Author's Note - Chronologically, this is the last of four stories I have written in the One Piece fandom. Although there may be references to events not explained within this story, it is meant to stand alone, the prequels acting only as supplementary back story and expansions on certain events people have taken interest in. This story takes place 18 years after the current One Piece canon story line and, although i am making my very best effort to maintain continuity with canon, this must be considered AU after a point. I will be detailing, in bits and pieces, my own take on the potential ending of One Piece and build upon that, keeping as much consistent with current canon as possible.

If deviation from canon or OC's are a serious problem for you, i apologize.

Disclaimer : I do not own One Piece or any of the other fandoms from which names, places, abilities, or references are taken! Imaginary points to anyone who catches said references throughout the story and PM's them to me. Dunno if you'll get anything real, but i give sneak peaks and deleted scenes to my repeated reviewers, so it isn't unthinkable.

Chapter 01 - Trio Leaving Home

"Olivia, can you bring me that scalpel?" Doctor Kishitani called over his shoulder. He waited a moment. There was no response. He looked around. He sighed in exasperation. That was the fourth time this week. He kicked her chair suddenly and she jerked awake, and immediately picked up the scalpel he had requested, handing it to him as if nothing had happened.

He had no idea whether she had heard his request in her sleep and acted on it, or if she was simply so proficient at her job that she knew what he needed without his request. Both were possible. It was hard to imagine she could have survived this long if she didn't absorb things in her sleep. She was also more knowledgeable and skillful than some of the fully trained doctors he had met. The only downside to having her as an assistant and apprentice was her habit of...

She was asleep again. He rolled his eyes and carefully set the scalpel out of the way of his clean instruments, picking up his needle to find it already threaded and waiting for him. She really was something else. She could diagnose and treat absolutely every illness or injury she had seen while working for him without a moments hesitation, and just as professionally as he could do it himself. She was eager to learn more at every opportunity, and she was humbly obedient to his instructions at all times, although she had reprimanded one of his colleagues for almost improperly treating a minor infection as a venomous bite.

The man had wanted her to be dismissed from service immediately for questioning his judgment when a patient's arm was at risk. He lost his job himself when it became clear she had been right, and in fact saved the patient's arm from amputation.

There was also her effect on his patients. Whenever she was in the room, she served as an excellent distraction. She was a very attractive young woman, and she was quiet and polite, and slightly timid when she wasn't dealing with a strictly medical situation. He would say that medicine was her entire life, but he knew better. There was one and only one thing in her life that she would sacrifice anything and anyone for. Her twin sister.

"What is the number one rule of navigation on the Grand Line?" Nami asked her student. The girl in question answered without a pause.

"If your logic and your Log Pose disagree, trust the Log Pose." Kuina smiled proudly. She knew she was right. She'd never let herself be shown up. She committed every lesson to memory as if her life depended on it. Because, with any luck, someday it would. And not only her life, but that of her sister, and that of her teacher's son.

"That's right. When you're in the four blues, you rely on your common sense and experience. When you are on the Grand Line, you follow instinct and your Log Pose. If your Pose points to the sky, then there is an island their. If it moves in a circle while you are standing still, then the island is moving around you. If you have the gut feeling to sail right into a swirling vortex of death, go for it. It's not like you're going to escape anyway. Never do anything half way." Nami grinned at the girl. She could not have asked for a better student.

Kuina had every bit of the intuitive understanding of weather and navigation that she did, and she was so determined to learn every last detail that Nami had begun to feel as proud of the girl as she would her own child. Of course, her own child was in a category apart. Right now he would be out on the shore, learning combat skills from his grandfather. She sighed as she wondered once again what it was that made their entire family so strange.

Her son, Ace, had reminded her of his father from the day he was born. The resemblance grew year after year. The same messy black hair. The same wholehearted smile. The same straw hat, that she had given to him only seven years ago. She was brought back from her thoughts as Kuina pointed to a page in a book.

"Is it true that you need a special Log Pose when you enter the New World? How does it work?" The girl looked up at her, ready to devour and dissect every word she said in response. Nami smiled and nodded.

"Yes, it's true. A New World Pose has three needles instead of one. In the New World, islands will often change or completely hide their magnetic fields. And Eternal Pose will still hold it's course, but an ordinary Log Pose will lose it's way. A New World Pose locks on to three different islands, so that when one wavers, the other two will keep you on course." Nami remembered all the trial and error that had gone into navigating the Grand Line. It had been quite an adventure. "Let's call it a day. Want to stay for dinner?"

"Yes please!" Kuina grinned and stood up, stretching. Nami looked the girl up and down. How had her son not noticed that a girl this beautiful had a crush on him bigger than his father's appetite? Well it was pretty obvious. He had about as much sense in that regard as his father had. How long had he sailed with her before he finally figured out what she wanted from him? Three years. And she had been less than subtle a few times.

Kuina was quite stunning in her own way. Her curves were less pronounced than her mother's or Nami's but they fit her well. Her hair was jet black and hung in a simple ponytail between her shoulder blades. She refused to let it grow any longer than that because it would become a hassle. She valued practicality over aesthetics. She had sea green eyes, which Nami had to admit, had been the most attractive feature about the girl's father. She had a single golden earring in her left ear, exactly like her sister.

The two seemed to like being indistinguishable. They kept their hair the same length. They both wore a single identical earring in the same place. All in all, unless they opened their mouth, no one could tell the apart. Except Ace. Somehow, from the time he met them, he never mistook them for each other. They never had to speak for him to know. Was it the same kind of instinct that his father had that allowed him to choose his perfect crew? Who knows.

Kuina had begun developing her crush on the raven haired boy several years ago. Back then, Ace had nothing on his mind besides his next adventure, so Kuina gladly went with him. Helping him in any way she could. Of course, Olivia was always right their by her sister's side. Nami was surprised that Kuina never felt jealous, but then again, Olivia hadn't shown the faintest interest in her son.

The three had been quite a handful around the town. Everyone knew who they were. How could they not? They were the children of four of the legendary Straw Hat Pirates. They spent their days rampaging through the town, making their own adventures for three years. Ace and Kuina always the masterminds, and Olivia always just as happy to get into trouble, so long as her sister was there with her.

People thought Olivia was the poster child for well behaved young lady. But that was only when she was on her own. As soon as she was by her sister's side, the timid little girl would break out into a mischievous grin, and off they would go, following Ace on another quest to catch a rabbit, or climb a tree, or build a fort. No one ever had any doubts about Kuina though.

Kuina was more independent. Even on her own, she was the more straightforward sister. She spoke her mind, and she did what she wanted. She would listen to four people, to varying degrees. She would never question Ace. She was loyal to him beyond just a crush. She would follow him to the ends of the earth if he asked her to. She would always at least hear her sister out. She adored her twin too much to simply ignore her words as she did with most people. She would always respect Nami as her teacher and idol. And she never wanted to disappoint her mother.

That wasn't so much of a problem since her mother was always impressed by the things the trio managed to accomplish. Many times, the three were spared punishment only because not a single adult in the town could figure out how on earth they had done whatever it was they had done. Such as when the baker found a fully grown horse on his roof. Nami was still scratching her head over that one.

At Nami's request, the trio had begun writing down the details of their exploits. They would never share these accounts with anyone except very rarely their mothers. They were like Nami's own navigational logs. On the way to Raftel, she had only scribbled down the occasional note, dedicating herself instead to perfecting her maps. On the return trip, however, she recorded every detail. It had been her captain's idea. He said they should leave their story for the next generation after he found the logs of Gold Roger and his crew.

Oliva and Kuina's mother currently had all of the books from Raftel. Their captain had given them to her willingly, knowing she would appreciate them most, and see to it that they were kept safe and treated the way they deserved. Nami didn't think she had finished even a quarter of them yet, even after seventeen years.

Nami set to work preparing a large meal she had to feed both Ace and his grandfather, which was a feet even Sanji would have cringed at. She was just glad that his great grandfather had left. She had enjoyed his stay, hearing stories about her captain that she had never known before, but feeding three of those men would have rapidly stripped all her trees bare.

Kuina carefully packed up the supplies they had out that day. Nami believed in showing the girl first hand what things looked like and how they felt. How to hold them and read them, and what to do to make sure they were functioning. It was easier to learn first hand than by word of mouth or out of a book. The navigator in training knew the house as well as her own and put each item and book back in its proper place before taking a seat at the kitchen table and gazing dreamily out the window.

As Nami suspected, Ace and his grandfather were walking up the path from the shore. Ace had his shirt over his shoulder, and she had to admit, it was no surprise her student had fallen for him. He reminded her once gain of his father. Watching that man leap about the ship with his open jacket and shorts had been so enticing a few times that she had forced herself to confine herself to her quarters, lest she tackle him and have her way with him.

She supposed if he had decided to acknowledge her affection earlier, she probably wouldn't have completed nearly as much of her map.

"Hey Mom! Hey Kuina!" Ace grinned as he walked through the door. He was still panting slightly from whatever the older man had put him through. For being in his mid fifties, Dragon was still as strong and fast as a teenager. Nami grinned to herself as she thought about how much time the man had been spending with Kuina's mother. Of course, she knew it was purely platonic, but it still made her smile. After all, Robin had fallen for a younger man the first time. Why would an older one be off the menu?

Dragon and Robin would spend hours pouring over the ancient manuscripts from Raftel and Robin's own notes about the various Poneglyphs she had investigated. He contributed first hand knowledge he had gained from his experience with people of many islands that few written records existed about. They were working on filling in the True History.

"Hey Ace. How was training today?" Kuina smiled brightly at him as he sat next to her. He laughed and grabbed a sharp knife from the counter where his mother had been cutting up some pieces of meat.

"Watch this!" He raised the knife and brought it down on his arm as Kuina gasped in horror and Nami sighed. That is exactly how his father would have done it. She already knew what Dragon had been teaching him today. The blade struck his arm like it was made of steel, bouncing off harmlessly. Kuina gaped at him. "It's called Armament Haki! It's so cool! And I can put it on other stuff too!"

He placed his hand on her arm, causing her to shiver at the contact, and then brought the knife to her skin. He moved slowly this time, knowing she would freak out if he simply swung it at her, and likely less willing to risk her injury than his own if he should fail. Nami decided maybe she could calim him as her son as well then.

The blade once again left no mark, and Kuina smiled.

"It feels like it is blunt and barely touching me! That is amazing, Ace!" She doesn't seem to be in any hurry to move her arm from beneath his hand. Nami rolls her eyes. She had to ask Dragon to start doing their training at the same time as her lessons. Having Ace in the house made it impossible to teach the girl. She knew better than to bother judging. She'd only feel like a hypocrite.

"Don't get distracted, Ace. If you let your concentration slip for a second you'll cut her arm off." Dragon grinned a little morbidly as the girl finally pulled back her arm. Nami shook her head and tossed a spoon at him. He could have easily caught it, but he allowed it to bounce off his head. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare her. Just him."

"Well no more scaring anyone, dinner is ready!" Nami sat down two large plates in front of Dragon and Ace, and two smaller ones in front of herself and Kuina. Theirs together wouldn't add up to one of the others.

Robin sighed and closed the book she had just finished. Not a single mention of the Void Century. She hadn't set her hopes very high. There were hundreds of books, and she suspected only one held the information she was looking for. She set the volume aside and closed her eyes for a moment. Dragon would be here soon to see what she had found, and she would have to disappoint him today. She knew not to expect her daughters to make an appearance before nightfall. The would likely be out with Ace, hiking through the forest, or making trouble in the village.

She opened her eyes and glanced at the clock. She had half an hour. Dragon would be eating before he came, so she should fix herself something before he arrived. She smiled to herself. If she didn't have two beautiful daughters reminding her exactly who it was she had given her heart to, she might easily fall for him. He wasn't even ten years older than her, and they were mental equals. They were close friends. But every time she saw the sea green eyes of her daughters, she knew there would only ever be one man for her.

Once again, she wished he had lived to know his daughters. Or at least known that he was going to be a father. She had not found out she was pregnant until a few weeks after the execution. It had been like losing him all over again. She knew, deep down, knowing wouldn't have changed his decision. He had loved her. She didn't doubt that at all. But he was loyal beyond measure, and he had done what he believed was right for her and for his captain.

Robin hadn't been as strong as Nami. She hadn't been able to smile for him as he knelt on that platform. She regretted that, but didn't dwell on it. Nami had known that the captain was going to give himself up since they had left Raftel. Robin only had time to register the swordsman walking up to take his place by his captain's side before it was too late.

They had buried the captain and his first mate on the same island as Whitebeard and the commander of his second division, Fire Fist Ace. Robin made sure that his swords were buried with him. No one else deserved to wield those blades. She had kept his three earrings though. She wore one, and she had given one each to her daughters. A small memento of the man they would never know.

