Chapter 40

Grandline, Paradise, Alabasta

It had been approximately been one day since Portgas D. Ace had arrived on the desert island Alabasta, to which the trail of destruction caused by his former subordinate Teach, also known as Blackbeard, had lead him to. After finding another trail Ace hopped onto his little boat and drove up the Sandora river to check some sources on the end of it, when a little ship with a strawhat wearing jolly roger appeared in the distance. At first Ace had been a little confused why that struck such a chord in him but soon he came to the realisation that his brother Luffy always wore a strawhat and that he became known to the world as 'strawhat Luffy'. Chiding himself for his stupidity, Ace increased the speed of his tiny vessel and soon reached their side, onto which with a rope in hand that reached down to his vessel Ace jumped, startling a good portion of the crew, who promptly drew their weapons until, to Aces happiness, his l little brothers voice echoed over the otherwise silent ship, as if it had been struck by some kind of melancholy before.

"Aaaaaaaccccccce! hahahaha, what are you doing here?" Luffy yelled with arms spread wide, grabbing his brother in an engulfing hug.

"Hey Lu! Haven't seen you in forever hahaha! How's my little bros pirate career going so far? Heard you caused some havoc in Loguetown the other day." Ace said, grabbing Luffys head from above, who started to laugh in reply.

"Hi, I'm Ace, Luffys older brother. Nice to meet you all. Hope he isn't too much trouble for you. God knows I've had my fair share of trouble with him in the past hahahaha" Ace said with a laugh, bowing to the rest of the now calm crew as they assembled around the duo.

"Those are my crewmates. The guy with the swords is Zoro. The girl with the orange hair is our navigator, Nami. This here is Chopper, our doctor and Usopp our sniper. Oh and that over there is a guest we are taking to the next island, Robin. Pretty awesome heh? Of course I'm still the strongest around here gahahahaha" Luffy yelled with a mad laughter after pointing to his crewmates for introductions.

"Is that so? If I remember correctly I've never lost to you Lu. Maybe it's time I'll remind you of that a little hehehe" Ace replied, smacking Luffy over the head good naturely after which he pointed to Sanji who was about to light himself a cigarette, which promptly ignited in a small flame.

"Wow, thanks. That must come in handy an aweful lot. You ate a devilfruit or something?" Sanji asked while taking a deep drag of his cigarette and releasing his breath in a long exhale.

"Yes. I ate the mera-mera no mi. A logia. I'm fire incarnate you could say hehehe." Ace said with a grin directed in Luffys direction who cracked his knuckles in excitement, a grin on his face.

"So, where is your crew at?" Zoro asked, looking over the railing, spotting Aces small boat.

"Ye, where is your crew? And your ship?" Luffy butted in, now curious as well.

Ace in reply only grinned, after which he turned around and pointed at the big-ass tatoo painted on his whole back.

"I'm the second devision commander of the Whitebeard pirates. Hey Lu, why don't you all join us? You would all be welcome, I'm sure of that." Ace asked while turning back around.

While the rest of the crew was gobsmacked that Ace was a commander of the strongest man in the world, Luffy only yelled his denial. "No way! I'll become king of the pirates! And the pirate king doesn't serve under anybody!" Luffy proclaimed which only made Ace shrug in reply.

Though nobody expected another voice speaking up in the following silence of Luffys proclamation.

"I would like to join your crew!" Came the silky voice of a black haired woman from behind the crew, leaning against the opposing railing.

"nooooo, Robin-chan! You cannot leave me, I mean us! Pleeeease" Sanji cried in tears, having transformed into a buddle of water on the sh.i.p.s deck.

"Ohh? And why is that miss...?" Ace asked, clearly not having expected this to happen.

"My name is Nico Robin. The world government has been hunting me since I was a little child. The last few years I've been protected from them by hiding in Crocodiles shadow but now that I have the opportunity to join the strongest man in the world on his ship I'll gladly do so to loose the world governments agents for possibly forever." Robin said with a small smile that formed on her face at the thought of that happening.

Ace eyed her for a moment, seemingly contemplating her words, after which he only asked her if she was sure, which she confirmed and thus sealed the deal.

Afterwards Ace pulled his bagpack from his shoulder and took out a small transpondersnail and dialed a number on it. After a while of waiting, which caused the crews breathing to stop for a moment, someone picked up the mic on the other end.

