Oriana was waiting by the rail for a certain commander to return from a mission. Thatch has been gone for a few weeks to do some business on one of their islands and the food hasn't been the same since.
She made a mental note to accompany him on the next mission he was going on.
Oriana was slowly tapping her foot impatiently and people around her were starting to take notice. "What are you doing, Oria?" Vista came up to her, "I'm waiting for Thatchie to return" her eyes were still on the ocean.
"I don't ever recall you being like this when I return from a mission," Vista said, "Because, I'm not- I mean, I don't want you to see this side of me, commander. I will always try to be strong, especially in front of you!" she smiled.
"You are such an angel, Oria. Keep being strong for Thatch as well!" she didn't know if he was joking or not. She didn't get the chance to figure it out as a familiar ship was visible in the distance, "He's almost back!"
Oriana wanted to go there to greet him, but the way Vista was staring at her made her hesitate. She had never done that with him and she didn't want to think that she had a favorite commander or something.
She sighed and waited for the ship to come to them. It was undoubtedly going very slowly.
When they finally got here, she jumped onto the much smaller ship and directly toward the commander, "Thatchie!" she smiled and jumped him to the deck, "I certainly get a warm welcome, Oria!" he grinned and held a hand on her back.
"Only the best for you! Now, do you have food onboard the ship?" she faced him with a cute smile. "No, unfortunately, but I can make you something after we get the supplies up to the Moby Dick," he said, "Don't worry, I'll do it while you cook for me!"
Thatch nodded as he got up to the main ship.
Oriana gathered all the boxes and summed a wind around each of them and shot them unto the Moby. Once they were up there, she got curious and started looking through the boxes and it was mostly filled with sake and weapons.
She had hoped for something more exciting but then saw a small treasure chest. The female pirate grabbed it before opening it and inside was a big purple fruit. She felt something ominous from it as she inspected it closer.
"Don't eat that" Thatch used one hand to hold the plate with food while the other closed the chest, "I wasn't going to" she answered, "Anyways, here's something" he gave her the plate and then took the chest from her.
"Ace look at this" Thatch called and showed him the fruit, "Oh, that's a devil fruit" the youngest realized, "I don't know what fruit it is, and I don't know if I'll even eat it" the commander cook explained.
While the two were talking she felt a chill down her spine. Oriana stopped eating to look around for anyone who could have caused this, yet no one looked suspicious to her at all. Everyone was smiling and having fun in each other's company.
Oriana had trouble calming down as she went over to her room without worrying the others.
She was still awake hours later. She had trouble sleeping, which was so unlike her, but she had a bad feeling that something was going to happen soon, and it worried her very much. It was all because of that fruit Thatchie came home with.
Time wasn't easy to tell when she was staring out into the darkness. Oriana was thirsty and decided to get up to get something to drink from the kitchen while getting some fresh air in the meantime. So, two for one!
When she went out to the deck, Winter Blaze saw a storm was about to hit. Ever since her accident, Oriana had been nervous to go through the deck, especially at night. She hasn't told anyone because it was embarrassing to admit to anyone that she was scared.
Normally she would be asleep at this time and didn't matter.
Oriana was debating rather or not to ask Thatch to help her to get something to drink. The commander would surely tease her for a while but he would understand her reasoning, right? She walked towards his room that was close to hers and knocked on the door, "Thatchie."
She called out a few times, but still no answer. Then she slowly opened the door and noticed that he wasn't there. Oriana sighed, maybe he was still in the kitchen for the same reason as her at this insane hour.
The female pirate looked up into the dark sky before she took a deep breath and went out into the darkness. Oriana was walking in the direction of the gallery when a flash of lightning suddenly hit. She almost ran but then fell over something.
Oriana looked back and as she did another lightning hit. Now, she saw the figure of someone laying on the stomach. She crawled towards the person as she forgot her fear in the meantime and started gently shaking him, "Oi, what's wrong?" she asked but he didn't answer.
She closed her green eyes and opened them as red which helped her see things much more clearly.
It was Thatch.
Oriana touched his back and felt something thicker than rainwater. She saw a wound on his back. Thatch had been stabbed without anyone noticing. She quickly grabbed his wound to make the bleeding stop but didn't know how much blood he had already lost.
She started screaming for help, but because of the storm, no one heard.
"Please be alive Thatch!" she desperately held on to him. Tears were starting to form in her eyes as she used her powers to rock the ship hard, "I-Is that… you, Oria" she heard a low voice speaking, "Don't talk. It's going to be alright!"
Thatch grabbed her arm, "We've been betrayed. It was…-" he was struggling to talk, "Help is going to come soon. Please save your energy," she tried to smile for him, but it was almost impossible to. Oriana quickly let go to rock the ship, even more, this time.
