A/N:: So here is a little something for you all to enjoy! It's been stuck in my brain and I do plan to continue it, but it's hard to tell when and I am so happy on what I have now. It will be marked as MarcoAce pairing because that is what it will be eventually. It will stay as In Progress because I want to drive to continue, but not sure as I am working on a sequel to Joyride as well.

Hope you enjoy~!

Universal Dive

The sound of cars honking is like background noise, the bustling of people with feet scratching the ground and loud chatters whether to another or over the phone is nothing new. If anything, it would be odd seeing someone without a cell phone these days, headphones shoved in ears on more occasions than not or even just a simple Bluetooth piece in one ear. The technology was flourishing, the age of so much with modern conveniences and the city always seemed to show more of them than other smaller areas.

Walking is my choice of transportation since it would basically be faster than trying to get on that crazy road of blaring horns and curses being a flurry in the air like any normal day. Today I had forgotten my headphones, but it didn't matter as I had a short walk to the café to get my favorite mocha in a larger size today because of dealing with my asshole of a boss, which wasn't anything new. Finishing with a text message since I was meeting up with a friend of mine at the local café—mostly a friend anyways as we have been growing apart lately—I put my phone away into a pocket to focus on weaving through people like natural.

A suctioning sound is loudly penetrating the air, having most people stop and look around, the sidewalk being so quiet for once in a long time. Everyone around me start looking in a general direction and I advert my eyes in the same way, happy to be in a small gap with no one too close as we noticed the air. It looked like it was pinched, as if the air was just a piece of paper being able to see it well enough on this cloudy day where the sun is hiding, but most people let out yells as it ripped open.

My eyes widen, most people already moving to take cover behind things or standing like a gaping fish like I was. Some yelling was heard as some people even pulled out their phone to record the anomaly going on and I could only stare. There are some sounds, like suctioning before a man flies out and lands to cabbie hood harshly with a grunt of pain. It was in my line of sight as the guy is dawned with clothes that definitely do not belong in this time era, most likely a type of scavenger, maybe a pirate? The clothes are somewhat baggy with dark boots and a bandana is around his head, but the fact that a slash was on his front side is startling with the blood present. People are gasping and whispering in hushed tones on what is going on before all are startled by the way he jolts and rolls off in my direction as this man with blue flames and wings comes through, sandaled heel finding the hood and excessively denting it in, no doubt damaging the entire engine.

The first guy is quickly looking up and makes eye contact with me as I am staring in shock before my stomach twists. Oh no… Oh no, oh no! It was like I could tell his intention since he shouts words I can't understand and feet push off the ground. There is a loud suctioning sound coming from behind me that follows the same as when it had first appeared where they came from. A fear clenches my chest as I try to move to the side, but the guy puts his shoulder into my diaphragm, knocking the air out of me as he is shouting some words that waver until I understood them. "—to hell with you, Phoenix!" The guy holding me shouts as I am dragged through the rip in the air that appeared behind me and the bird guy is right on our trail with eyes focused on his pursuit.

The air goes from a cool, cloudy day to a sweltering hot with the sun beating down on you as the air feels dry and salty. The guy holding me takes some steps in the new area as I can hear the sounds of clashing metal and gunshots going off very closely to me. Everything is happening too fast as the guy yelps and soon I am thrown from the grasp and sprawl to wood and quickly sit up with a look around. I was clearly not in a city anymore as I can see that we are on a mother fucking ship out in the middle of the ocean as far as I can tell and there is an even larger ship next to us. Confusion and shock flares through me as some other pirate looking people are gazing to my direction, though most were still fighting. Then the guy who dragged me into this mess is moving to scramble to feet towards me. An arm locks to my neck as the bird guy comes through the hole as it just crunches behind him.

"Let him go!" The dude with blue flames states up with a growl and I am pulled to feet as I try to understand everything going on around me. "He has nothing to do with this, savage!" The guy hollers again as those flames settle away and I get a better look as he is quite tall with blond hair styled a certain way and blue eyes are gleaming threatening to the guy holding me. The purple like jacket is open to show off the tattoo along his front side that immediately draws my attention. There must be a meaning for it and I feel slightly conscious as this guy was called a phoenix, and exposed by my shorts on my right leg along the shin is a blue flaming phoenix rising up on it to a bit above the knee.

