Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece. Ever.

Meal times on the Moby Dick was rambunctious, loud, and messy.
On any other day, Marco would yell at them for causing a ruckus, but today, he decided to simply let them be.

It hasn't even been a day since the war.
Yet it felt like so long ago.

Several of the nurses stumbled in through the galley's door, their usually impeccable hair disheveled as they almost simultaneously fell into their seats at a nearby table. In his peripheral vision, he saw that most everyone had noticed the group of women who looked like they were dead at the table, all exchanging looks of concern for their sisters who had been obviously working through the night. No one moved to approach them however, knowing full well the consequences of disturbing their sisters when they were as exhausted as they looked.

Lunch continued, though it was considerably quieter than before.

A half hour later, the women slowly started to wake, yawning and stretching as they fought off the weariness.
One of the chefs, Adela came over, a tray of freshly brewed coffee balanced on one hand.
"Do you ladies want lunch?" She asked, as she placed the steaming drinks in front of the nurses.
"Lunch sounds nice…" Mira, a pale woman with chestnut hair replied, just barely coherent enough to answer. The other nurses simply sounded their confirmation through a chorus of 'Mmmhmm's.
"Long night?" Marco asked, making his way over.
"You have no idea…" Another nurse, Paige drawled as she raked her fingers through her blonde locks, trying to untangle the knots in it. "Fucking bunch of idiots tried to escape treatment and pissed Windry off."
"I know." He had heard the screams when he was waiting for Ace to finish breakfast, though they were somewhat muffled by the door.
"How'd you know?" Mira asked, head resting on the table.
"I went to check on Strawhat and Ace."
"Ah."
"Well then, enjoy your lunch break, girls. I expect Windry will want you back soon?"
"One hour." The nurses groaned in unison.
"Better make the most of it then."

Leaving them to their lunch which had just been served, Marco strode out the door and headed to his room. They were a large crew, and he was the first commander. Being commander meant responsibility, and that responsibility more often than not, came in the form of paperwork.
And right now, said paperworks were sitting in a large stack on top his desk.
He hated responsibility sometimes.
-=v=-
Law stood in the navigation room, watching as his crew worked the submarine, bringing it as close as possible to the Whitebeard flagship without outright colliding into it. They were about to bring her up to the surface when suddenly, Law spoke. "Bepo." He called. His navigator, a polar bear turned to look at his captain. "Is something wrong, Captain?" It asked. Law nodded, and pointed at the ceiling with his nodachi. "I want you to go up there and greet the Whitebeard Pirates."
"Ehh?! Why me?"
"Because you're a polar bear."
The sound of poorly stifled bursts of laughter could be heard all around the room.
"I'm sorry..." The polar bear hung its head, a dark cloud floating over him. The crew was all too used to it, and Law had known his navigator for a long time, so no one was bothered by the sudden display of depression.
"Go. We'll be surfacing soon."
As Bepo exited the room, a smirk crept onto Law's face.
This was gonna be fun to watch.
-=v=-
After lunch, everyone went back to their work.
Whitebeard sat in his chair on deck, finally allowed to leave his bed. He breathed, the salty scent of the sea calming worries he didn't even know he had. Staring out at the sea, his thoughts drifted to one particular woman, and he grinned. Memories of a duel between two swordsman from twenty years ago came to mind.

That girl's all grown up now, eh? He thought, remembering a small figure who hid behind a crate as the swordsmen dueled, awed at the display of skills.
She was such a tiny thing then, she could easily lie on his palm and still have enough space to roll around.

My sons don't seem to have recognized her, though.

He was broken from his reminiscing when one of the men on watch suddenly yelled.
Something about an unknown pirate ship which appeared out of nowhere.

He watched in quiet amusement as his sons-at least those on deck-perked up. He could literally see what they were thinking: Unknown pirate ship = Possible Enemy = Fight = FUN. Chuckling, he took a sip out of his tankard and grimaced as the bland taste of water slipped down his throat instead of the familiar sweet tang of ale. Right…he forgot. His daughters-those that were part of their medical personnel-had taken all the ale and hid them. He wouldn't be worried-they had done it plenty of times already-except this time, they had taken all of it, every hidden stash included. How they found it, he had no idea and neither did his sons. He sighed. His daughters were merciless...what was a pirate without his ale?
His attention was returned to the present when his sons started shrieking at something or another.
Bobbing on the waves alongside the Moby Dick was the aforementioned ship.
The ship wasn't really a ship, it was more of a submarine. It was a bright yellow and was weirdly shaped. The crew's jolly roger was painted on the side of the sub, and for a moment, everyone had mistaken it as a certain warlord's but immediately noticed the difference. This one didn't have a cancel line. They sighed in relief. No one wanted to fight the crazy string-user unless they had to.

