fierybluebird | Ace and Sabo are gone // Written, Action

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Ace and Sabo are gone // Written, Action

[The first few times Marco tries to find his voice, he can't. This is what Robin, what everyone tried to warn him about isn't it? And he didn't listen. He always refused. Even if his father had been here and told him the same things, he wouldn't have listened to him either. At first he tries to seek solace in the rooftop, the memorial for his Pops, but today, not even that is enough. Where can he go other than "home?" And home is no longer CH3. It is still Luceti, scattered throughout his loved ones, but other than Leanne, that describe CH3 now.]

[He opens the journal and tries to speak, but he can't. So he winds up writing instead.]

Happy Post-Valentine's Day to anyone. I hope many happy couples found each other and no one was too disrupted.

[His hand shakes, and then clenches and the pen breaks. Too angry, so much rage. He uses the bottom half of the quill as best as he can to write more.]

My little brothers, [A long pause. He looks up at the flag and... it's not enough. Nothing is.] are both gone. Even knowing that every single day they had here was extra time, and as grateful as I am for that, they deserve more. I can't tell you they've gone to a better place, because they haven't.

[The last thing Sabo saw before his death was fire. And Ace died crying and smiling at the same time.]

But they're in good company I guess.

[Good company? He was jealous of them, still, even now. He had a huge fight with Ace about it, but he was jealous. Ace was jealous that Marco could be with the living, and Marco was jealous that Ace could be with the dead, could protect someone he loved that deeply by dying for them, something Marco never could. It was a dumb thing to be jealous about, but even knowing how infantile it was, didn't make it go away. It's a good time to go get a new pen. So Marco jumps down and goes to the item shop, finds a pen and right there, in middle of the shop, sits down on the floor and continues.]

I've lost a lot of nakama before, but Ace's affected me the worst. He brought with him a new era. He saved the man who will be the New Pirate King and renounced the world's idea of villains and heroes. [Marco sets the book and pen down so he won't break them again and it's all bit before he picks them back up.] In legends, phoenixes are supposed to herald the changing of eras, but I hate it. Mankind's eras in my world are tragically majestic things, but what use are they to an individual?

I'm not going back to the apartment for a long time. And I might move when I'm ready. I took the important things with me, but I'm not going back there.

Luceti is still my home. Make no mistake, I'll fight forever for my right to stay and the right for anyone else who wants to stay. I always will. That's who I am.

[He needs to talk to people, to try to comfort them in the wake of Ace's absence, in the wake of Sabo's, but all Marco wants to do is fly away. It's too cowardly though, so he won't. He wants to switch into phoenix form and stop feeling anything, but that's also cowardly and he know Robin's been trying to break him of the habit.]

If you think you can find me, you can try, otherwise, say the word and I'll come find you. No promises about the state I'll be in.

- Marco

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[Marco flies in through the window and just covers her up in phoenix wings. He can't cry, can't let himself cry yet, and he just desperately wants to make sure Norma won't disappear out from under him.]

I'm sorry.

[The night finds Norma in much the same state as she was prior, a numb and rather drippy mess. She's stopped crying, for the most part, but her eyes are still red and puffy, and she only spares a glance in Marco's direction when he arrives. She half expected him to, and it's not like she doesn't appreciate the gesture and the company right now, but she just can't really respond to it. Most of her's shut down, consumed by a crushing sort of grief.

Was she stupid to think it'd last? Or lucky...to have had it last this long.]

[Just snuggles. He's too tired and weary to deal with everyone else anymore. Who should he fight to bring Ace back? Would it even be worth it? Is that too selfish? Marco would trap all of Luceti here, just to bring Ace back and keep him here, to give him that chance for more. And he knows it's selfish, but he can't remember why that's supposed to be a bad thing.]

[Norma's not exactly the charitable sort herself. Though she's changed dramatically from what she used to be, she's still rather greedy, and definitely very, very selfish. And in the state she's in right now - sad and angry - she may very well damn all of Luceti just as well. She's done...she's so done. The first time Ace left was painful, but now it feels cold and icy deep in the pit of her stomach.

