Sweet Ace
"Hey, I see the next island," Ace announced.
Cara tossed a glare over her shoulder at him. A few days had passed since he forced her to skip out on paying their meal on the last island.
"What?"
"Really? After what you did four days ago?" Cara pulled away from the railing and walked over to him. "Do you really think I'm looking forward to go to another island with you?"
"Well, you wanted adventure, right?" Ace's smile widened.
"You're insane." Cara shook her head. She did have to admit, though not out loud, that what Ace did with his dine and dash was exciting, not that she wanted to do it again. She wanted adventure and away from the worshiping of Whitebeard not to be an outlaw. "Look, Ace, I get that you're a pirate and you're use to doing pirate things, but I'm not a pirate and don't want to be. Do you have any idea how angry Whitebeard will be if I get into trouble with the marines? Or a bounty?"
Ace rubbed his neck with a thoughtful glance at the sky. "Okay. I see your point. Pops is protective of you. I'll do my best to behave while I'm escorting you home."
"That's all I can ask for," Cara said. "Though I'm not holding much hope you can keep your word."
Ace laughed. "Truer words have never been spoken."
Cara shook her head. Maybe he wouldn't be so reckless if he knew the truth. Not that she was going to tell him about that. "Anyway, do you know what this next island is?"
"It's suppose to be an island with a lot of attractions. I've heard the crew talk about it. Amour Island. It's suppose to have theme parks, all kinds of shops, gambling centers, and such."
"Sounds fun. Have you ever been on roller coasters? Or do you prefer flying with fire?"
"I've been on a few." Ace studied his log pose then angled the ship to the right. "What about you?"
Cara crossed her arms and cocked an eyebrow.
"Oh, right. You haven't been off Sphinx. Well, this is going to be fun for you." Ace tilted his head. "Or maybe not."
"What do you mean?" Cara turned her eyes in the direction Ace pointed. Black smoke rose up from the island in the distance. "A fire?"
"It must be a big one," Ace said.
"Are we still going?"
Ace remained quiet for a moment. "It's your call. It's possible it's only a forest fire or maybe a couple buildings have caught on fire. The activities might still be happening."
Cara nibbled on her lip in thought before answering. "Let's check it out. If things are bad we can always leave."
Ace nodded and maneuvered the ship to the docks.
With rope in hand, Cara jumped over the side and moored the ship to the dock. The silence surrounding her caused her to pause and look around. No one was in sight. Ace's feet thumped on the wood beside her, bringing her attention back to him. "Do you ever use the ladder?"
"You jumped too." Ace smirked.
Cara rolled her eyes and headed towards the town. It only took a few seconds for her to notice the lack of people was not only at the docks but in the city too. "That's odd. Where is everyone?"
Ace paused to study some chairs that were overturned at a restaurant. Some purses, bags, and jackets were laying on the ground, abandoned. "Apparently they left in a hurry."
An explosion shook the ground. Cara's eyebrows furrowed. "Do you think pirates are attacking?"
"I didn't notice any pirate ships at the docks." Ace ran forward.
Cara debated for a second before running after him. He wanted to know what was going on and so did she. More explosions and battles sounds grew louder with every step they got to the center of the city. They rounded another block and came face to face with the battle. Some people were dressed in head to toe black while others sported yellow bandannas.
Whoever they were they weren't pirates.
Cara started to step up beside Ace but stopped when she caught movement from her left. She shifted into defense mode and headed between the two buildings.
"What is it?" Ace followed.
Cara carefully stepped around a couple of trash cans. Fists ready, she paused when she saw it was only a child. Fear filled the child's wet eyes. A few strands of hair had escaped from her pigtails. "It's a kid."
"She must have gotten lost from her family in all of the chaos." Ace walked towards the little girl.
Cara cocked her head, wondering what the young man was planning on doing.
"Hey, there." Ace squatted down in front of the girl and gave her a smile. "Don't worry. We're not going to hurt you. What's your name?"
"L-Lena," the girl said with a sniffle.
"Can you tell us what happened here?" Ace asked.
"Two gangs are fighting," Lena said.
"Two gangs are causing all this damage?" Cara asked a second before another explosion happened. Following the explosion was the obvious sounds of a building crumbling to the ground. "Sounds like someone has a devil fruit or some serious fire power in a cannon."
"We better get this kid out of here." Ace held out his hands. "Will you come with us? We'll take you to your parents. Do you know where your parents are?"
Lena nodded. "They should be heading west. We have family that lives in another city where the gangs don't go."
"You want to take her there?" Cara asked.
"We have to," Ace said as the girl walked into his arms. He picked her up and turned to Cara. "We can't leave her here."
Cara parted her lips to protest. Surely the parents were still looking for the girl. Surely they wouldn't leave her behind. But the look in Ace's eyes silenced her. It was possible this kid's parents were alive anymore. They could have been killed in the stampede of people trying to escape the fighting. They could have been killed by accident by one of the gang members. In either case Ace was correct. They couldn't leave this girl, who looked to only be about seven, on her own. "Understood."
With the girl safe in Ace's arms, their small group raced west. Several minutes later they exited the city and followed a well traveled path. As they walked Cara heard the rumbling of the girl's stomach. After a quick glance at Ace, Cara ventured off the path in search of something the girl could eat. She managed to find bananas and mangoes. Lena gladly ate as Ace carried her.
Over the hours they traveled together, Cara watched Ace closely. He never let Lena out of his arms, except for when she needed to use the little girl's tree. Even though Cara accompanied Lena to make sure she was safe, Ace never ventured far. He entertained her with stories of his brothers and pirate adventures.
By the time they made it to the next city Lena had fallen asleep.
"At least she told us where her family was heading," Cara said.
"Yeah. And that looks like the house there." Ace nodded at the house with a yellow trimmed door and windows.
Cara knocked on the door.
"Yes?" A man with gray at the edges of his hair opened the door with caution. When his eyes fell upon Lena he threw the door open. "Lena! Is she hurt?!"
"No. She fell asleep a while ago," Ace said handing the girl over.
"Are you her dad?" Cara asked.
The man sighed. "No. I'm her uncle. Her older brother and sister are here. They made it this morning. Her parents... They went back to look for her. They..."
"Sorry," Cara said, catching fury in Ace's face a second before he walk away. She hurried after him. "We'll leave her with you then."
"Wait! Who are you two?! I want to properly thank you!" The man called out to them but neither slowed.
"It's better this way," Cara told herself as she pretended not to hear him. "He probably wouldn't be happy a pirate saved his niece."
When they reached the city Ace was burning with fury, literally. In a tone that left no room for debate, he said, "Stay back."
Cara watched as Ace ran right into the middle of the battle. Heat rolled over her skin as Ace flared up. Within seconds pain-filled screams replaced battle sounds. Then it was over. Every single gang member was on the ground, alive but in extreme pain as Ace had burned their hands.
Ace walked back towards her. "There. They won't be able to cause anymore trouble."
Cara remained silent as they made their way back to the ship. Her eyes drifted towards Ace. The young man was beyond powerful. So powerful she never would have guessed he was also very sweet.