Hello everyone, here is the next chapter

This is a bit short, just since it's more of a small interlude and build-up for later

Hope you enjoy

Read and relax

When most had calmed down after the events that had just happened, the ship being out of view and Teach getting away, Whitebeard was quick in sending Ace and Aoba to Bay, just to be sure they were okay, no matter what they said themselves. Even Shanks did say they were fine, but didn't object to having Bay look either way, which was good.

As the two were being checked by Bay, both Shanks and Whitebeard were there, to be sure they were fine and hear what Bay said, also asking for Ace and Aoba to explain what had just happened. Aoba went first. "I'm not sure what happened exactly, just that I felt something- the bullet- moving towards me, and hit before I could react. It might not kill me, but will render me somewhat paralysed for a small bit, especially when it hits the head, as it did. When my body gets back to control, it will remove the bullet and I'm fine."

Bay gave a nod. "You do seem fine. Would the same have happened to Portgas if he was hit?" Aoba gave a somewhat nod. "Depends. If he would have managed to kick his senses up before it hit, yes. If no, no. That's because it was a sestone bullet, Ace still has a devil fruit. He would have been fine, it would just have taken time, a few minutes longer. There are special bullets to kill vampires though."

Bay gave a nod, before she moved to look at Ace, who gave a small fidget, and Bay moved to look at his neck. "How is your neck fine?" Ace gave a sigh. "It just is. You can't kill us by snapping our necks; it will just reset itself when we stop being paralysed. It just gives people a bit of time, minute or so, to run, before we're fine. Just feels like a bad crick now." Bay gave a nod, seeming done with checking his neck. "Your neck feels fine, nothing wrong or anything. Did it really snap back?" Ace gave a nod. "Yeah. That's kinda what makes the crick. That hurts more than breaking it in the first place." Aoba gave a nod to that, most likely having felt it himself. Bay gave a nod. "Would any of you need extra blood for this?" Both shook their heads, Aoba speaking.

"It looks and sounds worse than it is. It's actually no big deal; this happens all the time."

Whitebeard blinked. "All the time?" Aoba gave a nod, same with Shanks, who also gave a sigh. "Happens way too often. The sad part is that you just get used to it." The captain gave a nod. That was probably why Shanks was as calm before, since this had happened many times. He was sure he would never be able to handle this calmly, to see someone shoot one of his children, or snap their necks. It was just wrong. Aoba gave a small sigh too. "We get used to it too. It's just normal." That was not what he wanted to hear, to hear this was something that happened normally. He knew vampires weren't liked usually, but still.

Bay gave a nod. "How did it even happen? I get the one about Aoba being shot, since it was from afar, but how did someone sneak so well up behind Portgas and managed to snap his neck silently? I don't know too much about vampires, but I thought your senses would feel it." That was a valid question. Aoba gave a nod, looking over at Ace, who looked uncomfortable. "He was closer to you, what was he?" The captain blinked. It wasn't a human? Ace gave a small nod.

"I think… shapeshifter? ..Kanima? Hybrid... maybe..? Snake..?"

Aoba gave a nod. "I thought snake too, but it was faint. Kanimas are rare." Ace gave a nod. "Yeah. But he didn't smell… right? As if not a Kanima too." Aoba gave a frown. "He did? You are better at scents than me. But, they are rare, thought to be extinct." Ace gave a nod. "I… don't know if it's… I'm... right…" Aoba shook his head. "No. I trust you, your instincts are amazing." Ace gave a nod, still seeming a bit uncomfortable. The captain also trusted Ace, sure he had amazing instincts.

He looked at the ones on the room. "For now, we won't follow Teach, seeing as Thatch still needs to get better, and we don't know how dangerous they are. Hopefully they don't know Ace and Aoba are fine, meaning we should keep a low profile." Everyone gave a nod, Ace and Aoba having small frowns, the latter speaking. "If that man was a Kanima, he most likely knows we're fine. He did seem to know we were vampires." Whitebeard gave a nod. That might be true, and could be bad. "For now, we keep a low profile, and try to plan what to do next." Everyone gave a nod, agreeing.

