Chapter 20
"I wish we didn't have to reveal his full name to the world," Garp sighed, staring at the newspaper with Ace's face printed across it.
Sengoku scowled. "I wish Morgans hadn't mentioned Hibiscus Rouge. He got so excited at Ace's full name and seeing the hibiscus tattoo on his arm that he started writing about her too before any of us could stop him." Sengoku stared him down. "You should have brought the boy to us when he was a baby, Garp. Now we have to try and do some damage control."
"It's not just my grandson who is a pirate..." Garp grumbled.
"Law is not exactly my grandson-" Sengoku protested.
"Rosinante pretty much adopted him."
Sengoku rolled his eyes. "Either way, we need to capture the both of them, or offering them a deal. We're going to offer both of them a position as Warlords. We have been trying to do so for Law for quite some time now, but he ignores our summons and Kuzan still hadn't caught him yet. You however are going to to get into contact with Ace personally. You will make him see how good of a deal this is, Garp. He will have his 'freedom', while we can keep an eye on him, and call him in when need be."
"You want us to offer him this right now?"
"Yes! Before Portgas ends up in New World. Who knows what the likes of Whitebeard, Kaido or Big Mom will do once they hear about a Portgas witch running around." Sengoku cursed. "For the love of- Rouge was a friend of Whitebeard's, and Big Mom's very own rival!"
Garp paused then burst out laughing. "BWAHAHAHAHA! Whitebeard will instantly adopt Ace. It'll be like he finally got to adopt Rouge!"
"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING, GARP!"
.::.
"EEHHHHHH?! ROUGE-SAN HAD A BABY?!" Buggy screeched.
Cabaji flinched at the sudden yell and nearly dropped his swords. Mohji blinked up at their captain who sat on the rooftops, now sobbing, clutching a newspaper tight.
"Why are you crying, Buggy?" Cabaji frowned. "Who is this 'Rouge' you speak of?"
Buggy had tears streaming down his face, and he was sobbing hard. "I thought she was dead!" Buggy cried. "I-I remember seeing her vivre card burn to ash!" He breathed in deep and shook his head. "I'm not surprised you don't remember her. She's one of the old school pirates, and the World Government have been erasing her name from pirate history for years now."
Cabaji's frown deepened. He couldn't think of who Buggy meant.
"Her name was Hibiscus Rouge, the lone pirate thief of the seas."
A shudder ran down his spine. He did recognise that name. It wasn't one Cabaji had heard being uttered in years though, and when it was spoken of, it was in fear and admiration.
"I need to make a call..." Buggy trailed off, disappearing back into their hide out with hurried steps.
Cabaji stood there silently, his thoughts racing. Why were there suddenly so many pirate witches taking the stage? First Nico Robin of the Death clan, then Boa Hancock of the Love clan, now Trafalgar Law of the Healers and Portgas D. Ace of the Elementals. Where were they all suddenly coming from?
.::.
Shanks blinked drowsily at his snail that insistently rang at him. It was Buggy's private snail. Shanks groaned despairingly. His head was pounding, but it was Buggy, and Buggy rarely called him. Benn groaned somewhere by his feet, covering his ears. Ah, right, Benn had drank a lot last night, more so than usual. Oops? Shanks grinned at the sight, then he picked up the snail and yawned.
"Hey, Bug-"
"Have you read the newspaper yet?"
Shanks blinked at the snail. "Well, hello to you too, Buggy. Good morning."
Benn raised his head blearily from Shank's legs. Shanks smirked at him, earning a glower, then a groan as Benn laid back down.
"You need to read the newspaper, Shanks."
Buggy sounded oddly subdued. That made Shanks stiffen up. He gestured to Hongo to grab the newspaper that lay closest to him. The birds must have dropped it off while they had all slept. He grabbed the newspaper from Hongo and flipped it open.
PORTGAS D. ACE – LAST HEIR TO THE PORTGAS WITCH CLAN
Shanks blanked.
