Author's Note - I plan to make the crew of a comparable size to the original Straw Hat Pirates, although gender distribution, skill set, ability types and such will be changed. I don't want this to be a repeat of One Piece. I want this to be a continuation, following a group of pirates as they live out the legacy their parents left for them.
Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece or any of the other fandoms from which names, places, abilities, or references are taken! Imaginary points to anyone who catches said references throughout the story and PM's them to me. Dunno if you'll get anything real, but i give sneak peaks and deleted scenes to my repeated reviewers, so it isn't unthinkable.
Chapter 02 - Cook and Warlord
"Makino! Come outside! There's something I think you'll want to see!" One of the bar's frequent customers leaned in through the open door and called to her. She raised her head from the dishes she had been washing and saw the man's excited face.
It had been years since something like this had happened. Seventeen years. Not since the execution of the Pirate King. She smiled in anticipation and ran to the door. She knew her customers were good people and would not try anything while she was out. She wouldn't be too surprised if they finished the dishes for her. She had to order them to let her do her job more than once in the past.
She stepped out onto the road and looked toward the dock, hoping to see that flag she had been longing for since it's last appearance in their town. What she saw stopped her in her tracks. The flag hanging from that magnificent ship was familiar alright, but it was not the one she had expected. No, she had never expected this flag to appear again. But there was no mistaking it.
Standing on the figure head of the ship was a young man with black hair, and on his head was a straw hat. She stared for only a moment before she was racing down the path toward the ship. There was no way it could be him... She had watched the execution herself! There hadn't even been a rumor of his survival! How could he be here? Was this a dream?
She reached the dock and watched as the boy climbed down a ladder on the side of the ship and dropped to the firm planks, straightening and letting his face stretch into a grin she knew only too well. She walked closer slowly, not knowing if it was a ghost, or a trick. When she got closer, the truth began to come to her.
He's too young... And he has no scar on his face or chest...
"You... You are his son, aren't you?" She knew the answer before she had asked. There was no other possibility. He turned to her, and focused his gaze on her, taking in every detail. There was no mistake. This could not possibly be anyone else.
"Yes. Did you know him? My father?" He walked toward her, still studying her more intensely than she could ever imagine coming from his father.
"Yes. I knew him when he was very young. Would you like to come up to the bar and talk? It must have been a long trip." She saw him considering it. Had his father been capable of this kind of focus? Or had this come from his mother? Suddenly his face split into a grin. He turned back toward his ship and called out to it.
"Oi! Olivia! Kuina! Hurry up!" As soon as he called, Makino saw two young women begin climbing down the side of the ship, each with a large coil of rope in hand. They quickly tied the ship to the dock and then walked confidently over to the man with the straw hat.
"What's going on?" One of the girls asked him. He gestured to Makino.
"She knew my father. We're going to the bar to talk to her. Come on!" With that, he turned back to her, and she led the way back up the hill.
When they returned to the bar, she had set about telling him everything she knew of his father. She talked about his friendship and admiration of a pirate that used to visit the area frequently. She told about him eating the Devil's Fruit that turned him into the rubber man the world knew. She also spoke about his training to set out as a pirate, both on his own, and at the hand of his grandfather, Garp the Fist.
He was engrossed in her stories. There was not a single detail he allowed her to leave out. He wanted to know everything, and their conversation lasted long after the other patrons of the bar had left for the night. When she had finished relating all she knew, he slipped into his own thoughts.
"We have been traveling for about two weeks to get here. It would be nice to spend a night on solid ground. Do you know where we could rent a room for a reasonable price?" Kuina decided to see to the necessities of making port here while her captain contemplated the new information about his father.
"You are welcome to stay here as my guests! We have a few spare rooms. This used to be an inn as well, but after the excitement over the Pirate King's execution finally died down, our island doesn't get enough visitors for it to be worth keeping open." Makino gestured toward the upper floor.
"Thank you very much! We would be happy to pay for the room though! We haven't done anything to deserve such hospitality!" Olivia spoke up, feeling a bit guilty for getting a free room just because of their captain's father.
"Nonsense. I invited you. Besides, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for people wearing that hat. Where are you all heading? I don't suppose you are after One Piece as well, are you?" She smiled, remembering how determined the pirates she had know used to be to find the legendary treasure.
