For the record, Ace thinks this is a terrible plan.
He's running down the streets like an idiot, hoping that a darkness-wielding supervillain will maybe come out an attack him. In hindsight, he probably should've gone with Marco and Thatch and maybe then he wouldn't have been used as bait for two pirates that fell from the sky in his living room two weeks ago.
Speaking of, he can't see the two pirates anywhere and that does nothing to comfort him. Though if he could see them, then Blackbeard definitely could which would ruin the entire plan in the first place.
If he makes it out of here alive, Ace promises that he'll never complain about anything ever again. Even if Oyaji gives him too much paperwork or Thatch trashes his office in an attempt to prank him.
Before he has too much time to think, Blackbeard melts out of the shadows.
Ace tries really, really hard not to piss his pants. He's supposed to be acting like his double and Ace is pretty sure his double doesn't piss his pants when he sees people come out of literal walls. He's supposed to be a strong pirate with a lot of pride and the ability to spontaneously combust (which, unfortunately, Ace does not have). So he hides his fear and instead tries to look menacing.
"You!" he barks out, hoping his voice doesn't shake.
"Looking for another fight, Fire Fist Ace?" Blackbeard says in all of his backstabbing, murderous glory. "It didn't end too well for you last time, I recall."
Ace tenses, prepared to run. He needs Blackbeard to follow him out of the city, away from the people (and hopefully he won't have government agents knocking on his door by the end of this mess). So he curls his lip and bites out, "Traitor."
"Thatch had something I wanted so I took it," Blackbeard says evenly, as if he were talking about the weather and not murdering Ace's best friend. His darkness swirls in the palm of his hand and Ace tries not to shit his pants.
"You're a piece of shit," Ace says and hopes it sounds convincing.
"And you're impossible to kill," Blackbeard retorts. He raises his hand but before he can do anything, Ace sprints away. He can valley hear Blackbeard calling out to him, hurtling insults and trying to bait him back. He heads towards the forest, knowing there won't be many civilians there. He doesn't know if Blackbeard or the pirates are following, but hopes they are.
He runs through the trees, expertly hopping over roots and rocks. He and Luffy used to do this all the time as kids; the forest is something he knows well. He can hear curses behind him and Ace grins, thinking he has the upper hand.
His mistake is turning around.
A root catches his foot and he's sent tumbling to the ground. Ace yelps as the plants tear at his clothes and bruise his knees. He turns on his back and not four seconds later, Blackbeard is standing over him with a sneer, "Seems you've gotten weaker."
"Fuck you!" Ace says loudly. At least that's something Ace doesn't have to act.
Blackbeard stares at him for a moment before his hand snatches out and grabs Ace's face. He lifts Ace off the ground and stares into his eyes. Ace thrashes around, eyes wide but unable to escape. Now would be a really good time for Fire Fist and Straw Hat to appear and save his ass.
Blackbeard's eyes widen, "You're not the Fire Fist from my world."
Something in the bushes behind Blackbeard moves and Ace stops struggling. A grin breaks out over his face because he has never been so happy to see a straw hat in his life.
He grins, dirt in his teeth but no longer afraid. He spits in Blackbeard's face, "Surprise, motherfucker."
"HIKEN!"
"JET PISTOL!"
Blackbeard is sent into the trees and Ace drops to his knees. Straw Hat lands next to him. His skin is bright pink and steaming, and though Ace finds it a little weird, he doesn't comment. Straw Hat looks at him, then laughs and offers him a grin before leaping after Blackbeard faster than Ace can see.
Fire Fist grins and watches him go before turning and offering a thumbs up and a smile, "If we don't see you again I just wanted to say thanks. For everything."
"Kick his ass," Ace tells him.
Fire Fist laughs and bounds into the brush after his brother. Ace stands to his feet, shakily. His heart is still racing and adrenaline is pumping through his body but he feels lighter than he has in a long time, like a heavy burden has been lifted off his chest.
The sounds of the battle were already echoing through the forest, but Ace stays, knowing he's safer.
He hears insults being tossed, trees being crushed. He hopes his and Luffy's doubles are okay, but knows they're strong—stronger than Ace can even imagine.
If they couldn't defeat the bastard, then there's no hope in this world.
Marshal D. Teach is a tough motherfucker.
Fire Fist knows this from personal experience. He can take a hit and has powerful attacks to back him up. From what Straw Hat was telling him, he could also command Devil Fruits that he's stolen, making a hard battle even harder.
