Portgas D. Ace (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
burnt_offering) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
prismatica2019-10-05 08:50 pm
burnt_offering) wrote in prismatica2019-10-05 08:50 pm
[Video]
[Ace and Luffy are sitting together, and Ace has a serious expression on his face. This is kind of important in his opinion, they've got to figure out who their potential allies and enemies are here. Not that being a pirate is a promise of alliances, or Marines a promise of a threat, but it's still good to have a base to go off of. And to Ace and Luffy, piracy is freedom. And the Marines stand for things far worse.]
So this is a roll call. If you're a pirate, let us know. If you're a Marine? Let us know faster.
[Luffy laughs, waving at the camera. He sticks his little finger into his nose, and thinks for a second.]
I haven't seen marines here, or other pirates. Do people here know what a pirate is? [He laughs again.] We're pirates! And brothers!
[Ace's expression softens considerably, and he smiles. He's weak against Luffy's antics, even more so now that they've been separated and reunited.] Yeah, that's right. And we wanna know who else lived a life of piracy back in their home world. Especially if you're from our home world.
So this is a roll call. If you're a pirate, let us know. If you're a Marine? Let us know faster.
[Luffy laughs, waving at the camera. He sticks his little finger into his nose, and thinks for a second.]
I haven't seen marines here, or other pirates. Do people here know what a pirate is? [He laughs again.] We're pirates! And brothers!
[Ace's expression softens considerably, and he smiles. He's weak against Luffy's antics, even more so now that they've been separated and reunited.] Yeah, that's right. And we wanna know who else lived a life of piracy back in their home world. Especially if you're from our home world.
[video]
[The love Ace has for his father is obvious. And while he doesn't particularly believe that Bastien's old beauty was the fastest ship that ever sailed, he's heard this line word for word nearly from a few other pirates who loved their ships, he's still happy to hear the stories. Ace is so pleased at the idea that the Devilfish was that adored. A ship is the pride of a pirate, the vessel that allows them freedom. And it sounds like Bastien knew how to really appreciate his.]
Goldbeard, huh? Guess beard is a popular name for fatherly types in piracy.
[video]
The Spade Pirates, eh? [He nods his head approvingly.] That has a nice ring to it, mate!
[Bastien certainly can agree to that second bit regarding pirates and their "beards", but he knows he'll never become as legendary as his father. Goldbeard was the "gold standard" after all. His father was a great among greats, a well-respected pirate up until his retirement. Although, even as a privateer, Bastien's father made a good name for himself. It's just a damn shame that everything---
His smile falters a bit. Talking about his pirate father is much easier than talking about how he died.]
It certainly seems like it, but these blokes don't know how to keep themselves alive.
[There's a hint of bitterness in his tone. Just a little.]
[video]
[And then the mood falters, and Ace swallows hard. Trying to get himself together before answering. It's still a burning, traumatic sting. If he looks down for too long, he can still see the hand through him, still see how his body had been mangled. He can't forget how it felt when he was dying. And if he tries to sleep without alcohol, his father's wounds and words keep playing over and over again, he can see all of his failures repeating through his mind and he can't escape them even now.
He had once felt that Whitebeard was all but immortal. But no man, no matter how good, lasts forever.] No. They don't. [Ace is still burning between denial and brutal acceptance over that last battle. And he doesn't want to dwell on it now.] Tell me more about the Devilfish? [An easier topic, by far.]
[video]
[Well that's certainly a word Bastien has never heard before but instead of questioning further, Bastien decides to leave it be. There are many similarities between himself and Ace, but just as many differences. Unfortunately, the two of them know of heartache well enough.
Losing a loved one is tough. Nothing prepares you for it, absolutely nothing. Attempting to navigate this wave of emotions is more daunting than trying to sail through a typhoon. Bastien doesn't know what to expect if he ever returns home, but he knows things won't ever be the same.
At the request, he smiles somewhat. It's a gloomy smile, one devoid of much joy but a smile nonetheless.]
The ship or her crew, mate? My little band of jolly pirates were good folks. Most of them were sons and daughters hailin' from the port. Despite all wealth Port Nostrand brags, poverty is commonplace.
I put those blokes to work and we got to sailin' for the sake of snatchin' the wealth from Antarian hands.
[video]
[Ace is happy to move on to more about the Devilfish though.] The ship is nothing without the crew, right? It doesn't matter how great your ship is, if you don't have good people to help you sail her! [He listens, excitedly. These are his kinda stories.] So what did you do with all of that wealth?