¡¿Esa ave lleva puesto un sombrero?!

by Apple_bags (Cantuta_Buxi), Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Collected stories about a reincarnated Marco Fushichou being part of the Straw Hats

Notes:

English is not my first language. If you want to read the work in Spanish you can visit @Suje17's profile on Wattpad

Chapter 1: A bird with a straw hat

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

So I’ll be posting stories and details about how I imagine a universe where Marco is part of the Straw Hat crew.

 

 

What if Marco were part of the Straw Hats?

 

So things go something like this: the Marco we know dies a few years after Roger’s execution and is reborn a few months before Luffy’s birth, making him 18 years old at the start of the manga.

 

Upon being reborn, he’s unfortunately captured by slavers and sold to a Celestial Dragon, who keeps him locked in a cage like a mere pet he can abuse, knowing the bird will heal anyway. Luckily (or maybe not?) for Marco, the Celestial Dragon’s ship is attacked, leaving it stranded on an island.

 

However, the cage is too small for Marco to transform into his human form—not that he remembers clearly how to do it after nearly 18 years without trying. So he remains trapped in the wreckage, waiting for someone to find him… or for death to come first, whichever happens sooner.

 

Someone does find him a few days later. A group of pirates just starting their journey make an impromptu stop on the island to restock their food supplies. (Nami nearly throws Luffy overboard for eating all the food they’d gotten in Orange Town in just one day.) As Nami walks along the beach, she finds the wreck and decides to check for anything worth stealing. Among the treasures, she spots a bird that looks far too exotic to leave behind. She decides to take it with her and try to sell it for a good price.

 

When the newly formed Straw Hats and the bird are on the ship’s deck, Marco simply stares at them with all the indifference a bird can muster. It’s Luffy who finally breaks the silence.

 

"Can we eat it?"

 

Marco almost laughs when he sees the orange-haired girl smack her captain and start scolding him.

 

After Nami and Zoro wander off to discuss where they could sell the bird, Luffy takes the chance to approach it and talk.

 

"You know, you could join my crew," he says, wearing the weirdest smile Marco has ever seen in his life—not that he’s seen many. "In the stories Sabo used to tell, a proper pirate always had a parrot for a companion."

 

Marco swears he tried not to roll his eyes at the other teen’s blatant disrespect. He just nodded with his beak, hoping the idiot would open the cage. And when he did, Marco shot out, trying to escape... only to fail, because he’d forgotten that being a bird didn’t automatically mean he knew how to fly. He looked more like a chicken flapping around, trying to get away from the rubber boy.

 

"Luffy!!!"

 

“Oh great, more spectators.” A commotion quickly breaks out on the deck, and Marco finds himself switching between pecking at the idiot captain—who won’t stop plucking his feathers—and scratching at the orange-haired girl. Still, despite the chaos, he hears the sound of the swordsman approaching.

 

To avoid a potential disaster, Marco decides to turn back into a human. Not his best move, since he’s practically naked and doesn’t exactly look like a normal human—his tail feathers, wings, and claws give him away.

 

“fuck” he mutters, trying to cover his wings as best he can.

 

The silence that falls over the ship is truly awkward.

 

“You wouldn’t dare sell a human, right?” Marco whispers in embarrassment as he watches the others’ faces. But before anyone reasonable can speak, Luffy steps forward and grabs what could be described as his shoulders (maybe?).

 

“Pineapple guy! Join my crew!”

 

 

“Oh great. Looks like I’ve just been captured by idiots.”

 

 

 

Notes:

So, if I'm not mistaken, there's already a fanfic with this theme on Ao3 and I really liked the idea so I've been thinking about it a lot.

Marco being part of the adventures of the Mugiwaras gives me reasons to continue living.

I'll upload short films or just explanations of Marco's dynamics in this alternate universe when I can. Most likely, I'll turn it into a one-shot series, but who knows for now it'll just be loose ideas.

Chapter 3: It can be considered a bird if it cannot fly

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

We continue with the AU where Marco is just another Mugiwara.

To give you an idea of how I imagine Marco, especially since he seems to be more of a sack of feathers than fire, look at the drawings of @mikkang808

 

Some clarifications for the AU where Marco is a Straw Hat:

 

1. Marco's age is between 17 and 18, although he doesn’t really know his true age since he's been treated like a bird for as long as he can remember. (He claims to be 18 just because he’s petty and doesn’t want to be the youngest in the crew.)

 

2. Canon Marco died at around 22 years old, so he wasn’t a very well-known pirate beyond being one of the youngest members of the Whitebeard Pirates. It’s not surprising that not many people recognize him, especially outside the New World. His presence will go unnoticed by some.

 

3. The way he died is open to interpretation for now; I haven’t come up with anything specific, only that his body was swallowed by the sea, preventing the Whitebeard Pirates from having a body to bury.

 

4. Since Marco spent most of his new life more as a bird than a human, he has little control over his Devil Fruit. That’s why his feathers look more like those of a normal bird rather than ones made of fire. On top of that, he’s not very used to behaving like a normal human, so the Straw Hats are going to have fun teaching him how to act human (mostly Nami, Sanji, and later Robin—the others are a lost cause when it comes to normal behavior).

 

5. Building on the above, Marco only knows two things: that he can turn into a brightly colored bird and that he can regenerate from injuries. He hasn’t yet discovered the full extent of his Devil Fruit powers, so the fiery phoenix form we all know will develop throughout the journey.

 

6. His appearance is much less robust than in the anime, not only because of his age but also due to the lifestyle he’s lived. He prioritizes agility and speed over strength. His hair is a bit more blond than golden, similar to Whitebeard’s, and his eyes are blue (in the anime his eye color varies a lot, so I prefer this choice). Technically, he is the original Marco, but at the same time not quite, as he has subtly adopted some traits from his new family. Because of this, many people will assume he’s an unacknowledged son that the original Marco (from Whitebeard’s crew) had before dying. Crocus is the first to think this, as he should have known the original Marco—but he doesn’t say anything since he’s not entirely sure. And again over his eyes. These never change, no matter how many times they reincarnate they will always be the same blue that they seem to reflect a living ocean, which makes them unique. 

 

 

7. His personality will stay similar to the anime, with slight variations depending on the situation.

 

8. He is the fourth member to join the Straw Hat crew according to the timeline, but the decision to officially join the crew is debated between the Reverse Mountain arc and the Alabasta arc. He finally joins during that period.

 

9. His role in the crew is lookout/scout, since he’s always up in the crow’s nest once he learns to fly. This leads to many bird-related jokes, but he doesn’t care (some jokes are good enough to heal the damage).

 

10. Sanji and Chopper are the ones who end up helping him define his fighting style—Sanji becomes his mentor for leg-based combat, and Chopper helps him connect more with his Devil Fruit and discover the phoenix’s healing and defensive powers (Crocus and Dr. Kureha are the ones who provide some insights about the Tori Tori no Mi: Model Phoenix).

 

 

Chapter 4: Birds Are Sociable Animals - Relationships Part I

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

As I suppose are the relationships with the other Mugiwaras

The Straw Hats

 

1. Luffy: At first, Marco thinks Luffy is just an idiot pretending to be brave, but it doesn’t take long for him to realize that’s far from the truth. They practically become brothers, as Luffy is one of the first people who doesn’t treat Marco strangely. Marco enjoys spending time with his captain, especially because he feels a sense of freedom whenever he sees him. (This can serve as a small metaphor for what we currently know in the manga and the fact that Luffy was the first to open his cage and set him free.)

 

2. Zoro: Marco doesn’t know how to deal with him at first, but he ends up being the one assigned to find him every time he gets lost. He's the crew's designated babysitter, since it's easier to search for people from the sky. They often spend time alone playing games; their favorite is shōgi. 

 

3. Nami: She’s Marco’s first tutor and essentially his first role model. She’s the one who most notices how unfamiliar Marco is with acting like a human, so she helps him adjust to life aboard the ship. She also recognizes the signs Marco gives when he’s curious about something but too shy to ask. She’s the first to teach him how to read and write in the common language.

 

4. Usopp: At first, Marco is indifferent to him, still clinging to the idea of not getting too attached to the crazy crew, since he was planning to escape once he learned to fly properly. However, he becomes fascinated with Usopp’s imagination and soon joins him, Luffy, and later Chopper in admiring his stories. (When Nami asked if he actually believed the stories, he simply said they were entertaining.) He sometimes likes to prank Usopp by appearing next to him to scare him or mimicking the voices of other crewmates.

 

5. Sanji: He basically ends up adopting Marco—not just because Marco (thanks to Nami) asked him to teach him some combat techniques, but also because after hearing Marco’s past, Sanji felt a connection. Plus, since they’re the only blondes on the ship, Sanji believes "blond power" is the best. He often cooks new dishes for Marco after each training session—most of which Marco has never tasted before.

