Hello everyone, here is the next chapter

Stuff will happen and progress will be made

Hope you enjoy

Red and relax

Ace gave a groan, hearing knocking on his door, not wanting to wake up, wanting to sleep; it was late. He knew he had nightshift but didn't want to wake up.

"Come on, Ace. You know you need to come out, yoi." He gave a louder groan, moving more under his sheets, seeing it was midnight. He didn't want to wake up. More knocking was on his door, Marco telling him to get up and out, making him sit up on his arms in his bed, getting an idea. Marco was still with him every other day, trying to get his phoenix used to his vampire, not scared. Not that they had gotten far the last couple months, not much happening at all.

As he heard another knock at his door, he gave gave a snarl, teeth out and sure his eyes were red, telling 'No!'

He could hear and feel Marco taking a step away from his door, feeling small fear from him, making him smirk, being sure to still keep the small angry feeling out through his vampire. It worked. Now, he only needed to wait for a few seconds. 1, 2, 3, 4- His door banged open, Marco standing there, fuming. "Ace!" He gave a small laugh, smirk still on his face. "You did it! You came in even though you was scared!" Marco's eye twitched. "You brat, yoi!" growled the first commander as he came towards him, making him give a squeak as he moved out of bed and ran out of his room, Marco close behind, yelling at him while he laughed.

When he was out on deck, he saw Pops was still out and jumped on the armrest, moving the big hand to hide behind it, seeing Pops looking at him amused. "What did you do, son?" He gave a laugh, looking at the man. "Nothing! I helped Marco! He's just being mean!" The man lifted an eyebrow, moving his gaze, most likely to look at Marco, who he didn't see because of the hand he was hiding behind. "Marco?" He heard Marco give an angry breath. "He used his vampire to try and get out of the night shift, yoi."

Pops looked back at him with a raised eyebrow, making him shake his head. "No! I said 'no', to force him to go inside even though he was scared! He did it! I helped him overcome his fear!" Pops gave a chuckle, moving his hand away, so he saw a fuming Marco, glaring at him, making him laugh. "Come on, Birdy! It helped!" Marco gave an angry sigh. "You will be the death of me, yoi." Ace gave a laugh. He had won, he knew what that sentence meant; that Marco was still mad, but he understood it. A glare was at him again.

"You are now going to be cleaning the deck tomorrow, yoi!"

Damn, he had hoped he could get out of punishment. He gave a whine. "Whyyyy?!" Marco gave a glare. "Because you knew what would happen, yoi!" He gave a whine, looking at Pops, hoping to get some help. The man gave a chuckle. "Sorry, son. This is all on you." He gave a whine, Pops moving to lift him up and place him on the ground, leaving him to face Marco's wrath. "Be nice, Marco." Marco gave a look to Pops. "I will, yoi. After I have a word with Ace." Marco then grabbed his ear, dragging him."Ouch ouch ouch ouch," He said as Marco dragged him by his ear, already starting the lecture. He heard Pops give a chuckle behind him.

It was all worth it, even though he needed to wash the deck tomorrow after the night shift. Tomorrow would be a shitty day, hoping he didn't get the cleaning duty in the morning, wanting to sleep.

-x-

Marco gave a small frown, looking at the box in front of him, knowing it was Ace's food from whoever it was, having arrived around lunch time, Ace off sleeping after the night shift.. This still happened almost every month, sometimes being a bit later than other times, having been a month late at times, Ace seeming a bit down when that happened, but said it happened. But, he couldn't help being curious, smelling something and wanting to check it out. He hadn't smelled this before, and carefully opened the box, the smell growing bigger, being a sweet kind of smell, but also not.

As it was open, he blinked, almost dropping the lid to the box. It was organs, not just any, it was a brain with the eyes still on it, one looking at him and the other crushed. A tongue, and a heart next to it, bags of blood in it too.

Just where did this come from? One couldn't just take this.

A second later, the door opened and Ace was there, looking in the box, jumping a bit as he was happy, more so than usual. He looked at Ace, who didn't even seem fazed that he had looked. "What is that smell, yoi?" This was not the smell of normal human flesh or organs, he knew that. This was almost a sweet scent. Ace looked at him, looking happy. "It- it-" Ace was so excited he was stumbling on his words. "It's the eyes! Since it crushed! But eyes! I finally got eyes!" He blinked again. Ace sounded way too happy about this. "You like… eyes, yoi?" That was not a sentence he thought he would ever say.

