Hello everyone, here is the next chapter
This is also a one shot from Black Heart and after Ace has gotten a bit more comfortable around everyone and mentions some ideas in his head
Hope you enjoy
Read and relax
Ace looked at Thatch when he gave a sigh as he came into the room, Ace already seated on the couch in what could best be described as a living room with a TV. He still liked they had normal human things here, as the TV and even a phone, but it was more of a phone booth, and would you have guessed, the number to it was 666-666-HELL; Ace loved it so much and had laughed for almost an hour straight. What made it more fun was how the others didn't know 666 was a number connected to the devil, making them join in on the laughing. It was clear the high lords, or even Marco and Whitebeard, didn't really know what humans thought and knew about the devil and hell, and had asked him about things, and Ace had promised to bring back some pictures and such on different ideas on how the devil looked and what they thought or knew about it.
Ace was starting to enjoy it here and getting to know everyone better, the reason he had a feeling something was wrong as Thatch looked tired and irritated. "Thatch, are you okay?" The man sighed as he sat down. "Yeah. Just some runaways from my level. And I'm not sure if they should be brought back when they appear again, after being killed." Ace blinked. "What? You can be killed after dying?" Thatch blinked at him, sitting more up. "Oh, you don't know? We have, at rare times, people that manage to get out of the level they are in, but we have things to counter it, and that kills them. Their bodies just disintegrate or disappear in acid, before being sort of revived in one level down, which is much worse than where they were, and seeing as there's a reason they are in the level they were, it might be wrong for them to end up in a lower one, especially the first time. If they've done it more than once, they stay." Ace blinked. That sounded interesting. "How about the level itself? I mean, aren't people tortured to death?" Thatch shook his head. "No. We can turn it up to kill everyone, but it will take time and they manage to hide behind each other or something. So some always survive when we do it. If they get close to the gate, where we have a sort of guardians that can kill their spirit, so many just lie half-dead as the beasts go and eat them up, sending them to the lowest level of hell." This sounded really cool. Like in those games, like Dante's inferno or something! So cool.
"But," Started Ace, "If when they are killed that they get to the lower level, why not open a way between the levels? And towards the gate? I mean, humans are usually greedy, right? So they will try and get to a better place, maybe from like level 7 to 6? Or 6-5? but they wont stop and just continue and either die on the way again or again, and the few who manage to get further and closer to the gate will have the spirit killing thing and just lie and wait for the misery to end when the beasts eat them, and then they are brought back to the lowest place, meaning they need to make the entire trip again. Wouldn't that make it more, I don't know, fair? Since they choose where to stop? And that should make less work for you? Won't it? Oh! And those huge fish! I saw Namur feed them and they are huge! Have a river between levels and they need to swim over it and there's huge fish under you and eat you! Every human is afraid of dangerous waters! Like monsters in it and such! That would be a huge killer for so so many! Imagine just swimming and suddenly there this huge fish that goes RAWR!" Ace moved a bit back and threw his hands up as he roared, really enjoying imagining these things and just having fun. "And people are like screaming and it will make things even worse next time since they know monsters are in the water! Oh! Imagine some person managing to brainwash many and have them for a human bridge and the fish can just jump and do a flying thing and attack! And break the bridge! It will be a human- no FISH masacre!"
Ace let out a laugh, enjoying the imagining. He always had a big imagination, even with morbid things. A trait Mihawk had always liked about him. When he looked at Thatch, the man sat shocked, blinking as his mouth was a bit open. Maybe Ace shouldn't have spoken; it was probably a stupid idea. "I- I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Ace didn't get a chance to explain as the man stood up and moved his hands to Ace's shoulders. "That's an amazing idea! It would make things so much easier! And better! We need to tell Pops!" Ace tried to speak as Thatch moved a hand to drag him up. "I- no, I didn't mean it seriously. It was just nonsense." Ace really didn't want to change anything, as Whitebeard and Marco had worked so hard to make things be like they are. Thatch shook his head as he looked at him. "Even so, that was amazing! Listen, if Pops doesn't like it, he will say he doesn't like it. I promise nothing bad would happen, even if he doesn't like it. But believe me; he will love it." Ace really wasn't sure what to believe. "I- I don't know…" Thatch shook his head, keeping to hold his hand as the man started to walk towards the devil's room. "Don't worry. Pops is nice. Oh! We need to try and get Marco to join!" Ace didn't know if that was a good idea, but knew Thatch wasn't that easy to stop when he was excited like this, so he decided to just go with it and take it when Thatch calmed down.
