Notes: Hello! Remember that this is not my native language so if you see misspellings you would help me a lot by pointing out and explaining those mistakes.
Peace, order and development. The ninja world had reached a time of tranquility after so many wars until the end. Only one person somehow managed to survive that extinction.
'How can I live with them dead?' Sakura thought in the middle of a crisis.
Her mind was disconnected from her body until for fate's sake, Sakura came across the whitebeard pirates and her life took a 180° turn and entered a new chapter in her life. The last ninja has entered the great pirate age!
Once they were within a safe distance to not be followed, the two stopped walking and Sakura let go of Ace's hand.
The two stopped when they found a corner where no one could disturb them. They had proposed and accepted the appointment in the fervor of the moment, and without the pirates insisting, everything changed.
"Do you want to go on a date? If it bothers you, we can just take a walk, get lost for a while, and then come back," Sakura said. One of them had to take the first step, she didn't want Ace to do something that would upset him, It's not like they are in love with each other, and that is why they have decided to go out on a date. She wanted to give him a chance to let go at this point before it got more awkward.
Ace rubbed his hand on the back of his neck.
"It's not this," Ace said with a grimace. "I've never been on a date, I don't know what we can do."
"...Actually, I haven't been on a date either if we omit the two and a half minutes..." She tried to say it humorously. As she expected, their eyes met and they laughed at the situation.
"It's a bit strange," Ace said, brightened up now when he realized they seemed to have the same problem. "You should have some idea or heard from your friends, didn't you say they got married? Or they also had dates as short as yours."
Sakura laughed.
"I don't think there's another couple with the shortest date" Sakura scoffed. The awkwardness gradually faded as the two talked. She silently thanked it. "Our life was very busy, although after the fourth shinobi world war was relaxed with the peace treaty with the five great ninja nations-"
"Whoa!, Fourth shinobi world war? You haven't told us! What happened?" Ace exclaimed. Bright stars of emotion appeared in his eyes.
"I think a normal date would be going for a walk, going to eat, walking in the woods. It was very popular to go to the top of the Hokage's monument, the highest part of the village, to have a romantic candlelight dinner with flowers and best, see the stars. Of course that is ruled out, there is no time; we would have to look for a high place and prepare ourselves with several things to be able to do that, and from what I heard today there is a new moon so the moon will not be seen, which is one of the attractions of that date."
She had no idea why she mentioned the last romantic date option. Maybe because deep down she always envied all the couples who had that type of date and she discarded it when she realized that it would never happen with Sasuke. Once, when they were married, she mentioned it as a popular event among civilians, and upon hearing him say it was too cheesy, she decided to change the subject. It's not like she was able to keep thinking about that idea either, with her hectic lifestyle, she buried her romantic side, accepting the love Sasuke gave her and what she could offer him in exchange for it.
"Mmm, it's hard to choose," Ace said, a small bead of sweat rolling down his chin.
Seeing him consider the options so seriously was more enjoyable than Sakura could have expected. She wanted to tell him, it was enough for her that he took the fake date so seriously. She had no expectations about dating. Instead, she was given an inexplicable desire to move on, to experience what her friends felt, even though there were no feelings between them. "How about we take a walk around? The important thing is to have fun."
At this, Ace brightened up. It sounded simple but perfect for both of them; Sakura would be able to learn more about the people of the island and on her way, they would be able to stop at one or another food stall, -something that Ace was looking forward to-.
They went straight to the center of the city, where it was livelier. Shops were open until late at night and apparently, there was a small fair with game and food stalls that Sakura hadn't seen. As Ace realized this, he took her to the fair.
They played catch fish and plastic ducks, both laughing when the toy they were trying to catch slipped off the net and splashed on them. They had a small dart-throwing competition, and after a few rounds when they both realized that the other's aim always hit the center, it ended in a tie. The rematch was the game of inserting the rings in the bottles, won by Sakura much to the misfortune of Ace. Then they went to the house of terror where Sakura was clinging to Ace's arm as soon as a ghost came out, he laughed out loud all the way because of the scared gestures that Sakura was making clinging to his arm. She was so scared of the ghosts that she didn't pay attention to Ace until they came out of the haunted house. She tried to punch him in the arm but it only went through fire, it only made Ace laugh harder and annoyed Sakura more.
"I'll take revenge, you'll see when I discover your fear," Sakura said huffingly.
Since Sakura still had her hand on Ace's forearm, he took the opportunity to pull her closer to him.
"Why would I be afraid?" I'm a pirate, risk comes in the package," the young pirate sneered.
Sakura huffed between annoyed and amused. Before she could answer him, her gaze fell on a stand where they were using pistols.
"Do you want to try?" Ace asked.
"Yes, on my island there were no guns" Sakura admitted.
Both went to the stand.
"I would have liked to see your island, it sounds more secluded than Wano," Ace said.
'You have no idea' Sakura thought.
"Do you want to try it?" the stall owner asked as the two approached.
Sakura removed her hand from Ace's arm and reached for one of the toy pistols that were reloaded at the front of the booth while Ace paid for the round.
She has seen a lot of people use guns. She found it curious how they had managed to make a lethal weapon that uses such little ammunition, in her opinion she still preferred kunai and shuriken. The weapon in her hands was less heavy than she expected, although perhaps since it was a toy it was different from a real one. Sakura tried to imitate the posture of some shooters.
"No, you're doing it wrong. That's how you're going to hit the wall," Ace said.
"How is it?"
The commander approached the pinkhead standing to one side behind her.
"Since it's a long weapon you have to use both hands," Ace whispered almost into Sakura's ear. With his hands, he corrected Sakura's posture. "This way you will have more firmness when you make the shot."
Sakura felt a chill, the skin on her neck prickling as she felt Ace's breath on her ear. She was suddenly very aware of the commander's warmth towards her back, she felt as pleasant as the nights they stayed side by side on the deck admiring the night while talking about trivialities, only more intimate. A nice, familiar tingle settled in her belly. Her skin tingled in the trail that Ace left as he touched her to correct her posture, she could feel the roughness of his hands from the years and years of training until he became the man he is now: The commander of the second division.
