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"Good job," Rouge said.
Ace looked up from where he was panting and laying flat on his back on the ground. "Yeah?" he asked.
"It was impressive." She held out her hand to help Ace up, and he took it. The fifteen-year-old could beat anyone he really set his mind to beating, except for three people - his mom, his grandma, and his shitty uncle. "Not many people can go toe to toe with me for more than a few seconds. You lasted a solid five minutes."
Rouge wasn't even sweating. What the fuck, mom?
"What the fuck, mom?" Ace said. He felt as though she needed to know. He grasped her hand with his and braced himself.
Snorting, Rouge pulled Ace to his feet. "You've been picking up Dadan's language haven't you?" she teased.
"That as all you!" Ace protested. "I bet Crocodile does the same thing!" Speaking of his older brother, Ace felt a small pang. He hadn't seen the other pirate since he was a kid. Reading the news and finding articles about him wasn't the same.
"He does not. He got that from your aunt Shakky, thank the Seas." Ruffling his hair, much to Ace's displeasure, Rouge admitted, "Buggy does though."
Ace perked up. "He does?"
"I would have sworn your dad's crew was not capable of raising children but Shanks and Buggy turned out alright." Ace bristled slightly at the mention of Roger, but relaxed again when Rouge continued right over it. "Speaking of, you should read today's paper."
"Am I going to have to read to Luffy what Shanks did?" Ace asked warily.
"Not today."
"Buggy was in the paper? Buggy?" Ace sounded incredulous. Rouge just grinned.
"Go find out what your brother got up to," she said. "Take a short break and then get back here. You've still got to get a handle on how my staff works."
"I can use the pipe just fine!" Ace protested. Rouge gave him a little shove.
"Be that as it may, I want you to know how my staff works, you little shit." Ace pouted but started heading over to their house. "Get some water in you!" Rouge shouted at his retreating back.