Disclaimer: I do not own anything related which includes the characters of One Piece.

Rated T for language, violence and the occasional One Piece humor. You have been warned.

17 years ago, a new Pirate era began. 17 years ago, Monkey D. Luffy became the new King of the Pirates. 17 years ago, Monkey D. Luffy disappeared. No one knew what happened to him. Some thought he was dead. His crew, the Straw Hat pirates, did not know his whereabouts as much as anyone else. The disappearance of Monkey D. Luffy became one of the mysteries of the world. What exactly happened to Monkey D. Luffy?

The Son of the pirate king and the newest inheritor of the will of D. decided to find out

"OTOU-SAN! I'M GOING TO FIND YOU AND I'LL BECOME THE NEW KING OF THE PIRATES!"

The declaration this 17 year old teenage boy made would soon change this new Pirate Era. This boy's name was Monkey D. Ace and his Romance Dawn...starts now!

Come Aboard and bring along, all your hopes and dreams!(Ace is shown running up a hill, and he jumps of the cliff at the top. Flashes of the rest of the crew are shown; Rei with a stern look, James waving, Angel with arms folded, and Kidd with a stolen map)

Together We will find everything that we're looking for!(Ace then grabs the rope behind him, before swinging it towards the crew's ship, he gets the rope onto the mast and swings towards it,smiling).

ONE PIECE!(As he closes in on the camera, the One Piece series logo with the words"Next Generation"is shown over an old map.)

Compass Left behind,It'll only slow us down,your heart will be your guide,raise the sails,and take the helm!(The ship is shown sailing over rough seas, with gigantic sea kings all around it.)

That legendary place,that the end of the map reveals...(Then it shows the front of the ship, with Rei, James, Angel and Kidd standing at the bow, and Ace hanging upside-down off the figurehead. Ace grins and looks at the Sea Kings.)

Is only legendary 'till someone proves it real!(Then the ship is shown sailing over a map, leaping off the water into the air.)

Through it all(Rei is then shown using Santoryu against multiple enemies, defeating them all.)

Through all the troubled times,through the heartache and through the pain(Kidd uses his devil fruit powers,also beating multiple enemies.)

Know that I will be there to stand by you!(Angel shoots a flour-filled arrow at an enemy's face, who is then whacked over the top of his head by James.

Just like I know you'll stand by me!(Another Sea King appears to attack, but Ace uses his haki and it runs away scared.)

(Flashes are then shown of the first three major enemies of the first story arc)

So come aboard and bring along all your hopes and dreams!(Next Ace is shown landing on the deck, in front of the other crew members. He stands up and grins, and flashes are shown of the next three major enemies and then Shanks.)

Together we will find everything that we're looking for!(The crew's Jolly Roger is shown blowing in the wind)

There's always room for you,(Ace then spins his straw hat on his finger)

If you wanna be my friend?(and the camera zooms in on the hat. It then zooms out again to reveal the hat is being worn by Luffy who turns around and is followed by the rest of the strawhat pirates)

We Are(Ace, Rei and James smile up at the camera)

We Are(Angel and Kidd look on also smiling)

On The Cruise!(and the ship sails off. A seagull flies past)

WE ARE!(The title screen is shown)

Chapter 8: Reunion

"Kaya-Obasan!" Ace shouted as he stood below the window of Kaya's room. Ace and his crew waited a few seconds before they saw head head appear and she smiled down at them.

"Ace-kun...and your friends...I'm so glad you're okay..." She told them.

"Aa! They weren't that tough." Ace answered. "And we got a new crew member too!" He laughed as Angel slightly blushed.

"I see...that's great news, Ace-kun." She smiled at him.

"Oh yeah...we were wondering if you can help us get a ship for us to use?" Ace asked her.

"Idiot! That's no way to ask for a favor!" Rei told him.

"Really?" Ace and James tilted their heads at the same time.

"Of course not!"

Kaya giggled. "You really are like your father."

"Huh? I am? Cool!" Ace grinned widely as he put a hand to his Straw Hat.

Kaya giggled again. "Let me see what I can do." She told them and disappeared back inside.

"Yay! We're getting a ship!" Ace cheered.

"Hooray!" James and Angel cheered along with him. Rei only sweat drop at the three.

"These idiots..." She muttered as they started dancing in celebration.

"Everyone!" They looked up to see Kaya back in front of the window. "Gomen...but we don't have a spare ship we could give you."

"Aww..." Everyone minus Rei whined.

"The only thing we have left is a small boat..." She frowned sadly.

"Then we'll take that! It's better than nothing." Ace smiled.

"Baka! How do you plan to go to the Grand Line in a boat?" Rei asked.

