I'll Be Back
Warnings: oOc. Alive!Ace. Grammatical Errors.
Disclaimer: I do not own One piece, Oda Eiichiro does
( Some parts won't be exactly the same as what happened during the actual battle.)
Chapter 1: The Message
The man turned towards a crowd of pirates and just fell to his knees on the green grass. "You guys not only gave me a reason to live, but you also gave me a family. I was overjoyed when you risked your lives to come save me, but over the past few days, I have caused you guys trouble. So I should express my gratitude now." He paused for a moment and bowed his head, causing his orange hat to fall to the ground, revealing his tears. "Thank you."
There was a moment of silence before there was a eruption of sobs and laughs.
"YOU'RE WELCOME ACE!"
A blonde man put his hand on his hips and sighed happily at this exchange. He walked up to Ace who was still on the floor and let his hand out. "Ace, how long are you going to stay there for yoi?"
"Marco..." Ace looked up at the brotherly figure in front of him and grabbed his outstretched hand.
"You've given your respects to those two I suppose?" Another man with red hair that looked a bit shaggy to be a captain at first glance but the black captain cape that draped on his shoulders and the air of transcendence surrounding him proved otherwise.
"Yeah." Ace and Marco turned to face 'the two', Red-Haired Shanks mentioned. There, in place of the two individuals lay two graves.
The larger one was surrounded by bouquets of flowers and swords as a flurry of petals danced around. 'Edward-Newgate' was engraved in gold letters and a bisento stuck downwards on the grave as the large white cape was attached at the end. The jolly roger of the White beard pirates also hung from it, representing the crews pride and joy.
The smaller grave was incidentally less magnificent but had just as much respect and blessing as the other. Two wooden sticks in the shape of a cross was on top of the grave as a straw-hat rested on one of the sticks and the other had Captain John's treasure mark- taken forcefully from Buggy the clown. The name engraved on it was 'Monkey-D-Luffy'.
"They were both men to be respected." Red Haired said.
"Yeah," Ace nodded in agreement before turning his full attention to the larger grave. "Oyaji accepted me and became a father I could be proud of. I can't thank him enough in words."
"Is there anything else you're grateful to him for?" Red hair suggested.
"More than I can count," Ace laughed heartily "But the most grateful thing now is definitely how he stopped me before I recklessly tried to attack Akainu again. He stopped me from throwing away the life Luffy gave me..."
FLASH BACK
Admiral Akainu walked towards the two brothers, one of his arms dripping with magma. "Hm. I see I've destroyed Straw-hat instead, unexpected but still acceptable. Now that one of the sons of a cursed bloodline has died, now it's finally your turn Fire Fist Ace!" he announced as he launched another fist at Ace.
"ACE! RUN AWAY!"
"Luffy...oi...Luffy...why are you just lying there?...Luffy...wake up..." Ace wavered, unable to connect his mind to reality.
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" he screamed at the top of his lungs.
Flames erupted from Ace, causing Akainu to instinctively jump back as the flames glided around the battlefield surrounding Ace. The marines fell back and the allied pirates and crew members reluctantly fled from the ring of fire.
The flames pulled everything into a fiery embrace, melting the swords, burning the corpses. It circled around so fast that some marines were still trapped, preventing evacuation. This was completely Ace's domain. A barrier barely maintaining balance, threatening to break down at any moment. His eyes were dilated, all his anger directed at Akainu. Defeating him was the only thought that kept him standing.
Spluttering coughs and screams from the marines didn't make it into Ace's conscience nor did the yells from his companions telling him to run. Akainu was drawing near, unaffected by the fire. The flames licked at his marines coat, the fiery arms tried to burn him but all was useless. His magma burned it all. It was overpowering.
Akainu didn't need to escape, he wasn't threatened by the rampage of the Mera Mera no Mi and was even laughing cynically. "Have you lost your wits? Your fire cannot burn through magma no matter how hard you try! But this is better for me, no one can come in and save you from my fist!
"ARGHHH!" Ace charged at Akainu.
xxxx
Marco looked from the sky, finally spotting Ace amidst all the fire.
"Ace! What are you doing yoi!?" Marco shouted as Ace's reckless action.
"What's wrong Marco?" Jozu called from below.
"Ace is attacking Akainu! His brother's death caused him to lose it yoi!"
