"Ace, stop moping already, we have work to do," Marco scolded.
"But Marcoooooo," he whined, not moving from where he was draped over the railing, "I miss my brotherrrrr."
The First Division Commander simply sighed, shaking his head in annoyance, "Don't blame me if Pops scolds you for not getting your work done. Just because he's temporarily down for the count doesn't mean you get a free pass to get out of your chores. You know we only have so much time before Izou and Jozu arrive and they won't hesitate to tease you about this."
Ace simply groaned in response.
Marco understood his brother's reservations, but he couldn't just let his obligations fall to the wayside in favor of moping around like a child. Then again, a part of him was relieved to see him acting this way. The childish behavior and his continued willingness to go against their wishes instead of bowing down to his perceived responsibilities and putting aside himself or his feelings.
The blonde couldn't stop thinking about the image of Ace kneeling with his head bowed, ready and willing to accept his own fate as if waiting to see which way the wind would blow. There was something about the man's protests against saving him that compelled Marco to keep his nagging at a minimum. His focus was still on comforting him rather than letting things go back to the way they were. If they let everything go as if nothing had happened, the blonde was certain that Ace would fall back into his self-sacrificial, borderline suicidal tendencies.
To be honest, Marco was still a bit affronted and disgruntled about the two teens' sudden departure. Not only was he growing fond of the boys, he also knew that Ace and his Pops felt the same way. He had quickly realized that Ace's worst protective instincts came out when his brother was in danger. The best way to resolve that issue was with the help of the subject of Ace's fierce protections: in this case, Luffy himself.
In the short time he'd been on their vessel, the teen's presence had significantly improved his brother's mental health. It seemed that Ace's self-endangering tendencies had been an issue even back in his childhood, given Luffy's lack of surprise and his ease with handling it. If Luffy had remained with them for even a week more, their Second Division Commander would be able to overcome the worst of it.
But at the same time, Marco realized that Luffy needed to handle his own situation on his own terms. That just meant that the First Division Commander would have to take on more of the burden until they met up with the rest of their crew. So while he disliked the situation, he couldn't find it in himself to be angry or upset at his brother's brother.
Deku's departure, on the other hand, was a far more difficult pill to swallow. Perhaps it was instincts from his Devil Fruit, or perhaps it was simply in his nature as a person, Marco had always been drawn towards helping others. It was never his grand purpose in life, he valued his own happiness and the happiness of his family and close friends far too much to be a truly selfless person, but sometimes helping with the little issues meant a lot to him. There had always been something satisfying and gratifying for helping those he loved or those not in a position to help themselves. So it hadn't surprised him all that much that Deku had brought out a similar urge to help. To protect.
Some of it was likely because of the boy's similarity to Ace's own internal dilemma, to how quick the boy was to help others even to his own detriment. But at the same time, there was something more about it that reminded him that Deku wasn't a copy of his strong-willed, determined brother. Deku felt far more… vulnerable than Ace at the moment. Although his hard-headed brother had probably had a worse mental and emotional state while he was on that execution platform, ever since Luffy had rescued him, it was like he had been given new life. Returning to Pops with his brother at his side must have done wonders for him.
But for Deku, it was clear that nothing they had offered had been enough to soothe whatever had worn him down. He had been resolutely avoiding them for reasons Marco had yet to grasp. So when Deku interjected in that conversation with Rayleigh and all but demanded to leave their care, the Phoenix had struggled to contain his own concern. Deku had already displayed his fighting prowess, going toe to toe with an admiral with only minor burns to show for it.
Marco had a feeling that this request was less about getting stronger—as it was for Luffy—and more about taking the first opportunity to leave. Even Pops had thought something similar. His instinctive assumption was proven to be founded when Deku declined the vivre card they made for him.
But putting his concern for Deku aside, Marco still felt strongly about the boy's departure. If anything, he knew that Ace had been particularly downtrodden by Deku's avoidance during his time onboard. They all felt they owed the teen a great debt for his actions in Marineford, but they had yet to pay it in full. A part of him was excited for the other commanders to get a chance to meet the boy, in hopes that he would be comfortable around at least one of them and be open to genuine gratitude.
