Author's Note - Yay! I think i've pretty well decided where the story is going, and how it is going to end!

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 18 - Calm Before the Storm

The World Government had been slow to replace Akainu. For some time, they acted as the head of the military, with the three admirals directly under them. But with the Straw Hat Pirates on their way toward Raftel, they could wait no longer. They needed someone to step into the shoes of the magma wielding marine who would bring their absolute justice to the end of the Grand Line. However, they had yet to find a suitable candidate. That is, until he returned to them.

He had walked into their chamber, a wanted criminal, as if he owned the place. Unsurprising, since not one of the noble aristocrats would stand a chance fighting him. He'd already slaughtered their guards. Now he stood before them and held out a tone dial, calmly pressing the apex of the shell and allowing them to hear the words contained within.

"W-what are you doing here?! You're a criminal! I told them the incident was your fault! It's on your head, not mine! You'll be executed!" A terrified voice shouted.

"I'm not the criminal, Spandam. You are responsible. You can not escape justice." The man's cold voice said.

"Yes I can! I already have!"

"No. Justice comes for you today. I am justice." The cold voice stated. There was a scream from Spandam, then a gurgle as the blood rushing into his lungs suffocated him. The tone dial went silent.

"He confessed... That means you and the others were innocent..." The heads of the World Government pieced together what had happened. Then one stood and addressed the intruder.

"Rob Lucci, we would like you to take the position of Fleet Admiral and lead the marines to bring our absolute justice to the end of the world. Finish off the era of pirates once and for all." The oldest of the five bowed to the assassin.

"I will." Lucci turned his back on them, walking out the way he had come. As he reached the doorway, he paused. "I wish to choose my own admirals. I need men who can stand against the son of the Pirate King."

"As you wish."

Lucci allowed himself a smile as he walked down the halls of Mariejois. It was good to be back where he belonged. Soon, he would be on his way to slaughter the son of his worst enemy. He had just killed the man who framed him. He had been put in charge of the entire marine force. He was in a good mood.

He sent messengers to his former CP9 associates. They would be reinstated, and Kaku would be asked to join him as one of his admirals. First, he needed to determine if there was any value in the men currently holding the titles.

After meeting and brutalizing the three admirals, Lucci determined all of them to be unfit to serve as his admirals. They had been selected on their experience alone, not on their ability. These men would never stand against pirates of the scale they were chasing.

He spent the next days patrolling the capitol, then sailed to the marine headquarters to meet his former partners. Before they arrived, he found a few potential candidates. Hina, a strong woman with the ability to bind people. She would prove useful. He was considering Shu, who had been present at Enies Lobby and destroyed one of Zoro's swords with rust. Sentomaru was a possibility, having gained the ability to turn himself into a weapon after killing one of Doflamingo's subordinates some years ago.

Including Kaku, that left him with four viable options. Now, how to decide which to reject. Hina had been close friends with the traitor Smoker, so could he really trust her? Maybe, maybe not. Shu was nothing without his ability, and his ability only had great value against metal. Sentomaru had yet to fully master his ability, despite several years of practice. Shameful. Lucci had mastered his in a matter of hours.

"Lucci! You magnificent man, you did it!" Kaku kicked open the doors, grinning widely. The fleet admiral turned to look at the reunited CP9 agents and nodded in greeting.

"You made excellent time. That's good. We're in a hurry. Kaku, the Five Elder Stars of the World Government have appointed me Fleet Admiral and allowed me to choose my admirals. I want you to join me and take justice to the Straw Hat Pirates." Lucci extended his hand to the long nosed man. Kaku thought about it for a moment.

"I... I am honored. But I am enjoying my life as a shipwright again. It is enough that I am no longer a wanted man." Kaku said. Before he could speak another word, a razor sharp claw had pierced his heart. He looked down in surprise, wincing at the sudden wave of pain. He looked back at the man who had just given him back his freedom and then taken it away. "Why?"

"I have no use for a man who can not devote himself to justice entirely." Lucci removed his claw, turning to the other CP9 members. "Get out. Take his body with you, I don't have any use for him dead."

The group of elite agents stared in horror at their friend's body on the ground. None dared make a move to attack the dangerous assassin, especially now that he had such authority, but they all came to the conclusion that staying would put them in danger. They had enough of that in the last twenty years. They would scatter, and hopefully, the man would not come for them as well.

