Changing the Future

Chapter 10 - Becoming Brothers

-Becoming Brothers-

I hum softly as I walk through the trees while spinning my pipe around and I stop for a second in confusion when I sense the three troublemakers are all standing on the cliff that over looks the sea. I smirk realizing what day I returned on when I hear a voice that really sounds like Luffy shouting about being Pirate King. I slip my backpack to one shoulder before slipping the pipe back into the holder on my back before replacing the backpack strap.

I silently and stealthily make my way over to the cliff the three are at. I climbed into a nearby tree and settle down in a comfortable position where I can see the three perfectly as they surround a tree stump. Ace places a bottle of sake on the stump as well as three red ceremonial cups in the other.

"Anyway, let's leave future decisions for the future." Ace says.

"Maybe we'll all be on separate ships." Sabo says.

"Oh, you stole some of Dadan's Liquor?" Luffy asks.

"Did you guys know, if you share a drink you can become brothers?" Ace asks pouring the sake into the three cups.

"Brothers? Really?" Luffy asks.

"We might not be on the same ship when we become pirates but this will bind us together as brothers. No matter where we are or what we do, nothing can break this bond." Ace says and the three pick up the cups. "From today on, we're brothers."

"Yeah," Luffy and Sabo say at the same time as they clink the cups together. They down the drinks and stick out their tongues at the taste that's probably way to strong for them at the moment. I have to hold in a laugh as Luffy pulls out his tongue and starts wiping it with his hands.

"What about Belle?" Sabo asks after getting over the taste and it causes the other two to pause.

"Ah," Luffy says looking completely horrified.

"It was a vow of brotherhood anyway but I'm pretty sure Belle wouldn't worry too much about something like this." Ace says crossing his arms and Luffy gains a sad look.

"Belle doesn't want to be our sister?" Luffy asks really close to crying while Sabo gives Ace a look that says this is your fault so solve it.

"Luffy I didn't mean it that way. I meant that Belle would probably say she's our sister even if we drank with her or not." Ace says and Luffy looks slightly happier.

"Luffy, how about we ask her when she gets back if she wants to partake?" Sabo says and Luffy tilts his head. "If she wants to share a drink with us."

"Oh, okay." Luffy says.

"Let's go grab something for lunch." Ace says and the three head out leaving the stuff where it was. Once the three are far enough away I jump down and move over to the stump.

"There's no need for me to partake. I already think of you three as my brothers, I have since the day I met Luffy." I say picking up the bottle and drinking from it.

"Dadan actually doesn't have too bad of taste." I say inspecting the label before grabbing the three ceremonial cups and gently wrapping them in one of my spare t-shirts before slipping them into my backpack. I continue drinking the bottle as I make my way back to Dadan's house.

"I'm back," I say as I kick open the wooden door.

"Stop kicking in the door." The bandits yell at me and I laugh.

"At least I'm not busting holes in the wall to enter like Garp usually does." I say before taking another drink from the bottle of sake.

"Hey that's mine." Dadan shouts spotting the bottle.