A/N: Hey, it's been a while!
We're coming to the end of the Dawn Island flashback, the penultimate chapter before a short interlude. I hope you guys have liked the story so far and have been enjoying it.
We'll stay in the past a bit longer before jumping to the present again, we'll be moving around quite a bit so buckle up!
Chapter 13—Dawn Island Pt. VII - Stage of Dissipation
Makino tried to keep her head as low as humanly possible as she and her group made their way along the path towards the cove. Smoke was thick in the air and they were drowning in the cacophony of chaos that was the Navy's bombardment.
The kerchief that was usually around her hair, she used to tie around her face. She herded young Sari ahead of her along with a few of the other village children. The smoke and flames had caused some of them to become separated from their parents and the larger group. She had made sure to collect any stragglers and get them all to the coast and Drag's ship.
"Stay close everyone! We're almost there!" She yelled out, even as simply opening her mouth caused her to cough.
No one had argued with the mayor when he had ordered them towards Fool's Cove with the promise of safety. No one wanted to leave their homes, but they couldn't fight the fire AND the Navy. It hurt…horribly, but they had no choice—they must leave.
Makino forced herself not to think about it. She even tried to force herself not to think about her cousin and where in the world he might be. Had he found Luffy, Sabo, and Ace yet? Dadan and the bandits? Was he hurt? Captured? Worse?
So many thoughts running through her head as she fought her way to guide her small flock to safety. They ran to avoid the flames and she had to help several of the children over some of the larger rocks along the path. Some were crying and some were still in shock, others were simply scared, but they all looked to her for help in getting them to safety and hopefully back to their families again. She simply took the task in stride, though never lightly. They were going to get out of here and they were going to survive.
An opportunity to escape this calamity had presented itself, and she was determined to make the most of it by any means possible.
Her eyes were scanning far and wide for any hints of danger—including the two-legged kind—which is why she was the first to see the soldiers.
"Get down, children!" She yelled out loud over the sound of constant cannon fire, and pulled them out of the way of a spray of bullets ricocheting against rock and the tree bark.
She and the five children huddled together as the bullets whizzed past them, the acrid scent of gunpowder mixing with the overwhelming fumes of smoke. Makino's heart pounded in her chest, her protective instincts kicking into overdrive as she shielded the children with her own body. The ground trembled beneath them with each explosion, sending vibrations through their bones. After a moment the sound of gunshots stopped though no one even thought to move. Logic said that they should wait and let their enemy make the first move. If only they were in a situation where they had such a luxury!
Darn it! Makino fumed inwardly. We can't just stay here! But she also couldn't just let them get picked off like sitting ducks! Instincts born from the drive for survival as well as being the niece of a navy vice-admiral, the cousin of the R.A. commander-in-chief, and the maybe-girlfriend of one of the strongest pirates on the sea, forced her into action.
Quickly, she coaxed the terrified kids into a small crevice in the rock face, maneuvering them swiftly and with care. "Hurry children!"
"Makino!" cried Sari, clutching onto the older woman's apron and burying her face into her side.
"Sari, I need you to be brave for me," Makino said, her voice as calm and reassuring as she could manage. "You too, Ben, Miri...all of you. Stay right here, okay? Remember the game we used to play, hide and seek?" she whispered to them, desperately trying to maintain the composure in her voice.
They nodded tearfully.
"Very well, we're playing it now. The rule is—you have to stay absolutely silent, okay?"
The children hesitated for a moment before nodding once again, their eyes wide with fear. Makino could only offer them a comforting smile before turning back to face the danger.
"But Makino—" one of the children protested quietly.
"Stay." Her voice held an edge of steel that startled them into silence. With a final glance over her shoulder at their faces—fearful but trusting—she emerged from the crevice, her figure veiled by the swirling smoke and debris.
She spotted a group of navy soldiers advancing towards their position. A cold shiver raced down her spine—they were outnumbered and outgunned. What the heck were they still doing here when the entire island felt and looked as if it was going to Hell? Didn't they have anything better to do than to murder innocent civilians? At least try and save their own skins?
Whatever. It didn't matter. If they wanted to stand between them and freedom, then she had no other choice. There was no backing down now; she had to protect the children.
She pulled out the gun that she had grabbed from off one of the Marines that Drag had taken out and had hoped never to have to use. Getting to her feet, Makino dashed out from her hiding place towards another, and then another, making her way toward the approaching marines.
Trying her best to aim as Beck had taught her—both eyes open, hands steady with feet planted, ignoring all distractions—she pulled the trigger twice, catching one in the shoulder and another in his thigh!
Surprise registered on their faces as they turned towards the source.
