A Burden of Heart

The Storm

        You and Ace had already thanked Shanks, and were headed to get more members for your pirate crew. In the distance, you could see dark storm clouds, everything black as night on the horizon: you'd have to find somewhere safe to stay. As the storm crept closer, though, you couldn't see anywhere safe to be, and, as the storm arrived, the waves were unbearably riled. You were trying to fix the mast when it splintered and you were thrown into the air, hearing Ace's terrified scream of "(Y/N)!!! WE'LL FIND YOU!! HANG ON!!!!" only to be swallowed by the hungry and angry ocean.

~cut to when you gain conciseness~

The sun blinded you when you finally came to, but there was something big in the water. Just as you realized it was a ship, something was thrown to your piece of ruined mast, keeping you afloat thanks only to the sail being tangled in such a way that it resembled a hammock. A figure climbed down, and, thanks again to being alone on the ocean with nothing to eat or drink, you had no strength left to even flinch. It was all you could do to keep your eyes open and not pass out. "Hey! The girl's alive down here! Marco! Get some nurses and a room ready!" A man carried you princess-style as he was lifted onto the ship and you then passed out, because you could have people to take care of you, and, hopefully, get you back to Ace.

       You woke up in a rather small room, the night sky full of stars outside the window. You sighed, thinking of Ace, and if he was searching for you. Two men walked in then, stating you were taking longer than they expected to heal, apparently you were beat up pretty badly from the pieces of boat and mast that were flying around in the hurricane. They poked and prodded you, and, at your groans, they stopped and talked to each other. "Do you think she'll be ok?" One said. "Thatch, she was impaled with a wooden piece of mast and tangled in thick rope. Do you think you'd survive that and wake up right as rain three days later? Plus, she was probably stranded for longer than that." The other said, concern edging his voice. You groaned to let them know you were awake. Then you started to sit up, only to be pushed down and told not to move. "Wh-Where am I?" You looked at the men. The one called Thatch told you that you were on the Moby Dick, with the Whitebeard Pirates. His name was Thatch and the other one was named Marco. "How did you find me, and what do you mean by 'Impaled'?" You asked. "Umm..." The two men looked uncertainly at each other. "You were... uh... impaled in the uh, rib, torso, place..." "Good one, Thatch." The other man said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.. Thatch glared at Marco while he continued to give you the details of your condition. "...with about a foot-long piece of mast, and your lungs seemed to be in bad shape, and you uh, needed a lot of stitches..." Thatch tried to explain, but he obviously wasn't a doctor. "So... how much longer til I can look for my friends?" You ask. As soon as you said that, Whitebeard himself came into the room. "We can help you look for them, if you'd like." You stared at the man that is worthy of the title of Yonko, completely in awe that you were able to meet not one, but two Yonko, presumably in the same month. "The people I want to look for are called the Spade pirates, and my fiancé is the captain..." The three men laughed. "We already beat them all up! They somehow knew we were 'holding you hostage' and, well, we only took the man in charge. His name was..." "Ace!" You interrupted Thatch, trying to get up and see if your husband-to-be was ok. "Woah woah woah! Slow down! How about we bring him to you?" A random nurse suggested. You nodded, looking to the door in anticipation. And, a few moments later, a rumpled, worried, and desperate-looking Ace stumbled in, throwing himself into the room, short of breath, and his entire face lit up when he saw you.