Embracing Darkness [OnePiece] ✔

Panic

Half a year later

They had just visited the summer island and Sunshine is reading the newspaper when her eyes widen and she covers her mouth.
Ace dared to challenge..
She knew well enough that he could not win that fight yet. Hell, he didn't even know Haki yet! Ace is in trouble. She has to do something.
The girl jumps up. "Dad!" The man looks at her. "Sunny? Why are you panicking?" "Ace picked a fight with Whitebeard!" "Well.. If he dies he can't take you from me my precious..." "Dad this is serious! He probably tries to do it for me and.."
"Wait.. Why would he do that for you? Try to defeat Whitebeard?"
Lucky Roo suddenly realises why. "He is your father isn't he? You said you wanted to kill him. And your boy there knew." The entire crew stares at Sunshine who nods, tears pooling in her eyes. "He left my mother to rot. Threw the woman away that loved him still after that and he wasn't there when she was taken. I don't know if she is alive or already dead. I hate him. I'll kill him. He was never there. That bastard is no father of mine." The men stare at the shaking girl. Her fists clenched so tightly they turn white. "I'm going. He needs me." She wipes her tears away and heads straight for her cabin. "Sunshine." She looks at Shanks who looks back into her eyes. "Are you still my daughter?" She smiles softly. "You will always be the only father in my life and I love you dearly. You guys are my family. You saved me. You gave me a life I didn't know I could ever have, because all I back then desired was death. I am so thankful for all of you and especially you dad." Shanks smiles, walks over to her, brushing away her tears and leaning down, kissing her forehead. "I love you too. Come back to us. You have the vivre card and the logport." She nods, then gathers a few things, some food, her weapons. Then she walks out, says her see you soon to the others, then drives off at high speed on her skiff, following her ring.

.
.
.
.

Sunshine finds herself amidst of a burned field and ashes dance in the wind. She grits her teeth as she sees the rips in the earth.
She knows who has the power to do that.
She should hurry.
What follows are two months of chasing her damned bastard of a father, ever so often calling her dad and her crew to tell them how she is.
Then she spots the gigantic ship and grits her teeth. She and her skiff become one with the shadows and she makes her way up onto the deck only to see Ace, proudly waving two Wanted Posters in a guys face. "Who are they?" The man next to him asks. "My little brother and my fiance." The man spits out his drink and stares at Ace. "You have a fiance?!" "Probably not anymore when she finds out I joined.." "Why?" "She hates pops." "Why?" Ace hesitates. "She wouldn't want me to say it." Sunshine's eyes focus on the giant jolly roger on Aces back. Betrayal is all she feels. "Do you smell this Thatch?", Ace asks. The man raises his eyebrows at him. "Smell what?" "This scent. Nobody here on this ship smells like this... I think I'm going insane... Sunny? Are you here?"
The girl smiles softly.
She would never be able to hate him. Really hate him. This was still her Ace and if she was honest she wasn't any different from him, after all she looked at any memoir of Gol D. Roger with pure fondness.
She materializes in front of them, making Aces friend back up to the railing while Ace begins to smile as wide as he can. Without hesitation she jumps at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his torso. He laughs and holds her tightly. "So you don't hate me?" "I could never hate you.", she whispers into his ear, placing a kiss on his temple before burying her nose in his scent of sea, sun, smoke and cedar wood. He on his side takes in her scent of sea, the night and... Cedar wood. She bought the cologne he uses? He chuckles slightly, pulling her closer into his chest.
"How did you get here?" "A skiff?" She answers. "And this appearing thing?" "Oh. Just my devils fruit.. You know I have it since I was 7?" Ace blinks, but doesn't really care. "How are you beautiful?" She smiles at him, their noses almost touching. "Great. Dad and I are by now in a battle for the captain title because I am only 200.000.000 Beli short of his bounty now. Lucky Roo stopped eating to listen to me, which is an honor that even dad never had, and I am lecturing Yassop on having to start actually looking for Ussop, his son, instead of always just talking about him. Also Ruffy became a pirate and still has grandp... The straw hat. I'm happy." Ace smiles widely at her and she brushes over his freckled cheeks, when they hear a gruff voice. "Who do we have here, my son?" Sunshine takes a deep breath and then turns around to see the man who conceived her for the first time in her life. It takes all of her strength to not jump forward and have his head. "Oy pops. This is my fiance. She came to look for me.", Ace says and the man laughs. "Well then. Who are you young lady?" She smiles bitterly. "You should know.... But I'll give you a hint. My name is Sunshine D. Tenebrarum. My mother's name was Asuka D. Tenebrarum."
Whitebeard stares at her it awe.
In front of him, clinging to the commander of the second division is his daughter. "Where is your mother now?" "Dead probably. Or a slave. Like I would have been if I survived and if not for my dad who saved me. Slave traders came when I was seven. They killed all the men and took the women on the first ship. Three days later the children. We were crammed into a small cell. And one by one died of starvation. Some threw up blood when looking at the molding corpses of their friends. Others shit themselves to death after eating the rotting flesh. Can you imagine the scent of death in that small cell?", she chuckles bitterly while staring at the man. "I was the only one who survived. But you wouldn't know, would you? Because who gives a shit about the woman they impregnated with a little daughter and then left on a small island with nothing but a damned devils fruit and a wedding ring?!" By now Thatch has understood who this girl is. "You are pops daughter!", he stammers out. She stares at him now. "I only have one father. His name is Shanks and he saved me from a certain death, cared for me and took me with him." Whitebeard really wants to hold her to his chest but quickly realizes that she will only remain civil as long he stays away and Ace is around.
"Sunny. Its okay. You have survived!", Ace tells the girl, holding her closer and kissing her cheek. She looks back at him and immediately her glare softens. "I guess we both value each others fathers that we personally hate. Fair enough. I say we call it even." He nods. "How long can you stay?" "Maybe a week.. Dad is probably worried to death by now. He also wanted to kill you.." Ace chuckles. "Well.. That means I can't meet him?" "Oh you can. I'll slap him if he is uncivil." The hot head chuckles and brushes one hand through her long dark hair. "God I love you woman." She grins and tips back the orange cowboy hat kissing him.
By now most of the crew is there, staring at the two lovebirds. Then suddenly Ace falls asleep and both fall to the floor, the girl only laughing while he snuggles into her, a snot bubble forming on his face.

"EVEN HIS FIANCE DOESN'T STOP HIM FROM SLEEPING!!", they all chorus.