Enter Ace & Sabo...The Fated Meeting Between Brothers...

Chapter 4 - Enter Ace and Sabo… The Fated Meeting Between Brothers...

"This certainly explains a lot," Robin said softly as it went dark around them once again.

"So that's why the hat means so much to Luffy," Chopper said, his eyes bright. "He treasures it so that he can give it back to Shanks someday."

Franky and Brook were both crying their eyes out as Usopp stood behind them, hiding his own eyes behind his arm to hold back the tears. "A promise between real men!" Franky cried, "No matter how much time passes, they're always working to that one goal!"

"Now they understand that you should keep a promise no matter how hard it is to keep!" Brook cried out. "It's so inspiring! To keep such a promise after all this time!"

"Shanks really is something else," Sanji said, his tone full of respect. "I get it now… so after Luffy becomes the king, he wants to fight Shanks and his crew."

"Something to look forward to," Zoro grinned, resting his hand on his swords. "Now this is a battle I can't wait for."

Just then, the darkness faded away until they were standing in the middle of what appeared to be the forest they had been in when they first arrived.

"This isn't getting old!" Franky called, staring around him. "It's SUUUUPPPPPER, cool!"

"What happens next?" Chopper asked excitedly. "I really want to see more. I don't see Luffy anywhere."

"Take this!" shouted out Luffy's voice through some trees.

"I have a good idea," Nami said, and they poked their heads through the plantlife to see Luffy there face-to-face with a large gorilla that was at least three times bigger than him. Luffy had just jumped up, his arm stretching out as he tried to throw a punch. The gorilla dodged it and Luffy fell to the ground, but he wasn't going to give up that easily. He got right back up and tried again… but yet again he was having trouble aiming his punch just right.

"Well, it seems that the smaller monkeys aren't enough anymore," Robin commented as they watched him jump around and throwing punches.

"Yeah, but he still sucks at fighting," Franky said.

After the gorilla grabbed hold of Luffy's arm and slammed him into the ground, Luffy bounced up again, tilting the straw hat on his head as he threw his arm back shouting out, "GUM GUM…" but then his hand got caught in the tree behind him, and like a bungee cord, he was pulled back and swung rather pathetically from the branch.

Garp, who had been watching the whole thing, sighed, "Stupid kid."

"Yeah, I can't argue with that," Sanji nodded as he exhaled the smoke.

"There's something I need to tell you, grandpa," Luffy said as his grandpa walked up to him, and moved the hat back so that he could see Luffy's face.

"Yeah, what is it?" he asked.

"I decided I'm not gonna be some pirate," Luffy told him.

"Notice how he said 'some pirate'," Robin smiled.

"Oh no…" Usopp said, suddenly filled with dread, "Is he really gonna tell his gramps his dream?"

"Ehhhh! Garp's gonna kill him!" Chopper shouted fearfully.

But at the moment, a big grin appeared on Garps face as he asked, "So you finally came to your senses?"

"Wait for it…" Zoro said, and sure enough…

"Yeah! I'm not gonna become any pirate!" Luffy cried out happily. "I'm gonna be the King of the Pirates!"

"He's dead," Sanji said, shaking his head.

Garp looked furious. "This is that Red Hair's influence!"

He then covered Luffy's face with the hat again before pulling his arm free from the tree.

"Get out of the way you!" he barked at the gorilla, before holding Luffy up, "I've gotta knock some sense into this kid's corrupted mind!"

"Rest in peace, Luffy-san," Brook said, now truly afraid of the fuming look on Garp's face. Luffy's face was frozen in fear as he struggled to free himself.

"I'll never let you become one of their kind!" Garp declared and dropped kicked him. Robin blinked in surprise as the others all winced in pain at Garp's beating.

"Oh, the poor guy," Usopp whispered, hugging his own body close, "I hurt just watching!"

"Ok, now I know that Garp's trying to kill him," Sanji said, watching the whole thing with a rather queasy look on his face.

Sweat was falling from Zoro's face as Franky whispered, "But you gotta admit, even as a kid, Luffy could take punishment."

But Robin didn't say a word as she examined the nervousness in Garp's eyes, even long after the image faded from them. He certainly knew more than they gave him credit for. She could understand now…

The scenery reappeared, and they saw that they were all still in the forest, but now there was Garp who was carrying Luffy piggy back down a hill. The sun setting in the distance—casting everything in a warm, golden glow as they passed the trees, obviously heading back to the village.

"I'm surprised that Luffy's lived passed the age of eight for dealing with a grandpa like that," Nami whispered as they watched Garp slowly approach them.

"Yeah, it looks like he'd been in another brutal training session," Sanji added as they moved away so that Garp could pass—they could all see that Luffy had a thick bandage on his forehead and a clogged up bloody nose as he stared to doze off. His stomach was roaring with hunger as Garp looked at him. Luffy blinked with sleepy eyes as Garp smiled.

"Even after tiring yourself out and falling asleep your stomach is still as active as it always is!" he proclaimed.

"Yeah, don't we all know it," Sanji nodded, remembering back to after they got back from Enies Lobby and how Luffy had worked on a technique to eat while asleep.

Garp shook his head softly and went on, "You probably hate me for being such a strict granddad."

"Strict?" Usopp repeated in a whisper, "More like murder attempts."

"Enough," Robin said softly, watching the grim expression on Garp's face.

"What's wrong, Robin?" Chopper asked as Robin kept looking. She didn't say a word as she followed them, now wishing that she knew what was going on inside Garp's head.

Just then, Garp muttered, "But Luffy… the reason I put you through this harsh training… and want you to be a Marine, is because I don't want you to go down the wrong path. That is my wish."

That was enough to cause them all to stop and think about what he said—all of them rather taken aback. Garp didn't seem to be the type of person who you could talk to in a serious manner. He was one of those people who didn't know the meaning of the word 'tact'. But his words seemed to be so sincere…

"His wish is that Luffy becomes a Marine?" Chopper whispered.

"Makes sense," Sanji said, his hands in his pockets. "After all, what grandfather in his right mind would want their grandson to become a criminal?"

"Even if that's his wish, that's not Luffy's dream," Zoro reminded them. "Garp can beat his face into the dirt all he wants to, but that won't change anything."

"In more ways than one," Robin whispered and they all looked at her as she explained, "No matter how much Garp wants it, the fact is that Luffy is the son of the most wanted criminal in the world. He could never be a Marine even if he wanted to be."

"So he doesn't want Luffy to become like those other bad pirates?" Chopper asked.

"I don't think we need to worry," Robin smiled. "Luffy may be a handful, but he'd never become corrupted… at least that's what I believe."

"I think we all agree on that," Usopp smiled in agreement.

Garp was staring up at the darkening sky before he sighed and hoisted Luffy up a little higher on his back. "Oi, Luffy," he said as he continued down the hill, "I have a treat for you today! The Navy left us plenty of food! You can eat as much as your favorite meat as you want!"

He then burst out laughing as Luffy's tiny hand gripped his shirt a little tighter.

"Isn't that cute?" Robin smiled, watching the two heading back down the hill.

"Ok, I get that Garp has good intentions," Nami whispered as she watched the image fade away, "But I don't think he's going about it the right way."

"I just think that he's not someone who's good with his words, nor do I think he's someone who can express it in a gentle way," Robin whispered as the image reappeared. "He does what he thinks is right… but I have a feeling that he has a much softer side than we give him credit for."

"Where are we now anyway?" Usopp asked, looking around at the trees. "This place looks a lot bigger than the forest we were in before. Suddenly, they heard a loud cry of pain coming from the trees behind them. When they turned they could clearly hear Luffy's voice shouting out, "Grandpa I already told you! I'm gonna be King of the pirates!"

"I guess that Luffy's still brave enough to say that to his gramps," Sanji muttered with a shake of the head. "Does he want to get killed here?"

Just then Garp appeared through the trees, an irritable look on his face as he dragged Luffy along with him by pinching his cheek while Luffy tried desperately to break his grandfather's grip. His rubber body was bouncing along as he slapped at his grandpa's leg to get away.

"What do you mean, 'Pirate King'?!" Garp bellowed, holding Luffy up a little bit higher.

"I think he means the King of all pirates," Franky explained happily.

"I guess that his gentle side has long since faded," Nami asked with a little sweatdrop. "I guess it was a while since that last memory."

"Lemme go!" Luffy yelled, continuing to fight.

Garp ignored him as he went on, "Not only do you eat a Devil Fruit, but now you're spouting nonsense as well! Luffy, both you and Ace are destined to become great marines!"

"Not in a million years," Usopp laughed at the thought. "If he did join, I think that they would be more afraid of him than any pirate."

"Yeah, I still don't know what Garp was thinking," Nami agreed with a big smile as they all trooped behind them. "Luffy? A marine? I can't picture seeing him in one of those tacky uniforms can any of you?"

"Nope," they all said at the same time before laughing with her.

"Damnit," Luffy whined as he continued to struggle, "I'm made of rubber, why does it hurt?! Lemme go, Gramps!"

"Now that's a little harsh," Brook said, "Using Haki like that…"

"Well, there's not much that can get Luffy to behave," Nami sighed.

"Leaving you in that peaceful village was a mistake," Garp said as they walked along a fallen tree, that was acting as a bridge, over a small river. "Of all things, the Pirate King?!"

"Yes!" Luffy cried out without any hesitation in his tone.

"Doesn't he know when to keep his mouth shut?" Zoro asked tiredly.

