Sea Circle Calendar Year 1519
Four months slipped by like drifting leaves on the New World's unpredictable tides.
The seas remained wild, but the world had grown wilder still — as if sensing a storm that hadn't yet been born.
High above a calm stretch of Ada's territory sat the Oro Jackson, anchored beside a quiet island dotted with glowing trees. The crew was enjoying a rare moment of peace.
Perona floated lazily over the deck, humming.
Bullet was lifting a boulder twice his size for training.
Mihawk sharpened Yoru with steady, precise movements.
Okiku and Hiyori were preparing tea.
Lilith tinkered with a mechanical Den Den Mushi.
Ada sat on the railing, dress fluttering — silent, but watchful as always.
It was then the newest newspaper arrived in the talons of an angry News Coo who clearly hated its job.
Perona grabbed it. "Ohh! Supernova rankings! I wonder who the new hotshot is—"
She stopped.
Her eyes bulged.
"W–WHAT?!"
Bullet frowned. "What is it?"
Perona slammed the newspaper onto the table.
There — in bold black ink — was the image of a grinning young man with freckles, a red beaded necklace, and flames crackling from his fist.
"THE ROOKIE WHO SET THE SEAS ON FIRE — PORTGAS D. ACE."
Lilith gasped. "He's a D? Another D like Captain Ada?"
Okiku whispered, "What fiery spirit…"
Hiyori added softly, "He looks kind."
Bullet snorted. "Doesn't matter if he's a D or a damn mountain. Anyone that gets that kind of bounty this fast is trouble."
Mihawk's eyes sharpened ever so slightly.
"A man who rises this quickly is never ordinary."
Perona jabbed the paper again. "He's reckless! Loud! And look — he punched a World Government inspector while laughing!"
Ada's voice cut through the discussion like a quiet knife.
"…Ace."
Everyone turned.
Ada was still seated on the railing, but her eyes — usually unreadable — had softened.
Lilith tilted her head. "You…know him?"
Ada nodded.
Bullet blinked. "The hell you mean you know him?"
Then she exhaled — a soft, quiet breath that held years of memory.
The entire crew leaned in.
"Ace is Roger's son."
Every sound on the ship died.
Bullet's jaw dropped. "ROGER'S WHAT?!"
Perona screamed, flipping upside-down mid-air. "EHHHHHH?!?!"
Lilith spun in circles. "THE Pirate King?! His son is a supernova rookie?! WHAT—?!"
Okiku stared, stunned. "So young… yet carrying such a legacy."
Even Hiyori covered her mouth.
Mihawk didn't react loudly — but his eyes sharpened, studying Ada.
"You knew," he said quietly.
Ada nodded once, gaze steady.
"I've known since the beginning."
Perona flailed her arms. "SINCE THE BEGINNING?! ADA—YOU—WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?!"
Ada stayed perfectly composed. "Because it was not my secret to reveal."
The crew fell silent.
Ada stepped toward the railing, letting the wind catch her dress.
"In the years after Roger's execution… many in the world wanted his bloodline erased."
Her voice softened. "So Ace was hidden. Protected. Raised quietly."
Silence still clung to the deck, thick and heavy, when Lilith finally found her voice.
"But…Captain," she said slowly, "if Ace is Roger's son… how did he survive? The world would have hunted him the moment he was born."
Ada nodded.
"They would have," she said sharply. "The World Government wanted Roger's bloodline erased."
Perona shivered. "That's horrible…"
"It is," Ada agreed. "But there was someone who stepped between Ace and the world."
She looked out over the horizon.
Her voice dropped lower — heavier.
"Garp."
Every crew member froze.
Bullet blinked. "Wait— Marine Hero Garp?"
Perona flipped in midair. "LUFFY'S GRANDPA GAR—?!"
Lilith sputtered. "Garp?! The one who punches mountains?! Him?!"
Okiku tilted her head, stunned. "He… protected Roger's son?"
Hiyori whispered, "But… he's a Marine…"
The confusion spread like wildfire.
Ada simply nodded.
"Yes. Garp protected Ace."
Mihawk narrowed his eyes. "Explain."
Ada shifted her weight and leaned lightly against the railing.
"You know how stubborn Garp is," she said. "If he decides something, nothing—not the Marines, not the Celestial Dragons, not even death—will change his mind."
Bullet grunted. "True. Psycho old man."
Ada continued, her voice steady but thoughtful.
"In Roger's final days," she said slowly, "I suspect he entrusted something to Garp."
Perona blinked. "You mean—Roger asked his rival to protect his son?!"
Ada raised a hand gently.
