Shivered Timbers
by Kaline Reine

Disclaimer: I do not own One Piece or any of the characters/settings. This is just a fanfiction story. I do own Shiori, she is my character. I also own a few other original characters in this story (not affiliated with One Piece), which will be introduced as they are needed.

WARNINGS: This story contains (or may contain) graphic adult content and language, explicit sex scenes, possible violence, gore, cursing, adult themes, etc. I do not censor my writing, but I do my best to warn people about the subject matter and potential subject matter. So if you don't like that kind of thing or can't handle it, then I suggest not reading this story. You have been warned. Also, I know this doesn't follow canon but it doesn't have to, that's why it's a fanfic. xD

Also... The beautiful cover image for this story is by my friend, EzariaUmiko on DeviantArt. All credit for the image goes to her. c:

Chapter 31: Playing With Fire

Shiori got up from her bed and did her best to straighten her hair with the brush from her bag. They didn't have much time, but she wanted to at least try to make herself look presentable. Her first task would be to find some kind of shop where she could purchase some extra clothes for herself. Then she wanted to try to have a little fun. Since she was in a new place, it was going to take a considerable amount of effort just to keep herself calm. She didn't want the others to see her panic and think she was weak or anything. That wasn't a good way to make a first impression on her new crewmates.

'I wonder if this will even be a permanent thing...' She found herself wondering, while watching the others vacate her room for the final time. 'We only made an agreement that I would stay on with the Spades until we find the treasure. After that, it's anyone's guess what could happen. Guess we'll have to cross that bridge when we come to it though.'

Resolving to worry about it later, the Valkyrie made her way outside too. The first thing she noticed were the rest of the slaves making their way off the ship. It also looked like the darker skinned man with the dreadlocks had woken up. He wasn't with them, he was shuffling about the main deck helping out the rest of the crew as they unloaded empty boxes. It looked like they were getting ready to go out on a supply run.

She didn't see Ace anywhere. But Shiori followed everyone off of the ship. The former slaves were already mostly off the ship, and she saw Nischela and Mia following them, with little Zachary in tow. Several of the Spades were behind them, including Haji. She waved to the short little man and he waved back. They were still walking off the dock.

"Aren't the rest coming with us?" She asked, a bit lost.

"Yeah, they should be along any minute..." The midget in the turban explained. "Everyone except Hoko-san and Hiretu-san, that is. They'll be staying with the ship to make sure things are okay while we're gone."

"That makes sense. I guess Hiretu-san has some repairs that he needs to do?"

"Yep! And Hoko's gotta do inventory too. By the way, we're all meeting up at a local restaurant later. Oh, hi boss!" He turned to see Ace stepping off the ship, a jaunty spring in his step as he did so.

It was strange walking on land again, but it was best to do it while she had the chance. She fully understood why they didn't want to stay in port any longer than they absolutely had to... It would be terrible if the Marines found out about their location, or if another Pirate crew showed up. Especially if they were enemies...

The Captain stopped her just outside the ship. It wasn't long before he'd emerged from the vessel too. When he saw Shiori, a huge grin spread across his face.

"Yeah, you should join us later. We're all going to Central Palate for lunch, my treat."

"S-sure, I guess so..." She felt bad about him buying lunch for everyone, but didn't want to be rude by turning down his hospitality. "Seems like you guys have been to this port before?"

He nodded, pausing to fish through his pockets for a moment, before holding up a stack of Beri for her.

"Here," Ace said. "I want you to take this. Use it to get whatever you need for the trip. Don't worry too much about food and supplies for the ship, since we've got that covered."

"Oh... A-are you sure?" Shiori gasped, unsure of whether she should accept this gift or not.

He nodded. "Yes. I insist. Take it. That's what we're here for, after all. We wouldn't have enough supplies left to make the whole trip unless we stock up now. That's the whole reason we stopped here. Well, that and to lighten the load, hehe..." He chuckled, clearly referring to the former slaves that they'd rescued.

"Alright... Thank you so much!" She lightly bowed to him, a gesture of respect.

He shoved all of the currency into her hand. She didn't count it until he walked away, thinking it would be pretty rude to do otherwise. Then when she did... She saw that she was holding several thousand Beri. Ace had already caught up with the rest of his crew before she could thank him.

'He gave me so much!' She internally panicked. 'Now I feel bad... I shouldn't have accepted it. But I do need clothes, and he is getting his cut of the treasure soon...'

