Author's Note: Hi everyone~ I'm back with lots of Ace to look forward to! Thank you so much for your patience and I hope you enjoy the update :)

To AngelFallenDemon: He is definitely going to be kidnapped XD We will see what Katakuri's plan is for their return to Totto Land soon. He will definitely have to come up with something, cause Big Mom is crazy lol.

To Wishfull-star: I'm glad you enjoyed it! Yep, Ace won't be away from them for long hehe ;)

To yukino76: Ace is the best big brother *cries* As for Big Mom...yeah, she's definitely a problem that we'll be seeing more of in a few chapters. Thank you so much for the review and I'm glad you enjoyed the update!

To PotatoesAndCheese: Haha yep, it's a chapter XD Big Mom is definitely not parent goals. You're welcome and thank you very much for the review!

To Jayden Adams: I'm so glad you are enjoying my story so far! Here's an update for ya :)

WARNINGS:

- Ace's low self-esteem and assumptions

- Kidnapping (?)

- Mentions of drugs (i.e. anesthesia)

- Emotions of all kinds

- Law has no idea what the future holds for him lol

Ace and Jimbei fought for five days non-stop. Their battle was so impressive that the Spade pirates had to back up their camp to keep from getting caught in the crossfire. On the evening of the fifth day, both Ace and Jimbei collapsed into a heap, too exhausted to continue.

Despite his fatigue, the Spade Captain couldn't help but smile as he stared up at the beautiful sunset.

"That…was epic, Jimbei. Thanks for indulging me."

"No problem, Ace-san." The fishman replied, his head not far from Ace's, "I'll admit, it has been a while since someone has been able to match me in a fight. You've grown very strong."

Ace just chuckled, smiling brightly.

"Damn straight."

While the Spades helped them sit up and put out a few remaining fires around the small island, Ace held a hand to his stomach. It felt like he hadn't eaten in days…oh wait-

"…I've missed eight meals." He deadpanned, causing Deuce to sigh.

"Why is it that you are so quick to calculate that…? And you're counting three meals a day!" The crew laughed raucously and Jimbei just smiled fondly at him while Deuce gave him a once over, checking for any serious wounds.

However, before they could start prepping any food or even treat them, a large shadow appeared in the distance, emerging from the light of the sunset. Ace's senses immediately started to tingle and he struggled to his feet. At his movement, the crew went on guard.

"Who…who is it?" Mihar asked in a whisper, looking up at the massive ship with a mixture of fear and awe. Ace leaned on Jimbei for support and peered up at the flag that was so obscured by the light. It was only when a familiar face popped up on the railing and started waving like a three-year old did he recognize who it was.

Ace immediately sighed and ran a hand down his face.

"It's the Whitebeards."

"W-What!? The ones who're after you?"

"What should we do, Captain!?"

Before he could respond, many more faces appeared over the railing, all waving. Some even held signs that read 'HI ACE!' or waved streamers like they had just arrived at a damn party.

Bunch of idiots.

"Yo." A calm voice called from above, prompting them all to look up. Marco flew down and landed right in front of them with a smirk plastered on his face. "Long time no see, Ace, yoi. How've you been?"

"We talked literally yesterday…" Ace muttered, only for Jimbei to clear his throat.

"…actually, that was almost a week ago, Ace-san."

"Oh, right. Did you trace the call or something?" Marco shook his head and held up a newspaper that had his and Jimbei's face on the front. Ace hung his head. Damn Marines. "Well, if we're gonna fight…j-just give me a minute, yeah?"

"Ace!" Another voice suddenly chirped, drawing his attention away from Marco. Thatch was running towards him at full speed, still grinning like a child. He grunted when the commander smacked into him, catching his hurting body in a tight hug. "I missed you sooo much!"

"Uh…ow…Thatch-" Ace managed, wincing under the pressure, "It's good to see you too but I think you just broke one of my ribs." The commander immediately released him and began to fuss over his injuries like a parent who's child had fallen on the playground.

