Ace woke up a week later, to the fury of the doctors. It shouldn't be possible, and they didn't understand it, not that they weren't happy that he was fine. It was a miracle, but they will accept it if they eventually get to figure out why.

After a long examination, Bay had stated that all his bones had put themselves back together, as impossible as that is, and let him try to walk again. he tried once and decided it hurt too much, not that he told them anything.

Then he went back to sleep for a few more days.

The next time he woke up, the nurse was quick to trap him on the bed before he could try and shuffle away – he couldn't do much else at this point. He was given a bowl of very light food and ate it slowly as the head nurse interrogated him.

"okay, let's start off easy." The nurse said, she had introduced herself as Whitely bay and was doing a pretty good job at keeping calm and composed. "what's your name?" she asked, taking out a pen and paper, she needed to fill in the incident form so she can document it for later. She had the rest of the information such as condition and ailments but was lacking the basic stuff.

"…Portgas D. Ace." Ace said, looking out the window behind here, staring at the blue sky he could see from the bed. It was a habit he picked up since getting here, he could see the sky, the sky, there was no way he wouldn't stare at it. It was the sky, it meant life and freedom and hope. Hope was always good.

The sheets were warm and blue, like the light that rescued him. he still hadn't found where that was from. Maybe it was one of the people who saved him? If he wanted to know, he would have to ask… dammit.

He didn't was to ask them anything, proffering to figure it out all by himself. It was so much more entertaining that way.

Bay wrote that down, "Age?"

Ace glanced at the doctor, there was no way she would believe his real age, let alone a rounded estimate – it was normally smaller than it should be, but he wasn't complaining – and there was no way in hell he would tell them that.

"forgot." He answered instead. Not that it was a complete lie, keeping track was hard.

"okay. Next question; why were you in that cell?" she asked, looking at him from the corner of her eyes. He looked away.

"because I exist and because people are greedy." He answered honestly. Without the whole explanation – which he wasn't going to give them – his cryptic answer would make absolutely no sense whatsoever, which he was hoping for. He didn't want these people getting too curious about him, he had enough secrets to keep as it is, no need to make it difficult on himself. Not getting close or even interacting with these people would be his best cause of action.

The nurse looked up at him, "I'm going to need more information than that."

Ace hummed, "mmm, forgot." He answered. He didn't want to tell them, so he won't.

Bay sighed but accepted it, "Do you have any previous issues or problems we should know about?"

Yes. Was the answer in his mind. He had narcolepsy, and devil fruits. He didn't say that of course. "No."

Ace could feel his eyes getting droopy, the first signs of a narcoleptic fit, "can I go to sleep?" he asked before laying down, not waiting for the nurse's response.

"um, yeah sure." She said. She couldn't see a reason to keep him awake. Well, other than finishing her interrogation, but he seemed like he needed it. The doctor had noticed how his eyes became very droopy in the last few seconds.

He was out in seconds.

It was the next day when one of the male nurses, his name was Jerry, came in to check on Ace to find that the flame user had disappeared. The bed neatly made, and corners tucked in, pillow innocently sitting there.

"ah! Nurse Bay!" he yelled in the direction of the office.

"what?" a tired and sleepy head nurse said as she walked out of the office which also doubled as her room. she was stationed last night so the head nurse was really tired and just wanted to sleep the day away. The infirmary must always have at least have one person awake to respond to random and surprise visits from absolutely anyone, so they station two people each night in rotations, one takes the hours from nine and they switch at two in the morning. She had the second shift last night.

"the- the person in bed 7 disappeared!" he exclaimed running a distressed hand through his hair.

"bed 7? Isn't that Ace?" she asked, slowly waking up.

Jerry nodded, "he's just gone!" he said.

Bay walked to the identified bed, and sure enough, he was gone. "…fuck." She swore, running a hand down her face, "go tell commander Marco and Pops and get a group of people with good observation Haki to go find him. have Sophy check him over. I'm going back to sleep." She said before turning around and heading back to bed. Sophy was the second in command in the infirmary, she was more of a doctor then a nurse, but could do both, much like Bay. But bay was more of a nurse. She oversaw the infirmary because she was much better at organising paperwork. Sophy was... for lack of a better term, terrible at that.

"yes ma'am." Jerry replied before running off to go find Marco.

