genessia | [Audio] + [Action]

Audio: Drunk/Accidental Posting

[There are a couple of disjointed audio posts that come within a couple hours of each other. One has the sound of breaking glass and the sound of impacts. In one Ace's voice can be heard saying something that sounds like "Goddamn thing keeps-" but then trails off into nothing else before being turned off. Another has the sound of a roaring fire.]

Action

[Ace is on a pub crawl today, trying out drinks in all of the cities save for Somorrah. The special occasion? The loss of his brothers in Genessia. Ace knows he's fine. That they're better off back home, where Sabo won't remember what happened to him in that terrible place he was trapped in before this, and where Luffy can continue the rise to the top and become the king of the pirates. But he can't go with them, there's no back home for him now, and even if he could he'd lose everything else he's gained here. So he's sad because Sabo and Luffy are gone, angry because of how sad he feels, and frustrated in general at feeling like a toy on a string, dangled about for someone's amusement.

Alcohol is not an ideal cure for a heavy heart. But it's the best one Ace knows.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Ace is absolutely startled by Itherael, their presence was not expected. Once the visible jolt of surprise passes, Ace waves his arms, a bottle in each hand, and wobbles as he does so. He's very intoxicated, but he also doesn't want anyone to think that anything is wrong. Or that he's unwell.]

Nah, I'm good. [And he's slurring his speech too.] I'm just explorin' the cities...

[Oops. Startled another mortal. They would feel worse about that if they weren't still concerned for Ace. There's a long moment of quiet as Itherael observes him further.]

My experience with mortals is still rather limited. However, you do seem...impaired, somehow. Exploring like this may not be wise.

[Itherael turns their focus to the bottles. They don't recognize the labels, and it certainly doesn't look like water. Humans make such strange sustenance.]

Is it possible that whatever you're drinking may have been poisoned?

[Ace doesn't hold it against him. He's just so out of it that he's thrown off in general. When it comes down to it, almost anyone could startle him right now.]

I'm not wise, so it's okay! I just seem repaired 'cause I'm drunk. [Wait, that didn't sound right. He takes a second, shakes his head, and starts again.] I just seem impaired 'cause I'm drunk. It's not poison, I did this to myself. So it's okay.

[He wonders if he needs to ignite himself soon, turn to fire to force himself to sober up. But that means he'll have to feel more without the balm of intoxication to soothe his aching heart.]

[Huh...most people don't admit to being unwise. If Itherael were of a different Aspect, they might wonder if that is, in its own way, a form of wisdom. But they are Fate - and they're wondering more about this drunkenness of which Ace speaks.]

Drunk? I'm not familiar with that.

You don't know what drunk is? Damn...

[Ace sways a little, and then forces himself to steady. There's not a lot of mental space to spare right now, but he thinks he can force an explanation.] This? [He holds up the bottle of rum.] Is alcohol. It makes you not feel so much, and it makes you wobbly and tingly and kinda stupid and numb. That's what drunk is. Usually. It can do a lot of things, but basically, it makes you feel different.

[Itherael is quiet for a time as they compute Ace's explanation. Between that, and Ace's...unsteadiness, the angel can at least understand that alcohol is something very potent. However, they keep getting stuck on another question:]

Why? To what end would you do this to yourslef?

'Cause I don't want to feel anything at all right now.

[Ace leans against whatever surface is closest, he's very disoriented and unsteady. He really should just call Smoker to pick him up, but that means admitting that he was weak enough to give in and act out that way.]

I was under the impression that mortals felt more than my kind does...but I did not consider the implications of that.

[They watch Ace slouch and stagger. Is this state really better than whatever he's feeling? Is there anything Itherael can do? There wouldn't be an answer to that in the Scroll.]

...I...I am still not sure I understand. I don't know if I can help you.

It's okay. I don't need help, I just need to be numb for a while. Thanks anyway.

[Ace hurts. There's just so much loss and pain in his heart right now. It's one thing to lose people who he loves here, in Genessia people come and go and it's always sad to part with no promise of reunion. But Ace is dead back home, without chance of reuniting outside of Genessia. So the ache is real, and alcohol numbs what rips at his heart.

Still, Itherael's attempt at kindness means a lot to Ace. They're a good person, he thinks.]

[Though Itherael would call it duty first, they aren't without a sense of care and camaraderie. They are both deputies. They have both been brought to Genessia. It wouldn't seem right to them to not help Ace - or at least, try.]

[They still don't understand what Ace is doing. Moments such as these remind Itherael that life here doesn't always have easy answers. Talus'ar is all but useless. There's nothing to turn to but themselves.]

[It seems, in this case, that the best thing to do is to leave. So that's what they do.]

Very well. [Itherael nods to Ace in farewell before taking to the skies in a streak of white light.]

Later, Itherael.

[Ace doesn't know what to say besides that, and then there's a rush of white light and no one to say anything to at all. So he just takes another long drink from his bottle, and starts wandering off to explore somewhere else. Not realizing that he'll soon end up in a world of trouble with a mess of dolls.]