Marco has lived for a long time. He's lived through the Great Pirate Age. He's lived long enough to see the second Pirate King claim his throne. He's lived long enough to see the World Government fall and rise again, renewed. He's lived long enough to see each new era rise to take over the previous era. They seek the treasure left behind by the Pirate Kings before them, and the cycle repeats endlessly.
Marco has long since departed from the island of Sphinx, now that the threat of Weevil no longer exists. Staying with them would only attract unwanted problems, like the Marines or Bounty Hunters, and the list would only grow if anybody were to find out about his immortality. He still stops by discreetly every once in a while, checking from a distance that they are well and safe, and taking care of any threats before they even set foot on the island. He wanders around aimlessly, without anywhere to go nor anywhere to return to.
He's met friends and acquaintances wherever he went, but he never stayed with them for long. He would always outlive them, and the pain was easier to deal with if he wasn't there to see them go. The pain of losing people he cared about was agonising, and worse still if he had been there to see it. He had already gone through that before. He never wanted to go through it again. Though he remained open to friends, having learnt a long time ago that it's impossible for one person to do everything alone, he never accepted another family into his life.
"Hey, Shanks! Tell us a bedtime story!" A familiar voice made Marco duck into a dark alley to remain unseen. He peered into the house where the voice came from, noticing three familiar little boys sitting in bed.
"Sure, Anchor! What would you like to hear?"
"I don't know! Shishishi!" Little Luffy grinned carefreely. "Ace, Sabo, why don't you guys choose instead?" Interestingly enough, no matter how many times he's seen the second Pirate King's reincarnation, Ace and Sabo were always there by his side, whether they were born as blood brothers or met as sworn brothers.
Back then, whenever Ace talked about his younger brother and sometimes about his third 'dead' brother, he always claimed that their bond was so strong that it would never be broken no matter what. Marco wished he could tell Ace that it was true, that their bond remained strong and unbroken even against life and death. Even though there had been times when Luffy had been reborn as the older brother (it was funny to see the older brother being looked after by his younger brothers instead of the other way round) or even times when one was born much later than the others, but no matter their age differences, the three brothers always managed to seek each other out.
If only he could say the same for his family too, Marco thought bitterly. He had spotted the reincarnations of his family before, but somehow, they have never once managed to meet one another. Even when Haruta and Thatch had lived on the same island once, they always passed each other by, never destined to meet.
"I don't know, Lu. Why don't we let Ace choose instead then?" Little Sabo suggested with a knowing smirk. "I bet I know what story he would choose." Little Ace just scoffed and rolled his eyes.
"Of course you do. I always choose the same story. After all, it's my favourite." The reincarnated Shanks only laughed.
"Alright, alright. The Wandering Phoenix it is then." He sat down on a chair next to the large bed the children shared, book in hand. "The Mythical Phoenix is often described as a beautiful bird, a sight to behold. It is…" Marco smiled fondly as Luffy fell asleep almost right after the story began, and walked away silently.
It's been so long, so long that there are days when he wakes up telling himself that his name is Marco, and he is the former First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, led formerly by the late Edward Newgate, better known fearfully as Whitebeard to the world and fondly as Oyaji to his sons.
He recalls all of his memories with his family, thinking of not just his fondest moments, but even his saddest moments as well. He would never allow himself to forget them, even in the slightest. Never, ever. No matter how much time has passed, he will always remember his family.
"Hey, Marco! You forgot to eat again, didn't you? How many times do I have to tell you-" Marco cut him off with an exasperated sigh, rolling his eyes at the chef.
"You're making a fuss for nothing, Thatch. You know I'll be fine even without eating, yoi."
"No, I don't care if you're fine even without eating! You have to eat your meals properly," Thatch cut him off as soon as he opened his mouth to protest. "and don't argue with me on this! Eat! Now!"
"Marco, you know Oyaji won't be happy to know you were holed up in your room doing paperwork for 3 days straight. Again."
"And I suppose you aren't happy about it either, yoi?" Curiel huffed.
"Damn right I'm not."
"All of us hate it, and I know that you know we'll get upset about it, but you do it anyway." Vista said disapprovingly.
"It doesn't matter, yoi. I'm fine, and I get the work done, yoi. I don't see a problem, yoi."
"The problem, is that you haven't slept in 3 days." Fossa snapped, snatching the stack of papers from Marco's hands. "Now, I'll go deliver these papers to Oyaji, so you go and get some sleep."
"I-"
"Oh, and once you're properly rested, we'll send Thatch over to make sure you eat. End of discussion. Now sleep." Kingdew began pushing him back into his room, and Marco couldn't help but smile.