They had been looking for Ace for about an hour before someone found him. it was immediately reported to the closest commander and Izo told him to inform everyone else while he approached the runaway patient.

The cross-dressing commander quickly took the stairs up to the stern deck, as soon as he reached the top, his eyes locked onto the silent form of Ace. The runaway was sitting on the railing, staring out to sea with a soft smile on his face, if Izo squinted, he might have been seeing the brat cry, but he wouldn't do that, right? It was only a bunch of water, no need to get emotional.

The brat was wearing a pair of borrowed shorts and a yellow jacket, they fit him, sort of, but Izo decided he definitely needed to make the guy his own pair of clothes later. It will be a great way to pass the time. first, he would need his measurements, and then he would need his preference of clothes. no point making him pants if he wants to wear shorts. now though, he was wearing whatever could be provided, since he didn't come with any.

He came closer and the brat tilted his head to see him from the corner of his eyes, there was no emotions in his gaze except sadness and possibly relief. Ace turned his head away, curiosity sated. He wiped away his tears as he waited for the commander to approach. so he was crying, was what Izo thought. he wondered why.

Izo leaned against the railing next to the brat, keeping at least one eye trained onto him, in case he fell or something. he kept two feet between them, just in case he didn't want him in his personal bubble.

"So, what are you doing out here?" he asked after a moment's silence.

The brat didn't answer immediately. He just stared out into the ocean and it's cold and dark abyss. "I couldn't remember what the ocean looked like. I missed colors." He paused, glancing at the sixteenth commander, "that's not a problem, is it?" he asked.

Izo shook his head, "no, not really." He didn't voice his surprise about the brat's comment, who could forget what colors looked like? Well, except for the blind, but they have a good reason. "The doctors are panicking that you disappeared, they assumed the worst. Also, you're not supposed to leave the infirmary until they clear you." he said with no heat to the words, he was just explaining how it was.

"Ah, okay. That explains why everyone is running around like headless chickens." The brat smiled, he actually smiled, although, it was a very small smile with pretty much no emotion behind it. whatever troubled this brat, and whatever it had to do with the cage he was put in before they got there, they would have to find out before they could help him heal. Btu that can wait until he's more comfortable with them, he is just a stranger right now, though, knowing Pops, he probably wants to adopt him as well. But he will wait until he meets the brat himself, Pops isn't one for being reckless or dangerous, he will always weigh every possibility before making a decision. It's why he's captain.

"you can tell?" Izo asked, the brat didn't look it, but he was very perceptive. Either that, or the crew was a lot louder than he thought. He listened to surrounding sounds, if he was the brat, he wouldn't be able to tell if everyone was running around or not. The kid was strange. "Ah well, anyway, my name's Izo, the sixteenth commander, it's nice to meet you."

"Ace," Ace said, smiling politely at the commander before turning back to the ocean waves. He sighed, "I guess I should head back now." he frowned, moving to stand up on deck.

"If possible, yes. Don't worry though, you can come out here as much as you want when you've been released. With your apparent healing rate, it shouldn't take too long." Izo tried to comfort the brat, but whatever he said only made a deep sadness to bloom on the boy's face. Ace turned away before slowly walking away on sore and weak legs. Izo watched him go, struggling to figure out what he said wrong.

He walked away from the stern deck himself, deciding to go make a new set of clothes for Ace, his current ones really didn't fit too well. or at least some prototypes, he still needed his measurements to make proper clothes.

Ace passed no one on his way back to the infirmary, a frown on his face. Izo didn't really do anything wrong, but what the crossdresser said affected him, it always did. While he loved and appreciated life and was happy for others to have a chance at it, he had also despised it and hated it. not because of any childish or petty reasons either.

It was just… he had been alone his entire life because of it. life will end for everyone else. There's always a set amount of time people have, some are longer, some are shorter, some are cut off early and some do the unexpected. It doesn't matter what, but life will always end, cut short to protect the good moments only someone with limited time can truly appreciate. People live in the moment, enjoying what they have when they have it because they know it won't last forever.

He knows that all too well.

Over and over and over again. everyone he's ever know has been cut down time and time again by the inevitable.

And there was nothing he could do to stop it, alleviate it, halt it or delay it.

Nothing Ever worked.

That was why he didn't react well to what the commander said. He had just pointed out his one problem.

