【Ma Ai】Island of Illusion

Marco has never felt that a day can be so long.At sea, the concept of time is only reflected when eating.The long time and the not-so-exciting sea life will always make him feel that the earth has stopped functioning.

One bottle after another of Papa's wine bottles ran out.He took a few sips, his empty stomach convulsed by the alcohol.A man and a beast in front of him are still fighting endlessly, and Ace's figure looks lonely and thin in the setting sun.Marko's eyes were fixed on him, and time was back at sea, and everything stood still.

There was obvious drunkenness on the old man's face.He kept talking to Marco about things he couldn't remember, his companions, old acquaintances and dead enemies.The memory is already very blurred, and sometimes he needs to think for a long time to remember the names of those people.Marco has been distracted, and Dad doesn't care if he's listening, he just needs an audience.

"Let me think clearly, there were too many things that year." The old man poured a big mouthful of wine, and the overflowing wine dripped down the corner of his mouth, "It was almost 20 years ago, and there may be more Two years ago, I didn’t need any infusion tubes at that time, and the little ghosts in the sea were not as arrogant as they are now. We circled the North Sea, and there was heavy rain in that sea area for a whole month, so it’s probably enough to use other boats Shen a hundred times. But we came back safe and sound, isn't it lucky? I've never seen such a storm. When I wake up in the morning, I always feel like I'm going to die. Ku la la la, was it morning or afternoon What? When I went out, I found that the sky had cleared up. The sun was very good, just like a freshly fried egg. There are always novel things in this world that surprise people."

He took another sip of his drink, and Marco tried to persuade him, but was stopped. "I haven't finished talking yet. If I don't drink, I won't remember it." The old man wiped the corner of his mouth and said, "It's a good thing I still remember, otherwise I would always feel that something went wrong, and I wouldn't even believe it. The weather was fine that day Quite, I saw the sun for the first time in a whole month, and I asked, "Is the bird delivering the newspaper not lost today?", It was the newspaper you brought me, and someone seemed to persuade me not to read it at that time—it was Sarah Strange? Really, am I as fragile as you think? It’s all tricks of little devils, and you still think you’re doing a good job.”

This is something Marco has heard countless times, and probably on the entire ship - except for Ace and a few newcomers - few people have not heard it. Twenty-two years ago, nothing was more memorable than the death of Col. D. Roger.But for Dad, using the word "unforgettable" is too easy after all.

"With my personality, I wouldn't believe that he was really dead until I saw his head fall at my feet. Neither I nor that bastard Xiqi thought that no one could take his life except myself. .A newspaper is nothing. It is not a day or two for the Navy to fabricate fake news. But the newspaper that day convinced me that Roger was really dead. It was not the Navy who killed him, but he himself gave up chance to live."

Such good weather is like celebrating some great event.

"For a person who can say something like that, it doesn't matter whether he lives or dies. There will always be heirs who will fight to continue his will... It's just that for us old guys, the ideal is just a dream in the vast ocean. It’s just an unknown destination.” The old man put down the wine bottle in his hand and sighed.

"On the contrary, there is no one who can get drunk after a decisive battle, and even the original pleasure of drinking is gone."

"Old man, the old friend you said you want to meet is Roger." Marko said, "What I don't understand is that you only let me know a little bit about this island yesterday, why didn't you tell me the whole thing here? Is it just to let us experience this messy illusion and be surprised?"

"Why, doesn't it feel good to be surprised?"

"Not good, not good at all." Marco stared at the ground, and the setting sun pulled his shadow into a slender shape, "I don't like things happening suddenly, it makes me feel insecure."

"Koo la la la!" Dad laughed, "Even you say things like security. It seems that Chas Parker has a lot of influence on you. But for me this is a happy thing." You are more or less angry."

Marco knew what Pa was referring to.He's a boring guy, calm, gentle and unapproachable.It's like wearing a mask.Saatchi said that he is like sea water in April. Although the waves are calm and the temperature is pleasant, after all, people do not have the desire to jump.But Marco thinks there is nothing wrong with it. Talking less and doing more is his consistent principle of being a man.Life doesn't have to be vigorous and life-and-death to be called life, not to mention that he never thought of living this kind of life.Everything must be within your control.

It's just that now, he himself is not sure if everything is still sailing according to the original route.

"Old man, I have a question for you."

"Ask, while I can speak."

"Why do we all have to come to this island? If you want to see Roger again, you can come by yourself." Marko said, "Even if it is a so-called precious memory, some people don't want to see it. Especially those who are no longer there, the more you see it, the more sad you will be.”

He thought of Ace's distraught expression after experiencing the illusion. Although he later recovered his usual cheerfulness and thought it was not a bad thing, the sadness at that moment could not be erased.No matter how real the illusion is, it is just an illusion, which will only increase the pain of loss in reality.

