Work Text:
Isuka had never expected to see any of the Spade pirates again.
Well, she guessed they were Whitebeard pirates now. Her eyes narrowed, flitting from arm to arm. Each had a small tattoo, signing their allegiance, on the inside of their wrists. Little purple skull and crossbones arranged like a bone crucifix with mustache-faced skull in the center. They looked like a bunch of lads who had all gotten drunk and decided to get a matching gang tattoo for a lark. But Isuka had been trained to recognize all major pirate group marks. Being able to identify a pirate on sight, and where they stood in the political landscape, was an essential skill.
It made Isuka sad to see. Happy to see that they were still together as a group. Upsetting to see their family had been cannibalized into another. Ace had the bearings of a Captain, and Isuka couldn’t help but wonder if they’d still be the Spades if she’d taken Ace’s hand. If maybe she could have directed him away from a conflict with Whitebeard—
Such were selfish thoughts, and Isuka sincerely doubted she’d have been able to sway the stubborn and single-minded former Spade captain. But she missed the small crew and seeing Ace’s plucky leadership. But sometimes she did wonder what would happen if she’d taken his hand …
Ducky Bree, Aggie 68, Skull and Saber hadn’t seen or sensed her yet, but as ever were confident and not covering their presence.
Isuka had no intention of taking them in. Not just because they were Whitebeard boys, and targeting their crew was basically a death sentence for any lone marine, but because as far as pirates went, she knew the Spades weren’t evil.
The Spades were a soft spot. Some would say a blind spot. But she was never going to advertise this weakness, and she was hopeful no situation would ever bring them into contact as enemies again.
She was curious what they were doing back in Paradise.
If their Captain was, perhaps, with them—
Isuka shook her head to get rid of that train of thought. Former captain. They might not even be in the same division or missions as Ace anymore, their bonds dissolved under Whitebeard. She really didn’t know. Anyway, she wasn’t sure what she’d even do if she saw Fire Fist again, so perhaps it would be for the best if she didn’t pursue this situation—
Who was she kidding. She wouldn’t be herself if she didn’t pursue the situation.
Following after the Spade pirates was in her DNA at this point.
She shadowed them, being careful to stay out of sight. It was the perfect time to practice both her Observation Haki, and concealing her presence.
Saber was pointing out a crudely modelled wooden cat at the market stall. She could see his mouth form the words ‘for Kotatsu,’ and it warmed her heart to know the big cat was still alive, no doubt lounging on the deck of the Moby Dick in the nicest patch of sun and luxuriating in his laziness.
Ducky Bree’s hand darted out to prevent Saber from picking up the figurine. From memory, Saber was quick with a laugh, a bit lewd, and even worse with money than his Captain. His hat was nowhere near as obnoxious as Ace’s orange monstrosity (that Isuka found herself missing despite herself), but still seemed to be a homage to his former captain.
Ducky Bree just gave him a stare down and shook his head, familiar frown in place. Isuka had never known the man to smile. His haggard face suggested a life lived harshly, the way his bandana pushed back his hair to cover his eyebrows made him particularly stony in expression, and the way his shaggy tufts of hair framed his face only accentuated how sunken his cheeks were. She hoped he knew more peace under Ace, but his frown always put her on edge.
If Ducky Bree was known for his lack of expression, Aggie 68 was his inverse. Quick with a smile, loud braying laugh, and everything was big and bold, he was even quicker to anger or make frown. The massive man never did anything in half measures in Isuka’s estimations.
She didn’t know Ducky Bree or Aggie 68 very well at all, as far as Ace’s crewmates went. But Skull was another story. She couldn’t help but smile at seeing his enthusiasm, the Spades resident information broker and fanboy going into an excited spiel about the craftsmanship and wood used by the cat figurine, just where it was sourced, and the history of the island it came from. Even wearing an intimidating skull, the large blue haired man seemed more like an excitable teddy bear. His eyes lit up as he got invested, and brought the storekeeper into conversation. The storekeeper was happy to field questions at first, but quickly got intimidated, backing away with a sweat drop at Skull’s sheer knowledge that he should not have had.
The storekeeper thrust the little wooden cat at the skull masked pirate with a shout of “It’s free, just please stop” as he ran away from his own store in overwhelmed tears.
The excited and vivacious light in Skull’s eyes momentarily dimmed in confusion, before he looked at the figurine in his giant hand and smiled goofily. “Do you think he let me pay him in knowledge?” he asked his group in delight.
Saber laughed and awkwardly slapped him on the back. “Sure buddy.”
“We should be less conspicuous,” Ducky Bree said in a flat voice. “Stick to alleyways and less crowded streets. There’s a Marine outpost beside this island.”
“Buddy, it’s fine,” Saber said, thrusting out his arm and tapping at the Whitebeard tattoo. “This should drive off most of them.”
“Never underestimate a Marine trying to make a name for themselves,” Ducky Bree growled.
“They can’t all fall in love with Captain and take it easy on us,” Saber chuckled.
Aggie 68 looked around. “Good thing Cap’s not around. Saves some men and women for the rest of us hehe.”