"Not exactly. I plan to go to Raftel, but that's only part of the journey. Sure we'll find treasure along the way, but what I really want to do is uncover the mysteries of the seas! I want to see every secret this world has to offer! I want to show the world that there are still things we don't know. The unknown isn't gone yet. There are still adventures that no one has considered yet!" Ace snapped out of his thoughts and stood up, stretching.
"Sounds like quite the goal you have set for yourself. I think you're right. The World Government would like us to believe there is nothing left out there worth discovering. They want the Great Age of Pirates to die quietly. I hope you can show the world that there is still a little mystery left in the world!" Makino felt excited. Like she had all those years ago, when she would listen to the stories of great pirates who had seen things she could hardly imagine.
"We will! Kuina, can you go get the stuff we'll need from the ship?" Ace turned to one of the girls, and she nodded. Could he really tell them apart? They looked identical to her. The girl in question walked out the door, and she could swear she was out of sight before the door had swung shut. She must have run for all she was worth.
A few minutes later, Kuina was walking back through the door, not even out of breath. She must have been in incredible shape to have made it to the ship and back in so little time without even breathing hard. Makino decided not to question it. After all, the Pirate King's first mate could preform acts of strength that made her shudder to imagine.
"I brought the map of the island, a compass, a bit of food, and a change of clothes for each of us. Did I forget anything?" She held up a neatly filled box. She had run carrying that? And had time to assemble and pack all of it? Unbelievable. It was then that the door to the bar opened and a young man walked in, probably twenty years of age, with striking red hair, and a carefree grin on his face.
"Hey Mom. Sorry I'm so late. We were so close to finishing that I decided to stay an extra couple of hours and finish it off. No more roofing for me!" He laughed and took a seat at the bar next to Olivia and slid a small pile of money across to Makino. "Who are our guests?"
"These are new friends. Ace, Kuina, and Olivia. They're pirates, and just starting out. I knew Ace's father, so I invited them to talk and stay the night. Did they really pay this much? I thought they had only promised 50,000 beli?" Makino counted the money and gaped at how much there was.
"He said he had promised a low amount because he was used to people my age slacking off and making the job take far too long, as well as cutting corners. He doubled the wage for the hard work, threw in a bonus for working late and finishing early, and let me keep the left over budget for materials. Not half bad. I won't hesitate to work for him again." The red haired man laughed again and then turned toward the trio of pirates. "My name's Roger. It's nice to meet you."
"Same. I hope we aren't in your way while we're here." Ace looked the man over then smiled. "We'll be gone in a day or two at most, and we'll try not to be any trouble."
"Ha! I'd be happy to have a little excitement around here. It gets boring, you know? There haven't been any pirates around here since I was too young to remember. All I have are the stories from my mother and some of the older people in the town. Most don't like to talk about it though. They prefer the quiet life." Roger sighed and leaned his back and elbows against the bar, looking out the window and toward the sea.
"Sounds like you would have been happier during the Great Age of Pirates, huh?" Olivia asked, smiling at the man beside her.
"You say that like it's over. The so called New Age? I don't believe it. This is just a lull. The calm before the storm. I can feel it. Some time soon, the Great Age of Pirates is going to make a come back and the world is going to shake to the core again!" Roger smiled as he watched the waves lapping against the cost. Ace grinned and took a seat on his other side.
"I hope you're right. Maybe we'll be the ones who bring it back!" Ace laughed and spun around to face the counter, where Kuina had smoothed out their map of the island. She pointed to the harbor where their ship was, then located the bar. She frowned.
"The town has changed a lot. There was only a bar when this map was drawn." The navigator looked up at Makino, but Roger answered.
"The place was torn apart and nearly destroyed several years ago. I've heard a lot of stories about it. Apparently a crew of pirates attacked hoping to take hostages, but another crew intervened and stopped them. I was about two at the time I think. It was about a month before the world heard their was a new Pirate King." Roger looked to his mother to make sure his facts were right. She nodded. "We've been rebuilding and improving ever since. It was actually a nice opportunity. The people here are a bit stubborn, and they don't change something until it falls down around their ears."
"So that's why you were doing roofing? You guys are still rebuilding after eighteen years?" Kuina looked surprised. Roger shook his head.