He sighed, climbing into the bed he had been given, rolling onto his side as he stared out the window on the far wall. The blue sky, dotted with very little and light clouds, flickered on the other side of the thick glass, allowing natural light into the room.

Slowly, his eyes closed, and he drifted off. He heals fast, so he should be better in a few days at most if he slept. When things did happen to him, he didn't really mind that the effects won't last, or that he heals fast enough for him to forget. Forgetting's easier, he doesn't have to remember the pain.

Sophy walked into the infirmary from her adjacent office, like Bay, she had a private office she could work from if her patients needed it, as well as a place to put certain files, documents and other important stuff. They kept some things separate from the usual documents and filing cabinets out of necessity, the more important or life changing issues are kept close at hand while the less important files were kept in a large room filed with filing cabinets.

Medications were different though, people on medication either carried it with them or came to the infirmary regularly. Medication was usually kept in a cold room at the back of the infirmary with at least five bottles spare depending on how many people needed it and how much they needed. Files on who needs what are kept close to the medication.

Sophy looked down at the file she was holding, it was on their newest guest, a Portgas D. Ace. The name felt familiar in a far-off distant way, like she had heard it mentioned once when she was younger, but it was unimportant, and she forgot about it. but at the same time, it felt like she didn't know the name, and this was the first time hearing about it. it confused her, so she settled with the fact that she probably heard a similar name and her memories are messing them together.

The head doctor – not head nurse, it's different – looked up at the very few people in the infirmary. On the corner bed was a guy from the fourteenth division with a large cut on his forearm, he got it from an accident while making repairs on the ship, he will be let out in an hour or two, they wanted to make sure it didn't get infected or he reacted badly to the pain killers, he was one of the people on the ship who had medications. Pain killers sometimes reacted badly to medications. He was reading a book.

The next person she saw was the member of the third division, he was sitting closer to the door, drawing a picture. He's in here because he fell overboard and swallowed water, he drowned, and it was the quick action of Namur that got him breathing again. he will be in here until they can get rid of the rest of the water in his lungs. Even after CPR, people can drown from the small amounts of water left behind when they sleep.

The last person was… she couldn't see, they were laying down with the blankets drawn up, with their back towards here. She looked at the bed number, all the beds were labeled, it was bed seven. Wasn't that the one for Ace? Didn't he run away before? Normally their patients didn't come back willingly, especially not people they didn't know. The last guest they had here jumped overboard at least three times to get away from them, it didn't work, they grew a liking to him. he became a part of their crew soon enough.

Sophy walked over to bed 7, checking that it was in fact Ace in it. finding this to be true, she took a seat next to it, flicking thought the pages of the folder she was carrying, she still had to check him over to see if his escape attempt did anything detrimental to his health.

Finding the sheet of physical problems – it was a very big sheet, or more correctly, a lot of sheets – Sophy shook the man's shoulder. "Excuse me but I need to examine you after your runaway attempt." She smiled kindly, trying to hide her guilt, she didn't really want to wake him up, he looked so peaceful sleeping there, it was much better than the haunted or blank look he usual had when he was awake. He had seen a lot of things in his life, not all of them positive, that much was obvious.

Ace woke up slowly, he sat up and looked at the doctor with dead eyes. "yeah?" he yawned.

Sophy put on her best smile, the brat knew it was fake, "I need to examine you for any damage you did after your escape attempt."

He shook his head, "wasn't escaping."

She nodded along, agreeing with him. he was telling the truth; it wasn't much of an escape attempt if he willingly came back. "whatever you say, now, can you take off your shirt and turn around please?" she said. He complied, turning away from her so she had access to his back. he kept his breathing steady as Sophy placed a stethoscope over his lungs, hearing his breathing. His still had some water in his lungs, some that they couldn't get out unless they operate, or it comes out naturally. Making sure it hadn't increased – signifying that it was blood if it increased, not water – but was slowly decreasing in the left lung, she moved over to the right.

The next ten minutes, she ran a basic check over everything; internal organs, breathing, blood pressure, bone structures and everything else she could think of. It didn't take too long and when she was done she let him fall back asleep.

