Something was not okay when Ace returned together with Thatch from a check-up on one of their islands.
Their crew members were jumpy and looked around as they expected to get attacked or something like that in the next moment.
Even Oyaji looked nervous. His usual cup of sake was missing. The sake, in general, was missing. This wasn't something that helped to feel relieved. (Normally that would be a good thing considering his health.)
Izo was standing next to him with Haruta, Atmos and Jozu. All four looked worried. It made Ace feel even more nervous. He couldn't even remember the last time he saw Jozu worried (except in the war).
„What is with this depressing atmosphere? ", Thatch asked loudly. The crew members on deck flinched.
They shouldn't react that way just by someone speaking. Something was clearly wrong. Something big had happened while they were gone.
Oyaji sent a small welcoming smile towards them before he looked worried again. It gave Ace the chills. Seeing his father figure like that.
And then the reason appeared. Well, he was most likely the reason.
Marco. The first division commander had an angry and moody aura around him.
„You are late. You were supposed to be back yesterday. I hope your report is on my desk tonight, yoi! "
Marco's voice cut through the air like Vista's swords through nearly anything. There was no place to protest against that order.
So Ace and Thatch just nodded.
The second division commander hadn't seen Marco in such a bad mood. And from the reaction of the others, they hadn't seen it, either.
„Don't you have any work to do, yoi? ", the Phoenix snapped at the crew member. They flinched again and then started to run off. Stumbling a bit over each other and their feet. With a shaking head, Marco followed them, probably to make sure that they work.
„What is up with Marco? ", Thatch asked quietly after moving closer to Oyaji and the other commanders.
Ace looked a bit worried after Marco. He hoped the bad mood wasn't connected to something that happened to his baby brother. But he feared it.
„Luff's Vivre Card. "Ace felt his heart drop when Izo said these three words. No..., not his baby brother. „It started to burn after you left and it didn't stop for two days. We already prepared to follow it but decided to call ahead. Just in case, it was only something simple...", the cross-dresser told.
„Turned out they had a run-in with Teach...", Haruta mumbled.
Ace's eyes widened. He felt fear, anger and shock. That bastard had been close to his baby brother again. He clenched his fists. If he only had been strong enough to take that traitor out two years ago... Since now it seemed like his baby brother was paying the price for his defeat again...
„Luffy had gotten hurt badly. That was why the Vivre Card burned. The wound left a scar on Luffy...", Jozu said.
„Marco got really angry when he heard it. I swear, he looked like he would kill anyone", Atmos explained and the 13th division commander shivered. Probably because he remembered the scene.
Ace could relate to that. He would be probably the same. After all, it was Luffy who got hurt. Luffy, his baby brother. Luffy, who was one of the first people to accept him as he was.
„So... Marco is still pissed because of that? ", Ace asked carefully. Trying to control the anger inside him. He didn't need a reminder that the ship wouldn't like it if he stood there as a human flame. Also, Marco would probably just kill him instead of punishing him at the moment.
