man in green.
"They finally made a kid say this! Goa Kingdom! The man's hues widen when hearing Sabo's words.
"I know how you feel. I was born in this country, too. But I still don't have enough power to change the country." Honestly, he admits to the boy below.
"Old man, you really are listening to me, aren't you?" Sabo sniffles slightly.
"Yes, and I'll never forget…" The man in green vows as Sabo descends down into the dark depths of his dreams…
"Captain, there's no chance! There's no way to put out the fire! We gotta give up the ship!" Screaming, one of Bluejam's men point to the fierce flames feasting upon his ship.
"We can't flee to the sea!" Scared, another member of Bluejam's bellow.
"Damn the King! How could he do this to us?! I'll show that bastard!" Bluejam vows viciously.
"Honestly! It's so annoying that the sky in the south is bright even in the night." The man on his throne huffs raising a China cup of tea i the air as he loos out at the burning scarlet sky.
"We are sorry, your Majesty. Let us close the curtain." The servants standing beofre him close said window blocking out the searing scarlet sun.
"Say, daddy, why are the people in the Gray Terminal not humans? Why do they have to get burned?" Innocently, the young girl asks as both father and daughter look out at the fierce flames in the night sky.
"As the phrase goes, "As a man sows, so shall he reap." Think about it. They could have avoided their fate just by being born nobles." The father tells his daughter.
"Born nobles? You're right! They should have chosen to be born nobles! They're stupid!" Smiling, the girl giggles.
"Now, enough about those people, you have to study for tomorrow. You better go to bed." Smiling, the young father tells his daughter.
"Okay! Good night." Smiling, the young girl beams brightly at her father before heading to bed turning her back to the fierce flames of the scarlet sky of the perturbed people of the Terminal being burnt to the ground…
"I don't wanna die here!" Both boys hear the sharp screams of residents roaring, tears freely falling from their frightened hues worriedly watching as the fierce flames feast around the terminal. Both boys could feel the harsh heat around the flickering flames, hearing the crisp crackle of it as the boys try to find a way out…
"I wonder if those old men escaped safely. This is no time to be concerned about other people! Damn! I don't even know where I am!" Ace curses cross, scowling snapping at Luffy before trying to focus on some sort of escape.
"Who said that you could get away, you brats?!" Boisterously, Bluejam approaches the two taking them aback.
"Bluejam! Why are you still here after setting the fire?! You were supposed to have escaped by now!" Astonished, Ace says shocked.
"Shut up, you little shit! We're hopeless, you know. We have an unforeseen dilemma. Humans are strange creatures, aren't they? When you hit rock bottom, you can't stop laughing." Bluejam chuckles coyly drawing out his gun.
"They are acting weird." Luffy whimpers weakly, brow furrowing at Bluejam and his crew.
"Luffy, let's go!" Ace grabs Luffy's hand trying to escape but…
"Don't let them! We worked together - we're friends! We have to die together!" The two soon stop faltering from the gun aimed at them as they glare glower up at Bluejam.
"We don't wanna die with you!" Annoyed, Ace snaps scowling up at the grow adult.
"Not in a million years!" Luffy adds angrily.
"You're so cold. Come to think of it, you haven't told me where you keep your treasure. I'll save it for you before the fire gets it. So tell me where it is." Bemused, Bluejam chuckles pointing his gun at the two.
"Your life is in danger and all you care about is treasure?" Taken aback, Ace scowls at Bluejam befuddled baffled by his reasoning.
"If you don't care, then tell me where it is. " Incensed, he snaps scowling at Ace.
"You've gone mad." Ace's hues narrow at Bluejam.
"If you're not gonna go get it, it'd be a waste. If nothing is done, it's gonna be reduced to charcoal like my ship. What a waste." Bluejam points out to the two.
"Don't be ridiculous! That treasure is..." Luffy scowls glaring up at Bluejam but…
"Alright, I'll tell you!" Agitated, Ace snaps scowling at Bluejam.
