Pairing: Ace/Marco
Notes: Written for Day 1 of MarcoAce week 2015! The prompt was fire, and the mera mera no mi totally counts.
This got a bit too long so it'll be weekly updates. I've been wanting to write this for a long time, so I'm really happy I finally got the opportunity to. Thank you to lunarshores for betaing, and I hope you all enjoy!
Also just for clarification - everyone lives happily in the end. No one stays dead (except Whitebeard... and bad people...)
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Setting a book on the table, Sabo reached for his bag. He could feel Koala looking at him, and he shot her a glance over his shoulder, snuffing the candle on his desk out and taking a step to balance himself as a particularly large wave wobbled the boat.
"I never thought you'd actually do it," she said, though there was only humour and hope in her voice. She knew how much this meant to Sabo, and he was thankful of her friendship.
"I've faced worse odds before," he muttered, eyes scanning his shelf for moisturiser and shoving it in his bag. "Besides, who knows who I'll bump into?"
Koala shared his grin. The news had just come in, and they'd had a small celebration. Sabo knew that Koala was looking forward to seeing Robin again, and the best way to do that would be to set sail for the New World. Even if they didn't meet at Dressrosa, at least they would be on the same ocean.
They were taking a risk, Sabo knew. He could see the worry in the tense way Koala held her shoulders, but she wouldn't bring it up further. Sabo had made it clear what he was going to do, and those who had wanted to disagree had disagreed back then. Sabo was going to do this, no matter what, and there had conveniently been a mission in the same place. Whether or not it was a coincidence or something planned, Sabo wasn't sure, and he certainly wasn't going to find out.
Grabbing one last book, Sabo slung his bag on his back and prepared to follow Koala out of his cabin. They had a lot to do before now and Dressrosa, but hope flared bright and warm in his chest.
"Wait for me Luffy," he whispered to the waves as they set sail. "Ace," he added, a smile curling his lips.
There was no going back now, and Sabo felt the book in his bag weight heavy against his back.
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He'd been having a nice dream, Ace thought. He'd been dreaming of the ocean, of being lulled in his sleep, and he'd been peaceful. There might have been other people there, but Ace couldn't really remember, the dream slipping away as he became more and more aware of the real world.
He was really tired, Ace thought, and frowned, refusing to open his eyes. He wanted to go back to sleep. He was too hot, there was no cooling sea breeze, and he was too tired. He grunted as he shifted, pain lancing through his entire body.
"Fuck," he hissed, voice barely a whisper. Ace opened his eyes and groaned in pain, muscles aching. What the fuck had he been doing? He hadn't ached like this since his welcoming party as the official second division leader, not even in his toughest fights. Drunk dancing was the worst, and many of them had flopped around the next day, complaining of aching limbs.
"Fuck," he said again, and this time it was a little stronger. The world began to focus around him, and Ace noticed that he was lying in a strange, burnt hole. Had he been in a fight? Usually his devil fruit power protected him from hurting this much, but maybe he'd hit his head or something. Maybe he'd forgotten and-
Ace took a steadying breath as memories began to creep. There was the darkness, first and foremost, nothing like the dream he'd been having. So that was it then? He'd failed against Teach, but he'd won in the end. That was it, right?
Where was Teach then? If Teach wanted him that badly (why? Ace couldn't grasp the memory just yet, but he knew it was important), then why was he just here in this burnt hole?
Ace made a noise of frustration and shifted onto his side. He wanted to get up, but he didn't think his body could handle it yet, so he remained lying down, staring out at an expanse of grass, the sea not far behind. It brought a smile to his face and, oddly, tears to his eyes. Or at least tears would have come if he wasn't so dehydrated.
It was a while before Ace moved. He stayed still, taking deep breaths to try and steady the unsettled feeling in his stomach, watching the waves of the ocean. They calmed him, and Ace felt unexplained panic fade slightly. He gathered strength like this, he thought, and each breath made him feel stronger.
Part of him never wanted to move ever again, and Ace was strangely content with that thought. He could just lie here, he thought, and think of nothing but the ocean. It was impractical, though, and Ace grimaced as he was suddenly aware of how much he needed the toilet. His stomach also decided to hit him full force, and it growled noisily, in a way it hadn't since before he was able to hunt and kill his own meals. He was starving, he realised absently, and began to push himself up, the panic creeping back in when he looked away from the waves.
