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

[He gulps against the fingers caressing his neck, almost losing his breath in an effort to remain still, but as soon as the hands disappear, he chases after her in a compact phoenix form so he can perch on her shoulders.]

Caught ya, eh. [Flicks his tail back and forth all proud of himself. The tail is still yellow, but his crest which is usually a sunny yellow is currently inky black.]

Did you?

[And she disappears into a swirl of petals. A mouth growing out of the nearby wall laughs softly]

Did you think it would be so easy?

[A mild sulk as he tumbles down to the ground. He chirps sadly and shake out the tail feathers.]

You don't want to be with me? [Droops his wings in his best attempt to guilt trip her. He is totally going to tackle her the minute he can figure out how to triangulate where she is.]

[the mouth seems to frown and half a Robin comes out of the wall to rest her chin on her hands and frown down at him, her hair trailing along his sparkly back]

That's so cheap. Is that really the best you're capable of? [She reaches down to tug at his tail lightly. And though she is speaking, her voice seems to come from somewhere further away. Perhaps just around the next building. Or is it?]

Says the woman holding my tail, yoi.

[Rolls over onto his back, despite the awkward position with his wings.]

Shall I bribe you then? I wonder whatever I could interest you in. [Hops up and whistles her name seductively in phoenix and wanders around the corner.]

How boring.

[Is that the best you can think of? Bribery? Extortion? Honestly she's not sure why she bothers except for the seductive whistle. But if he wants her, he will have to work for it. Without hints this time until he actually does something clever.

She is not around the corner but you may catch a glimpse of her on the roof. If it is really her]

[Truth told, he's getting a little frustrated. Boring? Him?? If he's so boring, why doesn't she come and fight in a more exciting way? Why is he the one working so hard to entertain her anyway? Isn't she the one just trying to test what, how, when, and where he will do things? If he's not entertaining her, isn't that her fault? He wasn't the one who planned this game of hide and seek in the first place.]

Shall I try my best to embarrass you then, eh? Sing you love songs at the top of my lungs? [He flies up to the roof and tackles the woman, whether she'll disappear in a burst of flower petals or not. He does like playing in flowers after all.] Or if you would prefer something more permanent I could etch your name in roses thorns on my back, or promise to make sweet love to you at dawn.

If you are going to set the rules for how we play, you cannot complain when I am forced to guess.

I love you, is that not enough, or will you continue tentatively trying to see what the Malnosso have done to change me? I will tell you Robin, I do not know. I cannot tell the difference, but it is frustrating.

[Perhaps he is being boring. He can't remember ever getting annoyed by playing with Robin before. Isn't that usually his favorite part of being with her? But he feels like he's on a leash. Yet that too, isn't that something he didn't mind before? He switches into human and perches on the ledge, darkly mulling things over. He's always had to work his hardest for her, but hadn't he always enjoyed that before?]

[It was her and she startles a bit in being tackled. It's a shock and not a particularly good one. But she was careless and that's what happens. Still, it's easy to see Marco's frustration. Was she-- did she go to far? Part of it was to show him, yes, but-- he-- wasn't he usually-- Or is this just this new barbed dark side of him. Or perhaps inner feelings... no...it isn't that...is it?

She's not entirely sure of anything right now.

Still she sits next to him, tucking her legs underneath herself and refraining from playing with a strand of her hair. She is not a child and seeming insecure seems--dangerous somehow. As if he will exploit any weakness, even without meaning to]

The difference doesn't matter. I just-- [she shakes her head] I don't know.

[It is like that sudden sharp change just before a turn. FIrst they are nice--then they are not so nice and then-- But that was long ago and Marco wouldn't...]

I'm sorry...

Come here.

[Wraps a warm wing around her shoulders and tugs her close.] I just missed you, eh? [He can't bring himself to apologize, though even that gets turned over in his head. Why not? Wouldn't it make things easier? Better? Clearer? So where does this stubbornness come from.] And perhaps I am over thinking my every action now. Buttercup was scared of me, or perhaps the Malnosso hurt her. Ikki was slightly different but I know not how. Ange... [Not scared, but wary. Justifiably? It was confusing.]

I do not believe I have ever doubted myself as much as I have done today and to think I thought the only difference was dyed hair.

[He places a finger gently over her lips and resists the urge to lean or curl up possessively all over. He can already feel his phoenix side practically demanding to make it known to the world that she is his mate.]

Do not fear me. I would sooner lose my devil fruit, my life, than let any harm come to you. Nothing they do can change that.

[He was strangely so convicted feeling about that. Why? How could he doubt everything else yet say that like it was more solid than everything? Was it just his phoenix instincts or something more?] Perhaps I was overly dramatic earlier, but I cannot bring myself to regret it. If given the chance, I would do it all over again, with gusto.

Is that truly such a problem? [He drops the finger and tilts his head quizzically like a bird. Everything is a puzzle. Where do the pieces fit?]

[She leans against him and closes her eyes. He's the same but different. Everything about him is the same but different and everyone has noticed. Despite herself she decides to trust him. Because he is Marco. She is almost glad that he doesn't regret who he is now because--even if he isn't what he usually is, it's still a part of him. She slips her arms close around his waist and another to stroke his spine to let him know she's here.]

Wait a week or so, ne? If the puzzle isn't clear by then, I'll help you sort it out. But either way--it's...new for me, Marcchan. [she leans up to press a kiss against his ear] But I'm still with you.

New, eh? [He smiles gently and leans his head over her soft hair, delighting in the smell, the feel, the closeness.]

Thank you Robin, love. [She's like a previously injured little bird. So hurt by the world, snatched from the jaws of a crocodile at the last minute, how hard it must be for her to trust again, especially a dangerous pirate such as himself. He makes a quiet note in the back of his head to slowly torture and kill Crocodile if he ever has the chance.]

[Video] / Action

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject