Erika breathed a sigh of relief as Blackbeard sunk beneath the waves, glad that such a dangerous man could no longer threaten what was hers. The thought of what could have happened… no, she mustn't focus on the 'what ifs.' Her boys were safe and now she can move on. She still had places to travel and baby brothers to see, as well as scolding them.

"Acey now that he is gone the pack is safe again," Erika said gently. She turned to him with determined eyes. "We must keep it that way, do you understand? I barely made it in time to help you this go around. I won't always be there, so you need to stop being so fucking reckless!" she began to rant, not noticing all the stares of shock and confusion coming her way. Ace started to look mildly panicked as she stepped up to him. Using Haki she grabbed onto his ear as he tried to run. "I don't think so. I'm speaking now, and you are going to damn well listen! You need to think before you leap into a fight, and for the love of all that is fucking blue, learn how to use your Haki! You have spent how long in the New World and you still don't have it down?" she asked a shamefaced Ace.

"Um, excuse me?" a voice broke in. Pausing her rant Erika turned to look at where it came from, while still not letting go of Ace's ear. She found a feminine looking man with a full face of make-up on and his long black hair done up in an elaborate style stepping towards her. His kimono was a woman's cut and colored wonderfully with pink cherry blossoms. "May I ask what exactly happened? You said you barely made it in time to help him. Pardon my phrasing but just who the hell are you to want to help him in the first place?" he continued.

"Oh, of course, he didn't tell you who I am. He never tells anyone anything, the suspicious bastard." Erika says, sending a quick glare at Ace. She gave his ear another tug, to which he whined at, before letting go. Ace quickly backed up a couple of steps, rubbing his ear as he did. "Well, Acey? Do you wanna answer the 16th Commander's question or shall I?" Mia continued, propping her hands on her hips.

Ace grumbled a little under his breath before standing straight. "I didn't want to complete the introduction while Teach was still alive. Even as he was I didn't want him knowing something that could potentially hurt us if the wrong people found out. Anyway, Pops, Commanders, everyone, meet Erika, my big sister. Rika meet Pops and the Whitebeard Pirates!"

Everyone around them just stared for a few moments in silence before all shouting out in shock. Whitebeard just laughed. "Yoi!" was shouted a few minutes later and slowly the crew quieted down to turn and face the blonde commander that was standing on the arm of Whitebeard's chair. "Right then. Ace has a big sister, moving on for right now, yoi!" Marco continued once it was quiet enough. Sending a quelling look to any that wanted to continue making a raucous, he turned to the siblings in question. "Now that we can hear, can we get a more complete answer to what happened, yoi? How did you two meet up again and how was Teach captured?"

"Right." Ace said. "Well, I followed his trail and chased down every lead and rumor I could before catching up to him almost a month ago on Banaro Island in Paradise. When I found him, he tried to recruit me by telling me he had this great plan to get ahead and find One Piece before anyone else. Unfortunately, part of his plan included capturing our little brother, Luffy." At that point, Erika found it hard not to growl. She had to focus for a moment and remind herself that Luffy was safe and that the despicable bastard was dead. Once she could think clearly again she looked up to see that most of the crew had concerned frowns as well. It warmed her heart to see their worry for her small family, even though they hadn't met half of it yet.

"As I was saying," Ace went on after a controlling breath, "when he brought Luffy up, even saying that he had already met him once, well I kinda lost rational thought. The only thing I could think of was to stop him and keep him away from our baby brother. Luffy may be strong, but he is nowhere near ready to face someone like Teach. Apparently, neither was I." Ace finished quietly, much to everyone's shock. They all knew how strong Ace was, the fact that he was saying that he lost to Teach, his former subordinate, was something they weren't prepared to hear.

Putting a comforting hand on Ace's shoulder, Erika continued for him. "Ace put up a helluva fight, I'll tell you that much. I heard rumors of Ace being in Paradise while I was cruising around and decided to find and visit him before seeing how Luffy was doing. I was sailing by Banaro by chance when I saw a clash of darkness and flames coming from the island. I hurried ashore, knowing Ace could be the only person behind that ginormous fireball and arrived just after he lost the fight against Teach. He was being hauled away by the bastard's crew and I became furious that they would so much as touch a hair on him, let alone put him in the state he was in. So, I proceeded to kill Blackbeard's entire crew." Erika paused here as those around her let out exclamations of shock. This upset her some, as even some of the commanders seemed surprised. "Oi, I may be a little on the short side but I more than makeup for it in strength! And don't you dare tell me a chick can't be strong, because I've got over 100 ways to put you on the floor and prove you wrong!" she yelled out. "I didn't practically raise three boys and sail both halves of the Grand Line on my own to be disrespected because I'm a 'lady'."

