Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece.
Chapter 26: Searching for the Illusion of Normal
Sadie panted as she focused on the globe of ice before her. Sadie concentrated on the tiny molecules and energized them until they evaporated into vapor. The mist swirled around her fingers at her command and then she halted the motion and the water droplets drifted to the floor as fluffs of snow.
A whistle sounded from her doorway and Sadie turned to the noise a little annoyed at the interruption. Tsubaki entered the room still acting like she owned it. "Doing a little redecorating?" the red-head lifted a scarlet brow and gestured to the frost that covered everything.
"I'm just working on my water control. I have the most control over water in its liquid state, but I want to be able to command it no matter what state it's in." To emphasize her point, Sadie lifted a cluster of ice crystals from the black comforter on her bed to tornado around her palm.
"I see." Tusbaki's tone suggested that something else was happening.
Sadie rolled her eyes. What did Tsubaki want from her? It had been a few weeks since Thatch died. She'd grieved and accepted that Ace was truly an idiot if he was going to just leave like that. A pang shot through her at the thought of the second commander. What else was there to do?
"And when was the last time you had anything to eat?" Tsubaki crossed her arms and looked down sternly over Sadie.
Sadie shrugged. It was now past when the crew ate dinner, but she had grabbed a quick breakfast this morning. "I've eaten. Don't worry so much."
Tsubaki grabbed Sadie's wrist and Sadie had to release her hold on the floating crystals as they started frost over her friend's fingers. "What are you doing?!" Sadie huffed up at Tsubaki. The ice had melted without Sadie keeping in frozen, but that wasn't what had her blood pumping hotly.
Tsubaki's emerald eyes glinted at her sharply as she yanked to bring Sadie's face closer to her own. "You aren't sleeping much either."
"Wha-?" Sadie gasped.
Tsubaki dropped her wrist and Sadie stepped back from her friend to prevent another close encounter.
"You can't just stay in your room all the time." Tsubaki's eyes softened from their hard emerald stares. "We have to move on. We have to live."
"I am." Sadie defended quietly.
"No you're not!" Sadie flinched at the sudden force in her friend's words. Tsubaki took a deep breath before continuing move evenly. "You've sentenced yourself to the coffin of your room. You've never been overly social, but at least you came out. Now you eat a small breakfast and retreat again before most of the crew is even up."
Sadie saw the hurt in the fragile way that Tsubaki stood holding her arms across from her. "I'm sorry." she offered weakly.
Tsubaki's eyes flashed over her before she shook her head, "Me too." Sadie's brows drew together as she watched Tsubaki bite into her lower lip. "I should have come to find you before now. It's just that things have been…"
"I know." Sighed Sadie letting the lingering grief bleed into her words. The problem wasn't that she wasn't hungry, but every time she entered the mess deck she couldn't help but look for Thatch. Then she would be hit with his death again. It hurt.
Tsubaki took the few steps needed to breach the distance between them and drew Sadie into a gentle hug. "At least come eat with me and Marco from now on. Okay?"
Tsubaki's eyes held fiercely to Sadie's, stubbornly refusing to let her go. With a reluctant smile Sadie nodded her ascent.
….
A wall of water rose before Fire-Fist Ace. The sky screamed as lightning tore across the black clouds. His flames beckoned to his command engulfing his arm.
"Fire Fist!" The pirate's battle cry was lost in the roar of thunder. The massive ball of fire burst forth and broke the wave. Ace grinned through the steam that rushed over Striker only to shrink before the larger wave at the other's back.
"Shit!" Ace cursed. The wave was upon him and he only had time to wrap the rope around his forearm before the sea swallowed him.
.
.
.
The sound of a sizzling pan carried over the sweet smell of caramelized sugar. He creaked open his eyes to see the dimly lit interior of a roughly carved ceiling. Ace lifted a lead arm to his face. He'd somehow survived the sea. His heart tore itself at the thought. He couldn't die until he avenged Thatch.
A light laugh made his head turn. "LiDididi, looks like you're awake."