Portgas D. Ace. Portgas. D. Ace. Portgas D. Ace.
Portgas.
D.
Ace.
"ROUGE-SAN HAD A BABY?!" Shanks screeched.
"I KNOW RIGHT?! SHE SPAWNED A CHILD!"
"I THOUGHT SHE DIED!"
"YEAH, I THOUGHT SO TOO!"
Shanks breathed in deeply. "It says Ace is seventeen years old. Rouge-san's card burned way before he was born, so how is this possible?"
"Time travel?" Buggy offered. "Maybe she managed to send Ace into the future after she gave birth to protect him from the Marines? There was that horrifying murder in Baterilla, remember?"
Shanks grimaced at the reminder. Yeah, he remembered, there was no way he could forget. Buggy had gone silent too, the pair reeling in the memories. He remembered Buggy calling him, sobbing, absolutely gutted, and how quickly Shanks sailed off to reunite with him. Buggy who had ears almost everywhere, who found out what had happened in Baterilla a year after Rouge-san's card burned to ashes in both their hands.
They had both thought that had been the end of the Portgas Clan there and then, but now there was Ace.
"We need to find out more about Ace," Shanks said.
"Well right now if my network is telling me correctly, the Spade pirates just had a run in with the Heart pirates."
"Two head witches are fighting right now?"
The snail frowned thoughtfully. "Arguing more like, if the information is correct? Yes, arguing and running."
"Running?" Shanks winced.
Guess the entire island would be after two witch heirs. Whatever island they were on. This was bad. If they were captured and handed over the Marines then they were doomed. Shanks was no where near North Blue to go help them.
.::.
"Portgas D. Rouge, you are in so much trouble!" Law yelled, racing through the streets, Ace right by his side.
An entire mob was chasing them now. Barely two minutes after the newspapers had drifted from the skies and now an entire island was after their bounties. Law hated this. He hated this so much. They needed to get back to the ships immediately.
"I'M SORRY!" Rouge cried.
"You should be, Mum!" Ace waved his hand and a wall of fire rose up between them and their chasers. "There, that should keep them busy for a bit."
"Was that you or the devil fruit?" Law asked curiously as they pressed on.
"Kind of both?" Ace laughed nervously. "My devil fruit responses to my fire elemental powers and kind of makes it stronger and easier to control?"
"Trust you to get the devil fruit you already basically control," Law scoffed.
"Says you, you got a devil fruit made for healing people!" Ace replied.
Law grinned. "And taking them apart."
"Don't grin like that! It makes you look terrifying," Ace complained. "And give me back my heart!"
"After this?" Law rolled his eyes. "Hell no! I'm keeping it!"
"NO!"
The only problem was Ace didn't get a chance to grab it off of him. The moment they reached their ships, Deuce yanked Ace aboard and Law leapt on to his own. Ace swore he could see Law's smirk as he disappeared inside the Polar Tang and they sunk underneath the sea as the Piece of Spadille sailed off.
"I don't have my heart..." Ace said blankly.
Deuce's jaw dropped.
"What do you mean you don't have your heart?!" Banshee cried.
"He refused to give it back after that mob started chasing us, which leads me to a group talk, by the way!" Ace scowled. "You all went out dressed up as me!"
"We were trying to banish the ghost haunting our ship!" Finamore cried.
"As me?" Ace groaned.
"Yes! We were going to do a ritual as you, our Captain, but we all got a bit side tracked..." Finamore muttered.
"You keep trying to get us to resort to a human sacrifice!" Cornelia scowled, her hands on her ships. "We're not eating people, Finamore."
"Those cannibals said it would work," Finamore huffed, crossing his arms.
"Which it won't, because from the looks of it, our ghost is actually to do with the Captain," Skull said.
"Did everyone see the newspaper?" Ace asked.
Deuce nodded. "Yes, they all know that you're a Portgas witch. That's why we had the Spadille ready to set sail."