"Oi, oi, oi! At this rate, the life his brother gave him will go down the drain!"
"I'm going to try stop it yoi!" Marco swooped down, hoping that he will make it in time.
xxxx
"DIE FIRE FIST A-"
Akainu was interrupted as a sudden monster like man broke through the flames and interjected the battle.
"Whitebeard! You can't do anything by coming here! Fire Fist will be executed by me!"
Whitebeard took a glance at the mental state his son was in and then at Luffy lying on the ground in a pool of blood pouring from his chest. Without a word of retort to Akainu, he swung his fist at the marine in a silent rage. It cracked the air and connected with Akainu's stomach. From the great damage, he spluttered out blood.
Ace was still charging in Akainu's direction like how a bull charges at a red flag. Whitebeard, disregarding the wounds he had and the pain that he will receive from doing this, he fell to one knee and hugged Ace.
"Ace...calm down.." He winced at the burns he was receiving from Ace's burning body but there was no sign that Ace had calmed down.
"DON'T THROW AWAY THE LIFE YOUR BROTHER DIED TO PROTECT!" sadness and regret reflected in Whitebeard's eyes.
"...and after that, I woke up on your ship." Ace confessed to Red hair.
"And you sure did a number to it" Shanks reminisced back to the day Ace woke up after the War had ended.
FLASH BACK
"ARGH!" Pain travelled through his body with each step he took, each move he made, but there was something more important than his body right now. "WHERE IS LUFFY?!"
"Fire Fist! Calm down! You'll destroy our ship!" the men around Ace shouted as they avoided Ace's flaming fists.
Ace's punches burnt through the wood, completely destroying the cabin he was staying in. He didn't want to accept the truth. He didn't want to close his eyes or else he would remember the blood on his hands, the limp body in front of him, the weakling that protected him from the magma blow.
"CAPTAIN!" the men screamed in relief together as a red haired captain made his way to Ace.
"Ace..."
In a swift movement he pinned Ace down to the floor by his neck. Ace struggled and attempted to escape from the grasp. Shanks' hands were getting burnt but this pain was something he would endure anyday if it meant that he could bring this boy suffering in pain back to reality.
"LUFFY IS DEAD!" he said bluntly, inciting more struggle from Ace. "YOU'RE BEING CONSUMED BY DARK CLOUDS OF REGRET AND SELF-BLAME! INSTEAD OF LAMENTING OVER WHAT IS LOST, THINK OF WHAT HE LEFT YOU! WHAT CAN YOU DO FOR HIM?"
"That was some way to cheer me up, throwing the truth smack bang in the face." Ace stated as a chuckle came from Marco on his side.
"You needed the truth, no sugar-coated words. You can only stand up against reality by knowing it."
"Regardless, I'm grateful." Ace grinned. " You gave me a push to move forward."
"So, what are you going to do yoi?" Marco joined in the conversation, curious of Ace's decision.
"I'm going to carry on Luffy's will."
"His will?" both men around Ace questioned.
"Just before Luffy died...he left me a message."
FLASH BACK
"There is a enormous gap of strength between your strength and mine, Fire Fist." Akainu mocked Ace on the ground who had already exceeded his limits fighting him. Akainu had utmost confidence in his abilities that he will not let the sworn brothers of the worst criminals escape.
"Come on Ace! Get up! Run away!" Luffy screamed at his brother who was not budging from the approaching danger. The others members of the crew who were helping the two escape also noticed this and proceeded to save Ace.
"This is your fate, NOW DIE!" A magma fist closing in on Ace.
Sorry Luffy, after you went through all this trouble to save me. Ace thought. I no longer have the strength to evade.
A brief pause.
Ace was fine, no magma has pierced him. But why? He glanced up, a person had stood between Akainu's attack and protected him. Their chest was pierced by Akainu's magma arm and was dripping copious amounts of blood, amounts that would kill them even if their burnt guts gets miraculously cured.
But who had sacrificed themselves? Was it Oyaji? Maybe it was Luffy? But neither of these possibilities seemed feasible to Ace. Or maybe Ace unconsciously avoided the truth because the person who saved him would definitely lose their life. He didn't even want to think that Oyaji or Luffy jumped in just to protect him.
The build of the person in front of him was small, but had lean muscles. So the possibilities of it being Whitebeard reached zero.
