D's Orange Will

by Zelga Lim Li

In his last minute effort to save his brother, Ace never thought that there is more to his flames. Before he knew it, he was sent somewhere far from the place he was supposed to die to a pair of bluest eyes he has ever seen. Ace X Fem Naruto.

10. Chapter 9 – Perseverance

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Summary:
In his last minute effort to save his brother, Ace never thought that there is more to his flames. Before he knew it, he was sent somewhere far from the place he was supposed to die to a pair of bluest eyes he has ever seen. Ace X Fem Naruto.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Author's note:
Looks like I forgot to put the disclaimer in the first few chapters. Anyways, I'll make sure to do it this time. Sorry about that =^,^=

Disclaimer:
One Piece and Naruto belongs to their respective creators namely Eiichiro Oda-sama and Masashi Kishimoto-sama. I'm just a fan who loves the world and the characters they created. Kudos to them.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

D's Orange Will
By: Zelga Lim Li

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Chapter 9 – Perseverance

A few days ago before appearing at Fishman Island…

Naruto thought she saw everything the Elemental Nation has to offer. She never really expected that she will see more in this world.

Giants. Fishmen. Underwater islands. Weather that changes in a blink of an eye. Legends that seem to defy the normalcy of her own world. Name it and they have it all.

So, when the time to meet the strongest man in the world, Naruto felt so overwhelmed. Edward Newgate or most commonly known as Captain Whitebeard is a very large man with that peculiar shape of moustache where the epithet of his jolly roger seems to be based on.

Naruto never felt so small in front of anyone. Well, literally. Come on, the old man is twice the size of a normal human. Well, he is even bigger than A, the Fourth Raikage and Killer B's older brother.

"Are you sure he's not a giant?" Discreetly, she asks Marco who stood by her side. "He is sooo freakin' big…" Both arms wave enthusiastically above her head while Marco chuckled in response. Her Ace was already sleeping beside the captain. He must have fallen asleep during their conversation which the commanders told her were a regular occurrence on that ship and anywhere else Ace found himself waking up with. The two talked earlier and Naruto gave them the privacy they need to catch up despite Ace's objections. There is so much to talk about in those past two years. She even has a story of her own to tell them about Ace and their own adventures in her world.

The old man heard her which really didn't sound like a whisper as the blonde kunoichi first intended and his laugh roared all throughout the deck. Marco's eyes widen in surprise. It was the first time he heard pops laughed after two years. Ever since Ace's disappearance and with their dead that they needed to bury and remember, the old man was silent ever since.

"So, this is the woman that Ace talks so much about… Hmmm…" Whitebeard squint his eyes towards the woman who fidgeted beside Marco. "Come here brat, I want to look at you closely…"

"Uh…"

"Go on… Pops don't bite little girls…" The other blonde urged but Naruto wouldn't hear it at all as she jab the Phoenix in his ribs.

"From what I remember from Ace's stories, he just throws people overboard out of whim. And right now, I really don't want to get wet…" Naruto grumbled and used Marco's body as a shield.

"Gurararara!" Whitebeard laughed once more and waggled his hand towards himself. "Of course I will not throw you away," the Captain sat properly making the numerous medical equipment attached to his body jostle earning a slight wince from the little girl or rather the woman that caught the elusive heart of his son Ace. "What would Ace think of me from hurting his beloved?"

Blushing profusely, Naruto sputtered incoherently. "M-me? A-ce's b-beloved?! W-what do y-you mean b-by that? Are y-you kidding m-me?!" Without her noticing, Marco disappeared from her side and Naruto found herself in front of the old man. "Stop messing around!"

"Indeed. You are very beautiful. And those birthmarks are quite eye catching…" Whitebeard added amusingly.

Covering her cheeks, Naruto reddened at the description of herself.

Taking the woman by her hoodie and placed her on his lap, Whitebeard chuckled when she squeaked and covered her legs. She is wearing one of those little dresses sold locally at Saboady.

It was a minutes silence when he decided to speak out.

"He was right. At first, I never believed what he said about his brother. That I should wait for a little while longer… And that Ace will come back somehow…"

After fixing her clothes, Naruto hastily turned and looks at the old man. "What do you mean? Are you referring to Luffy-kun?"

Whitebeard smiled with a wistful expression on his eyes and continued his tale as if he never heard Naruto speak. "Let me tell you of a story I heard from long ago. There is this man Roger is waiting for…"

"They who inherited the will… And when the day comes, their flames will never die… In the coming future, he will appear bearing the weight of centuries of histories on his shoulder. And he will challenge the world…"

"You know what old man? I really don't get what you are saying…" Naruto commented and the captain smiled in response.

