They Don't Know About Us
Author's Note: Hey everyone and welcome back to They Don't Know About Us! I do hope that you are enjoying this fic! Thank you all for all the comments and kudos! So, I know I have made it seem like Shanks is weak and all but my dude is in a full blown heat and drugged. He's trying.
Now! The chapter we have all been waiting for! The actual showdown between Ace and Teach!
On with the fic!
Chapter Thirty-Four: The Fated Showdown: Fire Fist Ace v. Blackbeard
Chapter Summary: As Shanks' life hangs in the balance, Ace finds himself confronting Marshal D. Teach once and for all. He isn't leaving until one of them is dead.
He was absolutely not thinking straight, and he knew it. His mind was clouded over within the frenzy that he felt running through his veins. His grip tightening on the grip of Hotaru. Teach was back on his feet, that smirk back on his face again as he cackled. "Oh, did I piss you off, Commander Ace?"
Ace narrowed his eyes, his other hand moving to his hip. "Shut up." He growled. His eyes stung. Stung worse than they ever have before. Teach's hand came up, preparing to do the same move that Ace had found himself in more than once. The Omega put haki into his legs, launching himself into the air just as he saw the vortex forming. He let out a determined shout as he flipped himself in the air. Bringing Hotaru down with him. The flames vanishing off of the blade as he connected with the swirl of black mist.
With the additional haki that he had embedded into the blade, it cut through the smoke, forcing the Alpha to retract his hand. "You've learned." Teach cackled.
Ace forced himself back, landing back on his feet a good distance away from Teach. He only momentarily looked over his shoulder to Buggy. Buggy was standing there, ready with six knives in between his fingers. "Take care of my mother! Don't let anything else happen to him!" Ace ordered.
"He'll kill me if I let you continue this!" Buggy shot back.
"He's bleeding out!" Ace shouted. "His wound needs pressure on it! If you're here, then that must mean the others are too! Get him to a doctor! If you really want to help Shanks! If you love him in any way, you'll do whatever you can to save his life!"
Buggy gritted his teeth, making a sound before he was taking a few steps back. Guard still up before he was kneeling down next to Shanks. Ace paused as his feet came off of the ground. Shit, I took my attention off of my opponent. He thought, looking back to Teach just in time to bring his arms up to block the hit that was meant for his face. The force behind it was enough to send him flying back again. Hotaru was knocked out of his hand, clattering to the ground by Teach's feet. A string of curses left Ace's mouth as he tried to focus as much haki as he could into his stomach. His own haki was protecting his pup right now. He needed to make sure they all got out of here. This had been his decision to come. Not his pup's.
The Omega growled, crashing into the ground, rolling across it. "You really think that you can defeat me alone, Commander Ace?" Teach questioned. "You couldn't before. What makes you think you can now?"
Ace lifted his head up, snarling as he said, "I won't underestimate you this time. I know your little bag of tricks."
Teach reached his hands out, his black smoke moving around and extinguishing the flames that Ace had put up as a barrier. He cursed as he watched the nearby buildings starting to get sucked straight into the smoke. Debris flying by his head that had him covering it with his arms to keep from getting hit by anything. Reminiscent of Banaro Island flashing before his mind. His gaze moved over to Buggy and Shanks momentarily to see Buggy's sash cover Shanks' abdomen, the way that Buggy was using his body to cover Shanks' head from any flying debris. His other arm over his own head.
Ace waited for the right moment. Teach's chest was completely open. Unguarded. He forced himself to his feet, conjuring his fire into his fist. "Fire fist!" He shouted, sending the blast of flames rocketing straight for the Alpha's torso. He was aiming directly for the injuries that were already there. There was no possible way that Teach was also at one hundred percent. He just happened to have more leverage than Shanks had.
The Alpha moved his hands to swallow the flames, gaining a sound of frustration from Ace. Debris started to fall around. Coming down all around them as Ace rolled himself up, covering his head back up as pieces started to fall over his back. It didn't hurt but he couldn't risk getting hit in the head or stomach. He had to be extremely cautious. Even through all of his anger.
"Get him out of here, Buggy!" Ace shouted the second the debris stopped, standing back to his full height, and rushing forward. He couldn't fight properly with Shanks and Buggy in the way. Not if he wanted to risk burning them. Teach could even use it to his advantage if he wanted too.
"I swear, Ace, if you get hurt, I'll kill you myself!" Buggy shouted, moving to pull Shanks onto his back.
