Kingdom Arabasta Port City 'Nanohana'
"Looks like there's some kind of ruckus going on in that bar." Smoker spoke observing the crowd gathering in front of a bar named 'Spice bean'. He inhaled a large swig of smoke from his cigarette ready for his day to begun. He had a feeling that today's day will be a very long day. "What happened?" He inquired Tashigi.
"Apparently two customers died all of a sudden." Tashigi spoke, overhearing some of the comments being thrown around by the locals. "I heard that three of travelers were having a eating competition when two of them died simultaneously. The most bizarre thing is that the other one is still eating without a care of her friends."
"What!?" Smoker asked amazed and confused at Tashigi's answers, so he made his way through the crowd to see it for himself. True to Tashigi's words, there was a young girl of 17 years old who was stuffing her face like no tomorrow and also stealing food from the other travelers' food while laughing and giggling whenever she heard something funny about her companions. And if that didn't strike Smoker odd then the big man sitting just near, who was most probably with them, was carrying a smile on his face and not panicking at all.
"What is happening here?" Smoker questioned the girl and the big man with a frown on his face. That seemed to have worked as the girl stopped at her hysteric laughing.
"Marines? Damn!" The pink haired girl immediately cursed seeing Smoker's marine uniform. Smoker saw the big bear type man also look at him silently, not removing his eyes from him.
That confirmed one thing for Smoker- they were criminals.
"Wake them up." Kuma spoke to his daughter, who immediately started shaking up her older brothers who were dumb enough to fall asleep in mid of a competition. Well, it wasn't their fault as they slept way too late at night and woke up too early. Kuma kept his eyes at the marine, even if he wasn't very strong but he could give trouble to the other customers if he recognized them and a fight broke out between them.
"Idiots! Get up!" Bonney shook her older brothers violently.
"Young lad! Don't do that! Let the dead rest!" A costumer tried to stop Bonney, but he went unheard.
"The poor kids must have eaten the desert strawberry for them to die in this way." Another local tried to persuade Bonney but she wasn't listening to their bullshit.
"This is the violation of the dead!" Another local began and Bonney had enough. She punched Ace and Sabo on their heads, getting a groan and them finally getting up.
"You idiots! Don't go falling asleep here!" Bonney chided at them with a frown.
"THEY CAME BACK TO LIFE!" Several people shouted seeing the brothers get up.
"We have marines here." Bonney added quietly to her brothers who were still groggy but that woke them up completely. They put their guards on as they turned towards Smoker whose eyes were wide at the commotion and recognition.
"Yo! Smokey!" Ace waved his hands at the marine nonchalantly. He can feel several marine presences just outside the inn where they were, but they were way too weak.
"What brings the supernova, the captain of the Spade Pirates to this kingdom, Portgas D. Ace?" Smoker questioned while glaring at the major threat right now. He could tell that the silent bear man was someone who was wanted too, but he couldn't recognize him.
"T-T-T-T-T-T-The supernova?!"
"S-S-S-Spades Pirates?!!"
"What's he doing in a place like this?!"
In all this, Tashigi finally came up with the answer to who was the big bear like man to Smoker while sweating nervously.
"C-Captain Smoker! That man is Kuma, the revolutionary tyrant!" Tashigi provided to Smoker whose eyes went as wide as he finally connected the man from his bounty poster. He was nothing like that with the soft expression which he was carrying at the beginning.
"Kuma, the revolutionary?! What the hell are you doing at this place?!" Smoker asked losing his cool for a second. "What connection do you have with the Spades?!" He questioned instantly.
"I'm not obliged to answer you." Kuma spoke with a stoic and calm expression. He wasn't going to give marines any information or let Ace fall in any trouble due to him.
"T-T-T-T-T-The revolutionary army!?"
"Aren't they the organization wanting to overthrow the world government?!"
"Don't tell me that the Spades and the revolutionary army are allies?!" Smoker theorized with wide eyes, his cigar almost falling from his mouth at the realization.
"Captain Smoker, I think you are making lots of speculations-"
"Did you sense that?!" Ace interrupted Sabo who was about to threaten the marine captain.
"Wait! What are you saying, Ace-ni?" Bonney asked with confusion sprawled on her face.
"Luffy!" Ace and Sabo spoke at once as a large grin erupted on their faces.
