[Locked to Spade Pirates, written]

[reluctantjinrou]

 Hey.

So with everything that happened I'm pretty well fed, and probably now would be a good time to figure out what exactly I can do. 

Does anyone want to volunteer for that?

I won't hurt you but it might not all be that pleasant.

-Yuuki

Comments

[reluctantjinrou]

[He could just make a new one, but it's not very practical against anyone who's not a vampire.]

I never even used it...I just had it. I don't know about that either. I'm not very tall, I might be at a disadvantage against most men.

[booyaka_boom]

*For that ridiculous comment, Selphie reaches up to tap him on the forehead*

Uh, hello? Have you seen how small I am? I don't go running around picking my enemies based on my height. If I did, I'd mostly be fighting children, and that wouldn't be nice!

[reluctantjinrou]

[Natsuno blinks and shakes his head.]

I never really thought about it, but when Ace was showing me how to punch, it seemed awkward for me.

[booyaka_boom]

Well, that's cause you shouldn't go punching someone taller. That's what kicking's for, and weapons! I'd not get very far if I relied on punching tall guys that are bigger than you!

[reluctantjinrou]

I suppose...I'll have to consider it.

[booyaka_boom]

Well, you should probably think about it a bit more. It's a bad idea to run into a fight just because you think you should.

[reluctantjinrou]

Well everyone else can fight. [He leans back against the railing.]

[booyaka_boom]

And?

*She watches him, amused as she raises a brow*

Since when have you been a crowd follower?

[reluctantjinrou]

[Natsuno is surprised she has him so pegged. He blushes lightly and shrugs a bit.]

Unfortunately, not often, however I'm a bit useless like I am.

[booyaka_boom]

*Selphie just gives him a big, knowing smile and nods her head*

Maybe. But you'll be even more useless if you rush into fighting without even thinking about it. It's a good skill to have, but it takes some consideration first*

[reluctantjinrou]

I know, I've been trying to learn. It's not something I'm accustomed to.

[Natsuno seems to be mulling that over. What was his plan for the vampires again? Fighting Tatsumi, to be sure, just enough to corner him. Winning the fight didn't matter, but he can't very well make every single fight a suicide mission.]

[booyaka_boom]

It's great that you want to learn, and training can be really fun! Just don't do any of the fighting til you've got yourself some skills.

*Selphie smiles and steps back, twirling her nunchaku again*

Come let me know when you're ready to spar, okay?

[reluctantjinrou]

Considering how hard you just hit me, it's going to be awhile.

[booyaka_boom]

*That makes Selphie laugh, and pretty loudly*

Aww, don't worry Yuuki, you'll be able to hit me right back soon enough.

[fierybluebird]

Why not, eh? [He gives a head tilt, and while he looks casual, just absorbed in conversation, he shifts his balance just slightly. No more giving tips now, he's going to expect Natsuno to keep aiming as Marco dodges all around him like wind. And to keep up conversation while he does it. There's a reason the Whitebeard pirates don't go to Marco for training.]

[reluctantjinrou]

[Sounds like a good training scenario in fact. Natsuno keeps trying to strike Marco, but he's quick.]

It's kind of complicated. I don't...want anything to do with them, but at the same time I have to, don't I?

[fierybluebird]

You could avoid them, but the better question is why?

You could avoid ever using your hands as well, but that wouldn't be practical, and it'd be incredibly limiting. Why hold yourself back in such a way?

[reluctantjinrou]

Because, I don't want to be a vampire. I didn't ask for it.

[His movements are coloured with a bit more anger.]

I didn't want to have to deal with this, at all. The longer I'm alive the more I hesitate over dying and it's crazy, isn't it? To stay alive? But, I promised Riku.

[fierybluebird]

[Arches an eyebrow.]

I didn't ask to be a phoenix. Do you know how long I'm going to live?

Long enough that my entire family, my treasure will die around me and I can't stop it. Pirates are supposed to protect their treasure, but my treasure is my family. And I can't stop their deaths.

Don't be so focused on what lies at the end of a journey or you'll miss the journey around you.

I don't care what Thatch told you, he's wrong. He's just protecting Ace because that's what we do. That's what we live for. But it's a lot more selfish to die and leave all the loose ends on the people around you. And it's inevitable. If you want to be strong, don't be afraid of living. Do it and don't give anyone excuses. You don't just have a right to survive, you owe it to your crew, and that's an order. Got it?

[reluctantjinrou]

[He stops fighting for a moment and sighs softly, taking a deep breath before speaking again.]

I've got it. I don't-I'm not sure I want to die right now anymore.

Immortality isn't the kind of perk people want to be faced with. It's a similar kind of fate, although I can die. It's just difficult. If I didn't die, I'd live forever. My journey...I felt like my journey ended when I died.

Then I came here and, I don't know, I never expected anything like this. It's nothing like my life at all.

[fierybluebird]

Same. [A shrug.] I always figured if I hated existence after the rest of my family was gone I'd end it by ocean. Devil's curse and all that.

But this place gave me back some of my fallen brothers, and now I just want to see them happy again. It's not easy with Thatch being a cantankerous old bastard, but every smile out of him is worth more money than any world has to offer.

Don't look for anything specific, just look to see what you find, and what you want to live for will find you, eh?

[reluctantjinrou]

I don't think he's going to be smiling around me anytime soon.

[He offers a wry little smile.]

I suppose you're right. Before I came here I was on a mission, a suicide mission, but as long as I took Tatsumi down with me, it didn't matter. Everything was a mess. I've had time to think since then. I don't know if I could come up with a better plan, or if I could convince anyone that my being alive would be a good thing but...

It's not something I have to worry about now.