Author's Notes:
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I apologize for taking this long to update, and I apologize again because I can't say the next chapter will come faster. I intended to try at least! Feel free to motivate me and my betas (yup) by leaving a review :D
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This Chapter was beta'd by the amazing Blackthorn Ashe (bows) and the equally wonderful Black' Victor Cachat, they did the greatest job on editing and sharing ideas with me. It was a lot of fun working with them. :D I am eternally thankful!
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I don't own One Piece.
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The Spade pirates will be given the awesome voice that was created by Stormy1x2, especially in her story The Ten Years Difference, if you haven't read her stories, then do yourself a favour and go read them. YES. GO.
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Warnings:
Ace's self-worth issues, cursing and English is my fourth language. Warnings may change in the future.
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Thank you all for the encouragement and the reviews!
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Anon
Thank you for your review.
I hope the second chapter WOW you too (maybe a bit more ;) ). Hope for your continuous enjoyment, let me know!
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Guest
Thank you for your review.
That's what I also thought, it's an awesome ideas, let's try to write it. I hope you enjoy this chapter "more" and will want some "more". Let me know XD
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Hope you enjoy,
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Ace had been standing in silence for a while now besides Shanks, his brother's savior and idol.
He isn't sure what he should do...or say...or if he should do anything at all. The present mood is quite different from when they had spoken at the party. It had felt more natural then; with Ace even confiding to Shanks about his goal.
Ace shifts and nervously glances at the older pirate from under the shadow of his hat. Shanks had still not said anything as he's just staring at the snow-swirled sky that was quickly darkening in front of him, seemingly lost in thought. He had given Ace a small smile when Ace had arrived and handed the older man a sake bottle, keeping the second one enclosed in his hand.
Benn had woken (read: kicked) Ace up a scant few minutes earlier, and had given him two bottles of sake, a wet towel indicating for him to clean his face to put a dent in the roaring hangover, and pushed him out into the bright (Holy crap! Ohhh...so BRIGHT. Owww...), snow-covered landscape, still shirtless as ever.
Ace grimaces and forces himself not to rub his smudged face (his blasted crew had once again used him as canvas for whatever shit they called art.)
So as Red-Hair stands in silence; Ace is getting a little bit nervous of the ongoing absence of rambunctious laughter that usually excludes from the older man (Shanks didn't even comment or titter about the smudged art on Ace's face he can spy from the corner of his eye). If he is not going to do or say anything...why have I been called out here?
Ace uneasily shifts his feet and discreetly tries to push down his restless nerves. He takes a step backwards to stand behind Shanks, and attempts to force himself from fidgeting so much (he's a pirate, goddamit! A Captain, standing next to another Captain who just so happens to be a Yonko and his brother's idol) by occupying his mind with thoughts and memories that brought him here to this miraculous meeting.
The meeting he had planned since he had been a twelve old brat (learning manners just for this purpose was not an easy task either), wherein his first lesson in manners and etiquette made him realize the magnitude of what it meant to try to fill the role of 'big brother'. What he had chosen to be part of.
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Ace can actually pinpoint the specific moment in time when he had decided that he really needed to meet the person who had affected his younger brother life so.
It is a painful memory mixed with a bit of hope and insight into his little brother's mind.
It had been just after they had lost Sabo.
Ace had gone to one of those hole-in-the-wall type of bars, just to try and get away from it all; the reminders of his failures, broken promises and so many regrets. The itching feeling in the back of his mind,that won't leave, that something is not right but mainly from the sorrowful glances and pitiful stares targeting him.
He had been so occupied with his thoughts that he hadn't noticed Luffy had been following him and typical Luffy had refused to leave.
He had kept yelling at Luffy for being stupid and demanding he leave while the latter had been occupied with the important (*rolls eyes*) task of picking his nose and staring into space. Ace had contemplated then and there if he should drag Luffy back 'home', but he hadn't wanted to go back to a place where he clearly knew something was abundantly missing and had decided he didn't really care about Luffy's tiny presence and had gone into the bar with Luffy flailing his arms in tow.
Once they had walked in, Luffy had separated from Ace and had gone over to a dark corner filled with sunken-in eyes and malicious grins and Luffy being...well...Luffy, had fearlessly started asking the shadow-eyed, shady, low life, trash they called pirates, who were sitting and drinking cheap booze, about their 'adventures' and ships.
They hadn't been friendly and were getting more and more irritated, but Luffy hadn't cared (or hadn't noticed). They had kept cackling and very bluntly insulting his younger brother, making Ace's hackles rise, but he had somehow kept his temper under wraps in order not to be noticed by the other patrons.
But somewhere along the way, things had turned south quickly and the conversation had taken a rapid nosedive to the topic of the Pirate King title with Luffy screaming in the background about his dream, and Ace having found himself asking his usual question, even though that time he hadn't gone there for that purpose.
Yet he had stood there clutching his pipe with glaring empty 'dead' eyes, and had demanded coldly, "What do you think if the Pirate King had a son?"
The whole group had snidely laughed at him. "He should die like his monster of…"
The man hadn't gotten to finish his words. A flying pipe had hit him in the stomach making him fold in in half and groan in pain instead of finishing his vital words.
Ace's pipe had still been clutched in his hand with a shaking white-knuckled grip.
