A/N:: Just felt like it~! It's short as I just wanted to get some ideas out!
Hope you Enjoy~!
To Be a Kid Again
The Moby Dick was as boastful as ever with everyone shouting out in joy on the island they just left. The first division commander was sighing out in exasperation, no one was tending to their duties and it was irritating him. He thought by now they would remember the several kicks they got from him when they didn't listen. Of course, his captain didn't help too much with chuckling when some of the other commanders approached in complaints, especially when Thatch was up to something.
"Calm down, my son." Fingers grasped a shirt, lifting Marco into a large lap and let go to pat the head. The blonde commander being use to such thing merely sighed out with arms crossing.
"Nothing is getting done, yoi. It takes only a few minutes to do half of these things." Blue eyes were hidden behind lids as the first division commander complained lightly and his hair was ruffled lightly.
"Everything will calm down, guararara…" The laugh left Whitebeard as he noticed his other sons roaming around and completely ignoring anything given, but let it sly for now.
"I'm just going to do it all myself…" The mutter came out, but couldn't move as a hand grasped a hip and kept him in spot. This agitated look came onto Marco as he shifted and looked back. "Pops!"
"Relax, Marco." Another laugh came out as the blonde was shifted to rest against his upper body and only received a slight complaint. It didn't take too long before Haruta was coming up in hysterics with Izo dragging the fourth division commander in tow.
"Pops! Thatch is being mean!" The twelfth division commander was pointing an accusing finger and was waving it out in a hysterical state of some type of embarrassment.
"Marco, do something about him." Izo was the next to complain as the man was shifted with a nervous laugh.
"Gah! Don't make our mom do anything!" The auburn cried out in horror at the sixteenth division commander and the comment made Marco show slight irritation. A laugh was leaving Whitebeard at the sight and thought it to be interesting as they noticed the motherly side of Marco when necessary, like right now.
"Fuu… Thatch, go check to make sure inventory matches stock before helping with dinner. Izo, did your men finish separating the cargo properly?" Thatch was whining out with complaints, but left with arms crossed when the blonde stepped down from his perch to show his serious statement. The dark haired commander shifted his yukata lightly and straightened to show he was more at attention now.
"We are just about done. Thatch was disturbing us along with teasing Haruta." The mentioned brunette male nodded with a deep frown and was soon grabbing onto the first division commander with a pout.
"He was making fun of the new clothes I got and the clips Izo got for me and then—!" A hand began patting hair back affectionately as blue eyes stared into similar ones that were watering.
"Izo, continue on what you are doing." The order was out with a hand waving lazily and got a nod before Marco shifted with the brunette, one arm around shoulders. "Stay with Pops, I'll scold Thatch properly." Nods left Haruta as he soon moved to their captain that was chuckling out with a knowing look to the blonde.
Marco moved down below to scold the fourth division commander properly, his men trying not to laugh out loud. Everything made Thatch whine out and he tried wiggling his way out of this scolding and the one thing he knew was the blonde's favorite fruit. It was risky to try since the first division commander was on a roll with his stern words, though the stoic face only twitched in irritation ever so lightly, so he wasn't that upset. Taking the risk, the auburn haired male soon found a green apple, not something too special besides the fact that they usually get red, but Marco was picky so he saved them for his brother.
"Here, Marco." The man paused in his scold when presented the green apple and gave a light glare.
"Don't sidetrack me."
"Just eat it and then continue." Thatch offered since it would at least give him a minute to get the first division commander to calm down. Blue eyes stared hard before taking the apple and shifted to rest on top of a cargo box and began eating it. The fourth division commander was happy about the peace and was marking some things off before he noticed his division making gawking noises. Looking back over, Marco was in a pile of large clothing with hands holding the sash before glaring to Thatch.
"What did you do, yoi?!" The blue flames flickered through blonde hair with the voice showing a little higher pitched and the fourth division commander hollered out.
"WHY ARE YOU A KID?!"
After getting everyone to calm down in the storage room and finding something else for the now five-year-old looking first division commander that was thin for his age and was glowering to them all the whole time; which was still scary as hell. Thatch took responsibility to run his brother up with high speed, others having to do a double take on what they saw. The fourth division commander was on the main deck moving to where their captain usually sat, Haruta nowhere in sight now.
"Pops! Pops!" The frantic shout startled others before Thatch was before their captain who was looking in confusion at the small child in his arms. "Marco's a kid!"
"Look what Thatch did!" Arms wailed out from Marco in frustration and Whitebeard was a little stunned at what he was seeing before looking for clarification.
"What happened?"