Once they had left him, taking the body of the shipwright with them, Lucci called to one of his subordinates to send in the last three candidates.

"Hina, Shu, Sentomaru. Although you are not what I had in mind, you will have to do. The three of you are now admirals of the marines. You will serve directly under me, and you will fight to your last breaths to destroy the Straw Hat Pirates." Lucci looked over the three marines in front of him critically. "You will be selecting fifty marines each to serve under you. Choose those who are strong and loyal to justice."

"Yes sir!" All three saluted, then filed out of the room. Their ships were being prepared, and he had nothing left to do besides train himself for the battle to come. He couldn't imagine the young Straw Hat being half as formidable as his father had been, but he didn't want to take that risk. They would be prepared to face the crew that had once stood at the top of the world. If it proved to be overkill... Well, he always liked overkill.

Outside, Hina had already left to gather her men, leaving Shu and Sentomaru to decide on a course of action.

"He seems less than pleased... Why did he choose us?" Shu asked. Sentomaru shrugged.

"I heard that he murdered one man today for declining the offer to be an admiral. I wasn't about to deny him as well." The large man said. "We should go choose our men. Don't want to make him angry."

"Agreed." Shu walked away quickly, not wanting to be caught idling near the door by the assassin. He was thrilled to be selected, and even if he weren't going as an admiral, he'd have given anything to be on one of the ships heading for Raftel. He had nearly beaten the legendary swordsman before, but had not been chosen to fight the Pirate King in the final battle. He was at a rank where he was too valuable to send as cannon fodder, but not valuable enough to be a commander. Now he was going to have his chance. He would make a personal visit to Zoro's grave with his new authority and rust that white sword he cherished into nothing.

Line -

"It's time for you to fulfill your pact. You will be accompanying the fleet to Raftel to snuff out the Straw Hat Pirates. Buggy has allied himself with Akagami Shanks. Kill him as well, along with anyone else present on the side of the pirates." The ancient man said.

"You're asking us to take a very large risk. The last army that stormed Raftel was torn down from 50,000 to under 200. Only four out of every thousand survived, and they were the single greatest fighting force ever assembled. We're not. I hate to speak ill of those of us gathered here, but we are not the titans of the Great Age of Pirates, or the New Age. We're the best you could scrape together in a year. It takes three of us to even match one of their weakest allies." One of the pirates objected.

"What, are you scared, Aaron? Oh, that's right, even when you joined the handless fool and his captain, that short girl still almost killed you. I welcome the chance! Even if you won't go, I'll kill a few for you, coward!" Another man with snow white hair leaped to his feet, grinning excitedly. The taller warlord reached for the heavy ax slung over his shoulder. Another pirate, thin, with dark hair tied back out of his eyes, caught the towering man's arm. When he looked down at him, he shook his head. His look said Don't take his bait.

"Fine..." Aaron sat back down next to the man with the ponytail and settled for glaring murderously at the white haired pirate. He grinned when the 'handless fool' jammed his good fist into his solar plexus, doubling him over and slamming his elbow into the back of his head.

"At least we fought! You could have helped us finish her off that day, but instead you sat back and watched! Maru, whether it is them or me, you won't walk away from Raftel." Sean snarled, pulling back to kick the pirate's face, when a clawed hand grabbed his leg. Maru grinned up at him, his arm now unnaturally proportioned and covered in white fur near the wrist. The white claws left pin pricks on Sean's skin before he released him.

"It would have been insulting of me to interfere with your grudge settlement. I had no quarrel with the girl. Now I do. And rest assured, you are the one who won't leave that island. You can't even use your ability without an arm. You're only here to fill a seat." Maru growled as he eyed his fellow warlord tensely.

"Save it for the battle." Another warlord stood, his head nearly brushing the ceiling. He dwarfed even Aaron in height, and stood five men wide. "Elder Star, we will all be on separate ships, correct?"

"Yes, of course. Those of you without crews of your own will each travel with one of the admirals, while those of you with crews will sail aboard your own vessels." The World Government leader assured the mountainous man.

"Oh sit down, Bar. You're blocking the sun on this side of the planet." Felix laughed and kicked his feet up onto the meeting table, motioning for his first mate to relax. Sean grinned. His captain had a plan.