Meanwhile, Ace's crew just watched the exchange with disbelief. He hadn't told them much about his relationship with the Whitebeards so they were probably expecting something a bit different than a literal party. Soon, other commanders like Izo and Namur joined them on the beach, giving their greetings to Jimbei, Ace, and the still dumbfounded crew.

"You look terrible, dear." Izo said while Jimbei helped Ace sit down, "…both of you do, actually. I imagine it was quite the fight, hmmm?"

"A true spectacle." Jimbei put in with a short laugh before clasping hands with Namur, "How are you, brother?"

"Well, thank you. It's always good to see you, Boss."

Ace looked up at the Moby just in time to see the massive shadow of Whitebeard leap off the ship and land in front of them, drawing frightened sounds from his crew. He didn't move from where he sat, just stared up at the giant man with a neutral expression.

"…Whitebeard." The pirate grinned cheekily at his monotone greeting.

"Gurarara, don't you mean 'Pops', my son?"

Ace's eye twitched.

"You're still saying that ya old bastard?"

The commanders all chuckled, pleased to see them back at their old antics. Back on the ship, the crewmembers kept waving and shouting in an attempt to get Ace's attention. He jumped in surprise when one of them set off a firework that exploded above the deck.

"Isn't this all…a bit much?" He asked, accepting a cup of water from Deuce, "I mean, we're enemies now, you know."

"Yes, I suppose that's true," The old man answered, ", but you did tell us to 'come get you'…so here we are. Everyone was just so excited to see you again, they went a little overboard. Said they wanted to make you feel welcome after a long time away." Ace finished his cup in one big gulp and struggled to his feet, prompting Deuce to steady him.

"I meant what I said, and I-"

Suddenly, Thatch was there, throwing him over his shoulder. Ace barely managed to hold in a surprised yelp.

"Yeah, we know…so we're just going to kidnap you."

"Wait, what!? You can't do that…NOT AGAIN!"

Deuce wasn't sure what he was witnessing. It appeared as though his Captain was getting kidnapped…but he wasn't sure how to respond. Jimbei, the bastard, was just laughing while the commanders chatted with each other about a 'welcome back party', flanking Ace's kidnapper. His Captain squirmed and looked like he was trying to get away, but he had yet to tap into his flames.

…all he was doing was cussing the pompadour-head pirate out and banging his fists on his back, which just made his captor laugh.

Needless to say, it was the most jovial kidnapping he'd ever seen.

"Uh, Deuce? What should we do?"

"I'm…not sure." He answered honestly. It was clear to him that these people were familiar with Ace and he didn't sense any hostile intent. Did Ace want them to start a fight or…

"You are all welcome to join us." Whitebeard said, addressing the crew, "Any friend of Ace's is a friend of mine. Come, we have cake and quite a lot of booze."

Deuce blinked in confusion but nodded, unsure how else to respond. In the distance, Ace had stopped struggling and just leaned his chin on his elbow in annoyed resignation.

'Well, I guess we're having a party.'

"Welcome back, Ace! We missed ya!"

"Wow, you've sure grown up…it's enough to make a man feel his age."

Ace rolled his eyes from the spot Thatch had dropped him near Whitebeard's chair. The second he'd been brought aboard, the crew had all but swarmed him with some trying to give him a gift and others just crying about how much he'd grown.

'I haven't even been gone that long…' He thought while begrudgingly accepting a mug of alcohol from the very enthusiastic Thatch. Marco sat next to him and was methodically bandaging the wounds he received from Jimbei. It was a bit nostalgic to see him with his glasses on, in 'doctor mode', as Sabo had dubbed it.

"Well, am I going to live?"

Marco chuckled and dropped his arm slightly.

"It's good to see you in person again, Ace. We all missed you, yoi."

"Yeah…thanks." He muttered, feeling surprisingly at ease despite the easy kidnapping and noisy bunch of pirates celebrating his return. As annoying as it was…it did feel a bit like coming home. "Where's my crew?"

