This is the 36th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
Showdown in a Heat Haze! Portugas D. Ace vs Scorpion!
In three years, not a drop of rain has fallen in the desert kingdom of Alabasta, the Land of Oasis. Desperate for rain and prodded by outside forces, the peoples kingdom have taken up weapons, the land is at the brink of war. With nowhere else to turn, the people are turning on each other instead. Vivi has told the others of Koza, the Leader of the Rebel Army and his passionate heart. A heart dedicated of protecting friends, even if the risk of his own life. Luffy's party continued its trek toward Yuba, where the rebel army is gathering.
Somewhere in Alabasata
Somewhere at the rocky desert, a middle aged man was sleeping in the hammock at the top of the rock, which of course, he's snoring loudly.
He's a middle-aged man with brown hair, a beard, and wore a round sunglasses. He also has an arrowed-heart tattoo on his forehead. He wore a black helmet with a red scorpion on his head, a squared red shirt, black long-sleeved undershirt, knee-length overalls with pants underneath, and brown shoes.
Of course, an ostrich is scavenging for food which the canned food and booze were all over the place, but couldn't find anything as it yawned. What got the ostrich noticed is that the smoke was not too far from the rock pillars. The ostrich decided to wake him up which it got him up.
"What is it, Popo?" The man asks, woke up and grabbed his helmet when Popo point his wing at the smoke which it got his attention. "Smoke!?"
The man then grabs the telescope and looks through it, noticed there's camp near the rock pillar and saw Ace sitting at the top of the rock, but what got his attention is the Whitebeard pirates tattoo on his back.
'Is that...?! The tattoo on his back...There's no doubt about it...'Fire Fist' Ace! He finally showed up!' The man mentally exclaims, swallowed a lump on his throat and sweating bullets, but he's determined as he stood up. "Portugas D. Ace! I've been waiting for this day!"
At the campsite, Sanji, Anna, Ventus, Ace, and Ivan were able to finish their breakfast while Zoro is still eating his along with Nami and Vivi. Luffy and Usopp were able to finish theirs, but they want seconds when the rubber captain bang the plate with a spoon.
"Seconds! Seconds!" Luffy shouts.
"This is all the breakfast we get?!" Usopp complains. "AW! Come on!"
Sanji have heard enough when he knocked them out, kicking them in the face.
"Don't be greedy! You've had enough for one meal!" Sanji scolds them when Luffy was about to grab Zoros food, but Ventus grabs his rubber hand.
"Luffy, keep your grubby hands to yourself." Ventus warns him with annoyance, yanks it hard and lets go as Luffy's hand smacks him in the face with a groan.
"Thanks, Ventus." Zoro thanked him, earned a nod from the young Dragoon. "Didn't want Luffy getting my food, we're getting low on supplies."
"And it's obvious whose fault this is." Anna states while Usopp complains.
"LOOK, USOPP! THERE ISN'T ANY MORE, OKAY?!" Sanji yelled with annoyance, kicking Usopp in the face with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"Why do they behave this way every time we eat?" Vivi asks.
"Just don't make eye contact." Nami suggests, eating her food.
"Ace is so calm and orderly, he cleans his fork and plate after each much, like Ventus and Anna." Vivi states when she and Nami were looking at Ace.
"Makes me think there's hope for his gender after all." Nami said.
"Mmmm! Mmm Mm Mmm! Mmmmm!" Luffy muffled while tried to speak, being tied up again by Ventus and Zoro.
"Oh, shut up!" Sanji growled with annoyance.
"Anyway, we should get moving. We still got long ways to get to Yuba." Ventus suggests.
"We still have to clean up the mess." Sanji told him. "Also, we need to let Nami and Vivi finish theirs."
"Ventus and Anna kept Luffy in line since he keeps stealing food from everyone's plate. Though, Luffy always get himself into trouble." Nami states. "And it sure beats Ace's incompetent brother, Ace is cut from a different cloth, that's for certain. Judging by his well-mannered personality, you'd never guess that he has a staggering bounty on his head."
