fierybluebird | [voice]

[voice]

[Marco's voice starts off cheerfully enough.]

Hey everyone, I think I found the place where the cave-in for the train-thing is. The currents here are pretty weird so if we can get ... some ... strong swimmers then...

[He starts trailing off, obviously seeing something.] Pops...? [His voice is quiet, barely audible. It's not possible, he knows it's not, he watched the man die. So it's just like Luffy's food and an illusion. Has to be. But then it gets stronger.] POPS!! [He starts running, sandals hitting the wood of the deck.] Pops... [This time he just sounds anguished. And then suddenly there's a splash. Uh where did Marco go?]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Aye. Nothing wrong with being strong. It's admirable.

Mm. Grazie. I'd like to think so too...

I'm sure of it.

Well if you say so it must be true, hmm? [There is a slight bit of sarcasm there yes]

[A quiet pause at that.]

My father was considered the strongest in the world. I admire everything about him, but that too.

[Pauses herself]

...My Nonna, in her prime was very much like that too... No one thought she would fall, she only seemed to get stronger. And yet that's what caused it all, she stretched herself too thin. Strength is troublesome like that. Difficult to keep the right balance.

Pops wasn't stretched too thin, but larger than life or not, he was still only human.

Everyone has to go sometime, eh? At least for mortals.

Yes. And your lives are so much more shorter... Gone in a flash really.

... Nations fade too. If our people forget, if they all start identifying as part of another nation we can die, in a way.

I'm not human, so it's a little... stranger for me.

Aye. I've seen nations die before.

Oh? The... phoenix thing? Does it mean you'll live forever?

... here? With that... thing inside us? Or was it to someone who had taken it out?

I certainly haven't died yet.

No, in my world. It's not pretty. Obviously.

Well that's something then, I suppose.

... How. Do we exist in your world?

And if Japan asks you tell him I'm 20,100 years old. It's a game we have going.

As countries, not personifications. Or if you do, I haven't met you, and since my Pops and I were in charge of protecting several countries, it'd be unlikely that we wouldn't, eh?

... Are you going to explain it or just leave me to assume you're crazy.

Si, if you were the... King, or leader of a country, we would show ourselves. But I don't understand how you've seen us die in your world then.

I'm a phoenix. He doesn't believe I could be older than him so he keeps trying to find ways to prove I'm not. Each time he does, I add more to the age I tell him.

Countries don't have to be personified to die.

... Phoenixes are immortal, he's just being stupid. Even I could tell him that. Besides, he shouldn't be much older than me, how could he even prove you were older than ... 20, 100 was it?

...Si, that's true, I suppose... destroy the land, the people, the culture, and you destroy us.

Aye. Twenty thousand and one hundred. Thanks for understanding.

[Small pause of silence and just a quieter tone.] Indeed. When someone no longer cares about it... It's just that people often do care about their countries, no? And thus nearly immortal.

Si, si... I don't understand it, really, but whatever. I doubt Giappone will even ask me.

[She has her own pause for a few seconds] It... depends. People still remember the Roman Empire but when it collapsed, my Nonna went with it... I suppose it's because she had us, me and Venezia to take her place in Italia.

He stalks my conversations, so you never know.

Aye. It's not so much that they're forgotten, as replaced. The future keeps progressing forward I suppose.

... Strange. He doesn't seem like the type to do that if he's anything like Gia... Sakura.

Si... that's basically it. If we don't keep up we're left behind.

Oh? Well, he basically used to ah what's the word, "ship" me with someone. And now that we are close allies, I think he still sometimes gets worried; or he can't believe it. But it's cute, so I don't mind.

Yes. That's how the world works I suppose.

... He... that sounds insane. How can you be a ship with someone, it makes no sense. Sometimes... sometimes you have to wonder if they were isolated for too long...

Si, si...

[Chokes back his laugh.] It's short for relationship. The trolls do it too, although theirs is more sophisticated.

It still sounds stupid! If he means relationship, then why doesn't he say that... how can you even relationship someone with someone.

...How is there's more sophisticated they... sound like children, most times.

I'm not even sure it's his word. He tends to borrow others.

They have quadrants to deal with friendship allegiances and feelings of hate or the need to balance each other out.

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