[Voice / Written]

[fierybluebird]

Yo. I'm back. Longest month of my life, including that time I dyed my hair black.

Did anyone remember to water and feed Ace while I was gone? Take him for walks and make sure he got sun and all that?

[There's a pause and the fluttering of wings along with a mutter.] Damn this new book system is strange... [But he speaks back up again trying to sound more chipper.]

So what did I miss? Did the entire landscape change? Any new books about pirates at the library, eh?

[For those who know him well, Marco actually sounds pretty exhausted for a change, and lacking some of his usual ridiculousness.]

Comments

[coolportaljumper]

I know Ace a little--I'm new around here, and Sanji has been letting me stay with him and his friends until I find a different place. I've seen him a few times.

I'm Yugo, by the way. It's nice meeting you.

[fierybluebird]

Good. I was hoping he'd check in on his brother's crew.

Marco, nice to meet you too Yugo!

[coolportaljumper]

They're all Pirates. Luffy, Sanji, Ace...does that mean you're one too?

[He's genuinely curious here--so many pirates! So many people with cool powers!

...he'd never met pirates this nice in his home]

[fierybluebird]

Aye. Whitebeard crew. First division commander, and acting captain temporarily.

If you see anyone with this tattoo, you can know they're my family; nakama. [Gestures to the blue cross and crescent moon as his chest.]

Ace is 2nd division commander, and Luffy's his little brother, captain of the Straw Hat crew. Nami, Sanji, Robin and the others are part of that crew. Have you met Doctor Law?

[coolportaljumper]

[He doesn't know this term, 'nakama', but has heard it bandied around plenty of times since his arrival in late January. In context, he can only assume that it's meaning is similar to his travelling companions back home--they formed a Brotherhood, as travelling parties are wont to do after adventuring together.

He does understand a little bit about commanders and captains, though not over a sea. A land army was better context for him, though they fought under a prince and a king...

A thoughtful frown plays on his face as he considers this, studying the tattoo that Marco mentioned.]

You two sound very important then. Very different from the pirates I've met at home. They were a bunch of scoundrels, stole our money that we were using to pay for a small ship and crew. [quick smile.] But that's over.

No, I haven't met Doctor Law, why?

[fierybluebird]

Plenty of pirates are like that, but they're usually the small name sort.

Doctor Law's another pirate captain here. Good guy, he'd probably like you.

[coolportaljumper]

I'll need to remember that, thank you.

[Then, he asks in a polite, but concerned tone:] Are you okay? It sounded like you've been missing for a while, from the way people have talked.

[fierybluebird]

They noticed, huh? Anyone besides Ace?

I guess I better check in on Ginia and the bar too.

I got kidnapped by the Malnosso for a bit... wasn't expecting that, but I suppose it's about time they tried to get back at me.

[coolportaljumper]

I don't know. I haven't been here for even a month yet. Why would the Malnosso want to get back at you, anyway? We're all stuck here, and can't go anywhere...

[fierybluebird]

I helped Law and Daisy investigate one of their droids awhile back.

[coolportaljumper]

...

[He hadn't known that people could do such a thing. The thoughts of what the Malnosso could do bothered him on a deep, intrinsic level, but he was well aware that what he could do was limited without his friends or his brother there. He maybe could open a portal that crossed through the barrier, like what he'd already seen happen, but he would need his brother and the Eliacube there to do so.

Leaping portal to portal to the upper edge of the barrier was a possibility as well, but he'd heard that people with powers had limits put on them--and jumping so high that he could see the stars when the sun was up nearly killed him before.

Those small hands tighten into fists momentarily as he considers all of this, at his relative powerlessness, at how amazing some people really were.]

...no wonder they're mad at you, then. But you're okay--that's good. That's important.

[fierybluebird]

Yeah, no worries little matey! I always bounce back. [Unfailing confidence here, as if nothing bad happened, they just dragged him in for a chat over coffee.]