"Look at the facts, though."

"I am. I just don't believe the four of us make a large enough sample population."

"Law, the four of us have comparatively larger shoulders and deeper chest cavities than what would be expected. You're the one who pointed this out. You can't tell me you don't think it has to do with being a winged D." Sabo pressed.

"I'm not saying it doesn't, I'm just saying that four doesn't make a good sample size. And what of non winged D? That is data we would need as well to be able to back the claim that our physiology is such that we are designed to fly."

Ace joined in the debate, flipping through the week-old paper Stumpy had brought. "Well, I'm not sure about that, but we can all agree that we are both stronger than normal people and able to leap further, right? That has to count for something." The bird warked its agreement, nestled in Luffy's lap. Once in a while the crippled news coo flew to the island, bringing damaged, old papers, and for some reason beli. Corazon had been happy to accept the papers- all days old and obviously thrown away by people- but the beli was confusing. The bird had taken to leaving the small amount in Cora-san's hat and had bit the man when he had tried to put it in the collection cup.

Luffy thought the bird was forming a pirate treasure. Since someone had modified the coo's standard hat with with a jolly roger, it was possible, Ace supposed. But the bird never seemed to mind when Cora-san borrowed money from the stash. So long as there was fresh fruit and those small crabs Stumpy liked the next time the bird visited, he seemed to not even notice. It was just strange. But maybe the bird was getting old. Who knew how long a news coo worked for, anyway. "What do you think, Stumpy?"

"Wark!"

"See, he thinks it means we can fly too. Just got to get off the ground." Ace grinned.

"Oh no. I know that look. What are you planning?" Sabo half laughed.

"Well- if Luffy can use that one attack, the bazooka one, to get me into the air, that should work, right?"

The look Law fixed him with could have peeled paint, "And why are you volunteering?"

"Because if we screw up and he hits me too hard, I can just let it pass through me instead of breaking all my ribs. Because that would be a lot of fun to explain to Cora-san."

"I'm amazed you thought this through." Law smirked, "Very well. I will hold Stumpy while you two idiots try."

He'd show Law. This was definitely going to work. Bouncing to his feet, Ace made sure to have his wings out and stand well clear of the others. "Ok, Luffy. Hit me with your best shot."

"Are you sure, Ace?"

"Just do it-" He didn't have time to finish before he was flying forwards, thanks to a hit below the wings. Ace realized he might have miscalculated a bit only seconds before he slammed into a tree face first. It didn't hurt, but looking up he noticed the reason for that was that the tree, which had stood tall and strong, was now a burned out husk.

"Well, that worked brilliantly." Sabo grinned, trotting over.

"Yes, Cora-san will never notice the burned out tree. Wonderful thinking, Ace."

Coloring, because Law was right, damn it all, he turned to his other brothers. "Luffy, I bet you tonight's meat you can't slingshot Law into the sky..."

"You're on!"

"What?! No. No, don't!" Law yelped as Sabo scooped Stumpy from his arms just as Luffy grabbed him and took off at a mad dash. Ace waved farewell to his retreating form.

"You know he's probably going to crash." Sabo commented, grinning.

"Yeah... But Lu was heading for the beach so he should be fine. Besides, he's the only one who can swim out of the three of us, anyway."

Stumpy fluffed up and Sabo let go of the bird, watching as the news coo landed awkwardly on a tree branch before letting out a saddish sounding trill and taking flight. "Show off!" Sabo called out, "See you next time, Stumpy! Safe flight!"

Leaving his boys was always stressful for Corazon. Now that the four of them had become brothers, according to Luffy, he was under no illusions that it was going to be smooth sailing. Ace and Law still bickered daily, neither willing to give any ground to the other while Sabo subtly egged them on. The little bastard. Luffy just had a knack for pissing everyone off at some point, but admittedly it was hard to stay mad at him for long. It was worrying to think about what state the island would be in when he got back, though. Would war have been declared? The hut burned down? He doubted they'd kill each other but bodily harm was possible…

Admittedly he was a little distracted by thoughts of his tiny island home up in flames with literal lines drawn in the sand, his wards flinging rocks at each other for their new territories, that he didn't notice anything odd at first. It wasn't until the woman selling flour added a small bag of sugar to his order and didn't charge him that he began to suspect something was up. Sugar was often times hard to come by in its raw form, and just a little bit would go a long way with four boys no longer used to sweets. Mixed with water, he could even create a syrup to preserve things. The thing was, he couldn't afford it, not with their drastically limited funds.

