Chapter Four
Their old fashioned way entailed taking their target onboard the Moby Dick, sailing as fast as they could and when they make sure their target won't be able to return alone they, then, would be open to have a civilized conversation. Of course, some may call the whole act 'kidnapping' but, Nooo, Whitebeard Pirates are above such vile machinations! They're merely escorting their soon-to-be sister to a neutral ground to have an impartial discussion, that's all.
And so, without further ado, the captain and his commanders -except for the battered Thatch- made their way uphill while the rest of the crew prepared the ship fleet to set sail. Ace couldn't sit still, tho. From the pieces of conversations he heard, he knew they were up to no good and trailed after them with Grey by his side.
They made their way through the forest with a clear destination right in front of their eyes. However, no matter how much distance they covered, no matter how much they walked, walked and walked, they strangely couldn't be any nearer to hilltop than when they started.
"Illusion," Whitebeard mumbled in awe. Well, well, look who made herself more of an attractive target. "Marco," the captain didn't have to articulate his request as before his words were spoken, his 1st commander was already ablaze and flying skywards.
Marco first noted that, shockingly, they were still near the forest's fringes. He frowned. If they walked in circles, they would have noticed it sooner. No, they were walking through a maze without exist. "I see her house yoi," he said after memorizing the path ahead and behind his crewmates. But when he tried to fly over there the distance never dwindled no matter how hard he flopped his wings. The house stood unmoving…or was it?
After awhile, he looked down his crewmates and, loo and behold, the trail completely changed. He landed on Whitebeard's shoulder, his favorite perch, and start thinking about their predicament. Once inside the forest, they never changed their direction…but perhaps the maze did? How could he rationalize magic tho? "We can't go forward, yoi," he said "and I suspect we can't go back either."
In the wake of the silence that follows his statement someone, from the far back of the group, snorted. It was Ace, standing with crossed arms and a shit-eating grin.
"Oi, oi, you're trapped with us you know," Rakuyo said.
"Hah! Whatever," Ace scoffed and turned his face elsewhere.
"Idiot," Haruta said while dragging the 'I' and finished with sticking his tongue out at Ace. Ace, not be outdone, stuck out his tongue out at Haruta as well.
Whitebeard smirked. His views were pink tinted as he thought Ace was getting along with his brothers just fine. Marco has to agree. It was a delight to see Ace grow bolder and unrestrained as of late.
"Wait at sec! Isn't that Ashley's friend?" Izou interjected, finger pointing to Ace's side where a big wolf stood, "What's his name again?"
Ace twitched as if reading Izou's mind. He loathed thinking it but the wolf won't betray his master, right? "Grey," he mumbled, hand petting the head of his new furry friend.
Grey started barking.
"Namur," Vista said while stroking one side of his mustache, "Some of your expertise, please."
"Aye," Namur appreciated the fact that the group fall silent so they won't hinder him, "It's been eight years, since Ashley joined our pack and made Alpha. She cared for us like no other, and we care for her like one of our own, but she is different. She is human. She requires more than what us and this place can give," he paused as the wolf whined in search for the right words, "We want her to live, not simply exist."
"On what condition will you be our guide?" Whitebeard said, looking Grey straight in the eye.
"Alpha has darkness that we, as wolves, can't understand but we accept nonetheless," The wolf, and by default, Namur continued, "All you have to do is welcome her in your pack as one of your own. Be her alpha and teach her the human ways."
Grey knew that if these people were to leave tomorrow, Ashley will no doubt tighten the island's defenses in ways that not even a fly can enter. She will spend for the rest of her life here, floating from one corner to another and like a ghost she won't grow, won't make new memories to replace the painful ones. She won't understand that 'numb' isn't all that is to feel. So he decided to bet on these men.
"I promise on my honor that I'll take Ashley as my own child," Whitebeard vowed.
"Why?!" Ace said, flames of fury licking at his arms and shoulders, "Stripping her of her status and tossing her out to be taught a lesson, sounds like torture to me!" His eyes moved from the wolf to Whitebeard, glaring daggers at him, "Maybe all she need is to be left well alone. Time to grow on her own," then he leered, ignoring Vista's request to calm down, "A father? What's that? Sounds like someone who claims a high moral ground only to rule over you!" In his mind, Whitebeard was but a grand master in the art of manipulation.
It took them no time to see that this wasn't only about Ashley. Ace was seeing himself in her stead, how they took his dream, his crew, his choice and now they were doing it to another person right in front of his face. Ace still didn't understand.
He was a reckless, hotheaded and prideful young man. If he didn't meet Whitebeard at that time he would have clashed with someone else. Someone merciless who saw potential and sought to douse it instead of cultivate it.
"In life, there are different kind of fathers," Whitebeard settled on saying, "I'm a father who'll always stand by my children's side." His goal was never to break their wings, no, he protected them, taught them and set them free if they ever wanted to be so. Their achievements, he never took credit for, but they made him proud.
