PARADISE

"More pressure," said Ace, holding her steady as he attempted to show her how to maneuver Striker. Penny explained that she'd be able to do it once he showed her, but Ace was steadfast in trying to get her to learn the normal way.

"Is this necessary?"

"No," admitted Ace, a smile in his voice. "But, watching you fail is fun."

Penny paused and tilted her head toward her shoulder to find him grinning. She scowled fiercely, mind no longer on the waving rolls as Striker lurched. She slammed into Ace, who managed to keep both of them steady and set Striker right again.

"Alright," said Ace, letting her go. "You're a lost cause."

"I'm not a helmsman."

"Neither am I, but I've got the basics down."

"I'm also not used to such a small amount of space."

"Me and Deuce started off like this. We built a ship out of scrap wood and made it to the Grand Line with it." Ace turned to her eagerly, "Hey! When this is over, I'll introduce you to them—Deuce and you would probably get along. He likes books too, but he's a shit writer. He'll probably get better one day."

"Would Whitebeard even let me on his ship?"

"Don't worry about that. Pops won't say anything once I tell him we're friends."

Friends.

Penny kept her group of friends and family close to her heart, not opening the door to invite any more people in, but there were some like Ace, who stumbled across the key without her knowing.

She remembered Luffy's excited plans about his future pirate career—his frequent questions about what captains did and how one became a pirate—and wondered where Ace fit into the equation. Would he go with Luffy to Laugh Tale? Did he even know the name of the island his father had found? Or was he, like many of Whitebeard's sons, set on making the man King of Pirates?

"I'll consider it," said Penny diplomatically. She could disappear before Ace decided to drag her along to his family reunion.

"You've got other things to do?" asked Ace with a laugh.

"There are many mysteries to be solved and secrets uncovered."

"Like what?"

"Like how many mulberry leaves it takes to keep a silkworm happy."

Ace perked up, "Have you ever caught a Hercules beetle?"

Penny suffered a minor panic attack thinking back to when Luffy once stuffed the very same beetle down her shirt in the middle of a fight over who had to tell Garp and Makino that they accidentally broke one of the windows in the local fishery. She could feel the giant insect crawling over her skin.

"Don't speak to me," she ordered, grabbing her bag and pulling a small stack of papers from it. Ikkaku's tiny script stared back at her. When in doubt, knowledge was her refuge.

While Ace looked for Black B. Eard, a man whose name they had come across in a local ad for Frog Oil, Penny stood by the market square, trying to avoid eye contact and failing. The woman, who had been looking at a Wanted poster with her picture on it, bounced forward, baby in hand.

People kept handing her babies. Penny didn't say anything, not wanting to be rude, but she still didn't understand where the rumor had started and how it had stretched this far down the Grand Line.

"Where'd you get that?" asked Ace once he returned, leaning down so he was eye to eye with the thing and making funny faces.

Penny shoved the tiny creature into Ace's hands, only to have the mother come back and snatch it away. "Thank you so much," she said, patting Penny's arm as she left.

Penny wilted, almost crying as the woman left. "They think if I hold them, the baby will be rich, but I only have the one doubloon I've been copying since I was ten. I'm a fraud."

"Who would trust you with a baby?"

"Everyone apparently."

"You need to look scarier."

"The closest I get to that is spooky."

"It's Fire Fist Ace!" shouted someone. Ace turned around looking for the voice in the crowd, before grinning at the terrified civilians. They shrunk back, hurrying away from them, but the majority continued unfazed by the two pirates walking in their midst. On this side of the Grand Line, pirates were too frequent to stop everyday life.

"See," Ace said pointing at the civilians. "You gotta let them know who's in charge."

"I dislike responsibility."

"Being a Captain is all about responsibility."

"It's also about being incredibly selfish which I've perfected."

Penny glanced at Ace from the corner of her eye as he hummed contently. He'd calmed down in his rush since they looked over Ikkaku's notes, contemplating quietly how he was going to fight someone who could take away his namesake. Penny only hoped that it led to him returning to Whitebeard so she could find her way back to her ship.

Night in the middle of the ocean sucked up all the world's light. Tired from a day of adventuring, the two of them lay side-by-side, listening to the gentle waves as they drifted toward yet another island. Penny had her hand stretched out, dipping in and out of the water as she sought to track their course without the use of a Log Pose. It was useless, but Ace seemed to find her insistence on following her gut-feelings funny.

"Is the lovers thing true?" asked Ace in a tone that suggested her answer would immediately be shared with his crew when he returned home.

"I usually leave one behind in every port," admitted Penny with a yawn. "Unfortunately, being near you is…detrimental towards my mating habits."

Ace groaned, laughing slightly. "Yeah, it's got nothing to do with you calling it a 'mating habit,' and everything to do with me."

"Fornication. Copulation. Intercourse." Penny listed the words off on her fingers.

"Sex," shot back Ace. He was so warm that a blanket was all but useless. Striker was a vessel—Penny refused to call the thing a ship—not built for two people, but they made do. The inky sky and pure darkness of the sea left her slightly uneasy ever since her encounter with Blackbeard, but each twinkle of starlight reminded her that fear and life went hand in hand.

"Sex too," said Penny sleepily. "Do you wanna know something funny?"

