Ace's Second Chance 9
A Taste of the New Era
The night fell in Alabasta and Ace was with Vivi in a building at Nanohana, while the Princess did paperwork the pirate waited for his sensei, but he was getting impatient. "What kind of bodyguard leaves alone the person he is supposed to protect?" He thought when he saw the princess reviewing some documents. Then he stared at Vivi's face, the girl had the habit to bite her lower lip when she was nervous and he found that adorable.
"I forgot to tell you but Kuzan has the night out." Vivi said without taking her eyes away from her work, looking at Ace would be too distracting, especially since he was shirtless. "He met a girl this morning so he is on a date." She explained.
"Say those things sooner." He frowned. "The training just started last night, I can't believe he's already postponing it."
"You must rest, go back to sleep." She said in a sweet tone but did not look at Ace, which reminded the pirate of the girl's odd behavior towards him.
Ever since Ace woke up, Vivi could not look at him for more than three seconds, she changed his bandages and gave him his favorite food but she was keeping her distance. In fact, the girl didn't talk to him unless it was necessary.
"Is something bothering you?" The man frowned. He did not care to be despised but he did not want Vivi to hate him. As Ace perceived the situation, the princess knew he was a problem and accepted to hide him but after fourteen days she realized he was much more trouble than she could handle.
"Not at all, why?" Vivi froze. She was used to Ace being cheerful but his sudden cold demeanor made her feel uncomfortable.
"I know something is bothering you, tell me now so we can end this." He demanded with an angry, yet hurt expression, causing Vivi to look at him in disbelief.
"As the Princess of Alabasta several things bother me all the time and I have no obligation to tell you about the issues I'm dealing with." She smashed her hands on the desk. The girl stood up and walked towards the pirate, stopped right in front of him and then glared up to compensate the height difference. She liked Ace a lot but she would not allow him to yell at her for no reason.
"I don't want to hear the Princess' problems." He yelled. "Be a woman and say what you want to say… What's wrong? I want to hear it from you." Ace was really angry.
The princess glared at Fire Fist, she took a deep breath and the anger in her eyes turned to sadness. "You'll leave in two years and I don't want you to go." She covered her face to hide the tears since she could not hide how she felt about Ace.
"I'm really sorry." "The pirate felt horrible for being rude to the Princess. He was so certain that she considered him a burden that he lost his temper, but the truth was that the sweet girl's depression was caused by the pirate's imminent departure. "I'm an idiot." He put his hands on her shoulders to comfort her.
"Yes you are." Vivi pushed him. "I accept your apology, I just don't want to see you right now." She turned her back to the devil fruit user.
Ace slapped his forehead and looked for words to make Vivi forget her anger. Suddenly he got an idea. "Didn't you just say you don't want me to leave?" The pirate smirked. Ace's strategy worked because the girl gasped. "Don't be ashamed, I'm aware of my effect on girls." He laughed.
"Yes, we all want to kill you." The princess said but her frown was erased as she felt Ace embracing her from behind and breathing on her neck. "Let go of me." The girl demanded, but her attempts to put resistance were suppressed by her own body.
Ace held her tighter. "I like you too, you know." He said. "I would tell you why but it will take me a long time, plus I will sound too cheesy and that's not me, at all."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Vivi's heartbeat was faster than ever. "It was going to be hard enough to see you leave, but you are making it worse." She said and Ace turned her around to see her face.
"Two years are a long time, we can make it work, just live the moment." He smiled and lifted Vivi's chin with his thumb.
"I can't do that… you will go back to the New World and I will stay here with a broken heart." She cried trying to look away but Ace's grip did not let her.
"Then come with me, I'll show you every island I told you about in my stories and don't be afraid because my crew will protect you. Marco, Vista and everyone are really strong. You can even see the Straw Hats again." Ace was getting carried away.
"I can't leave Alabasta…." Tears kept brushing her face. "I have duties with my country, my future was planned to be beneficial for my people and…"
"I knew that would be your answer." The pirate interrupted the girl with a soft kiss. "Just forget you are a Princess for tonight, ok?" He wanted to kiss her with more intensity but he waited for her answer.
"All right, but just once." Vivi smiled and closed her eyes. She was ready to 'live the moment' as Ace said before and she would have no regrets. However, just as their lips were going to meet someone interrupted them.
"You should lock the door, especially since you are not wearing your mask or a shirt." Kuzan appeared out of the blue and separated Ace from Vivi. "I don't want distractions during his training so Princess, behave yourself." He said and the girl raised an eyebrow. "You can keep tending at his wounds but you two won't be alone."
"What happened to your date?" Ace frowned as he put on the mask and a gown.
"Girls are complicated, that's all you need to know." He forced Ace out of the Princess' chambers and headed to the training grounds.
Vivi stayed in her room thinking of what started their fight and what came after. "We were fighting and he managed to make me forget I was angry at him by… " The girl gasped. "That was really close." She thought and blushed. "I wonder if…" The girl shook her head. "No way." She squeaked and smiled as her face turned redder.
The next morning, Sengoku arrived at Foosha Village with bad news from the Head Quarters, he was not a Marine anymore but that did not mean he lost his sources of information, as a matter of fact one of his 'contacts' was with him. The former Fleet Admiral scanned the little town and saw his friend playing with a baby, next to him Bogart was waiting patiently, and a young woman with green hair was frowning. "Garp, you idiot. Put that baby down or you'll kill it." Sengoku yelled.
"Shut up, this baby is old enough to survive my grand-parenting." Garp yelled back. "Luffy and Ace were causing trouble at this age." He said proudly. "This time I will do things right and make this boy a strong Marine." Garp laughed, putting the infant upside-down.