"Don't-" Ace spitted with a flinch, no doubt Whitebeard hit a sensitive nerve. "Don't MAKE ME LAUGH!" Then he attacked. His fist nothing but a fireball, hot as his temper.
Marco negated the attack with his own blue fire, and Whitebeard exert his willpower over Ace rendering him unconscious. With a sigh, Whitebeard noted that Ace was exponentially growing resisting to his Haoshoku Haki and he looked forward to the day Ace can dismiss it without batting an eye.
The group journeyed on, with Ace flung at one shoulder of Whitebeard and Marco perched at his other. The 1 st commander flared his flames from time to time to shine the path ahead, drive away the chill of night and, to Whitebeard's amusement, comfort him.
Grey leaded them through the forest, making turns that made no sense and seemed arbitrary. They swore, that sometimes, they went in circles but when questioned, Namur translated that they should use their noses instead of their eyes cause the hilltop was the only place in the whole island where Gardenia flowers blossomed, and due to close contact with them, Ashley herself emanated their unique smell. So now, they were technically shadowing Ashley's every step.
After awhile of walking and suffering through Blenheim singing off-key, they reached the hilltop where Ashley's wooden house stood. It was more graceful than they ever imagined. Simple and neat with grand windows covered by see through curtains, which soared and fluttered with the wind as they pleased. The garden full of white Gardenia flowers and coupled with the soothing sound of wind chimes gave the view an ethereal touch.
Loki sat on the chair by the front door and welcomed them with a soft mewl. He stretched, arms extended in front of him and flexed his back in a way that his fury behind stuck up. Izou swoon when he caught sight of pink paws and he almost lost it when the cat and the wolf touched noses in greeting.
They were late, Loki noted. Then he meowed some more and Namur jaw fall open.
"What?" Curiel said "What now?" This place gave him the chills. He tried to hid his sweaty palms but his crewmates picked on his mounting panic. Then he felt it! Something lightly touched his back and moved up, up to his neck. "Ugh!" He yelled, jumping two feet away only to see Haruta laughing his ass off with a stick on his hand, "Brat!"
"Kept it down boys," Whitebeard said with a sigh, then looked at Namur, "What did the cat say?"
"Oh, em," Namur hesitated for only a second, "He said, no hurry, his lady is deeply asleep cause he spiked her tea with a sleeping potion. She won't wake up for a day or two."
This was too easy to be true and Marco pondered if maybe this was a trap of sorts but from the corner of his eyes he saw Whitebeard grin and order them to pack up Ashley's belongings…and so, under the ever watchful eyes of Loki, they did. Between packing vials of potions, clothes and unearthing some of Gardenia flowers, the task only took about thirty minutes.
"Finished!" Rakuyo announced as he held two bags of dirt full of Gardenia.
"Here too!" Added Blenheim, a cart full of potions under his arm.
"Me too, me too," Haruta giggled, as him and Loki bumped their heads and rubbed them affectionately. Only after seeing that the young commander had a bag of tuna on his free hand did they realize that the cat wished to tag along as well. Izou couldn't be happier.
Marco and Vista entered the bedroom, with the swordsman mumbling apologizes for their rudeness. The personal space looked oddly bare. No decoration, no pictures, no trinkets. Nothing except for a single bed where the woman slept embracing her staff.
Maybe if Ace saw this, he would've understood. They see absolutely nothing special about this place, in fact it was too normal that it could've been anyone's…or no one's. Empty, empty, empty. They would've mistaken it to be haunted.
The two commander shared a look, and Vista, ever the chivalrous, shook his head easily relinquishing the final task to Marco. Knowing that he couldn't win this round, Marco resignedly sighed. He squatted by the Ashley's bed and instead of pulling her cover off, he turned her round and round into a human-sushi-roll shape then carried her out. Vista trailing after him with her pillow.
The trek back to the Moby Dick turned to be swift since the louder Blenheim sung the hastier they walked. Once they saw the fleet, they all heaved a sigh of relief. Their ears were saved. Whitebeard extended the invitation to Grey to accompany them but he refused. He was meant to be ashore, guarding their home until Ashley visits once more. He touched noses with Loki then gently rubbed his head against Ashley's, breathing in her scent and prolonging their goodbyes as long as he could.
At the first light of morning, Whitebeard Pirates set sail to the howls of wolves mourning the end of a journey and celebrating the beginning of another one.
Hey heartthrobs! How are you doing?
Finally, Ashley's adventure has begun. At this point Ace is still acting salty cause who wouldn't after getting kidnapped? Our daddy issues run deep folks :'))
To the people who followed/Favored this fanfiction, thank you so much. I'm grateful for your support!
thnvnc : My dear, I'm ecstatic to hear that you're enjoying this story so far. Hope I won't disappoint. I appreciate your reviews a lot cause -I don't know how to put it but- it means 'someone is here' so thank you so much. Have a nice day sweetie!
Have a blessed day everyone ! °˖✧ ◝(◕‿◕✿)◜ ✧˖°