"Not exactly. Most of the repairs were finished ages ago. What's happening now is expansion. The mayor thinks if we expand the town a bit and industrialize and commercialize a bit, we'll attract more visitors and help the businesses. A lot of people have been leaving the island for better prospects elsewhere."
"I see. So this is more of an effort to save the village?" Olivia asked. Roger nodded.
"I think it is a lost cause. The people who love this village will stay to the bitter end. The ones who don't will leave. There really isn't much we can do. But it keeps me busy, so I'm not complaining. It's better than being bored all the time." Roger looked almost sad.
"Why don't you leave?" Ace turned back to the red haired man.
"Never had the opportunity, really. Most crews that stop here don't really need a carpenter or cook, and i'm not good enough with a sword to be much help in the kind of battles that happen out on the ocean, and none are willing to train me. I'm stuck." Roger sighed and stood up, then started toward the stairs. "I'm beat. I'll see you in the morning. If you need a guide around town, I'll happily oblige."
"Good night, Roger!" Olivia smiled at his retreating back. Her twin poked her in the ribs gently and gave her a suggestive smile. She blushed and turned her attention back to their host. "He's a cook as well?"
"Oh yes. He helps me here when he doesn't have other jobs around town. He's a lot better chef than I am. He says that since he can't physically go anywhere exciting, he can at least eat like he's traveling the world." Makino smiled and then yawned. "Let me show you to your rooms, then I must go to bed as well. I have to be up early. A lot of my customers like to stop in before they start working."
"Thank you again for letting us stay, and if there is anything we can do to repay you while we're here, don't hesitate to ask!" Kuina smiled at the woman as she led them up stairs and showed them two rooms.
"Roger! You said you needed some training with a sword?" Ace called down the bar as they sat eating breakfast together the next morning. The red haired man nodded uncertainly. Ace grinned. "Well I need a sparring partner. I haven't done any proper training since I left home, and I don't want to get out of shape before I need to defend myself. Interested?"
"Yeah!" Roger grinned with excitement. Sword fighting with an actual pirate? It was a dream come true. Ace finished his plate and once again thanked his host then stood up.
"Kuina, when you and your sister finish, go grab three swords from the ship and meet us down at the shore." Ace began walking toward the door. He turned back toward Roger and raised an eyebrow. The red haired man jumped up and followed him.
Five minutes later they were both standing on the shore, feeling the soft spray of the sea in the cool morning air. Ace kicked off his sandals and began doing stretches, explaining each one to Roger before moving to the next one. Roger followed along, feeling his muscles protest at first, but noticed they began to relax and respond quickly. Next, Ace took a deep breath and dived straight into the sea, swimming a hundred meters out, then back. He repeated the exercise a few times before walking back on shore and wringing out his drenched shirt.
Not long after, the twins arrived with the swords. Roger wondered which of the twins would be joining them. To his surprise, both of them picked up swords, and the third was offered to him. He raised an eyebrow at the girl holding the sword, but she just smiled in a way that clearly said, "Trust us, we know what we're doing."
Ace was standing with his eyes closed, and to Roger's horror, one of the twins suddenly lunged at him, swinging their blade quickly at his head. Before he could cry out a warning, Ace had moved gracefully out of the way of the attack, never opening his eyes. Moments later, the two girls were launching an all out attack on the young unarmed man, and to Roger's ever increasing shock and awe, he was easily holding his own.
The girls finally sat down in the sand, exhausted, while Ace was barely breathing heavily. He motioned for Roger to attack next. The redheaded man had no idea what to expect, but now knew that this man clearly didn't expect him to hold back. He swung with all he had at the pirate's neck, and Ace raised an arm into the blade's path. The blade struck, and Roger expected to be bathed in blood, and then promptly killed by the two girls behind him.
The blade shook in his hand as if he had struck a steel post. Ace's arm was unharmed. The pirate opened his eyes and grinned at the confused man. He struck out twice, rapidly putting Roger on the defensive. It took several near misses to realize he was supposed to be using the sword to deflect the attacks. This was the pirate's idea of training? He was insane.
An hour later, Roger was completely winded, but felt he had definitely improved. Ace's attacks had been vicious and precise, and Roger knew that a sparring match with him would easily lead to bruises, and possibly broken bones. Was that why he had only dodged with the twins? Roger was beginning to respect the man more and more. By that time, the twins had caught their breaths and stood before the two men, swords in hand.