"Ace! You and Sabo spent a lot of time..." Tentatively, Luffy tries to argue anxiously but…
"Sabo would understand! What matters the most now is your... What matters the most now is our lives!" Ace snaps sharply scowling cutting Luffy off.
"Ace..." Luffy whispers worriedly watching Ace be shoved some piece of wood which he grabs a sharp stick of sorts, sketching a design of a map, drawing it out.
"We keep our treasure from last years in this tree." Tense, Ace snaps scowling shoving said bark to Bluejam with the huge X he wrote on.
"I see." Bluejam takes the wooden plank eyeing it as Ace glances overhearing the sharp sob of Luffy.
"Don't cry! It's alright. This is not the end." Ace tells Luffy stoically staring ahead at Bluejam and the others however as he says said words, his hues soon widen when suddenly, Bluejam's group grab hold of Ace and Luffy taking the two aback as they are lifted up in the air.
"Oi what are you doing?! I told you where it is!" Incensed, Ace snaps scowling struggling seething, shaking trying to escape thrashing in the lackey's arms as Bluejam laughs at the struggling pair.
"You're right. This is not the end. Which means you could be lying. You gotta come with us." Bluejam dictates pointing his gun at the two.
"No way! Then it's gonna be too late to escape! Why don't you guys go on your own?!" Angry, Ace snaps scowling at Bluejam.
"You don't wanna mess with me now. I'm determined to make a comeback, even if it means stealing from kids so I can take my revenge on nobles. And your brother is one of them. They think they're so special and look down on others as if we're trash!" Crazed, Bluejam bellows boisterously, seething spitting such venom out towards the children before him, hatred pouring out of him.
"Sabo doesn't think like that!" Angrily, Ace roars raising his voice to Bluejam but…
"He's the same as them, fool! He was with you both just to feel superior!" Scowling, Bluejam yells roaring at Ace.
"That's not true!" Luffy joins Ace's side scowling at Bluejam.
"His parents are loaded. He doesn't have to worry about anything! It was just a pastime for him. He was looking down on you guys and laughing to himself holding his nose!" Bluntly, Bluejam tells them how it is feeling his blood boil, bubble, burn at the foolish children below.
"Stop talking bad about Sabo!" Shouting, Ace roars raising his voice, feeling his own blood boil, bubble, burn at Bluejam's words, Sabo was kind, he was smart, he was loyal he wouldn't turn his back to them, he wouldn't turn his back to his brothers, they shared sake, Ace knew that, Luffy knew that, Sabo wouldn't betray them, he did what he did for them, they forgot about him for his sake as he went away for their own sake!
"Yeah, Sabo just wants to be free!" Luffy joins in brow furrowing fuming from Bluejam's words growling gritting grinding his teeth together tense.
"You little shit!" Snarling, one of the lackeys draw out his blade as the sharp scream makes Ace's heart drop seeing scarlet splatter into the heated hot air around them.
"Luffy!" Ace screams horrified when hearing his cry watching him descend down hitting the hard ground below.
"I'm gonna kill you!" The lackey raises his sword to the wailing crying child thrashing rolling back and forth covering his eyes, covering the wound formed from said strike.
"Let go of me! Don't touch Luffy!" Ace thrashes trying to escape, trying to let loose, trying to help Luffy as soon as he emits said words, a sudden spike of a wave hits the air as the man holding him, lets loose taking the others aback as next Ace knew…he fell, many of the bodies towering over them, joining him however while he stands strong the others go limp on the ground knocked out…
"…Ace!" Ann's hues widen when sensing said wave as she stood before the fierce flames of the terminal, diving down, rushing forward, following the familiar aura signatures of the children…
"What did you do?!" Bluejam roars cocking his gun at Ace astonishing eyeing the fallen figures of his men littered about the burning hellscape of the terminal taken aback at them all knocked out.
"Dammit... You creepy brat! Do you wanna make a fool out of me, too?!" Bluejam growls slamming his fierce foot down on Ace pinning him to the ground.