"You imbecile!" Garp exclaimed, pinching his face harder just as Luffy reached out and grabbed one of the passing trees and wrapped his rubber arms all the way around the trunk as Garp walked on without any idea to what was happening. "Becoming friends with that damn Red-Hair Shanks is completely unacceptable!"

"Grap's going to regret that if he doesn't let go," Zoro said, seeing Luffy's body stretching out, as Garp kept walking along.

"I'm gonna become…" Luffy started, refusing to let go of the tree and ended up uprooting it and slamming it the back of Garp's head, finally causing him to let go, "as strong as Shanks!" Luffy finished stubbornly, still hanging onto the tree like a monkey even after it had been snapped in two after hitting his grandfather.

"Hey!" Garp yelled at him furiously.

"Well, it's his own fault," Usopp laughed as they watched him drag Luffy with him again, arguing all the way.

"You'll be living here with Dadan and the boys until you and Ace become strong Marines," Garp went on with Luffy walking beside him.

"Dadan?" Luffy repeated grumpily.

"That's right," Garp answered, and they could all tell from his tone that this was decided and no amount of whining or complaining was going to change it. "From now on, this is where you'll be living."

"Huh?" Luffy asked predictably, moving around to stand in front of him. He looked ready to complain, but Garp never gave him a chance.

"You're going to be living with these guys," he decided again. "Try to get along with them!" and like that, he punched him hard on the head.

"Yohoho," Brook laughed merrily. "I think I now see a resemblance between them."

"Yeah," Nami answered him with a sigh, rubbing her hand through her bangs. "I guess that this is a family trait. Apparently it's normal for them to want something and to just go for it… and that's the end of it."

As most of them watched the two argue, Zoro saw a flash of something moving in the trees. When he looked up however, there wasn't anything there… But at the same time, he noticed how the branches were swaying softly as if they had been touched by something just a second ago.

"Saw that too?" Sanji asked him quietly, able to speak with him without anyone noticing as Luffy kept yelling in a loud voice.

Zoro nodded, his eye never leaving the tree until the branches became still once again. "Someone was there…"

"Didn't get to see who it was though," Sanji went on as they quickly caught up with the rest of the group.

Just then they heard Luffy ask, "Granddad, who's Ace?"

They all froze at those words, the atmosphere suddenly becoming so much tenser.

"He doesn't know Ace yet?" Chopper asked quietly.

"This must be where they first… met…" Nami whispered, now wishing more than ever that they were out of this place. It was hard enough to hear about Ace's death in the newspaper, but to actually see how they first met…? She didn't want to see it…

"Starting today, he's going to be your big brother," Garp answered, but his tone had become a little more gentle if only for a moment before they set off again. A few minutes later, they reached a small house in the middle of a large clearing. A decent size place with a watchtower in the back with a line of clothing hung to the nearest tree—it looked like a handful of people lived there…

"What a dump," Sanji stated, looking around. "I don't know, he's really going to be living in a place like this? It looks more like somewhere where a gang of bandits live."

"You got that right," Franky admitted, moving his sunglasses up again so that he could get a better look at it himself.

Luffy stared up at it in bright curiosity before he went running around to get a better look at it. As he started to explore, Garp walked on ahead and banged on the door.

The front door opened and they were all taken aback when it was a woman who answered it. But not just any woman… a rather tall and overweight woman with long, orange, curly hair and a big, masculine face—there was cigarette held between her lips as she had thrown open the door, yelling out, "So annoying! Who's the reckless daredevil?!"

"It's me," Garp answered darkly.

At his voice, the woman's eyes snapped open and she backed away in fear, stammering, "G-Garp-san!"

"Now that would be an unpleasant surprise," Nami whispered, imagining opening the door to see that standing there.

At his name, two men appeared right behind her. The shorter of them was hardly taller than Luffy and was wearing polka-dotted dungarees and a tight turban on his head while carrying a dictionary in his hand. The taller man was… there was no other way to say it, but his overall appearance looked like a chicken. He had what appeared to be a wattle on his chin, and a comb on his bald head.

All of them were looking terrified at the sight of Garp, and were now actually retreating a little.

"Is this a circus or something?" Franky asked, "Who're these freaks?"

"I can't say for sure," Robin stated. "But it's most likely that these are that 'Dadan and her boys' that Garp mentioned."

"What? He's leaving Luffy with these guys?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yohoho! So these are the ones who raised Luffy-san?!" Brook exclaimed cheerfully.

"If that's true, then it would explain a lot," Sanji said with a laugh.

"Apparently," Nami said slowly, eyeing the woman, who she assumed to be Dadan, with suspicion. "But why here?"

"I wish that it was Makino," Chopper sighed sadly, sitting down as he watched. "She's really nice. I liked her."

"I think that's what the problem was for Garp," Zoro said, jerking his thumb to Garp.

Just then, Garp said conversationally, "You seem to be doing well."

"You gotta be kidding me!" Dadan called out just as Luffy began running around them, looking at everything with bright eyes. "I wish you'd just leave me alone for a change! That Ace is already ten years old you know!"

That got their attention.

"Ohhh!" Chopper called out excitedly, "So this is where Ace lives!"

"YOW!" Franky called, striking his pose joyfully. "We get to met Luffy's older brother!"

"Yeah!" Usopp cried happily, tears appearing in his eyes again. "So we get to see how such devoted brothers met."

"It would be nice to see him again, even as a kid," Nami laughed, smiling brightly.

"You met Luffy-san's brother before?" Brook asked them in surprise.

"Yeah," Sanji said, removing his cigarette for a second. "Back in Alabasta… but that was a long time ago…"

"Yeah! It was just before you joined up with us, Robin!" Chopper added and Robin smiled.

Garp chuckled at that and asked, "Is he? Has it really been that long already? How's he doing?"

"It's nothing to laugh at," the short man called out as Garp began to laugh. "If he gets any wilder, we won't be able to control him at all! Just take him with you!"

"Ace? Wild?" Nami asked in surprise. 'But he was so nice when we met him…?'

"Anyway," Garp began but the little guy interrupted annoyed, "Don't change the subject like that!"

"I agree," Sanji sighed, "Apparently that's another bad habit that Luffy inherited from his grandpa."

Dadan, who had been watching Luffy run around the whole time, finally lost patience and cried out, "Sheesh! That kid's so annoying!"

"You get used to it," Zoro commented and watched as Garp reached out and grabbed Luffy when he ran by and held him up so that they could see him.

"Take care of him too," he said bluntly.

"Nice way to break it to them," Nami muttered, smacking her forehead, as the other three stared at Garp with speechless expressions—as if they thought he had to be kidding around. "What an idiot…"

The three of them stared at him before Garp scolded Luffy, "Now come on, Luffy, say hello."

"Yo!" Luffy said at once, holding up a hand to greet them.

The man who looked like a chicken looked from around Dadan and asked, "Who's that kid?"

"He's my grandson," Garp stated simply.

They stood there with their jaws falling open in horror. For a moment they seemed too stunned to speak before they cried out, "WHAT!?"

"Well, you can tell from their expressions that they're taking the news well," Robin chuckled.

The little man screamed out, "We gotta take care of another one?!"

"Garp's – I mean – Garp-san's grandson?!" Dadan repeated.

They all got on their knees and screamed boldly, "Not happening!"

"You can't help but feel bad for them," Sanji said sympathetically. "I mean, we all have problems keeping Luffy out of trouble now… but imagine how he must've been as a kid?"

Garp crossed his arms as Luffy went running around exploring again. "Well," Garp said as he let Luffy back down and he ran around wildly, "you have to make your decision. Do you want to spend the rest of your lives behind bars… or will you raise him?"

"Wait, you're saying that they're criminals?" Nami, Usopp, and Chopper all cried out at the same time, their jaws falling open in surprise.

"I get it," Sanji stated, thinking it over. "They really are bandits and Garp's blackmailing them."

"So, in other words, they have a choice to either take care of Luffy and Ace… or jail," Robin summed up for them all.

Nami fell to the ground, her expression stony as she whispered, "Let me get this straight, Garp wants him and Ace to be Marines, but he's leaving the two of them with a bunch of bandits?"

"It would appear so," Robin said, a twinkle of amusement in her eyes.

"What kind of logic is that?!" she demanded loudly. "It makes no sense! No sense at all!"

"This really does explain a lot," Franky burst out laughing. "But I think Garp decided for them what they're gonna do… they don't have much of a choice here do they?"

Garp was speaking again, "I've turned a blind eye so far. But you've committed as many crimes as here are stars in the sky."

"No way!" the three of them shouted out as Garp laughed.

The chicken man scratched his head and began, "Well, true, I don't wanna go to prison."

The short man then finished voicing his opinion, "But sometimes prison actually seems tempting. Our hands are full with just Ace!"

"Jail or raise Luffy and Ace?" Usopp said slowly, holding his hands up as if he was a scale as if to decide which he would rather do. "Yeah, I think I can understand."

"Well, maybe not Ace…" Chopper said, thinking back to that loving, kind older brother. "He was so nice…"

"I wouldn't bet on that," Franky disagreed at once, frowning a little at the looks on the bandit's faces. "I never met him like some of you, but even I know that just because you're one way as an adult, doesn't mean that you were the same way as a kid."

"Well, how different could he be?" Nami asked.

Dadan suddenly cried out, "And now you want us to take your grandson too?! I'm sure that kid's just as much of a monster, isn't he?!"

"That's about it," Usopp and Nami both said at the same time.

