Author's Note: Hey ya'll! Riku here with Chapter 29! This is the last chapter on Fishman Island and we are steadily moving towards Ace's birthday. Thank you so much for your continued support and awesome reviews! Also, I honestly can't believe this story has over 700 followers XD I never thought I'd create something that was so popular! Anyway, enough of my rambling, ONWARD TO THE CHAPTER!

To Samster7241: Truer words have never been said :) Jimbei's the best.

To ryyaikki: Haha so glad you enjoyed it! I do like to write emotions and comfort lol. It's just so fluffy and pure! Jimbei is one of my favorites...gotta love that big fishman, teddy bear XD Thank you so much for the review!

To yukino76: Ace did need a good cry :( poor guy. Yeah, Jimbei is so wise and patient...he's the best mentor.

WARNINGS:

- Fluff/humor

- Some emotions

- Our favorite boys are so adorable XD

Luffy hummed happily as they made their way towards where breakfast was being held. Marco was on his left, holding his hand, and Sabo was behind him, deep in conversation with Izo about something.

Ace had disappeared after taking a quick bath, but Marco assured him that he was fine and was simply talking with Jimbei. Luffy hoped they would become friends…he wanted Ace to like his crew mates after all.

When they turned a corner, his eyes lit up and a small gasp escaped his lips. The room was smaller than the banquet hall, but just as beautiful, with sparkly walls and windows that let them see out into the ocean. Most exciting to Luffy was the long table in the center filled with delicious smelling food.

"Good morning-jamon." The King greeted from where he sat at the far end of the table, "Please join us!" Mr. White Bread was already there and smiled at them, making Luffy's tail sway in happiness.

While Marco led him and Sabo over to the right side of the table, he waved and grinned at everyone he passed. Most of the commanders were already seated alongside the merman princes who returned his greeting with sharp-toothed smiles of their own.

There weren't as many present for breakfast, which made him feel a bit more confident than normal.

"Here we are, yoi." Marco said, picking him up and plopping him into a chair next to Thatch, who looked like he had a bit of a headache (but smiled nonetheless). Sabo sat next to him, leaving a seat open for Ace when he arrived.

"Thanks, Mango!" Luffy chirped, trying to take in the magnificent spread all at once. It was going to taste sooo good! Before leaving to go sit in his chair to Mr. White Bread's right, Marco knelt down beside him and placed a cup full of pills in his hand that was currently resting on his lap. "What're these?"

"These are part of the new medication regiment I'm implementing for you." Marco explained, staring at him with a firm gaze. He then leaned in and whispered in his ear, "They're pain pills, yoi."

At that, Luffy tensed, eyeing the three small things with nervousness. How had he found out? Had Jimbei told him? Marco reached a hand up and ran a hand through his hair, knocking his hat onto his back in the process.

"I know this probably isn't what you want, but I won't stand by and let you suffer alone, yoi. They aren't all that strong because I want to avoid…side effects, but they should help you feel at least a little better." The commander flashed a gentle smile before standing up to walk to his seat, "Please take them after you've eaten something."

Luffy bit his lip and nodded, his hands shaking slightly. He hadn't wanted to cause trouble for his new friends or his brothers…but…would it really help the pain stop?

He shook his head and plopped his hat back over his ears. No need to overthink it now that Marco knew. To his left, Sabo eyed him with a frown on his face.

"What was that about, Lu?"

"N-Nothing!" He stuttered, trying to hide the pills in his lap. Sabo definitely didn't believe him, but thankfully didn't push for answers. Luffy wasn't ready to tell his brothers, not when it would draw attention away from Ace.

Until his big brother left on his journey and felt truly free, Luffy's issues weren't important.

"Ah, Jimbei! Welcome-jamon!" The King bellowed, making his ears perk up. If the fishman was back, then…

Low and behold, Ace entered with Jimbei, appearing much more relaxed than he had been in the bath, which made Luffy beam.

"I apologize for our tardiness, Your Majesty." Jimbei stated with a bow, prompting Ace to bow as well. The King simply laughed.

"We are among friends, Jimbei! There is no need for such formality."

Ace straightened and nodded to the fishman before making his way to the seat next to Sabo. Luffy couldn't stop his tail from fluffing up and twitching in glee at the look on his big brother's face. He could just tell that another weight had been lifted.