Ace gave a nod, looking at him. "Yeah! They're like my favorite!" He didn't know, and frankly, wasn't sure if he wanted to know. But also kinda glad he now knew since it was his favorite. But damn, eyes?

Ace blinked, calming down as he looked at him, before looking sheepish. "I… sorry." Marco blinked, before he shook his head. "No, don't be, yoi. It's just, not something I would have thought. Or find staring at me. I shouldn't have looked, I knew it was yours." Ace shouldn't feel guilty for being happy about getting his favorite food, that made Marco a bit uncomfortable, not expecting it. Ace gave a small nod, before taking the lid and placing it on the box again, shielding some of the smell again, looking down. He gave a sigh. "Ace, yoi. I didn't mean to make you feel guilty for being happy. I was just shocked." Ace gave a look and small smile to him. "It's fine, Marco. Really." No, it was not. But, couldn't do too much about it now.

He looked at Ace. "Do you want to take it yourself, or should I, yoi? So we can help make it last." He knew Ace often ate it fast, liking it. Ace gave a small frown, giving an "umm" as he thought. He gave a small sigh. "We won't keep it from you, but help store it for longer, and see if Thatch can do anything with the blood, yoi." He knew the chef would not be okay with the organs and such, at least not yet. He hoped the chef would be at some time.

After a few seconds, Ace gave a nod, looking at him. "Okay." He gave a nod, glad he agreed, sure that was something that needed trust. "How about we give Bay a blood bag, so she has it in case of an accident, yoi." He knew there was something about being the right taste or preference or something, meaning this was from someone Ace liked the blood extra well. He wanted to ask who, but he was sure he wouldn't get an answer. As he was about to take the box, to give it to Thatch, but tell not to open it, only store it, and take a blood bag to Bay, Ace moved the lid off, taking the crushed eye and eating it, before giving him the box. "Wanted a taste." he gave a chuckle, glad he was more comfortable eating around them, or at least him. That meant a lot.

He gave a look to Ace. "And remember, you still have cleaning duty later, yoi." Ace gave a groan. "Whyy." He gave a chuckle. "You know why. See you out on deck in an hour, yoi." The duty started at 19 when it was the late one, going to be a bit nice since Ace had the night shift, so Ace needed to be out then, or get more punishment. He knew Ace would do it, but do it while complaining and whining, and he would be out to be sure Ace did his punishment.

Ace left whining, most likely heading back to his room to sleep or the last hour, before he went and got him if he wasn't out by the time he needed to. He then walked to the kitchen, knowing Thatch was there preparing dinner for everyone, delivering the box and telling to store it as meat, but to not look, unless he wanted to be scarred for life. The chef knew he was serious, especially when he said it was Ace's, knowing it was human meat or something. He took the blood bags out and handed one to Thatch, and handed the other to Bay, telling what it was, her taking it and marking it for Ace in case of emergency.

After that, he grabbed some food during dinner in the galley, seeing Ace there too, eating and having fun. When the clock was 7 pm, he gave a look to Ace, who groaned as he walked out on deck to start cleaning.

He knew Ace didn't like it, but he had himself to thank for it. He shouldn't have done the snarl warning so sudden last night. He knew it was done in amusement now, kind of tried to help, but more for his own amusement, which annoyed him more. Ace could handle a few hours of cleaning duty, and he would let him off at dinner time, to be sure he learned to not do this again. It was not good to do that, using the fear the phoenix had to his advantage, which he was sure the kid could come up with. He was sure to watch and be sure Ace did his job, cleaning the deck, doing just enough for him not to tell him to speed up, Thatch even trying to help get him away, but left at the threat of joining Ace. No one liked cleaning duty.

But, after 2 hours, he noticed Ace slowing down, having a frown as he looked at the sea at times.

It had him frown, feeling Ace did it to get out of the duty, maybe going to come with an argument as to why he couldn't do this, as he had before. One time even saying he needed rest because of his vampire, but a look from him had him continue with a hanging head. Ace always tried to get away after a couple hours. He would give Ace a bit more time to gather his act before he pushed him to do it faster.