"I don't know for certain," she admitted. "I wasn't there. None of us were. Roger kept his final wishes very close."
The crew leaned in, listening.
"But…" Ada continued softly, "Garp protected Ace with a dedication that makes no sense otherwise."
Mihawk nodded slightly. "A man does not go that far without reason."
Ada's eyes softened.
"Garp is many things — stubborn, loud, ridiculous… but he's also honorable. If Roger entrusted him with something… anything… Garp would hold to it even if the whole world opposed him."
Perona whispered, "So you think Roger asked him?"
"It fits," Ada said. "Roger wouldn't leave his child to be hunted. And he trusted Garp more than most realize."
Lilith frowned thoughtfully. "A pirate trusting a marine…"
"That is the kind of man Roger was," Ada murmured. "And the kind of man Garp is."
The crew fell silent — not out of shock now, but awe.
Ada went on.
"And there is another reason I believe it."
She turned, eyes sharp.
"They would never suspect a Marine Hero — the World Government's shining example — of hiding Roger's child."
Lilith's jaw dropped. "Oh… OH. That's actually brilliant."
Understanding dawned across their faces.
Bullet barked a laugh. "So the old man hid the Pirate King's kid right under the Government's nose. Insane."
Ada nodded once.
"Insane… but effective."
Lilith asked hesitantly, "But… how do you know him personally?"
Ada's expression shifted — not softer, but deeper. Older. "When I returned to East Blue to visit Luffy."
Okiku and Hiyori exchanged a small smile — they both knew Ada's hidden tenderness for her son.
Ada continued. "When I arrived at the mountains, Luffy was not alone."
A faint, small smile touched her lips — nostalgic, rare. "There was a wild boy with freckles. Fierce eyes. A punch like a cannon. And a temper worse than mine."
Perona blinked. "That sounds like Ace."
"It was Ace," Ada said. "He and Luffy were raised together. They fought, they bled, they grew… side by side."
Bullet let out a low whistle. "So the brat's practically your kid too."
Ada didn't deny it.
Her eyes softened — almost imperceptibly.
"I watched them for a bit. Ace was rough around the edges… but he protected Luffy fiercely. Even back then, he carried the Will of D — whether he understood it or not."
Hiyori nodded. "Both carrying the D. Both holding impossible dreams."
Ada's expression became distant — remembering a mountain house, two small boys, and the scent of a forest she rarely visited.
Perona floated restlessly. "So Ace was hidden by Garp… and raised with Luffy because of this?"
Ada's expression softened, memories flickering behind her eyes.
"Yes," she said. "Ace was already with Luffy. They trained together. Fought together. Grew together."
Hiyori smiled gently. "That's how they became brothers."
"Exactly," Ada said. "Garp didn't just hide them. He raised them together."
Mihawk crossed his arms. "A fitting upbringing for two children carrying the Will of D."
"I watched them fight, laugh, bleed, and grow together," she said. "Ace treated Luffy like family long before they shared any vow."
Perona sniffled. "So Ace was protected by Garp… raised with your son… and carries Roger's blood…?!"
Lilith exhaled. "That boy was destined to be a supernova."
Mihawk crossed his arms, speaking calmly.
"No wonder you recognized Ace immediately. You've known his spirit since childhood."
Ada gave a rare ghost of a smile.
"Yes."
Mihawk tilted his head slightly.
"And Roger?" he asked.
Ada looked out over the horizon — as if seeing a distant past.
"Roger entrusted his son to the future," she said quietly. "To people who could love him without seeing a king's shadow."
Lilith whispered, "But… you still knew he was Roger's child."
"I did," Ada said. "But that truth belonged to Ace. The world would have taken his freedom if it learned too soon."
Perona lowered slightly, voice softer. "So you kept his secret… all these years?"
Ada nodded once.
"Until he chose to carve his own path."
Bullet burst into a grin. "Heh! The kid's got guts. Roger's blood… raised with your son… and a fire power like that? He's destined to shake the seas."
Lilith clapped her hands excitedly. "A supernova D connected to Ada?! That's insane!"
Okiku smiled gently. "He must be very special."
Hiyori added, "And very dear to you."
Ada didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
The crew could see it — etched into her eyes.
Mihawk's voice finally broke the silence.
"So that's why you spoke his name as if you knew his heart."
Ada closed her eyes briefly. "When you've watched two boys survive the world together… you never forget them."
She then glanced around at her crew — at their wide eyes, their awe.
"Ace is part of Roger's legacy," Ada said softly.
"And part of Luffy's life. Which makes him… connected to me as well."
The crew fell completely silent — a shared understanding settling over them.
Ace wasn't just another rookie.
