"Well, that was fun." Ace commented, jumping back onto his ship. He'd been getting anxious waiting for the call from that Revolutionary Army guy and had left a day ago to blow off some steam. Mostly because his crew had been threatening to tie him up with seastone and throw him in the bilge if he didn't stop snapping at them for every little thing. He'd understood completely, and was more than a little annoyed with himself for letting his temper slip like that.
He needed to know what that guy had meant. Was Luffy really alive? Where had he seen him? When? Not to mention it was a bit suspicious the man had suddenly fallen ill after telling Hack to let him know Luffy was alive. Something was up, and the old cynical part of Ace suspected a trap. Which might have had something to do with him clearing the area within a day's sailing of his ship ofanything in the water. With extreme prejudice. He only felt slightly bad about the one fishing vessel, but he'd left them a life boat so there was that.
Saber leaned over the rail separating the helm from the rest of the ship, "Good to see you're back, Captain. Feeling better?"
"Much. Any word?"
"Well…." The first mate began, "I'm pretty sure your denden has been ringing for the last few hours. We'd have answered it but personally I don't want to talk to Garp if it's not that Revolutionary guy and I figured anything he'dhave to say to you would best come from him."
"And none of you contracted me?" Ace asked, good mood evaporating.
"We did ," Banshee snapped, walking by, "Butsomeone left his black denden in the kitchen."
"...Oops." His temper fizzled. He had done that. Little snail had been looking a bit under the weather so he'd left the guy with Flava to nurse back to health. A week of good food and cooler temperatures was just what the denden needed after living in his pocket for over a month. Being made of fire meant he had to be a bit more careful with the snails than most people realized. He always ended up feeling bad when he accidently cooked one. Mostly because they tasted horrible and were more useful alive, but still. He felt bad.
"So, you gonna answer that ringing or not?" Banshee asked, "Because I know you can hear that."
"It's waited this long, and I could probably use a nap." Ace replied, suddenly feeling nervous. What if it wasn't the revolutionary but Garp calling? Worse, what if it was and he was calling to tell him Luffy was dead? Ace didn't think he could handle that. No, he knew he couldn't.
Banshee's expression softened. "Ace, even if it isn't great news, we'll keep looking. And, that fishman… he said his friend said Luffy was alive. Even if that news is stale, its news. We can work with that. We can find him, we just need a lead."
"Yeah… yeah, you're right. I'm…. I'll let you know." Ace trailed off laimly, hand on the door to his cabin. His men nodded and went to busy themselves away from his room, oftering him whatever privacy he needed.
Just like his crew had predicted the denden was ringing. The snail looked a little worn out from it in fact, and Ace made a note to bring it to Flava for some aftercare. Once this conversation was over, of course. Pulling over his chair he sat with more than a little trepidation, annoyed at himself for it at the same time. Frowning at his stupid behavior he snatched at the receiver.
"Badabada - ink? He could answer the damn thing!" Someone shouted.
There was a slight chuckle and Ace raised an eyebrow. It looked like the caller hadn't realized he'd answered. This could be interesting. " Well, it has been a week …"
" I was unconscious! Plus, I've been trying to reach him since I woke up! " Alright, being unconscious was a good excuse. " I swear if that dumbass goes off and does something reckless …"
" He's not you ."
A humorless laugh, " No, he's WORSE, Koala !" That was a bit insulting, and Ace opened his mouth to tell this stranger that when he heard something that made his blood boil. "My brothers are both reckless idiots and Ace in particular is a hothead ."
"HE-"
The voice continued over him, " He's going to start a war over this; I just know it. I'd be better off picking Luffy up myself ."
" He'd kill you ." Koala replied, and damn right he would. Ace would be the one to rescue his little brother, thank you very much! The more this guy talked the more he wanted to deck him. What a pompous asshole!
" He's probably going to kill me anyway , Koala ." The jerk let out something that almost sounded like a sob. " No, you don't understand. Luffy was right there - I spoke with him!- and I - I didn't know . I didn't…. And Ace! He's never going to forgive me for that, or for leaving -" Damn right he was never going to forgive this asshole for leaving his brother….wherever it was. Alright, it was a little hard to hold onto that anger when he was kind of confused about why this revolutionary guy was so upset. Yeah, it was Ace's little brother they were talking about, but that shouldn't actually matter to this guy.
" It's not like -"
" No, I meant to leave ."