"I'm sure we'll find one before we have to go to the Grand Line." Ace replied.

"Why don't we check out Lougetown?" James suggested.

"Ah...I don't think that would be a good idea..." Rei nervously told him as she remembered what happened at Lougetown.

"Huh? Why?" He asked.

"Oh...that Smoker guy is there, right?" Ace realized why.

"Huh? Smoker? As in Vice Admiral Smoker!?" Angel shouted in shock.

"Aa. You know him?" Ace asked.

"No...but I heard about him and how he used to fight with Monkey D. Luffy a lot 17 years ago." She replied.

"Shishishi! Yep!" Ace laughed.

"This isn't no laughing matter! How are we going to get a ship!?" Rei shouted at them.

"I said we'll find one eventually, right?" He grinned at the others.

"Yeah...but it would be difficult..." James told him. Rei sighed.

"Mistress Kaya! Mistress Kaya!" Everyone turned their heads to see Merry run through the gates and then toward Ace and the others.

"Hmm? What is it, Merry-san?" Kaya asked.

"It seems you have received a letter." Merry told her as he held up a white envelope.

"From who?"

"Usopp-san!" Kaya's eyes widened in shock as she smiled happily at the news.

"Really? Usopp-Ojisan!" Ace also exclaimed. Angel heard this and gulped nervously.

"What does it say?" Kaya asked.

"Hai..." Merry responded and opened the envelope. "It says..."

Dear Kaya,

How are you doing? Me? I'm doing great, you know fighting off thousands of mutated scorpions is hard work, but it's a simple task for the Great Warrior of the Sea such as myself. I hope everyone is doing well and I wish I could see them all, but I'm still on the Grand Line searching for Luffy. It's still a mystery about what happened to our Captain, but we're not discouraged and we know we'll find him eventually. I can't wait to tell you about all of our great adventures after we find him and return to Syrup Village. By the way, I heard from Zoro that Ace started his adventure and already found himself a crew mate. Hahaha! Just thinking about it reminds me of the time when I started my adventure all those years ago. Anyway, knowing how Ace is similar to Luffy I figured he might visit you and ask you for a ship, kind of like how Luffy did. I don't know if you are going to give him a ship or not, but in case you don't have one available for him, I hear Franky was heading to Cocoyashi, Nami's home village to help them after some of the ships they use to sail their crops to other islands got destroyed in a freaky weather storm. So, if he's still looking for a ship, then that would be the place to go to as Franky might build him a ship. Anyway, sorry for not writing or seeing you the past couple of months1 We hope we can find that idiot captain of ours soon so that I can come visit you and everyone else again. Until then!

Love, Usopp

Merry finished as he looked at the others with a smile. Kaya felt relieved to know that Usopp was okay and blushed slightly at the love part of the letter. Ace couldn't help but get excited.

"Hooray! We'll get to meet Franky-Ojisan!" Ace cheered in excitement.

"Really? Sugoi! I can't wait to meet one of the crew mates of the Pirate King." James became excited.

"Shishishi! Yep and he's really cool!" Ace replied.

"Not only that, but we'll be able to get a ship too." Rei added.

"Shishishi! I can't wait! Let's get going before we miss him." Ace told his crew and they all nodded in agreement. "Arigatou, Kaya-Obasan! Merry-san!" Ace thanked the two as they smiled back.

"Your welcome, Ace-kun." Kaya told him.

"Since we knew you were going to ask for a boat of some kind, I already got one prepared down by the hill leading up to Syrup Village. Everything you might need for your adventure should be." Merry told them.

"Arigatou!" Luffy thanked. "Yosh! Let's go!"

"Right!"

Kaya and Merry watched as they started heading down the hill. "I hope Ace-kun and his friends have a safe journey." Kaya told Merry.

"Yeah, I agree, Mistress Kaya." Merry responded with a smile and then looked down at the letter. He folded it and was going to put it back in the envelope when he noticed something written on the back. "Oh dear..."

"What is Merry-san?" Kaya asked.

"It seems there was something written on the back and I didn't notice." He told her.

"What does it say?" Kaya asked.

"Hai...let's see..."

P.S. Before you let Ace go out to Cocoyashi, you should tell him that she is also going to be there, you know as a heads up since I know what he did before leaving.

"Oh boy...it seems Ace-kun is going to get one big surprise..." Kaya chuckled.

"What do you mean by that, Mistress Kaya?" Merry asked unsure what she was talking about.

"Well..." She started but was interrupted when Yasopp started to cry. She went to attend her son, leaving a confused Merry down below on the Mansion grounds.