"Come on," he said to his body, tucking trembling legs under himself and pushing up with effort. "You can fucking stand," Ace said with disgust, and while his muscles burnt and ached, he managed to stand, chest heaving at the effort. He was sweating too, and Ace was suddenly very glad he was alone. He wouldn't want anyone to see him like he was now.
Ace looked around, hoping that he was near a town or something – he'd even take a forest, animals lived in forests – and sighed when he noticed an obvious lack of those things, at least in the close vicinity. He really needed to pee, though, so he relieved himself after a very quick glance around, deciding that enough was enough when he zipped up. He'd had enough of this crater, and while the front was shallow and allowed him to look out at the sea, the rest of the crater was quite deep. A few bits of rubble lay here and there, and Ace frowned at what looked like a charred bouquet.
That was when he really had a look around. What he'd assumed to be a rock towering over his crater was a strange, square stone, and Ace's eyes widened when he saw what was placed on top of it. He would recognise that coat anywhere, even if he was looking at it from the side, and Ace scrambled out of his little crater, stumbling and crawling until he was face-on with the rock.
EDWARD NEWGATE the rock proclaimed, and Ace's breath caught. He let his body sink to the ground and just lay there, eyes fixed on the words carved into the gravestone. They proudly proclaimed how great a father Whitebeard had been, and Ace had never felt grief like this, at least not since Sabo had died.
He took a deep, ragged breath, dry-heaving as he sobbed. His eyes pricked with tears, though none fell on account of his dehydration. It wasn't fair! Whitebeard couldn't be dead, he shouldn't be dead, how had he-
Ace let out a moan, burying his face into the grass. He could feel insects crawling over him, feel the grass tickling his skin as a small breeze picked up, and he could hear the sea. None of that did anything to ease his discomfort, his grief, and Ace wondered if he'd ever find it in himself to stand up.
He knew it wasn't just Whitebeard's grave that was here. He knew it wasn't because of Teach that he was here. He knew.
Ace let his eyes slide shut, chest clenching painfully as he remembered Akainu – remembered Luffy's face and the way his arms had shook, not quite holding him as he'd struggled to comprehend what was happening – and remembered the way the world had blared in a fury of sorrow, quieting as he'd fallen forwards.
He had died, Ace knew. That was certain, and the proof was right before his eyes. The rubble around him was his grave (Ace could make out a few letters, and he could see the wood of a coffin scattered around, silk lining charred and waving uselessly in the wind). He'd been buried next to his father, who had also died because of Ace.
Ace didn't want to open his eyes ever again. What was the point? He had died. He had no idea what he was now, he might be a ghost or some zombie for all he cared. Ace didn't want to be alive; that was the point, and his fingers dug into the ground, as if Ace could bury himself once more.
"No," he whispered, and an anguished moan escaped past his lips. He didn't care that the sound grew, anger and hurt mixing with the sorrow, and Ace felt a familiar sensation build under his skin.
The sensation brought Ace back, and he opened his eyes wide. He could feel his fire, the power of the mera-mera no mi, and he let tiny flames flicker on the back of his hand for a moment. His fire felt a little strange, out of practice perhaps, but it was there. His fire was something familiar, something comforting, and Ace knew then that he hadn't lost everything.
Of course he hadn't. Ace had always known that there was so much more. He simply hadn't been able to see it before, but his fire had cleared his mind a little, allowing Ace to remember that he hadn't been alone for a very long time. Even if the remaining Whitebeard pirates (and fuck, how many others had died just for Ace? Was it not enough he'd taken their father from them all?) hated him, there was still Luffy to think of.
Luffy, who was all alone without any brothers anymore. Luffy who had destroyed Impel Down and brought war in his wake. Luffy, who had watched Ace die right in front of him. He assumed Luffy was still alive, for he'd surely be buried next to Ace if not. Worry clawed at Ace, and he bit the inside of his cheek.
Even if the Whitebeard pirates (were they still called that?) didn't want to see him, Ace had to see them. He needed to know who had died because of him, but – more importantly – he needed to know who lived. Ace didn't know how much time had passed, but Whitebeard's gravestone didn't look new, and there were no fresh flowers around the graves that could have marked their funeral.