The woman before him had long copper brown hair that easily reached to her waist. Her large brown eyes peered down at him in amusement. She wore an iridescent purple corset that pinched her waist over the extravagant frilled ivory skirt.
At her appearance Ace tried to sit up only to find his body uncooperative. He could still feel the sea on his skin and soaked through his clothes. Ace quickly concluded he hasn't lost too much time. However, this only frustrated him more. He needed to get back to tracking Blackbeard. He didn't have time to lay here weak.
"Now, now, take it easy." The woman moved to his side with a pout on her lips. "A devil fruit user like you shouldn't be sailing the sea on your own." she tutted over him as she pushed gently back on his shoulders.
He grumbled slightly but complied, mostly because he didn't seem to have any other option.
"Alright," She smiled down at him, "I'm Yar Ina, but you can call me Ina-chan. Can you tell me your name?"
Ace narrowed his eyes at the woman. She had obviously saved him, but could he trust her?
"LiDidididi!," She laughed goldenly, "I have nothing but respect for the Whitebeard Pirates. And if you wanted to hide it, then you should have considered a smaller tattoo."
Ace blinked slowly. The sea seemed to have done more than just wear him down physically.
"Now, what's your name?" She sat next to him on the couch he laid upon.
"Ace, Portgas D. Ace." He finally spoke roughly. His throat felt like it was coated in sand.
"There," she grinned widely. "That wasn't so hard, was it?" She stood and walked away. Ace craned his neck to watch her go as he remained laying down. "How about some tea Portgas-san?" She called back.
"Yes please." he rasped and returned his eyes to the view of the ceiling. The soft sounds of cooking flitted through the air choking Ace with memories. There was nothing to do here. No task to focus on leaving him vulnerable to his wondering mind.
Teach's face attacked his mind's eye and Ace grit his teeth against the anger that threatened to break through. Hearing her quiet footsteps approach. Ace attempted to sit up again and succeeded.
Ina smiled at him encouragingly as she handed him a small steaming cup.
Ace took the warm cup with both hands. "Thank you." He lowered his head respectfully.
She nodded and then left him alone again.
Ace looked past the cup in his hands to his feet. His boots were missing and he wondered idly if they were lost to the sea or if Ina had taken them. Shit- did Striker survive the storm? He might be stuck wherever this was. He took a sip while generating a list of likely islands based on his knowledge of where he had been.
"I'm back!" Called a voice from a few rooms away.
Ace turned to the sound and watched as a fishwoman crossed through the room he was in to the adjoining kitchen.
"Welcome home." cheered Ina.
"How's our guest?" asked the fishwoman.
"See for yourself. Grab the tray please." Ina continued.
Ace sat a little straighter on the couch. It seemed his hosts were returning. The two strolled into the room. Ina carried a platter while the other woman had a small collapsible table. The fishwoman had shocking skin of alternating jagged stripes of white and black. Her head was covered in wide black fins tipped in gold. She wore a blazer splotched with purple and gold over black with only one button secured over her breasts. A pair of black slacks clung to her slender hips and down her legs. She flashed a wicked smile at Ace as she bent over to set up the table for Ina.
"Well chu look a sight better than chu did when I fished chu out of the sea." The woman smirked.
"Behave." chided Ina.
"Aww, chu know chu're the only one for me." The woman pulled Ina close and planted a kiss on the other's cheek.
Ina giggled and shoved her partner away gently. "We have a guest." She grinned through her blush.
At that their eyes landed on Ace who was gaping slightly. Ace shook himself and bowed. "I am truly grateful for your kindness and hospitality."
"Well ain't he adorable." smirked the fishwoman as she pulled a chair up to sit opposite of Ace.
"Itza, this is Portgas-san." Ina introduced.
"Nice to meet cha kid." Itza winked and flashed her sharp teeth at Ace.
Ace didn't feel it was polite to push forward, but he didn't have time to sit here. If he needed to build a new ship, then better he know now. "By any chance, did any of my belonging or raft make it to shore?"