"Shut up, you scumbag!" Ace struggles beneath said foot trying to escape but…
"Ace!" Luffy cries as Ace's hues widen when noting the gun aimed at him about to be fired however as Ace prepares for it, hearing Luffy's blood curdling cry and the ring of the bullet being fired…Ace feels…nothing?
"…Still as pathetic as ever Bluejam." Ace's hues jolt up at the familiar voice, his hues widening when seeing a familiar blonde before him, her hand firmly on the gun, misdirecting the fire as Ace looks to his side seeing said shot nearly nick him, seeing the bullet lodge into the wooden planks behind him.
"Y-You're not meant to be here!" Bluejam says shakily staggering back attempting to wave his gun only to cry, screaming as Ace hears the crisp crunch of bone before him watching his sister with one hand
"Ann…" Ace sniffles weakly while trying to keep the tears of relief in but…
"Oh but I am and harming my little brothers…is what will send you to your grave." Ann suddenly snatches Bluejam by the throat taking the taller bulkier man aback as the small pipsqueak blonde of sorts swiftly snatches him by the throat in a chokehold raising him high into the air as Ace swore he heard the crisp crunch of bone hearing his heaving grow heavier, a strangle scream trying to break through but….
"T-To fight the right had of a yonko…what a way to go better than this flames." Faintly, the man heaves huffs, scarlet stains spewing out of his lips as his eyes seemingly roll back befuddled Ace as Ann simply stares stoically at the fool.
"Seems the flames are doing most of the work what with the bull you're sprouting." Snippily, Ann huffs, her grip tightening watching him forcibly cough crimson heaving huffing attempting to breath but seemingly struggling to do so as she throws the fool aside as frantic footsteps rush over.
"Finally, we found you! These are pretty serious wounds, Luffy! Are you okay?" Dogra rushes over to the hurt Luffy's side.
"Dogra..." Luffy whimpers weakly.
"I don't see Sabo anywhere!" Dogra takes note of.
"Sabo went home. He's not here." Ace answers rubbing his throat.
"You're the boss monkey from Mt. Corvo…" Crookedly coughing, the heaving Bluejam stands making Ann arch a brow bored noting the glint of madness in his hues heaving huffing it.
"I'm the mountain bandit - Dadan! I don't know why but I'm registered as their foster parent. I won't stand by and watch someone try to take my boys' lives even if I'm not their real parent!" Proudly, Dadan declares determined, axe in hand.
"Dadan." Ann turns to her.
"Right... Run!" Dadan roars raising her voice as the bandits grab Luffy and leave.
"Yes boss!" They comply however…
"Hey, what're you doing?! Ace, hurry up!" Magra tries to tug Ace to move but…
"Ace!" Ann furrows her brow at the boy behind her.
"I...won't run!" Resolved, he stands by her side pipe in hand glaring at Bluejam.
"What're you saying, Ace?! Don't try to fight him! Bluejam is a real villain! He's not a guy that a kid like you can beat!" Magra tries to warn Ace trying to tug him to follow but…Ace doesn't bat an eye to him.
"-Let me fight, too!" Ace looks up at Ann.
"No, Luffy!" One of the bandits try to stop the thrashing child.
"Let me fight with you! Ann I can beat this guy please!" Pleadingly, Luffy joins in but…
"…Dadan." Ann calls out to her simply staring at the bloodied battered beaten Bluejam.
"Right." Dadan strides in, grabbing hold of Ace as she begins dragging him away.
"No let me go! Let me go! Ann I can fight too! Let me fight! Ann!" Ace screams screeching shouting at the woman simply stoically staring ahead aloofly as she doesn't even bat an eye to the bellowing boys, her hues dead set on Bluejam as the fierce flames draw closer and closer to the two…
"I'm surprised you lot are quite merciful." Bluejam croaks, heaving holding his throat, coughing choking scarlet.
