I'm really sorry about my lack of updates ;^; I hadn't realized I've had this typed out for a long time actually. I really do want to update again soon, but no promises, and thank you for all your reviews! I'm glad you guys are enjoying the story.
But as far as Ace goes I'm actually not sure if I'll have him in the series. When I got the idea for this everything had been pre-Ace because of who Rose's father would have been. I obviously changed my mind since, she was supposed to be Sengoku's daughter, but I decided just to make up some character for the purpose. So now obviously I really don't have to worry too much about the storyline (though it has been a while since I've read/watched). So basically, I haven't decided if I'll write Ace in or not. Though I do have the general and at least half of the story planned out so I can work Ace in if I decide to since it isn't too late or of course I can do the whole Spade Pirates merging with WhiteBeard's crew. To answer that. XD
I'd also like to address Marco's character. To me he seems really different from what I've seen/read in the actual One Piece world, and I am still perfect that aloofness that he has. I think he'll be not quite like in the actual series, or mostly really, but I'm going to keep working on it.
That's all, I think. XD Anyways thank you for reading and please leave a review and fave/follow/allthatgoodstuff please! c:
Once we return to the ship I place my shopping bags on my bed, looking around the room I find that the bed has drawers in the frame, obviously for space. Putting my clothes in Marco sets the bags he'd carried on my bed.
"I'm going out for a bit, are you sure you want to take a nap?" He asks me as I fold the clothes leaving a shirt and shorts out to change into.
"I told you I'm going to take a nap and right now I'm just putting my stuff up. I'll be fine sleeping." Marco still looks at me unsure if it's really ok to leave me alone. "If you're so unsure Jozu can watch me." I tell him waving my hand at the thought. Most of the crew leaves me alone, but the only time I'm not with Marco is when he leaves me with one of the other commanders, normally Jozu.
"Alright, I'll be back before dinner." He says after some deliberation.
"I'll probably be asleep or something." I tell him shrugging my shoulders. "Go Marco. I'm a big girl. I don't need you to watch me fold laundry or sleeping. In fact that's a little creepy." I tell him smiling. Marco just nods his head. Leaving he turns to look back at me once before sighing and walking away.
Happily shutting my door I change into a plain white bikini, pulling the jeans shorts on and a light cotton shirt I grab some sandals before I run out of my room looking for Jozu, spotting him sitting on deck talking with one of the other crewmates, Rai, and Whitebeard.
"Girlie I thought you were napping." Jozu says spotting me, shrugging my shoulders I casually take a seat next to them. "Marco isn't here. He left already."
Whitebeard is watching the whole time, a small smile on his face.
"I know." I comment shrugging my shoulders. "I was just thinking since we're here at a nice summer island we could maybe go to the beach." I suggest harmlessly, I really do. I just want to go to a beach.
"Why?" Jozu asks, the scowl changing to confusion, "Marco said you were tired."
Sighing I run a hand through my hair. "Obviously not, I was looking out the window when I notice it's such a nice day."
"I'll come with so if she does go swimming someone can go." Rai says shrugging his shoulders. "Marco won't be too angry after all it's just the beach."
"Rai keep an eye on her if you both go swimming." Whitebeard decides chuckling. "Jozu you better go too."
Jozu gets up and eyes me. "No trouble or I'll take you to Marco right away."
Smiling at them I skip to the ramp, turning to face Whitebeard I smile at him. "Thank-you!" I yell before happily waiting for Rai and Jozu on the dock. Puffing my cheeks up as I wait.
Arriving at the beach I grin happily, slipping my sandals off I dig my toes under the layer of hot sand to the cooler layers. Stretching my arms up contently, quickly I throw my shirt off to the side and shimmy out of my shorts, running into the water. Giggling gleefully as I wade into deeper waters, the cool water laps against my bare legs, my cobalt hair sticks to my back as the salt water soaks in. I haven't been to a beach like this in ages. Ever since my dad started taking me on his ship I haven't spent too much time on land if you could imagine, I've been all around in the Grand Line, but not to the islands themselves. I've seen plenty from afar, pirates, other marines…A break from all the fighting I seemed to be surrounded by is nice, not having to constantly worry about if someone I've become friends with or just met will suddenly disappear.
"You could have waited." Rai complains following me out. "Anyways why did you want to come to the beach anyways?" He grumbles.
"Why did you volunteer if you were going to be moody?" I counter looking over my shoulder at him. Glancing forward I submerge underwater enjoying the cooling water against my skin, peeking my eyes open I glance around after my eyes adjust. Coming back up just as Rai makes it over to me. "What?" I ask stepping away to get my personal space back.
"Are you like this with Marco? Or are we just lucky?" Rai grumbles, splashing him I grin at him. "Rose careful now, I wouldn't want to fight back." He says loosening up.
Splashing him again I dive under water and swim away from him, admiring the fish swimming around, coming up for air I see Rai a few feet away then I feel it, the splash of water. Mine and Rai's game of splashing went on for a while until Rai saw a sea king jump out of the water, well open water; we were in a cove like body of water, completely safe. At least I tried explaining that to him, but he kept complaining and started to spurt out nonsense and of course the only way to shut him up would be to get out of the water, much to my disappointment. Though I'll admit I really don't feel like hearing crazy sea king theories and such.
Setting for resting in the sand I spread my hair out behind me as I rest in the sun, happily soaking up some rays. I never could do this when I traveled with my dad. I love him to pieces, we're all that we have now, but it does feel nice to get away. It feels nice to relax.
