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“So, his name is… Gol D. Ace… Our son… Our little boy.”
At that moment, Rouge really thought that she had used up all of her strength. That she would never get to see her little boy grow up. She had put everything into making sure that their baby would survive. That no one would find him, and there would be no connection to Roger. She couldn’t let her innocent baby suffer for the “sins” of his father. All his father ever wanted was a life of freedom away from this world, and the price of that had been paid for with his life. Roger had lived a good life. A life full of wonderful stories of adventure and life on the sea. He had lived his life to the fullest, and his legacy now lived on in the hearts of many. In the words that he had spoken within his final living moments, but also right within the small life that the two of them had created together.
One day, Rouge knew she would see it. She would see the anger and the hurt. The questions that her baby boy would have about his father. She knew he would hear many things. Rouge didn’t want to see that happen. Her son was innocent of it all. The only thing marring him was his lineage. Ace didn’t deserve that. Rouge could only do so much, but she knew she couldn’t shield him from the rest of the world either. He would hear things, and he would have his own feelings regarding that. All she could realistically do was be there.
She had to take it one day at a time, and she was going to do so with a smile on her face.
As Rouge watched Ace grow, she had started to notice that their son wasn’t much like his father at all. Though, she would start to see these small snippets of him that just screamed Roger. She saw it in his determination. In the way that Ace did what he wanted while still listening to her. The way that he would stare out longingly at the sea. Every single day, she watched him grow. Flourishing and burning brightly with each passing moment. He was a little flame that was slowly starting to become bigger and bigger. One day, he would be a raging inferno who could put his mind up to anything.
It had filled her with so much joy. Whenever she saw Ace smile and all she could see was Roger. Right down to the way that his eyes would light up. Ace was a happy child. Always so full of life and smiling so brightly. Even though Ace’s name was Gol D. at birth, Rouge knew in order to protect her child, he had to take on Portgas. She didn’t keep anything a secret from him. Though, she did omit a few details for the sake of his age.
Every single day, they would go outside of her little cliff-side home and she would watch him look out to the sea. Ace’s curious gaze would follow the waves. How he would close his eyes and take in a deep breath. It was like the sea calmed him. They would tend to the flowers outside of the home. Run around and play. Ace shined. He was the small flickering flame at the end of the tunnel that kept her going. All she had to do was look at him and a smile would come to her face.
The first time she heard it, she had been filled with so much pride. Ace’s desire to go out on the sea and make a name for himself. At the same time, it terrified her. She knew the darkness of the world. A part of her wanted her baby to stay with her and remain safe and concealed from the world, but she knew Roger too. That yearning to go out and travel the world absolutely came from Roger. She couldn’t deny her sweet boy of that.
As he continued to grow, Rouge had started to notice it. The contempt. The anger. Even though he was trying to hide it from her, she could see it clearly. Maybe it was because she was his mother. He was starting to grow angrier by the day. They could not speak of Roger in town. A lot of people on Baterilla blamed Roger for what happened instead of the actual people responsible. They cursed Roger’s name. Called him every single name under the sun. Rouge knew that Ace had heard every single one. He would be perfectly fine and then suddenly, it changed. It was like a switch had been flipped and she would see the anger, hurt, and loathing in her son’s eyes. He was not to blame for what Roger and her did. They made the choice to bring him into this world. Ace didn’t know what Roger had done, but he knew of him.
That was when the fights started.
Ace had started lashing out at every single person who dared to speak ill of Roger. That was definitely a trait that he had gotten from his father. Roger would never stand by as one of his loved ones was spoken badly against, and he never ran from a fight. Ace was showing that. Rouge would practically have to pry him away from it to get him to stop. Carry him away kicking and screaming as he declared that he would knock the words out of the mouth of the person.
The more she watched him, the more that Rouge became concerned. Her little embering flame looked like it was attempting to snuff out, or he was ready to combust.
She didn’t want him to grow up with resentment. Fall down a path that would surely take him somewhere dark. Ace even took to locking himself in his room or going off on his own to cool off. She had to admit that her son was a little hotheaded. She would usually find him in the same spot, sitting on the cliffside and looking out towards the sea.
She didn’t see much of Roger in him, but those were the times that she did.
Rouge knew that she needed to do something about it.
She just didn’t know what.