Sabo leaned in and whispered something in Ace's ear, prompting a shrug. Luffy figured they'd get a chance to hear what happened later, once all the delicious food had been eaten.

"Well then, now that we are all here…" The giant merman said, causing the room to settle down a bit, "…shall we eat?"

"Yeah!" Luffy chirped, barely holding himself back from grabbing a piece of the fruity thing in front of him. Sabo softly chided him for his lack of manners, while everyone around him laughed and cheered.

"Hell yeah, let's eat!" Thatch exclaimed, holding up his fork (and winking at Luffy). With that, everyone started to grab whatever they could get their hands on.

Marco ate with restrained vigor, keeping a close eye on Luffy from across the table. He didn't want to stress the boy further by hovering over him, but he did want to make sure the pills were taken.

After eating a plate full of fruit salad and one pancake, he stopped and stared down at his lap, likely at the cup Marco had placed there.

'Go on, yoi…' He thought, absentmindedly placing a slice of apple into his mouth. Luffy's dark eyes darted to those around him before he quickly threw back the cup, taking all three pills at once. Marco stopped eating briefly to watch him, worried he would choke, but Luffy followed the pills with three large gulps of water.

Once he was done, the cat-boy's big eyes met his for a brief moment, searching for reinforcement. Marco smiled softly and nodded, prompting Luffy to return to his meal.

To say he'd been dismayed to learn of Luffy's constant pain was a massive understatement. As the ship's doctor, he should've seen the signs or at least probed more. Had he known, he could've helped the kid develop effective pain management techniques and experiment with what pills worked best.

Now, with their stay on the Moby Dick coming to an end, he didn't have the luxury of time. He would have to do what he could and then pass on the information to Dogtooth.

"…not hungry?" His Captain questioned quietly before taking a swig from his bottle of alcohol. Marco took another bite.

"Just thinking, yoi. I'll tell you later, Pops."

The giant man didn't press but would definitely expect an explanation later. Marco had no doubt that he'd witnessed Luffy taking the pills. In fact, many of the commanders were sending him concerned glances that he would need to deal with when the three brothers weren't around.

The kid obviously didn't want Ace and Sabo to know about his…condition. As a doctor and unofficial older brother to their youngest brat, he would respect his decision.

"As usual, your hospitality is very generous, my friend." Pops stated, drawing a deep laugh out of King Neptune.

"Only the best for you and your family-jamon! You are welcome here anytime."

Marco grinned as the two began to banter back and forth, pleased the slightly tense atmosphere was relaxing. His eyes slid over to the three brothers who were gorging themselves on whatever they could get their grubby little hands on.

Luffy and Ace were making quite a mess while Sabo ate with the refinement of a noble (expertly smacking stray hands that made their way onto his plate). It was honestly quite relieving to see them eating so much as they had been working on the smallest's weight up. Ace had filled out nicely, but little Luffy was still underweight and small for his age.

Just as Marco was about to return his attention to his own plate, something caught his eye. Ace had stopped eating and his eyes were fluttering shut. He frowned, unsure what was wrong with him. Before he could say anything, the teen collapsed forward into his oatmeal with an audible smack, making the room go silent almost instantly.

Everyone's mouths dropped open, though Luffy and Sabo didn't seem terribly concerned.

"Oh dear." The blonde brother stated, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

Needless to say, the room erupted into chaos. Thatch, who was one of the closest commander's to Ace, shot up out of his chair and rushed to the teen's side.

"Oh crap, ACE! Ace wake up! OH GOD I THINK HE'S DEAD!"

"D-Dead!? He can't be dead!"

"How could this happen!?"

Marco leapt to his feet and worked to push his way towards Ace. Meanwhile, their generous hosts were, to put it mildly, freaking out.

"AHHHHH, we've killed him-jamon!" King Neptune all but sobbed, while his sons appeared to be in shock. The closer he got; the more confused Marco became. Unlike the rest of them, Luffy and Sabo weren't worked up at all. The youngest continued to eat while Sabo calmly stood up and somehow managed to pry Thatch's weeping body off Ace.

"If everyone would calm down-" Sabo attempted, only to be drowned out by the escalating cries of the Commanders. His brow furrowed, obviously irritated. "I said…THAT'S ENOUGH!" At his loud exclamation, the room became silent again, with the only sound coming from Luffy's chewing.