"Hono Aaron, Kokan Felix, Sosa Sean, Ressha Bar, Kenoreru Musei, Shinku Maru. The six of you will sail to Raftel with our fleet of marines and exterminate the pirates there. Dismissed." The elderly man hurriedly left the room, not eager to be there when all pretense of civility crumbled.

"Well, I have to go give my crew the good news! And try to keep it down, Musei. People are trying to sleep!" The white haired man laughed as he left the room. The silent man in question raised an eyebrow at the pitiful joke, then stood as well. As his sword rattled slightly in it's sheath, Sean flinched back, clutching the stump of his right hand to his chest.

"I suppose we should each decide if we're going or ditching." Aaron said quietly. He was not looking forward to seeing the Straw Hat kid again. He'd tried to cripple their crew by kidnapping the navigator. Instead, he had only served as a catalyst for the young pirate to grow stronger. His wave of haki had nearly sent half his crew to the bottom of the sea. They had lost every ability user on the crew, and their ship was still crippled. He would be sailing with an admiral.

"I'm in." The giant man said calmly, standing and walking out of the room. Bar never was the talkative type. More the smash-it-with-a-house type.

"Musei, what about you?" Aaron looked at the long haired man standing near the doorway, hand on his sword. He nodded silently. "Of course. You want to meet Rachel. She's all yours, just make sure she dies." Another nod.

"We're going, of course." Felix spoke for himself and his friend. Sean didn't look so sure, but nodded his agreement anyway. He trusted his captain. He'd learned from the best, after all.

"And I suppose I would be called a coward if I chose not to join you all..." Aaron sighed and adjusted his ax, then extended a hand to the one handed man. "Watch out. Rachel will not have forgotten how many of her men we killed. Let Musei handle her." Sean nodded without complaint.

"Yeah, staying out of the way is my plan." Sean said. His captain patted his back sympathetically.

"Once we kill the one with the scythe, we can use the Ope Ope no Mi to get you a new arm. Maybe steal his own. Or one from Rachel, if you don't mind the long nails." Felix grinned. Sean rolled his eyes.

"Any arm will do. I don't think I can complain."

Outside, on his way to the dock, Maru was nearly skipping with excitement. He had spent years searching for the man known as Trafalgar Law. Now he was dead, but his daughter lived on. How dare he think he could have a happy family with someone else? His sister had died, and that man had just gone and found another woman? No... He'd enjoy tearing her apart.

Maru was stopped by a marine just before he reached his ship. The soldier looked terrified.

"S-sir... I have a m-message for you from f-fleet admiral Lucci." The soldier stuttered out. Maru nodded and waited. The marine fumbled in his pockets and pulled out a log pose. "Th-this will lead to the nearest island to Raftel... The fleet will meet there then move on to the island itself..."

"Direct navigation is impossible, huh? Alright. We'll be there, but if you're late, we're going on without you. I have people to maim and torture." Maru turned away from the marine, who sighed in relief. Maru grinned, deciding Law's spawn would still be there when he arrived, and spun on his heel, transforming his arm into claws and swiping them across the marine's chest. "Time for some on the job training. I'm sure the fleet admiral would approve."

"N-no! Please, don't kill me!" The marine sank to the ground, a hand on his chest, trying to hold the shallow wounds closed.

"Kill you? Why would I kill you? I'm going to eat your arms. Maybe your legs, too. I'm a bit hungry." Maru lunged at the marine, but a sword flashed in front of his face, leaving his claws blunt. "Musei, I should have seen you coming. We really should put a bell on you." Not interested in fighting one of his fellow warlords yet, Maru turned back to his ship. The marine looked up at Musei gratefully.

"Thank you sir! You saved me!"

Musei raised an eyebrow at the man's vigorous thanks, then turned away as well without a word.

The silent man walked along the deck, looking around at the marines and pirates assembling the supplies that would last them to the end of the world and back, if they were lucky. He found the ship he had been assigned to. Admiral Shu greeted him.

"Musei, you will be traveling aboard my ship." Shu extended a hand to the silent man, who did not take it. Instead, he walked past the marine and onto the ship. He had heard of the man. He had the ability to rust metal to nothing. He had destroyed one of the swords of Roronoa Zoro once. That was enough for the pirate to distrust him. That sword had been a work of art. "Right then. Make yourself at home."

