~Nicole~

We went around town looking for Luffy, after all we couldn't set off anywhere without that idiot captain, anyway after exposing a con artist, we continued the search "Okay where would Luffy be?"Zoro muttered next to me "Somewhere eating no doubt"I said "Yeah"Zoro chuckled a bit before he came to a stop "What's up Zoro?"i asked stopping next to him.

"Who is that?"Zoro muttered looking over i saw some guy asking about Luffy, "Who's that he sure looks like he'd be really strong"Chopper said, i narrowed my eyes a bit, it was a bit hard to see cause he was so far and he had a bag over his shoulder but i swear i recognized that mark on his back "Why do you recon he's looking for Luffy?"Usopp asked "Maybe he's a bounty hunter" Nami said "He's not i'm sure of it"Zoro said, the guy was getting further away and i couldn't put a finger on where i had seen that mark on his back before.

I knew i had seen it before, this was gonna bug me all day now "That mark on his back, i swear i've seen it before but where?"i muttered more to myself, Zoro then spotted something else, rather someone else, cause i also spotted them and knew her as the marine from Roguetown.

Zoro hid behind some barrels dragging me with him as the woman looked our way "Hey Zoro, Nicole what are you doing?"Nami asked walking over "Why are you hiding?"Usopp asked "The marines are here"i said gesturing over to the area just as some other marine showed up, the others hid behind the barrels too "That's captain Smoker he's the marine who cause us a lot of trouble in Roguetown"Nami whispered.

"You mean those marines followed us all the way from Roguetown?"Usopp whispered "Seems to be the case, with him and that mystery man things could get pretty ugly here, come on Luffy show up"Zoro said, we snuck away from there and made sure to steer clear of any other marines as made our way back to the others, that being Vivi, Sanji and Karoo.

~skip~

"This doesn't look good we could be in serious trouble if we don't get out of here soon"Usopp said as we approached Sanji, Vivi and Karoo "Trouble why is that?"Sanji asked "Cause the marines are here"Nami said "Marines?"Vivi asked "And also some mystery man"Chopper said "Let's just find Luffy and get out of this town as soon as we can"Nami said "Hey hide"Zoro said pushing us forward as we hid behind the wall.

And heard something running past "What was that?"Chopper asked "It's the marines"Zoro said "Yeah and their excited about something"Usopp said "I'm sure it's nothing their probably chasing some idiot pirate who's running crazy around town"Sanji said "Some idiot pirate?!"we asked just as Luffy ran past us while being chased by marines.

"It's Luffy!"we yelled as he passed by again "Oh hey Zoro! what's up?!"Luffy said coming to a stop noticing us and ran over with the marines right behind him "Well their coming what should we do now?"Usopp said "We gotta get going"Nami said as i helped her pack "To the ship"Vivi said "Don't just stand there we gotta go!"Luffy yelled running past us, we followed running after him.

That Smoker guy attacked but someone stepped up and blocked the attacked with theirs, it instantly clicked in my head when i saw this guy had fire abilities "Alright looks like the mystery man has devil fruit powers"Zoro said "Who is that guy anyway and why he is helping us?"Usopp asked, who, that i knew but the why is a mystery.

"That you Ace?"Luffy asked, who does he? Never mind i'll find out soon enough i think "You haven't changed a bit Luffy"Ace said "It is you, really? Wow did you eat a devil fruit or something?"Luffy asked "Yeah the flame flame fruit"Ace said, yeah no doubt about it as to who this guy is.

"Anyway no is not the time for chatting, you guys get out of here i'll catch up don't worry about these guys i've got them go on!"Ace said "Let's go!"Luffy said running off again and we again followed "But Luffy"Nami said "Who is that guy back there?"Sanji asked "Do you know him from somewhere?"Vivi asked "Yeah, he's my big brother"Luffy said, i stumbled a bit from the shock but caught myself "Brother?!"we asked and continued running.

After a while we looked back as the fight seemed to escalate "What's going on back there?" Chopper wondered "Looks like a fight between smoke and fire"Usopp "That's exactly what it is Usopp"i told him "So that's the kind of power you get after eating a flame flame fruit"Sanji said "Speaking of devil fruit Luffy is it true is that guy really your brother?"Nami asked "Yep, his name's Ace"Luffy said, which i already knew from wanted posters and such.