She walked away, comparing the new data to the old data, frowning as she went. She would go talk to Bay when she woke up in a few hours. He was healing too fast. What would normally take weeks or months to heal was done in two days. It was strange and odd, but not completely unwanted. Whatever it was, it was probably what saved him. they had that to be thankful for, because without it, there was no way they could've saved him, none of them had that sort of experience. None of them can bring the dead back to life after they had died in many different ways.

Thatch Namur and Marco walked into the infirmary, hoping their guest was awake. All the other time's they've come in to thank the brat he was either asleep or disappeared on his latest escape. The doctors would never let them wake him up and as soon as he was found he was sent right back here, and visitors were not allowed then. Once they were allowed again, he was asleep.

They were hoping to catch him while he ate the broth he was permitted to eat, his insides still a huge mess. Normally Thatch would have one of his apprentices make it as it was rather easy and good practice for them while he made the main meals for the rest of the crew, but today was different. Today, he made it himself and declared that he was taking it to Ace himself, dragging Namur and Marco with him to hopefully get him in a moment of wakefulness.

They approached bed seven, seeing that he was there, or at least pillows under the blanket… although, he usually changed the sheets and made the bed when he escaped, it annoyed the nurses more as that takes time. Emphasizing that he had plenty of time on his hands when he runs. Also showing how inattentive they were.

He was really good at annoying them, even in ways that helped.

A nurse intersected them, "and where are you three going?" her name was Jenny, she was still an apprentice Nurse, but a good one. She showed talent.

Thatch showed her the bowl of broth, Ace not being allowed any solids yet, "we decided to bring Ace his food. We wanted to thank him. is that okay?"

Jenny blinked, "oh, I thought you wanted to play a prank or something… although, now that I think about it, that wouldn't happen since Marco's with you… hmm, of well." She spun on her heel, leading them to bed seven, "he's sleeping right now, but I can wake him up for you. he needs to eat."

They stood in front of the bed as Jenny moved to shake Ace's shoulder lightly, arousing him from sleep. He blinked at them confused, before slowly moving to sit up. "yeah?" he asked.

"dinner is here, and these three wanted to talk to you." Jenny took her leave and left the four in piece.

Marco grabbed the foldable bed table and put it on his lap, Thatch placed to bowl of weak broth on it. the broth was made of basic stuff, nothing to strong or overpowering, it was just healthy, flavored water.

Ace yawned tiredly before grabbing the spoon to stir the broth around. There was no need to do it, he just didn't really want to eat. Sure, it tasted nice, but after a really long time of not eating, suddenly putting that much liquid in his stomach with no solid feels weird. Like he just swallowed a whole lot of tasty sea water.

Slowly, he brought the spoon to his lips, drinking it up. It really did taste nice, even better them previous ones… must be a different chef then, differences like this normally mean that. He looked at the three other people in the room while he ate, they sat there quietly watching him. he raised an eyebrow at that, what were they doing here? Normally only one person drops off his food and quickly leaves afterwards.

He thought he recognized them from somewhere, but that wasn't possible, he's been in that cage for too long, otherwise they would know who he is. It must be from something after he got saved… but he didn't really remember seeing them in the infirmary. Well, minus the blonde, he was in the infirmary too for a few days because…. Because of…. Something.

Hmmm, wait a minute. Wasn't he in here because he was a devil fruit user who walked into the room that housed his cage? The one with so much seastone people die? The one he has been kept in for the last he-didn't-know-how-many-years?

Coming to that conclusion, Ace speculated that the other two were either closer friends or the other two people who rescued him from that place.

"what do you want?" he asked, drinking more of the broth. He wasn't rude or impolite, just curious.

The three fidgeted, not really knowing where to start.

In the end, the blue one did. Ace recognized him as a fishman, the humanoid creature that lives at the bottom of the ocean, well adapted for both cold and hot sea climates and can breathe both air and water. He wondered what he was doing here, last he checked, the fishmen were mostly unknown to the world at large, most living at the bottom of the oceans in small groups. And whoever was known to the surface were ostracized because they were different. They only thing they had going for them back then was humans hadn't figured out how to sail underwater very well, or figured out where they lived.

Hell, the humans kept trying to swim down to the bottom of the ocean, thinking that if fishmen could do it they could too.

Those people all drowned.

"we wanted to thank you." the fishman said.

Ace blinked, what did he do to deserve thanks? He can't remember anything of note. Sure, he might have done something important for them last he was free, but judging by the pirate's reactions so far, that was unlikely. For starters, they would know who he was. everyone does, it's not like he made it a big secret or anything.

