The next day, Ace’s training began.
Enveloping objects in flame and burning them up. Using the force of the fire to push things away. We practiced over and over; I jammed sticks and branches into the sand to serve as targets.
Thanks to Ace, we could easily make fires now, so the process of survival was much easier. In fact, he knew a lot about the jungle too, and he said he grew up in one.
We dug holes until we found natural water, filtered it, and boiled it for a supply of drinking water.
Things that hadn’t been quite edible suddenly became much more so after they were cooked over a fire. And we didn’t have to suffer the chill at night.
A few days passed in this way. Ace could control his fire at will at this point. And, at last…
“It’s done!”
We finally finished building a ship. Our hands and clothes were filthy black now, as once Ace had trained himself properly, we burned all the wood we were using to make the ship. Charring and carbonizing the surface of the wood made it more durable and resistant to fire and water—much better than using untreated wood, according to a sailor’s journal I once read. How effective this was, I didn’t know, but surely it could withstand the waves and salt breeze better than untreated wood. Our vessel was only possible because Ace could instantly create fire, and direct it to do exactly what he wanted.
Also, this ship had a method of propulsion—the exact thing we needed to escape the current trap around the island and get out to the open sea. The two of us together weren’t strong enough to do such a thing, but I had the idea to use the power of Ace’s flames.
“Listen, we need the force of the flames—their energy—to spin this board. That’s going to push the boat forward. I’ve decided to call this baby the Striker.”
“Striker, huh? And this will get us past the currents? In that case, let’s celebrate before we go! Let’s use up all the food we’ve got and have a party!”
“Don’t eat that; it’s our food for the journey.”
“Oh, right.”
Nearby was all the food and water we could scrounge up to bring on the boat. I picked up two bottles of water we’d collected and gave one to Ace. “But we can celebrate with these for today.”
“Sounds good.”
Ace smiled, showing his white teeth. We shared a toast with bottled water.
✦ ✦ ✦
The boat slid across the gentle waves. The power of Ace’s flames was our propulsion, pushing us onward. It was faster than paddling with our hands, and more reliable than waiting for wind.
The island grew smaller behind us. The calls of the birds became quieter, too. The grave we built in which to lay that skeleton to rest was as small as a speck of dust. From a distance, the island really did look like a beautiful little paradise. The sky was clear, and the sea sparkled in the sun.
Strangely enough, despite the horrible battle I'd fought with hunger and thirst there, I almost began to feel wistful about the experience. How could I have guessed that I’d feel nostalgic about an inescapable death trap? I never felt that way about home once I left…
Ace also looked back at the island growing smaller in the distance and said quietly, “At first, I thought I needed to find some treasure quick, and fight and fight and fight the tough pirates to make a name for myself…”
He kept one hand on his brilliant orange hat to keep it from flying away in the ocean breeze.
“But I was wrong about that. You can’t make a name for yourself that way. No matter how valuable the treasure you find, or the number of battles you win against worthy opponents, none of it means anything if you’re all alone.”
“So I guess the rumor that there was treasure on that island was just a tall tale after all.”
Ace looked over to me and grinned confidently. “I dunno about that,” he said, extending his hand toward me. “You’re coming with me…aren’t you?”
I answered him with the same grin. “I have a feeling I’ll be able to write a good adventure chronicle if I spend some time with you.”
We shared a firm handshake.
As I squeezed his hand, I considered the idea of dedicating the rest of my life to his cause.
I suppose that the feeling of wistfulness I had about the island was a sign that I was probably meant to end my life there. In fact, that’s certainly what would have happened, if not for Ace’s presence.
But life decided on a different path for me.
Through sheer coincidence I met Ace in a place where I shouldn’t have found anyone at all. That meeting saved my life. It seemed to me like this was fate.
I’ll live my life until the end for him, then. A life with no regrets. I’ve gotta be the luckiest man in the world if that’s the feeling he inspires in me.
As we proceeded farther out to sea, the waves began getting higher. The currents roiled and jolted, trying to toss our ship, and the wood itself shook with the waves’ impact. But the ship held, and continued steadfast on its way.
“We might come from different circumstances, but we’ve both got some conflicted feelings about our fathers,” Ace said suddenly, looking straight ahead. “So let’s get over it… Over the waves, past the storm, beyond our fate. And away from our fathers, while we’re at it!”
His flames roared higher than usual at that moment. The ship picked up speed and began to vibrate. I clung to the craft like my life depended on it. The little boat moved straight and true, parting the waves and penetrating the currents. The prow lifted upward. For a moment, the boat soared in the air over the island’s deadly current trap. Salt spray danced around it, glittering with the light of the sun.
Despite clinging for dear life to the craft, I looked up at Ace. He was smiling. He stood proudly facing the waves, beaming with childlike innocence.
Then he put his wildest ambitions into words.
“I’m going to be greater than the King of the Pirates!”
The sky was clear. Our course was set for the Grand Line. I gazed out upon the sea before us, a stretch of water I could never have conquered on my own. This was the birth cry of the two-man Spade Pirates crew.