The ever expanding group of misfits was once again making their way through the desert. It was slow going, even with the help of Cat Burglars clouds giving them a bit of cover from the heat. With such a large group it was hard to make fast progress, not to mention all the sand that made it harder to maneuver.
They continued on though, but there was definitely a bit of... encouragement from Cat Burglar.
"If we don't get moving were gonna ruin the past even more than we already have! We should have been long passed this stretch of the desert!"
"Luffy, Monkey, hurry it up! We don't want you two getting lost!"
"Roronoa, what have I said about trying to sleep while walking?!"
"Sanji, if you and Black Leg don't stop noodling and start walking I wont talk to you for a whole hour."
To say it got the group moving faster was an understatement. Cat Burglar wasn't wrong though. Who knew how much of the past had changed because they were moving slower than they had originally?
Marco was walking beside Ace, the two of them watching Cat Burglars yelling from afar, but moving just fast enough that they wouldn't become the red heads next victim.
"Reminds you a bit of Izo, huh Marco?" Ace asks in a soft whisper, not wanting to be heard in fear of getting yelled at as well. Marco nods, a small twitch of a smile forming at the thought.
"That's for sure, yoi. When they want something done they make sure everyone does it there way." Marco said, shaking his head and facing forward again. Ace smiled at that and looked forward as well, Cat Burglars shouting still echoing around him.
"So, wanna talk yet?" Ace asked, glancing at Marco out of the corner of his eye. He knew that he and Sabo had to have their talk, sooner rather than later, but if he couldn't get Marco to talk now then there was a chance they never would. Marco was silent, facing forward still, his normal bored look back on his face. Ace almost expected him to not answer, because sometimes the phoenix was too stubborn for his own good.
"Its been a long time since the war. We lost a lot of good people that day." Marco said, still not looking at him. Ace nodded, frowning, but listening.
"We thought we had it all figured out. We didn't think it would be easy, didn't think we would do it without casualties, but we still thought we could do it." Marco continued, voice getting softer with each word.
"We knew what we were getting ourselves into. I knew what I was getting myself into. But you're family, and we do anything for family. So we weren't scared of doing it, we were scared that we would lose you. And we did." Marco said, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. Aces frown deepened and he looked down. He was glad that he didn't have to speak yet, because right now he couldn't even think of any words to say, much less string them into a sentence.
"After everything we still lost you, and many others as well. I used to drown myself in the 'what ifs'. What if I went with you when you went after Teach? What if I tried harder to stop you from going after him altogether? What if we had decided to attack Impel Down first? What if we had moved a little faster? What if we had left a little sooner? What if I had stopped Squard from hearing Akainus words? What if I had helped Luffy sooner?" Marco took a pause while Ace absorbed all the information, although it was vague.
"I used to think that if we had done something different we would have saved you, and maybe we would have, but that's not how it played out. Like I said before, I've mourned, and even though I miss you I know that I can't change the way things played out. Too many things would change and maybe we would end up with an even worse outcome than the one we got." Marco said, finally looking over at Ace who met his gaze with a frown. They looked at each other for a moment before turning to face forward again, an understanding between them. The two of them continued in silence for a little longer, listening to Cat Burglar who was now yelling at Sniper and Usopp.
"You know, out of everyone so far you were the one who didn't even need me to say a word." Ace said with a small smile. Marco smiled a little as well, shrugging.
"Sometimes nothing needs to be said, yoi." Marco said, glancing at something briefly before patting Ace on the back.
"Im glad I got this chance Ace." He said before walking off towards Roronoa. Ace watched him go with a look of confusion, glancing to see what he had looked at before. He understood when he saw Sabo making his way toward him.
"We were cut off last time we tried having this conversation." Sabo said with a slight huff of laughter. Ace smiled.
"Who's to say it wont happen again? You never know when the next person could come raining from the sky." This time Sabo did laugh, shaking his head.
"You know, that's a line I never thought I would hear in my life." Sabo said, Ace shrugging.
"I never thought it was something I would say." The freckled teen replied. It was quiet between the two while they gathered their thoughts, trying to find out where to begin.
"I don't really know how to start this whole thing so I guess I'll just tell you what I'm most guilty about." Sabo said nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. Ace nodded, giving the best encouraging smile he could.
"That's a good start." Ace said lightly, eliciting another huff of nervous laughter from Sabo.
"Well... I know what my guilt is. I don't even have to think about it. Its the day I got my memories back." Sabo started, voice immediately going soft, a frown forming as he stared at the sand.
"Like I mentioned before, when you died it was plastered all over the newspapers, and when I saw the headline I got all of my memories back, remembering you and Luffy. That was both the worst and best day of my life I guess." Sabo said with a bitter laugh, Ace remaining silent as he allowed Sabo to say everything he wanted to first.
"I finally remembered my childhood, finally remembered my brothers, but only because one of them was gone and I had nearly lost the other. I feel like its my fault that I never got my memories sooner. I never tried too hard to get them back, I just went on with my life, leaving behind you and Luffy. I should have tried harder, that way I would have been able to at least try to save you." Sabo said bitterly, holding the tears back as he remembered the day he found out about Aces death. Ace sighed, bumping shoulders with Sabo.