But, before he could do that, Ace sent a look at him, filled with something, eyes a bit darting and brows half-furrowed. Ace had never looked like that, and it had him worried something was wrong. He walked over to Ace, seeing him grasping the mop he had tightly, as if nervous or something.

This wasn't Ace just being stubborn and not wanting to do the punishment, something was wrong. And if it was a play, he would throttle the other. "Ace, yoi? What is it?" Ace looked at him, before looking to the side, eyes darting, brows furrowing more, hands grasping the mop harder.

"I… feel something."

That had him instantly worried, remembering the last time Ace had felt something, and that had been an enemy ship. He knew Ace had been gradually slowing down, meaning he had felt this for a while, at least half an hour. "What is it, yoi? Is it like last time, an enemy or humans?" Still sounded weird to ask if it was humans, but this was important and could be dangerous. He knew Ace wouldn't joke about this, and the look he had spoke thousands of words. Ace shook his head, looking at him.

"No, it's not like that. That felt like humans, this feel… -I don't know!- but I'm scared, Marco."

The last part was spoken in small distress and it had him really worried now, completely sure Ace wouldn't fake this. When Ace turned to look at the sea again, he moved to touch his arm, making Ace look back at him, clearly worked up and scared, not having seen this before, this big of a reaction. "Where do you feel it? And how far away, yoi?" Ace seemed to be thinking, looking west. "I-I think that way, and I don't know what or where, but it feels like it's coming closer, more than one thing." Ace turned to look at him.

"Marco, I really don't like this."

He gave a nod. "I get that, yoi. Try and relax. I will tell the the ones on watch to look out and have everyone be prepared." Ace gave a nod, giving a swallow, looking around, eyes furrowed in an almost distressed look. He gave a worried look to Ace. "Why don't you go and relax in your room, yoi?" Ace shook his head. "I don't want to, I don't like this." The fact Ace didn't want to go to his room spoke words. " You're worked up, Ace. You should go and relax, and we will keep a watch out." Ace gave a slow nod, before he walked slowly to his room, obviously being bothered by this.

As Ace was gone, he looked west, concentrating if he could feel anything, and could maybe feel something weak, but not sure if he actually did or just imagined it. It felt like a dread-like feeling. But then again, he might be imagined since Ace was reacting as bad.

He gave a frown, hoping he wasn't feeling anything, knowing it was bad if he did. He moved to Pops, telling what had happened, the man being worried too, agreeing they should look out and see if anything happened. If it had Ace reacting the way it did, it had to be bad.

As he had updated Pops, he went and told everyone on watch to watch out, extra carefully, especially towards the west, telling why, before informing the rest of the commanders that were out, so everyone was ready in case someone, or something, appeared. Everyone was worried and on the alert, but if this was anything, it could be really bad if they weren't prepared. As time moved, an hour since he sent Ace to his room, he felt himself growing more wary too, as if feeling something looming closer. He hoped it was just his nerves, or that Ace was on the edge and he felt that.

His thoughts was cut off as he heard a scream of pain, looking to the railing to see Jensen having his foot in a… bear trap? How?

The man fell in pain, backwards, and when he was down, them already moving towards him, another bear trap suddenly appeared under the man's arm, causing him to scream again, before a spear went through his neck, silencing him as blood trickled out of his mouth.

What was this?

As he was a bit away, he turned to the side when he saw Jean falling to the ground, a spear through his neck too, Tom next to him, caught in bear traps as Jensen, dead. As he was about to yell for everyone to get ready, something flew by him, seeing it was a harpoon, pinning Izou to the wall, the harpoon straight through his chest, eyes open and blood tricking down his face. "IZOU!" He looked to see Thatch looking around scared, horrified. What was doing this?! As he looked at Thatch, he saw the man moving, before he suddenly coughed blood, stopping, his chest literally opening and and making the man fall down.

He felt himself give a small scream when pain engulfed his leg, looking down to see a bear trap there, falling down to a knee in pain, seeing everyone who stood in the same predicament, a few being killed as Izou was, seeing Pops having 5 spears through him and his chair, looking distressed, trying to move his hands, only to have bear traps keep them pinned down. He tried to move, only to hiss in pain. Why weren't his powers working? He felt another yell go out his mouth when another bear trap appeared on his other leg, making him unable to move. But, the yell stopped when his mouth suddenly clasped shut, pain filling him. When he moved a hand to his face, he felt thread, and when he looked at Jozu, who was in the same predicament as him, stuck to the deck with bear traps, his mouth was sewn shut.

