18 Chapter 18

Ace felt the people on his way stare at him and take precautions. But Ace didn't mind. His mind only told him to check on his crew. As he was getting nearer and nearer, he felt another presence lurking in the room, where his crew was. He didn't wait and barged in. He saw how a man was there enquiring his crew and his crew looked bandaged up. They were not this bad, the last time he saw them. Ace saw red.

Ace gritted his teeth and threw the man who was there across the room and growled. He stood protectively in front of the half-beaten Deuce and saw from the corner of his eyes his crew shifting and trying to stand beside him.

"What. Did. You. Do?" Ace hissed and his conqueror's haki slammed on the Moby Dick, while his crew felt a warm, cozy blanket wrap them.

Ace felt Marco rush to him and stood in front of the brown-haired man.

"We were just enquiring about the snails, yoi!" Marco said defending his brother.

Ace growled at that and spoke the next words vehemently, "And this is how you do?"

He saw food laying on a table and bandages sprawled on the other table. There also laid disinfectants.

"I was just helping," He saw the man speak for the first time.

"Leave us alone!" Ace glared at them and saw them leave the room. He can't be sure if the food is poisoned or not. He turned to his crew, who looked confused and a bit scared.

"Report!" Ace spoke to Deuce, who nodded his head.

"After the fight, when you lost consciousness, Whitebeard took you to this ship," Deuce spoke, meeting his eye with Ace's, "We followed the ship but we were crushed and brought here." He sighed, "Then the next day when your den den mushi started ringing, their suspicion grew. So, they held us here and enquired us, if we are government spies." Deuce spat the last word.

"The bandages?" Ace asked checking the conditions of each and every crewmate.

"Battle wounds and nothing," Skull spoke. Ace nodded and plopped on the floor. His arms holding his knees and his face was buried in it.

"I'll surpass the pirate king!"

"Someone stronger than me? I won't acknowledge that!!"

"Our target is Whitebeard, Edward Newgate! I'll race up the stairs of this great ocean until I'm at the top."

"...I'm sorry," Ace spoke, his voice nowhere near his own. His crew looked at him in worry. "I feel awful... you guys are all being held captive coz of me..."

"Huh?"

"Hey, we're the ones who lost!"

"Even though you gave us an escape, we still got caught..."

"I'm the one who lost!" Ace hissed, not meeting his eyes with his crew. He had disappointed them. He was nowhere near Whitebeard's power and still challenged him. He hadn't heard his Dad's and Shanks's warning.

"Are the rumors true? About you wishing to fight Whitebeard?"

"Ace! You are not ready for him!"

"I'm your captain that's why," Ace lifted his head and with his steel gaze looked at his crew, "I need to take out Whitebeard!"

"Ace..."

"If he's really gonna keep me on this ship, then I'll make full use of the opportunity! I'll make him regret keeping us on this ship!" Ace's eyes burned with fury.

.

Ace was out on the deck, taking in everything that might help him fight off the crew. He was thankful for Dad, that he learned stealth and was able to hide in plain vision and gather information. He sneaked into the galley and took a piece of bread and stuffed it in his mouth. He needed energy if he wants to fight Whitebeard.

He could see the waters raging on the main ship harshly but that didn't make him falter his steps at all. He had traveled with Luffy, with those harsh rocking waves, shouting in glee and excitement as they went forward to raid another Marine Base or another pirate ship. He is not a newbie to these waves.

"Welcome aboard our ship. The Moby Dick!!" A voice came, which he had heard. He turned around and saw the 4th division commander standing in front of him. He glared at the man.

"I- We didn't know that you weren't a government dog," He could see the genuine regret in the voice of the commander in front of him.

Ace stepped forward, glaring at Thatch, "Let me ask you, is it really alright to keep me on this ship without any chains or shackles?" Ace felt himself laughing, as though shackles could contain him. Even sea stone doesn't affect him much and he could easily break free out of it. Thatch just grinned at him in response.

.

The room was dark like it is supposed to be at night. Whitebeard lay sleeping, snoring loudly and oblivious of the second person in the room. Ace stood in the shadows of the room face stone cold, hiding his presence and using the lessons of shealth from his Dad. He raised his dagger in his hand to assassinate the man. Ace rushed forward, without making a single noise, to land the killing blow to the old man, but was punched out of the cabin. The wall of the cabin made a human size hole and he landed on the railing of the Moby. Ace gritted his teeth at the failed attempt. His nose started bleeding, making him hide it from the people who were on the deck.

He got weird looks from the people, not that he minded. Ace stood up and was about to head back to sleep. He could clearly see the Emperor's crew underestimating him. He had just tried to take their captain's head and those people are ignoring him and moreover advising him to look out and saying that their 'Pops' tosses around in the night?! What the heck?!!

