This is the next chapter people :D I hope you enjoy!
Ace sighed at the question Thatch had asked. He really didn't want to say anything, after all what if Marco hears and decides he doesn't want to be around Ace anymore. Ace felt like Marco could be the one, his mate. Ace couldn't decide though...his mother had said that when you find your mate it was like talking to your parents almost immediately.
Before Ace could think more on it, Thatch's voice brought him out of his haze of thoughts. Ace looked around ignoring Thatch, they were in the kitchen…
"Hey Ace! You didn't answer my questions! What relationship do you have with Marco!"
If Ace didn't know Thatch he would have actually cared about Marco but even if you didn't it sounded more like he was interested in the details….Ace went to sit at one of the tables in front of the kitchen itself.
"If you want details, you have to cook me something…."
Thatch got to work immediately wanting to know for once about his 'older brothers' relationship. It didn't take long but Thatch whipped up a big plate of different cooked meats as well as raw just in case Ace liked it better that way.
Ace nodded gratefully to Thatch as the chef set down the food in front of him. Thatch sat down watching Ace as he seemed to turn more wolf than human when eating...while having a black hole for a stomach…. Thatch got an idea but frowned upon realizing he couldn't do it for Ace.
"My relationship with Marco is complicated...I will admit, I do love Marco...i think. I-i-i Don't know but I feel as if I were with Marco, I could spend my life with him….Does that make sense?"
"Yeah it does! Don't worry! I can tell Marco has some feeling toward you...but what that entails and means is completely different...I have an idea! I was thinking that I could show you around our and the animal's home! We all have different sectors and environments that go with those sectors! The one you been to was one of many we have here! You can have Marco show you around!"
Ace thought about it and the more he thought the more he loved that idea of Thatch's. Ace nodded toward Thatch, seeing the man smiling. Ace nodded, that...could work….Thatch started to lead him out back to the Tropical Sector.
"Well here we are. Good luck, I'm sure Marco won't refuse you!"
Ace was sure that Thatch winked at him but...Ace shook his head, bidding Thatch goodbye and running in the doors. Ace started to run in the direction of the treehouses when he ran into Izo.
"How did you talk with Marco go?"
"It went so well dear heart! What did you talk about with Thatch!"
"We talked about having Marco show me more of the sectors…."
"Oh! I would go with you but I feel as if Thatch meant something different than just Marco showing you around."
"Why do you and Thatch make nothing but innuendos about me and Marco?"
"Because! We are trying to push you and him in the right direction!"
Ace huffed before starting again to his and Marco's house, with Izo shouting goodbye to him. Ace climbed up the rope. Once he was up over the edge he was decorated with all sorts of birds and such…. On his head and shoulders….
Ace walked in the house only to see Marco sitting down on the bed, looking at him. Ace went over and crawled on top of Marco. Marco blushed before realizing that Ace was lying his head on his chest. Ace looked up not seeing anything wrong with their position….
"Marco...Can you take me to see some other sectors?"
Ace was looking at Marco's eyes but they seemed clouded over? Ace waved his hand in the man's face, then snapped his fingers. Marco seemed to come out of whatever train of thought he was in, looking at Ace. Ace smiled before repeating himself.
"Marco, can you show me the other sectors, please?"
Marco looked like he was considering it before he nodded his head. He got up going to the bedroom. Ace smiled widely before going to Phoenix, who was sitting in the window still.
"Hi Phoenix! Are you going to stay here while me and Marco go out?"
"Yes, I will. Don't worry about me just have fun with your mate!"
"He's not my mate….at least not yet….wait! No!"
The bird only laughed at Ace, when Marco had entered the room. Marco had his eyebrow raised before motioning his hand to the door. Ace started to walk out the door but not before waving to Phoenix and saying goodbye.
Ace and Marco made their way out of the sector, going to the other side of the floor. Marco had began to explain to him that there were two sectors on each floor. The reason they did this was to ensure that the animals had as much space as possible.
Ace walked with Marco through the door only to be stopped by Marco's arm. There was a massive ocean before him...Ace was amazed at the sight before him! How did they get all this water here! It must have taken a long time!
"The place we house here is built with reinforced materials so nothing can happen to the environments. We have our rooms too but we mostly decide to stay in our sectors and sleep there. This is the Sea sector and lead by Namur. He is a shark hybrid."
