They stuck a note on the wall of Dadan's hideout, stating they were moving out. They didn't want to go through the shitty gramps training. Those hurt. They hid under a tree that day, it was raining. They were sleeping, in the company of each other, happy to be together.
When Dadan first read the note, she ignored it. She knew kids were monsters and they could fend for themselves. But the fear of Garp made her order the bandits to search the boys. The bandits searched desparetely everywhere, facing wild beasts in their path, but they weren't scarier than Garp. Then, it was Dogra and Magra who found the boys after several days in a tree house, enjoying the stormy weather.
The kids played together, did pillow fights, pretended to be pirates and enjoyed each day.
Dadan was informed by the bandits where the brats where. She was releived that they were alive, not that she will yell it loud. That night she secretly went to check them on. She climbed the tree and inside the treehouse where the three brothers sleeping soundly. Her lips curved up in a smile and eyes shined up as she went inside to fix the blanket of the smaller one, whose blanket was thrown across the room and was using Ace as his heater.
But as soon as Dadan stepped foot inside the house, unknown to her knowledge the trap was set on. The gears turned, the stone came down slowly, a ball came rolling out of a box, a candle lit off the thin thread and finally a hammer came striking into Dadan's stomach throwing her out of the treehouse. Dadan fell on the ground with a thud sound, waking Sabo and Ace, who considered it as a glitch. She swore that she would not worry about the kids anymore.
.
One day...
"Give Sabo back!!" Luffy shouted, squirming in the grasp of the pirate who was holding him. "Bluejam!!" The guards who were behind the pirate and the noble collapsed on the ground.
"Give him back? Try speaking sense, urchins," The noble pointed at Ace and Luffy who were lying on the ground. "Sabo is my own flesh and blood!! It is the duty of every child to live according to the wishes of the parents who brought him into the world. How dare you urchins convince my Sabo to run away from home. Fitlhy pieces of trash, is it my fortune you are after?!!"
"The hell did you say?!" Ace got out of the grasp of the pirate who was holding him and attacked the man. But he got kicked off and was pinned to the ground all again. His blood fell on the Noble, who used his hankerchief to wipe it and told the pirates to be careful to not spill blood on him.
Luffy was growling in anger, the sky was covered with dark clouds and it soon began raining. The cackling of thunder was not far from their ears.
"If you wanna live, leave now!" Luffy gritted his teeth in warning. He would not spare these rascals who dared to hurt his brothers. The pirates knelt down and the Noble was close to falling on his knees. Ace's and Sabo's eyes widened, they knew what it meant, the sudden change in the weather, the howling winds and the harsh rain drops completely pointed towards their suspicion. Sabo clearly saw how Luffy's eyes were golden now, not flickering even, as he had seen once.
"Luffy, no," Sabo shook his head, he can't let Luffy show his powers infront of these rascals. No way, he is going to endanger his little brother's life.
"Stop this!" Sabo turned to his father. "Leave them alone. I'll live my life however you want!! Just please, leave them alone." Sabo begged his father. He will give himself up, if it means they will be fine. He will do anything, just to ensure their safety, escpecially Luffy.
"Sabo!!" Luffy cried, "What the hell?"
Sabo didn't respond, as he started walking in the rain with his dad with tears in his eyes. He needed to take the pirates out of here, he didn't want them to notice the change in iris, which Luffy was having right now. He just can't.
"Oi?!!" Ace yelled, "Where are you going? There can be other option, please don't leave Sabo!!" Ace pleaded, "Get away from those dickheads. We'll be fine, you hear?! We're all going to become free men, aren't we?!! Are you going to let it end here?!!"
"Sabo!!!" Luffy cried, tears flowing from his eyes. Sabo hated seeing Luffy cry. He hated the carefree, easy going, smiling kid cry. But he couldn't do anything. He knew if he wanted he could be safe with his brothers, but in the cost of giving up Luffy's identity. No way he was going to let that happen and no way he would stick up with those Nobles. He will escape. He wishes Luffy to read him, as he always does, so he turned back once, and gave a small faint smile. He saw Luffy's eyes widen and him nodding. Message delivered.