"Worry about that later!" Ace replied. He held his hands out in front of him, the light glowing on his palms as he released his small fireflies, letting them flood around the area. Getting closer and closer to Teach. "Fiery doll!" They exploded in succession. Effectively covering Teach in flames as he heard the scream come from the Alpha. "Now, Buggy! Don't you dare let anything happen to him!"
Buggy took off without a second thought, rushing off in the opposite direction. Once Buggy cleared the tree line, Ace threw his hand out, blocking the path off with flames. Teach could easily put them out, but it would slow him down. He placed his hands on the ground, forming the circle of flames around himself and lifted his arms to send it into the air to destroy the rest of the debris that were flying around him.
Putting haki into his legs, he jumped again as Teach put out the flames that were on his body. Heaving and rolling around in the dirt. Ace's flames wouldn't be really effective in this situation. Not with Teach's Devil Fruit, but it doesn't mean he couldn't use them. He jumped onto one of the nearby buildings that were still intact. He grabbed his knife from his waist band, focusing haki into the blade.
"You are really starting to piss me off, Commander Ace." Teach growled.
"Bring it on, bastard." Ace retorted.
Teach was already moving, using his powers to destroy the building Ace was standing on. The Omega used pieces that were floating around to maneuver away. He eyed Hotaru. It was his best bet in this fight. He just needed to get to it. He relied to much on the Mera Mera no Mi before and he had ultimately lost because of it. He had little information on Teach's abilities at the time, so having it now also helped. Haki would be his greatest ally right now.
"You never change, Commander Ace." Teach cackled. "Even outmatched, you still won't turn and go the other way. You got what you wanted, but yet here you are."
Ace landed back on his feet on the ground, digging his knife into the ground to keep him from flying away with the Yami Yami no Mi's powers swirling around him. "Am I? This isn't over until you're in the ground, and I'll do it by my hand." The second the swirling of darkness stopped, Ace jerked his knife out of the ground and rushed forward. Teach swung at him, but the Omega pivoted on his foot to twist to the side. He brought up his hand, slashing his knife directly across Teach's forearm. He grabbed Teach's jacket, using it as the leverage he needed to bring his knee up and slam it into the side of the Alpha's head.
The both of them fell onto the ground with Ace on top of the Alpha. Embedding his hand with haki again, seeing it visualize on his skin, he brought his closed fist down directly on Teach's nose. Pleased with the sound of the crack that he heard. The blood that splattered onto his knuckles before he was being shoved away. His back hitting the ground as Teach moved, clambering on top of him and grabbing him by his own shirt.
"You stupid bitch. I gave you a chance." Teach growled, the look in his eye returning back into the sadistic one. A hand wrapped around his throat, cutting off his airway. The Omega choked, kicking his legs in an attempt to try and pry the Alpha off of him. Through the corner of his eye, he could see Hotaru laying on the ground. He scrambled his hand in the dirt, trying to reach out for it.
With his other hand, he scratched at Teach's, trying to keep the Alpha's attention on it. Teach's attention was kept. Lingering on his hand as he cackled. Ace could fell the vibration against his chest as his lungs burned. Begging for oxygen.
"Say, Commander Ace, I'll leave your momma alone…" Teach started, his hand getting tighter around Ace's neck. The Omega glared up to the Alpha, attempting to snarl at him as his other hand continued to try and reach out for Hotaru. It was his only chance to get out of this. "If you become my bitch. I'll leave them all alone, in exchange for you."
Ace wanted with everything to tell Teach how disgusting he was. How vile his actions were. How much it made him sick to even think about it. "Fuck off." He managed to say. He wasn't even sure how he was able to.
"So be it." Teach stated. "I'll kill you, then I'll go kill your Momma too."
The anger flared again as his nails grew more, cutting into Teach's skin. Clawing down the back of his hand. Ace could have cheered the second he felt his fingers touch the grip of Hotaru. Wrapping his hand around it, putting what haki he could into it before he turned it, and pierced it right into Teach's side. Teach howled, his hand leaving Ace's throat. The Omega immediately inhaled sharply, coughing from the burn as oxygen filled his lungs.
He rolled over, pulling Hotaru with him, coughing and sputtering as he pushed himself up. He stumbled over his feet from the black dots dancing over his vision. His body threatening to give out. He couldn't not yet. He had this to finish then he was going to sleep for a week. He turned to face Teach the second he got his balance. The Alpha was clutching at his side.