"B-But Sabo…h-he's…" Haruta whimpered, pointing to Ace's limp body. The blonde teen huffed and straightened his jacket.

"He's not dead, just asleep."

"A-Asleep?" Sabo nodded.

"Though I will admit…this hasn't happened for quite a while."

Marco forced his way through the crowd so he was close to Ace and, sure enough, muffled snores could be heard from the passed out teenager. Luffy giggled, got up from his chair, and began to poke his brother.

"Yeah, he's got narcotics!"

Everyone froze.

"You mean 'narcolepsy', Lu." Sabo thankfully corrected, prompting a collective sigh to be released. "He's had to deal with it all his life, but we haven't seen him have an episode since…hmmm…"

Marco cupped his jaw, thinking through the information. Based on the scene before him, Ace's narcolepsy was fairly severe, but they hadn't seen it manifest itself before. Before anyone else could say anything, the teenager shot up out of his oatmeal, face dripping, and yawned. When he finally came to his senses, he simply looked around in confusion.

"…did something happen?"

Thatch immediately bobbed him on the head.

"You idiot! We thought you were dead!"

Ace blinked for a few seconds before his eyes widened.

"Oh…did I…?"

"You were asleep!" Luffy put in, climbing onto his brother's lap, "Shishishi, it was funny cause everyone freaked out. Can I finish your food?" Ace motioned for the boy to help himself and looked around sheepishly.

"Sorry, sometimes it just…happens."

"How often does this occur, my son?" Pops asked, earning a small, angry twitch from Ace at the 's-word'.

"It used to happen all the time." Ace explained while holding Luffy tightly around his waist, "Like…multiple times a week." Marco raised an eyebrow. That was definitely very severe and, under certain circumstances, could be deadly.

"Have you ever taken medication to help control it, yoi?"

"There's medicine for it?" The freckled teen asked in genuine surprise, making him sigh.

"Yes, there is, and seeing your episodes have returned for whatever reason, you need to start taking some, yoi."

Ace didn't seem particularly pleased to hear that but was thankfully distracted by Jimbei who brought a towel over for him to clean his face off. The teen actually smiled briefly at the fishman, which was encouraging. Before, he'd looked like he wanted to tear the Warlord limb-from-limb.

"Say, Ace." Sabo said, making the other teenager look up, "When was your last episode? I know you used to have them when we were kids, but with my…absence…"

The fiery teen frowned in thought.

"I think my last one was with Lu not long after we'd set out from Goa."

"Yeah, I remember!" The little boy chirped, mouth full of pudding, "You almost fell overboard, shishishi."

"Did I?"

Marco huffed, imagining tiny Luffy attempting to haul his much larger brother over the rails of a ship. Yes, this was definitely a problem they needed to get under control before Ace set out on his own.

"So…why're they coming back now?" Namur questioned, making Marco hum. If the last one he'd had was before their kidnapping…perhaps the stress of captivity and then being taken aboard their ship had somehow catapulted him into an extreme wake-cycle that developed as an unconscious self-defense mechanism. Though, that was simply a hypothesis.

He imagined his ingestion of a devil fruit also had something to do with it.

But, if it was true, then it meant his body and 'fight or flight' systems were finally relaxed enough to succumb to its old patterns. So, in other words…

Marco chuckled, making his fellow commanders turn to him in confusion.

"I may have an idea of why, yoi. Ace…are you happy on our ship, hmmm?"

"W-What!? I mean…no…er…it's just temporary." He managed, face starting to turn red. Thatch smirked, starting to catch on.

"Ace, kiddo…that's it isn't it? You finally trust us enough to let your guard down!" The commander then proceeded to throw his arm around the teen, much to his chagrin. Pops laughed out loud as the other pirates cheered and gave Ace a hard time, calling him little brother.

Luffy, who was still in the teen's lap, basked in the extra attention, leaning into Fossa's hand when he reached down to pet his ears. Sabo, for his part, simply grinned at his brother's predicament, not making a move to intervene.

Eventually, King Neptune and his sons joined in the laughter and all thoughts of Ace's sudden 'death' were forgotten, replaced with a sense of familial warmth Marco hadn't felt in a long time.

Yeah, Ace would fit right in with them.