"It was the stupid apple, yoi!" A hand moved to push at the auburn haired male's face to show his displeasure before a hand was grabbing him. Whitebeard shifted to pull Marco to his chest as he supported the, now, child comfortably in his hand. Blue flames flickered lightly, the phoenix not pleased about the sudden change, and their owner was not pleased as well.
"I didn't know the apple was enchanted or something!" Most of the crew was starting to gather as they were trying to figure out what was going on. Marco crossed his arms before shifting and was facing away with a pout as he was curled against Whitebeard. It was evident he was throwing a bit of a tantrum on the predicament and was ignoring Thatch. "It was one of the green apples! I swear, Pops!"
"Guararara! It's alright, my son."
"By gods, is that a child Marco?" Vista's voice came out as he approached with a slight tilt forward in interest and was followed by Izo who heard the commotion.
"My goodness, Thatch, did you stumble upon some magic shop or something?" A sigh left the sixteenth division commander in exasperation and got a whine. The two argued lightly on the matter and Vista tried to calm them with hands waving out. Whitebeard was laughing lightly with a hand moving to rub a certain blonde's back as he ignored the other commanders with eyes closed.
"Alright, my sons," their captain stated with a firm voice and loud enough so they would stop their bickering. Whitebeard found it humorous and took pride in his sons that could be so carefree and like a family. "I'm sure it was merely an accident, let's just wait it out, no doubt it will wear off. Izo, you and Curiel look up to find anything since he must be done with his work." A nod left the sixteenth division commander as he soon moved to find the other and Vista was humming out whilst viewing their now tiny brother. "Vista, make sure everyone does their assigned duties and Thatch, go finish up and help with dinner." The two were nodding and leaving to let the blonde commander sulk against their father figure. "Guararara!"
"Shut up, yoi." The words came out with a scowl on the blonde who was upset and soon he was pulled back to be laying along the hand. Blue eyes were peering up at his captain and kept arms crossed with that pout on his face.
"I never saw you this small, Marco." The man began laughing again as he enjoyed seeing the child shift to try and roll away, but a thumb shifted him back. Whitebeard noticed the certain actions from when he first appeared in his line of sight to have him join the crew on his son, along with shifting some of the actions of a child were there. Marco explained that he was always a behaved child from how he was raised, but now that he was in a bit different atmosphere, he may act differently.
-o-o-o-o-
Most of the crew was getting a kick out of their 'little brother' and teased the blonde to the point that they would be kicked in the face. Marco's still had his haki, some finding out the hard way, and he was still going on about orders to do. The only thing is that Thatch wouldn't stop laughing because he stood on the railing to be tall enough and the large shirt was being held by his sash to be suitable, so in technicality it was like a dress. The effects did last until morning, the young Marco actually staying with Whitebeard that night as he felt off being alone like he was.
"Did you have a nightmare, babbu Marco?" Thatch teased out before letting out a shout of panic. Marco was on his head whilst shifting to mess up the hair effectively. "My hair~!" The complaint came out as others trying to eat breakfast were laughing out.
"Stupid." The blonde commander muttered as he soon got off of his brother and was walking away. Arms quickly swept him up, and a cheek was rubbing against his before noticing a hand in his hair. "I'm not letting anything in my hair, Haruta, Izo." The brunette holding him was grinning as fingers pulled at his blonde locks and an eyebrow was twitching from Marco. "Stop~!" Shifting was there as he tried to pull away from Izo's treacherous fingers in his hair before the damage was done.
"I made some clothes!"
"No!"
Marco had fully been embarrassed now and couldn't believe what he was wearing since heaven forbid they gave him normal clothes. The blonde commander was trying hard not to let the emotions bombard him and didn't realize how his age shift would make it hard to contain them. Of course, then again, he wasn't usually dressed up like a girl either. Once they tortured him enough at breakfast, he was able to escape. Thatch and Haruta running after him because 'they weren't finished'. The blonde commander had made it to the deck and was making his way over to Whitebeard who was surprised at the sight. Blond hair was up in a hairclip with pink butterflies and the outfit was more of a yukata style with flowers along it.
"Pops!" The word came as he soon gripped to a leg and was glaring daggers at the two who were following.
"You shouldn't be mean to your brother, guararara!" Laughter filled the air as Whitebeard watched the two soon tugging at Marco with light laughs.
"He's only small for a short while!" They mentioned out as they pulled the blonde away who soon let blue eyes desperately look up to his captain.
"Daddy~! Please!" Hands out with those words soon had Whitebeard pulling the boy from arms and holding him to his chest as the small body shifted to hang onto the neck.
"That's enough, my sons." The serious tone made the two other commanders notice that their blonde brother was seriously upset on these matters. "Marco is probably not in full control of his emotions, don't you think most boys would be embarrassed when dressing them up?" Guilt was showing on Thatch and Haruta as they looked at one another and soon shared a frown.