"Remember when I said you always thought too much?" Ace said, smiling to his blonde brother while Sabo shook his head, scoffing a bit.
"'Cause I meant it. You think way too much. There was literally no way you could have known about me and Luffy, you lost your memories of us. And who's to say you would have remembered us anyways? Maybe you never would have remembered us if you hadn't seen that headline. If you think about it that way, then would you rather you remembered me and Luffy after I died, or never remember us at all?" Ace asked. Sabo frowned, eyebrows furrowed.
"Remembered after obviously." He muttered. Ace smiled again.
"See? So don't worry about it. Luffy and I aren't mad that you weren't there or that you didn't remember us till then. It wasn't your fault, if anything it was those damn Tenryuubito's fault for making you lose your memories in the first place, or even my fault for never going after you after they took you. So really, you could just put all your blame on me." Ace said with a nonchalant shrug, ignoring Sabos incredulous look.
"Like I could ever do that idiot!" Sabo scoffed. Aces smile returned and he laughed, Sabo joining in soon after.
"See, so everythings fine! It all happened for a reason and even though it sucks we can't change it. Besides, there's a reason you haven't done anything to change it now, right?" Ace said, Sabo nodding a bit reluctantly.
"Exactly, because you know that it could change too much, change things that we shouldn't. Stop thinking so much, your gonna worry yourself to death." Ace teased. Sabo smiled at that, shaking his head once more.
"You know, you can be an idiot Ace, but sometimes you can be pretty smart too." Sabo said, bumping shoulders with the eldest again. Ace raised an eyebrow.
"I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult but whatever." Ace said, bumping shoulders back. The two laughed for a minute before Sabo nodded, sighing and stretching his arms above his head.
"I guess that settles that then, huh?" Sabo asked, feeling much lighter then he had in a while. Ace nodded his agreement.
"I guess it does." Ace said, looking around and gaining everyone else's attention.
"So, uh, how does this work then?" He asked, addressing everyone in their group. No one knew how to respond, everyone turning to Robin.
"Who knows, seeing as this has never happened to one of us before. We have no way of knowing if we'll leave right now or if it'll take another day, assuming we've all dealt with our guilt." Robin said as everyone glanced at each other once more.
"I think its safe to say that isn't the issue here Robin-san" Brook replied, everyone nodding their agreement.
"So we just have to... wait?" Vivi asked skeptically. Robin nodded.
"There's nothing else we can do. The books never mentioned anything more on this subject." The archeologist replied with a shrug, much too calm for the crews liking.
"Shishishi, that's fine, I don't mind waiting!" Monkey said carelessly, arms behind his head. Cat Burglar glared at him.
"Of course you don't, but what if another bad guy shows up, huh?!" She practically screamed, not liking the fact that any one of their enemies could magically appear at any time. Monkey shrugged.
"Then I'll fight 'em." He said casually, only further angering Cat Burglar.
"We can't just keep fighting! Especially not in the past! What if someone else from the past sees us?! What if were here for a year?!" Cat Burglar continued, everyone silently agreeing with her but saying nothing. Monkey tilted his head.
"But there's nothing we can do about it so why worry?" He asked, causing Cat Burglar to groan in frustration.
"Its useless, I don't know why I even try reasoning with you Monkey." She mumbled, holding her forehead in her hand. Monkey merely gave her his signature grin, showing off all of his teeth in the process as he laughed gleefully, oblivious to his navigators words.
"Well, if we're stuck here we may as well keep moving, we don't want things getting off track." Black Leg said with a sigh, lighting a new cigarette. Everyone agreed with him and they began moving once more, but didn't have a chance to get far as Roronoa, Monkey, Black Leg, Law, Sniper, Ace and Marco bristled. Seeing this the group froze again.
"Oh no! No, no, no, no, no, no, no~!" Usopp cried, clinging to Chopper, recognizing what this meant.
"W-Who is it this time?" Vivi asked, looking at the menacing look in the future members' eyes.
"Don't know, but they feel a little... familiar?" Roronoa said, questioning himself as he tried to place exactly where he'd felt this presence before, already unsheathing one of his swords.
"Whoever it is they've got one hell of a killing intent." Black Leg muttered.
"Monkey?" Tony asked cautiously, noticing the murderous look his Captain wore, getting everyone else's attention as well.
"Speak of the Devil and he shall come, huh?" Ace growled out in anger, confusing the group more.
"Wait, who is it?" Franky asked. Even Marco seemed to know.
"Its-" Marco's answer was cut off by a laugh that shook everyone to the core.
"Zehahahahaha~!"
Cliffhanger!
Man, sorry for such a short chapter, and one that ended in a cliffhanger at that, but the stories ending fast and its gonna be full of action from here on out! Tune in next week where things will be getting a bit crazy! We've got about three more chapters after this if I outlined it right, and I've gotta say, Im gonna be super sad to see this story go! Well, its not over yet, so lets keep the sentimental talk for the last chapter...