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mythplaced_logicChapter 3: Reminiscing
An interlude with Ace and Thatch. Thatch has some questions, Ace has some answers.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
The screech of the gulls and the smell of saltwater filled his senses as he lay basking in the sun. The planking creaked gently under him and he was totally at peace in his little corner of the deck.
"Aaaaaaaaaacccccce!" He heard a cry in the distance, "where are you Ace?"
He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that being quiet and not looking might save him from the inevitable.
No such luck...
"There you are, Ace!" Thatch's voice sounded right in his ear as a shadow fell over him, making him jump up.
"Thatch, I was enjoying the sun until your big shadow blocked it all out!" Ace shoved at him, trying to move him out of the way so he could continue his lovely doze.
Thatch gave an offended squawk "Hey, are you calling me fat?!".
"You said it, not me." Ace gave a cheeky grin as he dropped back
down on the deck. Rather than continue the argument, Thatch reached out and nudged him over to make room enough to sit next to him. For a moment they sat in companionable silence and listened to the slap of waves against the hull and the sounds of their brothers going about their duties.
Ace couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as he enjoyed this small moment in the life he had chosen for himself.
"Hey, Ace?" Thatch seemed to have calmed down and was leaning back with both arms behind him to prop himself up. "I've been meaning to ask you something."
Ace turned his face towards him with a raised eyebrow. "What's up Thatch?"
"Weeeeeeellll, you know that cursed day we do not speak of that occurred last month?" Thatch very pointedly didn't look towards him as he spoke.
"What the heck, I thought I told you guys not to mention that!!!" Ace quickly tuned his face away as his cheeks burned in remembered embarrassment even as a burst of satisfaction and pride welled up in remembrance of his excellent skills. He was certain that his dedicated efforts had guaranteed that the whole crew had avoided the undoubtedly horrible unlucky consequences of their potential actions on the cursed day they did not speak of.
Thatch just grinned as he saw the blush out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just curious! Pops told us that that sort of thing was normal back in East Blue, but he didn't say much more than that."
Ace sighed, knowing he likely wouldn't be able to avoid the embarrassment this topic would bring. He grudgingly asked, "What more do you want to know?".
Thatch immediately latched on to the small opening in Ace's usual defensiveness on the subject. "Where did you learn all of these things!? What's supposed to be lucky or unlucky? Seriously, I can't keep it straight!". His body was fully turned toward Ace now, his attention entirely on getting the answers to his questions.
Rather than erupt in stuttering denials as he expected, Ace instead grew silent, seeming to stare off into the distance. Thatch rarely saw him so intent, outside of food or battle.
A long moment passed and Thatch began to grow nervous, hoping he hadn't truly offended his little brother with his choice of topic.
He breathed a sigh of relief when Ace suddenly twitched and turned his head around to Thatch with a rueful smile on his face. "Is that all?" He asked.
Thatch gaped at him, "'Is that all?'" Thatch pointed his finger at Ace as he yelled, "You're the one who's always denying everything and trying to sneak off when it comes up!". Thatch poked Ace in the forehead, "Crazy little brother, you made it seem like a huge ordeal to even mention it!" He huffed and shook his head.
Ace just laughed at the rant about his previous antics. Finally he caught his breath as Thatch wound down. Thatch couldn't really put his finger on what the look was on Ace's face as they sat for a moment enjoying each other's company.
'So you want to know where I learned about luck, huh?' Ace thought to himself with a familiar bittersweet mix of fierce pride, innocent happiness, and remembered grief, still painful after all these years, thoughts of his home island in East Blue.
He finally spoke, "Hey, Thatch, did I ever tell you I was raised by mountain bandits?".
He huffed a soft laugh at Thatch's dumbstruck face even as his thoughts drifted, back to a time before Pops, Marco and Thatch, all of his pirate brothers aboard the Moby Dick. A time where a different set of beloved brothers had run at his side through a forest filled with giant beasts and a treehouse filled with treasure.
"The bandit's leader was a woman named Dadan, not that you could tell she was a woman from looking at her...". Ace began to speak and Thatch leaned forward once more to hear just where his brother had learned those ridiculous superstitions from, and maybe, a few more details about the life of his pirate brother before he became 'Firefist'.
Notes:
Next up will be story time and memories explaining the origin of some of Ace's superstitions and
the crazy antics they resulted in. Gotta love those ASL brothers! And seriously Garp, mountain bandits?