When they passed Marco's office room, Thatch said Marco really needed to join. Ace also had a feeling Marco joined mostly since Ace looked lost and unsure, just to make sure things were fine. Marco had tried to ask what was happening, and Ace didn't get anything out before Thatch went "No! You need to wait! It's so amazing!" Ace had given an apology to Marco, sure this was just a stupid idea. Marco had given a comforting look and walked with him, Ace enjoying the calmness the man had. Marco would understand Ace didn't mean to bring this forward and change everything, it was just him telling a weird idea. They took a couple more of the high lords as they walked, just taking those they saw.
When they got to the devil's room, Whitebeard had a curious look as they barged in, Ace still being dragged by Thatch. "Pops! You need to hear this idea Ace had!" The man had blinked at them but looked interested. "What might that be?" Thatch pushed him forward, making Ace feel unsure as he was what everyone was looking at. "I- I didn't mean for it to be serious… I just imagined things…" Thatch moved and clapped him on the shoulder. "No no no! It was amazing!" Ace didn't know what to do, he didn't want to anger anyone. Before he or Thatch could say anything, Whitebeard spoke first. "Thatch, son, calm down. You're making Ace uncomfortable. Why don't we all just sit down and relax." Thatch blinked and looked at him, just now seeming to realise he was uncomfortable. "Oh, sorry, Ace. Yes, let's do that." Ace felt a relieved breath leave him as he could sit down in a couch next to Marco, who moved a hand to be on his leg with a comforting look.
"So," Started Whitebeard. "What is Thatch speaking about, Ace?" Ace gave a breath. "It- it really wasn't anything…" Thatch shook his head. "No no! It was really amazing! It would make everything so much easier! And so much less work!" Ace gave an unsure sound. "Um, I didn't mean it, it was just an idea for fun…" Ace could see Thatch on his way to speak, but Whitebead spoke first. "Thatch, relax. Don't be afraid to tell, Ace. Even if it was just an idea for fun. Many things here have been decided on that. And it's just an idea as you said; no one will think anything bad about it." The man gave a comforting look, and the fact Marco kept his hand on his leg helped. Maybe he could tell. It was as Thatch and Whitebeard said; it was just an idea. They didn't need to do it, and Ace didn't mean anything bad with it.
Ace started to tell what Thatch had said, how the levels worked now, before explaining the idea with opening the levels, before telling why. As he was speaking, everyone seemed to be interested in the idea, making him feel more confident, making him find it enjoyable again, trying to think more of how hell had been portrayed in series, or games, or comic and such. So as he explained about his idea, he also added having like a medusa thing, a thing that makes people into stone, but not completely, only like frozen and can't move, or have birds peck and claw at people, maybe even some really big ones, and they could feed the people to the baby birds, and fish things, and maybe even sharks, and to have Stefan run lose and just have fun. And pits of weak lava that just burn your skin off, it won't kill you, just burn the skin off so you're just muscle left that the birds will eat on.
When he was done, Whitebeard gave a nod. "That does sound interesting. What was the idea to be after level 1? Before the door? There isn't much of anything there." Ace blinked. "That's perfect! Just like, I don't know, make it like grey and ashy. And like a couple dead grey trees with birds in it that just is there to be nerve wracking. Oh! And like grey monster creatures that are like really big, and you can't see them before they're like next to you, even though they are like super big! And they can like be a will or soul sucking thing, so people are like met with an empty path that seem easy, and their will is like 'no! we can't manage this! it's pointless!' and just feel weak, and if the manage to continue the huge monsters like eat them! And they don't have sharp teeth, like really un-sharp teeth!" He heard Marco chuckle. "Blunt, yoi." Ace nodded. "Yes! Blunt teeth! Like a cow's, so they don't puncture, but crush! So when someone thinks it will be an easy escape, and manage to continue despite the will sucking thing and they're almost at the end, and they are so happy and everything and BOOM! Huge monster who just crushes you and you're back to the bottom of hell!" Ace felt a laugh leave him as he made some motions, really enjoying making things up.
