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[ She sighs, using the hand that isn't holding her up to rub the back of her head. She should have expected that question... Marco hasn't told him, from the sounds of it. Somehow, she'd forgotten that he doesn't know yet.

It twists in her gut like a knife, but she knows he can't know the truth about that. Especially not right now. ]

It was an accident in the forge, a couple of weeks ago. It had to be removed to that point to keep the damage from becoming too terrible. And I am here because you are -- do I need another reason?

Well be more careful, stupid! [whaps her on the back of the head but checks his strength considerably] You can be a swordsman with one leg but why make it harder on yourself!

[and also]

I am a pirate you know. I don't pay for the things I eat. I break the law whenever I want. I lie, cheat, steal and just hung out with you because you're cute when you laugh.

Edited 2016-07-04 01:34 (UTC)

[ Okay ow. She can tell he's not hitting her very hard by his standards but it still startles her and she's immediately covering that spot with both of her hands and has to take a second to regain composure.

She doesn't even have time to snap at him for it before he's talking about how he's a pirate and the things he does. It dies before even making it to her lips, and she shakes her head at him before looking to the ocean. ]

I know you are a pirate. I know you steal, you lie, you do as you wish with no regard for the impact it may have on others. Some of what you do does infuriate me because it is my own selfish desire to keep from doing that kind of thing and to keep other people from harm.

[ ... This is so hard. She wants to run. She doesn't want to keep going because she's terrified of what might happen, and her hands grip at the sand beneath her in her own insecurity. She doesn't know how Ace is going to react to this, and she almost isn't sure if she wants to know. But... Like with so many other things... She needs to press on. ]

And yet I still wish to be around you, to hang out and laugh with you. I... I cannot say that of any other pirate, truly.

[ She finally meets his eye again when she finishes saying that. She needs to see how he reacts to that, even if she's scared to. ]

[he doesn't look at her though. He's looking away, hands clenched, voice hard]

So you'll just stop doing what you want just to hang out with someone? Is that what you're saying? Is that all your convictions mean to you?

Of course not. I still intend to keep people from harm in whatever ways I can, and I do not intend to cheat or steal myself. I will probably still yell at you when you do such things, even though I know I cannot stop you. What has changed is that you did not seem to have a problem with that before whereas you seem to now.

[ Deep breath, now... ]

Ace... I do not know what I have said or done to upset you, but believe me when I say that was not my wish at all. I want to know what it was, so I can right it and avoid doing so again. I do not wish to lose any of the friends I have made here, and that includes you. You might think ill of me for it... But I suppose keeping what friends I have is more important to me than any conviction.

Edited 2016-07-04 02:02 (UTC)

[arghhh. He stands up and points at her violently]

That's the stupid part! You shouldn't have to choose your friends over your conviction! I'm pretty sure Smoker wants to be friends with me because he's a lonely old bastard but that doesn't stop him from being an asshole!

[that might be somewhat beside the point however]

Listen! My little brother and I are both going after Pirate King. Him for himself and me for my old man! One day we're going to fight for it! But we still have our pride and we're still brothers!

You keep your pride too! If you can't keep your pride and keep your conviction then you're better off being friends with someone else!

[he doesn't want to drag you down. Because he will if you're not strong enough]

[ It's hard to breathe, and she knows the familiar sensation clenching around her throat, something she has to swallow back. She closes her eyes, trying to cool her head as she takes her time getting back to her foot, using the crutch for support. She can't break now. Not when she's been broken so much already.

It's still hard to let herself be vulnerable, knowing she can be broken again and letting him have all of the power in the world to hurt her - more than Battler ever did. ]

Look at me, Ace. I have already been made to choose. My pride has been stripped away from me more times than I can count in the past weeks. I cannot work, I am not even allowed the dignity of living independently, and most insist on not even letting me travel alone anymore simply because it is more difficult for me now. I will fight and I will be damned before I let you or anyone else take what friends I have away when they are all I have left! If that is stupid to you, fine, but that is what is most important to me right now!

[ He's seeing her at her worst, now. She knows that. She might also owe Marco an apology later, because... She doesn't know if this is any kind of successful or helpful. She takes another breath, her head bowed because she knows her eyes are brimming with tears and the last thing she wants is to illicit pity for that. ]

You can be angry. You can yell, you can be upset, but unless you truly do not wish for a friend in me then I will not let you force me away, no matter what it takes.

Your pride has been stripped away? Why? Because you lost a leg? Replace it with something else! Get stronger! Even if you're hurting now that doesn't mean you're going to be that way forever! I hate weak people like that the most!