She knew the thing she needed the most was probably a new wardrobe. It had been a while and she had outgrown her current set of clothes. Most of her other outfits were old and worn, and many had holes in them. The first thing she did was start asking around about where to find clothing stores. Only having one day, she would have to do this quickly, and couldn't afford to be too picky.

Some of the locals were kind enough to point her in the right direction. There was a quaint little shop located on the far side of the town. It was a pretty small town. The path that led to it ran right by a beautiful forest. Shiori paused, her boots scraping lightly across the cement sidewalk... She really wanted to go for a walk out there. But on the other hand, she was in dire need of some clothing, and there wouldn't be another chance to get what she needed for a long while.

'Duty calls...' She thought, entering the shop.

The shopkeep was very friendly toward her. Most of the fashions there weren't exactly her taste, but now was not the time to be too picky. She'd already been told by several people that this was pretty much the only clothing store in town. She picked out what she thought she could live with, paid for it, and called it a day.

She passed some children in the street who were fascinated with Vanora... They didn't seem too shocked by the way she looked at all though. That made sense. They probably saw all sorts of strange people passing through their little port town.

"You don't need a leash for your kitty?" A little girl with her hair done up in pigtails was asking her.

"How come it doesn't run off?" A young boy added. "Most of my pets run away unless I keep them inside or on a leash."

"Vanora-chan is v-very special," She told them, noticing a small group of about five or six had gathered around to pet her. Luckily, Vanora didn't seem to mind and was soaking up the attention. "She was sent to me by a mysterious stranger. And I was told to keep her with me f-forever. She's been by my side ever since, staying with me always."

"Are you a Pirate, lady?" Another child asked, bright green eyes staring up at her fondly as she petted the cat. "I saw you get off of that ship with the others. You guys sure do look an awful lot like Pirates..."

"Can you keep a secret?" Shiori giggled. Most of the children nodded. "I am! We're the Spade Pirates, and we aren't scared of anyone."

"...That's so cool!" The first boy's eyes were as wide as saucers, full of awe.

"Your cat is really pretty!" One of them said. "You're very lucky!"

"Aww, well th-thank you!" She could not suppress the broad grin that spread across her face right then. "Sorry, but I have to be going now... We have to leave port soon, so we can't stay for long. It was n-nice meeting all of you."

She wasn't sure how to go about wrapping things up. Most of the children scattered when an adult approached, but there were a few stragglers still following her around. Vanora meowed as they left, as if saying goodbye. Eventually they got the hint that she wasn't going to do anything cool or interesting, and the rest wandered off once they got bored.

Luckily, she still had some money left over from her shopping trip. She'd been very budget-conscious about all of it. Shiori smiled, looking for somewhere to get something to eat. It wasn't that she disliked Rex's cooking all that much, he was very skilled, but... A change from the same style was still nice, now and then. She didn't find anywhere that particularly piqued her interest on her way back to the ship, however. She decided to load up her purchases now, so they would be there in the morning and she wouldn't be rushed when it was time to leave.

For now, she chose to still wear her favorite outfit, consisting of the baggy blue sweater, favorite black dress, and seafoam green stockings. It was her signature look, and she wouldn't trade it for anything. She still couldn't wait to try out some of her outfits later on though. She'd probably wait until they set sail to show them off.

Since it was the middle of the day, it would be lunch time soon. Shiori started looking for any signs that indicated the restaurant she'd been told about earlier.

'What did they call it... The Center Station...? No...' She put a finger to her bottom lip and patted it, lost in thought as she walked along the small, quiet town. 'It wasn't center... It was central something... Central Place? Nah... Oh yeah, Central Palate!'

A young woman stopped in her tracks as they passed in the street. She seemed confused about the girl's strange appearance. She didn't say anything, but looked at Shiori questioningly.

"You seem lost..." The dark haired girl offered a very slight, hesitant smile.

"Do you h-happen to know which way it is to Central Palate? I'm supposed to be meeting some friends there soon."

"Oh, it's that way!" She pointed in the opposite direction, and Shiori spun on her heel to look. "See that big yellow sign? It's in that building."

"Thanks!" She managed to call to her over one shoulder, as she took off in that direction.

'I really hope I'm not too late!'