But Chopper tilted his head in confusion. Monster? What did they mean? Ace was a monster?

"What a crappy looking mountain hut," Luffy said bluntly, and Usopp laughed.

"As blunt as ever I see," Nami sighed fondly. "I see that hasn't changed since he was a kid."

Dadan had heard him and yelled out, "You want to die, you brat?!"

Too bad for her a couple dragonflies buzzed passed and Luffy was completely distracted as he went running after them

"He's not listening!" Dadan cried out, falling forward.

"Boss, are you alright?" the little man asked.

"Jeez, this is a rough place," Sanji said, running a hand through his hair. "And Luffy grew up here?"

As they talked, they heard Luffy's voice suddenly yelling out, sounding angry, "Hey! You! Apologize! That's gross!"

Garp turned at Luffy's yell. "Oh! Ace!" he said with a grin as he began to walk over to them.

"Oh! You're back, Ace!" the chicken man called out. The Straw Hats all looked at once, eager to see Ace again… but they stared at what they saw…

A young boy, looking no older than ten or eleven years old was sitting on the dead body of animal. Familiar black hair and stretch of freckles were splashed across his cheeks and nose… his body was rigid as he looked down at Luffy with his arms folded and holding a long metal pole.

But it was his eyes that sent chills up their spines. His eyes were dark and cold and filled with an anger that seemed so deep that it was beyond rage… hatred.

The Straw Hats stared. Nami walked forward and croaked out, "That's… that's Ace?"

"He looks really scary," Chopper said, ducking behind Zoro.

"That's Luffy-san's older brother?" Brook asked in surprised. "Not what I was expecting…"

"No way!" Usopp said at once, pointing wildly at him. "That can't be… he's nothing like the guy we met!" The Ace that had met back in Alabasta was cheerful and he and his brother were the best of friends. This boy, though… anger seemed to radiate off of him. "It has to be someone else!"

"Really?" Chopper called out in relief.

"Of course it's him you idiot," Sanji snapped at him, slapping him. "Who else would it be?"

"Hey!" Luffy called up again, "Apologize!"

Ace just glared down at him coldly as if daring him to take another step forward.

Garp's heavy footsteps were sounded and they turned to see him standing next to Luffy and saying, "Luffy, that's Ace." He smiled up at Ace and finished, "He's three years older than you. Starting today, you're going to be living with these people, so you better get along, got it?"

"Ehhhhhh?!" called a loud voice from behind them and they saw Dadan get back up to her feet. Seeing this cold Ace made them all forget about her.

"You just decided by yourself?!" she demanded.

"I don't think that you have much say in the matter," Nami said knowingly.

Luffy and Ace continued to glare silently at each other—looking as if they were about to attack until Garp pounded Luffy on the head and said harshly, "Try to get along!"

But the other three didn't seem to be willing to give up without a fight for Dadan yelled out, "You think it's settled?!"

He turned and gave them the evil eye. "You have a problem?" he asked menacingly.

A look of pure terror came across their faces and then they stood up straight and all recited, "We'll take care of him!"

"Like he would've taken no for an answer," Franky said.

"My business here is done then!" Garp said as they looked back to Ace's cold features. "I'll come to visit when I have the time!"

"Ummm… what about child support?!" the chicken man called after him.

"Put it on my tab!" Garp called.

"This isn't a bar you know!" Dadan screamed at him.

"Huh?"

"Welcome anytime!" she yelled out, sweat pouring down her face.

"He sure seems to have them well trained," Zoro answered, watching Garp's retreating back.

"I don't get it," Nami said with a frown and folded her arms. "Just what was he thinking? Leaving his grandchildren here of all places? And with a family of mountain bandits to boot! Just what was he thinking?"

But Robin was thinking it all over… to her… it actually made sense to leave them here.

But before she could voice her own opinion, the other two bandits were asking Dadan, "Hey, Boss, what are we going to with another one to take care of?"

"Well, first let's go have something to eat!" she said sourly. "Go cook something up!"

"Looks like we just learned where Luffy got his idea that eating a meal solves everything," Sanji said as he watched with the others as Ace jumped down from his kill and slowly walked towards Luffy. "Apologize!" Luffy yelled at Ace one more time, but predictably, Ace just walked right past him without saying a word. It was clear on his face that he felt it wasn't worth the trouble.

"Does anyone else here feel the temperature drop?" Usopp gulped, as he looked at Ace's cold eyes.

"You aren't the only one who feels that," Franky said shivering.

Luffy fumed and pulled his straw hat down over his head. Then he paused as if thinking something over.

But for the rest of them, they couldn't understand just what happened here. Could this really be the same person they met before in Alabasta? The same person who asked that they take care of his little brother? The same person that Luffy had stormed Impel Down and Marine Headquarters to rescue… how could it have gone from this to that? Here, it looked as if they couldn't stand each other…

"Ace-san does not look very friendly," Brook said worriedly, "He seems so angry…?"

"Are you guys sure it's the same Ace?" Usopp asked, still not convinced.

"How can it be anyone else?" Sanji asked him irritably. "You think that there are two Aces' or something?"

"Let's just see what happens," Zoro said, suddenly realizing what the thing watching from the trees had been. As he watched Luffy wipe off the spit on his face and followed Ace into the house.

They followed Luffy into the house. It appeared to have been deserted as Luffy looked around, most likely looking for Ace. As he wandered around, a knife came out of nowhere and was pointed at Luffy's neck.

"Ahhhh!" Usopp called in panic, "They're gonna kill him!"

Nami punched him in the head shouting, "Would you shut up?!"

"Who the hell are you?" the bandit asked, and they all appeared out of the darkness—a decent amount of them were gathered around them, like guards—prepared to grab him if he escaped.

"Let go of me!" Luffy yelled, staring down at the weapon that seemed to glint a little in the low light.

"If you don't wanna die," the bandit holding the knife at his throat, "Then fork over all your cash!"

"Do they really think that a seven-year-old has cash?" Sanji asked impatiently.

"Luffy-san doesn't have much luck with bandits does he?" Brook asked, thinking about that last one.

"Nope," they all agreed.

"I don't have any money!" Luffy told them honestly.

"Then call your parents and make them bring some!" another bandit demanded at once.

"Kidnapping now?" Nami asked. You really didn't expect Luffy to be kidnapped… more to be like the kidnapper…

"I've only got Granddad!" Luffy said.

"Then call your Gramps here!" a third bandit told him. "What's his name?"

"They're in for a nasty surprise," Brook said, thinking of Garp.

"Garp-san," said a familiar voice. The lights suddenly brightened as the door opened and the little man from before was there. The other bandit's eyes opened wide in horror as sweat poured down their faces. "This kid is…?" the bandit holding Luffy croaked out.

"He's gonna live with us from now on," he finished as if speaking a death sentence. That was when every single bandit seemed to come out of the woodworks and cried out in panic.

"Why'd you take him?!"

"This isn't a nursery school you know!"

"Boss, you're totally gutless!"

Dadan then came back in with a giant plate of meat and yelled out, "Shut it, you scumbags!"

"Well, she knows how to control them I'll give her that," Zoro said as they all fell silent at that.

"It's time for dinner!" she added, pointing to all the food. At that, drool came down from the other bandits faces as they launched themselves at the meat. As they watched them devour the meat like a pack of animals, Luffy raced over too, only to get stepped on.

"What a wild place," Franky said, "Almost reminds me of my boys back home at Water 7!" As he said that, he couldn't help but wonder just how they were doing these days…

"You know, now I think I understand why Luffy eats like there's no tomorrow," Nami said as they all sweatdropped, watching them all eat and fight with each other.

"Yeah," Usopp agreed exasperated. "In this house you have to fight just to get fed."

"And if you don't, you go hungry," Zoro finished.

"Yohoho!" Brook said. "How harsh!"

In the end, it was Luffy, Ace and Dadan who were sitting around a fire in the center of the room. Ace was devouring some of the meat he stole earlier, while Dadan sipped some sake. Luffy frowned at the small bowl of rice in his hand.

"Was that all he could get?" Usopp asked with wide eyes. "That's not even a mouthful for a normal person!"

They watched as Luffy tilted the small bowl and swallowed its contents in one go before he yelled out, "I want another bowl!" But when no one else noticed him he said, "Pops, I want another bowl!"

"I'm a woman!" Dadan yelled at him.

Chopper looked confused. "She is?"

"Yeah, I can see where someone might make the mistake," Franky agreed, looking at her up and down.

"And don't you realize where you've been left?!" she barked at Luffy.

"No," was his blunt answer.

"Then I'll tell you," Dadan said as a rather horrid grin appeared on her face.

"She's scaring me," Chopper whispered.

"I think that's the idea," Robin said. "She's trying to scare him."

"This is the hideout of the mountain bandits who rule Mt. Corvo, the Dadan Family!" she said in a dark voicie.

"Mt. Corvo?" Robin said in surprise.

"You've heard of it?" Nami asked her and they all turned to look.

"Only by name," Robin said, frowning a little. "If what I'm thinking of is right, then this is Goa Kingdom on Dawn Island."

"Dawn Island?" Chopper repeated, "So this is where Luffy was born?"

"Like I said, I only know the rumors," Robin said, her hand up and under her chin, meaning that she was deep in thought. "But if I'm right, they say that Goa Kingdom is supposed to be the most beautiful and cleanest kingdom in the entire East Blue."

"What?" Sanji asked startled. "You mean Luffy came from a place like that?"