"Get back!" The hold is shifting as a knife is to my chin and I feel everything I learned in my classes and fighting club sessions fester. "Or he ge—Rggh!" I threw my elbow into his ribs, startling him before I got the other arm lose enough to yank on as I use my shoulder to throw him over to the ground, quickly shifting to grab the armed hand. The guy is panicking as I shift to have a leg around his throat and the knife is disarmed as I pull his arm and harshly land to the ground with him on his back, his other hand gripping to my leg as his head is settled on my calf as I keep my lock. "What the fu—gaaah!" I push on his arm as its along part of my pelvic area, giving enough room to push down, straining his elbow as it doesn't bend that way.

"You motherfucker! Who the hell do you think you are grabbing me off the walk like you own the goddman place?!" My colorful language comes out as the guy kicks with hollers of pain and I sneer at him. "You stupid asshole! I was going for a damn mocha!" I clench my jaw as I put more pressure, causing him to practically scream and then a hand is to my shoulder. A jolt goes through me as I squeeze my leg tight so the guy won't escape and I go to grab the arm near me. As I about threw the person, they steel themselves down with a grunt and I notice it is the blue flaming guy.

"Whoa, I'm not the one wanting to hurt you, yoi." The tick at the end throws me off before keeping my grip and giving a suspicious look.

"I know none of you! Do you think I am going to just let my guard down, ya?" I ask him, noticing as he stares for a good moment before to the guy in my grip.

"Well, I wouldn't kill the man in your hold. As far as we know he is the only one who can take you back." The remark has me snapping to notice the guy being choked too hard and I relax myself. That's when hands are soon gripping mine, making me grunt as I am held in place with me sneering to him. "Izou, seastone the traveler user." My attention is to a tall male in adornment that has my brain associating to a female, but doesn't faze me as I have seen a whole lot of things, being in the city had people a lot more open to what their sexuality and gender identification than most places I knew, but didn't mean a whole lot were accepting it yet—a work in progress. Which made me note to be careful as this is not familiar territory and should act somewhat how I did back at home since my boss I had was completely a homophobe—or I should just say asshole to anyone in the community.

A handcuff is to the guy's arm, the hand pulled away from my leg as the guy has this cuff on him and the face goes lax with a groan. "You can let him go, he is weakened and won't run." The guy that is called Izou, if I remember the name correctly, is tugging lightly and I carefully let go of the guy to relax legs and the guy is dragged away from me. My hands are still being held and I soon glare to the guy who has the hold, which blue eyes are half lidded this whole time.

"Are you going to attack me, yoi?" The question has me contemplate on the whole scenario before a rather loud ringing of metal is there, making me jolt as I snap my head in one direction to see the fighting moving closer around us.

"The question is more like are you going to attack me?! Do you realize I am more at a disadvantage than you?!" I asked out hurriedly, the guy surprised by my statement before relaxing his grip and soon I shift to use him as leverage. I get up to feet, one hand shifting to pull me by the shirt as he leans, a grunt resounding behind me as I notice he was kicking some guy.

"Point taken. Let me take you to our ship where it's safer for you." The reply has me slightly relieved that we weren't fighting on their ship and I was let go completely. His arms easily transform into wings as he pushes off the ground to have knee down turn into talons. Wings start beating through the air as he lifts up before talons grasp onto each of my biceps and then I am off the flat surface and dangling in the air. It's startling as he easily takes off into the air, people hollering and somewhat looking our direction as I feel my heart thundering in my chest. We go closer to the huge ship that is massive in size and I notice how some people were larger in size than average, which is questionable as I was always known to be a bit above average in height.

Not too much, though, as we head a certain direction where a gigantic man is standing with arms crossed. "Who the hell is that giant dude?!" I ask in confusion as we start nearing him and all I heard is a light laugh, finding humor in my words somehow.

"That's our captain!" The bird guy tells me as we near the man, who tilts his head before eyes are soon finding us and the man is impressive with his stance alone. "Pops!" The name calling confuses me as the man starts to chuckle, sending this type of tremor through me as he soon moves arms. Talons release me, causing fear as I fell through the air, the scream lodged in my throat and thankfully not escaping as I land harshly. "Watch him until I finish up, yoi!"

"Of course, son!" The voice is causing a quake in me at such close proximity and I am viewing up with wide eyes. This guy is just holding me comfortably in the palm of his hand—just one hand. It made me feel nervous as the bird guy leaves me here with another stranger that is supposedly his captain. I really felt like I wanted the blue flaming guy back, at least I got somewhat adjusted to him, but he just drops me into someone's hand like nothing. "Were you injured?" The voice has me pull back from my mind as I view the white mustache defying all logic as it almost looks like a bone, if it weren't for the hardly noticeable hairs curled out in random areas, the guy's got some good gel.

