Disclaimer: It's midnight. I have class in the morning. Why am I still posting this?! Because I love you all, that's why. And because I'd like to see your reaction to this chapter :P
"Luffy, what's wrong?" Ace looked over at the older man, watching as his face contorted, contrasting his smile. Brow furrowed, hunched over, he looked like he was going to cry, but he didn't. The younger placed his small hand on Luffy's forearm pleadingly. The pirate ran his fingers through his little brother's hair soothingly in an attempt to ease his worries.
"It's nothing." After hanging up on Marco he couldn't help but feel melancholic. He never intended to return to Portgas's grave after his last trip there. It drudged up too many memories. He agreed only because he knew he couldn't stay like that – avoiding his brother's anniversary, regretting his inability to save him. He had to move on. He thought he already had, but that wasn't true. It became evident when he had his first encounter with the boy in front of him. "Don't worry, okay?"
"But…" Clearly something was wrong, but Luffy wasn't going to tell him. He didn't like seeing him with such a pained expression.
"I'm fine." He ruffled Ace's hair and hopped from his seat and out the door. There was no room on his ship for self-pity.
Ace was startled awake by scampering across the deck. He jolted up and could hear some of his crewmates shouting about land. Curiosity getting the best of him, he headed up top to investigate. Zoro was adjusting the sails and Luffy was steering. The rest were running about doing something or another, leaving him to question what was going on. He rubbed his eyes and stood against the wall to keep out of everyone's way.
"Oi, Ace!" Ussop shouted down from the crow's nest, generating a confused response from the boy. "Come here!" He patted the spot next to him and, though reluctant, the kid made his way up there. When he arrived he was spun around by the sniper who pointed off in the distance. He could see a dark mass off on the horizon.
"What's that?" he questioned.
"And island!" Ace looked from the man back to the open sea and squinted to get a better view. Noticing this, Ussop grabbed the binoculars from around his neck and placed them in front of the boy's face whose eyes widened as the view was suddenly a lot bigger. He let out a startled noise before grabbing the binoculars with his own hands and staring intensely at the piece of land on the sea. The sniper couldn't help but laugh when he saw Ace's fascination with the device – apparently he hadn't used it before. "We'll be arriving there an about an hour."
"Really?"
"Yep! We're gonna restock since Luffy ate most of our provisions…again."
"Hey, Ace!" a feminine voice shouted from below. He removed the binoculars to locate the voice on deck, spotting Nami smiling up at him. "We're going to get you some clothes when we get there, ok?"
He nodded slightly, blushing a bit when he remembered how horrible the condition of his attire was. The shirt and pants were torn up horribly, covered in blood stains even after being washed. They didn't fit him properly and he, for once, was thankful for his stunted growth because he otherwise would have had nothing to wear. When he first arrived he remembered Nami saying that she would have made him something but they didn't have any materials onboard, and so he just dealt with it up until that point. It would be nice to wear something that wasn't half shredded though.
"And a bed! Shishishi!" Luffy shouted from his place at the wheel.
As soon as they docked Ace got a bad feeling about the place; it was crawling with people. They were talking and moving about and the whole thing was unnerving. He refused to leave the ship but revoked that decision when Luffy promised to keep him close by.
And so there he was.
He quickly regretted accepting that offer when people flocked to the Pirate King in groups, stopping him to talk and cheer over his success. The island itself was a famous stop for pirates because Marines weren't allowed near it. While this sometimes posed a problem, such as when pirates would decide to take advantage of the lawless place, it was generally celebrated as a giant market used by outlaws to resupply. And, of course, all of those outlaws knew who the Pirate King was.
One pirate captain, a rather brutish looking fellow, pushed everyone else aside. He and his men blocked their path, grinning smugly at Luffy.
"Well, well, the Pirate King! Funny seeing you here!" Luffy rolled his eyes and went to bypass the stranger but some of his men got in the way. "Where the hell are you going, Pirate King?" His tone was laced with mockery and bitterness – no doubt brooding over his own failures and jealous of Luffy's status.
"Move," Luffy commanded, not in the least bit fazed by the brute's attitude.
"What, and let you get away? Your head would fetch a hefty reward!"
Before Luffy had a chance to act he felt the tiny hand he held flare in heat. His eyes veered to the young brother at his side. Ace's features turned sharp, coated in anger. He released the Pirate King's hand and stepped forward, shoulders and hands sparking just a little. Luffy simply watched with his large eyes widening more than usual – the brat was pissed.
