Ok, long story short – found the time to pick up on One Piece, re-watched the Marineford arc several times, especially Ace's death (don't know why I'm doing that to myself, I'm still not over his death ;A; ), OP plot chicks started spreading all over my room of imagination and about that time my friend got her hands on me .' She is pestering me for three days now to write an OP fanfic, accusing me that I didn't gave her anything mine to read lately and blackmailing me to write OP or else… UGH!

This is the first time I'm publishing anything written, so just be gentle with me. Don't want to go through a brutal deflowering, lol

Though suggestions and constructive critics are always welcome (even if HERS are mostly very destructive ')


Disclaimer: I own nothing! Just the pestering plot chicks and OC's


''Ace! ACE! ACEEEE! LOOK WHAT I FOUUUUND!'', a preteen boy shouted while running up the cliffs in search of his older brother, his hellish noise disturbing the, until now, peaceful and quiet afternoon on the shore of Grey Terminal.

The usual inhabitants of the place that served as a massive junkyard to the prestige Goa city, the capital of the Kingdom that shared its name, were still only shadows and memories in the minds of those who would never forget the cruelty that Nobles were capable off. The fire, that was to purify and remove the only smudge from the oh-so-pristine face of Goa, so that the Nobles could get even more prestige in the eyes of the World Government, was still burning in the minds of those who witnessed it. For the Nobles it may be only a junkyard, a place where they could leave all their filth and dirt from everything but their souls and black hearts, but for others it is so much more.

For others it is a place where they worked from sunrise to sunset to survive and enjoying every day of their freedom. It was their place of birth and death. It was the place where they made their childhood memories. It was a place they could call – home. For those people, the shadows of those that were once the life of this place would never disappear. Even if they say that time heals all wounds, this wound was to big to be healed by mere 4. years. Those who survived and were saved by the Noble's greatest enemies - and the people's greatest heroes – still feared to return to the place of their home. And those who lived in fear of another Trash Burn vowed to never set foot on that cursed place.

Only two boys were continuing their lives without fear, not afraid of the past and expecting the future with open hands. They would train every day like usually, just like they would explore Dawn Island in search of adventures. The scarred, burned land and trash mountains were the only thing left behind after the Great Fire, but as the Kingdom returned to its old ways after the departure of Saint Jalmack, Grey Terminal was once again filled with Noble's junk that two boys could make use of. But, in his usual patrol and search for stranded goods, the younger of the brothers found something unusual.

Even for a place like this.

With an irritated sigh the older brother cracked an eye open from where he lay under a massive tree on the crown of the cliff, watching his younger brother climb his way towards him like the Noble's himself were after him. Realizing that, after his afternoon nap was crudely interrupted, he won't have the chance to step into the lands of dreams once again, the teen pushed himself up on his elbows, a scowl gracing his freckled face and intense black eyes glared at the approaching figure of his brother.

''Seriously, Luffy, can't you be still for even an hour? You might think you would drop dead asleep after the amount of food you ate!''

''C'mon! I have to show you something!'', the discoverer all but ignored his brother's cranky voice and pulled him at his right hand, which only earned him a thump to the head with the other.

''OW! Ace! What was that for?''

''For being a noisy pain in the ass'', he stated matter of factly while rising to his feet. Luffy not wanting to be 'indebted' to him, wanted to return the favor of the bump with a hit of his own but was interrupted with a question that reminded him why he was even searching for Ace.

''I found a mermaid! Right down below the cliffs on the shore!'', he answered excitedly, though his enthusiasm was met with skepticism of Ace's.

''A mermaid?'', there was a moment of silence and Luffy vigorously nodded.

''You sure it was only fish you ate and nothing 'fishy' from the trash?'', Ace asked sarcastically with a raised brow.

''I ate the same thing you did, you dipwad! If you don't believe me then see for yourself!'', the offended boy stormed off, sliding once again down the cliff with ease, if not with grace.

Ignoring his brother's crude remark, Ace followed as Luffy wasn't the one to make things up and lie.

In fact, he was a terrible liar.


Arriving at Luffy's side, he scanned their surroundings and saw nothing unusual – only the usual depressive chaos of trash and ash and no living soul in the near vicinity.

''And? Where's this so-called 'mermaid' of yours?''

''She was here! I swear she was here just a moment ago!'', Luffy exclaimed, confused as to where she might have gone. She looked barely alive, let alone strong enough to swim away.

Crossing his hands over his chest, Ace scanned their surroundings once again, as Luffy was now trailing along the shore in search for her.

