His mom had been a pirate! A captain at that and one strong enough to go toe to toe with the pirate king! And he had her freckles too! And Luffy had said he takes after her when Buggy had described her!
"Tell me more," he demands and he knows he sounds like one of the spoiled nobles from High Town but right now he doesn't care.
"I only spent a couple of months travelling with her and she was in mourning during those," Buggy tells him apologetically. "So I may not be the best person to ask. Especially since I was a kid back then."
"But you lived with her, right? So you must know something!"
"I know she was kind and didn't look down on me and Shanks, she actually took us seriously and even taught us a couple of fighting tricks. Oh, and how to cheat at cards too." Buggy smiles almost nostalgically. "I cleaned Gaban at poker twice in a row before he realized it, though Rayleigh made me return my winnings, apparently you are not supposed to swindle nakama."
Ace doesn't know how to play cards. It's not like they even have a deck.
"She ate like a normal person so I almost forgot she was a D but she reminded me every time she decided to go surfing between seakings during storms."
"What's surfing?"
"It's... it's like sailing but instead of a ship you only have a plank and you stand in it riding the waves. We managed to find hers in the wreckage, it had some dials, that's a technology from the grandline. Those allowed her to have some propulsion even without waves and go even faster. It was a death trap but she always said that she felt the freest when she was alone, surrounded by water and with the wind screaming in her ears."
It sounds amazing! Only the wind and the salt from the sea in your face, and the murmuring of the waves as the only sound for miles. It must be like standing on the edge of the sea cliff but even better.
"She used to wear a flower in her hair, a big, red one," Buggy bits his lips. "I think it was a hibiscus but I'm not completely sure. How she managed to keep it fresh with all the salt in the wind, I'll never know."
Sabo had stolen a book on plants, hadn't he? Maybe later Ace can go and look up what that flower is like. Can it be found in Dawn? Maybe he can get one. Luffy once put flowers in his hair when they were trying to disguise themselves so it's wouldn't be weird if Ace did it too, right? Oh well, if someone mocks him he'll just punch them.
"She sounds really cool," Sabo admits which duh, Ace's mom was the coolest. "No wonder Roger fell for her."
There's a squeak and Luffy's hand stretches out to cover Sabo's mouth. "We can't tell people Ace's dad was the pirate king!" he whispers loud enough for them all to hear. "It's a secret!"
"It's okay Luffy," Ace tells him before he can smoother Sabo. "Buggy knows, he used to sail with him."
"You were in the crew with the Pirate King? Wait, was Shanks in that crew too?" Luffy had already liked Buggy but now? Now Buggy will have a hard time getting away.
"Yup, we both were cabin boys in the Oro. Mopping the floors and running errands for the legends on board." There's something ugly in Buggy's voice and Ace wonders why. He had liked Roger so what had been the problem.
Sabo tucks at Buggy's sleeves to get his attention. "What does D mean? You keep saying it like it's important."
Oh yeah, he had said so hadn't he? That Ace's mom was a D.
"D is bullshit." Buggy nods sagely. "Look, your brothers here are Monkey D Luffy and Portgas D Ace, right?"
How does he know? Ace hadn't told him about his D.
"And Ace's parents were Portgas D Rouge and Gol D Roger, and yeah, that's the correct spelling, don't let the newspapers fool you." Then something dawns on him. "Oh fuck you are a double D! A D square! How on earth are you still alive?"
He looks like he wants an answer so Ace just shrugs. "I'm strong."
Buggy just shakes his head looking extremely troubled.
"So what?" Sabo is still curious about that D thing. "It's a family thing, isn't it?"
"Kind of but it's also a clear sign that someone is reckless and strong and fucking voracious. They are also very charismatic individuals that shape history for better or for worse." Buggy mutters something then that sounds like 'fucking Rocks' which makes no sense. "And they have zero, and I mean zero, survival instincts or common sense."
That's rude, Ace has some common sense. He elbows Sabo who is nodding along like Buggy is making sense.
"Oh and I used to have the theory that it was contagious since well Shanks. You are actually making a good case for it too, I'm sorry." He actually seems to mean it too and Sabo pouts, ha.
"That's boring," Luffy complains. "I want to hear more about pirates adventures."
"Not now Luffy," Sabo shushes him. "Well, they seem to be all pretty famous people, I mean we have the Pirate King and the Marine Hero. And you said Ace's mom was also a great pirate. And Luffy and Ace have already made a name for themselves at least around here."
"Yeah, and let's not forget the world government's worst thorn in the side. The revolutionary leader, Monkey D Dragon."
