Since the story in here also happens the morning before Christmas, I'ma post it today already!
Ace was proud, during his watch a weird guy dressed in red had tried to infiltrate the ship!
The other watchman hadn't even noticed, but he had, and he stopped him and took care of him!
Thatch however was not amused when he told him of his heroic acts...
"It's our fault-yoi."
"HOW IS IT OUR FAULT THAT HE BEAT UP SANTA CLAUS!"
"Because Ace did the right thing, he-"
"THAT WAS NO-"
"Thatch. Can I speak please?"
"Sorry, go ahead."
"So, as I was saying. Ace was right in what he did-yoi. He stopped an intruder from getting into the ship and didn't let some stupid excuse sway him."
"HAH THATCH, IN UR FACE!"
"Ace, shut up-yoi."
Marco ignored the childish action of the fire-user sticking out his tongue at the chef, who was for some reason pulling on his hair, and continued after a sigh, "We, everyone who knew that this guy was coming onboard, should have informed Ace, the one on watch, that someone was indeed going to be coming onboard during the night and that this person had permission to do so."
"So... He did have a deal with Oyaji?"
"He did-yoi, we do this every year here. We should have informed you beforehand, you couldn't have known since it's your first time with us during this time of year. So, even if it was a false alarm tonight, good job Ace."
While his fellow commanders were talking as if nothing was wrong, Thatch however was thinking of the actual questions and decided to interfere. "Alright, Alright, I get it! But now that everything is cleared up. Can I know what happened to the guy? Where is he?"
"I ehm... he is..."
"What?"
"..."
"Ace, please speak up, what did you do with the poor guy."
"... He is definitely not tied up and strung to the top of that big tree in the town square"
"... WHAT?!"
"HE KEPT SAYING HE HAD A DEAL! DEAL THIS, DEAL THAT! AND THAT HE WAS BRINGING THE LIGHT FOR THE TOP OF THE TREE AND WHATNOT, SO I HELPED HIM GET UP!" Crossing his arms, he huffed and added under his breath that the man should be thanking him. If he had to climb up himself, it would have taken ages.
"Oh Neptune, I can't handle you this early in the morning" -His pompadour won't survive the pulling on it either with the way it's going.- "Ace, you are an absolute menace. First of all, we have a tree in the mess-hall too" - "We do?" - "Yea, how have you not noticed... WAIT, that's not the problem. Don't distract me. Second of all, how, for the love of Pops, how did you even get him up there, that tree is like twice the size of Oyaji."
"I threw him."
"You... threw him?"
"Yea, with some firepower."
"Oh dear heavens have merci on this stupid child. ... And like …... how long has he been up there?"
"He came at the beginning of my shift, so ehm around 5 hours now."
"He is never going to play Santa Claus for us again, is he?"
"I do not think so-yoi."
After the conversation they of course went to rescue 'the intruder'. Thanks to Marco's abilities to fly, getting the man out of his predicament was a lot easier and faster than how he got up. By the time they had gotten to him, he had somehow untangled himself from the top and was now clinging on for dear life, scared to go back down himself.
Once down, they took the poor man out for lunch, on their costs, as an apology.
Everything seemed to go reasonably well, they ignored the fact that the man was glued to Marco's side, and staying as far away as possible from Ace. In the middle of eating though, he suddenly jumped up from his chair to hide behind Marco, looking on in fear at Ace.
Ah yes, Ace was performing one of his trademark tricks to instil fear into the hearts of his enemies: he was fighting a terrifying battle with his mashed potatoes, with his face, and losing at that.
With a sigh Marco stood up to save their second commander from drowning in his food, and make sure the 4th one didn't choke on his own breath from laughter. -How does Pops keep finding these people... One normal one Pops, just one, is that too much to ask...-
After this whole ordeal was over, they went back to their food as if nothing happened. By the end of the meal, Marco had somehow convinced the man to return to the Moby and see Pops, even if it was just one more time, promising Ace would stay far away from him.
Even if the deal they had may be off from now on, they did see the man as a friend, so it would be sad if he just randomly disappeared without even saying goodbye and without being able to thank him for the last years.
At dinner – Commanders-table
"So Ace, heard you beat up Santa Claus last night?"
