I shifted in my seat at one of the makeshift tables and rested my head against the warm wood. Thatch had been running me around like a dog all day. I felt exhausted. Surely he wasn't going to work me to death, was he? I shifted Ace's hat back onto my head as I sat up and looked out onto the water. The ocean was clear blue and sparkled in the sun, it was such a beautiful day and it made me want to go for a nice swim. "How long have you been hanging onto that hat?" Marco asked as he took a seat in front of me. "Well I had it since after breakfast this morning and Thatch had been running me all over the ship so I think Ace just somehow keeps missing me with it on, despite the bright orange color." I answered him. "Thatch is running you all over the ship?" He questioned and I looked down at my hands, blushing. How do I answer this question? I looked back up at Marco and figured I could trust him. I leaned forward a bit to make sure no one else heard me, "He caught me playing pretend in the kitchen..." I pulled back and bit my lip as the older man cleared his throat, obviously trying not to laugh at me "Ah, I see. He's black mailing you." "I didn't think anyone was going to see!" I whispered harshly, "I just was supposed to be keeping Ace from his hat but I tried it on..."
He waved at me to stop, seeing the picture clearly from what I had already told him. "Well I guess I can only tell you to cherish the moments with the hat because Ace doesn't let anyone else wear it." Marco told me in a serious tone as he took a sip of his drink. I took the hat off and looked it over, "It means that much to him?" Marco nodded, "That it does." I pondered for a bit before I excused myself and went to find Ace. It was about time that his hat was returned to him.
I was careful walking around corners to avoid Thatch so he didn't put me to work. Asking a few other crew mates, I learned that Ace had retired to his room. I bet he is feeling pretty sour about having to chase his hat all over this giant ship. I wandered the cabins until I found Ace's bedroom door. I bit my lower lip as I teetered slightly on my heels. Just the thought of knocking upon his door made me nervous. I took a few steps back and frowned as I mumbled to myself, "Just knock on his door, it's not even that hard to do. Just raise your hand and knock." I brushed a hand down my face in annoyed manner and then looked down at the orange hat. I sudden got a surge of confidence and stepped back up to Ace's door and gave a loud knock. As soon as my hand made contact with the door, all the confidence flew out of my body. In a small panic I set the hat down in front of the door and booked it down the hallway. After getting far enough away, I stopped to catch my breath, "What the hell is wrong with me? It's not a big deal, I'm just returning his hat." 
"What's wrong? Catching feelings for our 2nd Division Commander?" A voice spoke up and I turned around swiftly to face none other than Thatch. "What? No! Of course not!" I retort in a scoff. "Oh yeah?" He leaned on with that devilish look from earlier. "Then how come your face is beet red?" "I was running." I counter and folded my arms across my chest. "Besides you can't fall in love with someone you just met." "If you say so." He shrugged as he ambled pass me, "But you seem to get really flustered with just the mention of his name." I hurried to keep up with him to set him straight, "I'm telling you, I don't have feelings for anyone, especially not Ace! I barely know him." When his name left my lips, I could feel the flutter in my chest again. "Keep telling yourself that." Thatch just turned and just kind of raised his eyebrows at me. Not believing a single word I was saying. "Why don't you believe me!" I stomped in front of him to halt him in his tracks. "I think I would know if I caught feelings." He glanced at me like I was an idiot "You keep telling yourself that, Cupcake." He patted my cheek with a sly look before continuing on his way. I stared at him with disbelief as he walk completely out of my sight before I stomped my foot, "You are so rude!" I was fuming. "How dare that man call me a cupcake!" I spewed angrily as I started to march after him. "Wait till I get my hands on that no good, pompous windbag-!" I opened the door and started up the stairs that led up onto the deck. I stomped up onto the deck and looked around for that man with a mouth and narrowed my eyes once I spotted him standing next to Whitebeard. He made eye contact with me "You!" I pointed an anger finger at him and he just batted his eyes innocently, "Me?" Pointing to himself like he didn't know I was angry at him. "Yes!" I marched over to give him a piece of my mind, "What gives you the right to-" I started strong but suddenly my brain seemed to have trouble forming words when Ace walked over next to Thatch, "Something wrong Clarity?" "-ah..." I literally could not process words. "...no, everything is just peachy." I swallowed and glared at Thatch as he gave me a knowing smile. I quickly formed an escape plan, "I was just wondering where the shower was." "Oh, you will probably need to borrow some more clothes then." Ace beamed as he walked over to me and began to led me away. I looked back at Thatch and gave him another glare. This means war.
I followed Ace to his room and stood at the doorway as he began to search through his clothes for something that might fit me better than what I was wearing. "You seemed pretty steamed back there, are you sure everything is okay?" He asked me with concern as he held up one shirt to see if it would fit me. I stared down at my feet and made a bit of a face, "To be honest, he's teasing me." "Teasing you?" He inquired as he set the shirt aside and began to dig for a clean pair of pants. I crossed my arms over my chest as I tried to comfort myself, "More or less..." I felt kind of awkward talking to Ace about this kind of situation, especially since I didn't know him that well. "Try not too let him get under your skin." Ace shut the draw to his dresser and walked over to me with the clean clothes in hand, "Here, the shower is this way." I stepped out of the doorway and followed him down the hallway until we got to the door at the end. "Well if he gives you anymore trouble then, just let me know and I will lend you a hand." He opened the door and looked around to make sure no guys where in the shower room. He turned back to me "All clear." He handed over the clothes. "Thanks." I gave him a small smile. He grinned at me, "No problem." I stepped into the room. "Ace," I called before he shut the door, "Uh, could you please guard the door." I blushed a bit. I was stuck on a ship with nothing but males. I was probably the first female to ever be on their ship this long.