The smoke disappeared as Akainu retracted his arm from the body while wearing a look of triumph. The person was revealed. A scar under his left eye. A straw-hat . Luffy.
"Ace's brother!" Marco screamed remembering the words of Whitebeard that he failed to keep.
'Don't let that boy die Marco'
"Straw-hat boy!"
"Straw hat!"
"Seriously?" words escaped Buggy's mouth at the sight.
Ace grimaced, his eyes wide with terror as Luffy fell from his position and draped his arms around Ace who reached forward and caught the boy.
"Luffy...hey? Can you hear me? You'll be fine, right?" Ace's voice wavered with uncertainty, contradictory to what he said before.
No reply.
Ace shuddered when he felt something covering his hand that was placed over Luffy's injury. Blood. Luffy's blood.
"Luffy...we have to treat your injury..." Ace scanned the area for his ship's doctor, fortunately the doctor was already running towards them.
"Oi! Please help Luffy!" Ace tugged at the man's sleeve who didn't bother to do anything once he saw Luffy's state.
"Ace-san, I'm sorry." The doctor muttered, unable to confess the harsh truth and ended up biting his lip so hard it started bleeding.
"what do you mean?" Ace was desperate. Who else could save Luffy? Then he spotted a big-faced man, remembering that he saved Luffy on the brink of death earlier.
"I know! Your name was Ivankov right? Please, I'm begging you! Use that thing that you used to shoot Luffy with earlier!"
Ivankov clenched his fists and wanted to avert his eyes away from the scene, it was too heart-breaking. "I can't Ace-boy."
"Why?!"
"Straw-boy was nearly poisoned to death during Impel Down, he was beaten to the point he couldn't move earlier. He only managed to continue because of his extraordinary will that defies nature to save you. This time, Straw-boy...is beyond...help."
"No way...I won't believe it!"
"Ace..." A weak voice called out.
"Luffy! It's ok, I won't let you die." Ace reassured but his grim expression said otherwise.
"Ace...I've got to tell you something..." Luffy weakly began before harshly coughing out blood.
"Luffy! Don't say anymore!"
The sound of magma sizzling the ground was approaching.
"Jinbei...phoenix-guy...Iva-chan...please...keep that magma-guy...away for a while ...so I can talk...to Ace."
Marco, Jinbei and Ivankov were startled out of their shock and sadly listened to the final wishes of Luffy. A wave of anger surged through them as they charged at Akainu.
"Ace, I saved you! So I don't have regrets..." Luffy wheezed
"Luffy! Don't sound like you're going to die!"
"Ace, you know, even now I want to become Pirate King so don't worry..." Luffy lent forward and whispered something in Ace's ear, tears brimming in the corner of his eyes. "Tell that to my friends around the world, okay? It's my final request."
"Luffy..."
Luffy took the deepest breath he could before it backfired and he started coughing out blood. Using the last of his strength, there was something he need to convey.
"JII-CHAN! SHANKS! IVA-CHAN! JINBEI! HANCOCK! ZORO!NAMI! SANJI! CHOPPER! ROBIN! FRANKY! BROOK! USOPP! AND ACE!" Luffy screamed to his limits "SORRY! I'M DEAD...-" A smile that stretched from ear to ear crossed Luffy's face seconds before his vision blurred up and fell to the floor.
"So what are you planning to do Ace?" Shanks asked for both the reason of knowing Ace's objectives and as a subject change because hearing Luffy's death was hurting his ears.
The three of them walked through the crowds of pirates to the ships as they continued their conversation.
"I'm going to find Luffy's friends scattered around the world and then I'm going to find the gum-gum fruit." Ace stated confidently , meaning that no matter what anyone tells him, he going to do it.
Shanks jolted up in surprise when he heard Ace's second decision but no one noticed, except for his crewmates. "I see. Then this is where we part." Shanks climbed up the stairs to his ship. "Ace, don't doubt yourself."
"I won't." Then Ace remembered something he needed to ask. "Red Hair! Do you mind if I take your hat with me?"
Shanks smiled "No! It's not my hat anymore! It looks better on Luffy!"
"Red hair!" Marco called out, which Shanks did not expect to happen while he was leaving. "Thanks for the burial!"
Shanks gave a wave of his hand before looking away.