" Sabo, you couldn't have known you'd end up with amnesia ." The woman replied, exasperated. Ace didn't really hear though. Not over the sudden anger at someonedaring to use his other brother's name.
"HE-!" He tried again to get their attention.
" You don't know Ace like I do. He's really not going to care ." Damn right he wasn't going to care about some name-stealing jackass's sob story! " All he's going to care about is that I left , and not only that I set sail without them. I didn't even come back to tell them in person. I didn't even check to see if they'd survived that fire …" Ace dropped the receiver in shock. There were very few people who knew about the fire in his childhood, and all but one lived on Dawn Island. Or so he thought. Was someone spying on him? " I wasn't worthy of being their brother then, and I sure as hell am not worthy now. Not when Ididn't recognize my own brother !"
Scrambling to pick up the receiver he snapped out, "Alright who the hell are you, and why the fuck are you spying on me?!"
" Ace !" The other voice yelped.
"Yes, Ace. The guy you were calling with news of my little brother. Well, I'm on to you, you sick fuck. If you think for one moment I'll beli-"
" Ace, he's alive ," The other cut him off, the relief in that voice stopping his rant. " I… I saw him! Spoke with him… granted more likeat him… but he's alive and I know where he is, so you need to tell me where you are right now so we can- "
"I'm not telling you shit!" Ace spat back, knowing a trap when he saw one. Like hell this crazy jerk had actually seen Luffy. Ace might be desperate, but he wasn't born yesterday. And yeah, he'd gladly die to get his brother back, but he wasn't going to throw his life away either.
" Yes, you are! "
"Uh, no, I'm not! This is some sort of trap, and I'm not falling for it!"
" Oh for the love of! !" The denden glowered at him for a second. " Koala, a moment, please ." It sounds ominous. Ace ignored her affirmation that she was leaving the room, mentally bracing himself for whatever extortion or threats the other threw at him.
"Didn't want your little girlfriend to know what a creep you are?" He snarked, smirking dangerously.
" First, she's not my girlfriend. She'd fucking kill me if she even heard you joke about that, you asshole. "
"Maybe I should be louder, then."
"You listen here, I, no WE do not have time for your petty bullshit or one of your stupid temper tantrums. You're going to tell me where the hell you are or so help me I'll go and get Luffy myself because obviously you're too much of a child -"
"No, you listen! You'll tell me where my little brother is before I come back there and melt your face off!"
" Too late ." Came the quiped reply. Ace narrowed his eyes dangerously. " I'm already gone. I was planning on meeting up with your cranky ass, but I can just as easily pick up Luffy without you ."
Ace swallowed, "Pick up?" His temper faded as his heart sunk. PIck up, not rescue. Spoken like he knew where to go, like Luffy wouldn't have gone anywhere. But of course not…. You can't rescue a corpse after all. He was a failure of a big brother...
"- Ce? Ace? ACE !" The denden looked concerned, " You idiot, I told you he was alive. He's just…listen it'll be easier to explain in person ."
"Why?" He ignored the relief he felt, suspicious again.
The other sighed. After a moment he spoke, " Because I want to see you again, firstly ."
"Stalker!"
" I am not !" The other snapped, " I had fucking amnesia for the last decade, I couldn't stalk you, you dickwad! And besides that, Iknow you, I tell you were Luffy is you're going to run off half cocked and get yourself killed being reckless. "
"I'm not reckless!" Ace shot back, insulted.
" Yes, yes you are! Unless you're going to tell me that you've changed since we were kids and don't go beating up random strangers, oh wait, you're a pirate now, so OF COURSE NOT! "
Ace opened and shut his mouth a few times as his mind raced. There weren't many people who'd known him as a kid, and other than his brothers, only two who had also been children at the time. One he'd never even spoken to, but the other he'd taken great enjoyment in tormenting any time he want near hightown. "...Smelly-Stelly?"
" What?! EW! No! I'm insulted. And hurt. Mostly Insulted ." The other man huffed. " You even talked to that bastard after I left? I mean, really… "
"Who the hell are you, then?"
"... So that's how it is ." The sound of the other shifting, " I… suppose I deserve it. I mean, I did leave without saying goodbye. Didn't write, either… but you know what, Ace? Amnesia. If anything you should be mad at Dragon for not telling me I had people who I'd want to get back to. "
Now Ace was confused all over again and feeling kinda guilty for making this guy feel bad about whatever it was. "Listen…"
" I promise you if you just let me meet up with you…. Let me spend some time with both of you, a week at most…. I'll leave you alone. Get out of your lives for good this time. I promise.Please , just meet with me first. I… "
"No seriously, I really don't know who the hell you are." Ace cut him off, "I get you're all upset, and I'm assuming you're from Dawn Island? But… listen, I don't remember you. I'm sorry."