He was family.
Luffy's brother.
Roger's son.
And someone Ada had quietly watched over for years now.
Ada opened her eyes.
"We will see him soon," she said softly. "The seas are shifting… and Ace is one of the sparks."
The crew looked at each other — excitement, confusion, awe, and a hint of fear mixing together.
And above them, the sky rumbled faintly — as if acknowledging that another storm was rising.
———————-
The Spade Pirates had been sailing nonstop for three days.
The New World winds were harsh, the waves unpredictable, and every log pose needle trembled with warning—except the one Ace had set their course toward.
A small island.
Unmarked.
But heavily protected.
And Ace stood at the bow, arms crossed, hat brim low, fire licking off his shoulders in restless little sparks.
Deuce—masked, cautious as ever—approached him with a stiff posture that screamed I am about to say something you will ignore but I care anyway.
"Ace," he began, voice steady, "before we dock… I have to ask."
Ace didn't turn but his grin tugged upward. "Shoot."
Deuce exhaled sharply.
"Do you really intend to meet with an Emperor of the Sea?"
Their crew, gathered nearby, froze.
"Yeah, Captain—should we REALLY be doing this?!"
"She's one of the Five Emperors!!"
"And she's been ruling longer than Kaido has drank booze!"
"Are we TRYING to die?!"
One of them whispered, shaking,
"They say she cut down a Sea King with a look—!"
Ace snorted. "That rumor is stupid. She stabbed it."
"That DOESN'T MAKE IT BETTER!"
Deuce rubbed his temples. "Ace. We're strong, but—this is Ada. The First Emperor. THE strongest Emperor, according to the Marines. You don't just walk into her territory unless you're suicidal or stupid."
Ace grinned wider.
"I guess I'm both."
The crew screamed collectively.
Deuce grabbed his shoulders.
"Ace. Please. Think."
Ace finally turned, eyes warm and steady.
"I know her," he said.
That one simple sentence stunned them silent.
"H—how?!"
"When?!"
"Ace, you know an Emperor?!"
Ace nodded slowly.
"Ada… helped someone important to me once."
He didn't elaborate—not yet.
He didn't want to remind them of the truth behind his birthplace, his father, his past. Not until he saw her again.
Fire curled gently around his arm.
"I owe her thanks," he said quietly. "And I trust her."
Deuce stared at him, trying to find any uncertainty—there was none.
"…Then at least let us send a signal," Deuce said. "So we don't get obliterated before we land."
Ace grinned and snapped his fingers—fire gathering into a blazing orange fist.
He launched it into the sky.
WHOOOOM—it burst into a massive flaming symbol.
Perfectly recognizable.
Deuce sighed a long-suffering sigh into his mask.
"A flaming fist. Very subtle."
Ace shrugged. "She'll know it's me."
————————
The island was quiet that afternoon—one of Ada's personal territories deep in the New World, a safe haven her crew used when they needed rest. Lush trees swayed, the scent of salt and citrus filled the air, and the hum of den den mushi lines blended with gentle waves.
The Nyx Pirates lounged around the base they'd built years ago—Mihawk sipping tea, Bullet sharpening a blade, Perona floating above the patio, Lilith tinkering with a solar cannon.
Then—
BOOOOOOOOM!
A huge flare burst in the sky—bright orange, shaped unmistakably like a burning fist.
Bullet stood instantly. "Oi. That's not subtle."
Perona shrieked. "Someone is attacking?!"
Mihawk calmly finished his sip. "No. That signal is intentional."
Ada stepped out from the shade of the veranda, dress fluttering.
She looked up.
A small ship was approaching the cove—white sails charred with flame patterns, a massive smiling skull with spade on the flag.
Lilith squinted. "Wait… is that—?"
Bullet's eyes went wide. "The rookie? The brat making waves in the last few months?"
Perona clapped her hands. "The Supernova—Portgas D. Ace!!"
The ship dropped anchor, and a young man vaulted over the rail as if gravity were optional—landing with a flaming burst that scorched the sand.
Tall, lean, freckled.
Hat tipped low.
Smiling like fire embodied.
Ace.
Ada stepped forward, expression unreadable—calm, but her eyes softened in a way none of her crew missed.
Ace looked up—
And his grin exploded into something bright and familiar.
"Ada!!"
The crew froze.
Ada stepped forward, calm as a whisper.
"Ace."
"…It's been a long time," he said.
Ada's lips twitched. "You've grown, brat."
Ace scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. "Heh… long time."
Perona nudged Lilith. "He called her by name! No honorific??"
Lilith whispered, "He must actually know her…"
Ace rubbed his neck. "I came to thank you. Y'know… for saving Luffy back then. I never got the chance."
