Freedom!

"The Creek", a place full of pain, despair and memories for the group of kids. The gang just saw in awe as the facility that drove them to their worst was in shambles, with magma oozing out of it.

The kids were experiencing different things, some cried, others saw coldly but the main thing that all of them had in mind was 'Where's Luffy?'

Jinbe jumped out of the pod into the ocean and began to push the pod towards the facility. The kids were hoping that they could find their friend, but they couldn't even get near the facility due to the magma that was surrounding it.

"LUFFY!!!!!!" They begin to call out for him.

One after another, they called out for his friend, only to hear nothing in return. A small piece of cloth falls into the pod and Ace picks it up, after seeing what it is, he falls unto his knees and begins to sob.

The rest of the kids take the piece of cloth, wondering why Ace began to cry, and saw a name. "Monkey D Luffy", everyone connected the dots and assumed the worst. Everyone began to cry and sob quite loudly, even the quietest kids like Robin, Katakuri and Zoro began to cry.

After minutes crying, a ship began to come closer to the kids and an old man came out of nowhere and picked the pod up in an instant.

The kids brushed off their sadness and looked at the old man carrying the pod effortlessly. Ace got on guard and thought that they were with the guys of the facility, he tried to attack with a fire blast but the old man repelled it effortlessly.

Ace tried to attack once more but the old man easily subdued him.

"Calm down, Youngling." Spoke the old man.

"I'll make you pay for killing Luffy!" Ace spoke as he transformed himself into fire and escaped the old man's grasp.

"You seem to misunderstand; we don't have anything to do with your friend's death." The old man spoke while more people came to the deck of the ship.

The kids were outnumbered and felt intimidated by the numbers against them.

"I'll explain the situation. My name is Rayleigh, I'm currently part of this ship and third in command." Rayleigh spoke.

"Who are you, your group I mean." Ace spoke not dropping his guard at all.

"We're nothing extraordinary, just some people who hate these kinds of acts and refuse to wait the situation out." Rayleigh.

"Is Luffy really…?" Carrot began to ask but a man came from below deck, interrupting her.

"There's a high chance about that." Spoke Shanks.

He has lost his left arm and is covered with bandages that will keep his burns from getting worst.

"Shanks…" Rayleigh.

"What happened to Luffy?!" Ace went towards Shanks and asked him.

Shanks takes a deep breath and speaks.

"There is a high probability that he is...dead." Shanks dropped the news without sugarcoating it.

The kids are taken aback by this, its true that they had expected that to some extent but, they didn't want to believe that it was true.

Tears began to flow down their cheeks and some even passed out.

(After hours of crying)

Shanks, Beckman, Rayleigh are sitting in a table while talking with Zoro, Sanji, Ace, Sabo, Katakuri, Hancock, Brook, Robin and Jinbe about what happened to Luffy.

"I'm sorry, I couldn't do much." Shanks.

"No, without you, we wouldn't have had such an opportunity to escape." Zoro.

"What are you planning to do now?" Rayleigh.

"Aren't you guys going to take us somewhere safe?" Sabo.

"Well, yes. But we wonder if you have anyone you want to go back, family, a home maybe?" Rayleigh.

The kids get silent for a moment until Zoro speaks.

"I'll go back to my family in Kyoto." Zoro.

"Zoro…" Ace.

"Luffy ordered us to live however we like, after today I've realized something that has been clear since the beginning...…I'm weak, extremely weak. My family is adept at swordsmanship so, I'll become stronger." Zoro gripped his white katana.

The kids remain silent and Shanks suggest an idea.

"How about you guys, train with us for some years?" Shanks.

The kids, Rayleigh and Beckman look at the red-haired man surprised.

"Why? No offense but, we don't entirely trust you." Sabo.

"Before the explosion, there was a shockwave that pushed me away from the radius and it was caused by Luffy. Whether he did it on purpose or not, he saved my life, think of it as repaying the favor." Shanks.

The kids look amongst themselves and come to a conclusion.

"We'll have to check with the others first, give us some time." Katakuri.

"As much as you need." Shanks spoke.

Beckman took the kids to their rooms, where the rest will be waiting them.

"Are you sure about this?" Rayleigh.

"Pretty sure." Shanks.

"We haven't recovered from Teach's betrayal and you already want to spread Haki to some kids?" Rayleigh.

"I've seen them, Rayleigh." Shanks.