"So..." Ace trailed off awkwardly. "Thoughts?"
"Thoughts?" Banshee glowered. "That's all you have to say? You're the last witch of the Portgas clan, Ace!"
"Yeah..."
"So stop looking so awkward and explain!" she bristled.
"Are you angry that I hid it from all of you? Because I wanted to tell you, but it's a bit of a sensitive topic!" Ace protested.
"I understand that, but I was so worried about you when we didn't know where you were and that the entire world suddenly knew that you were a head witch," Banshee said. "We didn't know how to get to you to watch your back, Ace. I was scared!"
Ace sighed softly, deflating. "I'm sorry, Banshee. I didn't mean to worry any of you."
Mum choose at that moment to finally reveal herself to the crew. Everyone yelled, Finamore holding up a cross, but mum smirked at the sight of it.
"Cute," she said, then eyed them all. "You understand why most of you didn't know, right? It's a big secret to carry, and we were trying to keep his name off of the public's lips for as long as possible."
"Until you all acted like idiots and helped reveal it!" Deuce scowled, hands on his hips. "What is this I'm hearing about all of you going out dressed up as Ace? How many crimes did you all commit in his name?"
The others shifted about guiltily.
Deuce's scowl deepened. "I assume this is when I was keeping watch on Ace when he had a narcoleptic fit."
Everyone looked nervous now. Ace remained silent too, watching his first mate man wearily. Deuce looked pissed.
"You not only endanger our Captain, you all endangered the entire crew, now because you all acted so recklessly and stupid, the whole, entire world knows that Ace is actually Portgas D. Ace. No wonder he didn't want any of you to know. None of you acted responsible enough without that information-"
Ace held up his hands. "Easy, Deuce, they didn't know I was trying to keep my name off the newspapers."
"That is not an excuse!" Deuce snapped. "And don't you go defending them, Ace. They not only put you at risk, but they put me and our entire crew at risk, including the Hearts. We were all found together, if that information gets out we will have bounty hunters swarming this area. Trafalgar Law is no longer safe, Ace."
Mum snorted. "Law will be fine, I'm more worried about us at this point."
"I still don't get the whole ghost thing," Cornelia admitted. "Why is there a ghost haunting our ship?"
"This is my mum, Portgas D. Rouge," Ace introduced her.
"Hello." Mum waved.
"Nope! I'm not being distracted, Ace-" Deuce began, and Ace winced, damn it, it didn't work. "All of you are getting punished Spade style."
Everyone groaned.
"No buts!" Deuce insisted.
"Captain-" Some of them tried to plead, but Ace shook his head.
"I don't think I have a say in this," Ace admitted.
"Take your punishments like grown adults," Deuce said sharply. "Now we've got to work harder than ever to keep the bounty hunters off of Ace's back, and not just them, but Marines, other pirates, there will be hundreds of people after our Captain now."
"It sucks," Ace groaned. "So much..."
"Be vigilant!" Deuce insisted. "If we lose our Captain it will be a humiliation upon us as Spade pirates."
"Well your first mate is very passionate."
They all froze and turned around to face Law. Law who leaned against their railing without a care in the world. Ace hissed.
"Give me back my heart!"
"Where the hell did you even come from?" Banshee cried.
Law raised a brow. "When a man and a woman-"
"Don't start," Ace huffed, hold out his hand. "Heart. Give. It."
"Don't. Have. It."
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU DON'T HAVE IT?!" Ace screeched.
"I've put it in a jar-"
"ISN'T THAT A SONG LYRIC?!"
Law smirked.
"I'm telling on you to Sabo!" Ace hissed.
Law's smirk widened. "Aw, you need Sabo to get your heart back for you?"
"Right now? Yes, it looks like I do," Ace sighed. "Where's your crew, Law?"
Law pointed behind them, and they all turned round to their left to see the Polar Tang sailing above the water beside them.