The pirate closed his eyes and thought for a moment. Fifty marines on each of three ships. Thirty more on Felix and Sean's crew. Thirty or so on Bar's. And finally, fourty men following Maru. A little over 250 men. He thought back to what Aaron had said before. 4 in 1000. 1 in 250. I will be that one.

He looked at the marines and pirates that rushed around him. The odds were good that all of them would die.

It was worth the risk.

Line -

"Captain, are you certain that waiting is a good idea? We're only giving them more time to gain strength." One of the pirates asked. Nathaniel waved him off, checking his map.

"The Straw Hat Pirates are done for. The marines and the warlords are coming for them. We're going to lend them a helping hand when they arrive, but until then, it is us who must grow stronger." The Black Dragon grinned and pointed at the horizon where an island had come into view. "There! The graves are there!"

"C-captain?" The man looked at the approaching land, unease twisting in his stomach.

"That island is the resting place of Monkey D. Luffy. He would not have left his ability laying around if he could help it. I'd bet anything one of his crew brought it back here and buried it with him. I was forced to settle for an inferior Logia, I will have the Paramecia I desire!" He jumped up onto the railing, then kicked off, enormous black wings unfolding to catch the air. He beat his wings with all his strength and shot ahead of the ship.

When he landed, he had a moment of uncertainty. The bladed staff that stood above him had once belonged to the legendary Whitebeard, who his own mentor had killed. And Straw Hat Luffy had in turn killed Blackbeard. And, as was becoming the tradition of Pirate Kings, Luffy died on his own terms. Not this time. Shaking away his second thoughts, the pirate emperor began his work.

Line -

"Bad move, Nathaniel... Very bad move." Sabo smirked out over the ocean. He had just received word that yet another ship would be joining them.

"Sabo! Will we be joining them immediately, or waiting until they need help?" Koala asked, standing next to him.

"We will wait. Our spies say they are sending a more concentrated force. Not even 300 men, although many are stronger. Shanks and Marco will hold back too, but I'm afraid our newest party guests will not be so kind." The blone haired man leaned back on the railing and tipped his hat back with his steel pole, looking at the girl beside him. "Nervous?"

"No... I was, but they've become so strong in the last year... I don't think they'll need our help. Is this it then? The storm that you said was coming?" She looked up at him questioningly. He shook his head.

"Not exactly. The storm will start when the battle ends. Dragon explained the theory he and Robin came up with." Sabo remembered how clear the entire plan seemed when the brilliant revolutionary he had looked to as a father had explained to them. Combined with the knowledge and theories of the others, they were sure they knew what was coming. It filled him with anticipation and fear. "Imagine a large glass plate balanced on a tiny upturned cup. On top of the plate, there are many small cups sitting on the edges. The cups are light, and any way you arrange them, their weight can not shift the plate off of it's balance, precarious though it may be. The plate is the world, and the cups are the people who live on it."

"I understand, I think..." Koala lied. It made no sense at all. Sabo laughed and walked to a table, setting up a small model. It did not do justice to the intricate model his mentor had shown them, but it would do the trick, he hoped. He turned a plate upside down on a shot glass, then set small paper cups around the edge in various arrangements, showing they had not power to tip the plate.

"Now, we aren't alone. We're weighed down by three great powers we can not understand that have taken it upon themselves to drive us where they please." He carefully filled the cups with water now, carefully scooting them around until they toppled the plate. "Under that oppression, the world can be brought down if it falls out of balance."

"Oh... Like the world government's balance of power with the warlords and emperors." Koala said. Sabo nodded.

"Sort of. Except there is a cup on the edge of that plate for every man, woman, and child in the world. Not every one is completely under a single will. Most have a bit of all three, but many are ruled over by only one. Imagine that the plate has three focal points for the three great powers, all along the edge. A cup is positioned relative to these based on how much of each will weighs them down." He scattered the cups, balancing the plate with the now filled pieces of paper.

"Those near the focal points are the ones dominated by one will, and the ones nearer the center and other places have mixed wills, right?" The woman asked. Sabo nodded again. She was getting it.