In fact, he sort of made a game out of it.

Although, looking back, that could have been one of the things that lead to his imprisonment.

…

Damn Marines.

Seeing his confusion, the blond one with a weird hair style (it looked like a pineapple) spoke up, "you saved my life back in that… place. As well as my brothers, from what I've heard. For that, we are grateful." The man bowed his head slightly in a show of manners.

Ace blinked, "did I?" he asked, more to himself then to the three. He looked away, gazing at the far wall as he thought about that day. He remembers a light, it was blue. Like the sky. Like freedom. That reminds him, he needed to ask about that later. He wonders what it was…

Anyway, getting back on track, there was a blue light, then… someone fell over and the other two panicked. He said something. right? Ace did say something then, right? Or was that his imagination? Oh well, not that it matters much now. then one of the voices took the collapsed person out. Maybe. He wasn't too sure what happened then. it was dark, and everything back then was a blur. and he could barely be called conscious, probably highly delusional but who cared? not him.

It could have been his mind playing tricks on him for all he knew.

Again.

What happened after that? He made an impossible light and then someone, he can't remember their name, must have been one of these guys in front of him, talked to him. said some things. then… oh right! The man freed him. after that, he was carried out of the cell and out the door.

That was when the rush of power flooded him. it felt like a million little needles plucking him at the same time. Absolutely terrible and painful all at once. When that subsided, he threw all the excess power he had away, making lots of little orbs of light. he tried to make sure they didn't explode, but that was hard. It had been a while since he felt this much power from this fruit.

It was the one most effected by seastone.

He couldn't remember much after that. The person carrying him walked fast, and then they started freaking out about something. honestly, he didn't know what about since his mind was still very drawn to the orbs. He liked them. they glowed bright in the darkness. He watched them jump lightly from side to side and sway in a nonexistent breeze. It was nice.

Although, he did notice when the person holding him stopped, or how long he had been standing still before he noticed, but he started paying more attention to what they were doing then. arguing about not knowing which way to go and being lost. Having no clue which entrance or exit they were supposed to go down.

Ace had thought about that for a moment, wasn't there a trick to finding your way out of a dark cave system? Something to do with light…

What was it?

Ace looked up at his orbs, trying to think of the trick to find your way outside. His orbs jumped and bobbed, leading his way to nowhere.

Leading his way…

Lights… lead the way…

Not the orbs, that's the wrong light. they won't lead to the outside. He needed a different light.

Something brighter…

Ace raised his hand, sad to do this. He didn't want to go back into the darkness, not ever again. he hated it. absolutely and completely. The darkness was suffocating, robbing him of oxygen and leaving him to die in a desolate, abandoned lonely place. He hated the darkness and everything it represents.

Then he did the unthinkable.

He extinguished all the orbs.

His lips trembled, saddened by the lack of light. the people around him were freaking out, questioning him why he did that. And for a second, he couldn't remember himself. He was so tempted to bring back his orbs, bring back the light. but then he remembered why he got rid of them in the first place.

He had told the person carrying him to look for the light.

To look for the sun.

Ace couldn't remember what the sun looked like, though he knew it was bright and brought light to the entire world. It was everywhere, they just needed to look for it. or at least, that's what his mind told him.

For a while, all he remembered was talking, then movement, a shout and some running.

Then the sky was alight. Gorgeous colors spread between gaps in the clouds. Colors he couldn't remember the names of, reds, oranges, yellows, purples, blues! So many different colors he would spend hours naming. Colors that burned the sky in a fight for dominance, each color battling the next for its spot in the clouds.

It was a sight he would remember until the end of time.

And it would truly be, until the end of time.

Ace remembered the people with him saying something before running down the mountain side, he didn't really care. He could barely move and was relearning what light was. there was no way he could possibly care about whatever these two were running from. Probably something trivial.

Something unimportant.

…

Well, until he heard the roar of water.

He knew that sound.

He knew it very well.

He knew what happens next even better.

Ace didn't need to turn his head to know what was behind them. he didn't need to see the giant torrents of water flushing up from three holes throughout the island that flood and sunk the island to know it was there. He didn't need to hear the water to know that his savious would drown.

He was being carried by strangers for no reason, why who they risk their lives to save his?

