#onepiecereversebang

Sand and rocks didn’t care about the blood that ran through him, nor the name he’d been born from. The dust ate away at every man all the same.

He saw a palm tree in the distance, the green leaves are long gone, just faded brown, making a pitiful rustling sound in the slightest of breezes. Still, it didn’t matter to him if the tree was dead or alive, he just needed somewhere to sit for a moment, take a break.

The gravel crunched under his heavy boots as he made his way towards the palm. He sighed and allowed himself to slide down the tree, landing on his ass in the dirt. Unphased by the heat rising through the earth, his body temperature handled the heat.

Having an ability like his had been a Godsend in this nightmare world. Fire to keep himself warm at night, the power to keep himself cool in the day. He’d been owed some good karma considering the legacy he was dogged with.

Ace pulled out his flask, unscrewing the cap, taking a swig of water. Another blessing to his gift, whenever he found water, he was able to sterilise it, one of the few people he’d come across that hadn’t had their insides tainted by the poisoned water.

He adjusted his hat, enjoying the shade it provided his freckled face, keeping the sun out of his eyes. Leaning back against the palm he covered his face with his hat, arms behind his head as he got comfortable. The journey between territories had been longer than anticipated, a quick nap would fix him up.

That was until his shoulders tensed, the distinct feeling of eyes piercing into him caused him to stir. There was something in the air, a presence. Sighing to himself he stood, brushing the dust off himself.

“So much for a nice nap.” Ace grumbled to himself.

A sharp crack interrupted the sounds of the desert around him. Gunfire, not just any gunfire, he’d attracted the attention of a sniper somewhere in the area. The clever little fuck had managed to hide their presence until now. He clicked his tongue; he wasn’t in the mood for a fight but it seemed to be in the mood to have him.

He glanced at the smoking hole in the front of him, the bullet had whizzed right through his body, and he was curious if the sniper would try again.

-

“What the…” Marco squinted down the sights of his rifle, he’d shot the man through the chest, but he was still standing. He pulled away and rubbed his eyes, he didn’t think the sand had been kicked up enough by the breeze to affect his vision.

Reloading the rifle he adjusted his aim, the crosshairs fixed on the stupid hat he was wearing. He never missed a shot and this time he was taking it personally. The other hadn’t even moved out of the way, it was as if the stranger was staring right at him.

“I hope you have something on you worth my time yoi. Two bullets, damn.” He chuckled to himself as he pulled the trigger.

The shot fired, whizzing through the air, hitting Ace in the forehead, it should have killed him! He should have hit the floor! He then noticed the other man’s face in the scope, the incredibly smug smirk as he simply tipped his hat in greeting.

“Alright, my turn!” Ace laughed and turned his entire body to face what used to be a transmission tower.

He formed a decent sized ball of fire in the palm of his hand, lining up the fireball he couldn’t help the manic expression as he launched it in the direction the bullet had come from. He wouldn’t stand for being underestimated.

Marco stared at the fireball coming right towards him, he grumbled and let the gun fall around his neck. He changed into his harpy form, large blue talons to match the blue flaming wings. He jumped back from the tower, catching himself in the air with his powerful wings as the tower was hit with the blazing attack.

The creaking of rusted metal grinding against itself made Ace wince as he gritted his teeth, watching the metal crumple, he didn’t have time to feel smug though, seeing the beautiful bird in the sky. For a second, he didn’t even consider the abnormal creature could have been the enemy he was fighting with.

He just couldn’t move, the bird was the most gorgeous blue he’d ever seen in his life, the gold flames and tail that shimmered like something out of this world made Ace stare, mouth agape as the phoenix looped around in the sky.

Sharpened talons came hurtling down from the sky, speeding up at an alarming rate. Marco flexed his natural weapons and tucked his wings in to get a faster dive on his prey, what he hadn’t expected was his prey to turn into a wall of fire.

Too late to stop his charge now he simply accepted his fate, Wings closed around his body, waiting for the impact of the ground and the burning of flames. He hissed letting out an animalistic shriek as something made a sickening crunch upon landing.