As she approached the plain cream and white building with the faded yellow sign, she noticed that the place had an elegant design. It looked pretty classy and modern, but not to the point of being downright snobby. She wasn't sure what kind of food they had, but she went in anyway. This was where her crew was supposed to meet up and she was certain they would be expecting her.

"Oi! Shiori-chan!"

"Over here!"

As soon as she walked inside, she heard a few familiar voices call to her and turned in their direction. Ace, Mitch, Haji, Walter, Rex, Geirin, and a few others were sitting around a huge round table. To her surprise, Nischela, Mia, and Zachary were also there. She walked over and saw that they were sitting in a big booth with padded leather seats.

"Where are the rest of the ex-slaves?" She asked, thinking that if Mia and Nischela were still around, the others should be too.

"They've already dispersed," Mitch explained. "I saw a few of them hiring merchants to take them where they wanted to go. Some others settled down into jobs they found here in this little port town. Other hitched rides with some lesser known Pirate crews. But they all went their own ways."

"What are you guys still doing here?" She addressed her friends casually, as she sat down between Nischela and Ace when her friend got up to let her in.

"We ordered you a drink and some food for everybody. So just take what you want when it gets here." Ace told her. "It's good to see you."

"Ahh, y-you too..." She looked down, fighting away a blush as it threatened to overtake her.

'Damn it!' Her thoughts began to run away with her. 'Why does he still have that effect on me? And why is he being so polite?!'

She just sat there, waiting to see what was going on. In a few minutes, some waitresses brought over several enormous trays full of food. They had tons of burgers around the outer edges and a huge pile of fries in the middle. Condiments were strategically located all around the table and each person was given a plate.

"Oh, so this is like typical American food?" Nischela began to dig in.

"Yep!" Mitch replied with a big smile. "That's what this place specializes in... And if you order in bulk like we just did, it's pretty cheap too!"

Ace had already grabbed a burger in each hand and started munching away on them too. Mitch and the others did the same. Shiori wasn't sure how to react... She didn't eat meat and the others knew that. She didn't know what she should do in this situation, but she still wasn't going to eat anything she didn't like.

"These aren't your typical junk food burgers though," Rex, their cook, jumped in to explain. He was also eating his fill. "This a pretty upscale place and theirs are much better than what you get from most fast food places."

"Seems yummy..." Shiori shrugged, and grabbed a handful of fries, raking them onto her plate.

She was a little iffy about all this, but they appeared to be homemade. Hand-cut french fries were the best! She tasted one and it was so good, with just the right amount of salt. It was apparent that this place was nicer than most cheap restaurants. They even served everyone's soda in clear glasses, instead of the usual paper cups. She grabbed a bottle of ketchup when Haji or someone passed it her way, and poured it onto one side of her plate.

Everything was busy chattering amongst themselves. It was hard to even keep track of the multiple conversations that were happening around her all at once.

"So why did we all decide to meet up here again?" The albino asked, in between bites of food.

"To say goodbye, dear..." Mia explained, since she was the only one not currently eating a ton of food... Because she'd already finished.

Her son was sitting in her lap, between her and the table, still eating. She paused to dab at the corners of his mouth. The boy had gotten mustard and mayo everywhere!

"We all have to take our leave after this, so Ace-sama invited us out for one last meal before we all part ways." Nischela nodded.

"But why haven't you left along with all of the others?"

"Oh, that's because Mia-chan has decided to join... Uhh..." The brunette smoothed back a bright pink ringlet of her hair to distract herself, knowing she could not reveal the real reason for everything in front of everyone. They were usually forbidden from talking about The Agency around outsiders. "She's going to be 'joining me' on my quest after we leave."

Shiori could have sworn that she saw an almost imperceptible wink coming from her friend, aimed in her general direction. Then it dawned on her. She wondered how Mia would do as an Agent though.

"How are you planning to get off of the island?" She asked, trying not to pry too much, but wanting answers anyway.

"I've got it handled. Some... 'friends' of mine are coming by to pick us up later. It probably won't be long now..."

"Ah okay, gotcha..." She returned her pointed look, letting her know that she knew exactly what she was saying.

Nischela most likely meant that The Agency was sending a ship to pick them up and take them to another location. From what she understood about it, the new recruit would be sworn in like she had been, and they would receive further instructions from there. They'd probably be dispatched to another location on a mission. She couldn't wait until she got her first real mission from them! It seemed exciting...

'Maybe I can do it once I get my hands on that ice sword...' She mused, daydreaming to her heart's content while everyone finished their food.