They fought for only half an hour before they were ready to take a break. Ace called it enough for the day, and asked them to return the swords. He stayed with Roger on the shore.
"You've gotta have some questions now." Ace grinned at the man beside him, who nodded.
"How do you fight like that? Completely barehanded? You could clearly use a sword if you know how to teach it that well. And how do you deflect the blade without getting cut to ribbons? And how did you fight with your eyes closed?" Roger finally drew a breath, and Ace held up his hands.
"Woah, one at a time. My grandfather taught me to fight for the past few years. I choose to fight without a weapon because that's how my father, and his father, and his father all fought. I learned to use a sword, as well as a staff and a pistol, just in case, but I prefer to fight with just my body. As for the rest, I use a technique called Haki. It lets me see the moves of my opponents even before they make them, and it lets me shield my body from most attacks." Ace leaned back on the sand and pulled his hat over his eyes.
"Okay. I think I understand. The twins... They didn't learn to fight like that?" Roger asked.
"No. They learned other skills. Kuina is our navigator. He learned from my mother. Olivia is our doctor. She was an apprentice for the doctor of our village. I've been teaching them a little bit of sword fighting so they can defend themselves, but I don't think it would be safe for me to go on the offensive with them yet. You did great." Ace grinned, eyes still covered against the sun that had risen well into the sky while they had been fighting.
"Thanks, but I don't understand why you brought me along. I enjoyed being able to learn a bit, but I couldn't have been much of a sparring partner when you are that skillful." Roger looked toward the ship to find the girls returning already. They had recovered quickly.
"I wanted to see what you were made of. You see, our crew could use a cook, and another fighter." Ace left the sentence hang in the air between them, waiting for Roger to find the hidden invitation. It didn't take long.
"You mean I can come with you?" Roger couldn't believe his ears. A pirate crew was inviting him out to sea with them? Ace nodded, still grinning. Roger couldn't stop a large smile from creeping onto his face as well. The twins were there now. One of them kicked their captain in the ribs gently, causing him to twitch and sit up.
"You haven't picked up Liv's habit, have you?" It must be Kuina that spoke then. Ace just laughed and shook his head. "So, did he ask you yet?" She had turned to Roger. He nodded dumbly. "And?"
"I'd be honored to join you." He didn't bother thinking about it any more. This was what he had wanted for years. He was finally leaving this place. Ace stood up in a flash and offered him a hand. After pulling himself up, Ace grinned once more and shook his hand firmly.
"Welcome to the crew! You are now officially a member of the Straw Hat Pirates!" Ace released him and began walking back toward the bar. Roger couldn't move. He stared at the man. The hat on his head. How had he not picked up on it before? His mother knew this man's father. He had the hat that should have been instantly recognizable to anyone in the world, but seventeen years without seeing it in anything but a few old pictures had dulled its importance in his mind. Now it struck him. He had just joined the crew of the son of the most notorious pirate of the last twenty years.
He shook his head to clear his mind and then followed the three pirates back to the bar. Wait till his mother heard this.
Roger stepped off the ladder and onto the deck of the ship for the first time that evening, looking around with admiration. It was like something out of a dream. It had been harder than he expected, saying goodbye to his mother, but he knew this was where he belonged. Traveling the sea. Maybe, if he was very lucky, he would even meet his father out there somewhere.
"Roger! Come on! I'll show you around!" Olivia was smiling at him from the stairs leading to the lower level. He followed her through the ship for several minutes, trying his best to memorize the layout of the rooms so he wouldn't wander around aimlessly every time he tried to find something. It seemed like a game, because every time Olivia stepped out of his line of sight, she seemed to sprint. She never let him catch her at it though. Finally, she showed him to his room, then the kitchen.
It was larger and more well supplied than the kitchen at the bar. He took stock of the equipment at his disposal and found everything he could ever imagine needing and more. The room had been designed to accommodate a larger crew of about two dozen, but he found the table to be reconfigurable. After a little experimenting, he had it reassembled to seat four, with plenty of extra space.
