The night draped in the melancholy of solitude, where only the stars and moon hesitated to twinkle and shine, giving their guiding light to the twin brothers, Ace and Sabo, who walked on the sandy pavement with the echoes of the faintest whispers of the wind and the occasional soothing chirps of the desert crickets surrounding them. The large bustling port of Nanohana looked void of any life at approximately 3 am in the morning in which Ace and Sabo finally decided to retreat to the small refuge of a motel in which Sabo had got a room for the night.
The atmosphere inside the little motel room was strangely comforting for Ace who had suddenly felt homesick and was still reeling from the shock of Sabo knowing what had conspired with him and the Whitebeards. Luffy was a problem too, if he came to knew what had happened but for now Ace prayed the sea goddess to have not said anything to his baby brother about him. He didn't want to see Luffy's baby face contort into that of anger and go after the Whitebeards.
Sabo reading Ace like a clear book even in the dark room, shook his head fondly while switching on the dim light from the single lamp in the room which cast only two shadows- one his and the other Ace's.
"Those two are still not here." Sabo mused with a surprised voice, breaking Ace from his worried thoughts. That was when Ace noted that there was three small beds with blankets and a big carpet on the ground with two blankets spread on it.
"Who else is supposed to be here?" Ace questioned out of curiosity of who was joining them for the night. He would have preferred to bring Sabo with him to the Piece of Spadille but the blonde had told that he hadn't come alone. He should have asked that time but he was completely panicking over who all knew about his situation.
Before Ace could ask more questions or Sabo could clear Ace's doubts, there was a light soft knock on the door, making Ace stand stiff and prepare for any intruders but the Haki which flooded inside him from the two presence were familiar.
"No way." Ace muttered in surprise as Sabo got to the door to reveal a towering figure filling the doorway with a small figure perched on his shoulder. They were none other than Bartholomew Kuma, one of the main leaders in the Revolutionary Army, and Jewellery Bonney who was in her adult form.
"Bonney? Uncle Kuma?" Ace exclaimed in disbelief as a giddy feeling and nostalgia hit him hard.
"Ace-ni!" Bonney smiled a big grin as she jumped off her father's shoulder and turned into her real ten year old form which the world government knew of and were still hunting.
"Bonney! I'm really glad to see you here! I take it that Dad has finally allowed you to accompany uncle Kuma for missions?" Ace asked ruffling the hair of the youngest lovingly. Bonney was adopted into their little circle by Luffy or rather Nika, when she was too small.
"Yeah! I am already too big to join Daddy!" Bonney spoke with a giddy smile as she separated from her oldest brother.
"Ace, are you okay?" Kuma opened his mouth after dropping the bag which he was carrying. It contained paperworks and some important information which he had gathered after meeting with several locals throughout the day with his daughter. It was the best day for him cause he had Bonney by his side all the time, without worrying about her staying in Baltigo and getting caught in a ruckus.
"Y-Yes! I'm fine!" Ace regretted stuttering when he looked at the soft face of Kuma contort into that of something akin to which he never thought would see again. Kuma looked just like when he was so stiff, his shoulders always contorting into tenseness and a mind filled with worries. Just like the time when Aunt Ginny was kidnapped or Bonney was suffering.
Ace looked at Sabo, asking silently if he had told the man what had happened to which Sabo swiftly looked away, pretending to get ready for the night by removing his Arabastian costume.
'Traitor.' Ace mouthed to Sabo, before looking back to Kuma.
"I am fine now." Ace spoke, fidgeting with his own vest. "I wasn't but I'm okay. So, you don't to worry. I'll-"
Ace got enveloped in a hug by Kuma, stopping his incoherence words. His body felt tired after the day's ordeal, his eyes felt like dropping down, and his throat felt clogged once again.
It was the second time at the same day when Ace was forced to realize that he had lots of people who care and love him.
"Ace, I know this must be incredibly difficult for you to process that those you trusted have accused you falsely but remember, that doesn't define you. Their words were merely their anger, which they let out on you that time." Kuma started softly as he patted Ace's back gently. He felt Ace shaking in his arms as he hid his face in him. "You don't need to dwell on them, 'cause know this, you are amazing. You are one of the best brothers I could have asked for Bonney."
"You aren't a traitor and they have realized that, Ace. But it doesn't mean that you have to forgive them or talk to them. It's even okay if you don't want to forgive them. Just know that we are with you." Kuma finished softly.
Ace's body racked with ugly sobs as he felt another small body hug him. He was really glad, not for the first time, to have so many people in his life who care for him and are there to support him in his life.
"I-I'm sorry to worry you." Ace wiped his eyes after he calmed down. He hadn't cried so much at least after he knew that his biological father wasn't as evil as the government portrayed.
"Ace-ni! I promise to kick their butts when I see them! How can they accuse you of all people!" Bonney frowned in anger but Ace couldn't help but chuckle seeing her cute face turn more cute just for him.
"It's okay." Ace smiled ruffling the little gremlin's hair, making her throw punches at him in a fake annoyance. Ace laughed, feeling light and sleepy at once. All that was needed was Luffy in the fray to complete their little quad group of mischief.
"Bonney, get to bed now otherwise you won't be able to get up on time for Luffy." Sabo chimed in with a soft smile on his face.
"WHAT?! LUFFY IS COMING?!" Ace and Bonney shrieked at once. One with excitement and the other with anxiety and nervousness.
.
The Going Merry danced with the waves which caressed the ship due to the cannons which were fired from the opposing enemy vessels. Shouts, yells and orders being barked could be heard as the armada of ships started approaching the Strawhat crew blocking their way to escape from all sides.
The little captain of the Going Merry, Monkey D. Luffy, stood on the figurehead of the ship, his prized strawhat dangling from his neck in the air as he vibrated with excitement and nostalgia for the incoming fight. He couldn't help but remember the times when he fought with his brothers against fleets of ships of marines and pirates alike just for looting their rations and money and fun.
His crew, on the other hand, felt a mixture of fear and determination coursing through their veins. They were tiny bit scared but that wasn't enough for them to cower and hide.
"I'm so sorry! It's all happening because of me!" Vivi cried out, regretting to drag the good pirates in her problems.
"How? It was me who challenged Crocy not you." Luffy spoke, his voice laced with confusion.
"Luffy." Nami gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe the way their captain was behaving so childish in the face of the battle and moreover had the audacity to challenge one of the Warlords of the sea. What was next? Them fighting some Emperor or challenging the World Government? "Do we even have a plan to escape from this mayhem?"
"Yep! It will be all okay!" Luffy chimed in, jumping off the figurehead.
BOOM! BOOM!
"They are going to hit us!" Chopper squeaked as he saw a cannonballs heading straight for the mast of Merry. "What are we gonna do?!"
"Surround them, men!"
"Don't let them escape!"
"Mr. 0 wants them to be annihilated! And we do so!"
Loud orders were barked from the enemy ships, followed by the cheers of the crew who thought that they had an upper hand.
"AGGHHH!! WHAT THE HELL ARE WE TO DO?!" Usopp shrieked as cannon balls missed Merry by an inch once more. The cannons roaring with life, the guns being aimed at them, the vicious yells of the enemies and the frightening hellhole they were stuck to, were giving Usopp a heart attack.
"We head straight!" Luffy ordered as he jumped to the highest point of the ship which was the top of the mast. Anchoring one of his feet to the mast, he blew air in another, inflating it and stretching the leg, before kicking the ships which were close to them. "Gomo Gomo no giganto pinwheel!"
The attack single handedly tore through a bunch of enemy ships, leading the water to pour inside and many of the agents to fall victim to the vicious, dark, murky waters which trashed them relentlessly.
"WHAT THE HELL?! THAT PUNY BRAT IS A DEVIL FRUIT USER?!" Someone from the ship shouted, followed by another. "SOMEONE PATCH UP THE BOW!"
"That was amazing!" Chopper gasped with wide eyes filled with admiration and awe, similar to Usopp's and Carue's.
"Shishishishi!" Luffy laughed as he uncoiled himself from the mast and hoped down to the sails, taking a front seat at the chaos which followed at the other enemy ships.
