Bonney stared at the outstretched hand. In the stories her nanny used to tell her, this was the part where the lost princess, saved from the clutches of a wicked witch, would tearfully accept the handsome prince's help. The thought was so childish, so completely contrary to the tough, gluttonous pirate she had forced herself to become, that it made her face flush a brilliant, furious red.
She slapped his hand away.
"Don't get the wrong idea!" she snapped, her voice several octaves too high. "I'm only coming because you're the best option, you hear me?! Don't think you can order me around, you flaming idiot!"
She stomped past him towards the ship, pointedly refusing to look at him, though she couldn't hide the blush that now reached the tips of her ears.
Ace just stood there, blinking, completely bewildered by her reaction. He looked at Kuzan, who was watching the whole exchange with a lazy, deeply amused grin.
As they walked back to the ship, Ace's mind, a fusion of two worlds, finally put two and two together. Wait a minute. She's a Supernova, she looks like an adult, And she is blushing.... but in Kenji's memories... her real age is twelve! A sudden, cold sweat broke out on his brow. Oh no. Oh, nononono.
"Something wrong, Captain?" Kuzan asked, noticing Ace's sudden, panicked expression.
"The FBI..." Ace muttered under his breath, his eyes darting around nervously.
"The... who?" Kuzan asked, genuinely confused. "Is that another one of Teach's crews?"
"No, they're... uh... a really, really persistent branch of the Marines," Ace lied terribly, realizing how insane he must sound. "Very focused on... paperwork. And ages. Let's just get out of here. Fast."
Kuzan just stared at him for a long moment, then a slow, deep chuckle rumbled in his chest. The great and powerful Portgas D. Ace, the man who had terrified Blackbeard and shattered magma fists, was scared of paperwork. This was going to be a very interesting alliance.
Their journey back to the Burning Crown Pirates' hidden base was a tense affair, made all the more awkward by Bonney, who spent the entire time stuffing her face with their rations while pointedly ignoring Ace, occasionally shooting him a glare that was more flustered than furious.
When they finally arrived, the fleet erupted in cheers at the sight of their returning captain. The cheers turned to stunned silence when they saw who was with him.
"Is that... Aokiji?!" a pirate stammered.
"And Jewelry Bonney?!" another yelled.
Marco was the first to greet them, his expression a perfect mask of professional calm, though his eyes betrayed his shock. "Ace," he said, his voice low. "You went to recruit an Admiral, and you came back with him and a hostage from the Worst Generation. Either you're very good at your job, or you're very bad at it."
"A little of both," Ace admitted, clapping his brother on the shoulder. "Gather the commanders. We have a new guest, and a whole new set of problems."
In the captain's quarters, Ace laid out the entire situation: Devon's death, the secret bounty, Bonney's ability to potentially restore Kuma, and the new, immediate threat of CP-0. The commanders listened, their expressions growing grimmer with each new revelation.
"So, not only is Teach still out there," Jozu rumbled, "but now we've officially declared war on the World Government's secret police. You don't do things by halves, do you, Captain?"
"It gets worse," Kuzan drawled, speaking for the first time since they'd arrived. He tossed a small, almost unnoticeable transponder snail onto the map table. "Found this on her coat while you were all busy talking. Top-of-the-line Cipher Pol tech. They're not just tracking her; they're listening to every word we're saying. Right now."
The mood in the room dropped to absolute zero. They were exposed.
"They know our location," Vista said, his hand on his sword. "They'll be here any day."
"Let them come," Ace said, his voice dangerously quiet. The commanders turned to look at him.
"For six months, we have been hiding. For six months, we have been running," he said, his eyes sweeping over his brothers. "That ends today. This isn't our hiding spot anymore. This is our fortress."
He pointed to the center of the map. "They think we're a wounded animal backed into a corner. They're about to find out they've cornered a dragon."
A slow, predatory grin spread across his face. It was the smile of a man who didn't just see a trap; he saw an opportunity.
"Let's prepare a welcome party."
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