She had sat on it for days. Trying to find just the right thing to say to her son. It happened again. Rouge had found him right on that cliffside with his legs pulled to his chest as he glared out towards the sea. Rouge stood there for a moment watching her son. She blamed herself for Ace’s pain. She had to be very careful with what she told him whenever he was younger. It was all to protect him. Maybe it hadn’t been the right choice, but after thinking about it, she knew the only thing she could do.
“Mom?” Rouge stepped forward as she heard the soft tone of Ace’s voice. She could hear the emotion laced in it. It made her chest tighten for a moment as her need to comfort him washed over her. “Was it good that I was born?”
Rouge was completely thrown off by that question. It made her heart shatter instantly. Was her son questioning if it was bad that he was born? “Oh, sweetheart,” Rouge murmured as she got over to him and slowly sat down next to him on the cliffside, “what makes you say that?”
Ace was still glaring out at the sea. He looked so… upset. Rouge reached out, carefully moving some of her son’s hair out of his face and tucking it behind his ear. Ace didn’t move his gaze, but she could see the change in his body. “All those people…” Ace started as his voice trailed for a second. It was like he was trying to gather his thoughts. “They always say that any child of his should be dead.”
She had heard that before. It had angered her too. Only, Rouge couldn’t say anything without putting her own son at risk. All she could do was walk away. “Honey,” Rouge murmured as she reached over and curled her arm over his shoulder. “They only know the man that the world made them believe,” that prompted Ace to finally look over at him. Rouge smiled softly as she started to move more of his hair out of his face. “They didn’t know the real him.”
“It’s all his fault,” Ace growled, shaking his head, “You almost died because of him,” Ace sounded so angry and hurt. Rouge just let him speak. Ace needed to get the words out. No matter what they were. “So many people died because of him,” Ace curled up a bit, tucking his nose into his arms. “Because of me,” Rouge felt her blood run cold from hearing that statement. Ace blamed himself for the actions of the World Government? Ace’s eyes were flaring. The loathing she would see. It wasn’t at others, it was at himself. “The things they say,” Ace went on to say as he looked away once more and back out to the sea, “was he… was he really a monster?”
Rouge laughed softly, shaking her head. “Not at all,” she stated. “Misunderstood is the better answer,” she smiled a bit more as she looked out to the sea. “The life of a pirate is a dangerous one. The world does not like whenever someone truly wants to be free. He wanted to know everything that this world had to offer, and he did.”
“He did?” Ace questioned as more of the curiosity came to his face. His attention had moved back to her as Rouge let her smile get a bit bigger.
“He did,” Rouge stated, “and it was not your fault,” Ace looked away again, and Rouge could see the look swimming to life in his eyes. “The world feared him,” Ace’s hands curled up and Rouge reached out and placed her free hand onto his, “they feared him because they couldn’t control him.”
Ace’s attention had completely moved from the sea and to her. She dropped her arms as he shifted to face her more as he shook his head. “He was the Pirate King,” Ace murmured, “the worst criminal in history.”
“That is true,” Rouge replied, “but he was also one of the kindest men I have ever known,” she smiled again, brushing her finger over his cheek. “Roger had a dream. He dreamed of seeing every island in the world. Sailing the entire Grand Line. And he did it,” Roger had told her many things about his adventures. His life on the sea. She could remember every single one of them so clearly. The one thing she always remembered was his smile. “Everyone called him crazy. They said it couldn’t be done, and he proved them all wrong.”
Rouge had started speaking. Telling Ace of Roger’s adventures. Starting from the beginning of Roger’s life in Loguetown to his desire to go out onto the sea. How he met his nakama. The friends that he had made along the way. The rivals that he had. Everything. Ace watched her enchanted. Taking in every single word that she was saying.
She told him of the Oro Jackson and the Roger Pirates. All the islands that they would go to and the hijinks that they would get up too. Suddenly, questions were coming her way. Asking her more. She told him of his determination and his desires. His dreams and unwavering loyalty. She told him of the God Valley Incident where Roger had teamed up with Monkey D. Garp to take down the Rocks Pirates. She told him of his rivalry with Whitebeard that turned into a mutual respect among pirates. Both of those had shocked Ace instantly. Still, he kept asking for more. His curious questions continued the more that she got into the story.
“If he was that strong…” Ace murmured as he shook his head, “how did he get caught?” Rouge just simply laughed and it had completely caused Ace to stop. His eyes widened as he whispered, “what’s so funny, Mom?”
