piratejournal | [Voice & Written]

[There's a pause, because for a moment she thought he took her seriously.]

...You do know that's a joke, right? We're on the island, you know. I'm not in the habit of random murder.

Or is that what you really think of me?

[...]

[Loudly whacks himself in the head.]

No, of course not Chandra.

Shit, this island has me spinning. Do you know where the waterfall cliffs are? I'll bring you a flower crown.

[Her jaw tightens, and leather creaks as she clenches her fists. She doesn't say anything for a good five minutes, just trying to get over a sudden temper-flare. ]

I don't. I'm not leaving the beach today.

[Marco doesn't want to leave the forest, but nakama always come first, so he whistles something in phoenix before flying overhead to go find her.]

[She is, of course, quite welcome to try shooting him out of the sky, since he knows that is probably the mildest of what Ace would do if Marco had fucked up that big with him.]

[She won't shoot him down. She doesn't want to, and wouldn't even if she did. He'll find her just sitting on the beach, leaning against a palm tree with her eyes closed.]

[He grabs a birdie seat on top of her and rests the pink, yellow, and white flower crown on her head, giving her a small affectionate nudge with the top of his head.]

Kwee.

[She opens her eyes, giving the bird a dark look, still saying nothing.]

[Good lord that look is terrifying.]

[He backs up and bows in front of her, doing his best to grovel for forgiveness.]

I don't speak bird. If you want to talk to me, talk to me like a person.

[Simple as that.]

[Switches back to human with a seat next to her.]

[And instantly has to resist the urge to fix her hair into a braid with the flowers and ---]

[FUCK he needs to think straight.]

[Okay.]

[Thinking straight.]

[He has this.] Sorry.

When you said this place was an order wellspring, remember how I thought that meant death?

I suppose I've come to associate order and marines with Akainu and magma melting down my Pops' islands. Like how he killed Ace.

That's not an excuse, and you're free to punch me, yoi. But you're right, my head's not on straight.

And so far you're the only one who seems to-- [God damn it he has to fix the flower crown, no he mustn't! Grrr.]

[Maybe just a slight tweak can go unnoticed.]

[There.] Ah... get it. Exactly. [Sucks in a breath in a small whistle. He can't even begin to express how much he hates it all.] Did I say you can punch me? Because I really wish you would. That's what Ace does when I go too far.

[She sits there, listening, and quite honestly not caring. She hadn't known Ace was dead. Period. It doesn't really change anything, in her mind. Death was to be overcome, and she'd already told Thatch that she'd take them traveling outside of this plane when it was over. Simple enough really.

The flower crown begins to smolder slightly, wisps of smoke curling up as she take it in.]

Marco. I'm not a marine. I'm not going to blow up anything without a damn good reason. But what you said, it sounded just like what Gideon told me when he took me to the Purifying Flame.

[She grinds her teeth, biting back the urge to yell. It's hard, but she manages to keep her voice cold.]

'Pyromancers and Volcanomancers are like powder kegs, just waiting to blow,' he told me. 'You're too dangerous to let have power, because you'll blow one day, and take a lot of people with you. Maybe not on purpose...but you will.'

But I'm not like that. I don't do that. But hearing that you think that way? That makes me wonder if you're the only one.

[Narrows his eyes.] Hardly.

My Pops was the strongest man in the world. His power was to create earthquakes and tsunamis. It's not having power that means anything. That's why I'll never forgive Blackbeard. He should have always known better. Having power doesn't mean shit, it's how you use it.

[Holds up his hand.] I'll not pretend I didn't wrong you. I wasn't thinking, and I haven't been thinking straight since we got here. Only in bits and pieces. So when you said that, I didn't think about how it's you and therefore clearly a joke. That was wrong. But like I said, I haven't been thinking at all. The minute I stopped to think, I remembered you're you.

If I didn't trust you with my family I wouldn't let you stay around them, Ace as captain or not.

Do you think Ace is a powder keg? [A head tilt.] He is, you know. You're seeing the far calmer version, after Pops helped him the last few years. Before that he used to literally blow up at anything. And he was trying assassinate Pops. But Pops trusted the crew to handle him, and trusted us to help him. Ace's temper and his fire is a recipe for accidents, but I will never let anyone take away his strength so long as I have breath, aye?

And if I didn't trust you to handle your flames I wouldn't leave you around him. Remember how messed up I got when you were just male? [A wry grin, and he shakes his head.]

No. I trust you. [His eyes narrow.] You as in Chandra. I'll even trust you with this white mana whatever you call it, even though I can't handle it. I just reacted without thinking. And I do not like this effect of the island on me.

