Thanks for your lovely support in the past months, I really appreciate it ^^

This update is a bit late. I'm so sorry there're too many things I want to include but cannot fit them into overall plot. Then writing block hit like a wrecking ball and I kept staring at a blank page for months.

Hope you enjoy the new chapter ^^

I used a bit of MasterQwertster's wonderful translation of One Piece Novel A. You can find out more about the begining of Spade Pirate from Deuce's point of view. Please support her!

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After making sure his mother had left for good, the bandits forced Ace to stay still in a corner before they figured out what to do to him. Not that Ace wanted to obey them, he had no idea why his mother trusted a group of mountain bandits, but she must have her reason, so he waited patiently till they finished arguing about his life as if he wasn't there. In the end, they came up with the decision that he'd stayed behind when they were out for 'businesses'. Consider they were bandits, Ace doubted their daily habits were anything legal.

"Don't mess around, and don't blow our businesses", Dadan threated, then she led a group of men out, leaving him behind with a sleepy-looking dog.

Of course Ace ignored her completely and ransacked the place. He found nothing useful except a barrel of rice and a few rusted swords. The place was more of a rundown than he'd expected, the pipes in the bathroom almost fell out already, but on overview, it was decent place to sleep. In the evening, the bandits returned with a bag of food and set the campfire. A short man got in the kitchen and brought him a small tray.

"This is all I have?" Ace looked at a bowl of rice and a glass of water on the tray, then averted his gaze to the pile of meat next to Dadan.

"For a day. If you want more, work for us, or go fetch your own food."

"Are you sure it's alright?" A chicken-like man whispered in her ear, his voice a little too 'quiet', "He's Hibiscus and the Pirate King's son."

"Then he should be able to take care of himself!"

Ace finished his portion in silence. When the night came, he got a thin cloth that called a 'blanket', and he got to sleep alone in a storage room. In the middle of the night, he opened his eyes due to hearing the door being opened. Secretly gripped his dagger, Ace pretended he was still asleep. By looking at the silhouette on the wall, he knew it was Dadan. She just stood at the door watching him and let out a sigh, then she dragged something into his room and left.

The newly-lit brazier radiated a cozy heat, and Ace slowly dozed off, feeling the bandits weren't so bad after all.

Dadan really kept her words. In the next morning, she woke him up using a loud bang and ordered him to clean the house. At the end of the day, he received another bowl of rice plus a tiny piece of meat. Ace knew there's no way he would be full if this kept going on, so on the third day, he sneaked after the bandits and learned the way to Goa Kingdom. From the mountain, Goa seemed to be a luxurious country, surrounded by a high wall that isolated it from the rest of the island.

On his way back, a snake tried to attack him from behind, but Ace dodged in time and pierced his weapon in its head. The reptile tasted richer than those in his hometown, and Ace couldn't wait to get used to the new life. It would be interesting, if only Striker was here to watch his back.

His portion was reduce to half that day for not finish the chores.

On the fourth day, Ace followed the men again and knew the way to the river. The stream was guarded by enormous alligators. One of them spotted him sitting on a tree, but it simply averted its gaze, probably because he wasn't worth for its stomach. All the alligators did was lying around, yet when another creatures came near the water, they attacked with dangerously high accuracy. Ace watched in astonishment as the reptiles dragged a bull under the water surface. The poor animal could only made desperate shriek before the river turned red.

"The strong makes the rule Ace," his mother once said, "If you aren't strong enough, you don't even have the chance to choose."
The sixth day, Ace found a suspension bridge leading him to the other side of the mountain. The carnivores on this side were even more tyrant, but also due to their sizes, they didn't dare to cross the bridge. Fortunate enough, because Ace almost got himself killed when he accidentally walked in a tiger's territory.

The seventh day, Ace was surprised to see the bandits didn't go outside like they usually did. Except for Dadan and her two trusted subordinates, the rest were unconscious, lying around in weird positions, a result of yesterday's party, which Ace wasn't allowed to join. Dadan's eyebrows perked up when their eyes met, and her nose wriggled as he moved toward the door. Ace guessed she must be frustrated, because he hadn't done the chores for days. The chicken man grabbed his shoulder and pulled him back.

"Where do you think you're going? Stay and do the housework."

Ace simply grasped the man's wrist and threw his away. The man made a painful shriek as he hit the ground.

Dadan huffed, but she didn't look surprised at all.

"Of course you can do that, both of your parents are Ds after all. You can do anything you like boy. Just don't die!"

Though her words caused an ignorant impression, Ace noticed the two men stalking him from behind. When he purposely hid in a bush, they got panic and ran back screaming he was in danger. When he showed up again, they continued to follow him around. The bandits weren't nice people, but they certainly weren't so bad. Just like his mother said, there was thing wasn't black or white.

But it didn't mean he liked them. His sadistic side was pleased when they freaked out for losing him for the fifth time in a day.