"Don't you want a burger or something?" Mitch asked, waving one in front of her face.

Surprisingly, it wasn't nauseating at all. Shiori even liked the smell of meat, but that still didn't mean she wanted to eat it. Something about picturing the sadness in the eyes of the slaughtered animal as she dined on it's decaying mutilated flesh was what actually put her off from eating it.

"No thank you, I-"

"Shiori-chan is a vegetarian," Ace explained on her behalf. He hadn't talked very much for the entire meal. "So don't bother offering her meat. I'm sorry, I didn't think about it when we decided to come here. It seemed like the perfect place for most of the crew..."

"N-no, it's fine!" She quickly dismissed his concerns. "I actually really like the fries, they're delicious. Don't make a fuss over me."

That was true... She did always seem to hate being singled out too much. She ate her fries contentedly, dipping another into the deep red tomato sauce and taking a bite. Ace did the same, stealing one from her plate.

"Hey baka! Watch it! She just might bite you!" Nischela giggled, and Shiori joined her.

"Nah, she's too nice for that." Ace patted her head, causing her lips to form an adorable mock pout.

"Sh-shut up..." She muttered indignantly, just trying her best to ignore everyone's antics.

"Well, this was fun... Our last meal together." Mia said solemnly, as she got up to leave. "I'll be waiting for you at the designated place, Nischela-chan. Goodbye everyone, it was fun."

It made Shiori wonder why she'd decided to leave so abruptly like that. She continued to munch on her fries until everyone had settled down.

"I need to see you about some official business after lunch," Nischela was quick to inform her, momentarily distracting her. She also made to leave. "It's important and it will not wait."

"Alright..." She left the table to follow her.

"Once you're done, meet us on the beach!" Ace requested. "We're having a beach party tonight with a big bonfire before we head out tomorrow. It's gonna be great!"

"Ohhh, and you'd like to see her there, eh Ace-kun?" Mitch snickered from behind his glass of soda.

"Sure would," He shrugged like it was no big deal, thinking to himself that he'd just played it off like a pro. "I hope to see you all there. Anyway, I've got to finish overseeing the preparations for our trip. Time to get back to the ship and do a supply check."

"Alright, you guys go ahead. I'm gonna chill here with the rest of the crew for a bit. I'll clean up here once we're all done bullshitting." His first mate replied.

The Captain also rose from the table, and walked away with a strange sort of cockiness in his stride. He'd disappeared before anyone else could say anything. He was obviously in a hurry to get everything done and make sure all of the preparations were ready for tomorrow, but he also seemed to be in a great mood.

Shiori went outside with Nischela. The brunette shook her head, her pink and brown ringlets swaying as she did so.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

"What?" The shy albino girl asked.

"When are you gonna finally tell him?"

"T-tell him what?" She looked annoyed now. "There's nothing to tell. Ace-kun and I are just friends, that's all."

"I find it funny that I didn't say any names, and you automatically assumed I was talking about Ace." Nischela giggled.

"Sh-shut up! It's n-not like that..." She got really fidgety all of a sudden, playing with her hair and then stretching out her sweater even more. And then she had a thought... "Um... You know that... Uhh, that one... Ah, nevermind."

"No, go on hun! What is it? I'm curious, so now you gotta tell me!"

"Alright, well... While we're on the s-subject, umm... What you were doing with Mitch-san the other day..."

"Oh," A sly smile crept across her face, fading into a mischievous grin. "You want to know more about that, huh?"

Shiori contained a small squeak, but nodded.

"Alright, well... What exactly do you want to know?"

"Just, umm... Why? I mean, why would two people do something like that? It seems so... barbaric?"

Nischela laughed openly then. Her reaction was way too funny. Luckily, there was no one around to overhear them. The two girls had begun slowly walking away from the main part of town, to go off by themselves. From a distance, they probably looked like the equivalent of giggling school girls to anyone else.

"It's not really like that," She adjusted her glasses, trying to do her best to explain it to the poor naive girl. "It's more tantric or something, but not barbaric. People usually do it because they care about each other and it's sort of a way of showing how special the other person is to them. But sometimes they do it just because it's fun. You've gotta make sure you're both on the same page about that though, or at least don't do it with the wrong person. Some people will only use it to hurt you."

