The Ultimate Mission

Chapter 13: The Crew Grows, The Circus, and The Point Goes to the Hot-Head

**Author's Note: I do not own One Piece, Oda does, I do own the characters I made up in this story (ex: Ivy, Cecily (Shadow), and any other made-up characters throughout this story that I might create). Also, please do not copy this story and claim it as your own. I'm editing the chapters. Here is the edited version of chapter 13. I feel like it's better than the original. Let me know what you think.**

Chapter 13: The Crew Grows, The Circus, and The Point Goes to the Hot-Head

True to our word, we liberated the slaves who wanted to be dropped-off at various islands. Those who wanted to stay were welcomed with open-arms. I know there are more slaves being held captive out there. In the grand-scheme of things, we barely made a dent in the slave-trade, but seeing the expressions on the slaves that we saved as they realized they were finally free, was heart-wrenching.

"You have an obsession with the Revolutionary-Army, V." Ace observed, cruising into my room, standing behind me, whispering into my ear, roaming his eyes over newspaper-clippings of the Revolutionary-Army that I tapped onto a peg-board, and resting his chin on my shoulder.

"GAHH! DON'T SNEAK-UP ON ME, ASS!" I intoned-dryly, shrieking in surprise, spinning around, punching him on the shoulder, scowling at him, and turning around to pin a newspaper clipping onto the pegboard, "Don't you have someone else to annoy?"

"You make it too easy, V." Ace smirked, stepping-backwards, lying on my bed, sliding an arm behind his head, scratching Shadow behind her ears, and holding his hands up in defense as I started pummeling him with a rolled-up newspaper, "OWW! QUIT IT, DAMN SHE-OGRE!"

"I STILL HAVEN'T FORGOTTEN ABOUT THIS!" I recalled, picking-up a newspaper, rolling it, marching over to him, smacking him with the newspaper, and barring my teeth, "CAUSE OF YOU, THE MARINES THINK I'M YOUR GIRLFRIEND!!"

"Would being my girlfriend be so bad?" Ace spoke-quietly, grabbing onto the newspaper, lowering his head, and his bright-orange cowboy hat casting shadows across his face.

"That's not the point." I denied, attempting to yank the newspaper back, stumbling backwards when he let go, and gasping in surprise as Ace shoved me against the wall, "Neither of us have romantic-feelings for each-other..."

"For someone so smart you sure are dumb, Ivy." Ace breathed, jolting-off the bed, an irk-expression etched onto his face, grabbing my wrist, pressing me against the wall, and his face inches from mine.

"What does that even mean?" I voiced, scrunching my face-up in confusion, and gazing at Ace.

"Trey spotted the next island." Booker informed, opening my door, sticking his head in, questioningly-raising an eyebrow at us, and heading back to the deck, "We'll be ready to anchor in 5 minutes."

"Never mind." Ace uttered, releasing his hold on me, clearing his throat, and slamming the door behind him as he left.

(*******************************************************************************************)

On Dawn Island

"OI, LUFFY!" Dogra called, running towards him, carrying a newspaper in his hand, and grinning-widely, "LOOK WHAT'S IN THE PAPER!!"

"Ace finally got a bounty." Luffy smirked, reading the paper, and bursting-out-laughing as he read the next article, "IVY? DATING ACE? NOT A CHANCE! SHI-SHI-SHI!!"

(*******************************************************************************************)

To Ace and Ivy (Inside a bar)