His life wasn't worth it. especially when his life isn't at risk.

They would save themselves, throw him aside. Everyone did when they figure out what he is.

No one ever cared.

Not a single one.

…

Except Luffy, but he doesn't count. He isn't held to normal human standards. he was Luffy.

Imagine his surprise when the pirates didn't throw him away like used trash… well, they did, into a boat out of there. Seriously, who does that for someone you found in a fucking cell? People ask question, not free him. especially not without knowing what he is.

Normal people would have left him to rot. To die slowly in that cell, that prison, emotionally and mentally. That was their best solution to the problem. can't kill him normally? let's make his life a living hell then. no biggie.

Marines were fucked up.

Ace remembered the boat moving, the roaring behind them, getting closer. He could tell that the boat wasn't going to make it, the waves were too high, the roar too loud, too close. To dangerous.

He reached out with his Haki, feeling the many people around him. he didn't bother counting them, numbers never mattered. what mattered, were other lives.

Lives were important. They should be held above everything else. Lives were a one off chance only thing. Once it is lost, it can never be found again. lives were little lights in the darkness. Like stars, the glowed in the dark, brightening spaces around them and bringing more life to this dark world.

But if they are snuffed out, there are gone forever.

Once lost, a star cannot be found again.

Other things people collect, money, wealth, social statues, riches, land, doesn't matter if it cost even a single life. A single life could mean war. A single life could spark revolutions. A single life is all that is needed to take freedom back.

A single life could mean the world to another.

Lives mattered. but not his.

His life never matters. Never. Not to anyone, and he would like to keep it that way.

He would happily give his life away for another. He would make that decision a million times over and would never regret a single one.

All he needed to know that there was another life in this boat worth protecting.

Ace remembered lifting his hand and setting it alight with practiced ease. Even if he hasn't used it ages, he was still a master at his craft. Orbs left him, lighting up the darkening world. Glowing like stardust in the sky. He commanded them with precision and skill only gained after decades of practice.

Even with being in that cage, it didn't damper it. Not by much.

When he felt it to be just right, he closed his fist.

And set the world on fire.

Every orb of light he made blew forth in unconstrained, wild flames, licking at the water and boiling it all instantly, melting into the sand, turning sand to glass and glass to incinerated bits of hot air. The water backed up, unable to get close to the fire without steaming into the air.

He didn't remember anything after that.

"huh, so I did." Ace continued as if he didn't just spend the last ten seconds remembering that fateful day.

The three in the room probably didn't even notice.

The red haired one nodded, "yeah, so again, we wanted to thank you. you saved all of our lives and yeah… thanks."

The other two nodded in agreement, sincere expressions dawning their faces. Ace nodded in acceptance, making the three look up from the bow.

"I don't need thanks; I didn't really do much to deserve it. if you really want to thank me, you could get me another bowl of broth, it's delicious!" Ace held up the bowl, changing the subject.

The red head smiled, "as the head chef on this lug of wood, I take that as a compliment." He smiled, "sadly, the doctors won't let you have anything more than a specific set of food, covered and riddled with restrictions. I'm not allowed to give you anymore then what they say, and if I did…" he shivered in horror.

Ace sighed, he expected as much. Doctors just don't understand him, "yeah, I guess so. Such a downer too, I like this broth. Though, it could be richer…"

"not allowed to do that either." The red head pointed out.

Ace pouted.

The fishman spoke, "I think we should introduce ourselves before anything else. I'm Namur, eighth division commander of the Whitebeard pirates." He said proudly, back straight with a soft smile on his face. it was obvious to Ace that the fishman liked it here. it was a good sign, a crew which accepted anyone was a good crew. they understood and tolerated more then others. they probably don't jump to conclusions.

The blond nodded, continuing the introductions, "I'm Marco, first division commander of the Whitebeard pirates. Nice to meet you, yoi."

Ace blinked, yoi? What does that mean?

The red head grinned, "don't know how much you remember from that day, so I'm going to introduce myself again, hi, I'm Thatch and I'm the fourth division commander of the Whitebeard pirates."

