Chapter 12: The Return

Luffy stretched his arms over his head as he tried to shake off sleep. His stomach rumbled loudly demanding that he feed it. Scratching his belly the teenage boy slowly stood up and began to make his way down to the coastline to fish for breakfast. Perhaps he'd catch a big one and he wouldn't have to fish for long. His stomach rumbled once again. Luffy groaned. Okay! I get it! He mentally yelled at his stomach. Maybe Dude..er..Deuce will tell me more stories today. He grinned happily at that thought before racing towards the shore.

Coming to the all familiar cliff where he and Shanks use to hang out when he was a kid, Luffy came to a stop as he looked for the rope he had left here. Once locating it, he began to pull it back up from over the cliff. After a few minutes a crab box was pulled up. Inside the trap were several crabs and a single lobster. Sitting he began to look the crustaceans over to make sure none had eggs on them. Long ago, Sabo had taught him to never eat those as they were breeding females that would keep the local population steady.

Yosh! These are good to eat! He grinned. He wasn't going to eat them himself. He'd take these down to the Foosha morning market where he could trade them in for fish and various copious amounts of fruit. Ace had taught him that. Trade one thing for many.

Making his way down the familiar jungle path, Luffy decided to check on his other traps nearby. Finding them empty though he continued his way down the path. The morning air was a bit chilly but he was use to these kinds of mornings. Maybe it's going to be an early winter. He thought. The last time they had chilly mornings in summer had led to an early winter. Nobody had been prepared for it either, leaving man residents of the sleepy village needing help with food. Luckily Luffy had been willing to hunt for the entire village.

As he rounded a building towards the main street of the village, Luffy caught sight of Makino sweeping in front of the bar. Woop Slap sat in his rocker rocking as the morning sun rose higher into the sky, a cup of coffee in his hand. Luffy scrunched up his nose at the smell coming off the steaming cup. He didn't like the taste or smell of coffee. It was bitter like alcohol, only different. He then noticed the pirate ship docked at the docks. Deuce and his friends had moved their ship into the bay last night. The ship was now at the docks with the crew going up and out of the ship to get supplies and restock their cargo. Banshee having stated that they were going to Karai Bari next to some village called Orange Town. It made Luffy feel anxious and excited for his new friends. He couldn't wait to get out there onto the sea!

Luffy's eyes narrowed at the sight of an unfamiliar ship in the bay. It wasn't quite the same as the fisherman ships at the docks. Wasn't quite a house boat but looked similar. It had a sputtering engine going which sounded like it was about to give out at any second. Touching the top of his head, he grinned before turning towards Makino. "Makino! I think we have a new ship coming in!"

Makino shielded her eyes as she looked out into the bay. Sure enough a small ship was limping towards the docks. "It sure does!" She agreed as she placed the broom against the bar wall before she went on ahead to get the glasses and plates ready for the undoubtably tired and hungry travelers.

Luffy's smile broadened as he ran up the docks to the new ship. A cat man threw a rope at him. This wasn't the first time that Luffy had met a non-human but it was the first feline type he'd ever met. "Please tell me this is a mink friendly place." the man asked immediately seeing the shock and awe from the teen.

"Of course!" Luffy yelled. "As long as you don't cause any trouble here."

The cat man chuckled. "I never plan that, it just happens."

Luffy burst out laughing. I like this guy! He sounds like he has a lot of fun!

"Lindbergh!" A young woman with dark brown hair came out of the cabin and sauntered up to the cat man.

Luffy heard the name but it went through one ear and out the other. "Catburg." He muttered to himself.

"Huh?" Lindbergh inquired a bit confused. What did that kid call me?

Luffy grinned widely. "Catbird?" he inquired with a cock of his head to indicate he hadn't really heard the name spoken very well.

Lindbergh's face heated up in embarrassment. "It's Lindbergh!" He yelled at the teen. "How the hell did you get catbird out of that!?"

"I'm sorry!" Luffy yelled back in fright. Oh! "Hey want to join my crew?"

"Huh?" Lindbergh asked genuinely confused by this kid. "What crew?"

"In a year I'll be sailing around forming my pirate crew." Luffy announced. "I'm going to become King of the Pirates! Want to join?"

"Why?" Lindbergh wanted to hear this one. Becoming the king of the pirates was a new one. Most just wanted to find Roger's Island of Laghtale and the One Piece there. Becoming the king wasn't ever on anyone's mind.

Luffy thought about his question for all of thirty seconds. "Because you look cool." was his innocent answer.

