00043. Trash.

"Are. You. Serious. Right. Now?" Marcus asked between fits of laughter.

He wasn't doing much better then the others as all of them burst into laughter after they heard Luffy's dream. To say it was ridiculous would be an understatement and at the same time it fit Luffy perfectly. Luffy just smiled to himself as he relaxed in the grass.

After they settled down from Luffy's declaration, Marcus sat up and took on a serious tone as he said, "You guys know I dream about stuff sometimes right?"

Ace and Sabo nodded as Luffy said, "I always dream about meat!"

Marcus let out a sigh before he said, "Luffy… I dream about stuff that hasn't happened yet but most likely will."

Luffy sat up and looked at Marcus with his mouth hanging open for a few moments before he asked, "Did you see me eating meat soon?"

Marcus turned away from Luffy and said to Sabo, "I saw Gray Terminal on fire soon and it has to do with your dad and some other nobles."

"What about my meat?!" Luffy asked, trying to gain Marcus's attention back.

"No one cares about your meat Luffy!" Ace said as he glanced at Sabo.

Sabo frowned as he asked, "How do you know it's my dad?"

"I saw him talking to you… I'm not sure what you talked about but I think he threatened you and you left us to go back home."

Luffy looked shocked as Ace said, "Sabo wouldn't leave us."

Marcus shrugged as he said, "That might be true… But if he was threatened with our lives?"

"That sounds like something my father would do…" Sabo said before he let out a sigh.

"Sabo can't leave us! We're brothers, we have to stick together!" Luffy said as he looked like he was about to cry.

Marcus slapped Luffy on the back of his head as he said, "Don't start crying for no reason, idiot."

Tears started to form in Luffy's eyes as he blubbered out, "But you said Sabo would leave us!"

Marcus let out a sigh as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. Sabo patted Luffy on the shoulder as he said, "Settle down Luffy, I'm not going anywhere."

Luffy hugged Sabo as he said, "Promise you won't go anywhere."

Sabo helplessly smiled at the others as he said, "For now, I promise not to go anywhere."

It took a few minutes before Luffy settled down and stopped crying. Once he was somewhat back to normal Marcus focused on Sabo as he asked, "So what do you want to do about your dad and what might happen?"

"I don't know." Sabo said with a frown.

Ace glanced at Marcus as he asked, "You already have a plan don't you?"

"I have one, but we would only do it if Sabo agrees to it."

Sabo turned towards Marcus and asked, "What do you have in mind?"

"We take you home ourselves and collect your inheritance before you officially cut ties with your family." Marcus said with a wicked looking grin.

Sabo and the other's eyes widened as they looked at Marcus like he was crazy. Marcus just grinned wider as he said, "You already ran away once and hate your family. Might as well give them a reason to not want you back… Besides, we can use it as an opportunity to find out about the Gray Terminal fire."

"That sounds fun, let's do it!" Ace said with some excitement in his voice.

Luffy nodded in agreement as he said, "Let's go beat up those jerks who want to take Sabo away!"

Sabo smiled slightly as he shook his head as he said, "My family home is heavily guarded because my father is third in line to be king and I am technically fourth."

Marcus shrugged as he said, "It just means more people to beat up."

"We could be labeled as criminals if we do that." Sabo said with concern.

Marcus raised an eyebrow as he said, "Didn't you plan to be a pirate with Ace?"

Sabo rubbed the back of his head as he smiled which showed off a missing tooth before he said with a chuckle, "I wasn't thinking about that."

Marcus glanced at everyone else as he asked, "Anyone have any objections?"

When no one spoke up, Marcus started to list off different ways they could go about Sabo cutting ties with his family. They discussed different plans and ideas for a few hours before coming up with something that everyone agreed on. Afterwards they traveled back home to eat and make preparations for their visit to Sabo's family.

vvvvv

It was the afternoon a few days later as Sabo led everyone through the streets towards the noble housing district. They were dressed up compared to what they normally wore, but it still looked rather poor compared to what people in the noble district tended to wear.

As they reached the inner city gate to the area, they were stopped by one of the guards who said, "You kids aren't allowed in here. Turn around and go somewhere else."

Sabo narrowed his eyes as he said in a threatening voice, "Tell me your name so I can have my father punish you when I get home."

The guard wasn't completely sure what to do with how Sabo spoke and glanced at the other guards for help. One of the older guards stepped forward and said in a polite tone, "Please forgive him sir, he's new and it's his first day."

Sabo glanced at both men and tilted his head back a little as he said, "Then he better remember my face and not block my way again. Otherwise he will be out of a job."

"Yes sir, thank you sir." The older guard said as he motioned for everyone to let the boys pass.

As they were about to pass the guards, Luffy looked like he was about to say something. Marcus reacted quickly and clapped a hand over his mouth as he dragged Luffy away with the help of Ace.

After the boys left the first guard asked, "Do you know who his father is?"

The older guard smiled as he said, "Nope."

"What!?! Did you see how they were dressed? They definitely weren't nobles… We shouldn't have let them inside."

The older guard rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder as he said, "It'll be fine, it's just a couple of kids. Most likely they're friends with some noble kid and came to visit."

"What if they're not and came here to cause trouble?"

The older guard smiled as he asked back, "And what if that kid is really the son of some noble?"

The older man moved back to his position as he said, "It's best to just keep your head down when it comes to this job… If someone shows up and gives you an arrogant attitude like that? It's best to just assume they are a noble and let them in, no matter what they look like."

