PC: ACE 💀

[resumed]

Comments

[resumed]

We don't deal with them, so I wouldn't really know. [ shrug!

but...he smiles a tiny bit while they're passing a few pinball machines. ]

Yeah. It's home no matter how I look at it, even if I didn't think so for a really long time. But the people I care about are there. I don't plan on permanently leaving again.

[selfimmolation]

[ oh. grins back and also looking at pinball like ??????? he isn't trying to play anything because he's just following nico help ]

Yeah? It doesn't always happen but... Everyone should have a place like that.

[resumed]

[ i'm glad they're gonna go in circles because they're both the same stupid idiot. ]

Yeah. I've been there since I was ten, but I didn't start permanently living there until last summer. I could have, and I always had a place to stay, but I didn't want to. I guess it never felt right until recently. And now...it's another thing I'm not really willing to lose because we have to be in some competition we didn't sign up for.

[selfimmolation]

[ he hums a little as they go in CIRCLES ]

I think I get it. It took me over three months before I accepted to join my crew. I might not care that much about a lot of the rest of my world, but I've got a crew and a little brother to protect.

[ sighs ]

If any of that stuff is even true anyway.

[resumed]

[ there's a nod. ]

We have our camp. And there are other places, too. My sister's a part of a different camp on the other side of the country. We need to keep them safe. And after everything it'd be kind of pathetic for our world to be destroyed just because we lost a contest.

I don't think a person has to care about protecting the whole world. As long as there's one person, or a few people, that's probably enough. [ ...which is to say. ] A few people are playing it safe and taking it as truth. Just in case. Better that way than regretting it later.

[selfimmolation]

Yeah. The threat's vague enough it's hard to believe, but...

[ well, there's nothing he wouldn't do for luffy, including. whatever the fuck this is. ]

None of 'em would ever let me live it down if I told them I played hero, though. [ wry. ]

[resumed]

[ pff. ]

Because pirates aren't the hero type?

[selfimmolation]

Yep. Way too selfish as a rule! [ he says it with a laugh. ] I'm usually on the side of having the wanted poster.

[resumed]

[ and now he's even more curious. ]

Wanted for what? Fights? Stealing treasures?

[selfimmolation]

Both. Plus I'm a high ranking member of the strongest pirate crew in the world, so that's another thing!

[ also for like, being born, but no one needs to know that ]

[resumed]

[ oh mood. ]

What makes you guys the strongest crew anyway? Like...just because you can beat up more people than any other crew?

[selfimmolation]

Yeah, pretty much. The four strongest pirates on the sea currently are called the Four Emperors. My captain-- Whitebeard-- is one of them, and he's especially known as the strongest man in the world. Our crew's got over sixteen hundred people in it, and that's not even counting all the alliances we've got.

[resumed]

Four. Emperors. [ huh. okay, sure. he is pausing to lean against one of those punching games. like this thing. ]

You did mention how big your crew is, and they do say there's strength in numbers. Even if it's very literally. [ but he tilts his head. ] What do you use to fight with?

[selfimmolation]

Fire. And fists. [ ace looks curious at the punching thing and kind of pokes it ] That was actually my moniker back home. "Fire Fist".

[resumed]

[ it wobbles. nico's also watching it curiously. ]

Not that Flame Ghost isn't kind of cool, but somehow Fire Fist seems more you. Is it really as straightforward as it sounds? Like...they really light on fire.

[selfimmolation]

Flame Ghost is... fine. [ he doesn't sound like a fan somehow. ] And yeah, my entire body can light up on fire, but it's based off the first attack I came up with. I can punch out giant fireballs from a distance.

[resumed]

[ hm... he does not question that. but he does seem more interested in the idea everything is on fire. ]

I know someone like you. He's annoying. [ THANKS. he doesn't really mean that. ] But he can control fire, too. The first of any of us for...centuries, I think? I don't know all of the details.

Ranged attacks sound a lot easier to work with in a big fight at least.

[selfimmolation]

Should I be worried you find him annoying? [ he's joking. ]

And yeah, they are. I've got a lot of long range attacks, since that's the safest way to keep my fire away from stuff I'd rather it didn't burn. [ avoiding friendly fire ]

[resumed]

If you were similar to him, I probably wouldn't be here still. [ again, still not serious! but leo!!! ]

A more target approach does sound better for something like an open flame. [ a pause. ] I'm not that great with hand to hand or anything, but I could maybe manage if I had to. I've been using a sword for years.

[ and armies of the dead. ]

[selfimmolation]

[ laughing at that first part ]

A sword, huh? I'm handy with a knife, but I was never interested in swords. Are you gonna try and buy one then?

[resumed]

Knives are for fast and efficient fighters. I know a few people who use them, too, but I started learning with swords, first. [ he thinks about this though. ] I'm saving my tokens for now in case something comes up, or if we get more somehow, but it's a thought. I should probably practice combat without a weapon though just in case. Especially if we're supposed to be doing the hero thing.

[selfimmolation]

I can help you out with that if you want. I've been brawling since I was a kid.

[resumed]

Unsurprising. this makes sense to him, but he does give him a curious little look. ] You sure about that?

[selfimmolation]

Why wouldn't I be? [ :3? ] I offered.

[resumed]

[ he does not say that people offer things frequently and then don't do them. ]

Then...whenever you have time. I wouldn't say no.