A note on this chapter. "(Things like this)" notes words spoken in the language of the beasts.

You'll understand why the distinction when I didn't use it for Chopper in a bit~.


Marco scowled up towards the deck of the larger vessel from where Shanks was looking down at them. "Are you going to toss down a ladder or do you expect us to scale the sides by hand?"

"I'd rather you not." The Redhair captain cheerfully called down at them.

"Then throw us a damn ladder!" Thatch snapped, annoyed at being kept waiting for the past ten minutes.

Shanks let out a strained sort of laugh. "See, I'd rather you not do that, either."

"This is ridiculous, yoi." Marco grumped, transforming his arms into wings. Thatch quickly caught on and grabbed onto his waist before the first division commander flapped once, sending the two of them up into the air. It was a simple matter to flit over Shanks' head and land on the deck, turning to look at the Yonko with a less than amused stare. "Happy?"

"No." Shanks muttered under his breath so softly Marco almost didn't hear it before grinning. "Well, welcome aboard! What brings you to my humble ship?"

"Shouldn't we be asking you what brings your ship to our waters?" Thatch shot back.

"Eh, just taking the scenic route for a change. I have no intentions on making a move to take one of Newgate's islands." That at least was an honest reply. Or as honest as Marco was expecting.

The first commander allowed Thatch to banter back and forth with the powerful captain as he himself surreptitiously watched the crew. He hadn't seen anyone new, having seen Rockstar's bounty poster a few months ago. While the pirate was still a rookie by their standards, he wasn't a 'brat', being into his mid twenties at the youngest. Still, Marco would have been blind not to notice the uneasy shifting of the crew. Some of it, he was sure, was due to their presence. That was completely natural; any crew would take offence to a non-allied pirate casually coming on board. Especially if that pirate was as strong as they were. It didn't matter that the Whitebeards and the Redhairs generally operated under friendly terms. They weren't allies, after all.

That didn't explain why various crewmen were glancing about the deck, as if looking for something. He watched as one man jumped slightly at the sound of the ropes slapping the mizzenmast. Seasoned sailors didn't react in such a way to the sounds of their own ship. Pirates as a breed were never so jumpy. Not to mention Shanks hadn't asked his habitual question if Marco would join him. The whole thing was highly suspicious to say the least.

"- gonna throw us a par-"

"What did you steal from Garp, yoi?" Marco's cool voice cut across Thatch, looking at Shanks for the first time since boarding.

He caught the flicker of anger before it was gone. "Nothing. Why, you hear something?"

"That's not what the marines you've left in your wake have said." Thatch put in, hand casually resting against the hilts of his dual swords.

The whole crew bristled. "You'd take the word of marines over me?"

"No." Marco easily admitted. "But any fool can see something is going on. Garp isn't one to foolishly throw away resources, let alone the lives of marines on three separate battleships, yoi."

Shanks just glowered, the former easy going expression gone. "I can't see how it's any of your business."

"It's our business when you pull your fight into Whitebeard territory. Or when we have to clean up after you." Thatch shot back. "What, exactly, did you do to piss off Garp so badly?"

"What do you mean, 'clean up after you.'?" Benn interrupted before Shanks spoke.

"Just that." Thatch's look was glacial. "You left three ships crippled, far from land with almost no supplies and little help of rescue. If you're gonna kill the poor bastards for being stupid enough to tangle with you, fine. Do it outright. It's in bad taste to let them starve at sea. Most of them are assholes, but no one deserves that kind of death."

Benn didn't even flinch at the accusation. "Standing up for marines, are we? We're pirates."

Marco crossed his arms as he watched Shanks carefully. There wasn't an ounce of remorse there, which was expected. He narrowed his eyes slightly. "Pirates, yes. But I didn't think the mighty Shanks had fallen in with slavers, yoi." A look of anger flashed across that scarred face. "Excuse me, yoi. Kidnappers."

"We-I- didn't. Kidnap. Anyone." Shanks ground out.

"No? Then what's this I hear about you running from Garp with three kids in tow?" Thatch asked, deceptively mild.

"You have no room to talk!" Yasopp cat calls. "Kidnapping is how your captain recruits!"

That was a fair point, and both the Whitebeard pirates inclined their heads slightly. "We've never taken anyone who wasn't already a pirate, or at least well on their way to it." Thatch puts in. "And never children."