 

6. Chopper: Marco considers Chopper the cutest thing in the world—but he’ll deny it if asked. Their relationship is somewhat similar to Law and Bepo's. With Chopper’s help, Marco gradually discovers the full extent of his regeneration and how to modify the composition of his feathers (developing the signature blue flames of rebirth), gradually taking on his original canon appearance. They also discover, with help from Doctor Kureha, that Marco has the ability to heal others, although it’s somewhat limited.

 

7. Franky: Their relationship is fun—surprisingly, they joke around more with each other than with the others. Franky also helped, along with Robin, to improve Marco’s flying abilities, which proved useful for the future and upgraded Sunny.

 

8. Robin: At first, Marco’s relationship with Robin is simply one of mutual respect, but after she joins the crew, she becomes like an older sister to him. They spend a lot of time together, especially since Robin becomes Marco’s main tutor (and sometimes Luffy’s, but only because Marco forces him to study). Through Robin, the crew discovers that Marco knows how to read—not the common language, but the ancient one, though not at Robin’s technical level. Still, the crew decides it’s best to keep that information a secret.

 

9. Brook and Jinbe: Their relationship with Marco will be updated later, but for now it’s enough to know that they get along well. Marco sometimes uses Brook as a mast, and his bond with Jinbe will depend on how the plot develops to give their relationship more depth.

 

 

Chapter 5: Gliding is not the same as flying, falling definitely is not

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

It's time to learn to fly

Notes:

It is important to mention that apart from the curiosities about this UA that I will upload to this work, there will also be extra special chapters because I can't think of how to put them in the general plot.

 

 

"—Are you sure you’re going to catch me, yoi?"

 

Marco’s shout echoed across the Going Merry. From the crow’s nest, he watched as Luffy stood nearly on top of the ship’s figurehead, arms wide open to give Marco more space for a “safe” landing. (The phoenix seriously questioned Luffy’s definition of “safe.”)

 

"Yes! I’d never let you fall into the sea, Marco! And if you do, I’ll jump in to save you!"

 

Yeah... Luffy was definitely unaware of some things.

 

Marco sighed and got ready. His arms quickly transformed into a pair of blue wings. He glanced one last time at his captain’s smiling face and straightened up, gripping the edge of the crow’s nest railing with his talons.

 

"Are you ready?!"

 

"Yes!!"

 

Marco jumped, trying to flap his wings to gain height. Trying being the key word—he didn’t last long before nose-diving.

 

"What the hell do you think you're doing...?"

 

Sanji didn’t even hesitate. He dropped the dessert he was carrying and dove into the sea after the two small dumbasses of the crew.

 

When he resurfaced with one drenched teen on each shoulder, he saw Usopp calmly eating the dessert Sanji thought he had dropped, while the rest of the crew watched and tried to stifle their laughter.

 

"You guys didn’t even try to stop them, did you?"

 

Luffy, now sitting on the deck, spat out the last mouthful of seawater and turned to a just-as-soaked Marco, laughing.

 

"You stayed in the air longer this time! What do you think, Marco—wanna try again?" he said while wringing out his hat.

 

That managed to make the blond smile.

 

"Bet I can stay up for two seconds this time."

 

"Stop trying to drown yourselves, you idiots!"

 

Chapter 6: The past is close to the Sabaody Archipelago

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Sabaody Archipelago... Certainly one of my favorite bows

Notes:

So, the events happen in a similar way to the manga only with the difference that Marco is present. Things get complicated for the now Mugiwaras and maybe Marco meets someone interesting.

 

"I offer 500,000,000! 500,000,000 beli!"

 

Silence quickly took over the auction house. The sound of Nami dropping her paddle only spread the feeling of terror among the other Mugiwaras.

 

Murmurs soon filled the room, but none were loud enough to disturb the World Nobles present. No one wanted to draw the attention of any of the Celestial Dragons in the building.

 

Marco looked at Nami, his face filled with disbelief, knowing it was impossible to match the figure offered by the man. The blonde pressed his lips together, trying to prevent his emotions from getting out of control; revealing his powers with so many predators in the room was not a good idea. Robin had warned him as soon as they set foot on Sabaody Archipelago. It was better to stay discreet than to deal with the slavers.

 

"Seems like we’ve left everyone speechless!" the auctioneer said, smiling cheerfully as if it were all a joke. "You all heard the man! 500,000,000! Anyone offering more?!"

 

"Isn’t there anything we can do?!" Chopper’s angry voice broke the trance the crew had fallen into. "Sanji, we can't let Camy be bought!"

 

Sanji placed his hands on Marco and Nami's shoulders, trying to offer some sort of comfort, but there was no comfort that could calm the feelings rising in the face of such injustice unfolding before their eyes.

 

"This is bad... we didn’t account for this possibility," he said, gritting his teeth. They hadn’t actually considered that the money they would offer wouldn’t even be a fraction of the starting price for the auction.

 

Hatchan beside them kept complaining about the situation in which his best friend had found herself. Marco understood, he was well aware of how those who fell into slavery under a Tenryūbito were treated. Camy would practically be sentenced to death if they allowed that man to buy her.

 

The sound of the hammer made everyone look back at the auction. They watched in anger and desperation as the hammer moved up and down while Disco began to speak the words that would seal Camy’s fate.

 

However, an explosion created a loud crash that temporarily halted the spectacle.

 

"Luffy!" the Straw Hats shouted when they saw their captain moving through the rubble, only to argue with Zoro.

 

What happened next horrified them, as Luffy, noticing Camy’s presence, immediately ran towards her, not caring about the commotion he had caused.

 

"That idiot!"

 

It was Hatchan who hurried to try to stop Luffy from doing something crazy, followed closely by Franky and Sanji. However, Luffy was running so fast that Hatchan was practically dragged along by him.

 

"Wait, Straw Hat, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

 

"What do you mean? Obviously, I’m going to get Camy back!"

 

Hatchan tried to use his feet as anchors to stop Luffy, and to the horror of the rest of the crew, they saw how he hadn’t realized that his extra limbs were exposed, quickly noticed by a woman in the stands, who began to shout about the fish-man’s presence.

 

The insults and cries of horror from the crowd quickly increased. The prejudices against fish-men quickly filled the ears of everyone present.

 

"It’s just like Robin said... On this island, fish-men are seriously discriminated against," Nami said in horror, watching how they started throwing things at Hatchan.

 

"Marco, stay with Nami and Chopper," ordered Sanji as he moved to rescue Hatchan. "Franky, let’s take care of this mess."

 

"Wait, Sanji..."

 

Marco tried to grab Sanji’s arm, but was pushed toward Chopper. However, before the other Zoan user could catch him, Marco noticed someone approaching Hatchan. Without wasting any time, he propelled himself with his wings, catching the attention of those nearby. To the horror of the older blonde, who couldn’t react in time to stop him, Marco threw himself toward Hatchan.

 

Finally, the sound of a gunshot made the cigarette in Sanji’s mouth fall to the floor.

 

"Marco..." Hatchan’s voice was heard as he held the blonde who had taken the bullet intended for him. "Marco!"

 

Upon hearing his nakama’s name after the shot, Luffy stopped, spinning in horror to see Marco bleeding in front of a Tenryūbito who was lowering the gun he had just fired.

 

"Oh..." the man said, noticing how blue flames began to float over the area where Marco had been shot. "Ohohoh! Look, Dad, I found a more fun slave to play with!! Now I just need to get rid of that disgusting fish-man."

 

The Tenryūbito aimed his weapon once more in the direction of both.

 

"Marco, you have to go, please! You can still escape!"

 

The blonde didn’t move and made sure to take another shot with his wings to protect Hatchan. Shot after shot, the Tenryūbito’s laughter began to turn into growls, as he couldn’t kill his target.

 

"Move, you damn slave! I order you!"

 

Marco, who ignored Hachi’s pleas and cries, refused to move and just shielded the fish-man even more.

 

"I’m not going to let someone like you hurt one of my friends," Marco whispered as he spat a trail of blood at the Tenryūbito’s feet, making him angrier. "I’m not going to let anyone go through this torment, even if it means I have to live it again!"

 

"Damn brat, you defend scum like that and dare to ignore me?! I’ll make sure to remind you of your damn place once I..." The attacker raised his weapon again toward his victims.

 

However, the Tenryūbito never finished firing the last shot. To the horror of everyone present, he was sent flying and crashed into the back seats of the room. Where the man had been, a pirate stood, fist still pointed toward where he had thrown the other. The auction house attendants stared in disbelief at the sacrilege that had been committed, but it seemed like the person responsible could care less.

 

Adjusting his hat, Luffy approached his friends.

 

"Are you guys okay?"