::I didn't order this.:: He wrote on a note and passed to her.

She winked at him, "Oh, that's fine, deary. It's on the house."

Corazon knew better to press his luck, especially when it was something that could only benefit the boys in his care. Besides, it would insult her if he refused. So he took the sugar. Except then he started to notice the people whispering behind his back, the women giggling as he went by. It was very uncomfortable. What made it worse was the fact he couldn't tell what they were saying. He only knew that it was about him thanks to liberal use of haki and the feeling of being watched.

Things got even odder when he went to the used clothes dealer. Normally on his monthly stop he purchased four tops and eight bottoms, as well as the necessary undergarments for the boys and if he had the money, the cheapest outfit that would fit his much larger frame. The man running the place was a skinflint, meaning Corazon had to fight to save every fraction of a beli he could. Boys, he discovered, were not cheap to keep clothed. Even after learning how to sew, he spent almost as much money here as he did on food. So he was quite shocked when the usually crotchety old man sold him everything he needed for a quarter of the price. He hadn't even needed to haggle!

Now he was sure something was up, especially when the clothes monger told him to stop by the butcher for some dried meat. Since when did the butcher have dried meat on this island? Glancing around casually as he rearranged his purchases, Corazon spotted someone trying to subtly duck into a little side street. He narrowed his eyes, biting down hard on his cigarette as he perilously strode towards where the man had disappeared. He had a sneaking feeling he knew what was going on. When he rounded the corner of an old building and nearly had a man turn smack into his chest, he was sure of it.

"Oh, hi there. Corazon, right?" The redhead laughed awkwardly. Corazon just glowered down at him, recognizing the fourth division commander of the Whitebeard pirates easily. The man caved easily under his stare. "I, uh, wasn't following you or anything if that's what you're thinking. Honest. I just happened to be going the same way- and then I saw this-cat!- yeah, a cat- down this street and it looked hurt so I-"

Corazon quickly cast silence over the area, shoving the smaller man further into the empty street. "You're a horrible liar." He informed the other. And he should know; he lived with Luffy.

"I'm not lying..." The man pouted before giving up. "Fine. Just don't tell Marco. Or Izo." A wide grin and a hand was thrust at his chest, "I'm Thatch!"

"Yeah, fourth division commander of the Whitebeard pirates. I know." He puffed out some smoke and glared at the man, "Why are you following me?"

Another pout, "I just wanted to see how the plan was working."

"This got anything to do with the weird shit going on?"

"Do you like it? I'd like to say it was my idea, but really it was a group effort." Thatch beamed at him. "Tell me. You do, right?"

He assumed the plan had to do with him getting things at a discount, but... "It's creepy, to be honest."

"What, why?"

"The women are gigging at me. I'm not used to that." He looked away, coloring slightly. "Or people being nice. I'm a pirate and a marine. It's wrong." He grumbled.

"Aw, don't be like that. None of the civilians know about that... We wanted them to like you." He muttered.

"What did you say to these people?"

"The truth!" Thatch held up his hands when Corazon made to punch him. "That you were an ex sailor and had found orphaned child- you guys were living on an island a day or so out and under our protection. That's it. I swear."

Corazon narrowed his eyes. Something about the story didn't sit quite right. "Someone followed me?"

"Only till you got out to those reef islands. When we didn't find any ships moored we figured your story had to be true."

That was a lie. He could see it in Thatch's open face- way too honest for a pirate. Someone had found his island and had seen one of the boys. His heart did a weird lurch but he kept the straight face. "Why would that suddenly make everyone nice?"

"Because the ladies think it's romantic! A man, giving up his career for his brats, the stuff women fantasize about. Don't ask me why. And of course, the men around here figure it's gotta be tough without a lady, but of course you won't subject a fair maiden to life on a deserted island. So they're trying to help out, too. The warning we're watching your back didn't hurt, either."

He knew he should refuse the help. Corazon couldn't really trust the Whitebeard pirates, and he didn't like that they had spied on him- seen one of the boys. God he hoped it was only one. But... With four mouths to feed plus his own well being to consider, he couldn't. Even if his pride as a man rebelled against it. The boys needed every scrap of help he could garnish if they were going to live to their majority and make it off the little island sanctuary safely. Reluctantly he nodded at Thatch. "Fine. I'll accept your help. But if I catch any of you around my island..." He let the threat hang empty in the air. He could do nothing, and they both knew it.

