Ace had always regretted that day.
When Sabo's father, a noble, had come to take Sabo back, Ace had thought that perhaps that would be better for him. That he would be happier there.
"Let's wait and see," he had said, trying to convince himself as much as Luffy. "He's strong. He'll come back if he wants to."
And then, Bluejam, a pirate, had used them. Gray Terminal, their hideout, was engulfed in flames… Ace realized that the King of Goa Kingdom had been using Bluejam as well, and they had fought Bluejam and his men, who tried to steal their treasure.
They had won, and returned home – only to hear that Sabo had been attacked and killed by a Celestial Dragon for simply sailing in front of their ship.
Ace would never forget the regret he felt that day.
Sabo's home might have been a place to return to, but it wasn't a place he wanted to be.
Why didn't he force Sabo to come back with them?
Why did he lie to himself and Luffy, saying they would wait and see?
So, he decided.
Sabo had been killed by something that was the opposite of freedom.
That's why Ace had told Luffy, "We'll live without regrets!!!"
He would live freely, enough for both of them.
***
Ace woke up, the setting sun streaming through the window, and realized it was evening.
He could smell disinfectant. He was probably in the infirmary. He checked his body, but there were no major injuries. Except for his head, which was throbbing with pain.
He touched it, and felt a bump.
"Damn, that old hag…"
He had fought countless opponents in his adventures, but he hadn't been knocked unconscious by a punch since he challenged Garp as a child.
He thought, "If Sabo had been here, we wouldn't have lost…" – and then he realized.
"Sabo!"
He sat up and looked around. He was in a bed, surrounded by white curtains. He got out of bed and opened the curtains. It was the infirmary, as he had expected.
It was spacious, with beds of various sizes. Probably to accommodate giants.
Ace noticed that the bed next to him was also curtained off, and approached it.
He opened the curtain, and as expected, Sabo was lying there.
He was still asleep, breathing softly.
"…You're alive… Sabo."
Ace had thought Sabo was dead, killed by the Celestial Dragon.
He couldn't be happier. Luffy would cry tears of joy. He was a crybaby, Ace thought, smiling as he remembered his brother.
Ace didn't cry.
He was overjoyed, but he wouldn't shed tears in front of others. He was too stubborn.
He watched Sabo sleeping for a while, and then, with a mumble and a gasp, Sabo woke up.
"…Where am I?"
"You're awake, Sabo."
"…Ace?"
Sabo, his vision still blurry, muttered Ace's name.
Ace, his eyes wide, asked, "Do you remember?!"
Sabo, pushing Ace away, sat up, clutching his head.
"I remember… vaguely… My head hurts…"
It was probably Kanata's fault. He also had a bump on his head, so he must have been knocked out the same way as Ace.
Ace was relieved that Sabo had regained some of his memories, and sat back down.
"…Thank you, Sabo."
"What?"
"I… I'm just glad you're alive…"
He couldn't forget the day Sabo had been taken away. He couldn't forgive himself for telling Luffy, and himself, that they should wait and see.
He was overjoyed that Sabo was alive and well.
"And… you saved me back there."
"Well, yeah… But wait, are we safe…?"
Kanata had only knocked them out, but Sabo was technically Dragon's subordinate. Antagonizing her would cause trouble for Dragon.
They had avoided a potentially fatal situation, but Sabo's situation hadn't changed.
He felt another headache coming on.
Sabo, clutching his head, slumped forward onto the bed.
"Ugh… What am I going to do… How do I explain this to Dragon…!"
"Our promise… that she would let us go if we won… It's meaningless now that we lost…"
They both slumped their shoulders. The atmosphere was heavy.
Then – the door to the infirmary opened.
Kanata, Koala, and a white-haired doctor entered.
"You're both awake. Unfortunately, Sukura, our head doctor, isn't here, so you'll have to make do with this doctor. He's skilled."
"Sabo-kun, are you alright?!"
The doctor checked Sabo, and declared him to be fine.
Ace was also checked, and given the all-clear. They were simply told to ice the bumps on their heads.
They asked the doctor to leave, and Ace, Sabo, Koala, and Kanata remained in the infirmary.
They sat around a table.
"I'm sure you have a lot to talk about, but let me finish my business first. Ace, do you have my Vivre Card?"
"Oh, right."
Ace took out a Vivre Card from his pocket.
"To my dearest friend" – That's all it said. Kanata, seeing it, smiled nostalgically.
"It's yours, huh?"
"Yes. I gave it to Roger a long time ago. Right before he surrendered to the Marines."
"…Why did you give it to him?"
"He saved my life. Twice. I'm forever in his debt… I provided him with various information, supplies, and funds during his active years, and before he surrendered, he asked me to 'look after my child'."
"Saved your life…? Roger…?"
Ace, his eyes wide with disbelief, looked down at the Vivre Card.
He had never revealed his lineage, but everyone had told him… that the Pirate King's child shouldn't exist. The Great Pirate Era had caused untold suffering, and everyone blamed the Pirate King.
If he hadn't said those words… Ace shouldn't have been born. He should have died.
The heartless words had wounded him deeply, and he had often lashed out.
But this Vivre Card had been his salvation.
Someone who called the universally despised Pirate King their "dearest friend" – The only person who acknowledged him.
And that person was right here.
"Did your mother give you the Vivre Card?"
"No… My mother died shortly after I was born. The old man – Garp, gave it to me."
"…That old geezer… He was hiding Roger's child all along. Typical of him."
Sabo and Koala, who had no idea that Ace was Roger's son, were shocked, but they remained silent.