"If it were me, I would rather destroy this kind of place."

"Destroy it? You are still so boring, Marco." The old man stroked his beard, his face turned coppery because of drinking, but his eyes were calm, and the alcohol did not numb his mind.

"However, many years ago, I had the same thought as you. The cliff could be crushed with just one punch, but I didn't do that. I believe that since it exists in this world, there will always be a reason for its existence "The old man said quietly, "I want to see what kind of answer time will give me. This is the same as letting go of those daring brats. People always want to know what their decision is. Right or wrong. Until now, some things still have not been answered, but this is not important, what matters is whether you have regretted the decision you made at the beginning. I am very glad that I did not destroy this island on impulse when I was young, even if I remember The person is gone, at least let me see a few more times."

"What's the point of this? It can't be regarded as regaining what was lost at all. It can be said to be adding salt to the wound." Marco said disapprovingly.

"Koo la la la, that's true... Do you know what I thought when I saw Roger just now? I was thinking, who is this person? Why is it so far from the Roger I remember. But the fact It's just that I have forgotten that in just 20 years or so, a person's voice, appearance and appearance will wear away into an appearance you are not familiar with." Dad said, "What's more, this life is so long, no matter how precious the memory is, it will fade away. Sometimes, just think about it, when you see or experience something familiar, but there is no answer in your mind, even if it is only a vague outline. One day you will find that the things you thought were unforgettable are gradually fading away , you can’t remember how those things started, and you don’t know when they ended. You have a missing person, who once entrenched in your memory for a long, long time, long enough for you to think that it is deep enough to never forget , but in fact it’s just my own wishful thinking. The memory is very honest, and the memory will also get old. You will not remember that person’s face, how he smiled and how he cried, even what kind of eyes and lips he had, what kind of hair he had What color? You clearly remember these, but you can't tell them all."

The old man's voice is very old, and now he is no longer the all-powerful overlord of the sea, but like all ordinary old men who have experienced the world, babbling all the unspeakable emotions to the air and the still time.

"Even worse than forgetting are afterimages," he sighed.Marco offered him a jug of wine, but Dad shook his head and refused. "No, if you drink any more, you'll be really old and confused. Can you understand what I'm saying, Marco? This island is actually the best gift nature has given us. It will always be loyal to your heart, not Your memory. Even if everything is false, at least it will allow you to get back what you lost."

"I understand, but I still stick to my position. Let the things that have passed pass by, there is no need to torture yourself like this." Marco stood up, it was getting late, and it would not wait for Ace to fight like this If you consume yourself to death, you will starve to death.Dad also needs to find a place to rest.Still have a lot of work tonight.

"So, it's still too early for you." The old man lay back on the ground, "When you also try to lose, you will understand why human beings always like to ask for trouble."

Ace's black hair was soaked in dust and sweat, sticking to his skin in strands.His hat was thrown far away, and the petals scattered all over the ground.The strange thing is that the illusion didn't affect him, he was like a clockwork mechanical soldier, every move was as precise as the well-drilled one, and went to the enemy's body.

When Marco approached, the fight, which lasted for several hours, was still not over.Ace did not turn the battlefield into a sea of ​​flames as he said, but unexpectedly put away his abilities and fought only with his fists and feet.Now he was standing in front of Marco covered in blood, without looking back, he just asked confusedly: "It's over?"

What he wanted to ask was the conversation between Marco and Dad, but Marco misunderstood that he was asking about the result of the battle. He glanced at Yaji, who was also panting on the ground with scars, nodded and said, "It's over, Good job."

Ace didn't understand, but still smiled.

Ya Ji struggled to get up, its size was only a little larger than the previous one, and while its combat power increased, its flexibility also weakened.Its wounds were concentrated on the head, but it was covered with extremely hard armor, so it didn't look very serious.It roared at Ace in a low voice, dust rolled up under its body, and the next round of attacks would begin again.Ace wiped the blood on his skull, the viscous liquid seriously affected his vision.

"It's not over yet," he said.

"No, it's over." Marco walked over and touched his wet head, and then he walked straight to Aki.Without any defense, and without transforming his body, every time he took a step forward, Ace felt the turbid air tremble slightly.

"Don't touch it, it's my opponent." Ace said.

"Don't worry, I'm just trying to make it quiet a little bit before your blood runs out."

"Ku la la, brat." The old man opened his eyes and looked at his imposing son, his new friend lowered his head under this almost barbaric coercion, whimpering in a low voice.Ace rubbed his eyes to see clearly. Marco like this was very unfamiliar. He wondered if his eyes were dazzled. At that moment, he seemed to see a ferocious expression on that forever calm face.But there were bursts of blackness in front of my eyes, and my vision was clear for a while and blurred for a while.He staggered to the front of his father, wiped his face casually, and sat down.

