WhiteBeards Siren.
Marco never thought that a girl can step onto the Moby Dick and change his life as much as one small woman did, but he's happy about it and so is Ace. Akiyama Megumi was a small quite child, the Whitebeard Pirates help her voice be heard.
"You sure Pops?" Marco asked Whitebeard, looking up at the man.
"I think putting her in the second division is a wonderful idea." Whitebeard smiled down at Marco. "Her and Ace get along well and she seems a lot louder alongside Ace."
Marco glanced round the room to see Ace and Megumi had made their way up onto one of the tables in the centre of the bar, singing loudly to one another and bottles of sake in hand. "Who gave her that…yoi?" Marco questioned, watching her tip her head back and down more of the bottle. "You sure she shouldn't be with someone more level headed?"
"I believe Megumi rather enjoys spending time with Ace." Whitebeard chuckled, taking a long sip from his mug. "My decision is final, we will discuss it with Ace and her tomorrow, or do you have any more to argue on the matter?"
"No, I know Ace will look out for her but… 2nd Division don't you think you should have her in one the lower ones, yoi?" Marco stated.
"I trust Ace to look after her, but he knows that he needs to be focused on what he'd been sent there to do." Whitebeard chuckled. "Plus he brings her more out of her shell, don't you think?"
Marco looked over at the two and nodded, maybe Ace's flames did brighten her up slightly. "Ok Pops whatever you say, you are the boss."
"Of course I'm the boss." the man chuckled. "Now get the barmaid to make me up another beer."
"Right away, Pops." Marco laughed and hopped down from the table he was sitting on, waving the barmaid over, signalling to Whitebeard and she nodded in reply, before he moved over to the table where Ace and Megumi were standing on. "ACE!" he shouted up at the man.
"Pineapple." Ace grinned widely, hopping off the table and wrapped his arms around his neck. "Where did you go…?" Ace pouted slightly, before kissing his cheek. "Berry… was saying she couldn't see you anywhere and I got worried you left."
"Berry…?" Marco questioned looking between the two, Megumi had paid no attention and was humming loudly to herself twirling her hips to the music both the skirt and hair floated around her as she danced along.
"Yeah Megumi smells like berries." Ace grinned widely, Marco got a closer look at the freckled, seeing that the man was clearly drunk and he could see Megumi's face was just as bright pink as Aces, "So I thought Berry would be a cool name for her… since you taste like pineapple I call you pineapple she smells like berries so she's called berry… or blossom… her hair looks like cherry blossom petals."
Marco sighed releasing that they were both drunk out there minds. "Come on you two, it´s bed time."
"Nope…" Ace grinned and jumped back on the table making it wobble slightly and Megumi fell backwards, laughing loudly as she stumbled back into Aces chest. "Sorry Blossom Berry… berry…" Ace cocked his head to the side and grinned widely at her.
"Nope." She popped the bung and grinned at him, waving the bottle in his face as she turned round to face him."You call me Megumi… like everyone else does."
Ace pouted and chuckled slightly. "You are no fun."
"Nope…. I'm drunk there's a difference." She leant forward going up onto her tiptoes, finger to her lips. "But Ssshhh… don't tell Thatch."
Ace chuckled and took the bottle from her. "No more for you…"
"Or Pineapple." She easily took the bottle back. "Pineapple is protective as well."
Marco raised an eyebrow and realised that she hadn't completely realised it's him. "Berry….. Pineapple is right there." Ace leant over to speak in her ear pointing towards Marco who only sighed.
"PINEAPPLE!" She cried out happily leaning down and wrapping her arms round his shoulder. "How long you been here?"
"I think you've had enough, yoi." He plucked the bottle from her hand and put on the table behind him. "Can you walk?"
"I have not had enough!" She pulled back and he could see the pout on her face and she put her hands on her hips. "You aren't my father…" She giggled. "Cause my eyes will be blue and not silver if you were my father."
Marco rubbed his temples and sighed, she was a stubborn drunk. "Megumi, you are going back to the ship and going to sleep."
"Oh…" She smiled slightly and leant forward brushing her finger up his chest and cocked his head up, "and who's gonna stop me… you?"
"Yep." Marco replied and gently took hold of her wrist and tugged her forward, bending slightly in the knees for her to slip over his shoulders. "Say goodnight to Ace, yoi." He shook his head and chuckled slightly, as he heard her protest about being slung over his shoulder.
"Night Cinnamon!" She smiled brightly and waved back at Ace, who had jumped off the table and ran over to the bar ordering another drink.