"Since it's your first time, I recommend you stand like this and —" Boom! Both jumped. As soon as Sakura felt Ace's hands on her waist, she accidentally pulled the trigger.
As expected, the kunoichi didn't shoot any target.
"..."
"Sorry, I fired soon. I thought you taught me enough about posture and using the sight to aim the gun and I felt ready to shoot. I didn't expect you to continue with the explanation. I didn't react fast enough to stop my finger." Sakura said, with her voice flat and emotionless.
She scolded herself for speaking with this tone. Her friends knew that she gave explanations like that when she was embarrassed and wanted to hide it. Sakura was ashamed until she realized she was with Ace. She only used it once and it was today with Marco when she asked for clothes.
"Okay, it's rare that they hit the center the first time. Do I help you?"
He once again stuck to her and explained, unaware of her discomfort. This time Sakura put her feelings aside and focused on the lesson. The next shot was close to the target, the third grazed it, and she managed to knock it over by the fifth shot.
"I did it!" Sakura yelled with joy. She felt the same euphoria when she hit a target for the first time with a kunai at the academy.
"I didn't expect less. Your aim is very good, you have a gorgeous and attractive teacher," Ace said, proudly as he gave himself an air of greatness.
This time, she blushed at the unexpected compliment.
"I can't believe you know the word gorgeous," she scoffed.
"Hey!"
They both laughed.
Once they left the booth after a few rounds, both of their attention was caught by booths that were in opposite directions.
"Sakura, wait for me here, I'll be right back," Ace said.
"Yo también voy a un stand, ¿Dejamos el punto de encuentro aquí?"
"Yeah"
They separated to go to the positions that had caught their attention, it was going to be so fast that they didn't see anything wrong with separating. When they returned, both had the purchased item behind their backs so that the other would not see it. Amusement flashed in their eyes as they realized each other's intentions.
"Shall we show it to three?" Ace asked.
"Yeah."
"One, two, three."
At the same time, they stretched out the arm with the hidden object towards the other. They both laughed seeing that they had the same idea. Ace was giving Sakura a pink flower made out of cotton candy. As soon as he saw the stall, he remembered that she had said that flowers are given on a date, since it was made of cotton it seemed more practical than a flower that withers. On the other hand, Sakura was giving him a couple of candy apples. On a date, it's usually the man who gives the woman a gift. This time she wanted to be the one to give the man something. Instead of red roses, she thought Ace would appreciate red candy apples.
The two followed the tour, played games, ate their gifts, tried food from other stalls, went to stalls that drew the attention of Sakura and others to Ace and were embarrassed when the fake wedding stall invited them to get married.
After a while, they entered a restaurant where they ate, the one who obviously ate the most was Ace. His plates were just piling up, to Sakura's surprise. He still hadn't fallen asleep so until now, the kunoichi hadn't had to stop his face from getting smeared in food and accidentally choking to death.
"Sakura," Ace muttered as he chewed.
"Don't talk with your mouth full," she said automatically.
He looked around and without letting go of the piece of meat in his hands, he approached Sakura. She also leaned in to listen to him.
"Do you have money? I only have a few berries left."
"What!?"
Ace covered her mouth as soon as people noticed them.
"Shh, they're going to listen to you," Ace whispered.
"Why did you have to say it until now," she muttered angrily. If they had known, they would not come in to eat. With what she has spent she does not have much money left and she doubted that it would be enough to pay her bill. At least she already knew why she still hadn't fallen asleep.
"Do you have any ideas?"
She thought about it for a moment. "Follow me."
Before he even said yes, he saw her grab a plate and smash it to the floor. Ace and everyone inside the restaurant turned to see her. Sakura's face contorted showing anger and pain, her eyes shone with the tears that gathered and her shoulders trembled.
Before he even said yes, he saw her grab a plate and smash it to the floor. Ace and everyone inside the restaurant turned to see her. Sakura's face contorted showing anger and pain, her eyes glistening with pooling tears and her shoulders trembled.
"How dare you cheat on me!" I'm not an idiot! Sakura yelled, grabbing another of Ace's plates and throwing it away. Ace barely dodged it.
"Eh?"
"Don't say eh" Sakura picked up a rag and hit him on the arm. To the others, she seemed to have hit him very hard, in fact, she didn't. "By chance, I came to this island with my friends to have fun and I found you! I thought it was a big surprise but when I followed you I found you with another one!"
The kunoichi followed hitting him with the rag causing Ace to get up from his seat. She stopped until they were standing in the middle of the restaurant with all eyes on them!
Ace was confused until he caught the whispers.
"Looks like they caught him."
"Poor devil, if he's going to do it, he should be more careful."
"He deserves it for being unfaithful."
"It's not what you think!" Ace said once he understood. He raised his hands as a sign of surrender.
" Isn't that what I think? My friends warned me not to trust pirates! What a fool I was!" The pinkhead put down the rag and began to hit him, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Ace took the arms of Sakura who was trying to hit him, pulled her closer to his chest, and hugged her. "No. All the time I've thought of you, I wouldn't dare to deceive you."
"Liar! You disappeared after we slept together! You left me alone with a note saying that your ship was setting sail! I waited for you for days, there wasn't a day that I didn't think of you. I thought you were dead!" She screamed inconsolably.
La gente dentro del establecimiento susurraba. El evento frente a sus ojos fue más emocionante que una novela.
"Uhh, all that remains is for the woman to have gotten pregnant"
"This is good.".
"I couldn't stay! I am a pirate, my life is at sea," said Ace.
"And that's why you go with another woman." She pulled away from Ace's embrace. She took a plate from the man sitting at the table next to her and threw it. "Wicked womanizer!"