"Yes typically my captain prefers that however he isnt here and you've done something…that I can never forgive. I'd rather Ace and Luffy not see me spill blood but for what you've done…nothing will save you from me." Firmly, Ann states the fact firmly her hand darting down to her blade.
"Ann!" Ace screams screeching swiftly chocking on the fumes and smoker as the tears freely fall from him, trying to reach out to her as Dadan drags him away as the fierce flames soon enough sprout out a wall separating both bandit and yonko officer.
"I'm a dead man!"
"The fire is all over the place! How could this happen all of the sudden?!"
"It's hot! It's hot!"
"There's no way out! We have to give up!"
Wailing, the people of terminal cry out as the fierce flames draw closer and closer until a sudden gust of wind bursts through the fierce flames blowing some of it out.
"What just happened? There's a path! The explosion left a path! I don't know what's going on but this is great!" One of the terminal residents points out.
"Hey look, there is a ship! I see a ship!" Another adds as they point to the ship wearing a familiar man in a green cloak stands aboard looking down at the people of Terminal below.
"This path leads up to the shore! We can get away by following it! Let's go before the fire returns!" One of the residents roar as they all rush over to do that, rushing towards their only escape.
"How awful they are to burn the area and the residents there! By the way, how did you know the situation in such an outlying country in the East Blue? Is there something special about this country?" A taller figure cloaked in green with heavy makeup ponders standing by the man in green's side.
"This country is an example of how the world will be in the future. There can be no happiness in a world where the undesirables are thrown away. Someday, I will change the world…children are born innocent even in a county like this…" The tattooed male explains, his hues closing at the thought of a certain blonde boy…
"Those of you who are willing to fight for freedom, come aboard!" The man in green soon steps up talking to the Terminal Gray people, easily rushing aboard.
"Easy, easy, wait, Luffy. You're not recovered - where're you going?" Dogra jolts up at the shakily standing Luffy bandages coiled all over him, hat still on as he waddles, crawls towards the wall, leaning against it trying to steady his limping trying to make his way towards the door.
"I gotta go and look for Ann." Luffy grunts grimacing at the pain all over his form.
"Idiot don't do that!" Dogra calls out as the boy falls flat to the ground.
"Ouch!" Luffy winces when hitting the floor.
"See? That's what I told you. You're seriously wounded. You have to rest nice and easy. There are a lot of troops in the Gray Terminal now to take care of the mess after the fire. It's not just burned junk that they're throwing out, but survivors, too. They're gonna kill you if you go there." Truthfully, Dogra tells Luffy placing him back in the bed.
"But...! I wanna see Ann! I know that Ace and Sabo are worrying about her, too!" Tearfully, Luffy cries, his heart aching at the thought of them.
"…Ace…" Dadan approaches the silent sullen Ace his back turned in a sperate room of pitch black, simply staring down at the crumpled letter below, his plate casted to the side full of untouched meat.
"…" Silently, said male stares down at the letter below.
"You need to eat." Dadan places another plate of food down.
"I'm going out." Aloofly, Ace brushes Dadan off storming past her.
"You won't find her!" Dadan grabs Ace's shoulder.
"Shut up I will I'll find her and drag her back I'll-" Incensed, Ace roars raising his voice, hitting Dadan's hand away.
"Ace…" Dadan furrows her brow at him.
"She isn't dead she can't be…she won't…she promised. She promised she'd come back, she said she wouldn't leave me again!" Anguished, Ace whimpers weakly, biting his lip bowing his head trying to stop the tears from freely flowing.
"Ace…!" Dadan's hues soften sadly at the crying child that was Ace attempting to be strong, attempting to be tough, attempting to be so much as the child broke before Dadan hugging him, holding him, letting him let his own worries out…
"What a great view!" The merry masked man kicked a stray empty can down the hill of charred rubbish.
"How can you be so happy? It's a pain in the butt to clean up this mess!" Mad, the fellow masked man huffs.
"If we find a survivor, we're to shoot them on sight." Smiling, the same masked man argues as they look around with a fair few for survivors.
"There aren't any." Arrogantly, the masked man assumes.
