With different eyes

Time out

Lucia's POV

I cautiously step onto the deck, ready to jump back into the sea at any moment, but Marco seems to have disappeared. Warm arms encircle my waist and Ace's chin rests on my shoulder. "You do know that there will be revenge?" the fire fist asks me, amused. "Like you don't enjoy the show!" I laugh and the crew join in. "I do but I like you best unscathed!" chuckles Ace. I just snort at where he's right. I guess I'll have to avoid Marco today, it's just going to be hard with the haki he has. "Unfair!" I say grumbling. "What, my child?" Whitebeard asks me. I make a face and look up at the emperor, "Marco can cheat with Haki!" I say as everyone laughs. All of a sudden Ace notices and lets go of me. Irritated, I turn around and see him beaming at me. What's wrong with him now?

And then he just runs away. "What's bitten him now?" I ask irritably. Vista grins knowingly and stands next to Whitebeard. He also seems to know what the fire fist has. "Well, I'm going to look for a hiding place!" I say, wanting to go below deck, but Shanks puts an arm around my shoulder. "You sure? Marco is waiting for you below deck!" the redhead says. I freeze and think. Somehow the emperor is right. I bite my lower lip and notice some scowling at the Emperor. "Why are you here, anyway? Other than to serve as a shield from Marco?" I ask Shanks. "Just wanted to see how you were doing!" he grins at me. Ace comes back on deck, along with a huge basket. I tilt my head and ask, "What's this going to be when it's finished?" I ask Ace, but he just replies with a big grin and pulls Shanks' arm off my shoulder. Before I can even say anything, Ace throws me over his shoulder and walks towards the railing. He waves at Whitebeard and jumps on his Striker.

What the hell? "Ace, what are you doing? I know Marco is angry, but running away is no solution!" I say with a little self-mockery. "I wasn't planning to, but it's just a good opportunity!" says Ace with a laugh. "A good opportunity for what?" I ask the black-haired man, but only reap silence in response. "Ace?" I ask more urgently now. "You'll see Lucia!" says Ace to me gleefully. We rush over the waves with a destination unknown to me, the Moby itself having become only a small shadow in the distance. "Ace not that I don't enjoy the view, but the position is starting to get uncomfortable!" I say to Ace who then takes me off his shoulder and now holds me bridal style. I lean against Ace's chest and listen contentedly to the steady beating of his heart. I look at Ace, who has his eyes fixed on the target. Slowly, I make out an island coming closer. "What do you want on the island?" I ask Ace. He just turns red in the face and clutches the basket tighter. "Ace?" I ask curiously now, but Ace turns even redder.

"What are you up to?" I ask now really curious. The island is close now and the waves are getting stronger. Ace drives to the beach and jumps into the sand, there he sets me down and pulls the Striker ashore. "So what now?" I ask him, but he still doesn't answer. I'm starting to get really curious, especially because everyone seems to know what Ace is up to. Ace takes the basket in one hand and my hand in the other, then he pulls me behind him. Well what the heck the island is really beautiful, colourful huge flowers line the ground and huge trees grow into the sky and give shade and that is really needed. I pull my top over my head, otherwise the sultry heat here becomes uncomfortable. Ace has stopped when I let go of his hand in return. "We're almost there!" he tells me. "And what's the destination?" I ask impatiently but only earn a smile. He takes my hand and pulls me along, every now and then Ace stops to get his bearings. "Phew, it's hot!" I say, panting like a dog. "Over there!" says Ace, pointing to a wall. "What's there?" I ask him, but he quickly pulls me on. We walk around the wall and I notice how the air is getting cooler, but not so uncomfortable.

And then all of a sudden we are standing in front of a waterfall that flows into a crystal clear lake. The water mist cools the air pleasantly and conjures rainbows in the air. The forest ends abruptly here and the lake is lined by an emerald green meadow. Small blue flowers adorn the meadow like stars. An untouched piece of nature. "Beautiful!" I murmur and walk onto the meadow as if in a trance. "Do you like it?" asks Ace tensely. I turn to him and smile brightly. "It's wonderful, how did you know this place was here?" I ask curiously. "We found it by accident once, I thought you would like it!" says Ace, setting the basket down on the floor. "So what's in the basket now?" I ask and want to look inside, but Ace beats me to it and opens it. All I see is a dark blanket. Ace pulls it out of the basket and spreads it out, and now I can also see what's in the basket. "A picnic!" I say excitedly when I see the food. "Good idea?" he asks me and I nod enthusiastically, it's been ages since I've been on a picnic. I throw myself onto the blanket and look up at Ace. He smiles and sits down next to me on the blanket. "So now what?" I ask and Ace's stomach answers me with a growl. I laugh and Ace turns a shade of red. I sit up and reach for the basket. "So what do we have here?" I mumble asking.