"Guraguraguragura, quite right you are on that, my dear." Called out Whitebeard. Looking around at some of his more skeptical sons he continued. "Might want to smarten up boys. We wouldn't let anyone disrespect your sisters like that and yet you don't extend that courtesy to your Second Commander's older sister? Both are well within their rights to put a few of you through the floor and believe me, I won't stop them if this behavior continues."

At those words, a portion of the crew looked at their glaring and flamed-up commander before looking down in shame. The rest shook their heads at the idiots amongst them before giving a brief bow of apology to Erika. "That's what I thought. Please continue Erika. Also, please ignore my sons who are unfortunate enough to not have a properly working brain right now." He said with a huge smile.

Erika returned that smile with one of her own and a slight shake of her head. "Thank you, Whitebeard. Anyway, the Blackbeards put up a decent fight for a new small crew but they were still way to green to be much of a challenge. Ace would have easily put them out of commission if Teach had allowed them to fight him. No, the real challenge was getting around Teach's fruit. The Yami Yami no Mi, a Logia and a nasty piece of work in his hands. He could swallow whole villages in that darkness and spit them back out destroyed. He could also pull people to him like he had his own gravity, and through touch cancel out other Devil Fruit users, a little like Armament Haki but not quite. That's how he beat Ace though, he took away his most powerful fighting technique, the Mera Mera no Mi. My Haki, however, was strong enough to counter it and I was able to knock him out." At that, she looked pointedly at Ace, who just looked down sheepishly.

"Once he was down I chained him up in seastone and treated Ace the best I could. I wanted to know why he was fighting him before I did anything else. Once he woke up and told me what Teach had done and was planning Ace had to keep me from just killing him outright. Turns out that when he has time to think he can be one smart firecracker, my little brother." here she smiled to him, grinning even bigger as everyone laughed at his blushing cheeks. "He decided to deliver Teach back to you Whitebeards because the whole crew deserves to see justice done. Not having enough room on his skiff for a prisoner I offered to take him home." Erika finished with a shrug.

Whitebeard nodded his head in understanding. "I greatly appreciate you helping Ace to return the traitor to us. Ace is as dear to us as I can see he is to you and to have him home safe is a relief as well." Ace smiled at hearing the care in his Pops' voice, care and love that never wavered, just like his siblings. "Now that things have been explained sufficiently, the first order of business is to make sure Ace is completely healed from his fight with Teach. I can still see some bruising and that wrap around your ribs tells me of at least a fracture if not a break. Off to see the nurses son." At that statement, Ace became slightly pale and stuttered out, "No, no, there really isn't any need for that! I'm fine, Erika took great care of me, honest!"

"Oh no, Acey! You are going to get checked out by a proper physician even if I must drag you there myself." Erika claimed, turning to her little brother. She knew how stubborn he could be about getting help while being hurt and there was no way she was going to let that fly while she was around. "I know that at least one of the ribs on your right side is broken and another one is cracked. There was only so much I could do with what I know and had on hand. Now, are we going to do this the easy way? Or are we gonna play?" Erika finished as she crouched lightly, showing that she was completely serious and ready if he planned to run.

Ace had a pout, and honest to gods pout, on his face as he stared at the ready form of his big sister. This was something that the Whitebeard crew had never seen. Only Pops and the commanders had ever seen Ace pout, and only a slight one at that. This, however, was a full-blown puppy dog pout. "Ace. When was the last time your puppy pout worked on me?" Erika questioned as she slowly crept forward. She looked to be more stalking prey then going towards her injured little brother. "Um, I think when I was twelve…" he answered with a weak chuckle. "That's right when you stopped being a pup. So be a good second and do as your told. Don't make me pull rank." Erika continued with a slight growl to her tone. This surprised everyone, as well as confused. They had a feeling that they were missing out on a lot of the conversation, which was only was exasperated when Ace capsulated as soon as the words left her mouth.

"Good choice. I promise I won't leave while you're getting checked up. I want to make sure you're in good form before I go anyway." she said straitening up.

"Wait! You're not staying for a while? I thought you were going to stick around for a bit, visit some islands together like we promised the last time we met?" Ace questioned, upset from the news.