Luffy had had his hands on his hips (his pipe prominently absent), glaring angrily at the disbelieving group of scumbags whose amusement had abruptly vanished by his brother's outright aggressive behavior (Now that he thought about it, it had been a very funny scene. A 7 year old child glaring angrily up at the group of drunken 'pira—scumbags).
Luffy had then thrown himself at them; fists raised high, yelling at them not to make fun of his brother. Seeing Luffy being this upset for his sake, had jolted Ace from his thoughts, and he had thrown himself at the fight, trying to take any blows directed towards Luffy and gave hell to the ones that dared hurt his little brother.
They had ended getting beaten up pretty good but the other guys had gotten the brunt of the injuries. There had been broken teeth flying and bones cracking as the duo carved their way through the brawling group of idiots. Ace had ended up with a swollen jaw and several more minor injuries, but he had felt better afterwards, more clear minded.
After escaping the riot, they had gone on their way back to Dadan's base to get their injuries checked. Fuming Ace had been carrying Luffy on his back, who was being surprisingly quiet, and had not been excited about being given a rare piggyback ride from Ace.
Three-quarters of their way there, Ace had lost his patience (he had intended to wait to yell at Luffy until after getting his injuries treated) and had demanded an explanation for his unusual behavior. Luffy had mumbled Shanks's name as a reply.
It hadn't been the first time that Ace had heard him speaking about Shanks. The only other things Luffy spoke about to any great detail were Meat and his future as the Pirate King. But that time Ace had stopped and listened as Luffy told him about his memories.
Afterwards, Luffy had announced, his voice strong with conviction, and his hands and legs tightly hugging Ace, "Shanks said that he don't care about someone making fun of him or hurting him, but he won't let anyone hurt any of his friends. I'm not gonna let anyone hurt my big brother! I'm gonna be sooo strong and protect Ace's dream too!"
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Since that time, Ace had felt the niggling compulsion to meet and thank his brother's savior personally and profoundly, and it had never really left (not even after he met him). If it weren't for him, Ace may have never met Luffy. The one who changed Ace for the better.
He may have never become a big brother.
The one title that Ace treasures the most.
Ace had also needed to meet him not only for his own sake, but for Sabo's sake too as he had the responsibility and weight of two big brothers on his shoulders to carry.
Sabo would have insisted that it's the right and polite thing to do.
He should have been here with me. It's my fault. It's my fault. He had been the better brother. He was Luffy's favourite brother and I couldn't save him. Too weak. Pathetic.
But not anymore. Ace clenches his fists beside him. He would prove that! Soon.
He relaxes his fist and instead, tensely grabs his once aching shoulder tattoo. He feels like rubbing it, as it always aches whenever he remembers Sabo and their promises but he refrains as he doesn't want to draw too much attention from the still solemn Yonko in front of him.
Trying to center himself, Ace takes a deep breath, pulling the cork out with his teeth and pocketing it, takes a hefty gulp from the bottle before giving Shanks a reassuring smile when he distractedly glances at him worriedly, which so far, had been the only movement of the man.
Shanks is exactly as Luffy described him (with not so many words, a lot of sound effects, wide, sweeping hand gestures, and more importantly, clutching his hat protectively. Luffy's vocabulary was something that was still in the works even when Ace had left, and he would bet it still needs work), which surprises Ace to no end. He is a Yonko, one of the strongest in the sea, but he has a carefree attitude that could put Luffy to shame in some ways (well...Luffy is unique, but he digresses).
When Ace had told his crew that they were going to search for a Yonko, they flipped shit. When he had said that it was Red Hair Shanks, they had fallen silent with looks of utter horror that colored everyone's faces when they had realized that he was not shitting with them. It had been so entertaining (Ace had to use all his willpower not to burst out laughing in their faces, as it would had ruined the surprise!), it had just happened to slip Ace's mind to tell them why they were seeking one of the Yonkos.
By the time Ace had come back with piles of snacks to enjoy the coming entertainment, the crew had started to show the first signs of waking up from the 'nightmare' and had begun desperately handling their nearing doom by doing various activities in a carefree manner appropriate to the joyful occasion of future doom (to Ace's immense amusement) such as getting drunk off their socks for the third time that week and it had only been Wednesday.
Tyger (or as he was called behind locked doors: Shorty) and Spooky (tall and throws darts; enough said), had shown true comradeship. Whenever some unfortunate soul had passed them on the deck, they had flanked him from both sides, which had been wickedly funny with the height difference between those two being taken into account, and they had jovially sung, "another dead Spade Pirate left the deck, make way, he was killed by Red-Heart king, such shame~..." Ethan had gotten fed up with them at one point and had ran after them, accurately slug shooting their bottoms.
Ace had heard some hush hush suggestions of mutiny, but nothing came from it (a real pity, Ace was looking forward to a fight).
Dusty and Biggie had had a loud ruckus about the mental stability of their esteemed captain. Their final conclusion had been that he was crazy to begin with and there was nothing to be done about it except to make him even more so (which they didn't want or need as what they had was a handful as is).
Their expressions and reactions had been priceless, yet they had all voluntarily followed him to meet Shanks without any hesitation (though, they were not shy to tell him exactly what they thought of him and his orders the whole way...).
He knew at that moment that he had chosen the right crew.
