No regrets by BibliophileAnya

Charlotte Praline and Prim were born as twins not triplets. Though really who knew Big Mom had a gluten free phase? Being named after Pearl millet was something I never imagined would ever happen to me. At least it's not as atrocious as my other siblings names. I am Charlotte Pearl this is the log of my adventures. Being a different species is not as easy as Ariel makes it out to be though in my case it's the reverse situation. And I sure as hell don't need to be a D to make changes. The ripples that form in the sea reach far and wide; after all the sea is vast. What do you mean it's a moot point since I married a D?!

Disclaimer: I don't own anything nor I am making any profit writing this. But I have been researching a lot regarding Mermaid Anatomy and Physiology. There are few original ideas there that I would like to trademark. Case in point 'Flares'.

You have been created in order that you might make a difference. You have within you the power to change the world. -Andy Andrews (The Butterfly Effect: How your life matters)

Character Index:

Ace, Pearl.( Katakuri, Brûlée, Praline, Prim, Cracker, Custard, Smoothie, Robin, Marco, Law, Luffy, Sabo, Jinbei, Kato, Chiffon, Pudding) glimpsed.

Interlude: Ace

(reactions to Roger Arc log entry)

Third Person POV

"Are you telling me that you almost became my stepsister?" Ace fumed as he started to pace.

"Why that man..." He continued angrily.

"Calm down." Pearl sighed unable to hide a smile.

"But Ariel..." He whined reverting to that pseudo name.

"Hotaru." She mock scolded.

"I told you, that tale is more applicable to you rather than me. I am the fire after all, you are the firefly princess, especially with your colouring." Ace rolled his eyes.

"Who knew that story would make such an impact on you?" Pearl laughed.

"Of course, it would. It was the first one you told me. Nevermind. In the first place, why were you even so interested in him?" Ace sighed giving up.

He came and sat beside her on their shared bed.

Pearl liked her comforts too much for a pirate, Ace mused fondly looking at the numerous pillows strewn over the huge bed. Her amber eyes glistened brighter in the warm light from the table lantern as she leaned on him.

"Are you going to overreact a lot? Because trust me this is nothing, I spent a lot of time with Roger and his crew when he was on Totto Land." Pearl poked his freckles.

"I will try to control my reactions, no promises. Though I am glad you let me read the log in private with you first." Ace muttered but brightened up soon after.

"But imagining my sperm donor try to woo Big Mom makes me want to laugh." Ace grinned.

Pearl deadpanned, "Of course his suffering would make you laugh..."

"What is with your reaction? It is rare to see you so out of control. You didn't think how the alliance would be, did you?" Ace teased, reading about Pearl's loss of composure after meeting Roger for the first time. He shifted back so he leaned on the wooden headboard covered in fluffy pillows.

"Oh shut up. I couldn't have imagined something as harebrained as that in a hundred years." Pearl pouted leaning back on his warm chest sitting in between his legs.

Ace rested his chin on the top of her hair, turning the pages of the log entry on her lap, arms loosely surrounding her waist.

"You know Katakuri and Brûlée meant the best for you, right? It is rare to see you so... impulsive." Ace said moving Pearl entirely on his lap and she squeaked in response.

"I was curious and worried. Think of it like this, Roger was a mysterious man then, a legend now. I wanted a confirmation of sorts regarding the reality I lived in now. Add to that thinking of the repercussions of his escape..." Pearl elaborated tilting her chin up to look him in the eyes.

Ace looked at the woman in his arms seriously and dropped a kiss on her forehead in comfort.

His eyes were moving through the lines a small smile on his face as he read the antics of Praline, Prim and Kato.

"Aren't those lyrics different?" Ace's eyes zeroed on the song causing her to let out a huff of surprised laughter recalling another man asking the same question.

"What?" Ace questioned but she let out a wry grin telling him to read on.

"Are you telling me he figured out everything in the first meet? That's a hack, stupid Voice of all Things." Ace grumbled.