"Attacking at night, are we?" He saw a man approach him. The same name who was there, when Ace had barged in. "No matter your methods, you're far from being able to take out Pops."

Ace stood up, "In every pirate crew, the captain is the boss. But since I got here, I've only heard you call him one thing, Pops! You're a weird pirate crew..." Ace didn't even notice himself swaying until he hit the deck.

"Hey! You can't even stand, we're going to the sick bay..." Ace blacked out due to the lack of injury and the loss of blood.

Thatch brought him to Deuce who was working in the infirmary or more like reading books on 'Anatomy' and handed Ace to Deuce. He already likes the feral kid and wants him to be his brother, but after their accusations, even he would find it hard to accept anyone.

.

The freckled teen poked his head from the side watching Whitebeard drink without a care in the World. Using his flames, Ace propelled his body sideways, avoiding his enemy's first nonchalant hit. His fiery fist was caught by a large palm but he launched himself off his foe before he could get batted away. He landed on the deck and immediately sprang back, not giving his opponent the time to time to think.

'Use your body against bigger commanders to your advantage.' Dad had told him, when he was defeated by Kuma continuously.

He shot wall of fire at the Yonko, who twitched, momentarily blinded by the fire. He felt the air tremor and turned to flames, the lack of solid form negating Whitebeard's devil fruit. Dodging the swipe of the man's bisento and shooting a plume of flame in his enemy's face, he twisted in the air taking out his dagger from his pocket.

Coating the weapon with a mix layer of Armament and Conqueror's haki- which was an element of surprise for Whitebeard since he had not used haki in grand line- he lunged onto Whitebeard who was about to use his arms to protect his open neck, he brought his leg down with all his strength bashing his enemy's arm out of the way. But before he could bring the dagger near the Old Man, the Old Man's conqueror haki clashed with own, splitting the clouds above them. They danced on the deck, deflecting each other's attack with practised ease but the opening which Ace had gotten was no where present now.

"You are a feisty one." Whitebeard smirked like he was playing a game not in a battle. Ace gritted his teeth in ager and that was all needed to lose his concentration.

"I'll make you regret keeping me on this ship," Ace growled and lunged onto Whitebeard without thinking.

A part of his brain was screaming for him to pay attention and Sabo's and Dragon's voice were clear in his mind. 'Never let your anger control you in your fights!'

But it was late and he felt himself being thrown in the water. His breath felt knocked out of him as he readied himself to splash in the water, head first. But to his surprise, he was caught by two hands. His eyes widened when he realized who was holding him.

"Ace, you feral cat," Sabo spoke with a hint of scolding, but it was majorly anger, anger towards Whitebeard. "How many times do I have to tell you to not give in to your anger in your fights?!!"

"Come on, Sa- Cyane!" Ace frowned as he felt Sabo and him jump on the deck. Luffy was quick to give a small hug to Ace and stood beside him. Ace is in the middle and Sabo and Luffy are on his sides.

"What happened?" Luffy asked finally. His voice was too calm for his brother's liking. He glared at the deck and spotted the 1st, 4th, 12th, and 16th division commanders.

Everyone on the deck was shocked. Even the person on the crew nest was completely shocked. He hasn't seen any ship approach them. And the fact that they would have swam their way to their ship seemed impossible. They were in the waters of The New World not any Blues or Grand Line!!

"Shanks told you were kidnapped by Whitebeard," Sabo spoke as he eyed the deck and took in the strong fighters they need to deal with.

The people in the Moby Dick felt themselves being caught in a choke hold, unable to move a step. Whitebeard noticed the controlled burst of Conqueror's haki which threatened to snatch the breath of his sons, coming from the youngest. It didn't let anyone fall unconscious but kept them at the brink, choking them brutally. He used his own Conqueror's haki to lower the chokehold but could feel no effect. He himself felt the haki trying to crumble and crush him, but he wouldn't bow to it. So, he chose to stay silent for a while and observe the sight in front of him.

"You both didn't need to rescue me. I'm fine!" Ace argued.

"Says the guy who got himself kidnapped by an Emperor." Sabo scoffed, making Ace frown again.

The winds were picking speed, the sky was pitch dark due to the dark black clouds, as if it was not afternoon, but night time. The lightning violently crashed nearby and some cackled in the sky forming webs, showing the brothers with hood perfectly. The winds made it hard for the people to remain standing on the deck as it threatened to slash their throats open and in the midst of this, the pirates tried to move, tried to run but failed pathetically. No one was allowed to move.

Luffy and Sabo eyed Ace carefully, considering his wounds. They were feeling enraged with every new wound their eyes fell on. Ace wanted to get into a hole and never get out of it, due to the gaze of his brothers. Damn it! He is the oldest brother, not the youngest and he doesn't nee them to save his sorry ass.

