The sun blazed hot over Mount Colubo, baking the air thick with humidity. You swatted a mosquito from your neck as you followed Luffy through the forest for what had to be the fourth time this week.
"Luffy, I swear," you hissed, pushing aside a bush, "if you trip another snare, I'm pretending I don't know you."
He didn't even look back. "Ace ran this way! He's gotta be hiding something!"
You rolled your eyes. "Yeah, like how to get rid of you."
He ignored you, crashing through the trees with all the grace of a dying elephant. You sighed and followed — not because you wanted to, but because, if you didn't, Garp would somehow know and "train" both of you by tossing you at a Sea King.
After a while, the air changed — smoky, heavy. You emerged from the trees and froze.
"What the…?" you whispered.
Before you stretched a sprawling wasteland — mountains of junk, broken ships, torn sails, smoke rising in lazy plumes. People picked through piles of garbage like vultures. The stench was unbearable.
Luffy wrinkled his nose. "Ew! What is this place?"
You swallowed hard. "Grey Terminal," you muttered, remembering from canon. "The dump where the nobles toss everything they don't want… including people."
Luffy blinked. "That's awful."
You nodded grimly. "Yeah. Welcome to Dawn Island's dirty secret."
A loud clatter snapped your attention forward — Luffy had disappeared into the junk maze.
"Dammit, Luffy—" you muttered, sprinting after him.
When you finally caught up, you found him peeking around a metal scrap heap. You crouched beside him, grabbing his ear. "If you die here, I'm not explaining it to Garp."
"Shh!" he hissed, pointing.
Beyond the heap, a small clearing opened. Two boys were kneeling over a wooden crate, counting coins and trinkets. One of them — Ace — you knew all too well. The other, wearing a top hat too big for his head, was new. Sabo.
You exhaled quietly. Right on schedule.
Luffy gasped. "Ace! You're stealing treasure?!"
Both boys snapped around, eyes wide. "Luffy?!" Ace barked, face twisting in panic. "What the hell are you doing here?!"
Luffy puffed up. "I followed you! You've been sneaking off every day!"
Sabo jumped to his feet. "Ace! Who's that? You said nobody knew about this place!"
Ace cursed under his breath. "Tch—dammit!" He lunged forward, grabbing Luffy by the arm. "You didn't see anything! You didn't hear anything!"
"Hey! Let go!" Luffy struggled, but Ace was stronger, forcing him to the ground. In seconds, he had him tied to a nearby tree trunk with an old rope.
"Wha—hey! Why'd you tie me up?!"
Sabo frowned, uncertain. "We can't let him tell anyone, Ace. If he runs his mouth, we're done for."
Ace scowled. "Then we shut him up."
Your blood ran cold. "Whoa, whoa, time out, killer," you said, stepping out from the bushes.
Both boys whipped their heads toward you. Ace froze. "Uta?!"
You crossed your arms. "Yeah, hi. In case you forgot, I live with you. Also, maybe don't threaten murder in broad daylight?"
Sabo stared between the two of you. "You brought someone else here?!"
"I didn't bring her!" Ace snapped. "She followed us!"
You smirked. "Correction: I followed him." You jabbed a thumb toward Luffy. "Someone has to make sure this moron doesn't get kidnapped again."
Luffy shouted indignantly, "Hey! That was ONE time!"
But before anyone could argue further, a harsh voice echoed from behind the junk piles.
"Found ya, brats!"
Your heart jumped. You recognized that voice instantly — Porchemy.
A massive man with tattoos and a spiked club stepped out of the shadows, flanked by pirates. His grin was cruel. "So you're the ones who stole from us, huh?"
Ace stiffened. "Crap…"
Luffy yelled, "Who's that?!"
"Run!" you hissed, but it was too late — Porchemy's men had already spotted Luffy tied to the tree.
"Oi! He's one of 'em! Grab him!"
They swarmed. Sabo grabbed your wrist and yanked you behind a heap of metal as Ace cursed lowly beside you.
Luffy screamed, thrashing as the pirates surrounded him. "Let me go! I don't know anything!"
Porchemy cracked his knuckles. "Where's the treasure, kid? Talk!"
Luffy shook his head violently. "Never! I ain't tellin' you nothin'!"
Porchemy scoffed, dragging Luffy with him to the hideout. Your head snapped to Ace and Sabo. "Don't just stand there, morons— follow them!" Without waiting for an answer, you tailed after the pirates with a scowl. The elder boys hesitate before running after you.
…
Each blow echoed like thunder. You clenched your fists, trembling. Ace's jaw tightened. Sabo looked sick.
"Stop…" you whispered. "He's just a kid."
Ace's face twisted — guilt, anger, shame. Finally, he stood. "Tch. I can't just let him take that."
Sabo grabbed his pipe. "Then we fight."
You smiled faintly, stretching your arms. "Finally."
You burst from hiding, snapping your leg into a pirate's ribs before he could react. He collapsed with a groan. Ace swung his metal pipe, knocking another one's weapon aside. Sabo moved with practiced speed, striking the men's knees before they could aim.
Porchemy turned, fury flashing in his eyes. "You brats again?!"
"Yeah," Ace snarled, stepping in front of Luffy's crumpled body. "And you're not touching him again."
You darted behind another thug, stretching your arm out — Gomu Gomu no Pistol! The punch connected with a satisfying whack, sending the man flying into a heap of scrap. The stretch snapped back, stinging your wrist. "Ow—okay, still not used to that."
Ace and Sabo exchanged a brief, incredulous look but didn't question it. They had bigger problems.
Porchemy swung his spiked club at Ace. You threw yourself sideways, kicking him in the stomach, while Sabo jabbed his pipe at the man's knee. He roared, grabbing Sabo by the collar — but Ace slammed his club into Porchemy's head, knocking him out cold.
The fight ended as quickly as it began. The remaining pirates scattered, dragging their unconscious leader away.
Silence settled over the junkyard — broken only by Luffy's groan as he lifted his head.
"You guys… came back…" he wheezed.
Ace scowled, rubbing his bruised arm. "Idiot. Of course we did."
You crouched beside him, checking his injuries. "You're lucky you're made of rubber, otherwise—" You stopped, blinking. "Oh. Right. I'm made of rubber too."
He blinked at you, confused. "Huh?"
You coughed. "Don't worry about it."
Sabo knelt next to Luffy, his voice soft. "You didn't say a word, even when they beat you."
Luffy grinned weakly. "'Course not. You guys are my friends."
Ace's breath hitched. He turned away quickly. "…You're an idiot."
You smirked. "Takes one to know one."
For a moment, none of you spoke. Then Sabo laughed quietly, shoulders relaxing. "Guess that makes four of us idiots now."
The tension broke. Luffy laughed, Ace snorted, and you couldn't help smiling.
The system pinged softly in your vision.
[Quest Complete: Grey Terminal Encounter]
Rewards: +450 XP, +8 STAT PTS, +300 GP
Bonus: +150 REP with Ace, +100 REP with Sabo, +250 REP with Luffy
Hidden Title Unlocked: Bonded Through Blood and Bruises.
You exhaled, watching the three boys grin and argue over who hit harder. For the first time in this world, you didn't feel like an outsider.