"Haruta-"

"Is older than he looks." Marco cut off the protest. It was a weak defence at best, but Haruta was aged beyond his years. It was hard to have a childhood when one was a slave, after all. There was a beat of silence after his words. Slavery wasn't an unknown concept, and despite his earlier words Marco knew very well that Shanks abhorred the practice. If these mystery kids were in fact slaves the only reason he'd have taken them was to free them. But the whole thing was unlikely given how Garp was following them. Garp would have easily 'lost' the pirate crew if that was the case. No, he'd said that to gauge the crew's reaction.

"Where are these rug rats anyway?" Thatch asked, making a show of looking around. Neither missed the way various crew members jumped, also looking around now.

"Safe." Shanks word rang out and seemed to settle the crew.

"So you don't deny that they are here?" Thatch asked, rocking back on his heels.

The pirate captain shrugged one arm. "What's the point in denying it when you can very well tell with Haki?" he shot back at Marco.

It was true. Both he and Thatch had felt the presence of three unknown youn lives before they'd even been within hailing distance. Marco closed his eyes for a second, searching the feeling out. It felt odd; focused in a way he wasn't used to feeling and yet continued to slip away when he tried to track its location. It was enough to make his neck prickled with unease. "Safe... Is it them you are keeping safe, or us, yoi?"

Shanks sighed, shoulders slumping slightly. "Can't it be both?"

Marco knew the moment Thatch stepped forward that it was a mistake even if he couldn't have said why. Not at first at least. There was no warning before the attack, and there was no mistake that was exactly what it was. Three bodies slammed into Thatch with the speed of a sea train, nearly throwing the division commander to the ground as they broadsided him. Marco instinctively reached out and grabbed one of them by the hair, yanking them off even as teeth dug into his arm with enough force to hit bone. The pain was momentary before his flames kicked in, the jaws now snapping at his face as he attempted to toss the... person... away from himself.

"STOP!" Shank's voice rang out, the force of his haki backing it. The three forms paused for but a second. Just enough time for Marco to realize they were being mauled by children.

Children who were trying their damndest to kill his brother. Taking a page out of Shank's book he let his haki boil with his killer intent. "ENOUGH." He snapped out, shaking the figure he held even as he felt his brother's haki crest over them.

The boy he was grappling with went still, eyes wide and barely breathing save for a low... growl?... He let go, and the boy hunched over on all fours, blue eyes glaring at him from under the blond fringe. A smaller boy bumped against him, gaze flicking between Marco, Thatch and Shanks.

Licking his nose the little one huffed animalistically. "(-threat-not threat-?)"

"(Threat.)" Growled the blond, not taking his eyes off Marco.

Shanks was glowering at the last one, who glared right back defiantly. "I told you 'No'! Bad, Ace! BAD! You can't go attacking EVERYONE new!"

The boy, Ace, snarled back. "NO! Fight! (Can't trust new man-beasts. Stupid Not-Our-Alpha. Being challenged in your own den! It is you who are wrong-)"

"No, no fight. These are our FRIENDS." Shanks stressed the word.

"(Dangerous not-friends who stink of hot-fire and anger.)" The blond growled louder.

"Sabo! Enough! Luffy, don't you even THINK about biting Thatch again!" Shanks snapped, and Marco saw the little one had been eyeing his brother. Shanks let out a sound that was equally annoyed and angry and all exhausted. "Sorry. They're, uh, a bit aggressive about strangers."

"A bit?" Thatch drolly questioned, fingering a bite mark on his shoulder. "I'd say that's more than 'a bit.' What the ever loving hell is your problem, you little hell-spawns?" The boys didn't answer.

Not that Marco expected them too. He risked glancing away only for a moment at Shanks and felt more than saw the two at his feet lean in. He glowered at them. "(Don't even think about it.)" He hissed at them, earning all three's attention. Not daring to take his eyes away he spoke. "Mind telling me why these three brats speak the language of beasts, yoi?"

Shanks glared at him. "We've been trying to get them to use normal words, dammit." A beat. "Wait, you can understand them?"

"I am a zoan type." Marco pointed out. "I might be human; but I've spent enough time riding the skies over the decades to have picked up a thing or two."

"So wait, you're telling me you really ARE a bird brain?" Thatch grinned, laughter in his voice.

"(Don't you dare.)" He glared at Ace who'd shifted closer. "Not the time, Thatch."

"(What are you? You smell like man-beast but don't.)" The one called Sabo asked, head cocking to the side.

"(I am a man-beast. I am also a phoenix.)" Seeing the blank stare he explained. "(A powerful sun-heat bird. And you, who wear the skin of man-beasts?)"

"(Wolves. Hunters of Hunts-boar-alone's pack.)" All three joined in the soft howl, echoing sorrow and loss.

Marco glared at Shanks. "What made you think taking them away from their wolf pack was a good idea, Shanks?"