"You sure don't expect to hear that," Usopp said, his face shone nothing but disbelief as he looked back to the bandits who were still gnawing on the bones of their meals like dogs. "So far, I don't see anything like that though…"

"That's what I know," Robin said, still frowning. "Mt. Corvo is supposed to be part of it. Outside Goa is a forest that is filled with animals of incredible size and ferocity."

"Incredible size and ferocity?" Zoro repeated, "Just what do you mean by that?"

"Mountain bandits? I hate mountain bandits," Luffy said, a dull look passing over his face.

"Can't blame him for that," Usopp said nodding. "I mean, he was almost eaten because of the last one he met."

Dadan responded by sticking a knife into the floor in front of him.

"Shut it, you damn brat!" she yelled at him. "It's already a pain in the ass raising you! If you don't want to be here, that's fine by us! Just go somewhere and die like an animal!"

"She can't be serious about that can she?" Chopper asked them, gulping painfully at the thought.

Zoro narrowed his eyes. "Doesn't sound like it to me."

"Jeez, what was Garp thinking in leaving his grandsons here?" Nami demanded for what felt like the millionth time.

"Now, now, Boss…" the chicken man, who they found out was named Magra, spoke up attempting to calm Dadan down.

"I'm still hungry," Luffy whined, before glancing up at all the meat that Ace was scarfing down and drool was forming on his mouth. "I want some of that meat…"

Dadan then held out a piece of it and Luffy tried to take a bite out of it, only for her to pull it away so that he chomped down on air.

Nami frowned a little, but she couldn't stop thinking how cute Luffy was when he was a little kid.

"I'll have you know that this meat is the meat Ace hunted and brought back!" Dadan told Luffy as she began chowing down on it herself. "He shares it with us and that's why he gets a place at our table! The life of a mountain bandit is harsh! Starting tomorrow, we're going to work you half to death! Cleaning! Laundry! Shoe and weapon polishing! Theft, looting, swindling, and killing! And listen… you're not gonna say a single word to Garp about the stuff we make you do!"

"Why do I get the feeling that's not what happened?" Franky asked while Robin giggled and Brook laughed.

"One bowl of rice and one glass of water a day!" Dadan continued, "That's all I'm giving you. Anything else you'll have to get for yourself. You'll have to raise yourself to be strong," she said with a smug smile, and pausing to see if he would start crying or complaining.

"But that's not really fair is it?" Usopp asked in concern, "I mean, even if it's Luffy, he's still only seven right?"

"Something tells me we don't need to worry," Robin said with a smile.

"Alright," Luffy said, causing Dadan to fall face-first onto the floor.

"Of course he agrees," Nami said dryly.

"You're fine with it?!" Dadan cried startled, "You should be crying by now!"

Luffy didn't look the least bit surprised by anything she said. "Granddad threw me into the jungle once. Earthworms, snakes, frogs, mushrooms… if this is a jungle than I'll be just fine!"

Usopp started turning green at the thought. "Oh, man…" he said looking sick as he held onto his stomach. "How can anyone live on that stuff?"

"Wow, so even back then he had a stomach made of scrap iron," Sanji said impressed.

"No, that's me bro!" Franky said, knocking on his own stomach to hear the pang of metal.

"But mushrooms…?" Usopp repeated shaking his head. He had always hated mushrooms, after having eaten a poisonous once when he was younger.

Robin giggled again as she commented, "Looks like Luffy is already used to taking care of himself."

"If I had a grandfather like Garp, then I guess," Zoro stated dryly.

"Besides," Luffy carried on, "I'm gonna be a pirate someday! So I've gotta deal with at least this much!"

"But pirates don't eat half the things you do," Nami called out.

But at his words, Ace looked over at Luffy for the briefest moment before he stood up and headed to the door. As the other bandits tried to pull Dadan's head out of the floor, Luffy looked up to see Ace just as he walked out.

"Where's he going?" Luffy asked himself before he jumped up and went after him just as Dadan yelled after him, which of course he ignored.

"Hey!" Luffy called just as Ace shut the door behind him, leaving everything in darkness.

"Why do I think this isn't a good idea?" Nami asked, still disturbed by Ace's attitude.

Luffy stopped for a moment, staring blankly at the door in front of him, as if wondering what he should do. Then he shook his head before nodding determinedly and pushing the door open.

"Hey!" Luffy called again, running outside and chasing after Ace, "Wait up! Hey!" Ace finally turned around and glared down at Luffy with those angry looking eyes.

"He's creeping me out now," Usopp whispered quietly. "It feel like he's like he's going to attack him if he gets too close."

But Luffy didn't seem to notice as he waved and called up happily, "I'm Luffy! I'm not angry that you spat at me anymore! It's nothing to get worked up about! Let's be friends!"

"Why does that sound familiar?" Brook asked, tilting his head as he thought it over.

"He's thinking of Shanks," Robin smiled.

"Well, I guess he could've had worse role models," Sanji admitted with a small smile himself.

Ace just stared at Luffy, a blank mask on his face. "Are you going somewhere?" Luffy called.

But instead of answering, he did something that made them all gasp. Ace turned and kicked the tree he was closest to: the first kick broke it as it slowly fell and landed with a crash, the second kick he aimed it towards Luffy so that it went rolling towards him.

"Did he just knock that tree down!" Nami yelled in disbelief.

"YES!" Usopp cried, grabbing his hair in panic, "AND NOW HE'S ROLLING IT TOWARDS US!"

Luffy screamed in panic before he turned and ran as fast as he could down the hill as the tree came barreling towards him. Luffy ran until he came to a giant rock and he screamed out, "A dead end?!"

And with a crash, the tree hit him and he was flattened against tree and stone. They all stood there and watched, trying to wrap their heads around what Ace had just done.

"If it wasn't for his rubber body, Luffy probably would've been killed," Robin observed calmly as she watched Luffy try to pull himself out from under the tree.

"Now is not the point!" Usopp screeched, pointing in the direction that Ace was heading in. "He just tried to kill him without a second thought! There's no way that could be the same Ace we met before!"

"Man, if Luffy had to live with this, no wonder he got strong," Franky said, folding his massive arms. "Just talking to his brother could've gotten him killed."

"He's scaring me," Chopper whispered, looking at Ace's retreating back.

"I wonder what happened to get them to become brothers," Robin asked curiously.

"Well, I'm sure we'll find out if we keep watching," Sanji said, as Luffy pulled himself out and was now gasping for air. Luffy was as stubborn as when he was a child as he was as their captain. Covered in bruises, he went chasing after Ace and onto a rickety old bridge that stretched over a large gorge. Ace was already halfway across by the time that Luffy stepped on.

Realizing that someone else was there, he turned and looked taken-aback to see Luffy there. It quickly vanished though, replaced with an annoyed frown as he turned and began to walk toward Luffy who was gasping for breath.

"Luffy!" Usopp called, "I know you can't hear us! But you really should move back! He doesn't look like he wants to be your friend."

Of course, it made no difference. Luffy straightened up and smiled—obviously thinking that Ace was finally going to talk to him. But the Straw Hats noticed the hand that held the metal pole tightening and he charged forward, striking Luffy hard enough to knock him off the bridge.

Everyone but Zoro cried out in surprise as Luffy flew up into the air and over the bridge… instead, Zoro was staring at the wild look in Ace's eyes… a ten-year-old boy looked as if he were a completely feral animal. Even as he watched Luffy fall, there was nothing but anger in those cold, pitiless eyes.

What he saw disturbed him…

Luffy was falling—screaming the whole way as Ace just stared coldly after him before carrying on his way.

"What the hell was that for?!" Sanji yelled out. "What is his problem? He was just a kid! He wasn't doing anything!"

The rest of the crew had to agree. They couldn't believe that this was Ace, Luffy's kind and polite older brother who had asked them to look after Luffy for him. Chopper, Nami and Usopp seemed to be in some kind of shock.

"Just what is going on here?" Nami cried, gripping her hair in confusion. "A normal person could've died from that! Didn't he know that?!"

Usopp looked over the edge of the gorge and cried out, "EH! There's water down there!"

Robin merely sighed softly as they looked to her and the memory faded around them so that they were in the darkness again. "I don't think he was going to go as far as to try and kill him…"

"Could've fooled me," Zoro said, shocked by what he had seen, "I've seen less obvious murder attempts."

"He really is a monster," Chopper whispered in a scared tone, and shaking at the thought of those cold eyes.

Their vision returned in no time at all, but it was still dark. It wasn't until the moon came out from behind the clouds did they realize that it was nighttime. With the light of a moon overhead, they looked around to see that they were back in front of the bandit's hideout was. Through the shadows of the trees they saw a small figure stumbling through. When he came close enough, they saw it was Luffy… and he looked like he had just gone through hell. Every inch of his body was scratched and bruised; he was also covered in dirt and blood. His clothes were torn, he had several nasty gashes on his chest and shoulders, one of his eyes was bloody and swollen and there was a cut on his forehead that was still bleeding.

"EHHHH!" Chopper yelled, running forward to treat the injuries, only to end up passing through him.

As Luffy got closer to the hut, the white dog that was sleeping outside woke up with a start, and began barking. A few minutes later, the little man called Dogra looked out sleepily to tell the mutt to be quiet. When he saw who it was he yelled out, "Boss! Boss Dadan!"

"Who is…?" Magra asked before he stopped dead as he stared at Luffy like he was a ghost.

"Who's here?" Dadan called, also coming to the door before she yelled in shock. "EH?! It's you!"

