A Fire spirits rekindling!

Dinner Party

Ace opened his eyes groggily, slowly he remembered what happened, or well, thanks to the glare he was receiving from Sabo, he most likely had a gap in his memory. 

Sabo, despite his glare sighed in relief at the sight of his brother waking up, "You really scared literally everyone on this ship." He muttered, mock annoyed. Ace snickered, "It's what I'm here for." He said honestly. A somewhat dull silence engulfed the two of them as Ace shook himself from his sleep. 

"Did I do the same thing as last time?" He questioned. Sabo nodded, "Again, it isn't your fault, you forget everything and remember everything at the same time." Ace frowned despite the reassurances. "Is everyone okay?" Sabo nodded but paused, "Well, unless you count Teach, then no." Ace blinked before his face formed a scowl. Sabo didn't seem surprised by the reaction, but regardless curiosity radiated off him. 

"The damn bastard was searching Thatch's room for the devil fruit!" Ace barked. The memories began flooding steadily into his head, and he felt the blanket that covered him begin to burn. Sabo didn't bother trying to calm his brother's rage, he felt the same way. 

"Then what?" Sabo asked with a frown, having a good idea of what happened. "I said I had it, I wouldn't have told him if he had planned to outright kill me if I didn't give it to him." He grumbled. Sabo grimaced, "Well, then I suppose I can gather what happened after that." Ace nodded, he remembered the fight, well not until the end, he must have fallen asleep, or well unconscious. 

"Everyone is really sorry for what happened." Sabo informed. Ace blinked, "Why?" Genuinely confused. "Because you shouldn't have had to get stabbed several times before you even joined the crew." Sabo grinned. Ace was about to speak before he paused, "Join?" He, more or less mouthed than spoke. Sabo much to his enjoyment nodded, "I think it's about time you do." He shrugged. "Besides, from what I've been hearing they really want you to stay."

Ace blinked a few times, "Even Izou?" Sabo nodded, "Even him, probably someone who'll hate you fondly with time." Ace snickered at the wording, "Like you? A prime example?" Sabo groaned, "That's beside the point." Sabo paused. "At the very least until you are proficient with your devil fruit, which will take half a year at most." He wrinkled his nose. 

"Still upset I just ate it?" Ace sighed; Sabo nodded. "It was dumb, what if your body treated it like a second devil fruit." Ace nodded, "Fair." He at the time of eating it was afraid of that very thing. "It worked out, that's all that matters." Ace huffed, "To you." Sabo deadpanned. 

Sabo turned as the door opened, there and behold was Thatch himself, probably the key person in convincing Ace to stay. "Wait." Sabo paused. 

Thatch much to his confusion paused as well. "Did you ever disagree?" Sabo questioned as he looked towards Ace. 

"To what? I don't think I ever said no to anything." Ace said, lost. Sabo felt his chest bubble with laughter, "So we were worried over nothing?" Thatch blinked, still slightly unaware, "Ace is staying?"

Ace shrugged, "I assumed I was going to, I still wanted to think about It though... That was before the whole Teach thing." He felt a little embarrassed to admit such a thing, he knew they didn't care about the strange circumstances of him joining. It all started with a truce after all. 

But he knew that while he wanted to start his own crew, he's fine where he is, he is safe where he is and thus will enjoy where he is even as he gets to know the crew. Whitebeard is odd, and that fact alone makes him want to stay, he must admit he's not excited for the eventuality of chores though. 

Thatch began laughing as Sabo died down in his own fit of laughter, "Well, then, I'm not complaining." He smiled at Ace much to his brother's discomfort. Oddly enough he's never been the affectionate type, even if he never knew either thing, it's been a constant since they were kids. 

Thatch cut his laughter off before looking at Ace seriously, "Now I need to know what happened between you and Teach." Ace frowned before nodding, "I was going to return the devil fruit since I found out what it was, but when I came to your room..." he trailed off before speaking again. 

"Teach was rummaging your room, for the devil fruit." Thatch pulled a chair, "So I'm guessing he wanted it, by any means necessary." Ace nodded grimly, he's long since healed the stab wounds, having had healed faster thanks to the life-or-death situation, but the phantom pain of the general betrayal still ached. 

"Well, during my coma did you ever find out what the devil fruit was? Or do I still get to tell you?" Thatch blinked, "No, I didn't bother much with the devil fruit." Ace grinned, "It explains why Teach was after it, It's a powerful devil fruit." Sabo blinked, "Really? Like super powerful, powerful?" 

"It can nullify other devil fruit users' abilities when they come in contact with the darkness." Ace said crossing his arms, "It is called the Dark-Dark fruit for context." Thatch whistled, "Damn." He leaned back in his chair, "He's always been the kind looking for power and yet he always wanted to remain on the downlow." He mumbled. 

Sabo narrowed his eyes, "He must have not wanted a bounty until he saw himself powerful enough to defend it." He frowned, while it's a tactful way to go about pirating, it's a rather cowardly one. He idly wondered what Teach would have done once he got the fruit, start his own crew, become a commander, well its hard to say, because he didn't find the fruit, Thatch did. 

While he isn't excusing Teaches actions in any way it explains why he did what he did, he most likely assumed once Thatch or someone found out what it did, they'd want it, and that was the last thing he wanted, since he wanted it for himself. 

"Are you hungry?" Thatch asked. Sabo looked at Thatch oddly, but Ace nodded. "I could go for something." He grinned. Thatch nodded quickly before leaving the room, not bothering to close it. Sabo looked at Ace oddly, "I know you eat sometimes, but now of all times?" Ace sighed. 

Any time one of them got hurt as spirits they'd lose their appetite, it was simply like it didn't exist, any processes or systems that they technically didn't need, would cease function. Much to Luffy's dismay, the damn kid would get hurt or eaten by random animals 24/7. 

"I'm technically fine, it's not like I'll throw up, I just might not eat everything." Ace shrugged, well aware of the mental process his brother was going through. Sabo really did try, he liked to know everything about spirits, mostly because he was one, spirits even now are a mysterious species, even to spirits. When you came back as one you simply lived out your life, only now with the knowledge you died, and the world decided you deserved a second chance. 

He doesn't know if there is a constant factor of those who are revived, but regardless he can't say he's intrigued, terrified is a better word. 

He doesn't like the fact that the marines, well the ones who know, legitimately call spirits true children of the sea, it's just strange. 

Sabo was about to speak when he heard several voiced in the hallway, "Well, it looks like more than one person is about to eat in here." Sabo laughed. 
————————————————
Ok, so long hiatus I know lmao, sorry. But main story is basically over, reached the end, but do not fret, this story is not yet over, it's mostly just shenanigans and the crew finding out you know what, just saying that this can be read as the end and is technically now completed!

So this story will be marked as completed but will continue to update! Remember I have another one piece story in the works.