Chapter 14: A Swan man

The Straw Hats pirates have been voyaging for days and they almost running out of food supplies (thanks to a few people who stole some food from the pantry). Sanji went angry because of the food supplies keep missing and tried to find out who's been stealing the food. (y/n) turned to see Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, and Karoo fishing. It seems the culprit was them and tried to fish something in exchange for the missing food.

Then someone tapped on (y/n)'s shoulder, she turned to see Vivi "is there something you need, Princess?" (y/n) asked. Vivi asked her if they could talk in private. (y/n) had no problem and followed her behind the deck which only two of them now. It looks like Vivi wanted to talk about something with (y/n) but was hesitant. (y/n) looked at her carefully "…are you worried about something?"

Vivi widened her eyes and turned at her, (y/n) could tell she was "but I won't assume something because I can't read minds, you have to tell me what's in your head"

"it's just… I was thinking about the spar from the other day. I admitted that you are very much strong, (y/n)-san. From that battle I realized something—"

"what?"

Vivi looked at (y/n) with the serious expression "that Sir Crocodile targeting you is because that you have a potential to become his ally"

This time, (y/n) surprised a little by her statement. She recalled the letter that Crocodile send to her too. (y/n) closed her eyes for a moment and then look at her with a smile "…and you think I would betray all of you?"

"I wasn't—" but Vivi stopped because she did think (y/n) would betray them. she looked at (y/n) smile, she was just standing there and smiling at her, her smile looked painful "I was just… worried about you, (y/n)-san"

"about me?"

Vivi nodded "yes"

(y/n) looked at Vivi for a moment "then… do you trust me, Vivi?"

After hearing (y/n) call her name for the first time, Vivi was surprised a little "of course! You are my friend, (y/n)-san!"

(y/n) could feel the sincere reply from Vivi, it makes her relief "I want to tell you something. It's about—"

Suddenly, they could hear the crew's voices talking about a fog about to come in their direction. (y/n) and Vivi look back at each other again "…I guess, I could tell you later. Let's return, Princess" (y/n) said and walked ahead. Vivi looked at (y/n)'s back and wondered what was she about to tell her. she thought 'why her tone sound so… sad?'. She didn't want something bad to happen to (y/n), but she feels like that there's so much (y/n) hiding from her friends.

When everyone look at the fog closely, it was coming from under the sea. Nami explained the fog caused by the steam from an active volcano down below the sea that was about to create a new island thousand of years later. They're amazed by the rare phenomena and passing through the steam.

But then Karoo noticed something in his hook, it seems he caught something. When he tried to pull it up, a strange man was get caught instead "oh dear! How did I manage to get caught by a duck?!" says the man with a confused look. The crew even shocked that Karoo caught a man being in the middle of the sea. Karoo was so shocked that he accidentally dropped the man into the sea. The man struggling to get back up to the surface, it seems he cannot swim. So some of the crew who can swim save the man and bring him back to their ship.

The crew looked at the strange man, he was dressed like a swan and speak like he was a woman. The man explained to them that he can't swim is because he's a devil fruit user. "really? What kind?" asked Usopp. The strange man told them until his crew picked him up, he'll show them what he can do "behold my power!!" he shouted and start slapping Luffy on the face.

The crew was about to attack him back since the unknown man hit their captain "wait, wait! Please! It's all part of my act! You'll see!!" he tried to explain in panic. Then his face turns into Luffy's "Tadah! This ain't no joke!"

Luffy gaped "huh? He's me!"

"surprised?" he laugh "and with the swipe of my left hand… viola! Back to normal! That is the power of the clone-clone fruit!"

The man explained that all he had to do to touch the person's faces, he touch Usopp, Zoro, Chopper, Nami, and (y/n) faces. He turns his face into every one of them "and that includes my body~" he undressed and revealing topless (y/n).

"WHA—" the boys are shocked to see topless (y/n) and they start nose-bleeding.

"ooh, you're amazing. It's so detailed!" (y/n) looked at her naked self and was impressed.

"you shouldn't be impressed!!" Nami scolds.

When the strange man shows more face that he could transform, there's one face that caught Vivi's attention. Before the man could show more, a ship approached them. it was the man's crew coming to pick him up. "oh! It's time to port already? Too bad. But don't be sad, every voyage must come to an end! Just remember one thing—friendship… is not determined by how much time you spent time together!!" he gives a thumb up and jumps off from their ship to his.

"let's go mens!!" he shouted to his crew.

"AYE-AYE, MR.2 BONCLAY!!" the crew replied and they sail away.

"Mr. 2?!!" the Straw Hat crew was surprised when they realized the man they just saved was actually one of the Baroque Members.

