The Elementalist Lucia [One Piece x OC fanfiction]

XXIV - The diseppearance of a brother

Running at breakneck speed, Lucia ran through the entire Terminal, now unaffected by the burning flames that could not reach her watery body. She extinguished the fires that were getting too close to her and made her way through the glowing debris. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she managed to get out of the fire and reach the heights of Mount Corvo. Short of breath, throat sore, eyes dry, she bravely climbed the rocks to safety. She coughed for a moment before turning back to the fire. There was nothing she could do, the flames had spread throughout Gray Terminal, impossible to find Ace or Luffy in that furnace. She had tried to search for them relentlessly but nothing could be done, she couldn't find any trace of her brothers. Tears streamed down her cheeks and traced furrows in her smoke-blackened skin.

Sobs carried on the wind drew her attention. Discreetly, she decided to go and see if there were any other survivors. She walked around the vegetation and was surprised to find the mountain brigands lined up on the edge of a cliff, crying their eyes out for Dadan and Ace. In the arms of one of them, Lucia saw Luffy who was also crying, repeating Ace and Lucia's names over and over again. Instantly relieved and at the same time distressed, Lucia ran towards them shouting:

"LUFFY!"

The boy turned towards the voice, as did all the robbers, and his crying redoubled when he recognised Lucia. He struggled and finally broke free of the grip of the one who held him, falling like a stone to the ground, unable to move because of his injuries. Lucia rushed towards him. They embraced each other as the robbers looked on in amazement.

"I thought... you were dead..." Luffy said between sobs.

"I looked for you everywhere," Lucia explained, also in tears, "I couldn't find you! Where is Ace?"

Trembling, Luffy pointed to the fire. Lucia grew pale and hugged the boy even tighter as he began to cry again.

"It's going to be okay..." she said, "it's going to be okay I promise..."

Then she looked at the furnace, a look of visceral fear that made her stomach churn and her breath catch. Ace.

The next day, Luffy was the first to wake up in the mountain brigands' house. Despite his injuries, he tried to get out to try to find Ace. The Dadan family made sure he stayed in bed. The boy was inconsolable, missing his brother more than anything. Lucia emerged a few hours later. Without paying any attention to the pain that twisted her skull and the burning in her lungs, she dragged her feet and walked painfully across the room to the living room where Luffy was still crying, lying under the watchful eyes of the robbers. They watched her pass without saying a word. Silently, she approached Luffy, pulled up her blanket and lay down against him, snuggling up to her brother, tears streaming down her cheeks. Instinctively, Luffy folded his arm around her and held her close too. Gradually his sobs subsided and he managed to fall asleep.

But the days passed and neither Ace nor Dadan returned. Luffy regained his strength and became more and more unbearable, wanting to save his brother at all costs. The brigands tried to explain to him that he had probably died in the fire, but the boy insisted on going to get him. Lucia also refused to believe that Ace was dead and began to resist as well, being even more elusive than Luffy.

"I understand how you feel, but it would be far too risky to go to Gray Terminal in your condition with all the soldiers there!"

"But-" Luffy began.

"Even though it's unlikely that they survived, we too want to believe that Ace and the boss managed to escape the blaze and come back safely. Dogra has gone to look for them, let him deal with them."

Lucia gritted her teeth before giving in. She gently grabbed Luffy's hand to encourage him to give up too. In absolute silence, they both sat down in a corner, looking at each other grimly. They did not move all day. They only looked up when a brigand finally came back to tell them that Ace and Dadan had returned alive. Releived, the two children threw themselves at Ace, crying, which earned them a punch each by way of reply: