-Real World: Going Merry-
The news of Sabo's survival hit Monkey D. Luffy like a physical force, sending him bouncing across the deck with such explosive enthusiasm that his crewmates had to duck to avoid being accidentally launched overboard. His rubber physiology allowed for expressions of joy that would have been impossible for normal humans, his body stretching and contorting as emotions overwhelmed any attempt at maintaining composure.
"SABO'S ALIVE! SABO'S REALLY ALIVE!" he screamed at the Sky Screen, his voice carrying across the water with enough volume to startle seabirds from their roosts on distant islands. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! MY BROTHER IS OKAY!"
Even with his mouth stuffed full of meat from the ongoing welcome banquet, Luffy's words remained surprisingly coherent—a testament to years of practice talking while eating enormous quantities of food. His appetite was legendary even among the Grand Line's various monsters, but not even the prospect of unlimited meat could compete with the joy of learning his sworn brother had survived.
The Monkey family genes in full display, Robin observed with growing fondness as she watched their captain's unrestrained celebration. Generous, open-hearted, completely incapable of hiding his true emotions.
The archaeologist found herself increasingly fascinated by Luffy's life story and the complex web of relationships that surrounded him. Her future self will spend years with the Revolutionary Army.
And apparently, she will also be trained by Luffy's brother.
But what struck her most was how Luffy seemed completely unaware of the Sky Screen's communication functions. Despite having access to a system that could theoretically allow contact with people across the world, he had never thought to use it to reach out to family members he missed.
So characteristic of him, Robin thought with affection. He lives entirely in the present moment, accepting what he can see while hoping for what he cannot. The idea of actively seeking information about Sabo's fate probably never occurred to him.
"Will Sabo's conflict with Dragon affect his position in the Revolutionary Army?" Nami asked with the calculating tone of someone always looking for practical advantages. "I mean, if Captain Luffy has gained another powerful connection, that could mean extra protection for all of us. And protection usually translates to better opportunities for profit."
The navigator's perspective was characteristically direct. In her experience, relationships with powerful people were valuable primarily for the security and opportunities they provided. If Luffy's sworn brother remained influential within the Revolutionary Army, that represented a significant strategic asset.
Always thinking about the bottom line, Sanji observed with amusement. Though she's not wrong about the practical benefits of having family in high places.
But Luffy's response stopped all speculation cold, delivering information that would reshape how his crew—and the watching world—understood his true significance.
"But why would Dad have a conflict with Sabo?" he asked with genuine confusion, his innocent expression suggesting he saw nothing unusual about his casual reference. "He used to visit Windmill Village occasionally when I was growing up, but he never mentioned anything about Sabo. That's really strange!"
The word 'Dad' hung in the air like a thunderclap.
Dad? Every crew member experienced the same moment of cognitive dissonance as they tried to process what they had just heard. Luffy's father is...?
The implications were staggering. If Monkey D. Garp was Luffy's grandfather and one of the Marines' greatest heroes, then his father should logically be either another high-ranking Marine or perhaps someone who had rejected the military lifestyle entirely.
But Dragon? The leader of the Revolutionary Army? The man whose very name made World Government officials break out in cold sweats?
Robin, being the newest crew member and therefore least inhibited by social conventions, was the first to voice what everyone was thinking.
"Luffy," she said carefully, her archaeological training helping her maintain composure while her mind raced through the implications, "your father is Dragon? The leader of the Revolutionary Army?"
"Yeah!" Luffy replied with characteristic cheerfulness, completely oblivious to the bombshell he had just dropped. "He's as busy as Grandpa is, always traveling around doing important stuff. Dragon is definitely my dad, but I've never had much contact with the Revolutionary Army directly."
The son of a Marine Hero is the leader of the Revolutionary Army, the crew collectively realized as the full scope of Luffy's family tree became clear. His biological grandson is determined to become the Pirate King, one of his adopted grandsons is the son of the previous Pirate King, and another adopted grandson is the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.