"But there aren't as many dead bodies as I thought there'd be." Bluntly, the other confesses.
"It was a big fire. It could've burned out the bones." Briskly, the masked man dismisses as they continue cleaning, doing their spring cleaning…
"I was nervous yesterday, thinking that the fire might get to this side of the wall." A nobleman admits to the other behind the wall while those in masks tend to the clean-up.
"They say that Bluejam's ship was on fire, too." Another gossips to the nobleman.
"It's nice to know that those villains got burned!" Relieved, the nobleman exclaims.
"Don't you think it's best for you to go and check on them?" Tentatively, Makino asks Ann currently reading the paper brow furrowing from it.
"Not yet, not until that celestial dragon leaves." Ann mutters reading the paper.
"You mean for the marines to leave…" Makino translate.
"I'm still wanted remember?" Ann reminds Makino placing the paper down showing said wanted poster of her.
"…Ann what about Ace?" Worriedly, Makino queries concern clear in her tone making Ann sigh, holding her head at her point.
"Look Maki it'll be fine I have it sorted…!" Sighing, she tries to ignore the guilt gnawing away at her at the thought of her baby brother as just then her hues light up, a fierce flame of ruby red enveloping her singular hue.
"…Something wrong?" Makino asks snapping Ann out of her thoughts.
"Mind if I use the back?" Hopeful, Ann asks.
"…Go ahead." Lost, Makino allows as Ann swings herself over the desk, going in the back as just then Makino hears the door open to the bar making her turn towards the tall, towering figure before her ducking his head as he enters the bar.
"Welcome back…" Meekly, Makino smiles at the man with shades silently entering the bar…
Quietly, a still silence hangs heavily in the air as the man softly sips the sherry wine within the glass, no words needing to be said as he eyes the paper presented besides him. He swerves said glass of ruby red as Makino furrows her brow, he had come again…why now? Makino glances behind her at the slumped state of Ann sweating bullets by the still silence hanging heavily in the tight tensions of the air around them.
"…Has she been here?" Finally, he breaks the still silence, his husky voice bringing a faint shy shiver to Ann's back but she shakes her head brushing it off, having much more matters of a pressing nature to deal with then…him.
"…Who?" Innocently, Makino smiles shyly.
"I think you know who." He hints as Ann's hues narrow surprised, he wasn't flirting with her.
"…I'm afraid not." Smiling, Makino lies.
"That so?" Softly, he whispers noting the glass to his side filled with a similar shade of substance to his own, one leg over the other, he eyes the abandoned glass.
"If you don't mind me asking why are you after her?" Makino asks as she spots his look swiftly snatching said glass.
"She's a pirate." Pointedly, he answers as Ann tenses up and Makino's grip tightens on the glass.
"Sure but you seem persistent far more than most marines who ask…" Makino points out, she had met a fair few on the search for her but not someone as persistent as him…
"…I simply want to ask her something." Stoically, he answers as Ann furrows her brow befuddled.
"What is it?" Intrigued, Makino ponders puzzled cleaning the glass.
"That's between me and her." Honestly, he answers.
"Ah right…" Smiling strained, she bows her head, glancing behind her towards Ann at the back.
"Tell me something though…what would you say if someone you cared for said it's your fault people like me can never belong." Bluntly, he asks Makino mystifying her.
"Hm?" Humming, she blinks befuddled oblivious to Ann's astonished expression, hand over her mouth mortified, did she let loose that much!? Mad, she curses herself internally at the slip of the tongue, cursing her emotions for getting the best of her…
"What would you do if you were given that question?" He asks softly swirling said scarlet substance within the glass.
"Well…I'd ask them what they meant is that what you're trying to do." Honestly, Makino answers as she glances behind her towards the back.
"I am." Aloofly, he lowers said shades, bowing his head briefly as he looks past Makino as Ann feels her frigid form freezing from said touch as if the devil fruit user had frozen her on the spot as warm brown meet ice cold brown.