"It's ready, Nami. You want me to leave it at the dock?" Franky's voice came out of the Den Den Mushi as if he were standing in the room with her. She nodded her head before she remembered he wasn't actually there.

"Yeah, and thank you. Thank you for doing this. If there is ever anything I can do to repay you, just tell me." Nami leaned against the door frame to the kitchen, looking out the window toward the shore where Ace, Kuina, and Olivia were relaxing on their day off.

"Actually, I was wondering if you would come down and help with a few finishing touches. And bring your maps." Franky sounded a little excited, and for just a moment, she felt like she were about to go on an adventure like she had all those years ago. No. She shook her head. Her adventuring days were over. Time to turn it over to someone younger.

"Alright, I'll be there in just a few minutes. How will I know which one?" She wondered what the man's newest creation might look like.

"Oh, you'll know it. I think your husband's father would approve." The line went dead. Nami raised an eyebrow, then went to gather her maps and head to the dock. When she arrived, she grinned. She knew she found the right one in an instant.

"When are you leaving, Ace?" Kuina looked to the man by her side. He smiled out at the sea, one hand on the top of his straw hat, holding it in place against the light breeze.

"Tomorrow. Mom said the ship was arriving today. I'll be leaving this island before the sun has left the horizon." Ace didn't have even a trace of doubt in his voice. "Will you come with me? I know you both love your mother and your lives here very much. I won't blame you at all if you stay. My father started his journey alone."

"I'll go where my sister goes." Olivia had her bare feet buried in the sand, smiling at the sensation of wet sand between her toes.

"We'll see in the morning. If we don't show up, leave without us." Kuina knew her decision would not only effect herself, but her mother, her sister, her best friend, and even the patients of the doctor for whom her sister worked. It was a lot to take into consideration. She would think it over tonight. And if she made her decision at the last instant, she wouldn't have time to second guess herself.

"Alright. I can't wait to see what's beyond that horizon..." Ace watched the sun setting with a far away look in his eyes. Kuina wondered if his father had been so thoughtful when looking forward to such a big adventure. Maybe Nami had felt everything she was feeling. Maybe she had watched her captain, deep in thought, wondering what was going on inside his head. Or maybe, Ace was really one of a kind.

"Promise you'll come back someday, if we don't go with you tomorrow. Promise you'll come back and tell us all your stories." Kuina leaned against him slightly. He was as sturdy as a tree to her. She had heard the legends about his father's strength, but it was hard to imagine. If he was as similar to this boy as Nami claimed, it seemed impossible. Ace was lean and wiry. Strong, but not the monstrous strength attributed to the Pirate King.

"I promise." Ace looked at her and smiled. Then, very slowly he removed the hat he treasured so much from his head and placed it on her. "Bring this to me in the morning, whether it is to join me or to say good bye. I can't leave without it. I promise on this hat, I will come back here someday."

Kuina couldn't believe what he had just done. She had not seen him without that hat on his head since he was seven years old. Not once. It had been his father's. Long before then, it had belonged to the first Pirate King. It was all he had off his father. And he was entrusting it to her? She took a deep breath, forcing down her tears.

"I'll hold you to that." It was getting dark. The last edge of the sun had disappeared behind the water. They parted ways and went home, each wondering what the next day would hold.

"Hey Sis, I can't sleep." Olivia sat up and looked across the room to where her sister was laying, as restless as she was. The straw hat she had been entrusted with clutched carefully to her chest.

"I know what you mean... What should we do, Liv? I know you'll go with me, but it is your life. You don't have to just sit back and let me decide for you. What do you want to do? Stay or go?" Kuina sat up and sat the hat on her lap, letting her fingers explore the scratches, tears, burns, and stains that marked it's history.

"I think that if we go, we will not see our mother or our home for a very long time. And we may even die at sea. Promise or not, none of us are immortal. People die, especially on the Grand Line. Our father, and Ace's never came back to their homes. If we go, we might die, and never see Mom again. But if we stay, Ace will be alone. And we may never see him again. We may never know what happened to him... He needs us more than Mom does." Olivia yawned and blinked slowly as if the effort of explaining had worn her out.