The younger generation trained by Garp represented a collection of individuals whose combined influence could reshape the world's power structure. It was no wonder that so many forces seemed interested in the Straw Hat Pirates.
Luffy is simultaneously third-generation Marine, second-generation Revolutionary Army, and aspiring second-generation Pirate King, Nami calculated with growing amazement. What kind of insane life path leads to that combination?
Throughout the fan flotilla trailing behind the Going Merry, voices erupted in excited discussion as the political implications of this revelation sank in. They had consciously speculated that their idol possessed powerful connections, but the reality exceeded their wildest fantasies.
"No wonder the Sky Screen focused on him!" one fan shouted across the water. "He's connected to every major power structure in the world!"
"Marine royalty, Revolutionary royalty, and future Pirate royalty!" another voice added with awe. "We're following the most politically significant person alive!"
The crew members began mentally reassessing their own backgrounds in comparison to their captain's ridiculous collection of legendary connections. The exercise was both humbling and illuminating.
Tony Tony Chopper clearly occupied the bottom tier in terms of prestigious origins. Born as a blue-nosed reindeer, he had been ostracized by his own herd for his unusual appearance, then taken in by Dr. Hiriluk—a well-meaning but medically incompetent quack whose greatest achievement had been inspiring a young reindeer to pursue legitimate medical training.
Everything I know about medicine is self-taught or learned from Dr. Kureha, Chopper reflected with a mixture of pride and insecurity. No famous bloodlines, no political connections, just hard work and determination to help people.
Usopp occupied a slightly higher position in the hierarchy of notable origins. While born as an ordinary islander in Syrup Village, his father Yasopp had achieved some degree of fame as a marksman aboard Red-Haired Shanks' crew. The connection was distant and had come at tremendous personal cost—his mother had died from illness while Yasopp pursued his dreams of adventure—but it still represented a link to legendary pirates.
The second tier included Roronoa Zoro and Nami, both of whom had respectable but not extraordinary backgrounds. Zoro's origin as a dedicated student at a legitimate dojo represented solid middle-class respectability, while his single-minded pursuit of swordsmanship spoke to admirable personal dedication.
Nami's background as an orphan taken in by former Marine Bellemere was tragic but had provided her with valuable navigation skills and a strong moral foundation. Her obsession with money was understandable given her experiences with Arlong's financial tyranny.
The third tier belonged to Sanji and Robin, both of whom possessed connections to significant organizations despite their complicated relationships with those connections.
Sanji's Vinsmoke heritage represented advanced scientific capability and royal status within the Germa Kingdom, even though he had rejected his family's values and fled their influence. Blood ties weren't something that could be severed through willpower alone—the genetic modifications and political connections would follow him regardless of his personal preferences.
Robin's origins in Ohara represented perhaps the most bittersweet background among the crew. Born in humanity's greatest center of learning, she had inherited vast knowledge and archaeological expertise from scholars like Dr. Clover. Her intellectual foundation was unmatched among her crewmates, providing capabilities that had allowed her to survive twenty years as the world's most wanted fugitive.
But even her impressive background paled in comparison to Luffy's ridiculous collection of legendary family connections. The only thing missing from his political resume was a Celestial Dragon connection, and given the pattern of revelations, several crew members were beginning to wonder if even that gap might eventually be filled.
Being placed on this ship by Buggy the Clown might be the safest arrangement possible, Robin realized with growing appreciation. At least here I don't have to worry about constant pursuit by Marine forces. Even Admirals would think twice about attacking someone under the protection of a Marine Hero's grandson.
The only exception would be Admiral Sakazuki, whose absolute justice philosophy made him willing to fight anyone regardless of their political connections. But as long as they avoided encounters with that particular fanatic, Robin's association with the Straw Hat Pirates provided unprecedented security.
I wonder who Luffy's mother could be, she found herself speculating with scholarly curiosity. A woman capable of attracting someone like Dragon would have to possess remarkable qualities. Could she be a former Celestial Dragon who rejected her heritage? That would explain the family's pattern of opposing established authority.
