Hello everyone, here is the next chapter

I know it's late and I really apologize for that, especially since it ended on a cliffhanger last time

Hope you enjoy

Read and relax

When Thatch came to, the


re were a group of people hovering over him, a few touching him. What had happened? He noticed blinking lights in the distance, trying to sit up, not sure why he was lying down, or why his body, especially chest, hurt. As he tried to sit up, a hand moved to his chest, pushing him down. "No, sir. Please stay still 'til the ambulance comes." Ambulance? Thatch blinked a bit, trying to get his head to work, having a bad headache, his head hurting bad. "Wha' happen'?" The person who pushed him down looked at him, looking like worry or something in the person's eyes.

"A truck came while you walked into the street. A kid pushed you out of the way. You do look fine, but jus-" Thatch sat up in haste. ACE! He needed to find Ace- something had happened and Ace had pushed him, whatever a truck was, and it had maybe hurt Ace. As he sat up, completely ignoring the person trying to keep him down, he saw a gigantic thing, looking like a big car, but more modern. Was that a truck? He hoped not, it looked like it could do damage. The human world had changed a lot the last centuries. As he turned his head more, he saw a bunch of people in a circle not too far away, another thing that had blinking lights on it coming towards them, looking like a smaller thing than the other big thing. Was that a truck too? As he looked more, he saw a thing- someone- lying on the ground where the humans stood in circle, the humans looking shocked and worri- ACE! It had to be Ace!

Thatch stood up, ignoring everyone and everything, heading over to the group, pushing the humans away, even though many tried to stop him, which made him just snap "He's my friend!" He needed to grab Ace and get away from here, seeing more and more people coming towards them, seeing the thing with blinking lights stopping and more people, in black and reflective yellow suits, coming out. Damn, they were someone. He needed to get away, he needed to get to Ace, which was hard. The ones in the black and yellow suits were just led to Ace, while he needed to fight through the humans. When he came to the middle, at least seeing Ace, he froze.

Ace was lying unconscious on the ground. The ones in suits looking at the kid and tearing his shirt open, seeming to look him over, looking to know what they were doing.

What was happening. What had happened? He needed to get to Ace, but when he tried to approach Ace and get the ones in suits away, one moved to stop him. As Thatch was on his way to tell he needed to get to Ace, he could hopefully do anything then, he saw the kid's chest as the shirt was cut.

Blood was pooling from his back, body bruised, seeing blood coming from his mouth.

Ace was hurt? How?

More people yelled around him, Thatch not sure what to do. He couldn't get away this many. He was just a high lord, he didn't have much power. As things got more confusing, more hectic and he had no idea what to do, he did what seemed like the best idea.

He closed his eyes and called for his father, telling he really needed help, something had happened to Ace, and he didn't know what to do, giving an image of what was happening.

He knew it might take a minute or so for the man to come here, knowing there was a meeting, Thatch hoping it would go fast. He didn't know what to do. But as his mind finished that sentence, everyone around him froze, seeming like a still picture, before a burst of fire happened a bit to his left, Pops appearing there.

Thatch felt really relieved seeing the man there, knowing he could handle this. "Pops," He said relieved. The man looked around, seeing Ace and heading over there. "What happened?" He said as he moved towards Ace. Thatch shook his head. "I-I don't know. A person mentioned a truck, or something, and I don't remember anything, just bright lights." The man gave a nod, moving to Ace and looking him over, a hand out and hovering over him. The man looked shocked, before he moved to lift Ace, Ace limp and not moving. Thatch looked at his father worriedly. "W-what's wrong with him?" Pops shook his head. "Not now, son. We need to get him back, now." He gave a nod, Pops moving his hand and making everyone fall over, most likely erasing their memories too.

Then they disappeared in a burst of fire.

As they appeared in Hell, Pops quickly placed Ace in a bed, seeing they were in Pops' room, the man turning and yelling for a gremlin to get Curiel, also one to get Marco. Thatch knew this was bad, he just didn't know what to do or what had happened. He could already see the bed starting to become red, Ace bleeding a lot. A few seconds later, Marco came through the door, looking worried and heading to Ace's from on the bed, looking at Pops. "What happened, yoi?" Pops gave a small sigh. "I don't know. Thatch's not sure either." Marco sent a look at him, and he shook his head a bit. "I-I don't know. I just remember a loud sound, Ace yelling something, and being pushed. Someone mentioned a truck I think."

Marco looked shocked. "He was hit by a truck?" Thatch didn't know what to do. "I- I don't know, I think so. ...Is it bad…?" Marco moved to Ace's side moving a bit of hair away from his head, seeing the bruised body and bloody body and face, blood coming from his mouth still. "It is, yoi. A truck is a gigantic car, like a gigantic rock, driving fast. Imagine a rock being thrown, hard, and hitting Ace. A human usually doesn't live." Thatch felt horrible now. He didn't know that. Marco looked at him. "Were you hit too?" Oh no, Marco shouldn't be worried about him. But, he needed to tell. "I… Ace pushed me out of the way, he took the main hit I think. I don't remember much." Marco gave a nod, looking back at Ace, worried.

