Again, I'm sorry for the late, like really late -_- update but finals had to come first everyone! So please enjoy this chapter! :3

Ace had anchored the ship, going into town after Marco had done the same to ask about Whitebeard. He smiled at the thought of Marco having someone to go back to, but at the same time felt jealous of th-No Ace stop doing that, Marco is what matters. He inhaled and exhaled as he went into the town, seeing if maybe he could get some food. He went into a restaurant, looking around and seeing some Marines to the left and the cook to the fro-wait, Marines?

Ace looked out the corner of his eyes to see the Marines again but with one looking at him this time. Ace quickly made his way to the front, knowing that if he didn't appear to be a pirate or cause trouble that the Marines wouldn't bother.

"Hey mister! Can I have some meat please?"

"Can you pay for it pirate?"

"Pirate? I not a pirate, I'm a fisherman on a adventure!(Well he wasn't lying….)"

"Alright, whatever you say. Show me your money to pay for the dish."

Ace happily pulled the money out, showing the amount that was on the menu for the food he wanted, the cook grunting in confirmation before getting to work. Ace began to whistle as he was waiting for his food to cook contemplating on the finer points of saving money, like pulling a dine-n-dash. He didn't want the Marines on their tail so he just pay for no-Ace jumped when he felt a hand on his shoulder expecting Marco but it was just a Marine from the table.

"So I heard you were a pirate?"

"I'm not. Didn't you just hear the man ask me that? I'm a fisherman."

"I haven't seen you around these parts, and I've been here for quite a while."

"Yeah I live in the forest up there

"Ace, I should have known you would be at the nearest restaurant yoi."

"Hey Marco! Where have you-"

"It's Marco Phoenix! The First Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!"

At that news Marco seemed to freeze at before going up to the man, taking the man's shirt in his fist.

"I'm the First Commander of the Whitebeard pirates?"

"I-I-"

"Let go of my sanbornite Phoenix."

Ace watched Marco drop the man before grabbing him making a break for the door but getting stopped the man but he was made out of smoke? Ace had heard of devil fruits, so this be what's it like, this guy could turn into smoke like Lu could stretch. The fact that the man was smoke didn't do anything to deter Marco as he turned into his phoenix form giving the man a good kick sending the man flying.

"Ace get on my back!"

And Ace did just that not needing to be told twice. As he got on the bird back, he wrapped his arms around his neck yelling in delight as Marco flew into the air. Ace began to look down at the ground laughing as he touched the clouds, that's how high they were and it was amazing! Ace let himself melt against the flame feathers sighing at the blissful feeling of the wind in his hair.

Ace then began to feel as he the wind was more directed up and at his face instead of forward, opening his eyes to see that they were descending. When Marco landed got off, twisting and falling onto the field they had landed in laughing. He opened his eyes looking to his side as he saw Marco sit down next to him, a arm over his knee as his other leg went under it.

Ace closed his eyes, progressing all that happened. Now they had more to the puzzle that was Marco's memory, not only did Marco know Whitebeard but had been apart of his crew, his first mate in fact or that's at least what Ace assumed by first commander.

"Ace-"

"We finally have more to your memory, Marco. I'll still help you so don't think otherwise, but I want to protect you too Marco…."

Ace realized that was embarrassing to say but that was how he really felt. Even discarding his love, crush, whatever for Marco he knew the man since he was seven. The other was-

"I understand Ace and I feel the same about you…."

Ace smiled at Marco's words as he got up, dusting the invisible dust off his knees. He held his hand out to the other, Marco grabbing his hand before Marco pulled him forward, turning around so that Ace landed on his back. Ace screamed loudly(which he told Marco he didn't) as Marco took off again, going in the direction of the harbor. Once they touched the ground Ace gave the most heated glare he could to the other before he proceeded to pout, not expecting the hand ruffling his hair.

"Oh yeah, Marco we shouldn't stay here for long since there are Marines on the island."

"Oh yeah, almost forgot about them, good thing we decided to stay in that field for a while yoi. They must have started to search the harbor and nearby buildings, no doubt looking for us….Let's go."

Ace nodded before he looked around, taking Marco's hand as he started to their ship. When he said it was stressful trying to avoid the Marines so they wouldn't get caught that would a understatement….It was exstilleranting! Something about doing what he wanted with the one he loved made him love the adrenaline of the chase.

Ace shook his head, trying to concentrate on the task at ha-

"There they are!"

Ace's and Marco's eyes went to the single Marine standing somewhere to their right shouting their location. That's when Ace felt himself being tugged, running behind Marco as he started to catch on fire.

"Sorry Ace but we're going to have to leave the ship behind and get a new one yoi!"

Ace realized the implication that the other was making as he wrapped his arms around Marco's neck as he took off in the sky in his phoenix form. Ace shook his head smiling, thinking they were barely in the grandline not even having passed reverse mountain before they were getting chased by Marines! Oh well looks like they would-

"I'm sorry Ace, this is all my fault yoi. They recognized who I was, and since I grabbed you, you'll be associated with me now."

