"Hearts are breakable," Isabelle said. "And I think even when you heal; you're never what you were before"."―Cassandra Clare,City of Fallen Angels
"Oi we're missing some people..." Sanji said thinking hard about it suddenly and Luffy's mouth formed into an exact O shape in realization.
"Ah! Momonosuke was taking a nap in my room last I saw him! It's been such an adventure for the little guy." Nami said sweetly.
"Luffy, you were supposed to bring everyone to dinner.." Sanji said to their captain who began to sweat.
"I was distracted!" He said honestly and he was! Having Ace and Sabo here was distracting for him in every possible way!
"Will someone go please get them; I refuse to let anyone starve on this ship." Usopp taking the chance he could get stood up to volunteer but Nami spoke up first.
"I'll go get the kid since he's in My room. You go get Kin'emon." Nami said and Usopp made a face but did as he was told.
Kin'emon was observing the ship and all of its weirdness. For some strange reason Luffy-Dono wanted to stop at the closest island after leaving Punk Hazard. The other members seemed to just go with it claiming that he needed to cool down after the mess on the first island. Marines appeared and Kin'emon put his protection of his son over exploring a strange island. Even the man Trafalgar seemed uninterested in exploring and made his annoyance clear to everyone around.
"Oiiiii Kin'emon! Supper's ready!" Usopp shouted across the ship hoping the samurai would come eat with them which he would usually do.
Kin'emon enjoyed the company of these pirates which was rather strange since he was an honourable samurai and they were wanted criminals. He had been so caught up in wandering around this colorful strange ship that he had forgotten his hunger.
When Kin'emon entered the kitchen's area he instantly took notice to two new members sitting at the table.
"Who might you be?" He asked them curiously not recognizing them.
"Ah Kin'emon, those are my brothers." Luffy said with food in his mouth causing Sanji to yell at him for talking with his mouth full.
The two boys were watching him carefully and even he was a little confused.
"When did they arrive?" He asked while Robin laughed and explained the situation.
"Time travelers huh?" Kin'emon asked leaning down to observe the boys causing Ace's brow to twitch in annoyance not use to having people so close to him.
"There's nothing special about us!" Ace finally snapped causing the man to stop leaning down to look at them.
"Are you sure they're your brothers Luffy-Dono? This one has a harsh temper..." Kin'emon said and Luffy laughed more.
"Yup, they're my big brothers." Luffy said and Ace saw it again the dark glint that returned around him but this time he saw it in everyone.
"Father?" Momonosuke said entering the room being carried in Nami's arms his hand around her neck while the other was rubbing his eyes sleepily. Sabo raised a brow at the child and even Ace made a face. Being raised in a jungle with bandits had taught them that being carried like that was not right. Being a man meant being able to do everything on your own so why did this kid need to be carried; even Luffy was stronger than that.
"We have more guests." He said to his son who took notice of the two boys.
"Ah! Were you guys from the island as well!?" He asked while getting Nami to put him down so he could talk to the boys.
"What island?" Sabo asked not sure what was happening.
"Did that guy make you all better now?" He asked them while pointing to Law who just continued to eat his rice balls ignoring the circus around him.
"They're not from Punk Hazard..." Nami said returning to her seat and Momonosuke looked at her curiously.
"Ah that's right! You didn't come with us from that island did you?! Who are you intruders!?" He shouted and it was grinding on Ace's nerves.
"Shishishi, they're my big brothers." Luffy laughed once again catching Momonosuke's attention.
"But they're younger than you..." He said pointing out the obvious an Ace snapped at him.
"We won't always be younger!" He shouted standing up and growling at the kid who jumped back in shock before running to Nami's side.
"Try and be nice Ace." Luffy said leaning on his hand watching his brothers with a small smile.
"Tsk, whatever." Ace scowled looking away from the older Luffy. The continued their meal but Luffy and Law had their own discussions happening about Caesar and their plans with him. Ace and Sabo did feel a little out of the loop but it gave them a moment to actually watch the older Luffy talk.
Sure he acted relatively the same as he would always be but seeing him actually discuss pirating things seemed weird in their eyes.
