Title: Bloody Show Pony

Author: Stormy 1x2

Word Count: 1200+

Summary: When the Strawhats met Ace in Alabasta, he showed them exactly what the 2nd Division Commander was capable of. What about when he first showed that underwater trick to Marco?

o0o Bloody Show Pony o0o

There was nothing more beautiful than watching Ace go to work as far as Marco was concerned..

Marco circled about overhead as Ace's eyes gleamed at Oyaji's order to take out the three Marine ships sailing their way. They were still a fair distance out, nothing but bright, white, squares of sailcloth glowing under the sun, but that was okay. In fact, that's why Ace was being sent.

Marco watched as Ace ignored the calls of his division (who had yet to get used to their commander jumping from heights that would have killed or crippled anyone else), vaulted over the railing of the ship with an excited whoop, landed on the bright yellow Striker he'd been given as a belated birthday/promotion gift, and straightened into that confident slouch-stand Marco had no problems admitting he found sexy as hell. That familiar, confident smirk spread across his freckled face, and then yellow-hot flames erupted around Ace's legs, powering the small craft at high speed across the ocean waves.

It raced up and over the waves made by the Moby, causing Ace to get what he called 'hang time' in the air before he landed with a splash and a boisterous laugh that even reached Marco, circling high above him; a blue-feathered scout sent to watch over the man's mission just in case.

Marco let out a piercing shriek like an eagle's cry and Ace tilted his hat back, looking up with a grin and a two-fingered wave before setting eyes back on his target that was growing ever closer. Then he looked back up with a familiar smirk that never failed to induce a feeling of apprehension to Marco's gut, and mouthed 'something new!' The grin on his face grew even wider, his eyes narrowing into happy arcs at the apparent thought of getting to show something off to the first division leader.

Something new? Marco blinked as he banked and swooped around in a tight spin, wings spread wide as he lowered himself a bit in the air so he'd be in closer range to see whatever the hell his spontaneous and unpredictable partner had up his (non)sleeve. With Ace's tendency for death-defying antics and his non-existent sense of fear, Marco came to the conclusion that this would either be very impressive, very worrisome or both. Were he a betting man, he'd put a hundred bellies on the last. Ace had a history.

The Striker suddenly shot forward, white-hot flames burning bright against the blue backdrop below. Ace was grinning, crouched in the bow of the boat, Striker speeding up to almost twice its normal rate of motion. White flames? Ace's fire was normally a mix of reds, oranges and yellows. Marco watched the new flames flicker in the wind, wondering what the extra heat was for.

Marco's mouth – beak – dropped as Ace suddenly tensed, body folding down into a crouch before suddenly straightening and... then he leaped out of Striker what the hell, combat boots pressing down hard just before the jump,and Striker went underwater! It made a gradual yet swift incline, the yellow Adam's Wood nose going under first and the mast following obediently after. The water roiled and fizzled as the flames sank into the sea, steam hissing into the spray of the salt water, but apparently losing none of its speed in the process. Marco could easily track the white streak under the water.

Ace meanwhile, was soaring higher than Marco had any idea Ace could jump, twisting and flipping with grace and ease – and abruptly vanishing into a ball of flame. He soared over the middle ship, drawing the attention of everyone on board, and Marco nervously checked below. He could just see Striker's dimmed colors powering under the water – the white flames were still burning? How the hell had Ace managed to swing that?

Then Ace was behind the mini-fleet and coming in for a landing. Marco screeched, wings spread in alarm, and he angled himself downwards, intent on catching the fire-brained idiot with his talons before he hit the sea – when Striker rose out of the waves like a surfacing dolphin, water streaming off her sleek sides, just in time to catch Ace as he landed. His boots hit squarely in the center of the boat, and after a second, Ace stood straight up, a shit-eating grin on his face that just screamed to Marco, 'see? I did it!' Marco pulled up and looped around, utterly stunned at the new trick in Ace's repertoire. He had to admit – that had been impressive.

Then came the familiar cry of, "Hiken!" and Marco watched proudly as a powerful torrent of flames crashed through all three ships, one by one, breaking them up and burning them to ash, causing Marines to jump into the ocean, fleeing the intense heat and destruction raining down on them.

Ace let out a cackle that sounded almost evil and looked up at Marco. "Did ya like it?" He tilted the brim of his cowboy hat backwards and squinted up at Marco happily.

Marco came in for a landing on the cross-brace of Striker, taking care not to tear the sails. Once settled, he did a partial transformation back, leaving his talons, and his arms covered in glowing blue flames, one arm wrapped around the mast for balance automatically. "Where'd you come up with that idea?" he asked. "And how the hell did you know it was going to work?"

Ace snickered as he gripped the brim of his hat and fired up his feet, revving the engine into starting their return back to the Moby Dick. "Didn't know it'd work for sure," he said with a shrug. "I mean, the flying fireball, yeah, but I've been trying to get Striker underwater for a few weeks now. I had a successful trial run yesterday so I thought, why not go for it now?" He beamed up at the Division One commander, looking absurdly proud of himself. "How'd you like it?"

Marco blinked at him. "You had one successful test run and you thought that meant it was time to put it into action in the field?"

Ace nodded, still grinning like a cat who'd caught a particularly tasty canary. "Uh-huh!"

The Phoenix rolled his eyes. "Okay, I admit – that was pretty damn cool, Ace. But when we get back to the Moby, there is going to be a line up of people who will want to both congratulate you and smack your ass for scaring the shit out of them," Marco said, glaring at the unrepentant daredevil below. "I intend to be first in line for both, yoi."

If that was meant to be a deterrent, Marco figure'd he had failed, if the mischievous look on Ace's face was anything to go by. "Sounds like fun!" Ace called back. With a wink and a saucily blown kiss, Ace powered up his flames and sent Striker singing back to the Moby. His muscled back was highlighted by the lingering glow of the destroyed war ships and the flames at his feet, and Marco kept his eyes on his boy the entire time.

Marco was going to kill the little brat for nearly giving him heart failure. But after that, well, there many other ways to make Ace pay, and Marco had to admit he was looking forward to that too.

o0o

Marco and Ace have to be my most favorite pairing in the history of pairing - save for Heero and Duo of Gundam Wing. I forsee at least 2-3 more fics for them before I lose steam.