"LUFFY-NI!" Bonney shrieked in amazement at that, already jumping off from her stool.
"Kuma, I'm leaving this to you. Sorry for that!" Sabo apologized as he dashed past the smoke user, who was trying to process what's happening all of a sudden and how did they know Strawhat Luffy. Smoker didn't chase after the noble man because he didn't know if he was wanted or not. But where they a threat to the kid? From their expressions it didn't look like that at all! So, what the hell was happening?
"HEY! THAT'S UNFAIR! WAIT FOR ME!"
Bonney cried out but it went unheard when Ace grabbed his bag and challenged the other two.
"It's a race till we reach him!" Ace smirked while giving one last grin to Bonney only for him to stopped by Smoker.
"WAIT RIGHT HERE! I'M NOT LETTING CRIMINALS LIKE YOU PASS!" Smoker shouted, transforming his hands into smoke to capture Fire Fist and the revolutionary. He couldn't let that kid get in contact with criminals like them. No way!
"Like you can stop me from getting to my little brother!" Ace scowled darkly before coating his fists with Armament Haki as he punched the smoke user's smokey hands away. He didn't want to engage in a fight and lose to Sabo, therefore he dashed past him when Smoker was baffled that someone could punch his smoke body.
"Daddy! Help me, please!" Bonney pleaded her father, who smiled and instantly used his powers on Bonney for her to reach Luffy, after swatting Smoker's smoke hands away. It was time to leave now.
"Little brother? Daddy?" Smoker uttered, utterly baffled by the new information which he got.
.
"Now we are finally here. I'd ask if you are relived but I guess it's too early to know." Nami exclaimed as the sandy lands of Arabasta finally approached them. "Do you have any plans for how to deal with the rebellion?"
"Yes, I do have a plan, but I don't really know how it's going to work." Vivi spoke honestly, her eyes not deterring from her homeland. She was really glad to finally be here but that was just the start of everything which she needs to do.
"So, this is an Arabastian city." Usopp stated looking at the city which was just within the reach as he finally started to drop the anchor of the ship.
"Listen carefully guys. I want you all to control yourself while we are here." Nami proclaimed looking at everyone seriously with her hands on hips. She felt someone missing among them but before she could even realize who is it was, Zoro caught her attention.
"You do realize that the one who needs to really hear that has already abandoned ship?" Zoro asked with a sweatdrop as he saw Luffy jump off from the Going Merry and run to the direction of the city.
"WAIT FOR ME! FOOOOOOODDDD!" Luffy hollered as he jumped off from the Going Merry the instant it docked at the port of Nanohana. He could feel his siblings gathered in a bar, eating delicious food while competing with each other. He was hungry and wanted to meet them, that's why he jumped off before the Merry's anchor was even dropped.
Zoro wanted to go after Luffy to keep him out of trouble, but he was really not in mood for his bullshit. Moreover, Zoro was sure that Luffy was not recognizable that much with him wearing a sleeveless red tee and black shorts. It wasn't like Nami hadn't tried to make him dress as a little kid once again... but this time Luffy had thrown a tantrum regarding wearing the bright colored shirt which Nami was forcing him to wear.
"GET BACK HERE!" Nami shouted angrily as she saw the fleeing figure of Luffy until he just disappeared. She only hope to pass through this town without a trouble but who was she praying to? The Gods didn't answer her calls on this matter ever.
"He doesn't really know about control." Usopp stated with a sweatdrop. The crew even agreed with him. They really didn't want a double of what had happened in Loguetown when they left Luffy to explore all by himself but now it was already too late. They hoped and prayed with all their hearts that Luffy would not find trouble or for trouble to find him. They were really low on supplies and needed to restock them for their journey before Luffy makes a huge ruckus and they are practically forced to run or escape a horde of bounty hunters or worse marines!
"What now?" Vivi worriedly exclaimed as she looked at her country. The feeling of returning to her homeland was making her giddy but at the same time she worried if someone would recognize her.
"Luffy's easy to find. Just look for the area with the commotion. That's where he'll be." Sanji assured Vivi from his experience as he jumped off from the Going Merry. He didn't want to add that Luffy would be the center of the commotion to Vivi to make her feel worried more.
"Sanji's right." Usopp added his thoughts with a deadpan expression.