"…Shit!" Scowling, she swiftly zips out as the man arises calmly casually calculated almost as next Ann knew she was running for her life.
"Dogra! You're back! W-What's wrong?!" Magra perks up at the sight of Dogra returning to the bandit base after having headed out…
"Sabo is..." Dogra begins but bows his head, the silence speaking volumes…
"Stop lying, you fool! Don't even joke about it!" Incensed, Ace suddenly lunges forward grabbing Dogra by the collar, slamming him down on the floor below.
"Stop, Ace!" Luffy cries but it falls to deaf ears.
"I'm not lying or joking about it! It was so sudden! I could barely believe what I saw! I thought I was dreaming!" Dogra admits to them.
"Shut up! Sabo went back to his family's home! How could he be at sea?!" Scowling, Ace shakes Dogra demanding the truth yelling at him.
"That's right! He went home!" Luffy adds nodding his head in agreement.
"A hoodlum like me can understand how he feels! People don't always wanna go back to their home! If he was really happy, he wouldn't go out to sea! He wouldn't go out to sea by himself with a black flag on his ship!" Dogra reports to the group pained.
"Sabo...He wasn't happy!" Luffy cries, the tears freely falling from the crying child.
"Why?! Why didn't we go there to take him back?! Where is the guy who killed Sabo now?! I'm gonna kill him!" Ace decides determined seething snarling turning to the door after the anguished Ace curses cross.
"Kill the Celestial Dragon?! That's impossible..." Dogra states the fact firmly.
"I'll make him pay!" Poisonously, Ace angrily snarls seethes.
"Wait, Ace!" Magra tries to call out to him however…
"Stop it, you little shit!" Scowling, Dadan steps up catching Ace's arm.
"Move... Outta my way!" Ace thrashes as before he knew it he was slammed down to the ground pinned to the ground by Dadan.
"How can you be so confident even though you're not that strong?! What can you do?! They'll just kill you! You'll die and people will forget you by tomorrow! You're just a nameless kid! Sabo was killed by this country! This world! What can you do about it?! Your father changed the world by his death! When you become a man that important, then you can do whatever you want! Do you want Ann's sacrifice to be in vain?" Dadan roars raising her voice yelling as she shakes Ace trying to get it through his head.
"…!" Ace goes limp from her words.
"Tie this fool up!" Dadan orders tossing the mess of a boy over to the bandits.
"Y-Yes, ma'am!" Meekly, they go outside tying Ace to the tree outside.
"Sabo!" Sobbing, Luffy cries the tears freely falling from the boy.
"Shut up! Stop crying like a girl, Luffy!" Angrily, Ace roars raising his voice yelling at Luffy within the hut before he goes limp bowing his head exhaustion getting the best of him…
"Have you come to your senses, Ace?" Ace soon jolts up at the voice perking up at Ann.
"A-Ann?" Astonished, Ace gapes gawks at the boy.
"ANN!" Ann turns towards Luffy rushing over to her side siffling sobbing his heart out.
"Untie him." Ann orders as she crouches down tending to the crying Luffy soon going limp in her arms as she passes the sleeping Luffy over to Dogra, taking him inside.
"Yes, ma'am. Hold on." The bandits comply to her words.
"Where's Luffy?" Ace demands as the ropes let loose around Ace.
"He's been crying all night and he's sleeping now…sorry for worrying you." Ann places her hand on his head however…
"…You…you idiot!" Incensed, Ace slaps her hand away, sniffling trying to stop the tears threatening to freely fall making her sigh softly at him but before more could be said…
"Boss! You're not gonna believe this! We got a letter from Sabo!" Dogra reveals showing said letter to the bandits.
"He must've sent it before he went out to sea!" Magra realizes as Dogra hands over said letter to Ann, eyeing it but before she could even think of reading it…
"Give it to me!" Mad, Ace angrily demands lurching forward for said letter, but he is unable to reach the height of Ann simply staring down at the boy below, letter tauntingly towering over him, lodged between her two fingertips eyeing him.
