7.) Lost In The Moment

Sorry for the long wait. Been hectic. Just an FYI, this story will most likely get a rewrite after its finished.

—(xXx)—

Luffy threw up his arms, a huge smile on his face as he yelled, "YES!! I have a swordsman!!"

Zoro grunted at his volume before biting out his words. "Yea, yea, now get these ropes off!"

Ace snorted, a smirk on his face as he leaned his pipe against his shoulder, shifting his eyes back towards the marines, slightly paranoid about them acting, being mostly precautious. The marines where murmuring amongst themselves, wondering at this new development, and still in awe from Luffy being able to bounce the bullets back.

Morgan suddenly yelled at his men. "The brat isn't normal, he's probably eaten one of the Devil fruits."

The other marines started getting fidgety and nervous. Several started yelling amongst themselves. One looked back towards Zoro and Luffy, and Ace tensed as the marine yelled while pointing a finger at his older brother and new crewmate. "Sir! He's gonna untie Roronoa's ropes!"

Morgan snapped a response back. "Don't let them take them off!"

A second later the lackey marines where pulling out swords, yelling how if bullets didn't work they'd just use swords, and starting to run forward.

Ace tensed, any trace of a smirk of smile gone from his lips. He could take a swordsman... but this was a lot.

He readied his pipe and yelled behind him. "Luffy!"

Luffy stopped his muttering as he had been while being fixated on Zoro's ropes, and snapped his head to his little brother. His eyes widened a slight bit in time to see Ace block the swing of the marine at the head of the pack, Ace didn't falter or strain under the marine's swing but due to being smaller he was pushed back a step.

Another marine swung at his legs and Ace jumped over the blade, taking another step back as the two tried to converge on him, but Ace tried to hold his ground. Not wanting too many to pass.

In those few seconds Zoro had yelled at Luffy, telling him to quit joking around and hurry up since it looked like they were about to die.

As Luffy watched his baby brother try and hold his ground his eyes widened slightly and he rushed forward. Desperate to be of help to him, especially since he saw the other marines heading towards him, no sympathy for a child.

"Ace!"

A sword started swinging down towards Ace's head as he blocked two marines' swords, and Luffy knew that Ace wouldn't be able to dodge it without being impaled somewhere. A second later he shot his arms forward and wrapped them around Ace's body, getting a few cuts in the process, and pulled him away from the swarm of marines.

Ace collided into his chest and as the marines rushed forward, right behind the younger raven. Luffy's actions where instinctual as he curled his body around Ace as the marines descended towards them. Ace watched wide eyed and fearful at his brother and yelled when he noticed exactly what Luffy was doing. "Luffy!"

But as he braced himself he heard a clang, and didn't feel the pain he expected to. He glanced up and smiled wide as he saw none other than the previous tied up swordsman. He was using all three swords, one in each hand and one in his mouth, to hold all the other marine's swords back.

Luffy laughed out a cool. Ace shifted his eyes from the swordsman to his brother and lightly hit his brother on the shoulder with a fist. "Idiot."

Zoro glared at the marines. "Move and you die!"

The marines started shaking in their boots and Ace smirked.

Zoro shifted his eyes to the two raven haired boys and glanced over them, Luffy slowly uncurled from over Ace and stood letting Ace sit on the ground where he had been. The two briefly noticed Coby had woken up and Ace figured that was how Zoro must have gotten out.

After assuring they were fine Zoro spoke, addressing them. "I said I'd be a pirate with you, but I have goals of my own. Get in the way of them and I'll cut you open as your apology!"

Ace smirked, Zoro's determination reminding him of someone else. Luffy tilted his head and smiled. "Ok! But.. what is your dream?"

Zoro seemed to smirk behind the sword in his mouth. "I'm going to be the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

Luffy laughed and Ace smirked as he rolled his eyes. "AWESOME!! As a future member of the new pirate King's crew I'd be embarrassed if you'd become anything less!"

Zoro grunted, an adrenaline fueled smile on his face.

Morgan suddenly snapped, impatient. "What the hell are you guys doing!! Hurry up and kill them!"

Ace stood, a sudden frown on his face, as he was ready to fight again, no doubt the marines would start acting up again now that Morgan had snapped at them. He readied his pipe in his hand and was about to start attacking when he saw Luffy lift his leg out of the corner of his eye and yelled. "ZORO! DUCK!"

Zoro's eyes widened for a split second before he obeyed, Ace doing the same. "Gomu-Gomu Sweeper!!" Luffy's leg stretched and nailed the marines in their stomachs, sweeping them backwards to land around Morgan.

Luffy laughed as his leg retracted. Ace heard Coby let out a sound of awe, and he snorted, remembering all the times when Luffy's powers only produced funny screw ups... like punching himself in the face...he'd never let Luffy live that one down.

Zoro stood and watched Luffy as the straw hat-wearing teen smirked and set his foot on the ground. "What is he?"

Ace shrugged and answered for Luffy. "He ate a devil fruit. He's a rubber man."

The marines started picking themselves off the ground and one must have overheard because he started yelling in a slight panic to Morgan. "Lieutenant! We can't defeat them! They're too strong!"

"Yea, and we definitely can't take on Zoro!" More words of fear and doubt they they'd die or worse if they tried to face them again rose up and at each comment Morgan's face got darker until he yelled back at them. Snapping.

"This is an order! Whoever spoke just now is to execute themselves! I don't need useless soldiers! It's an order!" The marines shook in fear and some started to cry as they pulled out their guns and aimed them to their heads.