"That's right. Because of these three powers, all of the cups are full, and will remain so as long as these three powers remain. One on hand, this leaves the world balanced. On the other, it leaves it under their weight, and eventually, the weight will shatter the plate and the cups will be no more." Sabo gestured with his hands, indicating the collapse of the plate.

"Then... We have to get rid of the water." Koala said, worried now.

"What happens to our model if we remove on will? It's water will disappear from all the cups, and it's place will be taken by the remaining two. This will move all the cups away from the first focal point, and the world will fall out of balance." Sabo explained. He saw her nod in understanding.

"How, then? Can they all be removed at once?"

"Not likely. The plate falling out of balance is the storm that is coming, and it can end one of two ways. The complete collapse of one will being removed is one."

"Then what is the other?" Koala was looking at the cups in concern. They were caught in the middle of this struggle and had no idea that they dangled over a terrible fate out of their control.

"This." Sabo grinned as he lifted a heavy steel cup and sat it perfectly in the center. Koala raised an eyebrow. "Imagine removing one of the three now." The revolutionary leader yanked away a third of the cups, causing the plate to tremble suddenly, shaking all the cups for a moment before it came back to rest under the weight of the center cup. "A fourth will. Hope." He snatched away another third, dumping them as well. After the plate settled, he finished the other third, finally replacing all the empty cups around the edge. Then he removed the center cup, leaving the plate balanced happily again, without the oppressive weight above it.

"A storm that doesn't destroy the plate... Some of the cups will fall though. Those near the focal points at the edge. The tremors will send them over the edge." Koala noted. "And what happens to the cup that provided the weight to stabilize the plate? It wasn't filled with water, it was that heavy on it's own. The plate can't handle that for... Oh... I see." She frowned, looking down at the metal cup that had not been put back on the plate. "So that is why the Pirate Kings kept going willingly to their deaths... They knew about this all along..."

"That's right..." Sabo hugged her. "There must be something to the mechanics of removing the three powers we don't understand. Something that stopped them from doing it themselves. They kept passing it on. Now it falls to Ace. But the plate has been under the weight of the water for too long, and I don't think it will last until another comes along. The storm is coming one way or another. It's up to Ace whether it ends with the destruction of the three powers, or the destruction of all things."

"And then... He will die, won't he? Just like his father... That isn't fair, Sabo..." Koala picked up the heavy steel cup and looked it over. "He didn't get any choice in this... He inherited a death sentence."

"He did. But that is part of the Will of D. The fourth will. He was born with not only the strength to do all this, but the strength to face it with a smile on his face." Sabo whispered to her. He reached over and sat the steel cup down on the table around the balanced plate, where other steel cups, and other paper cups stood without fear of falling. "Once he's off the plate, he'll have no more worries. Maybe that is what makes them smile. Maybe they can see over the edge of the plate at the end..."

"You think there is a next life?" Koala asked. She sounded on the edge of tears.

"Yes. And I want to smile as I go into it, just like my brothers. They'll be waiting there for me." Sabo smiled sadly at her, then kissed her softly. "Don't worry. I'll be waiting there for you when it is finally your turn. Death isn't something to be afraid of."

"What about Blackbeard? He didn't smile when he died. He cried in terror... What did he see?" Koala asked.

"I think he fell farther than the table... I think he just kept falling. And he saw it coming, too. The Will of D is a blessing and a curse, I suppose." Sabo couldn't find any pity in his heart for the pirate that had helped take his brother from this world. "So, Koala, are you ready to face this storm, and see if the world remains when it has passed?"

"Yes. I'm ready." She kissed him back and then turned to the plate, wondering if it would shatter, fall, or remain when all was through.

Line -

"Golasi! What have you done?!" Aegiel shouted furiously at his brother. "You sent back one of them! One of the D's! He could be the end of us all!"

"I confess, I did not know he was a D when I sent him back, but he follows the other one, and that one made a vow to me. It is you and our brother who need fear, not I. You failed to kill Garp, as well. There are four with his will now. Will it be like the other times? Will he choose to walk away and leave it to another?" Golasi laughed at his brother's angry pacing.

"You fool! You are joking about the destruction of all we have worked for! This has not happened for over eight hundred years! We wiped out an entire kingdom to stop it from happening again, and here you have gone and let them pass by!"