 

Neither Hachi nor Marco could answer, and Luffy didn’t wait for a response. He hurried to carry Marco and began to ascend the stairs toward the other members of his crew.

 

"Sorry, guys. I guess now we’ll have an admiral chasing us."

 

The other Straw Hats smiled and hurried to reach their captain’s position to fight the guards who were coming after them. Luffy handed Marco to Chopper to hurry and join Zoro and Sanji in fighting those who were coming to pursue them.

 

"Luffy..." Marco said, grabbing his captain's hand, trying to hold back the tears threatening to fall. "You’re an idiot."

 

Luffy simply smiled at him as he adjusted his hat.

 

"Make sure to recover soon, Marco! We’ll need you to escape from the navy!"

 

 

 

Notes:

Aquí tienes la traducción al inglés:

1. The bullets weren’t made of Seastone, but Marco still got hurt because he didn’t let them pierce his skin—so Chopper will have to remove the fragments to help his healing factor work better.

2. Honestly, I’m not sure how to fully convey Marco’s emotions in that moment. Even though he had the chance to take down his attacker, remember the fear people have towards those kinds of individuals—especially Marco, who was enslaved by one for 18 years. So he’d rather act as a shield than risk getting his crew into trouble.

3. Luffy obviously doesn’t share that opinion (God, I love that scene—Luffy is the only anime protagonist I truly adore).

4. Now the Straw Hats will have to deal with an admiral, and Rayleigh will show up soon. What will that old man say when he sees Marco? Well, I’ll figure that out later.

Chapter 7: White mustaches are better than beards

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Let's go with part two regarding Marco's relationships with other characters.

 

 

1. Whitebeard: Well, Marco practically doesn’t know him at all in this story, so he doesn’t know who he is. However, every now and then, when he was still a slave, he would dream of a place where he could fly freely and even have a family. Since he joined the Mugiwaras, those dreams don’t appear as often.

 

2. His relationship with any member of the Whitebeard Pirates will develop as the story progresses. It is only mentioned that Thatch was the last one to see the Marco of the Whitebeard Pirates alive before he was swallowed by the sea.

 

3. When the bounty posters of the new crew arrive, no one seems very interested, except for Ace, who brags a little about his brother’s achievements in front of the other crewmates. It’s Haruta who makes a comment about the strange scar of one of their crewmates, which leads Jozu to realize that he’s referring to Marco or, well, someone who looks a lot like his dead brother. That’s when the Whitebeard commanders get into a debate, but they all agree not to tell Pops anything until they are sure of this Marco’s identity. Unfortunately for them, Ace is the one who shows Whitebeard his brother’s new crew, and that’s when Whitebeard discovers the whereabouts of his son.

 

4. Unfortunately, the canonical events of the manga occur, and Thatch is killed by Teach. Ace, seeking revenge, pursues him.

 

5. Ace: Just like in the canon, Marco meets Ace in the Alabasta arc along with the other Mugiwaras, but they don’t have any further interactions beyond what was seen in the original canon. I’m not sure whether to keep this story without any further relationship or give them some scenes together.

 

6. The government has started to suspect the powers of the Tori Tori no Mi, model: Phoenix. There are certain individuals interested in the possibility of its regenerative abilities and the potential for rebirth.

 

Chapter 8: El viejo pirata

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Rayleigh tiene algo importante que decir

 

The bodies of the guards quickly fell before the wave of power that came from the elderly man who appeared after breaking through the stage.

 

Marco got up from the floor where he had been resting, watching his wounds heal as Chopper removed the last pieces of the bullets. They both looked up just in time to see, with horror, the old man approaching Camy, ready to touch the collar around the mermaid's neck.

 

"Wait!" Chopper shouted alarmed as he saw the unknown man's intentions. "Those slave collars have explosives."

 

But before anyone could stop him, the man quickly disposed of the instrument of torture, freeing the mermaid and leaving everyone present in awe of the trick he had just pulled off.

 

The man, who had announced his desire to meet Luffy, didn't waste time in approaching the group. Marco heard how the other Supernovas recognized the man by the name "Silvers Rayleigh," and instead of denying it, the man simply asked to be referred to as "Ray-san."

 

Marco did not miss the look the man gave him once he was near Hachi. It was certainly unusual that someone like him would be interested in meeting their captain, and for Marco to also be under his gaze.

 

"What do you think he wants with Luffy?" Marco asked Nami as the man began to walk away with Franky, both carrying the fish-man and the mermaid.

 

"I don't know, I just hope it's not another trap. I think we've had enough for today."

 

Both smiled, knowing that those words weren’t far from the truth, as outside, a Marine contingent was waiting to capture them and make them pay for the crimes committed against the Celestial Dragons.

 

When they exited the building, the scene was exactly as they expected. The three Supernova crews quickly began battling against the Marines in their way. Marco transformed rapidly and sent a Marine flying who tried to attack Luffy from behind. "Are you having fun without us, yoi?"

 

"Marco!"

 

After the entire crew was reunited, it didn’t take them long to eliminate the Marines, and they decided it would be a good idea to follow the old man to Shakky’s bar.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Marco felt a bit foolish for not recognizing the legend behind the name "Silvers Rayleigh." He was somewhat relieved that Luffy was clueless enough not to be the only one who didn’t know the elderly man. As soon as they entered the bar, some of the Mugiwaras began questioning the man, after all, they were just simple pirates trying to win favor from a legend.

 

"It’s a way of thanking you for saving Hachi," the elderly man answered without hesitation. "He’s a good friend of mine."

 

The old man’s gaze once again landed on Marco, who had sat next to Zoro, who couldn't help but look away to avoid looking at Rayleigh. Zoro probably noticed his discomfort, so he dared to ask about the story behind this friendship in an attempt to change the subject.

 

After that, the conversation quickly became more chaotic than Marco had imagined. The fact that Gol D. Roger had suffered from a terminal illness and decided to surrender was something no one expected to discover. Everything that came out of the man’s mouth was more surprising than the last thing, even when Robin revealed the message they had found written on the last Poneglyph they saw—the advice he had given them remained engraved in their memories.

 

"It was better that you discovered it for yourselves."

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

After the confrontation between Luffy and Usopp when he tried to ask about the One Piece, the room quickly filled with the usual murmurs that always surrounded the Straw Hat Pirates. Luffy continued devouring the meat he was offered, while the other crewmates rested after the long day they had had. Rayleigh couldn’t help but observe this dynamic with a mix of nostalgia.

 

However, he couldn’t stop himself from looking away, almost unintentionally, at the young man leaning near the window.

 

A young man with messy blond hair, wearing a jacket too big for his slim frame, and a calm expression, though slightly distant. He noticed that, unlike when they were outside, the young man had let his presence be obscured by a certain fire around him, a feathered fire that Rayleigh certainly recognized.

 

"You have very interesting eyes, boy," he said, and couldn’t help but notice that it had caused an alert signal in the swordsman next to the boy.

 

Marco, if he wasn’t mistaken, looked at him, trying to remain calm while being the subject of Rayleigh's attention.

 

"Yeah? I’m told that sometimes," Marco responded in a slow voice, almost automatic. Then he added, with a slight but fake smile, "They're a bit weird, though. You’ve probably come across some similar ones in your adventures."

 

Rayleigh let out a low laugh.

 

"Maybe," he replied, finding the irony in those words. He took a sip from his glass and turned his gaze back to Luffy, as if nothing had happened.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

Once Rayleigh agreed to work on the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat Pirates decided to leave the bar and hide after each of them received a piece of a Vivre Card to reunite after the three days it would take to finish the ship’s coating.

 

When they finally said goodbye to their fish-man friends, the Mugiwaras certainly expected to be ambushed by another Marine contingent. However, nothing had prepared them to face another Shichibukai so quickly.

 

"Bartolomeo Kuma"

 

They had been found.

 

Chapter 9: Separations are never peaceful

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Summary of the events that lead to the separation of the straw hats.

 

1. Just like in the anime, the Straw Hat Pirates face off against the Pacifistas, and they begin to realize that they are up against powerful enemies they cannot defeat.

 

2. Luffy makes the decision to flee when everyone watches in fear as an admiral arrives. However, they are stopped by Sentomaru, the Pacifistas, and the newly arrived Kizaru.

 

3. Rayleigh makes his appearance to save Zoro, who is helped by Marco to escape from the battle zone. Despite the intervention of the legendary pirate, it is not enough to obtain the Straw Hats from escaping.

 

4. The real Bartholomew Kuma makes his appearance, beginning the Straw Hats' nightmare.

 

5. Zoro is the first to disappear, causing Nami to reveal Kuma’s abilities to the rest of the Straw Hats. During the escape, Usopp and Brook are carrying Sanji, who is gravely injured. Chopper and Marco try to get closer, but they are stopped by Robin, who clearly wants to prevent them from getting into trouble. Brook is the second to vanish, followed by Usopp, who was trying to calm the injured Sanji.