"The hell did you say?" Ace asked, voice low, matching the scowl that was now on his face. The pirate just laughed.
"What, you're using this kid as a shield now?" The entirety of his crew chuckled at that. Their laughter went on for so long that they didn't notice the boy's shoulders and fists burst into flames as he continued stepping away from his companion.
"Ace, what are you…?" Luffy's voice trailed off when the child took a very familiar stance, one that he hadn't seen in over ten years. Before he could move to stop his brother a column of fire burst forth from his hand and engulfed the entire crew in a sea of flames. Noticing the destruction his attack brought forth, Ace huffed and crossed his arms.
"Hiken." He belatedly announced his attack as the men fell to the ground one by one, almost mockingly. "Don't say you're going to take Lu's head if you can't even take me on, dumbass."
"Ace," Luffy started, causing the boy to soften his features and look at him with those large eyes of his, "what was that?"
"Hm?" He tilted his head and thought about the question for a moment. "Hiken? I thought of it last night."
That wasn't really what Luffy was asking. Though the use of his brother's signature attack was a bit surprising, it was almost expected at that point. What shocked him was that Ace, who up until then was cowering behind him in an effort to hide from the crowds of people, suddenly composed himself well enough to take out an entire pirate crew and was now oozing confidence, much like a certain Whitebeard pirate would have done long ago. It was strange how fast he could snap to attention the way he did. It was even more bizarre that he'd completely forgotten his anxiety. He also referred to the Pirate King as Lu, which he'd never done before. Why was he acting like Fire Fist so often as of late?
Whispers scurried across the plaza as bystanders discussed the abnormal child who just took out forty men, leaving out that they were a rather weak group considering they were in the New World. It wasn't long before Ace ran to his companion's side and shrunk behind the larger figure, shaking in fear at the hundreds of eyes that pieced him. He clutched the back of Luffy's shirt as if asking for reassurance, leaving the pirate both confused and amused. He patted the boy on the head and lightly gripped his shoulders to keep him close, wanting to avoid another outburst like that if he could help it. At least until they restocked. He'd let his brother go wild afterwards if he wanted.
Charred bodies not far behind them, they were stopped when Usopp, Chopper and Nami came jogging up to them from different directions. Judging by their faces and panting, they had heard the commotion. The trio looked past their companions to the destruction left in their wake, modeling various levels of shock and confusion.
"Oi, oi…what happened? I heard screaming…" Usopp trailed off as he hunched over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. He looked up to his captain and saw the man give Ace a knowing glare. The boy, in turn, looked away with a bit of an embarrassed blush.
"That's what I'd like to know," Luffy stated, eyeing his brother as if to elicit a response.
The others looked between the two a few times before settling on Ace. At first they didn't believe what the captain was insinuating; Ace caused all of that damage? Why? Well, it certainly looked like the fire user's handiwork. Still, it wasn't like the kid went around attacking people – he did at first, quite often in fact, but he had calmed down since then. After adjusting to life on the ship he conducted himself just like a normal kid would. Okay, maybe normal wasn't the right word; he was introverted and scared of people, clinging to Luffy as his only means of support. But he was no longer violent.
"W-what?" Ace stuttered, uncomfortable under their stares. He inched closer to the Pirate King to ease his nerves.
"You did that?" Nami questioned, blinking a few times after the kid nodded and retreated behind Captain. Apparently the unwanted attention was starting to get to him. She crouched down and her bags brushed against the ground, now only able to see about half of the boy from behind Luffy's captain's jacket. "Why?"
"They…" He mumbled a bit, staring at some pebbles below him – anything to avoid eye contact. He'd acted out of character again, just like when he obtained the Mera Mera no Mi, and again he wasn't sure why. He knew was ignited his violent behaviour, though. That much was obvious. "They wanted to hurt Luffy, so… I don't know…"
The three smiled at this. Even as a tiny, frail child Ace was still looking out for his brother. Hell, he didn't even know they were brothers and he was protective of him. It was sweet, but outright dangerous. He wasn't nearly as strong as he used to be. They were supposed to take care of him, not the other way around.
Luffy sighed. The boy looked up at his companion. "Thanks, Ace, but you don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself, okay?"
