Title: Of Dreams and Desires
Pairings: Smoker x Ace, Sanji x Zoro, and other side pairings
Ratings: T - NC-17
Chapter: 55 of ?
Summary: The road to One Piece is a dangerous one and each individual begins at different times and places. Some paths cross for a fleeting moment but the encounter could be so great that it can alter the initial direction. Every meeting is important and is planned by the souls long before the bodies see each other. Follow everyone's story and see what path they take.
Disclaimer: I do not make any profit from this story; all props go to Eiichiro Oda.
Author Note: Yo… Drake dropped that album (more like playlist but tomato, tomato). So much life!
Shout Outs: Thanks to everyone who viewed the last chapter! I hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Beta Reader: descriptionsalive21, thank you so much!

Bartholomew Kuma

Kuma's gloved fingers traced over the embroidered words on his bible, shifting around in the too-small chair. The Newton's cradle sitting on the desk in front of him triggered his curiosity and he pulled one of the silver spheres away from the others before releasing it. Satisfaction filled him as the bob landed against the one beside to it, forcing the little ball on the other end to move. The motion repeated and the Shichibukai let out a deep breath. The ticking filling the room was like music to his ears, and he was finally able to relax his body. The door opened and Dr. Vegapunk entered the room carrying a couple of large files in his arms. He dropped them on the desktop before plopping down in his own oversized leather chair.

The scientist observed his project and long-time friend, "Kuma, how are you feeling?"

"Normal enough."

Vegapunk removed two files from the stack and opened them. He turned one towards Kuma and the other towards himself, "Well, we have two more procedures to go through. This one," he pointed with a pen to a part in the document in front of the pirate, "will be the last one in regards to modifications to your body. You'll be the first Pacifista. The initial project that you set out for will be complete."

Bartholomew silently stared at the doctor.

Knowing he wouldn't get a response from the man, Vegapunk continued, "We have been acquainted with each other for quite a while now, Kuma." He opened the drawer to his desk and retrieved a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Taking his time, he lit the smoke before he continued, "I'm not supposed to be telling you this, but I feel, as your doctor, it's your right to know."

A deep sigh left the older man as he opened the folder in front of him, "I've received orders from the World Government to perform a lobotomy." He paused, searching the man for a reaction, but when none came, he huffed, "I need you to talk to me, Kuma. I won't do anything you don't want me to do."

They want me dead.

Vegapunk took a long pull from his smoke, "Right now, you have the power of a Marine warship in you. The government wants to have full control over you and if you still have a conscious, then they can't. You could turn against them and use the modifications for your own will."

Aren't you going a little too far with this double agent shit?

A frown settled over Bartholomew's features at the tone Nikyu used. I will do what I need to so the revolutionaries can have the upper hand in this war.

If you're dead, you can't help. Just saying.

Seeing the downward turn of the other's lips, Vegapunk grunted, "You don't have to give me an answer right now; I just wanted to make you aware of what was to come."

Kuma opened his mouth to respond but his mushi began to rang. He dug into his pocket and retrieved the snail. The small creature settled onto the soft pad of his palm before it opened its eyes, "Bartholomew Kuma, you are to meet with Shichibukai Moriah and escort him to Marine Headquarters. A government official is on the way to bring you his vivre card."

When the snail went back to sleep, Vegapunk snuffed out his smoke, "Seems we both have work to do." He stood, gathering the manila folders in his arms, "We can discuss this further when you return."

Vegapunk patted the large man's arm before he made his departure from the room. Kuma traced the spin of the bible in his hand, closing his eyes and muttering a prayer before he stood from his seat. Nikyu's feminine voice invaded his thoughts as he made his way towards his ship. Be careful trusting the government. They're like parasites; they use you until they can't anymore and then they toss you aside.

Kuma chuckled humorlessly. That's what they say about you devils.

You know I'd never harm you, chided the spirit.

I know, Nikyu.

B.K

The Zone of Demonic Triangle, known to many as the Florian Triangle, showed no favorites to those who traveled her waters. It took Kuma hours to navigate through the horrendous storms that threatened to overtake him on his journey. But as if to apologize for the hell she'd put him through, a gust of wind took his boat directly to the place he'd been searching for. The fog cleared up just enough for him to see the large Thriller Bark letters adorning the sails of the ship.

