For You To The End Of The World

Chapter 11 - Time heals?

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"Come out!" The guards exclaimed. Lue had a beard and his whole body was slimmed down. His bones were in sight and he could barely walk. The shackles around his arms and feet made small red circles around them. He came out to light and stood where the guards closed the doors to the corridor behind him. He glanced at them then at the path in front of him. They were freeing him.

"Walk." They pushed him and he started to walk. His eyes were blank...but he was happy inside. Finally he was free, but it has been 6 years...6 whole years since he disappeared. Ace now had 10 years and...a person was delivered to the bandits not too long ago. A known presence to Lue. His old self, now his nephew, Monkey D. Luffy.

—

"Hmph..." Ace huffed while walking beside Sabo in the forest. The blonde sweatdropped.

"You don't like him?" He asked and Ace only grumped, crossing his arms.

"He reminds me of someone." He murmured. Sabo glanced with one eye at the raven-haired.

"That someone..." Sabo couldn't say that word beside Ace...a word that described his grumpy behaviour, Dad was the word...or father for now, big boys.

"But..." Ace started.

"Hm?" Sabo turned to him from his thoughts.

"He is always following me, willfully." He said. Sabo was kind of shocked.

"Always? Then even after the times you threw him over the bridge or sent him to be eaten by crocs?" He asked. Ace flinched, he finally understood what he was doing to the boy.

"M-Maybe...I think?" He sweated a little and Sabo eyed him.

"Try to get to know him." He said and Ace pouted.

"Don't really feel like it..." He answered and Sabo sighed. Luffy really did follow him always. Then...Porchemary happened. Luffy beaten to blood. And after getting to know Sabo's identity they drank sake together and became brothers.

—

Lue came down on the grass from his boat. His beard was shaved, but his clothes and his state remained the same. He breathed heavily as he tried to stay on his legs and not collapse at the start. The Marines let him go, giving him only a boat and nothing. He had to travel with some pirates or tourists, he had to travel from Impel Down to the East Blue, but he did it. He was finally home. He stumbled over the road, looking at the houses and windmills. 

One step and two. He walked slowly with a hand over his shoulder, where he had a wound made by some sea king not long ago. His sandals were clapping on the dirt road. He found himself in front of the forest. His eyes were wide open. He then started to walk again.

—

"Come on Luffy!" Sabo exclaimed when the boy stayed behind as they ran through the forest. Ace was in front of everyone, laughing. They were just coming back from the town with a deer for dinner they hunted earlier.

"Guys!" Luffy exclaimed, but then he stopped in his tracks. He looked to the side, narrowed his eyes and went into the bushes.

"Luffy?" Sabo and Ace stopped missing his presence. Then, they heard Luffy calling for them. They ran into the bushes and were met with a weird scene. A person lying...with a face in the dirt.

"Who is this?" Ace asked.

"Don't know! Found him here." Luffy answered, reaching out to touch the guy's head.

"Wait!" Sabo stopped him.

"Oi!" Ace shook his shoulder with his foot. The person opened his eyes and he sat up.