“That’s where the World Government lied,” Rouge started with a smile, “Roger was never caught.”
The confusion immediately came to Ace’s face as he shook his head. “But… He was executed in Loguetown.”
“He was,” Rouge replied, “but he didn’t get captured,” she smiled a bit more as she looked out to the sea. “He turned himself in.”
When she looked back to Ace, she saw the completely dumbfounded look on his face. He didn’t believe her. “That’s… Why would he do that?”
“Because of his love,” Rouge stated. Ace inhaled sharply as his eyes widened again. “His love for his nakama… His love for me…” she reached out, caressing at Ace’s face, “and his love for you.”
“I don’t understand,” Ace whispered. “If he was so strong… Why didn’t he just fight? Why would he turn himself in?”
Rouge smiled softly, swiping her thumb over Ace’s freckle dusted cheek. “Your father had a serious terminal illness,” Rouge admitted. Ace sucked in a breath as he shook his head but did not speak. “He was dying.”
“He was…” Ace started in a soft voice, “dying?”
Rouge nodded. “Yeah, he was,” she whispered, “and he spent every single day viewing life for what it was. The beauty of the world and everything that inhabited it,” she stopped for a second as she reached out for her son’s hand and took a hold of it. “When I discovered I was pregnant, we had one final night. He gave me your name. You were named after the very sword that he used to protect those around him.”
“I was?” Ace questioned.
Rouge nodded again as her smile grew fonder. “Your name holds power itself,” Rouge stated, “and Roger left you with a legacy of love and companionship. He didn’t leave you the legacy that the world wants you to believe,” she smiled a bit more as she started to see the change in Ace’s eyes. It had completely blown him away. “He wanted his nakama… Us… He wanted us to be able to live in peace. So, he turned himself in. They couldn’t find the rest of the Roger Pirates. They all went into hiding because they can’t admit that they didn’t actually catch his nakama. You know of his apprentices. They have become quite the Captains themselves.”
“Red-Haired Shanks and Buggy the Clown,” Ace stated, “they are in the news.”
“They are. Roger’s legacy lives on in you… and in every single pirate in this world. Roger’s legacy means freedom.” Rouge replied, “Roger would be so proud,” she touched Ace's cheek again with a fond smile on her face. “He was the type of man that even if he was hated… He would still stand there with a smile on his face. That was the kind of man he was. He loved the thrill. He loved the sea… And he loved those around him. There was nothing that he wouldn’t do for those he loved.”
Ace looked down for a second and Rouge saw that the emotion was starting to overcome her son again. “All this time… The world just lied,” Ace looked back at her as he shook his head, “I don’t want to be known as his son. I don’t want his name.”
“And you won’t be,” Rouge replied as Ace’s eyes widened again. “You are not Roger. You are Ace,” Ace’s gaze didn’t move away from her as she smiled even more. “It’s okay to be angry. It’s okay to be hurt… But your name is your own. Roger did what he did because he wanted you to be able to live your life in the way that you please. So whatever you do, the choice will be yours.”
In that moment, she saw something sparking to life within him. Ace stood up and Rouge watched him closely as he turned his gaze out towards the sea. “I want the world to know my name,” Ace went on to say, “I don’t want to be known for being his son. I want to be known as… Portgas D. Ace,” Ace’s eyes were glittering. The fire was back in his eyes as he kept looking over the sea, “I want to live life the way I want too. To travel the seas and make my own mark on this world. I will prove that I can be just as strong as he is, but as my own person.”
Rouge felt her smile getting bigger as the pride took over. She watched Ace’s eyes light up. The dream started to come to life within him. The fire was starting to rekindle and was burning brighter than before. They still had a long way to go, but she could feel the relief of knowing that Ace was forming his own dream.
Free of Roger.
Free of the world.
Just for a split second, whenever she blinked, she saw Roger standing there with a bright smile on his face and bellowing out a deep laugh. Whenever she blinked again, it was once again Ace standing there. They were so different, but so much alike at the same time. That smile was Roger’s. That determination that he had belonged to him. She knew he could do it. Rouge was going to wait for the day Ace would make his mark. He was already so strong in her eyes.
It was his own dream.
And that… was exactly what Roger would have wanted, and Rouge couldn’t be happier.