piratejournal | [Voice & Written]

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[Voice & Written]

[He's going to regret this later, but there's a bunch of excitedly high-pitched chirps like a bird singing a love song.]

[That's okay. It matches the background sounds.]

[But FAR more embarrassing is the scribbles he makes into the journal:]

[So someone has a case of Spring Fever. Or maybe just a fever.]

[And then in big bold colorful levels Marco makes sure to add:]

FREE FLOWER CROWNS FOR EVERYONE WHO SIGNS UP NOW.

[Yeah. He's kind of lost it.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[He seems to think about that for a moment.]

I think it's nice you made your own family.

[He would have never picked his in a million years.]

I didn't get along with my parents. I wanted to be everything they weren't.

Well, you mentioned how they dragged you to the village you didn't want to go to.

Pops and I were alone until we had each other. I can't imagine wanting to be anything other than his son, eh?

Yeah, that's not uncommon though. Parents rarely listen to their children. That's not all though, I was annoyed they decided not to get married and make things difficult for me. I was annoyed they spent most my life living in some kind of dreamy bubble where they didn't feel the need to hold down a real job or anything like that. My dad thought it would be romantic to live out in the countryside, he thought I should live somewhere with the doors unlocked.

[He just shakes his head.]

I never understood it. They were nothing like anyone else's parents. It's...petty to still be complaining now really. Since my mother is gone, and so am I. I didn't like being there. At least with your family, you like being around them.

[And if Marco hadn't.... Then what?]

[He rubs the back of his neck in thought again.] I guess you were kind of stuck, eh?

I did luck out... [A wry grin.] I have all the best brothers, but now I feel bad for them, all stuck with me no matter what.

[He shakes his head.] Being a pirate is all about freedom and choice, eh. You follow who you want to, you sail where you want to, you kick the asses you want to and you don't kick the asses you don't want to.

But I'm also the most suspicious in our family. The ones I like, aye, I'll defend across the universe and then some. But there are some who'll always try to sneak in, eh?

We had this one jackass... Chameleone, he wanted to bring us down from the inside. It's ironic I suppose. Even though he had the ability to shapeshift and take on the form of any of us, I still caught him... Because I'm the one who's always suspicious even when it's my own family. But Blackbeard still fooled us all...

[Marco shakes his head.] What's done is done, but sometimes, it's not as simple as it looks.

Thatch especially... Fuck. I hate him a little, eh? It's petty, but he left me by dying. And you know if I ordered him to forgive Blackbeard for literally stabbing him in the back? He'd probably do it. [Marco lightly knocks a fist to his forehead.] I wouldn't even let my Pops push Thatch around, but he'd still do it if I asked him, no matter how much it hurt him. How do you protect someone from that kind of pain, eh? Sometimes, all that trust we share... well, there's a lot of pain that goes with it.

That's our choice, but it's not something to be taken lightly.

That's kind of what happens when you're not old enough to live on your own, yeah. At least where I'm from, I'm not. Another few months and I'd be away at university with any hope...if things had turned out.

I'm sure if they didn't want you around, you'd know it. You guys are close. It's nice...but you're right. Opening yourself up to someone leads to pain to go with the good.

[Marco laughs, practically dizzying himself with the mood whiplash. God damn this island.]

If they wanted to get rid of me, I'd attempt to crack open their skulls. Sometimes a big brother has to remind them why I'm the oldest and give them reason to keep in line. I almost did crack Thatch's skull the other night. I'm still not used to his devil fruit.

I guess this place isn't quite the prestigious university you were expecting, but it's still quite the learning experience, eh? I'll talk to Robin. See if I can get you some more books and practical things to study.

I didn't have siblings, but I don't recall Tohru ever cracking Tamotsu's head. They got along pretty well though.

No, it's not, but I have learned a wide variety of skills. I should work at bettering them for my survival, I suppose.

Pirates. Ah... and phoenix. Jozu's made of diamond so I don't have to worry about hurting him seriously as much. Ace is made of fire and he pretty much wants me to kick his ass so he can keep getting stronger. [Rubs his chin.] Namur is rough and tumble of course. But Thatch is Thatch. Granted, our relationship is pretty messy though. [So messy.]

And not just your own survival... your nakama's too, eh.

[He nods a little. That's true, making mistakes could cost his crewmates their lives too.]

What if I'm not cut out to be a pirate?