.
The Bluejam pirates tied Ace and Luffy and brought them in their hideout and told how being born a noble was a lucky thing. He even told them that Sabo looked down on the both on the inside. To which he was met met by Luffy's glare and Ace's and Luffy's shouting that he isn't that kind of guy, that they're brothers and Sabo's promise that he will return. Ace felt himself relaxing at those words.
Bluejam laughed and warned them to not go after him and if they dare, then he will kill them.
"As if you can," Luffy scoffed.
Bluejam ignored the warning and asked the boys to forget about what had happened and help him to carry some boxes to the places marked as X. Luffy straight up denied helping them in any matter. He didn't like it and it smelled too fishy. Ace also denied to help.
"Do you want me to kill Sabo?" Bluejam threateningly asked the kids. Ace glared at him.
Luffy scoffed, "If you dare to point your weapons on my brothers," Luffy gave a cocky grin, "Then prepare to die." Luffy gritted his teeth and glared at the pirate, "I'll tear you apart."
"S-Shut up, s-squirt!" Bluejam said. He felt his soul leaving his body. He felt as if he was being ripped apart from within. Ace applied pressure on the ropes and the ropes finally came undone. He stood in front of Luffy, who was squirming his way out of the rope now.
"What did you say, bastard?" Ace jumped in the way with a war cry but without his pipe, he was thrown at the corner of the room, hitting his head on the wall. Luffy saw this and stood in between them. They failed to notice the sweatdrops culminating on the pirates. They failed to heard the loud thunder, which promised to tear apart any ravenous soul who dared to hurt the boys.
Ace didn't take too long to recoil to his feet. They found their pipes laying at the corner of the room and attacked Bluejam together. Bluejam lost his footing, and was about to hit Ace and Luffy, when he felt a pressure choking him. Standing just in front of him and pointing a sword at his heart. The pirates who were surrounding the area were now already sprawled on the ground, unable to move a muscle.
They took this as a chance to escape from Bluejam and his crew. Whatever they wanted from them, they didn't want to do it. So, they skipped off from Gray Terminal and went to forest.
They returned to their treehouse. It was about to be dark soon. So, they hunted food for themselves and ate. They were lying on their blanket in their treehouse.
"D'you think Sabo's all right?" Luffy asked, concerned about his other brother.
"Shut up and get some sleep! He is strong, he will manage it out," Ace said as he held Luffy closer to give the later some wramth. Luffy snuggled closer to Ace's chest. He couldn't shake of the feeling that something terrible is about to happen.
On the other hand, Sabo was suffering from his parents tortures, their ramblings to confess that Ace and Luffy had committed the crimes and he was innocent. But Sabo refused it. He denied it. He couldn't bring himself to blame them. Never. They were his brothers. In Sabo's house, he met his so-called 'brother' Stelley, who was a year older than Luffy. He heard from him about the fire which was about to take place the next day. It would burn the whole Gray Terminal with it's people, their homes, and their livlihoods.
Sabo escaped from the window that night. He heard the guards talking about the fire. The next morning, everything felt 'normal' with his private tutor arriving. He felt as if the others didn't know about the fire, which was about to take place. Sabo roamed around the street asking people about the fire at the trash heap and the nobles damn agreed that they knew. They were acting as if it was freaking normal. The whole district knew about the fire and yet they just go on with their lives. He ran and ran to find someway to escape the filthy district, which was suffocating him.
On the other side, Ace and Luffy were going through Grey Terminal when they again encountered Bluejam and his crew. Bluejam was glaring daggers at the two boys. Luffy didn't want to deal with them, not right now, when his mind was screaming for him to pay attention. But to what should he pay attention? Some memories did uproot in his mind, but they were too foggy for him to remember. It was not time yet.
He was holding his head, when he saw Ace fighting the pirates. He gritted his teeth at the pirates. He soon realized that he was under the clutch of a random pirate.
"Aren't you that stubborn, trash?" Luffy said and snapped his fingers, making the pirate holding him, drop on the ground. Luffy's eyes were golden, red and white as glared at Bluejam. Ace had already defeated the fodders so, he caught on Luffy, who fell in Ace's secure hands.