Still, the other nodded with a serious expression, pretending, at least, to be cowed. Corazon was thankful for that at least as he turned and walked back out into the crowd. If the shopkeepers were going to be helpful, he was going to pick up some cheese as well.

"This group of muscles here is really important. Even Luffy's tend to get really sore and tense. Feel that?" Sabo asked, fingers working into the flesh under the wing joint.

"Unnn- yeah."

"I thought you would. You're very tense. You should have let one of us do this for you ages ago, Law."

"You were unavailable, and Cora-san was helping Luffy."

"Ace is just as good at this, you know." Sabo pointed out, digging his fingers into a particularly thick knot, "Actually, he's the best."

Law absorbed that information for a moment before letting out a huff, "But I don't want to go to him for help. He'd never let me forget it."

The blond chuckled in agreement, switching to slower circles now that the worst of the knots were gone and just focusing on soothing instead. "You two can't seem to get along for more than five minutes. He's pissed off at you again, by the way."

"I expected as much." Came the smug reply.

"Oh? What did you do?"

"Simply told him that he'd never be able to master his devil fruit to the point of just having his wings on fire." He let out a half moan in pleasure at what his brother was doing, "Even if he did- it'd never make a useful attack."

"So… you lied."

"If you want to be crude about it, yes." He turned his head to catch Sabo's eyes, "It's excellent motivation, don't you think? Now he's determined to prove me wrong."

Sabo laughed again, "If he catches on, you know he's going to try to kill you."

"Only if he thanks me first." He shifted, not uncomfortable but feeling really good. Every touch to the wing joints just made the feeling grow. Suspecting what was going on, he glanced down in his lap, blinking bemusedly. "Well, that was unexpected."

"What was?" Sabo asked, resting his head on Law's shoulder to see what the older teen was talking about. "...Oh. That's a first."

Law smirked, "So you didn't start this with the intent to get me aroused?"

"WHA-! No! I was trying to he-!"

"Relax, Sabo. I have heard massages can have this effect… I do have to admit it is quite interesting." He stood, "I suggest we don't tell Cora-san, hmmm?"

"I don't have a problem with that. Where are you going?"

"To take care of this little… problem. Why, would you like to come?" Law's chuckle was anything but mocking when Sabo colored and looked away shyly. He hadn't really expected the other to finish what he'd started.

Marco was enjoying a nice drink on Tartoga. Ever since Namur had suggested the Whitebeard pirates make their presence better felt in this area, the division commanders had taken turns staying in Tartoga with a small group of their division each month. It was something of a mini-vacation really, as they had had very little issues with marines or other pirate crews. So far, Marco himself had been here twice before, and each time he'd been bored out of his mind. His brothers seemed to be enjoying themselves, though, so it wasn't all bad. Still, he'd rather be on Moby Dick with Oyaji.

So there he was, drinking alone in the slightly rundown bar on Tartoga. In another two weeks Corazon would be making his regular supply run and then a few days after that Marco's relief would come. Not that he was counting down the days or anything. He was a pirate, though, born and bred for the sea and the freedom she gave. Staying on land too long made him antsy. In that, he admired Corazon's dedication to those brats. It had to be tough staying land-locked for years, let alone on such a small scrap of land. Some, he was sure, would call it pennance. Marco knew better. It was redemption.

He'd just started on his fifth drink when the door to the bar banged open. Turning in surprise as most of the villagers were pretty quiet by nature and temperament, he was shocked to see Corazon standing there. The man didn't even glance at him as he crossed to the bar in a few steps with those ridiculously long legs of his and sat a stool away. Marco kept staring. Corazon was early and not only that but it looked like either he had started to wear that ridiculous makeup again or had one hell of a black eye.

"Vodka, and leave the bottle." The tall blond practically growled out. If the barkeep was caught off guard by the generally mute man speaking he hid it well, bringing over two bottles before topping off Marco's drink and making himself scarce. Marco couldn't blame the man; Corazon seemed pissed as he downed a third of the first bottle like it was water. Wisely the first division commander said nothing, just kept silent watch. He doubted the man had done anything to the brats, so he was willing to keep him company and offer an ear if needed.

A bottle of vodka later, Corazon rested his head on the cool counter. "I shouldn't have just left like that. What if they think I abandoned them?"

Cautiously Marco reached out to pat the obviously drunk man on the back. "This have anything to do with your black eye?" He got a groan as a reply and assumed it was a yes. "Got into a fight with your ward?"

"No."

"I knew you were clumsy but-"

"Fuck off, Marco. I was breaking up a fight." Corazon glared at him. "The orange and yellow were going at it- again."