"Of course." He nodded and then closed the door. I glanced around and set the clean clothes down in a chair before making my way over to the windows and closing the curtains. I did not want to be spied on. After making sure that everything was closed off, I began to remove my clothes. The shirt came off with ease bit it took me a few annoying minutes to untie the shoestring belt and the pants fell to the floor. I removed my underwear with an disgusted look. I hadn't realized they were so dirty! Ew! I tossed them aside before stepping over to the shower head and turning on the hot water, "Ah~ That feels so good~" the hot water was beginning to relax my stiffened muscles and dull the ache in my body. I could feel a bit of sand and dirt in my hair as I began to scrub with the borrowed shampoo.
After washing off my body, I turned off the shower head and walked over to the bathtub. Carefully checking the water with my toes before easing myself into the water, "This is definitely heaven." I relaxed against the wall and closed my eyes.

A loud knock at the door brought me to my senses, "Uh? Yes!" I called and looked around. "Are you okay in there?" It was Ace calling from the door. I realized I was in the bathroom and rubbed my eyes, "Oh! Yes, sorry! I must've dozed off!" I admitted as I quickly stepped out of the bathtub and began to dry off. "Just as long as you're okay." He replied in a more calmer voice. "Yup, just dandy!" I squeak out as I began to get dressed in my clean clothes and gather up the dirty ones to take to be washed. I open the door to see Ace still standing where he was when I had asked him to guard the door. "I didn't mean to take so long." I rubbed the back of my neck and he just chuckled, "It's alright. I would probably want to soak for awhile too after not being able to bathe for a couple of days." "Probably?" I pried, curious on what he meant. "Ah, you don't know." He turned to me and held out his hand. A small ball of fire sudden just appeared in his palm, "I ate the Flare-Flare fruit, so water isn't exactly my friend." I stared at the fire with awe. The only other devil fruit user I had been around was Captain Smoker. "Wow..." I was at a loss for words, "...and it doesn't hurt?" I glanced up at him as he shook his head no, "I am fire, basically." I frowned a bit and then poked his shoulder, "But I can touch you with no problem." I had never really understood how those types of devil fruits worked. "Well I have no reason to burn you." He stated as he began to walk down the hallway, with me right on his heels. But he will have a reason if he ever finds out that I am a navy solider. "I guess that makes sense..." I hummed in thought.

"We will be arriving at the next island this afternoon." Marco explained after I sat down at the table with him. "It's been three weeks already?" I asked him as Thatch walked over with everyone's lunch. "Yeah, time sure does fly by on the ocean." He spoke up as he set down the plates of food. I thought about the passed weeks and realized that I had gotten closer to this crew than I would had liked to admit. We had crossed paths with a few Navy ships and I had to avoid the fights to the best of my ability so they wouldn't know that I was aboard Whitebeard's ship. I had showed off some decent fighting skills to train with some of the other crew mates on board so we could keep busy.
I took a bite of my sandwich and just looked out over the water. Today was another beautiful day on the calm ocean. I thought about buying a little floaty for Ace and try to convince him to get in the water with me. 
"Hey, Clarity, let's spar!"
"Maybe in a little bit, okay?" I responded to my friend and he smiled as he went off to finish his chores. Everyone preparing for the island visit. "Hey Clarity, I have been meaning to ask you about that necklace." Thatch pointed at the ring hanging around my neck. "What about it?" I looked down at the red and black ring before looking back to the brunet. "Where did you get it from? When you first woke up, you were pretty upset about it missing from your person." He explained his thought process and I merely shrugged, "I honestly don't know. I can't remember. I did have a weird dream that seemed like a memory but all the people were just static." "Static people?" Marco gave a confused look and I nodded "Yeah. It started off with someone asking about the ring." I held it up so he could see it. "And I replied that I got it from someone but the name is just blank. The person seems excited for me and then asks if I want to go with them and this group with whoever this blank person is. The scene shifts to us being on a cliff face and they dare me to jump into the ocean with them. After a while the sea becomes choppy because of a storm coming in..."
~flashback~
"We need to leave! It's getting too dangerous!" I hollered over the clap of thunder. "Just one more jump!" My friend yells back at me, "And then we will go home!" "No! The ocean could sweep us away or worse kill us!" I shook my head no and went to head down the way we came when my friend gripped my arm with an iron grip, "Come on, don't be a baby!" "Ow! That hurts!" I wince as I try to remove their grip as they pulled me back to the cliff's edge. I glance behind me to see the rest of the group block off my exit. Pushing me against my back. My feet began to slip against the wet grass. "Quick! Push her over!" One yelled. "Kill her!" Another replies. "What are you guys doing? Stop! I'm going to fall over!" I yelp with fear and somehow managed to push them back slightly. "Ah-!" I cry out when something sharp stabs into my back and over the edge I went.
~end~
"Hey, hey," there was a gentle touch to my cheek and I jerk slightly, my eyes darting up to see who was touching me. I squinted as my vision blurred and I took in a ragged breath.
"Just focus on me, okay? I am right here in front of you." I focused on the voice talking to me. The calm tone was grounding the panic that was dancing throughout my body. "I'm going to take your hand." The voice spoke and I flinched a the warm hand that enveloped mine. "Now just focus on the warmth." The voice spoke and I carefully nodded. The warmth felt like it was spreading through my whole body and calming me down completely.