"What?" asked Ace.

"First time it happened, I spent three days in my room crying. When the crew finally figured out why, they dropped me off at Shakky's bar for a month and told her to talk to me. Best month of my life."

He shifted, bringing his shoulder against hers, "My first was in Paradise—good, but nothing memorable. Second, was with a Marine."

"A literal fuck you." Penny held her hand out to Ace, who slapped it hard. "I didn't know that I was meant to fake it, so I just…waited…and waited and then asked him why he wasn't doing it right. I was so traumatized; it took me two years to even consider sleeping with a man again."

Ace snorted with laughter as Penny cringed, shaking away the awful memory. He reached over and patted her head, the way one did a dog, "Those kinds of bastards are usually the most common."

"Who was the Marine?"

"This girl I know."

"Cute?"

"Yeah."

Penny felt sleep evade her as the chance to gossip arose. "Tell me," she demanded, sitting up fully.

"I'm trying to sleep."

"I'll tell you how I met Kaidou."

Ace jerked awake. "What happened to equal exchange?"

"There's nothing I love more than the tangled coils of a forbidden romance. I'd give Shanks' location up if you asked me for it."

Ace considered her words for a moment, a skeptical look on his face proving that he had little trust in her wild claim. At Penny's eager nudging, he sat up too. A ball of flame formed in his hands, illuminating the dark. He held it loosely, never letting it grow more than the size of his fist. "I gotta go all the way back to the beginning, then. It started when we were throwing a party…"

SABAODY ARCHIPELAGO

"Must be hard paying off that debt with your old schemes gone," said Shakky, lighting a cigarette as Rayleigh slid into a seat across from her.

"Do you want to lend me some money?"

Shakky smiled, pulling the cigarette from her mouth as she leaned across the table. "Will you pay me back?"

"A pretty lady like you? Sure."

"I'll have to think about it. I don't usually lend men money."

"I'm not an ordinary man."

"No," agreed Shakky, lips curling as her eyes roamed over his face. "You're not."

She placed a paper in front of him and leaned back, watching his reaction with smiling eyes. Rayleigh pulled it to him, catching sight of the front page where an old picture of Penny was stuck next to one of Fire Fist Ace.

"What's that boy gone and done now?" asked Rayleigh, shaking his head. Shanks, despite acting like he was the lesser evil between him and Buggy, stirred trouble wherever he went. He'd done a good job passing it down to the generation after him. Starry-eyed little Penny had been a terror every time they met.

Rayleigh laughed slightly to himself. "It's a damn shame Roger went and died when he did."

"It is…" Shakky traced the picture, a smile growing on her face. Among the residents of Sabaody, it was rare to find someone who didn't know Penny—either from the story or having seen her on the island. "Who would've thought she'd go after someone like that?"

Ace, the son of his late Captain, and Penny, a girl searching for a lost Kingdom only a handful knew by name. "It's got Shanks' smell all over it."

"Leave it alone. Imagine all the possibilities," said Shakky, tone wistful. "Almost makes me wish I hadn't retired."

If the path Penny and Ace followed was leading down Paradise, then the Marines were readying themselves for their eventual arrival. Sabaody, after all, was no longer the island it once was.

SOMEWHERE IN THE NEW WORLD ON THE MOBY DICK

"Who's the brat?" asked Whitebeard, glaring at the paper with a deep frown on his face. Marco smiled easily, resting his elbows on his knees as he watched the nurses change Pops' IV drip.

"Come on, Pops, you're not that old," joked Marco, enjoying the way his jaw ticked with annoyance.

"The damn fool doesn't listen to me when I say no and now, he's gone and gotten himself a grou—"

"Remember that kid on Roger's crew who made himself an emperor?" asked Marco. Whitebeard's eyes jumped away from the paper to glare at him heatedly. "Well, he must've had a heart and took pity on a poor orphan and raised her to be a pirate. Ace said his little brother knew Penny, so he kept an eye out in case we ever ran into her. She saved his brother's life."

Whitebeard sneered at the picture, "No wonder—she's got the same face as Red Hair."

Marco withheld his laughter at the comment. "Maybe it'll work out. He's not alone now and from what I've heard, she's pretty good at not getting killed."

"Ace won't get tricked by a pretty face. It won't last long."

Marco shrugged, "Probably not."

Letting the topic go, Marco stood and checked Pops' vitals once more before leaving the old man to worry on his own. Despite his grumbling in front of everyone, Pops' was likely the most uneasy out of all of them. To be caught by surprise by someone like Teach was an ill-omen.

"What'd he say?" whispered Deuce as Marco walked out. He didn't hide the fact that he'd been listening in with his ear pressed against the door.

"Almost called her a groupie."

Deuce paled, raising his hands to rub at his eyes as if it would spare him from the secondhand embarrassment. "We're not going to war with them, are we?"

"Shanks and her parted ways years ago. She's her own person. If we're going to fight anyone for interfering in our business, it's Penny, but we'll wait and see."

"Okay, good. It's just…Ace is a hothead, so it'd be better if we got permission to go after—"

"You wanna go tell Pops that?"

"No. No, I know he's worried too. We all are, but this is bigger than our pride."

