"I'm starving!" Luffy whines while the group sit around the fierce flames flickering as they camp out.
"Quit being so greedy! It's still raw don't eat it! Nami Swan it'll be ready soon pwease wait a little bit more!" Sanji berates Luffy before turning to smile at Nami.
"It smells good!" Luffy licks his lips.
"Don't touch it!" Sanji snaps at Luffy.
"Why not? They're done! Let's eat them!" Luffy insists.
"Don't touch them!" Sanji yells at Luffy once again.
"It was so hot during the day what happened?" Nami shudders shakily eyeing the shimmering stars above.
"In the desert where there's nothing to absorb the heat the days are burning hot and the nights drop below freezing. The deserts hold many unexpected dangers." Vivi explains to Nami.
"Look at all the stars." Chopper in awe takes note of.
"You could see stars from your winter island couldn't you?" Usopp recalls.
"On winter island the sky is always filled with thick snow clouds this is the first time I've seen so many stars!" Chopper smiles.
"I'm too cold to look at the stars! It's so nice to have something warm here!" Usopp tries to hug him.
"Hey don't rub me!" Mad, Chopper yells.
"I did it because you're so fuzzy." Usopp argues.
"Don't make fun of me!" Mad, Chopper snaps scowling.
"AHH MONSTER!" Usopp yells as Chopper shifts.
"Chopper don't get big you are pretty warm." Zoro admits his back to the two.
"So warm!" Luffy joins in on the hug.
"Aren't you surprised?" Vivi goes over to Ace.
"Hm?" Ace looks up at the princess.
"About Luffy I was surprised at first too Luffy doesn't act like a captain it's normal for a pirate captain to be revered by his crew and yet only this afternoon they fought so much just because he drank some water but you know what after being together with them for so long I've begun to understand them a little." Vivi explains to Ace.
"That's Luffy's way of doing things he hasn't changed a bit from when he was a kid even though he's like that, people always gather around him. He's a dumb little brother but he has a strange charm." Ace smiles softly.
"Oh so you already knew…" Vivi gathers.
"I've known him a long time but thanks you were worried whether or not I was concerned about him." Honestly, Ace admits.
"Yes but it looks like you were worried over something else." Vivi points out.
"Ah…am I that easy to read? Remember when I mentioned the man I was chasing…" Ace asks Vivi.
"Yes…" Vivi confirms calmly.
"Well…my sister doesn't really want me to do it. She's always been a worry wart around us, she practically raised me and my brothers…" Ace sighs sadly, he loved his sister truly he did he just wish she'd trust him more, he wasn't a kid he could fight, he could hold his own…
"Your brothers? Luffy has another…?" Vivi begins but…
"Yeah but he died…a long time ago." Ace cuts Vivi off brow furrowed from the thought of it all, his hand gently grasping hold of his upper arm of his tattoo.
"I'm sorry." Viv notes the pain in Ace's eyes.
"…It's fine like I said it was a long time ago…but still Ann helped raise Luffy and me…so when it comes to any threat she's always been the one to fight them off or to burden herself with it for our sakes…it was thanks to her I even got into the whitebeard pirates…" Ace sighs sadly, his fingertips gently grasp hold the rim of his hat at the thought of it all…
"You want her to see you as an adult then?" Vivi gathers understandingly.
"Uh…yeah." Surprised, Ace admits.
"Don't worry I'm the same with my father he's always worried about me but he only worries out of love." Vivi assures Ace.
"I know…I just…I guess after I deal with Blackbeard I can prove to her that I'm more than capable enough to take care of myself and Luffy you know? She doesn't have to worry about always running to our rescue, to suffer alone…" Ace furrows his brow by the thought of it all…
"Look at all these clothes wasn't it nice of Ann to buy you guys all this stuff?" Smiling, Makino crouches down next to Ace blushing brightly by the basket full of clothes she had bought for him…
"Nice? Please all she buys Ace are clothes but not give the boy a lick of money." Dadan from the back grumbles.
"Ah well according to Ann she couldn't trust you to not use that money for booze instead of Ace's needs." Makino admits.