So it wasn't as if burying Ace had been a mistake. He grimaced, risking a look down at his chest, and winced at the skin there. It was strangely soft, though thick at the same time. There were patches of dry skin in places, and his skin twisted, mottled, in an almost perfect circle. Shame curled in his stomach at having lost the mark on his back, but his sacrifice had been worth it. Luffy was alive, and Ace would die a thousand times over if he could save Luffy.
His initial grief had passed now, and Ace was able to think a little more clearly. He knew he was dead, knew Whitebeard was dead, and knew he had things to do before he could take on his grief again and deal with it. Ace needed to do something, needed to see Luffy and the Whitebeard pirates, before he could fully accept everything.
Even more, he needed to understand what had happened to him. Ace had no idea if this was temporary, if he was some sort of ghost, or if he was alive again for real. He wasn't sure any of that mattered, and took a deep breath, shaking his head against the grief threatening to claw back.
No, he thought. He needed to see if Luffy was okay. He needed to see if the rest of his crew were okay. Then he could do whatever needed to be done – grieve, come back to this island to waste away, move on, Ace didn't fucking know – but not until then.
"Who do you think you are!" a voice suddenly shrieked, and Ace jolted. That probably ruled out the ghost theory, he thought, and glanced at the small group of people gathered nearby. They remained as far away as they could from the crater he had burnt in the ground (had he literally exploded out of his grave? Ace thought it looked that way, now he really had a look), eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"This is a sacred ground!" the voice shrieked again, and Ace saw a small woman before the others, a sword at her hip and scowl on her face. Her hair was a tangled mess, blonde in colour, and, for some reason, she reminded Ace of Dadan. Despite her anger, her presence, and the other people's presence, settled Ace, rooted him to his task, and he felt the reality of what he had been through (survived?) cling to the back of his mind.
"What was that explosion for? How dare you destroy this sacred site?" The woman's fury was fuelling the crowd, and Ace shook his head. He wanted to explain who he was, ask how it was possible, but his throat was too dry, and the words stuck in his throat.
"Answer!" someone else demanded, and Ace clenched his fists. He couldn't even get up, so he might as well let these people do with him whatever they wanted. It wasn't as if anyone knew he was alive and, looking at Whitebeard's gravestone, perhaps it was best he stayed away from the people he loved.
"Portgas D. Ace," a steady voice said, and the crowd silenced. "That's you, isn't it?"
Ace looked into the eyes of an elderly woman. She was leaning heavily on a cane, but her eyes were sharp, directed only at him. She didn't wait for him to answer, merely nodded for two people by her side to collect Ace and carry him in their procession back to their village.
"I don't know how, boy," she said as they walked, eyes fixated on a village a long way up ahead. "But somehow you've cheated death itself. Be thankful," she cautioned, words heavy, and Ace let his head sink forwards, watching his feet as he walked slowly, still getting used to actually using his body again.
He watched the grass as it was crushed by each step, and fought the urge to close his eyes. There was one thing Ace knew for sure then, and it was that he had absolutely no idea what to do next.
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When he'd first found the reference, it had been a tiny, throwaway sentence in a dusty tome on the inner politics of a fallen nation in North Blue. Sabo hadn't been expecting to see anything on devil fruits when he'd found the book, and was reading it simply to fill the time as they sailed between missions. It was a comforting book, about bloodlines and traditions, and while Sabo had rejected those kinds of things as a child (with good reason), he found history fascinating, particularly history that told of toppling regimes and destroyed families.
So it started with a tiny, insignificant sentence. The seed was planted, though Sabo didn't think too much of it until Koala and Hack were discussing Doflamingo and his announcement.
"He's unlocked all the potential of his powers, hasn't he?" Koala said, picking at a salad with a bland expression. Sabo didn't blame her, the leaves were wilted from days at being at sea, but they'd be home soon and needed to use up the last of the food. He set his report down, though, remembering the line in the book.
"I read something," Sabo announced, and Koala looked at him, unimpressed. Hack gave a snort of laughter, making to move to their fishing nets.
"About devil fruits bring people back from the dead," Sabo continued, and the air grew tense all of a sudden. Hack's foot came down heavily on deck, and he looked back at Sabo warily. Koala, too, had a cautious look on her face, and her salad was abandoned completely in favour of dealing with the situation.