Ada's expression softened in a way her crew almost never saw.
"Of course," she said. "He is my son after all."
Ace stiffened.
Then barked a stunned laugh. "Yeah. Still can't wrap my head around that."
He then looked at her seriously. "Still can't believe Luffy's mother is the strongest Emperor in the damn sea."
Ada smirked. "He's always been a handful. Even before he could walk."
Ace snorted. "I know."
Bullet leaned toward Perona. "His brain's melting."
Perona smacked his arm. "Shush!"
Ace looked at Ada again — really looked.
"You don't change, huh?"
"And you've grown," Ada said. "Stronger than I expected."
He grinned. "Not even close to done yet."
He paused.
His expression shifted — becoming more serious. "Ada… I came to ask you something."
Ada raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Ace looked her straight in the eye. "Do you think I should chase the One Piece? Like my father?"
The deck fell silent.
Even the sea quieted.
Ada stepped forward, heels brushing the sand.
"Ace," she said quietly. "Roger lived a life only he could live. His path was never meant to be yours."
Ace's jaw tightened. "That's what I thought."
Ada continued, voice calm — almost gentle.
"You are not Roger. You don't have to become his shadow."
Ace breathed out, shoulders loosening. "Then… I'm gonna be the strongest in the world."
Ada tilted her head. "Strongest?"
Ace nodded fiercely. "I'll beat Whitebeard. I'll surpass every emperor. I'll carve a name bigger than Roger's."
The crew stared at him in disbelief.
Bullet snorted. "Whitebeard? You've got guts, kid."
Mihawk narrowed his eyes. "Ambition like that is dangerous."
Perona fainted mid-air. "HE'S SUICIDAL—!!"
Lilith screamed. "ACE DON'T YOU KNOW WHAT WHITEBEARD IS?!"
Ace turned to them, grinning. "Wouldn't be fun otherwise."
Ada's voice cut through again. "You know Whitebeard is not an opponent to underestimate."
Ace blinked. "You know him?"
Ada nodded. "I sailed under another crew before Roger's. Whitebeard was there."
Ace's jaw dropped. "You… sailed with Whitebeard?! As in that Whitebeard?"
Ada didn't elaborate—only lifted a hand dismissively. "That was a lifetime ago."
Ace stepped back, absorbing everything. "Well… that makes me want to beat him even more."
He grinned. "Can't be calling myself a man if I run from any challenge."
Ace laughed again, warm and real. "I'm glad I came."
He turned and said.. "I need to meet Shanks next. I owe him too."
Ada nodded. "Send him my regards."
He then stepped closer again—more hesitant this time. "And you… don't mind if I call you something?"
Ada tilted her head. "What?"
Ace rubbed his neck, cheeks slightly red.
"Well… I was raised with Luffy. And you are Luffy's mother. So…"
A beat.
"…Can I call you Aunt?"
Ada blinked once.
The crew froze once again.
Mihawk set down his tea.
Ada inhaled slowly—
Then nodded.
"You can."
Ace's smile broke wide—warm, bright, unmistakably Rogers and uniquely his own.
"Thanks… Aunt Ada."
Then she reached into her dress—and tore off a small piece of paper.
It fluttered with an unnatural life, as if pulled by his heartbeat.
Her crew's jaws hit the floor.
Ada rarely gave out her Vivre Cards.
Perhaps once every decade.
Maybe.
If ever.
Ace's breath hitched.
"A vivre card…?"
"For when you're in trouble," she said simply.
Ace swallowed hard.
Emotion hit him like a wave.
"You trust me that much?"
Ada stepped forward, placing the vivre card in his palm. "You grew up with Luffy. You protected him. You were family long before you met me."
Ace stared at the little paper, emotion flickering in his eyes.
"Aunt Ada… thank you."
She nodded once.
"Come back alive, Ace. And keep Luffy out of trouble if you can."
Ace laughed—a bright, roaring sound.
"No promises! and I'll see you at the top, Aunt Ada!"
He turned, flames bursting beneath his feet as he walked back toward his ship.
Ada watched him go—not as an Emperor watching a rising pirate…
…but as family.
Then Ace leapt back onto his ship, flames blazing across the water as he sailed off toward his fate.
Ada stood silently for a long time after he vanished over the horizon.
Mihawk stepped beside her.
"You worry," he observed.
Ada didn't deny it.
"He has Roger's fire," she murmured. "And Roger's fate is never gentle."
Mihawk rested a hand on his sword.
"Then we hope he's stronger than destiny."
Ada closed her eyes.
"…I hope so too."