And if that guy comes here, I'll kick him in the head for you. Akainu didn't take down Ace because he's a powder keg, he did it for that same reason Gideon talked about. He thought Ace was too dangerous to leave alive, because people like me will always back him up every step of the way.

[And there's another one here now. Aokiji.... but he'll mention it later.]

[She closes her eyes for a long moment, not responding again. She isn't shutting down, though, she's just trying to process that. Because Marco is the first person who's ever, ever said anything like that to her before. Jace, Gideon and all the rest? They'd called her a hazard and tried to kill or cage her. It was weird, thinking that these pirates were pretty much the only people outside of the Regathan monks and fellow Pyromancers who hadn't felt that way.

Taking in a long breath, she nods.]

Fine. If you say you trust me, I'll take you at your word. If you say you'll stick with me, I'll take you at your word.

[She looks at him, expression deflated and withdrawn.]

But if Gideon shows up, I'm going to kill him. If this Akainu turns up, I'm going to kill him too. For what he did to Ace, for what he did to your friends. And for the impression he left on you.

[She holds up a hand to forestall a comment.]

I can keep myself in check, but around people like that, I'm not sure I can. I've got a handle on this new mana, now too. It's not affecting me like I thought. It's just making me more sure of myself.

[Waving a hand, a golden ball of flame appears.]

They're right about one thing. [She narrows her eyes.] I am dangerous. And I can only play nice for so long with guys like that. They're enemies of everything that has value to me, and I have no problems turning them into ash. For disrupting my order, and trying to enforce theirs on to me.

Thanks. [He grins softly, between all the peace!juice of the forest completely fucking with his birdie brain, he's having a hard time keeping his head on straight normally, and his temper is something else entirely. It's faster than he's ever had it, and gone before he can even process it. And it's driving him nuts. Usually between him and Ace, Marco's the one who holds the grudge for all of time, but doesn't get mad easily, and Ace is the vice versa. Now he just feels dizzy.]

Aye, I think we can both agree that forced order is the worst, eh?

[He flexes his arms for a moment, gets up and does a handstand, of all things.]

Doesn't this place just.... drive you crazy though? [A birdie head tilt upside down at her.] I want to fight. And the more it doesn't want me to fight, the more I want to fight. And then the more I don't fight, the more I want to do something else.

And I hate it for crowding in on Thatch. It's not its place to, aye? But it's not like the forest can help it either.

And community you said... right? So that... peace... should be like Pops. And maybe it is. [He walks a few steps on his hands before rolling over and thinking hard.] But then it's still trying to tame me. [He sits crosslegged in the sand, both hands to his temples and fixes her with a serious look.] But then... maybe my Pops did tame me a little. And that was my choice, aye?

[ANOTHER head tilt.... and he shakes his head, hanging it in frustration.] You have a beat on it now?

Yes, I agree, and no, it doesn't drive me crazy. Yet.

[She takes off the smoking flower crown, examining it as it burns in the little golden flame.]

But I understand what you're saying. It's part of why I was reluctant to leave the ship. I'm not going far into the forest because I know it'd bother me. And I know I'd probably not be able to contain myself. This place is forcing it's order on us too, in a way.

Edited 2014-04-11 22:21 (UTC)

[Switches into phoenix and rolls about back and forth in the sand, thinking to himself.]

[And then mumbling in phoenix.]

[And then rolling over onto his stomach.]

[Where he peers at Chandra for almost a full minute before remembering he needs to be human to speak.]

[So he just switches back to human, but without fixing his posture so he looks like a birdbutt.]

I hate double Spring. Even a little spring is bad. Double spring is the worst.

I should build Thatch a nest and keep him safe forever. [Tell him no.]

[She snorts at that, but manages to crack a smile.]

I don't know about spring, but where Thatch is concerned, you might want to, or I might just have to make him put his money where his mouth is. And Ace too.

But don't do it here. I'm still half tempted to alter the wellspring when we leave.

[Waves a hand.] Don't do that, it'll make Leanne sad.

What did Ace and Thatch make a bet about?

[Shruuuug.] We'll see.

Oh, they just keep flirting. Eventually I might not say no.

Want me to tie them up in giftwrap for you?

No, I'll tie them up myself. Maybe have my way with both at once.

Oh good. If you ever need help getting them trapped in a room together let me know.

[Because he will help. Also make sure the kids stay away.]

[Best babysitter uncle.]

Only if you can find some way to occupy everyone else on the ship. I'm not a quiet lover, and we definitely have some youngsters that don't need to hear that.

[And Leanne. Heh.]

That was the plan.

What do you say, game night? I'll show the kids board games, and you can show those two something a little more high end?

[feels a sudden chill for no discernable reason. Marco what are you doing?]

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