Ace's targets were small herbivores at first, rabbits and birds; then he slowly moved to bigger preys. Living alone was not as difficult as he thought, he'd been trained for this. Nonetheless, the bandits provided him a place to sleep, so he didn't have to worry about the cold at night. Two weeks since Ace came to the Dadan family, he was capable of repaying the bandits with a deer.

On the thirtieth day, Ace discovered a place called Gray Terminal.

Located right outside the wall of Goa Kingdom, the place was a massive junkyard filled with unwanted goods, the residents walked lifelessly as if they were ghouls. Ace stared at the gate. His mind automatically connected him and the place, both being an outcast. He didn't expect to find anything useful really, the smell as he walked deeper was even worse, junks piling up mountain-high, but he wanted to try his luck. Ace kept wandering aimlessly until a blond boy ran into him. 'Crash into' would be a more accurate description, because the impact was so strong they both felt off the ground.

"You! Who the hell are you?!"

The kid shrieked. He wore a cravat and a large top hat, both of which looked ridiculously incompatible in a desolate and daunting area.

"And who are you?!"

Ace retorted and pushed the stranger off. Blond Kid didn't seem to mind though, he was busy looking behind. From around them came angry footsteps. The kid picked a water pipe up and grabbed Ace's wrist.

"Run!"

Ace grimaced, "Why should I listen to you?"

Blond Kid exasperated, "Because they're coming!"

-!

A man descended from above and swung a sword at Blond Kid. Ace, in reflex, kicked the kid afar, so the kid fell down and narrowly missed the attack. The kid let out a curse before spinning his weapon and hit the guy in his stomach. Just at the moment the guy kneeled down, a group of armed men emerged from the junk heaps and circled the two.

"So you're the blond monkey keep stealing our money!" One guy grumbled, "Oh, and you have a friend. Don't you think you can get out of here unharmed."

To Ace's surprise, the kid's shoulder began to quiver. His head downturned in a very formal manner as he stepped forward, standing between Ace and the men.

"I'm terribly sorry for this misunderstanding. Please forgive me. I promise I'd never do it again."

The guys burst out laughing and made rude comments, while the leader patted the kid hard on his head. His hat fell off and he almost tripped down, yet he smiled goofily and continued to ask for mercy. Ace furrowed at the kid's sudden cowardice, then it dawned upon him when one man revealed a skull tattoo on his bicep.

Pirate. They weren't normal gangsters. But pirates.

The leader offered his hand and Blond Kid began searching in his pocket. Ace carefully evaluate the situation, then for a brief second, the air seemed to stop, causing his muscles tensed on instinct. He clenched his fist and stared at the other kid. The guys were still laughing. In a blink of an eye, the kid sprang forward and kicked the leader in his throat. He quickly picked up a water pipe and swung it so hard Ace could heard the guy's neck cracking.

"Run!" The kid said, his back turning to Ace, "Follow the tunnel there and run to the right. You should get out of here within five minutes."

One of the man tried to punch the kid, but he dodged easily and countered the man with a punch. Unlike Ace who liked to rely on his speed and physical strength, the kid's attacks were slower, but trickier; each of them accurately hit the vital area and knocked out his opponents in a blow. Still the men outnumbered the kid, and soon he was at disadvantage. A guy unsheathed his sword and approached Blond Kid from behind.

It was then Ace decided to step in. He grabbed the guy's shirt and threw him to another man. The kid waited no second striking his pipe and knocked both of them down. He gave Ace a skeptical look, and Ace replied with a smirk. Silently, an alliance was established. Leaning their backs against each other, they made a quick introduction.

"Sabo."

"Ace."

"I handle that side and you take the rest?"

"Deal."

The fight was exhilarating. Sabo was a skilful with his attacks, wielding and spinning his pipe as if it was a part of his body. It compensates perfectly with Ace's blunter and more direct strikes. Even though they just met, their moves harmonized as if they were long lost friends. Ace felt like every fiber of his being was vibrating with anticipation, and adrenaline was courting through his veins. He didn't know how long did it last, but at the very end, the two of them was the only one standing straight.

When Ace was about to punch the leader one more time, Sabo pulled him back.

"Don't! More are coming. We have to go now!"

Ace followed the newfound stranger till they got out of Grey Terminal, passing the gate and came into the city. In comparison with Gray Terminal, the city was much lively, people dressed properly and spoke in formal manner. Sabo led him to a valley, digging water bottle out of nowhere and threw it to him.

"That was close!" Sabo smiled, "You're strong. Where do you learn to punch?"

"My mom taught me."

Ace answered, not missing how Sabo's shoulders stiffened. The blond boy pulled his hat lowered and turned away.

"Good for you then. That was fun, but we probably shouldn't do it again. Go home now before your parents got worried."

Ace frowned at the reminder of his parents, he didn't hear anything from them for a month; but before he could said a thing, Sabo already continued.

"Don't know how to get back? I can show you the way. It's still early, we have an hour before sunset."

