Chapter 27: Ace Sets Sail
And so, Ace learned etiquette from Makino. After Luffy recovered, the three of them returned to their usual lives. They still went into town to cause a ruckus, always leaving the restaurant after enjoying a meal without paying, and politely bowing to the owner, albeit not too much. Their sparring sessions continued as well.
They encountered the bear that had injured Luffy once again. On that day, they invited the Dadan family to join them for a hot pot feast with bear meat. They fought against delinquents, survived in the forest, battled wild beasts, and even faced off against the "strongest boss," Garp. Time continued to leave its mark on the three of them, racing by like a galloping steed, never stopping.
Seven years passed, and the day Ace was to set sail had arrived.
The new year, January 1, 1517, was also Ace's birthday. This guy was in such a hurry that he was going to set sail on the very day he turned seventeen. Last night, Ace was taken out by Kaito Sakamoto to buy supplies for his journey. Although the process was tough, the shopkeepers looked at them as if they were ghosts, and when they saw them pay, they probably wished even more for ghosts to appear.
"What's there to buy? Kaito, we don't need to make such a fuss," Ace complained, trailing behind Kaito. Kaito shot him a glance, suggesting he should just put down the dagger.
If he wasn't buying, it would save some money; after all, he was just there to buy time.
"Come on! Let's get you some clothes. Tomorrow's your birthday, and you're setting sail. You have to at least look the part!" Kaito pulled Ace into a clothing store.
Before Ace could respond—what do you mean by 'looking the part'?—he found himself dragged along. The owner of the weapon shop looked a bit stunned. Hadn't they paid for that dagger yet?
Once they arrived at the clothing store, Ace felt awkward; he had never bought clothes before. Over the years, all three of their outfits had been made by Makino. Not having bought anything was one thing, but he didn't even know what it meant to pay.
Seeing Ace frozen, Kaito picked out a denim outfit for him: a black vest paired with black denim shorts, complete with wrist guards and a belt. He then pushed Ace into the fitting room.
The store owner was a somewhat plump middle-aged woman, her eyes filled with panic as she looked at them. After all, Kaito and his friends had quite the reputation, especially among shopkeepers in this border town, particularly those who ran restaurants and pharmacies.
While Ace was changing, Kaito browsed around the shop and suddenly noticed a distinctive cowboy hat. It was an orange cowboy hat, with two badges on the brim depicting a "smile" and "sadness."
Kaito picked it up with a smile, and at that moment, Ace burst out of the fitting room.
Kaito walked over, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, this is what they mean by 'dressed to impress.' You look pretty good, Ace."
"Really?"
"What do you mean 'dressed to impress'? Are you complimenting me or making fun of me?" Ace asked, smiling and nodding, suddenly realizing something was off—was that a compliment or not?
Kaito didn't answer but urged him to check himself out in the mirror. Then, he sneakily placed the hat on Ace's head from behind.
Looking in the mirror, Ace now matched the image that Kaito had in mind.
"How does it look with this hat?"
"Aren't you the one who said Luffy loves to smile, while I'm more indifferent? Not that I'm crying, though."
"The two badges on the hat represent the 'guardianship' we two younger brothers offer you during your journey, Ace."
"Ace, big brother."
Ace smiled, adjusting the hat. "It looks pretty good."
"But, Kaito, as an older brother, if you're being protected by your younger brother, you might end up being mocked for it."
Kaito smiled back. "Say whatever you want; I can talk nonsense too."
He glanced towards the door. After living together for seven years, the three of them knew each other well—down to whether each other had moles on their backs.
Ace nodded slightly, and the next moment, the two of them dashed out of the store, politely shouting, "Thank you for your hospitality!"
All the way, Kaito kept finding ways to drag out the time, not letting Ace go back home. When the clock struck midnight, marking the arrival of his birthday, Kaito finally let Ace return.
As Ace pushed open the door to Dadan's house, he heard a chorus of voices shouting, "Happy Birthday!!!"
Luffy held up a large cake, surrounded by other members of the bandits welcoming Ace home. The house had transformed, buzzing with excitement, thanks to Makino's decorations and the drinks she provided. A banner hung on the wall reading, "Happy 17th Birthday, Ace!"
Ace fought back tears, holding them back from spilling over. He used to dislike his birthday—his own birthday. Just like Dadan now, even though he enjoyed the festive atmosphere, he still pretended that celebrating his birthday was a hassle.
Ace put on a tough front, "Kaito, why were you blocking me from coming home?"
"Turns out you guys were planning this."
"It wasn't necessary, but since you all are prepared, let's celebrate…"
"Luffy! Your drool just landed on the cake!!"
Ace couldn't hold back when he saw Luffy's drool dripping onto the cake.
Watching them, Kaito facepalmed, chuckling at the realization that letting Luffy carry the cake was a bad idea.
Separation would eventually come.
Happy times always pass, but they will return again.
The next day, on the shores of Korbo Mountain, Ace was about to take his first step into the sea.
A small sailboat slowly departed from the coast. Ace turned around, facing those who had come to see him off—Luffy, Kaito, Makino, and other members of Dadan's gang. Surprisingly, the mayor of Windmill Village had also come.
"Do your best, Ace!!" Luffy shouted.
"Just you wait! I'm going to make a name for myself on the seas!!" Ace replied confidently.
And thus, Ace began his journey across the ocean, wearing the hat Kaito had given him, which also bore a skull tag handmade by Luffy after a month of effort—symbols of his two younger brothers' "guardianship" as he set sail towards his future.