Dot: Thank you! The ending will briefly explain what happened.
WhiteyWolf26: Lots of fixing to be done indeed. Marco's reaction is in this chapter.
Working on another story right now. My class might just be easier online now, so I'm happy about that. Enjoy~
"Stay calm," Marco said to the citizens of Pops' home island as they were hiding in the small hospital as former dead people knocked on the locked door, begging to see their families again, and saying they weren't zombies.
"I wanna see mama!" a child's voice shouted from outside. That made Marco do something. He may not be a commander anymore, or under Whitebeard, but he was still strong, and could protect himself easily if these were stereotypical zombies.
He opened the locked door, and pushed himself outside and closed it behind him. All of the former-dead people were covered in dirt. Some had mud caked in their hands, meaning they helped dig out the others. They all looked healthy, though some had scars from what had to be fatal wounds. Someone even had a line around his throat as if he'd his throat slitted but healed again.
"Where did you come from?" Marco asked calmly, arms crossed and leaning against the door to the crowded room.
A young woman, in a dress, said, "We just woke up, and were buried. Someone got out and started digging the rest up, and then everyone helped. We're not gonna kill anyone, please let us see our families."
Marco felt for the people, but knew that the alive villagers would not be comfortable seeing these people yet. "I would like to ask some questions, if you don't mind, before I let you see them. Everyone is frightened." The former dead people nodded, willing to do anything to see their families. There were a few children, crying.
"Did you all just wake up? Just like that?" They nodded. "When did you die? What year? Each of you, specifically," Marco said. Most of them had died within three years of their deaths. Since none were from older, they could all just assume there was a time limit from when they'd died. "Did you come across any bodies that were still decomposed? And did those die longer than three years ago?"
A tall man nodded. "There were a few I dug up that were either skeletons or too far gone. Didn't heal like we did. I died of a tumor in my head, but I feel fine now. And none of us want to eat anyone," he added. In any other situation, that would sound ridiculous, but these people had been dead for years, and were suddenly back alive, bodies seeming to function normally.
Marco nodded, not thinking the people would hurt any of their living family members. When the citizens saw the small procession of dead people walking or running towards the village, they fled to Marco's clinic since they knew he was strong and would protect them. Marco had grown quite fond of everyone.
He missed his other life, of adventure and family, but this was not so bad. He hadn't spoken to much of his brothers in at least a month. It hurt that so many left after Pops and Ace died. He felt like it was his leadership that made so many leave The commanders stayed together, but after that, Edward Weevil, as he called himself, started hunting the leftover pirates, they split up for safety. No one believed for a second that that idiot was at all related to Pops. And even if he was, there was no fortune to collect. Fools.
"Alright, I don't think you will kill anyone, but I think you need to all be clean to not frighten them. And maybe eat something while you're at it," Marco suggested. They all nodded and ran off to any house to shower or rinse themselves off with a hose. Marco stayed outside, waiting for them.
Many ran back soaking wet but still in their death clothes. The dirt was off of their skin, but the clothes were still in bad conditions. Some of them were scarfing down food like hungry animals, while others were guzzling water and rubbing their teeth to get the dirt off. "Can we see them now?" one of the little girls said, wet hair flat to her head and face. Marco told them to wait a moment before he went inside and explained that he thought the people were no danger.
A good many of them immediately left, probably the ones who had loved ones that might be alive again. And they trusted Marco's judgement. He smiled when he went outside and watched the people hug and cry, reuniting with one another. Children were sobbing into their parents clothes. Those with children were sobbing as well, their babies back to them.
Marco was about to go back inside to coax the others out, when his den den mushi rang, the one connected to one of the other commanders. He had assumed that it was only this island that this happened to, but it was too much of a coincidence that someone would call now.
He hurried to the den den mushi and picked it up. "Hello?" Marco asked. He recognized Haruta's voice, frantic sounds around him. He shouted at someone to shut up before speaking. Marco smiled softly, missing his brothers, glad that Haruta sounded alright.
"Marco! People on the island started digging out of the ground! They were dead and now they're alive!" Haruta shouted, excitement in his voice. Of course he'd be excited. Like Ace would. It still hurt to think of him sometimes, but enough time had passed to make him smile when he thought of the bright young man more often than not.
"Same on my island," Marco replied calmly.