"Chahaha! Feisty too." Itza grinned wider and picked up a piece of grilled fruit from the tray that she popped into her mouth. "Don't be in such a hurry to die brat."
Ace glared at the fishwoman across from him. Every second he wasted here was another second that Teach got farther away. He knew that his ex-crewmate was heading to paradise and he needed to keep pushing forward if he was going to catch him.
"Moe!" pouted Ina dashing her look from Ace to Itza and back again. "What Itza means, is that you need to eat something." She pushed the platter of fruits and pastries closer to Ace.
Ace took a baguette smeared with cheese and started to munch on it. His body sang in appreciation. He had sailed days on end without stopping. It felt like a lifetime ago that he ate anything more than stale bread and jerky. The first piece disappeared in a flash and Ace readily grabbed a crescent of fruit next rejoicing in the sweet tang of citrus.
Meanwhile, Ina sat next to her partner and watched Ace with open concern.
"Anno, Portgas-san. What…" Ace lifted a brow at Ina's hesitance.
She looked uncomfortably over to Itza who humphed and leaned forward. "What's going on kid? It's rare to find a Whitebeard pirate on their own."
Images flashed through Ace's mind of Thatch on the floor, of his family screaming at his back to return, of tears fallen from grey eyes, of everything he tried not to think of and it made his hand pause over the tray of food. Slowly he pulled his fingers back. It was a fair question, but not one he was prepared to answer.
"Che, I get it kid." Ace raised his haunted eyes to Itza. "Chu've clearly been through hell. However, those of us who live on Fishman Island owe a lot to Whitebeard. If something has happened, then there are those who would help."
Itza's silver eyes flashed through Ace. It felt like she could peer into his soul and read the pain that festered there. A wave of exhaustion crashed over him and he hung his head. He needed to pull it together. He couldn't let his body tell him what to do.
Ace ran a slightly shaking hand through his hair crusted with sand and salt. Another pang of pain shot through him as he noted the absence of his hat. It was a small thing, but it was starting to feel like all the things big and little were crushing him with their combined weight.
"Well, stay silent if chu want. But know this, chu aren't going anywhere until we get some answers." Itza punctuated her statement by taking a teethy bite out of her apple quarter.
Anger burned in Ace's chest. He would not be held captive by two women pretending to be allies. He moved to stand and the room swam around him in dizzying color. He fell back to the couch in a frustrated heap.
"If nothing else." Itza continued seriously, "Chu need to stay here and heal up first. A few good meals and some sleep should go a long way."
"I've prepared a room for you Portgas-san." Ina chirped from Itza's side. "When you are done eating, you can bath before retiring if that is your wish."
They honestly expected him to stay! He couldn't, wouldn't! Itza responded to the defiance in Ace's eyes and flashed over to him in an instant. Ace found himself pinned to the couch with Itza's sharp teeth a breath from his throat. "Do not misunderstand. We simply can't let chu leave until we know if chu have betrayed Whitebeard."
"What?" Breathed Ace his eyes wide with anger.
"The sea is buzzing with rumors. If chu haven't deserted, then why are chu out here alone?" Itza's teeth lowered to graze his pulse in an open threat.
"Itza!" cried Ina shocked.
Itza leveled her shining silver eyes to Ace and he read the darkness there, "You are too trusting Ina. If our guest is a traitor, then we should return him to Whitebeard in pieces." Her white pointed teeth glinted at Ace.
The anger in Ace's chest boiled over, spewing from his mouth. "I would never betray Oyaji! I'm not the one who-!" His mind stopped functioning as he realized what he was about to say. The words wouldn't come to the surface. He didn't want them to come to the surface.
"You're not the one who what." Itza's eyes narrowed over him. She was no longer asking but demanding.
Ace grit his teeth against the words that floated through his head relentlessly. I didn't kill Thatch. I didn't betray my father. I didn't kill my best friend!
One of Itza's webbed hands came up to press against Ace's throat. He fought down the panic that arose at even the slight pressure applied to his windpipe. "Answer me!"
