Chapter Text
Rumors Can Hurt
It was only a rumor. That is all that they had. Still, this time the world government wasn't taking any chances with this rumor. Dragon was different then Roger. Roger had traveled the world and become king of the pirates before rumors of him having a family had started to spread. There had been no specific island to which the rumors had said his family resigned. They couldn’t destroy every island he had landed on over the years to ensure that the kid had died.
With Dragon though they had an idea. Dragon called an island home and had returned their a few times. Dragon was very much alive and had a family house (ok so it was Garp’s house) on the island that the rumors started he had a family on.
Sure if Dragon had kids they would be Garp’s family as well. Garp was a hero to the world and the world government had once promised it’s protection to all of it’s marine’s families. Wouldn’t a grandchild be considered among them. Still Dragon was one of the most notorious criminals that the world government had ever faced. His having children was just as much of a threat as Roger having children would be. Any children of either would have to be executed before they become as much of a treat as their fathers. If that meant destroying an island to do the job… well the world government wasn’t Beyond that. That’s what the buster call was for after all.
That is exactly what they would do to Dawn Island. The buster call had been made on the Goa Kingdom and any other island Dragon had been spotted on they would kill all children that could be his.
Garp was in Sengoku office when the order came. The Fleet Admiral cursed as he read it before slipping it to the vice admiral sitting across the desk. Garp meet his gaze for five seconds.
“They are ordering me to destroy my own home for a rumor?!?!” The vice admiral stated. His face a mixture of rage and horror.
“It’s true though. They even have the right island. I know you want to protect him, but this isn’t an order I can ignore. I won’t put you on it. That way you won’t have to watch.” The fleet admiral says with the greatest sympathies. “I’ll even make sure that they give them both a proper funeral.”
“So what am I supposed to do? Go around slaying innocent children on random islands while my grandkids are murdered for something that isn’t even their fault? Like hell am I doing that.”
“Luffy and Ace are both a potential threat to the government and you know that Garp.”
“Key word Potential. Nether one of them is a current threat.”
Sengoku could tell Garp would kill whoever started this rumor. At least he could give him a slight chance to save the people he cared about without breaking orders.
“I’ll give you three days to warn the island to get as many people that are uninvolved off the island that are willing to go.”
The look on the vice admiral’s face relaxed a bit. “That’s all I need.”
The door was left open as Garp left the office.
————————————————————-
Luffy was sitting at the bar telling Makino about a bear Ace and him had hunted the other day when the den den started to ring. The 13 year old was visiting her and enjoying a meal while his brother was looking at boats in the harbor. Makino rushed to answer it.
“Party’s bar, this is Makino. How may I help you?” She answered.
“Good it’s you. Makino they found out about Dragon having children. Three days that’s it.” The familiar voice of Monkey D Garp came out of the snails mouth.
The bar maid gasped and covered her mouth. “Luffy get Ace now.”
Luffy looked up puzzled. “What’s wrong?”
“Just go get him and head back to the mountain.” She said.
“Tell him to tell Dadan that they know about the them.” Garp instructed.
Makino wrote down the message on a piece of paper and handed it to the teen. “Take that to Dadan and do whatever she tells you to do. Bye Luffy.”
Luffy looked up at her sad this time. The boys didn’t believe in telling anyone bye. She knew that. To them it meant that they were not expecting to see them again.
“Are you dying?”
“No, it’s just not safe for us to see each other again. Luffy whatever you and Ace do from this point on you can’t return. Something happened today and Your grandpa has set up something for you boys for just this occasion. That note is telling Dadan that you need to leave us.” She told the boy with a kiss. She wasn’t sure what was going to happen in three days but she would die to protect her boys. She was not going to lose another one.
“Goodbye then Makino. I’ll tell Ace you said bye.” The boy told her with a hug before slingshotting himself out of the bar.
“Ace! Ace! We have to go back to mountain.” She heard him yell to his brother.
“I’m busy Lu.” The older boy yelled back. “Lu, don’t you dare. You can’t swim.”
“It’s an emergency Ace.”
Ace dried himself off with one of the towels he had left on the shore just in case he had to go swimming today. At least luffy didn’t need the other.
“What kind of emergency?” He asked His little brother.
“Makino said that we have to leave and to give Dadan this.” His brother replied waving a paper.
Ace snatched the letter from the rubber boy and read it.
“Shit, I had six months left.”
“Ace, what does it say?” Luffy asked bouncing up and down.
“Luffy, how about we sail together for a while and leave early?” Ace asked in reply.
Luffy looked puzzled.
“Sail together? We said we would set sail at 17. I have four years. You have a few months.”
“I know Lu. You can still set sail on your own when you turn 17. I won’t stop you. It just looks like we’re going to be pirates a little earlier than planned. Now let’s get going. We have to tell the bandits and apologize to Sabo for breaking the promise.”
Together the two brothers ran down the path to the mountain bandits’ hut.
Dadan was trying to fix a broken necklace when she was suddenly hit hard by a flying rubbery object.
“I win” Luffy says with the excitement only a ball of sunshine could have.
“Dam brat!” Dadan mumbled as she got up. Ace followed shortly after a little out of breath. “Brats” she corrected herself.
“Slingshotting yourself isn’t running.” Ace said out of breath.
“First to reach Dadan wins. You never said how. So I win. Here Dadan, Makino told me to give this to you. Ace read it though.”
Dadan took the note from Luffy and read it. “No!” She gasped letting the beads she was working with fall to the floor.
