Chapter 34: Ace and the Crew

When Kai arrived at the port Ace and the crew were already gone. Smoker was looking out at them sailing off, before he turned around to see Kai in tatters with burns all over his body. "He was totally uninjured. What happened to you? Was he that strong?" Smoker asked Kai. "Logia." Kai said in a helpless voice.

Smoker nodded deeply. "Nothing you can do about it then. Logia is the most powerful fruit for a reason. It's just impossible to beat them." Kai kept up the facade of a hopeless man who just had no way to beat a logia. "Yeah. It was fire too. What am I supposed to even do against that?!" Kai yelled out as if cursing the heavens for his misfortune.

"Nothing you can do Fujin. The world isn't fair. Some people are just more lucky than others. Logia fruits are lucky stars. You become nearly invincible with one of them." Smoker told Kai. Little did he know that haki was a thing, or that Kai had a logia devil fruit... anyway!

Kai just let Smoker believe he was helpless against Ace as he watched the crew sailing away with a smile hidden under his mask. He went with Smoker into the town and they talked a bit about nothing in particular while hanging out. While Kai completely forgot about his wounds and didn't get them tended too.

Meanwhile, back on the Merry. Luffy had grabbed onto the railing of the ship from the shore with an outstretched arm. His body flew towards the crew and smacked into them.

"*sigh* Not again. Why is our captain such an idiot?" Zoro said with a hand covering his face in shame. From underneath the pile a voice rang out. "I swear to god! One day I'll throw you off the ship!" Sanji got up as he yelled at Luffy who was already on his feet like he didn't just fly 50+ meters at full speed into someone.

Sanji grabbed Luffy's shirt. "You bastard! Don't you know your own strength?!" Luffy just shrugged. This made Vivi giggle a little bit. Before being cut off by Nami "Sanji's right! Do you know how much trouble you caused us? Act a little more like a captain!"

"Sorry." Luffy said in a genuine way before a lightbulb appeared above his head. "That's right! Ace!" He said and the rest of the crew got confused. "Ace?" They all asked at once confused. "He's my brother!" Luffy said with a huge smile on his face. "You have a brother?!" The crew asked, silently scared that he would be anything like Luffy. They could handle Luffy alone but if there was two of him they didn't know if they could keep the boat in one piece. Heh. one piece.

Anyway! Luffy looked back at the port to where he left Ace while nodding his head and said. "Yeah I do." Then Chopper asked Luffy. "Your brother was with you?" Luffy just nodded before Zoro asked. "Are you sure we should just leave him? There were a bunch of marines back there."

"Well, he'll be fine." Luffy said without concern in his voice as he turned to the crew. "Ace is strong." He said while facing the crew. "Is he really strong?" Usopp asked. "Yeah, ever since we were kids I've never beat him. That was before he ate the mera mera no mi (fire fire fruit). No matter how many times we fought I never won once! Shishishi!" The crew concluded that Ace must be a monster and Luffy continued. "Ace is REALLY strong."

Nami cut in. "Wait. So, you never won once? Against a normal human? Is that even possible?" Vivi added on. "So, the older brother of a monster turns out to be a SUPER monster." If Kai was here he would laugh at the frogs in a well. Ace was nothing compared to a Yonko, but they didn't need to know that yet. "Yeah, even I had a tough time and that's without even mentioning Kai. He never lost to me OR Ace," Luffy said.

The crew gulped at this. What monsters! "But, if I fought them now, I'd win!" Luffy yelled out with his back to the railing of the boat. "How do you know that?" Sanji asked, mildly defending his older brother. "Because I'm stronger now!" Luffy said, causing the crew to face palm. "He probably is too." Zoro added in.

"Shishishi! Maybe he is!" Luffy laughed. "So you beating him is just a groundless statement." Zoro said, mildly disappointed. The crew froze as someone landed on the railing of the Merry behind Luffy. Luffy didn't notice the man behind him and said. "No, it's not! I'd kick Ace's ass!"

"Oh? Whose ass would you kick Luffy?" Ace said from behind Luffy. Who turned around and shouted. "Ace! You're here!" Ace just nodded. "Nice to meet you everyone." He told the crew. "Ace! These are the nakama I was telling you about! But, we're missing one." Luffy told his brother.

"Hello again. I trust that my little brother has been in your care." Ace said as he slightly bowed his head, showing respect. "Yes. He has." They all say as they bow their heads back. "He has no manners. So he'll probably end up getting you burned a few times…" The crew nodded. "Yes. He has." They said. "I'll entrust him to you." Ace said as he bowed his head again.

"For now you probably have a lot you wanted to talk about. You should come inside. I'll make some tea for you, even a few snacks if you want." Sanji said as he pulled out a cigarette and started reaching for his lighter, but Ace lit his cigarette for him. "You must be Kai's brother. The chef right? I'd love to come in if it's alright with you all." He said and the rest of the crew nodded, indicating they didn't mind.