"I'm not the one who killed-" Ace chewed on the name before grounding it out harshly, "Thatch."
Itza leaned back and removed her hand. "No, you're the one who left."
"Enough! Moe!" Ina pouted angrily.
Itza shrugged nonchalantly, "He needed to say it."
Free of Itza's pinning weight, Ace sat up and rubbed at his throat gingerly. He threw an accusing glare at the black striped fishwoman.
"Oooo scary. The second division commander can generate a nice killer intent." Itza smirked darkly. "Listen kid. If chu want to make any progress, then chu should abandon that denial chu're carrying."
"That was uncalled for." frowned Ina.
"Really, ask him?" Itza jabbed a thumb in his direction.
Ace sat on the couch amidst his stirred-up heart. He'd been blindly following the anger burning in chest. Chasing whispers and any ghost of information present.
"I bet the kid doesn't even know how wrecked he looks." Itza continued.
He didn't know. He hadn't seen himself or anything else except the sea before him and the lengthy shadow of Teach. That he was chasing Teach was lie he told himself. The truth was he was running. He was running from the fact that he had abandoned his family. He was running from the painful memories the crew held for him. Wrapped up in his anger, he'd ignored everything else to avoid the pain. Sitting here admitting it for the first time, he felt so tired. A fire burning with only embers holding onto the last dregs of heat.
Itza sat back down across from Ace. "I don't sugar coat things kid. You are killing yourself." She paused briefly to let that fact sink through Ace's armor. "Now, you are going to stay here and regroup before setting out again. Because, there is now way in hell I'd let a Whitebeard Pirate sail off to their death when I can stop it."
As Ace met the sharp silver glare of Itza he believed her. He bowed his head, "Thank you. I will gladly accept your offer." He was tired of running.
…
Tsubaki reclined on the sunny deck of the Kujira. Sadie and Commander Vista were sparing. After several sessions of forced socialization, her reclusive friend had returned to her normal social habits and ventured out among the crew on her own. Commander Vista had been keen to advance Sadie's abilities and readily accepted her request for assistance. Sadie had her water blades out and Vista was using haki on his blades, attempting to awaken Sadie's own haki.
"Move your feet Sadie-chan yoi." called Marco lightly as he crossed the deck towards Tsubaki.
She looked up and grinned at him. "Hey you."
"Hey yourself-yoi," he smiled as he curled himself casually next to her and brushed a quick kiss to her head as he did so.
"Did you work everything out with Keon?" Tsubaki leaned into him as Marco's arm automatically moved to wrap around her shoulders.
A heavy sigh rushed out of him before he answered. "He still refuses to take the position of commander. It's too soon."
He didn't continue to explain further, but Tsubaki knew that Marco agreed with Keon. Several members of the crew longed for some sort of normalcy to take root and that meant having a commander for the fourth and second divisions. What with Ace going rouge, Fisher had taken on Ace's duties until his eventual return. Because, even though Ace had left, everyone expected him to return at some point. However, the fourth division was a different story. As the vice-commander, Keon was offered the promotion first. He kept putting it off saying it was disrespectful to replace Commander Thatch so soon. It was merely a technicality. Keon acted as the commander even if the title wasn't his officially. If the fourth division wasn't ready to formally move on, then they shouldn't. The rest of the crew would just have to be patient.
"They just need more time." Tsubaki finally offered as she watched Sadie twirl around the deck effectively avoiding the black blade of her uncle.
"I know." his tone was slightly pained and he squeezed her a little tighter. "I should get back to work." He moved to stand but paused when Tsubaki's hand gripped his arm, silently begging him to stay. "Sorry Kitten. I promise we'll spend some time together later."
She let him go and watched as he walked away burdened by the lingering absence of his brothers. He coped by throwing himself into looking after the crew. Every time he paused to rest or simply be human, his shell would crack and his pain would leak out. There was a good chance he wouldn't stop until late into the evening and sneak into bed after he thought she was asleep.
….
"Ace-kun! I have something for you!" Ina called.