"Ace has a bounty on his head?" Vivi asks surprisingly, turns to her.
"It such a large sum that every bounty hunter around the world is hell-bent on catching him." Nami explains. "'Fire Fist' Ace of the Whitebeard pirates, there's not a pirate alive who isn't scared by the mere mention of his name."
"If Ace is imposing enough to scare his peers, then this Blackbeard he's chasing must be just as terrifying." Vivi states.
"He's terrifying alright, a bloodthirsty traitor who killed his own crewmate." Nami agrees, looking at Ace who's placed his hand on his face with a ponder. "If I were laying odds, I'd say Ace is gonna keep chasing him for as long as it takes."
Meanwhile, the man readied his Prescorraci Rifle, aiming at Ace.
"'Fire Fist' Ace, why don't we kick this party off with, a nice little gift." The man said with a chuckle, smirking. "Now, I want you to just relax. I promise this ain't gonna kill you, I'm just going to blow up that rock you're sitting on."
Soon as the man light the match, he then lights the fuse when Popo got too close. Popo inhales the smoke which it causes it to sneeze, extinguishes the fuse.
"My pride demands that I should capture you alive, Ace." The man states when Popo backs away, laughing.
While at the campsite, Nami pours the sand at the fire to extinguish it, getting ready to leave.
"Done, well it's time we get going." Nami suggests.
Soon as they're about to leave the camp, Ventus sniff the air and caught a scent which it got their attention.
"What's wrong, Ventus?" Sanji asks.
"I'm smelling two." Ventus answered, sniffing. "And they're hiding somewhere in those rocks."
The Straw Hat pirates then look around for the two intruders and it got them noticed when the meat was floating off the plate, earned Luffy's attention when he turned his head to the meat.
"Wow, awesome! Floating meat!" Luffy exclaims with his buggy eyes and a big grin.
"Oh no! They saw us!"
"Hurry, big brother!"
"Listen, it's talking too!" Luffy claims, pointing at the meat.
"What's with you? You're not making any sense." Nami said with confusion.
Then, they make a run for it with a meat on the fishing rod which it got Luffy excited.
"Whoa! Now, it's running away!" Luffy said, jumps on the rock and chase after it. "Wait, meat! Heeeeyyyy!"
"Luffy!" Nami called him, but Luffy just ignored her and left while chasing after the meat.
The two boys ran through those rocks to get away from Luffy, but the rubber Captain is still chasing after the meat which he didn't know it was those two boys. The two boys manage to slip away by turning to the right while Luffy kept running straight and manage to get himself lost.
"Get back here, meat!" Luffy shouts, lands on the ground while look around. "Which way it go? This way?!"
Soon as Luffy heads for the other direction, the two little boys were looking over from the rock, seeing the rubber captain already out of sight.
The first boy has brown hair, wore a light blue buttoned jacket, red shirt underneath, black tattered pants with yellow patch, brown shoes.
The second boy is blonde, wore a green shirt with indigo suspenders, orange socks, and grey shoes.
"We lost him, right Dip?" The boy asks as they hid back inside of the rock while eating the meat.
"So Chip, how does it taste?" Dip asks his brother with a smile. "That's our first meal in 10 days, eat slowly."
"I believe we've got meat." Chip states, offered his brother some meat. "Here, you have some."
Of course, Dip accepts his offer as he grabs the meat and takes a bite.
"Yeah, we never got eaten in this scrap of meat in the Badlands." Dip said, about to eat the meat.
"Oh, the Badlands. So that's where you're from, huh?" Ace said with a smirk which it got the kids attention. "Smells good, you enjoying it?"
"Stay back! I mean it!" Dip warned him, raise his arm.
"You can't have the food back, we ate it!" Chip adds with a fright, but Ace is unfazed.
"Y-You...You move a muscle and you're dead." Dip warns him frightfully, raise his gun against Ace which it got him chuckle.