"T-Tch…she's smarter than she looks…" Dadan curses alongside the other bandits brow furrowed.
"Makino…" Ace speaks up brow furrowed from the sight of said shirts.
"Hm?" Humming, Makino smiles at Ace.
"Is Ann coming…?" Ace asks Makino making her smile falter.
"I'm afraid she couldn't make it this month Ace…" Sadly, Makino tells Ace.
"Again? What's got her so busy?" Brow furrowed, Ace scowls seethes, no letters, no snail no nothing she hadn't contacted him in months! Anger freely flows through the veins of Ace what if she was in trouble? In danger? In…
"Well you know how sailing is." Makino smiles softly at Ace.
"Hmph." Ace grunts glaring to the side.
"Hey come on now she's just busy is all…" Makino tries to assure Ace but…
"She's always busy. She never comes to see me anymore!" Agitated, Ace complains cross.
"Ace!" Makino furrows her brow at Ace.
"I hate her! I hate her!" Ace snaps seething blinking back the tears threatening to fall.
"You don't mean that…" Makino sighs softly at the scared concerned child.
"What do you know!? I hate you too!" Ace turns on his heel heading off leaving the tired Makino to it.
Quietly, Ace makes his way into the bar brow furrowed, he owed Makino an apology, he shouldn't have snapped at her, Ann was the one who hadn't been visited not Makino, Ace couldn't lash out at Makino like that when she had been nothing but kind to him. He knew that…
"Tch…can't believe that whore of a vice admiral turned her back on our proud troops to save those demons…to join up with red haired Shanks at that…"
"I'm not surprised I heard Vice Admiral Portgas was seen in bars with him!"
"They're probably sleeping together the slut probably told him all about those demons and used it as a cover to escape the marines!"
"You really think they had this all planned out!"
"No doubt about it she's a devil inhuman!"
"When the marines get that traitor we'll all cheer for that bitch's death!"
"Huh? A-Ace!" Astonished, Makino's eyes expand when seeing said boy snatch said newspaper article form their hands, his hues widening his heart dropping at the sight of a familiar female on the front page, being seen by Red Haired Shanks…
Marine Vice Admiral alive and now living the life of a pirate?!
Ace's heart drops at the title, his grip tightening tensing around the newspaper, relief freely flowing through him…she's alive, she's okay, she's alright…Ace couldn't help the small smile of relief his fingertips shaking around the paper, she was okay, she was okay, she was…
"Hey the hell do you think you're doing brat?!" The grown men glare glower down at Ace who turns to look up at him. Fury freely flows through his veins at the two, the murky memory of what they had just said seemingly making his blood burn, bubble, boil…
"What did you say?" Snarling, Ace glares glowers up at the grown adults.
"Hm?" The adults blink befuddled by the furious kid.
"What did you say about Ann?" Angrily, Ace demands squashing the paper in his hand.
"Ace!" Makino tries to stop him however…
"Huh?" The adults blink befuddled by the boy stepping up.
"You take that back about her!" He snarls snatching the man by the collar cross.
"Oh? And what are you going to do about it?" Amused, the man wiggles a brow bemused.
"ACE!" Makino cries out gasping when hearing the crisp crunch of bone, blood spattering splattering all over as next thing Ace knew…
"What were you doing down in the village this time Ace?" Angrily, Dadan demands from the bruised beaten boy glaring ahead at the sea silently staring out at it.
"Huh?" He blurts out of his daze turning to glance behind his shoulder towards Dadan.
"People are saying you almost killed some delinquents." Dadan scowls at Ace.
"What and here I thought they were dead…" Disappointed, Ace sighs.
"What!? when you cause trouble I'm the one who gets blamed you know! Ann wouldn't want to see you fighting like this either Ace! If you think this is going to get her to come to you then think again! You listening to me Ace!?" Agitated, Dadan fumes but is met by still silence…
"You want to know about the marine traitor? Heh…her current occupation fits her much better than an admiral marine she's nothing but a liar and murderer!" The man sneers spewing smoke into the agitated Ace's face fury freely flowing through him.
"A stain to the great navy's name!" Another adds as they laugh.
