The Straw Hat Pirates stared wide-eyed at the gentle woman before them, who radiated a warm, maternal aura.
"She's beautiful!"
Ace said unhappily,
"Who said they were my friends?"
"Don't talk nonsense!"
At that moment, Rouge slowly descended the stairs and came before Luffy. Her eyes were gentle as she reached out to touch the Straw Hat on his head, but Luffy warily backed away two steps.
The scene left everyone puzzled, and Ace stared at his mother in confusion as well.
"Um, sorry. That was rude of me. I'm Ace's mother. My name is Portgas D. Rouge!"
After introducing herself, she looked at Luffy, who was watching her warily while clutching the Straw Hat on his head, and asked,
"Is that hat very important to you?"
"Of course! Shanks gave it to me! It's my most precious possession!"
"Shanks!"
The name seemed to remind Rouge of something, but she said nothing about it. Instead, she asked,
"What about you, little one? What's your name?"
"My name is Monkey D. Luffy, and I'm the man who will become the Pirate King!"
Just as Ace had been shocked, Rouge seemed to see something in this boy as well. Her eyes shifted slightly.
"I see. Monkey, D... So that's how it is. No wonder you look so familiar!"
After saying something that left everyone baffled, Rouge smiled happily like a young girl and said,
"Then, would you like to come to my house? I've prepared some cherry pie!"
"Cherry pie!!! It sounds delicious already!!!"
Everyone, including Ace, stared blankly at Luffy as he followed Rouge into the house. They looked at one another, then finally turned their eyes toward Ace.
"Um, why does it feel like you're the outsider here?"
Of course, no one voiced that thought.
At Ace's home, Ace