"Oh sweetie, I'd love to stay for a while and have an adventure or two with you and your crew, but it wouldn't be right for and unallied pirate to just hop aboard another ship a tag along like that," Erika said as she brought a distressed Ace in for a hug. "It would be disrespectful to your Captain for me to do so. It would also lead to the Marines asking questions that we don't want to answer right now if I just start sailing alongside you guys. Gramps has covered for us the best he can but it's our responsibility to do our part in keeping the pack safe." She continued to explain. Ace nodded his head into her shoulder before heaving a sigh and stepping away. He gave Erika a strained smile before turning around and following the nurse that was to escort him and Thatch, who needed rest, down into the infirmary.

Releasing a deep sigh of her own she turned away from her little brother's retreating form to face the giant chair that Whitebeard sat upon. "I have something to say and you will listen." She immediately started in a stern tone, much to everyone's shock. Marco jumped down to be between her and his captain while Whitebeard merely sat taller, waving for her to continue. "I helped raise that boy from when he was but a few months old until I set sail when he was 15. He is as much my child as he is my little brother. He is now a part of your crew and you treat him like family, despite what the world might think of him." Here she paused and gave a weighted look at the giant man before continuing.

"The fact that you and your commanders know why that is such a big deal is a huge vote of confidence for you. However, if I EVER find out that he is mistreated in any way or harmed seriously when it was in your immediate power to prevent it… it does not matter to me that you are a Yonko or that you have over a thousand men under your command, I WILL come for you with every OUNCE of my power and TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!" Erika threatened. Her last sentence was coated in so much Conqueror's Haki that some of the weaker crew nearby fainted almost immediately. The surrounding commanders stood shocked for a mere moment at the amount of sheer power coming from her before registering the threat made on their Pops. They began to step forward to confront her but stopped when her Haki suddenly disappeared and she stepped back. "That's all I wished to say. Now, you got any good rum on you? I could you a drink after a morning like this."

The abrupt change in tone and stance baffled those watching. "Guraguraguragura! You're quite the little she-wolf aren't you!" Whitebeard exclaimed. Marco raised an eyebrow at the, nearly missed, muttered statement "You have no idea." that came from Erika through his Pops' rumbling laugh. "You have nothing to fear, Ace will be well taken care of here. He is my son, I could do nothing less than cherish and protect him as I do with all of my children." Erika gave a beautiful smile and nod at his answer. "As for a good rum, I believe I have just the thing. However, you will have to stick around until Ace's welcome home feast tonight to get it." He continued with a smirk.

Erika raised her eyebrow at the blatant excuse to keep her here longer but let it go as it would make Ace happy to party with her before she left. Besides, hearing Ace rave about the great food that he has had while a part of the crew got her both hungry and curious. "Alright Old Man, I'll party with you lot tonight and then be on my way in the morning. I'd give a fair warning to your cooks though, while I have better table manners I can and will eat just as much as Ace." Erika answered with a smirk of her own. All she got in reply was those surrounding her laughing at the thought of Ace's appetite.


Marco knew what was happening. Even without his enhanced sight from his avian side, he would have seen it from miles away. Pops was intrigued by their guest. It was a familiar type of intrigue, one that normally gave him a new sibling. He didn't need his Pops to tell him that he wanted her to stay with them. Thinking on it, he wanted Erika to stay too. Something about her captured his attention, made him want to know more about her and stay around her.

Watching the ongoing party with a bored gaze, he searched for the sibling pair on his mind. Ace was devouring food at his normal rate with his sister sitting beside him. Erika was consuming what seemed to be the same quantities, only in a calmer rate and manner. Surrounding the pair was a bunch of his more curious siblings, asking questions that went unanswered in favor of the food. Marco made his way over as the two began to slow down. Erika, it seemed, was just about done while Ace had, typically, fallen asleep mid-bite. The crowd dispersed, laughing at Ace as they did so.

"How he has managed to stay alive this long while being a narcoleptic I will never know, yoi," Marco stated as he handed Erika a tankard of rum.

Erika chuckled while replying, "A heaping dose of D luck. It's the only way I figure."

Marco nodded at that while sitting to her left. Not being able to keep it in anymore, he asked a question that had been bothering him most of the day. "Why is it that you sail alone, yoi? It's quite unusual for a pirate to do so." Looking at her he could tell that she had been asked this question often from the slight exasperation on her face.

"I have three little brothers to take care of. I need the freedom being alone provides to be able to sail to them if they ever need me. Having a crew means having to do what's best for them, both as a whole and individually. I couldn't, in good consciousness, drag them with me if I had to help one of my brothers out of a tight spot." Erika shook her head as she grabbed her left inner wrist, "Family is everything to me and keeping my family safe and free is all that matters."

