Firestorm (Ace x OC)

Chapter 11: Combustion and Ozone

The Collector caught the handle to their weapon eyes focusing on the fire fist, pointing the blade towards the man, "Came here for my sister. What has she told you?" he says in a low tone. For the moment he did not continue to attack the man the campfire now at his back.

Ace looked at the man and furrowed his brow in confusion for a moment, not expecting that type of response, "Why should that matter?" he asked cautiously as he eyed the strange weapon that was pointed at him, "And why did you attack first, I'm more than happy to talk things out. If you'll put the weapon away that is." he adds trying to descelate the current situation.

The man kept his stance, "Answer the question first." He demands still being wary of the commander, not dropping his guard or his weapon. His free hand moving to his other hip in order to draw the second weapon which still had the sharp metal covering over the stone like sickle.

"We've spoken about many topics so you would have to be more specific, if you are asking about what she has told me about you it has only been that you are her brother and her concerns for you." Ace says raising on hand, looping his thumb into his left pocket. He then looked away from the man remembering the first thing that Ryoko had told him about her brother, "she also told me of your dislike of being looked at, I apologize."

The man paused at that, taken off guard seemingly as he lowers his weapon slowly, "Sis told you what I was like... Why are you respecting my wishes of not being looked at?" he asked looking towards Ace a bit confused by what he was playing at by averting his eyes.

Ace put his hand on his hat thoughtfully, still not looking at the man, "Cause Ryoko cares about you, even if she seems scared of you, she was thoughtful enough to relay that wish onto me in conversation." He explains and out of the corner of his eye saw the man lower his weapon down, but kept it in his hands. "She also told me how my brother invited her to join his crew despite her not having done too much fighting. My little brother is a pretty good judge of character, some times."

A low growl was heard, "Didn't tell you the second part of how she joined the crew." The man said as he slowly put away his weapons back on his waist, slowly moving around the fire towards where the tent and gecko were.

"She didn't, but that is her choice, it is none of my business." Ace says, keeping his eyes on any object around the man but keeping himself from looking at him directly.

"Didn't know about what I did to Luffy when I heard she joined his crew." The dangerous tone of the collector spoke, causing Ace to become rigid, "He is fine. He had to make a deal with me, in order to travel with Ryoko. This deal included his crew, however you do not count as part of the crew. You need to make a deal with me too."

Ace looked over to the death collector, who was looking into the campfire and wasn't seemingly aware of the gaze on him. "What sort of deal?" he asked warily, staying where he stood.

The man kicked some sand onto the flames, smothering a small portion of the flames, "She's been talking to you too much, all of her conversations do not leave you and the straw hat crew. You hurt her in any way, mental, emotional or physical, 'll hurt you a hundred times over physically." He says before looking towards Ace, eyes meeting once again, a chill running down both of their spines at the eye contact, "Made myself clear?"

"Quite, she also said you were rather violent, this conversation was unexpected." Ace says shifting his hat on his head, tilting it back slightly. Neither man breaking eye contact, that is until the collector tense which made Ace break the eye contact to keep from provoking him further.

"Ryoko seems keen on calling you a friend, given what you did to her leg, you're lucky she cares enough about you that I didn't attempt to actually kill you." The man says still glaring to Ace, hand absent mindedly rubbing over the leg that would be burned, "Remember you too... Which is the other reason I didn't take you down."