piratejournal | [Written] And now for something completely different from the last time

Entry tags:

[Written] And now for something completely different from the last time

Marco here.

Sorry for my state in the last post, and thank you very much to those sweet enough to humor me, you're too kind.

Bepo, and Vyse, I have duplicates of my maps for you, assuming you both still want them.

For everyone else, I've made about twenty copies of various maps and directions to the Corsair Naval Masquerade Ball. Likewise, in the interest of furthering piracy rebelling against lawful order, I will teach the basics of ranks to anyone with enough brains to actually hold the knowledge. Remember, if you want to go, wear formal costume, and pretend to be part of the navy. Anyone in the Spades wishing to help infiltrate must be able to perform a correct salute and demonstrate ability to discern when it's appropriate. Those who cannot may help infiltrate as waiters.

Thank you.
- Marco

Edited Addendum: Dance lessons for Spades unfamiliar with waltz, samba, and tango will be held every night this week. Namur's breakdance competition comes with a reward, but this style of dance is not acceptable for naval officers, sorry Nam-chan.

[Locked to Nico Robin]

I am embarrassed to say I have about three favors to ask of you.

[Locked to Grell Sutcliff]

Hello Kitten. How do you feel about getting a little vengeance, eh?

[Locked to Sebastian]

My phoenix brother and I are in the mood to spread our wings. Think you can get a babysitter that night to come have fun?

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Okay, I'll be there soon.

[It takes about fifteen minutes because Roxas was a little busy, and he's not as used to crossing the ships as others, but here he is on the Sun, knocking on Marco's door.]

Hello?

Hey kid.

[Flags him down and hands over a blue sparkle covered envelope.]

Take a seat if you want. Or you can stand. [Marco though, is gonna stay at his desk, though he does move sideways in the chair, thinking hard and leaning both on the back of the chair and his desk in turn.]

We're looking primarily for information. If we can find out what the marines -- sorry, Navy, knows about us, we can guard against them better. Then we can figure out what to slip them to make them trip up. And if we can find out more about how they do things here, that's a big deal.

That said, I think we're all a bit upset about the last battle. I'm planning to invite the other captain, Grell, so she can do a bit of her own thing, but I know everyone in the crew wants to hit them back in our own way. Selphie and Leanne are going to help me figure out which navy is which, and Espio was tortured and starved by those guys, so I'm not completely sure what he wants to get from them, but I told him I'd trust his judgement. Whatever looks worthwhile to him. [Spreads his hands with a shrug. For all he knows Espio is really going to steal their vegetables, and that is genuinely fine with him. Boosts local economy when they have to get more, and saves the pirates having to get some.] We're pirates, so I'm not going to order anyone to do something they don't want to, eh?

Is there anything in particular you want to do?

[Roxas sits, he's not against it after all. He listens, nodding a little. Reconnaissance isn't unfamiliar to him, although it's been awhile. As he listens, he looks serious, but when Marco asks him what he wants to do, he's surprised.]

Uh, well, I don't know.

[He ponders it. He doesn't really have anger towards the Navy, it's not really personal for him. He knows it's not the kind of place he's gone into before. He isn't sure he could answer questions about the Navy or serving.]

Well, wouldn't I just have to get in?

[He tilts his head, and then shakes it.]

No, we're not storming a castle here.

[Rubs his chin to think on how to explain it.]

We're going in disguise. We're going to pretend to be them, isolate a few from the rest, and take only what we want most. Ideally, they won't even know we were there until we're gone.

[Storming a castle? Why would Roxas think they were? He frowns a little bit, but decides not to focus on it.]

Well, I dunno, but it seems like there's a lot of risk if you go in disguise. What if we don't know enough? Wouldn't you rather be unseen?

[He sighs and waves his hand a bit.]

Just tell me what you want me to do, I guess.

You can go invisible?

Not invisible, but especially with all that noise, it's probably not hard to sneak in. You just have to be careful.

[Once you start talking to people, that's when things can go wrong.]

[Waves his hand no.]

Too complicated then. It's a lot better to try to blend in with everyone else. And I don't want anyone caught, so if anyone wants to go, they have to try to blend in.

[He disagrees, but a mission is a mission. He shrugs a little bit.]

I guess, just tell me what you want me to do.

[He looks up at Roxas and his expression soften.]

Sorry, eh.

This is the kind of job where you can mostly choose. If you want, you can just stay here on the ships with Namur and Nami to keep them safe and ready to move when we need to.

If you want to dance, you can. If you want to be a waiter, you can. But that's the pirate way. I won't order you anywhere you don't want to be unless it's because I'm worried about something messing up, understood?

I'm not sure it's a good plan, but...I'm fine with helping the crew. I don't know anything about dancing, the Navy or being a waiter.

[As for orders...]

I don't know where I'm best suited in your plan. It's easier if you just tell me.

[He thinks a little and nods quietly.] I think on the ships is good, if you're okay with that?

Everyone keeps underestimating it, but it's really important. If the navy spots them we'd be in huge trouble, and need to run, and at the moment we have a lot of people who want to go inside.

[He frowns a little and shrugs.]

Yeah, sure, if that's what you want me to do.

[Roxas gets out of the chair, standing.]

[Head tilt.] You sure?

It really is up to what you want, eh? So I don't want to put you somewhere you won't like.

[He's quiet, facing the door instead of Marco. He says that, but Roxas isn't entirely sure he means it.]

Shouldn't matter what I like. If that's where I fit into your plan, then that's that. I did tell you to put me where you wanted.

[Roxas feels hot, his heart's pounding in his ears.]

You said that for a reason. Either you don't like what I said, or you think I'd be a problem.

[He can't help himself, he kicks the chair he was sitting in, hard, sending it into the wall with a crash.]

[Luckily, Marco is used to Ace's temper, so he quietly gets up, gets the chair, and turns it back around, to offer it again as a seat for Roxas. Alternately if Roxas wants to kick the chair, he can, but it won't budge since Marco's grip is tight.]

If you want to know my plan, you have to ask me, yoi.

I don't make plans for other people, and especially not nakama. You know why?

Because we're pirates. You can't plan everything, and you must always be ready to change it. You've seen Ace fight, do you think I would ever be able to plan anything for him?

I don't know who you're thinking of, but I will swear on my Father's mark, I do not make plans for other people. I let them find their own way. And that's how this crew works.

You don't have to be anywhere you don't want to, but you have to say it. Got it?

[Roxas opts to kick it again because putting it back is just like baiting him. It might not move, but Marco may be surprised to find that Roxas is stronger than he looks.]

What would you tell me that for? Tch.

[Stupid chair wasn't moving, so he paces instead, fingers twitching.]

You told me to stay here for a reason. I know what that means. I said I'd do it. Even if it's probably not going to work.

[He rolls his eyes.]

I told you to stay here for the exact reasons I told you. No one ever considers that the fun part, but it's god damned important. That's why I'm trusting it to Namur. Namur can't sneak in, but he loves dancing. That's why I want to have a dance competition on board the ships for him.

What reason do you think I have?

Like I said. Either you didn't like what I said and I pissed you off or you don't think I can be of use.

[In hand, out of nowhere, materializes Oblivion. The twitching was a bad sign. He flips it over, digging the tip into the floor beneath him.]

[He's too deadpan for this.]

[He doesn't know how to convince Roxas of the truth.]

[So he has to think.]

[This is why he does better as a bird sometimes.]

[So he goes back to the desk to take his own seat.]

No, you're giving me too much credit. If I thought you were useless? I'd say so. [Serious expression to Roxas, and he turns his chair around completely backwards to sit in it and lean on the back.] I trust everyone in this crew to protect Ace's dream. But I'm not so foolish as to think I can control events. Things happen, and everyone does their own thing. What makes me and my brothers strong as a team is that we each do what we want and trust each other to get it done.

I won't allow anyone who's a detriment on this crew. Period. If someone isn't going to protect Ace, I'll kick them out before he can stop me.

I told you why I said the ship. Are you trying to test me? To see where I'll put you? You're a pirate now Roxas. Where do you want to go? If you just want to be of use, I need more people to help Namur. Not enough people do. But if you want to be somewhere else, I'll put you there.

[He holds up an open hand too.] And believe me, if I was mad at something you'd said, I wouldn't just try to put you somewhere you don't want. I'd kick you. Like you kicked my chair. [Sticks his tongue out with a grin.] Have you ever seen me fight with Ace? I don't go easy on him, and I won't go easy on nakama, because there's worse monsters out there than me, got it?

[It's hard to focus on Marco's words. Not because of Marco, but because Roxas has a hard time calming down once he gets riled up. A few deep breaths.]

I'm not trying to test you.

[Come on, he could do this. He had a perfectly reasonable discussion with Lea. A third breath. A fourth. Oblivion disappears.]

It's just...hn.

[He just has to relax.]

Sorry. I shouldn't have kicked your chair.

[Roxas scratches his head, searching for the words to describe what's going on in his head.]

I can't be useless. I know that. I know how it is. I don't want to be eliminated.

If you need me here. I'll be here.

[He blinks, frowns, and gestures for Roxas to sit again, a little worried.]

Sorry.

I don't think I --

[Ugh, why is it so much harder to think in human words?]

[He runs a hand through his own hair, mind racing.] I won't eliminate you for being useless. All right? And it's just a chair. I've kicked it around too. [Waves his hand back and forth again, frown deepening.]

I really do want you to be somewhere you want to be, eh? That's how people do their best.

What I mean is I trust all of you to tell me where you think that is usually. When you asked, I thought you just didn't care, or you were trusting me to find you someplace. But it's okay if you don't want to, eh? But wherever you want to be, I won't put someone somewhere I don't trust them to give their best.

[He throws both his hands up in the air with a sigh.] Which is why I want you to be somewhere you'll like. Got it?

[Talking in circles. He always winds up doing that when he's worried, or confused, or unable to explain something. Words are so hard.]

[It's alright Marco, it's not like Roxas can think that quickly. He doesn't even notice if Marco is struggling. He does however slump in the chair.]

You won't? Why not?

[Isn't that how things go?]

I didn't know which place was good for me...but then you said not to go so I figured that you didn't think I could do it. I can you know. I've done it before. Just...not like this.

[He sighs a little.]

If it's not...not a bad thing, then it's okay if I stay here.

[Soft grin.]

Because no one is ever useless. At worst, people just haven't found their place. The only kind of attitude I can't stand is rookies who think they know everything, so they think there's nothing left for them to learn. I'm still surprised fifteen times a day, and I've had way more days on the sea than I like to admit.

And ahhh... I just meant I'd have kicked you out if you weren't going to protect Ace's dream. Because then you'd be hurting my crew and I can't allow that. But you are part of the crew, okay? So instead, I'll kick anyone who tries to hurt you.

[Both hands up again.] I believe you. I was just relieved. Like I said. [A nod.] Not a bad thing. Namur really does need more help. And I don't punish people with tasks they don't like, because then they wouldn't do it well.

I promised to answer questions for you. And I will. You just have to ask the right ones, okay?

[Hmmm. The look he gives Marco is unsure. It's difficult to imagine that the people in charge of the crew don't really want anything from him. He's not used to it, he doesn't know how to deal with it.]

Well, I know I don't know much of anything. I know I'm part of the crew, for now.

But you won't eliminate me? Really?

[He sighs softly.]

I can help Namur.

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]

[Action] Oops, notif got eaten. Sorry! :D

[Action] NP!

[Action]

[Action]

[Action]