"Aren't you glad your little brother has it?" Pearl asked amused.

"But still..." Ace said reading further.

He let out a bark of laughter, "You called him a Paedophile."

Pearl flushed, "I didn't!"

Ace was still laughing, "Maybe not directly but the implication was loud and clear."

Pearl hit him lightly on his chest by the back of her head.

He stopped laughing and swooped down to lay a kiss on her cheek.

"I can't help but pity Rayleigh." Ace said sympathetically.

"Yeah, as much as I pity Marco." Pearl scoffed.

"I am not that bad!" Ace protested grabbing her face to look at her expression.

"Uhuh..." Pearl looked supremely unimpressed.

"Crocus was the same even then?" Ace said trying to change the topic, Pearl let him.

He was grinning again smothering her with affection as he read on how she tugged Roger's moustache.

"You smug moron. Stop peppering me in kisses everytime you read me sassing Roger." Pearl tugged his cheek harshly.

"You have a problem, woman." Ace muttered rubbing his sore cheek.

"Seriously using Haki?" He trailed off as Pearl planted a kiss on his cheek. "There, you big baby, satisfied?" Pearl remarked.

"For now." He replied smugly.

All smugness faded away as he read on how Roger believed that sins of the parent shouldn't affect the child.

He hugged Pearl tighter moulding her to him as she cried for him even then.

He rested his head on her shoulders, hair tickling the nape of her neck.

"I told you, Roger loved you. You are loved. He was but human, a great man but human. He never meant for you to suffer." She said as she stroked his hair.

It took awhile for Ace to compose himself before he started reading again.

"He loved her. You know. I could see it in his eyes, hear it in his voice as he spoke of her." Pearl said gently as Ace read silently how Roger described his mother.

"She seemed great. I wished I would have ..." He trailed off wistfully.

The somber mood dispersed as Ace laughed at Pearl's rumination of her night.

"Oh shut up!" She grumbled.

"I don't know why you bother anymore, from your stories it is obvious that you fit in the category of Disney Princesses. Ah wait ... Pirate Princess." He said still chuckling.

"I mean you even have a talking animal companion add your moniker to that, I mean one of your monikers..." He continued grinning.

Pearl pouted before questioning, "Speaking of Flounder, where is he?"

"Ah he told that he would give us privacy so he stayed with your siblings. Apparently he didn't want to witness the mating moments of his chick." Ace wiggled his eyebrows.

She huffed in laughter, "Maybe I should have named him Sebastian instead. My, haven't you grown bold. I remember you blushing everytime someone hinted anything remotely sexual regarding us."

Ace smirked, "Which one do you prefer?"

"Oh the blushing you was adorable. It made the inner me purr in satisfaction." She teased.

"Well I love you either way. Though I have to say seeing you shy away makes my inner man growl in satisfaction." He replied huskily.

She replied, "Hmph men." The red hue tinting her cheeks was pretty visible even in the dim light of the table lantern much to Ace's pleasure.

She shifted out of his lap leaning back on the fluffed up headboard. Ace allowed her before he slung an arm around her and fitted her snugly to his side.

"Come on, let's read further. I still have to share these shenanigans with my siblings." Pearl added, dread creeping in her voice as she rested her hands on his chest.

"Well it was your fault in the first place, sneaking around. Besides what did you do that will make them angry?" Ace raised an eyebrow.

"Spoilers." She said simply as Ace rolled his eyes and tugged her closer flipping the next page.

"Praline is pretty brilliant, isn't she?" Ace remarked.

"Of course she is!" Pearl grinned proudly.

"Though I don't know whether to be jealous of Shanks or not." Ace mused.

Pearl rolled her eyes.

Ace's lips were twitching in a grin.

Pearl stared, "I thought you would be furious because of your father's teasing."

Ace replied instinctively, "Not my father."

Pearl raised an eyebrow and Ace grumbled, "Look you all but hammered it in me. I do not deny my heritage anymore. I don't hate him. But Oyaji is the only father I will claim."

