The Return Of Joyboy!

Chapter 19

Ace introduced his brothers to his crew. The Spades were left gaping like a fish, trying to find the right words to speak, but none were getting any.

"Crew, meet my brothers," Ace spoke and pointed at his brothers. Then, he went on to introduce everyone one by one.

Cyra pouted at that. "You never spoke about us to your crew?" Ace grinned.

"They didn't ask!" Ace blamed his crew members.

"Come on, Ace!" Cyane shook his head, "You could get a good excuse than this." Ace shamelessly grinned at that.

From the corner of his eyes, Sabo could see the division commanders surrounding them. All looking at them with curious gazes. He could see Luffy smiling at them and the commanders trying to approach them. Sabo didn't like attention but he guessed it couldn't be helped.

"How did you find us?" The first question landed on their plate to answer. Sabo sighed and from the corner of his eyes, he can already see Ace glaring at the commanders, for indulging in their conversation.

"Shanks told us that Ace was on Moby Dick," Cyane replied with a nonchalant shrug. At least a part of his answer is correct. The commanders felt that they won't get any more answers from the teen so the next question was presented.

"How do you know shanks?" It was Izo, the 16th Division commander who asked. He could see Luffy beaming up to answer, to which he gave Luffy a go-ahead signal.

"Shanks is my friend!" Cyra chirped, bouncing on his place, and was about to climb the mast when Ace caught him quickly. He knew what Luffy would do. Being a Monkey, he would try to dangle upside down from it, leading his hood to fall down. Luffy frowned at first but then he realized the mistake he was about to make, so he pouted innocently.

"How did you get here so fast? Why didn't we spot you?" It was Speed Jiru who asked. Before Sabo could speak, Cyra spoke up, "Mom!"

Ace and Sabo shared a look. Ace took Luffy and hugged him and whispered or bribed him with meat and Sabo answered the raised eyebrows of the commanders. "Cyra's Mom helped us with her submarine."

"If you are here, then where is Cole?" It was Thatch who asked, making Luffy and Sabo stifle a peal of laughter. Ace was feeling himself getting red. Whether it was from anger or embarrassment they didn't know.

"It's none of your business," Cyane spoke changing from a laughing teen to a teen with ice dripping from his voice. The pirates surrounding them shivered at the plain display of coldness.

"How do you know Ace?" Another commander asked, which was Haruta. He would have enough guts to speak after the icy voice, that Cyane was giving.

Sabo gave a tight smile, which was the only thing visible from the cloak hiding his face and eyes perfectly. "I sincerely warn you not to ask anything which we don't want to answer." The commanders were frozen and even Ace's crew, Spades, were a bit terrified. But Sabo doesn't care.

Sabo could shout out of his lungs that Ace is their brother and he would forever be there for him, but the commanders didn't need to know. They didn't need to make their head gears turn at the very revelation that Ace is their brother. He couldn't let this questioning go on and it really feels frustrating. He checked the horizon and could feel an Island nearing.

Cyane felt Ace looking at him and he himself was feeling weary with the commanders getting into their personal space. Sabo nodded once at Ace, who turned to Deuce and muttered something quietly.

Sabo looked at Luffy and pointed at the Island. Years of staying together had led them to understand each other in a way that no one can. He can easily tell how Luffy's slow nod before had meant potential danger, how Ace's uneasiness and lack of complete anger while being surrounded by enemy pirates meant something more than what Ace is showing. How the brothers huddled together meant a lack of a safe place in the unknown territory they were standing.