"Father, do you have anything to eat?" He seemed to have been deliberating for a long time before saying this sentence.Dad handed him the wine: "You can fill your stomach with this."

Ace gulped down a mouthful of strong wine mixed with blood, and the choking liquid slid down his throat, bringing burning pain.

"Why are you here?" Ace asked puzzled, "And who is that guy? You call him Aki, do you know him?"

"It's too long to explain these questions, you can ask Marco, he knows everything." Dad took off his coat and put it on Ace's head. "We can't waste any more clothes, or the three of us will go back naked."

The bandage on Ace's forehead is split open, and blood trickles down the sides of his cheeks, but he doesn't seem to care.He took another sip of his drink, throwing Dad's long coat aside.

"It's much better now." He belched for no apparent reason, the smell of alcohol and blood mixed, "But even if it's your friend, we have to decide the winner."

"Is that so? It's up to you. I'm only responsible for helping it find its son." The old man closed his eyes. He felt sleepy, and the alcohol was anesthetizing.

"Your blood is almost drained, what else can you do next?" Marco walked back, grabbed the clothes on the ground, and tore off a piece of fabric from the end of the sleeve. "Ace, learning how to protect yourself is as important as winning. I really doubt how your risk-it-or-die style of play has survived until now."

He helped Ace tear off the original bandage that had been soaked in blood, and wiped the blood from his forehead.He tried to be as light as possible, but Ace wasn't focused on that.

"Father, have I become a little stronger?" There was an eagerness in his voice that couldn't be concealed.

"Is it important?" Marco couldn't help interjecting.Ace ignored it, and his mind was all on waiting for his father's answer.

Come on, tell me, affirm me.

But Dad didn't answer, he didn't even open his eyes.

"Ace, raise your arm, I can't bandage it." Marco squatted in front of him, and Ace's waist and abdomen were cut with a few big cuts, covered with dust.He wanted him to raise his arm so he could wipe the dirt off.Ace didn't move, he sat where he was like the last leaf blown away by the wind in autumn, dry and helpless.He bowed his head and raised his arms until Marco reminded him again.

"Dad is drunk, so he may not have heard you." Marco said, "Don't be discouraged, at least I think you've been making progress. It would be better if you could use a little wisdom."

Ace said nothing.He noticed that the monster that they threw into the lake climbed up at some point, and was snuggling up next to the Yaji that the old man said.It used its long snout to feed Aki's stomach, and whispered.Aki, unable to stand up, gently rubbed his cheek against its head.

"Why didn't you use fire just now? Its armor is so hard that it can withstand your ten times of fire, so you don't have to worry about it and burn it." Marco finished the dust, and the next step was bandaging.I was surprised by his skillful movements. "If there is another time, maybe I can change my identity with the ship doctor... Ace, did you hear what I said?"

He fell into a strange self-silence again.He didn't say a word, seemed quiet and a little nervous.Marco doesn't like this kind of Ace, which is considered a rare situation for him, but it has happened frequently recently.No one knew what he was thinking, being away from sunlight and sea water made him look lifeless like a glass doll.

Marco tied up the wound with clean torn cloth, and tied a bow ingeniously at the end.This childish little gesture finally caught Ace's attention.His black eyes moved, and he said dissatisfiedly: "What is this?"

"Finally woke up? I thought you fell asleep with your eyes open again. Did you hear what I said just now?" Marco touched the little bow, felt that it was not strong enough, and pulled it tighter.

"Let go." Ace frowned.

"Answer my question first, why didn't you use your ability just now?"

The second captain who had no strength to resist had no choice but to confess honestly: "Because you and Dad are next to each other, and there is still wine, if the fire burns to your side, it will be bad."

"Ace, are you overestimating your own fire, or are you underestimating me and Dad? And why do you care so much about other people's lives, but ignore your own?" He touched Ace's back with his hand , above the conspicuous tattoo is a large scratch, mixed with blood and mottled dust, like a funny picture drawn by a child.

"What the hell are you thinking?"

Ace stared at the bow at his waist, absent-minded.

"Nothing, I'm normal Marko," he whispered, "That doesn't matter at all."

After treating the wound, Marco briefly told him about the situation on the island, including how the old man met Aki, and how he helped his new friend find the naughty child—the first monster they encountered, it has A lovely name is Lemon, only three years old - and finally met them ready to start the meal with lemon.He skipped over what Dad had said to Roger, feeling that it was an inappropriate topic to bring up.

"And that illusion, it was all caused by that guy." Marko said, pointing to the cliff in the distance.The brilliance of the setting sun makes the entire cliff face shine brightly, like a huge piece of red copper. "The principle is very simple. Sunlight is refracted when it hits it. Refraction is the key to the illusion. But the range of refracted sunlight is limited, so there will be no illusion when we go to the island, but as soon as we enter the range of refraction, something will happen. To put it bluntly, it is a large mirror that creates its own large aperture through sunlight. But it also has a disadvantage, that is, it will only cause trouble when the sun is shining directly, so I crossed the cliff to find you before I didn’t see the illusion when I was there because it was morning and the sun was on the other side. And now we’re fine because it’s evening and we’re far away.”