"If that someone finds that treasure, everything will change. And the world as everyone knows it will be shaken to its core…"

Nodding to herself as if she understood what the old man said, Naruto pouted.

"One Piece is real. And if that boy finds it, I want you and Ace to help him shoulder the responsibility. Not that he can't take it on his own, but…"

"That I understand perfectly, jiji," With a wide smile, the blonde touched the old man's chest to give her promise. "Make sure Luffy doesn't do anything crazy. Me and Ace will be…" She stilled when she felt his heart. A few tears fell from her eyes and that didn't escape the rest of the commander's gazes who was observing them silently from the background.

"I could have taken it for myself when that person revealed its location. But I was never interested…" The doctor shook his head fearing for the worst when Marco looks at him questioningly. The rest of his staff that attended the old man's medical needs was already in tears.

"All I ever wanted… ever since I was a kid…"

Naruto heard her mate shuffle from his spot and knew that he is awake. Ace probably heard the part when the old man mentioned his and Luffy's name.

"A family."

Marco and the rest of the crew cried. And because of the connection she have with Ace, Naruto could feel his heart weeping.

"They are the reason why I am here now. How I came to be. I never regretted everything. Well, except for one…" Whitebeard said softly. "You have my thanks… Farewell…"

"My children!"

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Fishman Island, present day…

Naruto woke up startled. Now she remembers where she heard those words.

The Will of D.

It was too much of a coincidence. But looks like everything is all making sense now. Why Luffy and Ace, despite the fact that they are not really related by blood are connected by one thing.

They inherited the same will.

The blonde stood abruptly startling Chopper who was at the said room. She must tell Robin everything the old man told her about the men of D. But before taking one step, she fell face on the floor. Looks like the room was spinning… Or was it her? Not a really proper way for a seasoned shinobi like her. The bastard might laugh at her for being clumsy if he happens to know this, which doesn't make sense in the first place. She is a kunoichi for crying out loud.

"Waah! Naruto-chan, be careful!" Chopper exclaimed worriedly as he changes to one of his transformation, the Gādo Pointo (Guard Point). Making his fur grow, the doctor cushioned the blonde's fall. "You need to rest. Please lie down…"

"Wh-whaaat?!" Naruto scrunches her face in confusion. Why would she need to rest? She didn't really fight that hard, right? She didn't even use her Hiraishin nor any Kage Bunshin (Shadow Clone) to help the fight as the Straw Hats was able to defeat their enemies' single handedly. "Why would I need to rest? I'm not injured, right?"

Using Hebī Pointo (Heavy Point), Chopper now uses his human form to carry the blonde back to her bed. "No, you are not injured. You didn't even join the main fight. But in your condition, you must…" Stopping him from his lecture came Sanji bursting into the infirmary with a tray of food with his usual twirling dance.

"Naruto-hime, I'm glad you are okay." Placing it beside the bed, the blonde cook drops on his knees to hold the woman's hand in a gentle manner, like a true gentleman. "You made me sooo worried… Please don't do that again!"

"?!"

Another one burst into the room hitting Sanji that flew straight to the wall. It will surely leave a hole in his clinic. Franky would definitely be pissed.

"Naru-chan!" Luffy wailed worriedly and hugged the said woman in a tight grip similar to a snake as the rubber man's arm surrounded the poor kunoichi. "Please don't do one of your awesome techniques without me, please! Please!"

"My what?" Confused from all this chaos, Naruto turned to the other newcomers. Nami shook her head and smacks Luffy in the head telling him to let go or Naruto will definitely die of asphyxiation. Robin chuckled amusingly.

"Luffy was wounded badly and you're the one who healed him with that flashy ninja technique of yours…" Usopp explained. "Your whole body glowed and was shrouded in yellowish like flames…"

"Oh!" Naruto must have used the Six Path Sage Mode unknowingly.

"I don't know what it is, but it look so cool!" Luffy cried out oppose to his eyes that turn all sparkly and dazed. "But in doing so makes you sick and everything, I'd rather not see it at all," the straw hat wearing captain pouted guilelessly.

Patting the younger man in his head, Naruto frowned. What was weird is that she doesn't even remember using the said cloak at all.

Coughing to catch everyone's attention, Nami bowed towards Naruto. "I would like to thank you for saving Luffy's life…" Robin and everyone else followed her example, including Chopper, Brook and Franky. Usopp and Zoro (much to his annoyance for helping the shitty cook) pulled Sanji out of the wall and bowed as well. Zoro didn't initially lower his head so Sanji and Usopp forced the green haired swordsman to show his thanks.