"A pirate's pride is a heavy thing—people like Pops and Ace and every big name you've heard are willing to die for it." Marco watched as Deuce's distress grew. Clapping a hand on his shoulder, he squeezed tightly, hoping to ease some of his worries. "Pops is the strongest man in the world and Ace…comes close. He'll get it done and come back before you know it."

"Do you think so?"

"I do." Marco didn't voice his suspicion that Red Hair's apprentice had her own reasons for helping Ace that went beyond a boy in the East Blue.

PARADISE

Black B. Eard

Marsh Teach

Professor D. Teach

Marshel Teech

"You know what would be useful right now? My ship and intel network," muttered Penny, as she crossed the last name off the list. Ace bowed again, walking backward as he muttered another apology to the sheep farmer they had nearly killed.

"Wasn't him," said Ace as Penny reached into her pocket and copied the small purse of coins she had. She hung the bag by the gate, bidding the sheep goodbye.

"I say we get a Den Den Mushi, put Blackbeard on the Navy's watchlist, and let them work their magic."

Ace looked at her from the corner of his eye, "They've got us on a watchlist."

"We're on a hit list."

"Same thing. Who's the next one?"

Penny struggled to read Ace's handwriting before thrusting the paper in his face. He squinted, seeming to be unable to read it too, "Marshall Beard III," said Ace.

"That's obviously our man," commented Penny dryly.

"Right?" said Ace with an eager grin. "It probably is him!"

"Feel it," said Penny, grabbing Ace's hand and resting it by the end of her ribcage. "There's a lump!"

"There's not."

"We need to see a doctor—these are the types of things that you ignore and then find out you have cancer."

"You got sliced up and didn't want to see one, but now you do?"

Penny stuck her hand on Ace's torso, feeling around for the same lump. "You have it too!"

"Really?" Ace prodded at his skin, fingers moving over a hard ridge. "What'd you do?!"

"Nothing!"

"Did you copy your disease over to me?! I'll kill you!"

Penny waved her hands hurriedly, "I didn't!"

"Oh, okay." Ace laughed sheepishly, as he ruffled his hair and then placed his hat on his head. "Sorry—I guess we should find a doctor. You know anyone?"

Turning her nose up, she sniffed haughtily, "Suddenly, I'm okay with dying."

"I said sorry."

"After attempting to burn me at the stake!"

"Penny, anyone ever told you to calm down a bit? Take that stick out of your ass and relax." Ace flicked a booger her way. It landed on her shirt. Penny made a small noise of distress and then turned around, jumping into the ocean.

Ace scrambled to the edge of Striker, grabbing her wrist before she could drown. "Let me go," cried Penny. "You're worse than Luffy! I have your germs all over me now!"

"Die another day," snarled Ace, temper lighting up. Who the hell threw their life away like that? Did she think dying was a game? If he was the same kind of cruel, he had been as a kid, he might have let her go, but Ace dragged her out of the water.

Silence reigned as Penny wrung the water from her clothes and hair. She sat in the opposite corner of the small ship, holding her knees to her chest, and glaring over at him. Ace couldn't bring himself to care—annoyed with her constant 'me, me, me.'

"I'm sorry," said Penny quietly, heat rising to her face. Ace glared at her from the corner of his eye, watching as she twisted her fingers together nervously.

"Shut it."

"Asshole," she murmured.

Penny fiddled with the string, wondering if it was worth telling Ace that she could weave them a net rather than waste time trying to fish the traditional way. Her other suggestion to fix their lack of food was either robbing a passing ship or sailing into the calm belt to catch a Sea King.

"I always knew—everyone hated me even when I was a kid. It was like they could smell that bastard's blood in me."

Penny had only a void, one she refused to enter, to remember her parents by. "Weren't you curious though? About who he was and why your mother loved him?"

"He left her."

"…Ace…" Penny's voice was hoarse and hesitant. The Roger she knew seemed so far removed from the one Ace had trapped in his heart. "…never mind, it's not my place."

"She gave her life up for me and maybe…maybe if he'd been around, she wouldn't have had to do that, but it doesn't change what happened. It doesn't change that she had to suffer and hide because of him. That I had to lose her because of him."

"You're right, it doesn't."

"I don't want to know anything about him."

She nodded. "Then I won't say anything."

Ace looked at her and then back to his fishing line. Penny had all but given up hope of catching anything. "You can if you want to, but it won't change how I feel."

"Lingering on ghosts never did anyone any good."

"I thought…with Luffy…when we first met that it'd be easier to treat him like I did because it was what everyone expected. I didn't want some brat hanging around and following me, but…it's Luffy."

"Pushing away won't do anything but make him latch on."

"He'd follow me every day, even Dandan got fed up with him," Ace smiled to himself, "but nothing stopped him."

"He'd follow me and Makino into the baths," laughed Penny.

Surprise flickered across Ace's face, "We had to fight him to even take one."

"He was trying to learn to swim, so he could come with us when we sailed. I've never known how, so I wasn't much help, but Luffy was determined."

"You're gonna be surprised when you see him again."

"We'll meet when we meet. I'm not worried about it."

"Not even excited?"

"I think you're more eager than I am," teased Penny. She heard Luffy's name more in the last three days than during the entire time she was on Foosha.