Ace nodded before, crouching next to the ledge watching the sea life go by. Ace was then startled and knocked back by a sudden appearence of life. It was a shark man! He got out of the sea and hugged Marco.
"So what can I do for you first division commander?"
Ace eyes widen at that. What did the man mean by that? Ace turned toward Marco, tugging on his sleeve. Marco looked down at him, knowing that Ace might have had some questions after that title. Marco turned back to Namur.
"I'm showing our new family member around the sectors. He is a curious one, he asked me himself."
Namur nodded as if getting what Marco had said, probably did. Ace looked back into the sea as Namur and Marco were talking. Ace smirked before taking off the shirt he had behind Marco and his shorts before jumping in the sea making a big slosh. He heard Marco calling out to him.
"ACE! Ace you need-"
The rest of the words were lost on him as he dove deeper into the water. For a land mammal, he could hold his breath surprising well. Ace stopped to look around seeing Dolphins, and some whales as well. These waters were surprising warm...maybe he should ask Namur more about this sector….
Ace noticed he was running out of air before he started to swim back up. Ace was placed on something as he looked down to see a Dolphin swimming him up. Ace smiled before wrapping his hands as best as he could around the dolphin's head.
When they reached the surface, Ace realized that he had swimmed father than he thought. They were steadily reaching Marco's and Namur's location. Ace smiled apologetically toward Marco, who wore a worried face before it disappeared. Ace was flipped into the air before landing into Marco's arms.
Ace waved thanking the dolphin before he went back to his friends and family. The grip on him tighten as he looked toward his birdman. He quickly said goodbye to Namur before carrying Ace out. Marco put him down before checking his head?
"I'm checking your temperature, it can get cold if you swim out far enough…."
Ace tilted his head at that. What did that mean?
"Marco, what do you mean by that?"
"The temp in the sea sector depends on where you are. There are a lot of animals in this sector, maybe more then mine...Dolphins like you saw, Penguins, Whales, Narwhals, Polar Bears, Seals, animals that mostly eat fish and live near warm or icy waters."
Ace nodded, that made sense. Ace leaned against Marco before asking him what sector was next. Marco smiled at him but didn't say anything before leading him to what maybe the next sector. They arrived at the next one going into the sector.
It was the open tree layout in the tropical sector but it seemed that it had more vegetation. A roar resounded in the air as Ace and Marco worked their in through the sector. Ace narrowed his eyes before transforming into his dire wolf form. A figure jumped at him, but since his wounds healed he was almost twice as fast as before.
Ace dodged the claws aiming at him before identifying his attacker. It was Saber! He was going to have ripping that hairball apart! Ace launched himself at Saber as the feline did the same. Before they could possibly kill each other Ace felt himself being immobilized.
Ace turned his head as best he could to see Marco holding him down! Ace snarled at Marco, him being more animal than human at the moment. With one arm, Marco kept him pinned down as he unwrapped his sash, then wrapping it around Ace's neck.
Ace froze as he buried his nose into the scent before calming down. He looked toward Saber seeing the animal struggling in Haruta's grip as well. Ace felt the pressure go away before he was let up.
Ace turned human before playing with Marco's sash around his heard Haruta apologizing to Marco for Saber attacking them. Ace huffed before speaking up.
"He did attack but me doing the same after didn't help….I'm sorry...Haruta…."
Haruta nodded but resumed to talk to Marco. Ace sat down waiting for Marco to go. After all Ace didn't think it was wise to stay since Saber doesn't like him and vice versa. Ace looked at the sash around his neck.
The light blue silk was darkened due to the shade that the trees provided. Why was he more fascinated by Marco's sash then anything? Ace might not-.
"Ace! Do you want to continue and see this sector or do you want to go see another?"
Ace didn't hesitate to nod. That would be best….Ace started to leave while Marco said his goodbyes to Haruta. Ace was outside the sector, shaming himself for losing control like that. That wasn't him…the animal he had become when in the presence of another.
Ace after his parents death, he was alone. Not an enemy or friend in sight. The only friend he had meet but went we're two boys around the same age as him. They were both taken away from him by their families when they found out….