They passed her a beer and she threw it at him.
"No! She was just a woman I asked her about a store I love you! Join our crew."
Sakura kept quiet.
The tension rose as the viewers watched as Ace and Sakura stared at each other without saying a word. They were on the edge of their seats waiting to continue watching the drama.
"I, I…" Sakura ran out of the restaurant.
"Wait!" Ace yelled running after her.
People booed saying they wanted to know what happened next.
In a far corner of the restaurant, a freckled black-haired man was laughing out loud and a pink-haired woman was trying to be offended. Actually, her lips switched in an attempt to keep from smiling; instead, she wiped away the fake tears that drenched her cheeks.
"That was cool! Such a thing would never have occurred to me. All this time I have left the bill to others. Or how since I was a child, I ran leaving the bill."
"You'd better pay the bill next time," Sakura scolded without anger.
"We have to try again, maybe we can-"
"I think you guys have influenced me too much," Sakura interrupted. This style of doing crazy things suited Naruto better, usually, she was the one who scolded him. On the other hand, she had to admit that it was more fun than she expected, although she had to be the responsible Sakura again. They couldn't go into all the restaurants to do the same drama. "I'm not going back to Whitebeard to ask for more money."
"You're right, we should do something else."
Neither of them thought that since they didn't have money they could end the date.
"Why don't we go to a casino?" Sakura said.
"Do people go to a casino to date?"
"We're not a normal couple," Sakura told him with a half smile "It could be fun, besides, it brought back memories of my teacher. She was an inveterate gambler."
"Let's go to the casino," Ace said immediately, taking Sakura's hand before walking away.
Of all the casinos, they decided to go to the biggest and most glamorous "The Golden Dragon". Unfortunately, at the entrance, they were stopped saying that the wardrobe of both was not the etiquette . Ace was already ready to get in trouble with the guard until Sakura stopped him and kindly asked if there was a place where they could rent "proper" clothes. A couple of buildings down, the security guard pointed out a clothing store. They suspected it was some kind of casino trick to make extra money—as if they didn't already make enough from gambling—and they went to a suit rental.
When they came out of the changing rooms, the two looked at each other from head to toe.
"I didn't think I'd see you with your torso covered."
"I didn't think I'd see you with another color than red."
Sakura laughed. Now that she thinks about it, she usually wears the color red a lot. Maybe because of her hair color, it is the one that best combines.
"Now we're ready to go in," said Ace.
Ace stood in front of the pinkhead, leaned forward in an exaggerated arch with his back, and his hand reaching out to Sakura.
"Sweet lady, may I walk you to the casino?" He said, with a teasing tone.
Sakura took his hand.
"Of course, handsome gentleman."
The two laughed at the little jokes. As they were now let through, as Sakura entered she let out a shocked sigh as she saw that the interior seemed much more glamorous than the exterior; marble columns, folds and ornaments made of pure gold, and a ceiling covered with paintings of angels who seemed to dance on the clouds. Of course, not only was the structure vast and magnificent, but the people inside were much more extravagantly dressed than them. At a glance, they could calculate that the jewelry worn by the majority was worth a lot, a lot of money.
The two had fun in their way; Ace went to attack the buffet as soon as he heard that it was free and Sakura got down to business with the bets, especially in the card game. Ace with a plate overflowing with food in hand, encouraged her.
Unlike Tsunade, she didn't have the curse of losing at bets. For Sakura, poker is more a game of wit than luck. In the early rounds, Sakura won. She amassed a decent amount of money until the time came when she began the discreet win-lose dance to avoid suspicion of cheating. Because she had a photographic memory and great analytical skills, it did not make her very popular in the casinos every time she looked for her master.
"You're very good," Ace said, once Sakura had a large amount of chips piled up next to her.
As Sakura played, she would sometimes stop Ace's head when he fell asleep while eating -she didn't know how he could tune out the world and still keep his plate and cutlery in hand-, scold him when he tried to distract her. Or make her laugh when he described the funny faces other participants were making.
After a while, a worker discreetly approached both of them and whispered a couple of words to them. They were invited to go to the VIP room.
"Do you want to go?" Sakura asked. She didn't want to decide on her own, this was supposed to be a date. They already had more than enough money to spend the rest of the day.
"Why not? We can get richer. If we're still here, I can eat for free."
The cooks, without knowing the reason, began to cry while cooking at an alarming rate because the food on the buffet was running out.
They accepted the proposal. Sakura gave him half the fortune in chips she had amassed once they were told each one had to have money to gamble. Sakura thought it was a bit strange, but since they were having such a good time she decided to let it slide.
They followed the worker down a hallway until they reached a golden elevator that led to the top floor of the building. Like the ground floor, the long corridor was decorated with marble and gold. The only difference is that there were priceless paintings, statues that every collector wished they had, and jewel-encrusted armor of gold and silver.
The casino owner is a person who likes to show off.
At the end of the hall, they stopped when they came to a large, beautifully carved double-door cedar door. The worker knocked on the door a couple of times until from inside, two workers opened it wide.
The room was large, dark, and gold toned, with a roaring fireplace in one corner, and on the opposite side was a spirit bar with a bartender waiting for his next customer. Around there were different gambling games that ranged from cards to dice, among others, and at the end of the room there was another door that led to another room. The place was up to a VIP stay, there were only a few customers, which made it more special.
Near the bar, there was a group of men chatting and laughing with cigars in their hands. In the center of the group, there was a not very tall man with sparse gray hair that adorned his shiny head like a crown, his clothes looked luxurious and on each of his fingers he had a gold ring and large jewels of different colors. He was clearly the owner of the casino.
"You!"
Players, employees, and the owner watched the person who yelled. Ace and Sakura were surprised, of all the people they could run into, there in front of them pointing at them was none other than Ethan. He was no longer covered in blood but his face was starting to swell like a raspberry, he had dark spots on his skin and he was missing a couple of teeth.