"But…"
"Okay?"
"Yeah…"
"Good! Now let's get some stuff! Franky's going to make a bed for you tonight! Shishishi!"
After his stressful adventure on land – one he was hoping not to repeat – he and Luffy arrived back on the Thousand Sunny to bathe. Nami wouldn't let him change out of his rags until he did. It was annoying, but he'd do anything to get into proper clothes. He was wondering what those felt like.
After meeting the Straw Hats he got to experience a lot of things. It was exciting and fascinating. He was able to talk to people whenever he wanted, even if he was reluctant to, and they understood him. No one, not even Luffy, could fathom how great of a privilege that was for him. Then he got so see the ocean, its expansive form engulfing everything in the world. He saw it before from his island but sailing on it was different; he was free. That place he called home was more of a prison than anything. Day in and day out all he did was hunt, eat and keep watch for intruders. His routine went on like that for four years and encompassed most of his memories. Now it was different; every day was new and different from the last. There were people who cared about him and kept him safe. It was nice to be protected for once.
"What's wrong?" Luffy asked as he helped wash Ace's hair, noticing that he went quiet in the middle of their conversation.
"…Did I do something bad?"
"Hm? What are you talking about?"
"Earlier, when I set those men on fire…"
"Oh, that?" Luffy furrowed his brow in thought as he recalled that particular incident. There was a lot of chaos amongst the bystanders, but all it did was keep them far away from the Straw Hat crew. "Well, they're alive so it should be fine." Really, that was how he gaged the weight of a situation. But Luffy was Luffy and his thought process was slow-witted.
He dumped some water over the boy's head, washing away dirt and grime. It seemed that something was still bothering him, something different.
"You were upset, weren't you?"
"Mm…not upset. I was worried."
"Worried?"
"I didn't want you getting hurt. You still haven't recovered, you know. It's not good to fight when you're weak from malnourishment."
"I always fought."
"I know."
"Every day…"
"…I know." Luffy combed his fingers through Ace's hair, ridding it of knots and tangles while it was still sopping wet. His brother never told him what went on while he was stuck alone on that island but the Pirate King had his suspicions. Growing up in a forest, he knew what it took to survive. But he was never alone – he had his brothers and the bandits with him. And Makino and the Mayer would visit. He was never alone, but this boy was. It must have been hard. "You don't have to anymore. We'll take care of you, ok?"
Ace didn't respond. He finished washing, thinking back and forth between the differences he held with the rest of the crew. He knew he was strange, that they sometimes didn't understand his behaviour or actions. He knew he was abnormal. Even on the island they were docked at the people stared and found him bizarre. Really, did he even belong with them? Was it ok for him to be there?
"Luffy," he began quietly, gathering up enough courage to say what was on his mind. It was a question he needed answered, no matter what.
"Hm?"
"Do I deserve to live?"
A/N: Trololol~ Hehe, sorry, couldn't resist :P This chapter was actually a lot of fun to write. You get to see both how Ace is similar and different from Portgas, which will be a common theme throughout. And NO, he will never be 100% like his past self. Ever. How you grow up is a big determinant in your personality and behaviour and him remembering his past life (which he isn't even remembering, he's just recieving familiar feelings from Portgas, but that's a story for another time) will not change that.
So, wanna hear something awesome? We've finally reached 200+ reviews! That is amazing! seriously guys, I can't even believe it. I never thought I'd get to 50, much less 200! That is just so heartwarming. Now do you wanna hear something funny? Divide, my newest story which has the least follows and watches of all of my stories, just beat Skip in reviews. It's already at 140-something! Well, it's mostly because I ask for a base number of reviews before I update it. Still, kind of sad. Well for the next while I'm going to focus on Resolve, Reverse and Skip since Divide is catching up to Resolve in length. Yeah, already! I've got the next chapter of this fic done already, think I'll edit it though. I haven't been doing any proof-reading lately ahaha... So I'm going to get at least 2 chapters of each story done before I do anymore updates. That way I'll have something to post even when I get busy with school and other things. Sounds fair, right?