Before anyone could speak or react to that, Izou had moved and hugged him, sending a look to Marco. "Do not let him get away, Marco." Izou then moved his hands to Ace's face and looked at him, making Ace unsure what was happening. "Look at him! He's so cute and innocent, yet so dark and has amazing ideas! How can someone so cute have such ideas?!" Ace felt a small nervous laugh leave him. "Well. Most are from earth. Like, there is this tale where a prince searches for a woman he loves and all he has is a shoe. And people are like cutting of toes, heels, or just their feet to fit in the shoe, and the prince don't notice so a raven tells him as the raven pecks their eyes out. And then the lying women are forced to dance with burning metal shoes until they die. Oh, and that's a children tale." Izou blinked at him. "Last time I was on Earth, if someone spoke about blood or killing, they were insane and everyone kept away from them. Everyone spoke like really nice and was courteous and did a lot to seem normal. What is Earth anymore?" Ace chuckled. "Yeah. Now, if you breathe loud, people throw chairs at you and tell you to shut up. If you walk slowly, you're the worst human alive, and people try and figure out how to kill you without going to jail. Earth is kinda fucked up." Izou looked shocked. "Huh. I knew things have gotten a bit bad, but that is just weird." Ace laughed. "Yeah. But still better than when you were killed for being able to read. I think it was worse before, it's just other things are looked down upon now and people are more open and lying." Izou nodded. "Yeah, I can see that."
Ace looked to Whitebeard when the man chuckled. "I like those ideas, Ace. Some we can't do as we don't have the means; like the will sucking monster; we don't have it. But I am sure some from this room will try and make it a thing. I must say, I wouldn't have expected such ideas from you, Ace." Ace shrugged. "...I like imagining things; it's fun. I don't mind people in pain, they most likely deserve it." Ace felt Izou moved to hug him. "He's so cute! And so nefarious! He's the perfect prince!" Ace didn't know how to respond to that, and was glad Marco spoke first. "I know how to pick the best ones, yoi. I did pick all of you." Izou moved to give a pout to Marco, still somewhat hugging him. "You're the mean one, and Ace is the nice one." Marco chuckled. "I'm fine with that, yoi. We did need some new blood here." Izou chuckled. "Yes, we did. And you desperately needed someone, Marco." Ace heard Marco chuckle. "Maybe, yoi. Would you mind letting him go? You're making him uncomfortable." Izou was quick to let him go with that, Ace giving a thankful look to Marco, moving to sit closer to him, the man moving a hand to his leg. "I also agree with Pops, yoi. We should try them out, to open the levels. It would be interesting." Everyone in the room agreed and Ace felt glad they liked the ideas.
"Oh!" Started Ace, clapping his hands. "We should place bets before we do! Like, which level is the first to move! The first to go beyond level 1! The first to be put back to the lowest place of hell!" Ace could see everyone blinking, before Izou leaned over him and pointed to Marco. "You lose him, we will make a new prince! Also, I bet on level 4 to move first; there's a reason it's called greed." Ace chuckled. "I'm not going anywhere; i like it here and with Marco. I think I will bet on level 7; I can imagine they will just fight and kill, only to be killed themselves." Ace saw the others thinking, before everyone placed their own bets, everyone sounding happy. As the high lords and devil were discussing which level would move first and why, he felt Marco move an arm over his shoulder, and brought him close, Marco having a smile. "You're just giving me more reasons to love you, yoi." Ace chuckled. "What can I say? I'm likable." Marco chuckled and gave him a kiss on the cheek, Marco knowing he wasn't used to the open affection around the others, or anyone. Ace had never really had a boyfriend. But he loved every second of it.
Ace leaned to rest in Marco's arms, looking at the others who were discussing bets and where to place things, like where the fish would be., or how the monsters would look like, and everything, Ace piping in now and then. Ace was really enjoying himself here.
And that's the one shot, hope you enjoyed
This was just a cute one shot to show how Ace feels comfortable and even he gives out things to help hell move smother, which sounded like a cute scene, and hope you did too
If you have any ideas, don't be afraid to tell them, I love hearing others ideas
And I love feedback too; it is what keeps me going
If you want to, come follow me on Twitter, where pictures and such will be posted, as well as updates, and if I'm late. My twitter is Azuruko You can leave comments, requests, ideas, or just say hi (Link also on my profile)
Or, you can join my Discord server, Azuruko's fiction, for the same reasons as my twitter. Instant invite: discord . gg / 6hzMhbR