He sailed around the massive island-like craft, searching for an entrance. When he found none, he made his own before proceeding into the innermost part of the ship. Once he was docked, Kuma used his newfound super speed and quickly covered ground; a shift in the wind was the only indication that the man had passed. As he traveled through the cemetery, a few hands protruded from the soil, gripping at his ankles; but once the zombies saw exactly who it was they'd encountered, the Shichibukai was quickly released, the man's aura dissuading them from attacking him.

Hugging the shadows, he searched the outer castle, and when he was unable to find anyone, he moved on to the inner. His exceptional hearing picked up on heavy breaths, persuading him to follow the noise. He discovered a young woman clothed in a white dress, carrying a long blue pole. She was mumbling to herself and Kuma closed his eyes to focus in on what she was saying.

"I have to stop Perona! That bitch thinks she can use the Sunny to escape from the island! Over my dead body!"

Perona…

He scanned his database as he followed the woman out the castle. Perona is a follower of Gekko.

A thunderous roar boomed through the air, knocking the girl off her feet. Kuma looked over his shoulder, sighting a giant occasionally yelling, "Gomu!" as it stomped about in the distance. The woman he'd been following shook her head before continuing down the steps and across the bridge.

Who is this girl?

Kuma came upon the castle's edge, observing the zombie surrounded ship below him. Data says she's Nami, navigator of the Straw Hats.

Straw Hats… Nikyu shifted a little before settling. Ah, the partner of Gomu.

Yes, Monkey D. Luffy.

"Hey! Hold on!"

Nami's shouts brought him away from his inner conversation.

One of the solider zombies loading goods into the Sunny looked over his shoulder, "Who's that?"

His question grabbed the attention of the others and another undead answered, "Isn't that the she-pirate?"

The pink haired woman dictating the zombies swiveled around and Nami pointed a finger at her as she shouted, "What did you do with the treasure I was gonna steal? And what are you doing with the Sunny?!"

The ghost princess sighed, "I was wondering who it was, but then you opened that ugly mouth of yours." Nami made a face and Perona laughed, "Did your ceremony with Absalom end already?"

Nami cringed at the reminder, "Who would marry that invisible pervert beast guy?"

Perona crossed her arms, "You ran away after all. That guy's such an idiot. So, what will you do?" She extended a hand towards the vessel some ways ahead of her, "I plan on taking this ship and escaping from this island. If you want to stop me from doing that, you'll have to fight me!" Her upward turned palms began to glow as her devil was released, "For an opponent of your level, a brigade of mini hollows will be enough. My only true enemy was that Nosepp!"

Nikyu huffed as Perona continued her monologue. Can we kill her?

Using his super speed, Kuma practically teleported down to the docks, towering over all others with his impressive height. His presence shook fear into the zombies as he called upon his devil to eradicate any enemies that tried to confront him. Nami's face paled at his sudden appearance, her heels scraping against the ground as she took a step back, "Who's that guy?"

Behind you!

At her devil's urgent voice, Perona slowly turned around, anger flashing in her eyes at the newcomer who dared to interrupt her, "Who the hell are you?"

When he remained silent, another lower ranked zombie answered in his place, "Just now our brothers were blown away without a trace! He's no normal guy! He's dangerous!"

Horo jerked on her partner's conscious. Run!

Realization filled the ghost princess and fear shook her body, "You're… you're one of the royal Shichibukai," she whispered as her legs collapsed beneath her and her butt hit the deck hard, "The tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma, whose bounty closed in at 300 million!"

Nami placed a hand over her mouth to keep the scream in, hoping he hadn't seen her. You've gotta be joking.

Kuma adjusted his grip on the bible in his hand, "Are you Moriah's subordinate?"

Perona's skirt clung against parts of splintered wood as she hurriedly scooted back from the man, "M-Moriah-sama– no, Gekko Moriah has no connection with me! I was just about to run away from this island."

The silence from the man extended so long, many thought he'd forgotten of them; but his gentle voice filled the air, "If you were to travel, where would you like to go?"

Nikyu sighed. You take the fun out of everything. I wanted her dead.