"You don't hate him, but you don't like him much either." Pearl retorted.

"I am indifferent. I won't deny I am grateful for my life but that's it. You can't expect more." Ace acquiesced.

Pearl sighed, "I suppose I cannot. At least you value your life."

Ace looked at her seriously, "I don't want you to do anything stupid. By association my life is valuable because it is important for you and my brothers, that's all."

"Well I will take what I can get." She spoke sufferingly.

"So you don't have mixed thoughts about how Roger teased me?" She asked inquisitively.

Ace sighed, "As much as I am averse to my sperm donor he had good taste in women. He married my mother after all and you would always be my choice regardless of his opinions."

"You utter sap." She said fondly.

Ace though was reading and too busy laughing at poor Shanks misfortune.

"Seriously, that's how that 'Dad' came to be. I pity Shanks..." He said in between bouts of laughter.

Pearl sighed and turned the next page of the log entry that was on Ace's lap.

"You know negotiating with them even then. My wife is brilliant." He beamed proudly.

"You know when you say things like that, I just want to grab that book away from you." She started.

"And?" He replied mischievously.

"And jump on you." She stated seriously.

He coughed in surprise blush covering his freckles.

She cooed, "Aww you are still adorable Ace."

He rested his palm on his face hiding away, "Dammit woman stop saying things like that with a straight face."

Though he soon started to grin, "I kinda feel smug, knowing how appropriate Raion is for you."

"Ah I spoke too fast. Wipe that perverted grin off your face." She huffed.

He obeyed and read ahead.

"My mother seemed wonderful." Ace smiled sadly.

He furrowed his brows, "Though don't you think that man knew more than he said. I mean this unusual insistence of being my wife."

"Ah he did. Maybe it was a hunch or he knew before or he figured out later, who knows. That man was an enigma to even those who knew him." Pearl said nostalgically.

"He was as crazy as Luffy though." She laughed.

Ace pursed his lips but said nothing despite his dislike of comparing his sperm donor to his beloved little brother.

He exclaimed, "You called him Papa?"

Pearl defended, "It was blackmail."

He looked at her judgmentally.

"Alright fine, I couldn't help it, he seemed so sad to know about you." Pearl threw her hands up in the air.

They mutually ignored the topic and Ace continued.

"Luffy had a great impact on you in your past life?"He asked hesitantly.

Pearl paused, "He did."

He asked carefully, "Will you tell me more about it? And not just about the world, about your life."

Pearl avoided his eyes, "I was a very different person then, Ace. I don't remember a lot of things, some memories I willfully allowed to fade away, others are immensely painful to remember."

"You know I would never force you to do anything. I just want to know all of you. To help you. The past haunts you heavily and I cannot fault you for that. No one can imagine what you went through. I just want you to stop feeling as if you owe all of us for something you didn't have any control over. You didn't have any malicious intent behind knowing our history. I told you before and I will tell you again, I do not want my wife to air out her private thoughts just so she feels a misplaced sense of guilt." He softly grabbed her chin and forced her to hold his gaze.

She replied her voice reserved, "It started off that way, I won't deny it. But now I think I need the closure. Recalling everything with everybody is like a balm on my soul. It doesn't hurt so much to remember my past world when I am with all of you. The inquisitive questions, the genuine interest..." She trailed off.

His voice was gentle but firm, "If you feel so. You realize we can stop anytime? I won't push you. But I still won't allow the rest to read every single emotion you have bared out in this log."

"I am sure, though, will you read it in one go? The remaining log entry regarding Roger? I know you don't care for him much, but he was important to me. You will see as you read ahead. He was to me what Shanks was to Luffy..." Pearl paused hesitantly before adding, "What Edward Newgate was to you. Don't get me wrong, I had a lovely set of parents and nobody will take their place regardless of the universe I am in. My siblings made me feel at ease about my existence but Roger; he was the one that taught me to live without hesitation, to be myself, to not fear every step I would take and its repercussions."