Ace stood from his work on Striker. His raft had survived the storm, but not without damage. It had taken him a full week to get it to where it was now, and it still wasn't sea worthy yet.
Ina walked over on her pale purple fins. He hadn't realized it at first, but Ina was a mature mermaid. What he had first assumed was a white skirt were actually wide flowing fins that encircled her waist. He met her halfway up the beach.
"Look at today's article." She handed him the newspaper.
Ace quickly brushed his hands on his shorts before taking it from her. A quick scan of the lead story had him grinning. "Luffy!" he cried.
"Mmn!" Ina nodded. "I thought you might be interested.
"Thanks Ina-chan!" Ace grinned already starting to read about his brother's latest exploits. If Luffy was in Loguetown, then he would be breaking into the Grandline very soon. A wave of longing ran through him at the realization. It had been too long since he last saw his kid brother.
"Have you thought any more about what Itza said?" Ina asked quietly.
Ace frowned. The fishwoman was pushing Ace to return to Oyaji. She insisted that it was foolish to go against him. She had a point, but Ace just couldn't go back without avenging Thatch first.
"I'm still going after Blackbeard." The sour name sat on his tongue unpleasantly.
Teach had taken the moniker Blackbeard and was quickly working at build up that name by destroying small towns in Paradise. So far, he knew that Blackbeard had gained one man. A spindly clown like character with a top-hat and cane.
"I see." Disappoint rang clear in Ina's voice and she turned away from him slightly.
"Don't worry Ina-chan." Ace grinned at her. Itza had literally beaten some sense into him. No longer would he sail blindly. A man was more than one goal or one bond. Ace had a family to return to when this was over. Ace had a brother who looked up to him. He couldn't honor Thatch and the life Thatch lived, if he stopped being himself. "I'm not going to make the same mistakes twice."
She smiled sadly at him. "How long before you're ready to leave?"
"Another two days, three tops." Ace looked back at Striker. The resin needed to set and that would take time. He also needed to bind up an extra sail in case the one he had was damaged.
She nodded. "Then, I have work to do."
He raised a questioning brow to her.
She stuck her chin into the air and her pink lips parted over white teeth in a grin, "I can't very well let you starve. You seem incapable of feeding that black hole you call a stomach." Ace's stomach chose that moment to murmur itself into the conversation, "See!" she pointed with a laugh, "I'll pack you lots of food that will travel well. So, you make sure to take care of yourself."
A splash from the sea made them both turn their heads and Itza waltzed out of the ocean with a net full of shells and gold. "Chu should listen to her Ace-kun." grinned the fishwoman. "I don't take kindly to people who make my dear Ina cry."
Ace grinned back at Itza, "I'll bare that in mind."
….
"Hmmm…" Marco hummed around his sandwich.
Sadie peered up at him momentarily. He had a slightly annoying habit of making uninformative noises while reading. He had one of the few copies of the newspaper and would hum, hn, ah, oh and other nonsense sounds. She tried to ignore him as he let out another "Ooooh." and focused on her lunch. Commanders Jiru and Atmos were going to be helping train her by beating her to a pulp while she was blindfolded. She'd concluded several days ago that the commanders were just taking turns to share the fun. The bunch of geezer sadists.
"That's unusual." Marco mused as he pulled the paper closer to his nose.
Sadie took a sip not even looking at him. Marco was the only commander who hadn't joined in on the Sadie bashing that took place on an almost daily basis. Her thoughts turned somber. It would probably be better if he would. It was no secret that Marco had taken to working much more now that Thatch and Ace were both gone.
A few flurries of anger blew through her as she through about Ace leaving. Maybe if he had stayed, then they might have become something more, but as it was Ace didn't owe Sadie anything. However, he did owe Marco. She couldn't fathom how he could just leave his remaining best friend behind. Her mind immediately flipped her mental coin. She couldn't imagine trying to deal with all of this on her own. To willingly leave her family. The crazy idiots made everything hurt less.
"Sadie, did you want the paper?"
She jumped a little as Marco's voice startled her out of her thoughts and nodded. He held the paper out for her across the table and Sadie took it quickly scanning the top page.