As the two vampires were fine, Bay also making sure, they were let out of the infirmary, Bay also telling Thatch was doing good, and would hopefully wake up in a day or so. That was really good news. When they got out on deck again, the red-haired captain stayed for a few more hours before they left, wanting to make sure Ace was fine, the vampire seeming glad to be glad to be with Aoba. It was understandable since the other was a vampire as well.

When things calmed down, they waited for Thatch to wake up, to hear from him what exactly happened. It was clear Teach had betrayed them, seeing as he left as he did, as he had used the male- Lafitte?- to attack Ace and Aoba too.

They needed to figure out a plan.

-x-

Marco gave a smile, seeing Ace joking around with Thatch, who half-sat in the infirmary bed.

Thatch had woken up a few hours ago, and was doing good, a bit better than what Bay had thought he would have. The chef was still weak, and would need to relax and take it easy for long, but it would be fine. Pops had been here earlier, speaking with the chef on what had happened, before Ace came.

Thatch had said Teach had done it because of the devil fruit he found.

Apparently, the traitor wanted that fruit so bad he was willing to betray them. But, he had most likely planned this for long, seeing as he did it as easy. It was still a bit hurtful to know that was the reason, but good to know they hadn't lost any family members. Thatch also didn't remember much, the traitor a operert sneaking up behind, Thatch barely able to see the man before he striked, seeing him taking the fruit before he passed out, thinking he would die. Everyone was relieved Thatch was alive.

Pops had also told the chef what had happened, how Ace had smelled the blood, Marco and the vampire finding him, before Ace alerted the doctor who came to help, and how much of a close call it had been. It was a miracle Ace had smelled it in time. They had also told what had happened after, how they had tried to search for Teach, but he had had backup and how that had gone, the chef looking really worried when they told about Aoba being shot and Ace getting his neck snapped. The chef looked amazed when they told they were fine, having a frown when Pops mentioned Aoba and Shanks had said that was a normal event. They hoped it would never happen again.

When they had finished hearing from Thatch what had happened and updates the man on what had happened after he was found, they made a decision to still keep a low profile for now, to not cause any unnecessary stir, to keep the eyes off them. The traitor would hopefully reveal himself and they could go after him. Shanks was also on their side in this, knowing one didn't stab their crew, family, in the back like that, and ran away. That was low, and if the red-haired captain saw the man, he would capture him and try to keep him alive for them, but could kill him if that was necessary.

When the chat was finished, Marco and the captain left the infirmary for a bit, Ace coming inside, the vampire baiting outside of the infirmary. Thatch had thanked the vampire for saving him, and Marco hoped it would help with the uncertainty the man had for the vampire at times. Thatch had also asked about Ace's neck, Ace saying it was fine, he barely felt anything now. It was good everyone would be okay soon, no one being terribly injured or worse.

As Marco and Pops left the infirmary, they gathered all the commanders and updated them, telling what Thatch had said and that they still planned to keep a low profile, which everyone agreed on. Although, a few looked like they wanted to follow the traitor and take him down, but they couldn't risk that. It was dangerous a the traitor already had others with him, one not even being human, and the traitor himself maybe having gotten a devil fruit. The mayest thing to do was to wait right now, to not do anything rash.

They would try and relax as much as possible, to still be ready to attack anyone, but relax and keep an eye out.

There was a lot that could happen.

-x-

Ace looked down at his plate, which was filled with food. He felt… weird. As if something just happened. But, it hadn't. He was just eating, as normal, everyone around him as normal.

Why did he suddenly have a feeling like he forgot something? "Ace? You okay?" Ace turned and looked at Marco, who was looking at him. He gave a nod. "Yeah. It's nothing." It was nothing, nothing had happened, no one had reacted, Ace was probably just still worked up from everything that had happened the last week. The first commander did give a nod, but still looked at him for a second more, before he turned back to his conversation with Curiel. Pops did also send him a small look, but didn't say anything. Ace shook his head. It was nothing.

Ace started to eat his food again, having a small thoughtful frown. Wasn't his food warmer? Probably just a mistake, he had barely taken a few bites. It was probably from, all the stress the last days, that made sense.

