Okay, so it's been way longer than I said it would be. But at least the story is not abandoned! It is alive! My excuse this time is that the crappy laptop also completely stopped working, and I've only just really I can write chapters on the FF app.l

So I tried to kidnap Sanji, thought we could talk about how awesome cooking is, but he blew me off cuz I don't own him...

This is a beta-less chapter! Be warned!

Everyone was gathered in the entrance hall of the Party House in the early hours of the evening. Everyone able to 'work' had been summoned, regardless of the usual schedules or days off, and all of the others had already been confined for the night. Every guard was present, even the cooks, and of course the Keeper was there too. It was a veritable sea of colorful silk robes, all kneeling quietly as they waited to be addressed, with the ever watchful, greedy eyes of the leather clad men surrounding them.

To an ebony haired, quicksilver eyed young man in black, it was, in a word, a nightmare.

It did not take a genius to know what this gathering meant. And of so many of them? All of them? So early? That had to mean a large group was reserved for the night. A really large group, by the look of things. That rarely meant anything good for him.

Ace shuddered. For some reason, he was a favorite pick for the purveyors of the Prison Block. It probably had something to do with the rebellious pout he could not seem to rid himself of, or maybe it was the fact he was a bit taller and a little more built than many of his fellows. Or it might just be because he was still so young. He was not sure but he thinks he might be about seventeen or eighteen year old - that was young, right? Definitely younger than the hag up there.

"Listen to me well, beasts," the Keeper began, her sharp, no nonsense voice snapped out from the front of the hall. "Tonight we will have many guests. Not only will Captain Javak Kavan be hosting the party with his crew, but he has invited a very powerful crew and their captain to accompany him."

Even though he remained passive on the outside, Ace winced internally. Anyone but him... I hate when he comes! And the other crew will probably be just as bad! He remembered the last time Kavan had stepped foot in the compound, Ace had barely been able to move for days, and he was certain he still had some healing bruises. Kavan enjoyed "playing with the toys", in other words, beating his chosen victims senseless every time he came, and Ace seemed to be his favorite toy by far.

The Keeper allowed her icy gaze to roam those assembled. "There will be no problems. Understood?" There was a collective murmur of assent. None of those kneeling glanced up to meet her eyes. "The host will arrive shortly to set the final details and look over what is to be offered. His esteemed guests are set to arrive just before sundown, at which time the gate will be sealed until dawn." She paused, eying everyone carefully. "I expect for everyone to enjoy themselves tonight. Rules are in effect. You all know what is expected of you."

With that, she turned sharply and walked out, slamming the doors behind her.

Ace couldn't help the sinking feeling in his stomach. It was going to be a long night, he just knew it.

Just like everyone else, Marco couldn't help the feeling of awe at the impressive sight the compound made. The lawns and manors were groomed and manicured to perfection, and torches had been set out strategically to enhance the light of the setting sun and they made the place glow with an ethereal light.

Standing with his captain, he eyed his surroundings with a seemingly lazy eye, knowing his brothers, sister, and Pops were probably all doing the same. Mapping the place out just in case they needed to make a quick getaway or it a fight broke out. The commanders all twitched when a resounding clang echoed behind them; guards had closed the gate to town. "Pops...?" Blenheim started, frowning as he looked over his shoulder. "Should we...?" He stopped as the massive Emperor shook his head. A gate like that, though sturdy and strong, was nothing on his crew; seastone or not, if they wanted out, a little barrier like that would not bar their way.

They followed their men, eventually ending up in front of the largest manor of all and incidentally the group in front of it.

Listening to the Keeper's speech made Marco frown. What did she mean by goods? Aquire? He'd been to his fair share of brothels and bars and whatnot, but he had never heard a mistress use language like that. Even her saying "her people" at the end didn't make him relax any. It felt horribly familiar to him, those words, the guards, the gates... He was no longer sure he was comfortable in this place.

He hung back as the crew and other commanders made their way past and into the huge manor before him. He eyed the other manors speculatively, especially the small ones, whose windows were dark and whose doors were closed, and probably locked too, unlike their larger and grander sisters.

"What are you thinking, Marco?" Whitebeard's deep voice rumbled from beside him. His soft grey eyes regarded his eldest son firmly, knowing something was bothering him.

Marco glanced around one last time before looking up at his Pops. He took comfort in the assuredness in his eyes, the calm kindness and the bottomless warmth that he found there. "It's probably nothing, yoi. It just... it seems similar to that place is all." Whitebeard hmmed thoughtfully. He of course knew where the blonde had come from, the kind of life he had been sentenced to before the Maiden called him to the sea. He was probably the only one who knew about it; as far as the old man knew, Marco had never told anyone except him.

Marco shook his head wryly, "Let's go in, Pops yoi, before they come looking for us." With that he strolled in the door of the mansion, where the raucous laughter and excited voices of a Whitebeard party could already be heard.

Edward Newgate waited for a moment before following him slowly.

"- and by the Maiden our bird fell for it! He was convinced the Moby had been abandoned and haunted while he was gone!"

Roaring laughter rang out around the jovial man with the oddly styled red hair. Pirates were crowded into the ballroom, all of them sitting around the few tables, lounging on the floor or dancing rather goofilly as they laughed and joked with each other. Obviously, nearly all of them were drinking, and a large number of them were flirting outrageously with the scant-clothed workers.

There was only one worker seeming to try and disappear into the shadows, and that worker was none other than the one known as Ace.

"More like I played along, yoi, until I got annoyed with you lot."

Ace was torn. The new crew seemed decent enough. The few that had already found company had not even glanced at the Prison Block, but they mainly seemed content to socialize and drink with the others. On top of that, they had the most interesting stories, about different lands and people and tricks they had played... But they were not the only crew there. No, the other crew was spread out randomly in the room and several others, and the only reason Ace was not outright hiding was because he knew the Keeper and her cronies would be furious if he did. He wasnt't to leave the building without the company of at least one pirate.

Ace curiously eyed the group he had been listening to as he served drinks and refreshments. He thought maybe they had higher ranked than the others were, considering they all seemed to defer to them. There was the red headed one, with the bright topaz eyes and wierd hair, and one he was sure was a man despite the clothes and make-up that indicated otherwise. A tall man with a long mustache and curly hair, and one that looked more like a great big statue than anything. A tiny young woman, a big dark skinned warrior, a gruff looking gunner type guy... the list went on.

The one he was most curious about though was the sleepy blonde.

Okay, so my inspiration for this chapter stops there. Next chapter will be up soon, I swear.

Read and review, my friends!