[ℂ𝕙𝕒𝕡𝕥𝕖𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕚𝕣𝕥𝕖𝕖𝕟]
𝕾𝖔𝖒𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖙 𝕮𝖍𝖆𝖔𝖘. 𝖂𝖊 𝖈𝖆𝖑𝖑 𝖎𝖙 𝕱𝖆𝖒𝖎𝖑𝖞.
Some call it Chaos. We call it Family.
X
Watch over your cook. I hope this reaches you in time.
Marco frowned down at the note in his hand, the note that he had recognized to be in his lover's handwriting. He was confused yet relieved as well. Confused at how she knew about Teach, that traitor, and relieved that the note had reached in time.
The past two years things have been tense. They had all increased their training hours and didn't allow for the crew to slack off. He knew that division members were all confused but their commanders were not letting anything slip. No one knew that Ann could be hunted down any moment now. That the government can send anyone after them. That a war could start and they need to be prepared.
But with all the contingencies they had prepared, no one expected a traitor amongst them, especially someone who was a part of their crew from almost the beginning of the Whitebeards. No one expected Teach's betrayal.
So, when that same night, by complete luck, Marco was not able to sleep due to whatever reasons. He had left his cabin and headed up to the deck. Teach is supposed to be on watch duty that night, but he was nowhere in sight. He didn't pay the absence of his crewmate any thought and leaned against the railing and that's when he heard a crowing of a bird alongside the sound of wings flapping. Look at the direction of the noise, he saw a falcon (a peregrine falcon, he had noted, known to be the fastest) flying towards him. He had been wary of it, as the first mate of one of the emperors, he knew to be suspicious of almost everything. He had still stretched an arm out for the falcon to land on. It had stretched out on of its legs towards him, a note tied to it.
Marco untied it, and the falcon took off with no warning. He had a bad feeling regarding the note, not paying attention to the departing bird, he opened the note and read its content. It didn't take him long to connect who the owner of the handwriting is before he sprinted to Thatch's room. Thatch who had just returned today from a mission.
He didn't even bother thinking of this as a prank. From those two sentences written, Marco understood it's something urgent.
As he ran, he passed by Ann's room. He halted, going back a few steps and entering Ann's room and shouting out "Ann! There might be an emergency! Wake up the Commanders and come to Thatch's room!"
Ann jolted up from her bed, looking at Marco who had a panicked expression. Ann's sleepiness flew away and she got up, ignoring the dizziness she got from the sudden action and she ran after him. They split up, him to Thatch's cabin, and Ann going to gather the rest of the Commanders.
Marco arrived to his brother's room, heart beating rapidly in fear to what might be on the other side of the door. He didn't waste any more time and burst into the room only to find Thatch on the floor.
Surrounded by blood.
Blood that was from a stab wound.
"THATCH!"
He screamed and rushed towards his fellow commander. He took out the knife in his back out of fear that it would be laced with poison and instead ripped his shirt to cover the wound. He covered his hands with flames, hoping to use them to heal him enough that it will slow the bleeding until the others arrive to take him to the medical bay.
"Thatch!" Marco called out, noticing that the cook stopped paling, "Thatch! Hey, yoi! Can you hear me?"
The said person groaned, eyes twitched open, "Ma-?"
"Oh, thank goodness," Marco breathed out in relief, "Thatch, do you remember who did this to you, yoi?"
"Te-Teach," Thatch spit out, "He stabbed me and, and-" Tears started spilling from the cook's eyes.
Marco hushed his brother, "It's alright now, you can tell us the rest later, for now just stay awake. Don't sleep yet, yoi."
Marco cursed himself for letting down his guard earlier, he should have searched for Teach, the fucking traitor, when he had realized that he ditched his watch duty. If Marco recalled, it was someone else's duty that night as well, but Teach has insisted to handle it for the night.
That Fucker.
It was then that the commanders rushed into the room, all of them looking dishevelled, that at any other time would have been funny, but not right now. It wasn't the time to, not when he has a bleeding brother in his arms.
Various exclaims were thrown, some reaching to Thatch and took him from Marco as they rushed him out on a stretcher, Marco didn't bother with how they got it that fast. He instead got up and informed the remaining commanders to search for Teach.
Some nodded as they left to order their crew to find Teach. The only ones left now was Marco, Jozu and Ann.
