Another chapter but not nearly on Friday. Okay, change of plans! I'll update when I can 3 Goal of once a week

Ace was gone now, away at college for the time being. Which left Luffy alone as ever. He was getting careless with his studies; the 6th grade was hard. However, he did enjoy learning. He loved it with a passion and everyday when he was done with his home schooling, he'd go trotting down the hall at 50 miles per hour to use the phone to call Ace. Most time the older student wouldn't pick up; too busy with practice or trying to study for a test. Luffy knew that, yet every time the he heard Ace's message machine answer the 11-year-old couldn't help but feel disappointed. He'd sluggishly walk back to his room and play pretend while he waited for Ace to call back.

Finally he did.

"ACE, ACE, I LEARNED STUFF TODAY ABOUT THE CLOUDS!" It was something new everyday but it always started the same. Luffy's shrill and high pitched voice, cheering "Ace, ace! I learned stuff today about the-!"

"Clouds, huh?" The younger raven was too obvious to realize just how tired his older brother sounded. Just how stressed about money, grades and his future Ace truly was. Yet Ace remained enthusiastic and sincere for his little brother's peace of mind; perhaps he'd make a great actor if his sports career failed.

"Okay, so, there are a bunch of different kinds da clouds! There are puffy clouds and rain clouds and the big cloud and the fat clouds and the thin clouds and the tiny clouds and the snow clouds!" Luffy listed them all on his fingers.

Ace chuckled on the other end. "I don't think those are the scientific names."

"These are clouds, not scientific, Ace!" he whined, "Are you even listening?"

Another chuckle, talking to his baby brother amused him greatly and always did bring a smile to his face. What he had in his heart for his baby brother and what he did for the younger was not out of pity nor duty and it was most certainly not acting. He cared because he truly believed Luffy was different. He didn't know what was wrong with him or why he behaved the way he did but one thing was for sure and that was that he'd never stop loving Luffy. Maybe it was selfish of him but that sparkle of amazement in the 11-year-old's eyes when they looked upon him - it made everything worth it. Everything.

"Of course I'm listening! Sorry, I'm just tired."

"Oh, okay." So trusting. "Why are you tired?" There's a question Ace wasn't ready for. When he tired to think of an excuse, he thought it best just to tell the truth. After all, his financial problems would effect his little brother. Ace would have to ask his parents to - no, not his parents.

Ace hated them more than anyone. The two had committed plenty of questionable deeds against him when he was growing up. Such as beatings and punishments that were simply too strict. Ace had always been ginger around them to avoid any trouble. He had gotten good grades and spent most his time at school or with friends. He had good looks, talents and was a fast learner. Luffy... Luffy on the other hand did not. His parents already resented and neglected the 11-year-old. That much was clear by how skinny he was and how ripped up and dirty his clothing always seemed. It would be too easy for Luffy to accidentally provoke them and he was scared what if - what if-

What if it got volient.

He couldn't think of it. The day he turned 18 he sue for custody. The battle was still on going and thus, Ace wasn't welcomed by his mother and father. He was a trader. He'd ask Grandpa for the money instead.

"It's mainly money." If he only had enough of it. The teen didn't want to be rich, Ace just wanted to be able to study comfortably. He wouldn't have to worry tuition or food or so many other things that came with college life - not to mention a lawyer. It was all piling up, he had too much on his plate. Just some extra cash would help so much. He wouldn't have to work on the weekends but instead he would be able to go pick Luffy up and go to the gym together so he could train and hang out with his baby brother. Now that he was thinking about it, it was probably a bad idea to bring Luffy while he trained. It wasn't as if he didn't trust his little brother or thought of him as dumb or unable. No, he considered the raven very trustworthy, he'd easily trust this 11-year-old child with his very life if he had too. Now, trusting Luffy while surrounded by 20 pound dumb bells and heavy machinery was a different story. It would be just asking for trouble.

Plus, the younger raven would distract him. Even if he did enjoy the distractions he couldn't risk it currently. He couldn't risk failing and going easy on training. He had to go all out. Sports were his future, the only thing he felt he was actually some what talented at. If he failed right now, that would be it.

That would be the end of his future. That thought sent a chill down his spine.

"Ace? You still there?"

"Yeah, I'm here. Uh - right, so money. I'm having a really hard time because there's just - just so much to do. If I just had some more cash I'm sure I could focus so much better on school," Ace sighed.

"Like I do?"

A snicker. "Luffy, you're in the 6th grade. Plus, you don't focus. You need to focus but you don't."

"I try."

"Keep trying."

"But it's hard," Luffy whined.

"Don't give up."

"You should take your own advice, Ace." And at that moment, Ace started laughing. Laughing because damn, this kid was special and this special kid - some how, in some amazing way, he had gotten this kid admire him. Then Luffy started laughing too. Laughing because Ace was laughing.

The two brothers really enjoyed it.

When they made each other laugh.

A city of gold. That would sure help Ace, wouldn't it? The younger brother wished with all his heart he could travel to a city of gold.

Only he couldn't.

There was no city of gold he knew of. Even if there was, he doubted his parents would allow him to go there. His parents were getting more bitter with him as well. To the point where they would let the child know to his face just how dissatisfied they were. With his day dreams, with his nonexistence social life, with his grades, with him. The 11-year-old had asked his mother about the city of gold and the wench yelled at him, saying he was being stupid.

Luffy didn't believe himself to be acting stupid but he was still sent to bed without dinner that night.

What if the city of goal was hidden and his mother just didn't know about it? Where would it be? Could it be... where no man to his knowledge had ever gone before? Could it be in the sky? Then, without him even knowing, he had slipped back in to his dream land harder than ever before.

"USOPP! ZORO! SANJI! NAMI!" A hiss from an annoyed orange cat as it was pushed off the a cabinet. "RING THE BELL!" The room was dark, it was the middle of the night. The only light came from Luffy's toy flash light that shined at his white walls full blast. He jumped in the center of the ray, having it cast in such a fashion that his shadow appeared on the wall.

"GO TO BED, DAMN IT, LUFFY!"