"Pops invited them on board so I imagine they'll be joining us shortly, yoi." As the words left his mouth, a very uncomfortable group that Ace recognized as his crew made their way up the gangplank. He waved at them to let him know he was okay before they were swarmed by the already drinking Whitebeard pirates.

Ace winced in sympathy when Deuce was lifted up into a hug by Blenheim, the commander greeting them in his usual boisterous way. His attention was drawn away from the Spades to Whitebeard when the massive Captain raised his mug, causing the deck to go silent.

"Today, we celebrate the return of your youngest brother-"

"Enemy Captain!"

"-Portgas D. Ace! Let's toast, drink, and be merry!"

Ace huffed when Whitebeard completely ignored him and sent him an amused look. Meanwhile, everyone lifted their glasses and toasted to his return, officially starting the party. Soon the deck was filled with laughter, music, and the general sounds of pirates having a grand old time. Thatch had apparently made quite the feast and even made a slightly updated version of the delicious cake he'd created for Ace's birthday.

Naturally, he gladly accepted a helping of that.

The party went well into the night and even Deuce got into it, much to Ace's amusement. The Whitebeards just had this charisma that could draw anyone in…even him. Suddenly feeling thoughtful, Ace retreated into the innards of the ship, walking slowly as he traced the steps he and his brothers took during their stay on the Moby.

He stopped by the mess hall and smiled as he pictured an energetic Lu sitting in his spot eating Thatch out of house-and-home. He passed by the showers and even paid a visit to his and Sabo's favorite hiding spots they'd used before the pirates had earned their trust. It was all very nostalgic and it surprised him just how many positive memories he associated with those places.

When Ace finally came to their old room, he was surprised to see the door was open. Had they re-purposed it into something else when they left…?

A peek inside stole the breath from his lungs.

They hadn't re-purposed it, they'd re-decorated it…for him. The three beds had been replaced with a single, queen-sized one with flames cascading down the comforter and a mahogany chest had been placed at the end of the bed. His eyes scanned the walls and he could see a few pictures of him and his brothers taken while they were on board as well as all three of their bounty posters.

Ace swallowed when he entered the room, trying to take it all in at once. The presents he hadn't been able to take with him from his birthday party were littered around the room along with other items like a quill that sat on a beautiful desk. He carefully ran his hand over the engraved 'Ace' someone had carved into the wood, and a lump appeared in his throat.

"Surprised?" A deep voice said, prompting him to turn around. "Thatch and the others worked hard to turn it into something that would suit you."

"I-I…don't know what to say." He answered while Whitebeard just smiled fondly at him, "It's more than I've ever had and I…"

"It's yours, Ace. All yours."

"But I-I'm not staying!" He managed, voice breaking, "I'm my own Captain now and I can't stay."

"Says who?" Whitebeard pressed, "The offer still stands, Ace…please consider it."

Ace bit his lip and turned away from the great pirate, emotions a tangled mess. He told himself constantly that no matter how nice they were or how comfortable he was on their ship, the Moby was the one place he could never stay long term. Whitebeard had been Roger's rival…surely he'd hate him too.

"No one should be held responsible for the life of their parent, as I said, everyone is a child of the sea, equally deserving of its bounty."

That conversation had upped his hopes slightly but he hadn't revealed his secret and deep inside…he was afraid. Afraid of rejection. But now, he was alone…all alone with him, so Ace decided to just say it and face the consequences. The burden was oh so heavy and he was getting tired of carrying its weight.

"W-What if I told you that I was Roger's son?" He managed, not daring to turn around, "Would you still offer this to me?"

Whitebeard was silent for a few seconds before settling down on the wooden slats that made up the floor of his room.

"Oh Ace…is that still bothering you?" Ace's heart almost stopped and he whirled around in shock.

"S-Still…? You knew!?"

"I've known for a while," Whitebeard explained with a soft expression, "and it doesn't change how I feel. Roger was a good man and I'd honestly be honored to have his son aboard my ship."

