A/N: Sorry it has taken me so long to update. I have been studying for midterms.
Ace smiled as he felt the sea spray hit his face. His face was warmed by the sun as they headed toward the island where he had heard the Shichibukai Jinbei was. He'd fight with Jinbei, and get closer to his goal. He couldn't keep the smile off of his face as they drew close to the shore. He could hear the wave's crash against the shore. "Ace what do you want me to do when we dock?" Luffy asked. He always asked, because Ace knew best when Luffy needed to hide in order to keep himself from gaining a bounty.
Ace turned his blind eyes to Luffy, and thought about it. "I hear that he is friends with Shirohige, so it should be fine for you to watch the fight, but stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt." He said. He grinned when he heard Luffy cheer. His little brother loved to watch him fight. The damned brat got better every time he watched a fight too.
When they reached the island, he waited patiently for Luffy to drop the anchor, and then he jumped off, onto the shore. He heard Luffy jump off after him, and waited for him to catch his balance, before they moved inland. Luffy was his eyes. They'd been told the description for the place where Jinbei stayed, but that wasn't much help to Ace. They moved farther in, when suddenly Luffy grabbed Ace's hand, and pulled him along. Ace suddenly felt a powerful presence, and found himself wondering why he hadn't sensed it before.
He frowned, he had dropped his guard, why? He shook his head, he didn't have time to think about it right now. He would do better to concentrate on what he had come here to do. He felt Luffy stop, and stopped as well so that he wouldn't run into his brother, and knock him over. Luffy was thin, and shorter than him after all.
"Ace. There is a really cool looking guy in front of us. He has big sharp teeth like that tiger. Remember how those felt?" Luffy whispered. Ace smiled. Luffy always tried to make what he saw easy for Ace to understand. He often wondered if it was awkward for Luffy to talk to him, but he never asked. He was afraid that Luffy would say yes.
"Who are you two, and why are you on this island?" a voice boomed.
Ace turned his sightless gaze towards the sound, "Are you Jinbei? Friend of Whitebeard?" Ace asked, and moved Luffy behind him, a silent signal for Lu to get out of the way.
"I am." The voice called, "What do you want of me?"
Ace smiled, and bowed, "I request a fight with you. I wish to challenge Whitebeard, and I heard that you would know where he is." Ace said. He heard a gruff sound, and frowned, not understanding what the sound meant.
"Very well. But I will tell you now, you are not strong enough to take Whitebeard's head. At your current level, I doubt that you could take even the weakest commander, though I have no doubt that you could beat the crew." Jinbei said. The Whale Shark Fishman looked at the freckle faced kid in front of him, and saw how his dark eyes followed him. Something was off about the kid, but he didn't know what it was. He slid into stance, and watched as the kid did his own stance. He could also see the younger kid who had accompanied the elder. That kid had gone a safe distance away, and was watching them avidly, his eyes glued to the freckled man.
Jinbei frowned, what were two kids doing sailing these harsh waters? He'd seen the wanted poster for the older one, Ace. But he had no idea who the younger one was. He'd never seen a poster of him, nor heard any rumors of a straw-hat wearing young boy in the New World. The hat, however, seemed very familiar to him, and he wondered where he had seen it before. He didn't tell the two boys that Whitebeard was already on his way to the island, and would arrive in three days. They would find out if they stayed long enough.
Ace felt the stillness in the man. He was strong, but Ace figured that he was at about the same level as Ace, himself, was. Ace had no doubt that the man had spoken the truth. Jinbei was known as an honest man. Ace called behind himself, "Lu, stay out of the way. I don't want you hurt." He said.
Jinbei smiled, the man in front of him was honorable. Whitebeard would like him. "Come then. Let us start." The Fishman said. He gathered water from the air, and threw a jet of it towards the young man. He watched as the young man closed his eyes, and didn't move until the water was mere inches from his head, and then he was gone, appearing two feet away from Jinbei. The Fishman noticed a pipe in his hand almost too late. He brought his hand up to block it, and threw a punch at the young man's ribs. It was blocked by a swift motion of the other man's pipe.