Confused by the attempt at small talk, Perona questioned, "Why do you want to know that?" When he didn't respond, she decided to answer his question, "If I were to travel, I'd go somewhere dark and damp. Somewhere close to an old castle engulfed in malice. I could spend my life there singing cursed songs."

After some time had pass she became frustrated by his lack of response. Having finally worked up some of her courage, she stood to her feet, glaring up at the lofty man, "Don't mess with me! I was overwhelmed by your great reputation for a second, but I can see there's nothing to fear! With my ability, there is no man I can't take down!"

Unfazed by her spontaneous act of valor, Kuma opened his bible, flipping through the pages. A growl escaped red lips as Perona's anger grew, "Are you listening to me?! I bet your shadow is powerful, Kuma! I'll take you down and you can be my farewell gift to Moriah-sama." She raised her hands, calling forth Horo, "Negative Ghost and Special Hollow!"

The Shichibukai's gaze lifted from his bible, watching the apparitions fly towards him. Silently, he closed his book and pulled off his gloves. Dodging the spirits, he swiped his hand, tapping her lightly; and just like that, the ghost princess vanished from sight. He sighed, putting his gloves back on, "Since you've decided not to corporate, I can't ask you for Moriah's location."

Nami's eyes widened and she hysterically searched for the other woman. Where the fuck did she go?

A scream from one of the undead spurred confusion and chaos at the docks. While the zombies dispersed, Kuma turned his body slightly so he could look over at Nami, "You're the cat burglar, aren't you? The Straw Hat's nakama?" His shielded eyes regarded her, "Is the rumor of Monkey D. Luffy having a brother true?"

With a blink, he was gone, and the hairs on Nami's skin stood as she looked all around her. Don't freak out. Don't freak out. A figure in her peripheral caught her attention and she looked at the ledge beside her. How the hell did he get up here so fast? Some sort of warping? Pulling herself together, Nami answered his questions, "He does! You mean Ace, right? What about him?"

The son of Roger and the son of Dragon, sworn brothers… how interesting. Nikyu hummed.

He wasn't facing Nami. Instead he looked back at the castle, "I see… so the rumors are true."

"What are you going on about? Are you after Luffy?"

A gust of air whipped through her hair, momentarily hindering her vision and by the time she'd tamed her flowing locks, he was gone; but his voice carried on the wind, "Whatever I want. It's my freedom to do so."

B.K

The castle was dark and musty; rubble surround his feet and every step he took, there was a zombie waiting for him. Bartholomew sighed through his nose, he was wasting time and he hadn't found anyone who could lead him to Moriah yet. Every time he followed the vivre card, it would change directions, leading him in a circle around the premises.

There's another devil over there.

Kuma instantly altered his path, following Nikyu's guidance, hoping to find a lead to his fellow Shichibukai. Shouts of joy filled his ears, persuading him to traverse outside the castle walls. A fallen tower lay on the ground, blocking his view of the other side. Bartholomew walked the exterior until he came across an opening in the structure, and what he saw made him grunt. The man he'd been looking for lay unconscious on the ground, viciously beaten. He tapped the clawed hand lying before him with the tip of his shoe and the man's fingers twitched.

Still alive it seems.

A commotion on the other side of the tower drew his attention. He jumped into the air, landing softly on the knocked-over structure. Sitting on a window's ledge, he observed the Straw Hats and others below, eavesdropping on their conversation. The sight of Dragon's son made him lean forward to get a better look. He'd only ever seen pictures of the boy. A rare smile graced his lips; Luffy looked just like his father. Even unconscious, I can feel that same burning drive from him that Dragon has.

The ringing of his mushi sounded and he reach into his pocket to pull out the singing snail. With a click of the shell, the call was answered and a gruff voice came from the speaker, "Have you found him yet?"

Kuma looked down to the Shichibukai, "I have."

"And?"

"He's been defeated by the boy, Luffy."

The snail sighed, "So the terrible sense of foreboding I was feeling has come true then."

Silence filled the air while Kuma awaited his next orders.

