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Ace was getting sick and tired of them all treating him like a teenager. He knew he was the youngest on board, but that didn't mean they could just mess with him whenever they liked. He might be young, but he knew that he was one of the best fighters on board.
Marco and he had been testing that out, finding himself able to keep up with the Phoenix, where Marco only won due to being able to keep refreshing his stamina. Mentioning that to Ace with a soft smile, before warning him that rumors suggested they wanted to prank him as a kind of initiation to the Crew.
Pouting slightly, Ace had been looking forward to a good prank. What he didn't feel like was them treating him like a baby, trying to cut down his portions, even if he was a D and ate like two of them. It was almost as if they wanted to test the boundaries of what they could do to him, which he would make very clear they had crossed that first time.
“But, I do like a good prank, so they'll be getting their comeuppance from me first.”
Mentioning as much to Marco when they sparred again, the first division commander gave his agreement. Mentioning that the people pranking him weren't commanders as they all knew how good Ace was, with his fruit, and in general, despite his age.
“They want to test you -yoi. You are the youngest after all, and sadly a lot of those on board don't believe that someone younger than them can also be stronger. Which is bullshit, but I'm sure they'll find that out once you're through with them.”
The grin on his face was enough of an answer, Ace knew how to use his devil fruit. Maybe because he had seen Luffy grow up with his and knew that you needed to think outside the box to get it all to work in your favor.
As such, the next time he could feel them trailing after him, he turned into flames, heating himself to the point that the wasn't visible for the naked eye. He could still see them, but by the shocked look on their faces they couldn't see him anymore. Which was good, that might just give him some peace and quiet finally.
The next time they have a marine raid, Ace is the one jumping over the railing. Landing in a crouch and grinning at the white dressed people trying to get to him. For one, none of them seemed to be carrying sea stone, so none of their attacks worked on him.
Secondly, he made use of the winds flying over the deck to let it carry him off like it would do to a forest fire. Making it so that while he was also lighting the marine vessel on fire, he made sure that he moved too fast for him to catch up. Secondly, he knew that his pranksters were watching as well, to let them see that he was fast as hell, to make them scared if he ever turned that strength against them.
Letting the wind carry him back towards the Moby, he grinned impishly as he touched down, “Took care of that a little too fast, sorry lads.”
Whistling as he walked away, he could hear several people telling others they were never getting on his bad side. Sadly, none of those saying that were the people he wanted to hear.
The pranks would still continue, he was certain of it.
As the week progressed, he didn't think they had been able to involve Thatch with it all, and they hadn't but the chef had been at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Just when one of their pranks went off, Ace turned to see Thatch standing there. Reaching out on reflex and lighting the man's pompadour (coated in a lot of gel) on fire.
The scream the chef let out was enough for Ace to snap out of it, recalling his fire so it wouldn't keep on burning on Thatch's head. Looking past the chef to see those who had pranked him laughing their asses off. His glare got worse, until a spark ignited onto their clothes. He didn't set them on fire, but it was enough to make them stop laughing.
“Is this really what you find funny? I could have seriously hurt Thatch with that stunt. I have had it with whatever thing you all try to prove with this. I'm here and I'm here to stay, so unless you want to say something to my face I suggest you stop with whatever shit you think you're doing.”
Thatch added from where he was standing next to Ace, “You are to both go to Marco to tell them what you had done. He's much less lenient than I ma on punishment. This has gone on long enough, I can get wanting to prank Ace once or twice, but we're almost a month in and it's enough.”
The two men slump before walking away, it was clear that they weren't looking forward to whatever followed next. Then again, they should haven't done that for so long.
Ace sighed, which is when Thatch laid a hand on his shoulder.
Wincing as he looked at the chef, “I'm sorry, Thatch...”
The chef shook his head, “There is no need to be sorry, Ace. They should have taken into account that there could be other people there. I've seen the way you got more and more tense as the days went on. While I do like a good prank, there is no reason to keep bullying a new kid for no other reason than that they would never be able to take you on in a spar.”
Still looking down, Thatch pinched his shoulder, “You really didn't do anything wrong, Ace, you belong here. We all think so and I think Marco especially is happy to have a sparring partner who can keep up. All of us have given up on keeping up with him, but you do so without issue.”
Flushing slightly, Ace nods, thanking Thatch before he sets out to the Navigation rooms, he has a shift coming up.
It's there that Marco finds him, mentioning that Ric and Timo appeared at his desk with the message that they had taken it too far.
“I already passed by Thatch -yoi. His hair is a little worse for wear but he told me it wasn't your fault?”
Nodding, Ace shared what had been happening, adding that he didn't mean to catch Thatch in the crossfire.
“I was just so tired of it all, I got them good with a few pranks, but I was tired of that after the first week. It seemed that Thatch's lecture did get them to stop, or so I hope.”
Huffing, Marco nodded, “If Thatch's lecture didn't do it, mine for sure did -yoi. Oyaji is also up to date on what happened, he didn't like that this happened on the Moby. We're a family, and while pranks and teasing gets welcomed this wasn't just teasing anymore. I told them that if they have a problem they either talk to you directly or fight it out in a spar. Tell me if they do either, or keep on doing what they did before, though.”
It took Ace a while to feel safe again, he kept making sure that he could bolt at the smallest sound, to be able to turn into flame and worm his way through whichever little crack in the wood around him. All those pranks in the last few weeks had him on his last nerve, even if he didn't see it like that at first. But it's clear now, in a way that has him wanting to crawl away and hide.
Eventually he does stop hiding, but he's on edge, in a way.
Both Ric and Timo appear before him to apologize which does help. But he doesn't willingly go to them if he needs something.
In fact, it's the aftermath of all of this that has him doing more and more shifts with the second division. Until eventually, about six months after he joins, he's asked to take on the position of commander for the second division.
Marco and Thatch mentioning they endorsed him, thinking he would be amazing in that role.
Grinning, he accepted, looking forward what this could bring. How these new responsibilities could shape him.
And if it made him spend more time with Marco, sue him, the man was handsome and had been there for him through it all. The crush had been there since his first week on board, but now with them being the same rank maybe he could have a chance.