Ace nodded, "nice to meet you, Namur, Marco and Thatch. I'm Portgas D. Ace. I have a bunch of fancy titles I could say, but I can't be bothered to. So it's just Ace for me." he answered, placing his empty bowl of broth on the bedside table. He wasn't going to tell them any of his fancy titles or whatever, mostly because no one believe some of them – seriously, who would believe him if he called himself the dragon-thief? It was a title he was given after robbing the Celestial Dragons Blind a few times too many – and the rest were just plain ridiculous, born from his own boredom and stupidity. And possible stupid, but he wasn't going to start pointing fingers (mostly because he would be pointing to himself more often than not… but that's beside the point)

The three others in the room nodded in understanding.

"so, how have you been? Roughing it out in the infirmary? Battling the nurses in epic fights to the death? Recovering from those finite days?" Thatch asked, getting more and more dramatic as he went.

Ace raised an eyebrow, "not really. The infirmary isn't too bad, or at least, I've seen worse… and the nurses wouldn't fight me even if I wanted to. I'm just escaping at times it's inconvenient for them. and of course, I'm recovering, I always recover." He said in a way that broached no argument. "anyway, this may seem as a redundant question, but…um, what are the whitebeard pirates?" he asked confused.

Marco smiled and gestured to the room around them, obviously meaning something greater, "we are the whitebeard pirate, captained by the strongest man in the world, one of the four yonko crews and former rival crew of the pirate king, Gol D Roger." He smiled.

Ace blinked, "pirate king? I didn't know pirates had a king."

Thatch smile, "the pirate king is the title given to the man who sailed across the entire world, even sailing to the last island in the New World-"

"new world?" Ace blurted.

"the second half of the new world, yoi." Marco said as Thatch continued his explanation as if nothing happened.

"Raftel!" thatch ended dramatically. Instead of getting the awed or inspired look they expected from the man, they got a snort. A humorous, disbelieving snort.

"really? Raftel?" Ace laughed, "oh god, this is so funny, pft… Ahahahaha!" he laughed, when he regained a small semblance of calmness, he burst out into another fit of giggles. The three commanders were dumbfounded, not understanding what was so funny. They just said Raftel, was that funny to him? why?

A nurse came by to make sure Ace didn't hurt himself with his laughter, his ribs and internal organs weren't the greatest, even trying to give him some gas to calm him down. The doctors were very afraid for their patient, afraid that he would injure himself more then he already is, as impossible as that sounded. How do you hurt someone who is already hurt in every way possible? Ace slowly calmed down to get the doctors off him.

When he stopped laughing, a cheeky grin still adorned on his face, he looked at the three commanders who came to pay him a visit, "so… Raftel is the be all, end all, island now. like winning the lottery or something."

"what's a lottery?" Namur asked, confused, he had never heard that before. Maybe it was something common from where Ace came from.

Ace waved him off, "it's not important, just something from a while back."

Namur nodded in understand, or at least how much he could understand. As far as they knew, Ace looked around twenty, that was much younger then any of the commanders, so how did he know about a thing call the lottery from a while back when they didn't confused him. not that he payed it much mind, more like a random stray thought.

"so, what's so funny about Raftel?" Thatch asked when Ace didn't immediately tell them.

Ace smiled, "well, Raftel's my home island. Its at the end of the grand line so I don't loose it."

"how… do you lose an island, yoi?" Marco asked dumb folded, the expressions on the other two mirrored him.

"surprisingly easily." Ace answered quickly.

The three nodded slowly. Then what Ace said clicked properly in their head.

"wait a minute! You're from Raftel!" Thatch yelled, throwing his arms into the arm is surprise and jumping back in shock. A truly comical expression dawned on his face. it was copied on Marco's and Namur's faces as well, though, Marco's was a tad less surprised. He was much better at controlling his expressions.

Ace smirked and nodded, "yep, all the forests, beaches, mountains and oceans. All of it is my home. One day, I plan to go back there, but I don't think I could bring myself to go back now." a haunted looked crossed his face, but it quickly vanished. They wouldn't have believed they had seen it except for the slightly tighter grip he had on the bed sheet. He was tense, as if remembering something unpleasant.

Marco nodded, "we don't even know the way there anyway, yoi. You have to be about to read the poneglyphs to do that."

Ace comically turned his head to the side, "you can't?"

They blinked, "you can."

Ace turned away, "huh, it was that language for the soul reason of being easy to read… I wonder why people forgot." He said softly, but still loud enough for the other to hear.

