Chapter 42: Brothers
Morning of Day 2
Marco then looked pointedly at the young man. "Stay. Below. Deck." He then looked at Sabo. "He's your responsibility."
Sabo glanced nervously at his brother. "Oh, this should be good." Ace said with a wicked grin. Sabo had a feeling that his brother was about to do something stupid and he was going to be one at fault.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, Sabo pleaded with his twin. "Please don't do something stupid."
"Where's the fun in sitting around doing nothing?" Ace asked with a grin. "My people were killed by those bastards. I want retribution for their deaths!"
Sabo supposed he would feel the same way if something happened to both of his brothers. He'd want revenge for their deaths and he'd want those who were responsible for them dying to pay ten fold. He tapped his finger on the bed Ace was lying on. Masked Deuce sharing a look with the Revolutionary. The masked man wanted the same as Ace. "Okay, but we'll need a plan."
Ace grinned. "I was thinking we'd do like we did the Old Bandit Clan who attacked Dadan that time."
Sabo grinned a similar smile like Ace's. "Fast and hard and hope Luffy doesn't hear about our stupidity and copy us?"
"YES!" He threw his head back with a deep rumbling laugh. "Ow." He winced as Deuce shook his head at him.
"I thought having you here would alleviate the situation not make it worse." He mumbled with a bit annoyance detected in his voice.
"We're D's." Sabo told him. "What part of that states I'm anything other than like my brother's?"
Luffy laid out on the deck of the Marine ship trying to get a little rest before their big fight. Jinbe had assured him that they'd arrive in a couple of hours to the island. The whole ship was buzzing with so many voices and with his haki he could feel the strength of those around him. Closest to him in strength were Buggy, Ivankov and Crocodile. Out of the three surprisingly Ivankov was the weakest on his haki radar, if you could call it that. The Queer Queen had taken a huge dose of Magellan's poison to his body. He was a bit sad that Bon Clay had stayed behind but understood they'd never have escaped the harbor attack had he not. They'd meet again, he knew that and next time he'd ensure his friend's safety.
"Oh! Captain Buggy!" An inmate called out as he came up the steps from the hull. "I found some booze!"
"Booze!" Buggy yelled excitedly. Rushing forward he examined the barrels. "That's not just any booze, it's Elbaf sake!"
"WHAT!?" Everyone gasped.
Luffy sat up and looked to Jinbe. "Is that a good thing?" He asked.
The shark man laughed. "Elbaf sake is the best in the world. To the point that it's currency to some island near the Giant's Island.
"Best never let Nami or Zoro know." Luffy joked. "Zoro would make it a challenge to drink as much as possible and Nami might try to steal as much as she could!" Luffy burst out laughing.
Without missing a beat Buggy found a glass, poured him some of the sake. "Alright Everyone!" He began as held to glass up. "I purpose a toast to all of us who made it out of Impel Down alive. This unprecedented, unheard of breakout was a success thanks to all of you, Strawhat and myself; of course." He grinned as he noticed the look from the younger captain when he was handed a cup but waved it off. "CHEERS!"
"Next stop, Banero Island." Jinbe announced. Luffy got a thoughtful look on his face causing the ex-warlord to look at him. "Luffy?" Him calling out the younger man's name caused some to look at him.
"Ah." Luffy looked at him startled. "I was just thinking that maybe I should call 'Bo."
Jinbe raised a brow but it was Iva would spoke. "Who is this 'Bo fellow?"
"Oh! He's Ace's twin." Luffy said with a grin.
"Ace has a twin!?" Many who were listening asked at once all picturing another young man with Ace's looks and brash attitude.
"Two of the same guy, now that's bad luck." Buggy muttered as he finished his drink while sitting on a crate.
Iva looked towards the doors of the medical room as Buggy spoke. He was worried about Inazuma. "I only survived because of my hormone injection." He stated quietly to the Okama present. "It'd be best for him to heal naturally as my ability can take years off of someone's life; depending on the treatment of course. He indispensable to the New Okama people." Iva looked back at Luffy. "Is this 'Bo fellow strong?"
Luffy laughed. "Yep." He announced before pointing towards himself. "He trained me." Everyone gasped. "He's even the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army."
"Eh?" Iva asked shocked. "Wait a minute." He waved his hands at Luffy. "Last I heard that position was given to a young man named Sabo." I personally watched that boy grow up. Don't tell me he's- A image of Sabo being killed appeared in his mind.
"Yep, that's 'Bo!" Luffy stated proudly.
"WHAT!?" Iva screamed, his jaw dropped.