"I think you've had a bit too much to drink."

"Don't give me that shit. I know that you know I've got more than one brat on the isle with me. I'm not stupid!" He glared a moment, and Marco reluctantly nodded. "So's, they were at it again. This time over wingspan, of all things. One stupid remark from the blue one and the two of them are at each other's throats like they wanna kill the other. Couldn't just stand back to back? Noooo. That's too simple."

He took a swig of his drink, a frown on his face. "'Course I got involved. Wasn't playing favorites. Wings flying, fists flying. Someone was gonna get hurt. So I pull them apart. Damn if the orange one didn't clock me in the eye. Shit does have a larger wingspan." He let out a half laugh, "And that started a whole new fight. Me getting hurt. Couldn't take it. It's been constant for the last few months. If those two aren't going at it then the red one is being reckless or the blue one is picking on someone. They're driving me insane."

"Sounds to me like it's time for you all to leave that little island."

"No shit?" Corazon ran a hand through his hair. "The problem is where do we go? Don't you dare say your crew, either. I didn't spend all this time raising these boys to be free to take that choice from them."

Marco shut his mouth. He had been about to suggest exactly that. The other man was right, however. The young Ds should have a choice in which crew they joined, if any. It shouldn't be Corazon's place to decide, even if letting them 'fly free', as it were, was risky. He could respect that. So instead he thought for a few moments while the other continued to drink. "Have you thought... about taking them to Sabaody?"

At the other's outrage he held up a hand. "Hear me out. It's neutral ground, for the most part. Lots of different crews gather there to broker deals and to pick up new members. If your boys are looking to join up it would be a good place to look. Plus, Rayleigh lives there now, and I'm more than sure that old sea dog would be willing to set you all up with a ship if needed."

Corazon seemed to think on that. "It could work... But I'm not sure how to get there from here."

"Come back when you usually would and I'll have a vivre card for you."

"That... could work. We'd need supplies for the trip. God, the four of them on my little boat till we get there... I might have to drown one. I will silence the lot of them." He laughed. "I hate kids, you know."

"I can tell." Marco smiled back, holding up his glass, "To shitty brats."

Shanks was very uncomfortable in the stupid pink frilly dress Benn had found for him to wear to Sabaody. It bunched and gathered in all the wrong places, there was a draft where any self-respecting man did not want a draft and pink was a horrible color on him. He was a redhead! Redheads did better with greens and browns, occasionally oranges. Not pink. Still, no one looked twice at the hideous woman he made so he supposed his first mate was correct in his choice of attire for going undercover. Though, if they botched the raid on that marine base in the New World and didn't get that devil fruit he was going to be pissed. Even if it was only a distraction. A man had his honor, after all.

Walking into Rip Off, he let out a sigh of relief, instantly wiping off the makeup that he had inexpertly applied even as Shakky called out a greeting. "Hello there, Ma'am. What can I do you fo- Shanks? Dear lord, is that you under that?"

"Don't you dare laugh-" It was too late of course; she was holding onto the counter, tears in her eyes as he pouted at her. Sullenly he made his way over, opening his stupid little frilly bag and pulling out his pants and shirt. They were wrinkled as hell but they were real clothes. "It's not that funny."

"Oh, it's hilarious! Let's get a good look at you- wait till Rayleigh see's this! What are you doing, Shanks? Don't take it off."

He sniffed indignantly, "Of course I'm going to take it off. It chafes. And I look stupid. But it got me past those damn marines."

"I was wondering." Shakky smiled, much calmer now that he was out of the dress and pulling on his top. She handed him his hat with a fond smile, "Thought you were out trashing a base, brat."

"Nah, the boys are just running a distraction while I visit. It's been a while and I didn't want the old coot to forget about me."

A gruff voice laughed from the rickety stairs leading to the second level, "How could I forget about you, you little scamp?"

Shanks's face lit up, "Rayleigh! How have you been?"

"Not too bad, not too bad. I've heard you're causing quite a bit of trouble though, Yonko Akagami Shanks."

The smile Shanks gave him was absolutely shark-like, "Well, I am a pirate. You can't expect me to just take it easy on those who've wronged me."