Marco’s cooling flames at least stopped the red ones from burning him badly or for very long. His wings unfurled and he snapped his attention to the stranger in the stupid hat. He winced at the pain in his leg, looking down at the protruding bone splinter.

“We both know an injury like that is a death sentence out here. Just give up.” Ace said as his body formed from the flames Marco had crash-landed into.

The bird seemed to regard him for a moment before it transformed into a tall man with messy blond hair, a gas mask covering his face, sniper rifle strapped to him. Ace’s eyes flashed with realisation. A zoan, the sniper on the tower was a zoan.

“Normally you’d be right yoi,” The blond said with a chuckle, distorted from the mask on his face.

His hand flickered with blue flames, brilliant, beautiful, mesmerising flames that Ace tried to not let distract him. Ace prepared for an attack from the hand made of cyan fire, flinching before he noticed Marco was placing it over his leg. Ace’s eyes opened wide; his mouth hung open like an idiot as he watched the leg mend instantly in front of his very eyes.

“You can heal?”

Marco nodded as the flames dissipated and he stood to his full height, he had a good few inches on Ace much to Ace’s charging. Marco blinked half-lidded blue eyes at the younger man. Marco cocked his head to one side and examined Ace, he seemed to be disarmed, hands open and flat palmed at his sides, he wasn’t going to attack him again.

“Fire versus fire is a stalemate yoi. We’d both be wasting precious energy if was carried on with this” He sighed and folded his arms over his chest, a thin brow quirking as he waited for the stranger to concede along with him.

--

“You’re not part of a faction then?” Marco asked while he watched Ace as he casually flicked a spark into the pile of debris between them. A roaring fire crackled to life in no time, spurred on by the dry as bone offerings that had been scouted for and piled up in the centre. Rocks and stones slotted into place around the ring of fire, keeping the blaze contained.

“Nah, I got asked by the idiot in war paint to join his side once and I wasn’t buying what he was sellin’. I just want to be free, find my way ya know?” Ace shrugged and stared at the dancing flames.

The zoan nodded crossing his legs and got comfortable as he recalled the man Ace meant. He’d learned the factions were best to be avoided from his own misadventures with the wild animals that played pretend with the notion of ‘civil society.

“Eustass?”

“Yeah, him.” Ace confirmed and mimicked Marco’s posturing, sitting on his legs and looking up at the rusty sky, he’d heard there was stars years and years ago, glimmering jewels in an ocean of black. He couldn’t imagine anything but the deep orange that clouded up the world.

“I’ve heard he’s a real piece of work yoi. The other delusional idiot with the hook and sly grin was tailing me until a few weeks ago.” Marco ran a hand through his tuft of blond while picturing that wicked grinning face looming over him. Eustass was insane, like an animal that had spent too long in a cage waiting and bristling for a chance to exercise his brutality. Mr 0 however was just as cruel, maybe more so, his violence was hidden by a nice veneer of ‘for the people’; that had the masses seeking him out as a saviour, as a saint.

“How did people like that come into power?” Ace asked, bringing Marco out of his little trance, the man fixed his eyes on Marco, not sure he would get an answer.

“It’s simple, isn’t it? Sure, they aren’t the only ones with gifts but in a world that’s sand and metal is it any surprise they rose to the top yoi? They are almost unbeatable.” Marco leaned back on his palms, feeling the scratchy sand tickling at his skin.

“Almost?” “Yeah.”

“Do you mean the third faction? The one that’s a myth? The great and powerful Whitebeard? You know nobody has heard anything from him and his ‘pirates’ in years, right?” Ace couldn’t help the laugh he let out, shaking his head.

His father’s old rival, a relic from the past, someone who could remember when there was grass on the ground and birds in the sky. He glanced at Marco as he had that thought, maybe that wasn’t so wild.

Marco said nothing, he’d searched for that ‘legend’ for years. Chasing a dream, simply clawing at every hope he could. Ducking and dodging his way through the warring badlands, those in between the big cities and not one person was able to utter the whereabouts of the pirate captain.