"Fire at the woman!" one of them yelled out, and immediately bullets started whizzing past her.
Without thinking, she crouched down, her heart racing as the bullets barely missed her by inches. She pressed back into what minimal cover was available and counted out the remaining shots she had left.
Releasing a quick breath and raising her weapon again, Makino fired another round. An agonizing scream came from the smoke, confirming a successful hit before she promptly retreated once again.
Heart pounding in her chest as if it sought escape from its skeletal confines, the emerald-haired beauty clutched the gun tighter till her knuckles turned white under the strain. She readied herself for the counterattack, her eyes focused intently forward trying not to blur with unshed tears of resentment; her teeth gritted hard enough to test endurance of structurally sound bone—Makino bolstered her resolve once again.
It was up to her. She could do this. She had to draw them away from the kids and…eliminate them as best as she could.
However, before it seemed they could organize further or aim better, an ear-splitting explosion erupted from behind them! The Marines were suddenly thrown forward as the ground beneath them began to crumble away. Dust and smoke billowed up from the newly formed crater, obscuring them from view.
"Lord save us…" Makino breathed involuntarily as she clung to a nearby tree, the sudden loss of balance causing her to drop the gun. It skittered away into the flames where she could no longer see.
She quickly moved to hide before scanning her surroundings. The once familiar terrain was scarred beyond recognition, fire consuming everything it seemed to touch. The soldiers were nowhere in sight…good riddance as far as she was concerned.
Double-checking for any military threats, Makino stood up once again and hurried back to where she had left her charges.
She found them huddled together, shivering in the crevice. The tremors had scared them, their little faces pale against the soot-stained rock.
Miri was the first to spot her. "Makino!" she cried, rushing into her arms as Makino knelt down to their level. The other children followed suit, clinging onto her like lifelines.
"I'm okay, children," she reassured them, stroking Sari's hair soothingly. "I need you all to be brave a little bit longer. Can you do that for me?"
Mutely, they nodded, fresh tears welling up in their eyes.
With a final comforting squeeze to each of them, Makino rose back to her feet. With one last look around for any signs of imminent human-shaped danger—thankfully finding none—and took the lead once again. "We're almost there," she promised, her voice barely audible over the roar of flames and intermittent cannon fire.
They treaded lightly but quickly on the treacherous terrain, trying their best to avoid the dangers of the hellscape, but also to hurry and not attract any unwanted attention. Along the paths that were once so familiar, everything was now alien and menacing—even the trees seemed to leer at them with fiery eyes. But Makino kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, not allowing herself to dwell on what was around them, on what they were losing. A home could be replaced, lives could not.
She could see the remnants of familiar landmarks as they made their way uphill. Fool's Cove and the rest of Windmill's evacuees should be only a mile or so up ahead. Almost there…
Suddenly, a sharp whistle cut through the roaring winds and from behind her came shouts of warning and terror.
Without a moment's hesitation, Makino turned and threw herself on top of the children to protect them as the cannonball crashed into the earth just yards from their location. The resulting explosion sent a shockwave rippling through the air, a wave of heat racing over them!
She gritted her teeth as she felt her skin burn, but she bit down on her lip and bore it.
Another volley hit the earth near them and one moment, they were there in the face of death and destruction; next—the world became an array of dizzying colors as Makino was thrown back by the force. Her breath hitched when she hit something solidly behind her, then everything turned black momentarily.
BOOM! CRASH!
In what felt like an eternity later—though it had only been mere moments—Makino groggily opened her eyes. Dazedly trying to push herself off the ground despite a sharp popping pain throbbing through every nerve in her body. Her vision swam as she struggled to sit up, her head pounding with each heartbeat. The acrid scent of smoke and burning wood filled her nostrils, mixing with the metallic tang of blood in the air.
Groaning softly, Makino pushed herself onto her hands and knees, her body protesting every movement. Her ears rang with the distant echoes of bombardment and shouts of more soldiers.
Damn it! If she ever saw another marine again, it would be far too soon…
Through blurred eyes, she quiveringly looked around her, searching for the children.
"Sari? Ben? Miri? Jin?" Her voice came out hoarse and weak as she called out their names amidst the cacophony of destruction. Panic clawed at her chest when no tiny voices answered her plea.
Forcing herself to stand despite the protests of pain from her battered form, Makino staggered forward, her steps unsteady on the uneven ground. Smoke billowed around her like ghostly tendrils as she moved through the wreckage.
"Uhhh…"
And then, a faint whimper caught her attention—a fragile sound amidst the chaos. Her eyes still couldn't focus as she tried to avoid both fire and debris and make her way towards the kids. Following the voices like a lifeline, she stumbled towards a pile of rubble. There, half-buried beneath broken branches and stone, lay Sari clutching onto Ben and Miri. Jin lay not far behind them, having been flung against a boulder.
