Yo people!
I'm back!
Again.. my apologies for not being able to come earlier.. on my defense the demands of reality had been eating my otaku life more tan necessary.. XDD
But nah, I'm always awesome.. I can find my ways to escape the clutches of those old hags.. XDD
Here it is people.. as requested.. the next chapter of Ace's conquest~
I'm glad that I'm able to update this before New Year.
Ace: you may proceed to reading. *grins and bows*
Law: The brat owns nothing…
Hira: Tch.. Stingy! =3=..
(~pagebreak~)
The pyro's eyes widened as he realized what just happened before his very eyes. It was like a slow motion when Sei ran towards him with a frantic look on her face. A loud sound rang on the deck and the next thing he knew is seeing the blacksmith fall in front of him. Though his mind refused to function properly, his body reacted fast enough to catch the falling body and knelt to the ground for support.
Ace turned at the direction of the shot only to find Mendel smiling wickedly at him. On his hand is the still smoking pistol.
"Now..Now.. No one will be able to get her!" The pirate's chuckles turned to laughter up till the point that it was maddening him.
Ace felt numb all over, he stared blankly at the man, before turning his gaze towards the body on his hands. He could clearly feel the girl's blood flowing out of her body and soaking his hand with red. He could clearly feel the sickening decrease of warmness on the blacksmith's skin. He couldn't describe the feeling but it seemed like there was some void starting to invade inside his chest. Spreading, shutting off his senses. He couldn't turn his eyes from the body beneath him. Ace's hands started to tremble, his mouth went agape from shock and his voice seemed to have left him.
"S-Sei…." Was all Luffy could mutter. He almost the same as his brother, staring wide eyed at the scene before him. Luffy's face was hidden by the shadow of his straw hat when he bowed his head. His fist clenched tightly. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE YOU BASTARD?!"
Instead of being surprised by the sudden outburst, Mendell just smirked and laughed. "She had been a great tool, but I'm quite particular about my tool, you see Straw Hat. I don't like it when my tools are taken away from me~ IF I WONT BE ABLE TO USE HER, THEN NO ONE ELSE SHOULD BE!."
"LUFFFFFFFYYYYYYYYY!" Another set of voices entered the scene and added to the ruckus. None of the new participants were happy after noticing the bloodied body on Ace's arms.
"Sei!"
"Sei-san!"
"Ojou!"
Mendell clapped his hands after noticing the arrival of the rest of the Straw Hats.
"Wow. More audience huh?" Mendell bowed at the group. "Please accept my sincerest apologies for I have started the party without your presence lovely StrawHats. Just as you see—" Mendell move his hand toward the direction why the blacksmith had fallen. "The party is already over~"
Chopper immediately rushed on the fallen pirate and checked the extent of the damage. His hands (or hoofs) flew to his mouth as he examined the girl as quickly as he could. Her clothes were caked in blood, and by the amount of blood decorating the floor around her, the doctor is quite sure that she'll be in danger—if she isn't dead yet.
Chopper turned to his Captain. "Luffy she needs to be treated quickly!" Chopper placed his hands on the girl's neck trying to feel any signs of life. The doctor was relieved to find it thought it is a weakening one. He stared at his comrade.
"You did well Sei. Just leave the rest to us." He stared on Ace who was still holding the blacksmith hand with a desperate look and fear in his eyes.
"I'll take care of this Ace." Chopper tried to assure the young man.
"I'll assist you." Said a baritone voice that made the two turn to the direction of its owner. Not far from the railing of the ship, stood Law. His lips were tug to a frown as his eyes scanned the blood all over the place. No doubt, it all came from one body. He wasn't too happy either that the girl looked like a corpse lying on Ace's arms.
"And I told you to be careful from the start." He muttered under his breath.
Chopper gave Law a doubtful look which ticked the Pirate Captain off. "Are you going to just stand there? I can keep her alive as you treat her."
This made Chopper jump and asked the pyro to assist him on bringing the girl on the sub. Ace, having once visited the submarine. Managed to guide himself towards the infirmary, gripping the girl in his arms tight, not as if not wanting to give her to anyone—not even death.
(~pagebreak~)
Luffy started advancing towards the pirate captain who is still plastered his face with a crazed smile. The captain wagged a finger in front of his face. "Tsk..tsk.. tsk… Mugiwara, don't tell me that you are upset about that tool? She is indeed precious equipment in the Grandline but, you reaction was too much?" Mendell shook his head in disappointment. "I should say that I've put my hopes up on you. And here I am thinking that you were also planning on using that –"
The sound of Mendell's jaw being broken was heard. The pirate flew towards the deck and hit the railings.
"SHE WAS NEVER A TOOL! SHE IS A NAKAMA!" Luffy's raged shout rang throughout the seas. His statement were so powerful that it stopped all motion on the deck and everyone looked at him with surprise. The Strawhats had nothing more than agreement written on their faces.
(~pagebreak~)
Beep
Beep
Beep
Beep
Beep
Were the only sounds that breaks the silence inside the operating room. Ace stared hard on the girl in front of him, lying on the hospital bed. Not one did his grip falter on her hand, hoping somehow this would be able to help the blacksmith survive her current situation.
Her hands felt smooth but cold on his palms, she looked so fragile and peaceful lying on that hospital bed. Her face betrayed nothing of her current health.
Not a few ago, Sei's heart stopped beating. Ace felt his blood run cold when he heard the long beep of the machine which indicated the girl's life. His grip tightened as he frantically calls for her name, begging to open her eyes, and quitting the joke. Ace practically ignored the commotion between Chopper and Law as he continued to call for her name for God-knows-how-long. All he wants is to hear something.
"Sei? Sei? You hear me right? C'mon Sei, quit joking—"
"Heart stopped." Chopper never sounded so frantic.
"Blood pressure is starting to drop. If this continues—" Law sounded so grim. Not liking that a patient he volunteered on taking care of is dying on him.
Ace tried to drown all the noise inside the room. All existed is the blacksmith who is sleeping on the bed and him. "Sei, you can't leave us here. I just found you again… I…"
"Start the defibrillator!" Law shouted.
"Sei, hang on." Chopper prayed.
Ace's eyes moistened. "I told you, I'll marry you didn't I? Don't just leave me damn it! I can't marry without my bride!"
Law paused for a while and stared at the man. If not for the situation he would've teased the man for declaring such thing. But now isn't the right time to be distracted. Law focused on the patient before him as he grabbed the defibrillator and shouting instructions to Chopper.
Then, he began reviving the blacksmith. You now had people watching over you. Are you going to ignore that? Law began to pump the girl's chest with small electric shocks, in an attempt to make her heart beat again.
Beep.
The sound of the flat line still resounded inside the room. Making the atmosphere more tense that it is.
Shit! Law mentally cursed. Even inside his 'room' there were no indications of chances of revival on the blacksmith. It just seemed like she slipped away from their grasp.
She gave herself up to death.
Don't you dare on fucking dying on me Ravensdale! I haven't seen your whole anatomy yet! Law mentally screamed. As much as he denies it, something with the blacksmith piques his very interest. The rarity of finding a class A weapons maker within the Grandline is quite hard, and being a member of the hunted cursed clan—Ravensdale— atop of it? He can't let a great test subject die on him, not until he unravels her mysteries.
On the third try, the blacksmith chest began to heave as the person herself, began breathing. True enough, the heart monitor once more started its beeping. All of them were glad to have the annoying beep back. It may be too weak and too slow compared to what normal was, they would settle with it than hearing the flat line indication of death.
Law and Chopper once more began their operation, trying to fix the internal damage on the blacksmith's organs.
After few more hours the two doctors deemed it stable enough for the blacksmith to be out of the operation. "Chopper approached Ace who is still holding the blacksmith's hand. "Ace, we've done everything we could…"
"She's in a comatose state." Law stated. The surgeon never really like beating around the bush when it comes to his patients condition, he always prefer to be honest with his medical reports no matter how cruel it will be. Sugar-coating was never in his book.
Ace just nodded in return not really facing the other pirate.
"That's enough."
As Law and chopper about to exit the room, Ace glanced on the Surgeon of death. "Thanks."
Then the door closed leaving the Fire Fist inside the room.
