Chapter 12

To my editor, Happy birthday, this chapter is especially for you, your present is waiting within.

I do not own One Piece, it's Oda-sensei's, but I do own the OC's such as Marty, Beth and Charlene (and Rory and Martha and Rose and Silver Jack )

Thank you to everybody who has reviewed, keep them coming! XX

. . .

Whitebeard opened one of his eyes as the deck above him shuddered from explosions. It didn't feel like they were under attack. Surely he hadn't slept through an enemy's approach, who attacked mid-afternoon anyway? He pushed himself into a sitting position with a groan, mentally cursing the tubes attacked to his face and chest. He was about to swing his legs out of the bed when the door slammed open and one of his sons rushed in.

"Pop! Ace and the new girl are going at it up on deck, they're literally burning the place down!" Whitebeard stared at the man as he caught his breath.

"That's what the racket is?" Whitebeard grumbled, lying back down, "Tell the brats to keep it down."

. . .

"Come on Purple, you can do better than that!" Ace laughed blasting the girl with more fire which she directed over board. Marco peered round the Mast.

"What are you doing!" He yelled at Ace, "The ship is made of wood! You idiot!"

"He's not listening," Hummed Beth, pressing back against the mast to avoid the flames, "I don't think Rory's gonna find a big enough bucket." Marco snorted, stamping on any fire that got to close.

Marty backed up against the railing, trying to deflect the fire creeping along the deck.

"Alright, ALRIGHT, I GIVE UP NOW PUT OUT THE FREAKING FIRE!" Marty yelled at Ace… who blinked, and noticed their surroundings for the first time.

"… Slight problem," Ace said, "I can't put out fire." Marty looked at him astonished.

"You're joking."

"Yeah… no."

"Oh for! What kind of fire user are you?"

"I don't see you putting it out!"

"You're supposed to be teaching me!"

"Great, lesson one, put out the fire."

"I wish you'd gotten the devil fruit that turns you into a tree."

"Will one of you shut up and put out the bloody fire!" Marty and Ace glanced upwards to see Silver Jack dangling from the sail.

"… How'd you get up there so fast?" Ace asked interested, suddenly Marco was next to him, Beth riding on his back. He slammed a fist down onto Ace head before turning to Marty.

"Can you make a wave like you did this morning?" Marco asked urgently. Marty blinked understanding.

"Maybe, I don't-"

"Do it," Marco ordered, Ace looked at him warily as he rubbed the sore spot on his head.

"Is that really a good-"

"And you!" Marco said rounding on him, "What in Skypiea and Earth were you THINKING!" Ace blinked, and turned to Marty.

"Right lesson two, create wave to extinguish fire."

"No more lessons from you," Marco said whacking him on the head again.

Marty breathed in and out slowly with her eyes closed then raised her hands.

"Yaosu yaosu…"

"Can we move to somewhere the wave won't kill us?" Beth asked calmly, Marco let her down and the pair ducked beneath the railing. Ace went to follow when Marco stopped him.

"This mess is your fault; you make sure she doesn't go overboard," Marco said bluntly, "right, EVERYBODY TAKE COVER!"

"Wave!" Marty yelled, there was the sound of rushing water and then… nothing.

"Oh come on," Marty said desperately, Ace opened his mouth when he saw something out of the corner of his eye. He turned slowly, his eyes widening.

"IT'S ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE BLOODY BOAT," He yelled spinning around to tackle Marty into the shelter of the railing.

"Oops," Marty yelped ducking her head onto Aces chest, grabbing her hat with one hand as the wave hit the deck, throwing the ship sideways. The Moby Dick rocked wildly for a few seconds before quieting. Ace untangled his arms from around Marty, sitting back to stare at the girl.

"…You don't do anything half arsed do you?" He asked impressed despite himself. Marty wiped seawater of her face before grinning up at him.