"Hey! That Luffy came back alive!" another bandit called out as Luffy stumbled over to them.

"This kid!" Dadan yelled coming over and pulling at Luffy's face. "You're still alive?!"

"He's hurt!" Chopper yelled at her angrily. "Are you even gonna look him over before you ask him questions?!"

"Looks like they could care less," Franky said, shaking his headas Magra tried to calm Dadan down.

"Where the hell did you go?" she demanded.

"Now now," Magra said in a more gentle voice as he turned to Luffy. "Where were you? Where did you go?"

"It's already been a week," Dogra added.

"A whole week?!" Brook yelled out in surprise.

"I guess he just got lost trying to find his way back up the cliff," Zoro said lightly.

"That's rich coming from you," Sanji said in disgust.

"Did you say something you crappy cook?" Zoro growled at him.

"I was chased around by wolves at the bottom of the valley," said Luffy tiredly, his face stretched out.

"Chased by wolves for a whole week?!" squeaked Usopp, his jaw falling open.

"I think he left out some major details," muttered Sanji, looking around for Ace.

"Why doesn't he tell them that Ace knocked him down there?" Chopper asked them.

"Knowing Luffy, he'll have his reasons," Nami asked, her hands on her hips. "But seriously… that Ace really is out of control."

"The bottom of the valley?" Dogra repeated in shock, "Why'd you go there?"

"Well, it's not as if he went down there on purpose," Usopp stated in annoyance. Luffy didn't seem to be able to answer… or rather, he didn't seem to want to answer to that.

"Well, in any case, it's a good thing he's safe," Dogra said to Dadan.

"The hell it is! This just means that the troublemaker had returned!" Dadan shouted annoyed, picking up Luffy by what was left of his shirt as she dragged him off to a small room inside the house. As they looked in, the first thing they saw was Ace sleeping there before she dropped Luffy on the floor next to him.

"I see that he doesn't seem to be having trouble sleeping," Sanji muttered darkly, looking at him. "Makes me wonder if he has a conscience…"

"Go to sleep for now! We're putting you to work tomorrow!" said Dadan before closing the door with a snap. Luffy was so tired, that he shut his eyes and was out at once—and that was the end of the memory as the darkness returned.

"THEY DIDN'T TREAT HIS WOUNDS!" Chopper roared out, taking his heavy point form in anger. "HOW COULD THEY DO THAT? THOSE CUTS LOOK REALLY BAD! AND ATTACKED BY WOLVES? DON'T THEY KNOW JUST HOW SICK HE COULD'VE GOTTEN? WHO KNOWS WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM DOWN IN THAT VALLEY?"

"Oi Chopper! This all happened years ago," Zoro called out loudly. "There's no point in getting upset about it now."

"But they didn't even care that he was ok!" said Chopper, his eyes glazed with angry tears. Zoro didn't say anything, but put his hand on Chopper's shoulder in a comforting gesture as he returned to his usual form.

"Seriously, what was Garp thinking?" Usopp said, smacking his forehead. "What's the point of leaving them in the middle of nowhere with bandits like this?"

"Actually," Robin said slowly. "I can understand why he did it."

"What?" they yelled at her incredulously.

"You mean you agree with this?" Usopp said to her in horror.

"I'm just saying that it makes sense to hide them here," she answered before they all blinked at her in confusion.

"Hide?" Brook asked, you could practically see the question marks above his head. "What do you mean by hide, Robin-san?"

Robin sighed as she explained, "Garp may have a funny way of showing it, but I can tell that he truly cares about Ace and Luffy. That's why he hid them here. Did you forget who their fathers are?"

"You mean Roger and Dragon?" Usopp asked before his eyes widened in realization.

"Exactly," she said as she folded her arms. "The son of the Pirate King and the son of the infamous Revolutionary leader… believe me when I say that the World Government would never have let them live if they knew about their lineage. And they're only kids here… that's why Garp kept this secret. If anyone ever found out about their fathers, then they would be put into a lot of danger. Hiding them out in the middle of nowhere was probably the best thing he could've done."

They let that all sink in and Nami whispered, "I… I guess I can understand… but…"

"Garp may go about it differently," Robin said. "But I agree that keeping the boys as far away from as many people as possible was the best thing to do… especially since they were only children."

Just then, it was bright and sunny out when the memory returned. Luffy came charging out the door with a new shirt and a few bandages on his face as he went chasing after Ace like he did before, calling out to him to wait up and to be friends.

Ace stared back at him before he broke into a run and Luffy went after him; around rocks, under branches, once even underneath a large hole in a tree trunk until they reached a pond that was filled with logs. Ace jumped across the water with the help of some vines that were hanging over it and up some rocks before he finally stopped to watch Luffy catch up.

"Ace!" Luffy called stubbornly from the other side of the water. "Let's be friends!"

He then went to jump onto the logs that were floating in the water, only to find out that they weren't logs at all. Usopp, Nami, Brook, and Chopper yelled as crocodile jaws opened wide and went after him.

"Yo! A-Ace!" Usopp yelled up to him. "Go and get him! He'll be eaten!"

But Ace didn't do anything as he watched and jumped away.

"Why am I not surprised?" Nami sighed exasperatedly. Really, what was she expecting? After seeing how cold-hearted Ace was so far, what made her think that he would suddenly help? Just what the hell is going on here?

All the memories they saw after that were all the same. Luffy would chase after Ace when he left the house with Dadan shouting after him to get back and do chores. Every day he would get farther and farther, but always ended up in dangerous situations when Ace was able to ditch him.

They saw him almost getting eaten by a giant snake, getting knocked off a cliff into a birds nest and then attacked by birds, falling into a raging river filled with fish with sharp teeth before he was rescued by the bandits… and so many other horrible things…

Luffy kept chasing after Ace, but could never catch up. Even so, day after day, rain or shine, he kept desperately chasing after him.

"Doesn't he know when to give up?" Usopp yelled out after seeing Ace throw a beehive at him and Luffy being attacked by the bees. "You think he would've had enough by now."

"Of course not," Franky said shaking his head.

"But why is he doing it?" Nami demanded. "What's the point if he's going to keep getting hurt? I think it's quite clear by now that Ace doesn't want anything to do with Luffy."

"I think I know the reason," Robin said softly.

"What?" she asked in surprise as Robin watched the familiar sadness in Luffy's eyes each time he was forced to return to the bandit's alone.

"If I'm right, then we'll sure to find out soon," she answered. Before they could ask her what she meant, the memory came back and it was raining… Luffy was still running after Ace but quickly lost him again. They were in a much thicker part of the forest, now looking more like a jungle than a forest.

"Damn!" Luffy said, finally stopping and staring around him for a clue as to where Ace went. "I lost him again! Ace sure is good."

"He's persistent, I'll give him that," Franky said, folding his arms, and sitting back down. "Even back then…"

"Why is he praising Ace after all that?" Nami asked.

"Quiet," Zoro said, not moving a muscle, but becoming tense. "Something's there."

"Something big," Sanji agreed, looking over his shoulder.

"Ehhhh?" Usopp called, reaching for his slingshot, only to remember, "Oh, wait… this is a memory… we can't get hurt here."

"What is it?" Franky asked at once, still uneasy.

Instead of answering, they looked to the shadows of the trees as soon as they heard a noise. Luffy heard it to, thinking it was Ace, he turned and yelled, "Ace, is that you?"

Lightning flashed and what they saw made Brook and the 'Weakling Trio' scream out in terror. It was a tiger… but not just any tiger… the biggest tiger any of them had ever seen. Luffy was hardly bigger than one of its claws as the enormous beast lumbered forward; the boy screamed and fell back, too scared to move as it came closer.

"What's up with this forest?!" Usopp yelled out as Chopper screamed in terror, "IT'S NOT NORMAL!"

"I told you," Robin said, watching as calmly as always. "This place is filled with beasts of unnatural size."

Zoro and Sanji saw something move above them and looked up to see Ace crouching by a bush as he watched. This time it was different though… a look of alarm was on his face as he bit down on his thumb… as if wondering what he should do. Zoro raised his eyebrows—did he actually look concerned this time?

"Ok!" Usopp yelled, never looking away from the tiger. "I get the fact that Ace doesn't want anything to do with Luffy! But this is cruel!"

"M-My legs won't…" Luffy croaked out, staring in horror at the tiger, "Listen to me!"

The tiger lunged forward, and Ace had gotten up with the pipe tight in his hand. Zoro and Sanji blinked. Was he…?

But suddenly behind them, they heard another roar and looked up to see a giant bear there with a jagged scar over its eye.

"The tiger was after the bear!" Brook yelled out.

"Now Luffy's in between them!" Chopper screamed out in panic.

"It's alright," Zoro said, watching them. "They don't seem to have noticed him yet." Which was true… Luffy was so small compared to the two giant animals that it's quite possible that they just hadn't seen him yet.

Finally gaining control of his limbs, Luffy was able to get back to his feet and made a run for it as the two giant animals fought each other. Luffy went running through the forest, ended up tripping and laid there gasping for breath.

"It's hard to see him freak out and run for it," Nami whispered.

"Well, he's not as strong as he is now," Robin reminded her with a small smile.

"Ohhhh!" Chopper yelled out in amazement, pointing above Luffy. They looked up in time to see that the rain had stopped and the sun had come out to show a great rainbow above him.

"I wonder if that means something," Sanji asked as Luffy sat up, the fight between those monsters was already forgotten as he laughed.