"…" Ann holds said letter up in the air, brow furrowing at Ace.
"I'm not gonna go to the town! It's for us, isn't it?" Impatiently, Ace scowls demanding the letter as a still silence fills the air between both brother and sister simply staring at one another until…
"…Alright." Ann sighs softly handing the letter over watching him leave.
"Ace, Luffy, I hope you guys weren't hurt in the fire. I'm worrying about you both but I believe that you're okay. I'm sorry to say it, guys, but when you get this letter, I'll already be...out on the sea. Things led to things and I decided to set out to sea before you. My destination will be anywhere but here. I'm gonna become stronger and become a pirate! The three of us have to become the freest pirates ever. One day, let's meet up again somewhere. Somewhere on the wide open sea! Definitely, someday! By the way, Ace, which of us do you think is the bigger brother? Two big brothers and one little brother. It's odd but our brotherhood is my treasure. Luffy is still a weak cry-baby but...he is our little brother so take good care of him!
Quietly, Ann approaches the lone Ace after following from afar, her hues softening sadly seeing his trembling lip, the letter clenched tightly in his face.
"…Ace…" Ann softly calls out to the boy trying to stop the tears as he turns, his watery hues meeting Ann's softened hues.
"Ann!" Anguished, Ace cries out, a sharp sob breaking through the dam as the tears freely fall from the crying child that Ann holds, holding her baby brother close to her chest letting him let it out…
"How could they call themselves observers?! They're partying everyday! They haven't covered Sabo's story..." Scowling, Dadan growls glaring at the newspaper before her, her hues narrowing at it.
"I heard that his parents didn't take action." Dogra adds.
"His parents are nobles but they're powerless against the World Government and Celestial Dragons." Another bandit adds.
"How's Luffy doing?" Dadan asks the group of bandit's brow furrowing from the thought of Luffy, concern clear in her tone towards Luffy.
"He still isn't eating much." Meekly, Magra sighs sadly bowing his head pained.
"But he still eats twice as much as we do!" Dogra adds annoyed.
"I bet Sabo's death really got to him..." Miserably, Maga bows his head solemnly sadly at the thought of what the little boy was going through unaware of both Ann and Ace sharing a look while Ace eats his food.
"Thought I'd find you here…" Ann sighs softly at the sniffling sobbing wreck of Luffy his head firmly flat on the stray strands of grass below, clutching holding his straw hat, sniffling, the tears freely falling as the washing waves hit the cliffside.
"…Ann…I…" Luffy sniffles slightly perking up at Ann.
"I know Luffy." Ann sighs softly seating herself down by Luffy's side her hand on his back.
"I want to get stronger…" Sniffling, Luffy repeats once more to Ann.
"You will. " Ann assures Luffy, placing her hand on his back.
"I mean it." Luffy whimpers weakly.
"I know you do…" Ann says softly, rubbing his back.
"How much longer are you gonna lie there?" Tiredly, Ace approaches joining Luffy's side hands on his hips.
"Ace…" Ann sighs softly at her baby brother hearing the soft sniffle of Luffy lying his head on her lap.
"The treasure that we were hiding in the forest is all gone. The survivors from Bluejam's crew took it or maybe the military found it. I don't know where it went. But I don't care about the treasure anymore. That was the pirate savings that I was gonna share with Sabo but Sabo didn't need it after all. So I'll just let it go, too. It's no use having treasure if you can't even protect it." Straight faced, Ace reports to Luffy simply staring ahead as he fills Luffy in.
"A-Ace...Ann I... I wanna become stronger!" Sniffling, Luffy whimpers weakly, his grip tightening around the brim of his straw hat.
"I know…" Ann pats his back.
"More, and more... More and more, more and more... More, more and more, more and more... More and more, more and more... I wanna become even stronger! Then I can protect anything or anyone! I don't have to lose anybody!" Anguished, Luffy cries, the tears freely falling from the sobbing crying child.
"Luffy…" Ann sighs softly at Luffy brow furrowing.