It felt like a professional restaurant. He leaned against the counter, looking out the door at the figurehead of the ship. It was a fearsome sight. A beautiful dragon, mouth open in a roar that he could easily imagine shaking the ship and the ocean around them. Although there were many ridges, spikes, and scales carved into the dragon, there was an open spot on the top that one could easily sit on.
It was a well known quirk of the Pirate King that he had loved that spot on both of his ships. It struck many as odd, and some as brave that a man who was a hammer in the sea would choose such a precarious position for himself. Roger wondered for a moment if maybe his captain had an ability as well. No, he had seen him swimming like a fish before they had sparred.
It seemed that only two weeks was not enough time to have found a Devil's Fruit. What would he do if he had the opportunity to eat one? He loved to swim, but it would make him a better fighter. That could be invaluable as a pirate. He decided he would make that decision when he was faced with it.
I wonder if we'll meet any of the legendary pirates that they always talk about in the stories of the Pirate King? He had given it some thought before, but now he was really going out there. What if he really met Marco the Phoenix? Or Sir Crocodile? Or Trafalgar Law? There were so many pirates out there, and the sea was enormous. It wasn't all that likely, but it definitely wasn't impossible either.
What would they do if they did, though? Ace's haki is amazing, but there is no way he could take on the Shikibukai or the Yonkos as he is now. Not with only three crew mates to help him. Hopefully, that is a long way off. Roger's head snapped back to the front of the ship. Ace had been trained by his grandfather. The figurehead of the ship was a...
"Ace! You learned to fight from the Revolutionary Dragon?!" Roger stepped out of the kitchen, staring at the young captain in awe once again. Ace merely nodded and turned his attention back to the map his navigator was showing him. Roger sighed. This was ordinary for them. Would he learn to accept such fantastic things as normal someday?
"Roger! Come up here!" Ace called down to him, waving for him to join them in looking at the map. He ascended the stairs quickly and stood next to them. "We need a new destination. There is a lot of ocean between here and Shimotsuki Village. You've been hearing stories from travelers for ages, is there anywhere in East Blue you want to see?"
"I heard there was an island in the south-west of East Blue where there are Sea Kings that live on land. They're a lot smaller than the ones you normally see, so it is possible that they are a whole new kind of creature, or that these are even young Sea Kings that will go into the ocean later. No one has a clue what else might be there. It is too close to the calm belt for most people to be comfortable there, and they're afraid of the Sea Kings. It would be dangerous, but we might find something worth while there. There could be trees full of Devil's Fruits or mountains of pure gold." Roger pointed to a spot on the map. "From the stories I heard, it should be around there."
"That would be really cool! Kuina, do you think we can find it?" Ace grinned and looked to his navigator. She nodded thoughtfully.
"As long as the magnetic fields from the Grand Line don't interfere with my navigation equipment, being that close, then yeah, it shouldn't be a problem. Although we may have to sail around for a day or two before we actually find it once we're in the area. And we'll have to be careful not to stray into the calm belt either." Kuina traced a path from their current position to the proposed destination slowly.
"It will take us nearly three weeks to get there though. We should stop somewhere along the way to restock."
"Sounds good! Let's get ready to set sail! Oi! Olivia! We're ready to head out! Untie the ship, and put the flag back up! Roger, help Kuina drop the sails. I'll go raise anchor." Ace leaped gracefully from the upper deck to the lower and ran to the anchor's rope. Roger looked up at the mast.
"Why did you guys take down your flag?" He asked Kuina.
"First, it's not just our flag anymore, it's... well our flag. Second, Ace thought it would be better if we didn't attract much attention while we were here. He wanted to be welcome back in the future. Once we enter the Grand Line, it will be up all the time though." Kuina walked past him toward the stairs. By the time he had turned around, she was already half way up the mast, ready to lower the sails. He shook his head in wonder and went to help her.
"Uh-oh..." Kuina was looking toward the end of the dock. A ship had stopped, blocking their path. It flew a pirate flag. A very famous one. Roger turned to see the white skull and cross bones, a red nose and two crosses marking the face. Why would one of the Seven Warlords be here in East Blue? Roger and Kuina quickly descended to the deck and called out for Olivia and Ace to join them.
The crew of the ship was standing on it's deck, grinning and laughing and all in all trying to look as intimidating as possible. In Roger's opinion, they were doing a pretty good job of it. One of them yelled across to them.