"Uh, guys, really. There's no need to thank me… Luffy is almost like a brother to me because of Ace, so you don't have to…"

Luffy stretched his neck and gave Naruto his own version of the puppy eyes jutsu, which was amplified by his rubbery skin and child like gaze. Her sweat dropping, Naruto smiled awkwardly and let these people do whatever they intended to do.

She really thought that Ace was bad enough with his crazy and out of this world antics. Looks like there are more to these people than meets the eyes, especially the captain himself.

As per a certain laidback shinobi would like to say, so troublesome indeed.

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Nami and Robin filled up the gaps in Naruto's memories from the time she came to Luffy's rescue the moment he lost consciousness while trying to destroy Noah and the appearance of the sea kings. She did remember the princess talking to them but it was all too hazy. She even thought she heard their voices in her mind.

Anyway, Luffy did manage to defeat Hody and the rest are history.

Reappearing at the plaza with Shirahoshi carrying her and Luffy at the palm of her hands as the Straw Hats swarmed at them with worried looks upon realizing that their captain is loosing too much blood.

Carrying someone that big must have taken its toll as Zoro noticed her wobbling in her steps as she jumps to the flat surface placing Luffy on one of the large boulders.

The princess cried and asks for help to save Luffy's life. Chopper is somehow incapacitated and was not able to move so Robin helped the good doctor do his job. He was able to stop the bleeding but needed a blood transfusion. Calling out for donors, the fishmen was hesitant in giving their own blood because of the law much to Nami's frustration.

Naruto did remember the same feeling but blaming the people and their old ways is a waste of time. It must be then when she felt the power bestowed upon her blaze overriding her consciousness that surprised everyone else.

They saw how her ceruluan blue eyes turned yellow. Similar to her Nine Tails Chakra mode, her body is covered with flickering flame like chakras. With the usual seals and magatama markings on her collar, the Rinnegan above nine other magatama at her back and some truth seeking balls floating nearby, Naruto approached Luffy and placed her right hand on top of his wound.

A few seconds have passed and Luffy's eyelids flutter signaling that he's about to regain his consciousness. With a satisfied smile, the blonde kunoichi stood but then her vision blurred and the last thing she remembered was Zoro's worried frown on his face.

"Argh! Why did that happened anyway. It's not like I'm being careless or something, right?" Naruto complained under her breath when Nami shrugged her shoulders dismissively.

"Be that as it may, but you really are something, shinobi-san." Robin commented interestingly. "If the government knew what you are capable of, they might target you…"

Blowing a raspberry, Naruto grumbled disjointedly. "Let them come, I am not afraid…" She heard Luffy saying the same words once.

"Perhaps," Nami interjected. "But you do know the current state of the Whitebeard Pirates right? But what if another war breaks out because you've been captured by the enemy? Everything will be in chaos once more as they wouldn't let anything happen to you because of Luffy's brother. Even if their captain recovered physically, the damaged has been done and there's…"

"Oyaji is dead. He died a few days ago…"

Overhearing this, the crew on board the Thousand Sunny went into shock.

"What?!"

"Whitebeard is dead?"

"How did that happen?"

"My heart is weeping upon hearing such heartbreaking news. Though I don't have a heart to begin with, yohohoho!"

Luffy sighed when he heard what Naruto said about the old man while Jinbei look stricken. "I see. So he passed away…" For once, the laughter in his eyes was gone and it was noticed immediately by his crew. "I was even surprised to know that he lasted that long. Did Ace managed to…"

"Yes, they spoke and everything went well, I suppose…"

"Was he…" Jinbei stood and walks towards Luffy. "Was he happy?" The former Shichibukai asks quietly as he placed one hand on the young pirate's shoulder.

Naruto answered with a fond smile on her face for the man who gained her respect despite the briefness of their encounter. "Yes. He died peacefully surrounded by his precious people with a contented smile on his face…"

"He was… very happy."

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX

Reviews:
FlareCrown - Thanks:)

thewhitedragon1993 - In this story, Blackbeard never got the chance to take the Gura Gura no Mi. I had other plans for that fruit. But the yonko stuff is inevitable, so that's that :)

idea . getthe - Indeed. Ace did mistakes as the next guy. But we all still adore him, right? The shark is part of the plan so Naruto and Luffy went inside to hide until the right time to reveal themselves. Sure, I'll make a special omake for Naruto herself and her own personal ship^^

Narumiyu - You are welcome. Glad you like it:)

Yoruko Rhapsodos - On Ace's two year stay in konoha, there is no Teuchi-san to prepare the said 'Food of the Gods' so Naruto learned to eat healthy. Somehow. And when the opportunity came, Naruto requested the said meal over and over. And we all know how much of glutton Ace is^^

Indeed… Leaving a review would be nice. Suggestions are highly appreciated.

Cheers!

XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX XoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoXoX