They had been on the island for a few hours now, and visited most of the market stalls.
Thatch had long since finished his grocery shopping and they took a small detour to bring all the food back to the ship so it wouldn't spoil and they didn't have to haul it around.
It was just after 12, and for lunch, they'd all decided a taste of what the Island was known for would be a good idea.
So, Thatch took them all to what he claimed to be the best restaurant, and they chowed down on freshly made bread and homemade jams and jelly's.
Luffy liked this lunch. While they all had sandwiches as well, (peanut butter jelly, banana jelly, chocolate hazelnut spread with strawberry jam) Luffy stuck to the jams and bread.
He enjoyed it, and he was eating, so everyone encouraged him.
By the end of the meal, around 12:30, the boy was a sticky mess of pure yum.
Ace and Sabo helped clean up Luffy, and then Marco led them to a secluded park he remembered visiting last time.
It was quiet and serene, not many people around except for a few passerby's out for a stroll.
The Commanders' agreed this would be a good place for the kids to detox for a bit. It was obvious none of them liked crowds, and they were all still nervous around new people.
Luffy practically dived behind Ace and Sabo whenever he deemed someone too close for comfort.
This made the three Commanders' discreetly shift into a triangle like position around the boys, and it was like they could feel the waves of relief washing over Luffy, (and maybe even the others) or perhaps it was their haki?
So, after all the activities, they decided a mental break was in order. Everything was going well, and they didn't want to ruin it by simply overwhelming the poor kids. This was their first public appearance in years, after all.
Marco, Thatch, and Haruta were all sitting on a wood bench playing cards, while Ace, Luffy, and Sabo tumbled around playfully in the grass; stopping every now and again to "Oooo and Ahhhh" at a beetle or other bug.
They'd quickly found that if you wanted to see Luffy's 'happy meter' sky rocket, all it took was a moth.
He simply followed one around for five minutes, even getting it to land on him for a bit, and he sat quietly and hummed to the moth while Ace and Sabo kept up the lion play, watching Luffy from their peripheral.
Of course, eventually, the moth flew away and Luffy waved it off and immediately tackled Ace, who let him.
Ace and Sabo were gentle with Luffy, and made sure he knew it was fun and games. So they all just tumbled around in the grass and watched clouds and over all, had a good time.
Marco had won three games of cards and kept getting rematched. Currently, Haruta and Thatch were bickering about strategy and who should go first. It was Go Fish. What kind of strategy could they possibly come up with?
Marco chuckled to himself, before stilling immediately, hand hovering in the air, ready to be lit. Thatch and Haruta stilled as well, hands hovering over blades and looking around skeptically.
Haki.
Strong haki.
And... Familiar too?
Either way, it was dark and immense. Nothing like any of the average villagers would have.
Marco let out a small wave of observation haki and located multiple people just on the other side of the trees from where the boys were.
A slight rise in the blood lust of the aura was all it took to spur all three adults into action, and catch even Luffy's terrified attention.
Then, in a split second, everything went downhill.
The darkest figure flashed forward towards the trio, and Marco went full bird in a millisecond, crashing into the three boys and wrapping his wings around them as they just barely rolled away in time to avoid the black blur that just swooshed towards them.
Marco unfurled his wings and morphed back to find Thatch and Haruta on their feet, walking stiffly towards the figure.
Marco was more occupied with his current bundle of terror.
Ace was looking up at him with an agitated glare, Sabo was confused, and Luffy was standing stalk still, eyes wide, face pale.
Not good.
"What the heck, old man!?" Ace cried out, rubbing some dirt off his face, "You tryna kill us?"
Luffy answered for him, tugging Ace's shirt into a firm hold for support.
"No," He said, just above a mere whisper, "But they are."
He pointed across the field to Haruta and Thatch, still standing in front on guard. But off to the right, there were more people, big people, coming from the tree cover.
It was obviously a pirate crew, but Marco had a deep budding of dread in his stomach that this was more than a thievery.
A laugh rang out behind him, chilling to the bone at the oh so familiar sound.
"ZEHAHAHAHA!"
Teach.
"You haven't lost any speed, that's for sure Marco!" His deep voice rolled out in an eerily cheery manner.
Marco spun around, standing protectively over the three boys, wings arched around them as a sign for Teach to stay back.
The hefty man just laughed harder.
Then his face turned dark with a smirk from the devil himself.
"I'm getting those kids Marco. They got a bounty and I'm going to collect."
Marco glared at him. "You're a traitor, yoi."
"ZEHAHA! Took you long enough! Unfortunately you didn't have what I was originally looking for, but bringing those brats on board was a bad decision on the Old Mans part," Teach leered, stepping forward slow a deliberate.
Marco took a single step backwards with the kids, determined to keep them away from the traitor.
He wasn't just protecting Luffy. Marco knew Teach well enough to read his ex-brother's eyes, and they were looking at him like he was holding meat in front of a starving man.
He would kill for the kids, just to send them back to Hell.
Marco grit his teeth with the thought. No way he was letting anyone near his siblings.
"You're not getting these kids, Teach," he hissed, hugging the three closer.
Ace and Sabo had just about gotten the most of the situation by this point and were glaring out from Marco's feathered barrier at the cause of all their problems.
Teach laughed. "Oh yeah?"
"I'll kill you myself you coward!" Marco ruffled, and only grit his teeth harder at the laugh he was greeted with.
"ZEHAHAHA! You and what army!?" He jeered, gesturing to his subordinates who were fighting his fellow commanders... Or wait.
Marco couldn't help the short huff of laughter that left his lips.
"Yes, what army indeed?" He mocked back, pointing to where his commanders had subdued everyone of the pirate crew.
Teach growled, a scowl adorning his features. "Good for nothing scoundrels-"
Marco took this chance to pounce, and leaped forward, fire blazing as he tackled Teach to the ground with a claw to the gut.
Blood spat through Black Beards teeth and dribbled onto his curly black beard, matting the wiry hair into a sticky red mess.
Marco's pride was short lived as the traitor managed a lucky blow to Marco's cheek, forcing the Phoenix to the side.
"Zehaha, always wanted to smash that lazy smug face of yours in," Teach ground out with deep seeded hatred.
It was quickly replaced by an indignant yelp as the pie loving pirates opponent fully healed, a full bird Marco pinned him down and tore out a chunk of the mans arm with his long sharp beak.
In a blind fury this continued, and before anyone could do anything, (not that anyone wanted to) the man was in pieces and easily, very dead.
Thatch walked up and laid a hand on Marco's shoulder, gentle but stoic.
"He's gone Marco."
Marco looked away, blood staining him in grizzly victory.
Thatch left Marco to calm himself, walking over to the three runaways.
They were facing away from Marco, thankfully, but the way Ace kept looking backwards with a pale glare told him that was more than intentional.
Upon closer inspection, Ace was simply standing guard as Sabo was murmuring something to Luffy in the blond kids lap.
He walked around front so they could they could see him approaching, and once getting a nod from Ace, crouched down on a knee in front of them.
"Hey kiddos," he greeted gently, and was glad to meet the gaze of all three boys, "are you injured?"
They all hesitated, no doubt left over surprise from someone even caring to ask them.
Sabo answered. "We're fine, just a little bruised and shaken."
The blond gave a soft smile and ruffled Luffy's raven hair. His hat was hanging by his string, knocked off by the tumble with Marco.
"Is he gone?
Thatch turned to Ace, a menacing glare on the kids face.
Thatch smirked and nodded. " Yeah, he's gone. Marco made very sure of that."
Ace huffed out a laugh, but was obviously relived.
He got the three away from the mess and sat them under a tree, where he hung out with them and talked, trying to settle Luffy's nerves, and really, all of them were a bit jumpy at the moment.
Thatch didn't blame them. He's glad Marco is an ally.
Over by the pirate crew, Haruta was integrating the pirates now bitterly sitting at his feet.
"So what made you think taking a Whitebeard pirate was a good idea?" He smirked, quirking an eyebrow.
The leader frowned, and a look of ponder crossed his eyes before huffing and maneuvering enough to pull down the white collar of his shirt.
Underneath, was the obvious sign of collars, bomb collars.
Haruta scowled, no more needing to be said, and within a single flash of his sword he'd cut them all off, freeing the pirate's from at least one bind.
"There. Now you have no reason to attack anyone." Haruta glared at the leader.
He looked tired.
"Guess this means I can finally take a break," the captain grumbled and almost appeared to melt into a more relaxing position.