Isuka felt relief rush into her chest. They still considered Ace their Captain. Wait—what did they mean by that comment, and should Isuka be offended?
“Most Marines, man or woman, could take you guys easily,” Isuka said, flinching as she realized that once again she’d rushed in and not held back like she was going to.
All four men froze with their backs to her, slowly turning around with comically freaked out faces.
“We’re being haunted and hunted,” hissed Ducky Bree.
“Wait, isn’t that—” Aggie 68 tilted his massive head back.
“Miss Isuka!” Skull reacted first, rushing to lift her up and swing her around with excitement. Isuka could have gotten out of the hold at any time, but she was delighted at his delight. Returning to himself, the Spade’s resident fanboy awkwardly lowered her back to the ground, bashful. “Sorry for manhandling you! Just so excited to see you—oh Master Ace would be so thrilled!”
“Is he,” she coughed into her hand, looking away. “Is Fire Fist in town? Purely for research purposes.”
She didn’t want to seem too eager to see him. Didn’t want them to know just how much she missed their fiery former Captain. Not because she feared they would use it as leverage against her in a piratical strategic manner, but because they would tease her mercilessly.
Especially Saber.
Saber looked absolutely delighted, grinning lavishly. “Still holding a flame for Cap, huh? Skull you’re right, he’ll be thrilled.”
“No that’s—” Isuka felt flustered, stumbling on her usually assured words.
Skull looked at her apologetically. Isuka felt it was a relief that one of them saw how inappropriate that line of inquiry was and grateful that at least one of them was sympathizing with her—
“Master Ace is back in the New World with Whitebeard,” Skull said apologetically, and Isuka flinched upon realizing that he wasn’t apologizing for the direction of conversation but that Ace wasn’t there. “But we’d be happy to pass on a message!”
“Yes, we would,” said a delighted Saber, his fists pushing up his cheeks in a fanboying swoon. “Speak from the heart without shame!”
She spluttered and laughed awkwardly. “It’s not going to be anything scandalous—”
“A pity,” Saber said, still smiling.
“I’m not sure a correspondence with the Marine is in our former Captain’s best interests,” Ducky Bree said, glaring at Isuka.
The other three ignored him.
“Have you had dinner Miss Isuka?” Skull enquired politely. “It’s important for servicemen and women to eat regularly and plenty due to your rigorous schedules and training!”
“Thanks for your concern,” Isuka raised both her hands. “But I’m good—”
“We were going to splurge on all the booze and meat,” Aggie 68 slapped her back enthusiastically. “You should join us! Whitebeard gave us leave and a lot of spending money!”
“He sounds very generous,” Isuka said kindly.
“Circumstances of joining the Whitebeards not counting, they have been incredibly pleasant and generous to us,” Skull agreed as the other three organized themselves around her, shepherding her no doubt towards their campsite. Isuka could have stabbed them through of holes and immobilized them if they were truly unpleasant, but she went along with them, missing their company and jovial interactions.
Isuka knew there was a story there. It had been a shock to hear the reports that Ace had clashed with Whitebeard, and that the super rookie had gone silent and missing, last seen taken onto the Moby Dick. Isuka had stressed for over a hundred days, willing him to be alive and not too scarred by the loss. It had been both a relief but an even greater shock to hear he had become Whitebeard’s subordinate.
The boy she knew was singular. Hot-headed. A Captain in his own right who seemed stubborn and unbendable. A leader, not one to follow the vision of others.
Isuka bit down on her lip in an urge to not ask for the story of how they’d come to join the Whitebeards. She wanted to keep the interaction with Ace’s former subordinates light. Friendly. No bad blood or bad memories.
Unfortunately, none of the men seemed to be in a very talkative mood. Ducky Bree was a given, but a light, happy, wordless mood had descended over the others. They walked with easy going smiles but no words, as if they were expectant that they’d have all the time to talk when they got Isuka back to their camp sight.
“It’s nice to see that you’re comfortable in your new crew,” she said, indicating to the tattoos on their wrist. “Is that a requirement for all members?”
“Pfft, as if any of us would do anything we didn’t want to do,” Saber smiled lazily as he plonked down on the sand by there makeshift beach tent. “Completely voluntary.”
“Although entrance onto the Moby was not for Master Ace,” Skull quipped, and Isuka’s curiosity was again piqued. She narrowed her eyes, sensing a trap. Skull seemed to want her to ask after their Captain, for what end Isuka could only guess. Information sometimes was inseparable from gossip for the giddy man, even if Skull was too good-natured to ever use it for cruel means.
“Man, you should see the tatt Cap got,” Saber said, stoking their fire back to life with a stick.
Aggie 68 whistled low. “That thing seems as big as I am,” he joked.
“It’s a real statement piece,” Skull agreed.
Ducky Bree just glared.
“He’s real proud to be a Whitebeard boy now,” Saber said with a fond smile. “I think it was really humbling for him. He’s a lot less restless now. More settled.”
“I really hope he’s happy,” Isuka murmured gently, unashamed to admit she meant it.