"I wish he would at least remember that he has a bounty on the rubbery head of his." Nami sighed, rubbing her temples with plain defeat. It wasn't like she hadn't tried to instill within the monkey that his bounty was too large, but he always brushed it off like it was way too small "Specially when we are in a big country like Arabasta."
"Just leave him be." Zoro butted in the conversation with a sigh. He wishes he could say that Luffy could take care of himself, but would he be bluffing to? Himself? Because he for sure knew that where Luffy is trouble soon follows. Was it because he was a god? "For now, let's go find some food. We can think about work after that." Zoro spoke getting down from the ship, followed by Chopper who carried his little doctor bag with him.
"Guys, I guess I should let you know that Carue and I can't go with you." Vivi nervously spoke as all eyes snapped to her.
"What's wrong? You don't feel up to it?" Usopp questioned Vivi, thinking that she was sick or something 'cause if she wasn't then why would she not come with them to her homeland?
"We both would be way too recognizable here." Vivi answered honestly with a sad smile.
"No worries, Vivi, my love! I'll take care of all of your shopping" Sanji gushed instantly, feeling heat rise up when he thought of the dresses, he could see the girls wearing.
On the other side, Luffy was running as fast as his starved body could to reach his siblings, when he finally found the straight road leading to the bar from where he was feeling their presence coming from.
"Wait for me!" Luffy grinned widely, shooting his arms ahead of him and preparing himself for the launch. The passersby's jaws dropped as Luffy's grin widened and his hand caught the two poles at the sides of the roads. "Gomo gomo no ROCKET!"
"LUFFFFFYYYYYYYY-NNNIIIIIIII!" The moment Luffy's hands left the poles, he heard a familiar shout, only to see Bonney falling from the sky, directly towards him.
"THAT'S CHEATING, BONNEY!" Ace and Sabo hollered at their little sister, only to stop dead at their path when they saw Luffy already having sling shot himself towards them.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! STOOPPPPPPPP!" Both brothers screamed in terror, running away from the mini powerful projectile which was now carrying Bonney over his head. But alas! Fate was very cruel to them as all the air from their lungs left them and they crashed through several buildings without their consents.
"WOOHOOO! FINALLY, I'M HERE!" Luffy cheered as he plopped a spiraling Bonney back on the ground only for her to regain her senses and throw herself at him.
"I MISSED YOU, NI-CHAN!" Bonney exclaimed with excitement and a big smile to go with it.
"Shishishishi! I missed Bonney too!" Luffy responded with his iconic laughter and grin, ignoring the wide eyes and dropped jaws of the people within the bar, who were looking at him with horror and anticipation. "Yo! Uncle Kuma! Wassup?!" Luffy grinned widely to the big man in the bar whose face contorted into a smile at his daughter's savior.
"I'm good Luffy." Kuma spoke, his voice filled with gratitude and adoration. "And I take it you are doing good too?" Luffy excitedly nodded his head, which bounced a bit inhumanly. He was doing more than good! He was having a complete blast with his crew!
Luffy was about to ask about Ace and Sabo's whereabouts when his stomach growled loudly, making him puff out his cheeks a bit before looking at the bartender.
"Gimme some food, mister! I'm starving!" Luffy asked the bartender when his stomach growled, begging him for some food. He instantly plopped on an empty chair, banging the fork and the knife on the table while demanding for food.
"Umm, you might... want to r-run for i-it, kid." The bar owner sweated profusely. In his eyes, not only the little kid had swept away the supernova and his brother but also the marine captain who was talking about arresting the revolutionary. Moreover, his rations for the week was already reduced to a measly grain due to the three teens who ate like bottomless black holes. He was really glad that he had got the money in advance by the big revolutionary guy otherwise he would be drowning in losses by now if the marine decided to arrest them here.
"Here you go, Luffy-ni." Bonney excitedly shoved the ordered meals of Ace and Sabo to him. She wanted to hear all his stories but before that Luffy has to fill up his tummy!
"Thanks Bonney!" Luffy chirped, shoveling the food in his mouth in a hurry. He was really hungry since he hadn't ate nicely for the last two days. He had sensed Sanji's worry about their rations that's why he had to regulate his hunger a bit. "I thought I felt Ace-ni and Sabo-ni here. Where are they?" Luffy questioned with his mouth full of food.
