A quiet alley stretched between rows of sun-baked buildings in Nanohana. Amid the bustle of the port town, one trio moved deliberately through the shaded path—Zino at the lead, with Chloris and Moris walking closely behind.
The two smaller figures were bundled in thick cloaks, faces hidden beneath hoods to avoid drawing too much attention. Even among the heat of Alabasta, they looked almost like travelers from the North.
Zino handed out two glass bottles, condensation already forming on the sides. "Here. Drink. It's cold."
Chloris took the bottle eagerly, uncapping it with a soft hiss. She took a long sip, her eyes lighting up. "Mmm! This is sweet... and cold! Thanks, Captain."
Moris sniffed his own bottle curiously, then mimicked her movements. "Cold," he muttered in a small voice, still practicing new human words.
Zino gave a small smirk. "You're both doing good. Just don't wander off."
As they turned the next corner, someone else entered the alley from the opposite side. A tall, tan-skinned man strolled casually with a traveler's bag slung over his shoulder. He wore only open pants, a wide belt, and a beaded necklace. A distinctive hat sat on his head, decorated with a grinning and frowning face emblem. His dagger glinted at his side.
Portgas D. Ace.
Zino's eyes narrowed as he spotted the man. His eyes gleamed, feeling a bit surprised to see this guy. So, he is really here, thought Zino.
Then, he frowned. There was something oddly irritating about his presence. His brows furrowed instinctively, though he couldn't explain why. It wasn't hostility… just something unexplainably annoying.
Ace, on the other hand, barely glanced at first, but as he passed, something about Zino pulled his attention back. His gut churned—not with fear, but with the kind of discomfort one gets when sensing another lion in the same territory.
He stopped walking and turned. "Hey. Who are you?"
Zino, who had also stopped, slowly turned his head. "Huh? You talking to me? Who are you?"
Ace raised a brow. "I asked first. Don't dodge."
Zino frowned, stepping forward. "So what? You ask but don't answer? You sound like an uneducated brat."
Ace's eyes flared. "What did you say?!"
By now, the two men were facing each other squarely, standing just a few feet apart. The air felt like it shifted around them—Ace's natural heat meeting Zino's icy aura.
"You got a problem, hat-boy?" Zino said, rolling up his sleeves, his expression clearly annoyed.
"I think you're the one looking for a problem, cloak-boy." Ace responded, cracking his knuckles.
From behind, Chloris tugged nervously at Zino's sleeve. "Umm... should we really be fighting strangers in a foreign country?"
Moris, standing beside her, silently copied her motion, his bottle still clutched in one hand as he blinked up at the rising tension between the two men.
For a brief moment, the alley fell quiet.
Then—without a word—both Zino and Ace moved.
Their fists shot forward at the same time, acting entirely on instinct. A violent shockwave burst out as their punches collided in the center, sending a sharp gust down the alley. Sparks of fire clashed against a glint of frost, scattering embers and frostflakes alike in a swirling spray.
Chloris and Moris got swept by the strong gust, stumbling a few meters away from Zino. Fortunately, both of them are not injured.
Ace's eyes narrowed. *That was… ice?*
Across from him, Zino's lips curled into a slow grin. *So that's why this guy pissed me off… I forget he's fire, the opposite of ice.*
The realization dawned on both of them in the same breath—this wasn't just a personality clash. Their elemental powers were naturally opposed. Neither needed to speak it aloud. Their instincts were louder than words.
Ace stepped forward, his muscles coiling.
"Hiken!" (*Fire Fist!*)
Flames surged from his fist as he threw a blazing punch, the fire erupting into a torrent as it roared down the alley.
Zino's body responded automatically, his own arm glowing with a chill aura.
"Hyouken!" (*Ice Punch!*)
A jagged burst of cold erupted from his strike, the punch was shaped by ice. The air itself seemed to crackle from the pressure.
The two elemental attacks surged toward each other—flame and frost—meeting just before the fists themselves could.
BOOM!
An enormous explosion detonated between them, not from physical contact, but from the raw clash of extreme heat and cold. Steam and smoke exploded outward, filling the alley and spilling into the nearby streets in thick waves. The ground beneath cracked from the sudden expansion and contraction, and windows nearby rattled from the force.
Civilians across the block turned in horror at the sound.
"Pirates are fighting!"
"Get back! It's Devil Fruit users!"
"Run for it!"
Panic spread through the district as people scattered from the source of the explosion. Market stalls were abandoned, shopkeepers ducked behind counters, and guards hesitated, unsure if they were even equipped to intervene.
In the middle of the chaos, two figures stood at the heart of the blast zone. The smoke cleared just enough to show Ace and Zino, still standing tall, unharmed, but clearly fired up.
Ace adjusted his hat, expression unreadable. "Hmph. Not bad, ice boy."
Zino exhaled slowly, his breath fogging slightly in the air around him. "Same to you, fire punk."
From behind the corner, Chloris peeked nervously through the steam. "Ca-Captain… you good?"
Zino didn't glance back. "Yeah. Just met someone annoying."
Ace scratched the back of his head, his irritation cooling off. "You're not so bad… just really irritating."
Zino let out a small chuckle. "Likewise."
For a few seconds, the tension between them lingered in the air, thick like the mist still rising from their elemental clash. Neither man smiled, but their postures relaxed. That one exchange—one fiery, icy punch—was enough to size each other up. And it earned them something rare: mutual respect.
Their fists had spoken louder than any insult.
After a beat, Ace raised an eyebrow and asked, "So… who the hell *are* you anyway?"
Then he blinked, remembering that very question had started their scuffle in the first place.
"I'm Ace," he added quickly. "Portgas D. Ace."
Zino nodded in acknowledgment. "Zino. Monkey D. Zino."