“He’s getting there,” Saber said, nudging her shoulder with his. “Think he would have been happier with you still chasing after us.”
Isuka chewed her lip as she looked down at her gloved hands, balled into fists on her lap. “I—I would have been happy to do that. But command doesn’t just let us go into the New World willy-nilly.”
“I heard you turned down the offer though,” Saber said lowly. “Cap was awful sulky about it for a long, long time. But I get it. You gotta follow your dreams, and he had to follow his.”
There was a weight in the back of her throat, made her almost tear up. But it could have been just stinging from being so close to a fire. Those always dried out the eyes. His crew had succinctly got a read on the situation for what it was, and they weren’t making fun of either of them for it. She was grateful that they didn’t prod at that wound.
“But it is quite the massive tattoo,” Saber backtracked and kept talking, seeing the heaviness on her face and inability of words to get out. “Dude never wears a shirt now, he’s just gotta show it off.”
“It’s his pride,” Skull interjected happily. “He loves being a Whitebeard. It gives him meaning.”
“Yeah, yeah he says all that but I think he’s just showing off,” Saber watched Isuka closely for a reaction, smile quirking up again. “Dude’s body’s gotten even more chiseled, and the big back tatt gives him an excuse to show it all off.”
Isuka would blame her dry mouth and flushed cheeks on the fire. Not the images going through her head. “So, it … it’s his entire back?”
“Yup,” Aggie 68 popped his lips together. “Giant mustache on his back. Very purple skull and crossbones.”
“He has no right to make it look as good as it does,” Saber said with a moody sigh. “Alas, we can’t all have bodies of the gods.”
Aggie 68 laughed with a braying whistled. “Have mercy on the poor Marine girl, please!”
“Oh she’d love it, wouldn’t you Isuka?” Saber asked but didn’t allow her to say anything. “Big bad boy tattoo on his back showing he’s a dangerous man.”
“A lot more permanent than the Justice on your Marine coat,” Isuka had almost forgotten Ducky Bree was there, and was not going to react to his provocations.
“Man, you’d really love it,” Saber ignored his friend’s surly attitude. “You Marines probably rarely see tattoos. Against regulation and all that.”
“Actually there’s no prohibition on tattoos,” Isuka informed eagerly. “Our bodies are still our own, even if we use them in service of ideals and others! In fact it’s cool Fire Fist has a tattoo on his back, because I have one too. Although it definitely isn’t as large and over the top as his sounds—”
“Oh my god they’re a matching set!” Skull swooned, tipsy on his beer. “Such soulmates!”
“You have a tattoo? No way!” Saber ignored his overenthusiastic friend now. “Quiet Skull, your shipping is making her uncomfortable.”
“Yes way! I got it as a … as a tribute to my parents,” Isuka bit her lip, looking into the flames. She was unsure if Fire Fist had told them her full story, or if he’d kept her privacy and her story for only her to tell. The men around her read into her silence that her parents had long passed and gave her a respectful amount of time to speak when she was ready. Aggie 68 gave her a surprisingly gentle pat on the back, for which she was grateful.
“They used to call me their little Cross Bill—that’s what I’m named after, Ace was right to say it was a bird name,” she chuckled slightly.
“Ace and not Fire Fist?” Saber raised a brow but didn’t press as Isuka clammed up and frowned again. “Sorry, sorry. Continue.”
“So when I was old enough, I got a little red bird on my shoulder blade. Like … like the wings they wanted me to have.”
“Did Ace ever see it?” Saber asked, wiggling his eyebrows.
“Now who’s being uncomfortable about their relationship!” Skull slurred. He hiccupped and looked to Isuka with a bashful demeanor. “That’s a beautiful story, Miss Isuka. I’m sure your parents would be so proud to see how you’ve taken flight.”
This left Isuka more speechless and flustered than Saber’s suggestive comments. But it made her overwhelmingly happy. “Thank you,” she eventually spluttered out.
“Got any tramp stamps?” Saber asked.
“What, you don’t want to be the only one in this circle to have made that bad decision?” Auggie 68 laughed at Saber and Isuka couldn’t help but giggle at the image of him laying on his stomach to get a tattoo drawing attention to his ass.
“Just the crossbill,” Isuka said gently. “And the—”
She cut herself off, covering her mouth. This got everyone’s attention.
“Well, you have to tell us now,” Auggie 68 grinned.
“I just don’t want you guys to read into it,” Isuka grumbled. They wouldn’t be incorrect in doing so. It wasn’t exactly subtle. A drunken whim when she’d been feeling sentimental. A little spade under her left breast, above her heart. It was way too telling and suggestive to tell any member of Ace’s crew—
“I promise our lips are sealed!” Auggie 68 whined. “Even blabbermouth Skull! No one outside this circle will know about it. Not even Captain.”
Skull nodded eagerly in agreement.
Saber’s sly smile was back. “Don’t you guys get it? It’s something she wants to show Cap in person—”
Isuka was regretting her informal promise to Ace that she would protect and look out for his crew. Because right now she could have riddled Saber full of holes.