What was happening? Who did this, and why weren't his powers hurting, feeling the pain going to his head, seeing others falling unconscious to the pain, the second more of their body hit the deck, more bear traps or spears came out, or a harpoon came and hit them. They couldn't do anything. Not even scream.

Then he heard it. He heard footsteps, loud ones, as well as something else.

He turned his head, and saw 3 men walking on the deck, him never having seen them before, looking like the most terrifying thing he had seen, feeling his phoenix screaming in fear and horror, not able to do anything.

The three men walked with one in front and the others at the side, the one in the middle having on a weird mask with yellow glasses, some mask piece over his mouth with tubes out of it, screws in it, and looking terrifying, black leather clothes and big boots, making his footsteps loud, a cane in his hand, moving with his steps loudly. The one to his right had a mask on and a big tube coming out of it from where the mouth was, before parting into two tubes and going around him, mask having 3 holes and other parts and screws, dark brown clothes on. The one on the left had a smooth mask on, only holes for eyes, tubes at the side, black and brown clothes. Their breathing was loud through the mask, as if having issues. What were those mask and tubes? What were these people? Why did he feel like he had seen them before?

As he looked at them, they suddenly seemed to disappear for a second, before appearing a few feet forward, as if jumping or rushing through time, a weird clicking noise being with them, their bodies unsteady, like a bad quality video, not quite being there, their bodies moving slow and steady, the irregular shaking being there at times, like glitching, at different part of their bodies.

They just walked past them, the few who tried to reach out to stop them lost their entire arm, just being cut off.

They were the ones to do this. And they couldn't do anything.

He sent a distressed look at everyone, seeing almost everyone being unconscious- dead- only a handful awake to see this, Pops, Jozu, Vista, and Curiel being those he saw, looking as horrified as him. What was happening. What did they want? The 3 just walked past them, disappearing behind a wall, hearing more people screaming in pain, making him try and move to help, needing to do anything, hearing the footsteps grow faint and disappearing, but all movements had him flinch in pain, his mouth still being sewn shut. The he heard it again, the clicking sound and footsteps, and when he saw them again,

Ace was over the middle one's shoulder, eyes open but looking unable to move, eyes filled with fear.

They were here for Ace.

He looked to his side when he heard sound, seeing Pops forcing his mouth open through the thread keeping it shut, looking furious. He managed one syllable before one of the men, the one who held Ace, moved his cane, smashing it to the ground, causing a spear to appear through Pops neck, making his head slump, causing Marco to look on horrified as these three people just killed the entire family in under 2 minutes. Just how?

The three just walked with power, as if not scared of anything, and when they came to the railing, they walked through it, before walking in the air, then disappearing.

Just how did they do that.

As they were gone, he felt his mouth open and gasping for breath, his feet suddenly being free, bear traps gone. What? As he looked up, hearing many startled and panicked breaths, he saw everyone sitting up or lifting themselves up on their hands, even those he was sure was dead, like Izou and Jensen, no blood, no wounds, or anything. How?

He moved to the closest one, being Jensen, who was panicking, being sure he was fine, having no injuries, just panicked, seeing everyone in the same state, some panicking way more, and a few like him, seeing Pops looking shocked and fine, hand on his neck, no injuries. A few seconds later, Bay came running, a few nurses with her, checking everyone, asking what had happened, having experienced the same as them.

He had no answer, no idea how who- or what- those three were had managed this. But they had taken Ace. Why were they after him?

Marco had no idea what to do right now.

And, that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed

Everyone is getting used to Ace and ace is starting to get used to everyone and everything, and hope everyone enjoyed the chapter

If you have the time, I greatly appreciate feedback

If you want to, come follow me on Twitter, where pictures and such will be posted, as well as updates and if I'm late. My twitter is ("at") Azuruko (Link also at my profile) You can leave comments, requests, ideas, or just say hi

Or, you can join my Discord server, Azuruko's fiction, for the same reasons as my twitter. Instant invite: discord . gg / 6hzMhbR