Calm Seas Before the Spark
The waters after Thriller Bark felt unnaturally calm. Heaven's Embrace sliced through the glassy blue without a ripple out of place. Seagulls wheeled above, their cries echoing in the soft breeze.
On deck, Perona floated lazily under her parasol while Brook tuned his violin. Nami and Nojiko were bent over charts, debating their next course. Bell-mère lounged near the rail, keeping one eye on the crew and one on the horizon.
Vegito, leaning against the mast, was the picture of relaxation — tail swaying lazily — until his ki senses snagged on something familiar.
A powerful, blazing energy. Controlled, but burning hot.
Huh. So that's Ace.
The Ship on the Horizon
It appeared over the horizon like a predator breaking cover — a sleek pirate vessel flying the Whitebeard Pirates' second division flag. Standing on the bow, coat billowing in the sea breeze, was a man with a freckled face and an open, easy smile.
"Vegito!" Ace called across the water as if they were old friends. "Mind if I come aboard?"
Bell-mère muttered under her breath, "This is going to be good…"
Brothers in Spirit
Ace hopped aboard with a single fluid leap, landing lightly on the deck. The crew's first reaction was mixed — curiosity, a hint of wariness — but Vegito just grinned.
"Portgas D. Ace," Vegito said. "Or should I say… Whitebeard's second division commander?"
Ace tilted his head. "You know me, huh?"
"I know your brother," Vegito said. "Haven't met him yet, but I will."
Something passed between them in that moment — the recognition of strength, of shared purpose — before Ace's grin widened. "Then I think we're going to get along."
News of Blackbeard
The smiles faded quickly when Ace brought up the reason for his wandering in the first half of the Grand Line.
"I'm hunting a man named Marshall D. Teach," Ace said. "Killed a crewmate and ran. Calls himself Blackbeard now."
Nojiko froze. "Wait. Blackbeard?"
Vegito nodded. "You can stop looking. He's gone."
Ace blinked. "…Gone?"
"Dead," Vegito said plainly. "We crossed paths at Drum Kingdom. Didn't like his face."
Brook's skeletal jaw clattered. "Yohoho… that's one way to put it!"
Ace stared for a beat, then laughed — loud and full. "Whitebeard's going to want to meet you."
The Senzu Bean
It was over a shared drink that Vegito leaned in, lowering his voice.
"I've got something for your old man," Vegito said. "Might… change the game."
From a small capsule case, he pulled a tiny, unassuming bean.
Ace looked at it, brow furrowing. "That's it?"
"One bite and it heals everything," Vegito said. "Injuries, illness, age wear… everything. He'll be back at his peak."
Ace stared at him, searching his face for a hint of a joke. There wasn't one.
"…You're serious."
"As a heart attack," Vegito said. "And those won't matter after this."
Ace's Internal War
Ace didn't take it right away. That much power in one bean… it sounded like the kind of fairy tale pirates told in the middle of a long voyage.
But Vegito's steady, confident gaze cut through every doubt.
"I owe Whitebeard," Ace admitted quietly. "More than I can say. If this works…" He trailed off, a spark of hope lighting his eyes. "Alright. I'll take it to him."
Fire Meets Gold
Before Ace left, they sparred. It wasn't for dominance — more like two forces testing the shape of each other.
Flames roared against Vegito's golden ki, shockwaves rattling the deck. The crew watched from the rails, eyes wide. Kuina's hand itched for her sword. Nami and Nojiko shielded their faces from the heat.
Ace grinned even as he was pushed back, flames curling around his arms. "You're a monster."
Vegito laughed. "You're not so bad yourself."
The match ended with both of them laughing, shaking off the scorch marks.
Farewell… for Now
As Ace prepared to leave, Vegito pulled him into a quick one-armed hug. "Tell your old man I said hi. And when I meet him, I'm bringing good booze."
Ace smirked. "You just gave him the best gift he could ever get. I think you'll be welcome."
With that, he was gone — sailing toward a meeting that would shake the seas.
A World About to Change
The news reached Heaven's Embrace a week later. Whitebeard… restored to his prime.
The papers didn't say how. The Marines were already panicking, downplaying it as rumor or misreport. But the truth was spreading through pirate taverns and back-alley markets:
The Old Man was back. And stronger than ever.
On Sabaody, the worst kind of tension began to build.
[Crew Roster Updated]
Vegito (Captain)
Bell-mère (Crew Mother / Fighter)
Nami (Navigator)
Nojiko (Support Fighter)
Kaya (Doctor – Heal-Heal Fruit User)
Kuina (Swordswoman)
Reiju (Combat Medic / Poison Specialist)
Nico Robin (Archaeologist / Poneglyph Reader)
Vivi (Princess of Alabasta)
Zala (Miss Doublefinger – Martial Artist)
Mikita (Miss Valentine – Aerial Combat, Slow-Slow Fruit)
Kalifa (Martial Artist – Bubble-Bubble Fruit)
Brook (Musician / Swordsman)
Perona (Ghost Princess)
Victoria Cindry (Revived – Combat Maid)
Next Destination: Impel Down — and the liberation of Vegito's old friend Jinbe.