"I haven't seen him in years—even with all the others, Luffy's still my little brother. I'll always miss him."

That candid tenderness he held for Luffy was something worth protecting. Penny, whose only family consisted of people far older than her, often had to deal with the knowledge that she would outlive all of them. But, she knew how Ace felt, how at times the heart longed for a place in a distant sea that felt safer than the rough waters of the Grand Line.

"You'll be enemies now."

Ace grinned and the world was brighter from it, "We've been waiting for that."

Island-hopping without her ship was torture. There was no shopping to be done. Her hand constantly itched for a pencil or fabric or a needle, but other than the occasional repair, there was little to be done in the way of clothes-making.

Depression set in quickly, wilting Penny like a flower left out in the sun for too long as their hunt for a man named Teech B. Mashall, who happened to exactly fit Blackbeard's description, ended up with another failure.

"What's wrong?" asked Ace, after seeing her order what he called prey food. If he was planning on playing predator and eating her, she hoped he did it quick.

"Nothing."

The other issue bothering her was the lack of action they saw. How were they meant to defeat Blackbeard when every enemy they came across reminded Penny of a bumbling court-jester trying to take on a lion? Was this what Shanks felt like when he'd 'train' her? She owed the man an apology.

Her poor sword was weeping for Blackbeard's blood, having tasted it once already.

"Don't you think we're…never mind."

"Everyone's weak."

"They are!" cried Penny, pushing the revolting squash soup away from her. "They're like cannon fodder. No one knows what Haki is! They're still shooting at us with guns like it'd do anything!"

"It's better that we're not wasting our time with them. We can focus on Blackbeard."

"…but…" Penny chewed at her lip and then sighed, "…what Benn-san and Shanks always told me was that Logia types had a natural weakness in Haki. There's no way that Blackbeard doesn't know that, so he must be adept at it as well. You're not."

If Ace was offended by her accusation, he didn't show it. "I know how to use it."

"But you're not trained."

"But, I know how."

She knew how to prove to him that self-belief was not the same as skill, but, as always, Penny was loath to fight. Her slip up with Blackbeard was a mix of ego, a bit of alcohol, and the startling surprise his Devil Fruit offered. If she had been prepared and less eager to end the hunt quickly…the kind of fight that might have happened or who might've walked off…

"I tried killing Pops," admitted Ace. "Learned a lot about Haki after he kept beating me, so unless Blackbeard's stronger than him, I can handle him."

Penny was stunned, in such disbelief, that she spent a whole minute stuttering before she managed to say, "Shanks joked about me committing mutiny, but I never actually tried it. What's wrong with you?!"

The rest of the night was spent recounting each of Ace's attempts to murder the World's Strongest Man.

Their first fight—a real fight that involved more than sharp, misplaced words was entirely Penny's fault. As they closed in on two sides, catching the tail end of Blackbeard's crew escaping, Penny pulled back.

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LET HIM GO?" roared Ace once she informed him.

"A fight between two Logia users isn't the kind that leaves any survivors. This island is too heavily populated—"

"I would've handled it! I could've beat him!"

"You're angry, and anger will never solve anything."

"I AM ANGRY! WHY THE HELL WOULD I BE ANYTHING BUT THAT?!"

"We'll talk about it when your—"

"STOP RUNNING AWAY!" Ace grabbed her arm tightly, holding her in place. She could feel his rage building, the pressure point trapped beneath the surface finally reaching its peak. "You wanted to help, I let you, but this has nothing to do with you. You have no right to decide when and where I'll take care of him."

"Do you think the world is going to think Whitebeard's weak if he lets Blackbeard go? Or are you worried they'll think it's your fault?"

Though Penny could've dodged his punch, she let it land and then struck him back, ringed hand cutting a thin line against his cheek. He was reckless and astonishingly powerful, but he'd burn out too quick if he kept at it.

Penny was both awed and terrified of the power Logia fruit held. The brightness of the sun flickered through Ace's body. When they fought, she could sense his body and his purpose, the force of his blows before they struck, the side he seemed to favor, and the way his feet moved and left the ground because Ace did not need to stay earthbound.

Ace realized she wasn't attacking him, but copying each of his movements, staying in perfect alignment so they clashed but never gained an edge. Each attack, save for the burning fire he produced, was perfectly replicated.

In an instant when it seemed his blow would finally land, a coil of ribbon latched to his wrist, twisting it behind his back. Penny struck with the edge of her palm, the flesh hard as iron from Haki, and deadened his arm.

It hung limply by his side. Fire burst from his body, crawling toward her with hungry hands where it fell against the invisible wall forming between Penny and the attack. It seemed to glitch and flicker out. Penny's accidental discovery of her ability to copy space was usually used to keep herself from falling into the ocean, but it had never failed to keep her safe. As long as there was some distance between her and the thing in question, activating her Devil Fruit ensured that the distance would never reach zero.

"Go on," said Penny, seeing Ace's frustration finally tip over the edge. "I can handle it."

His next attack lit up the night sky, forcing Penny to shield her eyes from the brightness. It was over quick, leaving the world around them full of dancing embers as Ace sagged against the weight of his rage.

Penny lay where she had fallen for a long pause, waiting for her limbs to regain feeling and mind to realign itself with the knowledge that Ace had the kind of power that might one day rival an Emperor's.