"He's going to be a pirate." Makimo said the only words Garp hated, the old man gave her the baby and started to sulk. "Thank you." She bowed and turned to Sengoku. "I'll go, but if you want anything ask in the bar." She said and walked away.
"Garp, I have terrible news." The former Fleet Admiral said.
"Hear some good news first." Garp grinned. "Tell him Bogart."
"Yes, sir." Bogart told the retired marines all he witnessed at G-5.
Flashback
Smoker arrived at G-5 with his usual though attitude and Tashigi right behind him. The Marines glared at him because they heard rumors that the Commodore was intending to put order in the base and they did not like that.
"Make a line." The logia type ordered and his subordinates complied in a bad mood. "I'm Smoker, your new boss, so do what I said and no one will get hurt. Understood?"
The marines did not respond at once but they changed their minds after receiving a glare from Smoker. "Yes Sir." They said at unison.
"And who's the cutie?" A man with a star shaped scar on his face grinned at Tashigi. "Is she the entertainment?" Those words infuriated the Sergeant. "I'm ok following you, boss, but I won't take orders from a girl." The man laughed.
Tashigi approached the Marine and punched his face, then drew her sword and put it dangerously close to his neck. "I'm the second in command, do you have a problem?" She narrowed her eyes.
"No ma'am, forgive my tasteless sense of humor." The man pleaded.
"I'll keep you all entertained, if you want it so badly." The captain cracked her knuckles as Smoker looked with pride. "10,000 push-ups." She yelled.
"Yes, ma'am." All the marines looked at her with hearts instead of eyes and developed great admiration for her beauty and strength.
"As you warm up, I'll tell you what kind of changes I'll do to this base." Smoker gave everyone an evil look and the marines understood that disobeying him meant a painful death.
End of Flashback
"That was expected." Garp laughed. "So, Sengoku what were your bad news?"
"Jango will tell you. This idiot and the other idiot, Fullbody, are currently hiding from Captain Hina because of their actions at Mariejois." Sengoku said.
"I'm really sorry." Jango sobbed as he described the 'Bonney Issue'.
Flashback
Fullbody, Jango and Captain Hina were guarding Jewelry Bonney at a room in Mariejois. Hina was enraged because, in her opinion, the supernova should go to Impel Down. However, Commander-in-Chief Kong decided to keep her away from prison for unknown reasons. Black Cage's subordinates knew she was angry so they made a comment on how beautiful she was, which annoyed her even more.
"Captain Hina, I need you to come with me." A marine called from the other side of the door. "It is urgent." The man sounded seriously shocked so the pink haired woman went to talk with him.
Moments later she opened the door and stared at her subordinates. "Hina will be back soon, take care of the pirate." She said.
"Trust us, gorgeous captain." Both men chanted as the woman closed the door on their faces. "That only made us love you more."
Bonney saw her chance to escape once the only strong Marine left. She sneaked behind Fullbody, passed her handcuffed hands in front of his head and pulled until he lost consciousness. "You are next." She said and kicked Jango in the face, sending him flying across the room. "Where is the key?" The pirate demanded.
"I won't tell you anything." Jango cried as Jewelry Bonney hit his head with the sea-stone handcuffs. "It is in my back pocket" He said.
"Good boy, your captain will be proud of you." The pirate smirked and looked for the key, once she was free she stood in the window and glanced at the defeated marine. "Why does a weakling like you have the key of a supernova's handcuffs?"
"Captain Hina was supposed to be here all the time, so it didn't matter who had the key." The former pirate cried.
"Well, see ya." The purple eyed girl jumped off the window.
End of Flashback
"Bonney managed to free her crew and steal a battleship, and now our Captain is trying to kill me." Jango sobbed. "That's why I asked Mr. Sengoku to help me."
"Why did Hina leave her station? It's not like her." Garp pointed out.
"Hina was called by Kong to be informed that Trafalgar Law is the man sending 'presents' to some Marines. Akainu himself received three." Sengoku said.
"We encounter several packages with notes before starting to guard Bonney." Jango said. "The one Hina received read: 'You have my heart in your hands.' And when she opened it, she found a human heart and the picture of a pirate."
"The ones for Akainu read: 'You are the heart of the Marines', 'I bet you have the heart of a child, so I'll give you the heart of a pirate' and 'I heard you don't have a heart, so I sent you one'… there are several more of those creepy presents." Bogart added.
"If this things happen at the beginning of the New Era, I wonder if that bastard will endure what's about to come." Garp laughed, foreseeing problems for Akainu.
Excues so you won't kill me:
My fellow AceXVivi fans, thank you for reading… I did not rush their relationship, Ace was flirting with her since the beginning and Vivi is a sweet and sensitive 16 year old girl who happens to notice how hot and cool Ace is. And these moments are spontaneous.
Bonney is too cool to remain under the control of the Marines and Akainu said he freaked out when she escaped so I made her escape again. XD
I'm Law's fan and I wanted to show how creepy and cool I imagine him just because he is one of my favorite characters.
Garp will laugh every time something goes wrong for Akainu, because I don't like Akainu at all.
Sorry for not replying to reviews earlier, here they are from chapter 1 to chapter 5 and thanks, I really appreciate your comments.
Merichuel: I fixed the last part of chapter 5 so I hope it is clearer now.
Mikila94: As far as I know Kuzan can use the Armament Haki, but for the sake of this story he can use all of them.
Dalamin Sahara: I'm glad you like the story but I didn't really understand your review, sorry.
Darkfalkon: I corrected my mistake, thanks for letting me know.
Somethewildthing, Saveme57, Crazyfool65 and Rell thanks for the reviews, I hope you keep enjoying the story.