theafflicted | 00

00 - prologue

PROLOGUE

It doesn't matter where you are or what you're doing – something strange begins to happen. There's a sudden burning sensation that wraps around your right wrist and part of your forearm. If you glance at the affected area, you'll find that it's...glowing. The glow is pale blue, and it's so bright that it hurts to look at. The burn itself isn't so painful that you feel like keeling over just yet, but it does hurt nevertheless.

But before you have time to try to soothe the pain, you start to feel lightheaded, dizzy. Perhaps some of you may attribute this to any injuries you may currently be sustaining. For those who were previously unscathed, however, there's quite possibly no explanation for this other than the sudden appearance of the mysterious burn on your arm.

There is no time to mull it over, though, because it is the last thing that you see before the world suddenly fades to black.

-----

When you regain your senses, your vision is blurry; but when it starts to even out and you survey your surroundings, you find yourself sitting in a rather uncomfortable chair. Looking around you’ll see rows and rows of chairs, all facing the same way towards a desk, a podium, and an empty wall. A projector hangs from the ceiling and the lighting is bright and artificial... For some of you, it might be reminiscent of a college lecture hall. For others, you might have never seen anything like this before.

Your wrist, by the way, feels perfectly fine...though there’s now some kind of strange marking on it. It looks like a scar of some sort, and if you choose to touch it, it doesn’t feel inflamed or damaged in any way...but that doesn’t mean you don’t experience any pain. Perhaps the last thing some of you remember is a hard-fought battle, and the aches from your injuries still linger; some of you might not even remember getting hurt, and yet, your body aches like it has; for the lucky ones who feel fine, well. Pray that it lasts for a little while longer.

Because the moment someone gets hurt – emotionally or physically – there’s a small chance you’ll feel it, too. Where and who and what it’s coming from, though, is on you to figure out.

In front of you on the desk is some kind of device – a tablet, for those of you who are familiar. Unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be capable of doing much of anything right now, other than take photos and videos with the Camera app. There's also a translating app for those of you who need help reading some of the text around campus, as it is all in English. (Verbally, however, you can understand everyone in your own language. Tablets are also in characters' native languages.) It seems to be incredibly durable and hard to break, but you may want to be careful with it regardless.

Something shifts in your pocket (or...in your socks/shoe/what have you, if pockets aren't a thing) as you move around. Should you reach in and feel for it, you’ll find some kind of card – those who are familiar with modern technology will recognize that this is some kind of card you need to swipe. It has your name and a photo of you on one side, and the back of the card has the word "KEYCARD" on it.

There are also other people here, scattered throughout this mysterious classroom you’re in. In fact, there’re a bunch of you — 29 others, to be exact.

And now... you’re free to do whatever you want. Mostly anything, at least, given that once you step outside and explore, you’ll notice an ominous fog behind the various buildings within view. Still, this is a good time to get your bearings, check on what you have - and don’t have - and talk to the people around you until orientation starts.

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( OOC: Welcome to your Intro Log! The partner system is in effect for the Intro Log, meaning that yes, pain share is happening! For some notes regarding the partner system, your character will not know who their partner is upon arrival. It’s entirely possible that they find out now if their partner gets or is already injured, or if they can pick up on their mood. Otherwise, they’ll find out later today...!

Anyone who tries to leave campus grounds will have to enter through the fog, but no matter what, they will mysteriously wind up back onto campus grounds. And for clarification, the keycards are what characters need to gain access to their dorms!

Finally, we will have an NPC Reveal at 6pm EST today! )

FULL NAV

(CODE)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ not sure what ace would have expected from sabo after hearing this information, but he will keep focusing his attention down at the ground—his boots are unevenly scuffed—as he tries to think of something he could say to that. it's all too easy to imagine and the mental imagery makes him happy as it does sad.

(the slips of his name. the two of them looking to the side expectantly to get his attention for something.)

sabo was always confident that ace would properly accept luffy and eventually open up to him, but seemed like his departure was the catalyst in term of speeding up that process. after all, who knows how stubborn ace would have been if sabo was always there to play mediator. ]

I see.

[ a small laugh. ]

I'm still glad that you two were able to become closer. He was always fond of you—even if he called me the nicer one.

You were the nicer one. Always taking his side.

[ there isn't a drop of bitterness in his voice. that's just how it was. how they played. he was the ""tough"" guy between the three of them and had to keep up that front. but luffy was luffy and managed to worm his way into his heart. ]

No wonder he was such a crybaby with you acting that way.