He couldn't even think straight anymore as he kicked his foot into Teach's neck, forcing the Alpha to his back. He turned Hotaru in his hand, the point directly over Teach's chest. The Alpha had a smirk on his face the entire time as Ace brought it down, plunging it into his chest cavity. Blood came out the sides of Teach's mouth as he pushed himself up.
"If dear old Oyaji couldn't put me off with that and your parents couldn't, what makes you think you can?" Teach questioned.
The Omega stumbled back on his feet, regaining his balance a second later. His feet were lifted off of the ground involuntarily with the same vortex technique that Teach seemed to favor. The hand slamming into his shoulder blade, a fist connecting with his stomach that sent him flying back. Ace's eyes widened as he felt the pain in his abdomen. His back collided with a nearby tree as he slumped to the ground. He rolled over to his back, a hand covering his mouth as tears came to his eyes.
Just hang in there, little one. We'll get through this. We have too.
He blinked away the tears. Pushing himself back up as he turned back to face Teach again. Teach was relying to much on his Yami Yami no Mi. The same thing that Ace had done. He had to think of another game plan. He wasn't getting very far here.
Teach was approaching him now. That same black smoke radiating from his body, moving around the area, and coating anything it could swallow up. Leaving just a circle around Ace as he brought his flames around him. His shoulders flickering in fire as lifted his hands, letting the fire dance in front of him, creating a wall between the two before he pushed it forward. "Flame mirror." He muttered, letting it move forward and negate the attack that was heading for him.
Think, Ace. You had all the training you would need for this situation. He racked his brain through anything that he could think of. Everything that he had ever been taught by Shanks and Mihawk. By the Red Hair Pirates. By the Whitebeard Pirates. He could win this. He just had to think logically about it.
He should have bought enough time by now that Buggy had reached someone. Anyone. Shanks was away from here and he had done exactly what he had originally planned to do.
The flames in front of him disappeared in the black mist, putting them out but Teach's attack never reached him. His Observation haki started to go haywire, warning him of impending danger. He looked in time to see the large pieces of buildings coming down towards his head.
"Flame Commandment…" He said, swirling his hand around to create the circle of fire again, lifting his hands up to demand the flames move above his head. "Fire pillar!"
As his flames destroyed the building, his feet were back off of the ground. He cursed as he twisted Hotaru around himself, placing his feet on the blade and curling up just as he connected with Teach. The two crashed into the ground again. The black smoke started to move up his legs. Trying to engulf him in darkness.
Ace rolled away, scooting back, and lighting his body on fire again. Teach lifted his hand to command the darkness up, trying to go after him again. Ace held his hand out, his palm lit up as he yelled, "Heat haze!"
It countered the attack enough that he was able to jump out of the way and away from the reach of the black mist for the moment.
"This is getting cute, Commander Ace." Teach replied. "You really think you stand a chance."
"I don't have too, but I'm going to defeat you." Ace shouted.
Ace paused as he saw the amount of darkness that Teach was creating. The final seconds of their fight on Banaro Island flashing before his mind. This was the move that had ended that fight. The move that defeated him.
He had to counter this, but the problem was, he didn't know how.
He dashed to the side, ducking behind some of the nearby wreckage just as the move went barreling by him. He could feel it trying to jerk him back. He grabbed the concrete that was still there, hanging onto it until the move ceased. He stood back up, no thought in mind as the flames wrapped around his arm. He sent his signature move at Teach, gripping onto Hotaru again as the fire went towards Teach again.
C'mon, Ace, think. We need something he's never seen before.
He paused as he looked up into the air. He hummed as a smile came to his face. He wasn't at Marineford when he had done this. Placing haki into his legs, he jumped, swirling the flames around him similar to his flame pillar. He used his flames for the momentum, heading down towards Teach just as the Alpha looked up. He twisted Hotaru again, both hands on the grip as it pierced through Teach's chest.
Teach stumbled, hand moving to the blade to grasp it. The blood showing on his hand were the metal cut into his palm. Teach coughed, the blood coming from his mouth. The Omega planted his feet against Teach's torso, pushing off and pulling Hotaru with him before he landed back on his feet.
He wasn't getting anywhere with this.
Teach was still standing.