"I also listened in on one a marine ship. Apparently this is happening to most islands in the New World. At least, as we know right now. They're quite frantic. You know what this could mean?" His voice was quiet at the end, and Marco frowned deeply. He didn't want to get his own or Haruta's hopes up.
"Yes, I know. But don't get your hopes up," Marco responded. Haruta huffed.
"Well, they have no way to contact us. Shouldn't someone go check?" Haruta reasoned, voice much more calm now. Maybe Marco's words helped him. He sounded so ecstatic and Marco didn't want him to think they were alive and then be crushed when they were still six feet under the ground. Besides, the villagers in most islands weren't buried in coffins. Ace and Pops would have had to break open the coffin- no. he wasn't going to start thinking like that. He couldn't bear it if he thought they were alive but weren't. It would be like losing them a second time, and he couldn't handle that.
But, he was the only one on the crew that could fly, and get there quickly. "You mean me?" the former first mate and captain asked in a flat voice. The den den mushi nodded frantically. "I… I can't do that. I can't handle it again."
Haruta grew angry. "So, you're going to use your emotions to abandon your lover and father?" Marco sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Please Marco. If they are alive, then we could rebuild the family! We could be a crew again, go on adventures, be together and safe! Happy again!"
Marco swallowed deeply. He was right, Marco was letting his sadness overcome his hope. But, he would control that hope. It made sense that this would happen to other islands. And they had died two years ago, not longer than three compared to Sphinx. But if it was different on every island, then who knows? But... they could still be alive. Well, alive again. Ace must be so broken and upset, thinking about the war and his death.
His lover needed him, and he needed him, too. And Pops. How surreal would it be to be with them again? It would be the best day of his life, even if Thatch was unable to come back, as they'd burned him out at sea like he would have wanted.
"Alright. But I have to ask first; have you asked how long those on the island have been dead?" Haruta answered immediately.
"Six years. No one older than that made it. Some dug up each other's graves but found skeletons or decomposing corpses. But, Pops and Ace died two years ago! That means they could be some of the zombies!"
"Don't call them zombies unless they start eating people. That's strange, on this island it's only people who died under three years ago. These people have to be scared and uncertain. Be careful with them, they might have felt like they died minutes ago. Be gentle with them," Marco stressed. Tears almost gathered in his eyes when Hauta called him a mother-hen. It had been over a year since he'd been called that. He reined in his emotions, and couldn't help but say, "I never thought I'd be happy to hear you say that," with a laugh. He didn't laugh much anymore. He smiled small smiles with the villagers he'd grown fond of, but rarely laughed.
The den den mushi grinned. "I won't get my hopes up too high, and I'll call everyone else to tell him you're going to go check. If you do find them… call me, kay?" Haruta asked in small voice. He was nervous, too.
"Promise I will," Marco replied.
He left an hour later, making sure that the former dead bodies weren't eating anyone, still reuniting with their loved ones. Marco hoped he'd be reunited as well. He wanted to cry and hug his long lost family as well. The villagers wished him good luck, as they would enjoy seeing Whitebeard again someday.
"If anyone comes, that is an enemy, go to the caves, alright?" Marco said. He'd dug out a secret base in case of an emergency that could fit everyone inside one of the mountains. He knew something might happen or he'd need to leave, so that was the failsafe he had.
Marco turned completely into phoenix form, something he hadn't done in over a year. It felt good to fly again in bird form, cruising through the air easily and gracefully. He remembered the first time Ace had flown with him, clinging onto his back with his eyes shut and breathing heavily. That was when everyone found out Ace was afraid of heights, unless it was something sturdy he could be on, like a tree or the crowsnest. Flying was not for him, and he got teased mercilessly.
That was before he and Marco finally came clean with each other. More and more memories came up, and the man couldn't help it. He was getting his hopes up and there was no stopping that until he was crushed again to see their perfectly intact graves. Pops' bisento and cape undisturbed, Ace's ridiculous hat and beads still there.
He flew the entire day, log pose hanging from the satchel that had water and food in it, as he was planning on no stops. And since the pose was an eternal one, he didn't need to stop anywhere for any amount of time. He was going straight to the island that he left his heart at.
Three days passed, Marco was able to sleep while cruising, and able change into half form so he could drink some water by holding it in his talons. He decided he'd fly more often even when he went back to the island, alone. It was refreshing and brought back nice memories, even if they had a twinge of sadness in them.
