Chapter 3

"What are we gonna do!?" Justin questioned in full panic mode. He was closed to making himself bald as he pulls his hair.

"I-I... We..." I have gone to the point that I was stuttering. Justin's panic was contagious. My mind was not working. How would I explained this incident to my mother without her being angry?

"I can leave." Ace suggested.

"No!" Justin and I yelled simultaneously.

"We can hide him?" Justin suggested also.

"No. Sooner or later, we will need to reveal him." I discarded the idea.

"What are we gonna do!?" Justin repeated his statement earlier but now, it was much more louder.

A tensed silence for a while. My brain was not working properly. Maybe because my fever had worsen. My head still throbs as headache ensured.

I let out a heavy sigh. We need to use the last option. "Come on, we've gotta introduce Ace to Mom."

Justin's mouth has dropped open. "Have you gone nuts!? Mom would kicked him out without second thought!"

"Your Mom's nice, isn't she?" Ace asked.

"No." Justin and I deadpanned. Our mother has a prickly tongue. Not shy speaking what was on her mind. I hated to say this but she got me embarrassed over a hundred times already.

Ace raised both his brows at that.

"Tala! Justin! Please help me out here!"

That was our mother's voice yelling.

"Come on now... Justin backed me up." I sighed in defeat.

"Sure... Tala."

The three of us went downstairs once again. My heart was throbbing so hard feeling nervous. I know, I should not be nervous around my mother but this time is different. I have to make her believe that Ace was a fictional character from my favorite anime series. Mom do not know Ace which make this much more harder than I thought. The only character he knew in One Piece is Luffy. I would be lucky if after this, I would not end up with an appointment with a psychiatrist.

We arrived at the kitchen again. Mom was already there putting every she has bought for our today's dinner. She wore an apron but beneath she was still wearing her uniform. Garlic and onion was in the corner. She was cutting some slices of meat in the cutting board. She was looking calmer today because most days she was annoyed because of how her students stressed her out.

"Hey, you two." Mom had finally acknowledged our presence. She then turned to faced us. And the first thing she noticed was sthe strange man besides us. "Who's -"

"Mom." I interrupted her before she could finished her statement. "This is Portgas D. Ace. A character from One Piece- as you know, our favorite anime series."

A pregnant silence emerged. Mom's eyes suddenly twitched and stared at us with wide shock. Her mouth dropped open as she glared at her children. Justin and I braced ourselves. We have seen this coming.

"Tala Crystalline, Justin Mel! You have exactly one minute to explain what was going on here and why did you let a stranger inside our house without my permission!?'

I gulped. Mom was already mad and I have still need to do a lot of explaining.

"Mom, Ace is a character from One Piece -" I said.

"He's Luffy's brother!" Justin interrupted. Kind of helpful considering Luffy was the only character she knew in One Piece.

"- he appeared in my room earlier."

Mom was still not amused. She was glaring at me with sheer fury. I cannot blame her if she was acting like this. This is the most unbelievable thing that ever happened to us.

"Wait until your father hears this! Do you actually think -"

And then a grease fire started to happen. I turned my eyes into the stove. A sharp flame started to appear in the burning pan. Of all the times for this to happen.

Ace was the first one to react. He immediately ran to the stove and closed it. He get the burning pan.

"Know how to smother this?" Ace asked still holding the burning pan.

"How is he not flinching with that heat!?" My Mom exclaimed.

I did not get the chance to reply to her. I quickly went to the cabinet and get a lid. I put it in the pan and the fire swiftly smother. I let out a sigh of relief.

"Phew..." Justin also sighed. 

Ace then put the pan back to the stove. "Try not to forget about your cooking next time, I guess."

"Who... Who are you?" Mom started to ask. Sheer curiosity laid in her voice.

"Name's Portgas D. Ace, Ma'am." Ace introduced himself as politely as he can. I remember him taking manners and etiquettes lessons from Makino so he can thanks Shanks. Seems like it did paid off.

"He's made of fire. Watch." Justin said to our mother. He get a knife from the table and look at Ace asking for his permission. Ace nodded.

"Justin, don't -" Mom stopped mid sentence.

Justin then threw the knife at Ace.

Fire erupted when the knife hits the shoulders of Ace. Of course, the knife just passed through him. Ace was made of fire after he ate a Devil Fruit: Mera Mera no mi. It was a logia type. Logia was known as the strongest type of Devil Fruit.

"This is some kind of a sick joke..." Mom mouthed. Her eyes were wide still staring at the body of Ace that was unharmed.

"It's the real deal, Mom. Ace's made of fire." I explained patiently.

"And why's that?"

"'Cause he ate a Devil Fruit!" Justin exclaimed.

"A devil- what?" Mom echoed.

"Devil Fruit." I repeated and then I groaned. "You don't know about that... I've gotta explain it to you later 'kay?"

Mom looked unsure before nodding. "So you told me that he's a fictional character..."

"He is. Ya know, One Piece? He's Luffy's older brother." Justin explained.

"He magically appeared in my room earlier while I was drawing." I explained.

"Magically?" Mom snorted.

I groaned again. "I don't know how and why was he here..."

Mom then started to stare at Ace. She asked me something. "Isn't he the guy you've been fangirling about?"

