Time goes on and before they knew it, another year had flown by.
It's been three years since the brothers were separated and Luffy was placed in solitary confinement. And despite their best efforts, Ace and Sabo haven't had a single shred of luck in getting their youngest brother back.
Though they haven't given up, it was increasingly difficult to move, much less create an escape plan. Both children had stopped being worked as slaves about six months ago and were now simply low class prisoners which the guards would sometimes use to let off some steam. Although, due to their current state that hadn't happened in a long while either, being deemed un-fun and no longer entertaining to kick around.
Ace wanted to do nothing more than sink his teeth into one of those filthy rats who care to call themselves men.
Cowards! Ace hissed to himself, All of them! To afraid to fight against their captor so they take it out on people weaker than them to help them feel better! Cowardice lowlifes!
Sabo could take one look at Ace's eyes and know exactly what he was thinking. In fact, he was so good at this he could usually depict word for word what the his seething brother was saying in his children head. Ace was also able to tell what Sabo was thinking by a mere glance; when you get locked in a room with someone for two years you get to know a few things.
Both were weak from hunger and knew it was only their will and training that kept them alive all this time. Thank goodness for that, at least. Sabo thought tiredly. He sighed and looked over at Ace once more, who had more or less simmered down into a silent stupor.
He deemed Ace safe and stable enough to lean against and promptly flopped his head onto Ace's shoulder. Ace had a bit of a silent temper tantrum everyday at around the same time, Sabo was so used to it he now used it to tell the time when the sky was overcast or something blocked the light.
Ace glanced down at Sabo and cocked and eyebrow at him.
"What's wrong?" Ace asked gruffly, but not without concern.
"Tired. Imma sleep," Sabo murmured back, eyes falling into darkness as he allowed his heavy lids to close.
Ace sighed and looked ahead into the barred hallway. Ever since they'd stopped working they seemed to be fed less and less food. Ace was also a little tired from the hunger and lack of food, but Sabo seemed down right starved, and he didn't like it.
"Sabo, you didn't give me your rations again did you?" Ace asked seriously
When he got no reply, he looked down to see the blond already in a deep snooze, snoring slightly on his shoulder.
Ace sighed. He already knew the answer. Sabo had been managing to give Ace his food for a while now, and he knew it. At first Sabo would just convince him that he'd already eaten and that it was extra, but that rouse didn't last long before Ace called it out. And no matter how many times Ace told him to stop, he always came up with creative ways to fool him into taking the little bit of food.
But no matter the case, Sabo was starving and the side affects of it were perfectly clear. If they didn't get out of here soon or Sabo didn't stop this stupid game, he wouldn't have much time left before his little naps extended into permanent slumber.
Ace cursed under his breath and blamed himself for his brothers states. If only he had been stronger. If only Sabo didn't think he needed to take care of him. If only he wasn't so weak!
He looked down at Sabo again and made a promise that the second that he, Sabo, and Luffy were safe once more, he'd make sure they never had to worry again. He'd make sure to be strong enough for all three of them, and that way Sabo wouldn't have to worry about his health and he would be able to protect Luffy from ever getting taken from them again.
Never again! He thought to himself.
The silence of the cell and Sabo's steadied breathing was lulling out Ace's narcoleptic side, the warmth of his brother compelling him; and before he even knew what was happening, his eyes fell shut and he was consumed in a light and dreamless sleep.
***
Cold.
Cold and... Warm? Wait.
Luffy opened his eyes ever so slightly, instantly closing them as the dim light blinded his pitch black accustomed eyes. When he finally felt ready to try opening them again, he had to force them to apart. After managing to pry open a small slit he focused on something directly in front of him, blocking his view of the rest of the tiny room.
He blinked sluggishly before realizing it was his hat, which had evidently fallen off of his head in his sleep. Staying in his curled up position on the floor, Luffy reached a shaky hand out to the hat and grabbed the brim, pulling it close to his chest.
He was still slightly confused upon waking, and also wondering why he felt so hot and yet so cold at the same time.
In an attempt to gain some memory or recognition to where he was, he moved his ankle to try and stand up. He heard the familiar jangling of metal against metal and remembered instantly why he was here. Though that didn't make him think or move any faster.
