The will of a musician
Summary: Four years before Ace joined the Whitebeards, their musician fell ill. She lives on the ship, kept alive by machines and medicines, isolated from nearly the entire crew, her family, most of who think she's close to death. Yet no amount of medicine can secure her life. Thatdepends on her will. The will of a musician. MarcoXOC
(1) You can just imagine Whitebeard wanting to protect his daughters like an overprotective daddy XD
Guys, by the way I wrote some of this after doing my English language exam, so some of the wording might be a bit... weird XD
CHAPTER 1: OPENING
Twas a night like any other. The Whitebeard crew were gathered on deck, under the clear night sky, enjoying the food, drink and company of their crewmates. The great captain, Edward Newgate, Whitebeard, watched his son's and daughter's laugh and dance around. Feeling happy and content with his family, he turned to his side where Marco, his son and first division commander, sat quietly drinking his own beverage.
"Marco! Why aren't you out there enjoying the night? Can't be much fun sat with yer' old man."
"Hmm..." Marco didn't really answer, his eyes focused on the corner of the deck, where the big piano had been brought out and was being happily played. "It's not as rowdy over here. Besides do I need an excuse to sit with you, pops?" He added with a small grin, still watching the corner.
"So what's caught your eye? You've been staring at that old piano for a while now."
"Nah, it's not the piano that he's interested in." Thatch, who by now very tipsy from the drinking contests he had managed to get himself into with some of the crew, intervened.
"It's the person playing it!" Thatch crooned, seeming to think that it was one of the best jokes he had ever heard. Smacking Marco on the back he threw one last comment over his shoulder before leaving to get even more wasted, laughing loudly all the while.
"Look's like its mating season for the flaming turkeys!"
The blonde pirate just sighed. He was actually impressed that Thatch wasn't passed out already, or slurring his words together until you could barely tell what he's going on about. But Thatch did have one point... The one playing the cheerful melodies on that old piano was the main focus of Marco's attention.
"So what's this about you and little Rikku?" Pop's asked in his usual loud, boisterous voice, grapping the attention of a few other crewmates. Sighing and simultaneously cursing Thatch for his oversized mouth, he replied to his captain.
"There's nothing between Rikku and I."
The captain laughed again, sending small vibrations through the barrel Marco was sat on, and leaving a light ring in his ears for a few moments.
"S'not what it looks like from-"
"POPS!"
The shout from the far corner of the deck made Marco's head snap over, he quickly took in the slumped form Rikku, who was being gently held up by one of the other musicians who had good reflexes, his violin abandoned on the wooden floor. Before even 10 seconds had passed, the mythical zoan user was leaned over her, searching her body for any injuries that could have caused this.
The captain was calling for the nurses and doctors to attend to her, worried that one of his daughters (which he protected slightly more than his sons (1)) was injured and slumped over without any indication of wounds or illnesses to speak of. The head doctor, followed by a few others helped get her gently into the infirmary. Marco looked at his captain, asking without words to follow her. And with a slight nod from the large captain, the blonde commander walked briskly toward the door which the woman of his thoughts had just disappeared through. Throwing the wooden door open, he looked around, eyes quickly scanning the few doors that were in this particular corridor. Finding the correct door to the doctor's emergency quarters, Marco sat on the floor outside and waited.
-The-will-of-a-musician-
He wasn't sure how long he was waiting for the door to open. No-one had come to bother him, so he was left alone with his thoughts. Not a situation he was particularly happy with. After all, thinking involved imagination. And his imagination taunted him with images of Rikku, sweet, kind Rikku, laid flat on a gurney, face pale and lips blue, her once merry eyes dull with death.
Staring up at the wooden ceiling, he wondered why he cared so much. Yes, he loved all his crewmates, though some more than others at times *CoughThatchCough*, but he would usually trust in the doctors to keep them alive. He wondered why Rikku was different. Why was she important enough that he had to see her for himself? Why did her smile make him choke? Why was it that all he wanted to do was hold her close and never ever let her go?
Running his hand through blonde locks, he leaned back on the wall. Telling Whitebeard that there wasn't anything going on between the two was the complete truth. As far as the phoenix knew, his feelings were one-sided, and were going to stay that way.
Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, the door opened. The head doctor, a tall and muscular man with old yet kind eyes, came forward, into the view of Marco, who immediately sprung up to ask him about Rikku's condition. Opening his mouth, the doctor seemed to pause in what he was about to say, breathing out again and closing his mouth; he just bowed his head to the blonde man and gestured inside the room. The beeping of a machine and some slight rustle of the nurses moving things around was the only thing that could be heard. Giving Marco one last look, he walked back to the medical offices.
Dread curdled in his stomach, making his head swim with worry and anticipation of what lay inside the room. He didn't move from his spot, his imagination fuelling the ever growing pit of worry. Suddenly, the cold, white image of Rikku, eyes dulled with the cold hands of death seemed so much more real, more possible then he could stand to think.
Swallowing his thoughts he turned to the door, breathing slowly he stretched his has over to the knob, twisting it and pulling it open, he was greeted with the sight of Rikku.
END CHAPTER 1
So? What do you think? Like my other stories it's from the top of my head, but I quite like it! Please leave a review to tell me what you thought; they give me the inspiration to write!
Have a good day everyone!