"They're the ones who humiliated me! Father, catch and punish them!"
Father?!
No one expected the casino owner to hit Ethan on the back of the head so hard that he took a couple of steps forward until he managed to regain his balance. Ethan turned to look at his father in fear.
The owner looked angry at his son for making a scandal, so that his shoulders went up and down from how hard he was breathing.
"¿Eres estúpido?" Su atronadora voz resonó por toda la habitación. "Seguro que hiciste algo estúpido otra vez. No puedo creer que naciste de tu madre".
"F-f-father-"
He received another blow from his father. No one around came to help.
"Everyone is a potential customer. How often do I have to tell you not to get in trouble? You just made one of our best customers uncomfortable. It's not for nothing that they've come this far" He stopped yelling at his son. The owner brushed past him until he was facing Ace and Sakura. His gestures changed radically, showing a good-natured face that did not seem to match the anger of a few moments ago. "I hope you both can get through this unpleasant time."
He snapped his fingers, and seconds later some servants arrived with a tray of drinks and approached the customers.
"I know it's not enough to make up for the unpleasant scene, as compensation, the house will offer better rewards in their games. If they win, of course."
Ace and Sakura took one of the drinks from the tray, the other players did the same although they muttered excitedly about how this problem came as a blessing in disguise. Soon enough, the other customers resumed their games leaving Ace and Sakura with the owner.
"My name is Drack Edric." He held out his hand in greeting.
Ace took it. He said "Portgas D. Ace."
"Haruno Sakura."
"Ah, a commander of the Whitebeard crew," Edric's eyes sparkled in recognition, "It was foolish of my son to mess with someone like you, I hope you'll forgive him."
"I wasn't the one who hit your son," Ace said with amusement before pointing at Sakura. "Sakura did it, he messed with the wrong person and now I'm lucky enough to go on a date with her."
Edric sized up Sakura who was looking sheepishly at Ace, the two of them had their hands entwined. In front of everyone, it seemed like love at first sight and they were very happy that because of Ethan they had accidentally gotten together.
"Ha ha! young love, unexpected encounters are the best" Edric said "You did very well to hit my son, you must have been very angry for a girl like you to leave him like that."
Sakura dared to blush a bit more to keep up her performance.
"I'm so sorry about this.
"On the contrary, he deserves it. His father's success has made him think he's the king of the island," Edric huffed. "How about playing? I assure you, the rewards for winning will be irresistible. Take it as a courtesy for the trouble caused by my foolish son."
"I play!" Ace exclaimed excitedly.
Sakura wanted to stop him, about to say it wasn't a good idea, but he had already run off to play dice.
Idiot! Sakura thought annoyed. Knowing that the gains were greater also meant that the risks would be higher for both sides.
"How can we be sure that if we win, they won't retaliate to get the gold back?" Sakura asked insightfully. If there was one thing he had learned well from her teacher, who was an inveterate gambler, it was that bookmakers were rarely kind in two situations: when their players lose and can't pay, or when they lose a large sum of money.
"Ho ho darling, you don't have to worry. I ate the Deal-Deal Fruit. When I make a bet, I keep my promises to the person with whom I made the deal. If someone breaks that word, he will suffer near-death pain until he complies with the agreement."
That seemed to reassure Sakura a bit. Devil Fruits could be beneficial in more than one situation. In case Ace lost, she could make sure she won and not be left empty-handed. However, she was still feeling restless. If words have power here, that could only mean that Edric hasn't come to own a casino by being an honorable person.
"Will you not play the game? Under my supervision, my workers do not cheat," Edric asked.
"First, I'm going to get something to drink," Sakura said timidly. Like a skilled ninja, she chose to explore before taking action. Additionally, conversing with people other than Whitebeard's Pirates could provide her with new knowledge about this world, which could be useful when she eventually parted ways with them and sought a new home to rebuild her life as a ninja and start anew.
In the bar, Sakura engaged in conversations with people about their travels, islands, and the state of the World Government. It was uncommon to obtain information beyond the perception that pirates were enemies of the World Government and the Marines. Occasionally, she cast a glance at Ace to assess his state and how he was enjoying the occasion. However, she decided not to approach him.
"What! This can't be!" Ace suddenly exclaimed.
A group of men approached him, grabbing him by the arms and leading him to a table where a dark-haired man awaited. In the blink of an eye, Sakura left her seat and rushed over to the scene, realizing that Ace was being treated like a criminal after having been treated as a distinguished guest just moments ago.
"What's happening?" Sakura asked, bewildered.
"Sakura, don't intervene. I'll handle this," Ace assured her.
Around them, people began to whisper, and some even laughed, as if they had anticipated this outcome.
"Edric, what's going on?" Sakura demanded as she noticed that neither Ace nor his captors were providing explanations.
Edric observed the scene unperturbed, while Ethan, at his side, burst into laughter.
"Edric!" Sakura repeated, annoyed.
"Shut up, stupid girl," Edric responded with disdain.
"Don't talk to Sakura like that!" Ace protested. But before he could do anything, he was pushed, causing his head to hit the table.
"Mr. Edric, could you explain what's happening?" Sakura said, struggling to maintain her patience. If her analysis was correct, this man only responded to power, temptation, self-respect, and confidence in his own intelligence, above all else.
"Don't look at me like that. I'm the good guy; I'm just claiming what's rightfully mine."
"Yours?"
"That's right. Once he accepted the bet, the deal was sealed. It's not my fault that he accepted before specifying what he would bet once he ran out of money."
"How much does he owe? I have money," Sakura said, feeling relieved. If the issue was that Ace had run out of money, she had enough. Fortunately, they had split the money in half before entering.
Edric and his employees laughed as if they had heard something extremely funny. Sakura's skin prickled.
"I see you have a bad memory," Edric mocked. "Before entering, we told them they had to bring their own money. Here, each person is responsible for their own money. The mark on his neck shows that he's mine now since he lost the bet. Take him away."