And it did. The memories they saw next showed him swinging over the crocodile pond, dodging the boulders that Ace knocked down from cliffs, sneaking past the same birds who had once attacked him… his relentless pursuit was doing one thing. It was making him stronger.

From what they learned so far, it had been more than three months since he had come to live with the bandits… but still he kept going.

"I don't know if I should be amazed by his tenacity or afraid of his stubbornness," Nami said as they were now watching Luffy leaning heavily on a walking stick as he walked uphill towards them. Gasping for breath, he looked up at them and broke into a huge smile, as if he could suddenly see them, but he said to himself, "I'm out of the forest!"

Dropping the stick he went running the last few yards and to the top of the hill. When they looked they're eyes widened at what they saw. Through the hazy white mists was junk… not just a hill of it, but a mountain… or rather a mountain range of junk!

"Wow! What's this place?" Luffy asked, saying the question on all their minds.

"It's full of trash," Nami said, looking around, "Where in the world did all this come from?"

"Is this where Ace goes every day?" Chopper asked them, staring at everything.

"Yow!" Franky called out, rubbing his metal hands together with excitement. "What a place! Imagine all the stuff I could build here! It's like I died and went to builder heaven!"

"Hey, look over there!" Sanji yelled out, pointing through the mists. "There's some kind of wall there."

"A wall?" Nami repeated, coming over and straining her eyes to try to see it. As the afternoon sun shone through the fog, it gradually became clear and they could all make out that there was indeed a giant wall standing there. Pass all the mountains of junk there were worn out buildings where people seemed to be living, but there was a giant wall that stood between them and the very tops of colorful roofs.

"I see how it is," Nami said frowning. "That must be were the rich live, and everyone else is cast out here."

Robin frowned as well when she looked up at the wall. "If that's true, I hate to see what the people are like."

"Huh?" Usopp asked. "How come, Robin?"

"You really think that it was these people who built that wall?" she asked, pointing to the people that were all shifting through the garbage. "I'm willing to bet that the ones inside those walls were the ones who did that…"

"But why?" Chopper asked in confusion.

"For any number of reasons," was all she said. But the one most likely was that they didn't want to look at the poor here.

"Don't know why, but looking at that thing is ticking me off," Zoro stated grimly as he turned his attention back to Luffy, who was running down the hill. Calling out for Ace, climbing over the junk, tumbling over rocks, and even getting his head stuck in something once and while.

"Wish I could visit here," Franky claimed, striking a pose. "Imagine all the SUPER things I could make with all this scrap metal!"

As they followed him, they ended passing some of the men around here and they couldn't help but feel anxious. Not for them, but for Luffy… for these guys looked far from friendly. But of course, Luffy didn't seem to notice as he kept looking around for Ace… not looking where he was going.

Just then an old man carrying a sack over his shoulder and a knife with him almost ended up running Luffy over. "Out of my way kid!" he barked at him. But when Luffy didn't move, simply looking up at him in surprise, the man seemed to become irritated and held up the knife. "I said move!" he threatened, "Or I'm gonna…"

"He's gonna what?" Zoro asked dangerously, his eye flashing.

But the man didn't get a chance to finish because over his shoulder someone was shouting, "He went that way!"

"Sounds like this guy took something he wasn't supposed to," Brook said as a panicked look came over the old man's face before he ran off as fast as his legs could carry him. Luffy seemed unfazed as he watched the man run away, merely going back to climbing over the junk, looking for Ace.

"I don't like seeing Ace like this," Chopper said sadly. "He's really mean."

"I still don't get why he won't give up," Usopp said exasperated. "Hasn't he gotten the hint that Ace doesn't want him around?"

"Be patient," Robin said softly. "Let's just watch and see what happens."

Onward Luffy kept searching for Ace until he came to a patch of giant trees… as he stood up the hill of junk they spotted him. Ace was there, carrying a sack under his arm and clearly running somewhere in mind.

Giggling to himself, Luffy jumped down and continued to follow him.

"He just doesn't give up," Brook said happily. "It's kind of encouraging is it not? To keep going even if it seems hopeless."

"That or stupid," Sanji corrected. "There is a fine line between them…"

Off they ran after him, wondering what was going to happen next. "I wonder what Ace is doing!" Usopp gasped as he ran to keep up with Luffy.

"You really think that this is where he comes?" Chopper asked, shifting to Walk Point and letting the girls ride on his back.

"Where else would he go?" Nami asked, tying her long hair back up to keep it out of her face. "We all saw him just a second ago."

Luffy wandered through the trees until he reached a small clearing and they looked up to one of the trees to see that there were two boys there. One of them was undoubtedly Ace; the other however, was a boy they didn't recognize. He looked around ten-years-old with a missing tooth and short curly blond hair. He was dressed mostly in blue, but his most noticeable feature was his large black top hat with a pair of blue goggles wrapped around it.

"…put it away. We can't let anyone else see it," Ace's said to him, moving the large sack in his hands.

"Put what away?" Franky asked.

"It looks like treasure," Zoro said, shielding his eye as he looked up.

"Treasure?!" Nami repeated eagerly.

"Not that it will do us much good since we can't touch anything," Robin reminded her and Nami's hopeful face fell. Currently, they have at least 200,000,000 in their possession, which is the value of the treasure they got from Thriller Bark.

"Don't worry, Nami-swaaan!" Sanji said with hearts back for eyes. "You are my greatest treasure!"

"SHUT UP!" Nami yelled at him.

Usopp put his goggles back on and looked up. "YEAH! There's treasure up there! And it looks like a lot of it!" from what he could see, a part of the tree branch they were sitting on was cut up as some kind of trapdoor.

Luffy went running towards the tree when he spotted them and they heard the boy with the top hat ask, "I wonder how much we need for a pirate ship."

"Don't know," Ace replied, "Ten million or one hundred million maybe? Long way to go."

"Another kid who wants to be pirate?" Usopp asked in surprise. "Who is he?"

"A pirate ship?!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly from the bottom of the tree.

"Luffy you idiot!" Nami called, though he couldn't hear her.

"I don't think that this is going to end well," Sanji said, looking back up at the boys who had jumped and slammed the trapdoor shut as they looked down.

"You guys!" Luffy called loudly, "Are you guys gonna become pirates? I wanna become one too!"

While Luffy just stood there grinning like an idiot, Ace and the boy exchanged terrified looks and quickly scrambled down the tree like insects before they ran to him and knocked him to the ground.

"Be quiet!" they yelled at the same time.

"Harsh," Brook laughed.

"Well, if they did steal that money, which I'm sure they did, then they wouldn't want anyone else to know where they hid it," Nami said, remembering how hard she worked to make sure that no one other than her sister knew where she had hid the treasure she stole back from her days as a thief.

"Ace, I didn't know you went this far every day!" Luffy said, and the Straw Hats looked up to see that Luffy was tied to the tree. But this didn't seem to bother him as he tried to talk to both boys again.

"Shut up," Ace said, an annoyed frown on his face.

"So he can speak," Robin said thoughtfully. "That's the first time I heard it."

"But how did he and Ace…?" Usopp began but Robin merely shook her head fondly, knowing that Luffy was just one of those people. He was just so accepting that little by little, without even realizing what he was doing, he could heal scars in a person heart.

"So this is the Luffy you were telling me about?" the new kid said to Ace.

Luffy looked up to Ace and asked happily, "OH! You told him about me?"

"I told him how annoying you are," Ace told him coldly.

"Man, he's mean," Usopp whispered.

"He also told me you're empty-headed," the boy added.

Luffy just laughed. "Oh yeah?"

"Doesn't he realize what they just said?" Zoro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"He never does," Nami said with an affectionate smile.

"You don't even realize that we're dissing you, do you?" the boy asked him.

"Yohoho, Luffy-san doesn't get bothered much," Brook said.

"He finally followed me all the way here," Ace said grumpily. "I didn't take any of the walkable routes either…"

"Are you a friend of Ace's?" Luffy asked the new kid, "Be my friend too!"

"That sounds familiar," Zoro admitted, and he knew they were all thinking back to when he wanted them to join his crew. Though, thinking about it now… when the captain said, 'Join my Crew!', it's not a request… more like your first order. That's how it had been since he, himself, joined up, and he had a feeling that's how it will always be. He thought of Jinbe and smiled. Looks like the fishman didn't have a choice in the matter…

"Shut up," the boy said at once, "I'm not going to be your friend."

"Then what's your name?" Luffy asked.

"That's what I want to know," Franky said, as he watched.

"Sa –" the boy began before he realized what he was doing and yelled out, "I'm not telling you!"

"Yeah, he has that effect on you," Nami sighed. "He asks a question and you can't help but answer."

"This is why I told you to live with me," the kid said, turning back to Ace. "The daily round trip training on the mountain road turned out to be bad! What should we do?"

They both were quiet as they thought it over. "He found our secret," Ace said slowly. "He'll tell somebody if nothing is done." His expression turned as cold as ice and he said, "We gotta kill him."

"WHAT?!" all the Straw Hats yelled in shock.

"How can they be so serious about that?!" shouted Usopp. "Saying that with such a straight face?"

"Ace is going to kill someone?" Chopper yelled, freaking out.

"Please tell me that the new guy talks him out of it…" Sanji began.

"Alright," the kid said, "Let's do it."

Luffy's smile was wiped from his face and he screamed out, "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!"

The two boys were startled by this as Luffy called out loudly, "Don't kill me! Help me! I don't wanna die!"