Nami's eyes zeroed in on the man sitting crossed-legged on the tower and she gasped. With all the fighting going on, I forgot he was on the island. She whispered to the crew, "Guys, listen to me." Several pairs of eyes turned towards her and followed her line of sight to the figure in the distance, "During the fight with Moriah, I didn't want to mention this, but there's another one of them here… another warlord."

Usopp's face paled, "What did you just say?" His eyes darted between the navigator and the Shichibukai, "That's one of the Seven Warlords?" His feet automatically moved back on their own, "That's impossible…"

Chopper, who was sitting on the same flat rock Luffy's prone body was lying on, questioned, "What are two of the seven warlords doing on the same island?!"

Franky hushed the chattering pirates when he heard a mushi speak, "Now that we had finally decided on a replacement for Crocodile, it would be bad if we needed to fill yet another spot for the Seven Warlords."

A different voice resonated, "Is he still breathing?"

Kuma bounced his dangling foot, "Who knows."

"If he's alive," a third voice chimed in, "I want us to await his recovery and have him continue serving as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. We'll sort out this mess after that."

The fourth voice, a very monotone sound, filled the air, "If we keep losing them all one after the other, the dignity of the name 'The Seven Warlords of the Sea' will be extinguished. We can't let news of this spread to the rest of the world." The snail sighed, "Man, these guys are a pain."

Another pregnant pause overcame the conversation and the snail's eyebrows furrowed, "Do you understand what we're saying? There must not be any witnesses to Moriah's defeat. This is a special order from the World Government… everyone who is still on that island, including the Straw Hat Crew, must be eliminated."

Usopp let out a shrill sound, pulling Kuma's gaze towards them, "Easy enough." Uncrossing his legs, the enormous man stood and pocketed the now sleeping snail. He looked down at Moriah, then to Luffy, tracing the title of his book.

Seeing him stand, the sharpshooter began to ramble, "What are we gonna do?! We can't fight another warlord right now!"

Chopper laid a hoof over his captain's chest, "We finally beat Moriah… now this? This is terrible."

Zoro stood on shaky legs, his breath coming out in labored puffs as he removed Wado from her sheath, his face drenched in sweat, "Stand back, guys; I'll do this."

Sanji opened his mouth to try to sway the swordsman into not fighting but Nami voiced his concerns for him, "Be careful… he's got some sort of ability too! I've seen him make people vanish just by touching them; and he can teleport!"

"So, this guy really is bad news, huh?" Franky huffed.

Bartholomew swapped the bible to his other hand as he pulled off his gloves, stuffing them into the book. With a popping sound, he moved from his ledge to the center of where the pirates were gathered– the Straw Hats behind him and the others he hadn't identified yet in front of him. One motion of his hand and the wind shifted, sending those before him hurling back into a wall, creating craters in the attack's wake. The Straw Hats didn't have time to register what happened when another popping noise filled their ears and he was gone again.

Feeling the man's aura, Zoro whirled around, sweaty hands clenching the hilt of his blade when he saw he barely came up to the other man's thigh. Kuma's low voice asked, "Pirate Hunter Zoro… shall I start with you?"

The pink-haired woman, whom Bartholomew had now identified as Lola, shouted her displeasure of the situation, "Damn it, that's not fair! Don't you know what kind of fight the Straw Hats just finished?!"

Zoro swiped Wado through the air, "Didn't you hear him? The one he wants is me. If he wants a fight, then I won't back down." He spread his feet, steadying himself amongst the rubble, "That would be too shameful."

Kuma's fingers twitched against the bible, "You people are rather famous. It would seem that aboard Mugiwara Luffy's ship, there are quite a few excellent subordinates."

Sanji, Nami, Usopp, Franky, and the doctor himself all pulled a Chopper moment as blushes crossed their cheeks in a bashful way, "Oh, no. No, no, no, you idiot!"

Zoro rolled his eyes at his crew's behavior in the dire situation they were in and Lola threw rocks at their heads, yelling, "I doubt he meant all of you!"

The soft voice of the Shichibukai forced their attention back to him, "Although, you all have caused quite a lot of trouble." He glanced down at the swordsman before him, "The captain of the crew is not the only one responsible for your growing fame."