"Uhh, no?" I answer with a shift of my position as I settle hands down, feeling a little weird as it was the guy's hand.

"What's your name, my boy?" Confusion fills me as I look to grey eyes that have a gleam there, something I would associate with fondness—seeing it used towards other people.

"Ace," I respond as I notice that he seemed to keep the air light as I soon glance to notice of the battle seeming to be coming to an end on the other ship.

"My name is Edward Newgate, but on the sea, I am known as Whitebeard."

"That's your pirate name?" I ask curiously while glancing back up at him as I notice him rumble with amusement. "Also, you have a moustache, was it too long of a name that way?" I ask out directly and he is laughing with humor, having me support myself as he also begins to move.

"Guarararara! You are quite amusing, boy!" He laughs more with that unique laugh as he just totes me along the deck, people staring in confusion on our way to what seems like a chair. It's a large type of throne, very simple and most definitely meant for this Whitebeard.

"Commander Curiel and Commander Atmos are destroying the ship, Pops!" Someone reported in and fills me with confusion at the reminder that the bird guy called their captain that, like as if the guy is their father or something.

"Very well, they have been antsy to do so!" The captain is amused while he is starting to sit in his chair and I am soon tilted. Falling the small distance, I hiss at the pain in my ass from landing on the arm of his chair, cursing lowly and getting some rumbles of amusement from him. Blue flames are in my vision as the bird guy lands to the side of me as I am facing Whitebeard and he is more to the end with sandaled feet being his support.

"Hoist the sails!" The guy next to me raises his voice, but his expression does not change as he gives the order and there are people hollering 'aye, Commander' and moving about to get the ship moving. "We have the man who did some type of time jump in the cells below, yoi."

"The man you followed through the rip in the air?" Whitebeard questions curiously and receives a short nod in confirmation. "So, you are from a different time, Ace?" Hearing my name, I glance with arms crossing and soon legs as well. I was nervous, but at least felt enough away from the bustling deck to not be too overwhelmed.

"I don't know if it's an era gap or universe jump, but where I came from we are high in the technology field compared to here. I bet you don't even have air conditioners in your rooms." I comment with exasperation at the thought of sweet bliss of a/c and how it's gone already has me sweating. I could deal with the cold, always been my forte in keeping warm, but with the thought of the weather getting warm than it already is makes me groan.

"Air what?" The bird guy asks in confusion with a confused look and I wave a hand out with a sigh.

"Nothing, it's too complicated to explain anyways." I remark and remember my phone on me, soon I tilt to one side and start pulling it out. The guy next to me moves a couple feet to gaze at it with a curious tilt of his head and I unlock the screen with my finger, swiping it with a pattern added next.

"What is that, yoi?"

"A cell phone," the words leave me a bit in a cringe as last time I explained a cell phone to someone was when I part timed at a phone store and had to explain to an eighty-year-old woman on what a cell phone was, which now it is way more complicated to explain it without having something else to reference to. Looking to the screen, I tilt it up in the air with an exasperated breath as I knew it wouldn't, but it was worth a look. The signal showing to be crossed out and GPS even put my location as Unknown, that part usually working even in a dead zone. "Damn…" I curse lowly while moving to toss the phone to the side, which if we had been back at home, I wouldn't do such a thing since it practically costs an arm and a leg. "So, what am I going to do?" I ask seriously with a glance to the bird guy before their captain as he hums out deeply with a thoughtful look.

"I guess we are going to have to have that user time leap you back to your home." Whitebeard mentions and glances to the other next to me. "Marco, have Haruta convince him."

"Sure thing, Pops." The man next to me nodded while glancing to me and flicks a reassuring smile. "I'll have Thatch make you something to eat." The comment is made before he turns to leave and easily jumps off the chair like it's nothing.

"Relax, my boy." Whitebeard begins out with a grin as I find myself looking to him as he suddenly brings a large jug type of thing out to rest on the opposite arm rest. "We will figure it all out, guararara!" Another rumbling laugh comes from him, having me question on the trembles going through my body.

'I hope so,' is all I can think about while crossing arms and gazing off towards the deck to watch the men moving around.