"He's different then when you knew him." The green haired man said moving away from his spot beside Luffy to sit down near them-not next to them-but near them.
"We noticed..." Sabo said and Zoro smirked.
"It's not a bad change; he needs to be strong to survive here." Zoro said closing his eye and putting his hands behind his head.
"These places can't be that dangerous." Ace said frowning but Zoro chuckled.
"We're not in the East Blue kid, we're further away from there than you can imagine." He said and the boys looked at one another.
"We've never left our island before..." Sabo whispered but then reminded himself he was further from his island than ever, he was through time.
"What is your plan, Luffy –Dono to get them home?" Kin'emon asked Luffy who smiled and nodded towards Robin who explained it to him.
"So we have three days?" Momonosuke asked and Robin smiled at the little boy.
"Then let's be friends!" Momo said to the boys who just stared at him.
"But you're weak." Sabo said and Momo felt insulted at those words!
"Someday I will be the strongest Samurai in the Wano Country!" He shouted at the boys, who looked skeptical but didn't say anything else, this wasn't there place or time.
"Ne Ace, Sabo wanna check out my ship?" He asked and they jumped on the chance. Momo decided to finish eating since he and his father had come late to the dinner table.
Luffy showed his favourite seat on top of the Lion's head and told them a bunch of stories about it.
"Just as we were setting sail Gramps comes and tries to sink us!" Luffy said to them and Ace laughed.
"Sounds like that old geezer to me!" He said and Luffy nodded.
"He did apologize saying that he had no choice but I don't think he really tried." Luffy smiled sitting down on the swing by the tree while Sabo and Ace sat down close to him.
"Gramps is strong, if he wanted to sink me he could have." Luffy said thinking back on it.
"Then why didn't he?" Sabo asked softly as Luffy smiled.
"Because family looks out for one another, right?" Luffy said giving his biggest and brightest grin possible and the boys saw their younger brother completely in there.
Through the disguise of a man was their childish little brother and the thought that Luffy was still himself even through all the years was comforting to them.
"Who are the brats?" A man asked sitting on the grass.
"Don't talk to him." Luffy commanded standing up and pushing the boys away with his hands on their shoulders. Luffy usually didn't mind being near Caesar after all he had already kicked the guy's ass but Sabo and Ace didn't need to be.
"You're Fire-fist Ace!" Caesar said suddenly his eyes widening and Luffy froze.
"Fire-fist?" Ace asked turning around curiosity in his own eyes and Luffy frowned.
"But-you can't be here! It's impossible! You're-." Caesar started but a hand reached across his mouth and Luffy saw Law in front of their prisoner.
"Straw Hatter, try and be a little more careful with our...Guests around." Law said and glared at Caesar.
"And you remain silent; we're taking a side trip before returning you." He told Caesar who just pouted looking away.
"Why do you have a guy chained up on your ship?" Sabo asked Luffy who just smirked.
"We kidnapped him." Luffy said simply but it left a bad taste in their mouth at the thought Luffy would kidnap anyone, it made them think too much of Blujam and his crew.
"But that's wrong..." Sabo whispered and Luffy gave him a stern look that didn't match his personality at all.
"Don't be naive Sabo; the world isn't as beautiful as you think it is." Luffy said and Law frowned at him, Sabo flinched back at Luffy's words and the darkness that covered his brother's face.
"Straw hatter, I need to talk to you, alone." Law said walking past Luffy who sighed.
"You guys can look around the ship all you want but please stay away from Caesar." Luffy said patting their heads and following behind Law.
"What should we do?" Sabo asked Ace who shrugged.
"Follow them?" Ace suggested only to suddenly feel hands gripping his shoulders.
"I wouldn't if I were you." Zoro said to them seriously. Zoro had been watching Luffy ever since they got here and knew he was feeling stressed. Luffy was trying to put up a strong face for everyone but if he didn't get the space he needed he might crack.
"And why shouldn't we?" Ace asked him brown eyes meeting a dark silver one.
"Because he'll know you're there, his observation is fantastic." He said and Sabo was very interested in that.
