Chapter 6: I hate people, they are shit! (rewritten)

(AN: This turned out to be a bit longer. I always hated how much I rushed through Ace's scars and trauma so I tried to elaborate more on it, this time. Also added some extra detail about the town for immersion's sake, Hope you like it)

Later that day

We chose to visit Gald, a small town lying in relatively close proximity to Dadan's hideout. I vaguely remember to have heard that it's a small place , specialising in the production of leather goods, meaning they must have a high demand for hides and such.

It naturally didn't take us long to arrive, so we should have quite some time left for shopping or sightseeing, once the job was done. Too bad Ace didn't seem to agree on that.

"Oi, Slowpoke! Won't you hurry up already?! It's afternoon, if even more time passes all vendor owners will have gone home by the time we try to utter the word 'sell'." He hissed, showcasing that patience definitely wasn't his strength.

The small town was a far cry from the bustling markets of Goa, but it had its own rough charm. Dusty streets wound between ramshackle buildings, and the air was thick with the scent of saltwater from the nearby sea and freshly baked bread, which was being served with grilled meat skewers.

Further towards the town centre, a lot of vendors could be spotted, diligently hawking their wares. Unsurprisingly the sound of people shouting prices or haggling was easily carried through the streets, adding to Gald's rich trade atmosphere.

"See that, smartass? We are perfectly on time to sell the hides, so quit your yapping!" I shot back, half amused and half annoyed by my bratty twin. He seemed somewhat invigorated, and it was obvious that coming to this town excited him. For once his behaviour was somewhat fitting for a young child.

We made our way through the crowded market, eventually stopping by a vendor, who was selling self-made leather bags. He, a grizzled old man with a missing tooth, was interested in our hides so after an appraisal under a critical eye we were handed a decent sum of Berries. With money in hand, we brothers debated what to do next.

"So, what now? Should we look for a nice food stall or try to find some quality equipment for a cheap price?" I asked, not sure which to prioritize. In my opinion, both are good, therefor Ace was given a chance to decide.

"What's with that obvious question? First, we eat, then we look for equipment, it's not that hard really." He stated matter of factly with a finger up in his nose and snarky side eyes that looked at me like I was an idiot for asking.

Despite him proving time and again, that brothers are inherently evil creatures that exist solely to annoy their siblings, I didn't take this fight and instead asked Vik, the vendor who bought our hides, for recommendations on where to eat and shop.

"Shopping depends on what you are looking for so I can't give a concrete recommendation. As for eating, visit 'Earl's hat', located at our town's plaza. It's a pub where you get quality meals for little money." Vik turned out to be as kind as helpful, so we bid him farewell and went to 'Earl's hat'. Finding it was no challenge at all, since it boasted a huge signboard, visible as soon as one enters Gald's Plaza.

*Shivers*

A cold shiver suddenly shot down my back, but I ignored it and quickly followed Ace who went ahead and entered. The place was dimly lit, with a few patrons scattered around the tables. The smell of roasting meat was strong, and the sound of mugs clinking together punctuated the low murmur of conversation.

Us brothers found a spot near the back, where we could see the entire room without drawing too much attention to us. I ordered some skewers from the pretty waitress, who barely spared me a glance as she scurried back to the kitchen. Ace leaned back in his chair, leisurely enjoying himself until-

As we waited for our food, a group of rough-looking men at a nearby table caught my attention. They were deep in conversation, their voices low but filled with an intensity that made my ears prick up. My brother seemed to notice them too, his posture tensing slightly as he tilted his head to listen.

"—heard it straight from a Marine. Roger's bloodline might still be out there. Can you believe it? The Pirate King's spawn, running around free like nothing happened," one of the men muttered, his voice dripping with disdain.

My heart skipped a beat, whereas my curiosity piqued. I glanced at Ace, who had gone completely silent, his face unreadable.

"Can't imagine anything worse," another man replied, shaking his head. "If it's true, those brats should be hunted down before they become a problem. Last thing the world needs is another Roger causing trouble."

The first man scoffed, slamming his mug down on the table. "Damn right. Those kids, if they exist, should never have been born. The blood of a demon like Roger shouldn't be allowed to live. They're a curse, a danger to everyone. Best to snuff them out before they grow into something worse."

"You two must be crazy." Third and last to speak was their friend who just emptied his wine bottle. Even if some bitch was crazy enough to let herself get knocked up by Roger, so what? They can still be killed, heck even the damn pirate king was publicly executed!"

It felt like a hot knot started growing in my stomach as each word echoed in my ears. The desire to march over and forcibly shut them up nearly dominated my mind but Ace moved faster than me.

In an instant, he was at the men's table, surprising them greatly. Before anyone could react, Ace had already thrown the first punch.