"As a general rule, I'm not fond of people pointing guns at my face." Ace told him with a smirk. "But if I were you, I'd put the gun down."
"W-W-W-Why?" Dip asks.
"Because I'm pointing the arrow at you." Anna told him, aiming the arrow at the kids which it got their attention. "If you know what's good for you, put the gun down and no one gets hurt."
Both Chip and Dip were really scared when Anna points the arrow at them, now in a serious tight spot. Dip was about to pull the trigger, but Ventus stops him by grabbing the gun and crushed it with his dragon talon which it got the little boys yelped in fright.
"He...He crushed that gun...with his hand..." Dip muttered. "How?"
"You're playing a dangerous game, kid." Ace told him when he, Ventus, and Anna approaches the two boys. "Never draw on someone unless you can hit your mark."
"Otherwise, you'd be better off dead if you don't." Anna adds with a warning.
"I've never seen anyone that strong! Are they gonna hurt us?!" Chip exclaims with fright when the rest of the Straw Hat pirates, except Luffy, found them.
"What's up? Who are they?" Usopp asks curiously.
Chip then rush to Ace, Anna, and Ventus as he spoke.
"Please, I have a favor to ask you!" Dip pleads. "There's someone I need you to find and catch for me, please! It's important."
Ace, Anna, and Ventus were confused at first, but they can tell both of the boys are serious which it got their attention.
"I can give you a reward! If you catch him for me, I'll pay you a million berries!" Dip said.
"Million berries?" Nami repeats which it got her attention.
"You two don't have the money to pay us, not in this state." Ventus points out.
"I know, but-"
"Then why are you asking us if you can't afford money?" Anna inquires.
"Because I pay you right away, but I will as soon as I grow up, I promise!" Dip told her which neither of them are interested in money. "Help me! Find this man!"
Soon as Dip showed an old torn photo to them, they look at it which they need an answer of who that man is and why are the two boys are looking for them.
While at the top of the rock pillar, the man chuckled while holding his Prescorrai Rifle with teary eyes as he spoke.
"Bare witness to Scorpions ultimate weapon! One hit from this will demolish that entire rock! Then, while Ace is buried, I'll capture him alive, completing my flawless victory!" Scorpion states with a triumph smile on his face, turns to Popo. "Light her up, Popo!"
However instead of lighting the fuse, Popo ates up the fuse whole which it got Scorpion furious.
While down at the desert ground, Luffy is still looking for the meat, but got himself lost instead which he still didn't realize that it was the boys who took the meat and the rest of his crew managed to find them.
"Darn it! Where could that meat have gotten off to? I gotta find it!" Luffy grumbled, looking for the meat.
"YOU STUPID OVER-SIZED CHICKEN, COME BACK!?"
The yell was loud enough to hear that when Luffy looks up. Scorpion right now drops his weapon, chasing after Popo around at the rock pillar.
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT?! YOU SCREWED UP MY SHOT! WAIT TILL I HANDS AROUND YOUR SCRAWNY NECK, I'LL STRANGLE YOU!?" Scorpion yelled.
Until, Popo accidentally kicked the Prescorri Rifle which it got Scorpion stopped with a gasp in dread, but quickly grabs it which the Prescorri Rifle hit the side of the rock, unloaded the loadout and the black round with purple polka dots bomb fell down.
"OH NO!?" Scorpion screams in horror, watch the bomb flies down and saw Luffy is down there. "DAMN IT! HEY BOY! RUN AWAY! IF THAT ORB BLOWS UP, IT'LL TAKE HALF OF ALABASTA WITH IT!?"
Though, Luffy didn't get the warning when the orb was about to fall down to him, causing Scorpion to panic as he quickly takes cover.
"The entire Grand Line is going to be blown to the moon!" Scorpion shouts with panic, but noticed the bomb didn't explode as he look over at the rock pillar. "Hey! You there?!"