Seeing this Zoro, Luffy, and Ace growled and started running towards them.

Luffy ran towards Morgan and grabbed his hand, a blank mask over his face. "I'm the marines' worst enemy! If you have the guts to execute me go ahead!"

Zoro stopped where he was seeing the other marines slowly put down their guns as they watched Luffy confront Morgan. Ace hadn't stopped though and instead went towards the marines who had just had guns at their heads.

He started weaving through the group using his pipe to nock the guns out of their hands, ignoring their exclamations of surprise, and snatching them up as he passed them.

As he knocked the last gun from the group of marines hands the ones watching him, most of the marines angry and scadoulized their gun was taken, lost sight of him.

Next thing Zoro knew the kid appeared at his side, the safety flipped on on each of the guns, as each hung off his pipe. The smaller raven smirked as he tilted his pipe and let them fall in a pile at his feet. "Let's see you guys try to attack us with these now." The marines froze and some growled at his words.

Zoro glanced at the boy through the corner of his eye and smirked slightly. Understanding the hidden reason of why he stole the marines guns.

He readied his sword as Luffy started attacking Morgan, shifting his attention from the youngest raven to the older.

Behind them Coby took a deep breath and suddenly yelled. "Luffy defeat these marines!!! Please!!"

Morgan growled, throwing off his coat as Luffy fell into a battle stance. "People with no status have no right to oppose me!" He growled his metal jaw creaking as he grinded it against his teeth, "I'LL CRUSH YOU! My name is Axe-Hand Morgan! No one defies me!"

Luffy had a bland look on his face as he only deemed Morgan with the reply of, "My name is Luffy. Nice to meet you."

Morgan growled out "Go to hell!" and swung at Luffy, causing the raven to jump over the swing a second later the fence across from Morgan split down the middle, and Coby screamed.

Ace straightened a tad bit as Zoro shifted his feet, both watching the fight with various degrees of seriousness. While in the air Luffy extended his feet, landing both of his sandals soles into Morgan's face, Luffy landed on his feet as Morgan blew back from the force.

The marines watching suddenly yelled out exclamations of surprise at Morgan. "Captain Morgan! He-"

They started murmuring to themselves, making Morgan growl as he got up. "You bastard!"

Morgan yelled as they both shot forward Morgan raising his ax hand above his head for another swing and Luffy running forward for another punch.

The ground almost vibrated with the force that Morgan landed his ax hand on, but Luffy ignored it as he jumped up a feral smile on his face as he swung his leg around. He chuckled out a rebuttal. "I'm not dead yet!" And nailed the marine captain in the face with his foot a second time.

Coby felt speechless as he watched. "He's.. too strong.."

Ace smirked widely and propped his pipe against his shoulder. Content to watch the fight play out, similarly Zoro kept his swords unsheathed but at the ready to defend if the marines tried to come at them again. He had no doubt that with Ace he'd be able to take all of them out together if they all decided to attack as one again.

The marines were gobsmacked at the fight between Luffy and Morgan, and could no thing but gape. "Lieutenant Morgan,... is only being kicked around… he can't do anything against him…"

While Morgan was on the ground Luffy grabbed ahold of his shirt and punched him, pulling his hand back again he growled. "Some Marine you are! You destroyed Coby's dream!"

He punched him and reeled back his fist again as a voice behind the Pirates yelled out. "Wait!!"

Luffy paused for a split second before throwing his already pulled back Punch, a slight frown on his face as he glanced backwards.

Ace and Zoro turned at the shout and found themselves practically growling in annoyance.

"You moron! I told said wait!" Hellmeppo yelled as his legs shook, a gun pointed at Coby's head. "If you want this one to live no body moves!!"

Coby started stuttering his attention full on Luffy as he yelled. "L-Luffy I don't want to be a burden to you! I'm not afraid of dying!"

Luffy smiled. "I know." Luffy glanced to the side as Ace once again used his slightly faster speed than normal to seemingly disappear to the marines. In reality he was only moving faster than a normal kid his age and seemed to disappear when he did so, though both Luffy and Zoro could track him with their eyes. Unaware that the other marines couldn't see the kid.

Ace ran behind Hellmeppo as Luffy spoke, not moving from his spot. "Stupid blondie! Coby's not afraid to die!"

Luffy smiled wider as Coby sudden yelled in horror seeing Morgan rise behind his again preparing another swing towards Luffy. "Luffy LOOK OUT!!"

Morgan growled darkly. "I am the greatest Marine Lieutenant!"

Zoro gained a darker look on his face as he put his sword in his mouth and Luffy pulled back his arm again aiming for a punch at Hellmeppo. "Gomu Gomu no-"

"Daddy Hurry!!!!!" Hellmeppo yelled as suddenly he was hit in the side with something hard and thrown away from Coby. Coby looked up to see Ace had forced himself between the two, avoiding the consequential gunshot as he hit the blonde by shoving himself and Coby to the ground.

Hellmeppo yelled at the pain Ace's pipe caused in his side but didn't have long to complain as Luffy threw his punch. "-Pistol!"

Luffy's fist extended and nailed the blonde in the face, sending him flying. Luffy chuckled and acted unaware of Morgan's ax coming down at his head behind him.

But a second later Morgan fell back, Blood coming from his mouth as Zoro stood between him and Luffy, his swords in a finishing position at his side's. Luffy chuckled again. "Zoro."

Zoro snorted, amused. "Captain."

Ace smiled slightly as he glanced over at them, yea Zoro would fit in perfectly with them.