Chapter 2: Heart Stealer
The next few days passed without much progress from Cassie, and she kept getting distracted by the crews antics.
First it was them fighting a Sea King, one that resembled a giant eel, and then it was the partying later on. She watched them laugh and drink, and eat. She listened to them sing and shout, and longed to join them.
Marco saw a few sparks out of the corner of his eye, just off behind him, and turned to see Cassie's form flicker into view for a split second. He walked over to the space and waited to see if she would appear again. When she did not he sighed softly and wondered what would happen to her if she didn't come back. Would they find her body? Or would she really become a ghost?
Whitebeard didn't seem too bothered by the whole situation, and seemed to take things in his stride like he normally did. He was grateful that this strange girl had saved Ace's life, and for that he granted her his tolerance.
Cassie kept trying, but being unable to eat, drink or sleep in that state, was starting to take its toll.
She was weakening.
The following morning, most of the crew had hangovers and were still asleep, and even the watch had passed out. It was exactly what the marines had been waiting for.
After Ace's defeat, they had been expecting delivery of the Fire Fist by Teach's hand. When no such package arrived, they demanded an explanation.
Cass the Witch had apparently returned, and saved Ace, right under Teach's nose.
Tracking the Moby Dick, they had made note that Fire Fist Ace was indeed aboard, but there seemed to be no sign of the woman. Since all was quiet, they decided to see if they could capture any pirates by themselves.
Their captain wanted to prove himself to the world government. If he could bring back Ace, or any other major member of the Whitebeard crew, he'd probably be given a promotion.
They moved in silently at little before dawn, and scaled the sides of the ship unnoticed.
Cassie could only watch as they crept about the ship, she found herself unable to touch anything, to ring a bell or bang a door. She was powerless to stop them.
A roar announced Whitebeard's fury a few moments later, and the marines hurried back to the deck, rallying to their captain.
The Whitebeard crew stormed up and surrounded the marines, who took a stand and pulled out their guns. They fired into the crowd of pirates, wounding some, but not doing any real damage.
A shill scream filled the air, and blood splattered onto the ground from no discernible place.
The seastone tipped bullets had had an effect on Cassie, despite her not actually being in physical form.
The Marines looked around confused, just where had this strange scream come from? But their captain couldn't care less. He took a stand, raising his sword and pointing it right at Whitebeard's head.
"Die pirate scum!" He yelled before moving to attack. He stopped, something strange appearing in his vision. An apparition of a woman reaching out towards him. She seem to be walking closer and closer, a deadly darkness in her eyes.
She vanished, and then reappeared a little closer, the edges of her body fuzzy and flickering.
Cassie wanted to protect the crew, to help them and ensure none of them would be captured. Thus, without really realising it, she had willed herself into a sturdier form in order to attack the marines.
As she neared them, the captain glanced at his men and the opposing pirate crew. Fear was in his men's eyes, and a quiet smugness in those of his enemies. He backed up, bumping into the railing at the edge of the ship, and glanced down as Cassie touched his chest.
Extreme pain lanced through him, and he spasmed before going very still, his fellows confused at first.
As Cassie stepped back, still flickering away, her now blood covered hands dropped something to the deck... The marine captain's heart.
His body tumbled backwards over the edge, splashing into the sea with a fateful finality that sent the rest of them scurrying for cover, leaping back aboard their ship, and otherwise fleeing for their lives.
The Whitebeard pirates roared and jeered, shaking their fists in the air, brandishing weapons.
Cassie couldn't quite keep hold of herself for very much longer, and winced as her body started to vanish from view again.
Suddenly she was cold and wet, Newgate having dumped a bucket of sea water over her head...
And she was still there.
The crew looked a little confused.
"I would have thought this was obvious." He chuckled in his booming voice as he clapped Cassie's shoulder nearly knocking her over. He then turned and watched the marine ship high-tail it away, then signalled to Marco.
The blonde lit up, his blue-white flames dancing across his arms, making wings that propelled him high into the air, and towards those who were fleeing from him. The ship exploded in a massive ball of fire, it was unknown if there would be any survivors.
Shocked, Cassie fell to her knees, eyes wide.