Ace looked ready to protest before his eyes softened as she spoke further. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

She looked at him silently. As she opened her mouth to speak he leaned closer and sealed their lips in a kiss.

Resting his forehead on hers his slate grey gaze bore into her amber eyes, "If that's what you wish. You know I don't have much patience but I will try."

As he moved away from her shifting her so she was still half in his embrace he queried, "Will you tell me someday about your parents, the people you lost?"

"Someday." She agreed quietly.

Ace nodded before he started reading. Pearl glanced at him, cataloguing every emotion that passed on his face. And what a wide range of emotions they were.

From hilarity to despair and everything in between till, his face settled on an unreadable emotion.

He shut the log calmly and placed it by their bedside table.

Pearl looked at him in nervous anticipation.

He said nothing and grabbed her, pulling her onto him.

Pearl let out a surprised, "Oof."

He ignored it and stretched his legs.

Pearl was completely on top of him using him, instead of the bed whereas he leaned his upper back on the pillows half laid down.

Legs tangled face down on his chest Pearl felt warmth infuse her. And not only because his devil fruit made his temperature run hotter.

She said nothing though waiting for him to speak and he did.

"It is really interesting to see your sibling dynamics before. They are very different from the norm. Though it isn't like I know what normal is." He mused.

His voice turned gentle, "It was weird to read you interacting with him. Especially those mental conversations..." He trailed off before his voice turned angry, "I abhor the way Big Mom treated you! And that man, that scheme, you could have been horribly hurt even more so than you did."

Before Pearl could say anything in defense he shushed her continuing, "Let me speak. You made me read the entire thing in one go let me speak my mind before I clam up and you start prying. Seriously woman, for someone who pesters everyone else about mental health and talking about feelings, you are the most secretive; hypocrite." He admonished as she shifted up, placing her arms on his chest in support and looked at him.

His eyes were a soft grey glazed in thought.

"It's difficult to think of him as human. As a person who made mistakes, instead of just loathing him. I have mixed feelings now. I knew he was sick, Gramps, Rayleigh, you, all of you guys told me but I could not fathom it. He was; it was just easy to think of him as a demon, this heartless monster that others made out to be. I was an impressionable child, I hated to confront it, those memories but you didn't leave me any choice after Marineford. What did you say? 'Pride comes before fall' I had already lost so much, I couldn't lose you too." Ace laughed helplessly, bitterly.

Pearl felt a tug in her heart remembering that painful conversation but she did not feel remorse. It had to be done.

H looked at her unrepentant expression and continued, "Knowing about him, reading about him interacting with his nakama, it just hits the hammer home. Do you know, the way they strategized was similar to the way the Whitebeard old division commanders did? I could see the influence of the bygone 'era' as you thought, in our own log after Marineford's invasion. Though it helped Oyaji wasn't as idiotic as him, so the plans sailed more smoothly."

He grinned wistfully.

"I hate to say it but Katakuri is an amazing brother. Your brother complex seems justified." He mused and Pearl retorted, "I do not have a brother complex and you are one to talk! How many times do we have to go over this?"

Ace ignored her his eyes turning hard, "Sometimes I wished you would have allowed me to take down Big Mom but that was your right. As much as going after Blackbeard was mine."

Ace hesitated, "You knew me before meeting me. I could see why it would disturb others but you already know me; I think better than myself. I am not upset about it Pearl, a younger me would have been, perhaps; but after all we lived through..."

He paused before letting out a shaky breath, "He asked about me. He loved me, they loved me. It's hard to believe even after all this time. Why does he make it so hard to resent him?"

Ace covered his eyes with an arm.

Pearl placed a kiss on his chest right above his heart and Ace looked at her with turmoiled eyes.

"I told you before and I will tell you again, no matter the times needed. You are loved. Your existence wasn't accidental, it was purposeful. Both your parents wanted you. We want you." Pearl said soothingly leaning up placing a kiss on his chin.

