Mixture of fluff and drama in this chapter. Enjoy~
To the three brothers' amazement, most of the pirates were over their hangovers the next evening. They must be seasoned drinkers, because the poor Spades had horrific headaches. Saber had drunk the most and Aggie the least but they still had killer hangovers. The brothers quietly got into their day outfits while their crew moaned in bed, feeling sick.
When the three went to eat their breakfast, Thatch was glaring at them. "What?" Ace asked innocently.
"You raided my kitchen!" he accused. Luffy gave a blank look while Sabo looked indifferent.
"Your proof?" Ace asked cooly.
"The missing juice cake that only Luffy can eat," Thatch deadpanned. Ace tched and whispered, "Damn."
"Are we in trouble?" Luffy asked with wide eyes. "It was my idea, I'm sorry," he said sadly. He wasn't even trying to, but it made Thatch melt and his anger fade away.
"You're not in trouble, Luffy," Thatch said seriously. "I was being silly." Ace and Sabo smiled, but Thatch whispered, "You two are in trouble. You should know better than to mess with my kitchen." Luffy was happy enough with him not being in trouble, and ate his food happily while Thatch listed off their chores for making up.
"How about we don't get in trouble, and we don't tell Jojo about all the embarrassing things you did while intoxicated?" Ace asked darkly, with an evil smirk. "How you kept trying to kiss her but she kept swatting you away. Or how about when you almost fell over the side of the ship after throwing up. Or-"
"Okay, you win! No punishment," he grumbled. "You better not tell her any of that stuff," the chef warned. Ace just grinned cheekily. The commanders behind them at the table laughed, Whitebeard's loud and booming.
"We going on island tonight?" Luffy asked excitedly. Ace and Sabo looked to Marco, sitting at the commander's table behind them. None of the other Spades had arrived yet, so the brothers counted them out.
"We sure are. We already have to figured out. You, your brothers, me and a few of the second division are all going inland to scope the area. We have to find if other people live here," Thatch explained. Of course, the rest of the crew were going on the more difficult routes. Luffy's group would stick to the coast and explore as far as the boy could.
Luffy bounced on his seat. "I can't wait!" he cheered. He was very impatient through the meal, and kept chanting for his brother to eat faster, before they finally just scarfed the rest of the food down like animals to get Luffy to stop poking them and to hurry up.
Luffy was given a little canteen with blood in it, and a lunch box in a small backpack. Ace and Sabo smiled at how the Whitebeards were treating this like a very special occasion. It was to Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, since it was Luffy's first full outing onto any island. Izo had even made him an explorer's hat and vest to wear.
Haruta couldn't resist taking a photo of Explorer Luffy. He was so happy and excited. The group of second division members were the ones who had interacted with Luffy the most and were also strong for protection, but not too vital that they would be sorely missed. Teach, Perry and Lee would be accompanying the brothers and chef.
"Onward! The explorer troop descends!" Thatch declared as the seven of them left the ship. Cheers were shouted for Luffy to have a fun time. And it would be fun. For the most part.
-x-
The group stuck close to the coast, but not directly on the beach. Luffy trampled over plants with his short legs, slowing the progression much. But he didn't complain, so no one else did as well. He sucked on his juice canteen happily as he inspected everything. He didn't remember the last time he'd been around a forest. There were so many bugs! Multiple times he had to be brought back to the group after chasing a bug.
Lee and Perry were also vampires, and one was at the back and one at the front in case anything was near and their senses detected it. Luffy was too distracted to notice anything strange happening with his vampire senses.
When they arrived at a cliff, they all looked out on the horizon, the water reflecting the beautiful night sky. Since they were on the coast, the trees weren't blocking the moonlight, but the humans in the group had lanterns. Luffy and the other two vampires saw just fine. The vampires were also in front to tell the humans if there was a dip in the rocks or a steep drop of some sort they'd need to avoid.
While they walked, Thatch and Teach were talking about marines and how it was annoying they seemed to be everywhere in Paradise. The two older brothers were responding to Luffy every time he declared something was "amazing" or cheered that he was having so much fun.
Ace eventually took Luffy and set him on his shoulders higher. Luffy was incredibly light, so it didn't annoy or hinder Ace at all. After awhile, Luffy started using Ace's head as a table, putting his lunch box on it to eat. It made the others chuckle and Ace roll his eyes goodnaturedly.