The thought seemed outrageous, but there was often logic hidden within seemingly impossible revelations. Ace's mother had been Portgas D. Rouge, a member of the D Clan and therefore an "enemy of the gods" according to Celestial Dragon ideology. It wouldn't be surprising if Luffy's mother also possessed some form of forbidden heritage.
"Luffy," Nami asked with the blunt curiosity that characterized her approach to sensitive topics, "do you know anything about your mother? Like, who she was or what happened to her?"
The question seemed to catch their captain off-guard. His usually confident expression shifted to something approaching confusion as he considered concepts that had rarely occupied his thoughts.
Biological mother? Mom? Luffy's mental processes weren't well-suited to complex family analysis. In his mind, Dadan had filled the maternal role during his childhood—a gruff but caring woman whose sharp tongue concealed genuine affection for the three boys she had been forced to raise.
I never really thought about having a different mother, he realized with growing puzzlement. Dadan gave us all the motherly love we needed, even if she expressed it by hitting us with sticks most of the time.
"I've never seen my mom since I was born," Luffy admitted with characteristic honesty, his voice carrying none of the emotional weight that such an admission might hold for others. "Grandpa and Dad never mentioned her name, not even once. Sometimes I wonder if she did something really bad that made them not want to talk about her."
The response revealed a level of emotional intelligence that his crew rarely witnessed. Despite his simple personality, Luffy had noticed the differential treatment between his situation and Ace's—Garp had been willing to discuss Rouge's identity and sacrifice, but maintained complete silence about Luffy's mother.
They're both grandsons, so why the different treatment? Luffy's reasoning was sound despite his simple manner of expression. The only explanation is that they're deliberately keeping secrets about her identity.
"Maybe telling me about her would bring danger," he continued with unusual seriousness. "Letting me grow up in Windmill Village might have been their way of protecting me from whatever problems come with knowing who she really is."
The admission carried weight that extended far beyond family curiosity. If both Garp and Dragon—two of the most powerful figures in their respective organizations—had agreed to keep Luffy's mother's identity secret, then revealing that information could have catastrophic consequences.
If Grandpa had a normal personality, he would have trained me to be a Marine from childhood, Luffy reflected with rare introspection. He never would have left me alone long enough for Shanks to influence my dreams. The fact that he kept me away from Marine training suggests he was protecting me from something specific.
"I hope the Sky Screen gives me answers about all these mysteries," Luffy said with genuine longing. "I'd like to at least know my mom's name, even if I can't meet her. She carried me for nine months and gave me life—that deserves recognition, even if I can't be a proper son to her."
The emotional sincerity of his words caught several crew members off-guard. Despite his simple nature, Luffy possessed a clear understanding of familial obligations and the gratitude owed to those who had sacrificed for his existence.
Nami, meanwhile, had caught the scent of potential gossip and was already constructing elaborate theories about Dragon's romantic history.
"I think your mother was probably a princess!" she declared with the enthusiasm of someone who had read too many romance novels. "Picture this: Dragon is leading revolutionary activities to overthrow some corrupt kingdom, but then he falls in love with the enemy princess! Career versus love, duty versus passion—he's torn between his revolutionary ideals and his feelings for someone he's supposed to be fighting against!"
Her eyes literally sparkled with romantic excitement as she elaborated on the scenario. "It's the perfect tragic love story! Two people from opposite sides of a conflict, finding love despite everything that should keep them apart!"
The other crew members exchanged glances that ranged from amused to exasperated. Nami's taste in romantic fiction was apparently more dramatic than anyone had realized, and her tendency to project narrative structures onto real-world situations was both entertaining and slightly concerning.
A criminal revolutionary falling in love with a princess from the country he's trying to destroy? Sanji thought with typical skepticism about overly dramatic romance plots. That might work in novels, but real-world politics are usually more complicated than fairy tale endings.
The scenario Nami had described was certainly romantic in a tragic sense, but it also raised uncomfortable questions about power dynamics, political loyalty, and the ethics of romantic relationships during armed conflicts.
Falling in love with a man who destroyed his own country is too much for romance to bear