Out of politeness, Ace pulled the (practically whole) turkey out of his mouth to answer, receiving some comments around the table that it's gross. -Gee, it's not good if I talk while chewing, it's not good if I swallow without chewing and now I get dirty faces to pull it out too? Can never please these people... Whatever.- "Well yea, I am not going to allow any unknown people onboard while I'm on watch. No one told me he had permission, what was I supposed to do? And he had the lamest excuse, just kept saying 'But I am Santa Claus.' As if giving me your name is going to change anything!"
"Ace... that's not his real name, you know?"
"It is, he told me like …. at least 10 times, for reals."
"...Haruta, he's your friend, do something."
"I'm trying to eat, why you pushing this to me. You take care of him you stup-" - "Yoi" -...This turkey is too protective, damnit - "...AHEM, I mean, I am happy to be of service and help my sweet younger brother." Haruta turned around to said person with the kindest, fake, smile. "So, Ace, you don't know Santa Claus?"
"Omg, how many times have I said no, and no one informed me he would be coming!"
"Alright calm down, it's okay I am not saying you did anything wrong, please don't light the table on fire, we have too many decorations around that would spread it. That would be too much Christmas warmth even for us. Hmmmm, since you're from the Blues, you probably know him under another name. He is also known as Father Christmas."
Ace crossed his arms and replied firmly, "Pops is the only father I'll ever have."
"Of cour- wait wait, that's got nothing to do with this."
"It does, you said he is Father Christmas, but he is not my Father. Pops is my only father."
"Wha-, Ace, you can't be serious." Haruta was now looking around at the rest of the table, questioning his own sanity at this point. But no one seemed inclined to help in anyway. Looking back at the fire-user, expecting some sort of 'Hah, got you! Of course I know him', but the only thing he received was a lift of one's eyebrows, showing that the youngest was clearly marking Haruta as the insane one.
-Oh boy he is serious- "Ace, you don't get it. He is not your father, it's just … a name, a title of some sorts."
"Why would anyone name themselves Father?"
"It's... I don't know, because every Christmas he goes around to all the kids' houses, bringing gifts... like a good father? Aah I don't know the origin story okay!? It's just his name, his title, whatever, it doesn't have the actual 'Father' meaning."
"So... he is a stalker, naming himself Father to get away with it?"
"I... NO! How did you even reach that conclusion!"
"THEN WHAT? BECAUSE THAT'S ALL I AM HEARING!? And here you are, all defending some guy, apparently known for breaking into people's houses every single winter. Just leaving stuff that's not your own on your floor before getting out of there. And just because he calls himself 'Father', it's okay and he gets away with it, like WTH? Why does no one stop him from breaking in, why don't people put locks on their doors if they know he's coming?"
There was a moment of stunned silence at Ace his outbursts and explanation before the first division commander decided to end it.
"Saying it that way... He has a point-yoi"
"DON'T SUPPORT THIS TURKEY!"
Marco dodged the slice of meatloaf thrown at him, resulting in it hitting some poor member of the fifth division behind him. And instead of just accepting it and ignoring it, no, he had to throw something back, not even hitting the target who originally threw it. Nope, he also hit another innocent poor soul. And we aren't the Whitebeard pirates if this one could keep to himself, he also had to throw something back, and miss. -Maybe we need more lessons at aim, because this is just sad-yoi- By the time the thought was finished, a full-blown food fight had started, more of the menu was now seen flying through the air than laying down on the tables.
Whitebeard was laughing and smiling at his sons' antics, and even with his size, somehow managing to dodge everything that came near him, "Gurarara, look at them, don't I have the best kids ever Jeff?"
Next to Whitebeard a face peeked out from behind a serving tray, glancing between the captain of the ship and its crew, "...Yea... They are... Special... And btw, Newgate, I do wish you a Merry Christmas, but you're going to look for a new Santa Claus next year."
Merry Christmas Everyone! Or if you don't celebrate, Happy Holidays - Have a great day!
Trying to finish up a B-day Ace fic for new year, but should it not work out, Happy New Year too!
Extra: The merman story will be for next years (it feels so long away saying it like that), the end of the year cane faster the expected!