The sun set for the last time on his journey when he landed on the island. It was dark, and he was exhausted when he touched ground and changed back into human form. The first thing he noticed about the graves was the absence of the massive bisento and captian's cape. His breathing stopped, and he couldn't bring himself to go closer and see if the ground was disturbed.
He regained some confidence and shakily walked forward, legs feeling like jelly until he was in front of them, eyes closed, sweating and afraid to look. He scolded himself for growing weak over the years of failure and loneliness, and opened his eyes to see a mess of dirt thrown all over the place, two pairs of boot soles around the site. There was no mistaking the size of one of them.
Still, his heart stayed up behind a wall as he dug himself into the places the bodies should be. But all there were was two very empty graves, dirt poured into the flattened surface. He started sobbing, and for the first time in years that he let himself break. He left the site quickly, and flew around the island, bright and like a shooting star as he looked everywhere.
He found no trace of a massive person below him, and worried they had left already, gone somewhere he'd have to search for, having to wait even longer to see his father and lover. He finally made it to the docks, and saw a big silhouette leaning against a large tree. But, it could be anything, Marco told himself. It might not be Pops.
But then he saw the much smaller form of someone sitting on the dock, his legs hanging over the edge and a hat next to him, looking out at the moon reflecting on the water. It was Ace. Marco landed on the dock silently. He didn't know who to go to first. Pops was asleep, but Ace was fully awake. And Marco could tell by Ace's body language that he was choking back sobs. Ace was first. He needed him first. Marco saw that he had a shirt on, and was glad. He didn't want to see the wound, though it should be healed like the other undead villagers on Pops' home island.
Ace clearly wasn't paying attention and didn't notice Marco approach from his not so great haki. Marco walked up to right behind him before Ace turned around, eyes widening when he looked up as a tearful Marco.
Marco collapsed onto his knees and hugged Ace tightly, face in his soft hair, which had been washed in the days after he came back to life. Ace sobbed into his chest, apologizing. Marco was expecting it since the moment he let himself believe Ace was alive. He would have to start from the beginning with making Ace feel loved again, but he didn't care. He'd spend his whole life letting Ace know he was loved and cared about.
There was cheerful laughter behind him, deep and gruff, and Marco started crying harder. He couldn't look, hoping Pops' injuries didn't show. He couldn't see him with those holes in him, though he stayed alive from them remarkably. Marco had been hurt, but so proud that he didn't show any pain even from a magma fist into his body multiple times. And that he had died standing.
Marco got up and holding Ace's hand, asked if he could go with his eyes. Ace gave him a smile, telling him that of course he could go see him. Marco stood and sprinted to his captain, who would always be his captain, and flung himself against him, crying and hugging him as tight as he could. The wounds were still there, still very clear, but he was alive again.
Whitebeard hugged him back, laughing in such happiness. Ace was smiling behind him, no longer sobbing, but tears still pouring down his face. Tears of happiness of seeing Marco, who made it clear that he wasn't hated. He was still loved.
-x-
"Who the hell is Edward Weevil?" Whitebeard asked as Marco told the two everything that had happened. Ace was sitting in Marco's lap, back against Marco's chest. Ace felt loved in Marco's arms. Now, that is, and that was enough. Marco laughed at Pops' response. "I've never heard of anyone named 'Miss Bakkin'."
"That is great to hear, not that anyone believed them," Marco chuckled, kissing Ace's head without really noticing it. "And have you been holding out on us from that huge fortune you left behind?" he asked sarcastically.
"I'm sorry to say that I haven't. If I had, we could afford a new ship the size of the Moby. I'm not meant to be on some little dinky ship," Whitebeard said. It made his older sons sad, but the other two were much sadder since it only happened to them days ago. Or what seemed like days ago. But, a ship was nothing as long as they were both alive. "Now, am I going to talk to the others now? Who should we call first?"
Ace was looking forward to hearing his other brothers, who Marco had assured Ace weren't mad at him. After all, they all knew now that Pops had chosen Marineford to be his final destination. He never planned to leave with his sons. Marco had checked him over almost immediately after their reunion and there were less tears.
Whitebeard was in perfect health. Just like those people on the island. The man who's had a brain tumor which had disappeared. "We have to call Haruta first," Marco replied, setting the universal den den mushi down and dialing Haruta's number. He answered immediately.
"Marco?" Haruta asked, sounding frightened of hearing that they had still been six feet under and were staying that way.