An interlude with Ace and Thatch. Thatch has some questions, Ace has some answers.
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
The screech of the gulls and the smell of saltwater filled his senses as he lay basking in the sun. The planking creaked gently under him and he was totally at peace in his little corner of the deck.
"Aaaaaaaaaacccccce!" He heard a cry in the distance, "where are you Ace?"
He squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that being quiet and not looking might save him from the inevitable.
No such luck...
"There you are, Ace!" Thatch's voice sounded right in his ear as a shadow fell over him, making him jump up.
"Thatch, I was enjoying the sun until your big shadow blocked it all out!" Ace shoved at him, trying to move him out of the way so he could continue his lovely doze.
Thatch gave an offended squawk "Hey, are you calling me fat?!".
"You said it, not me." Ace gave a cheeky grin as he dropped back
down on the deck. Rather than continue the argument, Thatch reached out and nudged him over to make room enough to sit next to him. For a moment they sat in companionable silence and listened to the slap of waves against the hull and the sounds of their brothers going about their duties.
Ace couldn't help the smile that grew on his face as he enjoyed this small moment in the life he had chosen for himself.
"Hey, Ace?" Thatch seemed to have calmed down and was leaning back with both arms behind him to prop himself up. "I've been meaning to ask you something."
Ace turned his face towards him with a raised eyebrow. "What's up Thatch?"
"Weeeeeeellll, you know that cursed day we do not speak of that occurred last month?" Thatch very pointedly didn't look towards him as he spoke.
"What the heck, I thought I told you guys not to mention that!!!" Ace quickly tuned his face away as his cheeks burned in remembered embarrassment even as a burst of satisfaction and pride welled up in remembrance of his excellent skills. He was certain that his dedicated efforts had guaranteed that the whole crew had avoided the undoubtedly horrible unlucky consequences of their potential actions on the cursed day they did not speak of.
Thatch just grinned as he saw the blush out of the corner of his eye. "I'm just curious! Pops told us that that sort of thing was normal back in East Blue, but he didn't say much more than that."
Ace sighed, knowing he likely wouldn't be able to avoid the embarrassment this topic would bring. He grudgingly asked, "What more do you want to know?".
Thatch immediately latched on to the small opening in Ace's usual defensiveness on the subject. "Where did you learn all of these things!? What's supposed to be lucky or unlucky? Seriously, I can't keep it straight!". His body was fully turned toward Ace now, his attention entirely on getting the answers to his questions.
Rather than erupt in stuttering denials as he expected, Ace instead grew silent, seeming to stare off into the distance. Thatch rarely saw him so intent, outside of food or battle.
A long moment passed and Thatch began to grow nervous, hoping he hadn't truly offended his little brother with his choice of topic.
He breathed a sigh of relief when Ace suddenly twitched and turned his head around to Thatch with a rueful smile on his face. "Is that all?" He asked.
Thatch gaped at him, "'Is that all?'" Thatch pointed his finger at Ace as he yelled, "You're the one who's always denying everything and trying to sneak off when it comes up!". Thatch poked Ace in the forehead, "Crazy little brother, you made it seem like a huge ordeal to even mention it!" He huffed and shook his head.
Ace just laughed at the rant about his previous antics. Finally he caught his breath as Thatch wound down. Thatch couldn't really put his finger on what the look was on Ace's face as they sat for a moment enjoying each other's company.
'So you want to know where I learned about luck, huh?' Ace thought to himself with a familiar bittersweet mix of fierce pride, innocent happiness, and remembered grief, still painful after all these years, thoughts of his home island in East Blue.
He finally spoke, "Hey, Thatch, did I ever tell you I was raised by mountain bandits?".
He huffed a soft laugh at Thatch's dumbstruck face even as his thoughts drifted, back to a time before Pops, Marco and Thatch, all of his pirate brothers aboard the Moby Dick. A time where a different set of beloved brothers had run at his side through a forest filled with giant beasts and a treehouse filled with treasure.
"The bandit's leader was a woman named Dadan, not that you could tell she was a woman from looking at her...". Ace began to speak and Thatch leaned forward once more to hear just where his brother had learned those ridiculous superstitions from, and maybe, a few more details about the life of his pirate brother before he became 'Firefist'.
Notes:
Next up will be story time and memories explaining the origin of some of Ace's superstitions and
the crazy antics they resulted in. Gotta love those ASL brothers! And seriously Garp, mountain bandits?