That was when Whitebeard's naginata pounded on the deck, screaming for attention.

"What do I owe Cyane and Cyra the pleasure of visiting Moby Dick?" Whitebeard asked. He couldn't let his guard down in front of these rookies, who felt more like kids, specially Cyra. He could hear the childish voice, that was filled with rage aimed at them. He still didn't have any idea, where Cole could be. So, he was on his guard completely.

"Did you think you will live after kidnapping our ni-chan?" Cyra tilted his head and a bolt of lightning crashed nearby the Moby Dick, making some pirates scream. The waves were raging violently as if they would tear apart the ship with a single command. The rain felt on the pirates like marbles spilled from a box from the sky, ruthlessly pricking the pirates. But above all this, Cyra looked way too calm for the situation, making Ace and Sabo feel themselves flinch. The pirates who heard the little one speak gasped.

Ace, their big brother?!!

"Hey!" Ace squeaked, "I am older than you two. I can handle myself. You both don't need to save my ass!" Ace looked serious, making Luffy and Sabo frown at him.

"How do you think you will defeat the Emperor's crew, Ace?" Cyane asked Ace seriously.

"Were you not thrown off the board just now?" Luffy's cold voice seeped through the Moby. The avalanche of rain started to pick speed.

Before Ace could speak, it was Whitebeard who spoke.

"I want to make him my son!" Whitebeard stood his ground and looked at the boys with hoods. If they want to make Ace his son and give his sons a new brother, then he realized that they have stay in this storm outside. But why were Cyane, Cyra and Ace not getting wet at all?

Their faces were not at all visible. Marco was standing there, trying to speak, but Whitebeard shut him down. He could feel the danger that Akagami had spoken to him in the den den mushi coming from the boys. They were not ordinary and he could feel the vast haki contained in the three kids, even Ace, who had left his haki loose. It was the first time Whitebeard noticed the presence of Ace, so it was definitely shocking.

"I have no interest in becoming your son!" Ace yelled, turning to face Whitebeard, eyes all serious. Cyra looked at Whitebeard's eyes and felt the sincerity in his words. But he can't keep Ace with him, without his confirmation, however nice he is.

"Ace, pack up!" Cyra's voice came cold, "We are leaving!" Ace turned to Luffy and then to Sabo, looking helpless. Sabo shook his head.

"Be thankful that you didn't do the worse," It was Cyane who spoke, "Otherwise Moby Dick would have become just history."

"Cyane!!!!" Ace shouted. "I can handle my problems!!!" Ace then glared at Luffy. "I don't need my baby brother's help. I'll defeat Whitebeard! I swear!" Ace shouted and the lightening crackled again. The thunder made the pirates shut their ears, to prevent their eardrums from bursting.

Sabo turned to look at Luffy, whose instincts were always correct. Luffy nodded slowly and with a flick of his fingers- which was hardly noticeable to anyone except Whitebeard and Ace and Sabo- the avalanche of rain, the cackling thunders, the dark black clouds in the sky and the raging waves vanished.

"Give us a call, you idiot! We were worried sick about you!" Cyane bonked Ace's head, making him frown. The pirates felt themselves collapsing on the ground, trying to breathe after being held by the choke hold and hit by the pricking rain. Cyra sat on the railing, his legs crossed over the other, eyeing everyone present on the deck. He could feel the goodness in them. They won't harm his brother at least, so he wasn't worried anymore and returned to his bright self.

Ace grinned sheepishly at his brothers. "Sorry, I forgot."

That was when the tense situation was broken and Luffy looked at Ace and Sabo, pouting, and his stomach growled. "I'm hungry!"

The pirates who heard that felt themselves blink their eyes. They could clearly see the 360-degree flip in the attitude of the youngest.

Ace hugged Luffy softly and brought him near him. Sabo kept an eye on the pirates, who were visibly shocked. He felt himself smirking. What would happen if they knew Ace is 'Cole'? Sabo mentally chuckled at that.

"We will be on land in an hour, Lu!" Sabo said in a whisper, making the youngest smile.

"Hey!" Cyra spoke and looked at the old man, "Mind if we hitch a ride to the nearby Island?" Whitebeard felt himself chuckle at that and laughed.

"Gurarara!" Whitebeard laughed, "Coming to my ship, then threatening me and my sons, and then asking me for a ride?"

"Yosh!" Cyra's enthusiastic voice came up. "Shishishi!" Whitebeard liked it.

"Become my sons!" Whitebeard spoke without hesitation, making Cyane and Cyra frown.

"Sorry," Cyane spoke, "But we have our own dreams to fulfill. Be happy with Ace."

"Hey!!" Ace yelled at Sabo and punched him, making Sabo grin in return.