"Shut up, you idiot!" the boy said, shoving Luffy's head back in an attempt to make him stop screaming, but it didn't work.

"Well, you can't blame him for that," Robin pointed out.

"What do they think they're doing?" Nami cried out. "They can't really mean that do they?"

"Ahhhh!" Brook called out, his boney hands on his skull face. "Luffy-san is dead!"

"He's not dead you idiots!" Zoro yelled at him.

"Sabo, kill him already!" Ace yelled, pointing at him to do the job.

"What?!" the kid, now called Sabo, cried out, "You do it!"

"I've never killed anyone before!" Ace yelled.

"Well, he sure tried," Zoro added, thinking of the bridge, falling rocks and trees, and leaving Luffy to get eaten by wild animals.

"Me neither!" Sabo yelled back as Luffy continued to scream as they argued, "And I don't know how!"

"Don't throw me in the water!" Luffy cried out.

"Luffy you idiot!" Usopp yelled, "You don't tell people that!"

"What is he thinking?" Zoro asked, smacking his forehead.

"Ok!" Ace called at once, "Let's head to the river!"

"Why did he tell us that?" Sabo yelled.

"He's an idiot!" Ace told him.

"That I can't disagree with," Usopp sighed.

"Help me!" Luffy screamed.

"Shut up!" they both yelled and he did for a brief second. But then he continued yelling, "I don't wanna die!"

"Murder sure isn't as easy as it sounds," Zoro said nodding knowingly.

"Yeah, how many people have you killed?" Usopp asked him.

"What did you say?" he asked him darkly and Usopp cowered where he was.

"NO! Don't kill me!" he pleaded to the swordsman.

"But still," Brook said angrily. "Killing a child? How is that going to fix anything?"

"Oh, I don't think that they ever would've killed him," Robin said confidently. "No matter how cold Ace is I don't believe that he would've been able to do that."

"Haven't you been watching?" Usopp said to her, pointing a finger to Ace. "It sure looked like it to me!"

"No matter how cold he is, he's still a child," Robin said firmly. "And I don't think that he would kill him. The fact that they're freaking out here proves that." Zoro didn't say anything, but his arms remained crossed and his eye was narrowed as he looked to Sabo and Ace, wondering…

Just then they heard another voice call out through the trees, "I hear a voice from the forest!"

Ace and Sabo froze glancing over their shoulders as another said, "It sounds like a kid's voice!"

"Oh no!" Sabo whispered as Luffy finally shut up. "Someone's coming!"

"Set him free for now!" Ace said at once, and a smile came back to Luffy's face. "We gotta move from here before they find our treasure!"

They watched as the boys untied him and threw him into some nearby bushes as they waited.

"What's going on?" Nami asked.

"Looks like they have company," Zoro stated, watching as the voices came closer and closer.

"Probably the bad kind too," Franky said, he already knew that it couldn't have been a good thing from their reactions.

A group of men came into their sights. "Everybody knows those brats around here. Ace and Sabo. Are you sure it was Ace who took the money?" said a large, bulky man with long lilac hair, a thick neck, and muscular arms. He carried a sword in one hand and the frown on his face as he looked down to three average sized men with him—two of which looked beaten up.

"Yes… we're sorry," the one with a bandage arm in a sling. "We shouldn't have let our guard down."

"How outrageous he is," the large man said sourly. "He can't just steal our money! If Captain Bluejam hears about this, he's going to kill all of us!"

"Are they pirates?" Chopper asked.

"They sure don't look like school girls playing house," Sanji told him sarcastically. "And it sounds like Ace stole some money from them."

"Oh!" Usopp said, hitting his palm with his fist in understanding as he remembered seeing Ace carrying that heavy sack with him. "So that's what he was carrying with him when he went running into the forest!"

"And now they came to look for it," Franky said knowingly.

"Damnit!" Ace whispered from where the three boys were crouched behind the bushes, a grimace on his face, "I didn't know those thugs were working for Bluejam!"

"You mean that money you stole was from them?" Sabo hissed to him.

"I shouldn't have taken that money," Ace said seriously and Sabo rolled his eyes in frustration.

"I can kinda understand how Sabo must feel," Nami sighed exasperatedly.

"He has a real sword," Sabo muttered, pointing at it. "That's Porchemy who works under Bluejam. He's crazy! You know that right? They say he scalps his opponents after they lose a fight with him! While they're still alive!"

"Ok," Usopp gulped as Ace and Sabo both ducked down, "definitely a guy to stay away from."

"Let's just let them pass for now," Ace whispered.

The Straw Hats watched as they came closer and closer. Not realizing what had happened until they heard Sabo say, "Huh? Where'd he…"

Blinking, Sanji groaned out, "You've got to be kidding me! He didn't…?"

The next thing they heard was Luffy screaming. "Lemme go! What do you want from me?! Lemme go!"

"You idiot Luffy!" Nami yelled when she saw him in the pirate's hands.

"This isn't good," Chopper yelled out, now looking scared. "You heard what Sabo said about them?!"

"Trust Luffy to get himself to get caught by a bunch of thugs like them," Zoro muttered, a hand on his head as he watched.

"How could he get caught by hiding anyway?" Franky yelled out.

"He's dead!" Usopp called in a loud voice.

"Who's this little shit?" Porchemy asked, holding Luffy up by the front of his shirt.

"Help me!" Luffy yelled, flailing uselessly, "Ace!"

Nami smacked her forehead again, her head now starting to hurt from all the times she had done it. "What is he thinking?! Doesn't he realize that they're looking for Ace?"

"He could've just written his own death sentence," Sanji whispered, holding his cigarette out.

"WHAT?" Chopper yelled, freaking out, "YOU MEAN THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HIM?"

"Well, seeing how we just saw Luffy this morning, I'm guessing that he survives," Zoro said, but he was frowning heavily in worry.

"Yeah, but I'm willing to bet that Luffy just got himself into a shitload of trouble," Franky said.

Interest flashed across Porchemy's face and he pulled him up a little closer as he asked, "Did you just call for Ace?"

"Just say no, Luffy!" Usopp called.

"So what?" Luffy asked, not at all intimidated by the glare.

"He's got a death wish," Usopp whispered, lowering his head in defeat.

"Do you know Ace?" Porchemy asked.

"I'm his friend," Luffy said at once before he blinked and added, "Oh, but he did just try to kill me."

"Yeah, call me crazy, but the last time I checked, your 'friends' don't try to kill you on a daily basis," Sanji said to himself.

"Can't he keep his mouth shut for once in his life?" Nami whispered.

"That fool!" they heard Ace whisper from in the bushes. "What a big mouth!"

"I agree with you there," Sanji nodded sagely.

"I don't know if you know about this," Porchemy went on to Luffy, "But your friend stole some money from us today. You don't know where it is, do you?"

Luffy's face went blank. They all glanced at each other, knowing that he knew exactly where that money was… and it was all right above their heads. All he had to do was tell them and they'll let him go…

"So what do you say?" Porchemy asked him coldly. Just then, Luffy looked away, puckering his lips and whistling. "I-I don't know," he said.

"Luffy if you're going to lie, at least let someone who does it for a living do it!" Zoro said clapping a hand on Usopp's shoulder.

"Hey!" Usopp said, smacking his hand away.

"Yohoho," Brook said. "Luffy-san's honest."

"Too honest is more like it!" Nami snapped. "He can't lie to save his life."

"He needs to get out of there," Robin said, watching them. "Who knows what they're going to do to him if they take him."

"Alright, Alright," Porchemy said with a rather evil grin on his face. "If you don't know then it can't be helped."

"Oh!?" Chopper called out happily. "So they're letting him go?"

"Of course they won't!" Usopp shouted at him. "He has information that they want! Do you honestly think that they'll let him go?"

Porchemy then chuckled as his face became overshadowed in a sadistic way. "Don't worry. We'll help you remember."

"What are you doing!?" Luffy cried as the pirates took him away, "Where are you taking me?! Lemme go!"

"They're not really going to hurt him are they?" asked Chopper, looking up at Zoro as Luffy continued to shout the whole time. "I mean… they wouldn't…?"

"They won't kill him," Robin said without any emotion on her face. "They need him to talk first. And to do that…?"

"You mean torture," Sanji finished.

"B-but he's just a kid! They can't!" exclaimed Usopp, sweat pouring down his face. "They wouldn't really… you don't think…?"

"If he knows the answer to what they want they'll do anything to get him to talk," Nami said, suddenly feeling a strong surge of hatred going through her body as she thought it over. "Its pirates like them I hate the most… the ones who are monsters."

"Not all pirate crews are like ours," Robin added

"In fact, we're more of the odd ones out," Sanji agreed.

"That's not the issue here," Zoro said as he followed after them.

"Let's go!" Franky yelled and they went running after the pirates with Luffy yelling the whole way.

They watched as Luffy was taken to a shack somewhere in the mounds of trash and bound tightly to an old pillar that was holding the roof up. The whole time, Luffy was fighting, calling out to them all defiantly, "Lemme go! I'm not gonna tell you anything!"

Porchemy left for a few moments and came back with an enormous wooden hammer that was about twice Luffy's size.

"Oh, it's just a big hammer," Nami sighed in relief as they watched him drag the heavy object over to Luffy and raised it over his head.

"He's going to be in for a surprise," Brook laughed. "That won't leave a scratch on Luffy-san."

But Zoro, Sanji, and Robin weren't as relieved as the others were. Sure, this may not work on Luffy, but they'll soon realize that and resort to other measures when they discover that he was immune to blunt objects.

