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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I feel ashamed to be related to you. That was the only thing my brother, who usually ignored me, actually said to my face.
The words replayed in my mind as clear as when it happened, and I clenched my fists.
"Well, good for you. You've got a home to go back to," I found myself saying, although it was more the start of a sulking monologue to myself. "Why'd you even come here, then? Just go back to your brother..."
"Hey, what's wrong man?"
"I'm not like you! You should be happy that you've got somewhere to call home!" I shot to my feet, though they were unsteady. "You've got a home, and a brother who's not a blood relative but who's family in your heart. You're a damn lucky guy, you know that? Do you? And I bet your precious mom and dad are worried sick about you right now. You're the luckiest jerk in the world!"
My anger was truly satisfying. I turned to walk away from him.
But then Ace murmured, "My mom's gone."
It was a quiet, subdued voice, not at all the same tone he'd been speaking in until now. I couldn't help but stop. I knew that I was the one being a jerk, but I still couldn't keep myself from spinning around and saying, "And your dad? What about your dad, huh?"
Ace's eyes wandered as he replied, "Don't have a dad, either..."
It had been a bad idea. Now things were very awkward. But since it was already ugly, I pushed ahead and made more excuses for myself.
"When I see my dad, all he says is, 'Don't embarrass me.' I'm sure whatever your family situation was, it was better than that. Who cares if he's gone? At least you have some happy memories to comfort you." I faltered there for some reason.
Ace was staring at me. He seemed hesitant to speak up, and when he did, he said, "I don't have any happy memories. I don't even know what my mother's face looked like. And my father was a no-good man. Basically, he was a criminal."
"A criminal? So he's dead already. It's not like you're responsible for his crimes. Why do you look so gloomy? That's a minor problem!" Silence. Ace's expression did not lighten at all. I cajoled him. "He probably wasn't even such a bad guy, I bed You're just dwelling on the situation! Nobody remembers a garden-variety criminal. In fact, I doubt anyone thinks much about you at all! Not that committing crimes is acceptable-if your dad was the King of the Pirates, I'd understand why you'd worry, y'know? Because that guy's the worst. I mean, I'd want to kill myself if that were the case. But your situation isn't that bad, right? Eh? So stop acting like Your the protagonist ofsome trage...dy..." I trailed off. Ace was staring down at the dunes. His lips were pursed tightly shut. "I mean... Hang on... why are you making that face?" Something was wrong. It felt weird. I tried an awkward smile, but it had no effect. "You're...you're joking, right?" Ace closed his eyes. His head shook side to side, barely perceptible. "R-Roger...? The Roger...? The King of the Pirates?"