She finally felt footsteps approaching, "You hear that Thatch. It's going to be okay. You are going to be okay!" she said more to herself than him. "Oriana!" Marco kneeled next to her, "Please, save him, Marco!" if it weren't for the rain, he would clearly have seen her tears, but that didn't mean he didn't hear how broken her voice sounded.
"Are you hurt, little one?" Marco asked as he lifted Thatch over his shoulders and offered her his hand, "No, I'm okay. Take him!" she quickly answer. The first commander nodded before rushing toward the infirmary.
Oriana tried to get up to go after them, but her legs felt like jelly. She was about to fall if someone didn't catch her, "Are you alright, treasure?" she looked to see her father's worried eyes, "Dad… Thatch was..." she started crying as she hugged her father, "I know, it's going to be alright, Oriana" he rubbed her back in comfort.
The crew started gathering out on the deck.
"I want to see Thatch and make sure he's okay!" Oriana looked at her father, "We need to let them help him first. In the meantime, we need to get you clean up and in dry clothes. You're shaking from the cold weather" the captain said surprised.
She looked down at her body and noticed that she really was shaking. That's shouldn't have been possible even at the coldest winter islands she would feel a chill breeze at most. Yet here she was shaking; it was awful, and she hated it already.
Oriana had her arms around herself and walk to her room with her father by her side.
Whitebeard helped her get up while she had her arms around her body. Oriana was about to open her closet to look for new clothes when Izo stopped her, "Don't worry, I'll find you something to wear. Go, take your shower" he smiled gently at her.
Oriana turned to her father with desperation in her eyes, "I'll be here when you get out" he assured her as she nodded gratefully.
When she entered the bathroom she felt the cold hard floor on her way to the shower. Oriana got behind the curtains and started washing the blood away from her hands, some even managed to get into her hair.
Somehow, she couldn't stop herself from scrubbing her hands even more because every time she looked at them, she only saw Thatch's blood all over. She thought back to her friend's cold body laying out in the rain like a dead animal.
Who was the coward that stabbed him in the back? Whoever did it will die a slow and painful death.
There was suddenly a knock on the door, "Oria, I'm coming in with new clothes" Izo called from the other side of the curtains, "Alright, come on in" she managed to say normally. He came in with the clothes and soon left again.
Oriana dried her body with the warm wind before she got dressed. She looked at herself in the mirror and there was clear proof that she's been crying with her puffy eyes. She quickly dried her hair and went into her room.
Once she walked through the door she found her father sitting on her bed, "How are you, Oriana?" he asked concerned, "I'm clean but I still feel… filthy" she went over to him and put her arms around him, "Dad" she held on tightly.
Whitebeard didn't say anything and just held her close. That was the only thing she needed from him right now. Oriana always felt comfortable in his presence after all.
-x-
Oriana woke up earlier and found herself alone on the bed. She saw her father sitting on her desk next to her reading the newspaper. "You're up early, treasure, are you hungry?" he smiled warmly at her, "I think I'm sick, dad," she said tiredly.
Whitebeard got a bit worried, and he put his hand on her forehead, "I'll go get Marco. I think you might have a fever" he carefully rubbed a finger on her cheek before leaving. Oriana rolled onto her stomach and then held herself up by the elbows while both hands touched her forehead.
Great, her head was pounding too, and she was freezing.
Oriana didn't notice someone had entered her room until someone cleared their throat.
She turned around to see Ace standing next to her bed, "You really must be sick not to even notice I came in," Oriana was so tired that she just laid down again. He went over to her and felt her forehead as well, "You're burning up" he said concerned.
"That's funny considering I'm freezing" she wrapped the blanket around herself to get cozier. Ace was staring at her in disbelief, "What?" she didn't understand his reaction, "You don't get cold as in never" he anything by yelling.
"I know" she simply answered.
Ace walked over to her, "What are you doing" she asked confused, "Move over" he said before laying down next to her and wrapping the blanket around them both, "I'm literally made of fire so my body will warm you up" before wrapping his arm around her.
Oriana felt his warm body and she moved closer to him, "Thank you, Ace" she wrapped her arms around him before soon drifting into sleep.
-x-
Oriana felt someone shaking her but she slapped the hand away, "You need to eat something, Oria" she was still very close to Ace but saw that Marco was sitting on a chair next to them. The first commander did a quick checkup.
Her father was right she had a fever.
Marco advised her to rest before handing her a bowl of soup, "How's Thatch?" she didn't have the will nor appetite to be eating right now. Ace took the bowl and was ready to feed her, "He lost a lot of blood, and we don't know anything else yet, yoi" Marco explained.
"I want to see him!" Oriana sat up, "I don't think that's a good idea, little one," Marco said, "I can't let the memory of him laying out in the deck be my last of him!" she felt tears gathering in her eyes, "Okay, how about I take you to him if you eat first, yoi" the first commander offered.
