Chapter 19

Ace felt the tears roll down his face and quickly wiped them before anyone noticed. He didn't want to explain why the food made him emotional. Ace decided long ago to never talk about his memories from another world with anyone else.

Luckily, the others were busy savoring the first bite of their food. Soma cooked all their dishes deliciously. They all took their first bite at the same time. Ace waited for Soma to serve the food earlier, so the cook wasn't at their table right now.

Ace looked around to try and spot Soma. It seems the cooks were very busy since they were already exiting the room, no doubt to go back to the kitchen to cook more. Soma was among the cooks who were about to exit.

"Hey, Soma!"

Ace had no choice but to raise his voice a little. It was rather loud with all the pirates chatting and enjoying their food. The volume in Ace's voice made him and Soma the center of attention.

"Yes?" Ace saw Soma flinch before turning around to acknowledge him. "Was the food not to your liking?"

"Not at all! It was very good!" Ace beamed a radiant smile at Soma. That boy was able to cook the same spaghetti he loves so much.

"I see! Thank you for the compliment! I'm happy to serve!"

Soma was happy at the positive feedback from Ace. He gave a little bow before turning away with his colleagues. The other cooks also stopped to see what Ace wanted to say. But before they could walk out of the room, Ace called Soma again.

"That Curly said you run off with pirates, right? Run off with us, then! Join my crew!"

The cooks suddenly stopped at Ace's words. Then, they turned to him to give him a cold glare. They quickly stood in between Ace and Soma. They ushered the young cook away before Soma could say anything.

"What was that?" Ace was dumbfounded at the cooks' reaction with what he said. He then quickly realized that, in their eyes, he just tried to snatch away their employee. "Well, whatever. I'll think about it later."

Ace sat back down and continued eating like nothing happened. The other tables quickly went back to eating and chatting with each other.

"So, I guess that was a no?" Hepha said before taking a bite out of her steak.

"Well, the kid was just dragged away. He couldn't really answer," Vash said while munching on his donuts.

"Why the hell are you eating donuts?" Terzo was in disbelief at Vash's choice of lunch.

"What? I like it, that's why!" Vash said as he hugged his box of donuts almost defensively.

"So what now, Captain?" Second asked Ace. "Should we look for another cook?"

"No." Ace instantly answered. "I've decided! Soma will be our cook! I won't leave until he comes with us!"

"How stubborn. Then, we'll wait with you," Hepha said. The others agreed.

They continued eating the delicious food that Soma cooked for them as they chatted about various trivial things. It was a lively lunch. In the end, they were all very satisfied.

"I think I'm with you on that kid, Ace," Terzo said. "If we'll be eating food as delicious as that on our journey, I won't have anyone other than Soma as our cook!"

"I know! I have a pretty good eye, right?" Ace said before standing up. "I'm gonna go and try again."

"Good luck!" Ace's crew cheered him on.

…

"But why? I wanna go with them, old man!" Soma complained to Zeff. They were in Zeff's room to talk in private.

"You just returned from another one of your little voyages! You wanna leave again?" Zeff huffed. "Besides, you don't even know who they are!"

"I can just get to know them on the journey! They seem nice enough," Soma argued.

"What people seem and what they actually are can be vastly different, Soma! You're still too young!" Zeff insisted. "Wait two years! Once you're 17 years old, you can go ahead and do what you want."

"But they'll be long gone before then! Please, old man! They're the first crew that actually invited me to go!"

"What?" Zeff's ears suddenly perked up at Soma's words. "I thought all those other crews invited you?"

"Ahh, shit. My slippery tongue."

"You little brat!" Zeff was about to use his wooden leg to kick Soma when a knock was heard on the door of his room.

"Who is it?" Zeff spat in irritation at being interrupted.

"Uhhh, sorry for interrupting…"

Ace opened the door. He was listening to the conversation just now. He used Observation Haki earlier to find where Soma was and just headed there.

"What do you want, kid?" Zeff asked Ace.

"Well, I wanted to ask Soma again if he wanted to join," Ace said without an ounce of shame.

"Yes, please! Take me wi-"

"Not happening!" Zeff interrupted Soma who was about to leap in joy to Ace.

"But why, old man?" Ace and Soma complained like little children.

"You brats!" Zeff put a hand on his forehead out of annoyance. "No means no!"

"Please!" Ace knelt on the ground. "There has to be something I can do to make Soma join! I'll do it!"

"You-!" Zeff was surprised at seeing Ace kneel down without hesitation. "You knelt for this kid? Why do you even want him in your crew?"

"Because the food he made for us was delicious!" Ace declared. "I won't have anyone else as our cook! It has to be him!"

"Hmph! Delicious? This kid's cooking? He's one of the worst cooks in this restaurant!" Zeff said, but Ace felt like that was a lie.

"I don't care! I already decided! Soma will be the cook of the Royal Ace Pirates!" Ace insisted on his decision. "Out of all the cooks who served us, Soma came to our table. It has to be him!"

"You…!" Zeff couldn't find words to speak with.

Soma just watched from the side as someone whose name he didn't even know yet fought to have him on the crew. In the end, Zeff gave a chance. But it's something Ace will have to suffer for.

"Fine! One month!" Zeff held up two fingers. "For one month, you'll have to work for the restaurant! Your crew will be in charge of security. You'll be our chore boy!"

"I'll do it!" Ace agreed without hesitation, much to the surprise of Zeff. "If that's what it takes to have Soma in our crew, I'll do it!"