"But what about you, yoi? Don't you get lonely by yourself? Don't you have a dream to pursue?" Marco asked.

Erika nodded. "From time to time yeah, I get lonely. And of course, I have a dream. I'm living it partially, to see the world, wild and free on the seas with my family by my side. My brothers all have their own dreams though, that take them away from me and each other. So, I make due, sailing wherever the wind and log pose take me, visiting them as often as I can. As I said, they mean more to me than anything else, even part of my own dream."

Marco looked at the sad smile Erika was directing at Ace's sleeping form. He could understand the importance of family, but it still depressed him to know that she was basically on her own. "You know, you really could stay with us for a while like Ace suggested, yoi. Pops wouldn't mind, in fact, he might even insist on it. You could spend time with Ace, even help me train him in Haki."

Erika looked to him in surprise. It seemed like it never crossed her mind that they might allow her to stay or that they might even want it. "You're Ace's sister, you're practically family already. Of course, you would be welcomed to stay with us, yoi. That you're a decent person with a strong will to protect family means you will fit right in."

Marco smiled slyly at her. "It seems like your little family has a knack for gaining our Pops interest as well. Your speech earlier today about us taking care of Ace really sealed the deal on him wanting you to join us, yoi." He chuckled as he went to stand, noticing Ace slowly waking up.

"I would take my advice and decide to stay, at least for the time being, when he asks you in the morning. Ace is proof enough that Pops will take drastic measures to try to give people the family that he thinks they need and deserve, yoi." With that last sentence, he walked away, leaving Erika in a state of slight shock and confusion.

Marco walked over to his Pops, hopping up onto the arm of his chair, his normal spot, to watch the rest of his siblings party. He heard his Pops chuckling and looked up at him in question. "A busy night, son?" he asked. Marco shrugged, taking a drink from his tankard. "She got to you as well, didn't she?" he laughed again. Marco gave a slight glare. "I don't know what you mean, yoi." He stated haughtily. Whitebeard just laughed again.

"Do you think she will stay with us?" Pops asked after he calmed down. Marco frowned in thought, turning to look at the woman in question. Erika, it seemed, was deep in discussion with her brother. Ace seemed to be excited while Erika looked skeptical. Eventually Ace just sighed, leaning in and nuzzling his nose to his sister's chin and cheek before pulling back and… whining? That was the second time they did or said something dog-related, and Marco would bet it wasn't a coincidence. Whatever he did, though, seemed to work as Erika just sighed before smiling at him and giving a nod.

"I think I'm going to go with yes, yoi," Marco said, smirking as he watched Ace give a cheer, grab his sister by the hand and drag her over to where they sat. Several commanders, hearing his cheer, followed them over.

"Pops, Pops, Pops!" shouted Ace.

"Son, son, son!" Pops called in reply, chuckling.

"Can Erika really stay with us for a bit?! Can she please?" Ace asked, almost bouncing in place while holding her hand still. Erika gave an adoring look at his sheer childish excitement before looking at Pops, almost apprehensively. Did she really think that they would turn her way?

"Well of course!" Pops boomed out. "She can stay as long as she likes, she is family after all." At his last statement, Erika gave a slight jerk before looking around as if waiting for someone to object. All she found where smiling faces. Marco thinks he figured out the real reason Erika travels alone, and he had a feeling Pops understood it too by the look in his eyes.

"If you're sure?" Erika hedged. At Pops' nod, she continued, "Then I suppose staying on for a few weeks would be fine." She smiled. She then busted out laughing when Ace tackled her to the floor in a bear hug. It surprised him slightly on how much the simple expression of joy from Ace could completely change her mood.

Marco believed, now more than ever, that Erika needed to feel loved and excepted just like Ace had when they first came across him. It seemed to him that she has only known these feelings from her younger siblings. He didn't know why she would feel this way if it had to do with her parentage or with something else entirely, but it made him want to kick whoever had put such doubt in her psyche.

Looking around at all his smiling and laughing siblings he couldn't help but feel warm inside. He may not have a mate, may never find one, but he had his flock. A better and more open family could not be found anywhere on the seas, he was sure. They would except Erika with open arms, no matter the reason she was sent away from others before. Now all they had to do was prove to her that she belonged here with them in the few weeks that she had given them.

Well, they had faced harder obstacles before. Marco had to smirk to himself, after all, they had an Ace up their sleeve.