 

6. Sanji also disappears after trying to attack Kuma, despite his crewmates’ screams and pleas for him to escape.

 

7. Chopper consumes the three Rumble Balls, losing control of his transformation. This causes Nami and Franky to vanish. Chopper ends up running toward the same fate. Due to Chopper’s lack of control, Marco, Robin, and Luffy end up scattered in different places. Robin becomes the first target that Kuma decides to attack, in front of Marco’s helpless gaze, who is trapped under the rubble, and a Luffy who runs to help her but is stopped by Sentomaru. Robin vanishes in front of Luffy.

 

8. Luffy runs toward Marco, despite Marco telling him to leave him behind. Luffy refuses to lose his last Nakama, but he can’t avoid it as Sentomaru once again blocks his way, mocking how weak they are.

 

9. Luffy watches as a clearly injured Marco is vanished by Kuma, leaving a faint trail of feathers under the rubble.

 

10. Luffy cries in frustration, unable to save any of his crewmates, not caring that Kuma approaches him to also vanish him.

 

 

Chapter 10: A whale

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

When Marco saw Kuma's hand approaching him, he thought it was the end of his adventure. After all, he knows that he has wounds that he doubts very much that due to his regeneration factor he can heal due to his exhaustion. So he hopes it wasn't uncommon for him to wake up startled to realize that not only is he not dead, but he's surrounded by faces he's never seen before.

Yes, Marco definitely thinks he's dead.

 

 

A loud sound alerted the crew who were on the deck of the Moby Dick. The Whitebeard Pirates had been on edge in recent days, as the announcement of Ace's capture and impending execution had plunged them into a war. A war they were not willing to abandon without saving their younger brother.

 

As the smoke cleared on the deck, Vista could clearly distinguish the familiar trace of Kuma's power. He quickly drew his sword and aimed in the direction of the person who had been teleported. However, he was immediately stopped by Yozu's hand, who shouted for everyone to stop (later, Vista would thank him for stopping him from making a rash move).

 

Yozu was the first to approach what appeared to be an unconscious boy, clearly injured as his wounds were bleeding and staining the floor beneath him. As he got closer to the boy, a feeling of unease overwhelmed him, without knowing why.

 

It wasn’t until he was close enough to the boy that he turned him over, revealing his face. This was a face Yozu never expected to see again in his life, at least not so soon. His shock alerted his other brothers, who rushed over and had the same reaction.

 

The person lying there, bleeding out on the Moby Dick’s deck, was none other than their deceased brother, Marco.

 

"Someone get Tate and the nurses, urgently!" Izou shouted as soon as he recovered from his initial shock. "Idiots, don’t just stand there! I refuse to lose Marco again!"

 

Just those words were enough for the other commanders to rush to help.

 

The situation was far from good—first the announcement of Ace's execution, and now Marco showing up injured on the deck. It really seemed like fate hated the Whitebeard Pirates.

 

 

 

---

 

 

 

When Marco woke up, he couldn't help but blink to mitigate the light hitting his face. First of all, he hadn't expected to even wake up after Kuma’s attack, but for some reason, he was more alive than ever.

 

It didn’t take long for him to see that his body was wrapped in bandages where the injuries from his previous battle had been. So, he didn’t hesitate to summon his flames to heal them, even though it made him feel even more tired.

 

It must have been the exhaustion and the drugs in his system that made him aware of a man watching him perform his little trick like some sort of ghost.

 

"Are you okay, yoi?"  he said, watching the older man approach. That response was far from typical for someone in his situation, as he didn’t know if this person was there to hurt him. But the fact that he wasn’t wearing Kairōseki handcuffs made him feel more at ease, knowing he could use his powers to escape if necessary.

 

Marco was ready to act in any situation, but he wasn’t prepared for one that involved this stranger wrapping him in a tight hug.

 

Chapter 11: Marine ford - Facts

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

I don't plan on writing the Marineford arc because I have that planned for another fanfic and I certainly hate reading that part of the manga again.

So, just read the facts listed below if you want to understand the story better

 

 

1. Marco arrives at Marineford with the Whitebeard Pirates. He decides not to get involved in the fight and stays hidden on the ship until Luffy appears.

 

2. He can’t help but feel bad seeing everyone fight while he hides. Although, he is certainly amazed by the power of the Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates.

 

3. Unlike in canon, when Squard tries to attack Whitebeard due to the manipulation of the Marines, Marco decides to step out of his role as an observer and jumps in to stop him, preventing Whitebeard from being stabbed.

 

4. Sengoku, noticing his presence, discreetly orders a group of Marines to ensure they bring the Phoenix user alive. Vegapunk will cause a scandal if they don’t deliver the subject of his scientific interest soon.

 

5. Luffy makes his entrance, and Marco undoubtedly decides to abandon Whitebeard's side to go after his captain. But not before scolding Whitebeard for being too lenient with the traitors. This causes the giant to laugh.

 

6. Luffy and Marco reunite. Marco takes the opportunity to try to heal some of Luffy's injuries while they both make their way through Marineford. The fights from the original canon happen, but this time Marco is there to help Luffy more closely.

 

7. Ace is freed and is taken by Marco’s claws along with Luffy. However, the three of them fall after Marco is struck by one of Kizaru’s lasers, which severely injures him. Ace realizes that the Phoenix fruit has a regeneration limit, and it seems Marco has reached that limit.

 

8. Ace, seeing that Marco can't get up due to the severity of his wounds, decides to carry him on his back and drags Luffy by the hand as they continue running in search of escape. They are protected by the other Whitebeard Pirates, who had been ordered to protect the boys and retreat.

 

9. Akainu begins to provoke Ace, just as it happens in the manga, but this time Ace doesn't fall for the Admiral's provocations since he has to make sure Marco and Luffy are okay.

 

10. However, Akainu doesn't stop and catches up with them. Marco and Ace are thrown away from Luffy, so Akainu decides to go after him first. Marco watches in close-up as Ace takes the blow, protecting Luffy. When Akainu tries to attack again, Jinbe appears to take Luffy and Marco out of the battle, while Whitebeard unleashes his fury against the Admiral. Due to the fierce battle, no one notices that Ace’s body is taken by an unknown person.

 

11. Unlike the anime, Ace’s wound is mostly in the center of his stomach, so his heart is still intact.

 

12. Marco doesn't take long to wake up and realize that he’s in a submarine with one of the Supernovas they met at Sabaody Archipelago. Law tells him he will take care of Luffy, but that there’s nothing he can do for Ace, who is practically dead. However, Marco says he can force the last traces of life from Ace with his powers, to which Law intervenes, telling him that would be impossible since Marco is clearly exhausted.

 

13. Fortunately for Marco, Ivankov came along with them on the submarine, and he is helping Law take care of Jinbe and Luffy while the doctor handles Ace. He doesn't hesitate to let Ivankov use the same hormone trick he used on Luffy in prison. The Revolutionary warns about the risks, but Marco says he’ll accept it if it means a chance to keep his captain’s brother alive.

 

14. Once Ivankov uses his powers on him, Marco tries to keep Ace alive while Law begins the surgery. (At this point, Law has a large collection of organs that makes this possible, although Marco wonders how Law always has the right organ for the job.)

 

15. They manage to stabilize Ace despite the difficulties during the surgery. Marco collapses on the floor when Law tells him that it’s enough, and that he doesn’t need another patient.

 

16. Luffy is stabilized by Law before they reach the surface, where they find Boa Hancock, who tells them it’s better to take the injured to Amazon Lily, as the Marines wouldn’t dare search there.

 

17. On their way to Amazon Lily, they are intercepted by what seems to be a fleet from the Whitebeard Pirates. Izou and Namur make their presence known, asking for an explanation about Ace and Marco’s condition.

 

18. When the Whitebeard Pirates are informed of the situation, Law asks how they managed to find their whereabouts. Izou pulls out a vivre card that corresponds to Ace. It's just a tiny piece, which remains intact just like Ace's chances of survival. (I don't fully remember how vivre cards work, but for this story, note that the middle part of the card, which corresponds to the full card, is always the last to burn.)

 

19. Marco wakes up when they finally reach Amazon Lily. Izou informs him of everything that happened since he passed out. Marco cries when he learns of Whitebeard's death, as he briefly remembered it while unconscious. He regrets not having said his last words to the person he once called father.

 

20. Due to the refusal of the elderly Nyon to let a large group of men into the island, the Whitebeard Pirates decide it’s better to take Ace and Marco with them. They assure Law that Tate, the head nurse, and the other nurses will take care of Ace. Marco also supports the idea, as he believes it’s better not to give Luffy false hope in case Ace doesn’t survive. (Marco feels like he’s betraying Luffy by supporting the idea of hiding Ace’s survival from him.)