He noticed that there were three trays on the ground, all with the same contents, and yet he was not the least bit inclined to act upon the food in front of him. He didn't feel hungry. In fact, that was probably the last thing he wanted right now. He felt ill, and hot, and definitely didn't feel like moving from his curled position in the corner of the room.
The walls seemed to be closing in on him more than usual and he was uncomfortably aware of his uneven, ragged breaths and persistent heart beat.
Everything had started blurring together and he had a hard time figuring out when things were happening. Even as he was doing things, he sometimes wondered if he was simply remembering it from long ago or if he really was doing it right then and there. It was rather terrifying and it threatened to raise his stress levels even higher than they already were each and every time he realised it.
It really was torture.
Luffy curled up tighter and hugged his hat closer. He thought about the guard coming, and then leaving. He clearly wasn't wanted, and was positive that the world hated him. Why else would he be here? And why did he kept trying to get recognition when he knew he'd simply be turned down? He really was a devil child; someone in the way. Annoying and a useless crybaby just like Ace had said. This brothers probably didn't even want him back anymore. They'd probably already escaped without him and continued their lives.
Something about that last thought gave a small tinge of joy in the young boys head. He liked the thought of his brothers being safe and away from this mess.
"To bad you're still stuck here," his own weary voice came, speaking the thoughts aloud since no one could hear anyway.
Luffy sighed and stared at a spot on the wall. There was nothing there.. Nothing there.. Nothing there.
Luffy kept staring at it, hoping that these words would hold true. He felt like he was being watched, or hunted by something much larger than himself. If he held still for long enough the feeling would often go away, much like hiding and watching as your pursuer walked right by. He made himself small and unnoticeable to the invisible thing.
He stayed like that for hours, though he didn't really noticed. He was stuck, intranced by the blank wall as he stared absent mindedly at it.
Then came a thought.
What if it's like this forever? What if there really is no escape?
That triggered a wave of emotions, none of which he knew how to express or explain. His breath hitched in his throat and tears stung his eyes as the unexplainable feelings welled up. He wasn't really sure how he actually felt. All he knew was that he wished someone was here. He'd had enough being alone and the idea that he really was left behind drove him to the brink of madness.
A breathy laugh left his lips as the tears spilled over his reddened cheeks.
"No wonder your still here. Probably been too long, you're a lost cause by now," he whispered solemnly as he pulled his knees up to his chest and placed his hat atop his head to cover his unreadable expression.
He cried silently for a while and by the end of it he was absolutely exhausted. He wasn't usually this tired and he wondered aloud at what could possibly be wrong. He felt warm again, more so than cold now, and curled back into his ball on the floor.
It was a mere few seconds before he fell asleep once more, his hair sticking to his forehead and breathing uneven against his lungs.
If only Luffy had stayed awake a few minutes longer, he would have been able to hear the cannon fire that wracked the whole ship with shakes even through the empty white sound proof walls.
But alas, he was sound asleep.
***
Ace and Sabo woke with a start. Something had been powerful enough to shock the ship and them from its peaceful resting place.
"What was that!!?" Sabo asked loudly through the shock, looking to Ace for answers.
Ace looked at the wood ceiling and frowned. Another tremor hit the ship, accompanied with an almost deafening explosion. For once, they were glad they weren't on deck.
"I... Think someone's attacking?" Ace said, although it sounded more like a question.
Sabo's eye widened. "Ace! You know what this means right! This could be our chance! We can finally-"
"Save Luffy," Ace finished for him.
His hands were clenched into fists and a new look of determination had taken over his features.
Sabo nodded, and looked towards the bars.
"Do you have a plan to get out, Sabo?" Ace asked.
Sabo put a hand to his hat and thought for a moment. They couldn't do much, as much as he hated that. Neither of them were in good condition and Sabo was still pretty sleepy; not to mention they didn't even have their pipes to defend themselves with.
"We.... Should wait," Sabo finally said, turning to face Ace.
"Wait...?" Ace asked, clearly confused. "But we'll probably never get another chance! How do we know they won't just leave the ship to sink!? And Luffy-"
Sabo held up a hand and stopped Ace mid-sentence.
"Look, we don't even know if this really is an attack. Nor do we know whose causing it or where we are. Not to mention you and me still have to escape before we can rescue Luffy. So waiting a few minutes is our best bet."