They are the Spade Pirates, the group of drunken idiots following the guy that routinely lights himself on fire. And oh...what an epitaph that is.
If he was vain, he would say that he is an awesome leader, and his crew would follow him because of their undying trust in him, but he knows the truth.
He chose the right Nakama, they were just the right kind of crazy, in his eyes.
He wonders what would be Luffy's reaction to meeting them or should he say...what his crew's reaction would have been if Luffy actually sailed with them. Maybe if Luffy was a bit younger that could have been possible, but no. Luffy is a stubborn little shit, Ace thinks adoringly, a nostalgic smile crossing his face.
Ace muses about what his crew's reaction will be when they discover that his next target is Whitebeard. His vague hints about his ultimate goal were not just throwing shit in the air (or an elaborate prank like in this case), as the plan is that they would leave tomorrow to hunt the Strongest Man in the World and challenge him (to death if need be). Maybe this time there will be a mutiny and not only the threat of one.
A niggling of doubt roars its head; they will leave once they know, but Ace, as always, quickly crushes it with the full force of his will before it grows roots. He has already decided, and nothing will stop him. He will prove by his own hands that he should have been born.
Ace looks behind him at the cave where his crew is drinking or drunkenly snoring. Benn is still standing by the cave entrance, and has a cigarette giving over a dim glow in his mouth. It is as if he is standing guard. Guarding whom from whom? Those inside from sneaking a peek outside? Him from hurting Shanks? Or was it...
Ace felt eyes boring a hole in the back of his head and turns abruptly to spy Shanks looking at him with deep wrinkly-frowns developing between his eyebrows.
Ace had been about to demand what the damn matter is when Shanks softly utters.
"Ace."
His name quietly uttered has a shiver run down Ace's spine. It is as if an order for him to stand to attention is engraved into his very soul.
His body is trying to decide between fidgeting and tensing up when Ace notices the look on Shanks's face, and he freezes. The look reminds him of Luffy's face when he has decided on something and nothing can deter him from it; no floods or storms (doesn't matter that Luffy is a devil fruit user, he himself is a storm to reckon with).
The look disappears rather quickly and a smiling face full with amusement and mirth greets Ace instead.
"Relax~, you look like Luffy when someone is trying to steal his food,"
Ace chuckles at the mental image of him salivating in front of meat like Luffy (He knows that he is bad, but nobody is as bad as Luffy, not even Shitty Gramps).
"Ace, I have a proposition for you that I want you to consider very carefully," starts Shanks.
Ace stares at him uncomprehending, uncertain, the words made him tense up again.
What does he want from me? What does he want from me? What kind of 'proposition'?! Ace definitely felt something ominous about it.
Shanks continues, getting right to the point, "I want to train you."
Ace's face darkens and he forces himself to speak in a civil tone. Warning bells ring loud in his head. Very few people want something that isn't of their own selfish interests as Ace has learned early on. While looking at a fixed point behind Shanks's right shoulder, he harshly replies, "I'm not going to join you. You may be Luffy's friend and I owe you for keeping him safe but..."
Ace trails off, not sure how to be polite about his determine refusal, and flinches from the sound of ringing laughter. Ace shifts his gaze and stares openly at Shanks' laughing face.
Shanks gives one more chuckle before he says, "Nope, I said train not join."
"But … aren't they the same?" Ace mumbles, feeling lost, the whole thing not making much sense to him. He doesn't like the feeling of unbalance he's experiencing.
"Nope," He pops the 'p', "I didn't think that there was a chance in hell that you would agree to join me."
Ace nods his agreement, feeling a bit sheepish at being figured out so easily.
"After all, one day I am going to meet Luffy in the vast sea," Shanks' voice takes on a wistfulness to it, and a nostalgic smile crosses his face. It is something he longs for, Ace concludes.
With the tense atmosphere gone, they both stare silently at the frigid sea reflecting the tapestry of sparkling stars in its vast darkness with both of them thinking of the same person, dear to their hearts for different yet similar reasons.
"What I mean...is that," picking up the conversation again, Shanks turns to look at Ace in a serious manner, "You are strong. Quite so."
Being acknowledged by someone from Shanks' caliber, and someone his younger brother looks up to is... Ace can't pinpoint the exact feelings it evokes in him, but they are warm, the evidence found in his slightly-red cheeks and ears.
"But."
Ace tenses up again. He doesn't need anyone telling him about what he does not have or lacks. He knows.
"You lack experience and knowledge."
There it is. Ace glares at him, his body shifting on its own accord to his compact fighting stance. He feels as if he being challenged to prove his worth, and as always, he instinctively refuses to back down.
Shanks speaks calmly, the air around him full of confidence. Ace deep down acknowledges that he envies and longs for such a feeling; to be so sure that no doubt, small or big, can penetrate his armor.
"What I am proposing to you is quite simple. For a small period of time I would train you in Haki and combat."
Ace opens his mouth, he really isn't sure what he would say, but Shanks continues before he is able to blurt out anything.
"I am not expecting anything from you in return. Not to join and not any kind of alliance. You will not owe me anything, like you don't owe me anything for saving Luffy."
But he does owe him. Luffy's life is the most precious thing in the world. Ace can't think of anything that matters more, definitely not his own pathetic life.
Ace swallows an impulsive reply before he chokes out, "Why?"
