The Whitebeard Pirates' Playground

Ch. 22 - You're not Whitebeard (Part 7)

"You've miscounted."

Marco sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he put down the papers on the table in the meeting room and took a seat again before speaking. "Do you have holes in the ceilings to everywhere, Ace?"

"Only the places you... ehm frequent?... Izou?"

"That's correct dear, good job."

The blond raised an eye at the geisha, being ignored by him he looked at the ceiling with the same look. And sure enough the teen used his neat trickling firetrick to appear right in front of him, crouching on the table.

"You use fancy words to be extra difficult."

"I don't-yoi...."

"You do, don't deny it little mister right hand man."

"...... I'm taller then you."

"SHUT IT!" fire sparked off Ace's cheek and he had to look away, that stupid pineapple!

"Ace-dear, why don't you tell him why you used such a word yourself."

"... right, yes. So I was saying. Because you use such fancy words for no reason, I shall use those... those.... exquisiteness words myself!!!!!!" he smiled brightly at having found another of those poopy words and grinned more when Marco looked confused at him. "Yes! That's what I thought! Be confused by your own speech!"

"I understand the meaning of- never mind. You're right. I haven't got the foggiest idea of what you are saying now that you use such big words."

"....What?"

"I don't understand what you mean-yoi."

"hahaha we got him Izou!!!! Yes!!!! I won!!!! You see that old man! And I only needed like 3 weeks of speech lessons! Not 5 like you sai-" Ace gasped and turned to Thatch, jumping on the table, "Promised chocolate mouse! Promised chocolate mouse!!!!"

Ace let his hair be ruffled by the elder as he was still looking too Thatch who chuckled and nodded, "I'll have some ready for you by tonight." Even if Marco for sure still knew what Ace was talking about and had just given up on fighting him. It was a win in some way, specifically in how he annoyed Marco, which is always a win!

A heavy sigh pulled their attention, of course it came from the second eldest at the table. And it seems Ace took pity on him since he was now patting his shoulder.

"It's okay, it takes a while to learn, Mar- pineapple."

"... yes.... but... anyway. What did you mean with 'you miscounted', Ace?"

"Miscounted?"

Another sigh was there, he really couldn't comprehend if this kid was dumb or not. On one hand he had very capable abilities. Like sneaking up on their meeting, hiding in the ceiling and not a single one of them detected him there before he spoke. Besides Pops. Pops wasn't surprised when the fire dropped from the ceiling, the old fart!

But then besides that... there was this. Getting distracted and forgetting the whole reason he came here, or he doesn't get big things like... after weeks still not believing them they're the real fucking Whitebeard Pirates!?

"Ahem, yes-yoi. You were spying on this meeting and then, from your spot in the ceiling, announced we miscounted."

"aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh! Right!" The teen nodded and promptly took a seat on Pop's leg, swinging his legs as his back was rubbed with a big pinky in approval. "Yea, you miscounted."

"... Miscounted what, Ace?"

"Everything."

"Oh for fucks s-.... Please, please tell me what we miscounted, Ace." He may be annoyed right now, but if they indeed had miscalculations. Which he doubted. It was important to know. They had been going over stock counts and were dividing money in the treasury to replenish items, so getting correct amounts was important.