Chapter Eleven: The Revenge in Childish Views
"It is one of life's bitterest truths that bedtime so often arrives just when things are really getting interesting." ~Lemony Snicket
"Miss Faye!" Hank exclaimed once he had gotten a chance to pull away from his duties and greet me. He wrapped his arms around my torso and lifted me off my feet, seeing as he was much taller than me. My arms were squished to my sides, so I couldn't return it, but I could still laugh at his antics.
"Hello Hank, it's great to see you again too."
Benji, the young little looking boy who had hit puberty quite hard, stood just as tall as me now. His body, once lean and thin, was now carrying the amount of muscle that could counter Ace's. Actually, if it wasn't for the short blonde hair and freckle-less face, I would think that Benji was Ace.
"Hello, Miss Faye." What was with the whole 'Miss Faye' thing?
"Hello, Benji." I didn't really know him, but it felt like we would become close over the rest of my voyage. Oh yeah, the reason why I was on The Fixed Deck right now was because Ace seemed set on getting me on the ship to help with… something. But I expect from the pile of cloth in the corner of his quarters that he needed me to sew up his clothes…
Better yet, I might as well make up a fabric that is nonflammable.
I'll get to the drawing board… after a good night's sleep.
---
"Uh… Ace. Where are we going again?" I asked, for the umpteenth time within the past few days. I rubbed at my sleep-filled eyes. The Spade's captain pulled himself away from the old maps on his desk and looked up at me.
Those brown eyes were so beautiful…
"How many times do I have to tell you, Faye?" He sighed, obviously annoyed of the question I kept asking over and over again. "We're headed to a cove just north of Glacier Port."
"And why are we going there, again?"
Ace, once again, sighed and rolled his eyes. He seemed annoyed at me. Usually he – no – he was ALWAYS the one to annoy me. Although, over the past few days we hadn't really been at each other's throats as much as we had been when we met.
Then again, I wasn't being chased by Marines who found me "still alive". Now that made me begin to question some things…
Was I supposed to die instead of Mia? Oh hell, that made me feel so guilty just even thinking of it. My best friend had died because of something to do with me…
"There's someone there that I need to talk to," Ace said, pulling me from my thoughts.
I nodded nonetheless and continued to watch from my sit on the small couch of his quarters as he continued to measure and mumble to himself over the map. And then, he pushed it away and gave out an irritated huff. Didn't he know that those maps were so outdated?
"Here," I leaned over and grabbed my bag from the floor. It still had my clothes, all my Beli, and my book in it. Ratch, the normal person who looks out at the crow's nest at night, was currently giving my swords a once over, trying to figure out who exactly they were. It seemed every sword had a name… who would have guessed?
"You can use my maps." I pulled the large brown book from the bag and stood. As I walked over, my fingers flipped through pages as I tried to find the right one of what I had on the islands closest to where we were now and 'Glacier Port'. They weren't that hard to find since they were near the front of all the maps I had done. "There."
I placed the book onto the desk with the opened pages. Ace's eyes seemed to glance at me for just a second before looking down over the maps. Compared to his, mine were gold.
"Where… did you get these?" he asked, flipping back and forth, making sure to save the page that I had found for him. What can I say? I'm full of surprises.
"I made them. Well, I didn't really make them. I just looked at some old maps to get the shape, but I actually modeled the maps to be about one-five thousandth of the actual size, so if they look really small, then they're about the same if you do all the math that you have to do to find the actually measurements."
Ace looked up at me, speechless. Again; I'm full of surprises.
"It seems we don't have a problem looking for a new navigator."
Wait… WHAT?
I don't want to be a navigator… I want to be a seamstress that travels and get off this ship before we go off into the freezing unknown of Glacier Port!
"Do you have a problem with that?"
That's when I noticed how close we had gotten. I had already been leaning over the desk to watch as he flipped through my book, but now our faces weren't feet apart… they were barely even inches.
"Well, do you~?" He was mocking me, I know he was. He was trying to get me flustered, and give in to his "charm". He was just a flirt, and that's what he would always be.
"Actually, no. It means I finally have something to do." I shot back and pushed his face away from mine with a hand. His ego was damaged, I knew it was, but he only showed it for barely even a wink of an eye.
"Good. You're finally working to stay on my ship."
"I still want my hat back." And with that, I turned and left the captain's quarters.
Ah-ha! Beat that one, Flame-boy…
---
Faye smiled at the soft sea breeze as she dug her toes into the warm, pale sand of the beach. The sounds of the town had grown tiring to her, so she decided to explore farther away from the people. And here she ended up. The wonderful beach of the island she lived on. She could see the next island over easily, and it felt good to be close to the rest of her family.
The "rest of her family" being her daughter Anne, son-in-law Isaac, granddaughter Mia and grandson Acel – who she heard had grown much since she lost saw her family four years ago. He was no longer the little baby boy who gurgled and cried day in and day out. Mia had actually been quite happy when her brother started speaking. After all, his first "word" was her name… or something close to it.
