At One End

Prologue

Luffy decided to take a walk. He stood up and turned away from the fire. He started to walk along the shore. Stars were illuminating the sky along the moon. The ocean truly is a beautiful place. Luffy just walked. He didn't sing anything, didn't say anything. He just walked. His feet dragged him where they needed to at the moment. He turned to the forest and entered it. It was quiet. Yet not so. Various animals that were sleeping still added some noise to the dark greenery. He walked through the forest till he stopped and lifted his eyes. Not believing what he was seeing. A silhouette of his deceased brother stood with his back to him. The tattoo was clearly visible. It was like a bright light encircled Ace's body. Luffy's eyes were wide open as he closed a little to the person.

"A-Ace?" He asked. He reached with his hand to him, yet the hand went through the body of Ace. He looked back at Ace and saw him just smiling. "Ace?" He asked again.

"Luffy." Ace said. Luffy smiled, tears peaking in his eyes, but before he could say something more, Ace started again. "I'll show you what a Second Division Commander can do!" Ace finally started to move. Luffy turned around and saw himself, brightened by the same light as Ace.

"Okay!" That Luffy exclaimed with hands in the air. His eyes were much brighter than the current Luffy. He backed himself to see the full scene. Ace jumped into the air, turning his body around so it was facing away from them. The scene was much bigger then. Luffy was now standing on his old ship, the Going Merry. He snapped back to see his crew, younger than they are now and himself. They were all smiling, cheering. He turned around again and saw Ace changing into fire and destroying several ships. He saw his crew amazed and his old self just entranced by his brother's power. His eyes narrowed as he looked down, the scene disappearing. He opened his glistened eyes and looked in front of him. Ace was now in different clothes, for the Alabasta climate. He remembers. He remembers everything that contains his brother.

"Take this." Ace handed the younger Luffy a piece of paper.

"Paper?" That Luffy clearly didn't know what that was. The older Luffy smiled, eyes shadowed.

"This will help you to always find me." Ace smiled.

"What?!" The crew and the younger Luffy exclaimed. The current one scoffed a laugh. The scene disappeared. Luffy exhaled some air he didn't know he was holding. He looked around, not seeing anything more. He was kind of disappointed. Yet he knew that the memories further along were not happy. He just smiled and put hands in his pockets, kicking some rock on the ground as he moved along the forest again.

"You look like a wreck." Said a voice behind him. He snapped back, his eyes widening again. "Luffy."

"What?" He repeated. This wasn't a memory he remembers. No. This was new.

"You're different." Ace took off his hat and let it fall on his back. Luffy stood there in shock. This was the Ace he wanted to remember. The memories making a perfect representation of him. The freckles, black hair, body, smile, nose, eyes. He said it. That he seems different. Luffy looked down.

"I'm not." He answered.

"You are. Didn't Zoro notice that too? What have you thought of?" Ace stood there, his eyes frowned. Luffy's eyes widened. He frowned and placed a hand over his face.

"Nothing."

"You did!"

"Nothing!" Luffy snapped. Ace sighed. Luffy's lip trembled. "It's just...that..." His voice cracked while he tried to say his words. Tears glistened his eyes, daring to fall down with a simple blink. Ace's eyes were locked with his. "I..." Luffy really wanted to talk to Ace, even though he probably is just his imagination, as always. Luffy's hand travelled to his chest, near his heart, that just crumbled. His heart was shredded. Why? He almost accomplished what he dreamed of. Then why did he feel so empty? Ace placed a hand on his hip, he sighed, looking up at Luffy again. The boy was trembling, his chest only weightning more.

"What have you thought of?" Ace repeated firmly. Luffy's eyes widened again, but he didn't look up. His trembling mouth opened.

"To meet you again." Luffy raised his head a little, eyes locking with his brother's. "I am so close! So close to becoming the Pirate King!" Luffy exclaimed. He grabbed his head. "Yet I feel like something is missing! Still I can't let them all down! I need to be able to make their dreams come true too!" Tears fell down Luffy's eyes. Ace just stared. "It is always missing! That part!" He grabbed his red vest. "Of me!" He squeezed his eyes, tears still falling down his cheeks. He coughed, sniffed and hiccuped. "Why do I feel so...weak." Luffy looked at his hand, trembling and shaking. He fisted it. "Tell me..." He whispered. He stood in silence. Luffy opened his eyes and looked up. Ace wasn't there. He wasn't. Luffy was alone again, he clenched his teeth. "Stupid heart." He murmured, stepping back to a tree he leaned on it. His hat shadowed his eyes as tears fell down them. He wiped his nose. Luffy slid down the tree, falling on the ground. His hand was still gripping onto his vest. The twenty-four year old Emperor of the Sea. Monkey D. Luffy.

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