No sooner than Luffy questioned about his older brothers, they were back from the numerous buildings they had crashed into. Kuma sighed at how much money he'll have to give as compensation.
"DAMMIT LUFFY!" Ace shouted, as he finally came out of the hole where he crashed. His fire-y body helped him to not get any serious injuries but the same couldn't be said about Sabo who was rubbing his injured left side. He was anything but angry at his baby brother.
"Luffy!" Sabo groaned seeing his little brother eating like a chipmunk with his mouth full of ramen, steak, bread, meat and what not which his hands could get to. He was glad to meet him once again, but he really didn't want to have the same treatment of getting slingshot like before. He really wishes he could evade the killer rocket of Luffy's but who was he kidding. He can't! No one can.
That was the same time, the marine captain, White Chase Smoker finally chose to join the ruckus, only to see the kid whom he had been chasing for so long. He has so many questions for the kid that he needs the answer to.
"Strawhat!!!" Smoker instantly shouted seeing the boy stuffing his face in a carefree manner. He wondered if the kid has any braincell to know what he should do at this situation other than eating and ignoring him. "So, you did come to this country after all."
"You know him?" Ace asked his little brother, who hadn't stopped stuffing his face yet. Luffy was trying very hard to remember the marine before him. His Haki and the fruit inside him felt familiar but that was it.
"Ace! Sabo!" Luffy cheered, his face contorting into a wide smile despite the amount of food still stuffed inside his cheeks. It did look disgusting seeing the chewed food in his mouth, but no one commented. "Who is he? A new recute?"
"It's recruit, Luffy!" Sabo groaned. He was a bit disoriented but fine. "That's also the marine who chased Luffy in Loguetown." Sabo answered to both Ace and Luffy, making Luffy nod his head, before real realization struck him.
"SMOKEY?!" Luffy spit the food, which was inside his mouth, directly to the man in front of him, which happened to his poor marine captain Smoker. "WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"
It took all of Smoker's patience to not snap on the little shit of the kid before him. He admits that he is worse with kids but an innocent kid like Strawhat was somehow making him want to not arrest him unlike the other pirates whom he had captured before.
"Strawhat Luffy! Why-?" Smoker chewed the butt of his cigars aggressively, narrowing his eyes at the kid hoping that would be enough to scare the kid before him but that didn't even deter the kid from gobbling down food.
"Sorry Smokey!" Luffy chirped seeing his anger rising and also interrupting him from questioning him right here. "But can we play later? I want to spend time with my family right now." Luffy spoke in a whiny tone and beamed when he saw Smoker deter from his resolution. Unknowingly he had used his infamous puppy eyes on the marine captain to root him in his place.
"Luffy, you aren't supposed to give away who you are." Sabo chided rubbing his temples. He wondered if Luffy would ever learn tact but he knew it was a lost cause.
"Oops! Forget it then Smokey. I didn't s-say anything." Luffy stuttered with sweat rolling down his forehead and refused to look at Smoker. That earned him groans and chuckles from his family.
'That kid, he is such a bad liar!' Smoker thought as he felt his mind reboot again when the kid choked on his food. He was quickly handed a glass of orange juice by the teen aged girl who was glued to his side. Smoker felt a headache coming when he finally realized that all the big shots- Fire Fist Ace, Kuma the Revolutionary Tyrant and whoever the other two are- are connected to Strawhat. Well, he at least got the source which corrupted the kid to choose the path of a pirate.
Smoker wanted to catch those criminals and question the brat but what was his loss to just listen to their conversation and give the government valuable information? He was sure that Strawhat is ought to utter invaluable information... but in the depths of his heart and mind he wished the kid wouldn't say anything too troublesome for him.
"What shall we do, captain?" Tashigi whispered from his side, observing the situation with her. He could see his subordinates desperately trying to avoid looking at the little kid. He wanted to sigh when he realized that the puppy eyes of the wannabe pirate kid managed to even melt Tashigi's heart. He would have reprimanded her, if not for him to also fall in the same trap despite being her senior.
"I'll wait here. Go out and warn the marines to be ready at my signal." Smoker whispered back to Tashigi, who immediately left after giving him a nod.
"Ace? Why do you look like a zombie?" Luffy questioned taking Ace for the first time nicely. The dark eyebags under Ace's eyes and his slightly skinny form were not appeasing to Luffy at all.