"Let's go. You're right. He needs us more than Mom does. And we'd be passing up the adventure of a life time. Dad would be ashamed if we did that. He died side by side with Ace's father because he thought since they started their journey together, they should end it together. We started our adventures with Ace years ago. We should follow it through to the very end." Kuina smiled and suddenly felt tired herself. Maybe she just need to get rid of her doubts. Olivia was already asleep.

Kuina sat the hat carefully on the corner post of her bed and stretched out on her bed. Sleep took her in moments.

Long ago, before all living memory, and before all written history, there were three brothers. These three brothers were unlike ordinary men. They had power. Power that no one else could even comprehend. They knew they were different. They knew their powers were a gift to be used for the good of the world. But as with all brothers, they disagreed about what was best for the world.

The eldest brother believed the world needed structure. He believed that the men of the world needed to be ruled over and controlled. They needed the wise and strong to protect and guide them. They needed to be kept in the dark about some of the horrors of their world. They needed protected from the truth, and from freedom. The eldest brother believed that if they were completely free and knew all the secrets of the world, they would destroy themselves, along with the three brothers.

The middle brother thought the people deserved the truth. He wanted to give them freedom to live life according to what was right in their hearts. He believed they were capable of determining right and wrong for themselves. He believed they would rebel against someone who tried to rule over them. He believed their spirits would not stand for it.

The youngest brother tried to compromise. He cared little for these creatures called humans, though once he and his brothers would have been counted among them. He proposed they split the world, and let each rule their kingdom as they liked. But they could not decide how to split their kingdoms. The people lived only on the land, and traveled by sea, and all the while, they walked through the air.

So, the eldest brother claimed the sky, through which every man walked, as his kingdom. He believed that this gave him greater power. He would have his way. The middle brother claimed the sea to counter his brother. The vast expanse of water that divided the scattered scraps of land became his kingdom, and even the weather was his to control, as it relied upon his seas. The youngest brother was left with the land. He was outraged that through the compromise he had suggested, he was left with the smallest kingdom.

He watched his brothers fight for the lives of the pathetic creatures, and he decided to raise them up a little closer to the level of their rulers. He crafted special fruit to grant the men of his kingdom power enough to rival his brothers. He hoped the human would overthrow the other two, and he would be able to claim it all for himself.

The elder brothers soon noticed the new strength of the humans. The powers that they had been given terrified the elder brother, convincing him more firmly that the only way for the humans to survive was if they were controlled and limited by his rule. The middle brother was disgusted, and in a moment of anger, cursed the powers of his younger brother and banned them from his kingdom. Those of the earth that carried such powers were rendered helpless withing the grip of his waters.

But with the humans raised from their former weakness, the elder brothers would no longer compromise. They began to send their will into the people and use them to battle. The eldest brother created a mighty government, and ruled the land that once belonged to the youngest. The middle brother claimed the people of an island in the middle of his kingdom and gave them the knowledge the eldest denied them. He tasked them with spreading the truth of their world to everyone.

The eldest brother would not stand for it. He launched his army and destroyed the island, killing the people of the middle brother. Taking his advantage, he continued, and with the power of his army, his government took control of almost all of the land in the world. The middle brother used his kingdom to stop the servants of the eldest. He made currents that defied human understanding. He made his kingdom deadly to traverse, and withing it's safety, he began to give his will to individuals.

He realized that his vow to ban the powers of his younger brother from his kingdom had greatly crippled those he had chosen, so he granted men another power to rival his brother's, and even his own. He granted them the power to protect themselves from the powers of the youngest, and he gave them the power to see the intentions of their enemies.

As his chosen ones were slaughtered time after time by the government of the eldest, the middle brother granted them a final gift. The power to conquer. Power to use their will as a weapon. He did not know at that moment that he had given them power that went beyond his own, and beyond that of his brothers. He had given men the power to conquer their rulers.

The youngest brother had been stripped of his kingdom and cast into the depths of the earth. He plotted the downfall of his brothers and the rise of his own kingdom. He crafted a creature of darkness. He used the strength of his kingdom. It was as dark as obsidian, with skin like iron, and teeth like jagged crystals. Claws of steel, and blood of fire. He watched his brothers struggle against each other, waiting for the moment to strike.

His time came, and he sent his creation out to tear down the world.

Listen well, you who have uncovered this history. When you are reading this, the beast has already been released, and the man who holds the fate of the world in his hands prepares to set sail. He will leave with the blessings of a generation at his back, and he will uncover the truth on his own. He will fight, and it will be he that decides which brother to topple, and which to save. The future of our world rests with him.