"My house is not here-"

"Oh, really?" Sabo made a sarcastic huff, "Sorry then. Of course you don't live in Grey Terminal. I've never seen you before. Look, I don't know why you don't want to go home, but you should get back and forget this. That place is not for children."

Ace made a face.

"I'm ten already."

"You're still a child!"

"Then how old are you?"

"I'm ten too."

"Then what are you doing here?!"

"I'm not like you!"

Somehow the small spatting ended up with their fists. It took Ace a handful to punching and wrestling to pin Sabo to the ground, and even then, the blond boy never stopped resisting or using dirty move to get out of his grip. They kept going back and forth until the color drained out of the sky and both fell down, neither of them being able to move.

"Okay, let's start again," the kid offered at last, too tired to make a proper sentence, "I'm Sabo."

"Ace."

"I live in Grey Terminal."

"I live in the forest."

"Don't lie. The forest is full of dangerous beasts."

"I live with the mountain bandits. The animals aren't that hard if you know their habits.

"You must be joking right?"

"You'll get used to it. But hey can we lie here for a while? I don't really feel like moving now."

"Me too. Have nothing to do anyway. But tell me about the forest tomorrow?"

"Sure."

On the sky above, the moon hung full and hazy beneath an eclipse of blazing stars, carrying a nostalgic echo. Ace felt a light pinch on his shoulder. His mind wandered back to the days he first met Striker, then he glanced at Sabo. Sabo was busy staring at the sky, his brown eyes reflected the sparkling of the stars above.

Ace couldn't read the boy's expression, but he hoped Sabo would be interested in him as much as he was interested in Sabo.

….

Sabo had been living in Grey Terminal for five years. He mugged for a living and never went further than the suspension bridge, therefore agreed to teach Ace about Goa Kingdom in exchange for knowledge about the forest. When Ace was alone, he wandered in High Wall collecting information about his family. It was easier than he expected, because his father's name was all over the news. 'The Great Hunt for the Pirate King', the tittle said. He let out a relief sigh when the article said the government lost his father in East Blue, yet it was also stated that they wouldn't give up soon.

One thing Ace learned in the months crossing the Grand Line was the underground information network, things that weren't displayed on the news. In a foreign land, his only chance getting close to it was through the pirates. From teacher-student relationship, Ace soon became Sabo's partner in crime. Sabo held a strong attentiveness toward piracy. Except for the treasure, they also collected as much books and documents as they could. One book, 'Brag Men', got Sabo's interest so greatly for weeks he never let it out of his reach. Ace was annoyed at first, because Sabo rather finished one more chapter than went hunting with him. Yet as Sabo reached the very end of the book, he became less and less talkative. The quietness got on Ace's nerves even more and he finally snapped.

"Okay, what's it?"

"What what?"

"What's been bothering you?"

"Nothing?"

"Yeah right. What's it in the book?"

"Brag Men? You want to read it?"

"No, I want to know why you keep your head down the whole time."

Sabo wore a struggling expression, biting his lips and tsking and biting his lips again. Then he looked directly into Ace's eyes, his voice slightly shaking.

"Can I show you something?"

Sabo led Ace to a tall tree where he opened a secret compartment engraved in a branch. The compartment was filled with money and jewelries.

"This is my treasure."

"So you've been collecting them eh?" Ace picked up a necklace from the mug they committed last week, "Why you suddenly want me to know?"

"Because I want to be a pirate!"

Ace fidgeted and slowly put the necklace back into its place.

"Really? You know what it means being a pirate?"

"Be free. To do what I want anywhere I want."

Ace tried to keep his expression normal, because he wanted to smirk so bad.

"Also being a criminal hated by the world and endangered your loved one."

Otherwise, why his family had to run away in the middle of the night? Why did he have to leave his hometown? And there were the hateful comments the villagers and pirates once said. He could oppress his tantrum now, but it didn't mean the scar stopped stinging.

"Yeah, that," Sabo put off his hat and scratched his hair, "Don't worry. The closest person I got in years is you."

"…"

"I… I always thought I can do it alone, that's why I'm collecting money and getting myself ready. But there's a chapter in here," Sabo opened the book, "A chapter about a lonely man on the verge of dying, wishing nothing more than to hold the hand of someone, anyone. Because at the moment he closes his eyes, his dreams, no matter how great it is, will vanish from this world."

"…"

"I guess I don't want to end up like him."

"…"

"The last few weeks, you're here," Their eyes met again, "I know we're not that close, but I want you to know. In case… I don't make it," Sabo downturned his head, then he clenched his fist and looked at Ace's directly in the eyes, "My dream is still alive."

"…"

"That's it. That's what I want to say. Sorry to bother you. Let's go for another hunt?"

"…"

"Ace?"

Remember this Ace. Inherited Will, the Destiny of the Age, and the Dreams of its People. These are things that will not be stopped. As long as people continue to pursue the meaning of freedom, these things will never cease to be!

Ace pursed his lips. He had an idiot for a father, now he had an idiot for a friend.

