Happy (belated) birthday, Lunarshores :D
Thanks MyLadyDay for beta'ing
A long time ago, the world was created by the goddess of light and fire, and so was man. The world was at peace for a long time, but the god of darkness became jealous of man's prosperity. He sought out an individual who was bitter towards others, and encouraged them to start a war.
Thousands of lives were lost, but so was the individual's. However, the god of darkness resurrected them and lend them his power, the power of darkness.
The new Lord of Darkness wreaked havoc all over the land, conquering one town after another. Soon, everyone had to bow to them. The Dark Lord built factories everywhere, to make new weapons and to do scary experiments. Everyone who opposed them became a guinea pig.
The goddess of fire couldn't watch as all her beloved people died, so she decided to interfere. She chose one person as well, one individual who still had hope for the world, and granted them her power. This person became the first Chosen One.
However, the Chosen One didn't stand a chance against the Lord of Darkness and their army, and was killed in battle.
The goddess didn't give up, however. She chose the child of a strong man and woman to carry her flame once more, but again, this Chosen One failed.
Humans watched as each Chosen One left and failed in their task. Hope crumbled, and the goddess had each time more trouble to find someone whose heart wasn't black with despair.
Finally, she found one, a child born from a man and a woman who had still had hope for a better future. The goddess thought he was a good candidate, and marked his skin with her sign, a flame.
However, the boy lost his parents because of the Lord of Darkness. He saw them die right before his eyes. Despair took him over, and darkness threatened to consume his soul.
Fortunately, a man took him in, who truly loved the boy, and gave him a new home. The darkness disappeared again, but lurked to seize the opportunity when it announced itself.
The new Chosen One grew up. He trained hard, but was still young when another war started. The world was about to fall into the clutches of the Dark Lord, when the young Chosen One decided to end it for once and for all.
This time, he wasn't alone. A brave man stood at his side, with an army. However, most people had given up hope long ago for a peaceful world, so the hero didn't have many soldiers.
The Chosen One went to the Dark Lord's castle, but never returned. The hero was captured and executed, as were his soldiers.
However, few of them escaped, and waited in the shadows for a chance to return.
The people waited for the Chosen One to come back, but when he didn't, he was presumed dead. Soon, the rumour was spread that a new Chosen One was born, a boy conceived by the hero.
The Dark Lord sought the child, but never found him, no matter how he tried. However, one of his scientists managed to create a rock to which the Chosen One would be drawn. They wouldn't have to find the Chosen One, the Chosen One would come to them.
They made ten of these stones and placed them in their factories, but the Chosen One never appeared.
Guerrilla attacks were executed on the Dark Lord's army by the escaped followers of the hero, like swarms of mosquitos, and the Lord of Darkness had to focus on something else.
The new Chosen One was forgotten.
The rumour was never confirmed, and the people no longer cared about the Chosen One. He would only fail, just like the others…
Ace had never found his affinity with fire weird.
When he was a baby, their house caught fire when his mom only stepped outside for a second. She had feared for his life, but when someone from the village had ran inside to save him, he was fine, in his cradle, sound asleep. The flames hadn't touched him.
When he was five, he accidentally dropped his mom's favourite pendant into the fire. He knew she would yell at him, so he put his hand in the fire to retrieve it. Just then, his mom had come inside and she had gasped in shock, but he pulled the pendant out of the fire with a smile and gave it to her. It had burned her hand, because the metal was so hot, but Ace was fine, his skin undamaged.
Ace grew up in a small, peaceful village named Foosha. He had never known his father, but he was happy with his mom and his friends, Sabo and Luffy. As far as Ace was concerned, they were the only family he needed.
One day, when Ace was twelve, he suggested to explore an abandoned factory built there by the Dark Lord years ago. They were strictly forbidden from going in there, but Ace couldn't supress his curiosity. It was like something was calling him.
Sabo said they shouldn't go in, but Ace called him a coward, and Luffy parroted him, so Sabo joined their expedition.
Inside, it was quiet. Spiders had made their webs in the hallways, and there was dust everywhere. However, they didn't see anything particularly interesting, so Ace started to wonder why they had been forbidden to go in there. The only thing that was exciting about the whole thing was the fact that they weren't allowed to be there.
They arrived in the main hall. It was filled with all kinds of machinery Ace had no idea what was all for. He pulled at a random lever. There was a puffing sound, but nothing happened. Ace huffed.
Luffy was swinging from a pipe hanging from the ceiling, and Sabo had taken a seat on a chair in front of a control panel. He was pressing different buttons, but nothing happened.
"This is so boring," Ace complained.
"I like it here, shishishi," Luffy laughed.
"Yeah, it's not so bad." Sabo twirled around on the chair he was sitting on.
Ace huffed. "You just like it because you're boring."
"You're boring!" Sabo flung back.
"Yeah, Ace! You're boring!" Luffy parroted.
Ace rolled his eyes. "You're both stupid." Suddenly, however, his eye fell on a reddish rock in the middle of the room.
"Your face is stupid. Ace, where are you going?" Sabo called after him as Ace walked towards the stone as a moth drawn to a flame.
Ace didn't respond, too caught up with the stone. It was beautiful. It had a deep red colour that appeared to change, like there was a liquid inside.
"Ace, perhaps you shouldn't touch that." Sabo's voice sounded worriedly, and even Luffy had stopped laughing.
Ace didn't reply, stretching out his hand to touch the stone.
"Ace!" Sabo called again.
The moment his fingers touched the smooth, cool surface, the stone lit up brightly. The stone became hotter and hotter under his hand, but Ace wasn't able to let go of it. It burned into his skin.
"Ace!" Sabo screamed.
Ace stood frozen, pain shooting through him. Never before had he felt pain from heat. What was happening?
Arms wrapped around his waist, and Ace was pulled back. As soon as his hand left the stone, the light disappeared.
Dazed, Ace looked around from where he was lying on the ground. Or, to be exact, on top of Luffy.
"Awce! Youwe swuishing mwe!" Luffy said, muffled by Ace's body.
Ace hastily sprang to his feet and helped him up. "I'm sorry! Are you okay?"
When Luffy nodded, Ace placed a hand against his head. "I don't know what happened… It was like that rock was calling me."