 

21. Law and the others stay on Amazon Lily to ensure Luffy’s care. Before the Whitebeard Pirates and Marco leave, Law makes sure to let them know that they owe him a favor for saving Ace's life. Izou tells him they have no reason to oppose this, and the Whitebeard Pirates will fulfill any request the young captain has. However, Law insists that he doesn't want anything from the crew, but that Marco must repay the favor. Izou and Namur quickly clarify that Marco doesn’t need to repay him since he's not a Whitebeard Pirate. Law reveals to everyone present that he knows Marco was one in the past, revealing some secrets about the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Phoenix.

 

22. Law knows about the fruit thanks to Doflamingo's obsession with any power that could grant rejuvenation or immortality.

 

23. Marco leaves Amazon lily with the other Whitebeard commanders 

Notes:

Maybe when he has time he will do some one-shot where he delves deeper into how they saved Ace from Law's point of view and deepens his relationship with Marco more (it doesn't imply a romantic relationship, just two medicine lovers sharing secrets about their fruits).

And probably a chapter about the memories he managed to see when he fell unconscious after saving Ace. (I refuse not to make Marco suffer in any of my fics, Marco really hates remembering his father when he is no longer around)

Chapter 12: 3D2Y

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

List of facts before the time jump

Notes:

Really this fanfic is more than all notes for when I have time to do this bigger project so I may tweak a few things when I post the final story. For the moment it is better to leave it on record.

 

 

1. Just like in canon, Luffy wakes up and loses control when he remembers Ace’s death.

 

2. Jinbe is the one who stops him from hurting himself further and comforts him by giving him a reason to keep living: his crew. Jinbe decides not to tell him that Ace might still be alive, as agreed with the other crews.

 

3. Rayleigh appears swimming and suggests to Luffy that it’s better to avoid going back to Sabaody in 3 days as planned, proposing a different plan that will help him strengthen himself to better face the dangers of the New World.

 

4. The entire Whitebeard and Ace funeral happens. Shanks suspects that the Whitebeard Pirates are hiding something when he notices the absence of some commanders at the funeral. However, he decides not to investigate for now.

 

5. Marco stays with Ace in Sphinx, along with Tate and the nurse team, taking care of keeping him alive.

 

6. Two weeks after the war, Luffy makes an announcement to the other Mugiwaras at Marineford. Marco decides to stay with the Whitebeard Pirates for those two years before reuniting with his crew.

 

7. Power dynamics change, and the Whitebeard Pirates are practically considered a dissolved crew. The government announces the deaths of Whitebeard and Portgas D. Ace as a Navy achievement. Sengoku and Garp retire.

 

8. Aokiji and Sakazuki fight for the position of Admiral. Sakazuki wins, and Aokiji leaves the Marine base.

 

9. Rayleigh and Luffy say their goodbyes to Jinbe, leaving Luffy’s hat and the vivre card in a safe place on Amazon Lily.

 

10. Ace wakes up after 3 months in a coma. Izou and Marco convince him to stay hidden, despite his desire to speak with Luffy. Neither of them thinks it’s a good idea to take risks while they’re weakened. Soon after, the dissolution of the Whitebeard Pirates is brought up. Ace is the first to refuse to accept that his father’s legacy ends like this. He proposes that the commander system continue to function to ensure the last islands under their protection until he can recover and become stronger to take charge as captain of the crew. None of the commanders question this idea.

 

Chapter 13: Time

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

 

 

The room appeared to have been recently arranged. The light coming from the large window next to the bed practically illuminated the entire space. Marco stepped in, giving a brief bow of respect, and approached the desk near the bookshelves. On it were several notebooks that seemed to be logs, given the numbers on the cover of each.

 

"Pops paid one of the villagers to keep the place clean, especially when we couldn't visit Sphinx for a long time," the gunslinger entered the room and approached Marco. They remained silent, the only sound in the room was the rustling of the books being handled.

 

"You know you can read them, right?" Izou placed his left hand on Marco's shoulder to offer some comfort. "After all, they belong to you."

 

Marco looked up at the other man, rolling his eyes at the smile on his face. "Yeah," he said, holding back the grimace that wanted to form on his face. "I don't think that's how things work—yoi." He grabbed the chair to finally sit at the desk and try to make himself as comfortable as possible for what he was about to do next. "Do you think..."

 

He didn’t even have to finish the sentence. Izou gave him a pat on the shoulder and left the room, closing the door behind him.

 

Marco let out the long breath he had been holding since entering. He couldn’t say that he fully remembered it, because even in his "supposed" past life, he had spent more time sailing the seas than being inside this space. He looked curiously at the framed photos on the wall, fixing his gaze on each one. He couldn’t help but shudder when he saw himself, that person was so similar, yet so different. The feeling that washed over him was certainly strange.

 

He turned his attention back to the journals scattered before him. He took the one with the number one on it and, after what seemed like a year, he opened it.

 

His hands clenched against the paper when he saw the photo pasted on the first page. A photo of a blonde pirate with a large white mustache smiling while in his hand, raised to the level of his face, was a small blonde boy. Golden hair adorned part of his head, while the small space between his eyes, squinting from his smile, revealed blue eyes Marco knew too well. The photo was blurry, Marco guessed it was because the giant had tried to take it manually, but still, it reflected the happiness of the two people in the picture.

 

He moved the journal when he noticed a drop of water fell on it. He tried to convince himself it was because of a leak in the ceiling or that he hadn’t dried his hair well after his bath, but one after another, tears fell from his eyes. He curled up as much as he could in the chair, his chest and forearms resting on the desk. Each shake in his body only worsened the situation. He wanted to stop, he wanted to hold himself together, he wanted to bring back the person who caused his pain; but unfortunately for him, that was no longer possible.

 

"This time it was me who was late, right, Dad?"

 

Notes:

The final dialogue is in reference to my favorite fanfic about the story of how Whitebeard and Marco met.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/63890965/chapters/163860235

It's just beautiful 🥲

Chapter 14: Marco - Time skip

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Some Facts About Post Time Skip Frame Change

Notes:

Certainly Marco is like the best support of One Piece, I feel that Oda has wasted it too much. Apart from YOUR PHOENIX MODE IS COOL 😭😭😭😭

 

1. Marco’s abilities improved exponentially after the timeskip. He has regained the fiery phoenix appearance seen in the anime and now has better control over Haki. His strongest point is Observation Haki, though he can also do some interesting things with Armament Haki.

 

2. The abilities Marco possesses after the timeskip are:

 

Saisei no Honoo (Flames of Restoration)

Fukkatsu no Aoi Honoo (Blue Flames of Resurrection)

Houou In (Phoenix Seal)

Blue Bird

Hien no Ya (Flechas del Fénix Azul) - In process

 

3. Hien no Ya (Flechas del Fénix Azul): I also feel there could be a way for Marco to make better use of his phoenix form. Since in this fanfic he was more used to being a feathered bird, now with his new phoenix body he can channel that familiarity by using his wing feathers as projectiles coated in Haki. This ability could serve two functions: a lethal one for attacking enemies, and a non-lethal one that allows his healing to reach an ally more quickly. This skill will be developed as the story progresses.

 

4. I don’t think I’ve mentioned his height. At the beginning of the anime, he is 1.74 m tall, and after the timeskip, he reaches 1.78 m. Honestly, I don't really understand how character growth works in One Piece—it’s kind of strange that they keep growing after the age of 20.

 

5. His outfit is very similar to the one in the anime, except that instead of wearing an open shirt, he wears a long-sleeved shirt with a V-neck. He still wears the same pants and the usual sash, in which he sometimes wraps the golden feathers from his tail as decoration. He wears bracelets on his ankles; one of them was found in the room of the previous Marco. By the way, his tattoo stays on his chest only now it's smaller and it's on top of his heart. 

 

6. His hair is much fluffier than before.

 

7. Regarding his memories, he can recall events from his past life through dreams, which sometimes makes it hard for him to distinguish what’s real. As mentioned in the manga, Mythical Zoan fruits tend to have a will of their own when choosing their users (as the Gorosei said about Nika’s fruit), so for this fanfic, the Tori Tori no Mi: Phoenix Model is reborn along with its user. However, the reincarnation isn’t perfect, as it can alter the new host’s appearance based on the deepest wishes of the one who died. That’s why this version of Marco looks very similar to the original, with some differences meant to reflect the traits of the people he loved before dying (for example, the same blond hair color as Whitebeard).

 

8. In the next part, more will be revealed about Marco’s relationship with his past lives and the Void Century. (This last part is subject to change).