Curiel then came inside the room, instantly going over to Ace and looking him over, asking what had happened. Marco explained, knowing more of the human world, the one being most up there. When he was finished, Curiel gave a small sigh, looking at them. "It's bad. His body is failing, dying. His human side can't handle this. When it dies, Ace will die. His demon side is too weak; he's only a cambion. He needs his human side to live."

Ace was dying. Thatch have made Ace dying, he had killed Ace, just barely alive now, but would die.

"I-I'm sorry." Thatch didn't mean for this to happen. Marco looked shocked, looked to not able to handle this, trying to figure something out. Before any of the could speak, Pops spoke. "Curiel, Thatch, please leave us for a bit." Thatch wanted to argue, to say no. He wanted to be here and try to help. But Pops' look had him leave, same with Curiel. He looked at Curiel in shock and horror, the man looking somber. Ace was dying.

-x-

Whitebeard gave a sigh, looking at Marco, who didn't seem to know where to place himself or what to do.

He knew something was really wrong when Thatch called for him, worse when he saw the image, the reason he left at once, knowing it was bad. Ace looked bad, and he had felt him dying when he had his hand over him. They got away and Curiel just confirmed his thoughts. Ace was dying, his human side not able to handle this. But, there was something the man could do. He looked at Marco. "There is a thing you can do, Marco. He's not just a half-demon. He's your spouse, at least half of him."

Marco seemed to get what he hinted at. "I can't do that, yoi. Ace wouldn't want it." He shook his head. "I am sure he would rather be alive as that, than dead in Hell. You would too." Marco took a deep breath, before he gave a nod. "I don't know if I can... " He shook his head. "Go and take his soul, the rest of it out, and kill him, saying the words." Marco knew how this worked. His mind knew, even though he didn't want to admit it. Marco gave a stiff nod, walking over to the bed, sitting at the side of it and leaning over Ace, moving a hand over Ace's chest, reaping Ace's soul, keeping it in his hand, the soul black. As it was removed, Marco moved his hand to his mouth, biting into his thumb, making it bleed his black blood, a drop dripping on Ace's body, going into his body and killing him, making him stop breathing and heart stop beating. Demon blood was poisonous, deadly, to a human. Marco then moved his hand to Ace's mouth, making a drop of blood fall in his mouth, saying the chant.

"Ego auferat quod humana anima mea ad constituam te plena coniugi, in requiem Domini mei immortalem vitam, et per latus meum: sanguinem meae occidere tu magnificas et concordiam offerentis sanguinem."

As the chant was said and drop of blood landed in his mouth, Ace's body was still for a few seconds, before his body lurched, his eyes opening and going red, nails growing, hair growing and becoming obsidian black, skin becoming grey, red tint here and there, a tail forming behind him, a bit of markings on his now-grey skin, silver ones, especially on his chest, ears growing more out and half-pointed, a few teeth growing and sharpening.

Ace was a complete demon now, even being a grey one, showing his status.

Marco was a little less bright red than most, a grey hue, showing he was higher than the rest, having gotten from being a normal demon to the prince, his appearance still changing, even having a bit of silver markings. But Ace was completely grey, instantly becoming the spouse to the prince.

Ace then fell back on the bed, unconscious, but alive. Marco gave a sigh. "How will I explain this to him, yoi?" Whitebeard shook his head, moving a hand to his back. "You tell the truth. You also need to tell the rest, he's a demon and his status shows. They need to know." Marco gave a nod, moving a hand to his face, looking not too sure about this. He shook his head, using his hand to give a pat on Marco's back. "It will go fine. Ace trusts you, and likes you a lot. He will understand. And I can help with the rest. But we won't tell yet. Come by my office when he's awake and you have explained, and I can help explain the rest." Marco gave a nod, looking at him. "Thank you, Pops." He shook his head. "It's nothing, son. I know he will understand, just be shocked."

Marco gave a nod, moving a hand to hold onto Ace's, and the captain left for his office, telling the two still outside the door to go on with their day, that things would be fine, and not to tell anyone what had happened. They did ask that had happened, but he didn't answer, sending them off and heading to his office. He could already feel Ace in the bond he has with his children, starting to from since he was now the spouse to Marco, the bond complete.

He hoped everything would turn out fine. They just needed to wait now.

-x-

Ace felt himself waking up, not sure why things felt foggy, but things did. He felt he should have a headache, but didn't. Hadn't there been an accident?

Ace felt himself open his eyes as he remembers Thatch just walking out into the road, not caring about the light being red, a truck coming.

When he was up, he was shocked when he saw he was in a room, looking close to Marco's rom, but not Marco's. Things was much lighter than it has been. Which room was he in? "Ace?" He looked to his side, seeing Marco there, the other looking worried. "Marco? Where are we? Where's Thatch?" Marco shook his head. "He's fine. How do you feel, yoi?" Ace shook his head a bit, not sure. He felt off. He was about to move his hand to his head, when he froze when he saw it.

His hand was grey, completely ashen.

