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He deserves it
Ace had never planned on searching for Dragon. He knew that he wouldn’t be able to hold himself back if he ever met the man. The man deserved everything Ace was planning to do if he ever met him.
Sabo had been right there beside him when he asked Garp about Luffy not knowing about his dad. The hesitation the old man gave as he explained what his son was doing and how that had put Luffy in a situation not that much different than what Ace was in. How the world government didn’t want either of the boys alive. It just wasn’t the marines that were after Luffy. Actually as far as Garp knew outside of fuchsia village and the bandits vary few knew Luffy existed. Shanks and the red hair pirates were an unexpected exception. It was then that he had decided it was too dangerous to keep either of his grandsons in the village.
Ace swore right then that if he ever met Monkey D Dragon he was going to beat the man to a pulp for abandoning his child. Honestly, this was completely for Luffy’s sake. It has nothing to do with the fact that Ace would never have the chance to confront his father for entrusting him to Garp. At least his dad has the excuse of being dead. Dragon didn’t have an excuse besides being wanted.
Lucky of the Spade pirates that the meeting of their captain with his little brother’s dad never happened when they sailed on their own. Duce had known that it wouldn’t go well and kept an eye out for rumors of revolutionary in the area any time they docked.
It had happened just once after joining the White beard pirates. Ace was already second division Commander at that point. He didn’t even get the chance to get close enough to punch the man. He did manage to get a fireball thrown at him and commanded his troops to attack him before he received a direct command to return to his room until farther notice. Second division was on waste management for a month after that. He tried to explain to pops why he attempted to attack Dragon when he was there to talk about an island that was under both the revolutionary and White beard’s protection.
He never got his chance again.
When Sabo first woke up after his three day coma his brothers were all he could talk about. Koala sat there listening to every word. At least until he got to explaining Ace’s and his promise to protect Luffy from being alone.
“Why was he alone before then?” She had asked.
“Oh that reminds me. I have something I need to talk with Dragon about.” The blonde said getting up.
Koala followed him as he searched demanding the answer to her question.
Then he reached Dragon. He heard the gasp from everyone in the room as his punch actually made contact.
“Sorry, Dragon sir. It’s nothing personal. Well actually no. It is. That was for Ace.”
Dragon smiled and caught the second punch. “I’m guessing that one was for you.”
“Nope, that one was for Luffy. He wouldn’t hit you for abandoning him. Ace made me promise he’d get the first punch if we ever met you though. Figured I’d do them both the favor.”
“I’ll admit I probably deserve that. If that’s the only thing I have to pay for you getting your memory back though I’ll gladly take everything you throw at me.” The revolutionary leader smiled impossibly more looking more like his son then Sabo cared to think about. Luffy was still missing after all. “I won’t even fight back. Like I said I probably deserve it.”
Sabo was going to take him up on the offer but he was suddenly being held back by four tan arms.
“Pardon me Sabo, but even if you are his brother my captain doesn’t need anyone fighting his battles for him.” Nico Robin of course she would step in. “If Luffy has a problem with his father he’ll deal with it when the time comes.”
“Do you know what he did to him?” The words slipped out of his mouth.
“Actually I do. I was there when Luffy found out. Honestly, he didn’t even know he had a dad. So yes I knew.” The straw hat member replied. “Our entire crew knows. Our captain doesn’t care.”
Sabo smiled but then caught the look in Dragon’s eyes at Robin’s words. The man turned away quickly but Sabo knew him well enough to know when he was in pain. That fact hurt worse than any punch ever could.
“Zoro and Sanji may be a different story. Luffy doesn’t like giving us direct orders. I’m not sure what the crew will do.” With those words Sabo knew Ace would have been proud of their little brother and his friends. They would definitely do something the fire spit would have been more than willing to do. Then Robin’s next sentence stopped that thought.
“About Louge town. I wasn’t there but did you really run into him and not say anything?”
Luffy had met Dragon? When did that happen? He had went to Louge town with Dragon earlier this year. Other than that run in with Smoker their had been no issues. If they ran into a group of pirates surly he would know. Especially if said pirates were one of his brothers. Right?
“Twice actually. There wasn’t time though. I had to make sure he got off the island. His vivre card was burning quickly when I pulled it out. Then finding him with Buggy on the platform… I had to act quickly.”
Well that explains the sudden storm and the lightning that day.
“When Smoker stopped their escape I stepped in more than I probably should have. Sure it was a failed trip, but I’m proud of him all the same.”
Ok, that explained the part of that trip Sabo remembered. It was a recruiting trip in the east and Dragon had ordered them to return to base after the run in with Smoker. It wasn’t common for Dragon or him for that matter to go on those missions. Even rarer that they would both go and the trip be called off halfway to the destination. If they were going to recruit one person though and they happened to run into said person earlier then expected and were turned down. Yep, that definitely explained a few things. Especially with said someone being the son of a high ranking official. Luffy was definitely a special case.