The Return Of Joyboy!

Chapter 19

Cyra recoiled back to the mast, stretching his limbs enough to catch Ace and Cyane and reach the Island a bit faster. They rocketed to the nearby Island in a serious mood, which was so unlike Luffy. Whenever they would be rocketed by their little brother, there would be sounds of laughter following them, but the lack of it only gave them an edge over the inner musings that they were about to encounter.

Landing on their legs, with minimal damage was a blessing for them with Luffy's reckless moves. But it would have to do if they want to be away from a manipulative pirate captain. The Island was a bit too similar to the forests of Dawn Island, with its large animals. The Island was mostly covered in forest with no signs of human life, which would be good for restocking food for the Whitebeards, meaning it would give them time to settle whatever damage had already happened.

The walk to the edge of the forest was quiet but comfortable.

At the end of the shoreline, Luffy spoke, "Let's race till we see any food!"

And with that they were off, running with the winds and the mountain tracks, which they had literally grown into. The excited energy burnt within them, as they hunted animals and feasted on them. With Ace getting his fill after who knows how long, they were down for discussion. They have already discarded their capes and thrown them in his bag pack, which he has been needing to keep 'cause with Luffy troubles always came, which means medicines. Though, Sabo would not have any other way.

"What do you feel about the Whitebeards?" Sabo enquired Ace carefully, who was scowling and trying to find his own answers. If Ace would be being himself, then there was no doubt that the moment he would question regarding the Whitebeard Pirates, Ace would have been spitting curses at the old man. Yep, the damage is done. Sabo thought rubbing his temples.

"...I don't know." Ace was looking at the ground all the while and Sabo would give Luffy a point at keeping quiet and paying attention for once. "I only wanted to gauge my strength. I-I want to.. surpass my Dad." Ace looked at Sabo with eyes filled with determination, which was crumbling ever slowly. Sabo could always read Ace like an open book and he is really thankful for that. "That's the only reason I wanted to fight with Whitebeard."

"Did you get a fair fight?" Luffy's face was expressionless. His straw hat titling in just the right angle, making the ever-cherry boy look serious to the degree that no one thought he was capable.

Ace shook his head and scowled. "I had only fought with Jimbei for a day or two without a break, and right when my fight was over, the Whitebeard Pirates were standing before me, ready to accept my challenge." Ace bit his lips, glaring at the ground. "I was tired and injured but I wanted to fight..."

"And you lost." Sabo finished it. Ace nodded at that. Ace had lost in an unfair fight. He was tired, exhausted, and probably hungry if he fought Jimbei for a day or two. And that's truly cheap coming from Whitebeard.

"Do you want to be his son, Ace?" Sabo asked his next question. He needed to be slow with Ace, or his firecracker of the brother will burst off in anger and he won't get any answer. "Do you want to be in his crew?"

There was some hesitation before Ace shook his head. The hesitation was a clear answer, to what Sabo had been looking for from Ace.

"Do you want to be free and sail without anyone telling you what to do or not?" Sabo played with his words carefully. He needs to break Ace out of his trance before it's too late.

"I want to be free. I want to make a name for myself." The fire in Ace's eyes was back, though a bit dimmer.

Sabo turned to Luffy and Luffy nodded. Luffy could use his conqueror's haki in many ways which many can't. Luffy let out a burst of King's haki on Ace, who was looking completely confused, but it was required. Ace was out like a candle the next moment.