Just a quick update. Thank you readers for taking your time to read and reviewing. I didn't expect that you'll be interested in this ^^
For you who asked if Marco's age is 44, I'm just guessing it. Watch Episode 0: Strong World and you'll know that Marco is at least 40 years old.
Also repeat: Thatch had eaten his Yami Yami no Mi / Darkness Fruit. Enough said.
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Chapter 2: Yes, Confirmed As Marco
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The sun peeked lazily behind the cloud, hanging low on the very early morning sky, as Whitebeard held an emergency meeting, attended by his fifteen commanders. Their First Division Commander was currently out of question.
Thatch stood amongst the gathering people —watching amusedly to the boy which frighteningly had too many resemblances with the younger form of Marco. Blonde tuft of hair, fluffy on the top of the head, but almost nothing on its side. Full, pouty lips. Only no stubble, no tattoo, and no well shaped body.
The said boy was flailing and thrashing brutally in Jozu's grip. Thatch could tell from the boy's face that he was clearly frightened. He was shrieking, wailing, doing almost anything to let go, even going way too far with… biting. Yep, no mistaking it. The boy was biting Jozu's finger, resulting with more painful wail from the boy as the Third Division Commander reflexively turned his finger into diamond. The wail made Thatch cringed, but didn't move an inch at all.
"What's it, what's it?" Ace whose came just a little bit late popped his head curiously just above Thatch' shoulder.
The boy's struggle stopped as soon as he spotted Whitebeard on his throne. His eyes filled even more with horror, no wonder, considering the monstrous size of Whitebeard's own body. He made a sound of whimper but did quiet.
"What's yer name, brat?" Whitebeard asked in almost casual tone —but the boy got it wrong. He winced under Whitebeard's piercing eyes, whimpered, and started to go frenzy. Again.
"Aaaaaaaaahhhh, lemme goooooo! Nooooo, help me! THATCH HELP ME!" the boy wailed.
All heads turned straight to the Fourth Division Commander, leaving the pomp man blinked stupidly.
But the frightened-to-death boy were still wailing and wiggling even harder so Jozu had to drop him to the wooden deck —or else he'd strangle the boy or break his bones. Thatch had forgotten his confusion and got his attention altered to the boy that curled up like a ball in his attempt to protect himself.
Hell, whoever said that pirates —especially Whitebeard Pirates— are heartless bunch from seventh level of hell deserves punches in the gut. At least he still had his heart to feel it crunched seeing helpless little boy just before his eyes! No matter it was yet to be confirmed if the boy was his childhood sibling-like best friend or just some random boy the said best friend picked up from the street.
So Thatch strolled his way to the boy and crouched down to his eye level. The other commanders were waiting in anticipation. Even Whitebeard looked amused.
Realizing that it was suddenly quiet, the boy raised his head a bit only to meet eyes with the pomp man. He yelped and stumbled backwards. Fear was still there, but there was also something else. Thatch quirked his eyebrows, finding the glare that older-self of Marco always had in his eyes. Courage.
"W-w-where am I? W-why are you b-bringing me h-here? W-where's Thatch?" the boy strutted and yelped in high tone at the same time.
The Fourth Division Commander thought he needed to play along.
"Coincidences, my name is also Thatch", he grinned. "So say, who are this Thatch to you hmm?"
"B-brother! B-but… not brother…" answered the boy, looked hesitated. "But I'm not telling you that, no way!"
"Brother but not brother? Weird boy", Thatch chuckled. Of course he knew why, but he still needed to confirm it more with the boy. "So your name?"
"Not your business!" the boy blared, face flustered in furious from the previous mock from Thatch.
More chuckles came from the other commanders, namely Haruta, Rakuyo, Ace, Fossa, and Izou.
"Not so nice, Not-Your-Business. Tell me again, what's your name", Izou strutted closer. He smiled nicely and amusedly.
"Fuck off!" curses the boy.
This caused Ace to laugh even louder.
"You know this a pirate ship, no? Try to mess with us pirates? Eh, Midget?" this time, Rakuyo loomed over the boy.
Thatch slapped his face, hard. What's wrong with these guys, teasing a hapless little boy like this?
Surrounded by three adults with scary looking appearance apparently had made whatever the boy's courage blown by the wind. Not only scary —these guys were also weirdos! Their aura were so intimidating.
So the boy did what the other boy at his age could do: cry. He scrunched his face, clearly defeated and worn off. Beads of tears started to roll down his puffy cheeks. However, he didn't wail. Only mere of faint sniffles all he could make.
"O-oi! Stop trying to mentally damage this boy!" Thatch panicked. He swoop the boy from the deck and hugged him in his arms, giving cradles and comforting pets on his head. Though the boy flinched within Thatch's arms, he still gave a nuzzle to the white shirt his face was pressed onto.
"Sorry, can't help it", Izou giggled from behind his kimono sleeve he used to cover his not-so-manly giggles.
"You guys sucks…" Thatch hissed, still cradling the boy before he looked down to the boy. The man's face softened as he showed the boy his trademark smile —warm and gentle.
"So, I suggest you to tell your name or these gits will give it to you."
The boy tried to form word, but almost failed with the amount of sniffles he made.
"Ma-rco..."
And the commotion suddenly died.
Sixteen pairs of eyes —including Whitebeard's— locked stare disbelievingly at the boy in Thatch's arms. The boy, named Marco as he said it, realized it and snuggled closer into Thatch's shirt. The Fourth Division Commander still gaped in surprise. He did predicted it, but he still need proof. Moreover reasons why their First Division Commander suddenly turned into a toddler!
"S-say…" Thatch stopped. The gears in his brain rotated way too fast as he was trying to dig his memories. Proof —what kind of thing that could be used as proof that the little child in his arms indeed was Marco, their First Division Commander.
He coughed, cleared his throat before continuing.
"Say, are you a Devil Fruit user?"
This time, the boy blinked, before looking down hesitantly. Then it clicked.
"Hey, don't worry, I'm a Devil Fruit user too!" Thatch laughed awkwardly before raising an arm. He focused his mind and black gust swirled around his forefinger before it dissipated into thin air. The boy stared at him, still doubting.
So the pomp man turned on his feet to another commanders, specifically to Ace and Jozu. "H-hey, you guys show him too!"
Both commanders complied. While Jozu turned his right arm into complete shiny diamond, Ace made several tiny fireballs from his hand, which was floating calmly around. Hotarubi, while could be considered as one of Ace's deadly techniques, it was pretty safe when Ace wished to not blow it off.
The boy's eyes widened, looked to Thatch, then Jozu, then Ace, then back to Thatch again. Thinking that these guys wouldn't harm him because of his weird ability, he agreed. Blue flames flicked, then engulfed the tiny body entirely. Thatch was calm despite there was a burning flames right in his arm —he knew that Marco's flame wasn't dangerous. Then the blue flame dissipated, leaving a fluffy, light-bluish feather ball of chirping chick in place of the boy.
Mythical beast zoan, Tori Tori no Mi: Model Phoenix. Like another Devil Fruit, it was confirmed to be the only one in the world and it belonged to Marco the Phoenix, the Whitebeard Pirates' First Division Commander.
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