"Hi." Someone said.
As one, the men looked towards the person who had spoken. Right there at the ship's bow, was a fluffy-looking, orange boiler suit clad, polar bear.
And it was standing.
On TWO. FEET.
"""It talked!""" The men shrieked ( though they would adamantly deny it later ) in unison. Since when could polar bears talk?! Actually, since when could animals talk?! Several jumped back instinctively while others reached for their weapons. The polar bear looked at them with an unreadable expression, and all of a sudden, his head dropped and a dark cloud formed above him.
"I'm sorry." Came the very much unexpected response.
"""Why are you apologising?!"""
"I'm sorry."
"""Stop that!"""
"I'm sorry."
The exchange repeated itself, each time ending with the polar bear apologising.
Truth be told, it was kind of freaking them out.
Someone face palmed.

Looking over his sons, Whitebeard had a clear view of the sub. When he saw the "talking bear" that had his sons screaming like little girls, he started to laugh. His sons turned back to look at him with wide eyes, not sure why their oyaji was suddenly laughing. Gesturing at the polar bear-who appeared to have been startled by him-he grinned. "My sons, he is one of the mink tribe." He said simply, allowing them to figure it out on their own.
The mink snapped back to attention and turned in the Yonkou's direction.
"Whitebeard-san. It is an honour to meet you." He bowed slightly, just low enough to be respectful.
"Gurarara. You're a polite one, aren't you?"
"Um…" He fidgeted a little, unsure how to respond.
WhatdoIsaynowwhatdoIsaynow…argh! Why did Captain have to send me out? Penguin or Shachi would've been better at this.
"Bepo."
Or Captain. Or Jean Bart. Or…
"Bepo!"
Why does Captain have to be so mean…?
"BEPO!"
Thwack!

Whitebeard watched in silent amusement as a young man-most likely the captain, if the jolly roger printed on the front of his shirt was any indication-called out to the mink several times, only to be ignored each time and eventually resorting to violently smacking him with his sword to get his attention.
"Uwah! Captain!" The polar bear mink shrieked, clutching at the spot where the sword had made contact.
The young man ignored him, and took his place at the bow.
"My name is Trafalgar Law, captain of the Heart Pirates. This idiot is Bepo, my navigator." He looked around at the pirates crowding the railings.
"I have something I need to speak about with your captain."
"Captain! You're too blunt!" Bepo shouted from somewhere behind him.
Damn right he was.
"What business does one of you supernova brats have with me?" Whitebeard stood to his full height, allowing Law to easily see him from his sub. The elderly captain looked well despite the layers of bandages wrapped around his muscled torso, if only slightly tired. Though that was to be expected. War wasn't kind.
"Whitebeard-ya." Law greeted, ignoring the indignant protests of the rival crew at his apparent insolence. "Permission to board?"
"Granted."
-=v=-
Grabbing Bepo by his collar, Law activated his powers, extending the blue dome to cover his submarine and the Whitebeard's ship.
"Room." He disappeared, reappearing a couple feet above the Moby Dick and dropped to his feet in the middle of their large deck.
The Yonkou had already sat back down in his chair on the deck, yellow eyes watching the younger captain with interest as he downed a tankard of ale.
"You said you had something to talk about?" He asked.
Law scratched the back of his head, a little nervous all of a sudden.
"Yes, but actually…" He stuffed his hand into his pocket. "I'm not looking for you."
"Oh? Then who are you looking for?"
"Strawhat-ya and his brother. I was told that they escaped with you?"
The tension heightened immediately. Before, the Whitebeard Pirates were just wary. Now they were outright bristling. Whitebeard raised his hand, a gesture for his sons to calm down. The rookie captain had yet to mention why he wanted to see those two, and he wouldn't blindly antagonize him before he heard his reasons.
"That's right. And if I may ask, why are you looking for them?"
At this point, most of his sons had arrived to join those on deck. The commanders-sans Ace-had all gathered around their captain, even Marco (who was supposed to be flooded with paperwork).
Dark eyes giving away nothing, Law met the scrutinizing gaze of the Yonkou.
"To check on them." He replied.
Whitebeard's yellow eyes narrowed.
"Brat. Are you implying that I can take care of two of my own?"
Law rolled his eyes at the accusation.
"Please, like I care about that. Besides, I didn't come here of my own accord."
"Who sent you then?" Marco asked, both wary and curious.
"Queen-ya."

