high_seas | fiery violent pirate babies

[No one said he was surprised, but following Ace's thought process is always hard.]

Okay, what do you need now?

A lot of rope.

[Something they were actually on short supply, not counting replacement lines for the rigging.]

We might have to tie those idiots up.

[Tie the idiots up, seems they are back on talking about subjugating the ship.]

I don't think we have much of that, actually.

[Unless they decide to use some of the ropes that are reserved for other uses or even currently in use.]

Would rope make from blankets suffice?

[He's willing to take his bed sheets and rip them to make the rope if Ace needs it after all.]

Ah, probably not. Marco could probably tear it if we left it too loose. He's not super strong, but his will can make him stronger.

[He'd never seen Marco use it to lift heavy things like Jozu did, but then Marco's style didn't revolve around lifting icebergs or anything.]

Anyway, if ropes aren't gonna work, we probably gotta beat them all up.

Marco's a phoenix too so he can heal quickly even if we beat him.

[And he's the strongest and most badass of them all by default in Ikki's books, but he keeps that to himself because it's coming from Ace. And Ace is the only one who can say that Marco isn't the strongest of all without Ikki arguing back.]

Do we have to beat him too?

[He doesn't want to, but if Ace gives the order he will have to. He's not going to abandon his captain even for his idol... He just hopes that Marco will understand it.]

And Thatch and Namur too?

Thatch and Namur are fine, but Marco's refusin' to listen to my orders. I don't think he'll expect it if I use my will on him, so I might be able to surprise him.

It'll be really tough to fight him, 'cause my arms are so short now.

[And, he didn't have his Devil Fruit available at the moment. Ace wasn't pleased with the immense disadvantage of being a child and losing his main style of combat, but he was adapting quickly.]

That idiot's famous for conquering. Along with pops, he captured a lotta pirates and put them under his wing. If he gets it in his head that he needs to take over the ship and deny me my title, I'm gonna have to knock his teeth out--and turnin' into a Phoenix ain't gonna help him against armaments.

[So it's just Marco, still sucks but Marco is being weird after all, he forgot Ikki, even if that was quickly fixed. So he isn't surprised to hear that he's refusing to listen to Ace's orders. Ikki frowns at the comment regarding his arms, though.]

Ace, your arms are the length they have always been. [A heartbeat.] Don't tell me it actually got you too and you think that you are actually older, Natsuno has that too. And Naesala thinks I was an adult.

[Anyway, regarding the rest.]

I love Marco, but you're my captain. I won't let him take the ship from you. Even if you both are being crazy now.

[Sigh.]

[Ace stared at Ikki, realizing the situation had only managed to get even worse. He reached up to touch his face with one hand.]

Ikki.

What's my pirate nickname?

Hm? Fire Fist Ace.

[Where does that question come from?]

... I don't count how far you can reach with your fire as part of your arm length, you know.

[Welcome to Ikki's memories which are... Bizarre at best.]

Yeah, Fire Fist. [He continued on--]

And, I didn't have this power when I was a kid. I only ate the Flare Flare fruit after I set sail. I only vowed to become a pirate when I turned seventeen, too--

So, I wouldn't wanna be a pirate captain if I were just a kid, right?

[He reached over to hand Ikki the pipe again.] Anyway. If you're so sure I can turn to fire, hit me with this pipe.

[What? Wait, what?! That's... Ikki opens his mouth to object, because he's sure that Ace could turn into fire and all that. He saw it! But as the pipe is handed to him and he's told to hit the other... What is Ace playing?

Ikki frowns, looking at the pipe and then at Ace.]

... What about haki?

[Ace had no idea how strong Ikki was as a kid, but he would just turn his head into an armored shield if he needed to. He was pretty sure Ikki would feel guilty if Ace started bleeding everywhere and needed a tetanus shot later, too.]

'Haki' is different. It's in my mind and it was always in my body. Since I remember it, I can still use it.

[He still doesn't look convinced. Because... Honestly he doesn't want to believe that. Because then... Then what Naesala said was true, wasn't it? Then he was being affected as well and it wasn't just that he had been turned into a child, it wasn't even that he had forgot, but his whole memories were changed. If what Natsuno, Naesala and Ace are saying is true, then he has forgotten everything from his future, from his life? And got his memories of this place changed and played with. Is that why some things are fuzzy to him?

He's not using the pipe to hit Ace just yet. The poor pipe is busy at the moment being twisted and crushed by Ikki's hands as he frowns and thinks, anger burning inside of him. Trying to find an answer, something that would say that Ace was wrong.]