"What'd you do to my arm?" asked Ace, kneeling in the sand as he held himself up with his one good arm.

"I hit the pressure point with a burst of haki. It'll go away in a minute or two."

He laughed and rolled over, collapsing against the sand as he breathed harshly. Sweat slicked his skin.

He had his hand thrown over his eyes, attempting to hide the tears that were falling, but unable to fully do so. Penny reached for his free hand, taking it into her own gently.

Behind his pride, he had just lost someone he loved. Penny wondered what that gap would feel like, what words one could use to describe grief so strong it drove you to vengeance. Ace was the opposite of her in many things—hot-headed and straightforward, someone who loved without bounds. Penny for all her whimsy and nonsense held the people she cared for close to her chest, little hidden secrets that were meant only for her.

"Do you understand why he worries me? It's more than a bad feeling."

"I know," admitted Ace hoarsely. "I've known since I left that I might not make it back, but it doesn't matter. It's my life to do what I want with and no one else's."

"You have more pride than I realized."

"All it takes is one man to ruin Pops' name and Blackbeard is that man. The second we let him go, every one of Pops' enemies will come crawling out to take their shot. I won't let anyone do that to Pops or Thatch."

"I'm not going to follow you into hell," said Penny bluntly. "If you plan to die, then tell me to leave now."

"I've never fought someone without thinking I could win."

"That's not enough."

"It has to be."

While Ace slept, Penny focused on training. It was impossible to get anything close to exercise on Striker and seeing as she couldn't swim, it was dangerous to even try. If she slept, she'd be back to her old dream, back to the house of horrors that was locked up in her head. One day, she would need to confront her past, but until then, Penny was content in pretending that she knew nothing of it.

"Don't," said Penny to herself, gripping her knees tightly as her mind swirled over old memories she usually cast into a void of darkness. "There's nothing there anymore."

It was at times like this that she missed Beckman's steady presence and the safety that came with not being an adult.

The space gathered, twisting into a small single point as Penny allowed the warm rush of power to copy and fold it over and over. It rested in the palm of her hand, invisible to any eyes but her own.

Had she used that then would it have worked on Blackbeard? No, that would be too easy. As quickly as it had formed, Penny made it disappear, dispelling the copy.

"Too much," she whispered, flopping back down. "Ah, I hate all this."

While Ace rushed to complete his task and go back home, Penny coiled tight like a snake, waiting for the truth to reveal itself before she struck. Her finger slipped beneath her shirt, rubbing at her new scar—even that, the folly of a fight she hadn't been focused on, worried her.

Her eyes drifted to the smile tugging at Ace's face while he slept.

Penny watched him for a while, wondering if it was a habit among people who carried the letter D to walk to their deaths with a smile. She hoped not.

"I love the beach!" said Penny, having procured both a floppy sun hat and bikini. "And they have tide pools—what a wonderful place."

Ace was surprised to see that Penny had a tattoo. The hilt of two swords stuck into a gruesome scar on her arm where it looked like something had bitten out a chunk of skin. One of the swords, he recognized as her own. The other belonged to none other than Shanks. It was a surprising show of comradery from someone who mocked his tattoo.

Penny tapped his hand, copying her sunscreen over to him despite his protests that he didn't need any. It was weird how her power worked. Nothing happened that anyone could see—whatever she copied just appeared at her whim.

"I miss swimming," admitted Ace, watching the waves crash against the shore. "Back on Foosha, it was always me diving in after Luffy."

"The Mera Mera no Mi suits you though. I thought that the very first time we met."

"It's not like I need a Devil Fruit, but I'm glad I ate it too. Deuce would've been a terror if it went to him—burning down everything every time he freaked out."

"Where'd you find it?"

"East Blue. You?"

"I didn't have to go far. If I believed in things like fate, I'd say it was waiting on me to eat it."

"You knew what it was?"

Penny stared up at the sun, feeling her skin tighten beneath its warmth. "I did."

"I got lucky, but I think if I'd known I would've still done it."

"You'd be One Punch Ace if you hadn't or maybe Knock Out Ace," said Penny giggling at the names.

"Better than Akahime," snorted Ace.

Penny's temper lit, fire in her eyes, "I swear when I find out who gave me that name, I'll hang them off the Bell Tower at Marineford."

Ace slowed to a stop, looking at the small group of Marines bowing in front of Penny. She had a smile on her face and a little girl at her side, though she kept a firm distance from her too. "This kind of behavior sets a terrible example for the next generation, so make sure it never happens again."

"Yes, ma'am!"

"And go clean up the mess you've all made, or your commanding officers will hear about what you've done."

The Marines hesitated but ultimately decided saluting Penny was the way to go. Dispersing quickly, they ran off leaving Penny alone with the kid. Her face twisted as she placed her hands on her hips. "Go away, you imp."

"Thanks, lady!"

"Tell no one of this. The last thing I want is to be beloved by goblins."

The girl laughed, picking up the ball by her feet. Penny shrieked, jumping away when it seemed she would touch her.

"You're scared of kids?" asked Ace approaching. This was the second time he'd seen her nearly break her neck trying to avoid one.

"They're always covered in drool or some mysterious adhesive."