"Yosh! Let's set sail!" Ace cheered.

"We already are..." James pointed out as they were already out at sea, heading toward Cocoyashi.

"By the way...do we even know where Cocoyashi is?" Rei asked.

"Yep I do!" Ace answered.

"You do?" Rei raised an eyebrow.

"Aa. It's because I always went there so it's like I know how to get there by heart." He told her.

"Right...well I'm going to take a nap." Rei told them as she put an arm around her swords and closed her eyes.

"Shishishi! You're just like Zoro-Ojisan..." Ace chuckled.

"Urusai..." She replied, her eyes still closed.

"So, tell us about this fellow crew mate of your dads." James said.

"Shishishishi! He's a cyborg." Ace replied simply.

"A...cyborg?" James and Angel both repeated. "Sugoi!" They exclaimed in awe.

"You're too loud!" Rei yelled at them

"Yep! He has all this cool stuff like rockets and most importantly beams!" Ace told them with stars in his eyes.

"B-Beams!" They repeated with amazement.

'What the hell is so impressive about a beam?' Rei wondered. She shrugged and listened to Ace talking about this Franky person as the waves rocked back and forth against their boat.

"Who would have thought you would come back?"

"What? You didn't miss me?"

"I never said that, but we only thought your crew mate would be the only one who was coming. You should have told us at least so that we could have had time to set up a celebration."

"Come on...you know I don't like things like that from you guys."

"Hahaha! I guess you're right. By the way, I saw his wanted poster."

"Ee...it's amazing...isn't it?"

"What would you say to him if you met him right now?"

"I would hit him in the head."

"I-I see..."

"But...I'll also feel proud..."

"Hahaha...now that's more like it."

"Yeah..."

"Any luck on finding him?"

"No...we've been searching for 17 years and we still can't find any trace of him..."

"Come on now...I'm sure he's alive and out there somewhere...after all someone as stubborn as him wouldn't just go and die so easily."

"Yeah...I guess your right...but...I miss him...a lot..."

"Yeah...but...keep your head up...I'm sure he'll turn up eventually."

"Right...oh!"

"Hmm? What is it?"

"The air pressure has dropped..."

"Hmmm..." Ace hummed as he looked up to see dark clouds forming in the sky.

"Those look dangerous..." James said.

"They are..." Ace responded.

"What's dangerous?" Angel asked.

"The clouds...they got dark all of a sudden...they kind of look like a perm..." Angel pictured clouds that looked like perm and softly laughed.

"The air pressure has dropped..." Ace suddenly stood up.

"Ace?" Rei asked as they looked up at him.

"We should move the ship..." Ace told them. "Let's start rowing to the east." He told them and grabbed a paddle. James grabbed one and Rei grabbed the other. Angel placed her hands on the one that James picked up and the four started rowing their boats. They kept doing as rain started to fall and the waves became rougher, hitting their boat with great force.

"What the hell is with this storm?" Rei asked. The sound of lightning rang through their ears as they continued rowing. James looked behind him and his eyes widened.

"You got to be kidding me!" The others turned their heads to see some ferocious lightning bolts lighting up the dark sky.

"Wasn't that where we were just a few minutes ago?" Rei asked.

"I-I-I think so...if we stayed there we could have been zapped by that lightning!" James replied.

"What!? Really!?" Angel screamed in shock. They then turned to Ace.

"That sure was close, right? Shishishishi!" He laughed as he continued rowing.

"How did you know where the center of that storm was?" Rei shouted.

"Huh? Oh...I guess I got lucky!" He laughed.

"That's definitely not because of luck..." Rei replied.

"Um...guys...we have a big problem..." James told them as they turned to look behind them and saw a rather large wave heading toward them.

"THAT'S A BIG WAVE!" Ace screamed.

"WHAT!?" Angel screamed as well. "If that hits us won't our boat be destroyed?"

"Not only that, but you're also a devil fruit user so...you're going to sink like a hammer..." James told her.

"WHAT!? I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"

"Shishish! This looks like it's going to be fun!" Ace laughed.

"THIS ISN'T FUNNY!" They all yelled at him as the giant wave covered them all with his shadow.

"AAAAHHHHH!" Angel screamed as she could hear the sound of the wave descending down toward them.

"Crap..." James cursed.

"Oh no!" Rei cried with widened eyes.

"Shishishishi!" Ace laughed.

"STOP LAUGHING!" The wave crashed down on them.

The storm settled down as Ace and Angel were washed ashore on the beach of an island. Ace managed to save Angel from drowning and held her tightly as he rode the rough waves before coming to a stop. They were both currently unconscious. Suddenly a large shadow covered their bodies as the person who approached them looked down at the two. He lifted his sunglasses and then grinned widely.