"I'm here." Luffy answered, earned his attention when he saw the rubber captain behind him.
"Wha...What happen to the bomb? Why didn't it go off?" Scorpion questions.
"This thing?" Luffy asks, showing the bomb to him which it got him panicked with a scream as he quickly backs way, but too far when he slips down the edge of the rock pillar and holding on with his leg. It got Luffy laughing. "You're one hilarious old guy."
However, Scorpion is unamused when he let out a grumble with annoyance.
"STOP LAUGHING, YOU LITTLE BRAT! IT'S NOT FUNNY! NOW HURRY AND HELP ME UP!?" Scorpion yelled as Luffy helped him up, sighed with relief but looked back as he go through the telescope, noticed Ace and the group aren't here anymore. "Where is he?! Where'd he go?! Don't tell me I lost him?!Grrrrr! Dammit! This is the last thing I need! I can't afford to lose him now! Popo! We're heading to where I last saw him!"
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat pirates are looking at the old torn photo of Scorpion as Dip spoke.
"My brother and I have been on this trail, and I know he's close. We followed him from the Badlands." Dip explains.
"We need more details. What's his name?" Usopp inquires.
"Scorpion, he's a bounty hunter." Dip answered.
"Hold on, you're sure?" Zoro asks surprisingly.
"What possible reason would you kids have for chasing a bounty hunter?" Nami questions.
Both Chip and Dip glance at each other for a few seconds, try to find the right words when Ace spoke.
"I have business with him as well." Ace said, earned their attention. "A man who defeated Blackbeard is somewhere in Yuba. He goes by the name Scorpion, my whole purpose for traveling to Yuba is to meet this man."
"That guy...Defeated Blackbeard?!" The Straw Hat pirates exclaims in unison with shock.
"No way, I don't believe it!" Usopp refuse to believe.
"He doesn't seem the type who'd defeat Blackbeard." Shanise states.
"I agree, whoever this Scorpion character is have a lot of nerve to come up with a lie." Ivan agrees with a scowl.
"Remind you of anyone?" Ventus said with deadpan expression, causing Usopp to flinch.
While back the former campsite, Scorpion and Luffy are riding on Popo to find Ace since he's with the Straw Hat pirates and the two little boys.
"Faster!" Scorpion shouts. "Faster, Popo! We'll find that sneaky pirate and give him the fight of his life!"
"So, where are we going?" Luffy asks, earned his attention.
"You're a lucky boy! You get to witness a huge battle, me, the World's Greatest Up-and-Coming Bounty Hunter! Locked in combat with one of the most vile fiends who ever cross these sand-covered parts!" Scorpion states with confident smirk.
"Really? You're a bounty hunter, old man?" Luffy asks curiously.
"Don't be frightened when I tell you that I've been many on hard-pounding adventure! I fought epic battles with everyone from 'Double Barrel' Danny to 'Hellbattler' Luther, and every fight ended with my opponent begging me for his life!" Scorpion states.
"Wow! Your name must be throughout the world!" Luffy exclaims with amazement when Scorpion laughs.
"No, but someday soon!" Scorpion said, laughing.
"You'll be famous!" Luffy states with a laugh.
"I'll tell you this much, I'm gonna beat 'Fire Fist' Ace, after him and everyone else should be cinge." Scorpion told him.
"Wait, you're looking to pick a fight with Ace?" Luffy asks when he stopped laughing. "This I got to see!"
"Easy! You'll be mindful to mock me, boy!" Scorpion warns him. "Whenever I do something I make sure and do it right! A man should live his life to the fullest and set aim big ambitions. It's important I show 'em that."
"Excuse me, show who?" Luffy asks, wondering who is he talking about which it got Scorpion flinched.
"Here comes Scorpion, the Gallant Hunter!" Scorpion shouts, regain his composure.
Meanwhile, the Straw Hat pirates didn't know what to make of it of Scorpion since he did made up a lie about Blackbeard.