"Just, what did you see when you exchanged information with Luffy?" Rayleigh.

"I saw...…a soul too pure for this wretched world." Shanks.

"I really wanted to meet this kid, tragic what happened, but I'm getting old and will have to settle down in a few years." Rayleigh.

"Yeah, yeah, go away and leave us everything tedious and boring." Shanks.

Before Shanks left the room, Rayleigh asked him something.

"Did he, had it?" Rayleigh.

Shanks pauses and looks back at him.

"Yeah, and it may be due to talent but…his wasn't any weaker than mine." Shanks.

Rayleigh's eyes widen and Shanks leaves the room. Rayleigh begins to drink from his canteen and doesn't notice the small ear that's under the table.

The kids, more specifically Robin, have been listening to the whole conversation to get more information out of their group of rescuers.

Zoro and Sabo wake everyone up and explain the current situation.

"So, what should we do?" Nami.

"I…I think we should agree to the training." Zoro.

"Zoro, didn't you wanted to return to your home?" Sabo.

"I wanted, past-tense, all I want now is to become stronger, that magma guy was under the orders of some bigshot, we are in no condition to kick his ass and make him pay for what he did to Luffy. So, our only option is to become stronger." Zoro.

"What makes you sure that they're trustworthy?" Vivi.

"The fact that he trusted Luffy with his straw hat." Zoro.

"Couldn't that be just a lie to keep us here?" Nami.

"No, when he spoke about his straw hat, I felt genuine sadness of losing it. you don't give one of your most precious possessions to a stranger just like that." Zoro.

The kids keep brainstorming about what to do about their current situation until they found a unanimous answer.

"We'll train with them for two years, we'll then be dropped off to places that'll help us achieve our dreams, and we'll live however we want." Zoro.

"For Luffy!" Ace.

"FOR LUFFY!!!" Everyone.

The group informs Shanks about their decision and he decide the take them to his headquarters, along the way, they see many ships that were destroyed.

"What's all this?" Vivi.

"The reason why we couldn't help Shanks earlier, they kept coming one after another and didn't give us any time to leave. There were some heavy hitters that could destroy the entire ship, reason as to why I remained." Rayleigh.

The kids get shocked at the pile of bodies floating on the water.

"I'm gonna be sick." Nami spoke holding her disgust.

"This is too morbid." Yamato.

"Robin, I'm scared." Carrot/Chopper.

"That's just how life is." Spoke Rayleigh.

"In society, its bad to kill people, regardless of how much damage they have done. Even though we didn't directly kill them, they all died due to their injuries, the coldness of the ocean, the constant contact with sea water, fatigue, they will die if no one helps them, and needless to say that we'll not help them." Rayleigh.

"Hmm…as a future doctor, this leaves me troubled." Chopper.

"Don't worry, Chopper. They are not humans, they're just bugs that deserved to get squashed." Robin.

"Don't say stuff like that, Robin!" Usopp.

The ship kept sailing towards an unknown island. The island was surrounded by a storm and seemed pretty much impenetrable.

"Isn't this to dangerous?!" Nami.

"Don't worry, we've done this a thousand times and are still alive." Shanks reassured.

"NO!!!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE!!!" Usopp.

"Me neither!!!" Chopper.

"Guys, be prepared to die!!!" Shanks.

"YEAH!!!"

"You can't be serious!!!" Sanji.

"Argh! We'll die!" Ulti/Page One.

As the ship was getting closer, the kids were beginning to get more and more scared of the incoming storm.

.

.

.

.

.

Within a few seconds, the entire storm disappeared, leaving the island exposed to view.

The kids were dripping balls at the fact that they have avoided certain death without knowing.

"HAHAHAHAHA!!!" Shanks and the crew began to laugh at the kid's faces.

"What the hell just happened?!" Ace.

"Sorry, sorry, that was an artificial storm that makes the island invisible to satellites and also protects it from possible invaders." Shanks.

"Newcomers are always scared about entering through a storm and we cease the opportunity to prank them." Roux.

Nami goes towards Shanks, jumps and grabs his left shoulder, making him squirm in pain.

"I see. In other words, you think its funny to prank some kids that have lost a precious friend, and on top of that you laugh like your life depends on it! I'm going to show you what I consider 'fun' as thanks." Nami went full demon mode.

'So scary!!!!!!" Thought everyone.

A few minutes later the ship gets settled in the docks. Nami and the rest are guided by Rayleigh to their temporary residences while shanks aches in the pain of his shoulder.

