He remembers being in pain. He remembers his little brother cry, he remembers his regret for not able to see his little brother's dream fulfilled, for not able to thank them for loving him even though he doesn't deserve their love, for never able to tell them the truth himself, for making them lost their brothers.

He still wants to have more adventures, more laugh or just relaxing on the deck with his brothers and their father looking after them from his chair. He wants to live without regret, and here is now dying with so many things that he regretted. Oh well, but at least he was able to live to the fullest each day. He hopes Sabo will forgive him for dying and leaving Luffy alone too. 

Luffy will be sad. He was sure about it, but he also sure that Luffy will be able to stand again. He is strong after all and he has his crews. They're a nice bunch. He had met them. He knows they will be able to watch Luffy's back. Luffy will be fine because he's going to be a pirate king and most importantly Luffy will be fine because he is their little brother. Man, he really really really hope that his family will forgive him for dying, for making their effort nil. He hopes oyaji survived. He hopes Sabo will forgive him too. 

He wonders what is the afterlife looks like. He wonders if Sabo will be there waiting for him. If his mother will be there too. Heck, he hopes that Roger won't be there. He shudders at the thought of Gol D Roger waiting for him in the afterlife. God, if you're existing in the world, please, please don't make Roger be the one that waiting in my last end, he pleads. 

He couldn't feel the pain any longer. Maybe he already numb now? He doesn't know how the afterlife works after all. He tries to feel his surroundings, to feel his body, his power. He couldn't feel the warmth of the Mera Mera no Mi anymore. Maybe devil's fruit power not following you to the afterlife?

Anyway, his body feels heavy. He could not get up too. He tries to open his eyes this time, he sees white. Where is he? Everything seems so big here... Does he try to call someone, to ask where the hell is he? he does. No sound coming out from his mouth. No wait, did he just gurgle? No no no, no way! Firefist Ace did not just gurgle. He is not some baby... Wait someone is coming. 

No! No no no no no no fucking way! Either she was a giant or I'm really are a baby now. 

Holy shit, what the hell! 

How did I turn into a baby? I was sure that I'm dead. It's not that I'm not thankful that I'm still alive, but why the hell I become a baby? Is this the after effects of dying? No way! Stop thinking like Luffy, Ace! 

Okay, let's think... 

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I remembered dying. I remembered oyaji. I remembered Luffy and my life after meeting Luffy. I remembered Sabo and his death. Nope. My life is not a dream, and neither is this. 

Did I travel back in time? 

Big no! I was not in the Bandit's hut and no sign of the shitty gramps either. So no, no time travel.

So what is this then?

Hey, god? Are you there? Could you please tell me where I'm and why I'm here? Why I'm a baby? 

Oh great! I'm getting crazy. Is that it? There is no way the god will answer you, silly Ace.

"well, since you ask me so nicely" suddenly a voice said in his head. 

Ace was startled. If he was not a baby right now he might jump but since he was a baby he only able to curse badly. 

"now, now," the voice said "babies shouldn't curse that much Ace! As for your question... You're now being reborn in another universe, congratulations! I'm this world's god, my name is Ether. Nice to meet you Ace! " he chimes.

"nice to meet you too," he thought instinctively.

"what a nice manner!" the god gussed. Ace scowl at that 

"now let me tell you about this world" the god continue. "we can say that you're chosen, most people that being reborn usually will not remember their past life but you do. You might wonder why it is because the mistakes my past people did. They used to summons people from another universe that caused ripples in this universe. These ripples make some of the people reborn to be able to remember their other life."

Hmm, I feel sceptical about his explanation. Does that mean he talks to everyone that has past lives memory? It seems troublesome.

"of course not!" he said and I jumped again. Holy shit, he reads minds! 

"it's not on purpose I assure you. It is because I'm a god. Gods listen to his people thought so he can grant their wish if he thinks they deserve it. And as to why I'm talking to you. It is because your situation is special "

Oh great, I thought. Don't tell me that I'm the son of another pirate king or other number one criminals in this life.

"no, no, no, that's not what I mean by special. Your situation is special because I've chosen you myself to be born in this realm. It is because I stumbled upon your adventures and I feel your life was cut too soon. So I want you to live in this realm freely, you have my blessings. Be as whoever you want to be. For me, you're a memento of someone that I can't save. I hope I was able to give you chance to be happy without burden, Ace."

I was stunned. Why? I thought... 

"like I said you're a memento of someone that I can't save. Let me tell you why you were able to be here now Ace. "

He took a long breath and exhale slowly. 

"this life that you will have, Ace, has been lived before".