"I don't know, Ace, he doesn't look the type." Usopp states. "Do you really think that this is the guy who beat up Blackbeard?"
"Not sure. The only way to find out is to meet him face-to-face." Ace answered.
"Ace?!" Chip exclaims, earned their attention. "Wait, you don't mean the real-?! The real 'Fire Fist' Ace?"
What got both Ace and Ventus' attention is when they sense something, but the latter sniffs the air and caught multiple scents.
"What is it?" Usopp inquires.
"There's two, and maybe a bird." Ace answered.
"He's right, and I can smell Luffy." Ventus adds. "That idiot just got himself lost, as usual."
Chopper then sniffs the air, got their scent.
"Chopper?" Nami inquires, turns to the reindeer.
"They're here." Chopper said which it got Vivi surprised.
Suddenly, they heard a loud steps that was coming their way which it got their attention and it's getting closer. They then saw Scorpion and Luffy riding on Popo as the top of the sand hill.
"I've come for you, 'Fire Fist' Ace!" Scorpion shouts with a smirk which it got their attention. "I'm the Scorpion, a true indominable hero! I've prodded to a great distance to challenge you! I expect an above board fight fair and square!"
Both Chip and Dip then saw Scorpion as they hide behind that rock.
"It's him, that's Scorpion." Vivi muttered seriously.
"Oh goody, you're all here." Luffy said with a grin revealed himself.
"UH, LUFFY?!" The Straw Hat pirates, except Ace and Ventus, exclaims in unison with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"Why are you riding with the Scorpion?! He's the enemy!" Sanji points out.
Ace then look at Scorpion with a smirk on his face which it got the former bounty hunter flinched, losing his composure.
'It's really him, 'Fire Fist' Ace in the flesh.' Scorpion mentally thought.
"What's wrong, Scorpion?" Luffy asks curiously, earned his attention.
"It's...uh..." Scorpion said with a scared tone, but laughs. "So sorry, but this is the day that your luck runs out. All those heroic songs and tails your supporters flatter you with ends today."
"Idiot." Shanise, Ventus, Anna, and Ivan muttered in unison with annoyance.
"Don't be stupid...Turn back." Chip warns him, earned their attention when Ace, Ventus, and Anna knew the reason why the two boys wanted them to find Scorpion.
"This is so exciting." Luffy states with a chuckle. "Ace it's a serious fight, so don't pull any punches!"
"I wasn't plaining too!" Ace retorted turns to Scorpion as he questions him about Blackbeard's defeat. "But before we fight, there is something I want to know!"
'Why am I falling apart? This is what I wanted! I won't wimp out now! I'm invulnerable, I can't die! Not as long as I remember that they need me!' Scorpion mentally thought with an embarrassment, but quickly regain his composure. "Ready! Here I come!"
And with that, the fight begins when Luffy got off and Scorpion charges after Ace, who's also charging after the former bounty. Scorpion attached the Prescorraci Rifle with his steel coil roller, aiming at the Whitebeard pirate and Ace lands on the ground.
"You're finished!" Scorpion proclaims, fire the steel net at Ace.
Though, Scorpion manage to catch Ace, but the Whitebeard pirate smirked and uses the Devil fruit power to not only heat up the steel net, he pushes the steel net right back him, causing Scorpion and Popo to stop.
"AHHH! CRAP, CRAP, CRAP!" Scorpion yelled in panic as the heated steel net catches him, causing him to fall off to the ground and scream in pain from the heated steel nets. Popo then uses its talon to push the sand towards Scorpion.
"Whoa, Ace just threw the net right back at him!" Usopp states when both Chip and Dip were watching.
Scorpion groans in pain as he slightly turns to Ace, laughing.
"I guess I should be thankful! If defeating you were easy, it wouldn't be much of a victory." Scorpion states with a smirk.
"Yeah? Well you have some skills yourself." Ace remarked with a smirk as Scorpion stood up.
"I'm glad you approved, because this fight isn't over." Scorpion said. "Popo! The Compressed Extinguisher Gun!"
