Disclaimer: I do NOT own One Piece
However, I own Bonnet D. Cyan, Hoiru Island, Bonnet D. Silver and Jacque Knives.

Happy New Year everyone! Have an awesome year - eat, be safe and laugh out loud! ^o^

Also, Happy Birthday to Ace :3


Confrontation!
A young man's resentment and a mother's regard

The chief had spent the past hour listening to the dispute among his community.

A villager spotted Ace training in the fields in the late hours the night before. After witnessing Ace's Devil Fruit power from afar, he stumbled away in fear and warned the whole village as soon as morning came. Crowds gathered outside the chief's tent, waiting for a word of justification.

"Hmm," the chief pondered over the situation, having agreed to give Cyan the benefit of the doubt. "Perhaps we are overreacting after all."

Disapproving whispers and comments were erupting from all angles. None could believe their ears. Was the pirate brainwashing each person one by one?

"What are you saying, Chief-san?!" One young man stood up in defiance. Kazumi was sixteen years old, at times he didn't know wrong from right, but he could see the whole town suffering from the suspense of a pirate attack that may or may not happen and he wanted to make sure it won't.

He didn't want to live in fear. He knew that much.

"Could it be that you're saying the pirate is somehow a good pirate?"

The question sounded aggravatingly spiteful but the chief sensed it had come from his concern for the village. He disregarded the blatant sarcasm and continued, "Today isn't the first day since that pirate's been here," then a look of dread furrowed his brows as he remembered Ace's bounty, "A pirate like Portgas D. Ace, I'm afraid he could've wiped out this island the moment he got here."

"And your point is?" Kazumi's tone persisted, though this time exceptionally scornful.

"My point is," the chief replied calmly, this time with more resolution. "We will be in the wrong to provoke a man when he hasn't exactly bothered us in any way."

Kazumi huffed a laugh, bitterly, openly disrespecting the chief. "That sounds all fair and pretty. And we shall live with the consequence if you're wrong? Or will we be long dead? I can't sit here and wait, I have to see what this is all about!"

"No way!" The chief stated sternly.

People started to shake in fear, "You'll only be killed," they said, but not Kazumi, he couldn't understand why that was going to be the case.

He was just about to run away to find that 'dreadful' pirate when his terrified father grab held onto him.

"Let me go!" he cried out, clenched his fist, desperate to be recognised. "I don't want to be a coward like all of you!"

"Keep an eye on him, I'm going to have a chat with Cyan," the chief said and then with austerity he added, "Make sure he stays away from Portgas D. Ace."

He drew in a deep breath and forced himself to remain calm. When he came to think, he started to wonder why he hadn't seen her for so many days.


Meanwhile not too far away, Ace and Cyan were enjoying having their sleeping patterns switched around, which meant they had the beach and the fields all to themselves at nightfall. Though they never thought this would spring uproar against the chief's authority and that he was on his way to Cyan, even if it meant he had to skip his beloved afternoon tea session, and supper, for that matter.

Snow rain had been falling consecutively for some days and the grass were slippery to walk on. His careful trudging footsteps came to a halt in front of Cyan's tent.

The day was quickly falling into darkness but the tent hadn't been lit up. "Excuse me," he began warily. "Are you in there, Cyan-chan?"

"Yes," came the reply. Cyan emerged from the curtain and greeted the chief politely as usual.

"I think you know why I came to talk to you," he said with a troubled sigh. The wrinkles between his brows marked his worrying nature quite distinctively.

"Chief-san," she bit her lip, disquieted by the amount of tension in the chief's eyes. "I apologise for letting you persuade the villagers. I know it must be difficult but I'll tell them myself if they'd believe me for one second – Ace is not here to hurt anyone!"

She spoke a little louder than she attempted. Desperation and adrenaline filled each thump of her heart.

"Please Chief-san, let him stay with me. He'd be gone before you'd even blink and I'm still the same Cyan. I promise! Please Chief-san, please understand how much it hurts to constantly be accused!"

There were beads of tears rolling down her flushed cheeks.

"He's... more than just a friend, isn't he?" He said, his eyes instantly softening. "I believe you, Cyan-chan. Just please don't let it get out of hand – it won't be easy to have a relationship with a pirate."

"Chief-san!" She exclaimed and dived into his chest.

"There, there. Let it out, poor child," he comforted her, knowing she was a strong-willed child who'd only shed tears when she was truly hurt. He could recall countless scenes in past times when growing up, the other children would always tease Cyan about her parents and she'd argue back to defend the mother and father she never knew, and how many times afterwards he'd find her crying late at night, alone and hidden from the village because Gram was worried sick. Though it wasn't long before that stopped happening altogether.

"This is feels awfully familiar," the chief sighed through a nostalgic smile. "You've learned to be strong." ...To hold back your tears. I know you better than you think, Cyan-chan, I've been watching you for Yuuna.

"I had to. I didn't want Gram to be upset," she smiled weakly in the chief's embrace. To Cyan, crying was almost like a state of luxury so she made sure to never take Gram's company for granted and only saving the best smiles for her to see. "Chief-san, the villagers..."

The villagers. Yes, he had to think of a solution that will keep the village at ease and still allow him to keep his promise – to look out for Cyan's best interest.

"I'll figure something to tell them," he said. "Someone saw Portgas D. Ace using his Devil Fruit power last night. They want him gone. Even if he isn't a vicious pirate, he's still a pirate. I know they've never given you a chance but I hope you can find it in your heart to understand that your parents did do terrible things to their families." Saying this, he grinned, deliberately changing the subject. "So! You've taken off the arm sling. I see he's looked after you well."

