ʙʀɪɴɢɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀꜱᴛ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴜᴛᴜʀᴇ // ᴏɴᴇ ᴘɪᴇᴄᴇ

Chapter 4

Luffy sat on the ground, his back leaned against a tree as he stared at the fire burning in front of him. The fresh cold air that circulates within the forest was what he is hoping to sent shivers within his body, to make him feel a little cold and to hopefully calm his mind that was put into a mess early in the morning.

The moment that words of agreement left Ace's mouth, he suddenly fell unconscious, causing a strike of panicked to course through Luffy's undeniably shattered heart. How he longed to meet his dead brother again, to spend more days with him and possibly have a brotherly training, just like when they were children.

However, Ace just happens to die in that fateful day. His brother just have to used himself as a shield, to take on a punched he knew he can't take, just so that his little brother could live.

Of course, Luffy much less blame himself over his brother's death. Though because of that fact that his life is in a risked, adding that his friends were alive and that they made a promised, Luffy have to moved on, like it or not he have to accept things.

The only thing he could do is train. Spend this two years in becoming way more stronger, strong enough to survive in the harsh reality called New World.

Though he wondered; What would it feels like if the promised he have his Ace came true? The one stating that him and Ace would meet at the top as legendary pirates, fighting over who will become the King?

But it seems like Ace, in the time he met him in Alabasta, found someone he respect and idolized the mist, to the point that he's so wrapped up in the thought of making that giant old man the Pirate King.

A familiar presence he felt two to three times appeared within the grasp of his observation haki, walking near his silking form; though he didn't even acknowledge the person, only staring at the fire that's bringing light within his surroundings.

"A penny for your thoughts, straw hatter?"

Finally glancing up, Luffy didn't know how to react once his eyes met a cheerful cyan eyes. He knew she's not a bad person—no, he could feel it. The white-haired girl have a warm feeling surrounding her; a feeling he deemed as comfortable.

But the fact that she actually bring Ace, someone from the past, here in the future bothers Luffy; he didn't even know her name.

Luffy softly sigh, "I was just thinking."

It wasn't normal to have a serious conversation with Luffy, much less hear him talked so calmly like a normal person. Usually he's the type to smile brightly, smile sadly, smile fakely—damn, he's always smiling when talking to someone that wasn't his enemy.

Though the girl understand. Despite the fact that she, herself, doesn't know the whole ideology and concept of emotion, she was told that it was the most complicated thing humans have.

"I would like to know, I am unable to understand emotions, and I'm having a hard time reading yours." The girl said innocently, and Luffy could clearly see the genuine curiosity in her eyes.

Luffy chuckled, a bit of mocking and confusion, as he find her words strange. "What the hell are you talking about?" He asked, before smiling at the girl who's name remained unknown.

The girl tilted her head, walking towards Luffy as she sat next to him and softly pouted.

"Are you perhaps, angry?" She asked hesitantly, turning her eyes towards the fire. Again, she had an urge to touch it, and before she could, Luffy answered her question.

"I'm not angry, why would I? In fact, I felt happy to see Ace again."

There was a silence before the girl frowned.

"Then why?" She softly asked him, causing Luffy to furrowed his eyebrow in confusion.

"Why what?"

The girl let out a sigh, pulling her legs against her chest and wrapping her arms around her shin.

"You looked lost, and your eyes were lifeless for a moment. Are you worried, about Ace existence here?"

Luffy paused, and he let out a deep sigh before looking up, meeting those innocent cyan eyes. He's sure that before, his eyes were the same as these innocent orbs, hungry for adventure while staying within the boundaries of beauty and chaos.

His eyes were like that before, though it changed the moment his eyes witnessed the death of his only remaining Brother in this world.

Tearing his gaze away from those calm innocent eyes, Luffy smiled to himself. Not his usually bright and cheerful smile, just a small and normal one, enough to washed some of his thoughts away.

"Yeah, I'm worried about Ace." He admitted, looking at his hands guiltily. "This placed is dangerous, and I'm not sure if I should let Ace sail with me. I.... don't want to see my brother dying again."

The girl hummed, now understanding clearly what's running trough Luffy's head. As far as she could understand, Luffy is worrying about Ace, because the Ace she brought in here was the one who haven't even entered the Grand Line yet, someone who doesn't have experience in the harsh nature of the Paradise.

Besides, if Ace were to be found out alive, the Marines would surely go crazy.

"Eve." She suddenly muttered, her words echoing through the darkness.

Luffy glance at her, turning his attention back into her eyes. "What?"

"My name. It's Eve." She softly said, burying half of her face in her arms, her eyes stared deeply at the flickering fire.

Luffy paused for a while. He stared at her, before a large grin that his face used to have appeared.

"Nice to meet you then, Viv!"

Eve chuckled at the wrong pronunciation, though she didn't bother herself to correct him as she gazed at the skies filled with twinkling stars.

"The human world is interesting indeed."