"Guys, hate to break it but m-more can-cannons have st-started to fire at us." Vivi stuttered, noticing with wide eyes as the cannonballs headed straight for them and the water to splash high in the air as they missed the Merry by luck or chance. The ship swayed dangerously, almost as if it would flip any moment due to the sheer velocity of the cannons which weren't hitting them but yet had a huge impact on them.
"Usopp, handle the cannon." Luffy finally took his job as a captain tad bit seriously.
Luffy knew he was pretty bad at it but he needed to be a leader for his crew and his friends. He felt the waves of fear mixed with awe coming from Usopp, Chopper and Carue; guilt from Vivi; and confusion and helplessness from Nami. A big grin erupted on his face when he felt Zoro and Sanji not even a bit scared or overwhelmed by the opposing enemies and their sheer number.
"G-Got it!" Usopp ran through the stairs to bring out a cannon. He was scared but the way Luffy was dealing with the problem and not taking anything seriously was weirdly leading him to believe that everything will be fine at the end. "The best sharpshooter of the World, Usopp, is going eliminate all the threats to the Merry!" Usopp boasted, trying to make himself feel better as he positioned the cannon on the deck.
"Nami, wait for the opening until then handle the helm." Luffy commanded, seeing Usopp come back with the cannon and shoot at a cannonball which was heading straight for them, leading it to be obliterated in the air itself. The blast filled their surroundings with smoke which could have been detrimental but with just one swift of Luffy's wrist, a gust of wind cleared their view.
The wind ruffled Luffy's hair softly as a big grin and a giddy laughter erupted from his throat. "Way to go Usopp!" Luffy cheered, forgetting his captain's duty altogether.
"Bastards! How dare you attack our ship?!" A dangerously sharp voice yelled, soon followed by a muscular man who climbed up on the Going Merry.
"I-I-INTRUDERS?!" Chopper and Usopp shrieked at once, seeing two more strong, muscular men with bandana tied on their heads or with a sharp moustache making them look more intimidating.
"You!! Miss Wednesday?!" A sleek man wearing sunglasses and a bandana shouted, seeing Vivi present with the Strawhat crew. "So it was true that you betrayed us!"
"I did what I needed to, Mr. 10." Vivi steeled herself as the man hopped aboard with her trusty explosive baton weapon at her side.
"Don't you dare touch Vivi-chan!" Sanji shouted with an angry look as he saw the man raise his gun and aim at Vivi. He was quick enough to kick the man on his shitty head and disarm him, leading him to fly back and hit the railings and fall down to the treacherous ocean.
"Thank you, Sanji." Vivi thanked as she peered towards the railing of the Going Merry to see more agents trying to swim towards the Merry while some retreating to their allied ship. There were even some who weren't able to even swim properly due to the angry churns of the waves. She felt very strange at what she was witnessing. The waves were throwing the agents hayway making them either drown or run back to their own ships, while the Merry didn't even feel any fury of the ocean.
"No problem, Vivi-chwaannnn!" Sanji noddled with hearts in his eyes as he landed a fury of kicks on the intruders who tried to get on board and attack Vivi and Nami. He left Usopp, Chopper and Carue to their own devices, seeing that they were holding their ground by themselves.
Chopper had changed to his monster point, tackling down the intruders who called him monster or tried to attack him or Merry. Vivi readied her weapon and tackled some of the Millions who came after her in fury of betraying them and just for thinking her as weak for being a girl. Zoro hit some on their face with the hilt of his sword not deeming any of them worthy of his katana or to get him serious.
Usopp used the cannon to destroy the cannonballs heading towards the ship while also protecting himself when any intruders went after him. He was scared at first but seeing Chopper and Carue not give and fight, gave him courage to fight. Meanwhile, Nami manned the ship to avoid getting hit by cannonballs even when she felt that ship tried to change directions on it's own. They were lucky that Merry was helping them otherwise their ship would have been doomed until now, due to the sheer amount of cannonballs being fired at them.
Luffy, on the other hand, enjoyed the show his crew was giving him, supporting them and cheering for them from the top of the sails, where he sat. He was itching to fight and was about to join in when he heard a conversation from the enemy ship.
"No way in hell!" A shrill shout came from one of the enemy ships. "Those impudent bastards! How can they retort when I am their executioner!"