"Ehm, guys? Do you feel that?" Sabo asked. He was referring to the sudden trembling that went through the building. "I think we should leave!"
Ace, Sabo and Luffy ran outside as fast as they could, avoiding pieces of stone falling from the ceiling, but they didn't manage to come at a safe distance before the factory suddenly blew up.
Ace shielded the younger Luffy with his body as burning rubble flew past him, not even coming near him.
Suddenly, Sabo let out a cry and grabbed at his left eye.
"Sabo? Sabo, what's wrong?" Ace looked worriedly at him.
Trembling, Sabo removed his hand. The left side of his face was dark red from the burn.
Ace's eyes widened as guilt flooded over him, "I-It'll be okay! I promise!"
They snuck back to the village to get something for Sabo's burn as Sabo tried his best not to cry, but when they arrived at his house, Ace's mother was already waiting for them.
Ace had never seen his mother this upset or angry. She didn't yell at him or sent him to his room, which she usually did when he got into mischief. Instead, she didn't say a word, but took Sabo to the village doctor. When she came back, she grabbed Ace and Luffy by their ears and pulled them with her to the village elder.
Luffy was yelling it hurt, but Rouge was unrelenting. She still hadn't spoken a word.
Rayleigh Silvers was usually a kind-hearted man, but this time, he didn't laugh it off like he usually did when Ace had set something on fire or had vandalised something. Even Thatch, who normally always laughed, had a disappointed look on his face.
Ace couldn't stand the silence anymore. "I'm sorry, okay?!" he exclaimed. "It was all my idea! Please don't punish Luffy and Sabo. It was all me!" He fell onto his knees and pressed his forehead to the ground.
"No, it was me! Ace protected me, and Sabo got hurt!"Luffy mirrored Ace's pose.
"Jinbei," Rayleigh called, "bring Luffy home and go see how Sabo's doing."
Jinbei nodded and pulled Luffy to his feet. Luffy refused to leave, demanding to stay with Ace as he started to cry. Jinbei lifted him up and slung him over his shoulder, leaving Rayleigh's house.
Ace looked up, tears streaming down his face. "Please, it was my fault! It's my fault Sabo got hurt!"
"What happened?" Rayleigh asked in a soft voice.
Ace sniffled. "I-I wanted to see the factory. I know we're not supposed to, but… I thought everyone was just scared and… I made them come with me. There was this stone and… I touched it, and it started to light up and then the building was gonna blow up! I tried to protect Luffy, but Sabo got hurt and…" He started to cry again.
Rayleigh was silent for a moment. "You defied direct orders," he finally said.
Ace sniffled and looked at the floor.
"You are not to play with those boys anymore."
Ace whipped his head up. "You can't mean that!"
"Oi, aren't you a little hard on him?" Thatch protested. Ace was grateful that he stood up for him. Thatch was always nice.
"It's too dangerous," Rayleigh said. He looked at Ace's mother. "This incident will have caught the attention of the Dark Lord for sure. If he finds Ace, he'll kill him. You'll have to leave with him."
"What? No!" Ace pulled at his mother's sleeve and looked at her pleadingly. "I'm sorry! I'll never do it again! I'll be good! Please don't take me away! I want to stay with Sabo and Luffy… Please, mom!"
Rouge didn't look at him, but Ace could see tears in her eyes. He had made his mother cry! He hated himself.
"Please," he whispered.
She pulled him close, but didn't speak.
"Go pack," Rayleigh said. "You'll be leaving at sundown. Thatch will show you where to go." He turned to Ace. "You have until then to say goodbye to your friends."
He was still protesting, but his mom knelt down next to him and wrapped her arms around him. "Please do as he says," she whispered. "I'm not mad at you, but we have to do as he says. It's for your own safety." She kissed his hair and held him tightly as he cried.
With red, puffy eyes, he left Rayleigh's house, holding Rouge's hand. Before they went inside their house, however, she knelt before him again and placed a hand on his cheek.
"It's going to be okay, Ace," she said with a smile. "I'm sorry it has to be like this, but it's for the best. Dark soldiers can already be on their way to the village…" She kissed his head. "Go see if Sabo is okay and say goodbye. I'll pack for you."
He nodded, still with tears in his eyes, and hugged his mother tightly.
"Go quickly," she said. "Thatch will come get us when we're leaving."
Sabo was still resting at the doctor's house. He had a bandage over his left eye and was sniffling a bit. Still, he lit up when he saw Ace. Luffy was sitting next to him, several bumps on his head, courtesy of his grandfather, but still laughing.
Guilt pooled in Ace's gut. This was all his fault. Both his friends got hurt because he had wanted to look inside the factory. He had been stubborn.
"The doc says it'll scar," Sabo said, but he didn't sound upset about it. Rather, he sounded proud. "I'll have a scar. That's so cool, right? You guys don't have one!"
"I want one too!" Luffy grabbed the nearest knife he could find and stabbed himself in the cheek.
"Luffy!" Ace and Sabo shouted simultaneously.
The doctor came running inside and, grumbling, prepared another bandage for the still grinning Luffy.
After he had left them again, Ace stared at the ground. The fact that he would have to leave Luffy and Sabo was dawning on him, and his bottom lip started to tremble.
"Ace?" Sabo asked when he was done scolding Luffy for being stupid. "What's wrong?"
He couldn't do it. He couldn't say goodbye to them. They'd probably be better off without him anyway.
"Nothing," he huffed. "You both look stupid, though. You should start a stupid club."
Luffy stuck out his tongue, while Sabo said, "You're just jealous because we look cool and you don't."
They bickered and talked for a while longer. Ace tried to act as if nothing was amiss, but it was hard. He wanted to cry and scream. Why did he have to go into the factory? Why?
Way too soon, Rouge came to pick him up. "Come, Ace. It's time to go."
Ace bit his lip hard to prevent the tears from streaming down his face and he nodded. He jumped off his chair as his mom looked at Sabo.
"How are you feeling?" she asked.
"I'm fine," he said with a smile. "It hurts, though."
"I hope you feel better soon," she said and ruffled his hair.
"I'm hurt too! Shishishi!" Luffy laughed.