Ace's eyes narrowed slightly. "Monkey D.… Zino?"
The name triggered something in his memory. He paused, squinting as if the answer would appear in the air. Then it hit him like a lightning bolt.
"Wait—you're Luffy's brother?!"
"No. I'm not his brother." Zino shook his head. "I'm his cousin."
Ace's eyes lit up with amusement and excitement. "Well, that makes you my little brother too, then."
Zino blinked. "What? No. Luffy's surname is Monkey, and yours is Portgas. That's mean you are not a relative."
"Well, we are not blood brother." Ace laughed. "But, do you know? When Luffy and I were kids, we made a pact. We swore an oath to become brothers. Sabo too. Even if we don't share blood, we're bound by it."
Zino's expression didn't change much—he already knew that part. He'd heard the stories. Still, something deeper stirred within him.
"Funny," Zino said. "You and him are not related by blood… but it's different story for you and me."
Ace blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"You said your surname is Portgas, right?"
"…Yeah," Ace replied, cautious now.
Zino's eyes met his. "My mother's name was Portgas D. Reya."
"What!?"
Ace's eyes widened, staring at Zino in utter disbelief. His face turned blank, rising stunned expression.
"R-Really? Your mom's surname is Portgas?" he asked, almost stumbling over his words.
Zino gave a simple nod. "Yeah. Portgas D. Reya. That's what I was told—and what I confirmed."
Ace's lips moved silently, repeating the name to himself. "Portgas D. Reya…"
His brow furrowed as he tried to process the information. "So… wait, does your mom know my mom?"
"Your mom?" Zino raised an eyebrow.
"Her name was Portgas D. Rouge," Ace said quietly. For a moment, a rare softness passed through his voice.
Zino paused, then shook his head. "No. My mom was an orphan. She didn't even know who her parents were. She grew up alone."
"I see…" Ace's voice dropped, a little more solemn now. He glanced down, his mind wandering as he absorbed the pieces of the past—pieces he never knew existed.
Then, a wide grin spread across his face. "Well, that means we are cousins. Real blood family, and brothers."
Zino narrowed his eyes. "Tch. Who said I want to be your brother? Just looking at you make me feel irritated."
"Come on now. I feel irritated too!" Ace grinned even wider. "But it's fine, little bro. That's what makes family fun, right?"
"Huuh? Who's your little bro?"
"You are younger than me. So, little bro, right?" Ace was smiling widely, walking over and throwing an arm around Zino's neck.
"Get off me." Zino scoffed but didn't resist too hard. There was a flicker of something in his eyes—a warmth he hadn't expected from this chaotic meeting. Deep down, he could feel it too. A connection. A strange sense of family tie.
For Ace, who'd spent his life questioning his place in the world, the idea of having *real* family—even one as feisty as Zino—was like finding a piece of himself he didn't know was missing.
"I never thought I'd meet someone who shares the Portgas blood," Ace said, a bit softer now. "It's kind of… nice."
Zino didn't respond right away. He stood quietly for a moment, letting out a long sigh. "Whatever… just help me get rid of this irritating feeling."
Ace grinned and shrugged. "I would, if I knew how. But honestly, I kinda get it. Our elements just don't get along."
They both shared a small chuckle, the earlier tension now settled into something more relaxed—like a spark of brotherhood forming between fire and ice.
Then Ace blinked as if remembering something. "Oh right—have you seen Luffy around?"
Zino tilted his head. "Nope. Why do you ask?"
"It's already time for him to start his journey," Ace said, folding his arms. "I expected to at least hear rumors of him by now. A little brother like that… should've already caused some trouble."
Zino paused, his expression unreadable. The situation was already different from the original story. He, Zino, had unknowingly taken many of the paths Luffy was supposed to tread. As a result, Luffy hadn't earned any bounty yet, or at best, one so small and unnoteworthy that even Ace hadn't heard of him.
"I wouldn't count on news," Zino said simply.
Ace nodded, accepting that. "Well, I guess I'll know when I know."
Then, he took off his signature hat and reached inside its lining. From a hidden fold, he pulled out a small, weathered piece of paper. He held it out to Zino.
"Here. Take this."
Zino raised a brow but accepted the paper. "What's this?"
"That's a *Vivre Card*," Ace explained. "It's a special kind of paper. It always points toward its owner, no matter where they are. And if it starts to burn or crumble, it means I'm in trouble."
Zino stared at the card, now sitting gently in his palm. "Why are you giving me this?"
Ace smiled, the sunlight catching his freckled face. "Because I have a feeling we'll meet again. And well… if something happens, you'll know."
Zino looked at him for a moment, then quietly tucked the Vivre Card into his coat. "Fine. I'll keep it."
Ace stepped back, slipping his hat on again. "Alright then. Time for me to get moving."
"Where to?" Zino asked, casually.
Ace's face darkened just slightly, but his tone stayed calm. "I'm on a hunt. A subordinate of mine—he committed the worst crime a crewmate could. He killed another member of our crew… and ran."
Zino's eyes narrowed. "And?"
"He's calling himself Blackbeard now," Ace said. "But I knew him as Teach. As commander, it's my duty to bring him to justice."
The air turned heavy for a brief moment. Zino didn't respond, sensing how personal this was for Ace.
"…I see."
Ace forced a smile again. "Well, that's my business. For now, you just go on with your business. Maybe next time we meet, we'll have a proper rematch."
He turned to leave, raising a hand in farewell. "Alright then, little bro. See you around."
"Oi!" Zino snapped, mildly annoyed. "I told you, I'm not your little brother!"
Ace laughed heartily, already walking away. "Too late! You are already my little bro!"
Zino watched him go, a quiet smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. Despite their clash, he could feel it—Ace was someone worth respecting.
And now, their paths were tied… even if just by a piece of paper.