"Then what does it have to do with those messy flowers?" Ace rarely thought of this, and then he thought of his flower hat, but the poor big flower hat was already in dilapidated condition.

"Oh, it can be said that it has nothing to do with it. It's just that those shrewd little flowers use the power of nature to make it easier for them to survive." Marko said, "This island reflects the innermost desires of human beings, while for animals, The biggest desire is to look for food. There is nothing that makes them crazy than what they can see but can’t eat. Unlike humans, they can stop and think about what went wrong, and they will only focus on the visible food Go forward. The smell of those flowers can deepen this out-of-control state, although there is no way to control their direction, but at least it can increase the chance of hitting themselves, so that they can hunt delicious food even during the day."

Ace laughed, and he said, "You're talking like they're gambling that the animal will hit their mouth, and that the animal won't be too big, and that it won't attract humans." He remembered The poor Chaspark hiding at the bottom of the lake, if it hadn't been for them, it would have slept well during the day as usual, and then waited for its prey pitifully at night.He couldn't stop laughing, and Marco looked at him inexplicably.

"You're so strange." He said, "Will you suddenly be so quiet that people can't get close to you, and suddenly you will be happy because of ordinary things, or is it true that all young people today are like you?"

"I don't know." Ace wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said solemnly, "I just laugh when I want to laugh, and I don't give myself a reason to be happy when I'm depressed. It's not very normal, but thing?"

Marko looked at him for a long time, but couldn't find any flaws in his face.

"I know I'm handsome, Captain Marco, but don't look at me like that." Ace said with his head back, pretending to be nervous.With blood and dust all over his face, he looked far from handsome, but he still made Marco laugh.

"Will you be nervous, handsome guy?" Marco immediately remembered the words that Sachs used to boast. He always felt that these so-called compliments were too fancy and stupid, but in this case he couldn't help using them. up.Ace's eyes were bright and he was smiling.If it wasn't for the dust covering his freckles, he would be more energetic and youthful.

"Yes, I'm nervous and I'm about to pass out." Ace smiled and tapped his forehead, meaning he needed to calm down.

"What are you nervous about? Because I'm looking at you?" Marco leaned forward slightly, his voice soft and ambiguous.But this was completely a subconscious reaction, and when he came to his senses, the words had already been spoken.They were so close that they could see their reflection in each other's eyes.Marco just felt cold sweat.

He understood what he had done.He has said similar things to women countless times - "Hey, what are you looking at? Are you looking at me?".There were only two reactions from the woman, either she nodded with a blushing face, or she slapped him neatly.

If it's the former, he'll be more than happy to invite her over for an afternoon or a pleasant evening together.The latter rarely happened, because not many people dared to leave handprints on the face of the captain of the first division of the Whitebeard Pirates, and at most lifted their skirts and stomped on the ground a few times.But he thinks such a woman is also very cute.

Now this kind of rotten flirtation is used without warning on Ace, but the latter is not cute at all, and he will set fire when he is excited.They stare.No one spoke.

Finally, Ace choked out a sentence: "No, because you are pressing my hand, if you don't get up again, it will break soon."

Marco moved away in a panic, but didn't see the hand he was talking about.He suddenly saw the other side's arms propped behind him, and suddenly realized: "You lied to me?"

"Isn't it?" Ace laughed, as if the embarrassment just now had never existed, "You look so funny, like a cat that has been driven away."

Following Marco's example, he straightened his body and leaned forward, and said hypocritically: "—Baby, is it because I'm looking at you?"

After he finished speaking, he started laughing again, wishing he could roll all over the floor.Well, it looks like I laughed at you before - Marco comforted himself in his heart.

"Don't be angry, I'm just kidding." Ace laughed sourly.He clamped his cheeks between his palms and pressed them in the middle, and the whole face was pressed into a strange grimace.

"I'm not angry, on the contrary I'm happy."

They looked at each other and smiled under the golden sunset, and the atmosphere was relaxed and natural.

"It's so strange, I seem to know you again." Ace rubbed his nose, a little embarrassed, "Just now, I found out that you are not so unapproachable."

"It feels fresh, doesn't it, like the sea breeze in the morning?" Marco said with a smile, "But I still want to remind you, I never said that I am difficult to approach, as long as you are willing to get closer."

"Okay, I'll work hard." Ace nodded cautiously.This is a wonderful exchange, which only belongs to the interaction between the two of them, like ordinary friends, joking with each other and examining each other.The gap is getting smaller, or it doesn't exist in the first place, as long as you take the initiative to approach and reach out, there will be a response.