"It's amazing, is what it is." Roger said, shaking his head. It wasn't the first time he'd said it, either.
"What is?" Ace asked, taking his attention off his baby brother to look at him curiously. Their relationship was still rocky, after all, Ace had spent his entire life hating Roger, hating the very blood that ran through his veins, only to be killed for that same blood. It had taken weeks after he died for him to pay anybody any attention except Rouge, and that was only to apologize over and over again for killing her.
She of course set the record straight, quickly and painfully.
Ace hadn't quite known how to handle it when he was told that both Rouge and Roger had been splitting their time between watching him and watching Luffy or Sabo ever since the boys were split up.
"How they are such a small crew, and yet they're going so far." Roger grinned proudly. He fully approved of Shank's choice of successor for him. All he'd told Shanks before he turned himself in was to find a carrier of the Will of D. He said that 'you'll know them when you see them'. He'd been lucky enough to be 'visiting' with Shanks at the very moment when Shanks handed the hat over to little Luffy.
Ace laughed. "I don't think it's so amazing." He shook his head.
"Oh?" Banchina asked beside him, looking at him curiously. She'd just gotten back from a few weeks of watching over Yasopp, evidently they'd gotten in a nasty fight with some of Kaido's men, who was still sour over how Shanks stood between him and killing Whitebeard himself before the battle at Marineford. The Yonko had been sending small, but powerful and annoying, raiding parties after Shanks ever since.
"No... he has the right people. Most of them may be young, but they're already experts in their field. Zoro is a master swordsman and an excellent Second." Kuina grinned, happy for her rival.
"Nami is a... well, I think Zoro puts it best when he calls her a weather witch." He laughed. "If she wasn't so in tune with weather patterns... and the way she uses it as a weapon is frankly amazing and terrifying all at once. She's also an excellent strategist when given the chance." Belle-mere beamed with pride for her little navigator.
"Usopp is an excellent marksman, I honestly don't know who would win in a contest between himself and Yasopp." Banchina smiled proudly.
"Sanji is a wizard in the kitchen and an amazing fighter. Zeff trained him well, in both areas." Sora smiled softly and went back to watching her son with pride, just glad that he'd managed to get away from her husband and flourish.
"The way he acts around women could use some work." Rouge muttered, disgusted. The rest of the women watching over the small Strawhat crew grumbled in equal disgust.
"Chopper is an amazing doctor, well-rounded and all that. Even if Luffy didn't know he was a doctor when he recruited him, he was the perfect choice." Hiriluk laughed in agreement. He knew that asking Kureha to watch his son when he was gone was a good idea. He hadn't expected the old witch to finish his research while she was at it, but he was glad she did. He was right, too. That had been just what the Drum Kingdom needed, it was also just what Chopper had needed right then.
"Robin is... well. With her knowledge of just about everything and skills at covering her tracks, she's keeping them covered from too many surprises." There were of course, somethings that not even she could see coming and stop. Olvia was very proud of everything her daughter had managed to accomplish throughout her life. Her heart had broken when she first 'woke up' and heard her girl trying to laugh, while sailing away from the burning ruins of her home island. She was repeating something that sounded like Saul had told her, but she clearly wasn't feeling up to it no matter how much she tried. When she set out to learn history, she'd never imagined that she would bring such destruction down upon her home, but she couldn't find herself disappointed in the results. Her daughter had grown into a fine young woman.
"Franky can build them anything they need, anytime, anywhere." Which was honestly confusing and amazing in and of itself. Especially when he seemed to pull boards and tools out of nowhere. "He is a master of his craft, and not bad in a fight himself."
Tom smirked. "Course he can, taught that boy everything I know." He snorted. "He even taught me a few things." Roger grinned at his old friend, happy for him that his apprentices made out pretty well for themselves.
"Brooke is an excellent swordsman himself, and certainly knows how to handle Luffy's energy." He smirked when he referred to the way Brooke could always get Luffy to settle down with a few songs, giving the rest of the crew a break from his boundless energy. Yorki snorted and rolled his eyes.
"While Jimbei has the experience to back them up and keep the rest of them in check." Tyger was the one to roll his eyes this time.
"Jimbei and Brooke are the calm influences on the group, you mean." He smirked, watching as Nami started yelling about something. They hadn't quite caught what it was this time, they'd been caught up in their conversation.
"A much needed calming influence." Kuina muttered, shaking her head.
"While that is all true, can somebody tell me why all the boys are currently in some back-water islands prison, while Nami and Robin are left to try and break them out?" Banchina asked after a few moments of silence while they all watched the two girls trying to come up with a plan. Like earlier stated, she'd just gotten back from watching over Yasopp.
The group burst out laughing. "Like I said, it's amazing." Roger repeated himself with a grin.