“Why are they hunting you anyway?” Ace asked, picking up a twig, snapping the stick into smaller pieces, idly flicking them into the flames.

“Isn’t it obvious? I can heal I’m as rare as clean water yoi” He chuckled with an air of disdain; bitterness tinged his otherwise pleasant laugh. Pushing himself to sit Marco hunched over his lap, picking up a stone and flicking it into the fire, joining Ace in the display of disinterested boredom.

“Now Eustass knows that Mr 0 is after me he’s trying to beat him to the punch.” The sadness in Marco’s voice made Ace furrow his brows, his jaw set firm.

Marco caught the look and shrugged his shoulders, reaching out towards the fire. His own blue flames conjured up in his palm, mingling with the brighter ones, they looked as If they were dancing together in a rhythmic harmony instead of trying to overpower.

“You’re not the only one who longs to be free yoi.”

Ace was wanted for his power and the reputation he’d had thrust unwantedly on him by his father and Marco was hunted like a wild animal for his abilities. Maybe if there was something left akin to fate it had brought them together.

“This is why we should stick together,” Ace said with a tone of finality, not even offering it up as a suggestion to Marco.

“There’s no point in fighting one another. We both want freedom, to be rid of chains and shackles others want to slap on us. Plus, we would make a terrifying force! My flames of destruction, my determination and you with your healing and wings!” Ace flapped his arms in a gesture, playful grin in place.

“Wings?” Marco closed his palm abruptly snuffing out his flames.

“Come on..” Ace started with a slight whine to his voice that caused Marco to smirk inside his mask “Flying would cover so much distance!”

“No one ever sees birds; how subtle do you think a giant blue one would be in the sky yoi? We might both be formidable but those two have entire armies, they control the land both figuratively and literally, we’d be dead where we stand yoi” Marco saw how Ace deflated and scuffed some sand into the fire, pissy because he knew the sniper was right.

“Although,” Marco adjusted how he was sitting, his eyes focused on his companion’s face. The fire spun shadows across his features, he could see a fire in his eyes that burned brighter with ambition than any fire he’d seen.

“Would be nice not to be alone anymore yoi”

Ace nodded; he couldn’t help the growing grin on his face as the fire danced between them. He had a good feeling about this decision, about his newfound friend.

---

“Is this such a good idea birdbrain?” Ace was walking behind Marco, dragging his feet as he went.

“Marco.”

“What?”

Marco sighed, stopping in his tracks, and digging in his bag, pulling out paper that looked older than Ace. “My name is Marco, not ‘birdbrain’ yoi.” He explained and looked around for a flat surface, struggling to find one he turned to Ace, grabbing him by the scruff of the neck and making him turn and bend at the middle, using the other back as a table.

“A map? How do you have a map?”

“I found it, been adding things as I travel, how do you find places yoi?”

“I just kinda… walk in a direction?”

Ace could FEEL Marco rolling those pretty blue eyes at him. He placed his hands on his knees, doing his best to act as a table for Marco as he studied the paper, tapping roughly on one spot and looking up, surveying the land.

“I need to get higher.”

“Ace by the way.” He mumbled, voice deadpan as he was allowed to stand to his full height, watching Marco stash away the map like it was a prized possession.

“Alright, Ace.” Marco began as he turned his arms into wings, letting the cool flames lower the temperature around them, his companion couldn’t help himself, wanting to lean in and feel the flicker of the blissful reprieve from the heat inside and outside of himself. He imagined this was what splashing his face with fresh water might feel like.

He resisted the urge to get closer when Marco turned around and shot him a confused look.

“I won’t be long yoi.” With that Marco took off into the sky, trying to find a high vantage point to examine his map, compare it to the land. Ace rolled his eyes again and kicked pebbles along the dusty path, watching them skitter.

Marco found a tall telephone pole and used his sharp dexterous talons to keep himself attached to the narrow perch. Squatted in place and retrieved the map from his bag, holding it up and staring across the wasteland.