The denden's mouth dropped open. "... Seriously ."
"Well, you're not Stelly, and I'm pretty sure Ricco hated my guts more then Smelly-Stelly, so you're probably not him….I mean, I beat up a few kids for picking on Luffy -If you're one of them, I'm not sorry, by the way- but I don't know who -"
" Its…. Seriously? SERIOUSLY , Ace? I expected you to be mad at me but... I'm your brother !"
"You're not my little brother." He shot back, getting angry again.
" I'm not Luffy, that's for sure! " The other agreed, " I mean your other brother !"
"I don't have-"
" Portgas D Ace, don't you dare !" The use of his last name, the only one he'd ever acknowledge, gave him pause. " I'm sorry I left, and I'm sorry I forgot. More so than you could ever know. But don't you dare … if you want to disown me, do it to my face, you coward! "
"I'm not a coward!" Ace shouted back, "And I won't let some jackass taint the memory of my brother! I'll tell you exactly where I am so you can come here and I can fucking kill you!"
" Don't write me off as dead just because you're mad at me! You asshole, I'm going to kill you, bring you back, and kill you again! "
That… was not the answer he'd been expecting. Usually threatening to murder someone had them groveling. Not threatening to kill him back. "...Huh?" He blinked, working through what the other said.
" I get you're mad I left, but I did write… once…. " There was no way…. " It's really not my fault I got hit by a cannonball and lost my memories, alright?" He'd finally lost his mind. That had to be it, right?
"Can… you wait a second?"
" Uh….sure? " Running to his door he threw it open and waved frantically for Saber to come over.
"Have we found hi-" The first mate started, an excited glint in his eyes that faded at the look on Ace's face.
He was sure he looked horrible, "Later. Listen, just… you can hear the guy on the other end of this, right?" He held up the snail.
"No?" Saber said, looking worried.
"Shit. I'm…." Ace started shaking, sitting heavily and putting the snail down before he dropped it and killed the thing. He wondered if the snail had even been ringing when he'd come into the room. Weird, he didn't feel crazy, but he supposed it did run in the family. Maybe it was better this way… maybe he'd start to seeing his little brother, safe and here with him soon. He started to laugh, a sad desperate sound. What a failure he was….
" Ace? Ace, what's going on? Are you alright? " The imaginary voice of his dead brother asked.
"I think he's having a mental breakdown. What the hell did you say to him?" Saber answered Sabo. Wait….Saber answered….?
" I was trying to apologize for not getting in touch for ten years because I had amnesia ." The snail sniffed, sounding insulted. " Jerk. Anyway, I need to know your coordinates, if you'd be so kind ?"
"And why should I tell you?"
" Because I know where Luffy is and if I get him myself Ace'll murder me , and if I just tell him where he is he'll get murdered. And I'd rather not Luffy be down a brother right now. " Came the exasperated reply.
"You're dead…." Ace hiccuped, trying to get control over his hysterical laughing.
" You can try it. " Sabo agreed, " After you give me your damn coordinates ."
"No, like, actually dead." Ace looked up at his first mate, fingering his tattoo. "Saber, we're talking to a dead man."
"Not….Sabo?" The other man paled, having gotten some of the details from Ace not long after they'd set sail. A sea ghost. His brother had become a sea ghost, probably to haunt him for his failure in protecting Luffy like he promised he would.
" Ace… you…. Didn't actually think I was dead, did you?" The snail sounded worried.
"Yo- the ship was blown to bits . You're dead ." He swallowed, not sure if it was a good idea to remind the dead how they died.
"... Saber-san, would a dead man need coordinates? "
Saber looked at Ace before taking the snail and leaving the room. Good, he hoped his friend would toss it overboard. Sabo could drag his soul to hell where it belonged, but only after he'd rescued Luffy.
Wait…. If a ghost said he'd seen Luffy….did that mean Luffy was dead? Ace was much too sober for this. Stumbling his way out of the room he ignored the looks his crew were giving him as he made it over to the galley. He needed to be very, very drunk. A glance at the wall calendar next to the cabinet they kept the strong booze in showed him the date; May 5th. No wonder Sabo was haunting him now of all days. How could he forget?