"It's all right, Sakura. I'll find a way out of this. I'm a pirate," Ace said, determined.
The employees of Edric dragged Ace toward the small door located at the back. Sakura had to act quickly; there was no guarantee she could escape in a short amount of time. Involving Whitebeard and his crew wasn't a viable option either, as it would only cause chaos in the city. On the ship, everyone regarded each other as family. Though it had been a short time since she joined the crew, Sakura could sense that everyone held a great fondness for Ace, especially Whitebeard, who forgave all of his mischief or persuaded him to use his devil fruit powers for antics.
The door at the back swung open, revealing a room even more opulent than the VIP lounge. What was most heart-wrenching was to see a cage tucked in a corner, containing individuals who had undergone the same ordeal as Ace and awaited being sold or used at their owner's whim.
"Wait!" Sakura exclaimed as she hurried to the scene. "I can offer you something much better."
Edric raised his hand, signaling his guards to halt their dragging of Ace.
"I'm listening."
She knew it, she knew she could change his mind if she presented something more intriguing. After all, those who dabble with money always hunger for more.
"I'll wager my life—"
"Foolish girl, this man is worth 550,000,000. In the slave trade, I could fetch more. You don't hold much value on the market."
"I'm a medical ninja from Wano."
That seemed to pique his interest. Encounters with people from the secluded land of Wano were rare, let alone if they were ninjas.
"I'll be more useful to you as an assassin if you have enemies. I can collect and extort money from your debtors, gather information on the competition, I'm a healer, and I can identify poisons," Sakura said. She was a high stake, "Also, I am a guest of Captain Whitebeard. They invited me to join them, but I declined the offer."
"You lied to me! You said you came from a tourist ship!"
Edric covered his son's mouth. He pondered whether it was worth making this trade with a young woman like Sakura. He hadn't expected her to be a ninja from Wano, though he had to concede that what he'd heard about them suggested she tried to keep a low profile.
"No, Sakura! I'll take care of myself! Don't interfere!" She shot Ace a determined look.
"Fine, let's make a deal," Edric said. "We'll play two out of three games. If I win, I keep Ace and you. You'll serve me and my family loyally until your last breath."
"And if I win?"
"Do you think you can win?"
"That's why they're called gambling."
"You'll be able to take whatever you can carry."
That drew laughter from everyone except Sakura and Ace.
"Is that truly all you desire?" Edric gave her a second chance to say what she wanted.
"In all the games, you won't cease to observe the moves. And if I win, you, your family, employees, and associates won't attempt revenge or retaliation in any way."
One advantage of having a prodigious memory that rivaled that of the Nara clan was that she remembered Edric had claimed his workers didn't cheat under his watchful eye. That meant if he didn't oversee the game, they could cheat, enhancing their chances of winning. Sakura had to play not only with games of chance but also with words. Nothing surprising for someone experienced in politics, where words were sharper than kunai and reading between the lines carried more weight.
A malicious smile spread across Edric's lips.
"You're not as foolish as I thought. Alright, if I win, you and your boyfriend will belong to me. If you win, you can take everything you can carry out of the building. If you succeed, noone known or employed by us will harm you or the entire Whitebeard crew."
"Deal," Sakura said.
She felt a slight tingling in her neck, right where the mark of the deal with Edric had formed. He gestured for her to proceed towards the private chamber within the VIP room. The other clients, those with addiction to their gambling, looked at her enviously, not comprehending Sakura's situation as she prepared to play against the very owner of the casino. Unperturbed, Sakura advanced. She didn't even flinch when Ace shot her a mixture of concern and anger. She bet that he would do the same in her place, perhaps even resorting to fighting or setting the building ablaze.
Once inside, Edric, his son, and other employees joined them, and the door closed behind them. Sparks flew in the air as the games began. Each game would consist of three rounds. The first game was dice, and just as Edric had promised, his eyes remained fixed on his employee to ensure no cheating took place. Edric won, exuding confidence in his victory, while Sakura remained unfazed. She needed to stay calm, treating it like a mission. Their lives were at stake.
Since Edric had won the first game, the next turn was Sakura's. She chose to play darts. One of Edric's darts hit the bullseye, the other two hitting good numbers—an acceptable result that earned praise from his employees and son. However, Sakura took her three darts and, one after the other, effortlessly hit the center. Edric's expression twisted as if he had tasted a lemon.
The fate of Ace and Sakura would be determined by the final game. From his cell, Ace watched Sakura in silence for the first time, not wanting to distract her. If Sakura lost, he was ready to start a fight in the casino, enduring the pain if it meant ending Edric.
"Wait," Sakura said, halting. "I want to see the cards."
"I promised you there would be no cheating," Edric frowned.
"You can't have your eyes on your employee all the time. It's just to reassure myself," Sakura shrugged. There was nothing wrong with that.
With a growl, he signaled the man to hand her the deck and even allowed her to shuffle and deal, as he was in a good mood. Sakura took the cards, and checked for completeness, no extra or missing cards. Satisfied, she shuffled the cards at a dizzying pace, making the employee sweat and irritating Edric. Finally, it was time to showcase her skills. With that motion, she showed everyone in the room that she wasn't the beginner they had thought. She didn't want them to underestimate her ability, and she had succeeded in that.
The dealer distributed the cards to both players.
"I hope you're exceptional at your job," Edric said.
"I always give it my best."
"Too bad, girl, Better luck next time."
Edric revealed his cards, and the room erupted in jubilation at his Straight Flush. They went to congratulate their boss until they noticed Sakura remained still, waiting for them to calm down. Suspicion arose. Once their attention was on her, with an elegant movement, Sakura flipped her cards. Their faces turned pale.
Black Royal Flush.
"YOU CHEATED!" his face reddened. He threw the cards to the ground and approached Sakura, almost towering over her.