'How special the other person is...' Shiori shook away the thoughts that filled her mind right then. There were very few people that she felt that way about. But one in particular would not leave her mind.

"It's fun?" She wondered about that. "What does... Well, what does it f-feel like?"

"It feels really good. It's impossible to fully describe it. Sort of like an all-over massage, but from the inside out? You feel like you're about to burst, but then it feels amazing, it's like the most intense pleasure you've ever felt in your life!"

"That's sounds k-kind of scary..." The albino managed. But it was obvious that it had also piqued her curiosity too. "How does it actually... You know, work?"

"Oh my gosh! Shiori-chan!" She gasped. "Hasn't anyone ever told you about the birds and the bees before?"

Shiori could only shake her head, her long multifaceted hair shimmering as it swayed, and a lost look on her face.

"The reason it's called that is because it's perfectly natural. Birds do it, bees do it, every living thing does it. So it's nothing to be afraid of."

"I n-never said I was afraid..."

Nischela put a finger to her lips, thoughtfully. "Although I guess it does hurt the first time, after a bit you'll get used to it and then it feels incredible. With a guy, a girl, two girls, and two guys, it's always different. But for a guy and a girl, he puts his... Umm, ahem..." She cleared her throat, nearly blushing herself. "Into the girl's, err... You know." She pointed down, past her hips.

"O-oh my..."

The poor girl's face was bright red at this point. Shiori was stunned. She couldn't even imagine that. Her jaw dropped. And then the rest of her followed shortly afterward. She'd passed out cold on the ground...

The last thing she could hear was the sound of her friend laughing, leaning over her and shaking her head in disbelief.

Ruby eyes opened, and she squinted, adjusting to the light. The last of the sun's rays were filtering in through a port hole. It just happened that they landed directly in her field of vision. For a moment, Shiori thought she was alone. But then she sensed another presence in the room. Her immediate reaction was fear, and she began to look around frantically, unsure of what had happened to her. She heard someone shuffling around.

Once he came closer, she recognized his freckled visage, and began to relax. Ace sat next to her on the bed. She looked around, taking a moment to compose herself. Her head hurt.

'In his room?' She realized instantly where they were. 'Why not mine? What's going on?'

"Ugh... What happened?"

"You passed out and Nischela-san brought you back inside," Ace explained. "And my room was closer than yours. Plus, it's a bit cooler in here. It's about time you woke up! You feel like you can walk yet? We're missing out on all the fun."

She blushed, unable to believe that she was in his bed. It was a lot more comfortable than hers. And he had a feather pillow? Everything was so soft and comfy, she just wanted to melt right into it and never leave. But she had to, or it would become inappropriate at some point. She sat up, crossing her legs under her and leaving the covers bunched up over her lap.

"Fun? What...? Uhh-"

'Now I remember... I passed out because Nischela mentioned... She mentioned...' She gasped to herself, barely paying attention to her surroundings anymore. 'Things I'd rather not even think about! Especially not in his presence! Eeek!'

"Come on!" He grabbed her hand, yanking her to her feet. She stumbled as soon as her feet hit the floor, the stockings causing her to slip, but he caught her. "Put your shoes on."

"They're boots..." She responded tiredly, rubbing her eyes. It hurt to think too much right now.

"Whatever," He shrugged. "Just hurry. There's something I want to show you."

"A-alright, calm down..."

Shiori did the best she could to put her shoes on. She was fully dressed aside from that, so that would save them some time.

"Where's Van-"

Just then, Vanora leapt down from a shelf above her head, where she'd been napping. Once she heard Shiori's voice, she reacted to it and began getting ready to leave, herself.

"Mew?" She looked up at her owner, swishing her tail and scurrying onto Ace's bed. Then she launched herself onto Shiori's shoulder. It seemed that she'd needed to take a rest too.

"Oh, there you are!" The albino girl giggled, petting her lovingly, before turning back to her Captain. "Where are we going?"

"Outside," Ace's heavy boots clunked across the ship's boards, the lighter sound of her own following them. "Everyone else is already on the beach. We're having a party. I'm glad you're awake, I was worried you might miss it."

"Why weren't you out there having fun with everyone?" She wondered, accidentally voicing her thoughts aloud.

He didn't answer her. Ace just kept walking. So she followed her Captain onto the main deck, and out onto the docks afterward. She didn't see anyone else. They trekked across the sand for a while, going away from the little port town, eventually coming to a stretch of beach where everyone was gathered.