Ace had been left to be alone even by enemies themselves. Why had they done that? Why was he doomed to be alone….?
Ace was suddenly hugged from the front. Arms wrapped around him as someone whispered in his ear...It was Marco. Ace put his hands on Marco's chest.
"It's okay Ace. You don't have to cry, yoi."
Ace removed a hand to touch his face. When he touched his skin, he found still wet tear tracks. He didn't realize that he started to cry….
Ace felt himself being picked up bridal style in Marco's arms. He buried his face into Marco chest, he started to...drift...off…but he needed...to tell Marco….Sorry.
The beginning. End of Ace's solitude.
Ace was hunting for his morning stopping when a bush moved. His ears in that direction, approaching it but staying alert in case of any noises to escape or attack. The bush moved again….It smelt like a monkey and a human? Ace put his head in the bush only to see a monkey hybrid sleeping with a human boy.
The forest Ace lived in wasn't the best place to be sleeping uncovered like this….Ace huffed before turning into a human and carrying both of them to his den. When he put in them inside and put furs on them, he went back out to hunt. Ace got back only to find his den empty.
He put his fresh kill down, started a fire then went outside to look for the boys . Looking in the trees and shrubs, he found nothing. He went back inside turning human, only to see the boy from earlier trying to stop the monkey boy from eating the animal Ace had hunted. Ace walked over his fresh kill, putting it on his stick to cook it.
The boy and the monkey were practically drooling at this point. Ace laughed at the boys before patting their heads.
"How about you have this and I'll go hunting for more? How long since have you guys aten?"
"I haven't eaten in days!"
"That's not true sir, we had some leaves the other day…."
Ace shook his head, that couldn't be good. He roasted the rabbit he had caught a bit more before moving the stick toward the boys. They tried to grab it but Ace quickly pulled it away. He couldn't have them burning themselves!
"Hold on! I know you're hungry, but I don't want you guys to burn yourselves!"
Ace blew on the food to make the food cool down faster, giving the boys the food. They absolutely destroyed the food, inhaling it. Ace gave a hearty laugh while shaking his head.
"I want you guys to stay here while I go get some more food, alright?"
The monkey boy nodded while the boy looked at him in suspicion. Ace could relate, he was told to never trust anyone who smelt dishonest. Ace went over to them before patting them on the head.
"I know what it's like to be alone and hungry not being able to trust people easily...I'm not asking you to trust me that much, you can even watch me hunt and cook if you distrust me that much. After you eat you can leave whenever you want, I'm not stopping you."
The boy just watched him as Ace left, following behind him with the monkey boy. Ace turned into his wolf form, earning grasps from the boys behind him. Ace put his paw to his lips, signaling the boys not to make a noise. They kept quiet.
They all continued forward, till Ace heard a twig snapped. He raised his head toward the noise, narrowing his eyes. He made his way, upwind to him thankfully, to the noise. He jumped, claws extended landing on the man?
Ace growled at the man. The man was looking at him in pure fear, shaking in his very clothes, and it wasn't because of the cold. The man looked past his shoulder before yelling to the human boy.
"Sabo! Come here right now! The master and his guard has been looking for you this whole time! It's time to return!"
Ace backed off the man before looking at Sabo. The human boy seemed to be scared of this unknown man. Ace clearly knew and was smart enough to know that the man and the boys father was making Sabo uncomfortable.
Ace snapped his teeth at the man before asserting his ground.
"This is my territory! These two are also with me! Anyone who hurts these boys and threatens my land will be shown no mercy!"
The man lost any courage he had before, before fleeing off the scene. Ace turned to the boys before crouching down. The monkey got on with hesitation, while Sabo lingered.
"I have no doubt that the man will report back to your father. I could tell your emotions by reading you. If you don't want to be captured by your father I suggest you come with me."
"Why are you helping me? Why are you helping us?"
"I told you already, plus I once hated my dad….Now let's go. If we're on the run I have to move!"
Sabo weakly smiled as he climbed on the wolf's back. Ace began to running to his den, wondering how these boys would change his life….
Hey guys Sapphire here~ Let me explain a bit, yeah? This scene was a bit before Ace's capture and was what ultimately lead to it due to Sabo's father. Where Lu is? You'll have to wait :D. Again I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and C ya later!
Sapphire~