Relief flooded through Makino as she knelt beside them, pushing aside the detritus with trembling hands to free the children from their makeshift prison. Their tear-streaked, bloodied faces looked up at her with a mix of fear, trust, and pain that tore at her heart. They had all been through so much!
She worried about the injuries incurred by both them and her, but she didn't have time to check. They needed to move before—
C-Click!
The feel of the cold barrel of a rifle and the horrified eyes of the children eyeing the presence behind her, let her know their time had run out.
Makino froze, her blood chilling at the ominous click of a gun being cocked. She slowly turned, meeting the harsh gaze of several marine soldiers standing behind them, their faces devoid of any sympathy.
"Turn over those boys to us!" one barking voice called out accusingly over the ruinous noise around them. "They fit the description of a dangerous terrorist guilty of treason! Cooperate and the rest of you will be escorted to safety."
Makino stared him down. Liar…
"T-There are no terrorists here." She steeled herself, answering plaintively, "Just someone trying to protect those who can't defend themselves."
The only ones striking terror were the men before her…
The marine growled, "I won't ask again. Get out of the way, woman."
"N-No," Makino stuttered desperately as she held back Jin and Sari who tried making moves towards her protectively—a futile gesture against hardened marines with guns aimed straight at innocent children.
"NOBODY HERE IS A TERRORIST!" In an act braver than any child should ever be forced into performing—Jin got past her and springing forward with his fists swinging wildly—"You're just cowards pointing your gu—"
BANG!
Another gunshot echoed across what once used to be Dawn Island—a home now changed forever by devastation and genocide—and silence fell for that momentary split second before pain exploded across Jin's shoulder and blood blossomed across his torso.
Makino felt her blood curdle as the other children screamed in panic. Ignoring the gun trained on her, she immediately went to the boy's side.
"Silence! Don't move! Lieutenant, take those boys into custody."
Even as she tried to put pressure on Jin's wounds and comfort his sobbing cries, Makino felt herself unraveling. What could she do? This couldn't be the end could it? Not when they were so close!
The children shrieked in terror as the soldiers came towards them. She prepared herself to fight tooth and nail as another came to rip Jin away from her.
She needed help and she needed it now.
Dragon, where are you?
A hand grabbed her arm forcefully, twisting it cruelly in the wrong direction as they tried to pull her away from the wounded child. As she tried to get away and resisted, a gun was pressed against her forehead, the hammer clicking deafeningly as it was cocked.
She squeezed her eyes closed in anguished resignation. I'm so sorry Shay…I tried…forgive me, my love…
"RAAAWWWEEERRRR!"
A deafening roar reverberated through the blazing forest, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks. With no warning, a huge burly mass of moving mountain plowed through the chaos, hefting huge burning logs in two fists as easily as twigs!
"LET THEM GO!"
Makino suddenly found herself free as the marine holding her was sent flying!
The mountain was an unstoppable force as it let out another bellow and the equivalent of a tree trunk crashed into the other soldiers that had been attacking the kids.
She could only watch in shock as the children screamed and ran towards her, clasping onto her dress as they all watched in shock and awe as the mountain (who was looking more and more human by the moment) sent their attackers into the stratosphere. The soldiers tried shooting at the mountain, but he didn't even flinch, instead acting as an aegis, standing between them and the danger, not worrying at all for his own safety.
The mountain slowly came into focus as a giant of a man. Large, burly, and by all accounts quite intimidating. The soldiers left still conscious tried to regroup, looking at their new opponent with both astonishment and recognition.
"It's a Revolutionary!"
"He's come to defend the traitors!"
"Get him!"
Makino watched as the marines came after their sudden savior, though he handled them deftly. He dropped the clubs and instead only used the palms of his hands, simply swiped at his opponents and suddenly they disappeared! One after another, one moment they were there—then pop! And the next, they were gone!
She jolted at the sudden disappearance of their enemy. What manner of magic is this? A devil fruit?!
She looked up once more at this dark hulk of a man, the children also peering out from behind her, unsure if this was a rescue, or more trouble that had come their way.
But they said he's a Revolutionary? Is he with Drag?
Whoever he was, in only a few seconds, all the marines were either crushed into the ground no longer moving, or had just completely vanished from sight. As the dust settled, Makino's eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before her. She didn't know what had happened to them, but she didn't quite care enough to find out either.
The mountain of a man turned towards her and the children, and she was able to get her first full look at the man. Dressed in black and white with a large cloak around his shoulders, the glare of the firelight on his glasses from under the brim of his hat, and his stern angry expression loomed over them ominously. The kids trembled and dunked back behind her, even as she instinctively grasped onto Jin's broken body, pulling him closer.