The phoenix brought out his rifle, holding the scope up to one eye, closing the other to focus around the area. Marco’s claws dug into the wood, splinting it in frustration, something that was defiantly not on the map was the dust being kicked up over the desert. The large rumbling cloud of orange in the horizon, rushing over the sand as if the dunes were little than a mere inconvenience.

“Ace!” He called.

“Yeah?” Ace walked slowly towards the vantage point, tipping his hat to keep the sun off his face, trying to focus on the zoan.

“You know when you refused Eustass? Were you ah, polite about it yoi?”

“Why would I have bee- oh shit, oh fuck.” Ace could feel the low rumble in the ground, approaching vehicles coming from the direction Marco was facing.

The ground vibrated under his feet, and he winced, maybe he could have been nicer about telling Kid ‘no’. An afterthought he guessed, he watched Marco’s wings appear in a flash, taking flight and coming right for Ace.

“We have to go!”

“You aren’t dragging me like some sort of roadkill, Birdbrain!” Ace protested when Marco snapped open his talons and hovered in place.

“You brought this down on me, on us, and there is no way we can beat that many of his men alone yoi.” Marco’s usually laid-back voice was laced with panic.

Which caused the hairs on the back of Ace’s neck to stand to attention, his mouth never felt so dry. He didn’t expect Kid to be this petty and come after him with such aggression. “Is it too late to say I come with baggage?”

Marco’s narrowed brows and ‘tsk’ was answer enough. “I assumed that a pretty face would come with a price yoi.”

“Aww you thi- HEY!”

Marco could hear the rumbling of heavy machines getting closer to their location and he wasn’t in the mood to die because Ace wanted to linger on the fact he’d called him pretty. The zoan now in full avian form approached Ace and carefully grabbed him under his armpits, lifting the struggling man off the ground.

Marco said nothing, irritation furrowed his brows as he flapped his wings, harder than before, the extra wright of Ace throwing him off. They beat desperately, the rumbling getting closer and closer, the building anxiety in his chest was palpable.

He may have gripped Ace a little tighter than needed. The other hit one of his toes with a balled-up fist and a mouthful of complaints. Marco couldn’t hear the words, his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

Marco’s impressive wingspan kicked up a dust storm around them, their own personal cyclone. Ace lifted the bandanna up from around his neck, coughing up as the dust invaded his breathing space, choking him with the gritty dryness of the dead earth. Marco would say sorry once they were somewhere safe.

A loud screech of tires descended on them as they got some distance from the ground, a shout of aggression split the air. The zoan glanced over his shoulder just in time to see something glimmering in the light. The whizzing sound as metal cable attached to a harpoon tip flew at them, Marco tilted to the side just in time to evade being pierced.

“Why didn’t you just become fire! You’re shaking me around and I am this close to throwing up, Birdbrain!” Ace huffed, his hands holding onto the rough scaly skin of talons, panic causing him to need something, anything as a comfort.

“Sea stone tipped!” Marco quipped and tried to ignore the burning ache where his wings met his body.

He wasn’t used to carrying someone. The thought of dropping Ace and using him as a distraction for his own safe getaway flickered through his mind for just a moment. Fleeting as it was it had disgusted Marco. Where had his humanity skittered off to?

Ace was still near enough a stranger to him; one he’d only just met. The dependency already blooming in his chest, the desire to not face the world alone anymore was enough to keep Marco’s mind grounded and his talons firmly gripping the wriggling form of Ace.

“Their loading it up again!” Ace shouted, peering down at the mass of vehicles only just behind them.

“Fucking, fucks!” Marco shouted when the same gut-wrenching, anxiety building whizz sound filled their ears once more.

He dipped to the other side this time, feeling the razor sharp tip graze his wing. Kid was getting too close; Marco didn’t appreciate having shots taken when he was at a disadvantage.

Ace watched as the main truck was directly underneath them, a new harpoon loaded, it was aimed right at them. They were shooting to kill! No, they were shooting to kill him they knew Marco would heal and he was the real prize here. As much as that hurt the man’s ego he didn’t plan on anything happening to himself or his new friend.