Shanks suddenly has a look of weariness. He looks older and very tired in that moment in Ace's eyes.
"Dunno, should there be a reason?"
Yes! Ace screams in his head. There is always an ulterior motive! Always something that hurts and betrays and tears a person's heart!
Ace's face apparently says it all, cause Shanks sighs and rubs the back of his head with bottle still in hand and the sake swishing inside.
"It isn't easy to explain. You are ah...Luffy's brother, which makes you a friend, a dear one."
Ace can't help the corners of his mouth jerking up at that, but the doubts lingering in his heart since the beginning of this conversation are not leaving him alone for a second.
"You don't know me! Being Luffy's big brother …"
"It's enough," Shanks cuts off his objection, his voice not leaving any room for Ace to object. The matter is closed. Yet Shanks adds on with a slight plaintive tone, probably because of the doubtful look still clear on Ace's face.
"You searched for me just to thank me for something I willingly did because that is what you deem the duty of a big brother. It's more than enough to tell me what kind of person you are."
Ace feels embarrassed and looks at the ground (this conversation is going to turn him to a ripe tomato, dammit!).
"Your ambition to take down Whitebeard means you need all the help you could get."
Ace froze. So that's what his purpose is. What he is really after… I'm to be the means of besting a rival. Ace thinks in disdain. He feels a pang of disappointment echo (he refuses to acknowledge its existence as much as the reason for it) in his heart but he crushes it down.
Ace looks at him coldly, his eyes glaring like flaming dark coals. Shanks looks taken back with a clear frown on his face, eyeing him worriedly. He opens his mouth to ask, but Ace cuts in with a decisive and angry voice.
"I will not be used in your damn war with the old man! I'm not anyone's pawn!" Never again! "I'm taking him down by myself! If you think…"
Ace abruptly stops; his anger vanishing as fast as it arrived. He didn't expect this reaction from Shanks (he probably should have). Ace just stands there and stares.
Shanks is clutching his stomach from laughing so hard, and the bottle is his hand drops to the ground; the sake spilling and melting the snow around it.
Ace just stares open mouthed; anger long forgotten. He had been expecting some kind of confrontation, plea or convincing heartfelt speech…. but not something like...this.
"Shit," curses Shanks breathlessly, stopping his uncontrollable laughter when he notices the fate of his sake bottle and loving contents.
He kneels in panic and hurriedly clutches the bottle.
"Noooo, my sake," Ace hears him murmur several times brokenly. He hears a faint snort and jerks his head so fast that it might give him whiplash, to see Benn observing them, his face carefully blank, no sign of humor present.
Shanks lifts the bottle to his mouth and when nothing fails to appear, he shakes it; for only one lonely drop to slide down.
Ace turns his head back to the redhead and his muscles relax slightly at the humorous vision. With a hesitant smile, he holds his own bottle in front of Shanks's face.
He watches Shanks's face light up as he drops the empty bottle and reaches with his grabby fingers to grasp the almost full bottle from Ace's hand. But he stops himself before touching it and asks the teen in a grave tone. "Are you sure?" The question is asked in manner that makes it seem like they are discussing a death or life matter (and maybe they are. Who knows how his liver has made it this far).
Ace just shakes it, the sake clearly heard sloshing within, for him to take. Shanks doesn't hesitate in snatching it from him this time, murmuring his eternal gratitude.
He takes a long gulp straight away and straightens, sighing in happiness.
"Using you to take the old man down never crossed my mind," Shanks says after a second long gulp, his voice full of humor.
Ace is still uncertain, the 'then what do you want from me?' evident on his face.
Shanks chuckles, carefully clutching the bottle this time.
"Let's assume you could take the old man out after 1000 hours of fighting him. My help will maybe, maybe reduce those 1000 hours to 999 hours."
Ace considers this when he hears him add, "and 50 minutes," Ace opens his mouth to question...when he hears Shanks murmur another "Maybe" under his breath.
"Then why?" The question come naturally and uninterrupted from Ace's mouth this time.
Shanks hums, enjoying another gulp of sake.
Why would he help me? What's he after, what's in it for him? There is always reason. There is definitely one. There's gotta be one.
"If it is because I am Luffy's brother then …"
Ace stops when he hears Shanks sigh, unmistakably not a happy one this time.
"You're so paranoid, reminds me of…" the Yonko murmurs under his breath. Ace couldn't catch the continuing of that sentence, but he thought he heard something about fluffy bunny or maybe ugly puppy... strange. The next part on the other hand was loud and clear.
"Listen here. I am doing this because I want to. Don't forget, I'm a pirate."
Ace is confused by this answer. What does being a pirate have to do with this?
"And more importantly so are you. A pirate is free to do whatever he wants and enjoys."
Shanks takes another gulp and sighs in happiness this time. His expression then turned serious.
"This is a chance for you to be trained by a Yonko."
Ace stubbornly shakes his head. "I appreciate your offer but I want to make it on my own…"
"To where? The top?" The question is not meant to be taunting, but the delivery of the words makes Ace's hackles rise, flames dancing along his shoulders and arms.
Ace stares stubbornly at Shank's face. The fact that Shanks doesn't bat an eye when Ace's temper literally flares up, makes Ace feel a little unsure of himself.
"You can't, as you are right now."