Teach's fist came down on his jaw, sending him straight into the ground. His head hitting against some of the debris that were there. His mind swam for the moment. The world dancing around him. The Alpha's foot slammed into his side, sending him rolling across the ground. Leaving Ace on his stomach as he reached his hand down to cover his ribs where Teach had hit. Feeling the pain coursing through the area. He was almost positive that he had a broken rib now from the amount of pain that was coming from the area.
His consciousness was threatening to leave him as he tried to blink the fatigue he was feeling away. His stomach was twisting. Threatening to get sick. He needed to get back up, but his body was tired. Everything around him was a blur.
With each blink someone new came before his mind.
Shanks. Mihawk. Luffy. Rouge. Sabo. Whitebeard. Marco. The Commanders. Deuce. The Spades. The Red Hair Pirates. The Whitebeard Pirates. Their allies. All of their smiling faces.
Two faces he couldn't make out appeared before his mind as second later as he heard the frightened, "ACE!"
"What could you possibly want so much that you are willing to die here?" Teach cackled.
Ace turned his head to catch the blurred image of Teach's form starting to loom over him. His gun in hand as he cocked it, preparing to shoot.
He growled as he pushed himself up, all his instincts flaring just as Teach got up to him. Ace grimaced, clutching at his side again, feeling the blood moving down his forehead as he blinked the fatigue away.
"I want you…" Ace muttered, before he shouted, "To get out of my face!"
He embedded the haki over his hand again, shouting as he swung, connecting with Teach's face. Kicking next and aiming for the other side of his face. His boot connecting with the connection of his jaw and neck. Ace could feel every piece of self-control that he left snapping at the seams as he kept going. Connecting hit after hit. Leaving Hotaru in the dirt as he preferred to use his fists.
Teach was stumbling back, trying to stay on his feet as his gun hit the ground, firing the shot. Ace didn't have a care in the world as his only focus was on defeating Teach once and for all. Which each fist connecting, he saw the faces of all the people that Teach had hurt over the years.
Shanks' face flashed before his mind again, "It's my job as your mother to protect you."
A smile came to his face as he put his flames behind his hits now. Swirling and dancing around his limbs. "You've done your job, Mom." He said. "It's time to rest now. I can protect myself."
"You couldn't before." Teach stated.
Ace felt the hit connect with his face again, making him stumble back. A smirk staying on his face anyway. "I was protecting my brother. I would do it again if it meant keeping you from going after him."
Luffy's face came next. "Say whatever mean stuff you want! I'm still going to save you!"
"I don't need saving. Not again." Ace added.
"I vow to be a father that you can be proud of." Mihawk's voice rang through his head.
"You already are."
With each memory that came to mind, he felt himself getting stronger by the second. His own smirk getting bigger. The swirls of black came next, extinguishing his flames as Teach tried in vain to defend himself from the onslaught of hits that Ace was giving.
"Your power does nothing against me!" Teach screamed back, trying to deflect each hit that Ace gave.
"I don't need my Devil Fruit for this!" Ace shouted.
"I love you, Ace." Marco's words came to mind.
"I will do this! For them!" Ace shouted. "You've caused enough pain! It's over, Teach!"
Ace drew his arm back, his nails sharpened as he found his opening, striking forward and sending his hand straight into Teach's chest. Breaking through the breast bone that protecting his heart. A hand wrapping around the pulsating organ.
Teach froze completely as he sputtered. Blood coming to his mouth. Ace could feel his blood coating his hand as his nails punctured the organ.
"You're my bitch now, Teach." Ace stated, jerking his hand back, bringing Teach's heart with him.
He watched as the light left Teach's eyes. The Alpha slumping to the ground a second later. Ace felt like he could breathe again as he heaved, catching his breath for the first time since this had started. Looking down at the heart in his hand. The blood coating his hand and forearm. He growled as he tossed it into the dirt, stumping on it and crushing it beneath his boot.
The Omega glared at the unmoving form of Teach. His former subordinate. A former nakama. The cause of so much pain to his family. Biological and sworn.
It was over.
A smile came to his face as he stumbled on his own feet. Reaching over and grabbing his fallen knife and Hotaru from the ground. Putting them back into place. Right where they rightfully belonged.
"You aren't getting back up if you don't have a heart." Ace stated.
The Omega exhaled sharply. The sounds of fighting still filling his ears. The rumbles of the ground that belonged to Whitebeard.
It was time to go home.
He finished what he had started.
Now, it was time to return back to the sea as the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
He felt complete again.
Author's Note: a href=" /zbaUczAYwb" The Moby Hangout /a