Kid grinned, a maddening look on his face. Red lips twisted into a sinister snarl, the pleasure of the hunt running through his body. He felt alive, full of electricity and his veins pulsing with adrenaline. The red paint on his face looked like blood-smeared, only making his crazed expression even more terrifying.

Ace clicked his tongue when the clicking of gears signalled the count down.

“Should have fuckin’ agreed to my kind offer Portgas!” Kid yelled loud enough to be heard over the rumbling engine, the clanking of chains and cheers of his men as they got closer to taking them down.

“Eat shit.” Ace replied, his smirk growing as he place his two index fingers together to form a cross.

Kid blinked, narrowing his eyes when Ace’s fingers started to glow bright orange. Ace didn’t have time to warn Marco as he fired off his blast. Brilliant intense heat, fire and fury pulsed out his simple hand gesture.

Marco winced when he felt the sudden heat on his underside, wafting up and mingling with the cold air his wings provided. He didn’t have time to blink when he saw the tower of fire coming from Ace’s hands. Heat and flames spiralled down and hit the truck head-on.

The explosion rang out loudly, deafening the two airborne devil fruit users. The truck caught fire, sparks, and metal debris flew in all directions. Marco was thankful the redhead hadn’t the forethought to cover his vehicle’s armour in sea stone, each sharp splinter of shrapnel shot through his body.

Marco didn’t have time to gloat in his enemy’s defeat, other trucks were gaining on them, the same malicious intent clear as gunfire crackled and popped. Machine guns with full belts aimed at them again.

“Ace! Do that again, this time at the GROUND!” Marco yelled at his dangling companion.

“The ground?” Ace looked straight up; confusion wrinkled his nose.

“Just trust me yoi!”

Ace had no reason to doubt Marco, the phoenix hadn’t dropped him to his immediate death after all. Crossing his fingers once more he aimed at the ground this time, the same intense blast hitting the ground, the dust it created lost in the chaos of the armoured convoy’s man-made sandstorm.

The blast did exactly what Marco had hoped for. It propelled him higher into the air, he held those brilliantly gleaming blue wings out at an angle, letting the rising heat and velocity of Ace’s attack further their ascent into the sky.

Higher and higher he took them. Using the extra momentum to rest his weary wings for a moment. Rising into the air, the problems chasing them along on the ground seemed a distant memory. Marco flapped his wings with renewed vigour.

Above the layer of dust, orange, and decay they rose. The sky above was clearer than anything he had ever seen. The sun! Oh, the sun was bright yellow, who’d have thought? Marco let out a laugh as he managed to control himself in the air once again.

Marco took in a deep breath, the clean air above the pollution ceiling filled his lungs and resonated within himself. His ancient zoan thrilled with the wounder and memory of this world. When the sky was clear, the air was clean, and water flowed freely on this once green earth.

The phoenix life force sang inside Marco. Fresh air ran across his feathers, his flames dancing in the wind as he glided across the sea of pastel blue. He could feel tears pricking his eyes, so many emotions both his and the spirit that dwelled within.

“Ace, take a good long breath, can you feel this yoi?”

Ace was too dazzled to say anything. He laughed and felt himself shedding his own tears of happiness. The bliss he felt in this moment, these joyous seconds he’d never have hoped in his lifetime to feel. Clean air washed over his face, he closed his eyes, feeling baptised by the rays of sunlight on his freckled face.

He did as Marco suggested, taking a deep breath, filling his lungs. He didn’t want to exhale. If he died at this moment, he wouldn’t even care. He let out the breath, shuddering, emotional. Ace reached up and dried his eyes, still laughing, the feeling of joy overwhelming.

“I wish we could stay up here forever, Marco!”

Marco nodded, a happy trill coming from him. They glided across the sky, Marco purposely flying through the clouds. Water droplets from the vapour causing his blue flames to jump and spark harmlessly. Both men enjoyed the feeling of the rain particles splashing across their faces.

It was at this moment they felt reborn.

