"hey, um." Ace did his best to keep his cool, just saying hi to her was getting him all jittery at the moment, yet Vivi still kept that gracious, welcoming smile straight across her face as she tangled her fingers behind her in anticipation. She was wondering what the infamous fire-fist Ace was doing round here, it must've been dangerous for him to come round here, with the marines patrolling the place constantly, to keep the precious princess safe, but today was a special day for her, she had a date with her childhood friend Kohza, she had been excited for it all week and it was a dream come true for them to be dating like this, but she didn't want to be rude to Ace, so she patiently waited for what he wanted to say.
"I wanted to tell you something." Ace said almost excited but he kept a soft smile on his face, obviously he wasn't aware that she had been expecting to be somewhere pretty soon, he assumed that she didn't plan anything so his expectations here high, he wanted to take her out and to have at least a nice conversation with her, he wanted her to be free of princess duties for a day, since he figured she missed the adventurous pirate life with his beloved brother. "I-" just as he was about to speak, he was abruptly interrupted by one of the palace servants, "miss Vivi! you're gonna be late for your date."
"yes, I'll be in the dressing room soon, Igaram!" She politely turned to Ace with an apologetic face, it was gentle yet it was making it hard for Ace to look her straight in the eye. "listen Ace, I'm sorry but I must go, I have to get ready for my date with Kohza, erm but if its not too much trouble please do tell me later, okay?" Vivi gave him one last expression of happiness and she turned around while lightly waving back at him with those innocent eyes of hers, she then hurried over to the seamstress to try on her new dress for her special date. Igaram held up the most beautiful dress, and Ace just stood there in shock, his heart shattered into a million pieces, as she ooed and ahhed over the beautiful dress, she couldn't help but notice that Ace was still there watching, she softly giggled and waved goodbye at him before shutting the door to the dressing room. He mindlessly looked down at the ground and turned so that he was heading down the hallway and towards the exit.
"right..." Ace's happiness had reached its lowest point, he had been hiding a gorgeous bouquet of fresh flowers behind his back for her. In his mind, she would take the flowers happily and smell them, while telling him that they were beautiful, but he didn't even have a chance to offer them to her. She had a date. He just walked away with his head down, out into the streets, where he thought he belonged from now on, making his way towards a fountain at the town square, discouraged with a broken heart and the mentality of a new found loner.
He plopped down and slowly burnt one of the flowers from the bouquet that he got for her, the flower seller told him that this was the best bouquet he had to give to someone special. Vivi...she was special and beautiful too, he wanted to confess to her, but it was too late, she was with someone else. it was obvious. Ace set the bouquet down beside him and he gripped his hair in pure frustration, you're not good enough, Ace! and you never will be.. He told himself, as he recited that he was better off alone and his life was the sea. His soul went from warm and anxious to bitter and cold, he was in a terrible mood, what he needed was the sea and the stars right now, nothing else, cause everything else was stupid. Ace decided to spare some of the flowers from the flames, instead he left them there for someone else who'd appreciate them, someone who would stop and smell the flowers.