Ace followed the rest inside. When he got in he asked. "Who's the nakama that's missing?" He asked Luffy who told him. "He's a marine named Fujin. I invited him to join the crew and he never said no. So that means he's on the crew!" Ace spit out his drink. Everyone thought he was concerned that Luffy was friends with a marine as a pirate but Ace was more concerned about the two other things. How could Luffy not realize Kai is with him when they were such good friends, and why did he think that Kai not saying no means he is on the crew. However, he was also glad Kai was still friends with them and helping them out.

"Luffy. Just because he didn't say no. Doesn't mean that he is on your crew." Ace said to Luffy seriously. "Eh?" Both Luffy and the crew said. Luffy was confused because he didn't understand that if someone doesn't say no it doesn't mean yes. The crew was confused for another reason. "That's your issue with it? Not that he wanted a marine on the crew?" Sanji asked.

"Why would it matter if he was a marine? Luffy and I have a grandpa in the marines. Kai is also a marine right now, I think he's in the new world somewhere. Besides if it's that guy then he's fine." Ace told the crew.

They were a bit stunned and Zoro asked. "You know him?" Ace just nodded. "He was the one who just held me back while Smoker chased Luffy. We just fought." The crew was shocked at this. Nami asked Ace. "He did his job? Like for real?" She was genuinely confused. Kai doing work? What kinda bullshit is that? "Shishishi! Yeah he was pretty strong too. Sorry for burning him, by the way. I didn't know he was your friend until after the battle." Ace said.

Chopper flipped out. "He's burned? He told me he would let me treat him! Ace, did he get any medical attention?" Chopper asked seriously. "Aha. Umm. No." Ace said awkwardly like he wanted to cover for Kai but couldn't find an excuse. "That bastard! I'll kill him!" Chopper yelled. "Aren't doctors supposed to heal people?" Ace asked. "I'll kill him then heal him! He needs to get medical attention when he's hurt!"

"How bad did you beat him Ace?" Luffy asked his brother seriously, concerned about Kai. Ace just said. "Don't worry he's fine. It won't take him more than a few days to heal even if he doesn't get medical attention." Luffy nodded. "Good thing you didn't go too hard on him then."

Ace just rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "Aha. Actually Luffy. I went at him full force. I was trying to kill him. He was stronger than I thought he would be." The crew wasn't too shocked because they didn't know how strong Ace was. But Luffy had his jaw hit the floor. "Whaaat?! How strong was he?" He asked Ace.

"Well, I'd say the fight was about a draw." Ace replied, completely lying as Kai could have killed him multiple times, but the crew didn't need to know that, Ace thought. "But you're not injured. Didn't you say he was burned all over?" Vivi asked him. "Well a lot more goes into a fight then just injuries. It's hard to explain but just think about it like this. It doesn't really matter how injured you are, if you cut off someone's head after being heavily injured, then you won the fight in the end. Right?" The crew nodded at this analogy.

"So the mask guy is strong?" Sanji asked Ace. Who had a huge smile on his face. "Real strong." Ace said while inwardly laughing at the irony of Sanji defending his brother before but now wondering how strong he was like he thought he could beat him. Then Sanji asked the question he wanted to the whole time. "How did you know my brother?" Ace smiled. "He's my best friend. I know all about him, and you as well. He told me all about you and your sister." Sanji flinched at the part about his sister.

"You have a sister?" The crew asked Sanji. Who just nodded not wanting to talk about it. Ace realized his mistake and quickly changed the topic. "Anyway, Kai is a great guy. You all would love him." Sanji sent a nod to Ace silently thanking him. "Say I've always heard about how great a chef you are Sanji. Mind making me a meal?" Sanji was a little confused. "Where'd you hear that?"

"Your brother. He used to tell me all the time when we were kids. Probably when you were around 8-9 years old." Sanji smiled to himself. "He was lying. I was a terrible cook at that time." He said. Ace just chuckled. "I don't think he was lying. He really meant it when he told me your food was great. I could tell." Sanji made a meal for Ace who ate happily and told him it was good.

Ace got up ready to leave. "It's been great everyone. But I'm meeting an old friend soon, so I have to leave. Thanks again for the food and tea Sanji." Ace said as he started getting ready to leave.

"That was totally unexpected."

"It sure is…"

"I thought the guy Luffy described would be some selfish, arrogant jerk…"

"It's a lie. It has to be."

"Someone this polite CAN'T be Luffy's brother."

"He's such a better person than his brother."

"Brotherhood is a wonderful thing."

"The sea's a mysterious place."

"Now, now, everyone…" Vivi's voice was cut off by Luffy. "See! Don't they just crack you up? Shishishi!" Ace nodded and said. "You have a good crew, Luffy. Good Luck out there. By the way, this is my vivre card, it will point you in the direction that I am. If it starts to burn it means that my life is in danger and if it completely burns and is destroyed it means I'm dead." Ace handed Luffy a piece of his card and left.