Ace felt tears welling up as he starred up into the face of the man who'd saved him, sailed to rescue Luffy (who he didn't even know) without asking any questions, and had taken them in as his own despite their heritage. The man who'd affirmed him every chance he got…and could care less about his past.

He broke down right there in the middle of the room, collapsing to his knees and sobbing like a baby…but he couldn't help it. All his life, he'd been told that his life was meaningless, but now he just kept being told over and over again that he did matter.

That someone wanted him.

Whitebeard placed a steadying hand on his head and just let him cry, never once admonishing him. They stayed there for a few minutes until Ace finally calmed down enough to speak again.

"Y-You…you want me on your crew? Really?" He muttered through his tears, making Whitebeard's smile grow.

"I want you as my son, Ace. My crew is my family and we'd love to have you."

Biting his trembling lip, Ace found himself nodding curtly while wiping at his eyes. He was so pathetic that he couldn't even manage a proper reply, but that was enough for Whitebeard.

"Gurarara…welcome home, son. Welcome home."

A few hours after the party started, Marco wandered down into the ship to find Pops. The large man vanished not long after Ace did and he was curious if they talked at all. Following his Haki, Marco eventually located his Captain inside of Ace's newly decorated quarters, sitting cross-legged against the wall. When he noticed Marco, he raised a finger to his lips.

Curious, he peeked inside and immediately smiled at the sight of Ace, completely conked out on the bed. The teen's eyes were slightly red and puffy, indicating he'd been crying before falling asleep.

"Did he…" Marco whispered, the unsaid question hanging in the air. Pops nodded.

"Yes, and I could tell that it took great courage for him to finally reveal such a heavily guarded secret."

It was understandable, given what they knew of Ace's past. The teen had been through a lot even before being sold into slavery and his self-esteem had suffered because of it. Marco suspected that if not for Luffy's joyful energy, unconditional acceptance, and love…Ace might not have made it to where he was today.

"What about the other thing, yoi? Did you…er…pop the question?"

Pops chuckled softly, careful not to wake the sleeping teen.

"I did, and you'll be pleased to hear that you have a new official little brother."

Marco's grin widened and a feeling of giddiness he hadn't felt in a long time bubbled up inside him. After so long…Ace had finally agreed to join them.

"That's great, yoi."

"If you don't mind, Marco, spread the word quietly." Whitebeard ordered, "Let the crew know that this was no easy decision for Ace and that he will need their continued support." Marco nodded, knowing that wouldn't be difficult for the crew. They'd watched Ace grow and slowly overcome his trauma since they saved him from The Ecstasy, so they knew better than anyone how much healing he still needed.

"I'm sure they'll have no problems loving on him," Marco replied, "but I'll make sure they know to give him his space when he needs time to himself, yoi."

"Good." Pops muttered, lowering his voice even more when Ace mumbled in his sleep, nuzzling into the pillow he was latched on to, "I'm going to stay with him for a while but you may go inform your brothers if you wish."

Marco nodded, knowing that right now, Pops just wanted to watch over his new son.

"What about the Spades, yoi?"

"…send the first mate this direction when the party winds down. I imagine Ace will want to speak with him when he wakes."

When Ace opened his eyes, it took him a few seconds to get his bearings. He remembered talking to Whitebeard, crying…and then nothing. Did he fall asleep? Blinking, he sat up while clenching his fists into the soft comforter he'd slept on. That's right…this was his room.

"You're up."

"…Deuce?" Ace questioned, turning to stare at his first mate who was seated on a chair next to his bed reading a book, "How long was I out?"

"All night. The sun's already risen." Ace groaned and rubbed sleep from his eyes. He hadn't meant to fall asleep… "Anyway, Whitebeard said you needed to speak to me."

Oh, right.

"Uh, well-" Deuce raised a hand to stop him, a smirk appearing on his face.

"It's okay, Ace, you don't have to explain yourself. After getting to know the Whitebeards and seeing how much they care for you…it's only natural that you want to join them."

