Chapter 100

(AUTHOR'S CORNER)

Holy shit! Chapter 100! I can't believe it!

If you're a reader, you probably don't think this is a milestone. But for me, it definitely feels like one. I never would've thought I could write this far.

Apparently, planning your story ahead can help you prevent burning out or running out of ideas. Who knew?!

(That was me being sarcastic to myself because I already tried COUNTLESS times to write a story, but never getting far.)

I said back in Chapter 93 that I'll be answering questions as a little celebration. So, I'll do just that.

I'll be including the questions some of my friends asked me…

Yes, I'm very embarrassed that some people I know in real life are reading this story I wrote just for fun and practice… oh well, they're more of a degenerate than me, so I'm sure they won't mind.

Anyway! Let's start with the Q&A!

1. How many arcs until Wano/Yamato?

ANSWER: A lot. I wouldn't be surprised if, at the pace I'm writing, Yamato's first appearance would be at Chapter 200. I can't give a specific number of arcs or chapters, but trust me when I say it'll be a rather long wait if that's what you're waiting for. But, don't worry! Just because Yamato will be late in the story won't mean she'll be with the crew for only a small amount of time. The adventure will continue beyond the New World… but there won't be full crossovers to other universes.

2. How are you doing?

ANSWER: First of all, thank you for asking. I'm doing great! In fact, I'm doing better than ever. If you're reading this, no matter who you are, I want you to know that you matter. If you feel down, that's alright. That's part of life. Just make sure that everyday, you put in the effort to become at least slightly better than who you were yesterday. Keep doing that, and all shall be well. Life is beautiful, you're beautiful, and most importantly, life is hope.

3. Will Hepha and Soma end up together?

ANSWER: No. I like their sibling dynamic. If I had an elder sister, I'd want our relationship to be the same as Hepha and Soma; always bickering, always getting into fights, but we're there for each other when it matters.

4. Will Ace become the King of the Pirates?

ANSWER: In the canon, Ace initially also wanted to become the King of the Pirates by finding the One Piece. That sentiment still holds here in this fic, but with the future knowledge of the transmigrated soul, let's just say the natural ambitious soul of Portgas D. Ace has expanded his vision for the future.

5. How big will Ace's crew be?

ANSWER: If we include the Spade Fleet, it'll be MASSIVE. But, if we're talking about the Royal Ace Pirates alone… it'll still be big. Since we're talking about the size of a pirate crew, I'd like to once again point out that the Straw Hat Pirates ARE NOT A GOOD REFERENCE. Seriously, their crew is TINY compared to the usual pirate crews. Ace himself told Luffy that his crew was tiny in Alabasta. So, I'd just like to say I'll go ahead and make the Royal Ace Pirates a big and strong crew like the Rocks Pirates.

6. Harem?

ANSWER: Fuck no.

7. Will Ace's crewmates get their own romance?

ANSWER: Good question. Most likely, they won't. But I'll think about it. The only ones with potential romance to explore would be Vash, Terzo, Hepha, Doppol, and Mihar. Soma, Tanya, and Eri are minors. Augur is celibate and is loyal to only Ace… like Enel. Kotatsu is Kotatsu, our adorable talking lynx… maybe he'll find love at Zou.

8. When will Ace awaken his Flame-Flame Fruit?

ANSWER: Soon.

9. "Fuck you for killing Enel. Put that shit in your Q&A."

ANSWER: Yes, I accept that. Truly, fuck me.

10. Why are you a shitty writer?

ANSWER: LMFAO, c'mon man. That's why I'm writing; so I won't be a shitty writer in the future.

11. Why did Enel die? Is the INVINCIBLE tag in your fanfic fake?

ANSWER: That tag only applies to Ace…

…

And that's it for the Q&A portion! If you have any other questions for me, feel free to comment here on this paragraph or in this chapter.

I'll be adding the questions listed here as well as future ones in an auxiliary chapter.

Once again, thank you for reading my fic! Back to the story!

-------------

Admiral Akainu of the Navy sat in his office chair staring at a sleeping Transponder Snail. He didn't have to, but he can't help but do so. His arms were crossed as a lit cigar hung on the side of his lips.

It was eerily quiet in the admiral's rather simple office. There was no one inside but the admiral himself, the other marines too intimidated to stay inside with him; not that the admiral needed anyone at the moment. 

The only sounds in the office came from outside. Despite being in the Grand Line, the weather was tame, evident by the gentle sounds of waves crashing on the Navy warship's hull.

The distant sounds of grunts and shouts produced by the training regimen of the marines directly under Admiral Akainu spoke of discipline and dedication to their cause.

It was this cause, in fact, that made Admiral Akainu so feared and respected. He was a man of commitment and dedication. Every ounce of his being exuded a statement of loyalty to his belief; his Justice.

Now, the Justice that Admiral Akainu and his men have strived so hard to defend and uphold is being challenged. All because of one man, one pirate, who surfaced and held the higher-ups of the world in tension with his mere existence.