Ace tenses but says nothing as he is busy trying to force his anger and fury down with it getting all the more difficult to keep the lid on his flaming temper. All this up-and-down emotional roller coaster shit is getting to his nerves.
"You don't seem the docile type, so I won't sugar coat it for you. Right now you can't beat Whitebeard, and don't twist my words around. As I said, even with me training you for a while, you still wouldn't magically be able to beat the Old Man."
"THEN WHY THE HELL SHOULD I TRAIN WITH YOU? IF THERE WOULDN'T BE ANY DIFFERENCE, WHY WOULD YOU BOTHER? NO, WHY SHOULD I BOTHER!?" Ace once again burst out fuming like a few sparks floating along the wind in its first steps to becoming an uncontrollable firestorm.
Shanks, in contrast, his voice and body are as serene as the Calm Belt with tranquil waves that even from afar would engulf you (If you were there) in a welcoming and gentle embrace but they also have a bottomless depth and power that if you blink, you may miss it while they flood your senses until you suddenly find yourself gasping for breath on the black ocean floor.
"The difference is that you will know what the gap is between your abilities."
"I know that he is .." Ace begins to say from behind gritted teeth, the lid on his temper threatening to spill over in blazing frustration.
"To be able to climb the mountain, you have to know its height."
Ace can't breathe.
The pressure he suddenly feels is enormous.
Ace feels himself drowning. He can't sustain the flame around him. Darkness is swallowing him, and the moon is nowhere to be seen (not that Ace is looking for it). He is hardly able to see the figure in front of him. He is using all his power, his will to stay standing. His legs are shaky - they are not muscles and blood but a red bean jelly at best.
This is Haki. No, this is the Power of a Yonko; the raw power of an Emperor of the Sea. Shanks isn't even lifting a finger and Ace is falling.
"I can't say that I am as strong as the old man, but you could think of me as a first step, a small wall… a first hurdle…"
Ace finds it hard to concentrate on the words, he is hardly breathing. He is drowning more and more, the bottom nowhere to be seen, yet he could hear clearly the thunder rolling repeatedly and with every flash of lightning mixing with the heavily falling snow, he can see with blurry eyes the solemn face of the figure in front of him, the scars on his face glistening making him seem in Ace's eyes like a hunter eyeing his prey with detachment before swallowing it whole.
Ace is utterly overwhelmed and just as it suddenly began, he suddenly finds himself back on safe shores, gasping and panting, as if the unseen hands had suddenly released his throat, letting him taste the sweet air.
Had the thunder and lightning been a fragment of his imagination?
Ace gulps down several deep breaths, eyeing Shanks wearily with blurry eyes, refusing to blink. The man is looking back up at the sky as if nothing of importance had just happened.
Finally, Ace wearily closes his eyes, trying to find his equilibrium back. The feeling of helplessness he felt seconds ago is already engraved into his being.
Ace opens his eyes and suddenly hearing a familiar sound, he recoils and finds a bottle of sake being shaken in front of his face like a pendulum almost, practically touching his nose.
"My own Captain once told me that a man's dreams could never be stopped as long as he continues to pursue the meaning of Freedom," divulges the holder of the bottle, offering it to him. The bottle seems as to symbolize his offer, as if saying here, 'we can enjoy and share it together without losing ourselves, without parting of what we individually aspire to be.'
Ace understands what Shanks is trying to tell him. He isn't asking him to give up on his dream (far from it), but to choose his path with more care. To take advantage of opportunities he encounters in his path.
Accepting those opportunities doesn't make it any less his own path and neither does it make it someone else's dream.
It's his decision to make either way. To accept or to refuse, making it his own unique chosen path. A path he chose with his own hands, his own free will.
Ace takes the bottle with shaking hands, acknowledging his words, and takes two gulps. By the third one his hands have stopped shaking and he somehow is able to compose himself.
Shanks looks at him wearily and then back at the sky and calmly says.
"There are several things you have to know, before you decide."
His voice is solemn, Ace distractedly notes, forcing himself again to concentrate on the words and not what had just occurred.
We are not going to discuss what just happened, there is nothing to say. It was a humiliating defeat, no, a defeat would imply that he had put up a fight.
Ace remains silent and listens in attention. Shanks has earned the right to it.
"This is not some kind of magical training. You will become stronger gradually because it's gonna be unimaginably harsh."
Shanks observes him in the same attention Ace, in his turn, is observing him.
"I am actually unsure if my suggestion to you is the right thing. After all, I don't want to be the one to tell Luffy that I killed his brother due to a training accident, no less."
Ace snorts. He has had Shitty Gramps 'training' him since he knew how to crawl or maybe even before that (they are talking about Garp here - Fists of Loves to everybody regardless of age..). Nothing can possibly be any worse...Ace thinks.
"I expect you to obey me completely when it comes to your training and only regarding your training. I have no intention to meddle in anything else regarding you and your crew, even if you beg me to," Shanks emphasizes the last bit, earning a half lopsided smile from Ace.
Shanks opens his mouth but pauses, Ace raises an eyebrow. This is the first sign of hesitation that Shanks has shown, or maybe Ace is reading a little too much into it.
"...You have to wait four months after we finish before start hunting down Whitebeard."