Turning to Jozu, "Will you inform Oyaji of what happened?"
Jozu nodded, "I will, but you will have to tell us the full story after this, yoi."
"I will. I promise. After you inform Oyaji, get the Commanders to the Meeting room when they're done giving out orders."
Jozu left and now only two were left.
"Marco," Ann called out, "Was it... Was it Teach? Is that why you ordered to search for him?"
Marco grimaced, "Yes." He moved around the room, walking towards the desk where laid an empty chest that had contained a devil fruit in the morning that Thatch had got from his mission. Beside the chest was an open book, a devil fruit cyclopedia. The page it was opened on had a picture of the devil fruit that Thatch had been parading in the morning. The name of the fruit was Yami Yami, Dark Dark. He frowned at the limited information on the page, all he got was that it was a Logia type.
What was so special about that fruit that Teach had betrayed them for?
Marco then remembered that someone else was in the room with him. He picked up the book and folded the corner of the page to mark it for when they gather for a meeting. He turned to his silent sister. She had a scowl on her face, but she wasn't moving, seemingly deep in thought.
Marco knew that Ann has anger issues (something that many of their siblings teased her about. "Oh, look how 'hot-headed' or 'fiery' Ann is." "I wonder if it has something to do with her devil fruit.") so seeing her be calm, he knew she was planning something, something that he would not like. And with Teach being, no, had been, a part of her division, she's probably blaming herself.
"Ann," the girl looked up from the buddle of blood on the floor up to her ship-brother, "What Teach did was not your fault, yoi."
Her scowl only got bigger and eyes darkened, "How is it not my fault?! I was his superior! I was in charge of him! How could I have not seen this?" Her voice got more sad and less angry as she spoke, "I thought he was good. I got along with him. He was a D. as well. He... he..." her voice cracked, eyes watery.
Marco moved forward and hugged the younger of the two into an embrace, "Ann, you shouldn't be too harsh on yourself, yoi. If we, who had known Teach for so long couldn't see his true personality, how are you, who has been here for two years, supposed to notice?"
Ann quietened down, nodding her head and pushed him slightly so that he will let go her here. He did let go and moved towards the door to leave, "Now, come on, yoi. I have to explain to the others what happened, yoi."
Walking towards the meeting room, everyone was waiting for them. "How is Thatch?"
Izou gave a shaky smile, "He's alive. There was poison so it was good that you took out the knife. After examining the poison, they found that they had its antidote." Marco sighed in relief, body slumping into his seat. But Izou wasn't done speaking.
"Marco," Izou spoke, "The doctors said that had you been a few minutes late, the poison would have killed it. And with the addition of you using your flames, it kept the poison from spreading. Marco, he survived because of you."
Marco felt a lump in his throat and his eyes stinging. No, now wasn't time to cry, he can cry after this meeting when he was all alone. He can't show weakness.
"Son."
The first commander turned to his father. Whitebeard's eyes looked teary as well but he had a smile, "You did well with saving your brother."
"Thanks..." He croaks out.
He doesn't cry, but his family know that he needs a moment to compose himself.
He took out the note from Luna and looked down on it.
They said it was because of him that Thatch lived, but it wasn't, it was all thanks to Luna. Had it not been for her note, he wouldn't have checked on Thatch.
Turning to his captain, he cleared his throat. Everyone quietened down from their light chatter.
"I had received a note from her not even a few hours ago," No one asked who is the 'her', "It had said to keep watch over Thatch-yoi. It was then that I went and woke Ann and told her to wake you all. When I got to Thatch, he was already injured. I healed him a bit and when he woke up, he told me that it was Teach."
Marco gazed at everyone at the mention of Teach, gaging their reactions. His father looks mad, hurt and tired. Jozu likely told him about it. The commanders each had similar reactions, some was shocked, they were the ones who rushed Thatch to the medical wing, so they hadn't suspected that Teach is the cause.
"The devil fruit that Thatch got was missing and this book was left there," Marco took out the book, flipping to the page he marked and passed it to Whitebeard. "It was opened on the page containing information about Thatch's fruit, sadly, the information is limited. All that it has is a picture of the fruit, its name and type, yoi."
"Has Teach been found yet?" Whitebeard asked.
"No," Vista shook his head, "We had given orders for him to be captured but nothing yet."