“Magra” she yelled. “Get the flags. Luffy, Ace go pack your stuff. Dogra keep a lookout for any marines. The rest of you men get as much food and supplies as you can to the waterfall.”
“The waterfall?” Ace asked confused. It wasn’t far but the area was kinda far from any ports. He was planning on taking Luffy back to fushsa and sailing from there. “There’s no boats there.”
“Actually there is. It’s a remote private port. No one really uses it anymore. Garp always sails in a battle ship. Dragon probably would, but he doesn’t visit. As far as you and Luffy well you weren’t supposed to know until Garp started training you to sail or if you two had to evacuate.” The bandit leader explains. “Now get moving you two. Meet me at the waterfall before nightfall. It’s going to be the only way no one can see the two of you set sail.”
“What happened?” Luffy asked. “What was that about dragons visiting?”
“That’s right Garp hasn’t told him yet.” Dadan says. “Ace can you explain who Dragon is?”
“Not now, but sure. I’ll be happy to tell him about that dead beat. See ya old hag.”
Ace pulled Luffy out of the hut as the men scattered around collecting things.
“We’re going to the treehouse?” Luffy asked as he followed is brother down the rugged path to their old treehouse. “I thought we were supposed to be packing?”
“I am. I just wanted to grab some stuff from here first. Plus I need to tell you something.”
“Tell me what?”
“Ok, so you remember who my father was?”
“Yep” the rubber teen said popping the p. “I don’t care though. If Ace’s dad was the pirate king I don’t care if Ace hates him. As long as Ace is still my brother when I’m pirate king.”
Ace blushed a little but rolled his eyes. “Of course we’ll still be brothers. I’ll be bragging to my crew that my little brother is the pirate king.”
“Then why bring it up?”
“Ok, so my dad had a huge bounty and the government wanted me dead just for being related to him. My mom died trying to protect me and the old geezer put everything on the lie to make sure I was safe. The government hunted down anyone remotely connected to my dad. They killed hundreds of innocent children just because of rumors that I existed.”
“That’s horrible. What does that have to do with what’s going on now?”
“Dad’s bounty was so high that it’s still one of the highest bounties ever issued and still is the highest among pirates.”
“That sounds cool.”
“According to Gramps only one other person has passed it. That person is a revolutionary named Dragon.”
“So Dragon is a person. Why would he visit here?”
“Luffy, think about it. Why did Gramps bring you here?”
“Because he didn’t like Shanks influence on me.”
“Ok, so have you ever found it funny that Gramps talks about my dad but never talks to you about your parents?”
“I have parents?”
“Everyone has parents Lu.”
“I don’t. Just Gramps, Sabo, and Ace.”
“Ugh, I’m trying to tell you about your dad.” Ace basically yelled. “Ok, look. If they wanted me dead just because of who my dad was and what he did now imagine Dragon who did something that the government considers worse having a kid.”
“They would want them dead too.” Luffy strings the words together slowly. “That’s not right either.”
“The geezer agrees with you there. See Lu. Dragon does have a family. His real name is Monkey D Dragon, and you are his son. Gramps is his father.”
“Ok, so what?”
“Lu. The government wants us both dead. Someone found out that you exist and they are sending someone in three days to get rid of you. If they find you who else do you think they will find?”
“Ace.” Luffy says in a thoughtful way as he looked up at the treehouse. “I don’t want to lose another brother. Losing Sabo hurt.”
“I don’t either. Now get the flag. I’m going to get a few books and some of Sabo’s things. When your done you can help me.”
They spent the next few hours gathering things they wanted to keep from the treehouse before moving to their “countries” then they headed down to the waterfall.
Dadan was waiting for them with a few items when they got there as the sun started to set. In her hands was an orange hat, a couple strands of beads, a box, and a envelope.
“Finally you brats get here. I wouldn’t have figured you two had that much stuff.”
“Old hag.” Ace greeted her.
“What’s all that for?” Luffy asked.
“I may have wanted you boys to have something to remember me by. Also Ace needed a hat so I made him one. The rest is stuff that belong to you two that might come in handy.” her answer was a little sad and out of character. “Now follow me.”
She lead the two boys to a cave behind the waterfall careful to make sure that they don’t get wet.
“The water collects around the waterfall and the stream is wide enough to get a small boat behind the fall without anyone getting wet even while sailing. It’s perfect if you have a devil fruit and want to keep your ship hidden. This is the Monkey Dog.” She says as the three of them approached a small ship.
“This has been here how long?” Ace asked. Luffy’s jaw dropped open and bounced back close.
“A while. It’s Garp’s private ship. He had it custom made for you two a long time ago. This box is full of flags that you are supposed to fly to avoid trouble if something happens. Some of them belong to Ace.” She pulled out a black and white flag that was folded up as well as a white and blue flag and handed him to him.
“Other’s are Luffy’s.” She pulled out three flags this time. One looked a lot like the blue and white one Ace was handed. Another looked similar to Ace’s other except for a little red showing on one fold. The last was red and black.
“One of those flags belongs to each of your dads. Don’t fly those. Luffy’s dad’s might come in handy if you head to the grand line. That other flag of his will probably be more useful though. Makino gave it to me the first time she visited. She said Shanks told her to give it to Luffy if he had to set sail early. Flying it says you are under his protection.” She explains. “The white ones are for marine protection. Ace’s is Garp’s personal flag to indicate that you are under his protection. Luffy’s is a general run of the meal Marine family flag. I don’t recommend using garp’s unless you are dealing with Marines and they ask who’s protection you are under. Although Luffy’s name should be enough for anyone of Garp’s network.”