A Strange New Little Brother

Fishman Island

We're finally at fishman island in this chapter! Enjoy~

Thatch was now keeping the fruit with him at all times. It had gotten out that he fished up a devil fruit, Ace accidentally mentioning it too loudly when talking with Pops, so of course they wanted to know what it was. When he told them, many whined about wanting it. But he had decided to eat it after the battle, or whatever happens once the conflict is resolved.

They were nearly there, with Fossa and his division doing the coating as they were stationed in front of the Red Line. Ace had pieces of foam stuck on each claw as he walked along the bubble coating. Marco was overseeing the coating, making sure everyone was being safe, when Ace waddled out.

He was unsteady on his feet, and the foam on his claws looked a bit hard to walk with, but he was exploring. Haruta and Thatch were watching from the entrance into the ship. The bubble coating was slippery if you walked on it slowly, so Ace was slipping around and landed on his face.

When he couldn't stand back up, he was letting out gruff noises of distress. Marco walked over easily and picked him up, setting him down. "Walk like you mean it. Don't look so hesitant, it won't pop under you," he encouraged.

Two minutes later and Ace was bouncing up and down on every surface. He was bummed when it was time to go down, while everyone else felt the same, but in a much different way. Afraid to go down and see what they had to deal with. The ship began to sink slowly, with Ace running from one side of the ship to the other to look at the completely new scenery. Everyone but him were silent, gloomy. Whitebeard was distracting himself by watching Ace.

"Should we call them and let them know we're here? There's somebody stationed at the bubble, right?" Pops nodded. The crew, many having been sleeping in preparation, gathered on the deck, Ace still at the side, as the captain called the island. There was no answer for a long time. But the second time they called, there was an answer.

"Whitebeard-san? Are you coming soon?"

"Yes, we're on our way down right now. Give us the newest information." Marco was shocked when he heard that some of the fishmen pirates were camping in front of the bubble to pop the Moby Dick's bubble. "How foolish of them. You don't need to worry about us being taken out in such a pathetic way. How are things inside the country?"

"The citizens have had to choose sides. Against them or with them. The palace bubble is full of refugees. I don't know what to do anymore. This is not my kingdom," Neptune lamented. But he got ahold of himself quickly, and answered immediately when he was asked what they should do. Should they kill them? Incapacitate them? What were they to do?

Neptune told him to please try not to kill them. But, he explained the features of the main enemies, and was told they that they were high on performance enhancing drugs. Marco couldn't help but put his hand to his face. They were only able to do this with drugs? What a blow to do to your reputation.

"If drugs bad, why not take away?" Ace asked, suddenly close to Marco. He had a point. The drugs had to be made somewhere. Were they made at the kingdom? Or were they imported? And would the problem have been solved if the drugs were not there?

"We don't know where they got the drugs from. Energy steroids. But they're all using it. Even just a little bit doubles their strength and changes their size. We don't know the extent of the drug and its side effects. Just beware them.

"I don't expect most of the pirates to attack you. Not all of them are maniacs. But the main seven, I can't ask you to spare them if you can't."