Shanks has no intention to stop Ace from pursuing his attack on Whitebeard! Yet he is putting a time limit…
Shanks has a small smile on his lips when he adds.
"If you want, then take it as if I'm teaching Luffy. After all...I can't teach him myself, so you can pass the lessons to him if you want."
Ace doesn't react. He feels unsure, all his plans and thoughts are jumbled together in one big mess, his headache is about ready to turn into a migraine.
Shanks abruptly turns to face the cave, walking away from Ace.
Ace gapes at the man and notices that Benn is still standing at the mouth of the cave. He hasn't moved an inch and he had been observing them so calmly and quietly that Ace had forgotten that he had been there to begin with.
"Consider it carefully. This is a one-time offer and only for today. You can't change your mind in a week or month. You have until tomorrow to give me your answer."
Shanks stops his stride towards the cave with one foot still in the air and turns his upper torso suddenly with a boyish smile, to face Ace, who is jolted by the contradiction from Shanks' serious face seconds ago to what he has now (that was still fresh in Ace's mind).
The crazy drunk yonko informs him in a semi-serious tone with glinting eyes.
"Oh, whoever did your make up, really outdid themselves. You look truly dashing."
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Ace hurriedly paces in front of the cave, trying to cool himself down and get his thoughts in some semblance of order with no luck. He's not able to focus (especially after he had spent ten minutes straight rubbing his face clean. Dashing his ass!).
Yesterday (no, a hour ago. It just feels like that) his purpose, the proof of his own existence had been in his reach! If he had extended his hand a bit it would have been right there in the palm of his hand, or so he had thought. But now he knows, presently, it is an unattainable, a far-fetched dream for him.
The power gap is not a wall but a steep uphill mountain that he needs to climb, where each and every step is full of crags, crevices, crumbling rock, and vicious animals.
He needs someone to speak to. Now. To share his thoughts. Someone to reflect reality back to him. To help him stop the wavering of his resolve. To help him digest the sour reality-pill that Shanks forcefully shoved down his throat.
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Ace is somehow able to wake some of them up. It is a struggle, but at least it occupies his thoughts with something else and hearing his crewmates' snores and sleepy mumbles makes him feel on more familiar ground.
Biggie is the only one to wake without any struggle on Ace's part (he is soberly sober!) and when Ace tells him he wants to discuss something with the crew, Biggie extends his helping hand and literally sobers up Tyger and Spooky with love taps that's what he calls them (Just like Gramps, Ace shudders) on their heads.
Their screams tell a different story. Ace hears Biggie murmur that his love taps are the best cure for hangovers and he should know! He is a doctor (Who might be sued for malpractice…luckily, he's also a pirate; a Spade at that) and they should be thankful!
They are anything but thankful.
Tyger is cursing colorfully in two languages, and is more upset about his ruined turban than his aching head. He's trying to adjust it unsuccessfully while Spooky demands an explanation from their insane doctor. Biggie shrugs saying that if their heads hurt so much now, then they won't feel the hangover come tomorrow.
In times like these, Ace can't help but wonder if Biggie has ever met Garp when he had been doing his combat and medic field training with the marines. Then again, he really doesn't want to know.
Dusty, his first mate however, refuses to wake up. Ace tries to violently shake him awake several times and he even takes his brown cowboy hat and puts it on top of his own hat (this usually does the trick. What is it about idiots and their hats? But then he is one of them, so he can't judge. His hat is awesome). Ace gives up and just kicks him hard in the side, no need to be gentle.
It does the trick and he jolts into a sitting position with a murderous expression.
"Fucking shit Ace! What the fuck do ya want that can't wait to mornin'!?" his heavy accent more apparent with him being half-asleep.
"So you are awake," Ace says in matter of fact tone, rubbing the back of his head and making Ace's hat fall and hang down by its cord and Dusty's to topple over onto the cave floor.
Ace takes a deep breath, looks down, and mumbles quietly, "I want to hear your opinion about something."
Dusty blinks several times, and mutters soberly, "Give me a sec."
Ace nods and turns to see that Biggie had been able to wake up Ethan, who is rubbing his head and furiously glaring at Biggie's back.
Ethan has his telescope and rifle on his back so Ace guesses that they had been on him while he had been sleeping (Ace will have to speak about this with him again as the sharpshooter has the nasty habit of sleep-shooting. Luckily, most of the times he had used his telescope to shoot) and somehow Biggie had woken up the young Ray in the process. It had definitely been an accident. Ace can tell from the lack of Ray cradling an aching head.
Ray starts moving around energetically (sometimes his energy and reactions remind Ace of Luffy) to the annoyance of Tyger who is still trying to adjust his turban.
"Do you want me to wake up anyone else?" Asks Biggie in his deep voice as he approaches, flexing his massive hands, clearly enjoying himself.
"Me too, I'll help!" Ray enthusiastically announces, jumping around so much that the bandana on his head with its cool chicken drawing on it loosens. As always, it brings a smile to Ace's face.
"No," Ace declines and shake his head. He can see the disappointed look clear on Ray's face as he adjusts his bandana.
Ace doesn't want to make too much noise (his crew does not usually do subtlety) and he doesn't think he has the patience or the power to wake them all, and then have them become sober enough to understand, as, well, it's a lost cause. They will be enough.