However, as the giant man came nearer, his gaze softened as he knelt down to their level. His face, once fierce with determination, softened into a gentle smile that crinkled the corners of his eyes.
"Are you all alright?" His voice rumbled like distant thunder, yet carried a warmth that enveloped them like a protective embrace.
The children nodded in awe, their fear slowly ebbing away in the presence of this unexpected savior. Makino felt a surge of gratitude mixed with confusion. Who was this man? Where had he come from?
But amidst the chaos and uncertainty, she found herself instinctively disarmed and trusting him. Anything would be better than what had been about to befall them. She looked into his eyes, searching for answers and finding an unspoken promise of safety.
"Thank you...Thank you for saving us," Makino expressed her gratitude hoarsely, her voice barely above a breath as she gathered the children closer to her protectively.
The man simply nodded, his expression one of quiet reassurance. He indicated toward the wounded boy near her, "May I?"
She looked down at Jin hesitantly, his eyes glossed over in pain and his face pale, before nodding.
With a gentle hand, he carefully picked him up in his large hand and checked on his wound with what appeared to be practiced care.
"It's not a mortal wound, but we need to get him to a doctor." His voice was deep, but compassionate. He looked up towards her, "You all are the missing group from Windmill Village?"
Makino watched in silent awe as this behemoth of a stranger tended to an injured child who could fit into the palm of his hand with such tenderness and skill. She then nodded in answer to his question. "We are…you're a Revolutionary?"
The man nodded, facing Makino directly. "My name is Kuma, I came to find you all, everyone else has been sent to the ship."
"Kuma..." Makino repeated slowly before jumping to her feet, "Are you a friend of Dragon?"
He raised an eyebrow in curiosity though answered in the affirmative "I am, but we need to move quickly." Kuma's deep voice bringing back the urgency of their situation. "More marines will come soon, and this island's not going to last much longer."
Makino nodded in understanding, the shaking of the ground under her feet and the loud sounds of the bombardment coming back into focus. The fire and smoke was slightly less here but it was intensifying.
"We have to leave now," Kuma's gaze became serious as he looked to the area surrounding them. He stood to his rather impressive height, causing all the children to become startled and dart behind her once again.
Kuma approached both her and the children as one would a scared kitten, and even in spite of the need for haste, he seemed to exercise the utmost patience.
"Hey…I know you guys are scared. I met all of your parents and they're really worried."
"You saw my mommy?" Sari spoke up in earnest, her eyes looking up at him pleadingly.
The man nodded, "They told me that there were 4 children missing who had gotten lost. They wanted to rush out and find you, but I promised them I would go find you and bring you back with all haste, using my magic powers!"
Ben came forward, "What magic powers?"
Kuma leaned down with Jin in his hand. The boy had fallen unconscious, his breaths shallow though Kuma kept pressure on his wound. Makino quietly taking note how Jin stirred uncomfortably held enveloped within one of Kuma's gigantic hands like he weighed nothing. "Your friend is badly hurt, I'm going to send him to my ship right away so they can treat him."
Makino and other children watched in wonder as the large man moved the boy into his other hand, before grabbing onto the finger of his glove with his teeth and pulling it off.
He then clasped his hand over Jin, hiding him from view. A slight glow came from within them, a light pop sound, and then to their shock, when he opened his hands again, Jin was gone!
"Where…where did he go?" She rushed forward and was a bit surprised to notice that on closer inspection, Kuma's now empty hands had these strange little paw-like pads on his ungloved palms…was it indeed a devil fruit?
"I sent him to his family on my ship." He responded calmly.
The other kids all gathered around in awe, their fear mostly vanishing in their interest regarding the "magic trick".
"I can send all of you there just as quickly…if you can trust me?" His gaze was forthright and his countenance was open showing he had nothing to hide. He was giving her the choice. They could make the long trek the rest of the way to the coast, braving many more possible dangers…or he could get the children out of harm's way instantly.
Did she trust him?
It probably wasn't wise to do so after so short an acquaintance, but…
You know what? The heck with it.
Makino turned to Sari, Ben, and Miri to reassure them, "Hey, we've survived this far! Just a little more, okay? And Mr. Kuma's going to use his magic to help us! We can trust him."
And she felt that she knew this to be true. She had only just met him, but in this land that had become a calamitous hell-on-earth, only two kinds of people existed. Those that were on their side and those that were not.
And while they had just met, it was highly unlikely that he would fight against the Navy and wait around in this inferno simply to trick them and lead them astray. Either way, she would rather deal with Kuma than all of the World Government's soldiers.