Rayleigh nodded, his expression somber. Nothing else needed to be said. Shanks had told the man years ago about his funny little Anchor on his way back into the New World after visiting the East Blue, and again later after the boy's death. The Dark King well understood what drove Shanks, and while he didn't necessarily approve, he could relate. He had felt much the same when the marines had killed all the women and unborn children who could possibly have had ties to Roger. Worse still was hearing Rouge had died in childbirth, the babe stillborn. He blamed the marines for causing it, keeping it from the rest of the crew so they wouldn't throw their lives away in revenge. "Come, boy. Have a seat. Tell me about this so-called distraction."

"Only you, Shakky, and Newgate call me 'boy' anymore." Shanks grinned at him, sitting. "Show some respect."

"When you've earned it, boy." Shakky teased, placing a mug full of his favorite rum in front of the younger pirate. "Now tell."

"Not much to tell. Heard they had a devil fruit – Opi Opi no Mi – and decided that they shouldn't. Benn and I agreed it was the perfect opportunity for me to sneak away for a visit, too. You know how the marines are. I so much as sneeze and they're all over us like flies on shit. I know my crew can handle this without me, but the marines? No way they'll expect me to be somewhere else."

"Good point." Rayleigh acknowledged, taking a sip of his own drink. "Killing two birds with one stone."

"Yep."

"And I must say, that dress looked… stunning on you."

Shanks sputtered, spilling some of his drink, "RAYLEIGH!"

Sabo rested a hand on Luffy's shoulder, preventing his youngest brother from running off and getting into trouble as the four of them wandered through the crowds of Sabaody. He wished he had the foresight to grab a hold of Ace, too, but it was a bit late for that. Now they were most definitely being followed, and the second eldest looked like he was just seconds away from flipping out and trying to burn everyone around them that wasn't a part of their little family. Cora-san would NOT be amused in the slightest.

"Keep your temper, ya. We're supposed to be keeping a low profile."

"We're being followed!" Ace hissed back, shoulders hunching in an obvious attempt to keep his wings in. Sabo's grip tightened on the modified pole he was carrying. It looked like he was going to be testing it sooner rather than later.

Luffy twisted in his grasp, trying to look around, "We're being followed? COOL!"

"Not cool!" Ace growled, "I bet it's those Whitebeard assholes. We should take them out, then go after the rest of their crew as soon as we get a ship."

"Don't be stupid."

"How is that stupid, Sabo? It'd teach people not to mess with us."

Law snorted, "I have to agree with him. Our real goal needs to be to take out the actual threat. Doflamingo. Or has your power finally roasted that pathetic excuse for a brain?"

Sabo sighed, coming to a stop as both of them turned to face each other. This fight had been brewing since they'd left the island, but with Cora-san silencing them the worst they'd been able to do was make increasingly rude gestures at each other. He supposed he should be thankful that both seemed to remember enough to keep their wings in. Luffy was easily agitated, and when one of his beloved older brothers started to mantle his always appeared in response. While cute, right now it was potentially a fatal threat.

"Excuse me? You want to go after Doflamingo?! Are you NUTS?!"

"I'm not a coward, ya!"

"Who are you calling a coward?"

"YOU!" The shoving started, "Did he scare you so bad the mere thought of facing him again frightens you so, brother?"

Ace gripped Law's shirt tightly and glaring at him, "Are you forgetting something? Like, oh, LUFFY?! He's nowhere near strong enough to face that monster again! Not yet!"

Law blinked, anger draining out of his face as he looked over to their youngest brother who was watching the fight attentively as usual. Sabo was a bit relieved to see the color drain out of his face. He didn't think that Law had actually thought his plan of vengeance through all the way. No… none of them had put much thought into what would happen after...

"I'm strong enough! I'm gonna be an awesome pirate!"

"NO!" All three chorused.

Sabo sighed, running his hand through Luffy's hair, "We know you're going to be an amazing pirate one day, Luffy. But that man… there's no way you're strong enough to face him right now." He met Law and Ace's eyes, "None of us are, really. It'll take time to get stronger."

"Which is why we should start with Whitebeard!"

"Oh, great, start with the strongest man in the world. Brilliant, Ace."

Before the two of them could start up again, Sabo spoke up, "I think… I think we might have to split up." He made a sour face, the words bitter tasting on his tongue even as the others stared at him in shock. "We don't all really want the same things, even if the thought of being apart hurts."

"That's not true, ya. We all want the others to be safe."

"Beyond that, Law." Sabo said, rolling his eyes. "The way we want to go about it. It's different. You want to go after the immediate threat. Right now. Ace wants to go after the biggest person on the sea and get them to back off - which will make others think twice about messing with us, right?"

"Well, duh. I thought that was obvious." Law snorted, obviously questioning if Ace had thought it through that much.

