Last time Riley met the Straw Hats, he also learnt his father is none other that Portagus D. Ace. He received Ace's trademark hat and The Sakura Cure which Chopper somehow obtained before he died. Now all he needs to do is get back to his village so Allan can potentially administer the Sakura Cure to them. Marshall D. Teach has sent out bounties of the travellers. Callum and Genji won't rest until they find Riley and his friends for a serious battle.
All canon characters belong to Oda, I own all OCs except Allan Maxwell who belongs to Death's General and Genji Mori who is the property of king okami. The main plot belongs to 4fireking. Enjoy.
Riley slumped against the mast, bored out of his mind. He took off his father's hat and examined it. "Dad, I'm sorry I can't remember you. If I could see you again, that would maybe help with everything's that's been going on lately" he muttered.
Allan turned to Riley. "Are you alright, Riley? You're not sick, are you?" he asked as he crouched to the younger boy's level. He felt Riley's forehead. "Hmm, a little warm but thankfully not in a drastic way" he analysed.
"I'm fine" Riley remarked.
"Well, if you need medical attention, let me know. If I didn't know you any better, I'd say you're a little sleep-deprived, Riley. Maybe you need to rest, one of us will let you know if there is any change" Allan advised, ruffling Riley's hair before getting up and walking into the ship's medical office to scientifically examine the Sakura Cure. "Kids" he muttered to himself.
A part of him missed the joys of being 15, despite he had spent most of his life studying to be a doctor. The younger nakama were like family to him; he appreciated the feeling of being needed since they saw him as a father figure. Violet and Riley were the age Chopper had been when he joined the Straw Hats.
Riley looked up at the calm sky then over to the head of the ship, where Violet was standing. Riley got the same uncomfortable feeling in his stomach so he looked back up at the sky. He held his father's hat to his torso. "I bet mother, Jessica and the entire village would never had gotten ill if I hadn't been born" he muttered as he fell asleep.
Violet turned to the sleeping Riley. She had heard what Riley had said at that moment. It was like an arrow to her chest, particularly her heart. "Don't you dare say things like that, Riley. Don't you realise how special you are to everyone you befriend? Do you even know how special you are to me?" she said sadly to herself. Tell-tale tears ran down her face, unnoticed by the others.
Dream Sequence (Riley)
Riley felt like freaking out, because he was alone on the ship. No sign of Violet, Liam or Allan. Not even his uncle Luffy or his crew were in a close enough range for Riley to call for help; Riley couldn't see the Thousand Sunny anywhere. In fact, there were no other ships at sea. "Great. How the hell did this happen to me of all freakin' people?" he grumbled, his father's hat in his hand. He saw a silhouette leaning on the side of the ship near the ship's head. It was a person. "Wait, who the hell is that?" he asked.
The only other person on the ship with Riley was a fair-skinned, muscular man in his twenties. He looked very familiar to Riley; his black hair was shaggy - like Riley's, his face was freckled and his dark grey eyes were unusually warm. His shorts were black with a blue pocket on the left leg, his brown belt had a buckle with the letter "A", a green knife case containing a knife with an orange handle was fixed on the belt and his boots were black with a grey metal over the toes. On his muscular back was the infamous Whitebeard tattoo. On his elbow was an orange cloth. Around his neck was a red stone necklace. It was Portagus D. Ace, his hands where in his pockets. He looked over at Riley. "Riley. It's been a long time since I saw you. 15 years, in fact." he remarked.
Riley blinked in shock, recognising Ace as the father he grew up without. "You're my father, aren't you?" he guessed.
Ace grinned at his son the minute those words left the boy's mouth. "Yeah, that's me" he replied. He walked over to Riley, slightly towering over Riley – just like Allan did. "I see Luffy gave you my old hat" he stated when he saw the hat that once belonged on his head in his son's hand. He then took the beloved hat from Riley's hand and firmly but kindly placed it on his 15 year old son's head, but not before he ruffled Riley's hair. "There, right where it belongs. You really do take after me" he remarked, looking back at the son he hadn't seen since he was a baby.
It was true; everyone who knew and respected Ace had noticed how much Riley looked like Ace. All of them had protected Riley's whereabouts because he reminded them of his father. He even had Ace's personality, to some extent. The only bits of Marion Riley had inherited were her eyes and her skin colour. Other than that, Riley looked most like Ace.
"Yeah" Riley agreed. He realised something; his father still owed him an explanation. "Dad, why didn't you tell the Marines where me or mom were?" he asked.
Ace scratched the back of his head. "I was protecting you both. All Marion did was show me kindness and love. She never did anything wrong. Unlike me, you have no sin, Riley. I wouldn't let those lowlife marines find out about you because they would kill you, just for being my son. What kind of father would I be if I let that happen to you? I only had one regret, Riley. That I couldn't be there for you when you needed me" he told Riley.
"Dad, it's not your fault you died. Those things happen" Riley remarked.
"I died knowing you and Marion were safe. The first thing I told you when you were only a baby was that I was glad you were born" Ace admitted.
"Huh?" Riley asked.