Place your trust on the man with a hat of straw and the legacy of kings.

Robin leaned back and contemplated what she had read. Finally, she had found something substantial. This book was full of stories, each similar, but different. They each spoke in different ways. Some called the three brothers gods. Some called them spirits. Some called them the creators of the world. The stories all agreed that there was a conflict between the three, and that the powers that she had seen in her adventures came from them. They also agreed that a man would save the world, or destroy it. He would set out on his own, and discover the truth for himself, and then he would make a choice that would decide the fate of the three brothers, and all the people of the world.

It was like the book had been written by a dozen different authors, during a dozen different eras. The each told the same basic story, but like legends and myths, the facts and details had been distorted with time. There was no way to tell which was the real story. Maybe all of them. Whatever the case, she was certain of one thing. The man who would save or damn the world was Ace.

He would set sail in the morning. Should she give him the book? Tell him what she had discovered? No. She couldn't. All the stories said he must discover the truth on his own. But she had to help somehow. When Nami had come to ask her what she wanted to send with them, she had no idea. Now she knew. She crossed her arms and summoned an army of hands to help her. Throughout the night, she moved the books she deemed useful down to the dock.

"Ace! Wait for us!" Kuina was running down the road toward the dock as fast as her legs would carry her. She skidded to a stop in front of him and panted for a moment before straightening up and smiling. "We're coming with you. Liv is saying good bye to the doctor, then she'll be here." She raised her hand to her head and lifted his hat, returning it to his reverently. "Thank you for trusting me."

"Of course I trust you. I wouldn't have invited you to come with me if I didn't." Ace smiled and turned toward the dock again, looking at the ships anchored there. His jaw fell slightly open. Kuina followed his line of sight, but before she could locate what had caught his attention, Olivia came to a stop, nearly tackling her.

"Hey, what are you guys looking at?" Olivia looked around. Ace pointed and the twins followed his finger.

"That's it. Our ship. The Legacy Storm. It's... incredible." He walked forward slowly, mouth still hanging open, and eyes wide in amazement. The twins were shocked. This was their ship? It was enormous! How could just the three of them sail it?

The ship was a thing of beauty. Larger than the other ships in the harbor, it was by far the most artistically crafted. It was obvious a great deal of care and attention had gone into every detail. The figure head was a roaring dragon. Ace finally smiled.

"Let's go check it out!" He ran toward the side and began climbing up. Soon, the twins followed him. The landed on the deck right after him and looked around. It was clear the ship was new. It had likely only been sailed from the place it was crafted to their shore. Now it was theirs, and it would take them to the ends of the earth and back.

"We should get familiar with the ship before we set off. Lets look around." Kuina suggested. They split up and began thoroughly searching the vessel from end to end, and top to bottom.

The first room the found was the kitchen. It was fully stocked with food that looked like it was prepared by a five star chef. It was fully equipped to cook anything imaginable. A lot of the food on board now was already prepared. Eventually, they needed a cook, or one of them would need to learn.

The next room was obviously a medical wing. Olivia took stock of everything and told the others that it was ready for any emergency. It was stocked better than the hospital had been. She was happy to know she would be able to treat her friends if she needed to.

They soon found a room that took Kuina's breath away. In the center was a large table. The top of the table, beneath a sheet of what felt like glass or plastic, was Nami's world map. The clear cover was hinged, and could be opened to allow additions at any time. In a latched cabinet were a Log Pose, a New World Pose, and a full set of standard navigational equipment. The next shelf held all of Nami's navigation logs from her return from Raftel.

They moved on and found a room with a few musical instruments. Maybe someday they would have a musician. There was a work shop stocked with tools and materials of all varieties. There was a bathroom with a complicated mechanism for cleaning and warming water for showers. There was an armory, and there was a library. The twins were shocked to find many of their mother's favorite books there. There was no mistaking some of them. They had seen those covers for seventeen years.

There was a lot of room in the crow's nest. The twins remembered that was where their father and mother had spent most of their time on the journey home. There were plenty of rooms for sleeping, and right now they could easily each have their own room. There were six rooms, each with four beds. Ace took one, and the twins took the one across from him.

