13 Chapter 13

Ace's battle with the birds took longer than he realized. The sun already set when he was done. It was a difficult battle, but he emerged victorious. He couldn't kill all the birds since he was just using his fists.

Most birds were hurt and gave up. They flew back to their nest to rest. Other birds were more stubborn and fought Ace to the death or until they passed out and crashed to the ground from their heavy injuries.

With a steady use of Air Jump, Ace made sure that his momentum was slow as he went down from the air. The moment his feet touched the ground, Ace collapsed. He was still fully conscious, but his whole body was sore.

Despite his body complaining, Ace forced himself to at least sit down. He sat down on the ground, the chest still clutched in one of his arms.

"I WON! HAHAHAHA!" Ace roared at the sky. It was a sweet victory. One that he fought and worked hard for.

Ace felt that holding himself back by putting a handicap on his abilities was worth it. The fact that his whole body screamed at him, demanding rest, meant that he got a proper workout out of that battle. Once he fully recovers, he would be stronger than he was when they landed at Sixis.

Ace felt two presences approach him from the side. He turned his head ever so slightly to see his first mate Vash along with the man who was supposed to be his first mate in the canonical timeline of One Piece: Masked Deuce.

"That was one hell of a battle, captain," Vash said. Ace recognized the light in his first mate's eyes as respect.

"Ha! I know! It was fun!" Ace said before turning to the man he's not supposed to know. "I see you befriended our resident castaway?"

"That, I did," Vash said before an embarrassed grin emerged on his face. "Pardon me if I step out of line, Ace. But I think our friend here would be a good addition to our crew."

"Oh? Really?" Ace eyed the man who would've been named as Masked Deuce. He carried a longsword. It was strapped behind him.

'Did Deuce carry a sword? I don't think so. Ahh, another minor difference in this One Piece world.'

"Did you two fight?" Ace asked Vash.

"We did," Vash confirmed. "The moment he saw me, he took out his sword. I admit, I was spooked and took out my revolver in a quickdraw out of habit."

"Who won?" Ace was curious.

"It was a draw," both of them answered.

"I see! In that case, since Vash vouched for you, welcome aboard!" Ace stood up and extended his hand for a handshake with the new member of the Ace Pirates. "I'm Ace!"

The new member quickly shook Ace's hand.

"I'll be in your care, Captain Ace. As for my name… I don't have one."

"Huh?" Ace pretended to be confused. Vash wasn't. It seems he already knew about their new member's case.

"I shed my name the moment I decided to set out to sea. So, if it won't be any trouble for you, feel free to call me what you like."

"I see." Ace put a hand under his chin to ponder what kind of name was suitable. It quickly came to him.

"I got it!" Ace snapped a finger. "Since you're the third member, your name is now Terzo!"

"Terzo…! I like it! It sounds like a strong name!"

Then, Vash noticed the chest in Ace's arms.

"You found it, Ace?"

Ace turned to Vash with a wide grin.

"Yeah! I think I did! I'll be surprised if I'm mistaken."

"What is it?" Terzo asked, curious to know what it was.

"A Devil Fruit, I hope. Let's open it and find out," Ace said before setting the chest down on the ground. He sat in front of it.

Ace reached out a hand on the lock of the chest. He used Armament Haki, or Ryuo, to break open the lock and the whole chest. He left the contents intact.

One can never be too careful. There were lots of nasty stories about pirates who impatiently open locked chests.

Ace held in his hand the prize he was looking for. The Fire Logia Devil Fruit, the Flare-Flare Fruit!

"What a strange looking fruit," Terzo commented as he observed the fruit in Ace's hand. He was so engrossed in looking at what was inside, he forgot to ask what Ace did to open the chest.

"It's actually real. If Devil Fruits exist, they'd definitely look like that!" Vash said, who similarly forgot to ask what Ace did to break the chest.

'I hope my theory is correct…'

Ace quickly bit the fruit and ate it. Despite its terrible taste, he made himself eat all of the fruit. He didn't know if just one bite is enough to gain all the power of the Devil Fruit, but he wasn't gonna take any chances.

There could also be the slight possibility that his Devil Fruit powers are lessened if he doesn't eat the fruit whole. Ace doesn't remember if there's a detail like that. Then again, better safe than sorry.

The fruit tasted terrible. Very terrible. The most terrible thing Ace ever tasted to the point he can't describe how terrible it was.

"Does it taste that bad?" Terzo asked Ace after seeing the latter's face scrunch up because of pure disgust.

"It does," Ace answered after quickly swallowing the last bite. It was better to get it over with. There wasn't any taste to enjoy.

"You guys know what they say about those who eat Devil Fruits?" Ace asked Vash and Terzo.

"No. I never read much about anything other than medicine." Vash shrugged.

"They say those who eat it lose the ability to swim," Terzo answered.

"You're right! My brother just sinks right away. Whenever he takes a bath, he feels weak too," Ace shared, waiting for the Devil Fruit power to come to him.

"You have a brother that ate a Devil Fruit?" Terzo asked.

"He does."

"Yeah. He ate one that made him stretch like rubber."

