Chapter Three
Whitebeard studied the woman who was busy glaring daggers at him, and opted against teasing her once more. She was such a petite firecracker. Strong enough to move the elements, resolute when it came to her pride and pleasant to the eye unlike most witches he encountered. Their fight, he easily classified as one of the most beautiful fights he witnessed. Not epic, mind you, but a masterpiece in its own way. "They say," he broke the silent war, noting how the woman's mouth twitched as if preparing to curse him. "Sons grew to be the backbones of their father, while a daughter is his cotton-padded jacket in winter."
"Huh?" Ashley blinked. The point of his statement went right over her head. She even turned to Loki, silently asking for his wisdom. Loki snorted, as if a cat of his caliber can ever bother to understand the intricacies of human interactions.
However, before Whitebeard had the chance to elaborate, a big racket interrupted him.
"Ouch! Ouchiiie!" Everyone winced when they heard someone yell at the top of his lungs. Only one person has a throat with that capacity, really. "Careful! You're fucking killing me!" Then, two evildoers atop a wolf barged upon the battlefield.
Ace sat in the front with both hands clenching the wolf's fur for dear life. Thatch right behind him and with nowhere to cling, since Ace was topless, he opted to grab the boy's hair and neck. "Loose my head you freakin' idiot! I can't see!" Ace yelled back, which somehow triggered Thatch who put his mouth near Ace's ear and shrieked like a pregnant woman going into labor. "Ugh! STOOOP!"
Ashley heart ached for the wolf who's tail was, quite literally, on fire. "Grey!" She called, in hopes he came to her so she could help him.
Her wolf didn't hear her, but Thatch did. It took a person special talent to be able stop in the middle of a harrowing scream without as much as stuttering. Simply, unnerving. "That's it! I'm out." Thatch said before he jumped off the wolf.
Grey kept running straight toward the sea with Ace trying and failing miserably to steer him away. They crushed into the water and, almost instantly, started trashing about as if they were drowning. Marco released a long-suffering sigh before declaring "It's ankle level yoi."
Ace and the wolf both stopped struggling. They actually spent an extra minute underwater as if willing the waves to wash their embarrassment away. Then Ace jumped to his feet and yelled "I knew!" with face so red, his freckles stood out more. He shoved his hands in his pockets and pouted.
He wouldn't have gotten involved in this whole mess if it wasn't for Thatch, unnecessarily, taking a blow meant for him. The cook probably did this to soften his stance, make him bow to Whitebeard and join their crew. Never, Ace vowed. As for Thatch saving him, it was only a matter of debt that he will pay as soon as possible.
"Pops! I have something important to tell you," Thatch declared while striking a heroic pose. They would have taking him seriously, if not for his bleeding nose and mud caked clothes. "This is Ashley, my savior," he said, not forgetting to threw her a charming smile before continuing "I decided to give her my body, heart and soul." Ashley titled her head, did this man decide that he was better of being one of her ingredients? He doesn't sound smart but a liver is liver, she could make do. "Please, bless our fateful marriage!"
"Wait what-?" Ashley tried to interjected but she couldn't get a word in edgeways.
"Even if you're not willing, pops, the deed is done!" What follows was a string of wolf whistles, words of congratulations and some laments here and there. Whitebeard only raised a brow and Marco shook his head with a hint of a smile. "The ocean's call is strong, but the voices of our unborn children-"
"Deed?"Ashley only understood what Thatch insinuated when she saw Loki's tail going back and forth fast and his pupils so diluted, they could be hardly seen. Then he mewled something, no doubt, pervert. Ashley jumped to her feet and, using her staff, she smacked Thatch so hard he doubled over. "What. Nonsense. Are. You. Spitting!" She followed each word with a blow. And each blow, itself, was then followed by the painful exclamations of the crew.
"That lad," Whitebeard said when he saw the woman had yet to tire even when his son was already black and blue, "is who we've come here in search for."
"We want to take him back…in one piece, yoi." Marco added, lips twitching as he fought to suppress his chuckles.
Hearing that, Ashley stopped and like a chastened child, put her staff behind her back. "He is all yours, take him and go," she heaved. "Have a blessed cruise?" she added when, even after awhile, no one made a move.
But instead of commanding their departure, Whitebeard sat with his legs folded under him. "No," he said.
