Unseekers (Portgas D. Ace X OC)

Chapter 2| Too Many Days to Count But Still Counting

1089 Days ago:

"Give Ace back!" One of the Spade Pirates screamed from their ship. They had guts, that much was visible, challenging a ship that was almost 15 times their own that had a battalion for a crew.

"No, he's ours now," Isabelle teased, jumping down on their deck. "Anyone who wants to join him may volunteer right now,"

"You're the girl that visited a few days ago," The man she recognized as Duence pointed out. "Isabelle Urek. I knew there was something off with you,"

"The one and only," Isabelle winked. "So? Are all of you set on going down fighting? It won't be much of a fight I tell you,"

"Stop talking and end it already!" Olivia groaned from the Moby Dick.

"Yes, Yes," Isabelle ran forward, knocking back the startled pirates with a wave of Beryl crystals. They staggered back, only for the gem to solidify around their feet, locking them motionless. They cursed and struggled in vain.

"You guys! Come down and lead the guests into the ship," Isabelle returned to the Moby Dick, forming a short Beryl bridge under her.

"You mean clean up after you?" Olivia huffed, elbowing the redhead.

Isabelle slipped past the working Pirates on the Main deck and grabbed a couple of apples from the Kitchen. Clambering up the Quarterdeck, she juggled the apples into the gallery and strolled down the corridor, overlooking the stretching blue ocean. It was a breezy day, sunlight shattering into the surface of the water like a thousand broken pieces of a mirror.

Up ahead, a familiar silhouette sat crouched against the railing, his head in his hands.

"Morning, Rookie," Isabelle spoke softly as to not startle him but he still jumped. "You've been sleeping all day. Pops knocked you out good, huh?"

"Shut it!" The ebony boy spat, glaring daggers at her.

"Here, catch," Isabelle threw an apple at him. Ace looked startled but caught the fruit out of reflex. She hoisted herself on the railing, biting into her own apple. "My name's Isabelle, by the way."

Ace looked at her like she just grew two heads.

"Oh, you're probably wondering what happened. Since you passed out and all," Isabelle looked down at the boy who had his head in his hands again. "Well, your crew proved their loyalty and came back to get you and we beat them up, of course," Ace visibly flinched. "Just kidding. They're all here on this ship, alive."

"Shouldn't I be in a cell or something? You don't even have shackles on me," Ace retaliated.

"Shackles? Thatch said we don't need them. Not on you,"

If possible, he looked more irritated now than shaken. "Leave me alone,"

Isabelle smiled. "Aw, come on. We were on good terms just a few days ago," Jumping down from the railing, she tossed the core of the apple into the water "Thatch's the Ship's cook. He'll bring you your meals until you're ready to come to the Kitchen. He's a good friend to have,"

To Isabelle, he screamed something. Something she had trouble putting a finger on but she liked it that way. A boy, a little bit messy, a little ruined. A nice disaster.

That night, Ace snuck into White Beards' sleeping quarters and tried running a blade through his heart. But the old man just swatted him through a wall while still half asleep.

1088 Days ago:

"Here's a random thought. Why are babies in the womb for nine months but aren't nine months old when they're born? Hey, Marco, are you listening? Marco, Pineapple man--"

"Here's a not so random thought. What do you do instead of sleeping?" Marco finally took his eyes away from the pistol he was polishing, exasperated but amused.

The main deck was lively as usual, Pirates drinking and laughing, busy in their own conversations. "That hurt. Do I need a reason to talk to you? Oh, lookie there," she pointed at the freckled boy, discreetly siding up a wall and lunged at White Beard with an axe.

This time he got flung overboard.

"I don't think the kid can swim," Someone called.

"Someone fish him out,"

1087 Days ago:

Ace tried stabbing White Beard that day too, to get thrown overboard again.

1086 Days ago:

And again.

1085 Days ago:

And again

1084 days ago:

And again.

1083 days ago:

And again

1082 days ago:

And again

1081 days ago:

Vista forgot where he kept the Fishnet so Ace almost drowned for real that day.

"How many times is it again?"

"I lost count after a hundred."

At the very least he was getting used to being on the ship. He didn't send death glares every time Isabelle approached anymore. But it was still an I'm-a-lone-wolf-leave-me-alone glare. She placed the bowl of soup beside him when he was brooding against the base of the gallery. He didn't look up until Isabelle was leaving.

"You guys...why do you call him your Father anyway?" Ace finally spoke up

Isabelle tried not to look startled. "You still don't get it? Because calls us his 'children'." She glanced aside to see the rest of the crew on the main deck. "To the world, we're just outcasts anyways. 'It makes us happy, It's just a word but it makes us happy!' That's what Marco once said to me. Such a softie, that guy,"

Ace looked down as if something was stuck in his throat. "...like that..."

"Hm? You said something?" Isabelle leaned down.

"Doesn't it hurt to smile like an idiot all the time?" Ace clarified.

"Heeeh? What's up with that?" Isabelle drawled. "And no, it doesn't hurt at all. You should try it sometimes,"

"Are you going to keep at it?" Marco asked from the railing. Both the teens jumped at the sight of the older man crouched beside them without either of them noticing. "Risking your life, I mean. Make up your mind already. There's no way you're going to beat Pops the way you are now. Are you going to leave this ship and start over or...are you going to stay here and...accept the White Beard's Mark?"

Sensing the mood, Isabelle tried inching away but Marco's attention snapped to her.

"And you!" He pointed a spoon at her. "If you're taking the food to him, remember to take a spoon too. How's he going to eat it otherwise?"

"My bad..." Isabelle chuckled, still inching away.

"And who's a softie?" Marco called just as she slipped off.