A gasp from Harura's right made his head turn, seeing Luffy staring wide eyed over at the pirates.
The boy ran over, his brothers and Thatch following in pursuit after the bouncing child.
When Haruta could finally see Luffy properly, he was surprised to see anger on the kids face.
"I t was you!" Luffy yelled, pointing a finger at the captain.
The man smirked sheepishly. "Nice to meet ya kid, sorry."
Haruta gave a "what the heck is happening" glance at Thatch, who simply shrugged, just as confused.
Thatch was impatient though and hated a mystery.
"Yo, Luffy, what you talking about?" He asked.
Luffy turned.
"HE-" He pointed at the captain, "WAS IN MY HEAD!
Everyone simply stared.
First at Luffy, then to the Captain, then back again, only to repeat in shock.
Once it had passed, a calm anger set over the commanders.
"Why were you in my head!? You were so mean!!" Luffy ordered, stamping his foot.
The captain stared a moment before sighing. Man this kid was spunky. He still hated the kid, but he didn't want to think about what would happen if he didn't answer.
He didn't like the look in the commanders eyes.
"Was just trying to be free, kid," He replied, meeting Luffy's wide brown eyes.
"Free?" Luffy asked, tilting how head slightly.
The man nodded, picking up the collar next to him and showing it to the trio.
They all knew what that was.
They had hoped to never see one again.
"Free," the captain repeated gruffly, throwing the metal band away.
Ace and Sabo watched Luffy stare into space for a moment, before he walked forward and patted the mans shoulder.
"Luffy-" Haruta started, worried about the close proximity.
"Then it's okay." Luffy announced with the first, real, genuine Luffy smile Ace and Sabo had missed for so long. "If it was to be free, then its okay."
The captain stared at Luffy with calculated eyes before bursting into laughter.
"Kid, you were the hardest target I ever had, and no wonder with logic like that," he said, "a'ight, tell ya what. We owe you a dozen favours over. So let us go, but take this, and we're always at your service."
The man slipped a small transponder snail out of his pocket and gave it to Luffy, who patted the snails head good naturedly.
Haruta and Thatch didn't like this, but before they could get a word in Luffy had once again taken charge and accepted the offer with a thanks.
The two decided to just roll with it. All bloodlust had faded and if Luffy was trusting them then who knows, maybe they're fine.
He was right about Teach after all.
They'd keep tabs on the pirate crew to make sure, but they would let Luffy have his way.
He was the one manipulated after all.
"Well," Thatch announced, "this is nice, but I think we should get you kids back to the ship and into Aria for a check up."
Ace nodded. "Yeah, Marco dive bombed us. I don't care if he saved our life I'm gonna get him back for this," Ace huffed, tapping the scratch on his cheek.
Thatch laughed. "You do that Ace."
"Oh!" Luffy turned to the pirates again, "What's your crews name? Like uh, your title?"
It took a second, but the pirate figured out what Luffy meant, and laughed heartily.
"We're the Lion Claw pirates!" He announced proudly, and the entire crew cheered loudly to it.
Luffy smiled and wished them good luck, following Thatch as he started leading them back into town towards the Moby.
Haruta stayed behind and untied the men.
"Luffy may trust you, but you hurt him ever again, and you're dead." Haruta whispered into the Captains ear as he untied them.
The captain gulped and nodded, though in his heart if hearts he never wanted to go up against the Whitebeards again.
They all left once untied, and Haruta went over to Marco.
"You need a bath," Haruta remarked teasingly.
Marco smirked. "Yeah, might as well delay all the paper work this'll give me."
Haruta laughed, and together they walked back to the Moby Dick.
For once, they could rest easy.
For once, a problem had been solved, instead of created.
*****
Bruh.
I'm tired but I'm glad I got this out. Its not exactly how u pictured it but it think its alright, especially since fight scenes aren't my strong suit and I really want to get back to focusing on ASL getting better.
Any who hope y'all enjoyed this, I am ever greatful to those who have stayed from the beginning. I have no idea how you do it! And thank you to all the new readers who leave new comments and give me motivation!
As always, you guys made me come through in the end and I'm honoured you would spend even an ounce of time reading this.
I hope to see you all next time!
Chão!!!
Word Count: 2562