Ace's breath hitched as he heard the sentence and looked away from Luffy. He wanted to distract Luffy from the conversation. He even looked at Sabo for some help, but his twin brother just looked away from him. Ace nervously balled his fists trying to find a way out of the conversation. There was a little reassurance that Luffy didn't know what had happened but that was quick to shatter when he realized that someone has to spill the beans sooner or later unless he asks his mother and gets angry at both sides.
"I-It's a long story." Ace answered with a fake scowl, not wanting to get caught by Luffy but he knew he was done for when he shuttered and looked at Luffy's eyes. Ace mentally cursed himself for making it obvious, but he really didn't want to have one more war with the Whitebeard Pirates like the first time. He was still unsure about picking up their calls. He... just needed a break from them.
"I'm full so I have all the time of the world to hear it." Luffy asserted with a serious experience, urging Ace to spill the beans. He even pushed away a plate full of food from himself. He wasn't hungry anymore, he was worried. He could feel something very wrong had happened once more, which had almost shattered Ace and brought those angry and sad eyes back. Even his mother or the winds hadn't warned him about it! He knew something was fishy when his mother was trying to swiftly distract him whenever he asked about Ace to her. He felt betrayed that none of them considered to tell him, not even Ace or Sabo or heck Dad! Wasn't he their little sunshine? Their son or little brother?
Ace knew he was done when he saw Luffy not eating his food and tilt his head dangerously. The sandy winds which clashed outside was just another sign of Luffy's inner feelings. The hurt and betrayal in his eyes also didn't evade him. It made him look like a dangerous man ready to show his wrath to the person who had dared to enrage him.
Purupurupurupuru
Ace flinched suddenly, feeling the tense atmosphere get shattered by the snail in his pocket. He really thanked it 'cause he didn't know what he could or would have done to break Luffy out of his rage, but he wasn't sure if he could when Luffy utter his next words.
"Is it them?" Luffy asked, tilting his head a little. He knew who was calling. It was Whitebeard but the way Ace flinched at the call was enough to provide Luffy the target; the one who had made Ace upset.
"L-Lu, I-" Ace started nervously, his throat all of a sudden felt way too dry. He even felt his hands shake at his side. He didn't know why but they just did. Was it because of his anger on the ones whom he trusted? Or was it because he feared what would happen next, now that Luffy knew? He didn't really know why.
"Can I talk to them?" Luffy asked with a tight smile as if he was trying his best to keep himself on leash but was failing miserably if the sign of the wind picking speed was anything to say.
"As much as I want to give them a piece of my mind, Luffy, but we can't do it here." Kuma instantly interjected, hoping against all hopes that Luffy would listen. He had planned to call the Whitebeards after assessing the situation with his own eyes with Dragon. And he knew that he was definitely going to give them a death threat with Dragon at his side but now was not the time nor the place. "We can't give the marines enough information."
"Them?" Luffy asked seeing the customers and Smoker still standing there but it looked as if they were afraid of something or scared to move or talk. Luffy didn't care about it when he was briefed by the winds about what had transpired with Ace and the Whitebeards. He didn't want anything right now but to tell the Whitebeards how badly they were fucked up for inflicting mental and physical damage on his older brother.
With just one gaze on the people- locals and marine alike- inside the bar, all dropped unconscious like puppets cut off from their strings. Luffy made sure to put them in a peaceful slumber for as long as he wanted.
"You can't do that!" Ace tried to argue as his eyes widened at the sight and the moment the door to the bar slammed shut with the winds. He could hear shouts of the marines stationed outside to get the door open but none of their voice dared to enter the bar the next second. He knew it was Lufy's mysterious powers which were doing it but he really didn't need the confortation right now.
"What can't I do?" Luffy asked innocently as if he hadn't just locked them inside the bar with no one to enter or go out. Luffy's eyes fell on the ringing den den mushi and then on Ace. "Ace, snail, please." Luffy asked, outstretching his lanky arm.
Ace didn't know why he passed the den den mushi to Luffy with only slight hesitance. He didn't really know if he was ready to hear the voices of the ones who blamed him for hurting Thatch or chasing Teach. He just felt like a statue with a trembling fists and dry throat. If it was not the soothing presence of Bonney, Sabo and Kuma or the relaxing Haki of Luffy, then he didn't know what he would have done. He silently thanked all of them for holding him stable.