"You little shit!" Porchemy said before he brought the hammer down on Luffy's head and caused a slight dust storm from the inpact. When the dust cleared, the Straw Hats saw that Luffy was pinned under the hammer. But they all knew what was about to happen and then he bounced right back up so that the hammer flew off, did a flip in the air, and landed with a crash.

"I told you that my body turned to rubber after I ate the Devil's Fruit," he told them all, glaring at them. The other men in the shack began freaking out and backing away from Luffy as if he was carrying around a dangerous disease. The only one who didn't look surprised was Porchemy.

"I guess that ability can come in handy sometimes," Sanji admitted. "Not often, but sometimes."

"The Devil Fruit?" Porchemy repeated softly before he sneered. "Looks like you had the real one." He turned back to his men and demanded, "Give me a pair of gloves."

"Y-Yes!" one of them shouted and went running out of the shack.

"Gloves?" Chopper repeated in confusion.

"Weren't they watching?" Usopp laughed. "If a hammer wouldn't work, what makes him think that gloves will?"

"Unless they aren't normal gloves," Zoro said softly, suddenly having a bad feeling about all this as they watched Luffy being tied to a long rope before he was hung from the rafters.

The man came back with a pair of gloves in his hands and Nami gasped at what she saw. They were gloves alright, but they were covered in horrible, long spikes. Porchemy started to walk towards Luffy, shoving his hands into the spiked gloves as he went.

"Oh dear," Brook said softly, gripping his cane tightly.

"Th-they won't really hit a little kid with those!" Usopp called out frantically.

"I wouldn't bet on it," Zoro said, his hand resting on his swords again.

"Damn it," Sanji hissed, now breathing hard on the cigarette to calm his nerves… it wasn't helping.

"Listen up, brat," Porchemy said, holding up his fist, "That money your friend Ace stole if very important to our pirate crew." He reached out and grabbed Luffy's head and brought him closer to his face to intimidate him. "And you know where it is. So I need you to tell us."

"Just lie Luffy!" Chopper called desperately.

"He can't even if he tried," Franky said, grinding his teeth together at what was sure to happen.

"No!" Luffy yelled determinedly.

Porchemy didn't say a word as he let Luffy's head go, he swung back, still tied to the rope. Realizing what was about to happen, Robin said, "We might want to look away…?" but none of them did as they watched Luffy swing back and Porchemy punched him across the face with enough force, that his blood was splattered on the ground and leaving a long gash in his face.

Nami's eyes went wide and her hands fly to her mouth as she stared in horror at what she just saw. Franky turned his guns onto the pirate's head, only to remember that it wouldn't do any good, but he couldn't stop himself as he growled angrily. Chopper and Usopp were both crying, hugging their bodies just in pain from watching it; as the cigarette in Sanji's mouth fell to the ground as his hands curled into such tight fists that he was shaking. Robin didn't say anything, she didn't move from where she stood, but her eyes had become overshadowed as she watched the blood drip down from the spikes.

Brook's jaw was open, but it was impossible to tell what expression he had at the moment. However, he was shaking like Sanji as he took hold of his cane, the bones making a cracking around the handle. Zoro was the only other one who hadn't moved from where he was as he watched it. But his one eye was narrowed dangerously as he glared at Porchemy… his fingers twitching slightly as if trying to reach for the swords at his waist.

Luffy was trembling as he started to cry, silently, but cry nonetheless as he swung pathetically back and forth. He was biting his lip, biting back the screams.

"You don't want to make a pirate mad!" Porchemy exclaimed, "Our Captain, Bluejam, is brutal!"

"He's not the only one!" Usopp called as Chopper went forward, desperate to try and treat the injuries and crying out miserably when he passed right through Luffy, remembering that he couldn't do anything.

Luffy just hung there shaking—from fear or pain—it was hard to tell. They could see he was fighting back tears as he felt the blood running down from underneath his black hair.

"GYAAAAAAHHH! IT HURTS! I'M SCARED!" he screamed, crying hysterically as Porchemy raised his fist again. "HELP ME!"

"NO DON'T!" Chopper and Usopp yelled out but he struck him again and this time Luffy fell silent at once as he swung from side to side like a pendulum… the Straw Hats only stared in horror at what was happening.

"You guys go looks for Ace and Sabo," Porchemy commanded at his men, "We don't have time to stand around!"

"Y-Yes, sir!" they gasped and sprinted from the shack as if afraid they would be next if they stayed. And they couldn't blame them as Porchemy delivered another punch.

And that was how it went on. Porchemy would punch him and Luffy would cry or scream, but he never said anything. It was almost unbearable to watch—and it was even worse to be stuck watching it and not able to do anything. Luffy just dangled there, continuing to be hit and tortured. Nami finally covered her eyes and she started to cry, unable to watch anymore. Chopper had to cover his ears as well as his eyes, unable to bear the sounds of the punches and the splatter of blood. Tears were falling down his face as Usopp stood there, shaking from head to foot, looking like he was about to lose his mind from watching it. Franky was looking angrier and angrier with each minute passed—and it was clear that he wanted nothing more than to pummel these pirates until every bone in their bodies were broken.

"This is torture!" Brook yelled out furiously as more blood sprayed the ground from the deep gashes on Luffy's face, "Stuck watching this without being able to do anything!"

"Dammit!" Sanji yelled watching another hit. "How long is he going to go? Can't they see he's not going to tell them anything?!"

Robin and Zoro were both standing there, watching without a word. Each blow, each cry of pain, every tear that was shed, they kept watching. The gloves, that had been black when brought in, had now turned red and were now dripping the ruby liquid onto the ground as Porchemy kept going, determined to make him talk though it was clear that Luffy wasn't going to say a word.

The two of them were the only ones who had remained calm, though with each hit they winced slightly. This was just like Luffy… he shows respect for things that a person is willing to protect, be it treasure or a secret, to the point of even risking his life to protect it as well.

"What's going on!?" Usopp yelled, staring around desperately. "Where are Ace and that Sabo kid?! Are they just going to abandon him?! It's their fault he's here in the first place!"

"Spit it out already!" Porchemy yelled, panting heavily.

"P-P-Porchemy-san! It's no use doing it anymore!" the man with his arm in a sling begged. "He doesn't have the energy to even scream now!"

That was true. Luffy just hung limply from the ceiling—too weak to even yell. He was covered head to foot in blood and wounds as the steady drip… drip… of blood dripped down and into a pool below him. "I bet he won't say anything and to be honest I can't stand watching it, it's too cruel!" the man went on. "Show some mercy!"

"Listen to him!" Usopp called out uselessly. "Just let him go!"

Porchemy turned, furious, to his subordinate and with a kick in the face; he was sent flying to the wall.

"He attacked his own crewmates now…?" Brook yelled out furiously.

"This heartless bastard doesn't deserve to live," Sanji snarled.

"Look for Ace and Sabo if you have time to speak for the brat!" he shouted at him loudly. He was breathing hard, his eyes darting to the door as if he expected some kind of monster to come in. "Can't you see that we're the ones that are in danger here?!" he demanded. "We're already too late to give that money to Captain Bluejam!" Turning back to Luffy, he held the spiked glove up to hit him again.

"Answer me!" Porchemy yelled as he began punching harder than ever before—over and over he kept hitting him, trying to get him to crack. When he finally stopped from exhaustion, Luffy was breathing hard as he gasped out in a hoarse voice, "I won't say it!"

"Luffy just tell him!" Nami screamed out, tears in her eyes. "It's just money! It's not worth it!"

"You little shit!" Porchemy growled, punching Luffy yet again, "Stop trying to keep a secret like a grown up!" He gasped for breath as he hit him again. "SAY IT!"

"I won't!" Luffy said stubbornly, shaking his head as the tears fell. "I won't say it! I won't say it!"

A vein was standing out in Porchemy's head as he let his arms fall to the side. "Fine," he said, his voice surprisingly calm. "Enough."

Their eyes widened as they realized what was going to happen. Porchemy was through hitting Luffy—there wasn't any point now. After hours of torture, he was going to put an end to it all. Porchemy pulled off the blood-soaked gloves and walked over to the wall and hefted up his sword.

"NOOOOOOO!" Chopper yelled out frantically, "THEY CAN'T DO THAT! THEY'RE GOING TO KILL HIM!"

"EHHHHHH?" Brook screamed out. "HE'S REALLY GOING TO DIE?!"

"If you all would stop yelling and use your heads!" Sanji shouted at them, "Remember that Luffy's just fine now! So he obviously makes it out of this!"

But it was hard to tell themselves that as they watched Porchemy drag the heavy sword behind him along the ground… they could hear the sharp blade made that stinging, ringing noise as he stood in front of Luffy. Luffy forced his swollen, beaten, bloody face up to look at him… tears still in his eyes.

There was no mercy in Porchemy's face as he raised the sword high and whispered, "Then you die."

The Straw Hats all froze as Luffy shut his eyes tightly and Porchemy swung the sword. It was as if watching it in slow motion as the blade came to Luffy's neck… they didn't care if this was a memory or not… they couldn't stand by and watch this!

But just as they charged ahead, at that moment the wall behind them exploded apart and they spun around to see the wood breaking and flying apart as two familiar figures had come bursting in through with wild looks in their eyes.

"DON'T!" Ace and Sabo screamed, metal poles raised and ready for fight.

"ACE AND SABO!" Chopper screamed joyfully, tears in his eyes. "THEY CAME!"