Chapter 7

Marco rubbed his forehead, wincing. The firefly had smirked, smug and delighted, before climbing out of bed, claiming to be going on a walk. Marco took over the bed, stretching himself out on the warm mattress. He'd let himself rest for a bit then, since Ace was up and about.

Vampires didn't really need sleep, not for long periods of time at least. Marco would use the chance to rest up now though, since he had gotten injured during his brief time of imprisonment.

His shirt was still ruined from that encounter with the spiked chains.

Stupid Teach.

Ace too. The brat actually headbutted him. Marco smirked, because he'd get payback. One day the poison would clear from Ace's bloodstream, and he'd bite into his lovely looking neck, and make the little one squirm for him. Cloud his head once more, and mark Ace as his newest pet.

That was a nice thought.

.::.

They all reunited in the morning, sitting in a little cafe lingering by the sea front. Ace had arrived with Nami and Vivi, Vivi who actually hugged him, happy he was awake. The rest took a while to arrive, and Ace scowled at the vampire the moment he did.

It was a bright, sunny morning and he was out here, not burning. It should have at least had a bit of smoke to it, but the bastard didn't. He looked like a perfectly normal human. Marco smirked.

"So, what are you going to have for breakfast then?" Ace asked, glaring.

"Maybe just some coffee yoi."

"Uh huh," Ace snorted. "Not grabbing a quick 'bite to eat'?"

Ace winced when a sharp elbow stabbed his side. He grunted, and scowled at Nami who merely rolled her eyes.

"Not the time for that, Ace. We have to decide on what to do next."

"Go after Teach?" Zoro asked, yawning into his palm.

"Yeah, we need to go help my dad," Luffy nodded, talking between mouthfuls.

Most people threw him confused looks. Unable to understand, but Ace could translate that language easily. He spoke it at every meal.

"Luffy says we need to help his dad," Ace offered, earning puzzled looks.

"How did you understand that?" Nami asked, her brows furrowing.

"I have the same appetite."

Luffy gulped down his breakfast, beaming. "See? We are brothers!"

"I'm an elf and you're a dwarf."

"Yeah but dad said something about your mum right? Maybe they were siblings!"

"That would make us cousins, which is impossible, because my mother was a pure blooded elf," Ace sighed. "By the way, do you know how our parents knew each other?"

"He's mentioned her sometimes, but not very often," Luffy said, frowning. "Dad would always look sad when he talked about her."

"So the main problem we have here, is how do we rescue Dragon yoi?" Marco said, frowning.

"We also have another problem," Vivi said. "Where had Teach been holding us captive?"

They all paused, and Ace winced. Yeah, because when they had been caught, they had all been swarmed by darkness. Teach could have taken them anywhere and none of them would have known. Nami wouldn't know either, despite teleporting them here. The spell she had cast was to bring them somewhere she knew. She hadn't needed to know where they were to bring them to her village.

Ace startled.

He hadn't studied magic. How the hell did he know that? He shouldn't even rightly know what spell Nami had used. Okay, it was some kind of teleporting one, but there were many teleporting spells out there.

Ace frowned. He shouldn't know that either.

Sabo probably had said something about magic while Ace hadn't been paying attention. Sabo studied things all the time, especially during dinner. He must have read a magic book out aloud and Ace must have overheard some of it. That made sense.

"Is there some kind of tracking spell you can do?" Zoro asked.

Ace nearly answered for Nami, only to cut himself off.

"That's something only a powerful witch from one of the head clans can do. My type of witch is different. I don't have ancestors like they do. My magic came into being from nature choosing me while I was a baby," Nami explained.

A powerful witch had ancestors. A normal witch however was chosen by nature when they are a baby. Their magical talents wouldn't pass on to their child, and when that witch passes on, their magic would return to the world to be gifted to a newborn baby another time.

"We could go meet one of my brothers then in Sphinx. He's a head witch," Marco suggested.

"Where is he?" Vivi asked.

"In Sphinx."

Ace choked. "Oh hell no! That's where the Grand Vampire rules from."