Once they had made it halfway along the coast of the uninhabited island, they were at a very nice place to take a break at. It was the peak of the coast wall, and they sat down to eat their snacks, Luffy's already gone but getting seconds from Thatch's pack. He had come prepared and the brothers were grateful.
After their pause, they took a bathroom break. Luckily they were all men and it was easy. Thatch came back holding something he hadn't had before, looking at whatever it was in interest. When he came into view of light with all of the lanterns, he held it up.
"Hey, I found a devil fruit," he announced, holding the purple fruit up. Ace and Sabo could confirm it was a devil fruit, since it looked similar to the one Ace ate, but had had no idea about at the time.
"Will you get powers, too, Thatch?" Luffy asked interestedly, asking to see it. Thatch lowered it down in front of the boy's face height. Luffy picked it up and inspected it. Thatch replied that he would get powers if he ended up eating it. The vampire child handed the fruit back up to Thatch.
From behind them, the brothers and Ace heard, "Hey, Teach, what's wrong man?" Lee asked. This brought everyone's attention to Teach, who had a dark look on, eyes fixed on the devil fruit. But then, Lee and Perry, who were both smaller than Teach, were caught off guard and thrown over the side of the cliff. They landed in the water below.
Luffy screamed and hid behind Ace's legs. The brothers and Thatch stared at the man in shock. "Now that you've seen me do that, I'll have to kill everyone here. Thatch, give me the fruit," Teach said wickedly. Sabo, in a flash, pulled his pipe out of its sheath on the back of his jacket and held it out ready to fight. Ace lit his arms on fire. Thatch seemed to be in shock, and didn't react except for a small, "Huh?"
Teach was faster than Ace and Sabo, even if he was larger, and easily grabbed Sabo's pipe and tossed it away. Sabo ducked under the punch and slammed his fist into Teach's crotch. He did feel the pain, but ignored it as best as he could and grabbed Sabo around the throat.
Ace ran at him and burned him badly, but the man didn't release Sabo. Ace was punched in the face with a haki covered fist, making blood fly out of his mouth. Luffy was screaming the whole time, very scared. Sabo had passed out from the lack of oxygen, and was thrown down to the ground.
"Ace, Sabo!" Luffy screamed. Teach turned to him, "You're making too much noise, freak," he said. Luffy backed away as he approached, and ran around his legs to Ace and Sabo, guarding them with a teary but determined face.
It clicked that Luffy could make a lot of noise and hopefully draw other pirates. He created a whistle and put it to his mouth to blow it, but he was grabbed too. However, something different happened when Luffy was grabbed. Teach almost immediately let him go, dropping him back to the ground. And then he started screaming and waving his hands around. He made enough noise that Luffy didn't need the whistle anymore.
Thatch had finally come to grips and hurried to Ace and Sabo to see if they were okay while having his swords out. The two were both knocked out, but breathing. Luffy was shaking in fear, whimpering as he watched Teach freak out.
"Get them off!" he shrieked. But Thatch and Luffy couldn't see anything on him. He screamed like he was being mauled by something, but there was nothing there. While he was very distracted, Thatch angrily walked to him and unsheathed a sword from his back and chopped one of his legs off.
"You won't be going anywhere, traitor," Thatch hissed. He had the fruit far from Teach's grasp. Teach screamed, but the pain seemed to bring him to his senses, and he figured out what could have happened. It was Luffy's fault, as he had only started seeing and being attacked by monsters when he grabbed Luffy.
It surprised Thatch when Teach, one legged now, grabbed Luffy and forcefully chucked him over the cliff, screaming in fear.
-x-
Luffy hit the water hard, stinging his back. He tried to swim to the surface, but he wasn't good at swimming and had never really been taught, so he flailed around and cried for help once he broke the surface, only to be pulled back under from the violent currents. He slammed into the cliff face as the waves threw him against the surface. He lost consciousness once his head hit the rocks the second time.
Even though he was unconscious, the waves still threw him around painfully. He wasn't awake when a strong arm wrapped itself around his waist and pulled him up and out of the water. When he breached the surface, he instinctively sucked in a breath of air, but didn't wake up. It was a very angry vampire that had saved him. Lee had been thrown over the edge, but was fine, Perry had gone to get the nearest commander. They had been foolish and not packed a den den mushi.
