Lost Flame | Portgas D Ace

Chapter Two

And my own two feet have started to bleed
Of the loss that I see in my eyes

Portgas D Ace did not expect to wake up. Much less in a place he'd never heard of. Makarov had explained to Ace that Fairy Tail was a magic guild in the land of Fiore. Ace had never heard of Fiore and guilds. He still couldn't grasp the fact this small man sounded exactly like Whitebeard. Whitebeard...Ace frowned, tears welling in his eyes. The pirate was not his biological father, but Whitebeard had been the best father in the world to Ace.

"I'll keep an eye on him until he's healed properly," Porlyusica scowled, giving Ace a stern look, warning him not to over exert himself or she'd have his hide. Ace looked away from the old woman and laid back down, exhaustion washing over him. "What are you going to do about your brats?"

"I have to do what I must...pains me...disbanding..." Their voices faded as Ace drifted off to sleep. He dreamed of Luffy and Sabo running in the jungles in the mountains near Foosha Village. For the first time in a long time, Ace didn't have a nightmare that ended with him screaming himself awake.

The next time Ace woke up he was in a hut that was built inside the trunk of a tree. He groaned and blinked again, thinking it was another dream. "You're awake," Porlyusica's gruff voice spoke up. She walked over to him with a wet rag and began to wipe his forehead and gently wet some of his bandages. "This will help your healing process," she told him.

"Wha..." Ace coughed, throat parched. "What is it?" he groaned.

"A mixture of healing herbs and spring water heated up," Porlyusica explained with her signature scowl. "You'll be staying here with me for the time being until we can figure you out." She looked out the window toward Magnolia. "It will be a while before things calm down." She got back up and grabbed a cool cup of water, having Ace drink in slow sips.

The water soothed Ace's throat and he sighed in relief. He managed to sit up without hurting too much. The former whitebeard pirate glanced around the hut, taking note of all the herbs, medicinal books, and the ancient wood. "Why did you move me here?" he asked, putting a hand on his bandaged chest. Shivering, he tried to ignore the burning heat of Akainu's fist.

"Because Magnolia isn't safe at the moment," Porlyusica murmured sadly. "The Magic Council doesn't like what those hooligans have been doing and are going to make a move. The old man has to make the hard decision to disband the guild for the time being." She turned back to Ace. "Don't worry. I'll be here to help you find your way home."

"If you don't mind me asking, what's the Magic Council and why does Fairy Tail need to disband?" Ace wondered, tilting his head in confusion. Part of him still believed he was dreaming. "And why bother to help me?" he grimaced as his eyes caught sight of the horrible bandages that helped to keep him alive.

Porlyusica narrowed her red eyes at him and had half a mind to hit him with her broom. "Child, you needed help. I may not be a Fairy Tail wizard, but I am an ally of the old man's guild. It goes against their principles if they left you to die." She took notice of how Ace sagged and frowned. "Fairy Tail was created to be a safe place for anyone who needed a home–a family."

"Then why disband?" Ace repeated, glowering at the old woman. "If you are all family, why not go to such lengths to stay together?"

"Because sometimes it's safer to separate for a while," Porlyusica murmured, frowning sadly. "The old man knows what needs to happen to keep those kids safe. After Tartarus, everyone needs time to heal themselves." She left it at that and went back to cleaning up the old bandages, used herbs, and dust.

Ace watched with keen eyes as she cleaned her little hut. He meditated on her words, letting them sink in. 'Family, huh?' Ace grimaced. He had been nothing but trouble for his family. He remembered Dadan's complaining and he remembered Marco's warnings. Whitebeard had died for him. Gritting his teeth, a stray tear slid down his face. Why was he given a second chance when he was the son of a demon? Roger left him and let his mother die. Ace knew the horrible sins committed at Baterilla all because of him.

"Quit it." Ace yelped as a broom hit him on the head. "The hell!?" he glared at Porlyusica. "What was that for?" he rubbed the back of his head and pouted.

"I've been around a while. I know when someone is overthinking. You are overthinking," Porlyusica. "Whatever you are thinking about, stop it. You're alive. Suck it up and do something about it." Her crimson eyes glared into Ace's obsidian ones. "I am not going to let you sit around and spiral. So either go back to sleep or get up and help me. Your wound won't affect you doing minimal tasks."

Ace gaped at her, eyes wide. "What?" he said dumbfounded. Porlyusica shoved a cloth into his hand. "Wipe down the counter over there. Make it spotless." She pointed and demanded of him. "Then I want you to pick up one of those books," she pointed to the small bookshelf built into the tree trunk, "and read it." Her tone left no room for complaints or protests.

The pirate swallowed thickly and swung his legs over the side of the bed. Pushing himself up, Ace moved in small steps to the counter. Cleaning off the dried herb particles and the dust helped him relax. He moved jars and washed away dust and dirt–going the extra mile to wash the jars as well. The bandages pulled at his wound, but Ace was used to discomfort. He grit his teeth and pushed himself to keep at his task.

Wetting the cloth, he cleaned it and set it out to dry by the window. Ace shuffled toward the bookshelf and ran his hand along the backs of the books, eyes scanning each book. He recognized none of them. He picked two books. One on geography and one on the history and types of magic. 'If you study the world around you, you'll be better prepared for what might come at you.'

Porlysucia sent Ace a sly smile. "Smart boy," she murmured to herself, just loud enough for Ace to hear. "Study up," she said, tone back to snappish. "You'll want to know about how we work." She glanced at Ace. "Because I know you're not from here."

"What?" Ace blinked owlishly at her, jaw dropping. "Ho–how?" he whispered, looking from the books to her.

Porlyusica smirked, putting her broom down. "Because neither am I. Granted, Edolas is just a different version of this world. You, however, come from a different world entirely." She glanced at him. "You died, you know. By all means, you should be dead. Something kept you alive. Learn what you can to make the most of this second chance." 

Hello everyone!

I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Comments and votes are appreciated! I love hearing from all of you!

Have a wonderful day!

~Kat