"You stole my kingdom and left me in a pit to rot! What help do I owe you? When he rises up and destroys you, I will take everything you have ever held dear, and then you will know what it is to stand in the shadow of your brother!" Golasi grinned as the elder brother stormed out of the room. He had taken a risk, but he would enjoy watching the show. One way or another, his brothers would fall.

Line -

Rachel yawned and stretched, then looked at the man sleeping next to her. That had been unexpected, but not unwelcome. She smiled and sat up, looking around the room. There was another set of bunk beds across the room, completely empty. Soul and Ace lived in one room, Callan and Steel in one, and Roger had the luxury of an entire room to himself, at least until their crew picked up another man.

She looked down at the floor where her clothes were scattered, intermixed with the red headed swordsman's. She saw the three swords laying together and grinned. Her two problem children and his haki imbued blade were resting together as if it were Zoro's room. She blushed, imagining Olivia's reaction if she ever found out that she had been thinking about the doctor's father for even one instant of sleeping with her crush. She felt a little guilty, but she had not forced the cook into anything. He had made his own choice, and the doctor had accepted it graciously. More so than Rachel would have, had their places been reversed.

The man she was resting against stirred, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her back down close. She could have purred at the way his hands felt.

"Rachel... Is it morning?" Roger kissed her as he stretched under the covers. She looked around the room, seeing no windows.

"I... Don't really know. You don't have windows. Which is probably a good thing..." She grinned and lay back next to him.

"Listen..." He went quiet for a moment, and she could vaguely make out the sound of a guitar somewhere on deck. "Cora's up and playing, so it's still early. I won't need to cook breakfast for an hour or so."

"An hour? That's all the time in the world." She grinned, rolling on top of him.

Outside on the deck, Cora was the first awake, playing on her guitar without thinking as she watched the sunrise. Ace would sleep in today, after staying up nearly till dawn with Rachel's crew. Roger was undoubtedly busy again by now. He always woke up early. Soul or Callan were probably going to be the next person on deck. She hoped it was Soul.

She got her wish twenty minutes later when the shipwright walked out of the workshop with half of his hair sticking straight up. He'd fallen asleep on his worktable again. She grinned and picked up the pace of her playing.

"Now comes a storm through the far-off sky. Now the waves are dancing, beat upon the drums. If you lose your nerve this breath could be your last, but if you just hold on, the morning sun will rise!" She sang softly as he walked over. She stopped playing when he sat next to her.

"My favorite verse." He smiled at her, then looked out at the horizon where a lone island waited. "We're really going to do it. We're going to see Ace become the Pirate King."

"Of course we are. Did you ever have a doubt?" She asked, setting her guitar off to the side.

"No, but it still feels like a dream. I thought we were in trouble a few times, but we have always pulled through." Soul pulled an apple from the air and cut it in half with his second ability, offering part to the musician beside him. She accepted and ate it quietly.

"This isn't the end of the adventure, though." Ace's voice came to them from the figure head. They both jumped slightly and looked at the man who was nestled among the spikes of the dragon's neck, hat pulled over his eyes.

"You slept out here?" Soul asked. Ace nodded.

"I had to see it first. Raftel... Everything is going to change. The marines and warlords and Nathaniel are all coming. I can feel them. We'll only beat them to the shore by a day. And when we beat them, then the real battle begins. We have to fight an enemy we can't even begin to understand..." Ace frowned at the island as he pushed the hat back on his head.

"We're with you all the way, Captain." Soul said calmly. Cora nodded.

"Thanks. And I'll protect you all the way. Even if I have to kick down death's door and drag you back myself." He grinned at Soul and jumped gracefully to the deck, hand on his hat. "I'm going to get some sleep. I slipped away from the party, but never ended up going to bed. Soul, keep things running while I'm out."

"Yes, Captain." Soul lay back on the deck, looking upside down at the door to the sleeping quarters. "Wonder when Roger's going to get up and make breakfast..."

"If I were in his shoes, I wouldn't be leaving my room till noon. There's probably some leftovers from the party. We could pretend we're functioning adults and feed ourselves." Cora teased. He sighed and closed his eyes, concentrating hard. She watched, impressed, as a plate of left over fish came to them under his power.

"Kitchen is just within range." He smirked and ate a piece. "This ability is hard to get the hang of... I'm afraid I'll lose control of it and kill someone I care about..."