"Luffy wants to show everyone he's too strong to mess with." The teen practically bounced in his arms, nodding enthusiastically. "And I want to find out why things are like this, and how to stop it."

Ace frowned, crossing his arms, "...Are you suggesting we can't do all of this?"

He shook his head, "No, I'm saying we can… just, that it would be easier to split up. At least for a while." He offered a bitter smile, "You guys are my everything. It's the last thing I wanna do, but if we sail together, we're just going to keep fighting over every little decision. What if we end up hating each other?"

"We never could, ya." Law slung an arm around Ace, walking over to them, "But, you may have a point. Divide and conquer. If we attack our problems from different angles, it might be easier and faster to take care of them."

"I still don't like it. The idea of us on our own, alone… It's too much like before, you know?" Ace frowned before nodding to himself, "Vivre cards. For all of us. And keeping in touch. I don't give a shit if you guys need a hand killing a seaking, you need help, you send word. Got it?"

"You are more likely to need help then I." Law chuckled, "But yes. And it won't be forever."

"Or for long, right?" Luffy chirped, tugging at the hem of his shirt, "I - I don't like being alone."

Sabo sighed, "In no time you'll have a crew of your own, Lu. You'll hardly miss us."

"Liar." Luffy pouted, and Sabo winced.

Ace crouched down, "Alright then, how about we meet back here? In… two years? That way you can show us your crew. And if Law here needs help with killing that man, maybe then we can all help?"

"I hardly will need help. But yes. I like that plan." Law agreed before falling silent. All four of them were obviously thinking about what was to come, and what could have been. It wasn't going to be an easy path, and it wasn't going to be pleasant at all times, but it was for the best. Finally Law let out a huff, either annoyed with the dark turn his thoughts had taken or with the fact they were still being watched from a discrete distance. "So, we were going to test your glider today, ya?"

"Cora-san said not to…" Luffy pointed out.

All three of the older boys rolled their eyes. "Yeah, but I'm going to need some serious height to start from."

"I see. Luffy?" The teen looked at him, "Find the tallest tree you can, and climb it."

"Really?"

"Really. I'll give you this dried squid if you do- and there he goes."

"Cora-san is going to be pissed." Ace commented.

"He never gets that mad at Luffy, ya. Hurry up before we lose him!"

The old, retired pirate laughed at Shanks' tale, remembering vividly the days when he used to be the one taunting rookie pirates who challenged him. He was not paying much mind when Shakky turned her attention to the front door, greeting a customer. The slight twitch of her hand towards the shotgun she kept below the bar did cause him to pause. Shanks fell silent as well, having picked up on her slight unease at the new customer, though neither let on, maintaining relaxed postures at the bar even as the steady tread of footfalls approached.

"Are you Silvers Rayleigh?" The person asked from right behind him.

He twirled his drink. "Depends on who wants to know." He replied, turning in his chair to see the stranger as he didn't recognize the voice. The moment he saw the incredibly tall blond man that towered over him, his first thought was Doflamingo, but he dismissed that almost immediately. The man was too – soft, in a way, to be that psychopath. Given the resemblance, he had a good idea on who it was. Unfortunately he didn't get to voice it as Shanks chose that moment to turn around.

"YOU!" The Yonko hissed, lunging for Rosinante with murder in his eyes. The taller man danced out of range with a grace that wasn't suggested in the stories Rayleigh had heard about him. "Hold still and fight like a man!"

"I don't want to fight you!" The man shouted back, drawing his gun despite his words and leveling it right at Shanks' head. It did have the desired effect of stopping the angry pirate. "I'm Corazon- Rosinante, NOT Doflamingo."

"I know that!" Shanks growled, "Your brother took someone very precious to me!"

"Doflamingo may be my brother, but trust me when I say I want the bastard dead as badly as you do."

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because my brother would gladly kill me if he caught me. I've been hiding from him for years. From him and the marines." Rosinante put the safety back on his gun and holstered it before looking at Rayleigh, "I'm here because I was told you might be able to help me, Silvers."

"Oh? How so?"

"I need a ship – small enough for five to comfortably sail it but big enough for… no one to accidently fall overboard during a spar." He explained, piquing the Dark King's interest.

"Sparing? You expect a lot of that?" He had a feeling 'spar' wasn't the word he was originally going to use.

Rosinante dropped heavily onto one of the bar stools with the air of one half-defeated, causing it to creak, "I've got four teenaged boys with me. All they do is 'spar'."