"But-" Ace started.
Sabo shook his head and looked Ace in the eyes.
"Ace, we can't help anyone if we're dead."
That shut Ace up for a second before he sighed and plopped to the ground sitting criss cross, arms folded over his chest.
Sabo sat down next to him and they waited together for some piece of information on the situation.
They didn't have to wait long.
After only about five minutes they heard the yelling of soldiers from just down the hall. Both boys rushed to the bars and pressed against them, craning their necks to try and see down the narrow passage.
To their surprise, a guard was smashed against the cell bars right across from them, falling limp and broken to the ground below.
The boys shock hardly had time to wear off before they saw a man with a pompadour hairstyle appear and punch the lights out of the haughty red haired guard who had caused the two 10-year-old so much misery.
Then, the man turned and saw them. They stood stock still, staring at each other for a hot minute before the sight of each other triggered in their brain and all three grew wide eyed.
Ace and Sabo instinctively backed away from the bars and took defensive positions, while the man simply kept on gawking.
"Yoi? What are you staring at Thatch?"
Another man appeared, who also had a strange hairstyle. Sabo and Ace thought he looked very much like a pineapple, but blond.
His lazy looking eyes stumbled upon the boys behind bars and they widened slightly at them.
"Kids!?" The Pineapple man said surprisingly.
"My thought exactly!" Came the brown haired one, "What's on earth could a Celestial Dragon possibly want with kids!?"
The blond shook his head disapprovingly and muttered something to himself before stepping up to the locked prison cell.
Both Ace and Sabo moved backward, keeping their guard up. Unfortunately, neither of them had the strange ability to tell whether people were good or bad on the spot like their little brother. So, they had to stay cautious and hope they really meant no harm, because neither boy would survive a fight right now.
The Pineapple man made blue flames appear and let them lick up his hand, holding it onto the lock and melting it away entirely so that the door swung open helplessly.
The boys merely stood shocked and entranced at the bright blue almost feather like flames as they freed them.
Free. How long it had been.
Neither boys wasted a single second after the door had fully opened and darted as fast as the could out of the cell. Both were incredibly unprepared when the tall brunette caught both their small frames in his large hands to keep them from running any further.
Ace noticed Sabo seeming to slide a bit in the man's hand, and an alarm went off on his head. He jumped backward abruptly, startling the large man into drawing back his hands. He then quickly ran over to Sabo who was wavering in his stance. He made it just in time to catching him from falling.
"Sabo!? Talk to me!" Ace questioned urgently.
"Whoa there buddy," The Pineapple dude said from behind while walking over calmly to help out if needed.
Sabo's eyes were still open, but only half way, making him look drowsy.
"Sorry, I got dizzy," He answered quietly with a pale blush on his cheeks. "I'm alright now."
Ace let Sabo steady himself and watched his brother nervously. Ace wasn't often nervous, but when it came to his brothers he was a complete and total mother. Fretting about even the smallest of injuries, (which of course, considering the boys history, could mean losing a limb).
Ace then remembered the two men that looked above them. To be quite frank, Ace thought they seemed alright; but he wasn't ready to give out trust willy-nilly. Not now, not ever. He knew how well he could trust based on looks, and the fact was that there was nothing to trust.
People were books with covers that often deceive and lie to their victims. He knew first hand how the world discriminated him and his brothers, and he wasn't about to make the same mistake twice.
"Who are you?" He spat out venomously.
The brown haired one lowered himself to their eye level to answer.
"I'm Thatch and this is my brother Marco. We're part of the Whitebeard Pirates and came to free all the prisoners in this ship." The man smiled genuinely at the two and Ace shot a wary glance at Sabo, who returned it with a shrug.
Well he doesn't seem too concerned.
The one named Marco crouched down next to Sabo.
"What are you two doing here, yoi?" He asked gently.
Marco had noticed their unhealthy slender frames and the fact that the blond was having trouble staying upright did nothing to sway his woes. From the looks of things, these kids had been locked up a while.
Sabo hesitated before answering. "We.. uh.. Were taken from our home..." He explained awkwardly.
Marco tilted his head slightly in misunderstanding. "Taken? You mean they kidnapped you from your home and you've been here ever since?"