"My, what happened to you?" Rouge knelt before him and looked at the bandage on his cheek.
"He put a knife in it," Ace spat. He was angry and sad, but he didn't want to let them know.
"You shouldn't do that, Luffy," Rouge reprimanded him.
Luffy pouted. "But I wanted a cool scar like Sabo."
She shook her head and hugged them both. "Be good, okay?"
"Okay," Sabo stammered, his cheeks red. "Are you going somewhere?"
Rouge looked at Ace, but he ran away, not able to hold back the tears. At their house, Thatch was busy loading their stuff into a carriage.
"Ready to go?" he asked cheerfully, but his face fell when he saw Ace crying. "Hey," he said softly, "it'll be okay, buddy. This is not a punishment, okay? It had to happen sooner or later."
Rouge joined them soon after, and they stepped into the carriage while Thatch took a seat on the coach-box. He clacked his tongue, and the horse started walking.
Ace looked out of the window, still crying, when he saw Sabo look at him from the doctor's house. He looked confused.
Ace turned away from the window and bit his lip.
Suddenly, two pairs of footsteps came running closer.
"Ace, where are you going?"
He could hear Sabo's voice, but he didn't want to look. He didn't need to know that he and Luffy were running after them.
"Ace!"
Thatch opened up the small hatch to see inside the carriage. "Do you want me to stop?"
Ace shook his head as his mom wrapped her arms around him. "Do you really want to leave them without saying goodbye?" she asked.
He shook his head again and released himself from her hold. Then he stuck his head out of the window. "I'm sorry!" he called. "I'm sorry you got hurt because of me! It'll never happen again! You're better off without me!" He pulled back inside and closed the drapes.
"Ace!"
He heard a quiver in Sabo's voice, and Luffy had started crying when they realised he wasn't coming back. The footsteps had died away.
Rouge pulled her son close and rocked him gently to and fro as he cried again.
Ace woke up lying against his mother, who was stroking his hair absentmindedly as she stared out of the window. When she noticed he was awake, she turned and smiled at him, but he saw that she was paler than usual.
The carriage was still driving, meaning Thatch was still awake as well.
Ace moved and knocked on the hatch.
After a while, Thatch opened it and peered inside. "Oh, good morning, Ace," he said jovially.
"Shouldn't you sleep?" Ace asked.
"We'll be there soon enough, but if you like, you can sit on the coach-box with me and you can take over the reins while I close my eyes for a bit. If it's okay with you mom, of course."
"Can I, mom?" Ace asked excitedly.
She smiled. "Sure."
Thatch stopped the carriage, so Ace could climb on the coach-box with him, and explained a little how he had to steer. Ace didn't have to do much, just go straight on, but it was still exciting.
Thatch leaned back and closed his eyes, though he peeked every once in a while to see if Ace was doing okay. Ace seemed to be enjoying himself, and it was good to see him smile again after all the crying he did last night. It had broken Thatch's heart to see him like that, and he hated that it had to go this way. He hoped things would look better when they arrived at their destination.
Ace was looking at the road, his tongue sticking out in concentration as he held the reins tightly. He knew Thatch was paying attention in case things went wrong; he might be a goofball, but he would never let any harm come to Ace.
Thatch had been around for a long time, at least seven years, maybe even more. He had always taken care of Ace and his mom when they needed it, and he had played with Ace, Sabo and Luffy too when they were younger. At times, he had disappoeared, only to return a week or so later.
Thatch was somewhere in his mid-twenties, Ace thought, so younger than his mom, but he had to admit that he had hoped they would get together when he was young. He had liked Thatch a lot, and with no father around, he'd have loved Thatch to fulfil that role.
His mother had started laughing when he suggested it, though, and said that she liked Thatch, but not on that way. Besides, she had added, Thatch was already in a relationship. Ace hadn't understood that, because he had never seen Thatch with anybody.
Thatch, who had been dozing for a while now, was suddenly sitting up straight, searching the horizon for something.
A figure appeared in the distance, who was seemingly painting in the meadow on the side of the road. Thatch all but snatched the reins from Ace's hands and slackened them. The horse quickened its pace.
The person painting looked in their direction, and even from the distance they were apart, Ace could hear the squeal. The figure came running towards them, easel and other paint things discarded.
Thatch pushed the reins back into Ace's hands and jumped off the coach-box while the carriage was still moving. Ace watched as Thatch ran towards the other person, picking them up by the waist and twirling them around.
When they kissed, Ace understood what his mother had meant.
While the scene was endearing, Thatch and his partner were standing in the middle of the road, and Thatch hadn't explained to him he could stop the carriage.
"Thatch!" he called in a small voice.
Thatch let go of his companion and hastened himself towards the carriage that was approaching. He jumped onto the coach-box and pulled the reins, in the meantime saying soothing words to the horse.
Rouge stuck her head out of the window. "Are we there already? Oh, Izo, long time no see."
"Hello, Rouge. You look wonderful." 'Izo' turned to Ace. "And look at you! Last time I saw you, you were this big." He held his hand about two feet off the ground.
Ace scowled at him.
"If the clock strikes, your face'll remain that way." Izo said and poked his finger between Ace's eyebrows. Then he turned to Thatch. "Why are you here, though? Isn't it too early?"
Thatch sighed. "The circumstances called for it. We're going to see Pops now, you can ride with us."
Ace huffed when he was ushered back into the carriage, and Izo took his place on the coach-box next to Thatch. They stopped a bit further again to pick up Izo's painting equipment.
Ace was pouting with his arms crossed before his chest as his mother pulled him close to her and laughed. "When you're older, you'll understand why they want some time alone," she said. "They're in love, after all."
"That's gross! I'm never gonna fall in love," Ace huffed.
Rouge chuckled. "Perhaps you will, perhaps you won't."
"You were never in love, were you?"
His mom's face fell. "Once upon a time I was," she said softly.
Ace kept silent and instead hugged his mom. She never liked to talk about his father.
It didn't take much longer before they came to a stop, and Thatch called cheerfully, "We're here!"
Ace looked out of the window. It seemed like they had arrived on a clearing in the middle of the forest. When he looked a bit closer, he started to see houses built on the ground, but also in the trees, hidden from sight by using camouflage. Ace looked around in awe.
A whistling sound of a bird sounded, and suddenly, people appeared from everywhere. They came down from the trees or from behind the bushes and started to greet Thatch.
Ace looked at his mom confusedly, but she smiled. "It's okay, sweetie, you can step out of the carriage."
Hesitantly, he did as she said. The people surrounding Thatch stopped talking and all looked at him when he stepped outside. He wanted to crawl back inside, but Rouge stepped out behind him and gave him a gentle push.
"Go on, they won't bite."
Ace took a step forward, but still held on tightly to his mother's skirt like he was five years old again.
The people stayed silent for a while, until a man with an impressive moustache exclaimed, "Rouge!" He hugged her.
After that, everyone started to call out to her, and her skirt slipped from Ace's hand.
Ace was scared. He didn't know these people and he didn't know what they wanted from his mom. He grabbed the nearest object he could find – a thick branch – and attacked the crowd. "Stay away from my mom!"
"Hold on there, big guy." Thatch grabbed the branch from his hand before he could hit a black bearded man who was currently greeting his mother. "It's okay. They're our friends."
"So this is him, huh?" a man with dreadlocks said as he plucked his moustache. "At least he's feisty."
The people who had been hugging Rouge now surrounded Ace and looked at him like he was some kind of weird animal species. He wished he had his branch again.
Fortunately, Thatch came to his rescue. "Come on, move along. You're scaring the kid."
"Let's take him to Pops first," Izo said. "In the meantime, Namur, could you make one of the huts ready for Rouge and Ace?"
A man nodded and walked away, while Thatch led Ace and Rouge in a different direction. They arrived at what seemed to be the biggest hut in the 'village', for the lack of a better word, and Thatch knocked on the door.
"Pops, it's me. I've brought Rouge and Ace."
A deep voice told them to enter. Ace followed Thatch and his mom nervously while Izo closed rank. They arrived in a room, where a large man with a white moustache was sitting at a table.
When he noticed Thatch, he smiled and opened his arms in a welcoming gesture. "My son has returned."
Thatch smiled and went over to him, hugging him tightly. "It's good to see you, Pops." He then turned to Rouge and Ace. "Ace, meet Edward Newgate, a.k.a. Whitebeard, a.k.a. Pops."
"You look radiant as ever, my dear," Newgate said to Rouge.
She smiled and nodded. "Thank you for taking care of us. It's good to see you're in good health."
He grinned and took a sip from a bottle that was standing on the table. "And you," he looked at Ace. "How you've grown! You're still a bit of a shrimp, though."
"Who're you calling a shrimp, old man?" Ace snapped.
Whitebeard roared with laughter. "There is that temper he's so famous for, or should I say, infamous! I'm glad to see he still has that spark."
Ace scowled at him, but was annoyed to see that Rouge was hiding her mouth behind her hand, no doubt laughing as well.
"Welcome to Moby Dick," Newgate continued with a smile, facing Ace again. "This will be your home from now on, so I hope you enjoy it here. Izo, why don't you give them a tour while Thatch brings me up to speed?"
Izo nodded and led the way as they left the house again. "Pops takes the role of village elder," he explained to Ace. He started to point at buildings and told them what they could find there. Moby Dick was a complete, self-supporting village, despite the camouflage. There was a blacksmith, a baker, a butcher, a tailor, and everything else a village might need.
When the tour was over, Izo brought them to a hut in a tree, which he explained would be their home from now on. It seemed that Namur and others has already brought their things up.
"I'll leave you so you can unpack and get to know the place," Izo said standing by the door. "If you need anything, please don't hesitate to ask."
"So, how do you like it here?" Rouge asked as she started to decorate the place. "It's not too bad, right?"
"I hate it here." Ace leaned on the windowsill with his elbows and pouted. "I want to go home!"
"This is our home now, honey. You'll get used to it." She started humming as she tried to make a painting hang straight.
He whipped around, tears welling up in his eyes. "I don't like it here! I don't know anybody, and I miss Sabo and Luffy, and…" The rest of his words were lost as he started sobbing.
Rouge made her way over to him and pulled him close. "I know it's tough, but you have to be strong now, okay? The people here are nice and they'll protect us…"
"Protect us from what?" Ace looked up, smearing snot all over her dress. "Why did we have to leave and not the others? Is it because I was bad?"
She sighed and rocked him gently. "We would have had to leave sooner or later anyway. It's because you're special that we need to keep you safe."
Ace didn't understand, but he didn't question it either. He was tired, and his mom's rocking made him sleepy.
He woke up in his new bed in his new home. His mom was cooking breakfast in their new kitchen and placed a new plate on a new table.
"Good morning," she greeted him when he had made his way over. "Here's your breakfast."
"Thank you," he said as he bowed his head a little.
She smiled at him and joined him as he ate.
"Do you want to go come do groceries with me today?" she asked cheerfully, probably in an attempt to distract him from being grumpy about the move.
He agreed, but mostly because he felt bad. It was his fault they had to move, whether it was because he had been bad or, like his mom said, because he was 'special'. She had had to leave behind her life as well, her friends and her home, to come to a place she didn't know too well. During Izo's tour, she had asked as many questions as Ace had. While she seemed to know at least some of the villagers – they all seemed to know her and Ace – this wasn't her home.
He decided he had to be extra sweet to her. Tomorrow, he would make breakfast, and maybe dinner tonight.
He helped her with the dishes, and afterwards, they climbed downstairs via the rope ladder. Ace carried the grocery bag.
They were greeted politely by all villagers. Izo had explained the previous day that a lookout would warn when someone was approaching the village. No one but the inhabitants knew of the village and it was supposed to remain that way. The warning was a certain bird sound, similar to the one Ace had heard when they had arrived. They were supposed to hide when they heard it, until the sign was given that the coast was clear.
For now, however, nothing was amiss, and the villagers happily strolled around the village.
Rouge took Ace's hand as they walked across the market. She bought food for that evening, choosing fruit when someone tapped on Ace's shoulder.
A boy his age was standing behind Ace with a smile. "Hi, are you Ace?" he asked.
"Yeah," he said hesitantly. "Who are you?"
"I'm Haruta," the boy replied. "Do you wanna come play?" He pointed to a group of children playing tag.
Ace looked at his mom. He wanted to go, but he had resolved to help his mom feel better.
She smiled at him, however. "Go, have fun. I'll see you at dinner."
For the first time he left his home, Ace laughed.
Ace was finally starting to enjoy himself. Of course, he still missed Sabo and Luffy, but soon, he had grown attached to Haruta as well. Haruta showed him the hidden places of the village – the places most villagers didn't know about either.
Ace told Haruta about his life before he came to Moby Dick, about his friends, about everything, Haruta listened and made him feel better by telling funny anecdotes. Ace learned that Haruta didn't have any parents before Edward Newgate adopted him. He was a brother to Thatch and Izo, and the others Ace had met during the days he stayed in Moby Dick. There was Namur, Vista, Rakuyo, Jozu, and many others. Ace started to warm up to them all, though it took time.
He still tried to help his mom out as much as possible, but she seemed to be fine, or at least she assured Ace she was. She would hang out a lot with Izo and some of the village's women.
A week after they came to Moby Dick, however, Thatch came to their house. Rouge was just making lunch and invited him in, but he waved it away. Ace noticed how pale he was, and his usual smile wasn't on his face.
"Please, I need to tell you something."
Ace and Rouge sat down on the couch, looking at him expectantly.
Thatch was trembling as he cursed softly and grabbed at his forehead. "Shit…"
Rouge grabbed his hand, looking worriedly. "Thatch, what's wrong? You're scaring us."
"I…" Thatch took a deep breath. "We just received word. The Dark Lord's army has paid a visit to Foosha. There… There were no survivors."
Rouge put her hands in front of her mouth. "No!" she whispered.
Ace could only stare at him. No survivors? Everyone was dead? Did that include…?
A tear tickled down Thatch's cheek. "I'm so sorry, Ace."
Rouge turned to him, ready to take him into her arms to try to comfort him, but he didn't register any of that.
Everyone was dead? Sabo and Luffy were dead? They were murdered by the Dark Lord?
Ace let out a scream that shook the hut. Fire flared up, threatening to consume the house.
Thatch pulled Rouge behind him to protect her. "Ace, calm down!" he called, but his words fell to deaf ears.
Ace's anger triggered fire to rise up. His eyes were coloured red. Thatch and Rouge looked on fearfully.
"He'll burn down the village!" Thatch called. "Fuck, if only Marco was here…"
Rouge got up and took a step towards her son.
"Rouge! Be careful! He might not even recognise you right now!" Thatch warned.
"He's my son," she said firmly and took a step closer. "Ace, sweetie, it's me. Your mother."
He didn't listen. Fire kept flaring up, threatening to consume everything.
Rouge wrapped her arms around Ace. His skin burned her, but she didn't let him go. She talked to him, whispering soothing words in his ear.
Slowly, he started to calm down, until he was sobbing in her arms. A bell was sounding in the village to warn for the fire, and soon, several people were trying to put it out.
When he had finally calmed down a little, Ace looked up. He didn't recall how he had ended up in his mom's arms, or how all these people came into their house, or how the scorch marks had ended up on the walls.
"Mom?" he asked weakly.
She hugged him tightly. "It's okay, sweetie."
Slowly, it dawned upon him what Thatch had told him. Sabo and Luffy were dead, and so were the other villagers. Shakky, who always snuck him candy, Garp, Rayleigh, Jinbei… They were all gone. Forever.
Tears welled up in his eyes again, and he started sobbing.
"We should go to Pops," Thatch said, his voice hoarsely.
Ace was still crying and in no state to walk, so Thatch took him on his back as they climbed down the ladder and made for Newgate's home. Several people were already waiting for them, but Ace barely registered it.
"I'm so sorry for your loss," Newgate said. He looked sad, as if he had known the people of Foosha as well, but how could his loss be compared to Ace's, or his mom's? They had lived their whole life in Foosha, or at least Ace had, so what could Newgate know?
Ace wiped his cheeks. He didn't want to cry in front of them, especially not when he noticed Haruta.
"We should tell him, Pops," Thatch said.
"Are you sure it's not too soon?" Vista piped up, plucking at his moustache. "He's only twelve."
"He has just lost everyone he knew, including his two best friends. The least we can do is tell him why!" Thatch sounded choked up, and Izo wrapped his arms around him. Thatch had lived in Foosha for a long time as well.
"I know why!" Ace suddenly cried out. "It's because I went into the factory, isn't it? It's because of me they're all dead! I killed them!" He bit his lip not to start crying again.
Newgate's face softened. "That is not the reason, Ace. The Dark Lord has been looking for you for years. He would have come to Foosha sooner or later."
"They… They were looking for me?" Ace asked confusedly. "Why?"
The whole room became silent as they all looked at Newgate expectantly.
"Because you're the only threat against the Dark Lord."
Ace blinked, trying to understand what he had just heard. He was a threat against the Dark Lord? The Dark Lord who ruled the world with an iron fist, who was used to scare children into behaving?
"Me?" he asked.
Newgate smiled. "Yes, Ace. You are the world's only hope. You are the Chosen One."
"Chosen… One?" He didn't understand. How could he understand? He was a normal boy, who had played with normal boys his whole life. How could he be chosen for anything?
"Let me explain," Newgate continued. "Do you know how this world was created, Ace?"
Ace nodded. Of course he did, everyone knew the story of the goddess of fire.
"Good. Then do you also know about the jealousy of the god of darkness and how the Dark Lord rose to power?"
Ace nodded again. Those things he had learned in school.
Newgate smiled at Ace. "Then you also know of the existence of the Chosen One. You are him, Ace. You have been granted the powers of the goddess."
Ace could only gape at him. He, the Chosen One? He wasn't special in any way, except to his mother, but that was normal, right? The thought was ridiculous.
Whitebeard seemed to sense his doubt, as he continued, "Have you ever noticed how fire doesn't hurt you? It's because the power of fire is inside of you."
Ace thought back at the things that had happened to him when he was little, about the fire he hadn't died in, about the pendant in the flames, and about Sabo, who got burned when he didn't. Yes, he had always had an affinity with fire.
However, suddenly a thought struck him. "Wait! If I'm the Chosen One, doesn't that mean I'll die like the others?"
"I won't lie to you, son." Whitebeard sighed. "There is no guarantee that you'll survive."
"Pops!" Izo hissed.
"He has a right to know the truth," Newgate replied. "The path he's walking is no easy one."
Ace's head was spinning with all the information he had just received. But one fact remained the same.
"They're dead because of me," he whispered, when realisation suddenly hit him. "They're dead, and you knew it. You knew who I am and what would happen. You killed them!"
In a fit of rage, he drew a sword out of the sheath hanging from Rakuyo's belt and bolted for Newgate with the blade pointing at him. "You killed Sabo and Luffy!" he roared as he aimed for Newgate's head.
He was tackled to the floor, pinned down by a heavy body.
"We didn't know!" Thatch shouted. "We couldn't know he'd be so cruel! To kill innocent children. To kill old people and women. You think I'd let that happen if I had known?!"
Ace had let go of the blade and was crying again.
Slowly, Thatch released him. "The only thing we knew was that they would kill you if they found you. Of course they would take out the only threat they have. But they could have found you easily. That mark on your back, it gives you away as the Chosen One."
Ace remained silent. It was true he had a large mark on his back, shaped like a flame. His mom had told him it was a birthmark, which wasn't a lie per se, he realised. It just… had a different meaning as well.
Thatch moved off him. "That stone in the factory… It was a trap set by the Dark Lord. You were forbidden to go into the factory because you would touch the stone, and so calling the Dark Lord's attention." His face was grim. "We knew you would be drawn to it, so we tried to keep you away from there."
"You knew about this?" he asked quietly at Thatch. "About… me?"
Thatch sighed. "Yes. It was the only reason I moved to Foosha, in fact."
Ace rose, his shoulders slumped. "You knew this too?" he asked Haruta.
"Well, yeah, but–"
Ace didn't listen any longer. "Mom?"
She evaded eye contact.
"We didn't tell you to protect you," Thatch started.
"Protect me?" Suddenly, Ace was shaking with rage. "If I had known, I would have never gone inside! I would have never touched the stone!" The fire flared up in the hearth. "I wouldn't have killed them!"
"Ace, honey, please calm down," Rouge pleaded.
"They're dead… They're dead and they won't come back! The only people who really loved me…" Sabo and Luffy hadn't known, he was sure of that. Everyone else, Thatch, Haruta, even his mom, they had all known, and they only cared for him because he was the Chosen One. Because he could save the world. And he… he had killed his best friends.
"Ace…" Rouge took a step closer to him.
"Stay away!" he yelled at her. He had never yelled at his mom before. But what did it matter if she didn't love him?
He ran outside, out of the house. He needed air, he needed to be alone.
"Ace, come back!" Thatch called after him, but he was the last person Ace wanted to talk to now.
He heard footsteps following him, and when he looked over his shoulder, he saw Haruta running after him. Ace couldn't hide at the secret places in the village, because Haruta had shown them all to him. He had to leave the village.
He started to run faster and faster. The footsteps faded away in the distance, as did the voices calling after him.
He didn't want to be the Chosen One. He never asked for this! All he wanted was to have Sabo and Luffy back. He had killed them…
He didn't know how long he had been running, but he had left the forest behind him a long time ago. His lungs were burning, and the soles of his feet hurt. He couldn't run anymore, but he wouldn't go back either. Instead, he continued walking.
If he hadn't been the Chosen One, none of this would have happened. Luffy and Sabo would have still been alive, and he would have been happy in Foosha. They were dead because of him!
He wished he had never been born.
Suddenly, cold took over his body, and he shuddered. It hadn't been this cold before, had it? He rubbed with his hands over his arms to stay warm.
Luckily, a village came into view. Ace quickened his pace and sought out the nearest tavern.
He didn't have any money to drink anything – his mom would kill him if he did anyway – but at least there was a small fire burning.
Unfortunately, that did nothing to warm him, and he shivered again as dark thoughts invaded his mind.
Sabo and Luffy had been the only one to care about him, without an ulterior motive. He had treated them like crap, but they had stuck with him and had been his friends. Haruta had only approached him because he was the Chosen One! And Thatch! He had only come to Foosha because of who Ace was! That was probably the only reason he had put up with Ace's crap!
But his mother… Ace didn't want to believe she didn't love him, but what if it was only because he was the Chosen One? He was the worst son, so why would she love him?
He shivered again, the warmth of the fire doing nothing for him.
Suddenly, a thought struck him. If he was the Chosen of Fire, maybe he could make the fire bigger? He closed his eyes and concentrated on the fireplace, smirking triumphantly when fire flared up.
"Wow, how'd ya do that?" a voice sounded behind him.
Ace turned around and saw a man standing, holding a mug of ale. Ace shrugged. "I just thought that I wanted to have a bigger fire."
"Oh? What, you're the Chosen One or something?" He sounded like he made a joke.
Somehow, he irked Ace, and Ace grit his teeth. "So what if I am?"
"You are?" The smile disappeared from the man's face. "How old are you, kid?"
"Twelve," he said hesitantly.
"The last Chosen One died thirteen years ago. It could be him." Another man had come standing with them.
"You're right." The first man put down his beer and pulled up Ace's shirt at the back. Ace struggled to be let go.
"Blimey! He really is the Chosen One!"
"The Chosen One?" Several of the other guests had circled around him. "This kid is the Chosen One?"
Ace looked around him in fear, taking a step back.
"Why the hell would we need another Chosen One? You're just gonna die again, like all the others!" a man called.
"Go home to your mommy!" another one said and took a step closer.
Scared, Ace dove between their legs and ran towards the door to leave, but the villagers chased him, jeering and booing. He ran outside. Where could he go? He couldn't go back to Moby Dick, but where could he go?
He took a turn, still followed by the villagers, when he realised he was in a dead end alley. Eyes wide in fear, he took a step back, until his back hit the wall.
"You're the Chosen of nothing!" a woman yelled, and a rotten tomato hit Ace in the face.
"Fuck you, Chosen One!"
Rotten fruits and vegetables were thrown his way. Ace shielded his head from them, tears running down his cheeks. The villagers from the Moby Dick only wanted him because he was the Chosen One, and these people didn't want him because he was.
Why was he ever born?
Shivers took over his body, and he collapsed on the floor, as the thrown fruits and vegetables slowly buried him.
"He'll just die, just like the other ones!" someone shouted. "Maybe we should save the Dark Lord the trouble!"
"Have you heard what happened to Foosha? It was because they couldn't find him!"
Ace clawed at the ground. He was feeling so cold, and he didn't understand why. It was like someone had thrown him into a pool of ice water.
Suddenly, a small ball was thrown in front of him, and as soon as it hit the ground, it burst open and smoke came out of it.
Ace felt an arm pulling him from underneath the pile of rotting food, and suddenly, he was pulled up in the sky. He had barely a moment to figure out what was happening before a bag was pulled over his head.
A man Ace didn't know was holding him as he held on to a rope up hanging down from a building. Another man was pulling up the rope.
Ace started squirming and kicking, because even though these men had saved him from the angry villagers, he had no idea where they were taking him.
"Oi, hurry up, will ya?" one of the men, probably the one on the roof, shouted.
"He's putting up more resistance than I thought," the man holding Ace called.
Ace felt himself being hoisted up. For a second, he was let go, and he used the opportunity to try to escape. One of the men tried to capture him again, but suddenly, fire appeared in a large circle around him. He couldn't see it with the bag over his eyes, but he could feel it.
He didn't know where he was running, so he tore off the bag and came to an immediate stop when he saw he was on the edge of a roof. However, before he could consider jumping or fighting off his opponents, he felt something hard and heavy hit his head, and everything went dark.
"You lost him?" Rouge asked, torn between punching someone in the face and crying. Her son was missing, and she had no idea where he went.
Today had not gone how she had hoped. She had wanted to take Ace to the market to pick out a dish for tonight, and afterwards, Ace could have gone playing with Haruta and the others. Hearing that her village, the town she had called her home since her son was born, had been destroyed, along with everyone in it, had broken her, but not as much as it had broken Ace. She had seen it in his eyes, the despair, when he became mad with grief and hadn't been able to control his fire. She wasn't scared of her son, but his power terrified her.
His fate scared her too. She didn't want him to die like the other Chosen Ones. She knew he was strong, but what if he didn't survive? What if she lost him too?
"We're still looking for him. Don't worry, Rouge, we will find him," Rakuyo tried to reassure her.
"If someone touched him, I will…" She wasn't sure how the sentence would end, but to emphasise it, she turned up her sleeves.
"I know this has been a difficult day, Rouge," Mr Newgate said. "Whitey is on it, though. She has a knack for following trails, and it's not like he was in the state of mind to walk lightly."
"His state of mind is what I worry about," she replied. "I know he is strong, he is like his father in that aspect…"
"And like his mom," Rakuyo murmured.
"…But he is confused and scared. He blames himself for Sabo's and Luffy's death. He is going into a dark place, where darkness can take him over." She turned to Whitebeard. "It has happened before, hasn't it? That a Chosen One lost their powers because darkness consumed their soul?"
Mr Newgate remained silent.
"In one day, he lost everything he loved, and he doubts even me." Rouge folded her hands in front of her chest. "I don't want to lose my son, but I fear darkness will consume him. And perhaps he'll let it." Tears welled up in her eyes, and she covered her face.
Ace woke up, lying on the back of a horse like a sack of potatoes. His head hurt, and he felt nauseous. Fortunately, he didn't have a bag over his head this time, but he was gagged and tied up. Flies encircled him, probably attracted by the smell of rotting fruit.
"The Dark Lord will probably reward us handsomely for bringing him the Chosen One," one of his abductors said with a snicker. "He won't kill him, then he'll have to look for him all over again, but he can lock him up for the rest of his life."
"I don't really care about his fate. He'll die anyway if we let him go up against the Dark Lord, just like the others. So why bother? At least now, we'll get something out of it," the other one said.
Ace considered his options. He could go with these men and be locked up for the rest of his life. He would never see his mom again, or Thatch, or any of the other people he cared about. Well, they would probably stop caring about him if he wasn't useful anymore, wouldn't they?
He could also try to roll off the horse. He might break his neck, though, seeing he was tied up. Maybe he should wait until they took him off the horse to try to make a run for it.
Suddenly, shouting came from the bushes on the side of the road, and a group of men appeared, armed to the teeth.
Ace's abductors stopped their horses abruptly, and Ace almost rolled off it.
"Who are you?" one of the kidnappers snapped.
"Someone who happened to overhear that you have abducted the Chosen One," an unknown voice said.
Ace peeked around his abductor and saw a man with bright red hair standing, a sword ready in his hand.
"I'm disappointed. You actually want to deliver him to the Dark Lord's castle. He's the Chosen One, which means we're kinda out after this one. No spare ones," the man continued casually. "And seeing he's our only hope, it kinda seems like a bad idea to hand him over to the enemy."
"What did the Chosen One ever do for us?" one of Ace's abductors snapped. "They die when they face the Dark Lord, we're being compassionate here. He won't be killed now."
"Just locked up for life. You call that compassionate? He's an innocent child. Benn, could you go get him?" the red haired man asked a rugged man with black hair next to him.
Benn nodded, slung the rifle he was holding over his shoulder and walked up to Ace. His abductor tried to protest, but had a sword pushed against his throat in a second.
Ace looked at Benn with big, frightened eyes, but Benn was gentle. He lifted Ace off the horse like he weighed nothing and carried him to the red haired man.
"Are you okay?" the redhead asked Ace, as Benn made work of untying him.
Ace nodded. He still had no idea what was going on, but at least he wasn't taken to the Dark Lord anymore. Unless this redhead wanted the reward for himself.
"Now scram," the red haired man said to the abductors.
Terrified, the two turned their horses and ran off.
"Bastards," the redhead muttered. "It's a good thing we were nearby. You're far from home, aren't you? I though Rayleigh would take care of you?"
Ace was relieved when it seemed that this man knew Rayleigh, but it also brought to mind the fact that Rayleigh was dead, along with everyone else in the village. His bottom lip started to quiver.
"Oh, shit. Don't cry. Quick, Benn, do something funny," the redhead said to Benn.
"I told you what happened to Foosha. Don't you remember?" Benn replied.
"Of course! Shit. Rayleigh was a good man." The red haired man sighed sadly.
"They should have gone to Whitebeard," Benn said. "Why weren't you there?" He handed Ace a clean handkerchief to wipe some of the rotten food off him.
"I ran away," Ace said in a soft voice.
The redhead frowned. "That's not good… Well, we'll take you back once you've freshened up a bit."
He turned to leave, but Ace didn't follow, so the man turned around again and raised an eyebrow.
"He has no reason to think you're not an abductor," Benn pointed out.
"Why would I abduct him? I just saved him!"
"Perhaps to abduct him yourself."
"Do I look like an abductor?"
"Why don't you just introduce yourself, boss?" a man with dreadlocks suggested.
"Alright, alright." The redhead knelt before Ace so he was at eye level. "I'm Shanks. I knew Rayleigh and your father a long time ago. And in some way, I'm a friend of Whitebeard. How's that?" he asked Benn.
"Very unsuspicious," Benn said dryly.
Shanks shot him an unamused look, but then rose. "We'll bring you back, kid, you have my word. Our hideout is close by, though, so you might want to wash yourself. Your mom will have a heart attack if she sees you like this."
Silently, Ace followed Shanks and his men to their camp. He wasn't sure if he could to face his mother again.
Benn pointed him to a place he could wash himself and brought him clean clothes – though, they were too big on him, because it seemed that there weren't any children in the camp. Still, they were clean and dry, so he preferred them to his dirty ones. The man with the dreadlocks, who introduced himself as Yasopp, offered to wash them for him.
When Ace returned to the camp, Shanks offered him some food. Ace hadn't noticed how hungry he was, having missed at least lunch and probably dinner, and started to wolf it down. Shanks sat next to him, sipping from a bottle.
After Ace was done eating, he stared into the fire in front of him. He wasn't as cold anymore as he had been in the village. He wondered why.
"You said you knew my father," he said softly to Shanks. "What was he like?"
"You don't know?" Shanks asked.
Ace shook his head. "My mom doesn't like to talk about him. I think it's too painful. Rayleigh knew him too, but he never told me much."
Shanks looked pensively at a tree and took another draught from the bottle. "He was a great man," he finally said. "A bit… odd, perhaps, but he loved your mother very much."
"How did you know him?"
"I was one of his men, when I was still young and idealistic. I looked up to him. Your father was a great leader, determined to bring the Dark Lord down. But when the previous Chosen One failed, your father was captured and executed." Shanks sighed.
Ace wrapped his arms around his knees. "I wish I wasn't the Chosen One."
"No one said it was an easy job, kid," Shanks said and took another sip.
"What's the point anyway? Everyone hates me."
"They don't. They hate what you remind them of. The previous Chosen Ones, who failed to defeat the Dark Lord. That they have to wait years before the next Chosen One is trained, only to fail again, while they and their loved ones suffer under the Dark Lord's power," Shanks said.
Ace glared at him. "That's hardly uplifting."
"Look, just because the others failed, doesn't mean that you will. In the past, people have relied too much on the Chosen One. They gave them a heroic farewell and then expected them to do their dirty work for them. And then they were surprised when they failed. The Chosen One might have the power of the goddess, but they're still human." Shanks looked at him earnestly. "With you, we're doing things differently. Rayleigh has taken you under his wing, not just because you're his friend's son. Whitebeard and his family, me and my group, we're preparing for war, inspired by your father. We have your back, Ace, when you're ready to face him. You don't have to do it alone."
Ace blinked a few times as the words sunk in. Then he wrapped his arms around Shanks' waist and buried his face in his chest.
"Oi Benn, what's happening?" Shanks asked confusedly.
Benn smirked. "It seems like Roger's son likes you."
Shanks and Benn took Ace back to Moby Dick the next morning. When they had finished talking, it had already been too late to leave.
As they arrived at the spot Ace thought the hidden village was, Shanks put his hands to his mouth and made a bird sound. It was different from the one they used to warn them for danger.
There was a whistle in reply, and Shanks answered it again, probably part of the password. When he was done, the whistle meaning the coast was clear sounded.
Ace was pulled into a crushing hug by his mother, making him almost unable to breathe while she sobbed. He was a bit embarrassed by her, but mostly, he felt guilty for making her worry.
When she was done hugging him and covering his face in kisses, it was Shanks' turn, who turned an almost comically shade of red, which Benn couldn't help but point out amusedly.
Shanks and Benn stayed the rest of the day, partly to discuss things with Whitebeard and partly because of the welcome back party that would be held for Ace that night.
Ace went home with his mom to change, as he was still wearing the too large clothes Benn had given him. His own clothes were washed, but still damp.
Ace looked at the scorch marks at the wall. Had that been his doing? He didn't remember it, but he remembered the pain he felt when Thatch told him the news about Foosha. Would he have destroyed them all if his mom hadn't been able to calm him down? Did he have that kind of power?
He slowly changed out of his clothes. Now that they were alone, the guilt was eating him up. "I'm sorry I ran away," he said softly.
Rouge ruffled his hair. "I know it was a lot to take. I understand why you needed some time alone."
Ace stayed silent for a bit and pulled up his pants, when he caught a glimpse in the mirror of the mark on his back. He couldn't believe he had never thought it might be more than a birthmark. After all, it covered almost his entire back and was shaped like a flame.
"Mom?"
She looked up.
"Do you think it would have been better if I was never born?"
She moved and pulled him into a hug. "Of course not! You are my son, and I love you."
"But, if I hadn't been here, Sabo and Luffy…" He started sniffling again.
She sighed. "Life is unfair, Ace. We can't do anything about that. I know it's hard to believe, but the pain will fade. And as long as you never forget them, they'll always be with you, in here." She pressed on his chest where his heart was. "The only thing you can do now is make sure that the Dark Lord will never do this to someone again. Become strong, Ace, and save this world. I know you can." She pressed a kiss on his forehead and smiled. "You are his son, after all."