"Oh, the hunters know where Pops lives then yoi?" Marco grinned. "I was wondering why they all stayed away from Sphinx. Guess the Guild aren't complete fools."

They weren't fools at all. A Grand Vampire wasn't someone to mess with. They were the ruler of vampires, and were probably one of the oldest vampires in history. The Grand Vampire Whitebeard used to fight the Ultimate Vampire Roger for entertainment. At least that's what Sengoku and Garp had said.

The Guild knew better than to pick a fight with Whitebeard.

"I might agree with Ace on this one..." Nami admitted. "You want us to meet with a Grand Vampire?"

"Unless you know any other head witches?" the vampire chuckled. "Last I remember, they were quite rare."

"If it helps my dad then I say let's go!" Luffy said, grinning. "I have one question though."

"What's that?" Marco asked, tilting his head.

"Does a Grand Vampire poop?"

Law groaned. "That's what you're curious about?"

"Aren't you?" Luffy blinked.

Marco laughed. "Well I sure hope he does considering he still eats yoi!"

Nami shivered. "I don't like this."

Ace nodded. "For once I'm in agreement."

"Don't worry," Vivi said, smiling, her tail swishing. "He's a nice guy."

"He's a tough old man. That's for sure," Zoro said, nodding.

"So, avoid pissing him off then?" Law mused.

Vivi hummed. "The only thing that really angers him is hurting his family. So we be respectful towards his children, don't upset them, and we will be fine."

"So I can't stake the vampire in front of him then?" Ace sighed.

"You could try yoi," Marco smirked. "But it's not like you could ever catch me."

When all this Chosen business was over, Ace was hunting a certain ancient vampire. He'd stake him then dance on his ashes. It wouldn't even be for his honour as a Portgas. Oh no, this would be revenge. Sweet, glorious, revenge.

.::.

Marco adjusted the shirt as he made his way out the peasant's house. He had been forced to accept new clothes, and they were rags compared to his usual outfits. They'd get to a proper city soon, and then he'd buy himself something more suitable. Maybe something nice for his pet too, although the hunter gear did make Ace look muscular. The fabric clung to him after all, and that was something Marco could admire happily.

Although Marco did like giving his pets treats.

He'd have to think of something.

Marco returned to Nami's house, who was pouring over her maps. Vivi was curled up on a chair, in a much smaller cat form than Marco was used to seeing. The demon was dozing. In fact, both demons were. Zoro was leaning against the wall, fast asleep.

"Okay," Nami murmured, biting her thumb. "We go from here straight to Loguetown. We can pass by the smaller villages and get there in three days. From there, we restock up on our supplies, and make our way into Paradise. Paradise is huge, and it will take us a while to navigate, especially if we have to go through the under water city beneath the Grandline."

"That means we'll have to be weary of crossing any Celestial Dragons," Ace said, grimacing. "They'd love to gather up a collection of 'Chosen ones' to show off."

"I can't believe Hunters protect them," Nami scowled.

"In a way. It's more their guards' duty to care for them, rather than ours," Ace said, scowling. "But dealing with them is always hassle, and while they usually avoid giving us too much hassle, it's better to avoid them outright."

"So are they really dragons?" Luffy asked.

"No," Ace sighed. "They just call themselves that. For who knows what reason. Dragons are mostly extinct after the war a thousand years ago between them and the giants. The giants, who hired my guild to help wipe them out."

"Celestial Dragons are the families favoured by the Gods," Vivi said, startling them all. She had sat back up, an intense look in her eyes. "They were chosen to live up in Mariejois by the Gods, long before Teach murdered his fellow Gods. Whatever you do, avoid angering the Celestial Dragons."

"There are places with teleportation runes," Law suggested. "If we could get to one of those chambers we might be able to avoid all that trouble."

"The one in Alabasta was broken during the civil war not too long ago," Vivi said, eyeing Luffy who laughed, rubbing the back of his head. "So unfortunately we can't use that one."

"Shishishishi, sorry."

"You threw a man at the rune. Without knowing what it would have done," Vivi scolded. "Those runes can take years to repair."