He couldn’t tell how long they’d been flying, hoping once they’d vanished from sight their pursuers would have given up. Even if Kid was a cantankerous piece of shit, if he was alive, even he wouldn’t chase a hunch above the clouds.

They started to descend, Marco letting out a pained squawk. He’d grievously miscalculated how long he could go without landing. The bewitching freedom of the world above had entrapped him. He adjusted himself as Ace’s feet dipped into the dirty air once more.

“You doing okay?”

“Great, thank you for asking but we might have to prepare for a bumpy landing yoi.” Marco warned his passenger as his body sagged lower in the sky.

His wings fanned out attempting to grip at whatever depleting air current there was, trying to sink from the sky with any form of grace. Lower and lower before he felt his shoulders twinge in pain. He could heal, sure. There was no stopping the pain in his joints. Wings snapping to his side involuntarily. The fatigue was too great, he cursed himself.

“Nice knowing you!” Ace nervously laughed as he saluted the bird.

Marco rolled his eyes as they fell from the sky, like brilliant shooting stars, dazzling and tumbling through the sky in a blaze of glory set to burn out into nothing. Marco’s energy running dangerously low, he’d slipped back into human form now.

Ace reached out as they free-fell through the air. He brushed his fingertips against the zoan’s. Marco understood what Ace was asking for, to not die alone, to have some sort of connection. The sadness settled in the pit of Marco’s stomach as he gripped Ace’s hand tightly in his own.

There were worse ways to die, worst places to end up. At least they’d die free as they’d always dreamed and not locked down at some assholes beck and call.

The darkness gobbled them up.

‘Strange, my eyes aren’t closed… and I can still think…. Am I dead?’ Marco thought to himself as he blinked.

Darkness like he’d never seen, pitch black and unmoving. He couldn’t see anything. He focused on the warm hand in his grasp, clutching harder to it, to Ace. The dark was causing Ace’s anxiety to spike until he felt the hand squeeze.

Marco was right here with him still. That settled Ace, if just a little.

Just as abruptly as the unrelenting, inhuman darkness swallowed them it just as swiftly spat them out. The light was shocking, blinding in comparison. Marco landed painfully on the dark orange earth he’d walked along for so many years.

Ace landed sprawled across his lap, hitting Marco between the legs with a misplaced elbow. Marco hissed like a vexed goose and pushed Ace from his body and shot him a look. The flame user groaned and rolled off his lap. Getting on all fours he stared at the looming shadow that blocked the stained sun from beating down on him.

“Good work Thatch! Gurhaha!” The booming laugh made Marco flinch.

“I thought they were about to meet our maker!” The man ‘Thatch’ said with a jovial laugh, as if he hadn’t mentioned their almost very real untimely death.

“Yeah, I kinda thought we had died when it all faded to black.” Ace sighed as he sat back, brushing his dusty palms down the front of his clothes, staring at the large man with the big white moustache.

How various other men stood around the giant. Ace elbowed Marco in the side, tugging at him and nodding to their saviours. “Whitebeard.” The skull and crossbones insignia each of the men gathered wore was unmistakable as well as the legend standing tall and in the flesh.

“Whitebeard?” Marco repeated and jolted up, scrabbling to get to his feet and stare in awe at the man who until moments ago was just a mere legend, a dream he’d been so intent on spending his days chasing.

“Just call me ‘Pops’” The man smiled brighter than the sun they’d seen moments ago, the clear and brilliant version.

Whitebeard’s eyes crinkled in fondness, watching as Thatch helped Ace to his feet, slapping him on the back with a chuckle. Another man walked to Marco, his long black hair done up beautifully, red-stained lips quirked into a smile as he handed the phoenix a flask of water.

“You’re safe now boys, you’re home.”

Marco felt himself smile, the first real smile in longer than he could remember. Hope he thought he’d lost slowly returning, filling his heart to bursting. He blinked when he felt Ace’s searching hand, trembling fingers desperate for comfort. Marco reached out once more, taking Ace’s hand in his own. Intertwining fingers as their new family swarmed around them, chattering and introducing themselves.