... So... Then if I hit you with this it won't just go through?

And all of us are actually adults? Even me? I remember you, I remember the ship, I remember the ambush at Nuevo Empieza and everything. But my memories are actually wrong?

[Ace knew that look. Even if that look was kind of tiny and Ikki looked fucking adorable, there were few things he really felt he could do to alleviate the situation.

So, Ace reached over and swung his hand down in a little karate chop to the other young man's skull.]

Wake up. If you think you were a kid or an adult, it doesn't matter. Your crew's still here, idiot!

Until this gets fixed, you gotta keep your mind in the game! Now, hit your captain with the damned pipe!

[Ikki doesn't even flinch at the chop, but it gets him to focus on Ace, glaring daggers with poison and fire even if they don't seem really directed at the other.]

You are the one who started going about this, you idiot!! If it doesn't matter then why do you even care if I remember things right or wrong? What do you want me to do? Pat you in the shoulder and go "there, there" just because your punch can't reach as far as when you're an adult?!

[He grabs the pipe and raises it, but stops and lowers it, still glowering. Because as angry as he is right now, he still can't bring himself to punch Ace, not out of anger at least.]

I'm not going to hit you!! If you want to be hit go pick a fight with Marco! I'm not attacking my captain unless you've gone mad and try to destroy the ships!

It's important, because I need to know you can verify who I am and what I can do. If you only remember part of it, I'll have to compensate.

[He kept his temper throughout most of it, but Ace was still staring at Ikki as if he was moments away from taking a swing at him.]

I'm doin' the same for everybody, Ikki. I gotta play damage control.

I don't remember "part" of it, I remember everything! You can use haki to increase your strength and protect yourself, you can turn into fire and manipulate it, you can even eat golden eggs and then puke all the melted gold with just feeling dizzy! I remember everything! I just didn't know that as a kid you couldn't do those things... Or that we were actually adults all this time. But that only takes the fire bit, so all I have to do when fighting is make sure that you're not hit.

[Crossing his arms, he's not going to hit Ace. And he's not fazed at all by the look the other is giving him, actually Ace taking a swing at him first may be the only way to get Ikki to hit him.]

Besides, shouldn't it be you the one checking who I am and what I can do? If all you know is about my adult self, there's no way you can know about what I can do right now, right? Your damage control is upside down.

Upside down? I'm a front-lines fighter, Ikki. Other captains may sit in the back and manage everybody, but I can't stand that kind of thing. If anything, I only let you guys fight sometimes because I like seeing what you can do.

[He pointed at Ikki, a convenient break in the clouds above acting to shine light on him, because it was just cool that way.]

Because, I need to know if my crew believes in me or not! For a captain, their crew is their strength and it makes me stronger the more you all believe in me!

I seriously believe in that you're not cool at all right now.

[Ikki's not impressed at all.]

And none of that says why it has to be me checking what you can or can't do rather than you doing so with me. All you have said is that you want to keep all the fun of fighting to yourself and only let us have some of it sometimes if you feel like it.

It's not because I think fighting is fun! I definitely like it, but that's not the reason! [Ace didn't realize he was suddenly raising his voice.]

It's because I need to know you have faith in me to protect you! I need to be between you guys and the enemy, because if I don't, I feel like I'll lose everybody!

What?! Like hell you're going to do that!! I am the one who has to be between you and the enemy!!

[Ikki in turn matches Ace's raising tone with his own, pointing at the other and frowning.]

We lose everything if you are hurt, you idiot!! Protect the rest of the crew if you want, but not me! I don't need your protection, I'm the one who will protect you! And you don't need to feel like you'll lose anyone because I won't die!!

I don't care how strong you are! It's the captain's responsibility to protect everybody!

[He said this, drawing back his hand so he could point again--because, that's how one truly won an inane and victory-less argument!]

I don't care what you're responsibility is! A phoenix protects those he loves and I'm a phoenix so I will protect you whether you like it or not!! Kick me from the ship if you want I will follow you by swimming and keep protecting you!!!

[POINTING EVEN HARDER.]

[Ace glowered.]

I'll beat up threats first! You won't get a chance, dumbass!

Then I will get faster than you to beat them first!!! I said I'm protecting you and that's final!! If I wanted a safe cruise where I barely have to fight or be in danger I would have gone with any of the other idiots who grabbed a ship and think that they can be pirates without being pirates!!!

[Ikki glowers and growls back, stomping a foot and still pointing at the other.]

fiery violent pirate babies

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