"TCH…!" Angrily, Ace strikes at both men crying out as they are beaten to a bloodied pulp.
"Hahahaha! Why are you looking so beat down?" Garp chuckles at the battered beaten boy before him.
"…" Silently, he stares out at the washing waves of the sea.
"Hey Ace hear you've been causing a lot of trouble lately…" Garp calls out to the boy.
"Gramps…" Ace finally breaks the still silence still staring out at the sea.
"Hm?" Garp grunts.
"Why couldn't my sister raise me?" Ace asks Garp making him sigh.
"…Ace…your sister was too young to raise you…" Garp tries to explain.
"…and now?" Ace asks making Garp frown.
"…Ace your sister wants nothing more than your safety, what she does she does for your safety." Seriously, Garp explains to Ace.
"So she joined the marines?" Mystifed, Ace frowns.
"…It's complicated." Garp sighs.
"…Do you hate her?" Ace asks Garp.
"Eh?" Garp blurts out taken aback at the question.
"She's a pirate now you're enemy…she betrayed the marines." Ace points out to him.
"…Ann is Ann and as troublesome as she is, she's like a granddaughter to me. Officially she did betray the marines but…Ann isn't the sort to do something like this without a good reason I know her I have faith in her justice." Garp asserts stating the fact firmly.
"Justice huh…you think she's alive?" Ace asks Garp.
"That girl? Tch, she's too stubborn to die." Garp chuckles shaking his head.
"…" Silently, he continues staring out at the washing waves.
"She's alive Ace, she's stronger than you think she can take care of herself." Garp promises the banged up Ace a still silence falling between both grandfather and grandson as he continues staring out at the sea, waiting…waiting for his sister to come home…
"You really care for your sister don't you?" Vivi smiles softly at Ace noting Ace rubbing the rim of his hat as he seemingly snaps out of his daze.
"Yeah…she's family you know?" Ace smiles softly.
"I'm sure when it's all over she'll listen." Vivi promises Ace.
"Yeah…" Ace nods his head hopeful.
"Why does that to each meal turn to the catastrophe?" Vivi sighs sadly seeing the feuding boys fighting over some meat.
"Give it back!" Zoro roars.
"Never!" Luffy yells back both boys scrapping.
"Do not pay attention to them. Hey Ace-san just finished eating and is washing his fork and plate." Nami shows said boy doing just that.
"Yes, you are right. He really is different from Luffy." Vivi exclaims.
"With his good manners, it's hard believe that there is such a large reward on his head." Nami adds.
"He has a bounty that high?" Vivi says surprised.
"I think that somebody had of it enough that everyone puts the bargain hunters on an equal footing." Nami compares.
"Ace with the Burning Fists, member of the pirates of White Beard. When the pirates hear this name, they start to tremble…Blackbeard must really be vicious. Black beard…a traitor who does not hesitate to kill his own nakama. It looks like he plans to hunt him to the end of the world. Ace does." Nami points out.
"Fire fist ace oh how I've been waiting with this one shot I'll settle everything but I'm not going to kill you straight away. No it's an opener the rock you're sitting on will be my target!" Giddily, a man behind the bazooka with a heart tattoo on his forehead proclaims.
"Achoo! Hm?" The emu behind him sneezes stopping said light.
"I'll take my proudest prize by capturing you!" The man oblivious exclaims unaware of what the Emu behind him had done.
"Alright let's get going you…will you two quit it!?" Nami bonks both Zoro and Luffy's head.
"Ready?" The voice behind the rock asks.
"Ready." The other reels the fishing rod back.
"Now help clean up!" Nami orders.
"Heh…" Ace smirk slightly seeing the ranting Nami bonk both boys heads unable to not see a certain blonde before him with a younger him and Luffy, the two feuding from the food as the piece of meat left is suddenly tugged into the open air.
"Huh? MEATT!" Luffy gasps seeing said flying meat.
"Oh no he saw us!" The boy behind the rocks whimper.
"Hurry bro!" The other adds as they flee.
"The meat is talking?" Luffy perks up at the voices.
"Luffy what are…?" Astonished, Nami begins but…
"The meat's running away!" Luffy chases after the meat.
