Formation of the Spade Pirates
Washed up on the shores of a deserted island at the edge of the East Blue Sea, two men from different backgrounds unite in their shared thirst for adventure.
One of them, Portgaz D. Ace, will follow in his infamous fa...
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"Do you know what Deuce means?"
"Nope. It just sounds similar, doesn't it?" he said simply. I had to assume he really didn't know. With a serious expression on his face, Ace continued, "Sadly, Ace is my name. I can't give it to ya. So I think you should use Deuce for your pen name. And it sounds similar, anyway."
"Shut up about 'sounding similar,' already!"
"Look, you didn't give me any other name to call you by. And besides, let's say you decide to go by Ace. If we've got two Aces on the same island, we're going to get confused about which is which. Just think about it! If we're alone, and I'm supposed to be Ace, and I'm calling you Ace, then who am I supposed to be?!"
"Um... you're still... Ace. Besides, I was only talking about the pen name I'm going to use eventually. Later on down the line. I wasn't claiming I was going to start calling myself Ace today..."
"Well, my point is, that isn't convenient for when I want to talk to you. So I'm going to call you Deuce! Got that?" he asked. I didn't like it, but he was a free man. I wasn't planning on hanging around with him, anyway. "So, Deuce, now that's out of the way, there's something that's been on my mind," Ace continued, leaning forward to stare me in the face. "Does everyone where you come from, wear that sort of thing? Or is it for some kind offestival?" He was referring to the mask that covered my face-my eyes, specifically. "Oops! Or is it something I'm not supposed to mention?" he added with concern.
Ever since his introduction, there'd been something oddly formal and polite about his manner. But he didn't need to worry.
When I went to sea and abandoned my name, I also chose to hide my face.
"No, I just wear it because I want to."
"Okay, then I'll call you Masked Deuce. The coat seems to suit the name, too. Yeah, I kinda like that," Ace muttered, satisfied with himself.
"Don't you dare to call me that weirdo name!" I snapped. I couldn't let him throw me off my game.
This strange Ace fellow had a way about him that was different from other people. And the whole point of the mask was so that oddballs like him wouldn't be able to learn my identity.
It's much easier to stay out of unnecessary trouble if people can't recognize your face.
"Listen, I've been wearing this mask from the moment I headed out to sea," I explained. "Even if the Navy happens to develop an interest in me, they won't be able to identify me this way, see? It's common sense, get it?"
lt was a symbollc act, in a way-a sign of my personal determination.
When I chose to live on my own at sea, I left my real name and face behind on land. Then I finally felt like I was alive for once.
The failing medical student was no more. I had no regrets about my choice.