"How fascinating," Terzo took out a pen and journal out of nowhere and began writing. "What do you think your pow-"

Ace saw Vash and Terzo stare wide-eyed at him.

"Ace, you're on fire." Vash pointed at Ace.

"I know! I'm pretty awesome!"

"No, you're LITERALLY on fire!" Terzo supported Vash.

"Ahh, really?" Ace raised his hand to see that he really was on fire. From multiple parts of his body, it seems.

"I don't feel hot at all. Let's test this power out." Ace walked up to one of the birds he recently killed and stood at a short distance away.

"So your Devil Fruit gave you fire powers? That sounds great!" Terzo said, writing lines in his journal.

"It definitely sounds formidable," Vash agreed with Terzo.

Ace closed his eyes and focused, calling out to the power sleeping within him. It was akin to a fire, raging and uncontrollable. But Ace's will was strong.

"Am I still on fire?" Ace turned his head behind him to ask Vash and Terzo.

"No. The fire around your body went out just now," Vash answered.

"I see. Let's try this then!" Ace reared his fist back and punched towards the bird, imitating the Fire Fist he's seen many times. It worked.

Ace's arm up to his elbow turned into flames that extended towards the corpse of the bird in front of him. The fire surged and got bigger, engulfing the bird's corpse whole.

"Who wants roasted bird?" Ace asked Vash and Terzo, grinning widely.

"No thanks. You didn't defeather it. It'll just be a burnt mess."

"Ehh? Fine, let's just eat what we have on our boat," Ace said, walking to where they left the boat.

Suddenly, Terzo's stomach growled audibly after hearing about food. Ace looked at Vash weirdly.

"You didn't give him food?"

"Well, we were about to go back to our boat when you made a commotion. We went here instead and watched you fight the birds," Vash explained.

"Ahh, really? Damn, I didn't notice you," Ace chastised himself.

They walked back to the boat Ace and Vash used to land at Sixis. Then, Ace started a party. It was easy enough to get a huge campfire going with all the wood lying around as well as Ace's new power.

The three of them drank around the campfire and chatted about trivial things, seemingly forgetting that they're on a hostile island. Ace told Vash and Terzo stories about his home and the shenanigans he and his brothers did.

They exchanged stories and laughed about them, forgetting everything else in the world.

They drank and ate the night away. With the campfire having turned into nothing but ash, the three of them sat on the sand. They were drinking the last of the alcohol Ace and Vash had on the boat.

Everything was calm. That was when Ace asked Terzo a question.

"Say, Terzo. What made you set out to sea?" Ace's question caught the attention of Vash and Terzo.

"It's a childish reason, honestly," Terzo answered sheepishly, as if embarrassed of his reason to set out.

"Who cares? It's still a valid reason."

"If you say so," Terzo said with an honest smile on his face. "When I was a child, I always read about story books depicting these adventurers going on a grand quest. Or an adventure. Since then, I was fascinated and wanted to become one myself. To have my own great adventure and write about it!"

'That's slightly different from the one I know…'

"Why the mask and persona then? Wouldn't it be better to have your name on the book you'll write?" Ace asked Terzo.

"You really think I could write one?" Terzo asked, seemingly surprised by Ace's reaction.

"Why not? Who am I to tell you it's impossible?" Ace shrugged.

Terzo was silent for a few moments before speaking again. Vash just listened on the side, seemingly deep in thought.

"I wish my parents were as supportive as you." Terzo let out a breath he's been holding. "They told me it's a ridiculous dream. One that I can't possibly accomplish. Always telling me that I'm wasting my time, swinging around my sword and all that."

Terzo lay down on the ground and watched the light of the twinkling stars above them. The gentle chirping of the crickets and the calming sound of the waves washing on the beach helped create a peaceful atmosphere for the three.

"A part of me believed them. A part of me still does. They're my parents. What son won't listen to what they say?" Terzo sighed. "So, I shed my name and set out to create a different me. Someone who will actually try to accomplish the dream I have."

Terzo turned to Ace and Vash.

"What about you guys? You must have some reason for sailing the seas, right?" Terzo asked. Vash answered first.

"I'm looking for my brother," Vash said. "Our captain here told me he'll help me out."

"Of course I will! A crewmate is a friend. And friends help each other," Ace quickly agreed without hesitation. "As for me, I sailed to become the Emperor of the Seas! To be the greatest pirate to have ever lived!"

"Mainly because he's scared of being forever under his daddy's shadow." Vash was starting to enjoy poking fun at Ace.

"Oi! I'm not scared! I know I'll surpass him!" Ace hotly shot back.

"You're already so strong though. Who's your dad?"

"The King of the Pirates," Ace said.

"HAHAHAHA! That's a great goal, Ace!" Terzo thought Ace was joking.

Ace and Vash looked at Terzo weirdly.

"...you're serious?"

Ace and Vash nodded. Terzo was silent but then broke out into a laugh.

"I'm glad I joined! Joining the crew of the Pirate King's son? That's the kind of opening I need for a grand adventure!"

"Calm down, it's already so late. We'll start our adventure tomorrow." Ace lied down on the sand and slept, already snoring.

"So fast!"