"Shishishishi, it made a lot of pretty colours when it exploded!"

Vivi sighed. Nami buried her head into her hands, groaning.

Marco frowned. "The only other teleportation rune is in Sabaody City. Where the Celestial Dragons user lurk around yoi."

"And slavers," Ace growled lowly. "People my Guild aren't actually allowed to hunt down. Unfortunately."

"A shame that," Law sighed. "If we're careful we can avoid them all and head straight for the teleportation rune in Sabaody. The problem will be is that it will cost a lot of gold."

"The last time I used to it was two thousand gold pieces," Ace huffed, crossing his arms. "A bloody rip off. I know the witch's rune is so powerful that it can send you anywhere in the world and back, but still."

"It went up to four thousand for there and back," Vivi said.

"It doubled?" Ace cursed.

Nami's eyes gleamed. "So much gold. I need to learn how to make a teleportation rune!"

"That rune is created by a witch of the clans yoi," Marco explained. "The amount of magical power they use is too much for most witches to manage."

"Dammit," Nami scowled. "We'll need twenty-eight thousand gold. I don't know anyone that has that type of coin."

Vivi coughed. "Princess, remember?"

"With a Kingdom recovering from a civil war," Nami pointed out.

Vivi grimaced. "True."

Marco gave a dramatic sigh. "Well, I suppose I will just have to pay for all of us then yoi. Of course, as a loan."

"You have twenty-eight thousand gold?" Nami squealed, instantly at his side. "I'll happily donate my blood to the cause! Are you hungry? Thirsty?"

Marco laughed. "I did have someone else in mind, but if you really like some gold for blood, I wouldn't mind yoi."

"Nami!" Vivi gasped. "Don't just offer yourself like that!"

"How many people did you steal that money off of?" Ace raised a brow.

"I've lost track," Marco shrugged.

Ace rolled his eyes. "Well at least you're honest. Speaking of which, I would like to go back to my guild and arm myself properly. Someone stole my equipment."

"I'll buy you new equipment yoi," Marco grinned. "Something pricey, as a nice reward for us working together so well."

Ace twitched. "Law?"

"Yes?"

"Can I borrow your sword?"

"It's a demonic sword, Ace-ya. She doesn't like being passed around to strangers," Law explained.

Marco's brow furrowed. A demonic sword? With a Spirit Healer? That didn't sound good. But before he could ask the firefly offered his hand out to Zoro.

"Zoro?" Ace asked.

"Sure."

"Don't you start!" Nami huffed. "We're getting ready to leave today. So stop trying to kill him, Ace. Marco, you should also stop trying to annoy Ace. We're in a difficult enough position as it is, you idiots!"

Marco almost snorted. Little witch was getting cheeky with him. "Now, now, Nami," Marco warned. "You're not the leader of our merry little party. So don't start trying to order me around yoi."

Ace grumbled. "Fine, but when this whole 'chosen' business is over I'll gladly put a stake in him."

Marco chuckled. "I wouldn't mind putting something long and sharp in you too, Ace."

Nami groaned. "Please tell me you mean your fangs."

"I sure hope he does," Ace scowled.

Marco winked when their eyes met, and Ace hissed at him.

Luffy turned to Law, and tilted his head. "Why are they trying to put long, sharp things in each other?"

Law sighed, and turned away. Ace groaned, all while Marco tried to stifle his laughter.

This was certainly quite the amusing group he had found himself with.

.::.

"Zoro-ya?"

He opened his eyes as Law approached, kneeling by his side.

"Yeah?"

"Couldn't we ask for help from Sanji-ya?"

"The problem is getting into contact with him. I don't know where he would have went when the wedding was ruined."

Law grimaced. "That's a shame. He could have made this trip a fair bit quicker, and perhaps a little more peaceful."

"The love cook? Peaceful?" Zoro snorted.

"True," Law chuckled. "You do fight like cats and dogs."

"He starts it."

"Sure," Law drawled out, standing back up, walking away.

"He does," Zoro grumbled.

Law only hummed. The bastard.