When Dusty joins them after sweeping up his hat off the floor and dusting it off, Ace drags him, and the rest following, to a solicited area inside the big cave, and he begins to explain, or at least he tries to.
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It is the third time trying to explain to his crew about Shanks' offer. Ace sighs.
I knew that this would happen.
The first time, they all stare at him with blank faces (even Ray stops moving around), and only Biggie raises his eyebrow in appreciation but he stays quiet. Dusty scrunches his face up for a few seconds like he is trying to think, but then he looks back at Ace blankly.
So Ace waits another two minutes before beginning again; stressing the words and gesturing with his hands for emphasis, but nope. No change, except for a 'HUH?' that is emitted by both Spooky and Tyger after he finishes. They both still have their mouths wide open until this moment, the stink wafting from their breath and fouling up the still air.
Slowly, small steps, Ace repeats in his head, trying to hold his breath when he is not speaking.
Ace is hoping that the third time's the charm. His patience is at an end. Ace is really considering just telling Shanks 'Fuck it, no.'
"Are ya out of your freakin' mind?" Dusty exclaims suddenly and loudly.
"HUH."
It is Ace's turn this time.
"A Yonko wants to train you without any serious expectations from ya, and yah're' consider'n not takin' it!?" Dusty shouts at him, stressing every word like Ace did minutes ago, his accent heavy with each uttered word.
Dusty points a finger at Ace, and keeps poking him as he pronounces, stressing every syllable, "You. Are. An. Utter. Idiotic. Moron."
He then stops his finger an inch from Ace's shoulder, his face brightening as he shifts his hand and pats Ace on the back hard and announces. "Actually, I'm really proud of ya that you didn't refuse him straight out."
Ace refuses to look at Dusty as he mutters "I said no the first two times."
"Of course ya did. What was I thinkin'?" Dusty groans and facepalms, muttering under his breath about idiocy and cures and why is he the one to be stuck with it?
"Only you Ace. Only you," says Biggie in his booming voice while chuckling, startling Tyger and Spooky into finally closing their mouths (AKA cutting off the source of the foul gas) and Ray to enthusiastically jump besides Biggie repeating, "Only you Captain!"
"What about us?" enquires Ethan, his voice a bit high pitched, his eyes getting bugged and suspiciously bright.
Ace opens his mouth, not sure how to answer. He hadn't even considered that far yet.
"I mean, would he train us?" adds Ethan, he is seeming to warm up to the idea rather fast as Ray beside him nods enthusiastically with every word. He is already flaming hot for the idea.
Ethan continues speaking, correcting himself in the process.
"Not him, but his crew," he adds the last bit in a dreamy voice.
"That's a good idea...I could get some pointers about what to expect in the New World from their doctors," murmurs Biggie thoughtfully.
"Can I ask Yasopp to train me?" Ethan asks Ace bluntly, face full with hope and anticipation.
"You should first know how to draw your rifle," snorts Tyger.
"And stop shooting in your sleep," adds Spooky.
"Hey, of course I know! I am great at drawing, I rock it!" Ethan announces, indignation filling his voice. He hurriedly draws his rifle intending to show off his amazing skill.
To have the crew bursting out into snickers and snorts around him, relaxing the atmosphere to no end with subtlety long gone. Ace's tense shoulders relax as he smirks. His crew is really something else. Thank the sea gods that idiocy isn't contagious.
"Don't bother please, you're an embarrassment," Tyger tells him bluntly, shaking his head in exasperation. Spooky mimics Ethan's draw while mouthing his words to Ray's amusement.
Ethan ignores them and is busy looking over his shoulder and muttering, "Telescope on the right shoulder, rifle on the left, no I should put that one on the opposite shoulder…"
Ethan moves the telescope to the other shoulder swinging it a bit, and accidentally..
"Ouch!"
.. knocks Tyger's turban clean off his head, making it land in a dusty pile to the amusement of all, especially Spooky.
"Oi, you bastard, I just put that thing on!" Tyger shouts, going to the swords on his back, which are way bigger than him.
"HUH, need anything Tyger, from an embarrassment like me? Maybe help with adjusting your turban?" Ethan replies nonchalantly, not even bothering to look at Tyger's direction.
Tyger glares and opens his mouth but then closes it, as he huffs in annoyance and gathers his ruined turban from the ground. He begins adjusting it on his head again, muttering about morons and his poor precious turban.
Ethan ignores him and swings his rifle to the other shoulder flipping it over...
"Fucker, that hurts!" Screams Spooky this time, rubbing his bottom as he looks murderously at Ethan, darts in his hand ready...
"I will go ask," Ace declares loudly and leaves without waiting for any of their replies.
"Biggie, what do ya think about all'a this?" Dusty asks calmly, ignoring the crew antics. (it is business as usual; a crew of idiots stay a crew of idiots) The doctor has a pensive look on his face.
"I knew Ace is a remarkable person, I just didn't expect him to have such ties in the pirate world."
"So you joined because Captain Ace is remarkable," remarks Ray nodding and without waiting for reaction or confirmation, he asks right away, "What about you Dusty?"
"Stupid drinkin' mistake," murmurs Dusty under his breath.
"I joined him because I liked his hat!" reveals Ray with flare his own reasons.
"So you wanted to be a cowboy," Spooky concludes, still eyeing Ethan calculatingly while reflexively throwing and catching darts in his hand.