Sabo shrugged. "More or less."
Thatch and Marco shared a worried glance.
Ace was tapping his foot impatiently, no longer caring about allies and foes but simply wanting to hurry up and get Luffy back.
"Sabo! We gotta hurry!" He said with a hint of urgency mixed with anger.
Sabo nodded gravely and Thatch cocked an eyebrow at the two's strange rush.
"We know you wanna get out of here, but what's all the rush? Where you trying to get to?" He queried the young boys.
Ace tapped his foot a bit faster in irritation and sighed in exasperation before rolling his eyes and answering.
(The sass is strong with this one)
"We were separated from our brother three years ago and we're gonna go rescue him!!!" Ace burst out heatedly.
"Brother?" Marco interjected, "You- uh- three? Are brothers?"
Sabo and Ace nodded their reply, albeit a bit salty.
Marco and Thatch laughed and smiled at the kids. Brothers, they sure knew about that.
Sabo looked at them strangely and asked, "And what about you? You said you were brothers, right? You don't look anything alike to me."
"We're not brothers by blood, but by bond. Doesn't matter if you got blood relations. If you can put your trust in them 100% then their family," Marco explained gently, but strong willed in his belief.
"We'll duh," Ace stated bluntly, "We knew that much."
Thatch was once again confused, and it showed.
Sabo quickly elaborated on Ace's behalf, "What he means is that us three aren't... Technically, blood brothers either. But we trust each other with our lives... Which is why we gotta hurry and save Luffy!"
Luffy.
That struck a bell with Marco. Where have I heard that name before...
Thatch noticed the visibly anxious kids and noted how exhausted they both looked. He glanced at Marco, who had been drawn out of his thoughts, and nodded in agreement with what Thatch was thinking.
"We'd be happy to help you find 'em. This place is pretty big," Thatch offered happily.
"No way." Came the instant reply.
"Awe, come on Ace!" Sabo pleaded with his eyes, a slight whine in his voice.
Ace narrowed his eyes. "Nuh-uh. No way I'm trusting a pirate I just met on the ship of a Celestial Dragon. You forget where we are Sabo!?"
Sabo looked at the floor dejectedly before saying softly, "But neither of us actually knows where he is. And what if Luffy's hurt or something.." Sabo looked up steadily at the two older men, "You can help!"
Ace's eyes widened.
"Sabo!"
Sabo turned to Ace and stared him in the eye. "Listen, Ace, you and I can't fight right now. And heaven knows what's happened to Luffy. If they can help us fight, help us save him, we gotta. For Luffy, okay?"
Ace hesitated before sighing and giving in. "Fine."
Sabo smiled and they both looked up at Thatch and Marco, who were standing by awkwardly while being talked about as if they hadn't been there.
"..Alright. Well, do you have any idea where he might be..?" Marco asked slowly.
"The metal hallway," Sabo said while pointing to the hall ahead of them, "That's where they last took him. "
Marco tilted his head slightly to the right. "Metal hallway? Why's it metal?"
Touchy subject Marco quickly realised as both boys tensed and clenched their fists.
"Well we assume it's those cells," Ace seethed through gritted teeth.
That was weird. What did they mean "those cells". They needed more information. It dawned on Marco that the two kept suggesting that this Luffy kid could be hurt. There was something they were missing; something important.
He swallowed hard and asked the elephant in the room.
"Yoi, What exactly happened to your brother..?" He asked hesitantly.
Sabo looked up at him and held within his blue eyes there was determination, but also fear and deep sadness.
It was Ace who answered.
"They dragged him off and ordered he be isolated until sold... We- We're actually not even sure if he's still here... " He whispered almost so quietly they couldn't hear.
But they had heard. And they're eyes widened as they realised what this kid just told them.
"You mean he's been out in solitary confinement!?" Marco half yelled in anger and surprise.
The two didn't answer that time, but it was obvious he'd hit it on the head.
Thatch and Marco became increasingly worried the more they learned about the third boy. How long? Became the next question, but they didn't ask. They decided it was better to ask after they got the three safe. If the child hadn't been sold, as the boys suggested.
Wow they hoped he hadn't been sold.
They suddenly understood the underlying rush and urgency and started to walk down the hallway in the direction Sabo had pointed.