The air was heavy with emotions and all Ace did was hug Pearl tightly, unwilling to part.

"Am I really like him?" He asked his voice showing his inner conflict.

"You are Ace first. Just because you share traits with your father, doesn't mean that you aren't your own person. Anyone who knew him would identify the fact that he was your father. It's not even about your features, there is something innate about both of you that is similar. Refusing to turn back on your enemies, prioritising your crew first. He was like that too. It doesn't mean Roger had the monopoly over those characteristics. It is because Ace is who he is; the way you are, that's your character trait unrelated to Roger." Pearl stated firmly.

"Aren't you contradictory?" Ace chuckled despite himself.

"Don't forget the habit of going bare chested." Pearl replied mischievously gently smacking the aforementioned.

"Are you complaining?" Ace smirked.

"Do I look like it?" She raised an eyebrow in return.

The momentary silence that lapsed was playful.

"Did you want to join him? Do you wonder what would have changed if you did?" Ace asked quietly.

She looked at him wryly, "Sometimes, especially when things got too difficult. It would have been easier. They would have taken care of me, Roger Pirates are honourable men. I wouldn't have to constantly worry about offending anyone nor voicing out my opinions carefully. I would have known about the secrets of Laugh Tale ages ago. My existence. But I had a responsibility towards my siblings. You would understand."

Ace nodded before his lips quirked in a smile.

"Though I think that I adore that fluff bird even more. Anyone who can call out on my sperm donor's bullshit is awesome." Ace finished laughingly and Pearl rolled her eyes.

She elbowed him and a rush of air escaped his lungs.

"Get up. Let's get this over with. We have to show it to both my and your siblings and Kata nii and you can go and edit it." Pearl said leaving bed and Ace pouted rubbing his chest.

He was about to voice his denial before Pearl grabbed the entry and started leaving.

Seeing no other option he reluctantly made way after her.

The night was calm and beautiful, stars glinting. Ace walked close placing a warm palm on her lower back as they headed across the deck.

Pearl peeked inside Katakuri's room were most of her siblings were gathered.

The inner circle would be an apt term she mused greeting a smiling Brûlée, grinning Praline, calm Prim, stoic Smoothie, mischievous Cracker and gentle Custard. They were all sitting on the big bed in a circle with Katakuri sitting in a couch on the bedside adjacently. The inner older circle she corrected mentally. After all her younger older and younger siblings had their own circle she thought fondly using Praline's term that had stuck over the years.

She glanced back as Ace closed the door and headed straight towards Katakuri who sat patiently with a hand held out.

She placed the log entry in his hands her heart hammering. Ace made her sit on the big couch beside Katakuri, his presence a silent comfort close to her.

"Wait, where is the fluff bird?" Ace asked.

Pearl was even more embarrassed that she forgot about her companion in nervousness.

"He went for a flight. He was bored." Prim answered reassuringly.

"Now can we start?" Cracker asked impatiently and Pearl nodded in response.

Knowing the drill Katakuri placed the entry in between and the others leaned closer.

Pearl sat in a tense silence. Ace sitting beside her, held her hands in comfort.

Her siblings stared at her after they finished reading.

They looked at her unreadably.

"Do you realise how reckless you were?" Katakuri asked furiously.

Pearl cringed and it was as if a damn broke.

"You gave me a heart attack." Brûlée scowled.

"All of us." Custard frowned.

Cracker grabbed her from between Ace and Katakuri much to their vocal and silent displeasure half hugging her, "A fucking menace. Didn't I tell you guys?"

Smoothie looked at her disappointedly, "What were you thinking?"

Prim asked looking reluctantly amused, "What are you grinning about Praline?"

Smoothie raised a stern eyebrow looking at a grinning Praline.

"Well isn't it funny? Looking back on it." She laughed.

"Only because you weren't there. And don't think I am forgetting that you were aware she was sneaking around." Katakuri thundered.