"W-what?" He managed to get out, looking at his other hand, shocked when it was the same. Why were his hands grey?! He was about to feel his head, to see if he was okay, when Marco moved a hand to his hands, moving them down and making him look at Marco, who had a calm look. "Calm down. I will explain, yoi. Do you remember what happened?" Ace gave a small nod, trying to speak and needing a second. "I- t- there was a truck. Thatch just walked into the road. I think I managed to get him out of the way. Why are my hands grey?" Marco gave a nod, moving his hand comfortingly on his. "You did. You got him out of the way, but it hit you harder than it would have." Marco gave a sigh.

"You were close to dying, you would have died, yoi. I couldn't let that happen."

What did that mean? If he was close to dying, it meant he wasn't dead. He didn't feel dead, he felt fine. But, his skin was grey now, did that happen since he almo-. He felt his eyes widen as he understood. "I- I'm a demon?"

Marco gave a nod. "Yes, yoi. You are. I fully made you my spouse, meaning I also made you a full demon. It was the only way to keep you alive."

Ace didn't know what to do, he didn't know what to think. He was a demon? He had been dying and made a demon? Why did this happen to him? He didn't know what to do. He couldn't think what he should do. He couldn't think. "Ace, calm down. Take a breath" He nodded, now feeling he was panicking. He was a demon. Marco had turned him into a demon to keep him alive. He looked down at his hands, Marco's still over his. He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "Why… Why are my hands grey? Yours red." He noticed it now, Marco's was more red. What if he wasn't truly a demon? What if he couldn't be with Marco now?

Marco gave a breath. "Because I made you into my spouse, yoi. Color represent status. None of us are red like the others, greyer, especially Pops and me. I made you directly to my spouse, that's why. We have changed color, growing greyer since we aren't normal demons."

Ace blinked, looking at Marco. "One can see I am your… spouse?" Marco gave a nod. "Yes. It was the only way, since half of you was already bonded to me." Right. He was already bonded, but that was only a bit. Now he was fully bonded. "W-will the others… know?" Marco nodded. "They will, yoi. I know this is a lot, and I know you don't want to tell. We don't need to tell right away, but need to. Pops will help." Ace gave a nod, trying to calm himself down. He was fine, he was just… he was just a demon now. He looked down at his hands again. "Why… why aren't I in my human from? This is just… too much. I don't know what to do or what I should do or what to say or-" "Hey," Started Marco, hand moving on his arm. "Calm down, it will be fine. You don't have a human from since this is so new. I will teach you how to change to your human from when you can, I promise, yoi."

Ace gave a nod. Okay, that was good. He was fine, he was okay. "When- when can I do that?" Marco gave a small sigh. "Maybe in a few days." Okay, that was good. He didn't know what to think about this. "How… how do I look?" It couldn't only be his hands that changed. Marco gave a nod. "You want to see, yoi? There is a mirror here. But, it's a lot to take in." Ace wanted to see. He nodded. Marco helped him stand up, Ace feeling no pain, but felt… taller? He was almost Marco's height, who was taller than him. He did remember Marco was taller in his demon from. Maybe he was taller too?

When he got to the mirror, he was shocked at what he saw.

He had longer hair, completely black, eyes red, skin completely grey with golden-like markings on his shoulder, him lifting his shirt to see it was on his chest too. His ears were longer, pointy, grey, looking like horns, feeling like it too. His nails were longer, not noticing it before, nails black. He really looked like a demon.

He noticed a burst of flame next to him, Marco coming into the view of the mirror in his demon from, being a mix between red and grey he now noticed, having the same markings on his chest, eyes red, now being taller than him again. "What do you think, yoi?" Ace had no idea what to do. "I- I don't- I don't know. I'm a demon. How should I react?" Marco shook his head. "I don't know. Do you feel okay? I didn't mean for this to happen, to force you into this."

Ace gave a nod, trying to get this all in. He felt shocked still. Was he in shock? He didn't know. "I know. It's just a lot." Marco gave a nod, moving a hand to hold onto his. "I know, yoi. This is a lot. But we need to handle it. Pops can help explain, help both of us figure this out. If you feel up to speaking to him. No one will see us. He knows about this." Okay. He knew the king was good at explaining things, he was nice, maybe he could help. He didn't know what to do. "Y-yeah. I think I can do that." Marco gave a nod and moved his hand to his back, stroking. "We can leave if it gets too much. I get this is really shocking, a lot to take in, yoi." He was really glad Marco was as nice and understanding, letting him take this in his pace.

He had no idea how to handle this, no idea what to do.

He was a demon now.


And that's the chapter, hope you enjoyed

I know this is a bit short and late and I apologize. The holiday has just been hectic, and then school was hectic. The next will handle more of Ace now being a demon and everything

If you have the time, I greatly appreciate feedback

Translation: Ego auferat quod humana anima mea ad constituam te plena coniugi, in requiem Domini mei immortalem vitam, et per latus meum: sanguinem meae occidere tu magnificas et concordiam offerentis sanguinem. = I will take away the human soul to make you a full spouse, the rest of my immortal life, and by my side my blood killing you, and offering blood

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