"I'm sorry, I must've misheard. Did you say 'Queen'?"
"Yes."

In a matter of seconds, the Heart captain and navigator was surrounded on all sides with weapons at the ready.
"Really? And here I thought the Whitebeard Pirates would be more…cordial."
"Captain!"
"What does L want?" Someone in the crowd yelled. Law looked mildly exasperated.
"What makes you think I know?" He snapped back."That woman's mind is twistier than a maze, in case you didn't know."
Behind him, Bepo nodded vehemently.
L was hands down, the craziest person the mink had ever met, and he had met quite a few crazies, namely his captain, Strawhat and Kidd. They were all equally crazy, but L was in a league of her own.
"Well then, do you know why she asked you to come 'check on them'?"
"No."
"…what do you know then?"
"Besides you pointing every dangerous thing at me now? Nothing."
"Do you know where she is?" Outside the circle, Marco asked. Law raised a brow inquisitively.
"Why do you want to know that?"
"We have a few things we'd like to ask her."
"…she's up there." He raised his nodachi, pointing at the mainmast behind him.
Sure enough, when they looked up, they found the female assassin standing on the mainsail, leaning against the mast and casually filing her nails.
"Queen! How long have you been there?!"
"Long enough." She replied curtly, her tone cold and dismissive.

Her attire had changed. Instead of the cloak, she now wore a black hooded coat that went past her knees. The coat was left open, revealing the form fitting black leather dress that barely brushed the middle of her thigh. The collar was high, completely obscuring her neck while the mask hid her face. Her long (and very beautiful) legs were wrapped in knee-high combat boots (that were most likely steel tipped) and black stockings. In short, everything she wore, except her mask, was black. Her coats' hood was up, hiding long black hair within it.

Below, the men were stunned. The assassin looked beautiful. Even Whitebeard had to admit the fact, despite his age.
They couldn't see her face, and she was covered from head to toe by various garments, but all of it combined with her very lazy posture made for a very alluring and dangerous image that could possibly take the Pirate Empress' title.
Law and Bepo on the other hand, were already used to her.
"Queen-ya." He greeted.
"Trafalgar." She returned, her attention still trained on her nails.
"Why did you call me here?" Law asked, knowing she was listening. "If I can't even see them, how am I supposed to check on them?"
"Your powers."
"I don't know where they are."
"Ask."
"You think it's that easy?"
"Yes."
"I hate you sometimes."
"I know."
"I really hate you."
"I'm aware."
...

The Whitebeard Pirates watched their exchange, amazed at the casualness and ease which Law displayed, and at the same time surprised at the assassin's reaction to everything that was said.
It was, for lack of a better word…friendly.

Not exactly a word they'd associate with the most dangerous assassin.

Marco decided to interrupt their banter then.
"L." He spoke up, grabbing herl attention.
Both her and Law turned towards him.
"Why are you here?" He asked. Law had told him that she had sent him to check on Ace and his little brother, but he didn't buy it. That was too simple a reason.
"Law told you." She replied.
"He did, but I don't buy it." He crossed his arms, waiting to see how she would respond.
L remained silent for a few minutes, then she reached into her coat and pulled something out, tossing it in Marco's direction. He caught it easily.
"What's this?" He was holding a very familiar looking shell in his hand.
"A tone dial."
"Right." Thanks for the obvious answer.
"Give it to Firefist."
"Ace? Why?"
"He will know."
Marco looked at her skeptically, and he wasn't the only one. Giving his captain a look, and getting a nod in response, he walked to the other side of the deck and disappeared behind a door, dial in hand.
-=v=-
Beside Luffy's bed, Ace had fallen asleep once again after eating the lunch that one of the crew had brought down for him. He had been imprisoned for the better part of last month, and Level 6 in Impel Down wasn't exactly what one would define as comfy. A few weeks of hanging from chains by his hands had his entire body sore and aching all over, and the little work out he had after Luffy released his cuffs didn't help either. His body craved for a bed and adequate rest yet his mind demanded to remain near his otouto. His went with his mind. Windry had told him earlier that Luffy was expected to wake after a few days, and he thought, hey, he'd endured a few weeks of sleeping with his arms chained, what's a few more days of bad sleep. At least he was sitting down and his arms were free. Thus circumstances found him dozing off in the dim lighting of the infirmary room, drifting off into dreamland.
His dreams this time weren't half as pleasant as the last.
He had dreamt of his childhood days, yet those days had never happened. In his dream, he was back at Gray Terminal with Luffy and Sabo.
They had been hunting through the trash heaps for anything they could use or sell when heavy footfalls interrupted their everyday banter. He looked up but instead of Sabo's dad as he remembered, a large man with curly black hair stood in front of him. He held Luffy and Sabo up in both hands, their forms limp.
"Zehahaha. Commander Ace, your brothers are pretty cute, aren't they? Especially this one." He laughed, shaking Luffy around like a rag doll. Ace's eyes widened in recognition. "Blackbeard!" He growled. "Let go of them! Don't you dare touch my brothers!" The man laughed again, the sound sending shudders down his spine. "What're you gonna do about it, commander?" He gestured at Ace with his left hand, Sabo swinging wildly with the movement. "In case you haven't noticed, you a kid too!"
Ace looked down in horror. He was right. He was a kid now, he thought, staring at his much smaller hands. He started to panic. What was he going to do? He couldn't beat Blackbeard as an adult, how could he possibly beat him now as a kid?! If he couldn't beat him, he couldn't save Sabo and Luffy and if he couldn't save them they would…