The division commanders exchanged amused looks. Unlike his free-spirited self, their Captain was actually trying to hold back. He wanted Ashley to join the family. But then again he feared that if he acted like he did with the boys, he would scare her away. Hell, half of his sons joined in after they had their heads bashed day in and day out.
"Hmm," Whitebeard hummed, mulling over his plight while Ashley's widened eyes narrowed and her open lips tightened.
Noting her mounting displeasure, Izou stepped forward. "Ahem, ahem! You see, dear, we had a very long and rough journey," he said, nervously patting his clothes.
"We fought some strong…very very strong scumbags. A fleet ten times larger than our own! Yeah! And- and we sustained heavy injuries!" Rakuyo said, hands on his hips and chest puffed up with pride. If only his words matched his stance and the vigor he displayed. "We lost our brother in the progress, you know!? And came searching for him without taking a rest," He finished with an awkward loud laugh. Vista elbowed him, and with a cough hinted for him to just shut up.
Ace shoved his hat down to muffle his laughter. These people vaguely reminded him of his little brother. They couldn't lie to save their lives! Marco on the other hands has no misgiving and start laughing aloud earning himself countless glares.
"And?" Ashley said, one eyebrow raised. She failed to see how any of their problems were any of her business.
At first Izou and the rest were taken aback but then their face hardened. They flocked in a circle, whispering and debating. They even start fighting at some point. Haruta, the youngest of the commanders, scoffed "Sometimes you all act like children." The offhand remark made them notice him and they stared at him as wolves stare at their next meal. "W-What?" They pulled him in their midst by the collar and instructed him to do what he hates the most but after alternating between threats and promises of doing his chores for a week, he accepted.
Haruta approached the cautious white-haired woman slowly. He completely ignored the heap of human, Thatch, fainted by his feet and called sweetly "Pretty big sister," his deep-blue eyes were misted and hands tightly held on his green shirt, "Can we spend the night here?"
"I-" She knew she had to refuse. These people has brought her enough chaos that could last her five lifetimes and more but then she meet the pleading gaze of the cute child in front of her. She couldn't. Each time she opened her mouth, his eyes shook and shine with unshed tears. "Alright," she said at last "Just don't go uphill."
"Thank you big sister!" Happy of his success, Haruta flung his arms around her waist in a hug that made Ashley's skin tingles and insides churns. She quietly hummed her agreement as the cheering of the crew went unheard by her.
"My sons! What do you say about having a party?" This garnered another loud cheer.
Ashley watched for awhile as the crew split into groups and fluttered about. Doctors and nurses tended Thatch. Some pirates went to the forest to gather wood. Others boarded their ships to bring booze and meat…They talked, shouted, laughed and sung. The scene reminded her of the marketplace in her hometown and like this the evening bleed into night.
"Grey! Loki! Let's go," she needed to rest and hopefully by the time she woke up, the pirates would be long gone. Grey decided to stay, tucked by Ace's side while Loki sauntered behind her.
As Ashley blissfully and soundlessly slept, the Whitebeard Pirates were discussing her kidnapping.
Their party continued well into the night, they ate, drank and danced until they could do no more. Though, by dawn, you could see more than half the crew laying here and there in unconscious heaps. The heated atmosphere fizzled out to calm discussions and soft chats. The conversation easily turned to their soon-to-be sister, and how to lure her into joining them. Someone suggested jewels and Marco, to Jozu's chagrin, joked about sending her Jozu with a ribbon which would be most effective.
What could entice her? Gold? Adventure? Friendship? Knowledge? Their discussion, however, was cut short when their Captain said : "Wake up the rest and prepare to set sail." His sons were surprised, they thought that he has giving up his quarry and Whitebeard never gave up. But before they asked for an explanation, he added : "Let's do this the old fashioned way."
Oh! The old fashioned way it is then! They smirked.
Thank you so much for reading this chapter. So, as you noticed the timeline of this Fanfiction falls right after Ace's 'Abduction' and before he truly joined Whitebeard Pirates.
Shout-out, of course, to the people who Followed/Favored this story, it means a lot!
thnvnc : Thank you, sweetie, for being the first to review. You can't imagine how happy your words made me feel. The cliffhanger wasn't intentional I swear, it just happened….They just keep happening :') Hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!
Have a blessed day Heartthrobs! (๑◡๑)