Jinbei frowned, the young man's eyes hadn't moved from Jinbei's face when he'd blocked the punch. Something was really bothering him about the young man, but he couldn't place it.
Luffy watched as the two fought. It was a good fight. He watched the blue man's fighting style, and started copying the motions. As he did, he noticed something strange. Water was flowing with his movements, shooting out when he punched. He was amazed. He kept his motions small so as not to disturb the duel. He added in some of Ace's fighting techniques, and his own. He enjoyed working the water, and wondered if he liked it because he couldn't swim. He shrugged, it didn't matter. He paused to take a break.
This cycle went on for three days, but the duel never stopped until finally both combatants collapsed, but Luffy knew that Ace had won because Ace had remained standing for two full minutes after the blue guy had fallen.
Luffy trotted over to the two prone forms, and squatted by his brother so he could pat his back. "You won Ace!" Luffy said happily. Ace gave a tired chuckle.
The Earth felt nice and cool against his flushed cheek. "Barely Lu." He said. He closed his unseeing eyes, maybe he'd rest for a bit. His eyes snapped open, all thoughts of rest one from his mind as he felt a large amount of people, most strong, but only fifteen felt stronger than him. He pushed himself up and got into a stance, "Luffy get back." He said. He couldn't stop darting his eyes, and moving his head. He frowned, he'd known Jinbei was telling the truth, but he hadn't thought that the difference would be so big.
"Who is the man challenging me?" a loud voice boomed. Ace focused on it and felt a really strong presence move towards him. He could feel the Earth tremble as the man jumped down from his ship.
Ace felt Lu move out of the way, over towards the fallen Jimbei. Good, he'd be safe there. He faced the man, then suddenly, a heavy feeling settled in and he fell unconscious.
Whitebeard watched as the freckle faced man fell over, and became unconscious. The black haired boy by Jimbei was at his side in a second and was glaring fiercely at them, his teeth bared. One of Whitebeard's weaker sons moved over to the two boys and made to pick the unconscious one up, but was stopped by a blast of water. Whitebeard watched as the kid took out crew member after crew member using a combination of fishman karate, staff technique, and bare knuckle brawling. The brat was strong. Whitebeard wondered where the kid had learned Fishman karate, he seemed rather proficient in it.
He stopped his sons and looked at the boy with the straw hat. He smiled, he knew that hat, "Where did you learn Fishman Karate, brat?" he asked.
"Learn what?" Luffy asked, confused.
"The fighting with water thing." Whitebeard explained.
Luffy grinned, "Oh! I learned that by copying the moves that the old blue guy used against Ace while they fought for the past three days! Isn't it cool?! I'm a Rubberman so I haven't been able to play in water in years! It wasn't so bad back home in East Blue, except when I fell in the water, and because I couldn't swim, the crocodiles ate me, and Ace had to save me. Hahahaha!" Luffy laughed.
Whitebeard found himself astounded, the kid was this strong at such a hard fighting style, and he had taught himself by watching a master for only 3 days? "Amazing." He said. He could see why Shanks had given Roger's hat to the kid. "Why don't you join my crew? Become my son? You and your brother." Whitebeard said.
Luffy crossed his hands in a big x in front of him, "No way! I can't join another pirate's crew! I'm going to be king of the pirates! Ace told me that if I get a bounty before I go back to East Blue to set sail on my own pirate journey, it is cheating!" he explained, "But, I can't answer for Ace. He seems to really want to fight you."
Whitebeard nodded, "Let us get on my ship. We will treat your brother, and Jinbei, and we will talk in my room." He said.
Luffy perked up, "You can help Ace?" he asked, then paused, "Will there be food?" he asked.
Whitebeard laughed and motioned Thatch forward, "Thatch here is our cook. He will feed you. Your brother and Jinbei will be taken to the sick bay." He said.
Luffy nodded, "Okay." He said, then picked up his larger brother with ease. Whitebeard nodded, and turned, leading the way onto the ship.