Swallowing hard, he made a decision.

"That's, you're wrong. Your dream doesn't die when you close your eyes. It doesn't depend on anyone but you. Your dream dies when you fail to pursue it."

"Uh, okay?"

"If you want to know about piracy that much, I can tell you what Grand Line looks like."

"Don't lie," Sabo made a face, "How could you come to 'The Pirate Graveyard'?"

"Because I'm the Pirate King's son."

Silence stretched and a falling leaf could stun their ears. Ace eyed Sabo's reaction cautiously, but the blond boy did nothing more than staring and raising his eyebrows.

"And?"

"You don't surprise at all?"

"No wonder you keep asking the pirates about the man. Now, is there anything in the Grand Line that I need to know?"

Sabo got shocked after hearing about the Sea Kings and decided they needed to take training more serious. They spent less time in Grey Terminal and more time in the forest, capturing bigger preys to hone their fighting skills.

"Wait and see Ace. Ten years from now I'd be one of the greatest explorer this world has ever had. Then you can be my hostage," Sabo's eyes sparkled, "That way you're not a criminal but you can still go to the sea."

"You want me to do the chores don't you?"

Ace'd never thought about sailing seriously because he wanted to follow neither of his parents' path. But when he saw the brilliant spark in Sabo's eyes, he recalled the first time waking up on the sea. Salty breeze vibrated rhythmically with the pounding of the waves. The golden rays of light shone onto the water surface, making it dazzle like millions of jewels.

The thought of sailing but not as a pirate or marine captivated him. Maybe there was still a chance for him after all.

"But seriously, Sabo. What do you think about the Pirate King's son?"

"I think… It's unfair judging someone sorely based on their parents."

Together, they promised to set sail at the age of seventeen.

….

"I'm going to be the King of the Pirate!"

One day, after returning from a hunt, Ace saw Dadan yelling at an old man and a kid.

"Your grandson?! First your niece and now you?! I bet this kid is another stubborn brat!"

"Rouge was here?" The old man sneered, "I know that red-haired wasn't here for anything good!"

"Don't badmouth Shanks!"

The kid retorted, and the man hit him on his head.

"Don't idolize that guy! Dadan, how's Rouge? What does she want?"

Dadan made a scoffed and simply pointed to him. The man turned around and his jaw dropped to the ground.

"You- you're—"

"Ace," Ace proudly said. If he recalled his mother's stories right, the man right here had raised his mother, and the same time being one of his father's biggest enemy.

The man's facial muscles twisted, blood vessels popping out on his forehead. The corner of the man's lips curled up and Ace leaped on reflex. The tree he was leaning against crumbled to dust.

"Oh? She taught you well didn't she?" The man smirked, "You'll become a great marine."

Though it was embarrassing to admit, Ace already knew he would lose before the fight even begin. From the man radiated a fierce and overwhelming aura that cause all his blood cells in preparation for war.

Truth to be told, Ace lost miserably. The man cheerfully pinched his cheeks like he was some kind of stuffed animal. 'Taking care of your cousin' was the man's last words before he walked away, not bother to look back once.

"I'm going to be the King of the Pirate!"

Luffy repeated for the nth time. Ace grimaced at the new kid, his 'supposed' cousin. Only less than a day since the kid got to the mountain and he already got on Ace's nerve. Every time he opened his mouth, it was either about his dream or his food. Unlike Sabo, who only wished to see to world, the kid was very specific at becoming the next 'Pirate King'. Ace could understand Sabo's yearn for freedom, but he couldn't get the kid's obsession with said status. He'd seen how the world treated 'Pirate King', and he wished no one and their loved ones had to suffer the same things. His first instinct was to cast Luffy out, proving the kid that he was too weak to be on top of the world, but Luffy patiently followed him like a tail. No matter which tactic Ace used, Luffy always managed to come out stronger and fiercer.

"You know, you can always stay at my place," Sabo suggested.

"No need, I'll cut that kid anytime soon."

'Anytime' turned out to be 'never', Ace'd failed miserably. After two months of non-stop stalking, Luffy was no longer a tail running behind his back, but a cheerful little brother standing by his and Sabo's side.

"If you exchange cups, it makes you brothers. No matter what we are or what we do… this bond will never be broken!"

Though Ace didn't like drinking, he had a habit of carrying three cups and a bottle of sake in his bag. When the weather was warm, he enjoyed walking along the seashore, where the waves would gently pound his feet and rhyme nostalgic laughter.

Their promise under the golden twilight was so real back then, then suddenly it dissolved into foam and vanished at dawn break. Ace remembered the day as if it was only yesterday. He once sat by Sabo's side under a broken shelter in Grey Terminal, looking at High Wall and be jealous of its luminous light, then on that fateful night, Grey Terminal was brighter than the sun. Inferno pierced through the sky, dying the cloud in red and burned a part of his heart to ash.

