Marco the Phoenix (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
fierybluebird) wrote2013-09-12 03:35 am
fierybluebird) wrote2013-09-12 03:35 am
[Voice] / Question for the masses
[Marco is chilling out on the roof of what used to be the Straw Hat house. He's not sure what it is anymore. They're all scattered, through different worlds, different times, lost and confused. Marco is too, really, if he's honest with himself. So, as he often does during such things, he surrounded himself with fellow birds. This, if anything, however, just created more juxtaposition of the very question he was trying to hide from. A bird, but not a bird. A friend, but not a friend. An ally? A guardian? Of who, of what? The changing of eras? What did it mean? What did it matter? He was a bird separated from his flock, and indeed, everyone in Luceti was to some degree or another. So sometime during twilight, he opens up the journal, still on the roof with a couple dozen birds, and poses a question to Luceti at large. A question? No, more like a dozen.]
What does it mean to be a monster?
My father once said a man's worth can only be measured by those he cherishes and who cherish him in return. He adopted a bunch of worthless pirates and gave us worth because we became his treasure, so he was ours.
None of us matched. During all that illusion crap, a lot of people got to understand, I suppose, what I've been lucky enough to have for decades. Family just for the sake of wanting to be. My family are all pirates. From my father, our captain, to every last brother. For that, there is rarely a soul in the world who doesn't hate us. We're outnumbered all over the world, between the world government, Kaidou, Big Mam, to slavers like Joker, or idiots we kicked out of the New World and sent packing like Crocodile.
Piracy is a fickle thing, eh? Everyone has some strong ideas of what it means. I don't care when other people call me a monster, or when I'm hated, because I'm always in the best of company. Two decades ago, I would have taken being called that with pride. My friends are all monsters, and being like them is a compliment. And while I know I'm nothing like Kaidou, or Joker, and Teach and Crocodile can go fuck themselves, they laugh at my father's idea of piracy as much as I scoff at theirs. They think piracy should be about power or money, or security, rather than the exact opposite. Two eras ago by my world's time, piracy was about freedom and camaraderie. Freedom from a judgmental society and their restrictions and rules. Freedom from things like blood lines or having someone else decide for you when you would grow up or how. And the only rule was to never hurt a fellow nakama.
I consider pirates who don't get that to be worthless fools, because their allies and friends aren't always their first priority, but even idiots like the Third Party have friends and people who share their ideals. Is it really just that I value my family over obfuscated ideals that makes me better than them? Or is just a style preference? That I'll kick an enemy in the face, but I'll never bother pretending to befriend someone to get close enough to stab them in the back. There are many who would say "whatever works," and I never really thought myself one to give a damn about morals. After all, I'm a monster, eh? But then perhaps, even I have lines I won't cross, and won't forgive.
Sorry, I suppose I've just been rambling. It's been on my mind, and you'd be amazed how much spending a week trying to get people to hear your voice makes you want to use it when you get it back. I'm Marco, and if you're a new feather, just give a little whistle, and I'll come flying if you're lost, eh.
What does it mean to be a monster?
My father once said a man's worth can only be measured by those he cherishes and who cherish him in return. He adopted a bunch of worthless pirates and gave us worth because we became his treasure, so he was ours.
None of us matched. During all that illusion crap, a lot of people got to understand, I suppose, what I've been lucky enough to have for decades. Family just for the sake of wanting to be. My family are all pirates. From my father, our captain, to every last brother. For that, there is rarely a soul in the world who doesn't hate us. We're outnumbered all over the world, between the world government, Kaidou, Big Mam, to slavers like Joker, or idiots we kicked out of the New World and sent packing like Crocodile.
Piracy is a fickle thing, eh? Everyone has some strong ideas of what it means. I don't care when other people call me a monster, or when I'm hated, because I'm always in the best of company. Two decades ago, I would have taken being called that with pride. My friends are all monsters, and being like them is a compliment. And while I know I'm nothing like Kaidou, or Joker, and Teach and Crocodile can go fuck themselves, they laugh at my father's idea of piracy as much as I scoff at theirs. They think piracy should be about power or money, or security, rather than the exact opposite. Two eras ago by my world's time, piracy was about freedom and camaraderie. Freedom from a judgmental society and their restrictions and rules. Freedom from things like blood lines or having someone else decide for you when you would grow up or how. And the only rule was to never hurt a fellow nakama.
I consider pirates who don't get that to be worthless fools, because their allies and friends aren't always their first priority, but even idiots like the Third Party have friends and people who share their ideals. Is it really just that I value my family over obfuscated ideals that makes me better than them? Or is just a style preference? That I'll kick an enemy in the face, but I'll never bother pretending to befriend someone to get close enough to stab them in the back. There are many who would say "whatever works," and I never really thought myself one to give a damn about morals. After all, I'm a monster, eh? But then perhaps, even I have lines I won't cross, and won't forgive.
Sorry, I suppose I've just been rambling. It's been on my mind, and you'd be amazed how much spending a week trying to get people to hear your voice makes you want to use it when you get it back. I'm Marco, and if you're a new feather, just give a little whistle, and I'll come flying if you're lost, eh.
[action]
Sorry, eh. I thought you'd still be asleep. Did I wake you?
[action]
[she hasn't been able to sleep for a while. Not even to pretend. She shifts on the bed and holds out her hand, wanting him to join her]
[action]
[Everything went to shit around this time last year too, but it hasn't seemed to improved much since then.] I don't often get in these moods, but thinking of my brothers will do that.
[action]
You miss them... Would you go back to them if you had a chance? [she knows the answer. Somewhat. She's not even sure why she's asking only that she is]
[action]
[Wraps both arms around her and holds her hands.] I miss them, and they need me, but being here is still free time.
Do you think our devil fruits choose us? Or that maybe they're part of some unfulfilled longing or a personality thing? [He has his reasons for asking.]
[action]
I don't think so. I've always just believed it to be something that happens. [a twist of fate? But isn't that just as esoteric as being destiend for it? Or subconsciously choosing?]
Why do you ask?
[action]
Being a phoenix, all I ever want is one more day. I've always known my father would fall first, and I barely dared hope that someone like Ace would rise to take his place. I don't want to reach Raftel, or become a pirate emperor, all I really want is just one more day with everyone. But even when those days come, it's never quite enough. After that day ends, I'll still want another. As long as I can stretch them out. Maybe into eternity.
I don't want to live forever, and I'd actually like to be able to die protecting my nakama, but it won't work that way. Can't work that way. They need me alive, and perhaps I'm too selfish, because I always want those extra days.
So being a phoenix, sometimes it feels like living in endless twilight.
[action]
Mm. But you are the keeper of their memories. [she appears behind him, too, the top half of her, wrapping arms around his neck and kissing the rim of his ear]
Long after history has forgotten them, you will know and will be able to tell others when it's time to remember.
[action]
[There are two Robins.]
[He's going to die.]
[A very very very happy man.]
[But still, dead.]
[Dead of nosebleed.]
[No wait, must die cooler than Sanji.]
Aye. [He leans back and looks up to her second clone and wiggles his feet a little happily.] I love you, you know that? You have to be the smartest person I ever met. And as wise as Pops. [Relaxes and happily snuggles both sides of his Robin sandwich.] Mah, I think I've told you how much I love that you're a historian, but I'd be remiss not to mention it again, yoi.
[Carrying on memories, it was a burden. But because she shared it with him, it didn't feel so lonely. Different, to be sure, but same enough they could walk the path together.]
Too many underestimate its importance.