"Captain," Lucky Roo chomped off some meat before continuing. "Are you sure it was okay not to tell Ace?"
"Tell him what?"
"That we are planning to look for the Gum-gum fruit too." Benn Beckman casually joined.
"Ah...I forgo-"
"Don't tell us you forgot, you CLEARY remembered." Yasopp also appeared from no-where and cut shanks off before he could even spout a bad excuse.
"Well, you know. The fruit was originally ours but Luffy ate it, so I think it's proper that we get it back." Shanks said averting eye contact with any of his crewmates.
"Liar." They all said simultaneously
"Just be honest captain..." Lucky Roo started
"And flat out admit that..." Benn Beckman followed
"You don't want anybody else eating the fruit Luffy ate." Yasopp finished.
"..." Shanks wondered why his crewmates were so perceptive, he didn't mention anything about the reason why they were going to search for that fruit and they, like psychics, read his mind. He never considered the possibility that he was just bad at hiding it.
" No one should be surprised if we search for that fruit, considering the way we waltzed into that war, we have already established to the marines our relationship with Luffy."
FLASH BACK
"Let us stop this War!" Coby jumped in front of Akainu's attack at a pirate, stretching his hands out, hoping that this gesture could make the Admiral stop. "Just let Fire Fist Ace go! We can't catch up anymore!"
"What are you doing? You've wasted a few seconds of my time you failure of a marine" Akainu said in a deep voice. His pride obviously hurt by Coby's words. He looked a bit-well, ridiculously-miffed."That ship First fist is on won't escape, I won't let it escape! Now MOVE IT!"
"NO! WE HAVE ALREADY KILLED STRAW HAT LUFFY AND WHITEBEARD HAS DIED! IF WE DON'T STOP NOW, LIVES WILL DIE IN VAIN! FIRE FIST HAS ALREADY SAILED AWAY! RIGHT NOW WE ARE BETTER OF SAVING THE WOUNDED AND CAPTURING THE REST OF THE PIRATES!
"Impudent brat! If you're not going to move, then DIE!" Akainu directed his fist at Coby.
Ah I'm going to die, but it's ok, I've said what I wanted! Coby thought as he closed his eyes.
Clash.
"Well done young marine, your few seconds of courage have definitely saved lives." Shanks appeared in front of Coby with his sword drawn, defending Coby from Akainu's attack.
"One of the Yonkou, Red haired Shanks." Akainu growled "What are you doing here."
"To put a stop to this war."
"A stop? That's impossible, it won't stop until Fire Fist is executed!"
Shanks brow twitched and stared coldly at Akainu who flinched at the sudden change of aura. "Ace carries the life of someone important to me that you have killed."
"Ace has survived, so the Whitebeard pirate have no reason to fight anymore, but if you want to continue, we.." Shanks announced with his formidable pirate crew behind him. "..will gladly take you on."
"No, I'm sure they would have realised the connection we had with Luffy ages ago, especially Sengoku, the admirals and Garp." Shanks said.
"Oh! I get it! The straw hat!"
Shanks nodded but his mind was occupied by the words Hawk eyes left him as they encountered each other.
"That man, Monkey D Luffy has a potential hidden in him that could change the world, I don't think it will end like this."
Shanks buried his head in his hands. "I don't wish for it to end like this either."
"Ace is it true you're leaving yoi?"
"Yeah, I'm leaving tonight. I've got to give the message to Luffy's friends as soon as possible." Ace brushed the petals off Luffy's hat, bringing back both sad and happy memories.
"Ace! Do you know where they all are yoi?"
"Nope."
"How are you going to find all eight of them yoi?"
"Gut instinct."
"What if it doesn't work?"
"It will."
"That's a groundless statement yoi." Marco placed a hand on his face and sighed.
"I have to find them, before they all choose to split ways when they hear of Luffy's death."
"Ace, after all this, don't you know what family are for yoi?" Marco grinned with his hand on his hip.
"That's right Ace! If you need help just say so!" voices emerged from the shadows.
Ace glanced up to see six friends standing proudly next to Marco.
"Jozu...Vista...Rakuyo...Namur...Haruta...Izo...yo u guys, what are you doing?"
"We are going to lend you a hand!"
"Eight of us, each person finds one."
"But...but..but..." Ace complained even though he was grateful from the bottom of his heart.