"Oi, Marco-" Ace tried but, "Deal!" she answered without hesitation and took the bowl from Ace. Oriana used her fiery breath to warm up the food. The two commanders noticed that she didn't have her usual joy in eating and it felt like she was forced to eat.
Well, she kind of was, but whatever made it happen.
When she was done, Oriana crawled over Ace and once she stood on her feet she suddenly felt very heavy. She was about to fall forward, but Marco caught her, "Are you sure you up for it? I can take you later instead" he suggested.
"I want to see him now!" Oriana said without hesitation. "Alright" Marco replied before lifting her up princess style, "Oi, what are you doing?" her eyes widen, "You want to see Thatch, so since you just slow us down, I'll carry you over there, yoi" he had a big grin plastered on his face.
Oriana refused to let him embarrass her, "What are you waiting for? Let's go!"
The two walked through the deck and the crew was concerned for her, "Is something wrong with her, Marco?" they asked worried, "No, she just wants to see Thatch" Marco said as he moved past them. They were relieved to hear that.
They arrived at the infirmary soon, Oriana started hearing a beeping sound and once she saw him she gasped. Thatch looked lifeless, "We don't know if he'll ever wake up" Marco explained as he let her down.
Oriana struggled to reach the chair next to the bed but was determined to make it nonetheless. Winter Blaze reached out and hesitantly touched his hand which was very cold, "Don't die on me, Thatch, please" she said to him before putting her forehead on his hand.
She stayed there for a long time watching him. Thatch quickly became one of her favorite people on board and it wasn't only because she loved his food. He was kind, open-minded, and generally fun to hang out around. If… if he died the whitebeard pirate would have lost a very important part.
Who would have done this?
Thatch was friends with everybody onboard the ship. She had a hard time figuring out who would have the motive to stab him in the back and leave him to die in the cold of night. Ever since that devil fruit was found she had this bad feeling.
Wait, did someone do this because of that fruit? Oriana stared into space as she tried so hard to think of someone who could do this, "If you want his devil fruit, you'll just have to kill him." Could it be who she thought it was?
Winter Blaze got up from the chair and struggled towards the door. She felt once she reached the deck, "What's wrong, Oria?" Ace asked concerned, "Teach. Where is Teach?!" she yelled. They looked confused for a moment but decided to go look for him.
-x-
They never found Teach and Ace was angry. None of them could believe that a traitor would be someone who had been in the crew for over twenty-seven years. They all wanted to go after him and make him pay for everything.
Oriana's fever was gone, and she was feeling so much better – at least physically. The second division commander was ready to go after him and get the revenge they all longed for.
"Stop it, Ace. Calm down" Marco stated, "Pops, said it's an exception. You don't need to go after Teach," someone continued while holding the angry commander. "Let go of me. He was one of my men and if I don't do anything about it, Thatch's soul can't rest" he yelled.
"Don't talk as if Thatchie will never wake up!" Oriana protested. "Compare it to the stage he is in now. It would have been more merciful if he did die!" Ace fired back
"Ace," Whitebeard said, and he calmed down a bit, "It's okay. This is an exception. I have a bad feeling about this" the captain continued. "He killed his nakama and ran away. He had been on this crew for decades and then he threw dirt in your face!" Ace said before turning around.
"And above all, he disgraced my father's name, and I can't allow that! I'll take care of this," he said while putting on his hat. He crossed a line thinking he was alone in this and Oriana was going to give him a piece of her mind but saw Whitebeard's facial expression turned very serious.
She wasn't a commander, so she had no right to stop him but as his friend, she couldn't let him leave like that. Teach had betrayed them all not just him, so she would personally go with him to make sure that that bastard was dead.
"Dad, I'm sorry but I can't let him-" Shay started, but Whitebeard interrupted her, "I know, but since we can't change his mind. Keep an eye out for him," he sighed. Ace took his black and green bag while the rest of the crew were yelling at Ace not to go as he jumped on board his striker.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of him" she smiled at her crewmates as she jumped down next to him, "Just look after Thatch in the meantime!" Ace looked shocked for a moment, "What are you doing" he asked, "What're you talking about, I'm going with you" she replied, she went on board his small ship and held on to the small sail.
"It's my responsibility as the commander to go after him… alone," the famous fire fist said. "Can't let you do that. Pops have a bad feeling about this so I'm going with you" and it looked like he was about to say something.
"You are wasting precious time arguing with me. It's been almost two weeks since the incident so either we both stay, or we both go. Your choice" she said stubbornly. The two glared at each other for about 20 seconds before Ace sighed and started his ship as he moved forward.
The female pirate looked back for a moment and saw the captain with an upset expression. Oriana felt bad for leaving like that as she waved. Then realized that this was the first time she separated from her father intentionally ever since returning. She never left on her own for the last six years.
It felt weird leaving, but she was sure to return when everything was over. But why was there something inside her saying next time would be under different circumstances? She shook her head and expressed that feeling for now.