'Ace.'

Huh?
All of a sudden, Gray Terminal, his brothers, Blackbeard, everything faded away into blankness, and he heard a voice calling him.
"Who are you?" He asked out loud, hoping for a response.
Instead of answering, the voice started to hum a melody which quickly turned into a song.

In my eye and in my way

In the sky so far away

Are you hiding in the grey

I am on my way to find you

In the shadow where you lay

The song grew softer and softer until eventually, Ace couldn't hear it any more.
He woke up.
The voice continued to sing.

In the darkness I'll be praying

One by one in a lonely lullaby

Dancing like a lonely feather

In the windy weather

Looking for a beacon and some clarity

Long to fly again together

And I wonder whether

Will we ever find our melody

As Ace slowly grew more aware, he found that the song he was hearing was familiar.
Really familiar.

Over mountain and below the stars

Light my way so I know where you are

And find me

Anywhere and any time I sing my song for you

Memories from his childhood surfaced. This song was…
He looked around for the source, and to his right, he found Marco, staring dumbfounded at something in his hands.

My tomorrow my today

It is time for you to find your way

"Ace." He started as the song came to an end. Ace stopped him, looking at the item that he held.
"Is that…a tone dial?"
Marco nodded, handing it to him. "That song just now, did you recognise it?"
Ace nodded mutely, his focus on the purple conch-shaped dial.
He pressed down on the apex.
Immediately, the song repeated itself. Half way through, Ace started humming along unconsciously. The song was short and ended quickly.
"Where did you get this?" Ace asked, so softly that Marco almost missed it.
"From L."
"L?"
Marco gestured at the door. "Ah. She's dropped in with one of the supernovas, Trafalgar Law just now. Told us to give that to you. Is something wrong?"
For a moment, Ace looked torn. His gaze flitted back and forth between Luffy and the dial in his hand. Luffy. Dial. Luffy. Dial.
"Where is she?"
"Still on deck, I think."
Perfect.
He stuffed the dial in his pocket and looked back at Luffy, muttering a soft 'sorry' before storming out the door.
A few minutes later, the door leading to the infirmary wing slammed open, and Ace walked out, Marco emerging a few seconds later with a mask of deceptive calmness. His captain shot him a look, and he answered with a wave which said 'I'll tell you later'.
"L! Where are you?" Ace yelled, scanning the deck for the assassin. Someone helpfully showed him where to look and he glared at the assassin who was still leaning against the mast.
"Where did you get this!" He demanded, pulling the dial out. "And don't say you got it from a shop or anything! No one would know this song except her!"
Her?
The assassin chuckled lightly, the sound muffled by her mask.
"You don't recognize me?" She asked, her voice sounding somewhat…dare he say it, amused.
"I've never even met you! How the hell would I recognize someone I don't know?!"
"Is that so?"
"Then," she jumped off the mainsail, landing in front of Ace.
"What about now?"
A violet eye looked at him from underneath the mask that was lifted, enough so that only Ace could see the face behind it.
Ace could only gasp in shock.
"Nee-chan?!"

I think I went a little out of control in this chapter…

Does Law seem a little OOC to any of you?

And Bepo is so cute! I just absolutely LOVE him.

Ps. The song does not belong to me. It's an insert song called Lonely Feather from Gakusen Toshi Asterisk by Chisuga Haruka.
Please read and review.
Thank you.