''ACE! Over here!''

Following Luffy's voice, the teen made his way towards him, seeing him knee deep in the water. The ocean was restless today. The waves weren't big, but they were strong and the trash was pulled and pushed from and to the shore rather violently. Tracing his outstretched arm that pointed to something in the water, Ace shadowed his eyes with his hand and his eyes widened in shock when he could make out an outline of a human in the water.

Without second thoughts he ran into the water and past Luffy, diving into the salty waves and swimming towards the unmoving figure.


''You think she's alive?'', Luffy asked with concern in his eyes as he watched Ace lying the unmoving girl on the sand after he fought his way through the stubborn waves to the shore.

Even as two, rather skinny, legs proved that, in fact, she wasn't a mermaid and only an ordinary girl, curiosity was still written all over Luffy's face just like his excitement in the stance of his body.

Not answering him, Ace immediately laid his head on her flat chest in search for any signs of life. After few seconds he was able to hear it – a single faint beat of a heart. With a determined face he set to work, performing CPR and after several painfully unresponsive minutes, the fragile body underneath his hands started to convulse and choke, the salty water leaving her lungs. Luffy could only watch in amazement as his brother's large hands firmly yet carefully pumped her fragile chest.

After all, he had lots of practice in it – Ace had to save Luffy from drowning numerous times already and even more than he can count off did Luffy choke water up.

Even if she was breathing shallowly and raspy, unhealthy wheezing sounds coming from both her mouth and chest during what seemed a painful process, if it was according to her together knitted brows, her eyes still remained closed. The silence that fell upon the trio only amplified the terrible sounds coming from her and was uncomfortably broken by Luffy.

''What now? What do we do with her?''

Ace could only shrug, his eyes refusing to look at the battered and anguished body in front of him, instead focusing on the sky above.

''We take her to Dadan.''

Luffy made a grimace. ''Uh, you sure it's a good idea? Remember how she used to be when we were hurt? I don't think this girl can handle her 'treatment'… ''

Ace smirked at the memories.

''How about Makino? She's always nice and gentle. Besides, I'm sure she has some clothes she can change her into'', Luffy added, faint hints of disgust lacing his tone as he critically observed the shredded and grimy pieces of god-knows-what-once-was barely covering her skinny body.

The boys made short work of lifting her as she was light as a feather – seriously, Ace's pipe staff was heavier than her – and Ace carried her on her back. Tracing the shore, as it was an easier path to Foosha Village than through Mt. Corvo, they were fairly quick and soon Makino was staring at the strange trio that came through the bar doors. Luckily, no one was there right now, as the drunks gathered after nightfall and Makino ushered them into her home above the bar. She left the siblings in the kitchen, offering them some sweets and juice while she tended to the girl.

Almost an hour later she came back to join them, her clothes stained with water and her hands smelling of alcohol. At their questioning stares she smiled reassuringly.

''Don't worry; she doesn't have any serious injuries, only cuts here and there as far as I can tell. But therefore she has dozens of bruises all over her body. I washed her as gently as I could and called the doctor.''

Nodding his thanks, Ace stood to leave, Luffy following but not before grabbing another handful of sweets to take with him. Makino offered them to stay overnight which Ace promptly declined, though trying to stay polite as possible. She smiled after them, not a little bit offended as she knew those boys since they were little. Mt. Corvo, Grey Terminal and even Midway Forest were they're home and they were living they're lives like they wanted to.

Though, Ace is hardly a boy anymore, she thought to herself as she watched the two walking down the street and towards the shore. Ace's tall figure with the first hints of firm muscle of a 14 year old teen was stark in contrast to the three years younger Luffy who still had that childish roundness to his features.

Well, how one takes it - she giggled as she witnessed another bickering of foul mouths and flying fists ensuing between the two, the maturity she saw before in Ace disappearing, just like the two of them behind the hill.


Closing the bar for today, after she finally managed to drive out the last drunks late in the evening, Makino locked the ground floor and went upstairs to wait for the doctor and keep watch over the girl now occupying her bed. Looking at the bruised body she flinched as the very pale, almost sickening white color of the skin only accented the dark colors of the bruises. She could only silently hope that trouble wouldn't find the boys, even though she knew it was futile as they found it almost at every step.


Aaaaand I'm going to kill her… By the end of the chapter I realized I had a whole new series in my head. But I CAAAAN'T! I have to study! ;A; I hope you're happy now Dove! I won't be able to concentrate on math until I have this shit written down :'

Love it? Hate it? Tell me – to the contrary belief, I don't bite C: