Chapter 4: Reunited

S-Fire sat on the deck of the Sunny as Lilith used her robot to fly them back to the labophase which sat on a manufactured cloud island. Rubbing his temple, S-Fire wished he didn't have to deal with these kinds intellectuals. Scientists and whatnot liked to talk and talk about things that made his head hurt; even as Ace, he rarely spent time with egg heads.

"So what's the plan?" Franky asked as he eyed the child on deck. From the black wings to the tan skin, the kid looked like any child except he was brandishing a pipe in his hand that look like it was used as a weapon. His question caused S-Fire's ear to twitch as he listen in on their conversation. His grey almost black star pupil eyes closed as he let their voices wash over him.

"What do you mean, Franky?" Brook inquired as he took a sip of tea.

"I may not have been around when he was onboard the Going Mary, but I do know who Ace was and if this boy is his kid then-" Franky was interrupted by Zoro.

"Then how did the kid end up on a government funded island." Zoro finished. "Luffy will want to take him."

"But take him where?" Usopp asked as remembered Luffy's stories about Shanks' rules about kids on ships. "Look, there's a reason Shanks never took Luffy as a kid. A pirates life is harsh and dangerous."

"Perhaps we should worry about that once we talk to our captain." Robin stated as Sanji placed a drink in her hand. "Thank-you." She told him with a gentle smile.

Nami on the other hand, took a bagel from the basket that Sanji had put out for them and walked over to the white haired boy. "Hungry?" She asked as she kneeled down to his level.

S-Fire remembered Nami's very well. She was kind, strong, a fierce fighter and smart. She also got scared easily, but would stand her ground when it came to her friends. He took the bagel from her. "I think the last time we met you gave me a chicken leg." He told her giving her his signature grin.

Nami blinked in surprise and confusion. Last time? She wondered before gasping. No. He can't be. She placed a hand over her mouth as her eyes widened.

Zoro suddenly felt a shift from Nami's haki and looked towards her. She looked surprised, but heartbroken at the same time.

Nami touched the child on the hand that was fletching his weapon as he ate with his other. "A-Are you-" she started to speak when he looked up. Those heartbreakingly gentle star eyes that spoke volumes. There was too much wisdom behind those eyes for the age he was.

"Oh, I didn't mean to scare you Nami." He spoke her name, even though she had never told him it. "I don't understand it all myself. One minute I was dying in my brother's arms, the next I was at this place in this body." He looked at the half eaten food in his hands. Food hadn't tasted as good since his awakening. He missed eating with his brothers on the Moby. He missed the taste of the sweets that the bakers made while onboard. However, what he missed most of all was Luffy. His antics. Joking with him. Fighting with him. But worry ate at him. "Will Luffy recognize me or will he see me as a fake?"

Nami could see the pain in the child's eyes. "I think you being in this form will confuse him at first; but he'll see you for who you are." She stated as she moved her hand to his shoulder. "And if he doesn't I'll pound my fist into him until he does."

S-Fire blinked at her and for a momentary second there was silence before he burst out laughing. It was a type of laugh that had his belly aching and tears springing from his eyes. "Thanks Nami." This time a true Ace grin was plastered across his face just as they made their approach towards the cloud island and subsequently the labs that he really didn't like.

Not surprisingly, in the two hours since coming to the island Luffy, Chopper and Jinbe found themselves running from a Pastifista of Kuma. They also learned that their new friend was the original Kuma's daughter. Bonney almost got blasted away by the robot version of her Dad because she was so shocked at seeing a robot with his face coupled with a small amount of hope that it'd recognize her.

Luffy wrapped his arm around her about a dozen times and ran with her. "Are you nuts!" He yelled at her. "It may look like your Dad, but it's not!" He wasn't sure what it was going to take to convince her of this.

As they rounded the corner the group came to a dead end. "We're going to have to fight." Jinbe stated as he prepared for a battle.

Luffy placed Bonney to the back of the group, not wanting her to get hurt. "We'll fight him, so you don't have to." He offered her.

Bonney felt her heart breaking. Nonononono! She screamed mentally as she called forth her devil fruit power. "Wait!"

A flash of light later and Jinbe found himself small and short. He felt like a damn guppy! "Oh shoot." He said and found that even his voice had changed to a child's.

The robot raised its arms to shoot its laser at them. "Subdue the-" Police robot Kuma froze before the laser was extinguished. Looking around it no longer recognized the group of people as its enemy and began walking away.

Jinbe was confused. "Why did he stop?" He asked not expecting a reply but it would be nice to have an answer. Turning around he found his jaw dropping.

Luffy stood with white silvery hair looking old and ragged as did Chopper. "What's going on? Suddenly my body won't move." Chopper voice was shaky and wobbled from extreme age.

"I'm suddenly so tired." Luffy complained as he didn't have any strength left. His knees wobbled by standing alone. He panted as he tired to regain some strength but it was as if everything had been zapped from him; including his youth.

"Luffy! Chopper!" Jinbe gasped from shock. "You've become decrepit!"

Chopper turned his head towards Jinbe. "And you've become a child!"

Jinbe looked at his hands. "So I have." He stated with awe.

Luffy looked down at Bonney who looked ashamed. "So is Bonney."

"I see." Jinbe said now understanding. "That's why he didn't recognize us." He continued to look at his child-like hands with wonder. "Let's escape while we can."

"Agreed." Luffy said and as he took a step it felt like his bones were about to snap. He began to whine in pain causing Jinbe to look back at him.

"What's wrong?" Jinbe asked as he stopped.

"My back." Luffy whined pathetically. "It hurts." He took a step backwards only to fall through the wall to the other side. "Ye-ouch!"

"Luffy's gone!" Chopper screamed with horror in his voice as the group stood there starring as to where he had been only moments ago.

S-Fire heard an explosion from the island below and looked over the edge of the ship. "What's wrong?" Usopp asked as he approached.

S-Fire scanned the scene below. Several of the skyscrapers were burning with people screaming as they ran out of the labs. His eyes suddenly super focused like a hawks or like the goggles Sabo use to sport as a kid that zoomed in on things. He already knew Masked Deuce would joke and call them his telescope eyes.

As his eyes scanned the scene below he spotted three figures being chased by a Police Pastifista. The figure in front of them all wore a red outfit with the all familiar strawhat. Luffy. He thought with excitement. His wings fluttered with that same excitement. He turned towards Robin who was closest to him. "Apologize to Shaka and Lilith for me. I'm needed down below." He then jumped from the ship which got a screech from Lilith who saw him jump.

"Fire!" Nami screamed after him causing the boy to twist himself mid-air to look at her. "Catch!" She yelled as she threw him his pipe weapon.

S-Fire caught the pipe before he spread his black wings and flew down to the ground. Unlike the others Seraphim, he had only just begun his flight training and really couldn't fight yet in mid-air battles, but he knew the basic to fly and land; sort of. As he came in for his landing, his feet slammed into the Pastifista's chest before flames shot out from his feet into the chest cavity of the robot and melted all the metal and wires. Seconds later the robot fell back first as a lump of scrap metal.

People came out of hiding when they heard the Pastifista fall and stop firing its weapons. Upon seeing the young Seraphim though, they weren't sure what to think. Most knew of them as living weapons that Dr. Vegapunk had created for the World Government to help control the disorder that the pirates of the world had created, therefore there was a small sense of unease at seeing one in the Fabiriophase area of the island was rare; but not unheard of. However, what was unusual was seeing one as small as S-Fire.

This did not concern the boy though. Nobody here would harm him. They were all scientists and researchers. The only thing he had to worry about was them being too curious about his person. Sharp hawk eyes looked out to where the robot had stopped its path of destruction. Running towards the alley he found it was empty, but he knew these places had secret passages and sometimes you could pass right through one.

Placing his hand onto the wall he began pressing against it. Activating his boots thrusters he began slowly inspecting every inch until his hand passed right through. Upon walking through the wall, S-Fire was assaulted with a horrid smell of rotting metal and oil. He placed his hand over his nose to help himself breathe a bit better when he heard a voice yell out.

"Robonosuke! Come on and play!" Followed by the sound of something beating on metal. Running forward, S-Fire could feel his heart hammering in his chest. That was Luffy's voice! His baby brother was really here! It's not a dream. He thought. He really is here! He felt his bottom lip tremble a bit as his emotions surfaced. Lu, please, take me back to the sea. He thought as he rounded a pile of metal garbage and froze at the sight before him. It was a giant robot that was bigger than anything he'd ever seen on the island!

It was then that he saw him. Luffy was standing at the helmet of the robot trying to get it to activate, only for it to remain still. He looks older than I remember. He thought. Gone was the baby fat from his face. Replacing it was a more defined and sculpted look. He could also feel it, strength and power unlike anything he'd ever felt. He was about to approach when he lost sight of Luffy. Where'd he go?!

Meanwhile Luffy was trying to see if there was a switch to activating this robot but couldn't find any. Standing up tall, he looked into the empty eyes of the robot and felt sorrow for it. Just as he was about to touch it he heard the voice again.

He's here! Our big brother!

The voice was so much clearer this time. It was almost child-like but it held so much maturity and wisdom within it.

To the side!

This was practically scream and it made Luffy wince at the volume. As if he didn't have a hard enough time hearing everything else with the Voice of All; now this? Maybe I'm finally going nuts. He thought. After all who heard of hearing voices unless you were going crazy?

However, he couldn't stop the insistency that the voice held. Stretching out his senses he was surprised to feel another person with them. Both Chopper and Bonney were there but to the side was an unfamiliar haki signature. Thinking fast, he couldn't allow a stranger to hurt his friends. Doing a quick as lightning speed blitz around the giant, he saw a small child-like figure staring up at the robot. The black wings were unfamiliar to him but it made him think perhaps this child was a natural inhabitant to the island. Grasping the boy from behind he quickly turned him around to face him.

"Well, hello. Who are you?" And suddenly time seemed to stand still for the two as Luffy suddenly recognized the haki signature and S-Fire did something that would've put his former self to shame as he let the tears flow freely and hugged his brother.