"Marco, We've been invited to join Shun and Willow for a double date at the next island."
Marco uttered a long-suffering sigh. "You know I'd do anything for you but,"
"Come on," Tsubaki begged, "It will be a nice change of pace. Medically speaking…"
Sadie tuned out their conversation as she quickly zeroed in on the article that had pulled those annoying vocalizations from the blonde.
A pirate had caused a raucous at Lougetown and even went so far as to stand on the execution tower. This in of itself was noteworthy, but the pirate in question was Monkey D. Luffy, Ace's brother. She looked at the slightly unfocused picture of him grinning on the execution tower. His hat and smile were all that she could make out, but it was enough. She'd seen Ace's brothers in that damned vision, and felt she had a better chance of recognizing them now.
Sadie flipped to the bounties page and scanned the images until she found Straw-Hat Luffy in the East blue section. It was easy to see how the small child she glimpsed had grown into the young man pictured in the paper. His smile hadn't changed at all and the hat seemed as much a part of him as the scar under his eye.
She turned back to the article and looked at the second smaller photo near the bottom. Marco would have been interested in this simply because it was about Luffy, but there was more to it. Just barely visible in the shadows of a building was a cloaked figure. The angular tattoo was unmistakable. Incredibly, Dragon, the leader of the revolutionaries, had been in town the same day as Luffy. Thinking about it, she wondered if the rubber pirate had lucked out. It was probably easier to slip out of town if the revolutionaries were also stirring up trouble. The article didn't say anything specific, but then again it wouldn't.
The World Government tried not to give the organization any more attention than was needed. The filthy liars, wouldn't let a story leak about the revolutionary army getting one up on them if there weren't civilians around to spill the information.
A swath of fabric drifted down in front of her face blocking her view of the article. She looked up to see the wide grin of Atmos. His long beard scratching at her bare shoulders.
"Ready Sadie-chan?" he rumbled.
Instead of answering she set the paper down and stood. He was much taller than she was and even standing she had to look way up at him. He tossed the blindfold to her and she caught it deftly in her hand. It was time to get back to work.
….
The snow crunched under Ace's feet. He wasn't a fan of the cold and his devil fruit radiated warmly in response. He kept the black coat wrapped around him and his hands stuffed in its pockets. He saw the damage that Blackbeard had wrecked and was almost giddy at the prospect of closing in on his foe.
He rolled a toothpick around his tongue idly as he walked into town. A few men rushing out to greet him with guns and poles.
"Who are you? Why are you here?" shouted one man waving his pole violently.
Ace smirked from beneath the wide brim of his hat. He supposed after what they had been through their distrust of strangers was to be expected. "Relax," he spoke calmly, "I'm only passing though looking for information."
The men lowered their weapons slightly, but remained tense as they eyed him suspiciously. "What sort of information?" A man holding a gun asked hesitantly.
"I'm looking for Blackbeard." He pulled one hand from the warmth of his pocket to gesture at the surrounding damage, "I'm looking for the one who did this." He was getting closer. He wasn't there yet, but the time was coming when he would face Blackbeard.
"That man is long gone." Ansered the one with the gun.
Ace nodded, he hadn't expected him to linger and there was that rumor floating about. He needed to do one more thing before he faced Blackbeard anyway. "Then, let me ask you one more question. Has a pirate wearing a staw hat come here?
"No such man has been here." The man gritted his teeth, "We won't allow pirates on our island again."
No pirates. Ace found the statement amusing considering he himself was a pirate, although they didn't know that. Ace fished around in his pocket, past the newspaper article, now weeks old, documenting Luffy's adventure in Loguetown to his brother's wanted poster. He unfolded the newsprint and handed it to the men before him.
"If this guy comes here," He paused seeing that the men paled in apprehension.
"If he comes here?" they gasped.
"Then, tell him that I'll wait for him in Alabasta for just 10 days." Ace whipped around and with a wave called back, "Okay?"
"Oi!" the voice yelled at his back. "Wait! What's your name?"