"I didn't!" Shanks snapped back. "Their pack is dead! Their home in the jungle gone; they were burning it when we left! What, you wanted me to just leave them there? Feral and half mad with loss? Or let GARP of all people take them?"

"So instead you whisk them away to the open seas, yoi?" Marco asked, crossing his arms. "I shouldn't have to tell you how dangerous this is, Shanks."

"I know, alright?"

"Do you?" Marco asked, eyes narrowing as he stood nose to nose with Shanks. Low growls echoed around them, promising violence. "Your crew is afraid."

"They are not-" Benn began

Thatch let out a dry laugh. "They are afraid, and if I can see it, you know damn well these brats can."

Marco nodded. "They think they're wolves. Predators. You can't expect them not to react to that. How long before whatever bond you have with them is not enough?"

Shanks looked away first, but not before Marco saw the anguish in his eyes. He knew then that the younger pirate knew exactly how dangerous this whole situation was. Perhaps he had always known, even when he'd brought the children on board. As Shanks turned and gestured for he and Thatch to follow as he tapped Benn on the shoulder, Marco felt a grudging respect for the man, knowing it couldn't have been an easy decision to make. It was obvious to him that the three were at least fond of Shanks, if not the rest of his crew. Still, that would not always prevent an accident when tempers flared and cultures clashed as exhibited by the trashed captain's quarters. Beasts could and would care for those weaker than them. They wouldn't tolerate someone weaker in charge, though. Even if no one wanted to admit it they were all crew - pack - fighting together would have exasperated the situation. The boys dogging their heels were chafing at the restrictions Shanks had put on them.

"It's not your fault, yoi." He said softly. "Animals... can't understand what it means to be Nakama. Not really. The fact you've gotten them this far is a credit to you and your crew."

The captain of the Redhair pirates nodded, deflating slightly. "I couldn't just leave them, Marco. And... they're not safe."

"I'd say." Thatch said with an easy grin. "Little brutes."

Benn sighed, "Since Sabo was injured by that marine they won't even let us approach merchant ships without trying to attack someone. We've been trying to work on it but..."

"They don't trust the crew. Oh, sure, they'll listen to myself and Benn, and they're reasonably fond of a few others."

"I'm sorry, captain." Benn chewed on his cigarette. "I've tried, but..."

"No, this is on me."

Marco snorted. "Hardly. Your men are scared because they don't understand these three. They haven't made the effort, and honestly can you blame the brats for getting worked up over that?"

"None of you speak their language, right?" Thatch agreed, nodding. "It's pretty obvious they understand you, but aren't that good at communicating."

"Likely they don't want to." Marco offered his opinion, remembering a time in the very distant past. "No one wants to talk to the enemy, especially if that means you have something in common."

"Not that they see you as enemies!" Thatch yelped, catching the look on Shanks face. "Just... human, right? And I'm guessing they're not to fond of us humans."

"With good reason." the redhair captain nodded, not elaborating.

A quick glance at Thatch said no elaboration was necessary. His brother nodded, knowing where Marco was going with this. True, the brats in question were much more dangerous than either had expected. It didn't matter, though. Oyaji had a thing for misplaced brats, and Shanks was obviously overwhelmed. "We'll take them." Thatch was rather blunt about it, however.

"What?!" Shanks looked at him wide eyed.

"It's nothing against you, yoi." Marco soothed, "Oyaji is just better equipped to handle this. Problem brats are his specialty."

"Heh, I'm sure you know all about that." Shanks grinned before sobering. "They're not gonna be happy. With any of us."

"They're not happy right now." Benn put in. "I know you want to keep them here, where you can watch them, captain."

"I do; Makino would kill me if anything happened to them. Not to mention..." He trailed off, looking at the boys who rested just outside the door in a patch of sun, watching. Marco didn't push him. Instead he waited for Shanks to think it over and was rewarded when those sharp eyes bore into him. "You take care of them. If they get hurt under Newgate's watch... I swear to you I will not rest until the old man is dead. Do you understand me? They are mine; and I'll be damned if I let them get hurt."

Marco stood a little straighter under the intense scrutiny. There was more to this than he'd thought; more than Shanks attempting to rescue wild boys. "You have my word."

"Mine as well." Thatch echoed. "No harm will come to them."

Shanks let out a tired laugh. "Good. Well, at least this way I know that old seadog will never find them..." He said with more than a bit of fondness as he watched the one called Ace start licking the littlest.

Marco smiled slightly until he realized he and Thatch would be stuck on a small dingy with the three until they made it to Oyaji. He swallowed, hoping they hadn't bitten off more than they could chew.