"No, it's me. I hear you've been teasing your brother again," Pops said with a bright grin.
"POPPPS!" Haruta screeched. Whitebeard laughed as blubbering was heard over the other line. "What about Ace? Is Ace there?!"
"Yo," Ace said simply. Marco chuckled, feeling an immense weight off of his shoulders. He no longer had to be the captain, he could be the first mate again. Their crew would be reborn, just like all those people around the New World at least.
"We can b-be a fam-ily ag-again!" Haruta sobbed. The three could hear crying in the background. Other Whitebeards were there, and knew that their father was alive.
"Oh son, you were all still a family when I was gone. I do wish everyone was able to stay together. But, now I can prove to that Weevil brat and everyone else that the only sons I have are the Whitebeard pirates. I have no fortune, I'm sorry to say."
"I don't care! Money doesn't matter!" Harita exclaimed. Ace chuckled.
"You sure weren't saying that when you complained about not having enough allowance to buy every single person a whoopie cushion," the youngest pointed out. Was he technically still twenty, or twenty two now? He hadn't grown at all over the years. Well, he was dead, but still.
"That was then, this is now," Haruta countered, sounding overjoyed to be talking with Ace again. They felt the sadness about not getting Thatch back, but they were happy that at least two of the three had come back.
"You have to call everyone else, too. Haruta, have you told anyone else your suspicion?" Marco questioned.
"No, I didn't want to get their hopes up. Oh, they'll all be so happy! I haven't talked with some of them in months. I'm sorry Pops. We couldn't hold together without you. The commanders all stayed loyal, but we had to split up for safety. That damn Teach-"
"Let's not talk about him right now. This is a time for happiness," Whitebeard said, shutting down the negative topic. Though he had to be terrified now that Whitebeard was alive again. Perhaps his fruit was taken back by the man when he became alive again. Neither he or Ace remembered any sort of afterlife. If they were in one, then they didn't remember it.
"Since I'm still the intel guy, I have separate snails for everyone, we can have a group conversation!" Haruta exclaimed. But Whitebeard had other ideas.
He smiled along with his two present sons to hear Haruta so happy after Marco said everyone was pretty much miserable alone. He hadnt meant to, but his words had been like a knife into both Ace and Pops. The phoenix had apologized for the wording, kissing Ace in apology. He was much more fragile than Pops was. Not just physically.
"I'd like to speak with them each individually. I know I won't get to hear anyone over the shouting," he said, but didn't sound upset. He couldn't wait to see all of his children again. Those who had stayed. As much as the captain wished they'd stayed together, he couldn't be mad at them for leaving.
"Okay, call me back, though. I want to talk longer," Haruta pretty much whined. Whitebeard promised he would.
Marco dialed Vista, since he had each commander's number memorized. "Hello?" Vista asked, and Ace and Whitebeard could tell he wasn't happy. It broke their hearts to know their family had splintered apart. That they were all so miserable.
"You were pretty cool when you were fighting Mihawk," Ace said. Marco contained his laughter, but Vista didn't sound happy.
"Is this some kind of joke?" Vista asked in a cold voice. Ace frowned.
Whitebeard stepped in. "It looks like you've lost your humor, son," he said, though not in a mean way. The other line was silent for almost a whole minute, before he asked if this was for real, clearly not wanting to hope it was and have it not be. Not all of the commanders were like Haruta, who could openly hope like he had.
"Yes, this is real. I'm sure you've heard of all of the dead rising?" Choking cries were heard on the other line, and they talked for a while, before the three moved on to the rest of them. It took over three hours to get through all of the commanders. Those who were out at sea on the Moby 2 and 3 were going to come and pick the recently deceased up, alive and kicking. The three just had to wait, as Marco was not gonna leave their sides.
Ace looked thoroughly depressed after the phone call, even though he was happy to hear his brothers again. Marco could tell and Pops could tell that Ace blamed himself for the change in their carefree personalities. And Jozu had lost an arm in the war. Ace curled in on himself, even while in Marco's hold, hiding his face in his bangs. Marco rubbed his chest, which had not been uncovered since he'd gotten there.
"No one blames you or has ever blamed you, Ace. I know it will take awhile to get you to believe it, but we have all the time in the world." Ace almost pointed out that they thought that before and then Teach betrayed and set off that domino effect of bad things happening. But he didn't. He changed the subject, not wanting to try and be convinced he'd done nothing wrong. He was weak, and shouldn't be a commander anymore. But he didn't voice it.