The day did go fine after that, nothing happening in special. Ace did drop by Thatch again, just to keep the man company, him not being allowed out of bed or infirmary. It would be good when the chef was back to the kitchen and out on deck, things going back to more normal.

When night came by, Ace got a weird feeling, which just sat in his body, making him look around, as if something unusual or dangerous would be there, but there never was.

What was this feeling? He had never felt it before.

He tried to ignore it, blaming it on the stress. There was no other explanation for it. He was probably more stressed than he thought. The feeling was faint too.

When the next morning rolled by, he heard they were closing in on an island, and that would be good. They were still half a day from it, but they could see it. Thatch would also maybe be allowed to join, as long as he went with some others to help him and never went far on the island. Ace hoped he could join.

But, why did the weird feeling get worse as they closed in on the island? Maybe he was scared something would happen again? Especially if Thatch was allowed out? They didn't know where Teach was, so he might be there.

He hoped things would be calm for a bit.

-x-

Whitebeard gave a sigh, seeing the island they were close to and would dock at in a few hours.

The last days had been hectic, so a day to just relax would be perfect, especially as it was a small island a bit to the side, which fit perfect. They didn't have a plan to dock the next couple of weeks, but he was sure they needed a break from everything. And the chance Teach was on that island was basically none. He would have run for bigger seas, to get away, maybe even to the Grand Line. They hadn't heard anything yet. He was sure the traitor would reveal where he was at one point, and they would move then.

For now, they would keep an eye open for anything in the news or on the Den Dens, just in case, and try and relax, keeping a low profile.

Bay had just said Thatch could join going to the island, which was good. That would hopefully bring everyone's spirit up, to see the man out of the infirmary. The chef got tired easily, and out of breath too, meaning he needed to be careful and not drink anything, but could join going to the island for a few hours, not being alone, at least one nurse and commander close.

Ace had also been acting a bit weird, seeming nervous or on edge? But, the vampire reacted bad to someone attacking Thatch, even being the one noticing it and finding the chef, his instinct going a bit into overdrive at that, not liking someone injured Thatch, who he viewed as family.

They all just needed to relax, Ace could even get something warm on the island.

Things would be better.

-x-

Ace gave a frown, looking at the bookstore he was in front. There was something..? There was a weird feeling he was feeling, his stomach being heavy. Why did it do that? He didn't like it.

Ace took a breath and walked into the store, needing to see if there was anything inside. It didn't feel like another being or a witch, just weird, maybe dread? Ace wasn't sure, never having felt this before. When he got inside the building, it was a regular bookstore, at least from those he had been inside before. Yes, that wasn't many, but still. They couldn't be too different. This just felt wrong in a way, the feeling in his stomach getting worse, Ace feeling like his vampire wanted to come out, wanted to defend against something.

He started to go past shelves filled with books, eyes skimming over them. What was here? Was there anything? Maybe he was just off? He had always had good instincts, but it did happen they were confused, especially if something was around to mess with them. Maybe there was something on this island? The feeling had come before they docked, before they had even seen the island, only getting worse.

"Ace?" He turned to see Marco there, having a small frown. "Why are you here, yoi? You aren't usually in bookstores."

That was true, but there was something here. Should he tell Marco? Didn't Marco have better senses since he was a phoenix? "There is something," Started Ace, turning to look at the books again. "Something, yoi?" Ace gave a nod. "Yeah. I don't know…" Ace's hand moved to a shelf, feeling a book there, "What… it… is..." What book was this? "Ace?" He turned to see Marco looking at him, a half-worried looked at his face. Ace shook his head a bit, not sure what this was, taking the book out. "Is there something with the book, yoi?" He gave a small frown at Marco's words, not sure. "I don't… know… But I will buy it." He felt as if he should buy it, and would do that. Ace took the book and looked at what it was called.

'The Dread Doctors.'

And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed

Not the most interesting chapter, as this was more build-up for later. The next chapter will be more interesting

If you have the time, I greatly appreciate feedback

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