"But Luffy is easy to sneak up on!" He said in thought of the many times he had scared his little brother.
"Maybe in your time but here, if you don't get stronger then you die. Luffy, as our captain, needs to be the strongest." He said knowing that Luffy's Haki was amazingly skilled but knew not to tell them that information.
"Give him space, why not go visit Usopp he'll tell you stories or some shit." Zoro said yawning and walking over to a spot on the lawn to take a nap.
"You're just going to sleep?" Sabo asked remembering what he just said about needing to be strong.
"Of course." He said simply and that was that.
The brothers sighed in defeat and went to look for the Usopp guy maybe he could tell them some stuff about this new time.
"What cha need to talk about?" Luffy asked law who sat down on the railing to really look at Luffy.
"You can stop smiling now." Law said and Luffy felt it falter ever slightly.
"I'm not faking it." He said and Law nodded in understanding.
"But it's not truthful either." Law said and Luffy sighed before sitting down beside him.
"How am I supposed to feel? My dead brothers are back to see me as children. Do you know how badly I want to warn them about their fates?" He asked Law whose eyes glazed over slightly thinking of his own family and their fates.
"Do you know how badly I want to tell Sabo not to get on that damn ship and just wait patiently? Or to tell Ace to not let petty words taunt him to his grave?!" Luffy felt tears stinging his eyes but wouldn't cry he's too old for that now.
"I almost don't care that Caesar told Ace his pirate name because I'd give anything to tell him all of the amazing things he's done as a pirate!" Luffy's voice had raised a notch in volume but Law didn't tell him to keep it down. Law had been there the day Ace died, had seen the devastation that followed his death and knew the scar that marked Luffy's chest went deeper than the skin. Law had seen the devastation the man's face two years ago, he was going to Let Luffy get it all out so he didn't do something regrettable later on.
"We can't change the past but we can change the future." Luffy said silently and Law finally looked at him carefully.
"Even if the past changes I feel that Ace-ya would still do the exact same thing. Changing anything can make a future that is stable with the losses worse." Law said and Luffy frowned but understood.
"I know and that's why I won't do anything. Ace and Sabo will still die and there is nothing I can do about it. There never was and never will be, nothing's change." He said standing up and walking forward but stopped suddenly catching law's attention.
"Thanks for listening to me." Luffy said taking a deep breath before walking away.
"No problem." Law whispered and looked out over the sea. The scar known as Luffy's brother would always be there healing, even after two years it wouldn't properly be closed. Having them show up during Luffy's healing only made the pain worse but you never know maybe these boys can help ease him. Law didn't know the other brother or his fate, nor did he really care since it was Luffy's business. All he knew was that they were going to need everything they had going up against Dofolmingo and even then kaido.
Law sighed standing up himself it was getting late and a lot needed to be thought through especially if they were now changing their plans for three extra days. Life with this crew was never boring; he could at least honestly say that.
Hello! So this was darker than I planned! I worked with those who were dying and supported those through grief so I have learned that the pain of death never really goes away-not to say that it's forever! It's been 2 years but Luffy was alone for 6 months out of those years. Try and imagine how it must feel to be starting to move past your grief only for the people (Person) you lost to just suddenly show up many years younger than you. Once again going to try and separate my work from my story and not go too deep into the darkness for this. I want a happy reunion for the brothers ^^
I'm so thankful to my wonderful readers! Since I'm working on my sequel I need to go back and re-watch a lot of the beginning of OP to help me work through the important pieces that I forgot about people for this story! I know they have been awkwardly placed into this chapter so I'm so sorry! Kin'emon, momo and Caesar made their appearance but it felt weird! I'm so sorry about that!(Can you tell I'm Canadian yet? ;P ) That was such a rookie writer mistake I should have known better!-Thank you all for correcting me!
I do have a general direction for this story now (yay finally!) But it shall be short and sweet. :) Also with Zro's eyes being Silver-Well I don't actually know the color of them other than black but when he's being all bad ass I kinda see them as silver in my head :)Thank you all for sticking with this even though this is the biggest mess of a story I've ever witnessed before! Keep well everyone! DR