"NIGHT BERRY!" he yelled and waved the bottle he was drinking over towards them.
She giggled loudly and rested her elbows on Marcos back holding her chin up with her hands. "I understand why Cinnamon calls you pineapple…. You smell like pineapple."
Marco rolled his eyes slightly. "Did you enjoy yourself tonight?"
"Yep…." She answered. "I like it… I like the crew… You all are amazing…."
"Cinnamon?" He asked, realising she was calling Ace Cinnamon.
"He smells like Cinnamon." She murmured into his back as her arms slipped and her face buried into his shirt. "It's a nice smell… you have a bit of cinnamon on you."
He chuckled slightly and continued to go at a gentle pace, her arms wrapped round his waist slightly to stop herself from bouncing against his back. He realised that Ace was right and she did smell like berries, but he couldn't put down to which one she completely smelled like.
As he walked up onto the Moby Dick, he realised that no one was actually on the ship, they must have all been at the pub. He chuckled slightly, as he moved down towards the division commander's quarters. "You ok?" He asked her, releasing she went silent.
She nuzzled into his back. "Yeah… I think so…. Everything is spinning."
He sighed again. "Have you ever been drunk before?" He pushed the bedroom door to her open with his foot and noticed all the bags and boxes were across the floor.
He felt her shake her head into his back, as he moved over to her bed. "Akainu never let me touch alcohol…. He didn't like me doing anything." she whispered.
He knelt on the side of her bed and shifted her down to lay on her back, she nuzzled into the pillow letting go of his waist. "It's ok, Pops will let you do whatever you want, yoi." He moved down and slipped her shoes off her feet. "Well, within reason, I don't think the old man needs to have a heart attack because you have done something stupid."
"I don't do stupid things." she murmured.
Marco shook his head and smirked slightly, putting the shoes on the ground and pulling her covers back. "No, and getting drunk isn't stupid." He chuckled as he tucked her in. "Do you want anything before I go?" She shook her head softly in reply, he leant down and ruffled her hair softly. "Night then, Berry."
He turned to go before he felt a soft hand reach out and grab hold of his shirt. "Marco…"
"You ok Megumi?" he asked.
"…. You won't let him have me, will you?" She asked softly, her eyes shining up at him.
"What… are you on about, yoi?" Marco asked, sitting back down on the edge of her bed, looking down at her.
"Akainu… I don't want to marry him Marco…" she whispered, her hand clenched in the material of his shirt. "I never wanted to marry him…. Mum thought he would be great for me… he's ancient, Marco."
Marco felt pity wash over him as he saw her face drop. "Why are you asking, Megumi?"
"Hey." He chuckled and leant back against the head board of her bed, he'd kicked his sandals off, as he got comfortable. "What has brought this on, yoi?"
She stayed silent for a few moments and Marco questioned if she'd actually fallen asleep on him, but her eyes were locked onto one the buttons of his shirt. "I saw a newspaper article today…. About me… about Akainu's the one leading the search for me, because they believe I'm still alive…."
His hand reached up and brushed her hair back slightly, "He's not gonna get you Megumi…" Marco murmured down to her. "Pops won't let it happen…ever… I promise."
She murmured something into the pillow and he glanced down to see her eyes had closed and her breathing had evened out, the girl had fallen asleep… seemed like alcohol brought out her fear. He gently got off the bed, her hand fell limp in the spot he'd originally been sitting in.
He moved over towards the door and glanced into the hallway to see a sober Thatch dragging a drunken Ace down the corridor, he chuckled gently to himself and stepped out of Megumi's room leaving her to sleep.
The next morning Megumi groaned weakly in her bed, sitting up slightly and whined loudly as she felt her head pound. "What the hell…." she murmured softly, rubbing her temple with one hand and leaning back on her other elbow. She glanced around the room releasing she'd woken up in her own room "How the hell….?"
A soft knock on the door broke her from her thoughts. "You up, yoi?" Came a question from the other side of the door.
"Yeah… I'm up Marco… you can come in." she called out, wincing at the sound of her voice.
The door opened and Marco stepped into the room, smiling down at her slightly. "I brought breakfast… didn't think you would want to sit in the mess hall today."
"Thank you…." she murmured as he moved across the room and put the plate of toast and a cup of tea down on her bedside table.
"You feeling ok, yoi?"
She nodded her head gently. "My head hurts…. how did I get back to my room?"
Marco chuckled slightly, sitting down at the edge of her bed looking at her. "I had to carry you back, seems like you were refusing to come down from the table."