Gol D. Ace, the son of the King of the Pirates, exists and is seemingly following his criminal father's footsteps. A man like Admiral Akainu could never fathom the fact that such a threat to Justice is running wild in the seas.

Being the one assigned to eliminate such a threat filled Akainu with his own unique joy.

Now, Akainu awaits news and development so they can finally take action. What he was waiting for soon came.

The Transponder Snail on Akainu's desk woke up and started ringing. As soon as it rang, Akainu picked it up, eager to hear news.

"Admiral Akainu, speaking."

"Sakazuki." The voice of Sengoku, the Fleet Admiral of the Marines, spoke.

"Sengoku-san. Is there a problem?"

"I received a call from CP9. One of the Royal Ace Pirates, 'Armada' Doppol, has been spotted in Water 7. Are you nearby?"

Akainu clenched his fist as his teeth clenched in both excitement, anticipation, and disgust at hearing how pirates are running around in a peaceful city.

"Yes, we are near Water 7. What are your orders, Fleet Admiral?"

"Are your men ready?" Sengoku asked.

"We await your word."

"Good. Remember, the World Government and many of its affiliated nations have chosen to assist us in this matter. Make sure you include them properly in the operation."

"Of course."

"Contact the undercover marines and the government assets, Sakazuki. Spring the trap!"

The call ended. Admiral Akainu, the Red Dog of the Navy, can now finally start his hunt.

-----

(Short A/N: Spoilers ahead to those who haven't read Chapters 1096+ of One Piece. If you haven't read it yet… do it now, lol.)

Vash, Hepha, and Kuma eventually found a decent establishment to drink at. They were seated at a corner table in Blueno's Bar, chatting as they drank.

The bar had many people despite it being still bright out. Vash, Hepha, and Kuma were seated far enough from the others to make eavesdropping on them rather difficult. 

Still, they didn't let their guard down. Hepha and Kuma were doing most of the chatting. Vash was fine with just mostly listening.

"HAHAHAHA! Koala really cried like that after I left? She's so cute!" Hepha was delighted at the story Kuma shared with her after she left the Revolutionary Army.

"Still, it really was a shame you couldn't have stayed with us back then, Hepha-san," Kuma said. "You would've been welcome to stay."

Kuma's words brought Hepha into a rather somber mood. It was as if she was suddenly ashamed of herself.

"Sorry, Kuma. It's just-"

"You don't have to explain, Hepha-san," Kuma said with a gentle smile to comfort her. "You're a woman with a dream. Staying with us then would have meant you'd have to set it aside first."

"Does Dragon think that way?" Hepha asked. "Now that I really think about it, he's a big reason why I didn't feel exactly welcome there."

Realizing what she said, Hepha's visible eye opened wide. She immediately corrected her words.

"Not that I'm saying I hated it there, Kuma! You guys were great! Well, most of you were…"

"You have to understand, Hepha-san. Most of us knew that you weren't exactly one of us," Kuma said with a degree of shame himself. "It was a shame, but that was the reality."

Hepha and Kuma went silent after that. A rather awkward air started to surround them, so Vash spoke up.

"You never mentioned you worked with the Revolutionary Army, Hepha."

"I was a contract worker, Vash," Hepha said with a small smirk. "I take my jobs seriously. Client confidentiality is one of its aspects. Though, if you guys asked, I probably would've told you anyway."

"Pfft. 'I take my job seriously,' she says." Vash scoffed, much to Hepha's annoyance.

"I don't wanna hear that from a bounty hunter who didn't kill his targets," Hepha said in retaliation.

"Again, I'm really glad to see you've found people to be with now, Hepha-san," Kuma said after watching Vash and Hepha bicker.

"Yeah. I'm really glad, too." Hepha was then disturbed by how 'uncool' she was acting. "Anyway! How's Iva-chan, Kuma?"

"I… I wouldn't know," Kuma said, rather embarrassedly. "To be honest, it's been a long time since I last saw them all."

"Ehh? Why?" Hepha asked. "You're not part of the Army anymore?"

"It's not that," Kuma said, dismissing Hepha's assumption. "More like… I'm on an extended vacation."

Kuma's smile then grew wide. It was a kind of smile Hepha hasn't seen before on Kuma's kind and gentle face. It somehow looked different.

"I'm taking care of my daughter, Bonney," Kuma said, his smile still on his face.

"Bonney?"

Suddenly, everything became clear for Hepha. She instantly knew what that smile on Kuma's face was. It was so familiar, yet so distant to her; the smile of a proud father.

"That name! No way! You and Ginny finally got married?" Hepha asked. "HAHAHAHAHA! Finally! Congratulations, Kuma!"

"Ehh? Uhhh… thanks…" Kuma seemed confused and unable to respond properly.

"Ginny finally got her wish, huh? I'm glad," Hepha said as she started to calm down. "How is she? I somehow can't imagine that girl being a mother… she'd probably eat her own daughter's food!"

"She probably would have." Hearing the name 'Ginny' made Kuma's smile falter as his mood sombered. "But… we'll never know. She… Ginny has passed away, Hepha-san."

"...what?"

Hepha was shocked. She couldn't believe it. It hasn't been more than seven years since she last saw Ginny. Was it really that long ago? Has time passed so cruelly? She wanted to know more.

"What happened?"

"Ginny got sick," Kuma said after a few moments silently debating, still visibly saddened by the memory in his mind. "Soon after she gave birth to Bonney, she died of her sickness. It wasn't contagious, but it's hereditary."

"Oh… no…"

Hepha realized what Kuma was about to say before he said it.

"Bonney is also suffering from it," Kuma said. 

Kuma's voice shook slightly in what Hepha and Vash could recognize as frustration and helplessness. Hepha was thankful for the alcohol they were drinking which probably helped in helping Kuma open up to them.

"What sickness was it? None of the doctors in the Army could cure her?" Vash asked.

"Vash here is our crew's doctor," Hepha said to Kuma. "Maybe he could help Bonney."

"I would be glad if that's the case, but please don't be too disappointed if you can't, Vash-san," Kuma said to Vash with a small smile showing his appreciation. "But, I hear it's an incredibly rare sickness. It's called Sapphire Scale Disease."

"Oh…"

"You know it, Vash?" Hepha asked.

"I do." Vash answered with a rather grim nod. "I heard about it while I was studying to get my license in East Blue. Though it's very rare, there's enough data to recognize it and know what the sickness is. It's technically possible to cure, but…"

"But what?" Hepha asked, urging Vash to continue.

"To cure Sapphire Scales, there are two basic requirements," Vash said. "First, the doctor must have deep knowledge and insights on the fields of microbiology, genetics, and medicine. Second, the technology that matches that doctor's knowledge should exist. I used to think those two requirements were impossible to meet… but not anymore."

"What do you mean, Vash-san?" Kuma asked as his eyes slowly lit up with hope.

"Before we came here, our crew was on Karakuri Island," Vash said to Kuma. "Over there, my eyes were opened. The technology there was impressive; leaps and bounds beyond what I knew existed. What's even more impressive are the footprints left there by a certain man…"

"Doctor Vegapunk." Hepha said, finishing Vash's sentence.

"I'm not sure if the cure to Sapphire Scales is there at Karakuri Island," Vash said, not wanting to give Kuma too much hope. "But, I'm a hundred percent positive that if anyone can cure it, it would be Doctor Vegapunk."

"It'll be hard," Hepha said. "No one but the marines know where he is…"

"Until you find the cure, make sure Bonney doesn't come into contact with natural light," Vash said to Kuma. "It would make her condition worse. Be it from the sun, moon, or even the glint of metal and crystals. Keep her away from them, and she'll have more time."

"Yes, that's what the other doctors told me," Kuma said.

"How old is she?" Vash asked.

"She's seven years old right now. Her disease has shown symptoms ever since she was a baby…"

"I see…"

The table was then silent. Hepha didn't ask why Vash's words trailed off.

"You already know, don't you?" Vash asked after a moment.

"Yes."

"What is it?" Hepha asked. "What are you two talking about?"

"...Bonney is dying," Kuma said, shocking Hepha. "Even with the precaution Vash-san and the other doctors said, the disease is a naturally progressing one…"

"Those suffering from Sapphire Scales Disease only live for ten years at best after showing the first symptom," Vash said to Hepha, letting her know what Kuma was most likely afraid to utter out.

"That's… that's so unfair." It was all Hepha could say.

The table was once again silent. The other customers in the bar all continued with their drinking and merriment, unaware of the silent struggle of the giant yet gentle man in front of Vash and Hepha.

"I'm sorry, Kuma," Vash said. "I… I really hope I can do more. You're Hepha's friend, after all. That makes you our friend too, if you ask me."

"Oh, no! Please don't apologize, Vash-san!" Kuma said. "You… you've done more than enough. More than you possibly know. You've given me the assurance that a cure exists somewhere out there. You gave me another lead I can chase. You've given me hope! Thank you!"

Kuma bowed in his seat to Vash and Hepha. They felt their heart warm up at seeing such a loving father as Kuma, traveling the seas alone just to find a cure for his daughter's sickness.

"That's why you're out here alone?" Hepha asked. "You really are still that brave Kuma I know."

"I promised Ginny I will take care of Bonney. That's why I'm here," Kuma said. "I'm really glad I met you two here. It's just… such a coincidence. I was already headed to Karakuri Island. To think there could be clues there…"

"You were already heading there?" Vash asked, and Kuma answered with a nod.

"I was just chasing a rumor," Kuma said. "I already knew that someone with great knowledge about genetics and microbiology could possibly save Bonney. That's why I was looking for scientists. I heard that a scientist from DELTA was on Karakuri Island."

The glass in Vash's hand shattered with his sudden grip.