[he calms down a bit --or stops shouting anyway]

But you say all that and then let me decide if I do not wish for a friend in you? You don't approve of what I do but gloss over it because you want me as a friend?

[he shakes his head. It's not that he doesn't want her as a friend. It's not even that he dislikes her. He likes her a lot. Which is what makes it so hard]

[he is silent for a long time and then hates Smoker intensely for a long time after that and then takes off his hat and puts it on her head because it's the only thing he can do right now. He'll hold it there, too. Not heavily but so she can't look up at him clearly because he needs this right now]

If you're so weak, how can I know I won't break you?

[ Her heart sinks like a stone at the word hate. She... Really is weak, isn't she? For that to have such an effect on her--

Again she's startled at the touch, having not seen him approach and not expecting it. That it's his hat throws him off further, and she's stiff while listening to him. It takes her a bit to respond, and she knows her attempt to keep her voice steady is in vain. ]

I have been told that it is all right to let yourself be weak in front of friends who care - it was something hard learned, as... Before, part of my pride was doing everything myself. I did not have friends I could really rely on, and I always thought that I would never have anyone I could rely on unquestioningly. That I would eventually be alone, because no one one else would do anything or care to.

Ace, you are a pirate. You do lie, you do steal, but I am not so blind to not see that you are the exact kind of person who proves that notion wrong as well - regardless of your piracy. If that is not a friend worth giving a chance or worth fighting for, I do not know what is. If you had any intent to break me, you would have done so. Or, possibly, you would take the chance to prove me wrong now - though I do not think you will. Naive as I am of the world... That much, I know.

[ Another sigh, and her shoulders finally slump as she just barely shakes her head as to not jostle his hand off. She's so tired... ]

That aside... To assume I am not frustrated with how I am is wrong as well. It will take time before I can learn what real strength and how to become strong is.

[he shakes his head. It's true but at the same time there's so much he doesn't trust himself on. She doesn't need friends... she needs nakama. But he can't be that for her because their ideals are too separate.

He likes what she says though. He wants what she says. He has it in the others. In his nakama. In Luffy. Though the first because they are strong and the second because he is dumb.]

Real strength is hard to figure out. [he sits beside her, hands resting on his knees.] Is it strong to be strong? Is it strong to hold onto your pride? I don't know... Pops is the strongest man in the sea and even I don't know what makes him strong other than the fact he has us.

But all of us, not just me. And I was the one who kept trying to cut off his head.

[but Pops had loved him anyway. He was strong enough to defeat Ace and strong enough to keep him and Ace couldn't help but let him]

But you're saying it's not going to hurt when I do things you don't approve of? I don't understand that. It's part of who I am and I'm not going to change it so how can you live with it? How can you be friends?

I'm serious there are plenty others who would be better for you. Smoker is probably the best friend you'll ever have and he already likes you. Why not just stick with someone who won't bring you down?

I have no intention of trying to change you.

[ She seats herself, though again it takes a bit of time just so that she doesn't outright fall. How the heck does she even explain this though...

...

Hm. ]

You know... How I became a blacksmith is not some tale of just finding someone who would teach me. When I was small, my uncle would often try to chase me out of the forge because it was dangerous. He said a girl should not do that work, or that I was too small a child to even make that kind of choice.

I think you can guess how that went, but I suppose I will tell you anyway. I never even once listened to him, in spite of any warnings. I wanted to learn so badly that I kept sneaking in anyway, watching him from afar, looking over all the tools, stole and practised with swords whenever I had the chance, and persisting until he finally began to teach me himself. He claims that he has never met anyone so stubborn, and that such tenacity would likely get me killed someday.

[ It's... Weird, to talk about her past like this. Finally she'll actually try to draw his attention, so he can see all of the burns, scars, and marred skin of her arm closest to him. ]

I was hurt, a lot. Every single time it would hurt, and yet I still kept going because I wanted to. If...

[ She has to pause, her eyes closed because she knows she's still on the brink of tears from earlier even if she's a little calmer now. She still thinks he needs to hear this. ]

What I am trying to say is that if there is nothing else good about me, what I can say is good is that when I desire something, nothing will deter me. I can take anything you might do that I may see as terrible, because I know regardless of all that you are worth keeping and striving for, and I am unwilling to give that up simply because you think it is not good for me or that I might get hurt.

Edited 2016-07-04 04:25 (UTC)

[he listens. And it wears away at him. He could be stubborn. He could push her away. But it was hard when they were stubborn and despite everything a part of her reminds him of someone he treasures above anything else in the world.]