"Alright, alright, yoi. I'm going to sleep, yoi. Wake me up in an hour, yoi."
"Sure, sure. Go to sleep now." Marco chuckled as he shut his room door behind him, knowing full well that his brothers wouldn't wake him up despite agreeing to do so.
"THATCH!"
"Eep! Marco, save me!" Thatch stumbled out on to the deck and instantly dove behind the Phoenix. Seconds later, Izo stormed out after him.
"Where's Thatch?" He asked, ignoring the fingers that pointed towards the hiding chef as his eyes found the answer on their own.
"Marco, do something!" Thatch pleaded as Izo stormed up to them.
"Don't use me as a shield, yoi." Marco said lazily before sighing and turning to Izo. "So, what did Thatch do this time, yoi?"
"He stole my lipstick for a prank!" Izo shot a glare to Thatch, who squeaked and attempted to hide behind Marco even more.
"Thatch, you know Izo doesn't take lightly to people messing with his clothes and makeup, yoi. And what's this about a prank, yoi?"
"If I promise not to target you, will you save me?" Thatch asked timidly. Marco only grinned.
"Nope." Flaming wings replaced his arms and brought him up into the sky with one strong flap, exposing the cowering chef. "You brought this on yourself, yoi!"
"Noooo, come back, Marco! Don't leave me!" Thatch dramatically reached his arms up towards Marco, who only laughed.
"Good luck, Thatch!" He called out as Thatch turned to Izo with the most apologetic smile he could muster.
"Um… I'm sorry?"
"As if your apology will fix my ruined lipstick!" Izo growled as Thatch dodged a swipe from him, dashing off with a scream.
"Ace, save me! Marco has abandoned me!"
"And what happened this time, yoi?" Ace shuffled his feet nervously.
"Uh, it was Haruta's idea!" Beside him, Haruta yelped.
"Hey, don't pin this on me! I only suggested we sneak something into Blamenco's stew! You're the one who came up with hot sauce!"
"Yeah, but you were the one who said to sneak it into Blenheim's stew too!"
"I'll tell Rakuyo that you were the one who hid his weapon two days ago!"
"Tell him, and I'll tell Jiru who placed those water balloons in front of his room!" Haruta gave an exasperated gasp.
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Try me, shortstuff."
"Don't make me sell you out to Atmos about that horrible drawing of a buffalo you stuck onto his back yesterday, you walking bonfire!" Marco just sighed at the bickering pair.
"You two are on mess hall cleaning duty for the week, yoi." He could only shake his head with a groan, thinking of the paperwork waiting for him in his room, as he walked away from the pair, listening to them grumbling and complaining.
"Oyaji, can't you watch out for your health more, yoi? You're going to die sooner or later at this rate, yoi." Marco complained worriedly as he perched on Whitebeard's shoulder in hybrid form, watching as Whitebeard took another gulp out of the sake bottle in his hand, watching his sons on the deck with an affectionate smile.
"Marco, my son, why do you fear Death so much?" He questioned, the smile never leaving his face. "In the end, all living things will die. I am no different."
"That doesn't mean you can't stay longer, yoi." Marco sulked at the truth in Whitebeard's words.
"Gurarara, I'm not immortal, Marco. I will live my life to the fullest and die on the ocean. And when I am reborn, I will return to the ocean again, for I am a child of the sea, just like everyone else."
"But what about those you leave behind afterwards, yoi? What will become of us after you die, yoi?"
"Once I die, there'll be nothing left of me. There will not be a reason for you to remain tied down by my will. All of you are free to choose your own paths and live as you like. Whether you want to stay or leave, it doesn't matter. No matter what happens, you'll always be my sons and I love you all the same." He said fondly.
"But…"
"Gurarara, don't look so down, Marco. The mark you wear so proudly on your back is the proof of that you accept me as your father, and this crew as your family. As long as you have that mark, know that you will always have us, your family, at your side."
With the weight of the passing years, at times when he felt so alone and felt himself going mad from all his severe pent-up frustration and his endless solitude, the tattoo on his chest served as the only thing which soothed his crumbling heart and calmed him down. Even when the mark was burned, cut off, or torn to shreds, it never ceased to exist. Each time his body regenerated, the mark came back with it.
Marco bit his lips, choking back a sob as he reached a hand up to grip at the mark on his chest. His heart ached terribly, and he longed for nothing more than to return home to his family.
But how does one return to a home that no longer exists?
I'm back with another story! I've come across many stories where Marco is immortal due to his devil fruit, and it felt like an interesting idea to write about, so ta-da! Enjoy, and leave a review to let me know what you think!