Enjoy!

Treasured Flames

Being pirates in the New World brings all kinds of strange and exciting new adventures with them. Though, the most recent has to be Marco acting odd and completely unfocused in his duties. Usually the first commander was diligent and always on task, but most other commanders have been needing to get him focused on paperwork. For once they had to shove him into his room to do his work instead of trying to drag him out. The head nurse had said he appeared off as well, giving him an examination where his phoenix spoke more than he did with chatters. Telling Whitebeard this had him finally, after a couple weeks, sit down with his son to get everything worked out.

"What's wrong, son?" The captain asks while noticing blue eyes seeming to be unfocused and kept looking off a certain direction.

"Something... I need something, yoi." Marco admits, feeling comfortable to confide with his captain and gets a noise to continue. When rolling coos come out, Whitebeard clears his throat lightly.

"Marco, what is it? We can go that direction?" The captain offers as it seems something they should do either way. Those blue eyes snap to look to him, blue flames flickering a little in blond hair before receiving a rolling coo deep from his son's chest.

"Could we? It's there, near... maybe a few days by ship if we go, yoi." Marco continues out with a hopeful gaze, not sure what it was his phoenix craved so much, but didn't want to chance it slipping away.

Whitebeard peers over his son, trying to find where this sudden crave had come from, but he was beginning to be curious as well. What could be distracting Marco and his phoenix so much to do this? At this rate, Whitebeard was sure the commander would fly off if they didn't go. In their best interests, they should go to where Marco feels the need to go and see what has his attention.

"Of course, Marco. Tell the navigators to follow wherever you need to go." The captain replies with a reassuring smile and gets an appreciative look from Marco, who stands to do a quick bow.

"Thanks, Pops." The words are almost hurried before the commander is running out of the meeting room to go talk with the navigators.

Whitebeard watches his son leave with only stemming curiosity.

-o-o-o-o-

On the way to wherever, they had run across a ship that was firing cannons and when they thought on getting ready for battle, it was quickly stopped. Marco had no patience for something so trifling getting in his way and immediately destroyed the pirates daring to challenge them with the ship as well. When he had landed back on the front of the Moby Dick, talons stayed to grip on his new proclaimed perch, and he continued to watch forward. Everyone steered clear, knowing not to mess with the commander and only a few dared to get close with food or to give some company.

"So, he didn't say?" Thatch asks while Whitebeard is standing to the front of the ship with arms crossed and eyeing the island in the distance.

"No," the reply leaves the captain as he knew Thatch was just worried over his brother. Everyone was worried as they watched their levelheaded commander seem keen on something so intently. They had to split his work load for the time being as he never moved from his spot, another commander always with him to be on the safe side and so he wouldn't fly off. "We will just have to be patient…"

"I think the only one not patient enough is him…" The fourth commander jokes lightly and gets a soft rumble in return from Whitebeard.

The whole time they sailed towards the island, getting ever closer, Marco was on edge as he wanted to go first, but knew to wait. There was something boiling within him as he glances around to try and find out what exactly that was driving him closer. Approaching the island to dock, the villagers looked fearful as they seem to be dealing with a fire that had consumed half of the place not too long ago. Commanders were sent out, Marco asked to at least have one with him if possible, the captain getting a vague nod in reply.

Walking onto the island, Thatch made sure to stay with the first commander as others explained to the villagers that they just needed to stretch their legs and wouldn't bother them. As words were passed along, Thatch followed quickly behind his brother that was looking around, aiming closer to the burned down part of the village and seeming to try and find something. It was weird seeing his brother so focused on something but not entirely in the present while doing so. Thatch could only keep up, not wanting to disturb the other as Marco was stopping to glance around before seeming to finally stop a few villagers.

"What did this?" The question comes out with a point to the wreckage and two of the three women look nervous, but the third lets out a scoff.

"There was this… boy who was plaguing the town. So, as a mass decision we had to get rid of him and took him to the stake." The woman comments with eyes rolling and hands out in exasperation. "The boy made some pack with a demon, granting him to be a fire beast of sorts! Took half the village with him in fury! We were hardly able to survive, he almost killed half of the population! Ungrateful burden…!" The woman huffs with her bosom up more and fanning her face, showing ignorance.

"Where did it go, yoi?" The question has the woman roll eyes before waving a hand out in a shooing motion.

"We chased it off well enough to the mountains and toss firewood by the mountain entrance to keep him away." She mentions, showing her annoyance that they still had to deal with this problem.