"Oi!" One of the crew members called out to them. It was Mitch. "About time you showed up with your little girlfriend... Come join us!" He beckoned them over.

They both froze. That was really awkward! Ace stared at him for a moment, and blinked.

"Uhh... She's not my-"

"I don't belong to anyone!" Shiori cut him off.

Heads turned in their direction. No one had seen that coming.

"Whoa, calm down, sheesh... I was kidding." Mitch held up both palms, defensively.

"I d-didn't mean..." She tried to clarify, unsure of how to finish that sentence. "I'm probably just still a little upset from being imprisoned by Alvida for so long. I-ignore me."

Ace was giving her an odd look, as were many of the rest of the Spades too. He realized in that moment that she definitely was not the same shy, sweet Shiori that he had known before. She had changed so much, and yet, so much was still the same... She had definitely grown up. He knew he had too.

Shaking his head, the Captain walked over to where the crew was grilling some meat they'd just bought over an open fire. The little bonfire was casting an eerie glow along the stretch of beach that the Pirates inhabited. It looked like Rex was working his magic on the food, having everything fit for a summer cookout. He'd prepared a mix of meat and vegetables, and slid them onto long wooden skewers. He was making tons of them and handing them out to everyone. Shiori watched Ace wolf down two or three more kebobs, and she took one that Rex had made especially for her, consisting of only mushrooms, peppers, and onions, with no meat.

"Thanks..." She muttered, walking away to a secluded rock that protruded from the clean white sands. She'd always been a loner and that wasn't going to change just because she was suddenly part of their crew now.

The others were sloshing around bottles and mugs with various amounts of alcohol in them. It was pretty clear they were well on their way to being completely hammered. She watched the waves crash onto the shore, not daring to move any closer to them. She knew better. She'd learned that lesson long ago...

"What are you doing over here all by yourself?"

She turned around. It was Ace. He'd come over to check on her.

"N-nothing, I was just eating the kebob Rex-san gave me earlier... Are we sleeping out here or back in town or on the ship tonight?"

"I was hoping you'd go for a walk with me..."

"A walk? Why?"

"There's something I want to show you. But why not? There's such..." He hesitated for a moment. "Beautiful scenery here."

"I guess..." She hoisted herself up from the rock she'd been resting on.

Ace began walking toward a group of trees that grew along the edge of the beach. She followed him, going into the dense woodland without sparing it a second thought.

Shiori noticed that Vanora hadn't come with them. Instead, she'd opted to stay behind with the rest of the crew. It seemed that she'd bonded with them faster than anticipated. When she cast a glance back at the beach, he seemed to pick up on the fact that she was minus one kitty.

"Do you think she'll be okay?" He asked hesitantly. "Vanora-chan, I mean..."

"I guess she'll be alright on the beach, I don't know..." Shiori shrugged. "But Vanora has very good instincts. So if she seems to trust them, then I do too. I'm s-sure the others will look after her."

She spoke as if she didn't fully trust her own reasoning, but he wasn't the type to question it. Whatever made her feel better. When she cast a glance backward, she saw that Mitch was feeding the little white cat some small tidbits of meat from his kabobs. It made her smile.

He kept going deeper and deeper into the forest without saying much on the way there. It wasn't like he was leading her all the way. Sometimes she would take the lead, and it was almost like they were following each other, just meandering through the underbrush and weaving between the trees, going whichever way they wanted. The walk they took together was actually pretty scenic. Shiori felt that the woods were beautiful.

Eventually, they came to a secluded spot where they stopped walking. There was a long and awkward silence. Then he spoke...

"There's something I need to get off my chest." Ace exhaled the words as a long and deep sigh. When he saw that she was listening intently, he continued. "We never used to have secrets from each other. Do you remember?"

"Of course." She tilted her head sideways, unsure of what he was getting at.

"Well, it's just that... I've gained a few since back then. When we were kids, I never thought-" Something stopped him. His train of thought seemed to have derailed. "It doesn't matter. I wanted to let you in on something. Most of my crew already know this from the numerous times they've fought by my side. And I don't want you to be scared when the time does come when we have to fight together."

"We're on the same crew... Or I'm on yours, at least." She chuckled. It was so easy to forget that he was in charge sometimes. "So it's kind of to be expected that will happen at some point."