Her smile grew out of pure instinct. She finally felt happy, free from her old bones.
Faye felt like she really had wings, instead of the drawing on her back that was sagging and graying from being on for so long and because of how old her actual skin was.
Then, the breeze died down until there was nothing but empty air surrounding her. She was alone, but she felt like there were so many presences blocking her from continuing any farther or going back.
Faye…
The wind whispered to her like a schoolgirl would when telling her best friend a secret, but there was more edge in the tone, more seriousness.
Faye…
There it was again! It – He was telling her something. She had to listener closer… listen with more than just her ears. She had to open up her heart and accept what words were spoken to her.
Faye…
"Yes, yes, tell me! Tell me what you must!" She yelled to the sky\, birds becoming surprised by the sudden exclamation and began to fly away. "Please…" she was whispering now, begging in her old cracking voice. "Tell me."
There was complete silence. She could no longer hear the town, or the sea as it crashed into rocks and sand, or birds that flew over, her the breeze that had been pulling at her pepper-salt hair.
Faye was, once again, alone.
She turned around, no longer being able to face the sea any longer, and let the sounds crash back on her.
Faye just almost missed the whispered, I love you.
The keyword here is "almost".
But she was still alone.
---
And so, over the next few days that it took us to get to Glacier Port, I was busy manning the wheel and making sure the Log Pose was pointing to the correct position. Of course, this meant had to be with Ace for some part of my day seeing as he was the one wearing the Log Pose.
Great, just great.
To add to all of this, I had no idea how to steer a giant ship like The Fixed Deck. I just knew how to follow maps and find landmarks. Most of the time when I went to check on the Log Pose our conversations were about nothing to even do with maps or navigation. It was all about where I came from, what I had been doing since I had been dropped off, but one question would enter my mind every time I saw Ace.
Why had he acted so weird that time he save my life back when Smoker, I think that was his name, had gotten me?
…did he regret ever going into my shop?
…did he regret ever wanting that hat?
…did he regret flirting with Mia, and soon entering our lives for the worse, instead of better?
…did he regret taking me home that night, and accidently falling asleep?
…did he regret putting me on his ship and helping me get away?
Did he regret entering my life in the first place, and then having to save it?
So many questions, yet I had no answers. I could only worry in silence and put on a fake smile.
"G'afternoon, Miss Faye."
"Hey, Ratch," I said, not taking my focus off the cracks in the crate I was sitting on as I contemplated on what to do next – next in my plan of Ace and I's little battle of dominance in our "relationship".
So far, he had gone as far to make me sleep with the rest of the crew instead of on his bed or couch. But I wasn't going to give in. I had to find something that I could do that would make me drop to his knees and beg for my forgiveness…
My eyes widened. "Hey Ratch!" I practically yelled, suddenly excited. "Can I ask you something?"
The nocturnal man blinked. "Uh… sure?"
I gave a sadistic grin. Oh I was so going to get my revenge.
"Could you tell me a bit about Ace? I now bits and pieces, but I really want to know what makes that man tick." My eyelashes fluttered, and my look turned innocent.
"Eh… well. I wouldn't really call Ace a 'man' seeing as he isn't a day over nineteen." Really? My, he is young. I would have thought he was somewhere in his mid-twenties "He has a thing for fire, as you can probably tell by now that he ate the Mera Mera no Mi." – wait. Didn't it mean that you were basically an anchor in water if you eat a Devil Fruit?
Oh ho, ho. I was so going to have fun with this.
"And he is a b it impulsive when it comes to doing things… but he wouldn't dare betray a nakama." Hmm… interesting. "He falls asleep in the middle of a lot of things, too. Like, eating, conversations, etcetera." So he wasn't lying. Eh, I owe an apology for that one.
I smiled and patted Ratch's shoulder. "Thanks, Ratch. I owe you one." And I did, but that doesn't mean I'm going to fulfill that favor. I'm so evil, aren't I?
And so, I began to plan.
---
The day of arriving at Glacier Port was a cold one. No, it wasn't cold… it was freezing. The moisture from my breath would freeze within just two or three seconds causing little snowflakes to fall down to the already snow-covered ground. And it didn't help that the last time I had been anywhere this cold was about ten years ago, so I wasn't used to the weather. All the Spade Pirates were used to extreme climate changes and Ace was just a walking heater, so I was screwed. How we were able to sail through that water I do not know.
"Remind me again how we are able to sail in these waters?"
I asked Ace, for the fifth time in about twenty minutes. He was getting annoyed. Phase one of my plan has gone into motion.
Ace sighed and shut my book of maps and other crap with an annoyed roll of the eyes.
"There are mini volcanoes in the water, causing magma to come up and heat up the water. This keeps the water from freezing while up here it's "cold" as you put it." He gave me a look; a look that said "you're turning blue~ and I'm so warm~". Oh screw him!