"Least I can put out the fire, unlike some people…"

"MARTY!" Ace and Marty's heads whipped round to see Cake staggering to her feet, drenched from head to toe, with a glare that could re-ignite the deck. She had miraculously been lifted back on deck with the tidal wave, "YOU, YOU, ARGH!" Cake stamped her foot, and pointed at Marty, "YOU ARE NO LONGER ALLOWED TO CREATE TIDAL WAVES, OR EXPLOSIONS, OR ANY NEW DISASTORS WHILE I'M STILL ON BOARD THIS SHIP!" She dropped her hand and turned her glare on Marco, "That's enough training for today," Cake said in a more controlled voice, her eyes just daring him to argue. When he didn't she spun on her heel and marched below deck.

"This is becoming a habit," said Beth, Marco moaned in despair.

"I sincerely hope not," he said getting to his feet, "Ok Ace, let's go see if anyone important got washed overboard, you two," he glanced at the girls who were looking at him innocently, "just, stay, don't move, stay, pretty please, cherries on top, can you just sit here for a few minutes while we damage control?" He asked tiredly, Ace chuckled as he rose to his feet to follow his friend across the ship.

Marty watched them go for a few seconds then turned to Beth.

"Do you want to see if we can beat Cake into the shower?" Beth grinned.

"Kami above, yes, she'll take all the hot water otherwise."

. . .

"Marco!" Came a cheerful voice, Marco groaned inwardly while Ace grinned.

"Yes, what is it," Marc said resignedly turning to face the over excited youth.

"No sir you didn't do it right, Marco!" the kid sang again. Crew mates were pausing to grin at the familiar scene.

"Come on kid not today-"

"Just do it Marco," said Ace shaking with suppressed laughter, Marco glared at him, and then sighed in defeat.

"Fine," Marco said shaking his head, looking at the kid in grim expectation.

"Marco!" The annoying adolescent sang for the third time.

"Polo," Marco said," Now what do you want kid?" Polo grinned at the commanders annoyance as the crowd around them roared with laughter.

"Sir, there was some water leakage through a hatch that was left open, and a guy from the sixth division is stuck in a porthole, but no-one was washed overboard," chirped the youth.

"Great," said Marco starting to walk away in the direction they left the girls, Polo followed close behind while Ace brought up the rear still sniggering.

"Was the wave really caused by a girl? One younger than me?" Polo continued undeterred by Marcos obvious dismissal, Ace grinned at his friends discomfort, bringing the kid on board was genius, if he could say so himself, "I heard the three new girls are beautiful, do you think one would be interested in me?" Ace immediately stopped grinning.

"Don't even joke about that kid, they are evil manifested in the form of a Princess, a Pixie, and a Purple haired maniac," Ace said seriously, Polo looked over his shoulder to see if he was joking, "Trust me they are not worth the pain and disaster."

"But that's what they say about most women, right," Polo said cheerfully, and then ran into the back of Marco who had stopped and was staring at the empty deck in front of the railing.

"Don't look now but pain and disaster are loose again," Marco said exasperated.

. . .

Marty rolled onto her back and yawned. She picked up her straw hat, holding it in front of her once again to study the large chunk that had been burned out of the brim.

"It's not so bad," Beth said smiling slightly as she pulled her boots on. Cake was banging about in the bathroom, she'd been in there for ten minutes now. She was severely miffed that the other girls had managed to beat her back. They had arrived minutes before her using shortcuts they had discovered when they were exploring the day before. Marty had immediately called dibs on the next shower after shoving Beth into the bathroom.

"… Marty," Beth stopped as the younger girl glanced at her, "what are you planning to do tomorrow." Marty blinked.

"Well I'd rather like to avoid our nannies for a little while," She mused sitting up, Beth shook her head as the Bathroom door opened.

"No I meant tomorrow afternoon, when we reach Billion's."

"Well she's getting off this blasted ship, like us of course," said Cake sharply hanging up her wet clothes. Beth squirmed uncomfortably.