"I trust you." Cora took a piece then lay back next to him, staring at the light blue sky passing over them. "I know almost nothing about my father... And nothing about my mother. You guys are the only real family I've ever had."

"This crew is a family. Even for those of us who knew our parents." Soul said. He raised an eyebrow when he saw a flutter of wings on the roof of the kitchen. "Looks like Callan never made it back to his room last night. Bet Olivia fell asleep on his wing and he didn't have the heart to wake her up."

"You're probably right." Cora grinned as she saw the doctor sit up with a silly smile on her face. "Hope she was dreaming about him, not Roger, or this morning is going to be intensely uncomfortable."

Up on the roof, Olivia was finally stirring. Callan had to supress the urge to wimper with relief. His wing was killing him. It had been trapped beneath her for hours, and he could barely feel more than a dull ache past his shoulder blade. As she sat up, he immediately stretched the abused appendage, wincing at the sudden rush of blood causing a prickling sensation.

"Oh, Callan... I guess I fell asleep... You didn't have to stay with me you know." Olivia noticed the wing he was stretching and gasped. "You let me sleep on your wing all night?! Stupid! Let me see, now!" She immediately began checking over his sore appendage until she was satisfied she had caused no lasting damage. "You should have made me move... I could have seriously screwed up your wing!"

"It's alright. You looked like you were sleeping well, and I enjoyed being your pillow, even if I am a bit sore." He smiled at her and she blushed, resisting the urge to jump straight to the shower room and douse herself in icy water. There was no way she would admit to what the feeling of feathers on her shoulders had made her dream about.

The angel man noticed the tinge of pink on her cheek, and grinned. Maybe it was worth the pain.

Steel had fallen asleep in the crow's nest once again. It happened more often than not recently. Hearing his little sister's voice had both brought him immense joy and great sadness, knowing it could be a long time before he saw her again. She might not be such a little girl then... Would she hate him if she grew up while he was gone? Would he hate himself?

No. He was doing the right thing. Even his father had supported him for the first time in his life.

"Steel, there is no more honorable course you could take in life than following the son of the late Pirate King. We will await your return patiently. I'm proud of you." Mihawk has said through the tone dial.

"I miss you big brother! Come back soon! I love you!" Sabre's voice had been excited and sad at the same time. Just like he had felt when he heard it.

"Our door is always open, son... Just come home safe, okay?" His mother had been reluctant to accept his decision, but his father had defended him this time. It was an amazing feeling, knowing his father approved for once. To be accepted and not pushed or pulled along a path he did not want to take.

He looked out the window at the approaching island. Raftel. The Place of the King. Rough Tale, some called it. Others said it was taken from Laughter, because of the Pirate King smiling at his execution. Who really knew? Certainly not him.

Kuina checked their course as soon as she awoke, then jumped to the kitchen. Looking out the window, she could see Soul and Cora sitting on the deck with their legs dangling through the railing, and Ace sitting on the figure head. She could feel two forms on the roof with her mantra and assumed it was Callan and Olivia. That was a good sign. Roger and Rachel had not made an appearance yet. Steel was almost certainly in the crow's nest. She remembered her mother telling stories about her father spending all his time alone in the crow's nest. Was Steel like him? If she ever had the opportunity to introduce him to her mother, she would ask.

She jumped to the figure head, sitting with her back against the captain's, handing him a plate of leftovers as she ate her own.

"I checked the Alliance Pose. The Red Hair Pirates, The Whitebeard Pirates, and the Revolutionary Army are all waiting nearby, but not moving closer. I think they want to see what we can do on our own." Kuina said.

"Then we'll give them a show." Ace grinned. It made him feel better to know he had such powerful allies waiting to help if they needed it, and he was grateful they were giving him the chance to handle it on his own.

"Tomorrow?" She asked.

"Tomorrow." Ace examined the hat in his hands. Scarred, stitched, burned, worn... It had seen this island before.

I'm home. He could almost hear a whisper in the wind as the edges of the hat rippled in the breeze. Unseen, a barrier dissolved between them and the island. A man with the Will of D and the hat of straw had once again sailed to the end of the Grand Line. A storm was coming.

Slightly longer than planned, but i think it went well.

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