Popo bring out the yellow gas canister in front of him which Ace turned his expression into serious. Scorpion then assembled his Compressed Extinguisher Gun and readied his fighting stance.
"A Special Compressed Air Gun filled with extinguisher foam!" Scorpion states with a proud smirk.
"Uh, it's what?" Zoro asks in confusion.
"Does it work?" Sanji asks curiously.
"Don't be fooled by the foam, this bad boy packs enough power to blow a hole clean through you!" Scorpion shouts, charges after Ace.
Scorpion then fired the extinguisher foam, causing Ace to dodge by leaping in midair and lands behind him. Ace then charges after Scorpion, who's firing the extinguisher foam at him which he dodges and then deliver a punch to the solar plexus, causing him to cough the air and stumble down towards the sand hill.
"It was nice try, but you never had a chance, my friend." Usopp said with a shrug.
"I suspected as much, you lied about beating Blackbeard, didn't you?" Ace questions, turns to Scorpion. "You figured using his name would draw me out of the opening. Am I right?"
"That's right." Scorpion groans with a chuckle, tries to pull himself up. "A clever deceit...I'd say that first round was a draw...Now it's time to get serious..."
Scorpion then tried to get up, but stumbled down to the ground which it got the two boys worried.
"Stop!" Dip shouts. "You can't beat him, father!"
"Did he say 'father'?" Luffy asks which it got him and the others, except Ace and Ventus, surprised.
Scorpion then coughed a bit, moving his head and spoke.
"Son, I'll be fine!" Scorpion assures him, but lied when he saw the two boys rush towards him.
"Stop the fight!" Dip shouts when he and his brother slides down.
"Chip...Dip..." Scorpion muttered in shock.
"Father." Chip and Dip said in unison, worried.
"You don't have to do this, 'Fire Fist' Ace is too powerful." Dip told him.
"What are you doing here? Why aren't you at home?" Scorpion questions. "When did you leave the Badlands?"
Scorpion and the two boys then remembered in the Badlands when the former gave up his life as a bounty hunter and became a farmer. Scorpion, Chip, and Dip were trying to harvest which they didn't have luck because of the drought, but his sons manage to get the potato. That night, both Chip and Dip were hungry, wondering what it was like to have something to eat and getting full, but Dip reason with his brother about their father gave up his dream of bounty hunting so he can support the two. Scorpion overheard about a pirate Ace, who traveled across the sea and goes on big adventures. Though, Chip was wondering if they were able to get to do that, but Dip disagrees because they're working as much as they can in the Badlands, like Scorpion, told him that dreams don't happen in the real world. Scorpion then revealed himself and told his sons about dreams, telling them that dreams is worth the having in this world and he can prove it, by tracking down 'Fire Fist' Ace and defeat him, then he'll return to his sons and see how worthless they think a mans dreams are.
As they finished remembering, one of them spoke.
"Please, we understand now what you've been trying to teach us!" Dip pleads. "This battle is too much for you, you're gotta come home!"
"Don't be silly. Remember boys, I'm the World's Greatest Bounty Hunter after all." Scorpion states with a chuckle. "If I said it once, I've said it a million times, I fought the toughest, meanest men around and bested everyone."
"Dad, you don't have to lie." Chip told him, causing Scorpion to flinch.
"You found me out." Scorpion said with a chuckle. "The truth is, I'm a terrible liar and a terrible father too boot, but there is one thing that's true, and if you remember nothing else I've taught you, remember this, even the most insignificant person can rise up to challenge the World's Greatest Hero if he believes in himself. That is the entire reason I did this, to show you, show you boys what it means to follow your hearts desire. Men need dreams, goals that burns deep inside the heart like an eternal flame, that is what sustains us all, ambition. Always challenge when others say can't be done, even if it seems impossible, believe in life will deliver paradise. Forgive me, but the only way to make you see this truth was to put my life on the line. My sons, always follow your heart."