I was already wearing three of my thickest blouses, along with two coats, four pairs of pants and a new pair of boots that I had bought from an island just before it started to get this cold. Plus, I was wrapped in Ace's blanket that was usually on his bed that I was now using because I had to sleep on the couch since he kept getting 'neck cramps' and 'was a hard working captain who deserved a good night's rest'. Pft, yeah right.
"Land ho!" I rolled my eyes at the echoing voice. We knew there was an island, no need to yell it to the heavens.
But, it seemed none of the crew had seen it and decided to grab whatever Beli they had and see what they could get here. This was good, seeing as I needed to work on Phases Two and Three of my plan of revenge.
"Hey Ace!" I called to the slowly sneaking away captain. He froze for a second, seeming to curse that he got caught trying to get away, and turned with his usual cocky grin. "Can I talk to you for a second?" My eyelashes fluttered. "In private?"
This got both Ace's and just about everyone else's attention. Oh I was going to have fun with this…
Phase Two…
I stood in Ace's quarter's now, filling up too small glasses with alcohol – that I had found in the storage – and adding in my own special mixture of things that would make him out like a light.
"You needed to talk?"
I turned, a glass in a hand, and held the spiked one out to him.
"Yes, but how about a drink first?"
He took it without question. Damn; men were so clueless it was actually amusing!
I drank mine, he drank his.
"You were saying?"
I smiled, and sat the glass down. The space between us was closed easily, one hand splayed across his thinly covered chest and the other twirling a piece of stray hair near his ear.
"Have a nice nap."
Ace's brown eyes showed a flash of confusion before going hazed over and he fell over. There was snoring…
Complete.
Phase Three…
Now that he was asleep, and I was alone on the ship, other than the save few that were just paranoid about leaving a ship with a playboy captain and his 'lady friend'.
So, I pulled (more like dragged) him out onto the deck. I could see the port from there, but no one could see us. We were too far away.
"Alright Ace. How's this for revenge?" I asked to Ace – really myself – and picked up one of the ropes that lay fray on the deck. After wrapping it around him tightly, but not too tight, I pulled at the other end of threw it over one of the yard (or was it the spar? What the thing sticking out from the mast was called) and pulled on it. It was a very simple pulley, and it worked perfectly.
Ace was lifted up easily, and I was even able to swing him over the edge of the ship with ease.
I did this, making sure that his boots had been off before doing anything with the rope, and lowered just so his feet dangled in the "warm" water. Last, but not least, I tied the rope to the railing, I had to make sure it as extra tight because if it came undone then he would drown and I would be blamed for his death; which is bad.
Now, Ace was dangling over/in a large body of 'warm' salt water on a freezing cold island, and I was up on the deck still covered in the blanket. It was time for my own nap.
Complete.
---
Phase Four…
"FAYE!!"
Oh it was sweet music to my ears…
After my wonderful nap, I had just been laying in the very warm bed to come to my senses hearing my name being called in a cry of anger. It made me get goose bumps.
I rose from the bed and slowly began to put all my clothing back on so I would be warm again. The blanket came last, and I was then walking out onto the deck. The crew was surrounded the side of the ship where Ace was hanging and I could see many surprise, many unsurprised, and many amused faces.
Oh sweet revenge… it's best served "cold".
"FAYE YOU YELLOW-BELLYED, BACK STAPPING, LITTLE WENCH."
I glanced over the railing to find a squirming Ace, but he couldn't go anywhere, he was in the water so he was helpless. Oh I was indeed going to love this.
"Oh, hello Ace. How's the view?"
"WHY YOU LITTLE-"
"Ah-uh… I wouldn't make things worse. You could actually be staying down there longer than I planned for you too."
There was silence.
"Fine, fine, I give in. You can take the bed."
Oh yeah.
Complete.
Faye: Four.
Ace: Three.
When I did pull Ace back up, he didn't look all too happy. But then again, I wouldn't be happy either if I was drugged, tied, and left in water that basically left me helpless.
"I'm going to remember this."
"Oh don't worry Ace, I wasn't planning on you forgetting it."
And out of pure impulsion, I kissed his cheek to give a small "I'm sorry".
Oh how stupid I had been.
---
A/N: ( of OP chapter 574)
This chapter is dedicated to the – now – dead Portgas D. Ace. He may be dead in the manga, but he shall always be alive in our fandom! DAMN YOU ODA. DAMN YOU. (RIP Ace, 2000 – 2010. He died so young…)
Also. Acel is not said like "Ace – L". You said it "Ah – Cee – L".
Soooo… new longest chapter. And I really wanted to get this out early. So… yeah. There will be another one soon, don't worry. I'm out Friday-Monday. (BOOYAH!) Also… who can ever guess what special character I'm going to put in the next chapter gets a special prize… that I only know about. :D
So, for clues, look in OP Chapter 552. Where is Ace when it's REALLY cold? :D (It's not that hard… but, yeah. OH, and I'm going to start a contest soon seeing as a need more fanartz, plus I REALLY wanna do something. :D Info will be on my profile by the next time I update.)
So… review?