"Yeah. A couple of years back he returned home after he had regained in memory back." Luffy explained. "He trained me and then returned to his duties."
"Can you imagine that?" An inmate asked. "One brother is second to Dragon while the other is the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeards."
"Just who is this guy?" Another asked in amazement. They all looked at Luffy with shock and aw.
"Top that with all three of you being Dragon's kids, that's one hell of a family pedigree!" Iva yelled out. "HEEHAW!"
"Huh?" Luffy asked curiously then the piece clicked into place. "Oh!" He shook his head. "Actually, Ace and 'Bo are Gol D Roger's kids and I'm their adopted brother; apparently I'm this Dragon's son." He shrugged his shoulders.
"WHAT?!" The whole ship cried out in shock.
"Yeah. Ace always hated who his blood father was; I don't know why. I think it's cool." He then realized something. "Uh. I guess I wasn't supposed to say that." Everyone started at him in shock.
Jinbe laughed. "Your family is something else."
Luffy grinned. "Ace has always been the strong one amongst us three. He's been fighting since he was four against everything and anything that put us, his brothers, in danger. From bandits, tiger's, pirates, rockslides, giant crocodile's and apes to Gramps, the Marines, and outsiders." He grinned. "For once I think it's our turn as his little brothers to save his life."
"There's just one problem, hatching." Crocodile's deep voice caught everyone's attention; including his ex-commanders. "That island will be surrounded by a huge Marine force; how will we get past it?"
Luffy grinned a true D smile that sent shivers down everyone's spines; Buggy's included. "Just leave that to me. We're meeting a friend who will help us with that."
"A friend?" Buggy eyed his suspiciously. "Who?"
"Rayleigh." Luffy answered simply.
"Rayleigh!" Buggy gasped. "Roger's first mate?"
"Yep." Luffy said with an even wider smile.
"Oh! It's been years since I've seen or thought of him! Where was he?" He asked not realizing how loud he was being in his excitement. Truthfully he'd thought the old guy was dead after all these years. He knew Crocus was alive but everyone else had scattered to the winds. Hell, he hadn't heard anything on Gabon in years.
"Are they seriously talking about Dark King Rayleigh?" A whisper reached Buggy's ears.
"How does Captain Buggy know that man?" Another whispered.
Shit! He thought. Me and my big ass mouth!
Luffy blinked at the men's words before smiling proudly. "He and Red Haired Shanks use to be apart of the Roger Pirates." He announced causing every single person to gasp in shock.
"WHAT!"
Ace and Sabo snuck around the Whiteboard ship going deeper into the abyss of the ship. The myriad of twists and turns in the enormous ship had Sabo absolutely turned around. If he got separated from Ace, he was certain he'd be lost in seconds. This is why the Revolutionary Army has never been able to infiltrate this ship. He thought. It's like an island onto itself.
Coming to a dead end, Sabo thought maybe Ace had lost his way, only for his brother to wave him to stand never to him. Stepping forward, Sabo realized that there was a lever next to Ace. "Ready?" He asked.
"For?" Sabo asked gaining a cackle from his brother who moved the lever downward.
"With the Striker out of commission," he stated as the floor began moving down. "I figure it's time to take the next best thing out." As the elevator came to a stop they walked out onto a platform that lit the room up revealing the underbelly of the Moby with several smaller Mini Moby's waiting to be used. Ace went past the large ships until they came to a sleeker version of the Striker made from metal instead of wood. Looked more durable and was a bit larger too. "The striker was originally a prototype. I'm actually surprised she last as long as she has."
"Does this one have a name?" Sabo asked as Ace jumped onto it.
Metal straps grasped at Ace's feet, keeping him in place. "Rogue." He stated with a grin.
Sabo grinned at the sentimental value of this ship. "Sap." He teased garnering a tongue being stuck out at him. "Mature." He scoffed as he easily got onboard.
"You'll like this." He stated as a gun popped out of the ship. He pointed towards his feet. "It's connected to me, allowing whoever is with me to have access to my powers. It's limited and its short range so be careful."
"You're nuts." Sabo stated gaining a laugh from his brother. "A genius, but still nuts." As the two brothers snuck out of the hold of the ship, they never would have guessed that at that moment their youngest member of their family was making his way to them in the most unconventional of ways and would be surprising everyone with both his strength and the crew he had managed to procure. What's more, the world would once again be reminded why you don't anger a D.
M-Angel: It's getting down to the line. Yes, Rayleigh is going to be seen in action. I wished he hadn't been sidelined in the original. So he's gonna fight here. ^_^