You're stupid. [forehead poke. And he'll take his hat back too but then loop an arm around her shoulders and hug her against his side] We'll get you a really cool leg, though. If it was back home we could put an air dial in it and you'd be able to jump really high...

Of course I've heard you can learn that too.

[puffs]

Fine, Red. But two things.

First? Keep toward your goals no matter what or I'll be pissed at you.

Second? Let's keep an eye on Smoker together. Deal?

[fistbump?]

[ Welp. A hug isn't what she's expecting, and it takes her a second to not feel stiff as a board before she finally does meet his eye again. She's not sure she recognizes the gesture though, is it supposed to be some kind of thing to seal a deal?

Well, she can try it, and she does raise a fist to bump against his, though it's clear that she isn't sure of if she's doing it right or not. ]

Deal. And helping me find someone to build a new leg is all well and good...

[ Wait for it, because it feels like she can finally smile again. At last she can say something positive and give him good news. ]

There was a woman by the name of Winry here teaching me a particular craft, and although she is not here anymore she has left me her books and allowed me to apprentice under her while she was here. With just a little bit more... I can create a leg for myself. One that would act almost exactly as a real one would.

Edited (clarity) 2016-07-04 04:39 (UTC)

[he just grins at her, sensing her hesitance but not knowing what it was about]

Woah you're going to make your own leg? [how cool is that] You should make it shoot fire.

Maybe. I need to make sure I can make one that works first, and it will still take some time after that.

[ And a doctor who will agree to help her with the initial surgery... ]

It will still be a long time off before I can walk again as normal. I have been told the initial therapy takes three years... But the particularly tenacious can manage in one without ill effect. Depending on who I ask and who agrees, maybe someone with the capability to heal people with their abilities would speed the process further and I can get back on my feet sooner than that.

[ Give her a second to go back to grinning again. ]

It will be worth it though. The kind of leg I intend to build is automail - it is made completely out of metal, and connects to the nerves so that it can move just like a real one. They can be customized as well to do all sorts of other things, so I could likely make an automail leg that shoots fire with enough practice.

Edited 2016-07-04 04:56 (UTC)

[three years is such a long time. He would go crazy and try to do it in three months. But automail sounds cool and shooting fire is a great perk so A+++ he approves]

If I can help I will. Though I'm usually only good for one thing. [and he shoots a fire ball from his finger into the sand.

Well he's good for other things but he's pretty sure she doesn't want stolen metal]

In the meantime, you want to help me build a boat? [in her off time, he means. If she has it] It'll be used for piracy but

Actually that might help, especially if I need to weld parts together and cannot find a hot enough welding torch.

[ She probably can, but hey it's an excuse to help keep him busy. ]

I cannot promise you any kind of skill with helping you build a boat though, it is not exactly something I know well. If you do not mind that, I will try.

I don't know much either. But it'll help kill time... When we test it out we should probably get someone who can swim though....

[since she doesn't have a leg and he's a hammer in the water]

Oh but I want to build Striker first. I'll need your help with that definitely.

Definitely. I mean, I used to be able to, but even with the new leg I would likely sink like a stone.

[ One drawback to metal limbs, they're much heavier than fleshy ones. ]

I will do what I can, but just what is Striker?

[he laughs] Even more like me. [brofist]

It's a skiff.. Kind of like a big surfboard with a sail. But it has something metal in the back that lets me channel my fire for propulsion.

[it's not the best explanation...]

I'll have Marco draw it for you.

Probably for the best that he does. I can definitely make something like that, with my magic if nothing else.

[ Another fist bump? Okay then, apparently it's not for what she thought it was but she'll do it anyway. Just using her magic for it feels like cheating, but considering that she actually doesn't work at the forge anymore... ]

I will see about finding some scrap metal to work into that for you. If there is anyone here who can help you build that, it would be me.

I'll owe you one then.

[and he won't mind the owing.

He stretches then and scratches his stomach. It's been a long stupid day and he's getting pretty tired but since she's still here...]

So what now?

... I do not know.

[ It's later, the sun has set... And she's in the middle of Fayren with no one knowing where she's disappeared to. She's just going to pull out her communicator...

That's a wince, and a heavy sigh as she bows her head. ]

Do... You remember how I said that no one was keen on letting me travel alone...?

[ She's just going to show him the huge number of unread messages. Likely all yelling at her because she failed to leave a note. It seemed like a good idea at the time so that she wouldn't be stopped...

Whoops. ]

I should probably return home.

[no he forgot but]

I'll give you a lift.

[crouches so she can get on his back]

Come on, Red.

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