The Fire & The Requiem

Chapter 23

a decoy, a fake, a betrayal

Yuki and Ace were now back at Pop's ship and she glanced over at said man.
"Hey Ace?"
Said man looked over as he got the rope ready to attach the striker back to to the Moby Dick.
"What's up Yu?"
Yuki just stared at him for a moment before she smiled at him.
"Thank you for traveling to find me. And, for staying with me as I looked for others."
Ace blinked before he placed a hand against her face and only offered her a smile.
"No need to thank me. It one allowed us to spend some time together and two. I got to learn so much more about your abilities." Not to mention he got to learn about Hitomi as well.
Yuki only laughed but that was enough to not only get the crews attention and for Ace's smile to widen as he crushed her to him.
"And thank you as well Yu."
Yuki wrapped her arms around him before she blinked confused.
"What are you thanking me for?"
He was silent for a moment and while neither one was aware of it everyone, well mainly Pop's, Marco, and Thatch were eavesdrop.
"Everything. For loving me."
Yuki pulled back and placed her hands against his face, pushing his hat and hair back.
"I am always going to love you. That will never change. No matter what happens, where we are. I will always, and I mean always love you. You are my important person. You have my heart."
Ace felt his eyes widen and tear up but he wouldn't shed them. "I will keep your heart safe. Because you are my heart. You have mine and I leave that with you. I will love you forever until the seas end and time begins a-knew." And with that he leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.
To which Yuki simply wrapped her arms around his neck and returned it. Both completely unaware of the sobbing trio on the deck. Once they pulled apart did Yuki glance up and her eyes narrowed.
"Yu? What's wrong?" Ace was slightly worried even though he still had that goofy I'm in love look on his face.
"I think someone's watching us."
Ace frowned at this. This was a private moment between Yuki and himself so with a sigh he let her go and watched as she jumped back up onto the deck and shook his head.
"Idiots." He mumbled as he jumped up next and laughed when he saw her scolding Pop's, Marco and Thatch.
"But it was adorable-yoi!"
"Such a sweet declaration of love."
"You two are so cute we couldn't help it."
He watched as Yuki's eye twitched and she raised her fist with the intent to hit one if not all three of them.
But before she could Yuki immediately stiffened and without her say so both Shade and Blaze beside her. Which only the others on edge.
"Yuki?"
"You sense it."
"When will it happen?"
Ace was confused and if he was confused so were the others.
"I'm not sure...it's...." She realized she didn't have the words for what was gonna occur so she turned on the others.
"What happened while I was gone?"
"Oh well Thatch found a devil fruit."
"What one did you find Thatch?" Yuki was curious and that left the others puzzled. Yuki never once showed an interest in devil fruits.
"Huh? Oh I found the Yami-yami no Mi." The shadow fruit. Yuki frowned something was seriously wrong.
"You didn't want it did you Yuki?"
Yuki blinked before she tilted her head.
"No, why would I need a devil fruit? I legit have a shadow requiem, and a shadow dragon. Why would I need that?"
"True, that would be kind of overkill."
"Exactly and then who would save our asses when we fell into the ocean?" Ace finally said as he stood next to Yuki.
"That's a very good point. But what's going on?"
"I'm not sure. But." She grabbed Thatch by his ear and started to drag him away.
"Ow, ow! Yuki let go!"
"You're coming with me we need to talk."
Which left the trio confused.
"What the hell?"
"No idea Pop's but if Yuki senses something she's gonna keep that to herself."
"But why grab Thatch-yoi?"
"I'm not sure. But just trust her okay? She knows what she's doing." As he spoke Shade and Blaze quickly ran after Yuki. Screaming at her to wait the fuck up.

With Yuki and Thatch.

"Why the hell did you drag me?"
Yuki had finally let Thatch go and closed the door to her room and he blinked.
"Uh Yuki. You know I see you as a sister. So why am I in your room?" Yuki however stared at him like he lost his mind.
"What the fuck? Okay first of all calm down. Second where is the devil fruit?"
Thatch was slightly taken aback but held it up. "I have it. Why?"
Yuki nodded as she studied the fruit.
"Teach is going to try and kill you for it."
Thatch felt his eyes widen in horror as he realized that's what Yuki has sensed.
"How do we stop him?"
Yuki frowned as she thought about it. "We trick him."
Thatch blinked confused by her words.
"Trick him? How do you plan to do that?"
Yuki cracked her neck before she pulled out a fruit similar to what he had and he watched with wide eyes as she used the shadows to copy it's shape and his eyes widened even further as she made an exact copy of him.
"What the?"
"Shadow mimicry. Something I learned awhile ago. It's a bit tiring to maintain but it'll keep you safe."
"Okay, but what if he finds me?"
Yuki simply raised an eyebrow as she stared at him. "Who said he's going to find you?"
"Uh I am still on the ship."
Yuki cracked her neck again and she grinned and he swore that he never ever wanted to see that grin again.
"Uh Yuki? What are you planning."
Yuki didn't answer him. She just grinned and Thatch. Well Thatch was just well you'll see.

Later that night.

Yuki was sitting on the deck while Ace was asleep next to her. He had tried to find out what she was up to but she refused to say even a word about it. Shit even her requiems wouldn't tell him. So he had fallen asleep blindly trusting whatever Yuki was planning.
Yuki for her part was waiting, she knew tonight was the night Teach would pull his stunt. And she made sure to keep an eye on him.
It was silent for a moment, nothing was happening could she have been wrong? But just as she had that thought did she hear movement and she closed her eyes pretending to sleep. Yet she was listening she was aware of what was going on. The shadows were her eyes and ears after all.
"Teach, what's up?" Thatch asked as said man approached him.
"I want that devil fruit."
"But you already have one."
"And I want yours."
"I'm not giving you my devil fruit. You know the rules you find it, it's yours."
Teach laughed at this. "Then I guess I'll have to kill you." And with that he slashed his chest open and stole the fruit before jumping ship.
Yuki's eyes snapped open and she moved away from Ace and ran to the rail of the ship. "Shadow slicer!" Several black blades slashed at Teach but easily missed as the man ducked.
"Nice try requiem user. But you can't stop me now." And with that he sailed off.
However at this point everyone else had woken up and ran to see what happened and Ace let out a horrified cry.
"Thatch!"
"What happened?"
"Who killed him?"
Yuki walked over rage radiating off of her in waves and yet she was somehow also oddly calm.
"Teach did it."
Just them Marco turned on her. "You! You knew this was going to happen!" Ace stared at Yuki and frowned.
"Why the fuck didn't you tell us!"
Yuki however took the verbal abuse and simply opened a shadow void just as Thatch fell out.
"What the?"
"So it was true."
Yuki simply nodded. "I'm sorry it was and that I said nothing. But I couldn't risk that man finding out my plan."
"Your plan?"
"He stole a poisoned fruit. Doubt it'll kill him though. I also made a clone of Thatch as you saw."
"But again, why not warn at least pop's?"
"Because BlackBeard had been planning this
for months."
Now they were all shocked by her words.
"But I had no proof other than what the shadows had been telling me. So I kept it to myself. Blackbeard liked to listen into conversations. Also Pop's did know."
"I did. Why do you think I haven't yelled at her?"
Now they felt bad. Yuki had once again proven how selfless she could be.
"Thank you Yuki."
"Don't mention it."
Ace clenched his fist and finally spoke and his words had Yuki inwardly groaning as she knew she had not a chance in hell in stopping him.
"I'm going after him."