I groaned while I smacked my head. Cannot help but to blushed. Mom really embarrassed me real good. Justin was stifling a laughter but he failed miserably. Ace raised his brows again. 

"Yes..." I just confirmed in embarrassment.

"Is that your father's shirt?" Mom asked again.

I sighed. "It do fits him. No problem at all."

"If you say so..." Mom turned at Ace. "I guess I need to introduced myself. My name is Liza. It's very nice to meet you..."

"Ace." Ace answered.

"Ace." Mom echoed his name. "This is all surreal but I'll try getting used to it. Dinner's at seven but I can do a meal for you if you want."

"I'm full, Ma'am. But thank you."

"Sure." Mom nodded. "Justin, escort him to the guest's room."

"I would rather stay here, Ma'am."

"Are you sure? You look tired." Mom said in concern.

Even Justin and I was concerned. He was alright physically but emotionally and mentally, I am not so sure. He was at Marineford before he got here. He saw his brothers fight their way for him. He saw them die and he cannot do anything but to watch.

"Yes."

"Okay..." Mom turned back to what she was cooking.

After that, we sat in the dining table's chair eating the popcorn Justin made earlier. I drank my medicines. I felt very nauseous and had a headache but I cannot lie in my bed. I still have Ace in our midst. I have to introduced him to Dad to finished dthis incident.

Speaking of Dad...

"Mom?" I called.

"Yes, honey?" Mom answered. She was already sauteing the garlic and onion and the aroma was very mouth watering.

"Uh, what are we gonna say to Dad?"

The only thing that was heard from the kitchen was the sound the food Mom was making. Mom and I stared at each other. Not knowing what was the answer to my question.

"Your problem, your solution." Mom turned back to her cooking.

"Moooom!" Justin whined.

"I don't know, honey." Mom shook her head. "But I guess you'll convince him right away."

I hope so too. I prepared myself for the worst.

• • •

"I'm home!" Dad's deep voice resounded in the kitchen.

Just less than fifteen minutes when I explained this whole ordeal to Mom. Now, here comes my father who came home from work. I tensed up a little as nervousness struck me once again. I let a deep sigh out and readied myself for the worst.

"Seems like your Dad's home early." Mom stated. She was looking at the door frame where Dad will emerge a few seconds later. She was scrubbing a plate to make it shine.

"In a normal day, I would be happy. But that day's not the day..." Justin mumbled dryly.

I cannot helped but to agree. Ace was calm and acts very casually. He was still eating popcorn like there was no tomorrow.

That was when Dad entered the kitchen with a bright smile. He was wearing a plain navy blue T-shirt and loose denim pants. He looks cool overall. His eyes immediately landed on me.

"Sweetheart, you feeling better now?" Dad asked with a wide grin. He put his hands on my forehead to check my temperature.

"Yes, Dad." I managed to gave him a smile. "Now, please stop. We have guest."

"Guest?" Dad blinked rapidly. "Who's -"

His eyes then landed on Ace who was sitting in the other side of the table. Dad stared at him for the longest time with a surprise look. Ace on the other hand was neutral. His face did not show any emotion but I can feel that he was very uncomfortable.

Dad then let out a heavy sigh as he announced. "Anyone has a good explanation about this?"

"Ask your children, honey." Mom said unhelpful at all.

"Dad, this is Portgas D. Ace. Ace, this is my father, Jhun Ramirez." I stated in monotone.

To say that this moment was awkward, was an understatement.

"Nice to meet you,... Sir." Ace said with firm voice and polite tone. He raised his hand in a form of a handshake.

"The pleasure's all mine." Dad gripped Ace's hand and shake it pretty hard.

"Uh..." I was speechless. My father did not show any confusion, anger, or any emotion I expected from him. I did not even expect him to be this friendly! He was not demanding what was going on like beforehand with Mom and Justin.

"Y-You're just fine with this, Dad...?" Justin questioned. Mouth agape as he only stare.

"Well, I just have to ride with your joke, right? Now who's he really." Dad said with a slight frown.

Okay, it seems that he was not convinced and think we were only joking.

"Dad, he's Ace! The one you've had watched back then when you watched the One Piece with us!" Justin yelled trying to reason out.

Months ago, Dad was with us when Justin and I rewatched the Marineford arc that was saved in our laptop. It was our favorite arc after all. He find it an interesting to watched and like the characters especially Ace. But still, we didn't convinced him to watch the rest of One Piece.

"Any proof?" Dad said. He get a cigarette from his pocket. He also get a lighter but it seemed to not work.

Ace then just snapped his fingers then Dad's cigar was lit up. He blinked up before he looked at Ace again with shock this time. Hadn't Ace done the same with Sanji one time?

"What the..." Dad mumbled and then looked at Ace again with wide eyes. "You're kidding me..."

"He's the real deal, Dad." Justin shrugged.

Dad eyed Ace with renewed interest and curiosity. "He's the guy with fire powers?"

"Fire's not just my powers." Ace said. "I am fire."

"Hmm... Is that my polo T-shirt?" Dad asked.

I groaned. Is that the only thing my parents would noticed? I answered. "Yes."

"Okay..." Dad sat in one of the chairs and looked at us. "Let's discuss it over dinner, shall we?"

• • •- - -• • •

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~Star_Crystals ☆