"But what about all of you?" Ace asked, suddenly feeling a bit insecure, "I-I decided this without consulting you and-"

"Don't even think about it." Deuce interrupted, a firm ,almost parental look, on his face, "Listen, Captain, we aren't going to abandon you just because you want to join Whitebeard's crew. We all agreed long ago to follow you no matter where you led us…and if that's here, then so be it."

"You…you mean that?"

Deuce nodded, smiling fondly at him.

"Of course, Ace. Over the span of just a few hours, we can see that this is where you belong. Besides, it might be nice not to be the only ones responsible for fishing you out of the sea."

Ace broke out into a grin at that. He really was blessed with an amazing crew. Before he could say more, a knock sounded at the door and Izo peeked in.

"Awake, dear?"

"Yeah." He answered, greeting the pirate with a nod, "What's up?"

"Well, one of your lovely crew members gave me this," Izo held up a very familiar looking piece of paper with the words 'tattoo voucher' on it. "and I was wondering if you would like to cash it in." Ace's eyes brightened at the thought while Deuce just chuckled.

"Get going, Captain…no need to wait any longer."

That was all the encouragement Ace needed. He leapt out of the bed and padded after Izo, tattoo ideas already forming in his mind. When they reached Izo's quarters, the commander started pulling out his supplies.

"I'll put it on your back if that's okay, dear."

"Uh, yeah…but won't that interfere with the other one?" Ace questioned, making Izo's mouth turn up slightly.

"Not at all since they're actually two parts of the same whole."

Ace blinked.

"Wha-" And then blinked again before it clicked. "You sneaky bastard." Izo just laughed.

"Forgive my impertinence but I just couldn't wait. Naturally, I thought it wise not to tell you then…but now, I do believe it's time we finished it."

Marco did his best to be subtle as he spread the news about Ace's decision, but when the young man finally emerged from below deck, a large crowd gathered despite his pleading for them to not overwhelm him. The teen looked tired but his face was positively glowing. At his side, Izo rubbed remnants of ink from his hands with a towel, appearing very pleased with himself.

Ace was shirtless and had coverings over his back and left upper arm.

"Welcome to the crew, Ace!" Thatch exclaimed, prompting many others to cheer for him as well. The teen seemed surprised for a second that everyone knew already but quickly shrugged it off with a sheepish smile.

"…thanks."

"All right, yoi." Marco called when the crew tried to crowd around Ace, "Give him some space. There will be plenty of time for more celebrations later." Though some grumbled, the crew followed his order and returned to their duties (which mostly consisted of cleaning up the remnants of their last party). Soon only Marco, Thatch, and Izo remained.

"Um…could I use one of your snails?" Ace asked, "I-I…want to tell my brothers."

"Of course, yoi. Right this way."

Soon, all four of them were crowded into one of their communication rooms. The commanders leaned closer when Ace put in a number and waited while it rang. Marco couldn't help but wonder how Sabo and Luffy would respond…he expected well, but with how adamant they were about Ace starting his journey and becoming a captain, he honestly wasn't sure.

"Sabo here."

"Hey, 'Bo, it's Ace." The teen responded, smiling fondly when the revolutionary picked up, "How are you?"

"Oh Ace! It's good to hear from you. I'm doing well, keeping myself busy. How is your journey going?"

"Well, actually…I ran into the Whitebeards and-"

"Wait, wait, did you join them!?" Sabo interrupted, making Ace blink in surprise.

"…yeah…how'd you-"

"That's wonderful, Ace! About damn time if you ask me." While the teen just gaped at the snail, Marco chuckled softly to himself. Sounds like Sabo had been hoping for this outcome for a while. "Why'd you wait so long?"

"You know why! I was busy with my own crew and-and other stuff!" Ace shot back with an exacerbated sigh, "This was a hard decision, you know."

"I'm aware," Sabo replied seriously, adding further proof to Marco's theory that Ace's brothers knew about his heritage, "and I'm proud of you for overcoming your fear. Whitebeard is a good man and they'll take good care of you."