Ace remembered being tied against a tree and cried at the very top of his lungs, and the bandits only let him go when he no longer had energy to sob. When he casted his eyes above, he saw the same magenta shade of the day Striker left him behind. He kneeled down, face in his hands and he could really see the dreams he yearned for slipping through his fingers. There he goes again, being so weak he couldn't protect the one he loved. Tiredness crashed in and suddenly Ace wanted to give up on this world. All that years of training yet he still remained at the very starting line.

A hoarse sob struck Ace out of his stupor. He headed up to search for the source and saw a wooden board with white drawing mark, the one Sabo made to determine who was the strongest between the three of them. Bitterness seethed in his heart, but at the same time dawned his mind.

Three. Ace repeated the number. He still had another brother.

Ace ran to the cliff and found his youngest brother curling painfully, tears kept flowing from his eyes. Ace bit his lips and ran back into the forest, where he picked random preys in attempt to lash out every bit of his distress. Ace knew he needed to do this fast, so that when he stood by Luffy's side again, he could be the trustworthy and reliable older brother.

"Listen to me, Luffy!

Luffy stopped crying and looked at him. Ace smiled and tried to ignore the clenching in his heart.

"We have to live our lives, so we don't have any regret!"

Sabo said he would leave the land when he's seventeen, and Ace would fulfil that dream.

….

At age seventeen, Ace left Goa Kingdom. The journey was peaceful for two weeks before he was caught in a thunderstorm. His boat was torn in half and he barely made it to an island nearby. Ace thought this was his luck at first, but soon he realized there was nothing to eat on this deserted land. His only way out was to make a raft and get out as soon as possible, yet none of his attempt survived the furious waves.

Ace didn't expect to have a companion on the island though. On his sixth day, while collecting materials for another try, he found a blue-hair stranger sitting under a pear tree. The thought of having someone to talk to lightened his mood, so he got closer to say hi. The guy nodded and nodded but didn't bat an eye at him, too busy talking to a skeleton instead. Ace felt bad for interrupting the farewell moment between a man and his comrade, therefore he offered.

"We could at least make a grave. I'll help too."

"A grave? Let's do it."

The stranger answered, lifeless. He stumbled getting himself up and Ace noticed a small notebook on the ground. Together under the hot blazing sun, they silent built a memorial on the sand until the guy suddenly shrieked.

"Who the hell are you?!"

That was weird. He'd thought the guy noticed him.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Ace."

The stranger turned out to be just like him, whose luck being swiped away by the waves. Wearing a black mask, the guy refused to say his name, therefore Ace called him Deuce. Deuce had left his hometown in order to achieve his dream, being a famous writer and write freely about wonders of the world.

It was also Sabo's dream.

Because of that, Ace was ready to call the guy 'friend'.

"I don't really want a bounty. I want a normal adventure, that's all."

Deuce acclaimed, and damn if that didn't remind Ace of his best friend. Ace smiled sheepishly and said.

"You care about your family."

"What?"

"You didn't want to cause them trouble. Am I right or what?"

"I don't like them! I dislike them! In fact, I hate them! That's why I'm out of here!"

Ace noticed a bit shaking in Deuce's voice, but he decided not to comment on that.

"Is that so? I was sure I was right on that…"

"That's…. not the case…"

Deuce muttered, so Ace changed the topic.

"Speaking of family, I have a little brother. We aren't related by blood, but he's still my brother. He's noisy like a monkey, but being away from him and going on my own like this, it's quite lonely."

Ace began to talk about Luffy. Talking about Luffy always made his heart at peace. He finished a silly story when he saved Luffy from one of his idiotic stun, expecting lightened the atmosphere, but when he looked at Deuce, the guy was clenching his fist. Finally, Deuce snapped upward and spat.

"Good for you! Why did you come here? Why don't you go back with your little brother?"

"…"

"You have somewhere to return to, a great little brother related not by blood but by heart. You're a disgustingly happy bastard! You surely have a loving mom and dad that anxiously waiting for you to return. You're damn well-blessed!"

"Yeah," Ace arched his eyebrow, feeling anger accumulating. He'd been nothing but nice and he was being yelled at? "So what?"

Was this guy competing unluckiness?

"Your childhood must be great right?" Deuce exasperated, "I bet your father took you downtown on the weekends and your mother liked to brag about you with her friends. Your existence must be very welcomed."

His father never took him to town nor his mother even have a friend.

"The only thing my father said to me is 'Don't embarrass me'! My mother doesn't talk to me! My older brother doesn't look at me! How can someone with happy childhood like you understand?"

"Happy…" Ace muttered, the words of the hateful pirate so long ago echoed in his ears. The green meadows of his early years become so vivid in his mind before they were burned down by the inferno in Grey Terminal, "…My father was a criminal."

"Does he love you or not? He does right? Then why making such a sour face?"

Because there were moments he was tired of running. Because there were moments he wondered why he was left behind. Because there were moments he dreamed his parents would never came back, because there were moment he felt overwhelmed taking Sabo's place. Because…

"You're right," Ace curled his lips, the pain stuck on his throat, "I guess I just being self-conscious."

