The Thousand Sunny rocked gently with the rhythm of the ocean, warm sunlight spilling across the main deck while the sails snapped overhead in the sea breeze. Most of the crew had scattered off doing their own thing—Usopp and Chopper arguing over some ridiculous invention near the railings, Sanji hiding in the kitchen muttering about lunch preparations, while Robin lounged nearby with another stack of books balanced neatly beside her chair.

And right in the middle of the deck sat you.

One boot rested on the bench while the other dangled lazily over the side, black skirt shifting with the wind as you flipped calmly through one of Robin’s history books. Crimson hair spilled over your shoulders in messy waves, matching eyes scanning the pages with quiet focus. Your onyx-painted nails tapped idly against the paper.

The orange cowboy hat resting on your head tilted low over your glowing eyes.

Honestly, you’d found it abandoned in the kitchen this morning.

Finders keepers.

Simple.

“…I KNOW I left it around here somewhere!”

A loud voice echoed from below deck followed by stomping footsteps.

You didn’t bother looking up.

A second later, Portgas D. Ace emerged onto the deck looking frustrated, shirtless as usual, freckles dusted across his face while he scanned the Sunny with narrowed eyes. His necklace clinked softly as he turned his head—

—and froze.

His entire expression flattened.

“…No way.”

Robin peeked over the edge of her book knowingly.

You turned another page.

Ace pointed directly at you. “That’s my hat.”

Silence.

You flipped another page.

“That,” Ace repeated slower, “is my hat.”

You finally glanced up at him beneath the brim. “Funny. I found it in the kitchen.”

“Because I put it there.”

“Mhm.”

“…So give it back.”

“No.”

Luffy, who had apparently appeared out of nowhere, gasped dramatically. “OOOH.”

Ace stared at you for a second before sighing through his nose and walking closer. “C’mon. I’ve been searching all day.”

“And now your search is over,” you replied smoothly. “Congratulations.”

Robin hid a smile behind her hand.

Ace crouched slightly beside the bench, eyeing you suspiciously. “You always this annoying?”

“Only with people I like.”

That caught him off guard for half a second.

Then he smirked.

“Yeah? Good thing I don’t mind trouble.”

“Oh, I noticed.”

Before you could react again, Ace suddenly leaned forward, hand darting toward the brim of the hat.

Fast.

But not fast enough.

Red energy exploded outward in swirling ribbons of chaotic light.

The air warped violently.

Ace’s fingers closed around empty space.

A burst of heat flashed across the deck as your body vanished—

—and reappeared behind him.

Floating upside down.

Your crimson hair drifted weightlessly around your face while scarlet chaos energy spiraled down your arms like smoke. The hat somehow remained perfectly balanced on your head despite gravity itself clearly giving up around you.

The sudden shift in pressure made the wooden deck creak.

Even the air felt strange.

Heavy.

Ace slowly turned—

—and nearly slammed directly into your face.

You hovered inches from him upside down, eyes glowing beneath the orange brim.

“It’s rude to sneak up on a lady, Portgas.”

For a moment Ace forgot how to breathe.

Your devil fruit powers always felt unsettling to witness. Reality itself bent around you unpredictably, like the world couldn’t decide what rules still applied when you were nearby. The shadows stretched wrong behind you. The sunlight flickered strangely against your skin.

Ace swallowed once before grinning despite himself.

“Oh,” he murmured, voice lower now, “so that’s how you wanna play?”

Your smile sharpened.

Red energy pulsed brighter.

“Careful,” you whispered. “You might lose more than your hat.”

Behind you, Luffy was absolutely losing his mind laughing while Usopp screamed something about cursed pirate magic.

Robin simply turned another page in her book.

“Interesting,” she said softly.

Ace never took his eyes off you.

Neither of you noticed the hat had started floating too.