"Look at this," said Ace handing her that morning's newspaper. Penny narrowed in on Kid's face, scrunching her nose in distaste as she often did when the conversation drifted to the rookies. "He's going around saying he's going to be Pirate King but can't handle someone laughing at him."

"He's better suited to being the King of Clowns," commented Penny, "But he has the drive to aim for the top. I shouldn't make fun."

"Go to page six."

"Axe-Hand Morgan put into custody after the escape of famed bounty-hunter, Roronoa Zoro, and destruction of Marine Base by rookie pirate Monkey D. Luffy—" Penny's head shot up, catching Ace's thrilled smile as he held his hat against the blowing breeze.

"He'll take the world by storm before they even realize what's happening."

Penny leaned in close, nose nearly touching his, and said, "You're a good brother."

"Hmm? What?" he asked startled by the compliment from someone who spoke to her reflection.

"Luffy's lucky to have you as a brother." Penny folded the paper carefully, handing it to Ace with a smile. "You should hold onto this. He'll be Pirate King the next time we blink."

"You think so?" asked Ace with an eager smile. "I always thought he liked Sabo more than me, but I'm pretty great too."

"Sabo?"

"That was our other brother's name…guess I never mentioned it."

"…his name was Sabo?"

"What's wrong with it?"

Penny snapped her mouth shut, shaking her head. "Nothing."

"It's not his fault, his parents were nobles. There's no way you're getting a good name with scum like that."

"It's not a common name. I was just surprised—I know someone with that name too." Penny held her hands out to him, showing off her chipped nails. "Should I put a new coat on?"

"You'll just pick it off," said Ace, recalling her spending a whole hour trying to tear the nail polish off. "Let's go eat."

"Barbeque?"

"Barbeque," confirmed Ace. Penny cheered, hooking her arm around his as they walked toward the town. Taking the slow path wasn't so bad, thought Ace.

"I TOLD YOU TO LET ME PAY!" wheezed Penny as she took off her shoe and threw it at the townspeople chasing them. It smashed into one of the buildings with an astounding speed and strength, leaving a hole several times its size.

Ace gripped her hand, hauling her onto the roof as he turned into pure flame. Reappearing at her side, he kept running with a sharp grin on his face, "Come on, Penny. What kind of man do you take me for?"

"He's kidnapped me!" shouted Penny to the townspeople. "Please forgive me!"

Ace's arm caught her around the waist, holding her flush against him, "Listen, we're gonna jump."

"No, we're not. We're going to pay the very nice people three times what—"

They jumped, straight down to the end of the harbor where Striker was illegally docked beneath the house they were currently standing on. Penny didn't scream, but grasped onto Ace tightly as he landed and maneuvered Striker out to sea in one smooth movement.

Staring at her shoeless foot, she wiggled her toes and then threw her other shoe into the ocean. "Tell me the food was good at least."

"Five out of ten."

Penny laughed, "You're an awful man."

"I apologize for the trouble," said Penny, bowing shallowly once more. The woman whimpered, hiding her face in her handkerchief as Ace slowly backed out of the ruined shop. Penny grimaced, stepping over the broken ivory and hightailing it out of there before the police arrived.

Ace whistled lowly and then asked, "So, Marshlee Teacher is off the list?"

"No, let's keep her on. The illegal poaching ties she uses to source her ivory will lead us straight to Blackbeard."

Her comment flew over Ace's head. "Do you think elephants taste good?"

"Why don't you go hunt one down and try it? Hopefully, they'll stomp you to death."

"You're real ugly when you threaten people like one of those baby vultures with the neck flaps."

Penny stopped walking, turning around to glare at Ace, "Run."

Penny couldn't put an exact time and date to when she and Ace first met, but it had been several months and only a few weeks since Luffy's name was first mentioned in the paper as a tiny, off-hand comment in the East Blue section.

She flattened the poster once more, skimming it to make sure she was looking at something real. Ace's smile had yet to leave his face.

She hadn't thought seeing Luffy again would change anything, but her mind was launched back to the nights they had spent catching fireflies together, crawling in the forests behind his house, running from Garp, curled up in bed as she shook with fever, laughing and crying over everything.

He had been her very first friend.

And now he was a pirate with a price of thirty-million berries on his head.

"I didn't even get my first one until I got to the Grand Line," said Ace with a grin. "He took down Arlong—"

"And Buggy-san," breathed out Penny, skimming the page in the newspaper. Ace squeezed her shoulder tightly. Every inch of him brimming with pride. "Does he even realize—no, it's Luffy. He probably just went ahead without looking back."

Penny twisted around, looking at Ace with a bright smile, "Do you think he'll make it to 100 million before Sabaody?"

"250 or higher."

"I don't even know him anymore," admitted Penny in a soft whisper.

"He's the same, but different," reassured Ace. "I haven't seen him in years either, but he'll be a real man when we meet now."

The air warmed, alive with a new spark of excitement. Captain Monkey D. Luffy—Penny savored the words, finding that they didn't sound as strange as she originally thought. There was an echo of marvel when it came to Luffy and his dream. Penny remembered Shanks recounting their meeting to Rayleigh, the tenderness in his voice when he admitted that Luffy had said the same thing Gol D. Roger had.