Sakura lifted her chin confidently. She never felt nervous; the beauty of words was that she could manipulate them. The employees were not allowed to cheat, but they had never considered that she might do the same. Being the only one in the world with the ability to use chakra, only she could see and feel it in each of the cards. While examining them, she left a small amount of chakra in each one to determine which cards to use.
"Then tell me how I did it. They were your cards. My dress doesn't have sleeves to hide cards on my wrist. I shuffled the cards under your watchful gaze, and look," she took the deck of cards, showing them one by one to demonstrate that the remaining cards for the game were there. "They're shuffled and complete."
He mumbled a couple of incoherent words before giving up. He wanted to break her neck, destroy everything in his path, and give her what she deserved, but due to their agreement, he couldn't harm her, Ace, or the other pirates. He was so angry until he remembered the agreement; his fury dissipated, replaced by a malicious smile.
"A deal is a deal. Gather what you can carry."
The employees and their children were left speechless by his sudden change until they realized that she could only take what she could carry, and they chuckled softly.
Sakura thanked him, rose from her seat, and began to examine the objects in the room under the watchful eyes of Edric and the others. The objects in the room seemed to be the most expensive and exclusive in his entire collection. She examined and evaluated them, not failing to glance at Edric every time she stopped at an item. Finally, she approached the cage and opened it.
"Don't move." She took Ace's arm, passed it over his back to his shoulder, leaned in, and with a motion, she lifted him onto her back. Edric and his men were left gaping as they saw her carry a large, muscular man and place him on the billiard table before returning to the cage. This puzzled Ace and the others until they saw that she was carrying a girl no older than twelve who began to cry when separated from her parents and placed on the table.
"Calm down, you won't be alone," Sakura said gently, stroking her hair before returning to the cage.
One by one, Sakura carried the people from the cell until it was empty, and seven people were on the billiard table. At that moment, Ethan, Edric, and his entourage burst into laughter.
"Do you think you can carry that billiard table and the seven people on it?"
"The table will split in two before she carries them all. Ha Ha Ha!"
The taunts went back and forth. Sakura didn't let herself be intimidated; instead, she positioned herself under the billiard table.
"Try not to move too much," Sakura said.
The laughter stopped when Sakura, seemingly effortlessly, lifted the table with the seven people on it. No one could believe it, not even six of the seven people or the other spectators.
"It was a marvelous wager," she dared to say to Edric before turning to Ethan. "You... it would be better for you to apply cold compresses, or tomorrow you won't be able to see due to the swelling."
With her head held high, she headed towards the exit. In the VIP room, people were left astonished before turning to look at Edric, whose face was tinged with a dark violet hue. They opened the next door without difficulty, and she continued her path until she reached the elevator. Pressing the button, the elevator doors opened. Once inside she turned to see Edric glaring until both sets of doors closed. At that moment, before the elevator door closed, she exited with the billiard table and ran down the stairs.
"What the hell are you thinking?" asked Ace.
"Isn't it obvious? To rescue the prince captured by the wicked dragon and, since I couldn't leave the others trapped, I decided to appropriate the rest of his treasure."
"How could we repay you? Why not simply use the elevator?" inquired the girl's mother.
"We can go down now, you don't need to keep carrying that," a man intervened.
"No, what's not prohibited is allowed," Sakura asserted without hesitation. "They're not safe yet, and they shouldn't get off the table. That cunning fox has the gift of speech. He said I can take everything I manage to get out of the building."
"GO AFTER HER!" responded Edric's thunderous voice from the upper floor.
"If you save us, we'll be grateful forever," another man expressed.
"If you provide us help, we'll be your loyal servants. There's nothing better than being by that man's side."
"No, just thank us when we manage to get out of here."
"I warned you not to get down!" Sakura exclaimed.
"I can't just stand by doing nothing while you fight! I never turn my back on a fight!"
"Idiot! I'm saving you! You need to learn when to get into a fight and when not to! If you get off the table, I won't be able to get you out of here."
In the midst of the confrontation, Ace extended his arm with a clenched fist toward the hallway, launching a blaze of flames that hit the chests of three men who appeared; then he created a wall of fire to stop them, at least for a moment.
"I can fight from here."
"You'll forget to stay at the table."
The sound of multiple hurried footsteps in the hallway stopped them. Sakura loaded the table again and started running until she saw a window.
"Please, he can't swim, so get him out of the water and get the pool table out as well. Then run until you're safe. Ace, I know you'll forgive me someday."
Before they could ask what she meant, Sakura gained momentum and threw the table out the window. The glass shattered into fragments, and the screams of the adults and the girl resonated during the fall until they finally crashed into the water of the pool, located at the side of the building.
With this plan, there would be no need to worry about anyone getting hurt. The only thing left was for her to manage to escape so that Edric would fulfill his promise not to harm her or the others. It would be simpler for her to escape alone rather than trying to lead everyone together. As people emerged from the fire-free hallway, Sakura decided to cross the wall of fire and run through the cleared path. In one of those moments, she crossed paths with a man armed with a dagger. Both engaged in a confrontation, during which Sakura elbowed him in the chin and brought him down. She then grabbed the dagger and continued her escape.
As she fled, she used her superhuman strength to break through walls, drawing the attention of her pursuers and diverting them from Ace and the others. She ran and fought against several opponents, some of whom she had to stab to defend herself, while most she left unconscious. At a certain point, she encountered one of the pursuers who threw a dagger at her. Although she couldn't dodge in time, she managed to throw the dagger in her hand, resulting in the man's death.
Taking the deceased man's dagger, she continued on her way. However, shortly afterward, she began to feel her arm growing numb. The dagger seemed to be coated with a potent sedative. Luckily, the contact had been minimal, preventing her from falling unconscious. She ran into five men, and with only one functional arm, she sprinted in the opposite direction until she reached a small room that could fit only two people.
"She's hiding around here."
"She couldn't have gone far."
"She's probably in here."