Nothing else left Marco as he immediately left for the mountain, Thatch chasing after as the women try to claim not to go. Out of everything, Thatch wondered what this kid did to have a whole village want to kill him? A plague of sorts? Had he been sick and no one to care for him? It has the fourth commander reeling with questions as he follows the fast pace of his brother, seeing as this fire person was now their goal.

-o-o-o-o-

Marco flickered eyes at the mountain path, feeling the pull stronger coming from up the path and immediately was moving along it more. His brother follows silently, letting him do what he wants, and he appreciates it. The phoenix in him is frenzied, ever frantic on what lies ahead and craves it ever so. Something about this fire person is making him even more giddy at what lays ahead.

Reaching higher, there is warm air finding them and Marco coos at how close they are. Feet hardly keep up as he moves faster to the cave entrance in sight and he hears as Thatch stops. Though, he does not as he gets to in front of the cave and peers in to see a burning fire over a stack of wood… No, it's not a stack, it's a make shift nest of sorts. Blue eyes flicker at the curled-up body within the flames, black shorts in tatters as the only clothing and dark hair is noticeable. He can't help himself from drawing closer, the pull too strong to even reconsider. As he makes partially in, the fire flares higher and the person disappears while the fire hisses with a hotter flame.

Marco isn't provoked, knowing the person is among his flames now in protection. Shifting a little, he soon let's his blue flames linger until he is consumed into his phoenix form. The red flames settle a little as it seems to take in his new form and is taken back when the talons move closer. It fears him, Marco noticing the way it flickers away as if he was scared of the commander. This wouldn't do, the phoenix of him coos while moving closer. The red flames linger and seem to notice they were not hurting the bird and gets back to settling within the wood nest that smell of burning. It has Marco singsong while nestling into the fire nest and take in the burning flames that warm him.

A protective feeling fills him, wanting nothing more than to have this person as his own. Like a treasure, harboring it for himself and never letting someone touch this red fire ever again. The thought of the villagers hurting his treasure has him feel anger, deciding to find why they had done such a thing and see what actions he should take. This fire, it was his now, there was no way he could leave without it.

-o-o-o-o-

A few hours passed before the red flames had settled to soon show a young adult male with freckles speckling his body. Arms had grasped around the phoenix to find an anchor of comfort, realizing Marco was something that he needed. The commander was happy, singing little tunes to his new fire and pressing nudges of affection to the man. After another half hour, Marco changed back into his human form to pull the other into his arms for a firm embrace.

"Mine… You are my fire, yoi…" Marco whispers in clarification and gets a tension in return, but it soon fades with hands gripping to his shirt.

"Who…?" The dark-haired male asks softly as he enjoys the way he is held, curling a little more into the hold.

"Marco is my name. What is yours? Why did they hurt you?" The questions leave the commander as he needs to know to calm his frenzy or raise it more.

"I'm… I'm Ace…" The reply is almost a whisper and hands are gripping tighter. "I… My mother… she died of a disease given from someone else… They blamed her for causing a small outbreak and said I would do the same… I was hardly tolerated and had lived in this shack in the woods." He partially explains, sounding pained at the memories since he still didn't fully understand. "They… they didn't seem keen on the fact I was still alive… something about my father also mentioned…" Ace fully answers the question as best as he can and the way he grips has Marco take in the fact that he feared the commander could possibly leave him.

"That's ridiculous…" A dangerous coo follows while gripping to Ace protectively and nuzzling into dark hair. "Do you want me to rid of them, yoi? I would do it for you, Ace. I would do anything you asked…" The words are held firm, being serious on what he says and would immediately follow through.

"I don't want to stay here…"

"Mh, you would come with me. I want you with me, yoi…" Marco says quickly as he grips with cooing into dark hair, enjoying the warmth and the calm stirring in him. "Come on, I will take you home with me."

"Home?" The question comes out as Ace moves to pull away, looking to the commander with dark eyes that have a flicker in them as if a flame was also in the depths.

"Yes, home… The Moby Dick is our home, a ship and my brothers and sisters are there… They will love you and Pops will love you, yoi." The reassuring words feather out with hands touching along speckled cheeks and brings Ace forward to rub his nose to the other. "Ace, you are my fire… My treasure… I have never felt so complete before…" Marco admits and gets wide eyes before pursed lips and a look of appreciation.

