With different eyes

A different point of view

Lucia's POV

I open my eyes and see that I am in a forest. The arm is still holding me and I want to get away from it, but all I achieve is that it wraps itself around me even tighter and I hear Ace grumbling. That explains who I'm getting up close and personal with. "Ace" I try to wake him up. The arm just wraps around me even tighter. Nice too, just the opposite of what I wanted to achieve, I think. I hear Ace smacking contentedly. It's nice that he can sleep. But not with me. "ACE!" I roar now and that startles the fire fist from his sleep. Finally free! The latter looks around disoriented and mumbles, "Not again." Then he turns to me and says grinning, "So we meet again." I laugh such a saying can only he bring in such a situation. But now I look around and see that we are on a sunlit clearing, everywhere on the lush green meadows grow small star-shaped flowers and the trees are huge, wild and ancient. At the edge a small clear river flows into the forest and gurgles peacefully. Then I look up and see a clear night sky: everywhere shine small white stars and the full moon shines in the sky. Now I know that I'm dreaming and actually still asleep. I look at Ace who also looks around in amazement. His black hair shines in the sunlight that is just there. I see the muscles working under his skin as he moves and the peaceful smile. Not cheeky, challenging or evil, no it was a thoroughly peaceful smile. I have to smile because of it, too. "A beautiful place," I say, merely to say something. "Yes," he gives. I stand up and look down at myself. I'm wearing a white dress that reaches my ankles, a light breeze blowing it around my legs. I just could not resist and run towards the river to dip my bare feet into the water, as I did so often as a child. Somehow I feel safe in this place. I run back into the middle of the clearing and spin around in circles laughing, then let myself fall onto my back in the meadow. I look at Ace and see him with a smile I've never seen on him before. A beautiful dream.

Narrator POV

He had woken up holding Lucia in his arms and although he tried to push the thought away, the feeling had been nice. Familiar. They were in this strange clearing, but unlike the dream with the demon, his instincts told him there was no danger here. So he could relax. Ace is aware that he is dreaming and he wanted to dream this peaceful dream a little longer. He turns to Lucia who is about to get up. She is wearing a white dress that seems to flow around her figure. Ace looks down at himself and sees that he too is wearing white pants of similar material. Nothing more. He digs his feet into the meadow and feels the blades of grass tickling the soles of his feet. Then he hears a splash and sees Lucia, playful as a child splashing in the river. He laughs softly. He envies her for this gift, which his brother also possesses, to see the world through the eyes of a child: Simple, still full of wonder and aware of the beauty around themselves. He sees her spinning in circles, laughing. For him it was a beautiful sound, not so high and full of joy that resonated in it. For although there were certainly more beautiful women on the Grandline, at that moment she was simply beautiful in her own way: the wavy hair danced around her and the white dress pressed against her figure as she spun in circles, laughing. Her brown eyes sparkled with joy. Ace rested his chin on his knee as he watched her. He watched her fall onto her back on the grass. Wearing a contented expression and closing her eyes. He didn't know what he did to deserve it, first his brothers who gave him a rope of light, from his lonely darkness, then father who gave him a home and never gave up on him and now Lucia who found him through a world and saved him several times. 'Maybe it wasn't wrong to be alive after all,' was his thought. He had to smile for the first time at the thought. He saw Lucia open her eyes and look at him. She smiles at him. If the real Lucia would smile at him like that? He stood up.

Lucia POV

I see Ace stand up and walk towards me. Still this smile on his face. I only now realize that I am smiling too. He stands over me and I look at him. It's strange, this place seems so familiar and yet so foreign to me. Ace is still standing in front of me and just smiles down at me. Then I see him reach out his hand and hold it out to me. I grab it and let him pull me up. Although I'm already standing on my own, I don't want to let go of the dream Ace's hand yet. The real one will probably have a crisis when he sees this in my mind. But I liked the feeling of Ace's hand on mine, it was warm and rough from the hard work on the ship. Then he tugs me toward the woods. I have to grin, even the dream D is off on an adventure. We walk a bit through the forest and there I already see the next clearing. Only it was the one we just left. We just came out on the other side. I had to laugh, that was such a typical dream logic. I also see Ace grinning. I blushed, because even though I see his face in the mirror every day, it's different now. Simply because now he is him again. At least in my dream. I have to admit I have always had a slight weakness for this hot-head, and meeting him in person doesn't make it any easier. But this is only a dream. Once I wanted at least. I lift my hand and place it against his cheek. I feel him lean his head in and look at me. Then he leans forward. Yep clearly dream, why else would he do what I wish.