Having caught the interest of the giant, Roronoa sheathed Wado, withdrawing the shirasaya of it and Sandai from his haramaki. He re-tied the koshirae, one on each side of him, kicking rocks out of the way so there was no hindrance in front of his feet. Seeing his nakama get into an offensive stance, Usopp made another attempt to dissuade the swordsman, "Oi, Zoro, wait! Don't be so reckless! Aren't you worn out to the bone?"

Said man chuckled, "When the world turns nasty on you, you've just gotta deal with it. It's not like somebody's gonna save you if you start babbling excuses." He crouched, balancing his weight on the balls of his feet, "If I die, then I was just a man who could only make it this far!" With his hands on the blades, he attacked, "Two sword style draw and sheath technique! Rashoumon!"

Kuma quickly dodged the assault, leaving a boulder behind him to take the damage in his place. Before the swordsman could rise from his position, the presence of the Shichibukai loomed over his shoulders. The gravity around him shifted and Zoro barrel rolled just as Bartholomew's hand came slamming down. Roronoa slid to a stop, observing the paw print where he once was, "What was that?"

Extending his palm towards the man, Kuma released Nikyu in quick sessions. The devil's energy skimmed past Zoro's head, colliding with a fallen piece of the castle behind him, leaving multiple paw prints on whatever it touched. The pressure from the near-miss strike rattled the swordsman and his fingers clenched at his skull as an intense headache overcame him. Usopp gripped Kabuto as he surveyed his first mate's movements, "Look, he didn't even do anything and he's already out of breath!"

"Hey!" Nami shouted at the warlord, hoping to distract him while Zoro regained his composure, "What's your ability and what's up with the paw marks your leaving on everything?"

Kuma turned his attention to the navigator, slowly advancing on the remainder of the Straw Hats. Not willing to let harm come to them, Zoro took a deep breath and crossed his swords, "Thirty-Six-Pound Cannon!"

The wave of energy hurled towards his opponent but just as he thought it was going to land, Bartholomew calmly turned around and, with a flick of his wrist, he diverted the assault. Chopper pulled down his hat to cover his frightened eyes, "He deflected Zoro's attack with his hand?! Is that even possible?!"

Roronoa, who'd fallen to his knees after releasing the strike, stood on quivering legs, "So that's your ability, huh?"

Kuma's expression never changed when he addressed the other, "I ate the Paw Paw fruit. I am a paw-man. I have the power to repel everything."

Franky shook his head, Zoro would kill us if we intervene, but the kid can barely stand on his own two feet. "A paw man, huh? I don't know if you're a warlord or a benevolent man anymore. Maybe this guy isn't all that tough after all."

Kill him! Nikyu shouted.

Faster than one could blink, the devil was released upon the cyborg. It imprinted itself onto his chest, throwing him into a wall. The pirates gathered stared at the cloud of dust, trying to process what had happened. Kicking into doctor mode, Chopper jumped off the slab of rock, leaving the unconscious Luffy behind to attend to his nakama, "Franky!"

Kuma lowered his raised hand, scoffing, "Cyborg Franky… is that all there is to your supposed strength?"

Skidding to a stop, Chopper placed his hooves over the man's burning flesh, careful of the raw skin showing, "Franky, are you still breathing?!" When he didn't get a response, he slapped the man's face, "Franky!"

The shipwright gasped before gulping back in some of the much needed air that'd been knocked from him. Usopp's jaw dropped at the scene, "Franky got blasted away from a frontal attack?"

Robin shifted her weight. Her heel had broken in the fight with Oars Luffy, making it difficult to stand in the rubble, "Could he have repelled the atmosphere itself? A normal cannon blast shouldn't affect Franky at all."

Gazing down on the archeologist, Kuma nodded, "I call it the Pad Cannon. By repelling the atmosphere at the speed of light, I make a shock so strong that it can pierce through anything." He crouched into a sumo stance, raising one leg and then slamming it down, repeating the process with the other, "Playtime is over." At those words, Zoro removed Shusui from her sheath, placing the hilt between his teeth just as the Shichibukai cried, "Slapping Pad Cannon!"