That, Rayleigh understood all too well. Sounded just like Buggy and Shanks as boys. He chuckled, slapping the man on the back. "Brats. What can you do? Sure, I might be able to help. For a price, of course." The man's face fell further, and Rayleigh realized why he hadn't heard about the man for quite some time.

"Where the hell did you pick up four brats?" Shanks shot out, giving the man a dark, untrusting look.

"Stole them away from my brother. Well, one of them. Other three just sort of showed up." Rosinante shrugged helplessly, "I couldn't let him—they're just kids, dammit. So I hid them. Real pain in the ass that was, let me tell you. Thought we were all going to starve to death more than once."

Shanks seemed to think on that, staring pensively into his drink. Rayleigh let him, having a good idea what the man was thinking. He wasn't disappointed. "Well, if you need money for a ship, I can help. Especially if it'll piss off that rotten brother of yours."

Something tickled at Rayleigh's haki. The man looked up, noticing Shanks do the same even as Rosinante groaned and hid his face in his hands. "I told them to be subtle." On the tail end of his words there were four thuds outside followed by laughter. Rayleigh wasn't the only one who turned to look at the door to see what the excitement was about.

A lanky teen practically fell into the bar, catching himself at the last minute with a dark glare over his shoulder even as he grinned. "Watch it, ya."

"Then move, you overgrown buzzard." A light laughing voice answered, "You're blocking the – OPH- door. Heavy…"

"Ace pushed me! And I'm not heavy! You weigh lots more, Sabo!"

The lanky, dark haired teen moved finally, revealing a shorter blond one holding an odd looking staff with a wide grin on his face and two arms wrapped around his neck. "Oh, lots, huh? See if I share my food with you again, little brother." He teased as he half carried, half dragged his burden into the building, shooting the bemused adults a cocky smile.

"Oy, don't threaten that. You know he's just going to beg from us then." Another voice griped, the owner walking in with crossed arms and a false pout on his freckled face. As he came further into the bar Rayleigh felt his chest clench. The brat was almost the spitting image of Roger. "Hey, Cora-san. Guess what? Sabo's glider idea worked!"

"No thanks to you, Ace-ya."

"Jump off a cliff, Law. It's not like you were a big help." Ace snapped back.

"What was that, flame-brain?" Law snarled.

Sabo stepped in between the two of them, his other brother still hanging from his back, "Actually, you both were useless. Luffy was more help … Get off before you strangle me."

"Okay!" The teen that dropped from his back was smaller than the rest by at least a head. Hearing Shanks's sharp intake, Rayleigh looked closely, seeing nothing too odd about the thin, happy-looking youth with messy hair and dark eyes.

Rosinante sighed heavily, turning in his seat. "Ace, Law, knock it off or I swear I'll silence the two of you again. And Sabo, quit egging them on, or you'll be joining them." All three looked mildly contrite as the littlest laughed at them. "I thought I told you four to stay out of sight and no climbing the trees!"

"We weren't in them long..."

"That makes it worse!" The man snapped. "Who started it?"

Three hands pointed to the youngest who, with a wide grin on his face, proclaimed, "Law told me to."

"You are a moron."

"And you are all in trouble. You know better than that, Law." Rosinante let out another sigh, eyeing them like one would look at feral animals before looking at Rayleigh. "My boys: Law, Ace, Sabo and Luffy."

"They seem like a handful." Rayleigh commented, not taking his eyes off the four who had just seemed to notice they weren't alone. Ace was attempting to herd Luffy behind his back with a dark look sent their way, while the boy was having none of it. Sabo was looking at them with guarded curiosity and Law was leveling a glare that promised pain.

"You have no idea."

"Got that right! We're more than enough to take out an old man like you!"

"Ace!" Rosinante snapped.

"What?! I ain't going back – we're free, dammit! I'd die first, Cora-san!" He threatened, leaving no doubt in Rayleigh's mind that these four had been through hell.

"Silvers-san is a friend. He's going to help us." Rosinante explained like he was talking to very small children. "He and Shanks-san are going to help get us a big ship—"

"About that, Cora-san—" Law began only to be cut off himself by the youngest.

"Shanks?! SHANKS is here?! Ace, Sabo! It's Shanks!" In a whorl of red and giggles the youngest threw himself at the yonko before anyone could react. Rayleigh turned in time to see his younger friend slide off his seat, clutching the boy to his chest as tears ran down his face. "Shanks Shanks SHANKS!"