Her eyes widened slightly and she blushed in embarrassment, drawing her knees up to her chest and hiding her face behind her knees. "Oh dear…" she muttered.
"Don't worry, Thatch had to drag Ace back, he was as bad as you, yoi." Marco lazily smirked at her.
"I cannot believe I did that." She groaned softly.
"Hey, at least Ace didn't strip in front of you… he's done that in the past."
"You ok… with Ace being like that?" she asked, finally looking up at him.
"Ace is about your age." Marco shrugged. "Live life to the fall, that's what I always say… We are going for a walk through the forest today, thought you would like to join us, since we leave tomorrow afternoon. There's a winter island nearby that Pops wanted to check out, but we really only stopped here to restock."
She nodded her head and grinned widely. "I would love to go on a hike with you two." she groaned, softly feeling her head pound at her nodding. "Make it go away…"
Marco chuckled again and pointed towards her breakfast. "Eat and drink the tea and have a shower, should help… along with the fresh air it will."
She gently took the plate and ate the toast quickly, before downing the tea. "You didn't have to bring me breakfast." she smiled softly at him, as she moved around the bags, taking out a pair of hiking boots, black shorts and a white tank top, leaving them on the bed.
"No but if I hadn't ,Ace would have eaten everything." Marco smirked slightly at her.
"Should I meet you on deck… or should I knock…?" she asked gently, as she moved towards the door leading into the bathroom, she'd picked up a few of the bags, before she lingered in the doorway eyes on him.
Marco nodded his head and got up and moved towards the other door. "Knock on the door, see you in a bit."
She nodded her head and slipped into the shower and Marco closed her door behind him, as he walked back to his room, he quickly opened the door and closed it behind him to see Ace banging his head against the desk in his room. "What did you do, yoi?" Marco questioned.
"I drank way to much last night." Ace grinned widely at him, before frowning. "I might have been stupid." Marco only raised an eyebrow at this statement, knowing Ace only called himself stupid when he'd really screwed up. "…. I might have kissed Megumi last night."
"What?" Marco questioned eyes widened slightly as he looked over to the second division commander.
"It wasn't like how I kiss you, Marco… it was a quick peck on the lips, something like…." Ace banged his head again. "I don't know… GAH!" He smacked his head on the desk again, louder this time. "I didn't mean to, Marco."
Marco rubbed his temples and sighed, smirking down at the boy and patted his back kissing his head. "We are going for a hike with her, once she's got dressed, now don't go all lovely dovey over her, cause you kissed her, yoi."
"Wait… you aren't bothered by this…?" Ace questioned, glancing up at Marco. "God, I thought you were going to hate me…"
Marco chuckled and patted his back. "Hating you is a hard job, I only think the marines have enough time to hate you, it was a peck on the lip nothing more… that might understand why you started to call her berry last night."
"I… what?" Ace's head shot up.
"She called you Cinnamon, which I thought was strange, cause you only taste of cinnamon." Marco shrugged. "Didn't think you would kiss her."
"Shut up." Ace grumbled, before Marcos lips connected quickly with his.
Marco pulled back soon, after smirking slightly at the stunned face of the younger man. "It does not bother me, yoi."
"How is she?" Ace asked.
"Ok… the poor girl is hung over, said she could join us on our hike today or are you going to try kissing her again?" Marco grinned at him.
"IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!" Ace cried out in annoyance.
Marco could only chuckle as he heard a knock on the door. "Come in, yoi." He called as the door opened.
Megumi smiled softly at them, dressed in the clothes that Marco saw her get earlier, a pair of sunglasses were perched on top of her head, knee length socks covered her legs and a black cardigan was tied around her waist. "Well I'm ready when you are." She smiled at them, her head tipping slightly to the side.
Ace grinned at her, completely ignoring his thoughts of the night before; she didn't seem to remember it, so he shouldn't let it bother him. He grabbed his hat and placed it on his head, grinning brightly at her as Marco flashed him a smirk. Ace moved to the door and turned her around slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Ready for an adventure?"
AN: First answering a review
LeiaGray: I'm glad you are enjoying the rewrite, I'm enjoying writing it…. I might I'm not sure how I want that to go I think that's what's making me go eehh… should I write it and post it up separately or not, but thank you for the review I love your Ace and Marco work.
To the others that have reviewed, I thank you so much for your love and Support.
As I said I'm really enjoying doing the rewrite I've found it so fun diving into the characters more the only time I really did that was during the war I think and then all their emotions were all over the place. I hope you will review I love hearing from you all and follow and favourite so you can continue reading my work. Well until next time.
Scarlet Newgate.