Marco bit his lip, "the scholars of Ohara were the last people to be known to read the writing, and they were killed for that knowledge, yoi." He didn't really want to tell the kid that, it might be too much for him right know. Knowing that people he might have known were dead, no one to go back to, it wasn't a good feeling. They wanted to give Ace a home. Not a lifeless existence. Knowing the terror of the government isn't going to help.

Surprisingly Ace only frowned and nodded in acceptance, "it was bound to happen at some point." He said sadly, as if accepting the fact that mass genocide happened like it was a daily occurrence.

The three commanders didn't know how they felt about that.

"what was bound to happen?" thatch asked instead.

Ace looked at him as if he was a clueless dumb idiot. "the World government being assholes. It's like, in their blood or something to destroy everything in the world that others enjoy. They live to pick on others, like a big fat bully that can't be punched away. They have no compassion, or empathy… emotionless pricks. it also doesn't help that they're controlled by those Celestial Dragon pricks..." He insulted under his breath.

Ace made plans to punch those self-righteous bastards in the face next he saw them…. and maybe dye all their hair bright neon orange again. just for the laughs. A smile touched his face at the thought, he had plans to get back at them, that was for sure.

Now, should he use the duck feathers, or the peacock feathers?

Eh, he'll end up using both anyway.

The three commanders inched away from him slowly at he started to laugh softly, evil and malicious. They did not what to be his target… for whatever he's planning.

The four continued talking, sometimes about the weather and other times about things that Ace didn't understand or comprehend because of his time locked away in that hell hole. Thing like politics, news coos, Den-Den mushies or the latest pop-song. All the new or recent things.

It was completely understandable that he didn't get half of it, thought once it was explained, Ace didn't need to be told twice. He was smart and quickly picked up the guise of it, making strange links or references to thing they didn't know about… though, if he was born and raised of Raftel, a hidden island of secrets, they weren't that surprised by his weirdness.

Not completely anyway.

Eventually, Ace yawned, loud and tired. That had them all looking at the clock, only just realizing that they had eaten away most of the night, it is dawning on the early hours of the morning. A nurse came by and told them to leave so Ace could get some rest, and to come late with breakfast.

Ace watched them leave, expertly ignoring the way the nurse poked and prodded him with various instruments in an attempt to understand his healing rates. It wouldn't work, he will just heal faster and faster as the longer effects from that room slowly wear off. Until he was healing faster than a Phoenix, pretty much unstoppable in the face of death.

Literally.

As the commanders left, Ace's smile slowly dropped from his face, replaced with a tight frown. He didn't notice exactly when the nurse left, telling him to rest, or when the lights shut off. His eyes were still drawn to the door outside.

The three men were nice, friendly even. They tried to get to know him, talk about stuff and help in any way they could. Part of him was happy that someone cared, even if they didn't know his secret, proud that he could still make friends, and possibly even surprised that there were people this nice still left in the world. It must have gotten much better then when he was placed in isolation away from everyone and everything.

But another part was afraid. Deafly so.

Not because he was afraid of their strength or power, no, he could beat them all in seconds if he wanted to. Even in this condition. He was afraid of getting to know them, learning and befriending them. he was afraid of never wanting to leave, to find somewhere that wanted him. he was afraid of getting attached.

A long time ago he learnt that getting attached hurt. Everything was ripped away from him quickly, so fast it dulled his scenes, cut him off from reality. And when he tried to stop the pain? Well, that never work.

Not ever.

He didn't want to feel that again. he didn't want to go through that one more time. Not now and not ever. It wasn't worth the pain, that's what he told himself every time…

But he never listened.

There was something about people that he was drawn to. Like he needed to connect with them, talk to them, just chat. Anything to stave away the boredom and torture his mind can put him through when he was alone.

He didn't like being with people, it gave him so much pain. It hurt so much.

But being alone hurt more. to be isolated and away from anyone else just hurt. And half the time, he couldn't even do anything about it. all he could do was wait.

He was stuck. Stuck completely. Damned if he did, damned if he dont. either one hurt, all he had to do which one hurt less.

Which one he would suffer the consequences for later.

Which one he was willing to hurt for.

And right now, he didn't really know which one he wanted.

Tada! Chapter 3 completed! Please tell me if this story's good so far, if you have any ideas, please tell me. Feedback is appreciated.

Thanks for reading!

Bye!