Then the question crashed in, coming out quicker than he expected.

"Hey, what do you think if Roger had a son?"

Ace pitied himself for still being hurt by it after all this years.

The guy shot him a suspicious look, and Ace replied with a grin.

"Just kidding. But being a notorious pirate doesn't mean being a bad parent."

They parted and Ace began searching for material again. Life must hate him so much, because after meeting the stranger, he began to hallucinate. Every time he closed his eyes, he found himself being seized by fire. Sometimes the fire trapped him in a raging maze, sometimes it glowed hazily around him like fireflies. Strangely, no matter in what form, the fire never endangered him, he couldn't even feel the heat. If he focused enough, he could hear the crackling sound of wood and the fragrance of smoke from his childhood. Before that great fire, his skin glowed gold and his heart was at ease.

Find me.

The fire whispered.

Ace repelled the voice. The end of Grey Terminal was fresh in his mind. Fire, he couldn't get closer to fire. It was fire that took one of his brothers away, and almost took the other too if Dadan wasn't right on time.

Fire. That night he was too weak.

Find me.

Ace tried to keep himself awake, and the voice started to affect him in daylight. The lack of sleep added more pressure on his health and his stamina withered day by day. He rushed blindly, even tried crossing the currents with bare hand, but all attempt ended up in vain.

Maybe this world had no place for him after all.

Ace sprawled on the sand and made a sarcastic snort, his body too tired to move, and the idea of a good sleep didn't sound so bad. Sure he would probably hear the strange voice again, but at least sleeping stopped him from thinking about his weakness. He didn't mind what the world think of him really, but the promise he made with his brothers was still undone. The taste of sake was too real on his tongue, bitter and sweet and brought tears to his eyes.

Ace noticed something nudging his leg. Sitting upward, he saw a round orange fruit being washed ashore. It composed of many flame-shaped components with swirl patterns. Ace picked the fruit up, suspiciously evaluate the bizarre appearance. He had way too much with Luffy and poisonous food, God knows whether if the thing in his hand was lethal or not. But being hungry for days, the fruit sounded like a miracle.

He opened his mouth, ready to take a bite, then suddenly he heard a stomach growl. He turned around and saw Deuce holding a branch.

"Oh, that's a nice branch," Ace took the club, "Are you helping with the boat?"

Deuce inhaled deeply and stumbled backward. He clearly had trouble standing, so Ace offered the fruit.

"Here, you can have it."

At the very moment his stomach decided to step in and embarrass its owner. Ace cursed his digestive system before and noticed Deuce stepping closer. Though the mask had covered most of Deuce's expression, Ace could see the bloodshot in Deuce's eyes.

"Th-There's a bunch more of these right? Out there? Right?

"Nope, I picked it up just now," Ace shrugged, "It probably washed ashore like we did. Here, you want some?"

At that, Deuce kneeled down. His body shaking as he sniffled.

"I… I can't eat that…"

"Eat it."

"I won't!"

"Why not? You're hungry, so quit refusing."

"Bu-But you're hungry too right?!"

Deuce shouted and started crying, which confused Ace as hell, hence he unsheathed his dagger and slit the fruit in half.

"Alright, is this okay with you?"

He placed one half in Deuce's hand and took the first bite of the remaining half.

"See. I'm eating so you eat too. Taste quite good."

Ace was lying. The fruit was so terrible he doubted his vocabulary had the right word to describe it, yet it was enough to calm his stomach from protesting. Deuce kept crying and sobbing as he ate the fruit so Ace guessed he wasn't the only one being struck by the nasty flavor.

"Yeah it's good. Horrible, but good… So good… So good… I'm sorry, so sorry…"

"Okay don't force yourself," Ace pursed, "This is disgusting. I've never eaten anything this bad."

Deuced nodded, and they finished the humble meal. The day soon came to an end, the sky slowly being dyed deep red as the sun dived into the sea. Ace couldn't help letting out a weary sigh. The fruit was enough for him to keep hang on for another day.

But for now, he wanted to enjoy the beautiful scenery.

"Even though the sunset is pretty," he chuckled, "But if there's no one witness, it doesn't matter how pretty it is. It's just so boring."
Deuce made a soft chuckle of agreement and recited a poetry about sunset. Ace had a good laugh, because the Deuce's work had no rhythm at all. It was getting darker and darker, yet the breeze coming from the sea was hot.

Pleasure to meet you Ace.

Ace curled his lips. Here it goes again, his hallucination. This time the voice was so clear he felt as if someone was standing right next to his. Clearly sleep-depravation had gotten on his nerves, he needed a good nap now.

"Ace! You're on fire!"

Deuce shrieked and snapped upward.

"Huh- WHAT?!"

His whole body was on fire. Ace rolled on the sand to extinguish the flame. It worked, but when he stopped, the fire ignited again.

Please calm down.

Fire danced on his skin, shuffling left and right like it was trying to say hi.