Lindbergh grinned at this. He liked this kid. At least he can see I have talent. Shaking his head, Lindbergh replied. "No thanks kid."

"He's got a previous engagement." Koala stated. "Besides he knows I'd kick his ass if he abandoned his station." She waved her fist at the mink who swallowed hard at her statement.

"What are you trying to do Luffy, steal my crew?" a new voice joined them. Luffy looked at the blonde man in the blue suit and top hat. The man had a scar over his left eye and he could see more scarring under the open collar of his white shirt. "Don't tell me you've forgotten me?" The man teased. Luffy looked at him confusedly.

Do I know this guy? Luffy wondered. He didn't sounds or look familiar.

"You know this kid Sabo?" Koala inquired. Her friend having never told her who his brother was just that they were going to go see his little brother.

"Sabo!?" Luffy yelled. "Impossible!" Anger began to cross his features. "He died! I know because-"

The man took his hat off. "Luffy I am so sorry that I haven't been there for you and Ace. It must have been hard for you both." He walked towards his brother from the cabin. "But I swear, had I never gotten onto that boat I never would've left until Ace did. I missed everything. We made a promise the day we drank Dadan's sake and I didn't keep my end of that promise." He stopped at the edge of the boat. "So I swear now that nothing will ever stop me from being there for you and Ace ever again."

"SABO!" Luffy's arms stretched out, grasped in brother by his head and pulled himself across the gap between them. His legs wrapped around his torso. Luffy's outcry caught the attention of those of the former Spades. The whole group peered over the edge of the mini Moby. The sight of Luffy crying like a blubbering baby was what they saw.

Sabo's hands waved frantically as he first tried to keep his balance when Luffy had launched himself at him. Now that Luffy was in his arms he couldn't breathe as the younger had his arms wrapped multiple time around him. Grasping Luffy's shoulders he pulled his brother away slightly and gasped for air. His companions were laughing slightly at their usually composed commander's situation. He gently glared at them. "Not funny guys." This statement just garnered more laughter as Luffy's tears were now soaking his older brother's clothes. "Luffy. I swear, I'll make this right. Loosing my memories of you and Ace had me searching like a blind man in the dark for the answers to my past and now that I have them back I'll make sure that you, Ace and I keep that bond once more."

Luffy slowly pulled himself together again. Unwrapping his arms but not his legs from Sabo. His hand held onto Sabo's shoulder to keep his balance while his free hand covered his face. "I'm sorry I'm such a crybaby but I can't help it!"

Sabo grinned. "I never thought of you as that. Besides you're my baby brother. You're allowed to cry every once in a while."

Luffy placed his chin on Sabo's shoulder still crying as his brother held him. Behind Luffy, Makino and others had gathered to see what the commotion was about. The green haired woman clasp a hand over her mouth. "Sabo!" she cried as she recognized the young man holding Luffy.

Sabo turned his head towards her and gave her a smile. "Makino." He whispered her name causing the older woman to weep harder as she rushed over to the boy that had been thought to be dead. She was so grateful in that moment.

Eventually Luffy let Sabo go even though tears were flowing freely from him by now. The young teen was having a hard time controlling his emotions. He'd always been a little emotional but seeing Sabo alive had made the floodgates open. Once Sabo was free of Luffy's tight hug, Makino wrapped him up into a second one just as tight before she pulled away and touched his scared face.

"You are never allowed to leave like that again." She gently warned him. "Next time you have a problem with your brothers, you come to me."

"Of course Makino." He assured her with a smile. "Ace and I already made up. I just had to come home and see Luffy."

Makino sighed. She was happy he and Ace had already seen each other. "What happened?" she asked wanting to know why he hadn't come home until now.

"I had amnesia until Ace punched me in the face a few months ago." He stated with a groan at the memory of being hit by his brother. Makino covered her mouth to stop from laughing only for Luffy to burst out laughing next to her with a boisterous laugh.

Above them Masked Deuce grinned as he heard them from his perched position on the mini Moby. "Told you that Captain had a mission to do Luffy!" he yelled at them.

Luffy laughed harder. The fact that his older brother had found Sabo and called it a mission made Luffy laugh because that sounded like something Ace would do. Especially if he didn't want anybody's help with it. Putting his arms over his head, Luffy wondered how his brother had learned of Sabo being alive. After a moment he looked at his now alive brother and decided it didn't really matter. All that mattered was that he was here and now he could learn about his adventures and see if his dreams had panned out yet.

M-Angel: Yay! Now the brothers have finally reunited! Time to get to the nitty gritty now.