"Oi...are those two okay?" A fisherman asked as he looked down at both Rei and James.

"Quick! Someone get the doctor!" Another yelled.

"Poor things...they must have been caught in that storm earlier." A woman who was passing by whispered.

"Doctor!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming!" Dr. Nako told them as he arrived at the scene with a medical kit. He leaned down and inspected the two. "Well, they're still alive..." He told them and everyone let out a sigh of relief. "...but we should move them to the infirmary." He told them. Some of them nodded and started helping the doctor carry the two to his infirmary. As he and the others were walking up the hill toward the village, Dr. Nako noticed a familiar face. "You..."

"Oi...Nako-san...what happened?"

Ace suddenly woke up and sat up. He looked around him and saw Angel next to him. He sighed in relief and looked around to see that he was on a deck of a ship. "Hmm...where am I? He asked. He felt like he recognized the ship, but couldn't place his finger on it.

"Oi! Are you finally awake?" He heard a voice and he felt his entire body tingle. He recognized that voice anywhere. He looked up and his eyes widened and a large grin was plastered on his face. "That is so SUUUPEERR!"

"FRAAAANKKYYYYY-OJISAN!" Luffy jumped in joy as Franky did his ever exciting pose.

"Ace-kun! It's been so SUPER long!" Franky cried out a she dropped down to the deck and the two hugged.

"Franky-Ojisan!" Ace cried as well a she clung to his large body. When they let go, Ace quickly asked Franky to do something cool.

"Of course!" He yelled out as he touched his nose and three seconds later, his hair changed into a different style. Ace laughed as he rolled all over the grassy deck.

"That never gets old!" He cried out.

At the sound of Ace's loud laughter, Angel started to wake up. "Huh? W-What happened?" She asked as she sat up and rubbed her head.

"Oh...it looks like your nakama is waking up...that's SUPER!" Franky shouted, noticing Angel sitting up.

"Really!? Oi, Angel! You okay?" Ace asked as he looked at her.

"Ace...where are we?" She asked.

"You're on the one...the only...SUPER ship of the Straw Hat Pirates, the Thousand Sunny!" Franky told her, doing his pose.

"Huh? Seriously?" Angel asked in shock as she felt the grass against her fingers. "But...it feels like grass..."

"I know! That's one of the cool things about Sunny!" Ace laughed. "Franky! This is Angel!"

"Nice to meet you, Angel-chan!" Franky told her.

"Ee...nice to meet you too...Franky-san..."

"Huh? Did you just say pervert?"

"NO I DIDN'T!" She screamed as Ace laughed.

"So, what happened to you Ace-kun?" Franky asked. "Why were you two out cold on the beach?"

"Oh...a giant wave crashed our boat as we were heading toward Cocoyashi...but it seems we got separated from our other two nakama." Ace told him.

"You're right...I don't hear James or Rei..." Angel agreed.

"Hear?" Franky asked.

"Aa, Angel has super hearing!" Ace laughed.

"Really? THAT'S SUPER!" Franky yelled.

"Shishishi!"

"It's not that amazing..." Angel bashfully responded.

"By the way, Franky-Ojisan! Usopp-Ojisan told me you can get me and my crew a ship!" Ace told him.

"Oh, did he? I would be SUPER delighted to build you one!" Franky gave him a thumb up.

"Hooray! Did you hear that, Angel!? We're getting a ship!"

"Yay!" Angel celebrated along with him. "Wait...how long will it take you to build one?" She asked.

"Well...I have the materials so probably by tomorrow I can build you one!" Franky told her.

"That's fast!" Angel shouted in shock.

"Of course! I am the fastest Shipwright in the world!"

"Shishishi! He is fast!" Ace laughed.

"Yosh! Let's go see what we can do!" Franky told the two.

"Hai!"

Rei stirred as she started opening her eyes. She then noticed that she was staring at a ceiling. 'Where...am I?' She wondered. It was then she realized what happened and sat up. 'Swords...where are my swords?' She asked looking around. She saw James on the bed next to her, sleeping while hugging his pillow, but ignored him as her swords were her first priority.

"Looking for these?" She heard a voice and turned her head to the door as a woman pointed her finger to the swords in the corner of the room. Rei let out a sigh of relief and then turned tot he woman.

"Who are you?" Rei asked. "Where are we?"

"You're in an infirmary." She replied and walked toward her. She sat down on the chair in front of the bed and then smiled at Rei. "As for who I am? The name is Nami." The orange haired navigator of the Straw Hat pirates smirked as she crossed her arms across her chest.

"Nami...I heard that name somewhere?" Rei said.

"I'm sure you have since I'm a member of the Straw Hat Pirates..." She replied. "So, how about you?"

"Oh...I'm Rei...a pirate..."

"Ee...I know who you are...after all Zoro told us all about you..."

"He did? What did he say?" She asked with a slight blush.

"That you were an annoying student..."

"R-Right..." Rei sighed. Nami only smiled at the girl.

"So, why did you two suddenly show up at the beach?" She asked.

"Oh...we were sailing toward Cocoyashi when a storm hit and a large wave crashed into us...it seems we were separated from the others..." Rei explained.

"Others?" Nami asked.

"Ee..." She replied. It was then she realized who she was talking to. "Oh...if you were on his crew then that means you know Ace."

"A-Ace..." Nami's eyes widened as she gasped. "How do you know...?"

"I'm a member of his crew...I wonder where that idiot is?"

"I see..." Rei looked at Nami and saw that her eyes where shadowed by her hair.

"N-Nami...san...is everything okay?"

"So...Ace is on this island..." Rei slightly backed away at the demonic aura that appeared around her.

"I think so..." Rei replied.

"Wake up your friend...we're going to see him..."

"Huh? You know where Ace is?"

"I have a guess..."

"Well here are the blueprints to your new ship!" Franky told him as he held out a blue print.

"Sugoi!" Ace looked at it with stars in his eyes.

"I can't see it! What is like?" Angel asked Ace. Franky then started to tell her all about the cool stuff on the ship he planned to make and with each word, Angel's face became more excited. "Sugoi!" Angel shouted as soon a she was done.

"Of course!" Franky responded as he rolled up the blue print. "Well, if you want your ship by tomorrow, I guess I should get to work." He told them.

"Hai!" They cheered.

"I can't wait..." Ace jumped up and down in excitement.

"Me too!" Angel agreed.

"By the way Ace-kun...Nami is also her eon the island..."

"Huh?"

"Yeah, when I told her I was going to her village to fix their ships, she wanted to come along since she hadn't seen everyone for long so I told her that would be SUPER!" Franky told him. When he heard silence, he turned his head to see a look of horror on Ace. "Hmm? What's wrong?"

"Ah...ah...QUICK ANGEL! WE GOT TO GET OFF THIS ISLAND FOR NOW!" Ace suddenly yelled out.

"H-Huh? W-Why? What's wrong?" Angel asked, jumping a little from his shouting.

"We got to go or at least hide!" Ace told her.

"W-Wait, what's going on? Why are you freaking out?" Frank asked confused.

"Well...I...ummm...actually left without telling her..." Ace told him. "Oh man, shes going to be so mad!" Ace cringed at the thought.

"I see..." Franky understood. "Oh...look it's her!" Franky then pointed up a hill. Ace cringed as he turned his head and indeed there she was.

"Oh crap...I'm dead!" Ace muttered as he started to slowly back away.

"Oi! Ace! Angel! We finally found you!" James shouted waving his hand back and forth. He ran down the hill to greet his fellow crew mates. When he got down, he saw the look of horror on his face. "What's wrong with him?"

"It seems like he's scared of that Nami person." Angel told him.

"Huh? Why? She's a nice person." James told her.

"Idiot!" Everyone froze and turned their heads to see Nami glaring at Ace with her arms crossed against her chest.

"Ahhh! Don't hit me!" Ace covered his face with his hands.

"You idiot...I'm not going to hit you..." She told him.

"Huh? Really? That's a relief..." Ace sighed. Nami then slammed her fist down on his head.

"SHE ACTUALLY HIT HIM!" James shouted.

"IIIITTTEEEE!" Ace grabbed the new bruise on his head. "You lied!" He yelled at her. His eyes then widened as she leaned forward and hugged him.

"You idiot...when you left...I got scared...why didn't you tell me...I thought I lost you too..." She whispered to his ear.

"I'm sorry..." Ace apologized.

"Sugoi...it's almost like their mother and son..." James muttered.

"Huh? Didn't he tell you?" Franky then spoke from behind them.

"Tell us what?" They all asked.

"Nami is his mother..." Silence.

"EEEEEHHHHHHH!?"

To Be Continued...

Author Notes: Some of you probably want to know why I chose Nami as Ace's mother. I just felt like she'll be the choice since she and Luffy knew each other the longest. I'm sorry if any of you don't like it. If you're wondering why I decided to introduce two of the Straw Hats this early is because I didn't want to keep everyone waiting for when they would meet them, but I thought it would be perfect for them the new crew to get a ship from Franky and finally revealing Ace's mom.