(~pagebreak~)
"I'm sorry…" Ace held the hand tighter, seeking response.
Damn. How useless could he get? He is already there yet he let the girl be shot on his stead. He should've notice. Nothing like this would've happened.
He remembered the time Law warned them.
"I'll always be around…"
"My ass…" Ace said bitterly. He knew wallowing himself with guilt and misery won't help solve anything but he couldn't stop himself from doing so. He was there when everything happened. He knew of the threat to her life.
He never felt so useless. Not even by that time at Marineford.
"I'm sorry… Sei. I'm sorry.." He held the blacksmith hand tighter hoping that his word would reach her.
(~pagebreak~)
Few days later…
The door of the room opened, revealing Luffy carrying something. Ace glanced at the door upon noticing his brother's presence, his eyes noting the swords on Luffy's hands.
"Hey Ace!" The StrawHat Captain approached the two figures. His eyes somewhat reflecting sadness when he stared at his unconscious comrade. He maybe an idiot but he knows how serious his blacksmith's injuries were. He is actually very thankful to Law and Chopper that they managed to keep the girl alive. It was like a miracle.
"Hey, Sei." Luffy greeted as he placed the katanas on the girl's bedside. "I brought your katanas. I thought you miss them. Zoro actually suggested it." Luffy sat on the other chair beside his brother.
This had somehow become a routine for the StrawHats. They would always visit the girl despite her unconscious state, talking, telling stories—Living the day as if she is actually conscious. All of them are hoping that the blacksmith would hear them somehow and wake up. Law would sometimes somehow show up surprising the whole crew and then checking on his patients health, much to Ace's dismay. Sei's savior or not, he isn't exactly happy with the close proximity between the surgeon and the blacksmith no matter how necessary it is. Of course he isn't stupid enough to stop Law, but he still couldn't shake off the feeling of irritation whenever Law glances the unconscious pirate.
"Luffy's here." Ace informed the unconscious girl.
"Were almost on the next island, Sei! you should join us explore! It'll be fun! Shishishi." The rubber captain grinned.
"Sanji had been complaining Luffy, You ate all the provisions again." Ace sighed.
"As if that's something new." The new comer snorted, which turned out to be Luffy's first mate –Zoro.
Luffy whined at his companions comment. "But it's delicious!"
"That doesn't mean you can stuff everything to your mouth."
"I need to eat!"
Zoro wanted to facepalm. How stupid could he get that he forgot that no one beats his captain's logic? He sighed.
Ace laughed at this. "That's Luffy for you."
"Hey brat." Zoro tuned to the unconscious girl inside the room with an unreadable expression on his face. The two D brothers grinned at this. Of course being both swordsmen, Zoro and Sei easily clicked together. Hell, Sei even managed to have Zoro to train her and polish her dual sword techniques since the green haired swordsman is originally a dual-blade user. And Zoro on the other hand had respect for their resident blacksmith ever since he saw the quality of weapons she creates. Zoro had went all out with the pirates who captured their nakama, letting them feel pain as he avenged what they had done to Sei.
It may not look like it but Zoro had been greatly worried for the girl who seemed to have no signs of waking up.
"I heard that there are quality shops in the island that were going…" Zoro grunted feeling quite awkward being stared by both D's with unwipeable mark plastered on their faces. "I thought you want to know." Then Zoro stomped out of the room, leaving the snickering two D's inside.
"He's not really the one to show concern huh." Ace mumbled under his breath.
"What are you saying Ace? Zoro likes Sei."
"And I hope It doesn't mean as you sound." Ace mumbled, not liking the statement a bit. Luckily for Zoro, he was already out of the room. Unable to hear the Fire Fist's statement.
Ever since Ace known that Sei and the Surgeon of Death knew each other, he couldn't help himself get agitated for every man approaching the blacksmith. Well, nakama or not, he feels a little giddy for anyone getting close to the blacksmith. And I still can't explain why!
Hell, maybe Marco would know about this.
Yeah. Believe it or not, Ace still isn't able to find the reason why he insisted his marriage proposal. Anyone in Ace's position would be more than willing to escape the impending commitment with someone. But no~ The great Fire Fist Ace just went as far as declining Sei's suggestion of forgetting the whole issue and instead, insisting that he'll still marry her. Hell, he even declared that he'll be proposing to her again sometime in the future.