"Vacate the ship, and leave everything. We're claiming everything you have as property of the Buggy Pirates!" The pirate cackled loudly and waited. Ace didn't move a muscel. Instead, he remained facing the opposing vessel, speaking to his crew. Roger noticed a new sword in his captain's hand. A straight bladed katana with a black and orange hilt, and a black scabbard.
"I'm sorry I couldn't lead you any farther than this. I won't blame you for running. We're not prepared to take on a crew as strong as them, but I refuse to give up this ship without a fight. Take some money and hide. Buy passage home when things are safer. Tell my mother what happened to me." Ace didn't flinch as the Buggy Pirates began to grow impatient, a few even firing warning shots into the air.
"Like hell. We knew what we were getting into when we decided to come with you. We're not running away as soon as thing take a bad turn. We're nakama." Kuina stood shoulder to shoulder with her captain. She looked resigned to what was coming. Olivia smiled with acceptance and took her spot next to her sister. Roger sighed. How could he ever face his father if he ran now?
"I'm staying too. They'd just hunt us down in the village anyway." Roger took his place on Ace's other side. To his surprise, the young captain held the beautiful sword out to him. He looked questioningly at him. "Are you sure? That is no ordinary sword. I'm not skilled or strong enough to do it justice..." Ace grinned confidently and extended it closer to his newest crew mate.
"Take it. If we die, no one will care whether you deserved it or not. If we live, how can you claim it is above you?" Ace laughed and called out to the enemy ship as Roger accepted the blade. "Buggy Pirates! We refuse to surrender! We will fight you to the death if we have to. We may not win, but we will take more of you with us than you think! If you want our ship, tell your captain to fight me himself!"
The crew of the enemy ship looked surprised at his response. This man they faced knew he was facing death, with no illusions of victory, yet still he was ready to fight? One of them called out to their captain. From the doors leading below deck came a tall man with a scarred and worn face but an unmistakeable red nose that identified him as the renowned Buggy the Clown.
"What are you buffoons doing making so much noise? This better be important!" Buggy stormed out onto the deck amongst his crew and glared across at the small assembly of pirates facing him. Then his eyes widened. He turned back to his men. "Who decided to attack them? Come forward now." His order was deceptively calm. One man stepped forward, unsure of what was coming.
In a flash, four knives were raked across his chest, not deep enough to kill, but enough to take the place of whip lashes. He cried out in pain and stumbbled back, cowering under the fierce scowl of his captain.
"You flashy idiots! Do you not recognize that flag?! Do you see the hat he is wearing?!" Buggy bellowed at his crew as they began to back away from him slowly. His temper all too well known among them. "Do you not remember exactly why we came to this useless piece of dirt to begin with?! Fools! Get back to work and clear the way for them!"
Roger was baffled. What had happened? Why were they not being slaughtered like cattle? Not that he was complaining. The fuming pirate warlord leaped to their deck in one impressive jump and walked forward until he was only a few feet in front of Ace.
"My crew have gotten a bit out of hand. They're not used to having nothing to fight out here in East Blue. We are here on peaceful terms, seeking a temporary alliance with another crew that I suspected might be here. It turns out I was mistaken. Are you four the only ones aboard?" Buggy looked like his anger was abating slowly as he looked around their ship for more pirates.
"Just the four of us. You stopped them from attacking when you saw our flag. Does that mean you were on good terms with my father? It would be nice to have some idea who will attempt to negotiate with us and who will shoot on sight when we reach the Grand Line." Ace looked over the men moving about on the other ship, waiting to see if they might attack despite their orders.
"He was a formidable enemy at one time, and a grudging ally later on. After that, we tended to stay out of each others way and made no unnecessary moves to antagonize each other. I am, however, looking to speak to a pirate who considered your father a close friend, and killing you would not have sent the impression I intended." Buggy's response was honest, if less than friendly.
"I understand. Regardless of the reason, I'm glad it didn't come to bloodshed. Our crew is not prepared to take on one as strong as yours." Ace seemed willing to admit he had never stood a chance. Buggy raised an eyebrow.
"You seemed prepared to fight nonetheless. That is impressive in itself. I'll be interested to see what kind of a man you become by the next time we meet. Don't forget this encounter." Buggy turned to return to his ship, then he paused. "You, with the red hair. Do you know the name of your father?"