Let's get along, shall we?

Ace looked at the blazing spark then jumped into the sea without hesitation.

No please don't do that, it's-

The voice disappeared along with his strength. At the moment Ace's leg dipped in the water, his muscles gave up on working and his body slumped forward. He could have drowned if it wasn't for Deuce dragging him ashore on time.

"You're alright Ace?" Deuce checked his heartbeat, "What happened?"

"I don't know, I think it's over now."

The fire burst again.

…Uh, I-

"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh-"

Luffy once said he immediately knew what his power could do after he ate the Gum-Gum fruit, going as far as claiming his power was the real mastermind behind his stuns. Ace'd thought it was hard to believe, until the fire spent the night describing itself. With the new-gained power, they escaped the deserted island at last. Ace asked if Deuce wanted to join him on his journey, and the blue-haired man agreed almost instantly.

Spade Delivery Service was founded under the golden twilight of East Blue. Things didn't go well at first, but slowly and steadily, they made a name for themselves, and the team got more and more crowded. Ace couldn't be happier with this result, having a new friend right after each adventure. One of them particularly liked clinging by his side and he also like using the lynx as his pillow.

The only thing dissatisfied him was his power.

Flame-Flame fruit, or as it introduced itself, Fogo, gave him the power to control fire. Luffy mentioned his rubber power was energetic, hence Ace expected his power to be bellicose and fierce. But as it turned out, the flame had a pretty chill personality. It merely said a word a day, and their conversations only surrounded what should he do to master its better.

Ace had never planned to have a devil fruit. Having a logia granted him a lot of advantages, but also took away his ability to swim, which mean he could no longer save Luffy if his brother fell into the water like he always did again. After getting out of the island and actually thought about that possibility, it terrified him to the point he wished he'd given Deuce the fruit as a whole.

That, and the demise of Grey Terminal, the thorn he couldn't pluck out of his heart. Every time he saw his practice target being burned to dust, he couldn't help thinking about the day Grey Terminal lit up the night sky. The crackling sound recalled nothing more than the truth that he was weak. Although Ace practiced controlling fire gradually, he tried to rely on his physical strength more. He had a feeling Fogo knew his thinking, but it'd never made a comment, and he felt extremely grateful for it.

Maybe because he, the Pirate King's son, was already an outcast of society since his birth, every member of his crew somehow ended up being a pariah at one point in their life. Their personalities was varied, and so did their strengths. Having quite a special crew plus being a logia, Ace soon got the government's attention. They sent another logia to confront him. The more experienced marine easily had the upper hand, leaving Ace no choice but unlash his power. An enormous energy took over his body and he heard Deuce shouted out. Looking at a wide area being seized by ferocious blaze, Ace felt chill crawling on his spine. Something struck him in his head, then his mind entirely shut down.

When he woke up, it was already three days later.

"No one got hurt, your fire doesn't burn at all," Deuce checked his injuries, "Next time we see that smoke guy, we run. Discretion is the better part of a valor."

"Too bad, he's quite good looking."

"If you don't stop checking up on those that can actually kill you right now, I'll kill you myself first."

Ace volunteered to be on watch that night. On a new moon night, all he could see was an endless darkness. The pounding waves were the only clue let him know he was moving forward. Ace bit his lips, knowing he was still too far from keeping the promise with Sabo.

"You're here?"

On his shoulder ignited a small spark.

"Thanks… For protecting anyone."

No problem. You're better now?

"All good," Ace moved his finger, his muscles a bit stiff but nothing too serious, "That move, I want to learn it."

Tomorrow, okay? You're not in your best condition now.

"Okay."

Great then. Call me if you need anything.

The fire dimmed, but Ace voiced out before it truly vanished.

"Are you really the manifestation of fire?"

It'd been a puzzle he wanted to know the answer.

Something wrong? The spark blazed again.

"You're calm. Fire supposes to be aggressive."

Ah… that, a soft chuckle, I'm sorry, you're not the first person to ask me that. It's kind of nostalgic.

I'm not calm, just careful. Otherwise I'll accidentally burn someone I care, or worse, you care about.

Losing a beloved is the pain I don't want anyone to suffer.

"…"

'What happened?' he mean to ask, but swallowed his words in time. The spark on his shoulder whirled merrily like it was snickering.

It's okay. I don't remember anyway. I just know I should not lose my temper, or I'll regret.

Maybe I was once a despicable devil.

So don't worry. My fire never hurt those you love.

After a year building reputation in East Blue, Ace decided it was time to come to Grand Line. The Pirate Graveyard was the same as he remembered, thrilling and chaotic. Danger and excitement became the daily meal. His crew made mistakes sometimes, miscalculating the weather, caught a rare sickness or running out of food, but luckily they managed to overcome it all. The most dangerous incident was when Ace accidentally fell into to a river when none of his comrades was nearby. Being safe by a girl, he agreed to break in G-2 Marine Headquarter to deliver her message. The visit later led to their secret symbiotic connection with a Marine Base, and also resulted in Deuce having his first gray hair at the age of twenty.