Click
"We're really sorry Ace!" "It's time you picked up the call!" "Ace! Are you okay?!" "Please, don't cut the call!"
Mutliple voices spoke over one another, but Luffy heard them all. They were sure where guilty of their deeds but that doesn't change the damage they had done on his older brother. One look on Ace showed his tense shoulders heavy with the gruesome weight of betrayal and hurt. He could even feel his brother already feeling trapped by the voices which were strangling him to the past where he was insulted.
"Stop." Luffy growled, his voice filled with rage, as it echoed in the silent bar.
"Cyra? Little buddy? We really need to apologize-" Haruta's pleading voice echoed with hurried footsteps which were leading the commanders to their captain's cabin to inform him of them finally getting in line with Ace, their bro-
"Who do you think are you all to ask for forgiveness after what you done to Ace?!" Luffy's voice thundered on the poor snail, making it shiver like the ones who were on the other side. The sky rumbled with blinding lightening, making the civilians of Nanohana look hopefully at the sky and pray for a downpour.
"Lu-Cyra, please! It's all because of me-" Thatch's pleading voice came from the other side afte he swiftly corrected himself. The listeners in the bar could clearly here the raging waves and rumbling thunder on the other side too. It made them wonder if it was Luffy's doing or the New World's terror.
"Stop apologizing for someone else, Thatch!" Luffy hissed, cutting off Thatch in mid-sentence. He didn't even use the nickname he had personally picked up for the bread hair, showing the intensity at which he was angry with the Whitebeard pirates. He had thought that they wouldn't have ever done what they did but he was utterly mistaken. He was disappointed on the whole crew, except for Thatch.
"It was just a heat of the moment-" Marco tried his best to apologize and state his reason for commiting the crime of blaming one of his own.
"I don't care why you did it, Marco. All I know is that you have hurt Ace enough. So, stay away, you flaming turkey!" Luffy snapped at Marco. He was the first one to reach the commotion and deduce something utterly unexcusable. He accused Ace and beat him when Ace showed no signs of retort.
"As the captain of the ship, I-" Whitebeard started, his tone heavy with regret and guilt.
"Oh, please! Stop the bullshit, Whitebeard." Kuma entered the fray. His normally gentle demeanor was filled with unwavering rage. He was getting pissed off with how the Whitebeards thought that they were even worthy of Ace's forgiveness after what they had done. "You accused Ace to be a traitor! You accused him of cold murder, which he never ever could do, and you know it all well, don't you?!"
Whitebeard was forced to be silent at that, regretting his choices that night. He should have asked Ace; he should have given him the chance to speak or waited until Thatch was okay but... he jumped into conclusions and not even followed his intitutions. He felt very ashamed to accept that it was him who hit the final nail in his own coffin. He wondered if Roger was cursing at him from wherever he was right now. That man would have surely come after his head if he knew it.
"W-We thought-" Jozu started, feeling his shoulders slump with heavy regret. He could hear Thatch cry out. He could hear what... he had told to Ace that night. He regretted it with his whole heart.
"You thought wrong commander!" Sabo chastised at once hearing Jozu's words. Deuce had told him what the commander had dared to say to his twin. If he was anywhere near them, he swore that he would crush their skulls with his bare hands. The stabbing hurt on Ace's face and the darkness which clouded his eyes yesterday was enough for him to raise hell on the Whitebeards. "You were warned, weren't you all?!" There was a deadly glint in Sabo's eyes which somehow was replicated on the snail on the other side.
"We are truly sorry for jumping into conclusions, Cyane." Whitebeard spoke at once remembering the threat which Cyane gave them. He remembered his conviction of never hurting Ace but just one night changed everything upside down. He wanted to warn Cyane of going against him but at that time his morality told him not to. He needed to apologize to Ace first before deciding anything else.
"Oh my, seems like someone remembered my warnings but failed to avoid it." Sabo snorted with an evil gaze in his eyes. For his siblings and family, he would do anything. Even if it meant to be a murderer.