"No. My mother doesn't like to talk about him. I think she is afraid he is dead, or never coming back. She hasn't seen him since I was three. Why? Do you know him?" Roger's eyes lit up with excitement.
"Too soon to tell for sure. We'll see next time we meet. I would suggest finding some more crew mates before you enter the Grand Line. Not everyone there is as flashy and honorable as I am." With that, Buggy took a few short steps and leaped nimbly to his own ship, touching down between several of his subordinates.
"Well, that went better than I expected." Kuina patted her captain's shoulder and turned to set them off on course. Ace grinned and turned to Roger.
"We survived. Keep the sword. I have haki, and the girls have their ability. As captain, I have to take care of all of my nakama. I'll continue teaching you to use a sword, but we'll practice with ordinary blades. It seems that one will still penetrate my haki." Ace held up his left hand where he had held the partially unsheathed blade. His fingers had a faint line of blood across them.
"The twins have abilities?!" Roger's brain finally caught the statement and looked around to the two girls, going about their normal duties, looking completely normal. "What are they?" Ace laughed.
"They've been very careful to keep it a secret. But since you are part of the crew now, I think you should know. They both have the same ability, thanks to that strange sword. I cut the fruit with it, and somehow it cut the ability as well. Oi! Olivia! Kuina! Show Roger what you can do!" Ace called to the twins. Kuina looked like she had been hoping he wouldn't ask. Olivia smiled, and as Roger watched, she disappeared. Almost instantly, she tapped him on the shoulder, causing him to spin around and stumble away from her.
"Woah! What kind of ability is that? Paramecia or Logia?" He watched as Kuina appeared next to her sister in a silent flutter of their hair. She shrugged.
"We couldn't find anything about it in any of our mother's books. It doesn't seem to strictly fit into either category. We're pretty sure it isn't Zoan though. It's just one more mystery we plan to solve on our journey!" Olivia answered him, still smiling at his surprise. "We were wondering how long it would take for you to guess we had an ability, but Ace had to go and ruin the bet."
"It would have taken me a while. I thought you were both just incredible sprinters. I feel a bit foolish now." Roger shook his head and looked at his captain. "That hat might get us out of a lot of close calls like that."
"Or it might make them worse. Not everyone liked the Pirate King." Kuina reminded them both. Ace nodded.
"We'll take on whatever comes our way. Well, Roger. Allow me to officially introduce you to the crew. I'm Monkey D. Ace. This is Roronoa Kuina, our navigator, and this is Roronoa Olivia, our doctor." He gestured to each in turn. "Girls, this is Roger. He's our new cook!" Roger wasn't surprised to hear another famous name among this crew. These were the daughters of the legendary demon swordsman, the pirate hunter and first mate of the Pirate King, Roronoa Zoro. By process of elimination, that would mean their mother had to be Nico Robin, the archaeologist.
"It's nice to meet you all. Why are you two going on this adventure?" He looked at the twins questioningly. It was well known that each of the old Straw Hat Pirates had their own dreams and goals and reasons for following their captain.
"Because Ace is going. We're going for adventure's sake, and to make sure this idiot doesn't disappear without a trace. We're going to make our father proud. And we're going to bring back more history for our mother. And now, we're going to bring back the Great Age of Pirates!" Kuina laughed and nudged her captain, who only grinned.
"We're going because we're nakama, and we want to take our nakama to their dreams and stand beside them the whole way. We want to live free! Can you think of a better reason than that?" Olivia smiled warmly at him. He had to admit, it sounded like more than enough reason for him.
"Alright! Kuina, are we on course?" Ace turned to the girl at his side. She checked her compass and map, then nodded. "Olivia, can you grab something to wrap my hand? I got careless with the sword earlier. I've still got a lot to learn." He held out his hand for inspection, and Olivia jumped away and back, a roll of gauze in her hand. She wrapped his hand neatly, leaving him free to move. "Roger! Let's go see the island of Land Kings! Lets bring back the Great Age of Pirates! Let's find your father!" Ace laughed happily and leaped up to stand on the figurehead, looking every bit as confident as a dragon himself. "Let's go shake the world!"
Crew is up to four!
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