"Exactly," Her Captain nodded. "You know... I'm really glad we ran into each other again." He moved even closer to her, until they were standing side by side. It felt like he wanted to put his arm around her, but he hesitated.

"Me too..." She blushed and looked away, unable to meet his gaze.

His arm did finally reach around her, pulling her close so she wouldn't be as startled. And then, there was a sudden flash of brightness. Shiori jumped a little, surprised to see flames coming from his hand... They danced along his very fingertips themselves. She was mesmerized and couldn't look away for a long moment. She didn't understand what she was seeing, or how that was even possible.

'Unless...' In the back of her mind, she began to put two and two together...

"Ace-kun..." Rose eyes widened. "How is this p-possible? Y-you didn't..."

Ace wasn't sure what was going through her head right then. "It's my Devil Fruit ability... The Mera Mera no Mi." His voice was low and raspy, a mere whisper.

"Wow..."

She continued to stare for a while. He allowed the flames to travel from his fingers, to his palm, all the way up his arm, and back again. It was like he was putting on a personal light show just for her. He gently guided her arm closer and closer, until she was almost touching the flames, but he noticed she was wincing like she was afraid.

"Don't be afraid..." He whispered softly.

The edges of the mysterious flames almost singed Shiori's fingertips. She stopped. "It's so warm..." It was like she was hypnotized. "How beautiful..."

He moved his own hand closer, until the bright flickering flames brushed over her skin. It must have felt especially hot to her, due to her own Devil Fruit ability being almost the exact opposite. Ice and Fire... It was like something out of a storybook. And strangely, even when the flames licked across the surface of her palm, it did not burn her. She moved closer into it, becoming less afraid than she was initially. Ace's own hand moved closer to hers, to bridge the gap between them, until they pressed together, her smaller hand in his larger one. And they stayed like that for a moment, letting the flames slowly die out.

It felt strange... When he touched her hand... It was like lightning moving through her very veins. Shiori was stunned, speechless. She was still staring at the flames emanating from his skin. But Ace was staring at her, and the entire time, he hadn't been able to tear his eyes away from her face. She noticed that he was looking at her, and didn't know whether to look away or what she should do next.

"Yes it is." He gasped, still staring at her, as if he was just seeing her for the first time.

Before she could manage to do anything, his face was moving closer to hers. The Valkyrie felt her pulse speed up. He clutched her hand with his, the flames completely fading into oblivion. But he was still so warm...

'He's so close to me...' She thought. 'Impossibly close. What is he-'

The next thing she knew, his lips were pressing against hers. There was a desperation behind the kiss; an urgent sense of longing that was clearly conveyed through the way he embraced her. His arms wrapped around her waist, and Ace pulled her flush against him. Shiori could only sink into his bare chest, giving into the strange kiss, and hoping for the best. She kissed him back, applying a light pressure to let him know that she reciprocated his feelings. She'd wanted this too, she just wasn't aware of what she was feeling.

'Don't slap me, please don't slap me...' He thought, pulling away for just a moment, to gauge her reaction.

"I've never felt like this before..." She whispered, once he'd broken the kiss.

"Neither have I. Shiori-chan... You're so... So beautiful." He sighed, with so much emotion behind his words that he was barely even certain he'd spoken them out loud. There was simply no other way to tell her.

It had begun sweet and light, yet unendingly hungry. Then he deepened it, going in for a second time. His tongue licked along her bottom lip, and Ace felt it quiver, knowing that she was just as unsure as he was. But she allowed him in anyway. Their tongues brushed against each other, engaging in an eternal dance, as old as time itself... It felt tense, as if both were holding themselves back, but it came so naturally to them. Their mouths moved together, as they both explored one another.

There was fire and passion behind his kiss... And such resolve. He'd promised himself that he wouldn't do this; that he wouldn't dare to touch her. That he wouldn't start something before he was absolutely sure that she was ready for it. But the moment felt right, too right, and he'd been unable to stop himself. Shiori felt a million tiny butterflies tickling her inside all at once. It was the most incredible thing she'd ever felt. It was completely different from the quick and empty kiss she'd shared with Nischela. She knew the difference now. This was... It was too intense for words.

Ace kept on kissing her, again and again, it was like he couldn't get enough. He held her against him, firmly but gently. Shiori wasn't sure what to do with her hands. His were still wrapped around her waist. And she was glad for it, since she felt like she could just fall backward at any given moment. Her knees were wobbly and unstable. She placed one hand hesitantly around his back, feeling herself shake a bit due to nervousness. Then slowly, she moved the other one up to the back of his neck. She didn't want to move too much or break the kiss in any way.

