The Return Of Joyboy!

Chapter 12

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 desperately 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 relieved 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. Filthy 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 handkerchief 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 in front 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, especially 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.