Luffy asked Vivi if she recognized Mr. 2. Vivi give it a thought and tried to remember his description "I'd only heard rumors about Mr. 2. They say he wears makeup and talks like a girl and wears a swan coat that says 'oh come my way' on the back" she said.

"Are you blind?" Luffy, Usopp, and Zoro said in union.

Vivi told everyone when she saw Mr. 2 change his face into a certain face, she said that she recognized one of those faces. She saw her father's face in one of his transformations, the King of Alabasta. "this could be a trouble. He has our faces and could change into us as well in the future. Does he not know that we're Baroque Works wanted lists?" (y/n) asked Vivi. But she shakes her head and does not know about Mr. 2 situation either.

"then how are we going to tell which one of us is not Mr. 2?"

"hold on, (y/n). but I don't think we have to worry about Mr. Bon Clay. This was a lucky encounter for us. Now we can plan our strategies." Said Zoro.

(y/n) look at him for a moment "…you have something in your mind, didn't you, Mr. Swordsman?"

"duh"

(y/n) chuckled "I'm amazed that you keep surprising me with that head of yours"

"what the heck is that supposed to mean?!"

"(y/n)-tan, is so cute when she laughs!" Sanji said with hearty eyes.

After that, the crew draws the X mark on their forearms. That way, they're planning that they could tell which one is which. And the one who has the mark are the real crew "No matter what happened from here on… our left arms will bear the sign of our fellowship!!" Luffy said as everyone put their arms together proudly. Now they have a plan when they faced the Baroque Works agents.

all right! Let's go ashore!! To eat!! …then on to Alabasta" said Luffy.

"Alabasta's an afterthought!?" Usopp jaw-dropped.

(y/n) looked at her X mark, another memory pass through her mind. 'you gave your loyalty to the Marines, now you are one of us and my most trusted right hand' said Akainu as he placed a hot iron through (y/n)'s skin behind her back. (y/n) screamed in pain and tried to hold in the burning sensation. When he released it, it leaves a sword-shaped mark.

'this way... you are also a member of SWORD'

(y/n) placed her hand on her shoulder where she could still feel the burning pain in her back. But she felt relief that the mark she got this time wasn't so extreme as last time. She felt a sense of comfort and a strong bond through it.

Chopper noticed (y/n) weird expression and approach her "is something wrong, (y/n)?" he asked with a worried tone.

(y/n) shakes her head and smiled at him "it's nothing. I just remembered something very delightful memory from my past"

"really? What was it?!" he asked with sparkling eyes and filled with curiosity.

But (y/n) placed a finger on her lips and winked at him "a secret" she giggled.

"eeh?! Why?!"

Finally, the Straw Hat pirates arrived at Alabasta and ported their ship. Luffy suddenly rushed into the town called Nanohara to find food because he couldn't hold in his hunger. Now they're a little worried because there's a possibility they couldn't find Luffy in such a big place. Then Vivi warned the others that she spotted Mr. 3 ship as well, she told them that Mr. 3 is somewhere in Alabasta right now.

"huh? Where's (y/n)-tan?" asked Sanji as he looked around the area.

"she said she's going ahead to the town too just earlier" said Zoro.

"WHAT?! NOOO, MY (Y/N)-TAN!!" Sanji cried.

"What a baby" Zoro sighed.

"HUUH?! You're making me, marimo head?!"

"enough, you two! Let's go find food supplies first" Nami suggested.

After that, the rest of the crew carefully went to the side of the city where no one could find them. Sanji and Usopp successfully brought food supplies and clothes for a disguise. Sanji wears normal attire for men in Alabasta while Nami and Vivi are wearing revealing dancing clothes "they are beautiful!" said Nami. It makes Sanji very happy to see the girls with those outfits.

"maybe we shouldn't have sent Sanji to send for us. We're not exactly going to blend in with common people. These are dancers' outfits" Vivi sweat-dropped.

"I wonder when (y/n)-tan is back, I really wanted to see her in these clothes. I even prepared a special one for her!!" Sanji cried in desperation.

"you brought clothes for me as well?" said a familiar voice.

Everyone turned to see (y/n) approaching them. Nami asked where have she been earlier, (y/n) replied that she just went to find information "look, (y/n)-tan! I have prepared disguise clothes for you too!" Sanji showed the dance outfit.

"oh my, what a beautiful pattern" (y/n) looked at her outfit.

"yes! Please wear them! I have chosen them carefully to match your beauty!" Sanji coo.

"thank you, but I'll wear them later" (y/n) said and put it in her backpack. She was just wearing a thin layer of clothes and her cape to cover her. Sanji was crushed and disappointed that he can't see (y/n) in her dancing outfit.