Kanata chuckled at Garp's actions, but she seemed to understand. He was an old friend, after all.
"Now then – It's time to choose, Ace."
The choice was his.
Join Twilight and be under Kanata's protection.
Or continue his journey with the Spade Pirates.
He had witnessed the difference in their strength firsthand. His goal of surpassing the Pirate King's fame seemed distant now.
But…
"I'm on my own adventure. I'm not joining your crew!"
Ace declared this firmly.
He wouldn't give up and submit just because his opponent was strong. It would be a disgrace to be a man if he surrendered to power.
Kanata, smiling, seemed disappointed, but also amused.
"I see… That's unfortunate."
She wouldn't force him.
He had achieved his goal, and he would probably leave soon. She had seen the Spade Pirates in the audience.
Then, she remembered something.
"Your crewmates tried to storm the infirmary, so I had them moved to another room. They were worried about you."
"They were? I'm sorry I worried them… Can I go see them?"
"Yes. It's the large room on the left, down the hall."
Ace rushed out of the infirmary. Kanata, watching him go, chuckled. "He's always in a hurry," she thought.
"Now then, let's talk about you two."
"We only interfered to save Ace! We wouldn't have done that if you weren't trying to kill him!"
"I wasn't trying to kill him. I would have just broken a few of his bones."
She said it casually, but that was still a serious injury. It wasn't something to be taken lightly.
"We were so surprised when he suddenly jumped in!" Koala said, pulling Sabo's cheek. He seemed to be causing her a lot of trouble.
Kanata began to explain the situation.
"It would be difficult to silence all those witnesses. So, I'm going to have you imprisoned for a while. Escape when you get the chance. I'll give you the key."
"…Are you sure?"
"The World Government will complain, but I don't care anymore."
Even Warlords could let pirates escape. Ace was an example.
With so many witnesses, it wouldn't be long before they found out that she had captured a Revolutionary Army executive. It was easier to let him escape than to try to cover it up.
"Won't that damage Twilight's reputation?"
"It's a minor issue. There are countless rookies who underestimate us and attack our ships. A few more won't make a difference."
Besides, it wasn't Kanata's job to deal with them. It was her subordinates' responsibility. And if they captured a Devil Fruit user, it wasn't a complete loss.
Dragon had once told her, "You're like a carnivorous plant," and she couldn't argue with him.
"Speaking of Devil Fruits, are you two planning on becoming Devil Fruit users?"
"We don't need one for now."
"Me neither! I use Fish-Man Karate! I need to be able to swim!"
"I see. You can take a few with you when you leave. I'm sure Dragon will find a use for them."
A Devil Fruit was worth at least 100 million berries. Sabo and Koala were once again reminded of the difference in their worldviews as Kanata casually offered them Devil Fruits like souvenirs.
Twilight had amassed a large collection of Devil Fruits, thanks to their financial power, vast network, and the mysterious technology that allowed them to extract Devil Fruit abilities from users.
Their Devil Fruit encyclopedia was probably more comprehensive than any other in the world.
It was difficult for a new power to emerge in this sea, controlled by the Marines and Twilight. The Revolutionary Army – and Dragon – had been lucky.
"The Revolutionary Army isn't planning on making a move anytime soon, right? Strengthen your forces before you take on the World Government."
"Yes, thank you."
"Thank you! I'm sorry Sabo-kun caused so much trouble…"
"Fufu, it's fine. I'm used to dealing with foolish men."
Kanata stood up. "That's all I wanted to say," she said, and left.
They weren't close enough to warrant a long conversation. This brief meeting was enough. She had prepared some gifts for them. They couldn't forget to take them when they left.
She would imprison Sabo for a week. He would find a way to escape.
Besides, Sabo and Ace probably had a lot to catch up on. His memories were still incomplete. Perhaps he should let them sail together for a while.
"Give Dragon my regards. Tell him to contact me directly every now and then."
"Yes, ma'am."
The Revolutionary Army would make their move soon. She had to be prepared.
Roger's son and Dragon's protégé.
The seeds of a new era were beginning to sprout. It was a pleasing sight.
"The new generation's Marx, huh? I'm getting old."
Kanata, muttering this to herself, smiled, thinking about the future.
***
Sabo spent a week in a prison in the Rommel Empire.
He was under guard, but they weren't particularly motivated, so he managed to escape. He joined Ace and the Spade Pirates, and set sail.
They sailed together for a while, but eventually, they had to part ways.
They promised to meet again someday, and that Sabo would come to Ace's aid if he was ever in danger.
Ace continued his journey, strengthening his crew, and encountered Whitebeard by chance. He refused to run away, even though he was facing one of the Four Emperors, and fought to protect his crew. He was defeated.
Whitebeard, impressed by his reckless courage, said, "Become my son!"
Ace, of course, refused. But after spending some time on Whitebeard's ship, he felt a connection to him. He decided to stop being half-hearted, and joined the Whitebeard Pirates.
It was big news, and Kanata was reportedly in a bad mood for a while.
***
– Now, let's talk about a certain man.
He admired the Pirate King, received a straw hat from his benefactor, vowed to become a great pirate, set sail, and had adventures with his comrades.
A man who couldn't swim. He had no navigation skills, couldn't cook, and the cannons he fired went in the wrong direction.
He claimed he couldn't survive on his own, but he never gave up on his dream.
A reckless, thoughtless man who was somehow endearing.
Let's talk about his story.
…
(Ace's story, and the pre-canon story, ends here. Thank you for reading.
The story will now shift to the canon timeline, and focus on Luffy's perspective. I hope you continue to enjoy the story.)