When Lee climbed back up the cliff, Luffy on his shoulder, Ace and Sabo were still both knocked out. All of the brothers were, and Teach was still screaming about the monsters attacking him and the pain of his missing leg. His one second of coherency to throw Luffy over the cliff had really been one second.
No one else could see anything attacking him, and he looked perfectly fine. Wasn't covered in wounds or anything. Thatch was staring at the traitor in hate, the devil fruit tucked into the sack he'd brought.
"How is he?" Thatch asked, but didn't take his eyes off of Teach.
"He hit his head, but he's alive," Lee replied. "All three of them are out. Damn Teach! What is he thinking!?" Lee was a close friend of Teach, but never saw something like this coming. A few moments later, the area was lit up with blue and gold light as Marco landed in phoenix form. He looked down at the three casualties. Luffy's forehead was bleeding from a wound, Sabo's neck was swollen and already bruising, and Ace had blood dribbled out of his mouth.
The sight made Marco's blood boil, and he turned to the hallucinating traitor. Perry had explained to Marco what had happened, and the man was furious. Not just because he'd betrayed them, but Luffy's very first outing had gone horribly wrong, and now he and his brothers were all injured. And the Spades would probably blame themselves for not being there. What a mess! All because of a damn devil fruit!
After just a few minutes of Marco calling Pops, he was there. He glared down at Teach after briefly looking at the three youngest with sad eyes. Each one was unconscious and injured in some way. Luffy and Sabo were worse off than Ace. He ordered for the kids to be taken back to the ship and to the infirmary immediately.
Haruta picked up Luffy, while Izo and Namur took Ace and Sabo. Haruta used his vampire speed to take the injured boy to the infirmary. Ace and Sabo were soon in their own beds as well, Luffy's bed in between both of theirs. Sabo's neck was treated, while Luffy was worked on for his head injury. Any cuts he'd gotten from the fall had healed, but his head got hit pretty hard, and no one knew how he would heal.
-x-
Whitebeard had brought chains with him and wrapped them around the scum as Thatch explained what had happened with a pained voice. Though everyone present was fuming, they were also hurt. Teach didn't just attack the guests, but his own family and going after Thatch next before the man had started hallucinating.
The captain and first mate observed Teach's behavior and Marco caught on first. "Thatch, you said he started freaking out after grabbing Luffy?" Marco hoped so badly that the boys would be okay.
"Yeah," Thatch answered in a cold voice.
"Looks like Luffy has defensive powers as well. Illusions must be attacking Teach, but we can't see them and they haven't faded despite Luffy being unconscious. Well, at least we don't have to waste any effort on this scum," Marco said.
"All for a devil fruit," Thatch murmured. "I hope we didn't just lose the trust we'd built with the Spades." Whitebeard sighed, and gestured that they should walk back to the ship, dragging Teach along the rocky ground as he continued to thrash around from the invisible monsters attacking his mind, not his body.
"Hopefully they will see this as not something that was aimed at them, but they were at the wrong place at the wrong time," the captain replied. Thatch was still worried, though, as was Marco. "They will probably be the most angry about Luffy being hurt and them unable to help."
Marco sighed. "I hope Luffy will still want to see new places and will not stick to the ship only after this."
"And he was having so much fun, too!" Thatch fumed. "Damn Teach had to ruin it!"
On their way back to the ship, the illusions plaguing Teach finally ceased, and he stopped screaming. "P-Pops!" he shouted, like he just now noticed what was happening around him. His skin was being torn as he was dragged along the ground, one leg missing so he couldn't walk anyway.
Marco stomped his foot on Teach's face, breaking his nose and multiple teeth. "You don't get to call him Pops anymore, you filthy traitor," Marco growled. Teach growled, but earned another powerful kick from the vampire zoan.
Teach didn't even try to defend himself. It was clear the situation was out of his control now. He just hoped he'd offed that little brat that made him think he was being mauled. By the time they reached the shore where the Moby Dick was, with the Spade's ship still tethered to the back of the ship, Teach was covered in blood and gashes from the rocks he was dragged against. He complained about it, but no one did anything but kick him a couple times.