After a few minutes, Norma finally gets some feeling back into her limbs and turns into the snuggles Marco's offering, clinging tight to him. She at least has one big brother left, that's something to look forward to. At least they both didn't leave her, though now she's not sure if that will be a thing to happen. What will she do if Marco goes away, too? There's always that chance, that possibility, after all.]

[At that he has to do his best not to cry, just protectively holds onto her.]

I won't let anyone take me. I promise. [He'll fight kicking and screaming and even if they drug him up and all the rest, he'll fight them so badly, there's no way in hell they could consider it worth it. And he'll make damned sure that they know it too.] I'm sorry you're stuck here, just don't leave for now, okay? Not yet.

[Norma opens her mouth to speak - "good" - but all that comes out is a raspy sounding croak. She still can't seem to find her voice, so all she does is nod and curl up closer into the warmth and softness of Marco's feathers. Ugh, why does this--why did it have to be Ace?! Norma wants to say that anyone else could have gone home instead of him, but she knows that's not the right thing to say or think either. She wouldn't wish the pain she's feeling now on anyone, especially if the returned is fated to pass away, too. That's not fair to anyone.

Inhaling sharply, Norma's fingers tighten their grip on her brother. Leave? Not even if they dragged her kicking and screaming while drugged. Not a damn chance in heaven or hell.]

...I won't. [There's her voice, and though it's hushed and broken, it's also firm.] Promise.

[Just snuggles hard with fluffy feathers everywhere.]

Good.

I'm sorry Buttercup.

[The feathers, warm and soft and pretty much all around her, are definitely a reprieve from how cold and stony she felt. Norma finds them very, very comforting - possibly because the sense reminds her of Marco now. Regardless of the reasoning, she closes her eyes and wraps around her brother as much as she can, snuggling into those pretty, blue feathers.]

Not your fault. [You've got nothing to apologize for, silly.]

I know, but I wish I could have done more to stop them from going back. And I told everyone on that locked network that I would fight to keep them safe. Maybe the Malnosso found out.

[Gulps and just clings tightly.]

Nah.

[People've been using that thing for years now, years, as far as Norma's heard, and no one's been able to crack it. And why would the Malnosso do such a petty thing? Just to show they could?It wouldn't make sense logically. No, if anything, they were more classy than that. They don't abuse their resources like that. It was just...]

...you can't stop 'em. [Norma rubs her face, after a sniff.] I mean, people try, and sometimes people almost make it, but when it comes down to it, it's kinda inevitable, y'know? It stinks and I hate it, but that's just how it is. If they don't want you anymore, if you're not useful for whatever it is they're doing with all of us...they send you home. And until we figure out how they do it, there's not much we can do.

[She's really not trying to sound down, or hopeless, she's just stating facts. This is who she was, when her walls come crumbling down - the smart, logical, bland, know-it-all little girl who only believes the fact and formulas.] We just wish them luck wherever they're going. Whether it's home, heaven, or someplace else...

Maybe.

[Just snuggles. He has logic on this, but it doesn't help him. Knowing that maybe they were gone forever never to be see again... he just closes his eyes. It wasn't his fault though, and maybe that was a good thing. He didn't believe in guilt, but helpless as it felt, the alternative was that he had to get stronger to try harder, and he couldn't. He was maxed out.]

I'm going to keep you safe though. No one can tell me otherwise.

I know, and I won't.

[Tell him otherwise, she means. Norma wants to say she doesn't need protecting, but who is she fooling? Even on her own, especially on her own, she's not very strong at all. Her eres can only get her so far, and casting takes time and concentration to get it right. Norma's not arrogant enough to think she doesn't need help when she so clearly needs it. And, to be honest? Having Marco near her like that...she can keep an eye on and help him when and where she can, too.

Weaving her arms around him as far as they can go, she rubs her face against his chest, bracing her forehead against his tattoo.]

Same here. Whatever it takes, I'm gonna do the same, okay? [So there.]