"Sabo," Hack said gently, and Sabo had known they were going to react like this. He was fine though, he'd been fine for a long time, and he wasn't about to break down over thoughts of Ace.
"I know," Sabo said firmly, fingers sliding over the wood of the table. He looked down at the sun-bleached wood, frowning. "I didn't go looking for the information. It was just a line in my book, and I wanted to know. What with Doflamingo's announcement."
"Sabo," Koala said softly, and she sighed, tilting her head back. "Tell us about this line then."
Sabo told them, and Koala's eyes lit up in interest. She was as interested in theories and knowledge as Sabo was, and even if nothing came of it, Sabo was sure they could uncover something. Hack, on the other hand, remained distant, still frozen solid on deck.
"You need to be careful," he warned, as Koala ran off to their small collection of books, hoping to find something more. They really needed the library back at the base, and their contacts, but Koala wanted to get started right away, she'd said. "This could lead to an obsession, and it wouldn't be good for you."
Sabo remembered the bitter taste of grief, and how he had locked himself away from the world when the news from Marineford had splashed all over their base. He had questioned Ivankov and the others as much as he could, wanting to know about Luffy and about Ace's final moments. The grief had subsided, eventually, but Sabo knew there would always be a space in his chest that could never be filled. Still, he'd accepted it (after all, he'd left them so many years ago, he had no right to hold anger and grief when he could accept it) and moved on, focusing on becoming the brother Luffy would need, the person the revolutionaries would need, and the person he wanted to be.
He'd never considered there was a way to bring Ace back, not until that tiny line in a book. And even then he didn't really believe it, not even when Koala handed him a thin, falling-apart book on the technicalities of devil fruits. Sabo had left the book for days, under his pillow, on his bed stand, even in his pocket, but never open. He'd been afraid to know, afraid to see whether he could or couldn't do this, and when he'd finally opened it, Sabo had still been sceptical.
BY CONSUMING THE DEVIL FRUIT OF A LOVED ONE ONCE IT HAS REGROWN, the book stated boldly, script thick and easily legible, THE PROCESS OF DEATH MAY BE REVERSED, IF YOUR CONNECTION IS TRUE AND CONDITIONS FAVOURABLE. There was a small note beside it – a smudged name with a question mark – and Sabo wondered if the person who had wrote that had tried to bring their own loved one back.
It wasn't a set goal. It wasn't confirmation, but nor was it dismissal. It seemed to be the only book that even referred to bringing someone back via devil fruits, but Sabo was willing to believe it, even if it was just a tiny amount of hope. Besides, even if it didn't work, he couldn't let Ace's Mera Mera no Mi go to anyone else. Luffy already had a power, so he was out, and the duty had to fall to Sabo.
The fruit, when he bit into its dry flesh, tasted disgusting. Sabo resisted the urge to retch, knowing he'd only make a mess of his disguise anyway, and swallowed heavily, wishing he has something to get rid of the taste in his mouth. He thought of Luffy, thought of Ace, and felt the power of fire burn through his entire body, blazing through him as if seeking something, tearing him apart and stitching him back together.
It was gone as soon as it had blazed, though, and Sabo couldn't feel anything to suggest there was fire inside him now. He frowned, trying to make fire shoot from his palms, but nothing seemed to work. Nevermind, Sabo thought, he had read accounts of people not being able to harness their devil fruit powers for a while. Particularly for logia users too, so his mind didn't leap instantly to thinking his plan had worked.
And then there was the matter with Luffy and Doflamingo, and Sabo didn't have much time to think about the problems of his devil fruit. He did think it would have been nice to show up in a blaze of flame, Ace's spirit at his side, but Sabo was powerful enough not to need something like that, and the important issue was that they had prevented anyone else from taking Ace's fruit.
Still, he thought later, when Luffy looked at him with a wide smile, inviting him to spend some time on his ship, Sabo couldn't quite squash down the tiny bit of hope in his chest. Maybe he had done it. The odds were stacked, but maybe, just maybe.
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When they'd reached the village, Ace recognised it. This island was one of the favoured Whitebeard pirate territories, one where Whitebeard had often come to rest and restock. The community here weren't particularly large, but they were fierce and devoted to the Whitebeard pirates, and Ace could tell they had suffered a little due to that, a few buildings in state or repair and crumbling outer walls.