 

Notes:

If you have any ideas, do not hesitate to comment on themIf 🙂‍↕️

Chapter 15: Gyojin Island

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

The Events About Gyojin Island

 

 

1. The Straw Hat Pirates arrive at Gyojin Island after using the Sunny's Coup de Burst, which causes them to be separated.

 

2. Luffy, Chopper, Sanji, and Usopp end up at Camie's house; however, the whereabouts of the other Straw Hats are unknown. Luffy asks about Jinbe, but Camie tells him that, since he is no longer a Warlord of the Sea, he and his followers were forced to leave the island.

 

3. While walking through the island, trying to hide from the royal guard due to having entered illegally, they see a group of humans asking for help to save their friend with a blood transfusion. Luffy and his friends notice that no Gyojin pays them any attention, so they ask why. Hammond, who was mocking the situation, tells them about the prohibition established by the humans themselves and how it caused Fisher Tiger’s death.

 

4. The group is taken to see the village seer, Madam Shyarly, and learn that she no longer wants to make predictions, as she feels she only sees grim futures. The seer tells Camie to take her friends on a tour of the city.

 

5. Along the way, they meet Brook, who had been rescued by Pappag. They talk about the island’s legends and the members of the royal family. They also notice the island still flies Whitebeard’s flag. Usopp asks their guides about it, thinking the crew had disbanded. Camie reveals that it’s a lie spread by the Government, as the Whitebeard Pirates still communicate with King Neptune and are doing their best to protect their former territories. Though no one knows how much longer they’ll be able to hold out, as Big Mom has been insistent on claiming the island, and many citizens are willing to submit to her just to improve things.

 

6. Luffy looks visibly upset upon hearing this, though he says nothing. Brook asks Camie if she knows anything else about the Whitebeards. She says that’s all she knows. The crew has remained very private regarding who would assume the captain’s role these past two years. She hopes they choose soon, as Gyojin Island needs someone as strong as Whitebeard to protect them.

 

7. When they arrive at Pappag’s house, they find Nami. Pappag gives them clothes from his store, saying he’s in their debt. The king arrives and invites them to Ryugu Palace.

 

8. Mermaids are kidnapped by the Swamp Man, and the Straw Hats are blamed since they are the only humans on the island.

 

9. At the palace, Luffy meets Princess Shirahoshi —whom he calls “crybaby”— and learns that there’s an arrest order in the kingdom due to the kidnapping of Camie’s friends. He fights the guards, and during an attack by King Neptune, Zoro appears after escaping his confinement.

 

10. Zoro takes a hostage and declares they only want a new coating and will leave the island, to which the prince agrees. Meanwhile, Luffy takes the princess to the forest where Jinbe said he would be.

 

11. Marco, who finally wakes up after the accident, meets a Gyojin who recognizes him. Marco reveals the truth about who he is; the elder regrets it but says he still considers him a son of Newgate, and that a son of his friend will always have his loyalty. Marco learns about the island’s situation (Big Mom’s constant attacks and the latent danger of an organization trying to destroy the kingdom from within). He thanks the old man, who gives him a carved wooden whale as a keepsake, making Marco smile. The blond heads out in search of his friends, hiding after the elder warns him about the current arrest warrant against the Straw Hats. On his way to the palace, he hears a woman screaming, and as he rushes to help, he finds Hacchi badly wounded. Hacchi recognizes him and asks him to find his friends and leave the island. “Please, Marco. Don’t get involved in this.”

 

12. The Straw Hats (except Zoro, Usopp, Brook, Robin, and Franky) are where Marco was, still trying to treat Hacchi, who keeps repeating they need to leave. The situation with the princess and Decken occurs, and he is quickly defeated.

 

13. The group arrives at the Sea Forest where they find Franky and Jinbe. Robin goes off in search of the Poneglyph. When they meet up with Jinbe, he tells them the story behind Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime.

 

14. After finishing the story, a Den Den Mushi appears and transmits a message from Hody Jones, who threatens to take over the kingdom and eliminate all those who sympathize with humans. Jones burns the Whitebeard flag during the transmission while condemning the king’s fate for having bowed to humans who can’t even protect them. Zoro, Usopp, and Brook are revealed as hostages of the new Gyojin Pirates.

 

15. Shirahoshi, Megalo, and Jinbe are captured. Hody reveals the truth about Queen Otohime’s death. Jones decides to move up the king’s execution, but is stopped by Luffy, who is launched toward the villain by Marco, starting the final battle.

 

16. With the entire crew reunited, they devise a strategy to defeat Hody Jones. The battle is fierce and shows the Straw Hats’ progress; however, Luffy ends up gravely wounded.

 

17. The princess takes Luffy to Chopper and Marco. The latter tries to help him with his powers, but Chopper says it won’t work, as what Luffy needs is a blood transfusion. None of the Straw Hats share his blood type. Jinbe volunteers. Luffy asks him to join the crew, but Jinbe declines, saying he still has duties to fulfill.

 

18. A banquet is held where Robin shares the knowledge she has gained from the Poneglyph. She questions the king about Joy Boy, the promise he made to the mermaid princess of that time, and about Noah. Robin concludes that Shirahoshi is the Ancient Weapon, Poseidon, thus revealing the existence of the three weapons. (Marco does not seem surprised by this information). Caribou, who had sneaked into the castle, hears this and goes after Shirahoshi.

 

19. The Straw Hats learn about changes in the Marines through Jinbe, about the Whitebeard Pirates’ situation, and about the islands Blackbeard took from them to become an Emperor, as well as how he seeks to kill powerful Devil Fruit users to steal their abilities and give them to his crew. Marco reveals that the Whitebeards have been recovering from the loss of their captain, but that they might be back soon, as he was present when the new captain was chosen. Nami asks who it is, but Marco replies he promised to keep that secret.

 

20. Luffy says nothing about it, still eating, though he notices a brief discomfort in Marco as he says this. When he goes to confront him, he senses someone in the palace. They find Caribou trying to kidnap the princess and take care of him.

 

21. When the Straw Hats leave the palace, they meet with the Minister of the Left, who explains the situation regarding the island’s political conflict. Luffy confronts Big Mom through a Den Den Mushi and tells her that he now claims the island as part of his territory.

 

22. Jinbe tells the king that the Sun Pirates had secretly subordinated themselves to Big Mom to reduce the frequency of attacks on the island and apologizes for the consequences this betrayal might bring to the Whitebeards. Still, he’s ready to make up for it by joining Luffy. The king tells him not to worry and mentions he received a personal call that same day from the new captain of the Whitebeards, who said he regretted not being able to better protect Gyojin Island and that there would be no consequences if they raised the Straw Hat flag. In fact, the king adds, the man laughed when he heard who had saved the kingdom. Jinbe is surprised by this revelation, wondering what Ace is planning.

 

23. The Straw Hats bid farewell to the princess, promising to return and take her to see the world.

 

 

 

Chapter 16: The Lives of the Phoenix

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Well, this is the part where there may be more modifications in the future

Before Arriving at Punk Hazard

 

1. As the Straw Hats head to their next island, Robin approaches Marco during the night to ask how he feels about the revelations King Neptune gave them.

 

2. Marco hesitates at first, but then tells Robin it's better if they talk somewhere more private.

 

3. Robin and Marco go to the Sunny's library. Before entering, Robin clearly notices that something is bothering him, as Marco has begun to show some birdlike traits—usually his tail feathers, which now, due to his modified flames, also surround him as if seeking calm.

 

4. When they are both seated, Marco reveals that he has been having dreams about his past lives. Often, he can’t distinguish which memories belong to which life—or even if they are memories at all and not just dreams. The only memories he’s certain of are those related to his deaths.

 

5. Marco tells Robin that, based on what he’s uncovered, this is his fifth life. In none of these dreams has he ever clearly seen when or how he obtained his Devil Fruit—he only knows that sometime later, he meets a man. Since there are no memories of him eating the fruit, he assumes that no matter what happens, if he dies, he will always be reborn already possessing it. In that sense, the memories from his first, second, and third lives are the most closely tied to the lost knowledge of the Void Century, due to how ancient they are.

 

6. Robin asks what is worrying him so much, and also questions his reaction upon hearing the name Joy Boy.

 

7. Marco tries to hide the tremor running through his body, but with a look full of panic—something Robin immediately notices—he admits that his life is tied to that Individual. In two of his deaths (the first and third), he always died in a great war alongside a man with a wide smile. In contrast, his second and fourth lives ended suddenly, swallowed by the sea. Moreover, every time he remembers his second death or the moment he ate the fruit, the following night he dreams of meeting someone—so he senses that his fate is somehow tied to this man. In the few memories he’s managed to distinguish from his second and fourth lives, that man never appears.

 

8. Thus, Marco essentially reveals that his very existence is connected to an individual (it’s Nika, though neither of them knows this yet). It seems Marco is fated to encounter this person in every life, and if he doesn't, it's because the man hasn't been born yet. So Marco is doomed to die until they meet again.

