~Marco’s POV~

                Talia fidgeted between Ace and I as we blended into the crowd toward the hilltop to watch the fireworks. She was becoming even more restless. Her hands kept inching up to her hair as if she wanted to tear it free from its confines. As docile as she was, she was meant to run wild.

                I slid my arm around her waist and directed her away from the crowd. Ace threw me a curious look but followed suit. We broke away from the mass of people and escaped along the coastal cliffs. Talia grinned as I came to a stop once we were far enough away from the others. There was nothing but the radiant moon guiding us along the sheer edge.

                “Go.” I chuckled.

                Her hair tumbled down around her cascading in pale pink waves around her delicate frame as she removed the pins Izo had precariously placed. She kicked off her sandals and ran like the wind racing along the coast with her hands in the air and the strong seaside wind ripping through her silken waves.

                Ace laughed and looked as if he wanted to run wild along beside her.

                “You too.” I waved him off and chuckled as he took off after her. They radiated youth and life. Ace was unpredictable fire and Talia the wind breathing life into the world. Their exuberant energies were blinding.

                Talia rounded a corner and vanished from sight.

                “Oy! Stay where I can see you!” I called after her.

                My heart began to race as she didn’t reappear. I jogged after her feeling a sudden dread and panic begin to settle in the longer she was out of my line of sight. Something happened. Her shrill scream rang through the night causing my heart to drop into the pit of my stomach.

                “TALIA!” I screamed her name as my body was suddenly overtaken by blue flames.

                “Talia!” Ace yelled in a panic as I flew past him in a flash of burning blue light.

                “Easy there, Madame Strategist.” A familiar voice sounded from up ahead. As I rounded the corner where Talia had disappeared I spotted her sitting near the ledge of the cliff side crumpled onto her knees with wide eyes. My gaze locked on the big bulk of a man standing over her, he was a member of the second division, Marshall D. Teach.

                “What happened?!” Ace panted upon seeing there wasn’t an immediate threat. He looked to his subordinate curiously, “What are you doing here, Teach?”

                “I was out for a stroll, good thing too or we may have been short a strategist.” The large man with the unruly mop of greasy tangled black hair noted. His dark eyes fell on Talia’s trembling form and he smiled sympathetically.

                “Talia?” I knelt beside the trembling girl and gently eased her away from the cliff’s edge and into my arms. “Are you alright?”

                “I slipped.” She sniffled softly as she wrapped her frail arms around my neck.

                “Thank you, Teach.” I offered the large man my thanks.

                “It was nothing. I’m just glad our little strategist is alright.” He grinned revealing a large gap in his teeth.

                Talia smiled, “Thanks.”

                “Don’t mention it, Madame Strategist.” Teach waved away her thanks and turned to resume his nightly stroll.

                “Are you hurt?” I asked her once Teach disappeared along the coast.

                “Nothing serious.” Talia beamed seeming to have settled down. Her body was no longer trembling and she looked more relaxed.

                I scanned her over quickly and sighed, she had a few scrapes and bruises and I had to resist the urge to rush her to the ship to see a medic. She was right, it was nothing serious, but seeing her with any amount of injury was enough to make me worry.