The last room was round, and had a simple table in the center, surrounded by seats. In the middle of the table, there were a few packages. One was small, about the size of a person's head. One was long and thin. The last was flat. On top, there was a letter.

Ace, Olivia, Kuina.

I'm very proud of you all, and I know Robin is as well. I hope these gifts will keep you safe on your journey. The medical wing was stocked by our own doctor, Chopper. The ship and the workshop were all Franky. The map and navigation equipment is from me. The books are Robin's, and the food is from Sanji. In the flat package, you will find a flag from Usopp. Fly it proudly. In the long package, there is a special sword that Brook sent, as well as the instruments. He hopes someday you will let him play for you. The last package is also from Sanji. It is a Devil's Fruit with an unknown ability. Whether you use it or sell it is up to you. There is plenty of treasure on the ship, if you can find it. Hopefully it will be all you need until you can find some of your own.

Gold Roger set out to turn the world upside down. Our captain set out to become the Pirate King. Now you are setting sail to uncover the mysteries of the world. I know you will succeed, and I'll be waiting for you to return. Robin and Dragon send their best wishes, as do all the Straw Hats. Don't you think for a moment that you've found all the secrets of this ship. You'll be finding things for years to come. If you don't mind, I would like your first stop to be Foosha Village, where your father grew up.

Monkey D. Ace, Roronoa Olivia, Roronoa Kuina, take our flag to places it has never gone before!

Nami.

The trio smiled as they finished the letter. They opened the packages. Ace held the fruit up between the twins.

"Use it or sell it? You guys choose." He smiled.

They looked at their new captain, then the fruit, the each other. They grinned. "Use it!"

Ace nodded, then sat it on the table. He drew the sword they had been given, a beautiful straight bladed katana that seemed to glow with it's own light, and sliced the fruit cleanly in two. He cleaned and sheathed the sword, then handed half to each girl.

"Ace, you're the captain! You should be the one to have the power!" Kuina was shocked as she held her half. Ace shook his head.

"I have haki. You two need to be able to protect each other. One of you will get the power. Let fate decide." He grinned and sat back, watching as the two girls nodded to him, then each took a bite. They both made a face similar to licking the bottom of someone's shoe. "So? Do either of you feel any different?"

"No... How would we know? Do we just... wait? For something weird to happen?" Kuina stretched her arm, but nothing happened. Olivia tried concentrating hard on her had, but it remained solid. Their captain shrugged.

"I have no idea. Let's get going! The sun is almost up! Let's set sail for Foosha Village!" Ace stood up and began to walk toward the door. Kuina sighed at the disappointing fruit and went to set their course. She disappeared. Her sister and captain stared at the spot she had been in moments ago. Then, in a flash, she was back. She looked like she had seen a ghost.

"Did... Did I just jump to the map room without going anywhere in between?" The navigator looked to her crew mates for confirmation. They both nodded. She grinned and was gone again. This time she spoke from behind them. "This is kinda cool." They spun around to find her standing on the table, grinning. Ace smiled back.

"Perfect! That is so cool! You'll have to practice and make sure you don't end up jumping inside a wall or something. That might be bad." Ace began walking again, and Olivia was about to follow him when suddenly she was on the deck ahead of him. She blinked and looked back at him. He laughed. "I thought only one person could have a power at a time!"

"That is what I had read! This shouldn't be possible!" Olivia was concerned, but her sister just shrugged.

"Don't worry too much about it. It is the way it is. Maybe it was a special fruit. Or maybe it is because we're twins." Kuina jumped to the stairs leading to the map room, grinning.

"We should be careful until we know more about it. Maybe we should visit Sanji and see what he can tell us about it, since he sent it." Ace nodded.

"That will be on our list of places to go then! Olivia, put the flag up! Let's show the world that the Straw Hat Pirates are back!" The doctor sighed and nodded, jumping to the top of the mast, clinging easily to the ropes, she affixed the large black banner to clips that fit it perfectly. She was on the deck again in an instant. All three looked up at the flag.

"Well... Here we go." Kuina looked at her captain and smiled. They were ready for their next big adventure.

So, there you have the first chapter! I'm writing this note after completing chapter 17, and i know there are a few continuity errors within the story, for which i apologize. There will probably be more. One Piece is a HUGE universe to research and write in, and my own story has been developing as i go. Try not to let it bother you too much, and I'll do my best to keep discontinuities to a minimum!

Read and review!