Great Age of Pirates, XX22

(4 days after capture)

Ace and Sabo: 17

Luffy: 12

Luffy woke up and found herself face to face with Marco The Phoenix, and then found herself ignoring her training and panicking.

Luffy can't feel herself breathing. She tried to gasp for air, but she couldn't. She felt like the walls were closing around her, the lights blinding her. She closed her eyes, but it wasn't enough, with her advanced wolf hearing.

She could hear the ship creaking, people talking, and footsteps pounding above. It was too much; she could feel the fuzz overtaking her body. Has she breathed yet?

Before the fuzz turned into nothing, she heard something.

"In and out, focus on my voice. You are safe; breathe with me, breathe in 1,2,3,4, hold 1,2,3,4, breathe out 1,2,3,4."

The instinct to follow orders kicked in as she heard this; quickly, she started breathing as ordered. Slowly the fuzz went away, and she could open her eyes. When she looked, she saw Marco The Phenix crouched in front of her. She felt a hot rush of shame flow through her body, like magma burning her from the inside out, as she understood she just took orders from the Whitebeards pirates' first mate.

She was going to get Ace, Sabo, and her in so much trouble when they gave their report. What would they think once they found out, she listened to orders from a pirate? What would Admiral Akainu and Gramps think? What punishment would they get? Would they be considered traitors? Did she doom Dawn Island? She brushed away that thought quickly; they wouldn't be declared traitors, she hadn't given up any information, and the order was harmless. It's not like she was becoming a pirate.

Though it felt like something was calling at her chest, scraping long sharp pointed nails piercing her delicate flesh.

"Good job, little one." The pirate's voice said.

Luffy looked in shock. Why would he praise her? She has done absolutely nothing.

"Little one, I'm going to get you a glass of water; food will wait until we see how your stomach is. Can you promise to stay here?"

Brown eyes peered into hers from the whitebeard's first mate's position, still crouched down in from of her.

Luffy felt excitement race through her; that was something she could do, though she felt a little guilty; it didn't matter, though; she needed to find Ace and Sabo.

Luffy nodded her head. Technically she could promise to stay here. But, though, she wasn't going to. Marco The Phenionx seemed satisfied with that answer and walked down the medical bay to the backroom.

Luffy peered around and, as soon as she heard the tap run, seized the IV connected to her arm, pulling it out. She couldn't be drugged now; she needed to find her brothers.

She saw the door and ran for it, shaking off the dizziness rushing through her and gritting her teeth when her bandages pulled on her wounds.

She flew open the door with a bang as she heard the water stop and footsteps. She took off sprinting using all of her speed that she could without shifting into her Zoan form; as with her current injuries, she would be slower in her Zoan form, and the lashes would pull too much on her hind legs.

She lectures herself for being so foolish and earning a punishment before a big mission and has been slowing Ace and Sabo down the whole mission, and they were captured.

As she is running, she tries to sniff the air to find Sabo and Ace's scent, but it is useless with all the new and different ones.

Luffy didn't know what to do as she could hear footsteps getting closer where there previously were none. She grits her teeth understanding the play now.

She can't believe she fell for it either; it was a trap. Leave the space ungraded, have an excuse to have her earn a punishment if she leaves or doesn't listen; A false sense of safety.

She listened for where there were no footsteps before swinging a right down the twisting hallways and going into a room which only held one person. She had enough training to knock out a single pirate, even if they were a Whitebeard when she was hurt.

She pushed the door open before closing it quickly, turning around and coming face to face with; THATCH, THE COMMANDER OF THE 4TH DIVISION.

All Luffy could think was... she was in trouble big time. She wondered what punishment she would receive for running away. Surely, it would be worse because he was a pirate, and the marines were good guys.

Luffy found herself terrified of what was to come; training punishments were terrible enough.

A traitorous voice whispered in her ear, making her relive her memories with Shanks and his crew. They didn't seem cruel or evil, and even when Luffy messed up, or one of them got mad, she wasn't hit.

She couldn't help but think of the distant memory of laughter and smiles.

She couldn't help but think of straw hats and bandits.

She felt something wet drip down her face as she collapsed to the floor, unable to breathe again.

The fuzzy feeling came back as she felt a pair of arms much bigger than either Ace or Sabo; pick her up, cradling her gently to a chest.

Luffy shamefully felt herself crying, the big ugly tears she hadn't cried in years.

"It's ok, kid, I got you; let it all out." She heard his voice say, and as she was cradled there, she couldn't help but be reminded of Makino Lullabies or how she would always fall asleep on Shanks.

She remembered Sabo's secret stories and even the rare time when Gramps would visit and just hold her; Her hair was always wet by the end of when Gramps would visit. Gramps came to see Ace, Sabo, and her even less now that they have missions.

She couldn't help but worry about Ace and Sabo, but she was so tired, and it was warm. She felt good. Her eyes closed, and all she saw was darkness as consciousness slipped away.