"I heard you say to yourself that you thought your mother would never be in the current situation she's in if you were never born. Riley, many people said I shouldn't have been born, because I was Gold Roger's son. But your uncle Luffy accepted me as a brother and, when she became pregnant with you, Marion kept telling me she was thankful that I was born. If you weren't born, I would never have had a reason to fight for the last time; to come back to you and Marion. Never doubt yourself, Riley. Some people are really grateful for your existence. Like that Violet you're fond of, I've seen the way you look at her; it's the way I looked at Marion. You'll see what I mean" Ace explained.
"Thanks, Dad" Riley stated, taking his father's advice to heart.
"You're welcome, Riley. Now you get back to Marion quickly" Ace replied.
"How'd you know that, Dad?" Riley asked.
"Even if I'm dead, I'm still there for you, Riley. I always will be. You have my pirate instincts after all" Ace told Riley.
End of Dream Sequence
Riley opened his eyes to see Violet crouched in front of him. "Really? You're still edgy?" she asked.
"I can't help it" Riley muttered, looking away with a flustered face. I can't tell her I just talked with my father, she'll think I'm an idiot! He thought to himself.
"Whatever" Violet replied as she got up and went to change the direction of the ship.
Riley blinked, covering his burning red face with his hand. Damn it, I still can't figure it out yet. Why do I feel weird around Vi? Damn stomach. You didn't really help much about that, Dad. Allan sipped his coffee calmly as Riley came into the kitchen. "Liam, I'm hungry!" Riley whined.
"You ate half an hour ago" Liam groaned.
"I'm still hungry" Riley yelled, helping himself to a huge-looking melon. He chowed it down in a mere 15 seconds. Yep, he was definitely just like his father.
Liam sweat-dropped. "How the hell do you eat like that?!" he remarked. Riley shrugged.
Allan chuckled. "Teenagers" he sighed.
Violet came in, holding four bounty posters in her hand. "Guys, did you see these?!" she demanded, slamming the posters on the table for the three males to see. They were the posters Teach had sent out.
Riley looked at his poster. "Crystal Flame? Oh, because of my devil fruit and who my father was" he realised.
"Whoa, I look badass" Liam commented, not even caring for his high bounty.
"This is not good" Allan noted.
"Exactly. The World Government are pissed off so they put bounties on our heads. Big ones" Violet remarked.
"Any thoughts?" Allan asked Violet.
"I think we ought to be more careful" Violet admitted.
"Like that's gonna happen. You heard what my uncle said, Violet. Father was a Whitebeard pirate, as well as the Pirate King's son. The Marines have been after me ever since I was born – even though they didn't know where I was or what I looked like. Why the frickin' hell would marines not be looking for me, a Whitebeard Pirate's son for crying out loud?!" Riley pointed out.
"Because, Riley, you're not that easy to hunt down. And even if the Marines did find you, you won't go down without a fight because you are the son of a Whitebeard Pirate" Violet remarked.
"She's right, Riley. We've both seen how serious you are when you fight. You fight like a real man" Liam admitted.
"Bounty or not, we won't stand down so easily, Riley" Allan agreed, patting Riley's shoulder.
Violet smiled when she saw Riley cheer up. One day, I'll figure it out, Riley. And I'll tell you I'm glad you were born. Violet thought to herself.
Genji Mori rowed his little blue boat along the vast waters that was the East Blue. He was well and truly lost out in the open water. He looked around for anything that could help him get his bearings straight since he didn't have a compass or a log pose or even a map. Though, his sense of direction wasn't exactly the best, everyone in the Marines had reckoned he was that stupid and got bored far too easily - it was no wonder he was an ex-marine, most people always thought when they saw him.
"Damn it. Where's the party at, man?" he asked himself, heaving a heavy sigh. All he wanted today was to have a good old-fashioned hour-long or more fist fight with someone, anyone.
"Even that Terry D. Riley kid I've been hearing so much about would've done just fine. Is that too mush to ask? A good old-fashioned fight?" he asked the sky.
Callum's boat sped along the East Blue. In his office, Callum glared at the horizon, trying to find Riley and his three friends. On his desk were all the marine reports that had been made on his targets and their bounty posters. The 23 year old man ran a hand through his curly hair, which he had inherited from his father. People shiver at the thought that Callum was Teach's son. He took after Teach, just like Riley took after Ace. He clenched his other fist so hard, even sharper bone spikes jetted out.
"This time, Son of Fire Fist, you and your little vixen won't defeat me, I have a few tricks up my sleeve" he vowed, glaring down at Violet and Riley's bounty posters, particularly at Riley's poster.
Even though we both ate devil fruits. I a Paramecia, You a Logia, I have an advantage: your father can't protect you now like he did from Father 15 years ago!
Uh-oh. Riley and Violet still has yet to figure out what will become of them. Talking with Ace has not helped Riley as much as he hoped. Callum and Genji are on the move, like men on a mission. That can only spell trouble. Next time the gang get into another fight with pirates and our main marines! Why won't those two keep their noses out of Riley's business?
Thank Death's General and king okami for Allan Maxwell and Genji Mori. All One Piece OCs are welcome. Enjoy and don't forget to review!