Though, they would have to be patient and wait for him to come to them. There was no need to pressure him-

"Gurararara, if you're so comfortable, why don't you join my crew!"

Marco sighed.

"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU NO, OLD MAN!"

All too soon, the meal ended, and the pirates returned to their rooms to start packing for their voyage back under the sea. Ace was one of the first to exit, obviously annoyed with the amount of attention he'd received at breakfast.

Sabo stifled a chuckle, letting the humorous scene play back in his mind. Ace had certainly become more trusting towards the Whitebeard crew, though he refused to admit it.

'They've become very fond of him…of us.' Sabo mused while helping Luffy pack up the few things he'd brought from the ship.

"What's so funny?" Ace hissed, throwing a pair of shorts at his head, which only made his grin grow.

"Oh, nothing, dear brother…just wondering how that oatmeal tasted-"

"Shut up, ya jerk." Ace replied, face turning red yet again, "Bunch of bastards…"

"Shishishi, it was good! Tasted like cinnamon and apples." Luffy put in, ears perked up at the mention of food. The freckled teen huffed.

"…glad you liked it, Lu."

Sabo laughed softly and quickly got Luffy back on track. The boy was particularly bouncy after the interesting meal. Thinking about his little brother made his grin fall. He hadn't been able to make out exactly what Marco had whispered in Lu's ear or what he'd given him, but Sabo was almost positive it had been pills of some kind (despite the kid's attempt to hide them).

Why did he need medication? He seemed fine…but looks could be deceiving.

"Say, Lu?" He questioned, making Luffy stop what he was doing to look at him, "What did Marco give you at breakfast?" The cat-boy tensed and slowly lowered his hands into his lap. Immediately, both he and Ace were on alert.

"Luffy?" Ace added, moving to sit next to him on the bed, "Did something happen?"

"N-No…it's nothing." He replied, voice quivering and tail swishing erratically. Sabo shared a glance with Ace, knowing full well the boy was lying through his teeth.

"Hey…if something was wrong, you'd tell us, right?"

Luffy swallowed hard and looked between them nervously, making Sabo's heart sink. It was clear something wasn't right.

"S-Sorry, but…I'm not ready to say…not yet."

Ace swiftly pulled Luffy in for a hug and planted a chaste kiss in his hair.

"Don't worry, Lu, whatever it is, we'll wait. Just know that we're here for you, okay?" The boy nodded and nuzzled into Ace's chest, fluffy tail moving to lay across his lap. Sabo echoed Ace's statement and ushered them back into 'packing mode' in an attempt to waylay the anxious mood that had descended on them.

Whatever was going on with Lu, Marco knew and was hopefully handling it. For now, they'd just have to trust that the doctor had it under control. Lu would tell them when he was ready.

When they were done packing, Izo came and retrieved them, acting as their escort back to the re-coated Moby Dick. Luffy's mood quickly improved and he wasted no time trotting around the corridors, trying to memorize everything he could before they had to return to the surface.

"Most of the crew has already boarded." Izo explained as they walked, "I believe you three, Pops, and myself are the last of the bunch." Ace nodded in response to the pirate's explanation, keeping an eye on Lu as he flitted dangerously close to the bubble-barrier that separated them from the ocean outside.

"Will the Royal family be seeing us off, like last time?" He asked, whistling for Luffy to return to his and Sabo's side. Thankfully, the boy responded quickly and scampered back to them, intertwining his small hand with Ace's.

"Yes, I believe so."

The last time they'd ventured through Fishman Island had been something of a blur. Whitebeard had rushed them through formalities and gotten them out into the New World's sea very quickly. But, despite their haste, the Royal family had welcomed them and seen them on their way, offering prayers for their success.

As they readied to leave the palace, Ace's arm was tugged backwards by Luffy who'd stopped in his tracks, big eyes staring up at the tall tower connected to the palace.

"Ne…" He said, ears twitching slightly, "Who's up there?"

At his question, the fishman guards went rigid, giving Luffy their full attention. Ace frowned and pulled Luffy closer, not liking their somewhat threatening postures.

"Why do you ask, little one?"

"…cause she's sad," Luffy answered, "and lonely. What did she do to be put in the tower?" The guards bristled and started to make what was obviously a curt reply, only to be stopped by a large hand. It was King Neptune who'd floated in on a bubble.