 

9. Upon hearing this, Robin realizes that Marco has just confirmed two possibilities: if this life follows the pattern of his first and third lives, then a great war is coming—but if it follows the second and fourth, Marco will die.

 

10. When Robin asks Marco about the Poneglyph, Marco tells him that he could see the construction of some of these in some of his memories but that he does not remember well what they said because when they get up he only remembers seeing them as if they were just another decoration. 

 

11. Both decide to keep everything discussed in the conversation secret until the theory regarding Marco's reincarnation is verified. 

 

12. Marco really feels in conflict with his memories, because he sees them in a disorderly way and because in many occasions, as he always develops when he sleeps, he doesn't know what he does or what he sows to agree is true or something is omitted. Então, sim, Marco vai odiar Mika um pouco esta história. Além disso, isso impulsionará o que vem depois do arco Wano. It will be something at the level of the fights that Usopp and Sanji had with Luffy at the time, only worse since someone will seek to take advantage of it. So Ace will have to act as a mediator in that arc If you don't want your boyfriend and his younger brother  to get hurt more

 

 

Chapter 17: Promessa

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

 

Fire

 

Fire.

 

Only fire around him.

 

His senses can perceive even the last crackle of the bodies being consumed by the flames.

 

It's your fault.

 

Maybe that voice is right. Maybe, if he had just stayed silent... Just maybe, he wouldn't be the last one standing.

 

"Marko."

 

Red

 

Red

 

Red

 

How he hated that color.

 

Everything bad is red. Everything bad begins when he sees something red.

 

"I hate you."

 

He can feel a hand playing with his hair. With a gentleness someone like him should never receive.

 

"Cheguei tarde, né?"

 

Too late.

 

Far too late.

 

And the red keeps growing, so much that it's the only color his eyes can see.

 

"Desculpa. Eu quebrei minha promessa."

 

He wants to laugh, to scream at him, to cry. He just wants all of this to end.

 

Because no matter what the other says now, there's nothing that can stop death.

 

"Nos encontraremos novamente e desta vez prometo cumprir minha promessa."

 

 

Liar

Liar

Liar

LIAR!

 

----------

 

—Bad dream?

 

Marco blinks as he tosses away the cigarette he had been smoking. At least, that’s what he wants to believe… because if he didn’t, it would’ve been a waste to light it only for the fire to be the only one to consume it.

 

—No idea —he replies, looking at Izou’s face. Luckily, the older man doesn’t press the matter.

 

Two months have passed since Marineford, and by now, Marco feels like he’s on the verge of total madness. Anyone else in his situation might have already thought about ending it all, but he wants to believe he’s stronger. Strong enough to endure.

 

How can someone tell the difference between fantasy and memory?

 

Marco still doesn’t know. He wants to believe all the information his mind has been feeding him these past few months is just a cruel joke his own subconscious is playing on him. 

 

But how can he accept that, when every day spent in that stupid room only makes it clearer that each dream feels more real than the last?

 

He hates feeling like a fool. Truly hates it.

 

He spent years locked in a cage, at the mercy of a master who only saw him as a source of entertainment.

 

If only he had remembered something while he was trapped... maybe things would’ve turned out differently.

 

But now, he doesn’t think remembering is worth it. Especially when those memories only bring pain.

 

Remembering Dad was painful.

 

So painful.

 

Because there was no way to let him know he had remembered.

 

Sometimes he thinks he’ll end up as much a coward as those other two. That it’s easier to let someone else hold back the memories.

 

But for some reason, he can’t. Not now, at least.

 

Snapping back to reality, he realizes Izou has left him alone while he was lost in thought. He stretches as best he can to relieve the discomfort still lingering in his body and walks back into the comfort of Dad’s house.

 

He lies down on the couch, trying to make up for the hours of sleep he’s missed. It’s uncomfortable, trying to rest in such a small space, but it’s better than going back to that room full of memories.

 

Now he understands the reason behind the journals. And he also understands Mar’s decision.

 

But no matter how much he understands it, he wouldn’t hesitate. If given the chance, he would drag the other back to finish living his life—

 

Just so he wouldn’t be the one left to clean up the mess that’s clearly about to unfold.

 

Chapter 18: Portgas D. Ace - Post time skip

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Summary:

Some notes on the changes Ace has gone through over the past two years.

Notes on what happened to Ace over the past two years:

 

 

 

1. Portgas D. Ace doesn't die at Marineford. As explained in this fanfic, he survives thanks to Law and Marco’s intervention. He’s left with a large, ugly scar on his stomach, but that’s all.
2. He recovers fully… or almost. He has chronic back pain, but nothing that would keep him from fighting. Tate is the one who nags him the most when he doesn’t take his meds (though deep down, the blonde is glad to have someone to look after now that her father isn’t around for her to lecture about his health).
3. Ace stays hidden from the world. His plan — just like the Straw Hats’ — is to become strong enough to be worthy of his father’s legacy. That’s why he decides to keep everything secret. Even though it hurts not to tell Luffy, he believes it’s for the best. He even convinces Marco not to tell his captain. (You can see this in the first chapter of the fanfic "Together Again.")
4. About Ace’s physical changes: His build is the same as what we saw in the flashbacks, but his face looks more like it did during his first appearances (yes, I have a soft spot for that face ever since I first saw it, and I never forgave them for waxing his eyebrows). Also, he’s gotten a bit taller (Marco definitely has a complaint about this — “How the hell do you keep growing after getting a hole punched through your stomach? D magic, I guess.”). Over the past two years, Ace has reached 1.90m (I still don’t get how growth works in One Piece, but I’ve always imagined Rouge as tall, so logically, Ace must be too. He’ll match Roger’s height eventually, but we’re not there yet). Oh — and he’s now got a faint beard, kind of like Shanks’s.
5. His powers have clearly improved. Shanks secretly visited him to confirm he was alive and gave him a few tips. His Armament Haki has gotten way better — he refuses to repeat what happened with Sakazuki. His Observation Haki isn’t quite on Shanks’s level yet, but he’s getting there. And he’s learned to control his Conqueror’s Haki better, which gives him more control over his flames.
6. As for his Devil Fruit… I haven’t decided whether to give it an awakening yet. For now, things will stay as they are, since I haven’t come up with anything that feels right.
7. Ace is already planning his return. At first, he thought it would be cool to take down a Marine base to do it, but after Haruta told him about Doflamingo’s tournament with the “Mera Mera no Mi” as the prize, he decides that crashing those plans is a much better way to announce he’s still alive.
8. Ace heads to Dressrosa with a few Whitebeard pirates: Izou and Haruta. Izou joins them after finally talking to Marco and finding out that Momonosuke is alive — he decides to go protect him. They set sail for Dressrosa while the Straw Hats are still on Punk Hazard. That’s why Marco mentions in his call that they’ll see each other again soon.
9. On the way to Dressrosa, Ace runs into someone who knew his father — Rayleigh, who’s also been watching over Luffy these past two years. Ace finds him drunk in a bar, and Rayleigh initially thinks he’s the waiter coming to collect the bill or kick him out. But Ace confronts him: “Never thought I’d see the Dark King acting like a washed-up drunk.” Rayleigh looks up, annoyed, and freezes when he realizes who it is. Despite his complicated feelings about Roger and everything connected to him, Ace lets Rayleigh hug him. Shanks had told him that Rayleigh didn’t know about his existence until Marineford, and that makes all the difference.
10. Ace and the Whitebeards arrive in Dressrosa a few days before the Straw Hats. They stay hidden until the tournament begins.
11. As for his relationship with Marco: Ace is naturally a flirty disaster, so it’ll probably take them a while to admit their feelings. Though Law’s intervention might speed things up… especially because Ace really hates the budding friendship between the two doctors. Especially after Haruta found an article from a gossip site suggesting the alliance between the Straw Hats and the Heart Pirates was due to a secret romance between Law and Marco. Ace nearly set the ship on fire on the way to Dressrosa — Izou had to threaten him to calm him down.

 

 

Bonus note:
Law definitely read that article out loud in front of all the Straw Hats just to embarrass Marco, who had no memory of the so-called romance. Law is going to be an absolute bastard in this fanfic, and I regret nothing.

Chapter 19: Punk Hazard

Chapter by Cantuta_Buxi

Notes:

The focus of this arc will be told from two perspectives: Law and Marco

Punk Hazard Arc:

 

 

1. The first scene starts with the Marines: Smoker arrives at Punk Hazard after learning that the Straw Hats will be there. He has explicit orders to deal with them—especially two specific members.
   “Don’t forget, Smoker. If there’s a chance to capture the phoenix alive, take it. The government has declared him a priority target.”
   Smoker doesn’t look pleased about this, particularly because he disagrees with the reasoning behind the order. Vegapunk’s crap always gives him headaches.