He was thrown into the brig of the ship, which was rarely ever used, as there was no one on their crew that ever did anything bad enough to get them down there. Teach was the first in a long time to be trapped in that cold place. Even though he couldn't go anywhere with one leg, they chained him to the wall.
Marco went straight to the infirmary to see the brothers, and hoped they were okay and didn't lose all trust in the pirates. When he entered, only Ace was awake, looking drowsy and sleepy. He sat on the side of Luffy's bed and cradled him gently. The boy still wasn't awake, even though the cut on his head had healed and the blood had been cleaned off.
"Hey, Ace. How are you feeling?" Marco asked hesitantly. Ace's face was cold for a moment before it crumpled into shame and misery. Tears gathered in his eyes. Marco saw this and went over and hugged him tightly. Sending mixed signals or not, Ace needed comforting, and his brothers weren't there for him for once.
"I'm supposed to protect him, and I couldn't do anything," Ace cried into Marco's chest, warm tears on his bare chest. "I'm so weak!"
"You are not weak, Ace. Teach is much older and has been on dangerous seas much longer. He only got you because he can use haki," Marco said softly.
Ace shook his head. "I couldn't even save Sabo when I wasn't being the one targeted," he argued. "Weak… No wonder our crew likes yours more. I'm a terrible captain." Marco was surprised by this. Ace had to know his crew adored him didn't he? Marco hadn't realize Ace had such low self-esteem. Marco hypothesized that it was from his childhood.
"Your crew adores you three, Ace. I know they'd stick with you guys no matter what you decide," Marco assured him, rubbing his hand comfortingly down Ace's back. He pulled away, face pink, but neither said anything or acknowledged it.
"Thank you, Marco," Ace mumbled, going back to Luffy's bed.
Marco licked his lips nervously. "Ace… do you guys still tr-"
"We were at the wrong place at the wrong time. That dickhead wanted the fruit, not us. We will still trust you." Ace then threw a bright smile at him, even if his eyes held some sorrow still. "We love our crew, but we also love yours." Then he turned away, leaving Marco speechless before he smiled to himself and left the room.
Ace just opened up to him, even if it was a little bit! He didn't say for sure that they would be staying, but he didn't lose trust in them, didn't think it was everyone's fault for this. It was amazing progress. And if Ace still trusted them, then Sabo and Luffy had to, too. It took them much less time to trust the pirates than it did for Ace. Marco hoped the Spades would forgive them for not protecting their captains and ball of sunshine.
When he entered the galley, he saw Thatch sitting at the table, glaring at the devil fruit. He looked to be in physical pain. After all, Teach was gonna go at him with a knife. He admitted to that when they threw him in the brig. Thatch was very shaken, and hated the devil fruit. Maybe, if he hadn't found it, then Teach would still be their brother.
Everyone was thinking that.
"It was better to learn sooner than later, Thatch. Devil fruit regardless, Teach has always been a traitor. We just didn't know it," Marco said, sitting next to his friend and putting his arm around his neck. Thatch sighed, but knew Marco was right.
"How are the brothers?" Thatch asked, changing the subject. Marco smiled softly, making Thatch really curious about what happened.
"Sabo and Luffy are still asleep, but Ace was awake. He told me that he hasn't lost trust in us. He said he loved his crew, but also ours," Marco said.
"AWWWWW!" Thatch cooed. "That's so cute! Oh, I love them, I want to keep them!" Marco chuckled, but agreed.
"Well, I'm gonna go tell the Spades what's happened. Want to come, so you can explain it in greater detail? I'm sure Jojo won't be angry with you," Marco added. Thatch looked hesitant, but nodded and followed his vampire brother to the Spade's room. He knocked on the door quietly, and got a few moans to come in.
"Hey, guys. We have to talk," Marco said simply, sitting on the brothers' bed. The Spades all sat up quickly, their hangovers fading as the night progressed. When Thatch explained what had happened, they got varying reactions. Intense anger, fear, sadness, and worry. "Teach is now in the brig. Ace, Sabo and Luffy are in the infirmary if you want to visit them." He'd barely finished his sentence before the Spades shot up and sprinted down the hall and to their captains and Luffy.