The atmosphere shifted and Kuma quickly smacked the air with his palms, sending bursts of paw energy flying towards Zoro. Able to see openings in the attack, the swordsman weaved through them, unleashing his own counterattack, "Blade Wolf Steam!" He ran straight towards his opponent, and when he was close enough, he leapt at the man, twisting his body to put his full force behind the slashes. Using his bare hands, Kuma fended off the blow, throwing Zoro back into the rubble behind him.

Zoro coughed up bile as he attempted to lift himself to his feet, using the rocks as support. He had barely registered the popping noise that was starting to become familiar before Kuma suddenly appeared before him. The gash on Zoro's forehead had blood streaming down his face, obscuring his vision. He cursed his inability to keep up with the speed of the man, "Damn you." There was ringing in his ears and it deafened him to the point where he could only faintly hear the screams of his friends demanding him to run. Small hairs on the back of his neck stood when he felt the pressure of the air shift around him. He closed his eyes, knowing the killing blow would soon come.

Not willing to stand by and watch his lover be killed, Sanji rushed over to the pair and, with a battle cry, the cook swiftly delivered a kick to Kuma's jaw. At the interference, Zoro swirled around, growling at the blond, "Damn it, that wasn't ness–" The angry words halted from his mouth as he watched Sanji grip his leg in pain, falling to the ground.

Kuma rubbed his chin as he peered down, "Black Leg Sanji… that must be you."

Usopp stared on in disbelief, shaking his head as he tried to grasp the situation, "Sanji's kick didn't even put a scratch on him… What is this madness?!"

Gritting his teeth, Sanji's blue eyes found the swordsman, "What's with this guy? Is his face made of steel or something?"

Seeing all their powerhouses down, Usopp thrusted his hand into his pocket, pulling out some ammo and loading his weapon, "Firebird Star!"

The air turned heated as the fiery phoenix soared towards the warlord. Kuma scoffed at the display, "The King of Snipers, what a ridiculous title." Lifting his palm, he sent the bird back to its master, effectively lighting Usopp on fire.

Rushing to his aid, the remainder of the Straw Hats quickly began to put the fire out. Kuma huffed, "As I thought; getting rid of you all in this weakened state is no fun at all." He kicked Sanji over to Zoro, "The government told me to eliminate the crew completely, but…" Trailing off, Bartholomew raised his hands to the sky, sending pulses through the atmosphere. The air around him began to compress and a massive paw bubble began to form.

Franky rubbed his chest after finally regaining full conscious, eyeing the inflating sphere, "What's he doing with that?"

Nami's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, "The air… is he making a huge air bubble with his paw ability?"

When Kuma begin to reduce the size of it, Chopper gasped, "He's making it smaller!"

Clarity rushed through the navigator, "He's using his repulsion ability to make a gigantic ball of air… but he's compressing it so much!"

Aqua eyes widened and Robin whispered, "If all that air were to suddenly decompress at once, it would create an incredible shockwave. It would become a bomb!"

Unconcerned that they'd figured out his plans, Kuma continued his ministrations until the paw shaped bubble was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. He stopped compressing the air and silence filled the foyer. The Shichibukai turned towards the pirates, holding the sphere close to himself, "I will spare your lives if, in exchange, you will let me have just Straw Hat Luffy's head. If I bring back that, the government will not complain."

Usopp was first to break their silence, "You want us to betray our nakama?"

Kuma nodded, "Now bring Straw Hat to me."

Without hesitation, the crew screamed, "We refuse!"

Nikyu's humming voice filled his mind. Loyal followers like his father.

The warlord shook his head, "What a shame." He extended his hands, releasing the small ball of air towards the group. Slowly, it floated towards the pirates, gradually expanding in size. Fear filled Lola and her pirate crew, yet none tried to run, even when the calm voice of the Shichibukai muttered, "Ursus Shock."

The bomb exploded, reducing everything within its radius to rubble. Toppling the mass of the ship and uprooting the trees in the area. The bodies of the pirates were flung in every direction and all of Thriller Bark was engulfed in a bright light.

I hope everyone had an awesome St. Patty's day and I hope no one was too hungover lol. If I haven't said it before I truly do appreciate and love you all that has stuck with me so far. I said at the start this was gonna be a long story, right? Lol, stay tune for the next chapter: Portgas D. Ace - Huredhiel