2. After surfacing and encountering the whales, the crew receives a distress call and heads toward Punk Hazard to investigate. They decide to split into two groups. One group (Zoro, Luffy, Usopp, Robin, and Marco) lands on the island, while the rest stay aboard the Sunny—but are quickly kidnapped.
   Luffy suddenly stops walking, and Marco casts a curious glance at his captain’s actions as Robin asks, “Something wrong, Luffy?”
   “Uhm... just a bad feeling.”
   But they can’t afford to dwell on it. A dragon appears, and after defeating it, they find a pair of talking legs. Spotting an icy area nearby, they decide to explore it in search of the person who requested help.

3. Smoker arrival on the island coincides with the appearance of Law, now revealed as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

4. Events proceed as in the manga. (Narration for several parts will be omitted.) Fast-forward to the moment the Straw Hats encounter Law.
   Luffy is happy to see him and thanks him for saving his life two years ago, but Law replies that Luffy doesn’t owe him anything. As he says this, Law briefly glances at Marco, letting the blond know that he hasn’t forgotten the debt he owes.
   The Straw Hats follow Law’s instructions and head to the research center, where they reunite with the missing crewmates and the Punk Hazard children. Upon discovering the heart-swapping situation, Marco and the others can’t help but laugh at their friends’ predicament.

5. The samurai (Kin’emon) reveals that he’s searching for his son, Momonosuke, and complains about his encounter with Law.
   Marco wonders if these people from Wano have any connection to Izou and decides to keep that thought to himself for now.
   The Straw Hats gather to listen to Brownbeard explain what’s been going on on the island in recent years.

6. Law, after a private meeting with Caesar, wanders until he rejoins the group and helps rescue Nami. After defeating Scotch, he speaks with Luffy and proposes a pirate alliance to take down a Yonko.
   Despite the crew’s warnings, Luffy seems inclined to accept. Law is clearly pleased, amused by everyone’s reactions—particularly Marco’s, who doesn’t even try to hide his hostility.
   Not that Law can blame him—he did cause quite the stir two years ago. Still, he makes no effort to mend things and instead enjoys provoking the phoenix.
   “Huh? You two seem close,” Luffy comments.
   “We’re not / We are,” both reply simultaneously, confusing everyone. They lock eyes—Marco looks like he’s ready to claw Law’s face off, and Law wouldn’t mind if he tried.

7. Before leaving with Chopper, Law warns them about Caesar Clown. Chopper asks Marco if he’d like to come along to help find a cure for the children.
   But seeing Law’s face, Marco tells Chopper it’s better if he stays behind to protect the others—especially considering the possible effects of Clown’s Gasu Gasu powers.

8. That doesn’t stop them from getting captured. Vergo tells them they’re all going to die—he won’t allow the truth of what’s happening to be revealed.
   However, he hints that Joker might be happy if he hands over two particular individuals—Law and Marco. Doflamingo’s name is dropped, along with his connection to Law.

9. The counterattack. After being freed thanks to Law’s powers, the group decides to meet at Gate R-66 in about two hours, as the facility will no longer be safe.
   They split into teams—Marco, clearly uncomfortable, joins Luffy, Law, and Robin.

10. Luffy and Marco meet Momonosuke, who tells them how he ended up there and asks if they know how he can return to his original form.
    Marco offers to help him control his Zoan powers, which causes the little dragon to cry in his arms in gratitude.

11. Marco, Luffy, and Momonosuke locate Caesar Clown and begin fighting him. Clown reveals the truth about the SMILEs.
    Later, aboard the ship, Law argues with them for not bringing Caesar and goes after him himself. Final confrontation and Caesar’s capture.
    As they celebrate, Law informs the others that it’s best to leave soon, or they might be caught. The alliance to defeat Kaido is officially formed.

12. Final scene aboard the Sunny: the Straw Hats talk with Law.
    Momonosuke, having transformed back into a dragon, quickly seeks Marco’s help again. Law reveals his conversation with Doflamingo.
    During dinner, Kin’emon asks about Momonosuke’s whereabouts, only to be told that he’s bathing with Robin, Marco, and Chopper.
    The men question why the boy is allowed into the bath—and Kin’emon questions why Marco gets to bathe with Robin—prompting Nami to punch him after an inappropriate remark.

13. In the baths, Robin and Marco watch Chopper play with Momonosuke. They discuss the new alliance and the doubts surrounding it.
    Marco tells her about his past interaction with Law two years ago, which makes him wary of Law’s true intentions. Robin suggests they keep an eye on him just in case.
    Later, after putting the children to bed, Robin asks Marco if he’s had any dreams recently. Marco shakes his head—clearly hiding the truth.
    Robin gives him a suspicious look but doesn’t press further.

14. The next morning, news of their alliance spreads. (Law takes the chance to tease Marco—meanwhile, on the other side of the world, Ace nearly sets a ship on fire, and Izou has to dump seawater on him while scolding Haruta for laughing as he reads the paper.)
    “Morgan definitely has a special talent for conspiratorial gossip,” someone mutters.
    It's also announced that Doflamingo has stepped down as one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea and has relinquished the throne of Dressrosa.
    Law mentions that they’ll need to hand over Caesar to seal the deal with Doflamingo.

 

 

 

Notes:

By the way, if you have any suggestions or notice anything off regarding the chosen focus, please don’t hesitate to let me know.

Chapter 20: Mugiwaras in the desert

Chapter by Apple_bags (Cantuta_Buxi)

Summary:

A few moments in the some moments in Arabasta

 

 

"It’s so hot..." 

 

"I'm melting..." 

 

"Water... I need more water..." 

 

"Marco, please, fly us out of here..." 

 

"Meat..." 

 

Marco watched as the others began to surround him. More than friends, they now looked like water-hungry zombies—not after brains, but hydration. Who would’ve thought the desert of Arabasta could actually fry their brains?

 

"I refuse" 

 

The collective outcry of indignation didn’t take long to erupt. Only Chopper remained silent—after all, the little reindeer had found a cool spot nestled in the phoenix’s arms to cross the scorching land.

 

"Marco, listen to me. I swear I’ll cook you all the dishes you want if you just get me out of— " Sanji began with a tempting offer, but didn’t finish, as Nami’s fist decided he wasn’t being fair.

 

"I'll give you a better loan...!" 

 

Nami began rambling about credit and interest rates, only confusing the two Zoan users further, both staring at her with expressions of utter disbelief.

 

Meanwhile, Luffy and Usopp were slowly creeping toward the phoenix, clearly planning to climb onto his back. But just as they jumped, Marco shifted on purpose, causing them to collide midair and tumble into the sand.

 

Marco approached the two boys lying on the ground and looked down at them with a triumphant smile.

 

"Yeah, that wasn’t going to work. And don’t even think about trying again." 

 

He couldn’t help but let out a couple of chuckles as he noticed the others weren’t even listening anymore—they were too dizzy to care.

 

"I’m sorry for what you're all going through" Vivi said once she reached his side.

 

Together, they watched the rest of the crew argue over their pitiful attempts to win the phoenix's favor... or well, most of them.

 

"Has anyone seen Zoro?" the blond asked, momentarily putting an end to the bickering.

 

Unfortunately, the silence didn’t last long. They started arguing again almost immediately—though now for a different reason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"We need a leash for marimo" Sanji muttered while holding Chopper.

 

Everyone else stared up at the sky in tears, watching a beautiful blue bird moving farther and farther away in the desert sky 

 

 

Chapter 21: Drawing

Chapter by Apple_bags (Cantuta_Buxi)

Summary:

So this would be like an animated version of how I imagine Marco's appearance.

Notes:

I'm not very good at drawing in digital so disI'm not very good at drawing in digital so 😅

 

Well, as mentioned in previous chapters, Marco’s real age is actually unknown, so the Straw Hats don’t really know how old he is. However, when Marco heard Luffy’s age, he said he was eighteen just so he wouldn’t be the youngest on the ship.

 

As for his birthday, I have a special scene planned for it.

 

 

 

 

Notes:

Regarding the story overall, I already have the list of arcs I’ll be covering.

Before the timeskip, the arcs go from Baratie to the Sabaody Archipelago. Post-timeskip, they include Fishman Island, Punk Hazard, Dressrosa (which is already published), Zou—which will be the shortest, just a one-shot—and Wano.

Egghead will be the climax of the story, where the truth behind Marco’s fruit and his connection to Mika will be revealed.

By the way, I have a Tumblr where you can send me your questions 🙂‍↕️

 

https://www.tumblr.com/drawingsmarcomugiwara?source=share

Series this work belongs to:

• Part 1 of Feathers, Fire and Hats