"Rose we should get back soon." Jozu comments somewhere from the left of me, flipping over I mumble a reply about a little bit longer.
Resting in silence, I can hear Rai's snores, he'd settled under a palm tree, and Jozu he's presumably awake and keeping a watchful eye out.
Relaxing I stretch out. Feeling my body unwind and my eyelids growing heavy, I jolt awake as I hear my name being shouted. "Rose!?" shooting up I look around to see Marco walking over to us.
Jozu is sporting a rather amused look now, and well Rai is still asleep. "What are you doing here?" He asks me stopping in front of me, and now I realize several other crew members.
"Relaxing, you went into town with some of your friends, and well Rai and Jozu came with me to the beach." I tell him obviously, I was expecting something like this. Marco takes this whole watching me thing seriously. He likes to know where I am at all times. "Whitebeard said we could go, and Jozu chose where we'd go." I tell him frowning. I was having a nice afternoon, now I'm getting…scolded?
"If you wanted to go, you could have told me. Where did you even get a bathing suit?" He asks me suddenly, leaning down he studies my face.
"Marco" I say slowly watching him carefully. "This morning, when we went shopping." I tell him smirking slightly, I had a hunch he wasn't really sure what I was buying just paying out when I was done at whatever store.
"Why?"
Blinking I tilt my head to the side. "Is this a trick question?" His expressionless face tells me it isn't. "Obviously so I could go to the beach and swim. And before you go off how Jozu couldn't save me if I needed to be while swimming Rai was with me." Sitting up I watch Marco carefully. "Marco we were going to head back soon." I grumble as Marco picks my shirt and shorts up, handing them to me he lets out a sigh.
"Come on we need to head back to the ship."
Pulling my clothes back on I walk over to Rai and kick him lightly, then progressively harder as he remains asleep and snoring. "Rai we're leaving." I tell him as I give him a last kick, jolting awake he stretches, rubbing his sore leg (where I'd been kicking).
"Why does my leg feel like Thatch punched me?" He groans as we walk away from the little cove, rubbing his leg. "Seriously?"
"Don't be a heavy sleeper." Marco says simply closing the matter for good.
Sitting in my room I stare up at the ceiling, I really don't think I did anything wrong, but then again I could have simply told Marco I wanted to go the beach, but Marco wanted to go off and do something else. I don't want Marco to feel like I'm a complete chore.
Moving over to the window I make fishy faces out to the dark emptiness while contemplating what to do next. I mean sure I could have told Marco I was going and that's what I really felt like doing but I don't want Marco to have to follow me around everywhere or anything.
Imagine that, I feel like screaming again. Even this beach thing isn't that pressing. It's who my mother really was, what secret she was protecting everything. After listening to what Marco said it's been difficult trying to process my mother holds some key to the void century, so ho exactly did she come to get this key? Who was it that passed down to her, was she able to get it to me, or was that never the intent?
"You know if you really wanted to go to the beach we could have gone." Marco's voice says, turning around I see him leaning in the doorway.
"You said you were going somewhere." I point out quietly. "Besides I don't want you having to do something you really didn't want to do, I mean shopping must have been enough." I tell him walking over to my bed.
"It would have been fine." Marco says walking over to the chair to sit. "Rai says sea kings were flying out of the water."
"He's a big baby." I comment easily, "There was one and it was long ways away, we got out following all of his terrible scenarios that he claimed to be very plausible." I cite from Rai's almost lecture that I ended by heading to shore.
"Well knowing Rai, they weren't very possible." Marco cracks smiling at me, "I came to tell you we're leaving a day early, tomorrow is the last day here."
"So, would going back to the beach be possible?" I ask him biting my lip, if we're going back out to see I'd like to get in some prime beach time.
"I suppose, though I imagine you'll want to go swimming…" He mumbles something under his breath. "I guess Rai will have to brave the sea kings again." He chuckles smiling.
"Well then I guess I better get to sleep so we can leave tomorrow morning!" I beam jumping up, pausing I turn to face Marco before he gets up. "Marco?"
"Yeah?" He asks heading for the door.
Twiddling my thumbs I glance up at him momentarily meeting his gaze in the little light provided by the moon. "I'm sorry about lying."
Marco smiles at me shrugging his shoulders. "It's ok Rose."
"Do you know anything else about my mother?" I ask him quietly before he turns to leave. "I mean you seem to know a lot." I whisper my voice suddenly leaving me.
"Not really, I've heard plenty of rumors about her, but according to you they would be false." Marco says softly. "Rose go to sleep, don't worry about it. I'm sure Pops knows more than I do about her." He says calmingly.
Resting my head on my pillow I try to ignore the nagging thoughts. I really don't want to think about my mother, the memory is painful enough as is. Really I feel like I've reliving that terrible memory now. Pirates attacking, people dying, screaming guns, cannons, swords and then of course being saved by a nicer bunch of pirates, at least not quite so violent as far as I have seen.
Honestly I'm glad Marco was so worried about me when he realized I wasn't on the ship, it was a kind of worry my dad hadn't shown back when I was missing. Though I don't relish the feeling of lying to Marco; oddly enough I don't mind this whole kidnapping thing. Maybe that's the adventure talking, or the fact the Marco is maybe warming up to me. Well no matter, right now I just need to get some sleep.