[ not really. since luffy was like that well before the two of them got involved in his life. but he can rip at sabo for it anyway. ]

[ another soft laugh. ]

I wasn't always taking his side; it just seemed that way to you.

[ there is nothing wrong with positive reinforcement and offering patience where it was due. sure they were all kids—kids who were allowed to be wild in the most literal sense of the word—but sabo was always a bit more emotionally aware. though speaking of being aware... ]

Or maybe you disliked it so much because you were actually jealous that I was praising someone other than you?

Why would I be jealous of something like that?

[ clearly that isn't something that would bother him. how dare sabo even suggest that to him. he didn't need the other boy's praise at the time. obviously. ]

Luffy's the one that needed it more than me.

[ liar. ]

[ and yet he just joked about how he babied luffy and how he favored luffy's side. sure, like sabo will believe this. he definitely remembers how they were as children—the difference treatment he'd get. of course, that was when they were children and he won't expect things to be the same as adults. ]

If that's how you want to remember things.

How was it for you, then? If you're saying I'm remembering it wrong.

[ he knows that before luffy came along (and even for a while after luffy arrived), he only had sabo around. it was just the two of them. their hoarding to get out of there. the plans for the future. it's not that luffy was any less of a brother to them, but it was the two of them from the start. that had a special meaning to it. and he knows it deep down. ]

I remember an Ace who would get upset when I didn't always take his side except that he would also pretend to not be upset or that it didn't matter.

[ tsundere. it's okay to not want to have to "share" your very first and closest friend with someone who was shoved upon you by a man who would come and go in your life. ]

One that would have a bit difficulty showing a certain side of himself. [ except that's when they were children and he doesn't know the ace in front of him as well. what is five years verses the decade and some that they were apart? ] But maybe you're passed that now.

[ ace can't help but huff a little at those words. terrible, hearing that from sabo. ]

It didn't upset me that much.

[ yeah. still having some of the same habits of denying things about how he feels. tsundere, indeed. ]

Maybe you're seeing something that's not there.

[ sabo probably isn't the person he should say that to, considering how smart he's always been. great at figuring things out and reading things. this is probably answer enough for sabo to realize he still keeps a side to himself. that even if he got an answer in the end, he never had time to fully digest it. ]

But it was just enough for you to sulk afterwards.

[ if sabo was the type or person to call it cute...

regardless, he's certain of what he saw and what he observed during their time together. he's also fairly confident that he'll still be able to see through ace even after so many years. ]

It's okay, Ace; you'll always be the first person I called my friend—my brother. It's not a bond that can be easily broken.

[ wow, this is an embarrassing statement. how can sabo say something like this with a straight face and not get bothered by it? ]

...

You're right about that.

[ of course he means he feels the same way. but he doesn't say it in so many words. sabo said enough to cover it. ]

[ because he has no problem with just saying things like that. if it's the truth then there's nothing to be flustered about. ]

Oh? It looks like that hasn't changed; you still embarrass easily.

Shut it!

[ the protesting probably only makes it worse and he makes a huffy little sound. ]

I should have expected you to say something like that.

[ it definitely makes it worse but even if he hadn't sabo would have seen the truth. somethings certainly do not change, especially when it comes to proving a point. ]

Maybe.

Though it looks like I haven't been seeing things that weren't there.

Maybe you're still seeing things that aren't there.

[ yeah, he's not giving the best case for his argument, but then again, sabo was the one that had the most brains of the trio. and the one that was best with observing things.

but, surprisingly, he does soften a little. ]

But I always appreciated you being my friend and brother.

[ after all, he doesn't know how much longer this all is going to last. he doesn't want to miss this chance if it's the only one he has. don't expect it to last, though. ]

If I am then this is one of the more nicer things that weren't there.

[ what does he mean by this? what else could he mean by this honestly? but sabo won't further elaborate and instead will snort as he'll look up from the ground to where ace is laying. ]

...especially when I hear things like that. [ a moment's hesitation. ] So, you were happy?

[ ah.

of course he couldn't keep dodging that part, could he? he'd walked right back into it, in a way. of course sabo would want to hear more about that. and he deserved to hear it.

if only he had his hat he could adjust to hide his face some. he could honestly remain lying flat to somewhat keep his face hidden, but he props himself up on his elbows to face sabo straight on. ]

Yeah. It wasn't like I was thrilled to be dying or anything like that. But I... [ his words catch a moment and he has to swallow hard. it's hard, talking about this. being this vulnerable. ]

I was so incredibly grateful for someone like Luffy loving me like he did. That both my brothers cared so much about me. That you felt I deserved it.