"Please forgive them, it is a sensitive topic for all of us-jamon." Beside them, Izo closed his eyes and nodded, apparently knowledgeable about what they were talking about. "Small one…my daughter, Shirahoshi, is in that tower…for her own protection."

"But…why?" Luffy continued, blinking up at the massive merman. Sabo came up behind him and placed a firm hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Lu, I think we should let it go…we don't want to make them talk about something that makes them sad, right?" The boy nodded, but kept staring at the tower, eyes flickering a golden color that Ace knew was associated with 'Blue', his inner, demon-cat thing.

Was that how he was able to sense the Mermaid Princess from so far away?

Ace snapped his fingers in front of Luffy's face, startling him out of focus and returning his eyes to their normal dark brown. He hated to admit it, but Blue made him somewhat nervous…especially after what happened the last time he was unleashed.

Dogtooth of all people had been injured.

"Well, then." Izo stated after clearing his throat, "Shall we go? Pops and the others are waiting. Though...Your Majesty, please know that our offer to deal with the Princess'...problem, still stands, should you desire to take us up on it." The King shook his head.

"You are too kind, but we would like to handle it ourselves-jamon." He replied, flashing a smile, "Now, let's get you back to your ship!"

When they finally arrived at the dock, after an interesting stay on Fishman Island, it was time to return to the sea. Luffy pouted, not wanting to leave his new friend behind.

"But…why can't you come?"

"Sorry, little one, but I have duties I must attend to." Jimbei explained, placing a large hand over his ears, "Don't worry, I know we will meet again someday. Give my greetings to Dogtooth." Luffy nodded and threw himself at the fishman, nuzzling into his warmth.

He'd miss Jimbei, but he wasn't ready to ask him the all-important question. When he was stronger and a Captain in his own right, then he'd come back for him, and maybe try to help make the mermaid in the tower happy again.

"Better let him breathe, Lu." Ace chided lightheartedly, gently prying him off the fishman's chest. Luffy whined but didn't protest, his tail wrapping around his brother's arm with a firm squeeze. "Bye Jimbei…thanks…for everything."

"Don't mention it, Ace-san. I hope we also have a chance to meet again at sea."

"Count on it." Ace replied before beginning to walk up the Moby Dick's gangplank. Mr. White Bread greeted them and began to order the rest of the crew to prepare for their departure. Luffy clung to the railing and waved at Jimbei and the princes, his self-declared new friends.

He couldn't wait to return and see them again!

The Moby Dick was quiet as they sailed through the water, with the night watch on lookout and the others in their cabins. Marco sighed, making his way back to his room after a quick meeting with the other commanders and Pops. He'd explained Luffy's condition under strict orders not to mention it to anyone else (especially not the boy's brothers).

The others had been distraught to learn of Luffy's pain but agreed to keep it quiet.

Marco pulled the boy aside not long after their departure to ask how he felt and was pleased to hear the 'ache' wasn't as bad as it had been that morning. He'd have to monitor the kid's progress and adjust the medication as needed until a more permanent solution was found.

Ace, on the other hand, wouldn't be quite as complicated. He'd dragged the teen down to the infirmary and prescribed traditional medication for narcolepsy, making sure he understood the consequences of not taking it. With his departure swiftly approaching, it was imperative he got it under control as soon as possible.

When he reached his room, he went straight to his bookshelf and combed over the many spines, searching for the one he wanted.

"There you are, yoi…" Marco whispered, pulling the book out and plopping down on his couch so he could reach his glasses.

Once the spectacles were perched on his nose, he began to flip through the massive book, searching for the page he'd recalled dog-earing many years before. What Luffy truly needed was intense corrective surgery to repair all of his damaged nerves. A feat that was, unfortunately, beyond his expertise.

It would require a surgeon with a steady hand, experience, and, above all, a particular devil fruit. Otherwise, the massive procedure simply wouldn't be probable (at least, on the scale he knew Luffy needed).

Marco stopped flipping when he reached the page he wanted, running his eyes over the description listed below the picture of a scarlet, heart shaped fruit.

'The Op-Op Fruit…' He mused, thinking back to his knowledge of the fruit and the abilities it granted. It had been last seen in the North Blue but had vanished after a scuffle between the marines and the Donquixote Pirates. It was entirely possible the fruit had been lost or its user killed, but…

If they were still alive, it could be worth it to seek them out.