fierybluebird | [Video] / Action

[It's Marco's voice, but somehow with a darker tint to it. And it looks like his hair's been dyed black? That's not the strangest change though. The tattoo on his chest is completely removed. There's a rough scar where it used to be though, it's not bleeding, but it's clearly still healing.]

Can you believe the arrogance of those fools? First they drag me away, then they removed my father's mark, and gave me a mockery of it. [Oh yeah. He's deadpan, but it doesn't take a lot of knowing Marco to recognize that he is thoroughly pissed off. More angry than he's ever openly shown in Luceti for that matter.] But the joke's on them, oh yes. [His eyes glitter darkly, burning blue for a second, as they might have done before.] Just because my healing is slowed here doesn't make me any less a phoenix. They can remove my tattoos and piercings but that's a simple thing to restore.

Watch and learn fools. Watch and learn.

[LUCKILY the next part is filtered away from kids ten and under, though no doubt many adults would have preferred not to see it either.]

[Marco props the book up on the edge of the fountain, and leans back to lowers his neck into the water and uses a knife to carve an old school manji symbol in it, line by line. Those familiar with the nazi swastika and not the manji symbol might confuse it for that. Marco doesn't make a sound however, but his blood is clearly revolting against the treatment, blue flames trying to battle the water, and the most they can do is hold back the damage. As he finishes, Marco smirks, grabs a bottle of blue ink from a broken pen and pulls out of the water to throw the ink into it. At that he lets out a feral sound, something like a loud crow's caw, and he shakes off the rest of the ink with a smirk, the skin already still stitching over his chest and trying to cover his neck, but hitting a barrier where it's inked.]

[He fiddles with the journal again to turn off the filter and grins.]

There. I don't know about you, but I feel better already! Now who wants to get on my good side and help me find some earrings?

[[ooc: Marco's returned from Mallynap in "evil" mode! He'll have black hair, be a lot more emo/depressed/dark, and comments will come from

evilfierybluebird and

fieryblackbird respectively!]]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

The outline of it. Our pirate flag symbol.

Oh! You're a pirate?

[Her voice is a mixture of interest, amazement, and unease.]

Aye. Current reigning captain of the best crew in the world.

[There are so many things off about that statement that even without knowing the circumstances surrounding it, it's bound to sound bizarre.]

Oh, really? And how did you come by such a remarkable title?

[Pirates are often featured in Belle's novels and while she admires the adventurous nature of the lifestyle, she can't help but balk at the fact that pirates are typically scoundrels and looters.]

My father died. [Deadpan just as much as when he's joking, but it's solemn at least.]

Oh. I'm very sorry. I did not think...

It was at home, so not everyone here knows about it, eh.

But it was still insensitive of me.

You must miss him a great deal.

It is impossible not to. He was my whole world.

I understand. At least a little bit. My father isn't dead but...I don't believe I will ever see him again.

Never? Why not?

Well, you see, before coming here I made a promise to someone that I would live with them forever. And in exchange my father would be allowed to return home.

[Recalling the conditions Beast had made makes her suddenly feel sad. He may not longer be rude and frightening, but that doesn't change the circumstances of how they met.]

Just because you live with someone doesn't mean you can't ever see your family again, usually. Why can't you both go see your father together?

Well, because he lived in isolation, away from my village. He could not show himself to the villagers because of...his appearance.

And your father isn't able to travel? [Genuinely concerned now.]

He was...very ill the last time I saw him. And in need of rest.

That is a truly terrible situation, and I hope you find your peace.

Thank you. I did not mean to turn the conversation towards such a depressing topic.

No, I believe the fault for that is my own. My father's death weighs frequently on my mind.

[And that is seriously not something he'd normally admit to.]