"Furthermore, I have inspected the area and saw a few groups of Marines running around. It'll be best if we move quickly from this place" (y/n) warns.

"M-Marines?!" Usopp panicked.

"But we can't go on without Luffy, he still hasn't returned!" said Chopper.

Then they heard loud noises nearby. Everyone turned to see someone is running in their direction, when they looked closely it was a group of Marines chasing someone… it was Luffy. The crew panicked that Luffy brought those Marines and ran toward them the moment he spot his crew "don't lead them to us, you idiot!" Zoro scolds. Thus, the crew starts running away as well before they get caught.

Turns out, Captain Smoker is also there to catch Luffy "I won't let you get away! White Fist!!" he use his smoke ability to attack Luffy. But it was blocked by fire. Smoker turned to see an unknown man helping Luffy escape with his crew.

"gave it up. You may be smoking, but I'm fire. We're too evenly matched to settle this now" says the man with fire ability.

Luffy turned to see the man who'd helped him, he smiled widely the moment he saw the man's face "Ace…?!!"

The man named Ace turned to Luffy and smiled back "you never change, do you? eh, Luffy?"

Ace told him to run away with his friends so he could hold back Smoker and his group. So the Straw Hat pirates use their opportunity to escape. But Smoker spotted a familiar figure among the crew, the one he has been looking for "that person--!!"

When he was about to pass Ace, he blocked him again "wow, not so fast. You gotta pass through me first" Ace grinned.

"get the hell out of my way! I'll lose her again if I don't catch up--!!"

"her?" Ace look at him with a confused look "I don't know who are you searching for, but… I won't let you get my little brother" he warns as he shows him his fire ability.

"darn it--!" Smoker clicked his tongue and had no choice but to face this person first.

Meanwhile, the Straw Hats pirates have successfully gone back to their ship and sail off to escape. They decided to find another way to reach Alabasta. While on their voyage, the crew asks who's the man that just saved them. Luffy explained that person's name Portgas D. Ace, he and (y/n)'s older brother. Everyone is amazed that the siblings are starting to regroup. "geez… I'd never thought I'd meet here, Ace. Isn't this great, (y/n)?" he turned to (y/n) who staring at the distance "(y/n)?" he called her once more.

"huh? Yeah, it's great…"

"??" Luffy tilted his head in confusion, he thought she would be happy to see Ace again.

(y/n) was thinking about earlier 'Smoker is here too… this is going to be a problem for my plan' (y/n) sweat-dropped a little.

While Luffy still talking about Ace with his friends, all of a sudden someone jumped into their ship. It was Ace again, it looks like he's successfully fended off those Marines. Luffy happily greeted him on his ship and introduced his friends. Ace bowed to Luffy's friends and thanked them for taking care of Luffy. The crew is surprised by how polite Luffy's brother is. "h-hey, Luffy's siblings have much more manners than him" Usopp whispered.

"Yeah, maybe he was found in a jungle or something" Nami whispered back.

"Ace, you won't believe who's in my crew now!" Luffy said with an excited face.

"really? Who is it then?"

"it's— huh? Where's (y/n)?" he turned to find (y/n).

Ace widened his eyes and was shocked a little when he heard the name "oi, Luffy. What do you mean with (y/n)? you know she's—"

All of a sudden, his vision turned dark. He could feel someone's hands covering his eyes from behind "…guess who am I~?" a familiar voice teasing his ear.

Ace knows that voice very well, but he couldn't believe the voice he's hearing right now is really hers "…(y/n)?" he guessed. Then the hands were removed from his face so he could turn to see who's behind him. His eyes widened the moment he saw a familiar figure standing right in front of him. (y/n) removed her hood and revealed her face to him, she smiled at him with a happy face "your answer is correct!"

Ace gripped his fist tightly and don't know how to express the feeling he has right now as he trembling with his emotions. (y/n) tilted her head in confusion "oh dear, Ace… you're not happy to see me?"

In one quick movement, Ace wrapped his arms around (y/n) and embraced him tightly. he doesn't know what's over him, but right now… all he wanted is (y/n) in his arms "I thought--… I thought you're gone forever!" he said with a trembling voice.

"that day… they told me you're dead. Your ship was attacked and your body was never been found…" he said as he hugs her tighter as if he almost cried as well "they even made your tomb back in wind village--"

"Ace…"

"I'm so happy… to see you again. I never wanted to lose you ever again!"

(y/n) smiled happily and tried to calm Ace by hugging him back. Hoping it'll comfort him. Deep down, she is happy to see him again… at the same time, it's painful.