'That's the leader of this fleet?' Luffy thought, narrowing his eyes at the man who looked too weak to do anything in the battlefield.
"Mr. 6! There is a huge problem!" One of the subordinate of the the Frontier agent, Mr. 6, came running to the man with a panicked face. "The sea kings! They are attacking us!"
"WHAT?! SEA KINGS?!" Mr. 6 shouted out. He had not considered the impudent beasts of the sea in his battle against one single ship which Mr. 0 had assigned him as the ring leader of.
"There are sea kings?!" Vivi repeated what she heard from Mr. 6 of the Baroque Works. She instantly picked up the discarded binoculars to look at the enemy ships more closely and true to their words, several ships were being attacked by the sea kings who were nudging at the pirate ship or trying to gobble up one or two for a snack. Hell, she even caught a look of the sacred cat of Arabasta and even the sea cat looked angry and was trying to attack any ship in his vicinity.
"SEA KINGS?!" Chopper shouted in fear as he got one look of them.
"Luffy?!" Sanji called out to Luffy with a sweatdrop. "It's your doing, isn't it?!" Sanji asked Luffy, leveling him with a glare. He could still remember how their first encounter with Luffy freaking communicating with the sea kings and then ordering them to pull their ship went. He so dearly wants to forget that whole incident where he couldn't be at the side of his dear Nami-chan to assure her but for god's sake he couldn't!
"But I didn't ask for their help at all!" Luffy whined, seeing his sea friends call out to him and beat the other pirates just for his sake. He could even feel Merry and his mother aid him in his battle. 'I appreciate your help. I mean it, everyone. But I had everything in control!' Luffy whined internally.
"WHAT THE HELL DOES IT EVEN MEAN?!" Vivi shrieked in fear and shock. First was the Baroque Works agents who surrounded them, then the intruders climbing aboard and now the sea kings who could attack them any second. Don't get her wrong, she really wants to save her country and liked the Strawhat crew but each and every mystery of their captain were giving her heart attacks. She even wondered if she would start getting white hairs the next.
"Don't sweat it. Luffy can talk to the sea kings." Zoro helpfully provided Vivi and Chopper, who were on the verge of a panic attack with how they were breathing. Carue was completely out of the question as the duck laid unconscious on the deck from one sight of the sea kings. Sanji, Nami and Usopp who didn't know this new information almost freaked out. The thought that Luffy wasn't their enemy was really a relief to them.
"What do-"
"I am not gonna let them take down the enemies all by themself!" Luffy pouted as he jumped from the sails of the ship to the deck. "I'm gonna destroy more ships than you guys!" Luffy hollered to his sea friends, who bowed their heads a little towards him before continuing their nudging and getting their tiny snacks.
"DON'T MAKE IT AS A GAME, YOU IDIOT!" Nami shrieked from where she stood outside of the room containing the helm. She had came out a while ago when Vivi had freaked out about sea kings and true to Zoro's and Luffy's words she could see the sea kings truly helping them.
Vivi was completely dumbfounded at whatever was happening. She couldn't process anything anymore as Luffy sling shot himself with Zoro on tow to the enemy ships. It was only her luck that Sanji was present, fighting and flinging the intruders off the deck that she could have the luxury to witness the fight for herself.
'One... two... three...'
Vivi saw how the captain, who is actually a year older than her, completely demolish ships after ships as if he was just bored and got a better way to spend his time. It was a dance of an entity, whom she could either call a god or a devil, she was witnessing. She couldn't even comprehend anything as she just saw Luffy hop from one ship to another, leaving the ship wrecked up and their inhabitants to cry out in pain and fear.
'Eleven... twelve... fifteen...'
The fact that the next ship's crew, at one point, even started begging for mercy and wanting to retreat despite their commanders orders to keep fighting, was really horrifying. Adding the sea kings in the fray, looked like an overkill. They were not even bothering to stop Luffy or Zoro. Instead they were finishing the crew which the duo had left in their carnage. Usopp's shots were even deadly despite the long nosed teen's fears and cowardice; he was aiding Luffy and Zoro with his precise aim by hitting the mast or bow of the ships which the duo were leaving, leading them to either sink or their debris to hit the water.