Was it him? Had it really been that fruit Luffy ate?

"You can leave, you know?" said Ace one random afternoon as Penny dragged him into a local tailor to pick up fabric for a new outfit she envisioned. She was bored of wearing the same gauzy dress for three straight days.

Penny nodded with a laugh, "The moment I find something more interesting I will."

"You're getting bored?"

"Eventually, we're going to land on an island that gets me closer to my dreams and farther from you. Don't miss me too much."

"That's the most pirate thing I've heard out of your mouth."

"Shanks told me once that my only job was to be as selfish and selfless as I wanted to be. I've stayed true to that ever since."

"No regrets?"

"Tons, but it's hard to linger on them when there's a price on your head. What about you? Any apologies you need to give out?"

"No, but I could show my gratitude a bit more. Makino tried hard to teach me, so it's something I can't fully let go of, but I get caught up in everything."

"You're worth far more than your blood. In the ways that matter, you're a good person and even better friend…and one of the very few I'd grant that title, so wear it well."

"What's your real name? Luffy said you told him once—the full thing."

"Would it mean anything if you knew?"

"No."

"Then, you'll likely only ever see it on my grave."

"A HAG!" screamed Penny as she covered her head with her arms. "A HAG'S COME TO EAT ME!" There was no one around in the snow-covered forest to protect her from her fate.

She had heard stories of this happening to pretty little girls as a kid, usually told to her by Monster and Bonk Punch who were thrilled to discover her lack of knowledge about Big Mom.

The old woman whacked her on the head so hard that Penny felt her brain shift. "The only hag here is you!"

"I apologize for my misdeeds," said Penny, rubbing her palms together as she begged. Where was Ace when she needed him? "Please spare me. I'll give you all the gold and riches you want!"

"Now, we're talking. Come on, I'll take a look at that ugly scar you got. We can negotiate payment."

Hope brightened Penny's countenance. "You won't feast on my bones?"

The woman, known as Dr. Kureha, laughed and dragged Penny up by the collar, pulling her into the sled. Penny peered curiously at the reindeer pulling it along, but the animal ducked his head, stomping against the ground.

In another universe, had Penny not stumbled headfirst into piracy, she hoped that she had met someone as wonderfully insane as Dr. Kureha in her youth. Her castle was full of ice and various uncommon medicines and vaccines. Had they brought the Looking Glass, Penny would've been sure to gift her with a cutting of all the rare plants she kept on the ship.

"What idiot did this?" asked Dr. Kureha, mixing potions in her cauldron. Penny kicked her feet, feeling like a little kid who finally met a real-life witch. How exciting. "Stitching a wound like this is asking for infection."

"It healed fine," protested Penny.

"And left a bigger scar than it needed to. Does it hurt when you move your shoulder?"

"A little."

Dr. Kureha stabbed her in the shoulder. As the shock flooded out, Penny was surprised to see that she felt no pain at all. As Dr. Kureha dug around in the incision, Penny decided it was best that she remain oblivious to the workings of doctors.

"So, how are you so young?"

"Heeheeheeheehee, someone wants to know?" asked Dr. Kureha. Penny was thrilled to find out they had a similar cackle-like laugh.

"It seems like an interesting story."

"It is."

A long moment of silence passed filled only by the mixing of medicine and Dr. Kureha's wispy breathing.

"Are you going to tell me, or shall I wait for an eternity?" demanded Penny.

"Come back in a few years and I'll think about it." Knotting her new stitches, Dr. Kureha bandaged her shoulder and warned her, between multiple threats, that she'd chop her head off if she messed up her healing.

Penny reached over, touching the old woman, and copied some of her monstrous health over to herself, sealing the wound closed immediately. "Is that fine?" asked Penny dryly.

"Don't get smart with me." Dr. Kureha inspected her curiously and then let out another crowing laugh. "That's some Devil Fruit."

"I'm very fond of it as well," said Penny politely.

Penny insisted on copying the medicine Dr. Kureha made as payment, despite the woman wanting to get rid of her as soon as she finished her check-up. Penny was ever grateful to doctors, having a particular soft spot after her bout of illness.

In the medicine room, a small boy covered in fur stood by a desk mixing medicine. He startled and slammed his head into the table, exclaiming loudly that he was armed as Penny approached.

"Are you a mink?" asked Penny, realizing he wasn't a boy at all. She was surprised to see one on the other side of the Grand Line. The scalpel in his hand trembled in her direction.

Dr. Kureha laughed as the reindeer startled and shouted, "Shut up, you bastard! I'm a reindeer!"

"But…" Penny trailed off, scratching at her cheek. "I suppose it doesn't matter."

He stood in the corner of the room, trembling as he peeked around the bookshelf as Penny got to work copying. It didn't take long for her to triple their stores. It was of some interest to Dr. Kureha to see her so easily replenish her stocks of rare herbs.

"That kind of power is enough to take over a country."

"That wouldn't be any fun," said Penny and then rubbed her nose. "What's the point of one person having everything?"

"In someone else's hands—"

"I know, which is why it's better that I ate it before someone else could."

Dr. Kureha's hand snapped down on her head for interrupting. She turned to the reindeer, waving her ax wildly, "Chopper, take her to the town."

"But, I'm not finished…"

"Get out!"