The chief winked at Cyan. He patted her head and smiled upon her like a grandfather. Instead of drying her tears she cried harder, powered by happiness and gratitude.

"Alright, dear, I have to go," he said soothingly.

"No, I can't let you go by yourself," Cyan clenched her fist and quickly wiped her face with a sleeve. She felt reluctant to make the chief pass the word again. "I think it's best if I go with you, since they won't hear you out."

While Cyan disappeared back inside the tent to change her clothes, Kazumi made his entrance into the scene by clapping condescendingly.

"How touching," his voice intruded. He smiled a caustic smile, having just managed to escape from his family to tune in to the end of the chief's conversation with Cyan. "So you're planning to lie to us, Chief-san?"


Cyan slid out of her night dress and put on her usual gear.

When she reopened her satin curtain, "I heard everything," Ace said in a flat voice. He had his hat over his face. "I don't like it that I indirectly made you cry."

She smiled at him in the dim tent. "I'm fine, you shouldn't blamed yourself-"

"I don't like the fact that because of me, they're giving you a hard time." Ace stood up, his shadow towered before her. He grabbed her by her shoulders. "Listen, Cyan..." he mumbled, cheeks flushed and tongue tied, and he gave a firm squeeze. "I didn't dare for one second to think I'll be able to have someone as perfect as you. I want nobody else, I want you to be mine, forever."

Cyan could feel the heat in his aura. She blushed, too. "Thank you but I'm far from perfect and I know forever is a big word but I'm ready to conquer that, with you."

"Then I can't and won't stand by while you take all this grief by yourself!"

His breathing was nothing short of heavy but hers remained reasonably calm. "Ace, you didn't hear everything, did you?" She said. "What I heard was Chief-san's encouraging words, cheering me on like a grandfather. And because of that, I don't care what the villagers think."

"Of course..." he said, obliged to cool down against reason.

Although Cyan wasn't aware of Ace's believes and insecurities of Gol D. Roger, she knew there was a shadow inside his heart because this was the first time he lost his usually collected composure. She wanted to ask him but kept quiet after the time he told her that he wondered if he should have been born.

Now that she thought about it, it sounded bizarre that a child would dare to ask himself such a question. This must be a particularly touchy matter.

"Show yourself, pirate!"

Suddenly they could hear Kazumi's voice. Like a child trying to raise a ruckus.

Cyan threw open the tent curtain. "Stop that," she demanded.

"Portgas D. Ace!" Kazumi shouted, ignoring the looks of shock on the faces of the chief and Cyan.

Ace smiled his trademark smile as he stepped out of the tent, and said, "So everyone thinks I'm here to sabotage the village," and he held Kazumi's glare with natural confidence. "Well I'm not."

"Why shall we believe you?!" Kazumi snarled.

"I don't know," Ace merely shrugged. "You ask me like I should be doing something bad."

"Why you-" Kazumi growled in annoyance. He hated the way Ace spoke with such ease. And he was just about to commence his 'attack' when Cyan stepped in between him and his target.

"No! I won't let you do this," she said, loud and clear.

"Get out of my way!" He yelled. Too close to give up now.

"Oi," Ace pulled Cyan aside and stood in front of Kazumi. "I'm the pirate you want, leave her out of this."

Kazumi grinned bitterly. "Yes, this is between you and me now."

"Don't get excited, I'm not going to fight you," Ace raised his eyebrow. "That's what you want."

"How pretentious," Kazumi breathed. How dare he talk down to me. He must think he's better than all of us! "You may be an excellent fighter, but it still doesn't mean I won't try to defend my home!"

The boy had courage. Even Ace couldn't deny good courage as the corner of his lip lifted slowly, "I quite admire your attitude, kid," he said, lowering his gaze.

"Kazumi," Cyan attempted to persuade. "Ace is not here to fight!"

"Isn't that what your mother said the last time she was here?" Kazumi said sharply.

"My mother," Cyan began seriously. "I can't justify for what she did but Ace is not here to fight!"

"Enough, Cyan," Ace said. Then he pointed at Kazumi. "You, kid, I take back what I said. Admit that was a low blow."

"Why should I? All pirates are the same," Kazumi grinded his teeth. "Her parents' crew took my grandparents lives!"

Ace sighed. There was no way he could talk sense into the boy though he could damage Cyan's name no further. "Go on, do what you must."

Kazumi took the offer and charged at the pirate. He swung his sword with all his might though what he saw next extinguished his rage more or less completely.

Standing at the receiving end of his strike was his mother.

Kazumi was distraught but nonetheless still angry. He glared at the chief, then Cyan and Ace.

"Don't, Kazumi," she grimaced in pain as she begged her only son. "I'm trying to protect you. No one is forcing you to fight, do you understand, Kazumi?"

Silence.

Hard stares.

"No," he uttered under his breath. Too late to quite now. Nerves lit up, angry and fast like a storm, influential and powerful like a poison. Then snapped. He looked as if he was going to lose himself.

Ace had to put him in a lock position. "If I were you, I'd listen to your mother. Your grandparents are gone but you can still save her - your mother!" He leaned into Kazumi's ear and whispered, "It takes a true man to admit defeat once in a while. Do the right thing, take her home."


Hope you've enjoyed this chapter :3 As always, Ace can't help but be awesome!
Until next time, you know reviews are always welcome...xox