"Your thoughts are all rejected yoi!" Marco announced, punching Ace friendly on his shoulder.
"Not to mention that we owe your little brother for saving a member of our family!"
"So Ace, tell us your plan yoi!"
East Blue, Fuusha Village
CrAsH!
"Makino, did you break another cup? That's unusual of you." The old man sat on the chair in the bar, watching the woman pick up the shards of glass.
"Sorry Mayor, I'm a bit distracted today." Makino passed off with a faint smile, her complexion was paler than ever.
"Is it the war that Ace and Luffy are involved in?"
Makino flinched, further dropping the shards she just picked up.
"Bulls-eye."
"They are both going to be alright, right?" Makino's voice wavered, she already seemed like she was going to start crying.
"It has been three days since, the newspaper should arrive tomorrow. Why are you disturbed already?"
"I don't know Mayor." Makino sighed, looking at her shivering hand. "I have a bad premonition about the news tomorrow."
"Don't worry about it, Ace was probably rescued by his Captain and once he's free he will definitely protect Luffy."
"I hope things moved that smoothly."
Tap. .
Makino heard something rattle the windows panes Is it the wind? But there shouldn't be any wind strong enough to rattle the windows Makino thought as she walked towards the windows, talking a peak behind the curtains.
"Ah!" Makino tumbled backwards, clearly startled by something she saw outside.
"What's wrong Makino?" The Mayor helped the lady up.
"M-mayor...do cranes exist?"
The mayor had this perplexed expression, wondering what she could have seen for her to suddenly ask about cranes. "Yes they do exist, but they can't be seen here in the East Blue, especially such a small island like ours." The Mayor answered, displaying his knowledge.
"I-I-I just saw one outside." Makino's sweat dropped as she pointed to the window.
"No way!" the Mayor pushed open the door, unable to believe that there is a crane here unless he saw it with his own eyes but he also knew that Makino wasn't a liar. As soon as the door opened, a cold, icy breeze drifted in, causing the two people to shiver and close their eyes.
The mayor opened his eyes once the breeze blew by and found a soft, silky feather on his head.
"Hm?"
"Wahhhhh!" a cry from a baby.
Tug.
Makino yanked on his sleeve.
"What is it Makino-" he stopped in his sentence as he saw what caught Makino's attention.
A small baby wrapped in white at the entrance. A newborn perhaps? It still couldn't open its eyes but it was shivering from the cold and so, despite the circumstances, the humanly thing to do was the bring it inside.
The mayor felt a chill go through his body, draining his power. It was beyond just tired, it was closer to exhaustion. He slumped into a chair while Makino cheerfully played with the stranger of a baby. He couldn't even understand what was going on. First a crane then a baby. Great.
Makino giggled while the baby cooed at her. Makino was still young so the it looked like a normal family scene, a mother and her child.
"This baby is soooo cute!" Makino blushed when the small fingers wrapped around her finger. "Reminds me of Luffy when he was small, see there is even a scar under the left eye." pointing out the small scar. Ouch.
What did this baby go through to get that scar? It's probably not even a year old! The mayor thought.
"But too bad it's not a boy though." Makino's face dropped. "But as a girl, she is twice as cute!" instantly recovering, bringing the baby girl into her arms. A white piece of paper fell to the floor from the movement.
"Is it from the baby?" The Mayor said as he reached to pick it up. Is it an abandon note? harsh words flitted through the Mayors mind.
"What's this?" Mayor looked at the piece of paper. It was nothing like a note, actually, it couldn't even be considered a 'note' for it only had one word on it.
"Lucy?"
"...so that's the plan." Ace explained "If you decide to do it, you might not be able to come back here for a long time. Still in?"
The seven people nodded in agreement.
"Ace, a few years ain't that bad yoi! We still have commanders on the Island to protect the burial!"
"And if we don't do this for your little brother, Oyaji will get frown at us." Jozu said and everyone smiled, which meant that they agreed.
"by the way yoi, you've told us the plan and all but what's the message that your brother wanted to pass on?"
"Oh." Ace almost forgot the most important detail.
The seven of them leaned forward for the answer. "Hurry up and tell us! We've got to depart! The message is..."
Ace laughed at the childish act that they were performing before answering, he took a deep breath and said,
"...I'll be back."
