sailedfirst | III. [Action: July 15th--19th]

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III. [Action: July 15th--19th]

[It's been a week since Luffy was brought back home. The first few days were hard; the fact Sabo might never see him again and he's helpless to do anything about it still cuts deep. But he and Ace promised to keep living, keep moving forward. It's what they've always done, and Sabo's not about to stop now. And so to avoid moping so much, he decides to get busy.]

[July 15-19 -- Mornings, the Library]
[He'll be seen occupying a table in the library, with large sheets of paper spread out and books lying open all around him. The books are noticeably all about ships and how to build them. He's busy sketching out blueprints of a small sea-faring vessel. he's obviously not an expert, so the blueprint's almost cartoony and not accurate with regards to the finer details, like measurements and stuff, but he's got most of the main parts down.

On the 19th, he'll open his journal to ask something.]

[Voice]

Hey, are there any shipwrights around here? Or anyone who knows anything about making boats or ships?

[Afternoons (except the 17th), the beach/the mountain]
[Afternoons are spent out in the beach, just looking out to the sea, and/or exploring the nearby mountain in the hopes of meeting the Wind spirit Kipinn.]

[Evenings, the Battledome]
[Sabo can be found in the Battledome. The simulation shows a wide forest, with towering trees and a huge mountain looming behind. Sabo's armed with his usual pipe staff, and his chosen opponent is an old acquaintance to the ASL brothers: the Great Tiger of Mt. Corvo.

Even knowing he's no match by himself, he'll fight on determinedly. Of course, he's just going to get smacked around by the giant paws or batted away by that bludgeon-like tail. But he'll get up, again and again, until the auto-abort kicks in due to the boy's over-exhaustion. At one point, his journal will get knocked aside and start recording one of these fights on video.

Once he catches his breath, he'll rest a bit within a peaceful simulation of a cliff overlooking a wide blue sea, before making his way home.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

...Let's say that's possible. Won't it be like this room here? We're just in a metal box right now, but we can see the sea's horizon over there. It still wouldn't be real...

[You, my brother, are getting a punch on the head for that.] Idiot. It's real. I've gone to the edge of the barrier, and there's more ocean to sail out there. This place, Luceti, not the Battle Dome, is real. And trust me, that ocean's real, too.

[Scowl. Like he needs more bumps in the head. The tiger gave him enough, can't you see?]

No, that's not what I meant. I mean-- this, this whole Luceti. This whole world-- [waving his hands around] isn't this supposed to be some kind of dream? An illusion? That's why so few remembers being here whe--if they come back?

[This is why you don't give your bro too much time alone, Ace. He thinks stuff.]

[Yes, but you need more.]

Honestly, I don't know why people can't remember. But this place is way too real to be a dream.

[He can't bring himself to say that he doesn't care if it's a dream or not.]

[You just like being mean, admit it.]

W-well yeah... We're here, aren't we? This is as real as it gets... [Sighs, and picks an imaginary rock and throwing it beyond the imaginary cliff to fall in the imaginary sea below.] I guess it's kinda hard to tell what's real and what's not anymore, and which truth you can trust enough to put your hopes in.

[... possibly.]

Go with your heart, Sabo. Whatever or whoever it tells you to trust and put your hopes in, go for it.

[He's trying to hint that you just need to believe your brothers and friends.]

[Jerk.]

[...] I trust you, if that's what you mean. Luffy, and Marco, and the others. That's the only thing I'm sure of. [He's about to say something else, but he shakes his head and looks down. He'd already said too much.] ...That should be enough, I know.

[Deal with it.] Then just believe in all of us, and we'll help you get your ocean someday.

[He glances down on him.] You can talk to me, y'know. Believe it or not, I've actually got something in my head now. I might be able to help.

[What a big bully.] ...Someday, huh. You really think we'd be free one day? Just like that? [Someday's a vague word. At least when he was in High Town, setting sail at 17 had been a good solid plan. But he can't even have that here...]

[He stares back for a moment, then snickers.] If that's true you would've gotten a girlfriend by now. [Nope, this is not a diversion. Not at all.]

I never said it would be easy. [He's not a total idiot.] But yes, I think we can do it.

[And that earns you on whack on the back of the head.] This isn't about me getting a girlfriend, Sabo.

...Nothing's ever easy. [At what cost, he wonders. Last time he tried, he paid for his freedom with his life.] But... yeah, it'll be good to sail away together someday.

[Dude. Oh well, at least it's working.] Well, it should! Maybe she can teach you how to be nicer!

Never heard better words in my life.

[Goddammit, Sabo.] Makino already did. Now what's on your mind, bro?

Obviously not enough lessons! [Pause. Then hitting a fist on an open palm.] Oh, I think I get it. There aren't ladies like Makino around here, are there?

[Pfff. Okay, he's just asking for it.]

I'd hit you for that, but that would just be helping with the diversion. If you don't want to talk about whatever's on your mind, I'll back off.

[He's quiet for a good minute, considering that option.]

... It's not that I don't wanna talk about it. I'm just not sure how to put it to words yet. Or even if it's worth bothering you about.

[Here, Sabo, have a light slap on the back of the head.] Oi, if it bothers you, I want to hear about it. But if you don't know how to say it yet, don't force yourself to, okay?

[How does he even begin explaining he's getting overwhelmed by all these changes around him? That while all he wants is to keep moving forward, he's too aimless to find his own path here? That he's feeling so lost right now, but what if this is simply him being too impatient for the future?]

.... Yeah, okay.

[Ace needs to teach you how to dump your feelings out, bro.]

We're all here for you. If you can't talk to me, there's always Marco. He'll listen.

[He's done a lot of dumping already.]

I know... You're good older brothers like that. And if Luffy comes back... well, I'm not sure if he'll stay awake long enough to listen, but he'll give a good distraction and cheer me up anyway.

Edited 2012-07-22 21:38 (UTC)

[He'd tell you not to get hopeful, but... well, Ace is the same.]

Heheh, believe it or not, he helped me with something a while ago. You can always talk to him. If it's for brothers, he'll stay awake forever.

Ah, guess I can believe that. [Smiling a little sadly.] I really should stop thinking of him as a little brother, huh?

[And now he proceeds to burst into laughter.]

Are you kiddin'?! Luffy's Luffy! He's always gonna be the baby brother no matter what!

[Snickers.] If you mean he's the dumbest no matter what, then yeah, he's still the baby brother!

[His amusement fades a bit and he rests his chin on his palm, looking over at Ace.] Maybe you can say that because you've spent years together. He's still him, yeah. But to me, he's grown up a lot. He's not the little brother who needs protection anymore; he's the one who does the protecting now. I can tell, from how his nakama talks about him.

[Ace pauses to actually let that sink in now. Yeah... Luffy was protecting people now. And fighting for them.]

You're right.He has grown up a lot. That doesn't mean you can't want to protect him, though. I still do, even if he can take care of himself.

I don't think I'll ever stop wanting to. We've always looked out for each others' backs, and I'm not about to stop doing that. It's just... [His gaze slides back to the sea.] unlike you, I can't do much protecting now.

...Guess I'm not used to it. [And that's the nearest thing to admittance he can manage about what's troubling him.]

Edited 2012-08-01 08:21 (UTC)

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