Her blessing was all the kids needed, and they all quickly huddled around Kuma with only a smidge of fear, but mostly hopeful excitement.
"It won't hurt a bit, you'll be back with your families before you know it!" He reassured them with the smile of a man who seemed quite used to the practice.
Kuma extended his hand, the paw pads glowing softly under the harsh light of the flames. As he touched each child gently on the shoulder, they disappeared one by one in a flash of light, leaving Makino suddenly alone with Kuma.
The sight of the children vanishing caused her heart to clench in her chest. Despite her reassurances to them and her trust in Kuma, she still felt a twinge of dread as each child was taken from her sight. It had been such a short time together and yet she felt so responsible for each of them!
"Your turn," Kuma said, interrupting her train of thought, his deep voice anchoring her back to reality.
She turned to him, forgetting her aches and pains in an effort to voice her true worry now that the children were safe. "What about Drag?"
Kuma's brow furrowed with concern and confusion. "Drag?" he questioned, perplexed.
She folded her arms, "Yes, my cousin, Monkey D. Dragon. You know? Your fearless leader?"
It obviously wasn't an answer he was expecting since his eyes went wide with shock before turning to amusement, "Ah, a cousin…forgive me, it's the first I've ever heard of him called by a nickname before…or having something as mundane as a cousin. Huh, nice to know that Dragon is indeed like the rest of us."
She raised an eyebrow, "He's never talked about us?"
Kuma shook his head, "He's never talked about his past or his family as long as I've known him, not even to his closest companions. I only know a few things and that was by chance."
The massive man then rose again on his feet, towering over her small form in stark contrast. His cloak flapped ominously as it caught wind, amidst burning debris and still settling dust clouds from previous devastation unleashed upon this island paradise that was once their home. "I would warn you though, don't speak so freely in front of others. Dragon has many enemies and while I trust my comrades implicitly, I wouldn't want to burden them with the possession of such critical knowledge."
Just in case any of them were captured, he didn't want them to have any such information that could be extracted through torture. He would carry the sole burden of it until Dragon decided otherwise. He personally had experience with pain and inhumane treatment, and he was willing to keep his superior's secrets until the end if necessary.
Makino paused for a moment at his words, the impact of Dragon's position hitting her. Such an isolating role he had chosen for himself, to not even be able to be open with one's own friends and colleagues.
Kuma looked out into the inferno, "Don't worry, he'll return, he's as constant as the wind itself. I assume he's gone in search of his son?"
She looked up in surprise at that, "You know about Luffy—cough, cough!"
He looked down at her in worry, "We need to get you to the ship. Don't worry about those two, I will stick around for them. Hurry!"
She nodded, her chest burning from the smoke. There wasn't anything else she could do on her own. She had to trust her cousin and his compatriots. "I…cough…I sent him up into the mountain cough, cough…"
The large man nodded before taking her up carefully in his grasp. With a gentle sweep of his hand against her, the air around her seemed to shimmer with an otherworldly light. She gasped in wonder as she felt a sudden weightlessness wash over her. It almost felt like she was flying!
In an instant, reality seemed to blur and twist around her like a whirlwind of colors and sensations. The ground disappeared from beneath her feet as she was enveloped in a warm embrace of energy that hummed with power and promise.
And then, just as swiftly as it had begun, the world snapped back into focus.
She yelped as she felt herself falling to the ground, only to plop into a huge mass of pillows. She gasped as she looked overhead towards the clouded sky, the rain still falling but no longer mixed with so much smoke and ash. She felt hands take hold of her arms and help her up. Unfamiliar voices called out battling the storm for volume around her, and she could feel the swell of the ocean under her.
"We've got another one!"
"Help her over here!"
"We need more bandages over there!"
"Blankets too!"
"Get as many as you can below deck and out of the rain!"
She was helped up and found herself standing on the deck of a massive ship, surrounded by bustling crewmen who while they didn't resemble marines, they all looked battle-hardened and were organized like a well-oiled machine.
"Makino!" She saw Sari running towards her across the deck before slamming into her with a big hug against her skirts.
Relieved that the children had indeed been taken to safety, she embraced the girl. "Oh, I'm so glad you're alright!"
She looked up to see Woop Slap coming up to her, along with another man with a very large head and garish makeup. She sent Sari back to her family telling the girl to get below and out of the rain.
The mayor came to her side, "Makino! We were so worried when we lost track of you! Thank you for finding and taking care of the children. Are you alright?"
She was in pain from some of the injuries she had gotten in the struggle but all in all, "I'm alright Slap, just happy to be alive. Is Jin okay?"