And even if the boy wasn't open to such thanks, Deku was the type of person that others couldn't help but be drawn in by. It was a natural magnetism that both Ace and Luffy possessed, and they were enraptured by it like moths to a flame. But the lack of reciprocation was disappointing and tragic in equal measure. Marco truly wished Deku had stayed, if only for the possibilities such a thing would provide for him and his family.
He knew this all made him selfish, but what kind of pirate would he be if he wasn't?
Even so, Marco knew that it would be best if he kept all that to himself rather than confiding in his turbulent brother, so he simply smiled and reassured him instead, "I'm sure you'll see him again."
The fire logia sighed, turning his head so his cheek rested against the wood, "I know. But what about Deku? I wish he was still here…"
The Phoenix frowned, "I know what you mean, but there was no reason for us to keep him here. Besides, he's with your little brother, that should count for something, right?"
"But I want to be with both of them," Ace complained, reluctantly pushing himself off the railing to stand back up on his feet, "Alright, fine. I'll get back to work. But uh… what am I supposed to be doing again?"
Marco pinched his nose in frustration, "I told you earlier. Don't tell me you fell asleep again?"
Ace simply laughed and apologized half-heartedly, sheepishly waving off his annoyance. But before the blonde could scold him, a Newscoo flew down and perched itself on the railing where his pyromaniac brother had just been leaning.
"Huh, the paper came out a bit early today…" he drawled as he offered up a few beri in exchange for the paper, much to the bird's delight.
Marco's eyes widened in surprise as he unfurled the paper, the bird flying away without paying any mind to the absurd story on the front page.
"Ace, let's go see Pops. I need to show him this!" he blurted out, turning on his heel and not waiting for his brother's response.
"Huh? What do you mean? What's in the paper?" his brother wondered, curiously trailing after Marco as he dashed over to the deck hatch and sped down to where their Captain was resting.
The entire way down, Ace was at his heels, making playful grabs for the paper in between excited laughter and teasing. The First Division Commander smirked a bit, realizing that even without his direct presence, Luffy was able to help Ace.
When they finally arrived, Marco could barely manage to knock properly at Pop's door in between the other commander's swipes. He was barely able to wait for an invitation in before he barreled through the doorway, purposefully tripping Ace on the way in.
Marco hid a smirk behind his hand as he approached his Captain who was sitting upright in bed, thankfully still resting. Pops seemed to catch on to their playful demeanor, shooting the pair a playful smile rather than berating their poor manners.
"What do we have here?" Pops asked, the mirth overtaking his tired tone.
Instead of replying, Marco simply shoved the paper towards him, leaning away from another of his brother's attempts to steal the newspaper from him. Ace pouted for only a second before he shuffled over to the bedside to look at the news from over their Captain's shoulder. Marco smiled a bit as Pops shifted the paper low enough so that his son could also read it alongside him.
Of course, neither of them managed to read very long before the pair of them began to laugh. Just like with Marco, it had merely taken a quick glance at the front page before they both grasped the absurdity of the situation. The other Commander doubled over, clutching at his stomach as he wheezed for air. Pops looked utterly gobsmacked for several moments before he, too, began cackling like a madman.
"Damn! I wish Jinbei was still here to see this! He didn't believe me when I told him my brother was crazy," Ace wheezed, making no effort to regain his composure.
Marco couldn't help but grin at their reactions, "I'm sure he'll see it before long."
"Yeah, but I'm not there to rub it in his face!" Ace continued to chortle, clearly not slowing down any time soon, "Hell, I don't know why I'm surprised! It's just like Luffy to do something so crazy."
Pops seemed to sober up a bit, but the proud grin remained a fixture on his face, "It seems they had a busy day yesterday. I'm sure the Marines are just as baffled. I wish I could see the look on Sengoku's face."
Marco agreed, the look on their faces when Luffy had fallen out of the sky at Marineford had been absolute gold. He could only begin to imagine the rage on their faces when they realized that Strawhat Luffy was at it again.
After all, it had been quite the shock for even them to see the very people they had just been discussing making headlines so soon after their departure. It had only been five days since Rayleigh whisked them away to who knew where, though after the clusterfuck that had been Luffy storming Marineford, perhaps Marco shouldn't have been surprised that he would do some absurd things in so little time.
Part of him was gobsmacked by Deku's involvement, but at the same time he found himself reluctantly justifying the behavior. If he was correct in assuming it was Rayleigh's idea, so long as Luffy agreed to it (which was in character for the teen—Deku wasn't one to sit by and let them put themselves at risk. Even if the degree of risk they were subjecting themselves to was debatable in the first place, that probably wouldn't deter the younger teen's protective tendencies. Well, that and the fact that Deku seemed unaware of who Rayleigh was, much less the power the man actually wielded.
"No kidding," Ace's hands rubbed at his face as if trying to wipe away any sign of his laughter, "But damn. I expected this from Luffy, but Deku? I can't believe they stormed Marineford like that!"
"I suppose this is what Rayleigh meant by getting Luffy's crew's attention," Marco chuckled, "Because this certainly did it."
"And ringing the bell sixteen times like that was a nice touch," Pops chuckled, "Although I suspect that was Rayleigh's idea. Luffy doesn't strike me as the type to be aware of such traditions and their implications."
Marco ducked his head to hide a grin as Ace agreed with their Captain's assessment.
"All that aside, I'm glad to see they're doing well. I'm sure Akainu is far more livid than anyone else that they got away with a stunt like this. I bet the Marines are frantically trying to cover up this mess despite the press coverage."
Ace barked out another harsh laugh, "I bet our shitty gramps is laughing it up right now. This seems like something he would find funny."
"Your gramps?" Marco raised an eyebrow, maintaining an unimpressed expression at Ace's visible confusion.
"Did I not tell you all about Gramps?" he paused, waiting for confirmation in genuine disbelief, " Ah well, Gramps… er… Garp raised me and Luffy."
He felt his second eyebrow raise to join the first. Garp… as in Garp the Fist? The same Hero of the Marines that fought for Ace's execution? Maybe there was another layer of issues with Ace, given the ultimate betrayal that must have been.
Ace muttered under his breath, clearly not realizing that his words were still audible, "If you could call ditching us with mountain bandits and beating the shit out of us every few months raising us."
Well now, Marco was infinitely more concerned than he had been just moments prior. At least Pops looked equally as perturbed.
What the hell did Garp do to Ace that he turned out this way? Or perhaps it was the better question to ask what he didn't do for Ace that resulted in his abysmal self-image. It was undoubtedly related to his parentage, given the disaster that was Marineford. Hell, in hindsight, it was clear that even Ace's initial determination to take Pops' head was a result of his feelings towards his biological father.
But even then, that couldn't have been the only thing. After all, they had all witnessed Luffy's insane drive to rescue his brother, even at the cost of his own life. That lack of self-consideration had to come from somewhere or someone. Marco was starting to think that that someone was Garp.
Although, with the way Garp had acted at Marineford, he had a feeling that he would never quite understand the complexity of their relationship. Garp had been the one to send Marco flying away from Ace, yet when Luffy pushed forward, the old man had let himself get knocked away.
"All of that aside, how is the coordination effort going?" Pops interrupted, shooting Marco a look that he interpreted as an instruction to drop the matter for the moment.
They could address it later, once they're safe and regrouped. It would be a matter best handled with the rest of their brothers by their side.
"So far so good. Izou and Jozu should arrive tomorrow, sometime in the afternoon or evening depending on the currents. Haruta and Namur are headed directly to Water 7 to hand off the money for our commissioned ship. The other commanders are rounding up the stragglers on our allied ships, since many of them have their own destinations. Kingdew and Vista were concerned about a possible bottleneck at Fishman Island, so they're organizing for several groups to lie low elsewhere and stagger their arrival. We're still unsure whether the Marines plan to set a trap for us in Paradise, so we're being a bit overly cautious," Marco sighed.
He scratched his head for a moment, considering whether they were doing the right thing. This was just the way things had worked out after talking it over with the other commanders. Jinbei had decided to go ahead to Fishman Island to prepare the locals for their arrival. Admittedly, the Phoenix had a sneaking suspicion that the fishman wanted to beg the royal family's forgiveness for abandoning his Warlord title, but it wasn't his place to comment on the unnecessary action. That was simply the type of person Jinbei was: honorable to a fault.
Marco glanced up as Ace followed up with his own report, "I've been checking the supplies and so far so good. We should have enough of everything to make it to Fishman Island in one go, sans food."
At least he had the decency to look sheepish about his absurd eating habits. Luffy and Ace had cleaned them out entirely; they'd had to make a stop for food just a few days after they left, so the fact that they had to stock up once more despite being so close to the Red Line was… entertaining to say the least.
Irritating was another word for it. Of course, despite the ludicrous amount of food he consumed, they all loved the idiot.
"According to the ship's logs, nearly everything is still in stock the way it was before their arrival at Marineford. There are a few supplies missing, like a log pose, some bandages, and a handful of other things. They were probably misplaced before the battle though, so I'm not too worried about it," Ace shrugged, looking as at ease as he claimed."
"I see, that's good to hear," their Captain hummed thoughtfully.
Marco glanced at the IV that was off to the side, disconnected from their Captain unlike usual, "What about you, Pops? Any changes?"
Pops grinned sardonically at the question, sparing a small glance at Ace's turmoiled expression before settling on Marco's.
His heart clenched in his chest as he braced himself for the news. Marco had known that their Pop's condition had been worsening for a long time before this. But given everything that had happened at Marineford, he knew that such injuries could only serve to weaken him further. Although Deku's timely intervention had certainly saved the giant man's life, it was only prolonging his certain death a little bit longer.
Marco had known that his Captain hadn't been faring well, even if the old man hadn't openly admitted it. He was stubborn enough that he would at least make it until their crew reunited at last, but the First Division Commander had a feeling it would only be a matter of time after that. Their Pops would have wanted to die in battle, protecting those he loved without backing away or retreating, not dying slowly and painfully as he wasted away in a bed.
But none of them wanted that, as selfish as it was to go against their Captain's wishes. Deku had helped them avoid Pop's desired fate, but another upstart rookie helped them avoid the other option as well.
"I'm doing much better, if not a bit tired. It's nothing I can't handle," Pops grinned, the gentle expression a far cry from the sharp smile he offered to his enemies.
His smile was simultaneously relieved and comforting.
"Though I could have done with a bit more explanation before that upstart brat started slicing me to pieces!" he chuckled.
Marco rolled his eyes at the old man's complaints.
"I never thought that Trafalgar Law would show up out of nowhere and offer to heal you, Pops!" Ace complained, rambling as though he'd been struggling to keep his thoughts to himself for too long, "I was ready for a fight and then he completely ignored me! And then he was disrespectful to you. You'd think he'd know to be more well behaved in front of a Yonko, but apparently not!"
"I don't think you're one to talk about respecting a Yonko, Ace," the blonde teased, "Besides, are you really going to complain about his manners after he healed Pops like he did. As an up and coming rookie pirate, and one of those Supernovas to boot, he should have taken the opportunity to kill Pops, yet he only asked for a favor instead."
Ace pouted, clearly wishing they would forget his stubborn attempts to defeat Pops before he'd joined their crew. But they were family, and if there was anything that family always did, it was to never let go of embarrassing stories and endlessly tease each other for silly mishaps and pranks.
Marco really missed Thatch's pranks and he knew that Ace did too. Even so, the fact that Ace and Pops were alive warmed his heart. And now, the fact that Trafalgar had ensured Pops would get to live for longer, Marco felt as though there was nothing the world could throw at them that could ruin this.