After chatting for a few more minutes, Sabo had to hang up to go to a meeting but Ace didn't seem to mind. Marco could tell that the teen was just happy his brother supported his decision. With barely any time to rest in between, they punched in a different number, one that would connect them with Luffy.

"This is Katakuri." A deep voice finally answered after what felt like forever.

"I-It's Ace." The teen answered, drawing a hum from Dogtooth, "Is Luffy there? I need to tell him something."

"He just woke up from a surgery so he may be a little loopy…do you still want to speak with him?"

"Yeah, if that's okay." Ace's voice went soft at the mention of surgery and he glanced to Marco with a slightly worried expression. The first commander just placed a reassuring hand on the teen's shoulder. Trafalgar Law seemed very competent so he was certain the little cat-boy was fine.

After some hushed voices and other noises came through the snail, a high-pitched (and slightly slurred) voice spoke over the others.

"Helloooo…?" Luffy managed, elongating the word, "Who's…'dis?"

"It's Ace, Lu." The teen answered, "You sound tired…you okay?"

"Oh, hi biggie bro. Yep, 'm good…so good." The boy continued, yawning as he spoke, "Torao said I got allllll the good drugs…so 'm like a peach and stuff." Beside him, Thatch could barley hold in a laugh. The kid clearly still had anesthesia in his system and wasn't fully aware of what he was saying.

"Uh, that's nice. Actually, Luffy, I'm calling to tell you that I…er…decided to join Whitebeard's crew." The snail blinked up at Ace for a few seconds before it registered what he said.

"…oh, you mean Mr. White Bread."

"Yeah, Lu…Mr. White Bread." Ace echoed with an amused grin, "I'm gonna be part of his crew." The snail's eyes widened slightly at that.

"Really? So you gonna be the captain then?"

"No…just a regular crew member."

"Ohhhhh, okay." Luffy drawled with a loopy smile on his face, "That's awesome, Ace! Mr. White Bread is, like…super big, and tells REALLY good stories, so you'll like it there."

"Thanks Luffy." Ace answered, obviously coming to terms with the fact that the boy probably wasn't going to make a whole lot of sense.

"Oh, oh, and you gotta have Mr. Thatchy make lots of meat and-and then he can send me some." The commanders continued to giggle at Luffy's babbling. He really was adorable.

"I'll, uh, see what I can do."

"I'm really happy for you, Ace." Luffy suddenly said, sounding a bit more serious and aware than he had been, "They're good people."

"Yeah…they are."

They spent the last few moments of the call speaking with Dogtooth about Ace's decision so he could properly relay the information to Luffy when he was more lucid as well as inquiring about the boy's health. According to the veteran pirate, Ace's little brother was handling the intense surgeries well (thanks, in part, to his rubber body) and that they would probably leave the island in a few months.

"So…he's cured?"

Dogtooth sighed.

"Yes and no. Trafalgar said that the damage to his hands and knees was quite severe and there is a chance he will still have some residual pain around the joints. We're looking into some external supports in the meantime."

"Thank you for the update, yoi." Marco put in when Ace went silent. He could tell that the teen was hurting for his brother and needed a minute to process that information. "From now on, if you wish to speak with Ace, he'll be with us."

"Noted. I'm glad to hear you've joined Whitebeard's crew, Portgas…I think it'll be good for you."

Trafalgar Law sat at his desk writing notes in his journal while attempting to tune out the tired mumbles of the small cat-boy that rested on the couch. He'd been quite hyper after his brother called but had (thankfully) crashed not long after. The brat needed to sleep off the anesthesia. Katakuri had immediately dumped the kid on his couch with an order to 'watch him' while he and Brulee started putting together a plan for their departure that was swiftly approaching.

Law's eyes flicked over the Luffy and the bandage that was wrapped around his right hand. All things considered, the surgery was successful but he was disappointed to find that some of the nerve endings simply weren't repairable.

'The joints as well…' The doctor thought while continuing his note. Of all Luffy's damaged body parts, the MCP joints (knuckles) of both his hands and the tibiofemoral joint (knee) simply hadn't responded as well to surgical intervention as the others. He'd managed to take care of most of the scar tissue, but he suspected it would return over time.