"Why are you talking some nonsense again turkey? I was going to have a bounty sooner or later so this is no problem! I'm just concerned about what your pops will think….Isn't he in the New World? Do you think he will come here just to meet you?"

"Maybe….My memory of him includes me calling him pops but I don't remember anyone other than him yoi…."

"Oh well, the first thing would be to look out for the newspaper. Either they are going to hide your alive from everyone or we will be in the newspaper!"

"I don't think they would want for me to get back to Pops so my guest is the former you said."

"Yeah but it's good to hope right?"

"Hahahaha, yes it is Ace."

"So what happens now? How long can you fly for? Will you get tired?"

"Are you asking me to fly to the New World as is yoi? *Chuckle*

"No, that wouldn't be any fun! I mean to the next island you giant blue turkey!"

"What did you say yoi? You want to take a dip?"

"WHAT? NO MARCO! HAHAHAHA! I WAS JOKING! PLEASE! Oh my god Marco! Don't do that ever again!"

"I don't know what your talking about yoi, I was following what you wanted…."

"I hate you Marco…."

"I love yo-"

Ace felt suddenly sleepy as he closed his eyes without warning, head bumping against Marco's neck.

"Ace? Ace? Ace, are you-"

Ace didn't hear anymore then that.

Timeskip

Ace's eyes fluttered open, looking above him to the whitest ceiling he ever saw. Sitting up, he looked round before sliding out the bed grabbing his shirt. He opened the door, seeing the house empty as he looked around, going to the door. He opened it seeing a regular village around him as a woman stopped smiling at him.

"Are you okay mister?"

"Yeah, I am why?"

"The first commander came with you in a panic thinking something was wrong with you mister."

So After I fell asleep Marco brought me to this island….

"Do you know where he is?"

"No idea, the lady or the doc as we call here went into the mountains with him to get some ingredients and research what you had."

Ace nodded but he was okay so it couldn't be something deadly but if he fell asleep again in a fight that would definitely be a problem….

"Thank you Ma'am for the informat-Wait did you call him the first commander?"

"Yes why?"

"Well he lost his memory and was living with me for three years and we recently found out that he could be the first mate of Whitebeard so we are traveling to see if the information was right."

"Oh no, I wish we could do something more but we are not under his protection so we can't contact Whitebeard. I only know who he is because my grandmother and I were in the same place where he landed and asked for help. She might know more though!"

"Can you take me to her please?"

"Sure mister! No problem! Come this way!"

Ace followed the woman, both of them a sight(he guessed since everyone was looking at them or rather him) as he looked around the market, stomach growling at the prospect of food. He was so busy looking at the stands that he didn't realize that the woman had disappeared from his sight….He really needs to stop thinking with his stomach.

He looked around, frowning as he couldn't find the woman before he made his way to one of the meat stands, practically drooling at the sight of the different meats.

"Do you want some sir?"

"Yeah I-"

And that was when Ace remembered that all the money they had was back on the ship they had to abandon….This was not his day.

"No thanks Ma'am I was just-"

*growl*

"-looking around…."

"Your stomach says otherwise Sir." *giggle*

"No it's fine besides I just realized all the money me and my friend had was on the ship."

"Had?"

"We had to leave it because we had to make a quick escape from him being captured."

"Oh. Oh! Are you talking about the first commander?"

"Yeah, Marco."

"Oh ok! Here is a meat stick on the house then!"

"No Ma'am really it's fine!"

*Sigh* "I see you're not going to take it for free, so let's make a deal. You work for me for a while to pay off the food you eat at my stall ok?"

Ace could live with that.

"Alright here. Do the dishes and after that you'll start to attract customers ok?"

Ace nodded as he went to the back, chewing on the first of meat sticks out of the many that he would consume in that work day. It didn't take long for the day to go by, it eventually becoming the afternoon. Ace wiped the sweat from his head looking around, seeing no more customers coming in.

"Alrighty! That's that! Thanks for the help….uh well that's bad manners! I didn't even get your name! I'm Lizzy Lila, nice to meet you!"

"Portgas D Ace."

"Thanks for the help Ace! I-Hey look, isn't that the first commander running toward us?"

Ace turned only to be enveloped in a hug, looking a bit to the side he saw the familiar yellow haircut. He smiled as the other ran to him before he was tackled although he was still standing so it wasn't too bad, Marco grabbed his hands looking at him with worried eyes.

"Sorry I worried you Turk-"

"I'm just glad you are okay Ace….Why did you just fall unconscious like that yoi, you scared me half to death when you slid off my back!"

"I slid off your back?"

"Yes, I had to grab you with my talons, the people on this island thought I was kidnapping you."

"I'm sorry, I have narcolepsy, it's where I randomly fall asleep but it rarely happened when I was a child so that's why I didn't think to tell you. But first things first let's get some dinner because I'm hungry!"

"Ok yoi, let's go feed the black hole that you house in your stomach."

"Hey!...I can't really deny that…."

Ace laughed with Marco not realizing that Marco was still holding his hand.

More to the puzzle that is Marco's memory! Mwuahahahaha! And More cuteness from these two! Anyway I hope you enjoyed this as much I enjoyed it! I will C you later~

Sapphire~