Making the whole thing sound like a conquest.
"You should really wake up sooner, Sei. I can't marry you while you'll sleeping you know." Ace chuckled at the thought.
"Ace…" The Fire Fist turned to his brother who wore a serious expression on his face. Knowing that the expression is rare to show on the happy pirate's face, he decided to ask what's on his brother's mind.
"Luffy?"
"About Sei you are…"
Then the two brothers started talking.
Man to man.
(~pagebreak~)
"Are you sure about this? Roger asked his companion standing before him.
A man slightly younger than Roger laughed. His lavender colored bangs falling to his face despite the bandana which held them. After his laughing fit, he smirked at the pirate captain amusement glinting on those violet orbs. "Damn Roger, I never thought you could give such a joke. Since when did you care about others' opinion bastard?"
Roger laughed at this.
Yeah, that had been out of character from him. He is always a man of conviction. Whenever he wanted something, he always opts to get it. Come hell or high water. He had asked this guy to join his crew. But he himself is hesitating about this? Darn, that was a pretty good joke.
The lavender haired man drew his twin swords and stabbed them crossed on the ground beneath him and kneeled. "I, Ravensdale Ydrick pledges my loyalty to the Pirate King before me. I and my whole family will serve under you and your successor till the end of time. I swear to the successors of these swords which will always protect the Pirate King."
Roger once more laughed.
Rayleigh who witnessed the pledge was grinning. "I swear Ydrick, you haven't seen half of the craziness of this guy yet."
"Oi!" Roger indignantly cried.
Ydrick grinned. "We'll see about that."
(~pagebreak~)
Ace once more placed the newly washed cold cloth on the blacksmith's forehead. Three days after the surgery, Sei started to get feverish, her temperature rising to dangerous levels. The fire fist had been a constant figure on her bedside, changing the cloth on the blacksmith's forehead every now and then and bugging Chopper to no end asking what else he could do to ease the girl's suffering.
He glanced at the unconscious pirate on the bed worriedly.
"I…s….s-wear…..t-to.." Came the wheezing sound from the feverish girl.
Ace grabbed her hand which tightly holds the blanket covering her figure. "Hang in there Sei. I know you can walk through this."
"s-se..serve…"
"J-Just don't leave me just like the last time. "Ace sighed and touched her face softly. "I'm right here."
"A…Ace…" A name rolled out of the blacksmith lips as if a whisper unheard by the involved pirate.
(~)
"A..Ace…-san?" A voice hoarse from lack of use was heard inside the room.
The blacksmith who had been unconscious for two weeks finally opened her eyes. Not remembering much from what happened, the girl tried to move around, only to find out that several tubes were attached to her body altogether with an IV and a breathing mask. Another thing she noticed is the werm feeling on her hands, only to find that the sleeping pyro re holding them captive in a tight but gentle grip.
After managing to slip out one hand from the grasp, she proceeded on waking up the sleeping man on her bedide.
"Huh…? Breakfast…?" Came groggy voice. Ace was waked from his peaceful slumber by a soft touch on his shoulder. Thinking that it is his brother's doctor, he lifted up his head. What he saw is something he didn't expect. The blacksmith eyes were tired but nonetheless opened.
Ace gaped at the girl for a few good seconds before slapping himself .
Hard.
And then proceeded on pinching his face.
Hard.
His actions were met by soft and weak chuckles from the girl who was looking at him with amusement dancing on her tired eyes. "W-What are you… d-doing Ace-san?"
"Making sure that I'm not dreaming at all."
Once more he slapped himself hard.
Ouch.
Okay that hurt.
It can't be a dream.
(~pagebreak~)
Hell yeah!
DONE!
XDD
Hm… I wonder what will Ace's next move.. =w=…
Why don't you suggest something folks?
Ace: Of course I'll—
Hira; Aw.. shut up pyro.. you need some coach or you'll end up marrying no one.
Ace: No way! I already bought a ring!
Hira: WHAT?!
Ace: *grins* *turns to readers* Read and review folks! We'll be waiting!