"You look good in glasses," he said instead. Marco smiled down at Ace, kissing his neck, not even caring Pops was there.
"I can't say you look good in a shirt," Marco teased, but Ace tensed. Marco realized he'd said the wrong thing.
Ace sighed, and touched the place where he knew the burn was. A huge reminder of that event. It was very traumatizing. He hadn't had a panic attack since Marco had arrived. It distracted him from it being there and he wasn't reminded of anything triggering with Marco there.
"I can't go shirtless anymore," Ace confessed. "The tattoo is burned away completely. And I can't look down without having a damn panic attack." He was ashamed of this, and both Pops and Marco looked at him sadly. It had been years since they saw this Ace. Many years for Marco. Marco ran his hand up and down Ace's chest, since his back was against Marco's front.
Marco nuzzled his hair, eyes closed. "Anyone would have trauma from that. You were killed, Ace. After being tortured in prison. Anyone would have lasting damage after that," he said softly. Ace didn't feel any better, and pointed out that Pops wasn't like this. "Ace, no one could ever compare themselves to Pops and his mental and physical strength. He's also half a century older than you, as well. I know it won't make you feel better, but a lot of us had lasting damage from the war. You're not alone. And maybe Izo can tattoo over the burn with skin colored tattoo ink."
Ace sighed. "He'll be mad that I ruined the tattoo he worked so hard on," he mumbled. Pops sighed quietly, but Ace saw it. Ace had low self-worth and probably PTSD, too, after what happened. After everything that happened.
Marco said he wanted to march into Impel Down like Luffy had and kill everyone who ever touched Ace. Whoever came into contact with him. Whoever hurt him, mocked him, belittled him. Marco wanted revenge, but they all guessed the best revenge was it all being for nothing since both Ace and the strongest man in the world had been reborn. Ace just wanted revenge on Teach and Akainu.
Marco explained when Ace asked about Luffy in Impel Down, that he had broken out hundreds of prisoners and destroyed everyone in Impel Down. It was a complete victory for them. Ace just laughed at his brother, feeling much less angry about it knowing that Luffy was alive and adventuring to his heart's content.
"I'm sure Izo be glad to do another Whitebeard tattoo. haven't had any new members since before Marineford. Might get everyone back into the swing of things once we're all back together," Marco said, playing with Ace's hair. "You need a trim," he said absentmindedly.
As soon as Whitebeard and Ace came into view, Marco truly did rise from the ashes. Ace could tell that he was happier now than he'd been in years.
Ace glowered, though not at anyone he was with. Just at the grass beneath them, as they'd moved from the docks when day came and people started to work. It really was a pleasant island. "Are we really gonna accept everyone back whose left cause Pops died?" he asked bitterly.
Marco clearly could understand why Ace felt like this, but they were all still family. Whitebeard felt the same. "Everyone reacts to grief and fear in different ways. Someone might have left because of the danger, and not feeling they could be protected without my presence. Yes, we will accept them back."
Ace very much disagreed with this, but didn't argue. He was in no place to argue, anyways. He
was the one that caused them to leave, for everything to happen. He didn't regret going after Teach fully because it had saved Luffy. That was what mattered, even if the little idiot had come after him without Ace asking. And he'd saved him. Ace was the one that got himself killed. He should have kept running.
"Don't we want things back to how they were?" Marco asked patiently. Ace shrugged.
"I don't think I'll ever have the trust in those who left than I did before. They ditched you and the crew. Like spitting in Pops' sacrifice," Ace replied, still bitter and angry, dark eyebrows furrowed.
Whitebeard stood up and walked towards his sons, and sat down, putting his large hand on Ace's head. "I did not specifically say they needed to stay together. I wanted everyone to live, whether it be on our ship or not. I had wished things would carry on without me, but I did know some would be unable to deal with my absence. I won't hold their weakness against them. So, don't be angry at them."
Both older men had to know from experience with Ace's temper from long ago, that Ace would be angry for a while, along with hurt and feeling useless. It would take actions and not words to prove to him they still wanted him. They had to stay on the island for a while, and just Marco and Whitebeard wouldn't be enough to convince Ace. It was the sad truth. They were back to square one, but it was worth it for them, and the rest of the commanders.