"Didn't you learn your lesson, yet?" Ace scoffed at Bluejam and stood in front of Luffy.
Bluejam smirked, "I had just let my guard down and you two rascals have took the opportunity." Bluejam acted more gently as he shoved his hands inside his pocket, trying to act like a Noble, which he was offered to be. "I forgive you after all I'm going to be Noble from tomorrow."
Ace and Luffy scoffed at that.
"The trash heap will burn to the ground tonight." Bluejam smirked as he towered above the boys, who eyes were wide. Ace's fists were balled and Luffy's grip tightened on his pipe.
"Why the hell would you want to do that?!!" Ace growled.
"This is bad! We've gotta tell the guys from the trash heap!" Luffy shouted at Ace, who nodded instantly.
Bluejam pirates surrounded the boys from every angle, preventing their escape.
.
Ace and Luffy ran away from the filthy pirates at their chance. The pirates were fools to leave them behind with tied ropes, which Ace and Luffy were experts in escaping from. The trick was taught by Dragon and they were thankful for it. The brothers tried informing as many people as possible, but no one believed them. They were trying their best to make people listen to them, but everyone ignored them. Some even asked if they were trying to steal their treasure.
.
The clouds above their head were getting darker and darker. It would rain any moment. The King of the Goa Kingdom cursed at the clouds which towered over the whole Island. If it would rain, then they would be in a deep problem. The fire had already started, he could see the gigantic flames that were rising from the walls. And slowly, the rain started dripping from the sky. It was light but soon became heavy, overpowered by thunder and wind, which were doing their work perfectly in spreading the fire, even if the rain was doing it's best to remove the fire. The fire will burn the trash heap tonight. The king relaxed and went off to bed, not knowing what he had done.
At the dead of the night, the fire started, detroying the people's houses. They tried to cross the massive gate, but were shot down. They started going the other side, hoping to escape with their lives. The path to the coast was blocked. The path to the forest was set ablaze. The path to the High Town was guarded and closed. So, where were they meant to go? There was nowhere to run!! The people who were warned by the two brothers, now regretted not hearing them. They cursed themselves.
Luffy and Ace made their way out of the inferno and were in the middle of the Gray Terminal. On the other hand, Bluejam and his crew were denied entry into the High Town, betrayed by the king to the promise to make them Nobles and their damn ship was even destroyed.
In the Gray terminal, children were crying, holding their parents, and people were running anywhere where there was no fire and Ace and Luffy were now surrounded by the Bluejam pirates.
.
Sabo was standing in front of the gates, trying to get through them. But he was beat badly and thrown into an alley. Dragon, who was passing through the place, saw Sabo and immediately recognized him. He gritted his teeth. He likes the kid and he is his son's brother, meaning he is family. Sabo looked up at Dragon and cluthed the man's coat and told him about the fire and who were behind it, the royals and the nobles.
"Luffy and Ace, I'm worried about them," Sabo looked at Dragon.
"There's something in this district that stinks worse than the trash heap ever did. The people of this district are rotten on the inside!" Sabo told Dragon, who was carrying him, "If I stay here, I'll never be free. I'm ashamed to have been born a noble!!" Sabo cried, tears streamed down from his face.
'See what you have driven this innocent child to say, Kingdom of Goa!!' Dragon thought. He used his devil fruit and easily crossed the walls without getting noticed. They were face to face with the fire.
"I understand, I too was born here in this contry, but I still do not have the power to change the ways of the world." Dragon said as he held the boy and examined his wounds. He was debating if he should go in the fire with Sabo but he couldn't see a choice. He couldn't leave him their all alone. He saw Sabo fading in the darkness. He saw him collapse in his arms.
Dragon tucked him carefully in his cloak and made a way for the people of the Gray Terminal to escape from the fire and began his search for the two boys. He knew with Luffy's and Ace's habit of being trouble magnets. They were here and that was made sure when he felt his Lu's and Ace's Conquerer's kings. He was impressed that both the kids have the King's will.