An: This chapter will focus on Sabo and Ace, and what happens to him.
*** 3 years ago, when Sabo is 25, Foosha Village
Portgas D Ace was waving his hand wildly from the pier. Sabo had just set sail in his tiny boat and waved back cheerfully. Everybody from the town was there for the farewell of the first brother.
Even Luffy had persuaded Garp to let him come to Foosha (not telling him about Sabo being a pirate though) and was still smiling like a crazy person. The Sea King burst out of the water and Sabo jumped high and sliced a huge gash on the Sea King's neck sending it falling backwards.
Everyone in the village cheered.
*** A year later
The new super-rookie, 70 million beri bounty, Top-Hat Sabo and his crew were on a random island in the grand line. It was a rainforest island and the rain was pouring down in buckets when Sabo spotted a purple swirly fruit on a high branch on a weird tree.
'A devil fruit!' thought Sabo. He climbed the tree and picked the fruit before hesitating.
'Should I eat it or sell it?"
He ate it.
*** 2 years later (around the time Luffy becomes a Marine)
The Top Hat Pirates were the strongest of the rookies, since the Spade Pirates merged with Whitebeard. Top Hat Sabo had the highest bounty of any rookie, 450,000,000 beri. He used a paramecia type devil fruit but never revealed it outright, although his fighting style gave many hints.
Bounty Hunter Alaric was one of the best. He took down the best. His latest victim had been a 200,000,000 beri pirate whom he took down with ease. He used the Cerb-Cerb no mi (the Cerberus fruit). It was mythical Zoan class that allowed him to turn into the guardian of hell, Cerberus.
His newest target was the big one, Top Hat Sabo.
He stalked Sabo for over an hour before he made his move. He jumped out of a high tree in the forest that Sabo was in. He did a roll in the air, while unsheathing his sword and swung at Sabo's neck from behind, a quick and clean strike is always best, especially when dealing with a strong pirate, with whom conflict can get messy.
*** Sabo PoV
He had been hunting in the forest on the island that they were on when his Observation Haki warned him of a strike to his back. He spun around, unsheathing his sword and meeting his masked opponent's sword with his own.
The force of the strike knocked the opponent back, giving Sabo a chance to observe his mask.
It was the infamous bounty hunter Alaric.
Shit.
*** General PoV
Sabo rolled backwards pulling his fist was and throwing it hard and fast. His arm extended as he punched letting the punch reach Alaric's jaw, cracking it.
Alaric engaged Sabo in a sword-fight but all could see that Alaric was barely holding Sabo off, while Sabo was calm and collected, stalling Alaric while he thought of a plan.
"Enough!" yelled Alaric. With one last strike, he jumped back and began to transform. Soon, a humongous 3-headed dog stood in his place. It was at-least 20 feet tall (6 metres approx.).
The first head leapt out and tried to bite Sabo, who punched the dog in the mouth, knocking down one of its large teeth that was as big as Sabo's hat. Sabo moved back, thinking quickly as the Cerberus approached again.
*** Sabo PoV
He had been left no other choice. He had to use it, the big one.
"Gear 3rd!" At this Sabo bit into his thumb and blew. His arm grew to the size of a giants. He then coated it with armament.
"Gigant Pistol!" He pulled the giant black arm back and punched the Cerberus with all of his strength.
The huge dog was sent flying by the immense force behind the attack.
*** Alaric PoV
Pain was all he felt as he flew through the air. He landed in the middle of the town square, creating a crater where he landed. He groaned in pain and turned back to his human form, bruised and battered.
Even the minor nicks and cuts from the one-sided sword fight hurt like hell after that landing.
"Top Hat Sabo…" he growled, "I will find you…"
"And kill you"
*** Just under 3 years ago, Ace's departure
Luffy had come to see him off as he had done for Sabo.
Right on Schedule the Sea King emerged in all its grandeur.
It took one look at Ace and turned around and went back into the water.
It gave one last roar that in Sea-King-ese meant, "Hell No! I'm not fighting that dude."
*** Less than a year later, Marineford, Epithet-Giving Department
"This meeting is the 19th meeting called to decide on the epithet of Portgas D Ace. So far the best candidates are, 'Cowboy Hat Ace', 'Cute-Freckles Ace', 'Foo Foo Cuddly Poo Ace' and 'Top hat's brother Ace'. Let us vote on which one we want, even though they are all terrible!"
*** After the voting
On the board in the front of the meeting room was written-
Foo Foo Cuddly Poo Ace – 21 votes
Cowboy Hat Ace – 19 votes
Cute-Freckles Ace – 17 votes
'Top-Hat's Brother Ace – 3 votes
'Sigh'. 'With great regret, I announce that Portgas D Ace's new epithet is-"The head of the epithet department was rudely cut off by the door being slammed open.
"Who dares to interrupt the great leader of the Epithet Department!?"
The interrupter ignored this statement and said instead, "Portgas D Ace finally has a Devil fruit! The Mera-mera no mi! And he named his signature attack, 'Fire-fist'!"
The entire hall burst into cheers, not considering that the Mera-mera no mi was highly dangerous and the fact that Ace had it was probably a bad thing.
*** Later that night, Epithet Department Party
Unbeknownst to the epithet department, there was a surprise department check scheduled for that day. A kindly old man was conducting it.
The Old Man, Hansel entered the department to find an exuberant party in place. He smiled nostalgically, he had used to like parties, the best place to break dance.
"Might I enquire what the occasion is?" said the Inspector.
"We're celebrating the fact that Portgas finally got a devil fruit!"
*** Ship of the Spade Pirates
"Hey Captain Ace, they updated your bounty!"
"Yeah, 80,000,000 beri Fire-fist Ace."
"They must have heard about my devil fruit." Said Ace casually.
"For some reason I thought they would name you something cute like… Foo Foo Cuddly Poo Ace."
Ace snorted in derision.
"No Chance"
*** Thanks for reading. This isn't a very serious chapter but the important fact from this chapter is that Sabo has the Gomu Gomu no mi.