"Are you watching right now?"

Ace smiled toward the clear blue sky as he poured a cup of wine to the sea. Every year, three cups of sake, he never forget. For some reasons, he'd been feeling like Sabo was staring from afar, celebrating his journey with a brilliant smile.

Turned out said brother was actually watching him from behind with an offer from the Revolution Army, completely clueless about their precious childhood.

Ace almost burned down a Revolution Army's facility that day.

….

Ace enthusiastically walked in an eye-catching restaurant. After one week taking care of his very arrogant new client, he finally had a little time for himself, so of course he'd spent this precious break for the activity he loved most, eating. He was so eager he headed straight toward the chef and order as much as he could, not even bother to look around.

There's a blond guy behind you, sit with him.

For a second Ace thought he was dreaming, because his power never used demanding tone toward him. He quickly turned around and found Marco the Phoenix sitting alone in the corner. The man demurely enjoyed his meal, his demeanor lazy and idle, yet the other customers were eyeing him like a herd of sheep watching a wolf. It must be a joke wandering in Grand Line without knowing about the Emperors and their top executives. He only reached for his cup and already caused another man fell off his chair.

"Something wrong with him?"

Fogo made a soft hum instead of giving a proper answer. Ace didn't mind sitting with the guy though. His parents spoke highly about Whitebeard, yet never said a thing about the man's first mate, that alone provoked his curiosity.

Ace received his meal and walked toward the man's table.

"I'm sorry, may I sit here?"

The blond man casted his eyes upward. Ace had expected rejection, because on wanted poster Marco the Phoenix seemed to be a serious person. Yet at the very moment their eyes met, Ace found himself at lost. A serene feeling bloomed in his heart, reminding him of the peaceful day marveling at the grandeur of mountain scenery. Maybe the light filtered through the grimy window had done the perfect job making the man's facial features softer. His eyes were the exact copy of the color of the sky, deep and blue and emerged a trustworthy feeling.

A spark flickered in the man's eyes, something Ace failed to intercept, but he got the answer correct before the man even said.

"No problem, please have a seat."

"Thanks. I'm Portgas D. Ace."

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There was one thing that kept nudging Marco's mind since the moment he met Ace, the young man's tattoo. 'ASCE', with the S being crossed out. Some might say it was the tattooist's mistake, but there was no tattooist dared to make such tremendous mistake on their clients' body. Hell, even a small scratch could cause them their head, therefore the S on Ace's bicep must be intentional.

A memorial, Marco assumed, because it had to be so important Ace wanted it to be a part of him till eternity.

Marco found the second mark after Ace took off his shirt. There were vague parallel scratches on the young man's shoulder. Since they were standing pretty close, the marks became outstanding on Ace's freckled skin. Marco hovered his hand on the young man's shoulder, but before his flame could touch the mark, Ace's shoulder was ablaze.

"Ah," Ace turned his body back to physical form, shushing the flame of his shoulder. Then he looked at Marco, his eyes filled with confusion, "Something wrong?"

"Phoenix is wondering about the mark on your shoulder," Marco sold his power out.

"Oh this? This is a gift from my very first friend, an aggressive fur ball," Ace snickered. His fingers caressed the scar as if it was his treasure while his eyes carefully scanned around. "I can't see or sense anything, so it must be over-!"

Ace's stomach growled and his face flushed of embarrassment.

"Me neither," Marco tried to hide his chuckle by pulling a package out of his bag, "Here, onigiri. Just made them this morning."

"Thanks," Ace happily took the rice ball, "You always bring them around?"

"A doctor always has to be ready."

They silently enjoyed the frugal dinner while trying to share a tiny space and keep themselves dry. The stream below seethed with rage and beastly cries echoing off the dense stone walls. Their only light was one of Ace's fireball floating in the air, but its light was easily engulfed by the chilling blackness.

"Guess we're stuck here for the night."

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My life has been roller-coasting in the last two months hahaha. I'm having a test soon and probably only at the end of my life can I get over academic anxiety.

Anyway, I know this is a MarcoAce fic but please bear with me when I'm into other characters. I want to cover more than the romance (and also include Sabo in future plot).

The past with Sabo and Deuce was hard. I always wonder why Sabo knew about Ace's heritage because Ace clearly didn't like talking about it. So this is the best I can come up with, a secret for a secret. I like to think mugging and collecting were Sabo's things before Ace came along. Skipping Luffy's part a bit because we all know what happened in Grey Terminal.

For Deuce, I want to stick with canon as much as I can. Again, thank MasterQwertster for her wonderful translation of One Piece Novel A. Please support her!

Ace gained his power when he was seventeen right? Due to what happened in Grey Terminal, I think he must have hated it at first. Just my theory. Chopper and Robin did have a hard time with their powers.

Quick summary for the next chapter: Marco and Ace in a cave : (and maybe an angry Deuce)

What can you find in a cave?