The old man nodded, "They've treated his injuries, he'll be good as new in a few weeks. You're the last I've seen so far, but that bear man has been sending people with his magic from our village and any surviving nearby towns."
For the first time, the large cloaked man spoke up, his strange accent heavy as he spoke. "Don't worry about Kuma, he will try to save as many as he can. But we are not out of danger yet. You need to get below and get treatment. Our people will help you get taken care of and get some hot food in your belly."
She assumed the purple-haired man was another revolutionary, as were the rest of the crew on this ship.
"Thank you all, for saving us."
"No need for thanks," The large-headed man replied, his voice firm but kind. "This is what we do. I just hate that it had to come to this."
All three looked towards the now faraway island and Makino could only gasp as her heart broke.
Now that she was no longer on the island but gazing upon it from afar, it was all the more devastating.
The island lay engulfed in roaring flames, a hellish inferno that devoured everything in its path. The windmills, once proud and sturdy structures that dotted the landscape, now twisted and contorted, their metal frames glowing red-hot as they spun wildly in the consuming firestorm. The acrid scent of burning wood and scorched earth filled the air, suffocating any semblance of life that had once thrived on this now desolate land.
Amidst the devastation, shadows danced eerily against the backdrop of orange and black. The crackling of flames drowned out any other sound, creating a symphony of destruction that echoed across the island. In the midst of this chaos, she stood frozen, her heart heavy with grief as she watched the remnants of her life—of her home—being reduced to ash before her eyes.
Slap took her hand and she saw the same pain in his own eyes, even as he held back the tears that she could not. Without a word, he silently pulled her away and ushered her towards the cabin stairway.
Once they were below deck, safe from the rain and chaos above, Makino was given a warm cup of soup and her injuries were tended to. The roar of the storm outside seemed muffled and distant, encapsulated by the soothing chatter of crew members and children alike.
She looked around feeling dispassionate shock take hold as she watched people that she had known all of her life, as well as strangers she had never seen—laugh, cry, sob, scream, and sit in silence as the hard-to-believe reality sunk in. It would take some time before they truly could come to terms with the fact that their lives were never going to be the same again…
Well, at least they were still alive…so many others couldn't even claim that…
However, despite their seemingly safe sanctuary, her mind still raced with worry for her cousin, the boys, the bandits, and all of her loved ones. More than anything she wished Shanks was here to hold her right now.
As she simply sat with nothing left of her life except the clothes on her back, Makino held her mug close and tried to just not think of anything at all.
Ace's leg was on fire.
Well, not literally—but definitely figuratively. And yet he couldn't stop. If he stopped, then they'd all be on fire. And that kind of fire was going to be all too real.
They were simultaneously doused by the rain and yet also battling the forest flames as he struggled to get them to the cove. He pointedly ignored the bright flash of lava streaming into the sky behind him that he sometimes could catch from the corner of his eyes and that Luffy had turned fully around to gaze at in awe. Nor did he pay attention to the sudden cyclone that pushed against the lava and ash filling the sky, causing volcanic lightning to spread across the sky.
"That's so cool!" Luffy called out in amazement, "Do you think they have devil fruits like me?"
"They're way better than your devil fruit," Sabo snickered.
"Who cares," Ace snapped, "keep going."
The man was buying them time and they were moving slower than molasses.
As they kept moving, Ace looked over his twin in worry. Sabo was doing his best, but his stamina was draining quickly. He was honestly surprised that his brother had lasted this long. Perhaps like him, he was pushing on despite the growing pain. His ankle was screaming at him to stop, but he refused to listen. They had a goal in mind now to aim for, a glimmer of light and hope at the end of this dark tunnel.
Get to the cove.
Get them to the cove. You can rest then.
Ignore the pain and get them to the cove.
He moved as fast as he could, Sabo's arm over his shoulder and Luffy's hand clutched in his. They moved silently, all three had their minds on various thoughts as they pressed forwards.
Suddenly, without warning, the ground fell out beneath Ace's feet! With a yelp, he—and unintentionally Luffy and Sabo—were all sent tumbling down head over heel before coming to rest at a riverbank.
Sabo groaned as he sat up, piercing pain all throughout his abdomen. "You okay, g-guys?"
It was still so cold from the rain, that he had a hard time keeping his teeth from chattering.
Luffy sat up, though he seemed a bit woozy, "My h-head feels all wooo-oooh, like I got too d-dizzy or s-something."
Sabo didn't like the sound of that, he hoped Luffy didn't have a concussion. He looked over at Ace as he also sat up with an annoyed groan. "Ugh…just g-great. Come on, l-let's go. C-Cove's not far."
