Chapter 54

We met up with our crew the following morning and sis told them about what we know.

Diana: Alright so everyone listen up. Dragon is on his way here and it’s going to take a while. Instead, we’re going to use this chance to train. Sarah, Spade, and doc, you three are going to train with us. You all have enough skill and what you really need is more experience against an overwhelmingly strong opponent.

Sarah & Doc: I think we’ve had enough of that, namely from you and Kara. Can’t we just spar against each other?

Spade: I’d like to try and fight against them as well.

Diana: Fine then, do that first and then we’ll spar. Ok, John, Tim and Alisha, you are going to train the 6 Marine Skills to mastery. Make sure to teach Alisha well. In addition, Alisha, you are to continue to increase the stamina of everyone around you, including yourself.

Me: Also, if anyone sees a very perverted blond cook from the Straw Hats here, please just ignore him. Sarah, Alisha, if he tries to seduce you, kick him in the balls, ok?

They all nodded before heading off to the training area, which was just a wide open area, of the Kingdom.

The next couple of days was well spent on training others. The only person I could even push myself a little bit was against my sister. Still, we couldn’t properly train since if we did, there wouldn’t be an island around us anymore.

Over this short period, Alisha came to hate my gravity trainings and learned the basics of what Geppo is supposed to feel like through the help of my Devil Fruit. It was fine until…

Sanji: Is that a real woman? This is truly a woman? Not my eyes playing tricks on me?

Me: Oh dear God no please.

As the blond cook started rushing towards sis and me with his heart shaped eyes, sis gave me the ok.

Me: *Rinnegan* Almighty Push!

Sanji was flown up and away from us and almost broke the sound barrier. This would kill even a normal captain from Paradise but this was Sanji we were talking about. He should be fine. Hell, I might’ve even helped him awaken Geppo in a way.

Dinner at Ivankov’s place was delicious. I’m still not planning on admitting that their food is better than what me or sis could cook but this was still better than most high class restaurants we’ve been to.

*pet* *pet*

Me: muu…why does there have to be 2 big sis’ now?

Alisha: Stay quiet baby girl and let me pet you.

*pet* *pet*

So in this way, another member of the ‘Pet Kara’ joined. Well, Alisha was still shorter and smaller than me so that made me feel a little better but…

Brown: She’s growing. We’ve only known her for a short while but she’s definitely growing.

I don’t want to be the smallest again!!

This happened again the following day but once he spotted us eating dinner together with Ivankov, but then Sanji walked in no longer yelling stuff about woman.

Diana: Vinsmoke Sanji.

Sanji: …! How?

Diana: Nevermind how I know, but tell me, do you even know what you are training? You are just running away daily from those… who are those again Ivankov?

Ivankov: Girls with the soul of a man

Diana: Yes, them. You’re just running. You need to train your legs properly instead of just doing that. From tomorrow, join Tim and John’s lesson on the 6 Marine Skills with Alisha. John, Tim, please focus the lesson more on Geppo, Soru, and Rankyaku, in that order.

John & Tim: Alright.

Sanji: Why are you helping me?

Diana: Your crew is sure to create waves of trouble in the New World. I sense trouble coming from you from your home as well as an Emperor of the Sea. You need to grow stronger…fast. Else Germa might take you back hmm?

Sanji’s frowned once again when he heard the name of his former family.

Me: Don’t be mad. Just train with all you’ve got and you’ll eventually get it.

Perhaps because Sanji has been running for over a year by now, he quickly got how to use Geppo and was starting to understand the basics of Soru. His black leg style really was a unique fighting style that focused entirely, and completely on non-hand combat.

Diana: I know you’ve got your Black Leg Style, and I get that you’re trying to protect your hands from getting hurt since you wouldn’t use them for anything other than cooking. But you’ve got to understand that there are a lot more body parts than just hands and legs. What about the elbows, did you know that the hardest bone is actually your forehead? Adopt a new fighting style, one that lets you become unpredictable and deadlier.

It was a simple thought but it got the job done. Sparring with Tim (our weakest), Sanji simply didn’t have a way to win against even Tim. He was forced to adapt and improvise and develop his own fighting style. One that differed from his sole reliance on his black leg style.

We wouldn't stay here long enough to properly teach him haki or anything but having a proper teacher, even for the 6 Marine Skills definitely made him improve a lot in just a week.

Alisha, on the other hand, was going through strength training. Just like everyone else in the beginning, we tried to set the strongest and sturdiest foundation possible before going into combat training. Of course, she hated every moment of it, but also she was amazed at the results. We kept pushing her to try new things with her Devil Fruits while other times pushing a singular activity as much as she can before she collapsed. Later on discussing new uses for it and other training methods.

Before we knew it, it was almost 2 weeks when they finally arrived. Ivankov prepared a meeting room for us and kicked everyone out. Sis changed Ace’s face back a little bit each day so now he was back to his normal face, so we made him wear a mask and hood. I wanted to make it a surprise.

