My Own One Piece.

How I Got Here.

Aoi's POV

I yawned boardly. After my birthday, we finally left that damn winter island and everything was warm for me again. Unfortunately, that meant I could go back to my own room, meaning I couldn't fall asleep to Ace's snoring or heart beat. It was hard to sleep for a bit since I was used to Ace's night sounds.

And Ace and I went back to our normal duties since I didn't have to be directly at his side. Marco and I still trained hard, taking it up a notch everytime I caught up to the level Marco was giving me. Ace believed I was studying medical books and didn't know about Marco training me until I was sore almost every day.

Though Marco currently was out on a mission for Pops, so I was stuck in the library, reading up on various books. Not necessarily medical research, but still knowledge. Just stuff I needed to know.

I was currently reading a book on devil fruit. I found a section in the book on devil fruits only rumored to exist and probably didn't.

I scoffed at the last sentence on the page of the Water-Water fruit.

"Not possible to exist. Well, guess what, bitches." I scoffed out at the page. I yawned and stretched my stiff neck as I turned the page.

I stopped when I saw what was on it.

"The Rift-Rift Fruit. Believed to be able to tear a rift between dimensions to allow the user to travel to other dimensions. When returning to their own dimension, they can return at any point in time they wish." I read. I stared at the page, memorizing every detail of the fruit described. No matter how I looked at it, I knew. Whoever the user of the Rift-Rift Fruit was, they brought me here.

"But why?" I thought leaning back in my chair. I stared above me in to space.

"Ah." I groaned as another headache hit me. I've been getting these a lot recently. I grabbed my head and closed my eyes, waiting out the pain in my head, this time, I thought I saw a face.

"Shit. What is this?" I panted as the pain in my head subsided. I opened my eyes and was suprised to see a note in my book. I picked it up and read.

"So you figured it out, Aoi-chan. You want to know why? You want your questions answered? You are currently a two day's sail west of the island I am currently on. You are not heading towards it at the moment. The island is completely empty of all human life except for me. You want your answers? Come get me.
-the user of the Rift-Rift Fruit."

I stared at the note for a long time. I had to go after this user. What if they tried to send me back before I could save Ace? What if they tried to kill him?  What if they sent me back and erased me from everyone's memories?

No. I wouldn't let that happen. Ever. I was going to save Ace. They would have to kill me before they sent me back. I had to save Ace. He's the first person that's ever made me feel welcome. Like I belonged somewhere. I wasn't going to let anyone take that away. I wasn't going back.

"Aoi? Are you okay, you've been stairing at that paper for ten minutes." Ace's voice tore me from my thoughts.

"Huh?" I asked.

"I said you've been stairing at that paper for ten minutes. Are you okay?" Ace asked. I shut the book and stood, making sure the note was tucked away in the book.

"I need to talk to Pops." I said. I turned and walked as fast as I could out of the library, Ace following close behind me.

"Aoi, what is it? You look like you've seen a ghost." Ace said.

"In a sense I've been talking to one for half a year." I thought. I immediately shook the thought from my head.

"Pops will know what to do." I murmured. Ace grabbed my arm and forced me to stop.

"Aoi, tell me what's wrong. I don't like seeing you like this. What did the paper say?" He said. I drew in a sharp breath.

"Ace, do you trust me?" I asked. He stared down at me.

"Of course I trust you, Aoi." Ace said. I raised a hand to his cheek and stood on my toes and kissed him on the cheek.

"Then please, let me do this on my own." I said and made my escape. I hated doing that to him, not letting him know what was going on, leaving him in the dark like that. But as I learned from my whole life, somethings are better off left in the dark.

I headed towards the only place Pops would be at this time of day. His office. As I approached, I heard Marco talking to Pops inside. I knocked on the door.

"Come in." I heard Pops say from inside. I entered the room.

"Hm? Aoi? What is it?" Pops said.

"Today I found a letter left for me in a book." I said, holding up the letter.

"A letter?" Marco asked. Pops chuckled.

"Is Ace starting to leave love letters around for you?" Pops chuckled.

"It's not from anyone in the crew." I said. Both Marco and Whitebeard's faces dropped.

"Let me see." Pops said. I handed him the letter and let him read over it.

"Rift-Rift fruit? I've never heard of that devil fruit before." Marco said.

"Because it was only theorized to exist. But the fact that this letter showed up for me in the book, on the page of the Rift-Rift fruit I had just finished reading when I turned away for a second to talk to Ace means it's real. And apparently the user of the Rift-Rift fruit has something against me." I said.

"It says you have questions." Pops said.

"I have been confused about my sudden storm of headaches that have been coming in lately. I wondered if it was from my visions, but that can't be because it's never happened before. Who ever this Rift-Rift fruit user is, they know me, and they might know something about me that might relate to it." I said.

"You want to meet with this person?" Marco asked.

"Yes." I said.

"And if you meet them, what will you do?" Pops asked.

"I'll hear what it is they clearly want to tell me." I said.

"And after that?" Pops asked.

"That's up to them. If they want to fight, I'll give them a fight. If they just want to talk, then I'll talk." I said. Pops and Marco shared a look.

"Take Ace with you." Pops said. I remained silent for a bit.

"Aoi?" Marco asked.

"I think they want me to come alone." I said. Pops rested one of his giant hands on my shoulder.

"After the scare you gave us the last time you went off on your own, I don't think I'm ready to let you venture off on your own again. Not because I don't trust you, but because I'm worried about you." Pops said. I stared at my feet.

"I don't want anyone to get hurt because of me." I said. Pops tilted my chin up so I was looking him in the eyes.

"Daughter, please. Take Ace with you." He said. My heart writhed. If Ace went with me, then it was possible he'd find out the truth of my past. He'd never trust me again.

"Alright. If you think it's best." I agreed anyways.

"Then prepare to set out. You will leave after we finish filling Ace in on the situation." Pops said. I nodded and turned.

"And Aoi?" Pops called after me as I reached the door.

"Yes?" I asked.

"If Ace has to bring you back unconscious. I want it to be that way because it's midnight. Not because you're on the edge of life or death." Pops said.

"I'll do my best." I said and headed out to prepare for the mission.