He didn't know what shocked him more, the fact Shanks, of all people, was crying, or the fact the boy had sprouted wings. Judging by the wary looks he and Shakky were being given by the others in the bar, this wasn't new to them. It clicked why Rosinante would be protecting these four boys. "Winged Ds?"

"What's it too you?" Sabo threatened warily.

"Nothing. It just answers some things for me, is all." He smiled as harmlessly as he could. It was obvious they weren't buying it, though.

"Luffy... I thought you were... They found your hat and-" Shanks was saying.

"Mmm! It was so scary! I was really scared!" Luffy babbled. Ace came up and placed his hand between Luffy's wings, rubbing soothing circles.

"Doflamingo's crew attacked the ship. It was a slaughter. We thought- we thought they were going to kill us, too, but he'd heard somehow about us being Ds. Winged Ds. It was hell with that man. He treated us like less than human. But we got away, and found Cora-san and Law."

"I'll kill that man before I let him touch my brothers again." Law vowed out, eyes dark and promising pain.

Shanks just held Luffy close. "Does your grandfather know?"

"Hell no! Jiji works for the marines! He'd just stick us in a cage, or worse. Even if he didn't want to, he would." Sabo growled out, "The whole system is corrupt."

"Which brings us back to what Law was trying to say before, Cora-san." Ace said, nodding to the tallest. Rayleigh suspected it was so he wasn't the one breaking news Rosinante might not like.

Judging by the glare Law gave him, he felt the same. "We don't think it is a good idea to sail together. I am planning on finding a way to bring Doflamingo down, and I won't risk my brothers." He nodded to Sabo.

"I want to see if I can do something about how corrupt the system has gotten. It's ridiculous that people are hunted down and killed over their names - things they can't help! It wasn't like we asked to be born different; we weren't a threat to anyone." He turned to Ace.

"First, I'm gonna prove it doesn't matter what my name is, I'm my own person. Then I'm gonna beat the shit out of Whitebeard and his crew for spying on us for the last few years and teach everyone not to fuck with me." Rosinante made a choked, strangled sound at that, but Luffy was already talking.

"I'm gonna be King of the Pirates, because that's the person with the most freedom, right? And I'll find people who need to be free too and make them my crew and we'll show the world." He grinned widely. "but I gotta start in East Blue, because that's where the old Pirate King did, right, Sabo?"

"Sabo..."

The young blond held up his hands defensively, "I'll go with him! Just to get him started. I was planning on it, anyway."

"Ace saw some Whitebeard pirates around so he might be-"

"No. Just. No. I'm going with you, boy, before your mouth gets you killed." Rosinante said, poking the now sulking Ace in the chest.

"I can still sink the ship."

"Ace!"

Shanks burst into laughter. "I can't believe you survived with the four of them. I'll tell you what- Law was it? - why don't you sail with me for a while? I can show you the ropes, huh?"

"This is... acceptable. Regardless, I will be meeting up with my brothers in two years." Rayleigh didn't think the world was going to be ready for that meeting. Hell, he didn't think it was ready for four Ds with a grudge to be unleashed upon it.

He grinned, "I'll get right on that ship for Luffy and Sabo, then." This new era was going to be exciting.

Thank you all for reading the story! I hope you had as much fun reading it as I did writing it! Again, I want to thank my beta readers and my wonderful artist. The three of them were BIG helps with ideas and keeping me organized. As I've said before, I don't really think very linearly, (Anj and Wendy laugh about it usually) but it make for interesting writing sometimes... and I know it can be difficult to work with sometimes... Anyway. Here's some interesting facts about the boy's wings.

Ace's wings are based off of the African Fisher Eagle

Luffy wings are based off of the White Bellied Sea Eagle

Law wings are based off of the Osprey

Sabo WOULD have had been a Grey Headed Fish Eagle.

This means their PATTERN follows those of their kind of fisher eagle (Osprey is considered a fisher eagle, actually) but their colors are actually their favorite colors. Meaning, for example, Law's wings are yellow and black banded. Luffy's are red where the white Bellied Sea Eagle's wings are white... Ace's are orange in different shades, and Sabo's would have been blue.

Fun fact about the Wingspans:

African Fisher eagles - 2 - 2.4 m

White-bellied sea eagles - 1.78 - 2.2 m

Ospreys - 1.27 - 1.8 m

Grey-headed fish eagles - 1.5 - 1.7 m

The lower range is males usually...

So, Law is really really lucky Luffy's so short, or he'd have the smallest wings out of the three of them, even as the tallest.