"I… I feel more… full with you too… Can I stay with you?"

"Yes, yes…" Marco hardly waits to reply as he pulls on Ace to hug onto and enjoys those arms wrapping around him as well. "Let me take you home, I will protect you…"

-o-o-o-o-

It didn't take too much longer before Marco is pulling along Ace with their hands clasped tightly together out of the cave. Thatch had stood up and was about to comment about how long it took before noticing the new party member and looks a little stunned at the sight of the young male who is pressed against one of his brother's arms. A short introduction is made, Thatch happily greeting his new brother and getting a look of surprise, but a small smile lingers.

They head back down the mountain, the sun starting to set by the time they reach the bottom and go to the village. Marco tells Thatch to be on the other side of Ace, to protect him from these savages, having the fourth commander know that these villagers had done wrong. Plus, Ace looked terrified and gripped to Marco like a lifeline. A few brothers had met them half way through the village, most people staring in shock and terror at what they brought down from the mountain.

"A person?" Izo asks with eyes flickering along the new addition after introduced and they all notice how the villagers either glare or try to get as far away as possible from them. "Oh goodness, you must be cold, sweetie. We needed to get you some clothes and probably a good meal." Izo clarifies in a gentle manner at seeing Ace's fear and gripping the first commander tightly.

"I'm going to make him something good and turkey is going to get him comfortable!" Thatch claims with a grin and earns a glare from Marco for being called that, but ignores it for now as they continue down the path to the docks. Vista and Curiel had been the other two and immediately go behind Marco to help give more security for the new brother who almost looks like a target from the way some people stared.

"Why did you bring that monster down?!" A man hollers harshly while standing to the front of the group, a little to the side. Ace is immediately freezing while shaking with misty eyes and trying to hide away. Thatch is there to take his new brother into arms protectively, Curiel quick to be there on the other side as Marco is no longer in place. A talon pins the ignorant man to a market stall, knocking food everywhere as they have yet put away for the day.

"You shut your mouth!" Marco almost growls while blue flames flurry along his skin and wings show as he spreads them, making the man quake. "How dare you all take something so terrifying on a child all the way into his adolescent years, yoi! How dare you pin something on someone who did nothing wrong to you! If you try to call him anything but his name or something kind, then I will rip out your throat!" The threat seethes, and the guy is blubbering with apology and only screams as a screech leaves Marco in distaste. "He should have burned your whole village down…" The words are deep and blue eyes gleam before he flaps wings to shift and harshly tosses the man towards a building.

Not one of his brothers interfered, knowing when Marco's sense of protection reaches its limits there was no stopping it. They knew immediately that whatever had caught his attention would be on the same level as family, maybe even more, so they were surprised by a person. Though, it seems this village had wrongly accused Ace for something and ended up burning him as most weren't afraid to admit they burned someone and the end result of when they did. No one clarified on what he had done, but with Marco's reaction, it seems that it was something undeniably wrong that they were sure they deserved a death punishment more than Ace.

"You okay, Ace?" Marco coos as he is back by the young male, who clings to him with nods. His brothers watch in awe at the interactions and Izo made sure to go ahead to tell of the news to Whitebeard first, so he wasn't surprised.

They continue once Marco was having the other protectively to his side, knowing they were most likely not allowed on the island again after that stunt. Marco, of course, didn't care and the commanders with him figured it was best not to anyways. These people were disgusting for burning someone for nothing but false accusations. Appearing on the ship had others staring on in curiosity on who their brother brought, but could tell that approaching would be a bad idea. Everyone steered clear with duties and the group moves to Whitebeard, who stares on in curiosity.

"Who have you brought home, Marco? Who is my new son?" The captain immediately asks with a fond smile and the young male by Marco's side stares in surprise, probably from the question.

"This is Ace, yoi. Ace, this is Whitebeard, my Pops." The introduction is made as he happily presents his treasure that makes him feel like he had been missing something until now.

"Good to meet you, Ace! Welcome home, son." The words have dark eyes widen in surprise before they look teary and hands are gripping to Marco. A nod is in return, Ace seeming to try and calm down from the kind interactions and rubs to an eye.

"Time to celebrate our new brother!" Thatch cheers from not too far behind them and more cheer with whistles. Ace feels overwhelmed, but so grateful as he grips onto Marco and enjoys the way arms wrap around him in a safe embrace, taking in the whisper in his ear.

"My fire…"