Sakura crouched slowly, ready to confront the five men as soon as she heard them outside the door. She extended her functional arm and grabbed what appeared to be a broom. Suddenly, there were muffled screams from the other side, then the door swung open, flooding the room with light. In a swift move, she lunged with the broom in hand. They both fell to the ground, grappling and growling as they struggled to overpower each other. Eventually, Sakura found herself pinned beneath her captor.
"Will this become a habit?"
Droplets of water fell onto Sakura's cheeks. As she recognized the voice, she focused her attention on the face of her captor, realizing that Ace was soaked from head to toe. They were so close that their noses almost touched, and their ragged breaths intertwined.
"You're back."
"I have a princess to rescue."
Despite the fact that they should have been fleeing instead of finding themselves in such a compromising position, Sakura couldn't help but laugh at how Ace was throwing her comment back. Slowly and cautiously, they disentangled and got to their feet.
"This princess can handle herself."
"This prince doesn't need assistance either."
Two figures emerged, poised to attack. Ace punched one with his fist, while Sakura used the broom. They decided to postpone the "discussion" for later. They turned down the hallway and encountered three more individuals. They were about to retreat the way they had come, but another six appeared, surrounding them.
"Do you have a plan?" Sakura asked as they positioned themselves back-to-back to cover each other from both flanks.
Ace grinned maliciously and raised his arms.
"Yes, we'll get out of here in the most spectacular and awesome way you can imagine," he snapped his fingers, ready to take action, and his body ignited in flames.
"They're all yours."
The island, famous for its radiance and its reputation as one of the best gambling spots, had everyone captivated as they watched "The Golden Dragon," the most prestigious and famous casino on the island, literally shining above the rest while engulfed in flames. People who were still inside the premises rushed out, but their concerns went beyond their own safety; their thoughts were focused on the money they had invested and the wealth they had accumulated or planned to accumulate inside. Among those lamenting their losses were Edric and Ethan, who watched as all their money, jewelry, paintings, and collections were consumed by the fire, helpless to do anything about it.
From one of the burning side doors of the building, the silhouette of two people was spotted. One was carrying the other in their arms as they calmly advanced through the flames. It was Ace, holding Sakura in a gesture reminiscent of a fairy tale, although she pouted as she clung to his neck.
"Do you really have to carry me like this? I can walk on my own," Sakura protested, but Ace simply chuckled at her annoyance.
"I don't want to risk you getting burnt. I don't want to face a scolding," Ace replied. Once safely outside, they turned to gaze at the casino engulfed in flames, the biggest bonfire ever seen on the island. "Oh, shit! We'll have to pay for the suits."
Sakura burst into laughter. Of all the things to worry about, Ace was focused on the suits, even though they were soaked, singed, dirty, and torn from the fight. But in reality, they didn't have to worry about the money.
"Ace, let's pay for the clothes and then head back to the ship with the billiard table."
Confused but willing to go along with Sakura's suggestion, Ace followed her. There must have been a hidden reason for bringing the billiard table beyond its apparent usefulness as a means to get them out of the building. Quietly, they went unnoticed as others' attention was focused on the casino fire. Finally, they reached the shop, paid for the suits, changed back into their previous outfits, and headed to the ship with the billiard table in Ace's arms.
When they returned to the ship, they were greeted by the entire crew. From where it was docked by the seashore, they could see the immense bonfire created by the casino fire. Several crew members had suspicions about who was responsible.
"What happened?" one of the crew members asked.
Ace and Sakura exchanged knowing glances.
"Nothing in particular," they both replied in unison.
Some of those present, like Marco, Whitebeard, and Thatch, raised an eyebrow at the obvious sign that the two had been involved in something they weren't planning to reveal at the moment.
"Ace, why did you set the casino on fire?" Whitebeard pressed.
"Let's just say we were settling a debt with Ethan and his father," Sakura said with a melodious voice.
This statement left the pirates and some of the nurses dumbfounded, as Sakura was evidently helping Ace out of a jam. Now, everyone was even more intrigued by what had happened during the date, especially when they heard Ethan's name mentioned, a name recognized by all due to the accounts of those who had been at the bar during the date.
"And why did you bring a billiard table?" one of the pirates asked, still puzzled.
Ace didn't know the answer, so he patiently waited for Sakura to speak.
"Oh, it's the treasure!" her eyes sparkled like gems as she approached the table and began tapping the lower corners. "In my experience dealing with the rich and powerful, they usually don't leave their most precious possessions in obvious places, but they like to keep them in plain sight."
As she explored the room and examined the objects, Sakura also observed Edric's face every time she stopped in front of an item. It was when she stood in front of the billiard table that she noticed a slight tremor in the corner of his eyes.
"Bingo!" Sakura exclaimed when, upon striking one end, the wood produced a hollow sound. There was a hidden box inside. Everyone gathered around to see what it contained. "Gentlemen, I think you'll like this."
Sakura then passed the box to Marco. The commander of the first division's eyes widened as he saw its contents.
Inside the box were several island bank documents in Edric's name with exorbitant amounts of money, dazzling jewels that seemed to have a life of their own, and gold coins. They had stumbled upon an unexpected treasure. The pirates cheered and celebrated joyfully; some of the commanders went to take the loot from the bank while others planned to organize a party.
Ace, one of the most excited, especially because he had witnessed the discovery of the treasure, grabbed Sakura by the shoulders and turned her toward him.
"Sakura, you're amazing! You should join our crew. We have to do this again!"
This time, Sakura blushed for real, as Ace's words of praise were genuine and made her feel self-conscious.
"I'm just making sure Edric and his son pay for what they've done to so many people."
"For Ace and Sakura!" some of the onlookers shouted.
"The date can't end yet! The day isn't over!" others yelled.
With the money and jewels in their hands, everyone enjoyed food, drinks, songs, laughter, and games. They listened to the story of how Ace and Sakura found the treasure until they returned to the ship. Finally, they agreed to split the loot into two equal parts, one for the crew and the other, reluctantly because she didn't want it, for Sakura, who had discovered and brought the treasure to the ship.