"Luffy!" Nami calls out but it falls to deaf ears.
"Hold on meat!" Luffy chases after the meat mystifying the others.
"We pulled it off bro!" The tow boys bema brightly at the singular meat on the bone.
"Is it good chip? Our first meal in ten days eat it slow." The eldest advises the youngest nibbling on the meat.
"We can finally have some meat here bro!" The younger hands him the meat.
"We never had any meat back in the Badlands." The eldest of the two smiles digging in until…
"Oh you two came from the Badlands? Out there in the wild." Ace looms over the two.
"Who are you!?" Both boys gawk at Ace.
"We won't give the food back!" The youngest proclaims.
"One move and you're a dead man!" The other takes out what looks like a gun.
"Dangerous things like that won't frighten me." Ace eyes the gun aimed at him.
"Bro have you really shot it before? Is the bullet really gonna come out?" Worriedly, the youngest of the two frets.
"H-How would I know!? W-Wait I'll just…" The boy is about to pull the trigger but…
"Stop!" The younger stops him as the bullet is fired but..
"Huh? What just happened?" Both boys gawk gape at the bullet being deflected by the piece of rock.
"Let's stop playing dangerous games, children shouldn't play with guns. Good boys should go back to their mama and take a nap." Ace advises them.
"He deflected it with a rock!" The eldest in awe catches on.
"I've never seen such an incredible person! Who're they!?" The youngest says stunned.
"We have something to ask you we need you to find and capture a man!" The eldest rushes over on his knees begging before Ace.
"Hm?" Humming, Ace looks down at the boy.
"Catch him and we'll give you 1,000,000 belli!" The eldest promises.
"1,00,00 belli?" Nami says shocked, the others having caught up.
"I….can't afford to pay you right now…but once I grow up I promise I'll pay you! Find this man! Following him my brother and I have journeyed all the way from the Badlands!" The eldest continues on.
"So who is this guy?" Usopp queries.
"Scorpion a bounty hunter." The eldest answers.
"A bounty hunter?" Zoro perks up at the title.
"What are you boys doing following a bounty hunter?" Nami furrows her brow befuddled.
"Well…." The youngest begins but…
"I have business with this guy as well the man who defeated Blackbeard in Yuba his name was Scorpion. The reason I'm going to Yuba is to meet him." Ace tells the two.
"Eh? He defeated Blackbeard?!" The group say surprised.
"This guy?!" Usopp eyes the picture the boys hand over of the smiling man with the heart tattoo.
"You really think this guy beat Blackbeard?" Nami furrows her brow befuddled.
"I don't I can't tell unless I meet him." Ace reasons.
"Ace? The real one? Fire fist Ace?" The eldest gasps.
"Hm?" Ace looks down at the boy below.
"What's wrong?" Vivi notes Ace looking out at something…
"Two men…and a bird." Ace hums.
"What is it?" Nami takes note of Chopper sniffing the air.
"They're coming." Chopper adds.
"There you are fire fist! I am Scorpion! The indomitable hero! I have travelled from afar to challenge you! This will be a true battle!" The man on the running emu declares.
"So he's Scorpion…" Nami hums.
"Yep is everyone here?" Luffy speaks up from behind the man attempting to capture Ace.
"Luffy!?" His crew gawk at him.
"What the hell are you doing over there!?" Sanji demands.
"What's wrong ossan?" Luffy however notes the sweat sliding down the grown man.
"Eh oh nothing…too bad for you I'm lucky in a fight! Your days of roaring bravely on the seas ends today!" The man proclaims proudly.
"He's an idiot…a complete idiot." The eldest of the two boys mutters.
"I'm getting excited Ace a true battle! Don't back out!" Luffy calls out to his brother.
"Like I'd back out! Well there's something I have to ask him too get out of the way Luffy!" Ace calls out to him.
"Here I come fire fist! Eat this!" He takes out a weapon firing a net however…
"Heh." Ace vanishes within flames.
"W-W-WHAT!? ARGHH!" The man cries out as the heated net catches him instead.
"He deflected the iron net back at him!" Usopp says shocked.