"Sorry, Marco." They both said in unison, they got no response as the boy was keeping his spot and they soon moved away with blame looming over them.
"Calm down, my boy." A hand rubbed a back comfortingly as most crew mates looked on in worry at seeing the sight.
"They were being mean! I told them no, yoi!" The complaint came out as the body shifted more until he was on a shoulder and grasping around Whitebeard's head. "It's embarrassing!"
"I'm sure they will all truly feel upset with themselves once they realized what they had done." The words came out reassuringly and the captain could feel something wet along by his ear. "Marco?"
"I-I can't control anything properly right now." The cool feeling along skin showed that the boy had flames out and was trying to rub his tears away. "This is stupid, yoi. I want to be back to normal so I can kick them into the ocean." A laugh came out during that comment before a finger was rubbing at a back for comfort.
"Curiel said it would only last a couple days at the most." This disgruntled noise left the boy as he was shifting to be more comfortable and was soon pulled into a large hand.
"I hate this, this is stupid, yoi. Why can't I ju—acchoobrroo~!" In a flare of blue flames the boy was now in a small phoenix form and wings fluttered lightly in panic at the suddenness. A laugh was leaving the older man as he grinned at the sight of his startled son trying to soon relax in embarrassment against the man, not even bothering changing. Others who had watched were holding hands to their mouths, trying not to make matters worse and moved away to control themselves better.
"It's alright, son." A finger moved to carefully pet along the head of the bird and noticed he was sulking. This rumble came out in humor of seeing a sight and ruffled the feathers on the back. "Are you ignoring me now, brat? Guarararara…" The body fluffed lightly in threat, but only made Whitebeard grin bigger with a louder chuckle as the finger continued to disturb the other. A beak shifted to begin pecking harshly into a chest at the treatment being done to his feathers and was merely receiving rumbled laughter.
-o-o-o-o-
"How long has he been sulking in his phoenix form?" Curiel inquired as their first commander brother was perched on a sail rail, ignoring everyone. It had been like that since earlier with what happened and Marco was too upset on the whole event that he went to isolating himself where they couldn't reach him. Though, they were highly aware of him as his flames made him look like a beacon in the early night.
"Since earlier after breakfast." Vista commented back with fingers twirling his moustache and then the two commanders turned to look at their captain in worry.
Whitebeard noticed immediately and let out a sigh, understanding how his sons felt. He was just as worried over the matter, but was just giving the other time to calm down. It seemed like Marco's stubbornness showed strongly and was probably determined to wait it out until he was back to his normal form.
The captain let out another breath before shifting to stand, bidding some of his sons close by a goodnight as he moved over to a little under the phoenix that had golden rings dangling down. "Marco," the firm tone came out as he noticed the small shift, but knew the bird was ignoring him. "I'm off to bed."
No reaction returned and this hum left Whitebeard as he debated on doing what he thought to do. Giving in, he reached up and pulled on the tail end. A noise left Marco in a startled manner and soon found himself from the railing and into a hand. Shifting around crazily, he soon righted himself with a sharp glare to his captain, who only smiled and began for his room.
"Come on, son. I'm sure you will be in normal health in the morning." A screech from the bird was in return, unhappy about what Whitebeard had down. Talons dug a little in skin as blue eyes were sharply looking at the other. "Are you going to throw a tantrum?" A soft chuckle was there from the captain as he noticed the noise, similar to that of when Marco would huff and they were in the room. After getting situated, the phoenix perched on the man's chest with an ignorant appearance. "Guararara, are you going to stay my beacon all night?" Cooing came out whilst the beak turned up and away, making the man lightly laugh before resting his head firmly back to close eyes.
It was silent for a while before the phoenix changed and clothes were being thrown off. Whitebeard let him do as he wished and noticed the body roll to be into his side. Arms were around his bicep and a face rubbed with a sputtering breath to relax. It was evident that Marco had been stressed and he felt at home with his captain there to comfort him as he saw fit.
"Night, Pops…" It was a whisper, but Whitebeard smiled and gave himself away with a tremor lingering around the blonde who took it gratefully.
-o-o-o-o-
Splash!
Many were hooting and hollering as the three men in the water were sputtering for air. The full-grown phoenix landing on the railing, shifting to that of a very adult first commander. Blue eyes gleamed in threat, still not satisfied with throwing the three into the sea and only waited for them to grab at ropes. That had him turn away and stalk away, blue flames still lingering along a leg and shoulder as he still felt frazzled from the change, but very satisfied from dealing out the well-deserved punishment that even had their captain rumbling in laughter.