"Come on, let's go find your brother," Thatch said while gesturing the boys to follow.
They lit up slightly and instantly started speed walking along side the pirates. Whenever they came across a cell one of them stopped and opened it to allow the slaves to free themselves. All the while they continued to hurry down the maze of hallways.
After about five minutes they saw the walls fade from wood to solid iron. Good. On the right track then. After that it didn't take long to find where Luffy was hopefully being held, save for a few guards who were mercilessly crushed by the older pirates in their rush.
Ace and Sabo were grateful each time they came across a guard for the pirates help. They would've certainly been caught by now if it hadn't been for them.
They came upon a dead end hallway lined with three heavy metal doors on each side.
"This must be it," Marco said grimly as they allowed their pace to slow and inspected the dreary hall.
"Any idea which door it is?" Thatch asked Sabo and Ace gingerly.
They both shook their heads.
Marco sighed. "Alright, I guess we're trying them all then. Only six, shouldn't take too long, yoi."
Marco walked up to the first door on his right, and after closer inspection, saw that it was simply dead bolted from the outside.
He slid the thick metal bar across the door and out of the way. The metal door swung open to reveal a small and empty room illuminated by a single florescent light fixture. The room was more of a hallway or walk-in closet than an actual "room", which only worried him all the more about how long the kid had been trapped in such small quarters.
"Yoi, Thatch, this one's empty but they're just dead bolted so you can look too." Marco called over his shoulder.
Thatch hummed in agreement and Ace and Sabo instantly walked up to the doors and started helping too after hearing what Marco had said.
Sabo and Ace were checking both middle doors and Thatch was checking the last one on the right side after finding nothing in the first on the left.
Marco walked up to the last door on the left and casually opened it, now doubting whether the kid was still here.
The door opened monotonously and Marco peered in. It took a second for his brain to register the image, his eyes widening the second realisation hit his brain like a train.
Dang it!
He swore as he rushed into the open cell, not even considering what would happen if the door closed behind him. All thoughts focused on the boy with the straw hat in front of him.
"Marco?" Thatch called from outside, Ace and Sabo, not waiting, rushed in next to Marco.
"Luffy!!!" Both 10-year-olds cried out, speeding to their brothers side.
Luffy's eyes opened slightly at the noise and upon seeing Marco widened a bit.
He immediately reached a hand out and clasped it to Marco's sleeve. He didn't care that he had no idea who was beside him, only that they were there.
Luffy winced and waited for his hand to be slapped away, but it never came. He looked up bleary eyed into Marco's lazy face. It was out of focus and fuzzy but from what he could tell, he wasn't mad.
Then he heard voices that he hadn't heard in ages. His heart skipped a beat and he turned- hand still grasping Marco's sleeve- to see Ace and Sabo running toward him.
Tears brimmed his hazy eyes as the two older brothers glomped the younger in a bear hug.
"LUFFY!!!" They both cheered, tears threatening their own eyes.
Ace held Luffy close to him and it was only at this point did he let go of Marco, replacing it by clutching Ace's shirt in his weak grasp.
"You came back," Luffy whispered weakly into the tattered fabric of Ace's shirt.
"You doubted us?" Sabo replied with a smile.
Luffy wavered a bit before quietly answering.
"Not doubt, more like... Forgot.." The young now seven-year-old slurred.
Ace and Sabo stared at Luffy, a mix of confusion and worry painting their features.
Marco frowned as he looked the young boy over. He was smaller, much smaller than the other two boys. He was also much too slender, if you could even call it that at this point. You could see every rib that edged the spine of the boy. Marco had noticed the "full" food trays on the ground as well.
When was the last time he actually ate? Marco wondered mentally.
He was drawn back to the situation at hand when the straw hat boy started to cough roughly, wracking his weak frame with tremors.
Marco shifted closer and moved the hat out of the way, placing a hand on the raven haired kids forehead. His hair was plastered to his face and he was now noticing that Luffy's breath was heavy and uneven.
Marco drew his hand away sharply almost instantly after putting it on the boys head.
"Holy cow he's burning up, yoi!" He called out alarmingly.
He looked at the seastone chain around his ankle and cursed himself for not noticing earlier.