"Don't mind the battle scars," said the woman who had been shouting at him earlier, her anger pacified into thoughtfulness. "We fought and defended this place. Blackbeard tried, but he's never been brave enough to take this place fully."
She shot him a wolfish grin, and Ace ducked his head. He was still being supported, but they'd entered the village now, and he was supporting more of his own weight.
"Take him to my house," the elderly woman said, and if Ace thought hard about it, he might recognise her. He'd never paid much attention to this island, never been given reason to come ashore here actually, his division given the task of minding the ships, but he thought he might remember her.
Or not. Ace didn't have much of an idea about anything anymore if he was honest.
He was led to a generic looking house and placed at a kitchen table. It was homely, nice, and Ace sank back against the hard wood of the chair as his escorts left. His stomach twinged in pain, and Ace heaved a heavy sigh. Maybe he'd be able to have something to eat while he was here.
"I brought a doctor," the elderly woman said as she entered, coming to join Ace at the table. "I don't know how much you remember, but you died, boy."
Ace shot her a glare, going against every manner he had ever learnt. That much was pretty obvious, though, and he didn't care if she was helping him. A stupid statement was a stupid statement, how would Ace be able to forget the way Akainu had punched a hole through his back?
Ace jerked suddenly, jaw clenching. No. He wasn't going to think of that now, was he? He'd made a decision and he planned to stick with it.
"I know," he said huskily, through gritted teeth. The woman nodded, moving back and waving a hand for the doctor to come close. Ace sat patiently through his examination, occasionally catching a whiff of what he smelt like and wincing. Apparently being dead for however long wasn't a great way to stay clean and not horrid smelling.
It was a while, but the doctor pulled back with a puzzled look.
"You're very healthy," he said, and Ace just looked at him, wondering what he was supposed to say to that. "While I don't think rebirth, for lack of a better term, is an area anyone can claim expertise in, you seem like a very healthy, living human."
Ace snorted at the last word. Was he really a human? Maybe? He had no idea.
"For whatever reason," the doctor said, packing up his bag, "you should make the most of this chance. It seems someone wants you alive, and you seem to have complete control of your mind."
That hadn't occurred to Ace, and he shot the old woman a quick look, panic subsiding slightly at her nod and gentle smile. Ace wasn't being controlled by anyone, at least, and he let out a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding.
"Thank you," the woman said, and the doctor left quickly, after slipping a parcel onto the table.
"You'll take one pill every day," the woman ordered, eyes sharp. "The doctor said it'll help your body adjust, just in case."
Ace did as told after she set down a glass of water, opening the package slowly and taking a pill out. He had no idea what they did, but there was nothing else for him to do, and he felt no harm from these people.
"I'll heat up some soup," the woman said, and she was gone, moving surprisingly quickly for someone of her age. She was back even faster, and if they kept up like this, Ace was sure he wouldn't need to think about his problems, distracted by her fluttering and commands.
The soup was heavenly. Ace didn't think he'd ever had anything that tasted this beautiful, and he had to show restraint, eating slowly. The pill he'd taken apparently helped combat nausea he might feel at suddenly eating again (though the doctor had commented Ace looked as healthy as any young man who ate five meals a day and exercised regularly), just in case.
"Do you want to hear what happened?" the woman said, setting down a second bowl for Ace. He took it gratefully and shook his head. No he bloody didn't.
"Tough," she said, and Ace gaped at her as she began to talk. "There was a huge explosion from that side of the island. We thought at first someone was attacking us, but our scouts hadn't reported anything, so we were unsure."
The woman settled a heavy look at Ace and he swallowed thickly.
"Somehow, you burnt your way out of your grave. My people are cleaning the area up, removing all traces of your grave and this incident, but it doesn't explain how you came to live again." Ace took a slow sip of his soup, looking down at it.
"I don't know how," he said quietly, and there was a shuffling movement as the woman moved about the kitchen, muttering something under her breath.
"Not good enough," the woman said over her shoulder, and while Ace bristled, he didn't rise to the bait. There was no point. How was he supposed to find out what was going on?
"Your brother came here you know," she said, rummaging inside of a cupboard for a tea set, returning to the kitchen table with tea for them both. Ace reached eagerly, savouring the bitter taste, ignoring the way his heart beat loudly in his ears at the mention of Luffy.