"You were too busy yelling at your crew to see me coming," Law said. "Gotta watch your haki, Ace. I shouldn't be able to sneak up on you so easily like that."
Ace flushed.
"Maybe I should tell Sabo you've been slacking," Law teased.
Ace's cheeks burned.
Law sniggered. "Anyway, I wanted to wish you good luck. It's going to be extra difficult now that you're a known witch. There will be a lot of people after you now, Ace. You're going to have to be more careful than you have been so far in your life."
"I'll watch his back," Mum said. "We all will."
"You were the ones who helped cause this problem in the first place," Law reminded them, his voice dry. "There's no going back either. Ace, are you still going to sail into the Grandline, even after all this happened?"
Ace nodded.
"Then you better be strong enough to protect yourself. I'm staying in North Blue for several more years yet to train up." Law headed back towards his ship, his footsteps light and easy going, but when he reached Ace's side he reached up and bumped the back of his fist off of Ace's head. "Don't get captured. I do not fancy my chances of rescuing you."
"You'd sail into the Grandline to help me?" Ace grinned. "Awww, I love you too, Law."
Law rolled his eyes. "I'm still keeping your heart."
"Wait-" Ace tried, but Law disappeared the instant his room opened up, safely back on his ship.
"See you later, brother." Law nodded his way on the Polar Tang, then he walked back inside his ship and they quickly slipped back beneath the sea.
"Well hope my heart won't come back to bite me," Ace sighed.
.::.
"Pops?" Marco called out to him, his voice strangely gentle.
Whitebeard had been staring heavily at the newspaper for hours. Teach had managed to grab a copy ages ago, and understood why he was so deep in thought. Another Portgas witch was around. Rouge had given birth to a child. Teach had to suppress a smirk at the thought. Teach wanted to get a witch to join his future crew, but so far there had been none who had interested him except for maybe that Trafalgar kid. Hancock was a tramp, and trying to discover anything about Nico Robin was a pain in the ass. The name of the Illusion family was lost. People seemed to think it was 'Rose', but that had been the last head's actual name. Not her clan name. The Empathy clan hadn't had an heir in years, and Teach had no idea who the other witches were still. He was still trying to learn all their identities, but apparently when they were altogether, the world would always change. They and the clan of 'D'.
Teach needed a witch on his side. He needed one of those heirs, and so far Ace seemed like the best bet. He was both a 'D' and a witch heir.
"Portgas D. Ace," Whitebeard said softly, almost mournfully. "He is Rouge's son?"
"Seems like it," Teach grunted. "Spitting image too, huh? The colouring is off, but everything else is all Rouge."
"I thought you said she died, Pops," Izo said, his brow furrowed. "Her vivre card-"
"It turned to ash in my hand and scattered to the winds," Whitebeard said, his brow furrowing. "Which is why Ace is confusing. He is seventeen. Rouge died before he was even born, but she had no siblings or cousins. She was the last Portgas heir."
"I guess not anymore yoi," Marco said, crossing his arms. "I just don't get how that is possible."
"The world is a mysterious place, and Rouge-san was insanely powerful," Jozu mused. "She was on par with you, Pops."
Whitebeard glanced over at Haruta, who was studying the photograph of Ace closely. Her eyes were narrowed, almost glaring into the photo, but she perked up when the old man looked at her.
"Do you think you can find out some information on him?" Whitebeard asked.
Haruta grinned. "By the time I'm done, Pops, we'll know what his favourite colour is and what brand of shampoo he uses."
Marco snorted. "Because that isn't terrifying yoi."
"Big sis is on the case!"
"Big sis?" Izo titled his head.
"We'll we're going to be adopting him, right?" Haruta said. "I mean we've all seen Pops' face, he's gotten all nostalgic again."
Teach smirked. That was true, and if he did bring Ace on board this ship, then Teach would get a chance to get to know the kid. Befriend him even, and if that didn't work, well Teach knew how to get a head witch's cooperation nevertheless.
He'd finally get a witch to join his future crew.