This story is really special to me. It's my first successful fanfic as well as the first time I ever wrote anything for the One Piece fandom. I'm really proud that I've been able to entertain all of you so far. Serious, you have no idea how happy reading your reviews makes me. It's really amazing to see how many of you like it enough to care to leave some feedback. If it wasn't for that feedback I don't think I would be continuing to write now. Usually my creative juices last little more than a week, but I've been writing every day, even if it's just a small few paragraphs. Haven't written this much since I was a little kid 11 years old who was just figuring out how fun making up a story could be. Sadly over the years my writing has declined. In fact, I barely wrote in high school at all. A few fics here and there - never finished - but nothing more. So really, truly, I want to thank you all.
Now that my rambling is over (and that I'm happy with the cliffy) onto the lovelies!
Stelra Etnae: Lol I understand, everyone loves Marco XD He'll show up at the end of the next chapter as well :3 I thought it was cute too XD It's a bit out of Little Ace's character, but I figured it worked since he was feeling Portgas's feelings towards Marco, who was his good friend and crewmate. Makino...no sorry =_=; She doesn't really have any part in the plot until *insert ending spoiler which would ruin the entire story here* so not gonna happen.
Portgas D. Paula: Nope, he's too excited ;) Yep, he recognized Marco's voice, though he doesn't remember him nor understand why he's excited in the first place.
Neko-VongolaPrimo: Glad you're happy! I think you're the only one who commented on the part about Luffy's scar. In fact, most people only cared about the phone call at the end hehe... Yeah, tried writing that part to sound sad but I'm really bad at writing sad things :/ Like, you can't feel sad when I write about depressing topics. Need to work on that. Sabo's bonus chapter at the end won't just be long, it'll probably be 10,000+ words. VERY long. So you guys better appreciate it =_=; But I know you're all good for that so I don't doubt you will :) You're my favourite batch of reviewers!
Bard of Chaos: Thank you! Glad you like! Yep, just send a PM and I'll send you a link!
LoveDragonsForever: Thanks!
Big Sis of 8: Here it is!
angelrider13: How were the developments in this chapter? Good? Bad? Marco's reaction in the next chapter is probably something that you guys aren'y likely to suspect... He's...difficult. But I hope you enjoy!
azab: Ace telling Luffy won't happen for quite some time. Gotta keep some of my cards hidden, after all. Glad you like :)
Cyborgnetics: Lol yes Ace has pretty weird luck XD As far as Marco, you have no idea :P
XxSaorixX: Yep :/ That's part of how Reverse got its name. Though their routes differ greatly starting the next chapter in Reverse. Really? I always thought I was bad at tense and emotional moments. I never feel much of anything when I reread my chapters - they seem so bland to me. Which is why it shocks me that my stories have so many readers. Marco's reaction in the next chapter was fun as hell to write *evil grin* That's all I shall say.
Melissabear: Yes, well past the war. This is 10 (11 starting in 2 chapters) years since Ace died. Luffy is going on 28 and Ace is 9. Been saying how much time passed throughout the story so there's no spoilers in it :)
Son Goshen: You should be suspicious e_e; Very suspicious. Thank you!
Too lazy: I take it you like? XD
MysteriousEyez: They'll have a talk, but not now. They both have things they're hiding from each other but aren't ready to share.
KitsuneFoxfire: Wow, you're the 2nd person to mention the part with Sanji XD Most people only cared about the part with Marco. Sanji didn't say anything because he didn't feel it was his place to explain. Kinda good kinda bad.
OnePieceLover101: Lol wow! Must have wasted a lot of time on this story XD This is the last quick update. I'm taking this weekend to get ahead in all of my stories so that you guys aren't left too long without updates when I get busy next week. Please bear with it. Thanks!
ASLfangirl: Yep, end of next chapter! Glad you liked those parts! Most people didn't bother to mention them ^^;
SioQu: Yep, next chapter! Nope. He'll never, ever be 100% like Portgas. This Ace has lead his own life - he's not going to forget all of that in favour of becoming his past self. This Ace will always remain himself, even if he's recalling a few things here and there. Well, this chapter examined that a little closer than before :)
(And this, my friends, is the end of this Author's Note. I hope you enjoyed! And don't let the Divide or Skip reviewers beat you! You were here first, let's keep this spot as my most reviewed story! Fight back! Or don't, totally up to you XD Though this story has over 2ce as many followers and favs... Anyways, I'll miss you while I get ahead in the stories! I hope you can wait patiently for the next chapter and I also hope that you can share your opinions about the story thus far. Stay silver! Gold is overrated! Adieu~)