Sabo sighed, that new wind that he had gotten after Dragon had carried him was quickly dwindling. All he wanted was someplace dry and warm, preferably with a blanket, that he could just shut out the world and forget the constant sound of cannons and—
"Ahhh!"
His head jerked around to see Ace collapse back on to the ground, his legs automatically crumpling up under him. He winced, sucking in air as he grabbed his ankle in pain.
Luffy looked at him worriedly, "Did you get burned?"
Sabo shook his head as he looked it over, seeing how swollen and almost deformed the ankle was, bits of blood and bone piercing the skin. "No, I t-think he broke it."
Ace swore angrily, "We don't have time for this."
He tried to get up again, only to fall once again with a spattering of curses. Sabo shook his head again, they were going to get nowhere like this. He looked at the youngest. "Lu, f-find a long b-branch somewhere. O-One that Ace can use as a crutch. He c-can't make it on that leg."
The boy, despite his pounding head and swimming vision nodded and got up to do as he's been tasked. "A big stick, a big s-stick…"
As Lu ran off, Sabo watched Ace fall into a quiet sulk as he sat by the riverbank and waited, the storm raging, the cannons still loud as ever, and the fire was close but thankfully hadn't yet made it to the immediate vicinity.
The blond shivered in the wind and looked around before spotting a small crevice in the rocks nearby. It wasn't much, but it would help them get out of the rain. Shoring up his strength and taking a deep breath, he grabbed his brother by the back of his collar and began to drag him over to it.
"Argh! W-What the hell, S-Sabo what are you—cough, cough!" Ace's words sputtering out as the hold around his neck strangled off his voice. He had no choice but to go where the other led.
Reaching the small shelter, the blond dumped his brother before plopping on the ground breathing heavily. Ace glared at his as he rubbed at both his neck and bottom, struggling to speak. "What t-the hell do you t-t-think you're doing?! You c-could have made your w-wounds—"
"Shut up and h-help me g-g-get warm," Sabo cut him off as he shivered and cozied up against the raven's body heat. "There's no point in c-c-catching pneumonia on t-top of everything else."
The eldest glowered at him, but must have realized the wisdom of the move since he didn't speak further. Rather, he grumpily moved closer allowing their shared body heat to warm each other from the soaking rain while they waited for Luffy.
After a few moments, Sabo's teeth didn't shake quite as much, and while they were in no way comfortable, it was at least a little better than before. His brother too seemed to have stopped shivering, though he was back to brooding mode again as he stared at nothing in particular.
They sat quietly for a bit before Sabo spoke up. "So we get to Fool's Cove and this guy Dragon's ship. What do we do after that?"
Ace only stared ahead, "We'll figure it out. We'll get you and Luffy healed, find some food and shelter, take care of ourselves. The usual."
So no plan then. The blond inwardly sighed, though Ace was right. They'd figure out something. He personally was curious about the Revolutionaries and what kind of people they were. However, right now, all he wanted was to get out of this nightmare. He didn't want to think about all the people he had known that were probably dead now. He had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that Dadan and the bandits hadn't made it out. Dragon had told them that Makino was probably safe, so he had hope there. He liked the lady a lot even though they had only met a handful of times. He probably would never see his own family again, he didn't know what had happened to them and he didn't have the biggest desire to see them again. The only thing that held him back was what Ace had alluded to about his mother…
Though, speaking of complicated parents…
Sabo clasped his arms close to him to try and mitigate the shivering. "So, you wanna talk about it?"
Ace didn't bat an eye, "Talk about what?"
The blond inwardly rolled his eyes. The grinding sound of Ace's teeth and the look in his eyes, were proof enough that the issue at hand was very much at the forefront of his mind. "You know? The fact that Dragon knows your real name?"
"That's NOT my name! Got it?!" His head snapped around and glared at him with a snarl, "It's Portgas ! That's all!"
Sabo raised his eyebrow, "That's…neither here nor there. The point is—"
Ace cut him off, "The point IS—I'm going to get us out of here and then I'm going to get that bastard to tell me what he knows! "
His teeth gnashed as he growled angrily, "He had to find out from someone."
"Hmm…Luffy lived with Makino for some years before he was with us, right? Garp must trust her. He could have told her…"
"And she just happened to share my biggest sin with some random relative?"
The blond actually rolled his eyes this time. He wasn't even going to approach the "biggest sin" topic again. It was like beating a dead horse. "We can only ask them when we see—"
"LEMME GO! GRARR! STUPID MARINES!"
Luffy's outcry sent both boys on alert, their heads snapping towards the direction of his voice. The sound of distant voices—too gruff to be their younger brother's—sent a jolt of terror down their spines. Not again!
With a grim determination, Ace grit his teeth and through sheer force of will tried to rise to his feet again, using a nearby stone for leverage. Sabo shot out an arm to provide extra support, but it was clear that he could barely stand, let alone run. His face twisted in pain as he grit his teeth against a cry.
"We can't just sit here," Ace snapped harshly, "They've got Luffy!"
"Are you planning on hopping over there?" Sabo retorted, quickly scanning their immediate surroundings for any usable tools.
The river moved past swiftly, depositing all kinds of driftwood and debris. A discarded piece of woodworking came into view—half buried in the dirt and splintered from one end, but sturdy enough to serve as a makeshift crutch.
He had asked it of Luffy to avoid injury, but that was no longer an option.
Wasting no time, Sabo darted over and pulled the plank free from its muddy confines. His body shot with pain in the process, but like Ace, he ignored it as best he could. He offered the wood to Ace, who accepted it with a curt nod.
The pair moved as fast as they could in the undergrowth, both of them forcing themselves upright and onward despite the throbbing agony.
"L-let go..! I said let go—I gotta find a big stick!"
Sabo could see them now; Luffy was just a little way up the riverbank, his tiny fists flailing at a pair of marine soldiers who had him pinned against a tree. A surge of protective rage swept over him—Why couldn't they just leave them alone! They were just kids, they had already destroyed everything, killed people, taken everything, wasn't that enough?!
"Come on, we need to head back! The fires are getting too wild. Let's take him with us and see if he's one of the ones the admiral called for." The Marine angrily cuffed Luffy in the head to stop him squirming, "Shut up, ya little brat! We wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for your people wanting to harbor traitors."
The blond nearly growled, Luffy was already suffering from a concussion, hitting him in the head would only make things worse!
Ace's eyes were sharp and void of any warmth as he reached for the dagger Dragon had given him. Sabo was reminded of back when the pair had first met Luffy and had watched him get dragged off by Porchemy. They had taken way too long then…he wondered if that memory was also going through the raven's head as well.
They had been in much better shape then but had done nothing. Now, both of them were nearly hanging on by a thread, but they couldn't afford to do nothing this time.
Ace stood as tall as he could, and he watched the way he changed his grip on the weapon in his hand. Sabo realized what he was going to do and resolutely took his other arm to support him in a better fashion than the stick could. They would only have one shot at this.
The freckled boy had never handled a weapon like this before, but it shouldn't be all that hard…just aim and throw…
He took a breath, raised his arm while clasping heavily onto Sabo's shoulder and planted his good foot into the ground, before he launched the dagger as hard as he could at the marine's head!
A scream shot through the air as the Navy soldier—the one not holding Luffy—held his pierced hand in pain.
His partner looked over in the direction of the other boys, tracking their position immediately. "There's more of them! Get over here you little bastards!"
Luffy, still hanging from the man's fist called out, as the angry marines charged after them. "Ace! Sabo! A little help!"
"Why didn't you aim for the other guy?" Sabo grumbled as he stood raising his fists ready to fight.
Ace grimaced, leaning against the nearby tree, raising his makeshift walking stick as a weapon. "I DID, the wind must have blown it off course."
"Sure," the blond rolled his eyes as he braced himself to punch the grown man angrily coming after them. It would be a desperate gamble, one that Sabo knew in the back of his head that they were sure to lose. But the ASL brothers were not going to go down without a fight!
Suddenly, a deafening thunderclap echoed through the air, followed by a searing bolt of lightning striking the injured soldier directly! Both boys were forcefully knocked to the ground by the sheer impact, shielding their eyes from the blinding light and scorching heat. The marine holding Luffy captive recoiled with a cry of alarm. Once the light dimmed, Luffy's eyes widened in shock as he saw a man standing with one foot on top of the fallen corpse—seemingly having been conjured from the very lightning itself!
His skin emitted a radiant blue glow, revealing intricate red tattoos on his arms, beneath tattered fluttering clothes. A torn white sash draped over his shoulders and around his back. His dark hair shimmered with streaks of luminous blue and gold, spiky and unkempt atop his head; his glowing eyes briefly flashed before he deftly retrieved Ace's dagger from the dead man's body with a clawed hand.
The wind and rain surrounded him, twisting and forming around his form, wrapping like a shroud. The second Marine dropped Luffy in fear, in order to raise his gun at the new enemy. However the otherworldly man was too fast, moving with lightning speed, the dagger was jabbed into the man's throat in one quick thrust before the floundering body was swiftly kicked into the river.
Mesmerized, Ace and Sabo watched as he flicked off blood from the blade nonchalantly. A familiar voice resonated from this enigmatic figure. "We'll have to work on your aim, Ace. For now, we need to move."