"So you're not even considering Whitebeards offer?"

"No!"

"To join his crew you mean," Said Marty sitting up, Beth nodded. Marty frowned, she hadn't really given it much thought. She did want to get of the ship for a while to go see Donna. She wanted to thank the kind old lady and return her daughters hat. But, what other reason did she have to return to Billion's Cove?

To see if there is a way to get home? asked a little voice in her head.

"Join his crew!" Cake's voice cut through Marty's ponderings, "Are you mad, what about your family? You have a life already in Billion's cove correct?" Beth shrugged.

"Well yeah, but I have three older brothers who will inherit and run Father's business, the only future I have at that place is to be married off to a tradesman or farmer," Beth said.

"What's wrong with that?" asked Cake confused. Marty snorted in disbelief.

"Are you mad?" she asked, copying the girls question, "Have you seen her shoot, it's a waste for her to be bundled off to some boring old sod that'll want her to play house." Beth grinned at the girl in appreciation.

"So you think I should accept Whitebeards offer?"

"I think-," Marty paused as someone knocked on the door.

"Hello?" Came a cheerful voice. Marty glanced at the other girls frowning; they shook their heads indicating they didn't recognise the voice either. Marty jammed her singed hat onto her head and lurched to her feet to wander over to the door as the knocking sounded again. Marty pulled the door open to show a lanky boy of maybe nineteen years, with big blue eyes, and jet black hair.

"Hello," he said again, "You must be the Purple-haired menace." Marty shrugged.

"I've been called worse." The boy glanced over her shoulder at the other girls.

"Which makes you the Princess," He said chirpily to Cake, who sat up a little straighter, obviously pleased with the name, "and you the Pixie," Beth raised an eyebrow.

"I'm Polo," the boy continued happily, "let's be friends." Marty grinned.

"Sure!" Marty paused, "Wait, Polo?"

"Yup."

"As in Polo," Marty said to be sure.

"Yup."

"… Have you met Marco?" Polo laughed, a big grin stretched across his face.

"I play the game every time I see him," they boy said, Marty nodded in approval.

"Yes, we can definitely be friends."

"So how can we help you Polo," Beth interrupted, seeing the two were ready to go on to discuss the game at length. Polo titled his head to the side.

"Commander Marco, and Commander Ace sent me to make sure you got to dinner without blowing a hole in the ship's hull," Polo said as though he didn't believe they were serious.

"Why didn't they come themselves?" Cake asked interested, getting up from the bed. Polo glanced at her.

"In Marco's words?" Polo asked, Cake nodded, "because, 'I have enough on my plate after the deck was set alight without running around after time bombs on legs.'" Beth laughed while Cake looked offended.

"Fair enough, lead on Polo," Marty said stepping past the boy, "Onwards to the food!" she said cheerfully throwing her hands over her head.

. . .

Marco dropped his head onto the table beside his food, thatch grinned at his friend.

"Bad day?" He asked, Marco groaned in response.

"Try two tidal waves and a fire," Ace said in between mouthfuls.

"You were the one that started the fire," Marco said sharply, whacking him on the side of the head without lifting his face from the table. Silver Jack and Rory dropped into space at the table next to them, both still looking fairly singed. Silver leaned across the space.

"Where are the girls now?" He asked curiously.

"Polo went to fetch them," Marco said raising his head off the table and started to eat.

"Polo?" Rory asked

"New kid," Silver replied, digging into his food.

"Is this how we are hazing the new crew members now?" Rory asked glancing over at the commanders, Ace got a speculative gleam in his eyes.

"Ace," warned Marco, "Repeat after me, I must not haze the newbies, I must not haze the newbies, I must not haze the newbies."

. . .

Just a quick short chapter ;P So things to look forward to, Will the girls opt for staying or going come tomorrow afternoon? Will Ace and Marty manage to avoid killing each other by then? One more day aboard the Moby Dick! Look forward to it

Please review, Look I give you an owl!

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