"Usopp?!"

The group looked to the side and saw a tanned man with messy mustard hair.

"Usopp! Is it really you?!" shouted the man.

"Who's that old man?" Yamato.

"No idea." Bartolomeo.

Usopp began to dash towards the man, who opened his arms wide.

"DAD!!!" Usopp called the man happily as he hugs him.

"WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!????????" The kids.

The father and son keep hugging each other.

"I-I'm s-sorry d-dad, I-I c-couldn't protect-t m-m-m-mom!!!" Usopp apologized crying.

"No! I should be the one to apologize! If I weren't that busy with work, I could've helped you and you mother!" The man was crying as well.

The kids saw the heartbreaking scene, some were crying and some were just smiling for their friend.

"So, he's Usopp's father, huh?" Franky.

"He did say that his father was alive and would be looking for him." Jinbe.

"That must be nice." Sanji.

"Yeah…" Yamato/Hancock/Katakuri/Nami/Vivi/Chopper/Robin/Carrot/Sanji.

After a few more minutes of crying, Usopp came back with his father.

"Guys, this is my father, Yasopp!" Usopp.

"Thank you for taking care of Usopp for all these years." Yasopp bowed a little to the group of kids.

"No need to thank us, we've only been acquainted for 2 years." Zoro.

"Yeah, you should be thanking Luffy…" Chopper.

As soon as that name came out of his mouth, the mood drastically dropped. Yasopp may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but he aint dumb either. He gave a look to Rayleigh and he drew his thumb through his neck.

Getting the message, Yasopp tries to cheer everyone up with a meal. They arrive at his home and somewhat enjoy the dinner, everyone decided to sleep in the same room de to habit.

"Is anyone asleep?" Carrot.

"Nope." Everyone.

"Is…is Luffy really dead?" Yamato.

"A part of me wants to believe that, and another part asks for proof." Page One.

"Same." Brook.

The kids look at the ceiling, remembering an important conversation with Luffy.

(Flashback)

The kids are crying sue to one of their most painful tests yet. Luffy arrives at the same room and tries to cheer them up.

"Guys, let's play!" Luffy.

"Shut up!!!" Ulti.

The little girl, annoyed by Luffy's constant childness grabs him by the collar.

"We're all in this horrible place, we get experimented on constantly, every part of our body agonizes by the damages these demons have done to us. The last thing we need is some idiot like yourself fooling around!" Ulti.

Luffy looked at him with a saddened look and then smiles.

"Then, how about we make a promise?" Luffy.

"A promise?" Ulti.

"Yeah, if you ever see me crying or even sobbing, I'll stop bothering you." Luffy.

"And if you not?" Ulti.

"Hehe! You'll be my friends, and we'll play and go on adventures..." Luffy began to rant about what he wanted to do.

"STOP!!!" Ulti.

Luffy stops ranting.

"What will ensure that you are not lying?" Ulti.

"Ah, that's easy, I never lie." Luffy.

"…!" Everyone.

"Yosh! Here's another promise. One day, we'll escape this place together, and we'll live as freely as we want! How about it? Shishishi!" Luffy.

The flashback ends with Ulti walloping Luffy for "lying".

(End of flashback)

"He's never, ever lied." Katakuri.

"And I doubt that he's going to start now." Zoro.

"It could be a chance within a billion." Nami.

"We'll take those chances." Hancock.

"It's decided then, we'll gather as much information about this place, learn, and them we'll leave to achieve our dreams." Zoro.

"What if Luffy is truly dead?" Carrot.

"It won't matter. He wanted us to be free from our prison and he freed us, we can't let ourselves get imprisoned by our guilt of not helping him. Living however we want, that's the way we will honor him. If he's dead of course." Katakuri.

"Anyone against that plan?!" Zoro.

"NO ONE!!!" Everyone.

That day, 20 persons and 1 duck will embark in their own journeys to gather strength, strength that would allow them to protect those dear to them.

(Meanwhile)

In the middle of the ocean, a young kid is floating on the salty waters, he has a scar under his left eye and one "X" shaped one on his chest. He's tightly grabbing a straw hat and a small picture on his hands, preventing either from getting wet. The kid's hair is losing its white color and the kid is mumbling something.

"Binkusu…no…sake…wo, todoke…ni…yuku…yo…" mumbled the kid known as Monkey D Luffy.