Chapter 40
Jaya was a weird town, Ace had to admit. This springy guy bet the crap out of some Executioner guy without barely breaking a sweat. Ace sipped at his drink as he walked the streets. Everyone seemed to be keeping busy at least. Doc Q was blowing people up with apples, Van Auger was shooting birds, and Burgess was beating the crap outta people. He could hear Teach yelling from a bar, and saw him come out with a big bag.
"Food?" Ace was instantly by his side.
"GAH!" Teach jumped. "Where did you come from?"
Ace rummaged through the bag. "Is it good food?"
"Mind your bloody manners, you savage!" Teach complained, but opened up the bag and handed him a box. "It's cherry pie. It's good, though some little squirt in there has broken taste buds, because he hated it."
Ace munched at it. "Not as good as Thatch's."
Ace deflated at the thought. He missed Thatch. He missed Pops. He missed Marco, and most of all he missed his mum. He wanted to go home, but Teach was home now right? He felt like home.
"Don't deflate!" Teach scowled. "Eat another pie."
They paused when a large group of pirates walked past them. Ace got a few curious looks, but with his black hoodie on most people didn't tend to recognise him anymore. Teach however they all sneered at and walked by, following some blondie into the bar Teach just walked out of.
"Looks like they're about to cause some trouble," Teach grunted, sitting down.
Ace joined him, sitting down against his back. It hid him pretty well from sight, and Ace was trying to be a bit less noticeable these days. The less sightings of him that got back to the World Government and Pops, the easier things would be for the growing Blackbeard Pirates.
Suddenly the bar erupted into laughter after a girl yelled something about the sky islands. It was a lot of cold, mocking laughter, and yells, then the sound of smashing glass shattered and mocking bellows. Ace frowned, about to stand up, but Teach grabbed his arm and pulled him back down.
"Stay put," Teach grumbled.
Ace obeyed, quickly hiding again as a orange haired girl marched out the bar, holding a green haired guy and-
Ace's heart skipped a beat.
Luffy.
Ace bit his lip and leaned back against Teach.
"The sky islands exist," Teach said, surprising him.
The girl dropped Luffy and the green guy, staring at Teach.
"You're that guy..."
"Zehahahahaha! Why so angry, young lady? Your friends won that fight." Teach munched down a pie, then grinned. "You've also got some nerves on you, young lady. I loved the sharp retort. Zehahahahaha!"
Ace smiled at that. Yeah, what was it? Those guys in the bar had offered to buy her up, and she said they couldn't afford her? Ace grinned at the thought.
"The new era they are talking about is a load of rubbish!" Teach scoffed. "People not having dreams? Really? HA!"
Teach slammed his bottle of rum against the ground. "People's dreams have no end!" Ace could feel Teach's grin. "Isn't that right?"
The crowd of folk began laughing at him, but Teach laughed right along them. Ace smiled and fought back the urge to laugh too. He didn't want to risk Luffy recognising his voice after all.
"They can go ahead and laugh at us, right, boy?" Teach continued. "When you aim high you sometimes come across fights not worth having."
Ace tugged up his hood to cover his face when he felt Teach shift. Teach gave him an odd look, but didn't comment as he stood up.
"I hope you lot get to go to the sky. Zehahahahaha!" Teach sipped at his rum, patted Ace's hooded head, as he walked off.
Ace felt Luffy's gaze on him, but didn't risk glancing back. Not until he heard Luffy begin to walk away. Ace looked over Luffy and smiled. It looked like he had a good crew so far.
"You know that kid," Teach said, eyeing him.
"You would too if you paid attention to when I was showing off a wanted poster. The day you stabbed Thatch," Ace said.
"You ain't gonna complain about that again, are ya?" Teach huffed. "I said sorry to you, but it was the best outcome for me."
"Selfish Teach," Ace huffed.
"Bah, you're fine! Now tell me who this kid is."
"Monkey D. Luffy is my little brother," Ace explained, the words slipping out, without him even thinking about it. He was given an order, and Ace found himself following Teach's orders without even a second thought these days.
"Little brother?" Teach frowned. "But Rouge died when you were born. I guess he must be from your father's side."
Ace remained silent about that.
"I know that name. Monkey?" Teach froze mid step, then choked. "No way. That squirt. He can't be related to Dragon."
Ace grinned.
"Bloody hell I kidnapped a kid of Dragon's," Teach groaned.
Ace didn't correct him.
He wasn't ordered too, and besides, this was a funny complicated mess Teach was digging himself into. He thought Luffy and Ace were Dragon's and Rouge's sons. Just wait until he overheard the rumours about 'Portgas D. Sabo'.
.::.
They had found Luffy's updated wanted poster later that night, or well, early that morning really, after Luffy had beaten that springy guy's ass with one glorious punch.
Ace wished he hadn't seen that new poster.
"Ace, y'know I'm after a hundred million beli bounty," Teach said, eyeing him. "Sorry, but your little brother is the only one about."
Ace frowned at the wanted poster. Why did Luffy have to reach one hundred already? Dammit. There was nothing he could do. Teach needed Luffy to secure his position as a Warlord.
He paused when Teach patted his head. "Stay put in town and wait for Laffitte."
"Thanks," Ace muttered quietly.
Teach left and Ace immediately took advantage of the situation once he was sure the Blackbeard had set sail. First, Ace bought breakfast, because breakfast was awesome, and once he got his food ready, he headed for a call centre. It was on the outskirts of Mock Town, probably to protect the snails from all the fighting that kept going on. Ace hired one of the den den mushis and chose a private room, spending most of his money on it.
Ace stared at the snail, contemplating if this was really a good idea or not, as he sipped at his tea and munched on a bagel. It was fine though. Teach hadn't ordered him not to contact anyone. Ace was allowed to do this.
Ace dialled Pops' personal den den mushi. It was picked up after a few rings, and Ace couldn't help but immediately relax, a tension lifting from his shoulders, when Pops spoke.
"This better be important. I'm in a meeting with my children's right now,"
Ace smiled. "Oops. Should I call back?"
"What the- ACE?!" Pops yelled.
Ace instantly heard a commotion from the other line in the background. He heard Marco yell at everyone to 'SHUT UP', which quickly silenced the room.
"Hi, Pops," Ace greeted softly, suddenly feeling nervous.
Maybe he shouldn't have called. It wasn't a good time...
"Ace, are you alright, son? Where are you right now? Are you hurt-"
"I'm fine, Pops," Ace said. "I was worried I was going to wake you up, calling this early..."
"How can I sleep when I'm worried about two of my sons?"
Ace tilted his head. "Two?"
"Don't worry about that. I'm more concerned about you right now, Ace. Are you well?"
"I'm good, just eating breakfast right now," Ace said. "Teach went after Luffy-"
"You're little brother? Why?"
Ace grimaced. "I can't say. It's apart of Teach's plans." Ace faltered, eyeing the door. "I... I probably shouldn't be calling you-"
The den den mushi's face grew alarmed, then worried. "No, wait, please, Ace. It's a relief just to hear your voice. Please talk to me for a bit longer, son."
Ace shifted, unsure. Teach wouldn't be happy that he called Pops, but he had never ordered Ace not to, and Pops sounded really upset right now. But why had Ace called in the first place? Ace knew he shouldn't have. It wasn't apart of Teach's plans.
But Pops sounded really upset.
"Okay, I can talk for a bit longer..." Ace said softly, but then paused. "Actually, can I ask how Thatch is? Is he there?"
"Thatch is well, thanks to you, but he's out on a mission right now."
Ace frowned, surprised. "A mission? You wouldn't send him out if he just got attacked."
"Never you mind that, Ace. I'd rather know how you're getting on. Are you healthy? Eating well? How about your narcolepsy medication? Are you getting supplied-"
"You said worried about two of yours sons," Ace continued, ignoring him, slowly connecting the dots. "Thatch left the ship."
"Ace, just leave it yoi," Marco ordered. "You're not in the right head space to be thinking about our family problems right now. All we want to do right now is bring you home yoi."
"Thatch is going after Teach," Ace stated. "But how? There is no way he could find us, not with the way we've been travelling all over the place. We're out of reach-" Ace breathed in sharply, realising it. "He's got my vivre card."
"Ace-" Pops growled.
"I can't let him hurt Teach. Not my Captain," Ace said.
"He is not your Captain!" The den den mushi's face darkened as Pops snarled. "He kidnapped you, Ace! He's got you under his control through your grimoire. Whatever you're thinking at the moment are not your true thoughts."
