The Butterfly Effect

12.- Fear or loyalty

Note: Since I'm already up to date with the fanfic published in Spanish, I wasn't expecting to release a new one until I translate half of what I have written in Spanish with the "Flower of Two Worlds" fanfic. However, since I had to take my computer for maintenance, I decided to give you this chapter as compensation, and don't think that I've abandoned the story.
Remember that this is not my native language so if you see misspellings you would help me a lot by pointing out and explaining those mistakes.

Peace, order and development. The ninja world had reached a time of tranquility after so many wars until the end. Only one person somehow managed to survive that extinction.

'How can I live with them dead?' Sakura thought in the middle of a crisis.

Her mind was disconnected from her body until for fate's sake, Sakura came across the whitebeard pirates and her life took a 180° turn and entered a new chapter in her life. The last ninja has entered the great pirate age!

The stars shone in the sky when Marco, who was on night patrol duty, headed to one side of the ship. There, he saw someone he didn't expect to find awake at this late hour, at least not without some mischief involved.

Marco approached the Second Division Commander, who was surprisingly calm. He leaned on the railing and watched Ace intently towards the mainland as if waiting for something or someone approaching from the path leading to the beach.

"If the girls wake up, they won't forgive you for not being in bed," Marco said, with a hint of humor in his voice.

It was only then that Ace seemed to relax and shrugged.

"Anyway, they're not here. I prefer to enjoy my quiet time without those troublemakers" the black-haired man said, although he and Marco knew that Ace enjoyed having fun with the girls.

"Ah, so the two sisters are out again" Marco commented, leaning his back and elbows against the railing.

Not only Marco and Ace were aware of the girls' nocturnal activities, but the entire ship knew. Since the first night one of the sisters committed her first theft, everyone knew the situation. It made no sense to try to steal from pirates, let alone those under the command of the world's strongest pirate: Whitebeard. Therefore, they decided to wait and see how the situation with the girls would unfold.

"Sakura went out with the kids," Ace said, never taking his eyes off the beach. "She knew they were stealing money. I think she knows more than we do."

Marco at his side gave him a half-smile. He didn't seem surprised by Ace's suspicions.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say that sometimes we forget she's a ninja," Marco said. He turned to look with Ace towards the mainland. "Maybe she even suspected the girls' intentions from the beginning."

"She's indulgent when it comes to kids," Ace said, although he wanted it to sound like a complaint, he couldn't blame her. He liked those two girls and Elliot; it wasn't the first time children swayed him. The image of a certain girl in Wano came to mind when he let her catch him and allowed her and the others to eat their food supplies.

"She may be a ninja, but never forget she's also a doctor. Doctors prefer to save lives rather than end them," Marco commented. "Those three kids were clearly asking for help, even if they didn't say it out loud."

Ace pondered on it for a moment before dropping his shoulders and smiling. Maybe he was overthinking it.

"Sakura is with them. I'll wait here until they come back. I can't wait to tease those girls."