The Beginnings of a Future Pirate King

Chapter 31: Brave and Strong

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"Happiness is a simple game of lost and found: Lose the things you take for granted, and you will feel great happiness once they are found."―Richelle E. Goodrich

Ace could hear Luffy's cries from where he was chained on the disgusting ship and with each whimper Ace worked faster to get them off. He knew time was of the essence but a small voice was taunting his mind with what ifs.

What if he did get the chains off, then what? What if Luffy dies in that room, then what? What if Marco and the rest of the crew never find them, then freaking what?! Ace knew these were questions that would need to be answered at some point but chose at this point in time to just work faster. Ace's hands were shaking from the adrenalin and it took all he had not to cry out when the knife slipped from his fingers slicing down his hand.

Taking a deep breath and trying to ignore the now stinging bloody hand he bent his back down a bit and grabbed the knife once more working the lock as quickly as possible. Unfortunately the thunder had brought rain and rain brought heavy waves that splashed him in the face as often as they could. His hand now mixed with blood and the stinging of the ocean waves made holding the knife very difficult but he would do this for Luffy he would do this for himself.

He fumbled around twisting and turning the knife until finally he heard the one sound he had been dreaming of, the click of freedom. Dropping the knife to the ground Ace felt the chains slacken and he pulled them loosely away from himself. Marks had started to form where they had tightly bound his body to the mast but he didn't care right at this moment. He now needed to think up a plan to get off of this damned ship before the storm fully came upon them and they were lost forever. He knew that Luffy had done his share of the thinking and was probably at his limit for thinking for the next year or so, it was his turn to take the lead and be useful for once.

"What the...?" One of the crew members said as Ace dropped the chains from around his body and grabbed the knife from the floor.

"Hey guys, wanna have some fun?" Ace said smiling his eyes over shadowed with anger the knife held firmly in his bloody hand but not a hint of fear was in his body.

Meanwhile Luffy had been thrown to the floor the moment they brought him inside of course he just bounced and stared blankly at them as they sneered at him.

"Should we tie him up?" one of the men said pointing at the kid on the floor

"Only his hands, I'll be the one to show him what true fear is..." The man said smiling while Luffy was tied to a post in the room his back facing the man.

"You don't scare me." Luffy said glaring at the man who only laughed.

"Not yet I don't." Luffy wasn't sure what was going to happen but he would be brave and strong so Ace could escape.

He didn't expect the pain to come suddenly or really at all but when it did he couldn't stop himself from crying out. The man now holding a whip in his hands smiled proudly at the sounds the kid had made.

"I'm going to whip you bloody kid but don't worry I won't kill you, you're going to make us some good cash after all." He said before bringing the whip up once more and flicking it back over Luffy back breaking his rubbery skin. Luffy had never felt pain like this before ever in his life, the tears fell from his eyes in pools as the whip hit him over and over again.

"Ma please..." He whispered out begging his best friend, his brother, his parent figure to come find him soon.

"No one's coming for you kid, ever again." The laughter was the last thing Luffy heard before the black started to fill his vision.

-Line Break-

Marco was now angry, at himself for taking so long to find this dammed ship and the people on that ship for taking his brothers.