When it was night, and everyone in the crew was sleeping in different places on the ship, as was customary, Sakura went to her favorite spot and found Ace lying down, gazing at the sea.
"Is your stalker side emerging?" she teased.
Upon seeing her, Ace rolled his eyes.
"Okay, I won't bring it up again," Sakura said after laughing softly. Then, she approached and leaned on the railing beside him. "Thank you, I didn't expect to enjoy myself as much as I did. I wouldn't mind having more dates like this."
Ace looked at her and joked, "Are you implying you want to go on another date with me?"
Sakura was taken aback for a moment until she realized Ace was teasing her.
"Aren't you the one expecting that? You're the one who mentioned we should do it again," Sakura replied, "unless you're hoping to get into my bed as Ethan mentioned."
The amusement disappeared from Ace's face, and he furrowed his brow.
"Not all of us are like Ethan."
"I know," Sakura whispered.
He watched her in silence, his eyes, as deep as coal, meeting Sakura's, which shone like jade under the starlight. The words she had just spoken held a special significance, especially considering the tumultuous beginning they had due to Sakura's previous experience with pirates. The tension in the air was palpable.
Then, Ace cleared his throat, breaking the strange atmosphere surrounding them. Both slowly straightened their backs, which had leaned toward each other at some point. They fell silent, processing what was happening, until Sakura decided to break the silence.
"Ace," she whispered, catching his attention, "how did you know I didn't want... to live?"
Immediately, Ace adopted a serious expression. The pinkette scolded herself internally for bringing up that question at this moment; perhaps she should have done it at another time or in another place.
"Because I've thought about it too," he replied honestly.
This response surprised Sakura. She didn't expect Ace to share such an intimate thought with her, but despite that, she appreciated his honesty. If there was a reason behind this confession, she would wait for Ace to feel comfortable sharing it.
"Is that why, when I didn't want to talk to anyone, you never left? You never got close," Sakura asked.
Ace sighed as he ran a hand through the back of his head. He hadn't expected to talk about this with her, but once he had decided to open up, there was no point in hiding it any longer.
"Being alone is awful," he said sincerely.
Sakura was surprised again by his response. She didn't expect Ace to understand the meaning of loneliness in the same way she did. She remained silent, listening attentively as Ace shared his story.
Ace spoke to her about his childhood, about his mother died giving birth to save him. He told her about his adoption by Vice Admiral Garp, his time with Dadan, and his encounter with his brother, Luffy. He also shared how, at first, he had rejected Luffy and had tried to keep him at a distance, even resorting to violence, as he didn't want any closeness beyond what he had with Sabo. However, as they went through various experiences together, Luffy became his troublesome but beloved younger brother.
Sakura listened in silence, watching closely as his expressions ranged from pain to joy. Ace talked about the oath they had made as brothers, Sabo's death, and ultimately, how he and Luffy had supported each other to become pirates.
"There are pirates sailing these seas who rival in power with my father, but in less than a year, the one who will become the most formidable of them all will set sail, eager to proclaim himself the Pirate King. I won't allow that to happen; Pops will achieve it first," Ace added, with a smile that reflected his deep love and admiration for his brother.
Sakura watched as Ace smiled with so much joy that in her eyes, he seemed to shine on his own. He didn't need to express his love for his brother in words; she understood it perfectly. She wished to feel the same warmth with which Ace spoke of this Luffy. For some reason, she felt a strong curiosity about meeting him.
"Weren't you just trying to impress without being rejected?" Sakura teased.
Ace chuckled softly, trying not to alert the guards who were on watch, although his cheeks turned red up to his ears.
Ace mumbled a few words before remembering something that might change the subject and prevent further teasing from Sakura. He reached into one of his pant pockets, planning to give it to her from the first time they met and danced under the moonlight. Since then, he has kept it in his room until now.
"Actually, I have something to give you that I couldn't give you before."
Sakura was left speechless, unable to believe what her eyes were seeing.
"How...?" she began to say but remembered the day when Ace arrived with his hands full of splinters, just before apologizing to the crew for mistreating them. "You could have fallen into the water."
"It's your treasure. Pirates don't let treasure slip away when they have it in sight."
A lump formed in Sakura's throat, and she threw herself into Ace's arms, burying her face in his chest. Ace had to take a step back to maintain balance, preventing them from falling to the ground.
"You're an impulsive fool," Sakura murmured.
They stayed like that for a while until Sakura was the first to pull away. Her hands trembled with excitement, and Ace helped her put the ninja headband back on her head. That small addition to her pink hair was welcome; she felt complete as if that piece of cloth and metal had been missing all along.
"Yeah, that's what you were missing," Ace said as if he had read Sakura's thoughts.
She took a step closer to Ace, and their bodies nearly brushed against each other. Then, with gentleness, she placed her pale, slender hands on Ace's cheeks, feeling the freckles under her fingertips.
"What...?" Ace began to ask, but before he could finish, Sakura stood on her tiptoes and kissed him on the lips. The kiss was brief but filled with genuine affection. Slowly, Sakura pulled away from him, feeling the absence of his warmth in the midst of the cold night.
Ace watched Sakura in astonishment, while she looked at him with bright eyes and her cheeks tinted with a slight shade of red.
"On a date, a kiss can't be missing, right?" Sakura said, sticking out her tongue. Although the date was fake, she still genuinely enjoyed it. "Goodnight, Ace."
Ace watched her as she disappeared up the stairs leading inside the ship. Even after that, Ace didn't move for a while. He adjusted his hat on his head and smiled from ear to ear.
"Yeah, wouldn't mind doing it again," he whispered to the wind, laughing alone in the middle of the night.
Notes: The scene of Sakura carrying Ace is inspired by Ever After: A Cinderella Story lol. I hope you liked the chapter.
Greetings!