As the man settled back into his spot in the shade he said with a smile, "And if they're not nobles and cause problems… Well they never came through our gate. Do you understand?"

The other man turned back to his post as he said, "Yes, sir."

"Good."

After the boys passed the gate Marcus released his hand from Luffy's mouth as he said, "You really need to know when to stay quiet."

"But Sabo was so cool!"

Luffy put on a serious look and said, "You better remember my face!"

Marcus and the others could only shake their heads at Luffy as he pretended to be Sabo as they walked. After a while they reached a large mansion with a handful of guards at the gate. As the boys approached the guards turned their attention to them and it didn't take long for a couple of them to notice Sabo.

Sabo focused on the guard in charge as he asked, "Is my father in?"

"No young master, he went out earlier." The guard hesitated for a moment before he asked, "Where have you been? We thought you were dead…"

Sabo moved to enter the gate as he said, "It doesn't matter. I only came back to talk to my father and then I am leaving."

The guards said nothing as they moved out of the way and let Sabo and the other's inside. Sabo led everyone into the mansion and they were greeted by a butler who looked at Sabo in shock as he asked, "Young master?"

Sabo nodded at the man as he said, "It's good to see you Robert."

The man smiled slightly as he said, "Where have you been? Your father searched all over the kingdom but never found you… We thought you died."

Sabo shrugged as he said, "He must not have put much effort in, it's not like I was hiding or something."

Robert frowned as he said, "Then where were you?"

"Gray Terminal and the jungle mostly. Even left the island a few times."

Robert's eyes widened slightly at the mention of Gray Terminal before he glanced at the other boys and asked, "And these boys are?"

"My brothers." Sabo said proudly.

The man frowned again as he said, "Well it's good to have you back young master… Should I prepare a bath for you?"

"I'm only here to chat with my father, then I'm leaving again and won't be back."

The man looked like he wanted to retort but stopped himself. After a few moments Robert pointed towards a side room and said, "Your father is currently out, but you can wait in there for him to return and I will bring you some refreshments."

Sabo nodded and walked into the waiting room that contained a few fancy couches and chairs. In the middle of the room rested an elegant coffee table made out of dark walnut with the outside edges encased in gold. Marcus glanced at it as he took off his training sword and sat down on one of the chairs.

Within a few minutes Robert and a couple maids entered the room with a few trays. The trays contained drinks and snacks which were placed on the coffee table. As Luffy moved to start eating Robert said, "I sent someone to inform your father you're here. He should return soon."

Sabo nodded his head before Robert and the maids left the room. After a few moments Marcus noticed the tense atmosphere around Sabo and said, "Relax. No matter what happens we are with you all the way."

It took a few moments but after Sabo took a deep breath he smiled and said, "I know… It's just that my father can be intense."

Marcus rested his hand on the hilt of his training sword as he said, "Nothing a few knocks to the head can't fix."

Luffy who had his cheeks stuffed full of food nodded in agreement as he stuffed another little sandwich into his mouth. Marcus and the others took one look at him and burst into laughter. Their rambunctious laughter carried out of the room and after a few minutes a boy appeared at the doorway and curiously looked inside. The boy glanced at everyone inside the room for a moment before his eyes landed on Sabo.

The boy with a bowl shaped haircut wearing a frilly shirt, bow tie and suspenders walked into the room and with an arrogant tone asked, "What are you doing back here, trash?"

Everyone stopped laughing and turned to look at the boy for a few moments before Sabo asked, "Who the hell are you?"

The boy tilted his head back slightly as he said in a condescending tone, "I'm Sterry, your replacement."

"My replacement?"

The boy nodded and with a hint of mockery he said, "Our parents decided they needed a proper heir and adopted me right after you disappeared, trash."

Marcus and Ace narrowed their eyes as Luffy glanced around and asked, "Trash? I don't see any trash?"

Sterry walked closer and pointed at Sabo as he said, "The trash is right there!"

"That's weird, I thought I was looking at the trash." Marcus said as he stared directly at Sterry.

Sterry's eyes flashed with anger as he moved towards Marcus and said, "Shut up, trash!"

Marcus smirked as he said, "Actually now that I think about it… You look more like a footrest instead of trash."

Sterry stopped in front of Marcus and snarled, "I told you to Shut up, trash! You don't have permission to speak!"

Sabo and Ace watched in interest as Luffy bounced in his seat with excitement as he quickly stuffed more snacks in his mouth. Marcus smiled as he said, "And I said you look like a footrest… So do your job."

Sterry raised his hand and was about to slap Marcus when Marcus's training sword whipped out and caught Sterry in the mouth. Teeth and blood flew out as Sterry screamed like a stuck pig. Marcus struck Sterry again in the back of the head and he collapsed to the ground in front of Marcus like a puppet with its strings cut.

Marcus placed his feet onto Sterry's back as he said, "I knew I was right. He makes a perfect footrest."

Sabo and the other's started to laugh as Robert ran into the room. He glanced around the room and immediately noticed Sterry on the ground with blood pooling by his face. His face darkened as he yelled out, "What the hell do you think you're doing!"

Marcus glanced up with a playful smirk on his face as he said, "Waiting for some trash to show up."

"GUARDS! GUARDS! THE YOUNG MASTER WAS ATTACKED!" The butler screamed out at the top of his lungs.

Ace and the others looked like they were about to stand up when Marcus waved them off. Marcus stood up as he rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck before he said, "I'll handle this… Just sit back and enjoy the show."