Praline tried to look contrite but since everybody looked at her unimpressed she threw her hands up, "Oh come on. It isn't like she could have shared any of this with us. You would have headed straight to Mama with the information and it's not like she didn't act out Katakuri nii. You were too angry to see it and thought she was only foolishly curious about Roger."

She remarked sarcastically and Pearl looked at her gratefully from her awkward position as half sprawled on the bed between the siblings.

The others evaded each others eyes until a grumpy Katakuri picked Pearl up and had her sit beside Ace and him again.

"Fine I won't complain." He grumbled.

"Much." Ace snickered.

Katakuri narrowed his eyes at him, "As far I am concerned you are the root of all our trouble." Ace scowled in response ready to fire back.

"Calm down." Pearl placated in between them.

That was the wrong thing to say.

Pearl sweat dropped as Katakuri started a tirade with her other furious siblings adding their two bits in.

Praline grinned at her mischievously and Prim smiled in sympathy.

And Ace? That traitor dropped asleep due to a narcoleptic attack.

Pearl vowed revenge.

The others finished reading the excerpt looking at a pouty Pearl.

Robin was chuckling, "Talk about taking the literal meaning of that Poneglyph. Roger san seemed an interesting man."

Ace was caught between preening and looking angry.

"You are not helping things, Robin." Pearl grit out glancing at a still miffed Katakuri.

"Oh comeuppance is sweet. You were the one who bamboozled me during our first meeting." Robin remarked false sweetly.

"It could have been easily another D, don't you think Ace ya? Who is to say Pearl wouldn't have been the change to another D's storm? You realise we met Pearl ya around the same time? Give or take an year or so? And I was older than you. How much time did it take for Pearl to stop thinking about you as a kid?" Law taunted.

Ace growled eyes flaring, "Why you…"

Marco narrowed his eyes, "So it was your fault that Roger was even more insistent about having Oden, Pearl?"

Luffy was rolling around laughing at the sheer chaos. He exclaimed, "Best sister ever."

Sabo face palmed, "I should have known Pearl is not even remotely sane, going along with Roger's shenanigans. No wonder she and Luffy get along so well. Poor Ace."

"Nah, he deserved it. Besides I don't think anybody else could have handled him." Sabo continued contemplatively.

Jinbei sighed in exasperation, "I should have known... King Neptune didn't give anybody permission to learn Fishman Karate, add to that the Royal secrets. Why Pearl? I thought you were sensible."

The others were fangirling or fanboying as it were, over Roger whereas the other Charlotte siblings looked dubiously at their older sister.

Kato deadpanned, "I stand corrected. You are an idiot Pearl nee."

Pudding sniffed, "Seriously?"

Chiffon rolled her eyes heavenward as if asking for mental strength.

Pearl despaired, "Why did I think this was a good idea?"

Authors Note:

Thank you for the amazing response!

A special thanks to OneWhoReadsTooMuch and HarunoWolf17 for helping me in this chapter. I was pretty confused about how to shift the POV's and whether to make it exactly like the reaction type fanfics. They became my soundboard... Apologies lol

I am sorry for the late update.

Note that this Ace is grown up. This occurs years after One Piece ending(which has still years to come) Ace might seem OoC but he has grown, lived through Marineford.

Also essentially this chapter is a version of Peanut Gallery for the entire Roger's Arc. Also I dropped so many hints, future references and spoilers, care to name which ones you found the most interesting?

Take care, stay safe!

Next update: I will try in a week.

(Please bear with me, I would have uploaded it a day ago but my Dad is quarantined, he is a physician it's an occupational hazard, I realise. But he is above 50 and hypertensive so I am worried. The patient he was overseeing had similar symptoms, a swab has been sent for testing but nothing is confirmed yet. We live in a town and the Covid testing centres are in nearby cities so its gonna take a while to confirm. I hope the patient wasn't positive. But don't we all?)

These are trying times. Take care of yourself and your loved ones.

-Anya.