Thank you Buttercup.

[Hugs!] Maybe he'll return someday, eh? He has a ton of times before.

Maybe.

[She hugs back, though it's not nearly as tight or secure as the other times. Norma's starting to not be sure if it'd be better or not to have Ace back. Sure, she'd love to see him and hold him and laugh with him again, but at the same time, he'd have to suffer all the garbage this place had to offer. At least being...wh-where he was now, he was free from all that. Even then, though, that thought doesn't make her feel any better, and the tears well up in her eyes even more.]

[Hugs hard.]

I'm sorry Buttercup. I really am.

[He doesn't want to hear that it's not his fault, he just wants to be strong again and protect those who matter.]

[Norma nods, and brings Marco closer to her for their hug, rubbing her face into his soft, warm feathers and sniffling. She knows he's sorry, even if he shouldn't be. It's not his fault, and she wants to convey that somehow, but her throat's just closed up. All that emerges from Norma's mouths are little gasps and sobs, but her head nods. She knows, she knows...

And she's sorry, too. That she can't be stronger and bear the burden better. Marco shouldn't have to shoulder all this himself. It's not fair.]

I-I'll...be...b-be okay. Promise...I'll b-be okay. Just need a mi-minute... Sorry.

Don't be sorry. [Hugs her even more and snuggles.] It's okay to cry, eh? I wish I could.

[Norma blinks, and looks over at Marco as she gives him a few more cuddles, wiping her eyes at their corners. What the hell is he talking about? It he stupid or something? Does he think she'd think any less of him if he cried? Idiot...]

'Course you can... Why couldn't you? I'm the only other one here.

I can't yet. Once I do, I won't stop. Then it will really seem like they aren't coming back, eh? That I've given up.

[...Oh, Marco. That is perhaps one of the dumbest things Norma's ever heard, but she won't voice it. As much as she hates to do it herself, especially in front of people, crying does help. A lot. It's good to just let it out once in a while, and...well, it kinda seems like Marco needs to do just that. Whether he does or not, though, Norma's not sure.

Even so, she tugs him into her arms and hugs him real tight. Stupid big brother.]

[He gratefully curls up in her hug and snuggles forever. It'll be okay, he'll cry later with Robin. Because Robin's seen his strongest and weakest points already, so he doesn't have to worry about her needing him to be the strongest. She already knows that if he's reached the point of tears, it doesn't mean he's being weak and it's already reached the point where he'll start getting better soon.]

You can stay here if you want.

[The silence is broken by those soft words, and though it is an invitation - something Marco can accept or decline at his choosing - she really does hope he stays. Norma really would like to have him close by right now, and she's pretty sure he needs it, too. She can only assume this is what families are meant to do, when bad things happen. They stay together.]

Thank you, Buttercup. [Hugs around her.] I'll have to check on Robin later, but for now I don't want to leave your side, eh?

[Because he looks after people, that is what Marco does, and if he's not looking after his family, then he's not being Marco and that's just wrong.]

[Norma nods. Though she does want to say that Marco can go if he really needs to, a stronger part of her clams her up, and he just holds him close. She's going to be greedy today, and keep him to herself - everyone else be damned. She needs him more right now anyway, they can wait. At least until, maybe, she falls asleep and wakes up again. Just long enough to make sure he was still there when she woke up. Then he could go do whatever, see whoever. Norma just has to make sure he'll still be there when she wakes up.

Speaking of, she's starting to feel more and more exhausted the less she speaks and moves. She's used up all her energy being upset and crying, it seems. She's got nothing left now, and it's starting to seep in just how tiring this all was. She wants to just sleep forever. Or at least for an entire day.]

[By later, he meant in a couple of days anyway. For now he just really wants to know that at least one of his family members is safe and still by his side. If he can't protect them, then he doesn't think he's worth existing, and it makes trying to live, to survive and eke out an existence in Luceti that much more pointless for him. So Norma gives him more than just emotional comfort by being there, she gives him drive.]

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Ace and Sabo are gone // Written, Action

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