"I underestimated you," Blackbeard says, wiping blood from his mouth. He still has damage from the earlier battle, if the bruises and cuts were anything to go by. Fire Fist knows Straw Hat's handiwork rather well.
Straw Hat launches himself at the bastard, fist stretched and black. Fire Fist is following a second later, making sure that Blackbeard won't have time to disappear again. If they lose him now, Fire Fist doesn't know if they'll ever find him again.
Hit after hit, Fire Fist is reminded of just how good it feels to fight alongside his brother. The last time they had this opportunity, it was on the battlefield. Fire Fist didn't have the time to appreciate it properly back then, too focused on leaving that godforsaken place.
His little brother has gotten strong. Fire Fist doesn't know when he transitioned from a seven-year-old crybaby to one of the most notorious pirates of his time, but its obvious now that Luffy doesn't need him like he used to. He thinks of the days when they were kids, running through the forest and beating up and thugs that got in their way.
It's nostalgic.
And then Fire Fist thinks of his crew, Marco's smiles and Haruta's jokes. He thinks of sparring with Vista and working on his aim with Izo. Pranking with Cruiel and fighting side by side with Jozu. All the other commanders, all of their friendships and memories. He is so close to seeing them again.
Right now, the only thing in the way of seeing them again is this piece of shit.
"Fine," Blackbeard spits as he picks himself up from yet another tree, breathing heavily and covered in burns. Fire Fist isn't much better and Straw Hat still has the damage from earlier to worry about. Fire Fist needs to end this battle, preferably as fast as he can.
Blackbeard holds his hand and something white surrounds it. Fire Fist stops at the familiar feeling, staring. There was no way…
Straw Hat yells a warning, but Fire Fist doesn't hear it. Blackbeard lunges, throwing his fist into Fire Fist's side. A crack resounds and the air itself splinters around him. He's thrown back and slams into a tree. Fire Fist's fire roars to life, but he just sits and stares in horror at the power that Blackbeard just displayed.
The very thought makes his gut twist painfully.
Fire Fist coughs up blood, but stumbles to his feet with seconds. Straw Hat is looking at him, worried, but Fire Fist can't bring himself to care. That power, which had been used to protect him, to protect the crew, is now being used against them.
"That's…that's Oyaji's fruit." Fire Fist says, eyes wide. Blackbeard grins and suddenly Fire Fist's surprise is gone. Instead, white hot fury takes over. The blood rushes to his head and Fire Fist roars, "THAT ISN'T SOMETHING FOR YOU TO USE!"
Fire Fist lunges, his element engulfing half of the forest in his anger. He hears someone yelling, but pays it no mind. All he can see is Blackbeard, Thatch's body, all the looks of horror on his crewmates' faces when they realized that Teach betrayed them all.
"This is for Thatch and Oyaji!" Fire Fist snarls, sending a tower of flames right at the bastard. He hears Blackbeard yell in surprise as an explosion rocks the surrounding area.
Fire Fist lands on the ground, his ears still ringing. He lifts his hands and stares at them. His body feels so heavy.
You sure you don't want the second division commander position? You've been here longer than I have!
It's fine, don't worry about it. I don't have that kind of ambition anyways. Go ahead, Commander Ace!
"—ACE!"
Fire Fist cries out as he's blasted back. The only thing that saves him from a harsh impact is a pair of rubber arms pulling him back. Fire Fist blinks, clearing his head. He looks up at his little brother (how did he forget about Luffy?) who is staring at him, eyes wide.
Blackbeard is back on his feet but no longer smiling. He looks more furious than Fire Fist has ever seen him, eyes as dark as the powers his fruit gives him. If Fire Fist was a lesser person, he would've been scared.
Fire Fist is not a lesser person.
"Are you okay?" Straw Hat asks.
Fire Fist nods but it's a bold faced lie. He feels terrible and it's not just his body that's screaming at him to stop anymore.
"I'm stronger than I was last time, Commander Ace," Blackbeard says, voice cold. Straw Hat snarls at him, fists raised and ready to attack. "Two years have passed."
"Ace," Straw Hat says quietly. Fire Fist looks at him and Straw Hat turns to give him a grin. Covered in wounds and blood, his brother still manages to have the same smile as always. "Remember? We can't defeat him by ourselves."
"Together then?"
"Together."
that response last time was awesome! thanks for all the reviews, i love reading them
only a few more chapters left! thanks for sticking around for this long!
rip blackbeard, u will not be missed