"Pity you became a pirate," Spooky continues in a playful tone with a lopsided grin to match on his face.
Tyger gives a snort commenting, "You can hardly find your balance on a motionless ship, imagine on a horse!" He is still busy tucking the ends of his turban fabric under the sides.
"No, it's because it's orange," corrects Ray beamingly, ignoring the snide remarks.
"HUH," vocalizes Spooky and Tyger. Even Ethan stops adjusting his telescope and rifle to stare at Ray. Biggie has an interesting look, while Dusty pushes his hat back and begins rubbing his head in preparation for the incoming headaches.
"How can anyone be depressed when facing orange," Ray declares, his hands on his waist giving the impression of a preacher ready to give a sermon, and without prompting continues, "Orange is really, realllllyyyy, happy color~," Ray singsongs.
"A bright and warm color. It represents fire, sun, fun and warmth."
Everyone is staring at him, some even blink repeatedly, his shining personality (or is it the orange in him) shining too brightly for them to handle.
"At least he get the fire part right," mutters Ethan, getting back to adjusting his rifle and telescope, changing their places again and again.
Dusty snorts, rubbing his head forcefully. "Right. 'Cause happy, bright'n warm most definitely don't fit."
"Maybe we should change our name to the Orange Idiots," Spooky proposes.
"Ace from the Orange Pirates has quite the flare," Ray announces happily, eyes sparkling.
"Don't forget the idiots part, it is the most important!" Tyger shouts loudly.
"What are you guys talking about?" Ace exclaims, he is back in time to hear the last part. "You are not trying to change our name again! Didn't I already forbid it like five times this week?"
"Ya stuck us with Spade." Hisses Dusty accusingly, putting his hat back on his head with a huff.
"What's wrong with Spade?" Ace sighs, preparing himself to hear the same song again with different lyrics (he hopes).
"What's wrong he asks?" Dusty mimics him while he drawls the words.
"Do we look like a stack of cards to ya? The card jokes ev'ry damn time..." Dusty expresses his anguish soberly.
"Well, it's better than the Fanged Frog," Ethan adds his two beli, voice full with humour.
"Foxy pirates," conveys Tyger in disgust.
"The Pillagers of the Blue Moon," says Spooky, stressing every word.
"I've heard of The Pirates of the Stolen Year," offers Biggie.
"Beautiful pirates," says Ray, twirling his hair around his fingers and fluttering his lashes, earning laughter and chuckles from the surrounding pirates except...
"You are making this shit up," Tyger accuses him, glaring Ray down (being short never stopped Tyger from glaring anyone down).
"There is no way that there is such name," agrees Spooky, still chuckling.
Ace shakes his head at the antics of his crew. Why did he agree to have those idiots in his crew again? Oh, for one, it is never boring with them around.
"Not changing." Ace announces in finality with a half-forced smile.
Dusty sighs. "Yeah, yeah, too late an'way. It's already in our marine file. We're stuck with it forever, even if we somehow'n agree on a new, good name."
"What?! We have a marine file? COOL!" Ray exclaims. He did always have the ability to pick specific information and ignore all the rest.
Spooky and Tyger snorts, sharing a playful look.
Ace ignores them all and announces, dragging them back to the real issue.
"Shanks said he won't make his crew help, but if you ask and if they are willing, he doesn't care."
"Great!" exclaims Ethan jovially as he turns to run to where Yasopp's supposedly at.
"Wait," calls Tyger after him.
"He is drunk," adds Spooky loudly.
"Exactly!" intones Ethan, happily turning to look at them with a huge alarming smile. "He will agree to anything," Ethan declares, turning back again and he drifts deeper into the cave.
"I didn't agree to the offer yet," Ace mutters. Dusty beside him snorts while Biggie sighs and look up to the cave ceiling asking for help (or is he slowly rolling his eyes?).
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Ace had come to him several times already asking a variety of questions that had showed his interest, even though Ace had been trying to keep his face blank and his voice even, his eyes had betrayed his true feelings, at least to Shank's eyes.
Ace had asked if the offer extended to his crew, what kind of training it entailed and he even had begun to ask for details about the where and how.
Shanks gave him points for discussing this with his crew as it is a sign of a good captain. A true leader.
The first time he had come to ask; Ace had been hesitant and awkward but now he is brimming with confidence.
It is nearing dawn; it is almost time to hear his answer. Hopefully, it will be the right one.
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Your thoughts? How did you like Ace's crew? The scene with Shanks? ^^
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Anonymous reviewers, your answers await you above. :D (use names/nicknames next time please)
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We are still waiting to hear your suggestions for this story. Specific Scenes or any ideas you wish to share with us!
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To remind everyone, the "Beautiful Pirates" are not yet a thing (the crew was created a year before Luffy sailed), so Tyger and Spooky are absolutely right! Ray is making this shit up.
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The Spade Pirates (except Ray) are given the awesome voice created by the wonderful Stormy1x2 with a bit of my tinkering :)
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"The group of drunken idiots following the guy that routinely lights himself on fire"
This sentence is taking from the story Spades on Screen by Stormy1x2 that I wholeheartedly recommend. Me too! (Ashe)
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Leave me a review and get a bear hug from Bepo in exchange! (noooo, Luffy! Ashe! Not you!)
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