"Even if my thought right now is to cut out my nail to protect you guys?" Ace frowned. "Because if Thatch comes after us, Teach will beat him, and he'll hand him over to the Marines for that bounty."
"What?" Marco gasped.
Ace smiled sharply. "Oops. I guess I told you a piece of the plan."
"Ace, please, do not do anything rash. I'll call Thatch and have him come home. Don't get rid of your vivre cards. It's our only way to know you're safe-" Pops pleaded.
Ace softened. "Sorry, Pops, but I can't let you guys hunt down Teach. I've got to protect him. He's my family."
"He is not your family. You're my son, Ace. You're the son of Portgas D. Rouge. That traitorous scumbag Teach is no longer one of your brothers, and I'll snap you out of this when I gut the cowardly rat myself."
Ace hummed at that as he laid down the speaker and fished out his seastone dagger. He placed it carefully against his nail he had made his vivre card from, and winced as he began to carefully cut the nail out. He mentally apologised to Yamato. Yamato would have no idea why Ace's vivre card stopped working all of a sudden.
"Ace, stop it right now yoi," Marco ordered. "I swear, when we bring you home, I'll be having you scrub toilets for weeks after this yoi!"
"It's going to be difficult to find us after I finish with this," Ace said. "Speaking of mum, did she ever come back?"
"...No. I'm afraid not," Pops sighed heavily. "Ace-"
"I do miss you all a lot," Ace admitted, and hissed at his nail finally lifted off. "Shit, that stings." He quickly began to treat it, holding his cloth tightly over it to add pressure to slow the blood flow.
"Dammit, Ace." Pops' snail looked furious. "Thatch will know you're not dead when the card stops moving in his hand. He'll keep looking for you."
"Sorry, Pops, but Thatch will have a bit of trouble with that now. Hopefully Thatch will turn back and go home." Ace offered them a small smile.
"I am coming to bring you back home too, Portgas D. Ace, you reckless child of mine. We will fix whatever Teach has done to you. He won't get away with everything he's done."
"I'm protecting my Captain, Pops."
"Dammit, I can't keep my mouth shut!" Haruta yelled. "That lousy piece of shit is not your Captain, Ace. He's brainwashed you!"
Ace could hear the other Commanders yelling in the background, all cursing out Teach and calling Ace's name. Ace munched down a blueberry muffin, his waffle and a pancake, then started on his porridge. He didn't want his breakfast to get cold.
"What are you eating, Ace?" Pops suddenly asked, startling everyone into silence.
Ace swallowed down his mouthful of porridge. "I bought a lot. Tea, bagels, muffins, waffles, pancakes and a porridge."
"Any favourites?"
"The muffins are good. I got chocolate chip, blueberry and an orange one. The orange one is kind of weird, but it looked kinda cool so I thought I'd try it."
"Guarararara, the orange one does sound interesting. It goes with your hat too."
Ace grinned. "It does right? I left it back with you guys, so hope you're taking good care of it."
"Your things are safe with us, son. I promise."
.::.
Haruta sniffled. "Is now really the time to be talking about breakfast?" she whispered to Marco miserably.
Izo sighed, rubbing her back in soothing circles. "I think it might be the best way to keep Ace talking to us for now."
Marco had already ordered one of Haruta's division members to get a tracking snail. They were going to hook it up to Pops' and see exactly where Ace was, but it would take time to set up. It took five more minutes for Gus to come back with the snail, that look cranky that it had been woken up so early, and he and Haruta quickly began hooking it up. She mouthed to Pops to keep Ace talking for as long as possible.
The talk lasted about five more minutes before Ace abruptly stiffened up, and all the warmth abruptly left his voice.
"Teach is in danger."
Haruta shook her head, eyes wide, desperate.
"Ace-" Pops began, but Ace hung up.
Pops' face slowly grew murderous and his haki stirred dangerously. He took in a deep breath and gently hung up the den den mushi, his face dark. Marco took out his own piece of Ace's vivre card, but it was still. No longer moving. Marco gritted his teeth at the sight.
"Haruta, call Thatch now, and if he doesn't pick up, get Rouge," Pops ordered. "They need to know that Ace destroyed his vivre cards."