"This is Marco speaking. Who's this?" The impatient voice of a man answered to which Ace replied with a grin.

"Hey Marco! How are things on your end? Dad having bit the grass yet? hehehehe" Ace grinned into the mic to which a roaring deep laugther echoed through from the other end.

"Don't get c.o.c.ky with me you brat gurararara" a different voice replied instead of Marco.

"Ahhh, old man! Didn't expect you to be near hehehe" Ace answered with an embaressed look covering his face.

"So tell me brat, why are you calling? You found anything on Teach yet?" Whitebeard asked through the mic.

"I've found some tracks but will keep on looking a little longer here in Alabasta. I have a trail that leads to the other side of the island. Though that is not why I called. I found a new potential crewmember that wishes to join. Her name is Nico Robin. She says she has been hunted since she was a small child by the world government, though why she didn't say. What do you think old man?"

Ace replied, his humorous face disappearing with the begin of his report.

"Hmm, give her the mic. I want to speak with her first." Whitebeard replied.

Handing the mic over to Nico Robin, who was slightly nervous speaking to Whitebeard personally, Ace stepped back a little to give them some space.

"So you wish to join my family? Why?" the loud voice asked through the mic.

Hesitating for a minute to think about what she was going to reveal to the man, Robin decided it was an all or nothing moment. If she could join then she would be safe for a long time while also gaining the chance to explore more and more islands and possibly find additional poneglyphs.

And thus she told him. Everything.

"I grew up on the small island Ohara in the west blue. An island renowned and popular for its excelent scientists. From a young age I was fascinated by history and in the years to come, after my first contact with the past from long ago, I began to study archeology. Soon I found out that the scientists of my home had found and began to study through the help of the poneglyphs the history of the world, before the world government took over. I learned to read the acient language, in which the poneglyphs are written, and along with it, after Ohara was wiped from the face of the earth by the world government for studying the true history, became a hunted fugitive, always on the run. I simply wish to study and read the poneglyphs scattered around the grandline, in the hopes to find out what happened in the void century, without having to fear the world governments lapdogs. Joining your crew would enable me to do that. At least I hope so." Nico Robin finished her story, releasing a long breath in reaction to finally being able to speak about her past.

Whitebeard at first remained silent. But that silent was soon broken by a contemplative humming, until he spoke: "Alright, I will let you join my family. We will speak further on this when you arrive in the new world. What will be your next island to arrive on?" Whitebeard asked which brought a relieved smile to Robins face.

Ace answered for her instead by saying in a loud voice: "They'll be going to Jaya next old man!"

"Alright, I'll send a few men and women to pick you up from there. It can take a little bit longer but that shouldn't be a problem. Ace! Give her a little of my vivrecard. Should anything unforseen happen she can find her way to me on her own." Whitebeard said, which caused Aces eyes to widen slightly. Was she really that important? No matter.

"Alright, will do old man. Talk to you later." Ace said, taking the mic from Robin and ending the call.

Afterwards he pulled two pieces of paper from his bagback, ripping both into two halfs. One he gave to Robin, while the one from the second paper he gave to Luffy, who only looked confused.

"That piece of paper is a vivrecard. It will move into the direction that I am located at, plus it shows my physical condition. If I'm wounded or unwell it will start to slowly burn.

Luffy only grinned and put the piece of paper into his strawhats headband while Robin put hers into her pocket.

Ace, after handing them over to the two, spoke to Robin: "I guess that means welcome to the family now, sister hahahaha" Ace grinned after which he broke into laughter, followed by Luffy who promptly took this opportunity to party again.

And so they did. But even that had to come to an end some time, which meant for Ace to go his own way, sadening Luffy in the process, but not for long.

"Take care of yourself Lu, and I'll see you in the new world!" Ace said with a grin on his face, hugging his little brother for a farwell, after walking over to Robin and doing the same, who was kind of shocked at the sudden friendliness just because she joined Whitebeards crew, minutes ago at that.

Jumping over the railing into his little boat, Ace took off into the distance, waving back at them with a smile.

"Alright, time to sail for Jaya!" Luffy yelled in excitement for a possible adventure. And ohh would they get one. though maybe not one they had been expecting...