[ with that, he drops back on the bed, arm draping over his eyes, trying to cover as much of his face as he can. there's a lot of emotions there and he's trying to hide himself again. ]

[ sabo doesn't say anything for a while and simply just stares at ace and really takes a good look at him. he's only seen ace through photos and he hadn't taken the time to study ace as an adult. eventually when he speaks, he does so in his casual carefree tone. ]

Still stupid, too.

[ then will proceed to plop himself down right next to ace on the bed, lying on his side as he gets a better—closer—look at his best friend a decade later. he tucks one arm under his head and uses it as a pillow while the other just rests in the space between them. ]

I'm not sorry for leaving you and Luffy that day. [ because his "father" would have surely allowed bluejam to kill them both as a means to punish him for his "poor behavior". besides, no one would have missed the two of them. no one important to his "father", anyway. ] ...but before the fire, I tried to get back to you both. They stopped me and wouldn't let me leave no matter what I did. Then afterwards, I couldn't stand being there any second longer and the only thing I thought was left for me was to escape the island altogether.

[ however, because of that... if he hadn't left that day and endured it just a bit longer until he could find a way to escape... would ace still have harbored those thoughts for as long as he had? ]

[ at the end of everything sabo says, he moves his arm away from his face to look at the other man. a face that's changed so much in a decade. a face he'd never thought he'd see again. ]

Luffy was devastated when all that happened. I told him he shouldn't cry so much.

[ as if he didn't scream his lungs out and cry for his lost brother. he went into mourning, too, but only did so alone. ]

I get why you did it, especially now. But it doesn't mean I wasn't upset about it.

[ sorry, but sabo is going to need to laugh at ace's remark because he can imagine it all too well. it wasn't that strange of a sight growing up with them. he'll weakly shake his head at ace before speaking. ]

Of course you did. That's he never thought of you as the nicer one.

[ a bit more seriously but still not losing the gentleness of his tone. ]

I've always been glad to have met you, Ace. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have made it as long as I have. [ then just before ace can get a word in he'll quickly add: ] And not just because you taught me how to take care of myself in the mountains.

It was my version of being nice.

[ was it really, though?

but sabo's words hit him right where it counts. hearing this from him directly, especially after everything that happened to him. but even so, he tilts his head a little. ]

You had a great head on your shoulders even without me. [ but he gets a little cheekiness in his tone at the next bit: ] Though, anyone would be lucky to have me around.

[ the serious mood is a bit heavy, so he can't help but try to lighten it a little bit. ]

[ hmmm. he'll raise an eyebrow at ace. ]

Yeah, is that so?

I think it should be the other way around. You have someone who will watch your back when you go off and do something stupid again.

[ because it wasn't a question of "if" but a question of "when". they were all guilty of doing things like that but luffy and ace had a special brand of running off to be idiots that were truly something else. ]

And someone who will kick your ass if you ever doubt all of that ever again.

[ he laughs a little bit and shifts his arm to nudge sabo lightly in the chest with his elbow. ]

What would adventure be without a little trouble?

[ sometimes things just happen. it's not his fault he's drawn to trouble like luffy is. it makes life more exciting. ]

Heh. That's a little more complicated, though. But I don't think I'll forget anytime soon.

A little trouble is fine, but it's never "a little" with you.

[ he'll raise the hand that was resting between them to give ace a shove of his shoulder. ]

You better not; after saying all of that to me, you better not. I'm going to remember it from here on out so you need to as well.

[ because he'll need those words when his enemies come for him and start saying things that ate into the most twisted parts of him. ugly parts that still exist and will continue to. ]

It's all about how you look at it!

[ but sabo is right. it's not just a little. it tends to be rather extreme trouble he gets himself into. ]

I'll make sure to keep that in mind. Don't need you getting on my case about it.

[ he shifts a little bit and lifts his hand. he hesitates a moment before reaching to push back some of sabo's hair that's attempting to cover the scar. if sabo lets him get that far. ]

Why are you hiding this?

[ honest to god, he instantly wonders if he misses this as he lets out a sigh mixed in with a laugh. the answer is yes, yes he did miss this. how could he not? it's something that he's always wanted to be able to do since regaining his memories and any comments or quips he might have had die immediately when ace reaches towards him.

ace initiating touch was not something he did often as kid so sabo doesn't move to see what ace was going to do. unfortunately he unconsciously flinches when ace brushes his hair back to see his scar which definitely won't make his counter sound believable. ]

...I'm not hiding it.

[ he's just somewhat self-conscious about it. ]

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