"Look i'm not surprised to hear you have a brother Luffy but what's he doing here on the Gran Line?"Zoro asked "Ace is a pirate too just like i am, he left home three years before i did to go search for the One Piece"Luffy said as the fight was still going on "Anyway he bought us some time so we can't waste it, let's get back to the ship"Nami said "Sure Nami dear"Sanji said and we continued running over to the ship, i noticed Luffy stray from the corner of my eye but he'll be fine.

We got to the ship and got everything onto the ship and just as we were setting sail the others noticed Luffy was gone "Guys i have the feeling we're forgetting something"Usopp said "Not something someone"Nami said "Ugh that stupid moron!"Zoro yelled, i decided to keep quiet about what i had seen, i knew Luffy would be fine regardless and find his way back, maybe.

Well we set sail regardless cause the marines were bound to come looking for us and probably find us before Luffy did "Um is it okay for a ship to set sail without its captain on board?"i heard Chopper ask "The first place the marines are gonna look for us is the harbor so our top priority is to hide the ship"Nami explained to him "I know of a secluded cove that's up ahead we can anchor the ship there"Vivi said.

"Alright so we lay low for a bit, let things cool down and then go look for Luffy"Sanji said "Good grief that guy attacks trouble just like a dead guy attracts vultures"i heard Usopp grumble as he was steering the ship "You got that right"i muttered with a sigh standing next to Zoro at the front of the ship "Yeah, it's the only reliable thing our captain ever does"Zoro said.

We had been sailing along the coast, i had been set on lookout duty and spotted Luffy waving at us from the shore "Guys i see Luffy!"i called to the others below "Are you sure?"Zoro called back up "There's no mistaking that stupid grin"i called back down just as Luffy stretched his rubbery arm over and came flying at us crashing into Sanji and Chopper, i climbed down from the crows nest.

"Do you have any idea what trouble you've put us in can you at least act like a pirate sometime?" Nami asked walking over "I'm sorry, oh that's right where's Ace"Luffy said getting up and looking over to the shore "Ace?"Sanji asked "You were with your brother huh?"Zoro asked "Wait a minute you didn't just leave him did you?"Usopp asked walking over.

"Uhm sort of but don't worry Ace is really strong"Luffy said "So how strong is he?"Chopper asked "Well let me put it this way, i was never able to beat him when we were younger and this was way back in the day before he ate a flame flame fruit that's how strong my big brother is" Luffy said, i could buy that knowing his reputation, "You mean there's a flesh and blood person you couldn't beat?"Nami asked "The big brother of a monster is an even bigger monster"Usopp muttered.

"I guess so cause Ace used to beat me up all the time but i bet now i could kick his big butt"Luffy laughed, highly doubt it "I'd like to see you try back that claim up"Zoro said "So exactly who's butt is getting kicked?"Ace asked jumping on the railing knocking Luffy over "Oh hey Ace this is my crew i was telling you about"Luffy said, i went a little stiff as Ace locked eyes with me, i have a feeling he knows exactly who i am.

"Nice to meet you and thanks for taking care of my kid brother i know he's a handful"Ace said dropping his head "Oh no not at all"the others said bowing their heads too, i lifted a brow at them, are they serious? They were just complaining about what a trouble maker Luffy is.

"Come on be honest this is Luffy we're talking about isn't he a bit much at times?"Ace asked "Not at all"the others said, yes definitely, i thought "You're good people"Ace said "Well sit down and relax i'm sure you two have lots of catching up to do, i'll make some tea"Sanji said "No that's thoughtful but i don't wanna impose"Ace said and lit Sanji's cigarette "He's not exactly what i expected"he said.

"I'll say"Zoro said "Yeah, he's got manners"i said "He's polite, helpful and gracious the polar opposite of Luffy"Usopp said "One of them only cares about stuffing his face there's no way these two can be brothers"Nami said "While the only cares about his brother"Zoro said "I wish i had a wonderful brother like that"Chopper cried "Brother? I wish i had a wonderful captain like that"Sanji said "Sanji! He's kidding"Vivi said.

"See i told you they were interesting"Luffy said to his brother as hundreds of Baroque Works ships began surrounding us "Baroque Works? Those are the billions ships"Vivi said "Those guys again?"Luffy asked "Luffy leave it to me i'll handle it"Ace said and went down to this little dinky boat roped to the side of our ship "He's going all by himself?"Nami asked "And in that dinky boat too"Usopp said.

"I wouldn't worry about him, they don't let just anyone become the second division commander of the Whitebeard pirates"I said was we watched Ace destroy all the ships in a single move, pfft nothing i could do if i really wanted to, i just don't want to cause i set this challenge for myself not to use my full power in the first half of the Grand Line.