fierybluebird | [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.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

I think that sounds like a good goal. People should not be caged. [Nor should dragons or most other beings.]

You said you were a monster, asking what made one. What did you mean by it? Why would you call yourself one?

I am a pirate, that alone is usually enough.

However, I am only partly human, but until a month ago, I was only treated as an animal at my own discretion; when I wanted people to mistake me as such.

My family have always been called monsters and demons for who and what we are, but that has never bothered me before. Usually such a thing was a sign to me that such a person was not an ally. That is not necessarily the case now and I'm not sure what to make of it.

I had never been human until a month ago, for all that I live among them. Are you a shapeshifter? [Which is not as big a leap as it may seem. Kitten's adoptive human mother is can transform into any animal.] They trapped you?

Being part human does not make you a monster.

A zoan. It's a type of [How does he begin to explain devil fruit and their various types?] shapeshifting in my world, I guess you could say. I have two species, and then various forms in between.

I would normally prefer to be a monster than human, truth told. Better company.

It isn't being not fully human that makes me suspect my title as monster is well-earned, but instead the part of me that is all too human. No, that still puts too much to blame on species. Rather, the part of me that is a pirate and doesn't regret it in the least. My non-human ties don't weigh on me, but the things other pirates do makes me wonder.

Really? What is your other species?

I have never liked being called a monster, but then, usually those that say it target me with violence or try to cage me.

I think it is unfair to yourself to take on responsibility for the actions of others just because of a shared word.

[He thinks it over. Debates whether to publicly write down the truth where anyone could see it. How does Robin handle the truths so easily? So bravely. He wishes he had her courage. Her strength.] I'm a phoenix.

When such people do those things, they've already outed themselves as the type who will, so I usually find that easier. In this case, I've recently been called such by someone I trust to never try or to want to. It is confusing.

Perhaps, but... [He takes a really long pause to figure it out and even writes out the ellipses so that the penpal doesn't get stuck wondering what's taking so long.] I believe it is more than a shared word. Not all humans are the same, nor are all monsters. However, there are some extenuating circumstances where perhaps we act the same? These monsters and I. Being a monster still doesn't worry me, but doing something like those I hate, does.

I am a dragon, and my form does not change. [She's interested and curious about the way such things work in other worlds. Certainly in her own, no sunbird could take on human shape, nor can any human become an Immortal on a temporary basis. If a mortal takes on the form of an Immortal, they become one permanently.]

Did they tell you why they chose to call you a monster?

I have come very close to losing my temper and hurting people needlessly. They were not a true threat to me or mine, or at least not a threat that required such force. I guess that means I skirt the line of becoming what they accuse me of being already. But it is all the more reason to keep trying and learning. I can keep myself from turning into that. [Kitten is still just a baby, and her control of her emotions is not as strong as perhaps it ought to be, given her potential for harm.]

You're a dragon? Have you met the other dragons here?

[He twirls the quill between his fingers.] I am not completely sure of the reasons. I was being a bit too arrogant I suppose. [Understatement.] And perhaps a bit defensive. My family's version of pirates isn't like all the others, of course, but [A whole bunch of scribbles and cross-outs] I'm not sure it means anything.

No.

That's not quite right. Pirates do mean something to me, as does the fact that we are not like them. But I don't think it is enough to simply be different, and perhaps for all that I hate them, we are not too dissimilar after all.

[Voice] / Question for the masses

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