"You didn't even let me finish my terms," Zeff said with a sigh before glaring at Ace. "If you make even one mistake while you work for us, give up on taking Soma!"

"Then I guess I'll just have to make no mistakes!" Ace grinned. Zeff almost seemed to shiver at seeing Ace grin.

…

After making the promise with Zeff, Ace went to Newt first. While the Royal Aces stayed at the Baratie, he could have the Newt Pirates be more productive for their sake.

"You guys will be the flagship of the Spade Fleet's East Blue Division," Ace told Newt. "My crew will be staying here for a month. In the meantime, I need you to build a fleet. Raid other pirate ships and try to make them surrender. If they don't, sink them. If they do, offer them a choice. Join you or die. You'll be in charge of the ones who join."

"Yes, Commodore!" Newt acknowledged Ace's instructions before asking something Ace didn't even think of. "Does that mean I'll be a Commodore and you'll be Admiral?"

"I… haven't thought of that. HAHAHAHA! I guess so! What the hell, I sound like a marine!"

"Then, I'll be sure to make you an Admiral in the future, Commodore Ace!"

"If I'll be Admiral, I need more than one Commodore. In the meantime, I guess you'll be Captain and the leaders of your subordinates will be your Commanders."

Ace remembered something very important when it comes to managing a large group of people. It was almost something he forgot. His fleet would be dissolved in no time if he didn't have it: communication.

"One other thing. As soon as possible, buy a lot of Transponder Snails. Once you buy some, come back to us and give me one as well as the contact number of the one you'll keep for yourself. Give the others to the pirates you'll take under your wing."

"Yes, Commodore!" Newt listened attentively to Ace's instructions, but it seemed like he wanted to ask something else. "Forgive me if I'm being rude, Commodore. But will it be possible for the Newt Pirates to sail to the Grand Line at this rate?"

"Of course you could!" Ace grinned. "But before that, you'll have to find someone you can trust to replace your post. If you find someone, give me their Transponder Snail's number."

"Thank you, Commodore!" Newt looked relieved, as if something heavy was lifted off his chest.

Ace realized that his subordinates are still people. More specifically, pirates. Pirates are those with free will. They generally hate being under a command structure. They'll have their own dreams and aspirations. There was a great chance of betrayal with those kinds of followers unless the one at the head is someone they deeply respect or fear.

'Seems like I'll have to find another way. My fleet can't just be made of pirates if I really want to rule the seas. I'll need people who have no problem being under the command of someone… disgruntled marines, perhaps?'

Ace remembered that there are legitimately kind-hearted marines who joined the Navy to stand for justice. There will be those who will be woken up rudely by the realization that the Navy they joined was not what they thought it would be.

'I think I can work with that…'

Ace had to stop himself from chuckling like a villain when he realized he could have disgruntled marines who are disappointed at the Navy as part of his fleet. His thoughts were interrupted by Newt.

"What about the marines, Commodore? If our fleet grows, we'll have their attention."

Newt's concern was valid. The job of the marines was to capture pirates. A fleet of pirates should logically be a prime target of the marines. But, Ace was confident that won't be the case in the meantime.

"No, I don't think they'll target you. Marines love seeing pirates destroy each other. As long as you don't attack the marines or make people believe you guys are heroes, they'll give you some degree of freedom. If they attack you, try to escape first. If that's impossible, sink them."

"Roger that, Commodore!"

"Any more questions, Captain Newt?"

"None!"

"Then, you can go. Relay my instructions to your crew."

"I will!" Ace watched Newt go to his crew. Before the day was over, the Newt Pirates set sail to do what Ace wanted them to.

-----

(ONE MONTH LATER)

Ace and his crew kept their promise. The Royal Aces, except Ace, stayed on the Ashen Dragon most of the time as the security detail of Baratie to make sure no pirate tried to raid the restaurant. Ace, on the other hand, was almost always on the Baratie. They had him working like a pack mule, but Ace never uttered a word of complaint.

The Newt Pirates took two weeks to return and give Ace a Transponder Snail. Ace also asked them about their progress so far. The Newt Pirates recruited two pirate crews under the flag of the Spade Fleet but sank five others. Ace wasn't disheartened and commended their good work instead. They didn't stay long at the Baratie. The Newt Pirates soon set sail to continue the task that Ace gave them.

Meanwhile, Ace was busy doing various tasks at the Baratie. Cleaning, taking the customers' orders, washing the dishes, and other menial tasks one can do in a restaurant. His most recent task is being a human stove.

When the cooks discovered that he had a fire Devil Fruit power, they tried asking impossible things of him. For instance, he'll be the one providing fire for them to cook with. All of them demand him to provide fires with differing temperatures. Ace had to stand in the kitchen and control the fire he provided each of them.

It was a task that demanded his utmost focus and precise control over his powers. Ace gladly accepted such a task. It was an opportunity to train his Devil Fruit. Ace discovered that he could only control fire that came from him, but he believed he should be able to command all flames if he masters his power enough.

So, Ace took the tasks given to him seriously. Eventually, he was made to do other tasks while controlling the fires he gave them to make it more of a challenge. He felt his control over his Devil Fruit increase the more demanding the challenge was. The cooks could only grit their teeth in both irritation at seeing him succeed and awe at his perseverance.

During this time, the Royal Aces dined at Baratie. But, they barely saw Soma. The cooks made sure that they were the ones accommodating the pirates, not Soma. Ace could only chuckle at seeing how protective they were of Soma.

Eventually, trouble came knocking on Baratie's door on the final day of the promise.