"I beg you! Ace, Ann please don't die!" Luffy begs beseeches Ace anguished as his grip tightens on his hat, tears threatening to fall.
"Of course n-" Ann begins but soon stops faltering furrowing her brow at Ace suddenly breathing blowing on his firm fist before bonking Luffy's head, a bump protruding out.
"Cut it out! Worry about yourself first! You're far weaker than me!" Mad, Ace snaps sharply scowling at the sniffling Luffy.
"Ace!" Ann furrows her brow warningly at Ace but…
"Listen carefully, Luffy! I'll never die!" Determined, Ace states the fact firmly frankly to Ann and Luffy.
"Uh-huh…" Luffy sniffles slightly.
"Sabo told me to take care of you, too. I promise that I'll never die! How can I leave a wimpy brother like you behind?" Ace scoffs hands on his hips.
"Uh-huh..." Luffy nods leaning into Ann's side.
"I'm not smart so I don't quite know what really killed Sabo yet. But it must be something opposed to freedom. Sabo died before he knew freedom. We exchanged that same cup of sake and we're alive! So listen, Luffy. We have to live without leaving any regrets." Resolved, Ace states the fact firmly, looking out at the washing waves of the sea.
"Uh-huh!" Luffy nods his head.
"We gotta go out to sea someday and live as we like. Freer than anyone else." Resolved, Ace adds.
"Uh-huh!" Luffy repeats nodding his head.
"That means we'll make enemies of many people. Even the old man will become our enemy. You gotta risk everything. Let's go out to sea at seventeen! And we will become... pirates!" Proudly, Ace declares determined as the two then take Luffy back to the bandit base...
"You're leaving?" Ace furrows his brow at Ann.
"…I have to." Ann sighs softly at Ace keeling down pained to leave him like this but with the marines with him around, she had to…
"But…" Ace bows his head.
"It's not safe for me here anymore Ace." Ann admits the fact firmly, wishing she could say more, explain more but…
"Cause of him?" His hues narrow briefly by the thought of him.
"Cause of much more…" Ann asserts squeezing Ace's shoulders.
"But why?" Anguished, Ace demands pained making Ann grimace guilt gnawing away at her.
"It's complicated but listen the road you'll go down it won't be easy but you'll get through it I know you will." Ann reaches for her hat something seemingly clicking.
"H-Huh?" Ace's hues widen when feeling something plop on his head.
"Whenever you feel sad, whenever you feel alone, whenever you feel as if the whole world is against you, clutch this hat, you're never alone I'll always be in yours and Luffy's corner." Softly, she smiles down at her baby brother placing her hat on him, the orange hat with the blue smiley faces oddly fitting him despite how big it is…for now.
"Ann…!" Ace whimpers weakly, tears threatening to fall.
"Take care of yourself, I'm excited to see what sort of nakama you make!" Ann beams brightly at her baby brother, pecking his temple.
"I will I'll form a nakama it'll be stronger than yours, better!" Ace vows making Ann smile.
"I'm looking forward to seeing what future you make." Ann smiles softly at Ace before turning on her heel heading down…
"There…!"
"The marine traitor!"
"The hell is she doing here!?"
"Who cares!? Fire! Shoot her down!" Awestruck, Ace beams brightly, clutching the hat happily watching from a familiar cliff as the blazing burst of his sister's ship take off, easily outmanoeuvre the cannonballs sent her way while watching her take off on a path of her own as Ace and Luffy take paths of their own…
*So...I'm going to be taking a break what with the manga possibly releasing certain aspects that could be up to change somethings...still regardless this is the end of the childhood chapter, what did you think about it? What did you think of Kuzan trying to find Ann? I really do hope you enjoy Ace and Ann's dynamic heck hers with the others too your feedback really helps me a lot when it comes to making me want to write so thank you for that. I was worried no one would like this story so thank you for commenting on it really it means a lot, reading your thoughts on Ann on Ann and Kuzan have really helped so thanks again!!*