The jungle pulsed with quiet life around him, the buzz of unseen insects, the soft murmur of wind weaving through heavy leaves. Ace walked alone, barefoot and unhurried, his hat tipped low to shade his eyes from the afternoon glare. The air was thick with salt and smoke, each breath tinged by the coming rain. Hours had passed since he left the last campfire behind, and the sound of the ocean followed him faintly, a heartbeat hidden beneath the rustle of trees. For once, there was no crew to follow, no laughter chasing his steps, only solitude and the steady rhythm of his own pulse.

He paused at a break in the canopy, sunlight spilling in golden shards across his shoulders. The warmth reminded him of distant days, of shared meals and wild stories told over crackling flames. He wondered briefly if they missed him, or if the world ever did when he wandered off like this.

Then a twig snapped behind him. Instinct brought fire to his fingertips, a brief flare that died almost as quickly as it came. Ace turned, every sense sharp, ready, until he saw the silhouette. Recognition struck like a spark in dry tinder, turning his guard into something softer, almost wistful.

The tension in his shoulders melted into a crooked, familiar smile.

“Didn’t think I’d see you again in a place like this.”