When Vivi had registered Zoro's words of Luffy being able to talk to the sea kings, she didn't want to believe but seeing it for herself was something she was sure that she couldn't forget ever. How strong was Luffy? Did he hide his strength behind all his goofiness? Because one can never tell that the scrawny teen can even harm an insect only by seeing him!
'Twenty... twenty-one... twenty-five...'
Chaos. Inhumane. Otherworldly.
Those were the only words which were flashing in Vivi's mind as she saw the captain of the Going Merry toy with the enemies as if they were nothing more than a plaything for him. She couldn't register the cannons erupting from both sides, echoing across the ocean like thunders raging in the sky in fury. All her eyes could catch were the ships sinking one by one and the unnatural waves crashing against the hulls of the enemy ships like a raging beast unlike their own which seemed to be as calm as possible.
'Thirty-one... thirty-two... thirty-five...'
Vivi had seen Zoro fighting like a monster back in the Whiskey Peak where he single handedly made the bounty hunters eat dust despite being outnumbered. She admits that their foe right now more stronger than the one they were facing currently but she couldn't even see Zoro or heck even Luffy break any sweat while fighting! The ever present smirk on Zoro's face as he destroyed ships in the opposite directions of that of Luffy's while Luffy's giddy laughter while tossing and playing with the enemy seemed to enthrall as well as frighten Vivi.
'Thirty-six... thirty-seven... thirty-eig-'
BOOM!
The Merry jerked dangerously, flinging Vivi to the mast of the ship, only for Sanji to catch her in just the nick of the time.
"W-What happened?" Vivi asked, slightly disoriented from her tuning out in the middle of the battle to observe Luffy and Zoro fighting and counting how many ships each one of them destroyed or sank.
"THEY GOT US! WE HAVE BEEN HIT! SANJI! WE ARE DOOMED! IT'S OVER!" Usopp's panicked shrieks gave Vivi an answer to her question.
"Wh-What?!!" Vivi shouted with wide eyes and turned to look at the damaged part of the ship. She only had to look upwards to see the sails of the ship torn apart and the mast swaying dangerously, as if it was just one step away from falling over them.
"LUFFY! ZORO! HEAD BACK! WE NEED TO LEAVE NOW! MERRY CAN'T TAKE ANYMORE HIT!" Nami shouted out while massaging her head where she just got hit from the rudder when the ship jerked due to the cannonball hitting their ship.
"COMING!" Luffy shouted, as another ship started sinking. Holding onto the figurehead of the Merry after stretching his hand, Luffy caught onto a protesting Zoro who by himself had demolished seven ships. "GOMO GOMO NO ROCKET!"
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Zoro shouted as he was flung once again by Luffy towards another ship. "DO YOU WANT TO KILL ME OR WHAT?!" Zoro shouted with his teeth gaining sharp edges, once all the air from his lungs were knocked out after they collided on the deck of their own ship.
"Sorry, Zoro!" Luffy laughed out, not budging from where he landed on Zoro's chest. "What's wrong with Merry?" The teen captain asked with a hint of worry in his voice. He could feel the ship spirit getting weak and tired.
"She took a hit. We need to leave right now." Sanji summarized, taking a swig of his cigarette to hide his worry and concern. Looking at the horizon, Sanji noticed that only twenty out of the eighty ships survived. That would be less of a hassle for them, at least for now.
"Let's retreat!" Luffy grinned with a big smile as he hoped to where he felt the little spirit of Merry was resting. "Merry did a great job. Thanks for it!"
'It's an honor to assist you, Nika-sama.' Merry smiled with a tired face.
"Guys! Please deal with the rest for me!" Luffy hollered towards the sea kings, who let out a cheerful and happy roar at Luffy's orders.
"I still can't believe whatever happened today." Chopper mumbled as he arrived with a first aid kit. His small body was tired from the training as well as the fight but the adrenaline was still letting him do his job of a doctor for his friends. Luckily, none of them got any serious injury.
"I know. It feels like I was dreaming." Vivi agreed with Chopper as she took a seat beside Carue, who was slowly starting to wake up.
"But it's over now." Nami chimed in after directing their ship back to the sandy Island's direction.