He had some ideas on how to help support the joints in the future, but he'd have to run it by Katakuri first.

"Mmmm…meat…" The kitten mumbled while snuggling further into the pillow he'd latched on to the second he'd been placed on the couch. With a huff, Law stood up and tugged a blanket off his bed. When he draped it over Luffy, the fifteen-year old cuddled into it immediately, smiling softly in his sleep.

"I'm sorry, Luffy-ya…" Law whispered while massaging the young boy's ears, "…I am not a miracle worker, but I will do my best to make sure you can become a pirate without any serious physical problems."

Once the kid was suitably comfortable, Law returned to his desk and pulled out some material he'd had his crew pick up on a neighboring island. It was flexible yet durable and would serve their purposes well.

Two months later…

Luffy felt better than he had in a long time. After many grueling surgeries, Torao said that he'd done all he could and that there wouldn't be any more procedures. Happy about that, Luffy climbed up to the front of the Polar Tang and let his legs hang over the edge.

He couldn't believe they were going to leave soon…

Tail perked up, Luffy opened and closed his hands curiously, pleased when the once blatant ache didn't flare up like it usually did. He did notice a few extra scars from Torao's scalpel, but he didn't mind them. In a way, they reminded him of all the good things the doctor had done for him despite getting beaten up by Papa when they first met.

"Luffy-ya."

"Hm? Oh, hi Torao!" Luffy greeted when the doctor walked towards him on the deck, "Is it time to eat?"

"Not yet. Actually, I want you to try a few things on."

Tilting his head curiously, Luffy climbed down from the railing and followed the pirate back to the front of the ship. Once there, Torao snatched up his wrists and slipped something on them. His tail swayed behind him as he took in the black, fingerless gloves.

"What're these for?"

"They will support your weakest joints." Torao explained, tapping on his knuckles that were held snuggly by the surprisingly thick fabric, "As you are now, even with your rubber body, I'm worried about wear-and-tear on the fascia whenever you fight."

Luffy just blinked up at him, not understanding much of what he said.

"…you will hurt more if you don't wear them. I have one for your left knee as well."

The boy's eyes sparkled when Torao pulled a red brace over his knee and immediately began flexing and extending the leg. It didn't impede his motions as much as he expected and it was comfortable to wear.

"Wow, thanks Torao! These're great!"

"I've given Kata-ya the wearing schedule as well as cleaning instructions." The doctor continued, taking out a small note pad, "For now, I'd like to run some tests to see how well they work. I also want to do some additional testing so I can measure your progress."

"Okay! What should I do?"

When Katakuri emerged from woods after a strategy meeting with Brulee, his eyes were drawn to Luffy playing around in the ever present snow alongside some of the Heart Pirate members. He immediately noticed the braces and was pleased to see that they didn't seem to bother Luffy. His slight smile fell when Luffy stopped running after Shachi and rested his palms on his knees, breathing hard.

The recovery process had not been good for his strength and endurance. Even from a distance, Katakuri could tell that Luffy had lost muscle mass over the last few months, which wasn't good. That being said, he was nutritionally healthy thanks to Brulee's well-thought out meal plan, but not even a rubber-boy was immune to muscle atrophy when his recovery required a significant amount of bed rest.

They'd have a lot of work to do when they finally returned to Totto Land.

"What do you think?" Law asked, not looking up from his note pad, "I think they're one of my best works, personally."

"If they will help Luffy…then I'm all for it." Katakuri replied, recalling the pages of information on the braces Law had provided him, "Thank you for your help, Trafalgar…really. I know Luffy will miss you when we part ways."

Law looked up briefly, his silver eyes meeting Katakuri's scarlet ones.

"I honestly can't wait to have some peace and quiet around here."

He chuckled at that and turned back to the field to watch Luffy play. His little kitten had come a long way since their arrival on the island.

Yes, seeking out Trafalgar Law had been the right call to make.

