Notes: A guest reviewer asked me "If Ace doesn't remember anything, how does Shanks know his name?" Many also asked similar questions. Well the answer to your questions will be in this chapter! I originally planned to have this included in the previous chapter. But since it'd make the chapter too long, I decided to separate them into two. This chapter took place before chapter 3. It'll explain how Shanks 'knows' Ace's name. I have done my best (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧ (ง •̀ω•́)ง✧ hope you like it!
A special title for this chapter: Because people with initial S in their name is destined to be the greatest!
Enjoy! (ﾉ≧∀≦)ﾉ
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How he got his name (back)
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Have you ever woke up and not knowing who you are? Your head would feel so light and heavy at the same time. It would feel strangely empty, like there was a giant gaping hole where the memory was supposed be. You would be left wondering, always wondering who you were and who you are going to be.
He did.
He woke up one day, finding himself in an unfamiliar place and surrounded by equally strange people. He remembered feeling hopeless and very very afraid (Who is he? Where? What happened? Why is he here? Who are they? What are they doing?) He remembered pain, a lot of pain, and someone trying to reach for him (don'tcomegetawaydon't!) He remembered lashing out, attacking whoever was closest to him, the most dangerous one. He remembered being pulled back and restrained. He had let go, but not without biting someone and leaving his mark. People, strange unfamiliar people, had subdued his trashing and sent him drifting back to unconsciousness not longer after.
He didn't, he wanted to. He wanted to remember!
Who is he? What happened to him? Why he feel so lost?
Can someone, anyone, tell him? Someone—
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Hearing a now familiar thud, Shanks opened one of his eyes to look at the small raven sitting a few feet away from him. If he didn't know any better, he would have thought that the boy was lounging on the deck like he did. But then he had found out the boy following him far too many times to be considered a coincidence.
"Say, why did you follow me again?" He asked, curious. Hopefully it had nothing to do with him being the first to be bitten by the boy or something like that. Since their first 'meeting' where the boy had ended up biting his arm in his half-conscious state, he always felt the boy's stare following his every move. It surely didn't feel comfortable being stalked by a child of all people. If only kiddo decided to follow Benn or the others as intensely...
The younger looked at him for a moment before shrugging, "Don't know. You just feel more familiar than the others I guess." His answer, if any, further baffled the pirate captain. Shanks didn't remember ever meeting the boy before. Sure there was Luffy, and the raven looked like he was around his age or more. But he was certain that there was no other child in Fuusha at that time. There was also the nagging feeling he got whenever he looked at him closely. Scanning the boy further, the redhead observed the freckles, short dark hair and glaring eyes. There was surely something familiar about them. The boy didn't seem like a stranger—his grin, his glare, even his enormous appetite closely resembled someone he knew long time ago. "Sure thing, kiddo."
The ten-year-old face scrunched up in dislike, "Stop calling me that! All of you always call me brat, kid or kiddo. You guys are so uncreative." He threw his face to side, huffing, "...stupid old men can't ever think of one simple name."
"Oh," Shanks grinned. His grin was positively wide, looking almost wicked at the revelation. So that's why kiddo had followed him around... "do you want me to give you a name?"
The boy immediately flushed. "N-no! Who gives you such stupid idea?!" He turned away to hide his embarrassed blush. Suddenly the wooden floor to his right looked very interesting. He couldn't believe he actually said something like that to the older male. What was going to happen now?
"Gwahahaha! Don't be shy, kiddo!" Grinning, looking positively giddy at the prospect of naming his own kid (well not really HIS per se but you get the point), the redhead made a note to brag about this later. And everyone always made fun of his naming skill! Just see, he was going to prove to them that he wasn't so self-centered as to name everything after his signature Red color!
He ruffled the boy's wavy locks good-naturedly and grinned, "Now let's see what kind of name I should give you..."
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"Ha! Ace of Spades, eat that!"
"...do you even know that we are playing poker? Honestly, you shouldn't bother to ask me for a game if all you do is throwing that card around." The Dark King sighed, showing his combination of Two Pair. Not a very good combination but it would win against the single Ace of Spades for sure, "I win, again."
There was momentarily silence as captain and first mate trading looks over the pack of cards. Until finally the dark haired male huffed and crossed his arms in defiance. "Ace of Spades is the strongest card!"
"Your obsession to that card is unhealthy. What next? You going to name your kid 'Ace' or 'Spade'?"
Roger grinned, a mysterious glint shining on his dark eyes, "You'd never know my friend."
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"Spade..."
"Huh?"
"Your name!" Shanks responded enthusiastically, grinning full force at the confused ten-year-old. "Spade sounds good, don't you think? See, now we can match! People with initial S in their name is destined to be the greatest!"
The boy didn't say anything and simply gave a flat'are-you-stupid-or-what' look that reminded him too much of Benn. There was no doubt that the boy had spent too much time with his first mate to inherit that particular look. The Red Hair sulked. "You can just say you don't like it you know. No need to imitate Benn and his disapproving stare."
Silence swept between the two and the younger simply glared at the sulking male. Now he really regretted even said anything to him. That annoying, childish—
"...e"
"What?" He spat out, sounding less venomous than he intended.
"Your name," The older male replied, finally ceasing his mock sulking. He looked up at the boy with a soft, nostalgic smile. "will be Ace."
"Ace..." The boy tentatively tested out his new name, feeling an odd blossoming warmth in his chest accompanied by sense of Deja vu. "A-C-E. Ace."
"Do you like it?"
"...yeah."
"Gwahahaha...Welcome to the Red Force, Ace!"
Ace rolled his eyes, but a small smile was visible on his face. "You're a bit late, old man." Ignoring the indignant sputter of "I'm not old!" from one Red Hair captain, the boy allowed the feeling of happiness to consume him and laughed for the first time in days. He finally had a name now! Ace! His name was Ace, and he was not alone anymore...
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Chapter Ends
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Notes: I think my writing style changes... Must be because I haven't been writing for so longヾ(^^ゞ) I hope it doesn't get worse though. Think I need to re-watch OP again in order to get the feel of the characters. Really don't want to make them too OOC or anything（πーπ）
So what do you think of this chapter? Like it? Hate it? Please leave a review on your way out, okay? :;(∩´﹏`∩);: I'd love to hear what you think!
Answers to guest reviewers:
ASL: Thank you! I was afraid that I made some of them too OOC or something. I am really happy that you find the characters to be in line! Please don't hesitate to tell me if you find the characters acting weird or OOC in the future! (._.)
As for your question, it's already in this chapter. Hope you like it! Looking forward to hearing more from you! (*^-ﾟ)v
Imsosleepy: Thanks for the review! Glad that you like the idea. I've always wanted to read about Shanks raising Ace too! Hope I won't disappoint you with my version ლ(・﹏・ლ)
BlueAutumn12: Thank you! I'll try my best to fulfill your expectation! And yes, poor Sabo is having difficulties teaching Luffy common sense. Let's hope his effort won't be wasted (*-(-*)ゝ
Guest: (/ε＼*) you're making me blush! I don't know if I deserve such praise! I will work more on my writing so I don't disappoint you (๑ÒωÓ๑) please continue reading and reviewing my story! ＼（ＴＴ）／
Aria Heaven: The answer is in this chapter. Thanks for the review! (´`)