Again why do I need to keep doing disclaimers? You know I don't own any of this right. I honestly don't need to repeat myself every chapter, do I?

Chapter 9

Ace's Deal

It took two weeks but the boys managed to build themselves an impressive tree house. It had windows all around. Booby traps everywhere to prevent intruders. And even a crows nest at the top along with their very own pirate flag. Across the signature, crossbones was a red A, a blue S, a green H and a yellow L. The brothers were very impressed with their work.

Time passed on and soon enough it started to snow, but that didn't drive away the brothers' need to hunt. Ace, Sabo, and Harry were all chasing a Danpa towards a cliff where Luffy was waiting at on the top. When the others had the creature cornered Luffy jumped down and, due to an accidental tumble, launched himself into the animal's abdomen. Effectively knocking it out. "Alright, nice work Luffy," Harry said as he came over to get a closer look. "We're going to have lots of Danpa soup tonight," Sabo remarked as Ace nodded in agreement. Luffy danced around the Danpa, happy with his catch.

Suddenly Sabo and Ace spotted something behind the twins. "Hey guys, behind you," Ace warned softly. The twins looked at their other brothers in confusion before a low growl prompt them to look up. Above the was the largest tiger Harry had ever seen. He and Luffy waisted no time in getting as far away from it as possible with Ace and Sabo right behind them.

When they reached the tree line they saw the tiger grabbing the Danpa and started to walk off. Which pissed Luffy off. "Hey, that's my lunch. How dare that tiger steal it." Luffy ready his pipe ran back to the tiger despite the other three boy's attempt to stop him. Luffy jumped up, about to strike his pipe at the tiger but it merely swatted him away. Luffy tried again only to find himself being pulled back to his brothers.

"Forget it Luffy," Ace said. "That danpa is all he wants. Let's go now before he spots us." The children wasted no more time in escaping. Though Luffy was sulking all the way back to the hideout. "Hey don't worry about it Luffy," Harry said. "You can catch the next one alright?" That didn't seem to cheer his twin up. "Yea but I already caught that one," Luffy mumbled. "Why did that tiger have to get it? It's just not fair that danpa should be ours!" he practically shouted while jumping on the old bridge. "Hey take it easy stupid!" Ace called out but it came too late and Luffy fell through the bridge.

Sabo and Harry reacted fast and quickly grabbed their little brother before he fell into the icy river below. Ace sighed in relief and walked closer to the others. "You guys need any help?" he asked. "I think we got it," Harry replied as he and Sabo pulled Luffy back onto the bridge. Luffy smiling like a goof the entire time. "Gee thanks guys," he said once he was safely back up. Harry bonked him upside the head. "You dolt, don't scare us like that." Luffy just laughed and said, "Yea sorry about that." Ace just scoffed "Whatever. Hey, Sabo, can you help me with this?" he asked indicating the danpa that was still on his shoulders, the other half Sabo had been carrying before he had to help Harry save Luffy.

The rest of the night was uneventful as they cooked and ate their dinner before going off to bed. Luffy couldn't sleep however as his mind was still on something. "Ace, Sabo, come on. Join my crew with me and Harry," he said. The others were confused. "Luffy is now really the time for that?" Harry asked. "Yea," Ace agreed. "I thought we would decide on that when we get older."

"But it would be awesome if we were all on a crew together," Luffy insisted. "Besides I know a great way to decide who can become captain." Sabo sighed and asked, "Oh yea how?" Luffy's grin became wider. "It's simple really. We defeat the Tiger Lord," he said. At this, the other three quickly sat up in disbelief. "Luffy you're crazy. We're way too young to take on that thing," Harry protested. "Uh-uh we can beat it if we work together," Luffy explained. "How does that determine who become's, captain?" Ace asked. "Simple, whoever delivers the final blow is named the captain," Luffy answered.

It did sound like a good proposal. And the thought of defeating that giant tiger got the four boys really excited. And so the bet was made. The next morning after breakfast they caught some extra fish and strapped it onto their backs to attract the Tiger Lord. After some time walking in the woods they find not the Tiger Lord but rather a large bear that wants their bait.

Ace suggested that they go for the bear anyway, saying that it's a good stepping stone towards the tiger. Ace went first, getting in a few hits on the head with his pipe. However, that did nothing to the bear except piss him off. The brothers quickly ditched their bait and ran for the hills. They reached a clearing where the bear was starting to catch up to them before a mallet flew past the children and hit the bear straight in the chest. Stunning it briefly.

The kids turned around to see an older man running towards them. He jumped over the boys and landed right in front of the bear. "Hey who is that guy?" Luffy asked. Sabo's eyes flew open in surprise as he recognized the guy and told the others "His name's Naguri. He lives in Grey Terminal." At that point, the bear ran up to Naguri who just stood there calmly. The brothers all screamed at him to run away. Naguri however just put up his hand and suddenly a great gust of wind swirled around all of them. "This isn't your den," They heard the older man say. "Why don't you return to the forest now."

To the kids surprise the bear left them alone looking rather scared of Naguri as it did so. Harry look at the scene in slight recognition. "Hey Luffy isn't that what happened with Shanks and that sea king?" he asked. Luffy, who also reconized what Naguri did, nodded at Harry as he giggled to himself. After the bear left Naguri walked up to them. "Are you children alright?" he asked.

"Yea thanks for saving us Naguri," Sabo answered. Luffy then perked up as he relized something. "Hey since that bear didn't eat our bait, that means we can have them now right?" Harry laughed at how Luffy was thinking with his stomach as usual. Naguri came with them as they retrived their fish and prepared a fire to cook them. They got to talking with Naguri who told them about his former life as a pirate. Much to the shock of the children. Save for Luffy anyway.