"The fight of hell starts now! Popo my rifle!" Burnt the man shakily stands removing the net.
"Hm?" Ace arches a brow by the emu placing down a backpack of sorts.
"Pressurized corrosive Acid Rifle!" He shows said gadget off.
"What?" The group chorus confused.
"Corrosive?" Zoro frowns.
"With this I'll shoot pressured acid into your body! Argh!" He fires his acid but Ace easily avoids it simply punching the guy in the gut instantly winning the battle as he falls into one of the pitfalls of the sandy shore of the desert.
"Sorry but this isn't much of a fight." Usopp remarks.
"The outcome was expected but the story about you defeated Blackbeard was a lie wasn't it? You knew if you spread Blackbeard's name around I'd come to you something like that?" Ace eyes the fallen fool below.
"Exactly not a bad plan don't you think? We've been evenly matched until now it's time for me to get serious!" Struggling, the man stands shakily.
"That's enough! That's enough dad!" The tow boys rush down the pitfall.
"Dad?" The battered beaten man perks up at the title.
"D-Dad?" The group chorus confused.
"Stop it!" The two beg him.
"D-Dip! Chip!" The man recognises both boys.
"Dad! You're no match for him that's Fire Fist Ace!" Teary eyed, the eldest begs.
"What are you doing here? When did you leave the Badlands?" Baffled, he queries.
"Dad look! We got a really big potato!" The eldest shows said potato to their father.
"Heh you're right!" The father smiles softly at the two.
"We only got a single potato again tonight I wanna try eating util I'm full even if its only once." The youngest complains looking up at the night sky.
"Idiot don't say stuff like that in front of dad!" The eldest snaps.
"Hm?" Their father sets the hoe down perking up at the two.
"Dad gave up on the bounty hunting which was really important to him so he could raise us!" The eldest reminds the youngest.
"Yeah across the sea there are great men having great adventures is there anything we can do to cheer him up?" The youngest wonders while eyeing the bounty poster of fire fist in his hands.
"Of course not even without anything interesting to do we'll keep lying! Dad threw away his dream for us. The most important thing for us to do is to keep living." The eldest reminds his younger brother.
"What's with those sad faces!? Talking nothing but weakness like that!" Their dad pops up before them.
"Dad!?" The two stare stunned at him.
"Just watch! I'll go back to being a bounty hunter! I'll defeat the great Fire Fist Ace! And after fighting the greatest fight in the world I'll return here triumphant!" He proudly proclaims promising the two before setting off on his journey to get fire fist.
"It's too much this is the greatest fight in the world! We came to get you dad!" The teary eyed eldest tells his father.
"What are you saying? Your dad is now the world's greatest bounty hunter. Two pistol Danny, Hell Battle Ruth and all the villains I faced begged for their lives…" He reminds his boys but…
"That's what you're planning." The youngest intercepts.
"So you knew…yeah your old man's a worthless bragger but one part of it was true. No matter what small ignorant man you may be if the feeling hits you, you can challenge even the greatest men in the world! I wanted to show you…I wanted to show you two a huge dream! A man must have a dream burning in his chest don't give up enduring everyday! Fight against it laugh and live on! As long as you challenge the impossible any lifestyle is paradise! I have to show you that even if I must risk my life yeah if you keep fighting against it the way will open!" Still, their father stands struggling smiling still.
"D-Dad!" Chip and Dip cry out to him.
"So you've seen your dad's invincible soul! I won't lose as long as my supreme dream burns inside my chest! Popo my bazooka! Fire fist Ace this is the end!" He proclaims to Ace.
"Dad stop please!" Dip and Chip hug him.
"Dip! Chip!" Their father stare stunned down at the two.
"I understand what you wanted to tell us! But we planed to fight against it too! To live everyday with everything we had! As long as you're there we have the courage!" The eldest assures him.
"I'm sorry for complaining! I don't really care about food! I'm happy as long as you're with us!" The younger one of both boys apologises.
"Dad I love you!" The eldest proclaims.
"We love you!" The younger one of the boys join in.
"Dip! Chip!" Touched, their father hugs them.