He turned to Ace and Sabo with a serious expression now presented on his usually relaxed face. He's not gonna last much longer if we take too long.
"Hey, listen, does this kid have devil powers, yoi?" He asked with slight seriousness.
Sabo and Ace glared at him sharply.
Well that answers that.
"Don't worry, yoi, I have them too; but he has a seastone anklet on and we can't get him out of here unless I can take it off. He's in really bad condition..." Marco explained, trying to convey the seriousness of the situation to the boys.
Ace and Sabo could sense that something was very wrong and reluctantly let Marco have Luffy. They had no choice but to trust these two now, it might be the only thing that could help Luffy.
Thatch walked in behind Marco and watched as he carefully held the ill child, making sure not to touch the anklet himself. He lit the tip of his finger with blue flames and put it close to the seastone, which glistened in the heat.
Marco pulled back surprised when Luffy unexpectedly jerked away from his hand. Marco looked at his face and saw the wide brown eyes staring fearfully at the fire on his finger tips. Marco instantly extinguished the flame and the boy relaxed slightly, but still seemed on guard.
Luffy was holding onto Marco for dear life as well, still looking fearful as his large brown eyes stared up at him. Marco hadn't expected anything less. Anyone who had been striped of human interaction for so long would be itching to have some sort of contact, and be very reluctant to let it go. But Luffy was no older than six, maybe seven, by the looks of it and had been locked away for heaven knows how long. The child had a right to be scared and want comfort from others, and Marco felt the sudden urge to make sure that was never taken from the boy ever again.
He rocked Luffy gently in his arms, still keeping mindful of the seastone. He then proceeded to explain as carefully and calmly as possible to Luffy what he was going to do.
"I've got to take that chain off so you can leave here alright? I don't have the key so I'm limited on options, yoi. I'm gonna melt it just enough to get it off you-" he didn't get to finish before Luffy was rapidly shaking his head in clear oppose to the idea.
It was obvious he had some sort of fear against fire.
"Hey Marco," Thatch called from behind him," I think I might be able to help ya. "
Marco cocked an eyebrow and turned to Thatch, who was holding a lock pick in his hands, a mischievous look in his eyes and smile on his lips. Marco rolled his eyes. Of course.
Thatch kneeled down and set to work on picking the lock. Marco glanced behind him at Ace and Sabo, the irritation written on their faces at having their brother taken from them so soon. They were clearly very protective of their younger and it was probably even more so now.
He turned back when heard the click and fall of the metal cuff. The boy sighed happily and felt lighter. Knowing just how draining seastone could be, Marco couldn't help but be mad at the use of it on someone who was so blatantly not a threat. In fact, this whole situation infuriated him to no end. Who in their right mind would place a child in solitary confinement!? Why were there kids on a slave ship anyway? What was the point!?
He felt Luffy's grip loosen on him and looked down to see the straw hat fallen off his head and his eyes closed. A pained expression had taken over his face and his already ragged breathing seemed to have sped up.
Marco stood up with Luffy in his arms. He looked to Thatch. "We gotta get out of here, yoi. He's not going to hold out much longer. "
Thatch nodded curtly and beckoned Ace and Sabo out of the cell. Both looked very concerned. Ace picked up Luffy's hat and followed along with Sabo in earnest after the two pirates.
They're thoughts stayed with Luffy as the four raced down the twisting hallways. Ace closed his eyes tightly as he ran and prayed silently they weren't too late.
Com'n Luffy. Hold on just a little bit longer!
*****
TBC...
Dun dun dun!
Cliffhanger!
This chapter got really long omg. I just felt like I couldn't stop. There wasn't any point during this scene where ending it earlier would make sense and still flow. So, uh, if it's too long, I'm sorry. But at least it exists ha ha...
Thank you all for reading! I know a lot happened in this one. It's actually so long my Kendall is glitching lol. Yes. I Write on my Kendall fire. Fun fact. XD
Please read and comment what you think! As well as any spelling errors or feedback! I know I ain't the best writer and I beta everything myself so sometimes I miss stuff.
Anyway, thank you oh so much for reading! I really appreciate it more than you know! Since this chapters so long imma take a little more time on the next one.
So until then, enjoy this one!
Chão!
Word Count: 5370 (oof)