He was an amazing kisser. And he didn't seem to mind what she was doing at all. At times, she could have sworn she felt him almost sort of smile against her lips. His tongue kept darting forth to greet hers, and she met him halfway eagerly.

All she could focus on was the feeling of his strong arms embracing her. It was like she could feel him all around her, and it made her feel so safe. Ace felt the petite girl leaning against his chest, as if she were starting to trust him a little more. They continued making out for a while, each getting lost in the other. She felt him move against her slightly, and it was doing things to her... Shiori let out a small, shy moan. It was so faint, curling forth from the back of her throat.

Such moments couldn't last forever, he knew. The others would eventually come looking for them if they didn't turn up soon. And as much as he wanted to continue, he didn't want to overwhelm her this soon. He was pretty sure she was at least somewhat inexperienced, if her mannerisms were anything to go by. Not that he minded...

'Heh. That could even be fun.' He thought, but stopped himself from going any further with it. He still wasn't sure how she felt about this. He didn't want her to kiss him back just to keep him from getting upset or something, and that seemed like exactly the kind of thing that a shy little mouse like her would do...

"Well..." He spoke, clearing his throat awkwardly. "That was... ahh... We should go, huh?" When he pulled away to look at her, bringing her face fully into focus, he noticed that her cheeks were the deepest red that he'd ever seen.

'...Perfect.' He thought wickedly.

"Y-yeah..." Shiori squeaked, nodding eagerly. She was ready to go.

She followed him back toward the beach. She couldn't help but feel that they'd shared something really special just then, although she wasn't sure exactly what it was. The two walked on in silence for a moment. Things were quiet, but awkward. Shiori would have likened it to the calm that comes before a storm. And that worried her.

"Are you... okay?" Ace asked, suddenly, and from out of nowhere. He glanced at her over his shoulder, as he led the way back toward the bonfire on the beach. She realized that he still hadn't let go of her hand, and she pulled it back a bit.

"Oh yeah, I'm f-fine... I mean I-I'm great, haha! I'm j-just, well..." The meek girl got all fidgety, playing with the sleeves of her sweater and stretching them out. "Yes, I'm okay."

'Ah jeez,' Her thoughts ran wild through her head. 'He probably thinks I'm a total idiot! Why am I so shaken up? I don't want him to notice how on edge I am. I need to stay calm.'

There were so many ways this could go badly, and she began to mull over each and every one of them on the way back. She wondered what the rest of the crew would think of her disappearing with their Captain like that. Would anyone know what they just did? And worse, what if they said something about it?

'Just play it cool, Ace...' He told himself, silently worrying about the same. 'Don't blow this...'

"Ah, well... We're almost there."

For a second, Shiori thought he was going to warn her not to say anything about what had just happened between them. But he didn't bring it up at all. She wasn't sure what to make of it.

The others seemed happy to see them when they returned. Mitch was the first to notice the two emerging from the woods. The first mate waved to them, flashing Ace a big grin. It was like he somehow knew... Shiori was filled with dread for a moment. The last thing she wanted was for people to think that she was trying to weasel her way into being their Captain's favorite or something ridiculous like that.

Vanora seemed to have missed her. The tiny cat came running for her, darting across the sandy beach and closing the distance between them in only seconds. Shiori picked her up, grateful that the rest of the Spades had taken such good care of her, but still happy to have her little companion back. And besides, petting her gave her something to do to keep her hands busy.

Once she'd wandered back over to the rest of the crew and was out of earshot, Mitch went up to Ace. "How'd it go, man?"

All the Captain could do was smile. He couldn't have kept it off of his face for more than a few seconds. "Good."

A/N: Ahaha omg! -blushy face- I can't believe I did it! That was a long time coming, I know. Wow, I'm so sorry it took me so long to update this fic! I've been dealing with a lot of financial problems lately (who hasn't, lol) and had lots of stuff to work on, and then I got really sick and was in the hospital for a bit... I haven't forgotten about this story though. I've actually been dying to work on it the whole time. And then I got a little stuck on this chapter, since I sort of lost my nerve for a bit, but I pushed through it. I hope the kissing scene finally happening was worth the wait though, and I hope I did a good enough job. c:

-Kaline