A week after introducing Luffy to the braces, Kata decided that it was time for them to go. He'd gotten all of the treatment possible from Torao so now it was time to start getting stronger. Luffy was excited about that, but he would miss his new friend.

While Papa and Auntie Branch loaded their stolen ship, Luffy padded up to Torao who was watching them from the shore. Before the man could object, he threw his arms around Torao's waist and hugged him tight.

"Thank you, thank you, thank you, Torao. Y-You fixed me and I-" He trailed off when the doctor sighed and placed a hand on his back, rubbing down his spine in a surprisingly affectionate way.

"…you're welcome…Lu-ya." Luffy looked up with moist eyes when the older pirate used his nickname and his tail immediately started to sway in happiness.

"Will I see you again?"

"Perhaps. The sea is vast." He yelped when Law tugged playfully on his nose, making him let go of his waist. "No crying now…you're going to be a pirate, right?"

"Mn!" Luffy affirmed, flashing Torao one of his brightest smiles, "I'm going to be the Pirate King!"

Law just huffed at that and spun him around towards their ship. Luffy's ears perked up when a hand ruffled his hair, taking extra care around the fluffy appendages located there.

"…just don't get hurt like this again, okay?"

"I'll try." Luffy answered, willing his tail to wrap around the pirate's wrist in a mini-hug, "But even if I do…you'll fix me right up, shishishi!" With that (and one last squeeze of his tail), Luffy bounded away from the Heart Pirates and up the gangplank of the ship that would ferry him off to his next adventure.

'Just a few more years now…' He thought while waving at Torao, 'I've gotta regain my strength so I can catch up to my brothers!'

"…you're totally going to miss him." Shachi whispered with a teasing smile, to which Law simply rolled his eyes.

"I will not. Our relationship is strictly patient and practitioner."

"Right…" Penguin put in with an amused grin, "Whatever you say, Captain."

While his crew whispered about how excited they were that Law finally 'had a friend', the doctor's thoughts turned to the future. Now that he didn't have to care for a rambunctious kitten anymore, the possibilities were endless. Law still wanted to wait a while before entering the Grand Line, as a precaution. Doflamingo remained a threat and he didn't want to reveal his position until he felt good and ready. He wasn't the type of pirate to rush things.

Law took a deep breath as thoughts of adventure, leisurely days, and peace entered his mind.

'Well, at least I won't have to deal with Luffy-ya anymore...he's the definition of a handful.' A sweet handful, but much too energetic for Law's very narrow comfort zone.

He pitied the poor fool who ever tried to enter into an alliance with such a spontaneous and unpredictable person. Chaos was bound to ensue.

BONUS: Learning to say 'Pops'

Ace's eyebrow twitched as he was dragged across the deck to Whitebeard's chair by the ever enthusiastic Thatch. The chef had quickly noticed his reluctance to say the 'P' word and was determined to help him say it. Ace didn't see why he couldn't just call the old man 'Whitebeard' or 'geezer'.

"All right, let's try this again." Thatch said once they reached Whitebeard's chair. The old man smiled cheekily down at him, which just made Ace look away in annoyance. "Pops."

"P-P-P-" He tried, only to stop on the first syllable, "I just can't do it, Thatch!"

"Yes you can. It's literally a four letter word, Ace. I believe in you."

Face blushing in embarrassment, he decided to try again.

"P...Po..." Thatch leaned forward like a giddy child, nodding excitedly.

"Yeah, that's it...just two more letters..."

Ace knew his cheeks were probably red as a tomato, but he kept going.

"P-P...Po...Pop-"

"Almost there, Ace. Don't give up when you're so close!"

"POPS!" He finally exclaimed, clenching his eyes shut. At the sudden silence, Ace opened his eyes and was met by a strange sight: two of the New World's greatest pirates...sobbing their eyes out.

"H-He said it...he really said it..." Thatch mumbled to himself between sobs while Whitebeard blew his nose in a handkerchief. Ace huffed and rolled his eyes.

'...it's just a word...nothing special.'