Chapter 5: Partial Truth
After breaking down in the alley Sabo had brought Ace to the boat they were using. The small carousel boat with a single sail. Ace grinned as he looked at the jolly roger flag that was flying. Sabo looked over his shoulder to see what Ace was looking at and felt his cheeks heat up. He was the one to design the false pirate flag. The only thing that had made sense to him when he had made it was the use of his pipe weapon as crossbones and the word ASL. Back then it hadn't made sense as to whom the letters stood for; now it did. His mind had been unconsciously trying to make him remember his brothers.
"Never thought I'd see that flag flying again." Ace muttered as they entered the sitting area of the carousel.
A girl with soft features looked up from a map looking slightly annoyed as Sabo walked into the room. "Where have you been Sabo?!" she cried out as she puffed out her cheeks out of frustration and a bit of anger.
Oh? Ace thought as his eyebrows raised towards his hairline. She's cute. He grinned at his brothers flustered reaction.
Placing both hands in front of him to stop his friend from steadily advancing towards him Sabo spoke loudly. "Lindbergh was is trouble!" He took a step back at Koala's look of anger. "But something good happened!" She looked at the mink behind Ace who was grinning.
"It's something really good Koala." He assured her. Her glare turned into a squint as she narrowed her eyes at the two before looking at the new guy in the room.
Feeling her gaze on him Ace bowed towards her. "Apologies." He stated as Makino's drilled in lessons came to the forefront of mind. "I'm the reason Sabo thought his friend was in trouble."
"Who are you?" She questioned but it sounded more like a demand.
Ace was suddenly reminded of Makino. "She's kind of like big Sis." he said as pointed at the smaller girl causing her cheeks to heat up as he accidentally avoided her question by making her feel embarrassed.
Koala crossed her arms over her chest, her cheeks still pink."Who?"
Sabo turned his attention from Ace back to his best friend. "That's what I wanted to say. I remember."
Koala cocked her head at him. The excitement in his voice had her suddenly straightening herself up. "How much?"
"Most everything!" He pointed at Ace. "This guy is my twin brother. My full name is Portgas D. Sabo. I have a little brother who ate a devil fruit that turned his body into rubber."
Ace chuckled. "Do you have any idea how excited he's going to be to see you alive?!"
Sabo blinked in surprise at this statement. He truly hadn't thought of it. "Either I'll going to get a waterfall of tears or he'll deny I am who I am."
Ace laughed. Their crybaby of a little brother had cried for days when Sabo had supposedly died. Luffy was going to be ecstatic when he brought Sabo officially home. Thinking of his baby brother made him remember why he had come here at all. "Right." He sighed before looking up at the ceiling of the room before sitting down. Sabo looked at him confused. Ace always had, had wild emotions that could get out of hand. He had half expected his brother to go into a wild tandem about their brother or something; however his demeanor left him feeling as if something was off.
"Ace-" he began with a worried tone.
Ace sighed once more. "I need to speak to you without them."
"Ace," Sabo began as he leaned against the table Koala had been looking at maps on. "whatever you need to say can be said in front of them."
Taking his orange hat off Ace looked up at his brother with pained expression in his eyes. "I'm going to die."
M-Angel Gah! Don's hate the author! the next chapter is in the making.
Doom Dut Da Da - I think you'll be surprised by the direction this story will take, though that idea is a really cool one.