[Video] With ash in your mouth, you'll ask it to burn again

[burnt_offering]

[The SmartSnail comes on suddenly, and two jeering youths can be seen making obscene gestures and laughing at the phone they've found. They seem to be pleased with themselves, and their unpleasant adventure starts with flipping up their middle fingers and slapping their butts at the camera.

Ah, the joys of youth.] Finders keepers, bitches. Whoever dropped this? Your loss! We got new tech now! [They give up on selfie time, and decide to use the camera function to keep a record of their destruction. They drag knives into every surface, kick over anything in their path, and brag about their piracy prowess in slurred drunk voices as the continue.] Oh shit, what's that? Hey, can you see-" [The name of the person is slurred beyond being audible, and they pull out a flashlight and shine it into the distance. They drag the weak light jerkily over a wide area, but find themselves staring at a grave . The light hits the top of it at first, and they murmur and mumble in slurred voices about what they could do if they took it apart.] So this is where the sorry bastard ended up. Guess the stones are worth something if nothing el-[A high pitched shriek emits from one of the men as he shines the light from the top of the grave, and then down to a huddled figure shaking at the bottom of it. The figure's back is facing the camera, scarred grotesquely, and a soft noise emits from the direction they're sitting in as they slowly rock back and forth.] Shit. Just a drunk. Go home! We claimed this place! Get out![No response comes.] Fuck off, and go! [One of them comes closer, and tries to kick at the figure while the other laughs and films.

But as he does, the form ignites. And the camera is dropped, shutting off as it meets the ground hard.]

Comments

[chief_of_staff]

[The pain of his regrets hits him harder than it probably should when he listens to those words, specifically the question of if he'll stick around. He's vowed to himself to never, ever let Luffy get in the way of intense danger, to never forget or lose him, and now that Ace is here, he feels --

Well, he feels as if he has a second chance. He's not going anywhere, and he isn't going to forget a thing.]

I'm not going anywhere. I won't leave you.

[He smiles and moves to press their foreheads together.]

Promise.

[And then, after lingering there for a moment, straightens back up.]

But for now, I'll leave you to rest. I should go get some food, anyway.

[burnt_offering]

[Second chances are amazing. And Ace is fully going to take advantage of this one, living a life even better than before. And he lets his eyes close for a moment, forehead pressed up against Sabo's, and everything feels a little more right.

He has to go eat, and rest. He feels like shit, and he can't even keep up with what's going on. But he has his brother's back, and Sabo promised that he'd stay in touch with him, so it's going to be okay. He'll get himself back to Marco, who's still hovering in the distance, and he'll eat and sleep and everything will end up okay.

And tomorrow, he can get to know Sabo properly. The brother he thought was lost, has returned. And Ace can't wait to really know him, the person he grew up to be.] Yeah. I'll talk to you tomorrow. [He finally unwinds from Sabo, the grip loosening reluctantly. But he's got to go and rest before he can start up their friendship, their brotherhood all over again.]

[chief_of_staff]

[This promise means more than any other to Sabo; well, save for the one he said to Luffy, of course. That promise is equal with this. He knows that he can't mess up this time, he can't leave Ace alone. Even though he knows his brother has friends and crew mates to watch his back, he still needs to be around.

Plus, they have a ton of catching up to do.

He smiles warmly as he scoots back a little, finally hoisting himself up to stand. The grip on his hand has loosened enough to where he doesn't feel guilty letting it go, as a part of him can think of that moment, that second of watching Ace's hand leave his own as an opportunity for them to connect once again. But not now, as Ace needs to rest and Sabo needs food.]

Definitely! Take care.

[He casually waves and turns around, walking slowly toward the nearby town so he can find some actual food.]

[burnt_offering]

[And Ace slowly stumbles back to Marco, who will unfortunately be on the receiving end of another crying fit. It's been a hell of a long day, and he needs to get a lot out of his system before he's really capable of reconnecting.

But tomorrow will come, soon enough. And he'll be able to meet with Sabo again.]