KASL Book 1: Lost but Found (One Piece Fan fiction)

Chapter III: On Board the Moby Dick

Disclaimer: To assert once and hopefully never again, One Piece is a product of Eiichiro Oda. I have only legal rights to my own personal touches to the storyline and characters.

Somewhere on the Grand Line (Paradise)

A few days of recovery

Kitsune

"Luffy! Get down from there!"

Everyone has finally recovered. Ace, Sabo, and Kit refused to leave Luffy until he felt better after they were initially released. Their combined brotherly stubbornness and overly protectiveness faltered a bit when the head nurse insisted they leave in that oh so sweet command that promised or else. She allowed their continued stay on the condition that the boys not crowd Luffy and behave. Now the four boys were staying in a cabin aboard the Moby Dick. The crew bought some clothes that were somewhat similar to the design of the ragged clothes the boys were wearing when they arrived onto the ship. Apparently the Whitebeard Pirates did stop by an island shortly before the boys regain consciousness. They couldn't find any beds aside from the one, but it was big enough to fit the four, if a bit of a snug fit.

The older boys agreed that their devil fruit-users - Luffy especially - should not reveal their abilities to anyone on the ship. The slave traders did mention how valuable their powers made them in the auctions. Kit, Ace, and Sabo shuddered at the thought of someone buying poor innocent Luffy and abusing him. This really was a discussion solely for Luffy's benefit, as Kit knew in part that his particular abilities probably should not be showcased. He didn't exactly remember ever seeing or hearing the mention of his devil fruit come to think of it. He remembered Grandfather saying he was a really special kind of devil fruit-user, really powerful and valued.

Luffy still had trouble with his control, unfortunately. Also, Luffy and the sea had a bit of running gag between them as the youngest boy could not stop falling into it. But, like with all devil fruit-users, the boy was essentially a hammer, an anchor that sunk and drowned if someone else didn't save him first. The boys were lucky that two of them could swim and all three had good reflexes, or Luffy would have fallen off the slavers' ship long before their break for freedom. Which returns Kit to the boys' current predicament.

Kit had a firm hold on Luffy's shirt but not much else. Any moment now and his foot would slip off the railing of the ship. Just after the boys settled into their new room and change clothing, Luffy decided to slip outside. Luffy plus curiosity plus railings to climb equaled disaster. The boy fell off the rail, but Kit luckily noticed Luffy's absence in time to duck his head out the door, see his little brother suddenly jerked from his position on top of the rails, and leap after the toppled boy. Kit's foot slipped a bit more from its precarious hold. As he opened his mouth to yell for any help, he felt familiar hands grip his legs. Ace and Sabo struggled to pull the two back up but to no avail. They have barely recovered from their injuries. The two boys began to slip from their grasp. Suddenly another pair of hands hauled the two up. The sudden momentum caused the four boys to fall back on their rescuer. Amidst the tangled limbs and of the four boys, was a disgruntled first commander.

Marco

"What were you guys thinking - yoi? Everyone on the ship is at dinner, so if I had not come to check on you four and take you to the galley..." The commander said as he got back onto his feet and shook his head at the thought. "Can any of you swim?"

Ace may have felt a bit grateful for the rescue, but his pride did not agree.

"Sabo and I can swim. Kit never wanted to learn, and Luffy's pretty hopeless. Not that it is any of your business," snapped Ace. Sabo placed a hand on his brother's shoulder, censor directed at the older boy before he turned to Marco and bowed.