And while he knew, objectively, that that wasn't true, it still was a comforting feeling to have and one he hadn't experienced since Teach… since Blackbeard's betrayal.
"On that note, what was that favor he asked for?" Marco couldn't help but ask.
He admittedly was worried that the rookie would get them involved in another fight against the government, or another emperor. They were certainly not up to the task at the moment, even though they were an emperor crew. Trafalgar Law also seemed to be the crafty type, who knew what he had planned.
Whitebeard merely frowned thoughtfully, "He didn't offer any specifics. The brat simply said he would contact us again when he wanted to cash in the favor."
"And you agreed to his terms, just like that?" Ace asked incredulously.
Pops just laughed, "Of course not, son. I told him I'd only agree to help if it did not put our family at risk. Attacking another Emperor's crew, the government, or acting as some kind of distraction for him are all off the table and he is aware of that."
Marco supposed that sounded reasonable, but he still was wary of owing anyone anything. And Pops had put himself at risk by allowing a rival pirate crew—no matter how weak or supposedly non-threatening—to have access to his condition and medical records. Although the Marines had surely known of Pops' deteriorating health, they hadn't been aware of the specific illness of which their captain had been battling against for years. That sort of knowledge left people vulnerable to sabotage.
And while Marco trusted their crew to watch Pops' back, there was still a part of him that was wary after their last betrayal. They hadn't gotten the chance to pay that bastard back in kind, so some of their influence and the protections of the Whitebeard pirate mark would wane in the coming years.
"But I don't think he's that foolish. He understands the consequences of certain actions and, while he is certainly planning to take advantage of this debt, I doubt he will take any potential plans to double-cross us lightly," their Captain mused, rubbing at his chin, "The real question was why he was in the area. He should have taken the opportunity to sneak off to the New World while the Marines were busy with us in Marineford."
Marco frowned. That was a good point. It was possible that Trafalgar had been waiting around for the end of the battle in Marineford. Had he planned to take advantage of whatever the outcome would be? Had he hoped that Whitebeard would be indisposed so he could kill him, only to discover that wasn't the case? Or was something else going on here…?
"He's a doctor, right? The Surgeon of Death? Maybe he was hoping to curry the favor of whatever side needed his services. This was probably what he wanted all along?" Ace suggested, scratching at his hair.
"Well, there is no way to know now," Pops grinned, "Just be grateful that things turned out the way they did. Now we have three upstarts to thank for saving our lives."
Marco held back a grin as Ace immediately whined at the prospect. As much as it grated on his pride, he had to admit that it was true. Luffy's arrival had provided a focused assault, essentially acting as a spearhead through the battlefield rather than the every man for himself strategy they had naturally formed. Ace would have been executed without that change in offense, even if Luffy had technically been a hindrance due to his relative weakness. Then Deku had arrived and prevented major retaliation during their retreat.
And now Trafalgar Law had healed their Captain's wounds and ensured that Marineford resulted in a near complete victory. The next time the Marines attempted to take down the Whitebeard Pirates—which was likely given how roughed up they were from Marineford—they would be at a disadvantage. They would be expecting their crew to be scattered, disorganized, and their Captain wounded.
"What's with that grin?" Ace asked, causing Marco to realize that a grin had snuck onto his face without permission.
Well… it wasn't his fault that he held quite the grudge against the Marines these days, not after the series of transgressions they had perpetrated against his family. Who could blame him for eagerly waiting for the moment that he got to return their treachery in kind and watch the horror and fear on their faces as they realize just how much they screwed up.
"Oh, nothing at all," Marco purposefully shifted his grin into a smirk, watching as the mild fear appeared on Ace's face.
Even Pops was stifling a mirthful grin of his own from Ace's response. Of course, Whitebeard's positive reaction only added fuel to the metaphorical fire, encouraging Marco to keep the teasing going.