Fleeing the castle, Penny found herself wandering the cold, snowy forest trying to keep track of Chopper. He was quicker across the snow than she was and prone to startling himself every time he looked back and spotted her following.

"I'm from the New World," commented Penny with a smile. "Most of the time, the monsters there are people, not talking animals. If you ever make it off this island, you'll see how much bigger the world is."

"Don't talk to me, you sh—"

"Pirate. I'm a pirate."

Chopper fell silent at that, eyes drifting toward the snow. As soon as the town came into view, he ran off, disappearing before Penny could thank him. It didn't take her long to find Ace after that as his black coat was visible from a distance against the slate gray and white of the town.

"Where were you?" asked Ace, as she reappeared by his side. He was running from some men, which wasn't unusual since Ace was prone to dining and dashing.

"I saw a flying sleigh and went to investigate."

"I told you not to wander off."

They glared at one another for a moment before laughing. "Was it really flying?" asked Ace.

"I don't know, but there was a hundred-year-old witch and a talking reindeer." Penny had stars in her eyes as she bounced in place. "I was a bit jealous—she was cooler than me."

"Everyone is."

"True, but it still hurts."

REVERSE MOUNTAIN, PARADISE

As the Straw Hats circled Twin Cape, they came in sight of a fully rigged ship with a sleek body built for speed and a massive garden hanging from every open crevice of the ship. Luffy exclaimed in wonder, stars in his eyes as he turned to Usopp. "Can we do that to the Going Merry?!"

"Oh, no," whispered Miss Wednesday, paling.

"Is that—it is!" Nami ran forward, berries in her eyes as she took in the ruby eyes of the snakehead in front of the ship's hull. In a single leap, that Nami would've never taken if not for the call of treasure, she slid down the cliffside and pounced on the figurehead. "Usopp, give me a hammer."

"No, don't," warned Miss Wednesday, shaking her head. "You don't know who's ship that is!"

"Wait a second…" Luffy stretched his arm out, grabbing onto the railing of the ship and shooting toward its deck.

Mr. 9 gnawed at his nails, sharing a look of intense worry with Miss Wednesday as Luffy stormed around on deck and then punched open the door to the captain's cabin.

The ceiling was painted midnight and glittering diamonds were embedded into the wood in the form of constellations. A corner of the room was dedicated to small models, some of people, others of entire islands or ships, and the desk next to it was stacked with various tools and a box overflowing with shiny gemstones.

Several cloth-bound books rested on the desk, each one jeweled with glided pages. There was no title for the books, but the intricate brocade fabrics and inlaid gems distinguished one from the other. Luffy opened the book on the top, eyes skimming the familiar looping script and the intricately drawn figures on the pages.

A smile lit his face.

He knew who's ship this was.

Flipping through the pages, he skimmed the detailed entries for each person—some Marines, some pirates—and then snapped the book shut. Was she here?

Throwing the door back open, he emerged onto the deck, running toward the hull, and climbed onto the snakehead, prying Nami's fingers away from the rubies. "Not this ship," said Luffy lightly, bringing her down with him, as he landed back on the ground.

Nami's stare pressed against his face. Letting his hat fall down his back, he held a hand to his eyes as he looked toward the Lighthouse, wondering if perhaps Penny would pop her head out.

"OLD MAN!" shouted Luffy, grabbing Crocus' attention. "WHERE'S THE CAPTAIN?"

Crocus glared at each of them for a long moment. Instead of issuing a threat as they expected, he simply said, "Not here."

"Answer properly!" shouted Nami, fed up with Crocus' habit of scaring them with his glare.

Laboon's tail slammed against the back of the ship, spraying Luffy with a wave of water. Rather than pull him to safety, Sanji shot forward, blocking Nami from the wave.

"You wanna go again?" snarled Luffy, rounding on Laboon with his fists in the air. "That was a cheap shot."

Laboon let out a loud joyous shout.

Luffy dropped his arms and rubbed the back of his head, laughing. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

Turning back to Crocus, Luffy pressed his face closer to the old man's and smiled warmly, "I already know who it belongs to, I just wanna know where she is."

Crocus shrugged, returning to his paper, "I don't know."

"When was she last here?"

"I don't know."

"What do you know?" asked Sanji, jerking his leg toward the man. Usopp pulled him back, reminding him that he was meant to be helping repair the Going Merry. No one knew where Zoro was, but he likely didn't know where he was either.

"Who are you talking about anyway, Luffy?" asked Usopp. He looked at the large ship which made the Going Merry look like a raft in comparison.

"That ship is famous," commented Miss Wednesday. "It belongs to—"

"My first friend!" cheered Luffy, "I told you when Shanks came to the village, he stayed there for a while. Penny was still with him back then, but she got sick…it was sort of my fault…it all worked out in the end though. Isn't it great?" Luffy stuck his hands on his hips and beamed up at the ship. "It's exactly how I imagined it'd be. Hopefully, we find a musician before we find Penny. It'll be a boring party without any music."

"P-Phantom Penny?" asked Usopp, wobbling in place.

"Huh?" Luffy turned to look at Usopp with a smile, "Oh yeah, we might need to fight some really strong guys to get her to join, but I've got it covered."

END CHAPTER