[Turns to just hold Japan against him, hugging protectively. Well, what did he expect? Japan never was willing to agree to try a path other than through America and he knew there'd be consequences. Wasn't it better now? Japan had learned somehow... he was stronger for it... like he wanted. Would Marco have been upset if Ace had taken scars from Whitebeard? But that was just it, Ace never did. Then again, it wasn't as though Marco expected America to be as strong as Whitebeard; strong enough to even be able to avoid hurting foes he didn't want to. America wasn't that way at all. Still, did that make it wrong? It wasn't like Ace and Whitebeard, it was like Ace and Garp? The analogies didn't work.]

I'm sorry. [Tightens the hug and buries his face in raven black strands of hair.] That you had to go through that, that I wasn't there and couldn't do a thing, that if he tries anything here, there's not a single thing you can do to hold me back... [Squeezes tightly.] Nakama should be able to protect each other better Bushido. [And he couldn't do a thing for Japan when he needed him most. What kind of nakama was that? And it was too much like Ace. It wasn't Ace, but a nakama running off alone to face foes and things he felt responsible for all alone hit too close to home for even Marco to act like it didn't.] I'm sorry I wasn't there to help you through it.