Ace grinned, they only just now thought to ask? It wasn't important to him, because he knew that Luffy would answer a challenge no matter if he knew it was him or not. "Oh yeah…I forgot." Ace turned and flashed a confident smirk around his toothpick. "My name is Ace. If you tell him that when he comes, he'll know who I am."
A chuckle rumbled through him at the thought of his goofy kid brother. He really wanted to see Luffy before things came to a head with Blackbeard. He needed to see that Luffy was alright. He couldn't focus everything he had on Blackbeard until he assured himself that his kid brother was taken care of.
Slick as ice, Ace started to saunter out of town.
"Stop him! He just ate and left without paying!" Yelled a man angrily.
Ace jolted at the accusation. It was time to shake a leg outta here! "Ahhh! Well then, tell him, okay? Thanks!" He dashed across the snow-covered ground to where he had left Striker. Alabasta and the rumors of a bounty hunter who had killed Blackbeard awaited him.
….
Ace cut through the sea with striker to the odd little ship with a sheep's figurehead. As he neared, voices drifted down to him.
"…Older brother of a monster is an even bigger monster."
"Yeah I lost all the time." Luffy laughed "But I'd win now if we tried.
Ace shook his head with a mad grin on his face. His kid brother hadn't changed a bit. He grabbed his bag and leapt up toward Luffy's insistent laughter. "Who," Luffy cut off his mirth as he turned to face him. Ace landed in a crouch on the ship's rail and Luffy stumbled back in surprise. "Can win what now?" He stared down at his kid brother. He hadn't felt this light hearted in ages.
Luffy didn't mind falling to the deck and called up to him. "Oh, Ace! this is the crew I was talking about."
He looked around at the small cluster of people and felt immediate gratitude for them as he imagined the trials his straw-hat loving brother forced upon them. "Oh," He bowed his head politely, "Thank you all for taking care of my little brother." He beamed at the budding crew.
They returned his greeting with bows of their own which only made him like them more.
"He might be a bit much for you to handle too, but…"
"No, not at all." The crew answered in unison.
Their obvious handle of their captain had Ace laughing out loud. It seemed his brother had found some good friends. "Take good care of him."
The blonde lifted a cigarette in his directions, "You probably have lots of catching up to do. Why don't you come in? I'll make some tea."
"No, uuuhh" Ace kept his grin in place. He concluded that this must be their cook and a brief image of Thatch flashed through his mind. He pushed the image aside and continued, "Don't do it on my account." Then he lit the end of the kind cook's cigarette. He had developed a soft spot for anyone who shared Thatch's profession.
"Talk about unexpected." A short man with a long nose spoke.
"That's for sure." whispered the swordsman.
Ace's grin widened, they sure did seem surprised by his arrival.
"I would've expected him to be as reckless as Luffy…" the long-nosed man spoke again.
"No," He spied the log pose on the girl's wrist and identified her as the navigator, "This sensible man can't possibly be Luffy's brother!"
"He's a nice guy who cares about his brother!" choked the swordsman.
"Brothers can be so wonderful!" cried the small reindeer like creature.
"The sea is full of surprises…" commented the cook.
This crew seemed to both understand Luffy well, and cared for him. He was indebted to them for looking after his kid brother.
"Come now, everyone!" The fair blue-hair woman tried to smooth over. She seemed to be the most diplomatic and level-headed of the crew.
Luffy's beaming face filled his vision as his brother rushed in front of him. "See! Aren't these guys neat?"
Ace absolutely agreed, but for perhaps different reasons than his brother. He could continue his quest without worry. These were good people.
AN: This last chapter focused more on Ace while the next and final chapter will see more of the Whitebeard crew. For anyone interested, chapters 6 and 7 have been rewritten. It has bothered me how OOC both Ace and Sadie were when she presents him with her 'thank you gift.' Beyond that I've also rewritten parts of their encounters on the autumn island where Sadie steals a scroll. Thanks for stopping by to read the latest chapter. Until next time – Laugh Like Luffy.