The Apparition

Atlantis sighed as she brought a towel up to wipe the sweat from her neck in annoyance. Behind her Smoker had been called away for a moment by a messenger, so she was forced to take a break.

Sitting down she grabbed her water bottle, guzzling it as she closed her eyes and thought of the boys waiting for her next month.  She smiled as she thought of how Ace and Sabo had cried when she left last summer, while Luffy merely giggled.

As she thought about the nonsense they had gotten up to she turned her eyes to Smoker and felt her stomach drop as she saw his face.

“Smokey,” She breathed out as he turned to her. “What the fuck happened?”

“It’s a letter from Garp. Something happened back home.”

“Is Luffy okay?” Atlantis breathed out a sigh as Smoker tentatively nodded his head before freezing up, “Who? Smoker who?”

“I didn’t meet him so I don't know who he is but,” Smoker avoided Atlantis eyes. “But you did.”

Atlantis’ hands trembled as she pictured Ace, taken before his time in her world and now taken away before she could save him. Her mind replayed the scene of his death at the war of the best over and over again as he fell to his knees and took his last breath. And then she stopped as she saw Sabo with Luffy and Ace in the treehouse.

Sabo, who she had never heard a word of. Sabo, who was unaccounted for in the story of One Piece. And then she knew who it had been. Without a word from Smoker, it could only be.

An accident, a boy missing from the story, and it could only fall into place like a missing puzzle piece.

Atlantis could only gasp as she tried to catch her breath but she couldn't take any air in her lungs, forced air out and her tongue curled, “...Sabo.”

Smoker laid a hand on her shoulder, pulling her into his chest as he refused to make eye contact with her. Even though her desperate attempts to look into his eyes and know she had heard wrong, every attempt cemented the very words ringing through her ears. 

“I-I’ve gotta go. I need to. I-I.”

“I know.” Smoker smoothed a hand down the back of her head bringing her closer as he held her shaking shoulders. “I’ll take you.”

Atlantis could barely remember the boat ride home to Luffy, let alone how she had gotten to the boat or packed a bag. What she doesn't know is how cadets will look at her for years to come knowing Smoker had carried her in his arms like a child, like his child. Even as he couldn't look her in the eyes and bring news to harm her, he would break the rules because for the first time since he had enlisted - Smoker broke a rule. For this little girl, for his little girl. And suddenly cadets feared what she would bring and what her father would sweep away as he followed.

What Atlantis does remember, the thing that will solidify her resolve to learn and fight and protect, is Luffy’s face as he stands waiting at the end of the dock like he's waiting on Charon’s boat. The boat hadn't even docked before she was jumping the side to land on the dock to take off in a sprint towards the shocked Luffy who couldn't move an inch but to hold his arms out towards her in a panicked reach. 

Luffy barely made a sound as she toppled them over, at least any other sounds than the muffled sobs into her shoulders. She tightened her embrace as Smoker lifted both of them off the wet ground. The wet ground, she hadn’t even realized it was raining until the mud started seeping through her jeans and the rain hid her own tears.

“Coco,” Luffy’s voice wobbled out from her shoulder as his arms tightened where they had grabbed onto her tightly. “You came back early.”

Atlantis knew the moment her heart broke, it was when Luffy looked up at her with what she assumed was an attempt at a smile, but it was so fake it fogged up her eyes as her tears renewed. “Didn’t I say I would be your person, and I would always be there when you needed me? You need me now.”

Luffy’s lips trembled as he stared at Atlantis with a new look in his eyes before he dropped his fake smile for a wail. He grabbed onto her tightly as he began to greatly sob into her arms babbling about what had happened and how strong he had wanted to be for her.

“It’s okay to cry Luffy and it's okay to mourn. When you mourn someone, you show the world just how much you loved them.”

“Then let’s mourn together,” Luffy huffed out as he tightened his grip on Atlantis.

“Yeah. Together.” Atlantis held Luffy until his sobs died down into a deep slumber. Only then did she allow Smoker to take Luffy from her arms, standing up on shaky legs she walked away from the adults discussing in whispers. “Where’s Ace?”

Makino’s face softened as she gestured outside and to a specific coastal sied that Atlantis could navigate towards blind. Walking away confidently she left the adults as she sought out the one hurting most on this island. She saw him long before she heard the silent whimpers he was releasing while staring out at the coast. 

She ignored the way she frantically wiped away his tears as she sat beside him holding her hand out towards him, all the while staring at the ocean. Ace was hesitated before grabbing ahold of her hand gently as if he was afraid he would be burned. Atlantis sat in silence waiting for Ace to finally gather his words and curl his tongue to form words.

“Why?”

Atlantis tilted her head in confusion as she finally turned to face Ace. “There’s a lot of answers to that question.”

“Why Sabo,” Ace grunted out, flinching as he momentarily tightened his grip on her hand before slacking immediately. “Why not me?”

The last words escaped in an aborted sob as Ace tightened his jaw and refused to look at her. Atlantis’ eyes softened as she tightened her grip on his hand causing him to turn to stare at her. “Ace. You can not do that to yourself.”

“Do what?!” Ace snarled as he finally met her eyes head-on.

“Blame yourself for the cruel way this world works. You lived Ace and that's not on you.”

“Wha-?” Ace’s eyes widen in shock as he gazed at Altantis, trying to interrupt but not able to quite find the right words.

“You think Sabo is watching over you right now asking that question? Because the boy I knew loved you enough to beg the stars for you to see what you're worth. So don’t you dare disregard your brother’s love like that! Like he wouldn’t have sat here in the same spot if the roles had been reversed. You mattered to him and you matter to me, to Luffy.”

“Why?! I’m a monster that just takes and ruins everything!” Ace screamed as he tried to jerk his hand away in anger only for it to be caught in Atlantis’ grip.

“Because we love you and nothing can change that. Not the legacy that follows you nor the doubt in your heart.”

Ace finally quieted down as he dropped his head onto Atlantis’ shoulders. She hummed quietly as she ignored the wet droplets soaking through her slowly drying shirt. Only stopping as Ace finally found his voice once more, “What do I do now?”

“You keep going and you make this life you have something worth living for. For Sabo and the adventure he’ll never get to have.”

“He’d like that,” Ace chuckled as he nudged his head into her shoulder.

Atlantis hummed as she tried to contain her sob and chuckles from breaking free, “He would.”