"Merry! I'm so sorry that I couldn't protect you." Usopp cried out as he brought the tools for patching Merry's sails and mast.
"Merry's gonna be okay, right?" Luffy asked to Usopp while looking at the ship spirit who nodded to Luffy.
"She has to!" Usopp stated, as he began patching up the ship.
.
"Mr. 6, w-we need to re-retreat!" One of Mr. 6's own crew who got lucky to survive the onslaught trembled in fear as he stated the words. He was traumatized to say the least by the little kid who was coming after them, by the swordsman who was slashing their crew and other crews like a demon and the sea kings who were still attacking them as if they didn't want a single one of them to make it alive.
ROAR!
"GET AWAY!!!!"
"You don't understand! Mr. 0 gave me this mission! He trusted in me to bring down whoever would be in the ship of the Strawhats! Yet I failed! I would never be able to climb the ranks this way!" Mr. 6 gritted out in anger and fury.
GROWL!
"NOOOOOOO!"
"If you aren't retreating then I am, Mr. 6!" A woman who was likely the partner of Mr. 6 stated in a cold voice. She was done with everything. The idea of never stepping on a ship was so welcoming.
SNAP!
"AHHHHHH!!!"
Miss Mother's day didn't want to know whose screams were echoing in the ocean. She didn't want to see half of the body of anyone falling lifelessly on the deck ever again.
"But-"
"No buts! If you aren't alive to get promotion then what promotion are you aiming for? To be eaten alive by the sea kings or die in a sinking ship?!" Miss Mother's day stated bluntly. They had been annihilated and she knew that even if none of them wanted to acknowledge that. Only she and Mr. 6 were one of the frontier agents who had survived the ordeal.
She hadn't seen Mr. 7 and Miss Father's day since their ship became the victim of the giant leg which tore through several of the other ships. She could only assume that they were long gone, dead, due to the treacherous waters of the Grand Line. She didn't even want to ponder on what fate fell to Mr. 10 and the lovely Miss Thursday. They were both tossed to the ocean by the strawhat wearing monster, followed by a sea king tearing through their flesh mercilessly. That very sight had traumatized her. They were lucky that none of the sea kings or the monsters came for their head until now.
"I-Indeed, Miss Father's Day." Mr. 6 stuttered calling their ships to retreat at once. That's when he noticed the sheer number they have been pathetically reduced to. There were only fifteen of the ships from eighty left. Some of them were still being attacked by the sea kings and the sea cat relentlessly.
"ALL SHIPS RETREAT AT ONCE!" Mr. 6 ordered at once, commanding his own ship to catch up the pace. He didn't want to be eaten by any of the sea monsters who were ripping through flesh, snapping bones and spine, tearing the head, etc, etc. He registered the cries of the wound and the frightened echoes of the men he was suppose to command. He had done a pitiful job, only focusing on promotion and praise.
Mr. 6's own group were crippling, limping and breathing heavily, while they were manning the ship. Their frightened eyes and trembling limbs told him stories which he wasn't sure if he would want to hear at all. He was lucky that their ship was far too away from the vicious beasts of the sea and his crew were rowing and sailing through the ocean as if their life depended on it which was true. Mr. 6 wouldn't be surprised if it was only their ship which would survive the whole ordeal since five more ships had already fallen victim to the sea kings and shore wasn't anywhere near.
'What happened? How did all went so wrong?' Those were Mr. 6's last thoughts before the den den mushi he had gotten from the Unluckies started ringing.
Purupurupurupuru
Mr. 6 didn't want to pick up the call, knowing it was from none other than his boss Mr. 0. How was he supposed to relay that they had utterly lost and their number had demolished to... only 300 or something from 1800?! He didn't know what would happen if he ever says it. Would he be hunted and later killed for his insolence?
Purupurupurupuru
Mr. 6 braved himself, raising his hands to pick the call.
"Are you sure, Mr. 6?" Miss Father's Day asked with wide frightened eyes.
"I-I don't know." Mr. 6 stuttered, looking at the snail. "But if I don't then he will send someone and we are over then." Mr. 6 trembled, his hands shaking as he finally picked up the damned snail.
Click
"Mr. 6, what's the report?"