"Yea I figured you were a pirate captian. Only they can do something like that," he said refering back to when Naguri got rid of the bear and how simillar it was when Shanks did it. "What you call yourself a pirate expert now?" Ace asked sarcastilly as he picked up one of the fish with his pipe before splitting it into four parts. "You can have some to Naguri. As thanks for saving us," Ace told him. "Oh yes thank you," Naguri said as he dug in. "Hey, so how did you end up in a place like this?" Harry asked as they ate their food.

Naguri paused in thought as though contiplating before asking them "Tell me, have you kids ever heard of Gold Roger?" Harry laughed at the question. "The King of the Pirates? Who hasn't." Out of the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but noticed how tense Ace got at the question. Naguri nodded. "Right well me and my crew fought Roger," he told the boys.

All but Ace perked up in excitment. Naguri's face fell though when he added. "We lost. And it wasn't just Roger. The entier crew was strong. Our crew split up after that." Everyone's faces fell at that. "But still the fact that you fought against the king of the pirates is so cool," Luffy said shaking in excitment.

During the talk, Ace decided to take his leave. Harry saw that he was the only one to notice as Luffy and Sabo continued to talk to Naguri. Not wanting to disrupt such a good time for his brothers he quickly got up and followed Ace. "Hey slow down. Where are you off too?" Harry asked once he caught up. "Back to the treehouse," was Ace's responce and Harry noticed how on edge his voice was.

Ace continued to walk and Harry followed him. "Is everything alright?" he asked. "You got quicky mad when Naguri mentioned Roger." Ace stopped in his tracks and Harry continued. "Can I ask you something?" Ace asked Harry. Harry looked surprised for a moment before saying "Yea of course."

"How would you feel if the pirate king had a son?" Ace asked him. Harry was taken aback by such a random question. "Why ask something like that?" Ace only glared at Harry in reply, to his surprise. He then thought about the question. "Well, it wouldn't make a difference to me. Roger's no longer around, he can't really raise his kid to be like him. And even then I don't even know what he's like so I don't really care either way."

It was Ace's turn to be surprised at Harry's answer. He expected Harry to answer the same way he expected Luffy to answer. In which he would think it would be the coolest thing ever and would want details he didn't have about Roger. Or he would answer the total opposite like everyone else. He was quickly snapped back into reality when Harry waved a hand over Ace's face.

"Hello you still with me there?" he asked. Ace quickly shook his head as he came to his sences and appologised for spacing like that. Harry didn't think to much of it but still asked: "So why would something like that matter to you?" Ace stared at the ground for a long moment as he decided what to say. Finally, he spoke "Because I've asked that question to alot of people. And everytime I hear the same answer. 'They should hang him much like his dad.' 'A devil like him shouldn't have children.' So on and so forth."

Something struck Harry deep in his chest and he felt a consuming, yet some how familiar wave of emptyness and dispare wash over him. Luna's words of what she overheard the bandits say about Ace echoed in his mind. That was it. That's what Ace's deal was. "That's awful," he whispered. "To have the world turn against you. For something, you couldn't control. Something you don't even want to be a part of. And you had to deal with that all alone."

"HEY HOLD UP WHY ARE YOU CRYING!" Ace shouted. Harry looked back up at Ace while placing a hand under his glasses to wipe at his eyes and discovered that they were wet. He quickly slapped his face and shook his head saying "Sorry. Don't know what came over me." Ace sighed and then asked, "Why would you think I'd be talking about me anyway?"

"Why else would you ask such a question?" Harry retorted. Ace took a step back. Looking as though he was about to run off but Harry continued before he could do so. "It doesn't matter to me that your Roger's son. What matters to me is that your my brother. Just like with Sabo's parents, this doesn't change who you are to me."

"Harry's right," Sabo's voice called out from the treeline. The two looked and saw him and Luffy running up to join him. "Your no longer alone, you have the three of us now," Sabo continued with Luffy nodding in agreement. Ace looked from Harry to Luffy to Sabo in bewilderment. After a while, he smiled and said "I guess there is that. Whatever it's getting late. We need to head back to the treehouse."

The others nodded and started to walk back to their home. "Hey, Ace so what kind of guy was Roger anyway?" Luffy asked. Ace then punched Luffy on the head. "Stupid why would I know something like that. I've never met him." Luffy got back up to fight Ace in retaliation only to be held back by Harry. "Luffy you really need to learn when to drop the subject. Let's just leave it for tonight okay?" he asked his twin. "Yea alright," Luffy agreed before getting excited again. "Oh Harry guess what, Naguri said he'd train me to be a pirate starting tomarrow."

"That's great," Harry said feeling really proud for Luffy. "Your welcome to join us if you want to," Luffy offered. Harry shook his head. "Thanks Luf but I'd rather take that time to be training my magic if that's alright." Luffy nodded in understanding. Ace watched the two as he thought back on Harry's words. "Hey, Ace." Ace turned to Sabo who was watching his expression. "Is everything going to be alright?" Sabo asked. Ace turned back to the twins who were smilling at him and said: "Couldn't be better."

Alright, one of the evil plot bunnies has been put to rest. Seriously, one of the first things that came to my mind when I first read the challenge was the moment between Harry and Ace. I really hope you guys enjoyed that. As always please leave a review, follow if you haven't favorite once it's done and I will see you all in the next chapter.