Scorpion then pulls himself up, looking at Ace which it got the two boys worried.
"Wait, father!" Dip pleads.
"Watch and learn, witness your fathers unconquerable spirit!" Scorpion shouts as he walks up. "So long as I hold on to my dream...I won't back down...Do you hear me, Ace?! Popo, the bazooka!"
Popo then ran to him, placed the Prescorraci Rifle next to him as Scorpion grabs it and aim at Ace, causing both Chip and Dip gasp with worry.
"Prepare yourself! This is the end!" Scorpion shouts as he lights the fuse.
"I won't let you do it! We need you!" Dip pleads when he and Chip grabs Scorpion.
"Get down! Take cover!" Scorpion warns his sons.
"We understand, you have to leave us to make your point, we get it, father! Chip and I won't give up on our dreams, just like you said! Now please, listen to us, stop fighting!" Dip pleads in teary eyes. "Come home! We need you around! That's our dream!"
"I'm sorry daddy, don't be mad at us anymore, we'll be good, I promise! And I won't complain ever again!" Chip pleads. "I'm scared, daddy! I want to go home!"
Despite all the pleas from Chip and Dip, begging him to come home, Scorpion is starting to realize why his sons are here and realizing that they need a father. Scorpion then tosses the Prescorraci Rifle and embraced his son in teary eyes. However, what got Ace, Luffy, and Ventus widen their eyes when they noticed the Prescorraci Rifle is still loaded, fires the bomb which it got their attention as it turns into red spikes, explodes the rock pillar. It got the rest of the Straw Hat pirates stunned and saw the rubble about to hit the three.
"Gum-Gum:-"
"I got 'em." Ace shouts, causing Luffy stop when he readied his flame fist.
"Fire Fist" Ace then launches the flame column at the rubble, destroyed the rubble and the rock pillar to save Scorpion, Chip, and Dip.
Soon as the dust clears, both Chip and Dip are next to their father, pleading Scorpion to get up since he was knocked out.
"You kids alright?" Ace asks when he, Luffy, and Ventus walk towards them.
"Help Ace!" Chip pleads.
"Please don't beat up on our dad anymore, Ace!" Dip pleads.
Ventus then decided to wake up as he roared a little, causing Scorpion to quickly gasp and stood up.
"Are you trying to scare me?!" Scorpion yelled with white eyes and shark-like teeth.
"Well, it's the only way to make sure if you're dead or not." Ventus states with a smirk. "Besides, couldn't leave these two boys fatherless."
Scorpion then realize the young Dragoon is making a valid point when Chip and Dip quickly hugs their father, crying.
"I love you, you boys are my life." Scorpion told his sons. "I was foolish. Now come on, let's go back home."
"Yeah." Chip and Dip agrees as they embraced each other, leaving Ace, Luffy, and Ventus smiled at the sight.
Few hours later, the sun was setting after Scorpion and his sons left to get home. Ace then turns to them and spoke.
"Well then, seeing as how it's been confirmed that Blackbeard isn't in Alabasta, I can stick around with you guys a little longer." Ace states with a smirk.
"But what about Blackbeard? Aren't you going after him?" Sanji inquires.
"I was, but after Ven told me what you guys are planning, I can give you guys a helping hand and not having my bumbling brother have all the fun and getting into trouble along the way." Ace explains. "Though, Scorpion did mention that Blackbeard is out west. After Crocodile is beaten, I'm heading out since I've got the information of Blackbeard's whereabouts."
Luffy couldn't help but smiled, happy that his brother is going with them a little while longer.
"But just to let you know, Luffy." Ace said, earned his attention. "Ven told me what's going on with the Baroque Works and Crocodile, I'll help you guys out. And I'm gonna remind you, Ven is my partner in crime and there's no way I'm letting you guys gave all the fun."
The Straw Hats pirates understands the reason why Ace decided to stay with them as they continued to head towards Yuba.
That's it for the 36th chapter.