"He made a special stop," she continued, "and we made sure the sake and the newspaper stayed there even after he'd gone."
Ace smiled, but there was a hint of confusion. Luffy wasn't the type to make such sentimental gestures, and why had he left a newspaper if he was coming to tell Ace what he'd done? For that matter – how long had he been dead? Was Luffy Pirate King already or…? If Luffy was in the New World then he had to have grown even stronger than at Marineford, but how much time had passed?
"How long has it been since…." He trailed off, unable to say the word aloud. The woman seemed to understand though.
"You died at Marineford two years ago. Your brother paid you a visit after Monkey D. Luffy returned and entered the New World." She smiled, and Ace narrowed his eyes. Who would pretend to be his brother? And why?
"The only brother I have is Luffy," Ace said slowly, trying to break it gently to the woman that she'd been tricked. They hadn't harmed anyone, at least, so they were probably just an enthusiastic fan of the Whitebeard pirates or something. Ace had met a few of those before.
"He introduced himself as your brother," the woman said sternly. "Chief of Staff of the Revolutionaries, Sabo."
Ace's breath caught in his chest, and the spoon he'd been holding clattered to the table. He stood, without being quite aware of the action, and slammed his hands down on the wood.
"What did you say?" he hissed, fury boiling in his chest. He could feel the wood char under his palms, but Ace made no move to calm his fire. "How dare you."
The woman looked unimpressed.
"Blond, scar over his left eye, about the same height as you, looks like he might have some noble blood in him." Ace clenched his jaw. She had to be wrong. There was no way Sabo was alive and had come here. Sabo was dead, had died years ago, could never come back-
Then again, Ace was hardly an expert on death, even his own. Maybe Sabo had cheated death. Or maybe he had died and was in the same shitty predicament Ace was. It didn't soothe the hurt and anger though, but Ace did sit down. Clearly there was another conversation he had to have with someone, and he knew it wouldn't be pleasant. Sabo had left them, and Ace could remember Luffy's face, streaked with tears and snot, and remembered knowing he needed to be there for Luffy no matter what.
That hadn't exactly worked out as planned either. Everything was such a mess.
"Assuming you were right," Ace said, making it clear that he didn't believe her one bit, "then I don't suppose you could tell me where I might find him."
He tilted his chin, and the woman rolled her eyes. She tottered off again, into another room this time, and brought back a stack of papers.
"Here's the ones for this month. I like to keep them," she said, shooting Ace a toothy grin as his eyes widened at the first paper. "I'll leave you to your reading. Take time to recover, you can stay here for as long as you need."
Her eyes narrowed as Ace looked past her to the door.
"You're staying here for the next five days at least. No one on the island will help you before that time period, though I suggest staying a little longer to ensure you're in good health." Ace nodded slowly, eyes staring at the image on the paper. "We're not that far away, truth be told, and the winds have been favourable these past few weeks."
She left him to it then, heading upstairs. Ace could hear her shouting something to someone outside, but his mind was too focused on the paper to process her words. Ace's hands trembled as he flicked through the newspaper, and he didn't even try to stop the tears of relief that trailed down his cheeks when he saw the announcement of the Strawhat Pirates return. Pride welled in Ace's chest when he looked at Luffy's bounty, and he set the paper down, leaning back against his chair with the back of his hand over his eyes.
Look how far Luffy had come. He'd become one of the most notorious pirates in such a short timespan. By the looks of it he'd also become a force to be reckoned with, and Ace felt worry settle in his chest. Would he ever stop worrying about Luffy? Probably not. Especially as the last memory of him was such a devastating one.
Ace shook his head, cutting that thought process off.
There was a lot Ace had to catch up on, and he sighed, looking at the papers he'd been given. While he was apprehensive – Ace wasn't sure he could deal with hearing about his brother or crew – he needed to know. Ace had come back from the dead, he had no idea how or why, so there was no way he could afford to be ignorant. There were a lot of things Ace wouldn't want to do, but this was something he had to.
He was on house arrest anyway, so Ace might as well use the time wisely. He shifted the papers and reached for the one at the bottom, pleased to note it was from some months ago.
"Here we go then," Ace said, taking a deep breath as the sound of rustling newspaper filled the room.
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