The man who had spoken so callously about Roger's bloodline didn't even have time to defend himself. My brother's fist connected with his jaw, sending him crashing to the floor. The tavern fell silent, all eyes on the young boy who had just attacked a grown man without hesitation.

"You don't know anything." he snarled, his voice cracking with emotion. "You talk like you're better than them, but you're just cowards, hiding in the shadows and spewing your filth. You don't know what it's like!"

The other men at the table scrambled to their feet, but they hesitated, unsure whether to fight back against a child. Therefor I took the liberty to decide for them by hitting each on the back of their heads with a freshly grabbed wine bottle. It resulted in a clean knockout.

"That's it, we are leaving! Now!" I hissed as I tightened my grip around his arm, ready to drag him away. He resisted for a moment, his anger still simmering beneath the surface, but then he let me lead him outside. The door slammed shut behind us, cutting off the murmurs that had begun to rise inside the pub. On our way back, the sun was still shining, but the world felt colder somehow.

"Get a hold of yourself!"

"Get a hold of myself?!" Ace spat, his eyes blazing with fury. "Did you go deaf, Jackson? Didn't you hear what they said about our par—mmgdfm?!"

I quickly clamped a hand over Ace's mouth, panic surging within me. That idiot was dangerously close to revealing too much. "Don't say it out loud, you idiot!" I whispered urgently. "I heard everything they said, and I want to beat the shit out of them too, but if we do that, we'll only prove them right. Are we just beasts that should've been put down?"

Ace's anger didn't diminish, but the tension in his body eased ever so slightly. He still glared at me, his eyes burning with a mix of rage and hurt.

"Then what should we do?" Ace demanded, his voice trembling with frustration. "Why do they get to say that crap, and we have to just walk away? Why can't we beat them up like Dadan or Garp would if we were the ones saying something stupid? Why are our lives so cheap that we have to hide our identities just to live hidden on some stupid mountain?! Should we really not have been born at all? Are we really worth nothing?"

My heart cracked after hearing a young child, my brother no less, ask such heavy questions. Today pushed him this far because some drunken idiots talked nonsense. What would happen tomorrow or the day after? I simply never noticed that Ace was struggling so much more with our inheritance than I did.

"Listen Ace. It does not matter at all. Things aren't fair for us but that means nothing. You know why? Because no one but me will decide how much my life is worth!"

Ace was still fuming, but my words seemed to be sinking in, if only a little. The fire in his eyes dimmed, replaced by a deep, simmering anger.

"I hate people," Ace muttered bitterly. "They're all shit."

We left the town soon after, the tension between us heavy and oppressive. Dinner back at the hideout was a quiet, somber affair. Even as I lay down to sleep, I could feel the unease gnawing at my insides.

 --------------------

3rd POV

Two months passed, but the memory of that day lingered like a dark cloud over them. Jackson could see the change in Ace, the way his usual fiery spirit had dulled, replaced by a brooding intensity. Ace had refused to go training with him that evening, something he'd never done before. Jackson had gone alone, bringing back a young boar he'd managed to catch after a long chase.

When he returned, he found Dadan shouting, her voice echoing through the forest as she stormed out of the house with Dogra and Magra in tow. Jackson's heart sank as he pieced together what had happened.

"Ace… he almost beat some guy to death," Dogra muttered when Jackson asked.

Panic seized him. Had Ace finally snapped? Had those words from two months ago festered inside him until they drove him to this? Jackson waited anxiously for them to return, his mind racing with worry. When they finally came back, it was late into the night. Ace's usual defiance was gone, replaced by a haunted, empty look that tore at Jackson's heart.

Ace didn't even try to defend himself. He just sat in a corner, staring at nothing, as if the weight of the world was crushing him. Jackson wanted to ask him what had happened, to demand an explanation, but the look on Ace's face stopped him. Instead, he waited until the others had fallen asleep, then quietly approached his brother.

"What do you want now, Jackson?" Ace asked, his voice hollow. "Don't you know already? I snapped and almost killed someone like a savage. If you're here to tell me that…"

"I'm not here to talk," Jackson interrupted softly.

Jackson sat down next to Ace, leaning against the wall. "I want to listen. Ace… are you okay?"

For a long moment, Ace didn't say anything.

 "I don't really care about that guy you beat. Just know that I will always be on your side."

Ace turned to look at him. "Even if I'm in the wrong?"

"Especially then." Jackson said with a small smile.

Ace didn't respond right away, but the tension in his body seemed to ease. The darkness in his eyes lifted, just a little, and for the first time in what felt like forever, Jackson saw a glimmer of the old Ace—the brother who would face the world with a smirk and a fiery resolve.