"Cyane, they aren't even worth that." Ace joined in for the first time in the conversation. He wasn't trying to save them. He felt relieved knowing that they knew the truth, but it didn't make them take their words back or his trust to not shatter. What was once lost is lost. He has no intention of doing any shit with them but knowing that they didn't resent him and knew the truth lightened his shoulders, nonetheless. At least that way he wouldn't have to worry for Whitebeard to send his allies after his crew. It's not that he can't handle them, but he didn't know about everyone from his crew.
"Ace! I'm so sorry! Please forgive-" Several voices shot out in an instant hearing the voice of the only one they needed to hear right now.
"You all are spineless cowards. The worst of what I had witnessed till date." Bonney spoke cutting the others instantly, her eyes were filled with sadness and defiance. She hated how the Whitebeard Pirates were continuously asking for forgiveness. "How can you even think that ni-chan will ever forgive you after what you have done?" Bonney asked with a frown and a harsh glare. Even if she was only ten years old, she knew enough about what were worth to be forgiven and what weren't.
That was enough to shut everyone from the other side, except for Thatch's crying. Ace was relieved that Thatch was okay. He was the only friend he had in the Whitebeard Pirates.
"Words once spoken can't undo the damage they had inflicted." Luffy spoke out his thoughts, his anger boiling beneath the surface as raindrops fell from the sky on the scorched sandy port of Nanohana, blessing the civilians with its presence.
"What can we do?" Thatch's crying voice came from the other end. He didn't want Ace and the others, whom he saw as his own brothers and family to stay angry with his pirate family forever. He didn't like what they had committed but he felt heartbroken knowing that everything was shattered because he was too coward to not defeat Teach and accept what was happening.
"Thatch shouldn't ask for that." Luffy spoke firmly. Why shall someone else apologize for the deeds of others? He understood where Thatch was coming from, but Ace needed a break, and he knew it with how he avoided the calls.
"Thatch, tell them to stay away from me and not to call me or my family." Ace spoke firmly, his cold eyes finally breaking free from the nightmare of the night which occurred. He would have been lost in those insults, if not for the anchoring hold of his loving family. "None of them can, except you, if you want."
"Thank you, Ace." Thatch answered, biting back a sob. He knew this was the best they were going to get until Ace decides to call them by himself.
"Whitebeard!" Luffy's voice gained a deadly tempo as he spat the name. "We have a score to settle." That's all he said before disconnecting the call and closed his eyes for a moment. He was seething with anger and hurt at what had conspired but the living presence of Ace and him feeling light was enough to make him smile at his older brothers and his little sister.
"You okay, Ace?" Kuma asked observing Ace's shaking figure as he finally took a seat on a chair and placed his head on the counter. Ace nodded taking a deep breath to make himself stable. He was feeling overwhelming before but right now he realized that he really needed this conversation to stop himself from spiraling into his dark thoughts which were about to engulf him.
"Is Ace still going to chase that slimy man?" Luffy questioned his oldest brother, who nodded at the question without a hesitance.
"I need to. He hurt my friend." Ace answered back as he raised his head to show the flaming determination in his eyes. He saw the worried look on Sabo's face and the frown on Luffy's but he wasn't going to let the bastard go away after hurting Thatch. He needed to leave Arabasta too and head for Jaya where the bastard had supposely escaped to as Sabo informed him. But before that, he was going to hear some of Luffy's adventures in Grand Line. That's when he remembered another story.
"Luffy, my dearest little brother." Ace started with a too sweet smile on his face. The others in the bar seemed to have caught onto his expression. "Mind telling your older brother what the hell was your rubber brain thinking in Loguetown?!" Ace's voice raised at the end of it, making Luffy's eyes widen.
"Sabo?" Luffy questioned looking at his other older brother with fake betrayal in his eyes. Sabo raised his hands up in defense. He wasn't the one who had told Ace of the fright Luffy gave him in Loguetown.
"What did Luffy-ni do?" Bonney asked with a confused expression, as she saw Luffy slowly inching away from a very angry flame user.
"Getting his own public execution." Sabo provided with a teasing smile to Luffy, making Bonney's eyes widen. Kuma who knew that couldn't help but chuckle at it. He had heard of that but he trusted his god enough to know that it was just one of his silly ventures and he would not die but that didn't mean he wasn't scared for him.
"You better start running, Luffy." Ace glared with Bonney agreeing. That was enough for Luffy to stuff all the remaining food on the plates before him and make a run for his live. He hadn't feared giving his life in Loguetown but now he very much does.