A knocking sound came.
"Enter!"
A crew member entered, looking distressed, "Oyaji! Teach's room has been found empty, there is a missing boat and there was a trail of blood leading to a railing on the deck and to the railing was a rope tied!"
"It seems like Teach had escaped." Kingdew murmured, then had asked in a louder voice, "What about the member on watch? Did they report anything?"
The member opened his mouth to speak, but Marco beat him to delivering the news. "Teach was on watch duty tonight, yoi."
The member nodded in confirmation at the first commander, "When I questioned the one who had the duty originally. He said that Teach had insisted on being on duty tonight."
"Alright," Their father nodded, "Thank you, son."
The member nodded, sending a small smile to his captain, "I'll be leaving them."
"Teach had planned all of this, didn't he?" Haruta asked.
"Probably," Izou answered, "But we won't know except that Traitor."
"Maybe that bastard told Thatch?" Jiro suggested, "People tend to speak when they think the other person is dying soon."
"Then we wait until Thatch is well rested so that he can answer us," Whitebeard said, "So, until then, make sure no one leaves the ship."
"Yes, Oyaji!"
X
Ann left the ship.
Leaving behind a note.
Teach was a part of my division. He is my responsibility to take care of.
They hadn't gone after her and that was their biggest mistake.
X
Marco glared at the title of the newspaper.
Marshall D. Teach, newly known as Blackbeard, had exchanged the mysterious Whitebeard commander, Portgas D. "Fire Fist" Ann for the position of a warlord.
The government want a war.
And they will regret targeting the Whitebeard pirates.
X
Two years had passed since her remaining freedom was taken away from her.
Luna knew that it's going to end soon. The sea had warned her of some things, so as soon as she could, she sent a note to Marco regarding Thatch, hoping that it will reach before it's too late. She knew that a dark man will arise soon, but she will prevent as many deaths as she can.
After sending the note, she had gotten in contact with Boa Hancock. While Luna doesn't have much freedom now, she can get into contact with the 7 warlords.
"I need a favour of you." Luna said the moment she met up with Hancock.
Hancock, who was excited to meet her honorary sister (She knew that Luna was taken and as much as she doesn't approve, she will respect Luna's decision. And so, Hancock decided being sisters will be enough. AN: IDK ppl, I just wanted a reason for Hancock not pursuing Luna, so roll with this), had accepted without hesitation, "Of course, Luna! Anything you want!"
Luna smiled gratefully, and that's when Hancock knew that it is something of importance. Luna is always grinning, but barely looking so thankful, like she was relieved.
"I have two sisters and I want you to help them when the time comes."
Hancock frowned, "I never knew you had sisters. Why do they need help?"
"That's because only my crew and a few higher ups know of them. And as for why they need help..."
Luna told her about everything. About their bloodline. The deal. Her freedom in exchange for her sisters' lives. That soon, the deal will mean nothing and her sisters will be hunted down.
She trusts Hancock, given that the Snake Empress herself allied with the world government for the protection of her island.
Hancock nodded, "I will help them. You can trust me."
"Of course, I trust you. From older sister to an older sister."
Hancock smiled, "We both are really alike." Then she shook her head, "More importantly, is there a plan?"
Luna nodded and proceeded to tell her friend the plan.
The next thing to do after was call her dad to inform Kuma of his role and to ask the Warlord to inform Rayleigh about the plan when he goes to Sabaody Archipelago.
And then the last person she had to meet was Jimbe. Jimbe, who the moment she met him has decided that he has to join her crew. The fishman had rejected her offer but she only kept begging. Begging didn't work but she saw that over time Jimbe had come to respect her which later on followed by friendship.
It was when she was considered his friend that he found out about the truth regarding her. The respect he felt for her had only risen. And now, she has to meet him and tell him her plan.
"You don't have to ask me to help your sisters. I met them both and I know that they are good people. They are also my friends, so I would have already helped."
"Thank you."
So, when not long after all of this, when news reached her that Ann is hunting for a man that goes by the name 'Blackbeard', the world government sent on her an 'important' mission far from Marine ford, Luna knew it was time.
And she was prepared. She will make sure her sisters come out alive.
It wasn't only the Whitebeards that the government has to worry about. But also, a woman who was excited to regain her freedom.