"Dad!" Both boys whimper.
"Huh?" The group blink when the balloon suddenly fires backwards hitting the stone wall behind them as the rubble comes crashing down.
"Gomogomo!" Luffy goes to save them but…
"Fire fist!" Ace intercepts with his flames saving the father covering both boys with his body to save them.
"Dad! Dad!" His kids cry out.
"You guys alright?" Ace calls out to them.
"Ace!" Chip and Dip whimper.
"Dad protected us!" The youngest smiles.
"Oi ossa you dead?" Luffy calls out.
"Y-You simpleton like I could die and leave my dear sons alone scorpion is invincible! Than you for coming to get your old ma let's go back to the Badlands!" Their dad declares as they go to do just that…
"…So Portgas is back on these waters…" Quietly, the five elders sit in their respective seats attempting to process this recent development from the report.
"So the rumours say…" Another one of the elders remark.
"Tch those with the letter D truly are troublesome people…" Tiredly, the bald elder with the blade holds his head.
"Indeed…" The elder holding his cane agrees.
"Vice admiral we can't find him!" One of the marines rush over to the vice admiral.
"That's not good enough! Where could he have gone?" The vice admiral queries.
"His bicycle is gone so he might be…out at sea." The marine reports.
"…It would make sense since she's back in these waters…notify the Goresei immediately!" Sternly, the vice admiral orders.
"Yes sir!" The marine goes to do just that…
"Ah pardon me…" The marine bows before them giving them the latest report.
"That man again? He probably wants to see for himself if she is back on these waters…" One of the five elders tiredly tut.
"Honestly what kind of position does he think he's in? He cannot simply go gallivanting around whenever he feels like it just because of some hunch of Portgas being back on these waters!" Another annoyed elder grumbles.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Portgas attacked those billions to get him out there, honestly this cat and mouse game they play is growing weary…" The youngest of the elders with the suit says.
"Indeed, to think such a lovesick puppy would be the Marine Headquarters' most powerful weapon…" The bearded elder with the cane nods his head.
"To think she herself has no clue what power she has over our weapon…is most astounding…" Another of the elders huff just as elsewhere in the washing waves of the sea, the ring of the bell echoes.
"Portgas D. Ann…what are you doing back in these waters?" Kuzan looks down at the wanted poster in his hand after pardoning himself from the dolphin going about their business as he goes about his, eyeing the wanted poster of the playful pirate before him, continuing on his hunt for Portgas D. Ann.
"Alright then." Ace packs up his things ready to head out as the sun sets…
"Are you really leaving Ace?" Luffy furrows his brow at his brother.
"Yeah Blackbeard isn't in Arabasta there's no reason for me to stay in this country." Ace reasons.
"Where are you planning to go next?" Sanji pries.
"Scorpion told me some guy in the West saw him I'm gonna try looking there Luffy." Ace turns to his brother handing him a piece of paper.
"Huh?" Luffy frowns at the paper.
"Keep it with you always." Ace advises.
"What? It's just a scrap of paper." Luffy dismisses.
"That scrap of paper will let us meet again don't want it?" Ace asks.
"No I do." Luffy changes his mind.
"Having a younger brother who's a bit on the slow side makes his older brother worry he's probably going to keep burning your hands too take care of him for me. Luffy the next time we meet it will be at the pirate's summit." Ace smiles before bowing his head to the crew then turning to Luffy.
"Okay!" The crew nod back all except Luffy.
"Come to the top." Ace tells his brother as just then…
"Oi!" A familiar family of three call out to the straw hats.
"Oi!" Luffy turns to wave them off watching them leave.
"Huh where's Ace?" Luffy takes note of the guy gone from them.
"He's gone." Zoro states the obvious.
"We'll see him again." Luffy smiles.
"Yep I'm sure of it." Nami agrees as they continue on with their adventure…
So...what did you think of this chapter? Of Ann and Ace? Of Ann and Garp? Of Kuzan and Ann? I've had people ask and I am curious if Ann and Kuzan had a kid what do you think that kid would be like? How do you think Ann and Kuzan's parenting would be? Would love to know your thoughts down below!*