What is it you think is required?

I don't know, I mean...I'm willing to protect the crew and I don't want anything to happen to anyone. I've learned to sail okay, but I'm still a pretty mediocre fighter, I mean...I still had my arrogance handed back to me. What if I can't be of any use to the crew?

[Pokes Natsuno's forehead and grins.]

You'll find it.

Like I said, I'd rather have a loyal incompetent than a sailor who knows everything, but doesn't care about Ace.

Just keep giving your best, and it'll be like the same thing as what I said about Riku. You'll find out ways to help without even knowing it.

[He rubs his forehead. Seriously Marco.]

Alright, I'll try my best.

Fortunately, that's all we ask.

Besides, everyone starts somewhere, eh? Even Thatch didn't used to be as much of a fighter. Experience like we have just comes from clinging onto survival for so long, eh.

I guess there's something else I have to work on too.

[He looks down, thinking a little.]

If I weren't like I am, I would have died in the last battle. I had wounds that would have killed anyone else.

Good thing you're not like the others then.

I suppose it's a small blessing. Riku is right though, I can't keep ignoring the fact I'm a vampire. Maybe some of these skills can be honed or something...I don't know. I'm not sure how helpful they would be in a fight.

Drain the navy, break their necks...

I can think of a few ways.

[Holds up a hand of blue flames, purely deadpan.] Not that you should try to do what I do, but there's something to be said for surprising an enemy when they stab you in the chest and you shrug it off.

I'm undead, it still hurts.

[He rolls his eyes a little and thinks about it.]

It isn't just that. In theory I could make them panic. I could make them afraid. I could make them see things. It's just that my skills are sorely undeveloped and I'm never strong enough for something like that. I think I could do some of it now...

[He shivers.]

Maybe not, with the island, but I've had a lot of blood recently. I actually don't know what using my powers around here would do.

[He nods slowly.]

Talk to Ikki and Thatch for ideas on that, eh? I'm more of the dropkick everyone in the face kind of fighter, but when it comes to headgames, I wouldn't want to test my mettle against either of them, eh?

I tried it on some volunteers before, the last time I had this much blood in me and it went okay. It's tiring, but I can do it. I have a decent range, although another ship is something else entirely. Mind you we have another ship with us. I could always ask someone over there if I could try from here.

It isn't that I can't swing my sword around, I can. But if I'm thinking about these skills I have but don't use...

[He hums a moment.]

It would mean I really have to feed more. Riku's mad enough because when we were attacked I was at the end of my cycle so I was pretty weak, actually, to begin with.

I've got an endless supply for what it's worth, eh.

You just have to ask.

[POKES NATSUNO'S FOREHEAD.] You know how to ask, right?

[He swats his fingers. Quit it.]

I know how to, I just don't want to. It's difficult. Admittedly I'm still fighting it.

[But he likes the blood, he can't deny that.]

It's very strange, I know. I'll try. Ozaki-sensei has some theories, he's not that pleased to know I've been biting people.

[Marco's just so amused by this all. Sorry Natsuno, he heard your deep personal dilemma, but he figures if they can all deal with Thatch eating the devil fruit that went on to kill their father, there's no amount of powers that should be held back from.]

Look, it's not the power itself, it's what you do with it. Pops was the strongest man in the world, he could have broken the whole world with a snap of his fingers. Literally. But he didn't. He didn't want to. Instead he was careful.

You exist, and your objective is to protect the crew, aye? So use it. It'll be uncomfortable, but is it worse than watching your comrades get hurt when you could have helped them?

The difference between you and those you wanted revenge on isn't a matter of skills and powers. [POKES THAT FOREHEAD AGAIN.] It's up here. And in who you are. And in who you don't choose to hurt. And in who you do choose to protect.

Your nakama need you, don't let us down, eh?

You have a point and I don't want to let anyone down. I can...I should figure them out and train them then. I don't know how I'm going to do that without hurting someone though.

When I warned Selphie it would be creepy, when it was, she got really mad at me.

[He thinks for a moment.]

There's good things I can do with it too though. I can take away anxiety or pain...it's really a just a wide variety of hypnosis. It's dangerous because I could control anyone I bite, that much I do have a handle on. I wouldn't, but I could.

[Voice & Written]

XD You would think I would make that mistake a lot more

XD this is why I divvy my characters by browser

Way too many characters for that!

Fair enough XD

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