In the conference room where all of our crew was waiting, Dragon entered with a few of his officers, but not with the person I needed, or specifically pointed out. I knew he was here since I could feel a relatively powerful presence from the ship, but he just chose not to come here.

Diana: Hello Dragon. I’m Diana Fujitora

Me: Hi, I believe this is the second time we’re meeting?

Dragon: Nice to meet you all. Now, I believe you had something important to say?

Me: We do, but I’m afraid I can’t say it without your Chief of Staff here.

Dragon: …You see, he’s in something of a depression. I’m sure you didn’t mean it but your actions have indirectly caused the death of his close friend.

Me: We need him here no matter what. I’m not starting until we have all of you here.

Dragon: Very well… Koala?

Koala: On it.

She then left to fetch Sabo from the ship. It’s always better to start things off with an emotional reunion. That way, we can get their trust before we even begin, which makes things so much easier.

Diana: Well, I don’t see a problem with kicking things off. Tell me Dragon, your conflict with the World Government has made you quite the target I believe? I’m sure you feel safe and sound at Baltigo but it’s only a matter of time before some unwanted people find out where your base is.

Dragon seemed genuinely surprised by the fact that we knew where his headquarters was.

Diana: Don’t worry, nobody except us knows yet. But you must realize the risk you take on every mission, don’t you? People will find it sooner or later. We’re here to suggest someplace for you…but here he is.

Sabo walked in, looking pissed and glared at us. There was a moment of silence as Spade looked at Sabo through his mask and hood…and uncomfortable amount of tension building up before I decided to confirm it for him.

Me: Hello Chief of Staff, or should I call you Sabo?

Sabo: Don’t talk to—-

Spade: SABO!!!!

Spade flew across the conference room in a speed that most people’s Soru wouldn’t be able to follow and tackled Sabo in a hug.

Spade: It’s me! It’s me! It’s ACE!

He literally ripped and burned off his mask and hood in a desperate attempt to get it off faster.

Sabo: …Ace? Wha… how are you alive?

Spade: It’s a long story. An incredibly long story that starts with my execution a year ago.

Diana: I believe we have to time. I’m sure Dragon would like to hear it as well, and Ivankov, I believe?

Dragon nodded while Ivankov was yelling out stuff about how a stab through his heart should’ve meant certain death.

Spade: Let me explain then…

It took a while to explain everything with both of them sobbing from time to time. How Ace first met us on top of the execution platform and we talked for a bit. How we let him die before resurrecting him with our Devil Fruit Powers

Dragon: Wait… you can resurrect the dead?

Me: What we did to Ace wasn’t a resurrection. It was more like making his body think he was alive and getting his heart and brain to function again. So I wouldn’t call it resurrection. More like, waking him up.

In reality, I did have power over death with the Rinnegan’s Outer Path, but Dragon didn’t need to know that.

Spade: So anyway after that they made me shut up about everything because they didn’t want to lose their jobs.

Me: More importantly stop the Golden Age of Piracy. If that age went through a rebirth it would mean a restart on everything we did over the last year.

Spade: It kind of already happened. With Rayleigh’s words as well as you two leaving the Marines.

Diana: *sigh* Anyway, that’s pretty much what happened. We haven’t seen Ace since until we left the Marines and went to find him.

Me: We’re going to alter his face and all to keep his identity a secret to everyone except for a few people. I trust you understand why?

They all nodded.

Diana: Now that the reunion business is settled, let’s get into what we called you here for Dragon. We have a new base in mind for you and we think you’d like it. Sarah? Please bring up the pictures.

With that, we came to forge an unofficial alliance with the Revolutionary Army with both Dragon and Sabo thanking us. While we had to decline Dragon’s offer of joining the army, he said they would always provide a home for us whenever we need it. It’s nice to know you’ve got a strong ally behind your back.

With all the careful planning, details, and passing on and making copies of important maps, pictures, and log poses (which I did by manipulating the electric waves), it took a full 2 days. After which we exchanged numbers so we can contact him directly should the need ever arise.

Diana: Remember Dragon. Unlike you and your army, we aren’t direct enemies with the World Government. So only call this number if you need help with Pirates, the Warlords, or something that won’t get us into some deep shit, ok?

Dragon: Everything we do gets us into some deep shit, but I’ll try to keep it to a minimum.

Diana: You better. Well, I think it’s time for us to leave now. Thank you Ivankov for hosting us so well. Your food was delicious and thank you for the recipes.

Sanji who was in the background: YOU GOT THE RECIPE!!?!

Me: Goodbye Dragon, Sabo, Ivankov. I dearly hope you don’t drag us down into your mess but judging that one of your chief officers is a sworn brother of our Nakama, I guess we’ll probably end up there anyway.

After last minute goodbyes as well as punching Sanji a couple of times to make sure he wouldn’t sneak aboard the Requiem, we left.

Sarah: Where to Captain?

Diana: Set course for Amazon Lily, we’re going to see Straw Hat.