Half A Wing

Yo ho, I'm feeling motivated today 💪💪, take this LONG chapter!

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Days passed by. Ace managed to finally smile when Luffy placed chopsticks in his nose drills, a joke that Haruta teached him. Everyone was shocked, he of course quickly let it down and looked away. But they all knew he genuinely felt happiness. Marco and others felt proud, seeing the boys finally change from their uneasiness. One day Ace asked when they'll reach land, the crew went silent and Luffy broke it, shouting: "You're staying with us, dummy!". Ace's jaw went down as he exclaimed big "What". Ace was officially taken to the family. The days went on and on, happily. Until someday, where it changed.

"Hm?" Thatch was sitting with a fish rod on a railing. He saw a chest swimming in the waters. Doing some tricks he attached the end of the rode to the padlock of the chest and raised it to his hand. Behind him on the deck, as always, the crew. Yet something felt ominous when he opened the chest. Some dark aura he felt, but couldn't detect where it came from. Group of people stayed in his view. He looked back to the chest and his eyes widened. There, in it, a purple Devil Fruit. He didn't know what it was, so he didn't try to eat it. Placing it back in the chest he went through the deck, then upstairs to Marco's side, who was leaning on an upper railing. His brother sweatdropped when Thatch, the dork of their crew, came to him with a serious expression. He knew something must have happened. The cook showed the chest to his brother and opened it for the blonde to see what's inside. The phoenix's eyes widened.

"That's..." He murmured. Thatch nodded.

"I found it in water." He said, still holding the chest. Marco glanced up at him and straightened. He sighed. 

"It's yours. Do what you want." He leaned with his back on the railing. Thatch sweatdropped. Marco smirked. "If you want to be able to change into an apple." He snickered.

"Gh! Maybe you should try it, huh?!" Thatch exclaimed with shark teeth. The blonde laughed. 

"Okay, okay." He showed hands up.

"It's serious." Thatch huffed and closed the chest.

"I know. But remember that we won't try anything, because you found it." Marco said. Thatch looked at him.

"I know...it's weird." He smiled.

"We should check what type it is and then see if you want it." The blonde pointed at the chest.

"Hm." Thatch nodded.

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"Luffy, don't get distracted." Ace flicked the angel's forehead.

"Ouch! Ace!" He sat back up.

"What are you doing, we're playing!" Ace was mad at him. Luffy pouted. 

"I just saw Tat and Maco..." Luffy looked down. Ace sighed with crossed arms. They were playing cards on the floor. Of course Luffy was bored already, but Ace wanted him to listen to the rules. The demon boy glanced with his one eye at the upper deck. 

"Hah...let's end this round for now." He put the cards down and stood up. Luffy looked at him.

"Ace..." 

"What?" He scoffed. Luffy was silent for a while. The demon boy looked at him with an annoyed expression. "What?" He repeated.

"N-Nothing..." He answered, standing up and running to the stairs, leaving Ace flabbergasted.

"What the..." He clicked his tongue.

"Macooo!" Luffy ran up to the older man. 

"Luffy." Marco turned from Thatch to the boy and catched him. "What's wrong?" Luffy was looking at him and then his eyes averted to the chest Thatch was holding. He pointed at it and the both men sweatdropped.