As such, the First Division Commander ignored his brother's desperate pleas for mercy, instead bidding Pops farewell and walking out of the room without a word. Ace followed him out of the room, continuing his pointless, though still playful, begging. Privately Marco was relieved that his brother had picked up on the fact that Pops needed time alone to rest and had followed the Phoenix's lead. Although he had a sneaking suspicion that the Fire Logia wasn't just playing up his teasing remarks for Pops and was actually hoping to not incur Marco's wrath, which was endlessly amusing.
Once they'd made it back onto the deck, Marco finally responded to his fearful brother's half-baked promises to do chores and eat less of their food stores. Of course, the raised, disbelieving eyebrow did nothing to placate Ace's playful concerns. The promises he'd suspected to be half-hearted at best and completely empty at worst immediately stopped once his brother received the look from Marco.
As expected, it shut him up real fast and he couldn't help but let out a laugh at his brother's expense. He was glad that he could still terrorize Ace despite everything that had happened, even if it irritated his brother to no end.
Even as Ace stormed off in fake outrage, making the Phoenix laugh even harder, Marco couldn't help but wonder if Deku had a sense of humor like this.
Would he be as easy to tease or would he be the one teasing everyone else? He lamented the fact that there was no way for them to find out now.
Marco flew up to the Crow's Nest, offering to switch out with the person currently on Watch duty. As he settled into the space, staring out at the open waters that had been his home for so long, he couldn't help but wonder what the other Commanders would have been like when meeting Deku.
It was a shame that it may never come to pass.
His heart was racing as he dashed towards the plaza. Even from several blocks away, he could hear the terrified screams and shouts of civilians. He glanced down at the phone in his hand to verify and sure enough, the location pin was leading him in the same direction as the chaos.
He shoved the device in his pocket and positioned his arms behind him.
In the blink of an eye, he launched himself forward, increasing his speed and silently reassuring himself that it would all work out. He winced a bit as pain shot up his arms, a slight ache lingering in his wrists and elbows while his shoulders felt almost as though they were being impaled once more.
But that didn't matter, Bakugou was determined to make it in time. He would find him and bring him home if it was the last thing he did, he swore it.
Gritting his teeth, the blonde pushed onward, concentrating and compressing his explosions as much as possible to accelerate his travel. The longer he took, the more likely it was that Deku—Izuku—either wouldn't be there or would be injured. There was no telling the condition they would find him in, but based on Endeavors reluctant and regretful admissions, Bakugou couldn't bring himself to get his hopes up.
One more block to go.
Ignoring the throbbing in his limbs, Bakugou used his core muscles to raise his legs up for one final, strong blast, hissing through the throbbing in his gut. He cursed his own weak mind for its pitiful reminders.
He really didn't need the reminder that he had almost died. What he needed was a reassurance that everything he had done hadn't all been for nothing. He needed to bring… Izuku… back safe and sound. He… they needed to convince him that they could do this together, that risking only his own life was selfish and cruel and hurt them more than it helped.
They didn't need his protection. At the rate he was likely going, he would need theirs instead.
Before he knew it, Bakugou found himself at the edge of the plaza. From where he was, he could make out a crowd of people just in front of the defaced All Might statue with a smaller cluster a bit further away from it. Without hesitation, he blasted himself up in the air to get a better view.
Sure enough, just as he had suspected, the villain was hiding within the crowd of civilians, effectively using them as human shields. It only took seconds for Bakugou to ready and aim his AP Shot, blasting the bastard and knocking him unconscious. He glanced towards the other cluster of civilians, away from the statue, who began to scatter now that they were no longer under control of the villain. A blur of color vanished from within the swarm of people.
In that moment, a sinking feeling settled into his gut. His heart rate began to pick up as he quickly realized what the blur might have been.
He knew… he knew that Deku was supposed to be here. The tracker and signs of the beginning of a fight were proof enough of that.
Yet he was… gone. He had disappeared.
And in that moment, Bakugou slammed his eyes shut and let himself fall.