high_seas | To go with your crew...

Entry tags:

To go with your crew...

Who: Everyone who is fighting in the battle to kill the witch.
Where: The Black Fortress in the East
When: Jan 24th-25th
What: The grand battle to get back what you have lost, get revenge for what was taken, and avert disaster.
Warnings: Language. Death. Victory. Defeat. True love. Miracles.
Style: Text or prose
Status: Open to all

The black fortress ripples with shimmering iridescent energy, the piles of black coral heaped on roped together barges around it, bobbing in the waves. On the largest barge stands a slender man with a copper belt, wearing a face mask, orange red hair flecked with black from ash or dust. As the dawn slowly folds over the ocean, he'll look up, as if hearing some hidden voice.

At the top of the fortress, a figure climbs into vision, a woman, dressed in gray, features obscured by a hood with impenetrable darkness behind it. She staggers a moment as if she is weary, then straightens to her full height. As she speaks, her voice comes out of the journals, echoing over the water, low but clear.

"This is no small task ye do. She that rots within'll do anythin' ta stop ye. Don't hesitate to kill what ye find. If they were human once, they hain't no more. Watch out for her golems, too, or they'll drain ye dry quicker'n a wink. But if ye can get rid of 'em, it'll weaken her." She hesitates, cants her head to the side. "And if ye lot aren't as much of a bunch'a idiots as usual, ye might come out alive through this."

That said, she raises her hands. After a moment so does the man on the barge. For a moment, nothing seems to happen and then iridescent light shimmers over the coral, seeming to match that which surrounds the fortress. It crackles and dances like a fire, and then without warning bursts into a furious life, slamming against the energy of the fortress. There is the sound like thunder and light snaps and crackles, zipping with energy. Then with a woosh the light flies upward, taking the figure with it. The man on the barge lets out a cry like a seagull and dives into the water as if intending to swim after her.

For the boats that remain, a part of the fortress will crumble away into the sea, revealing a small harbor and an open doorway. Enter all ye who dare.

[If things become too crowded, feel free to make another thread outside of these. Just put where you are in the header.]

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[That's all the answer he needs anyway, it tells him everything he wants to know. Luffy's here, he's healthy enough to be wreaking havoc...

He's alive.

Sanji exhales, shoulders slumping as some of the tension abruptly drains out of him. He lets his head tip and hang to the side, then drags a hand over his face.]

God, that idiot.

[he huffs and closes the distance, his attention going to that metal collar]

Save it. There isn't time for sob stories now, we have to get everybody out of here before the place goes to hell.

[he brings one sword up and swings it a little too close to Sanji's throat without asking his permission at all]

[He doesn't flinch, but it's a close thing. Not because he doubts Zoro or his control but because, frankly, he wouldn't blame him if he did let that sword slip.

It does the trick, though, slicing straight through the collar, and Sanji reaches up to pull it all the way off.]

It ain't going to hell yet, I'm still working on that. You can get everybody out.

No you're not.

[he grabs for the cook's collar, hauling him into argument range] Nobody's getting separated this time. We're all getting out together. Got it?

Who said anything about getting fucking separated?

[Matches his move and grabs a handful of Zoro's shirt, but more so he can try to shove him back.]

Get off me, marimo, I'm tell you I've got something I gotta do!

Like what? It better not be something about a woman!

[because really, Mr. Prince. Really]

[Grimaces, his gaze shifting off to the side as his grip on Zoro's shirt tightens.]

...No. Believe it or not, having a woman in my head trying to get me to kill all of my nakama is a pretty big shitty turnoff.

[Gives him another push, though the force behind it is somewhat lacking, and lets go so he can drag his hand through his hair again, still looking away.]

The only other lady we should worry about is Celestia-san.

[he likewise releases Sanji and brushes down the front of his shirt]

You don't think I don't know that? We're still looking for her. Come on, and I don't want to hear any lame excuses.

[Shakes his head.]

Idiot, you don't get it. She's still possessed, that woman still has her.

[Steps to the side, putting some distance between them.]

Go find Luffy. Tell him she's in the throne room.

What?

[oh hell that's going to put a kink in the plan. What little plan they have. "Go in, get crewmate, get out" isn't much of a plan, but still]

Dammit. Where's the throne room?

[LIKE IT MATTERS]

Up a couple floors in the east wing—hell, why am I even bothering, you'll never make it there.

[Frowns.]

Can't you just do your normal 'running around in shitty circles until you miraculously end up in the right place' thing?

I don't know what the hell you're talking about. Just give me good directions and I'll get there. [no he won't]

You still haven't told me what you're planning, dumbass.

No you won't.

[SIGHS, scratching the back of his head.]

Geez, you're such a pain in the ass. I guess I can lead you that way, then leave you to it.

[AKA get the hell away before Luffy shows up, what, he's not avoiding him or anything. 8|

He glances at Zoro, and for the first time since he showed up Sanji manages to smirk a little.]

Anyway, when do I ever tell you what the hell I'm planning?

Yeah, well. When do I ever need to keep an eye on you to make sure you're not going to stab me in the back?

[whoops, maybe he's a little sore about that after all...]

[Annnd that wipes the smirk from his expression in record time. The color drains from his face and he takes a step back, taking the words like a punch to the gut.]

...And yet you actually want me back on that ship.

You don't have the captain's permission to leave.

[he turns his back on Sanji so as to manfully hide his face]

Besides. You're crew.

[you're nakama, man, that bond doesn't break]

Don't think I really need permission, what with the attempted murder of everyone on board.

[His voice has gone pretty lifeless, he sounds almost robotic when he speaks.]

None of that shit matters anyway when you can't trust me.

So, what, you're going to slink off like a coward and give up on Luffy and the rest of us just because of that? You are weak.

[it's a dare. Prove him wrong, Sanji]

It's not you assholes I'm giving up on! You said it, didn't you, that you gotta keep an eye on me in case I stab you in the back, and you know, you're right to think that, that's the fucking problem, isn't it?

[Panting a little, and he looks pissed off, but there's a tinge of desperation in his tone and a somewhat wild glint in his eyes.]

Where the hell was that before? Despite every shitty sign pointing to the contrary, you're not actually that much of an idiot, you OR Luffy. Both of you knew shit was going down with Ace and whoever else and—and you had to have noticed, right? Was I hiding it that damn well? If you thought I was acting suspicious, even a little, you never should've let me back into the damn galley, that's the easiest shitty way to get rid of people! But no, I wouldn't fuck with food, right? Because it is cowardly and food is my life and you trusted me and you see what happened?!

[He lets out a frustrated shout and abruptly turns, raising his leg and slamming his foot straight through the stone wall of the armory. It's stupid, and probably childish, and definitely not going to help anything, but there's been this rage building up inside of him for days now and talking to Zoro always seems to manage to make him throw a temper tantrum in one way or another.

By the time he lowers his foot back to the ground, he's still breathing unevenly, his chest heaving, and he can't look at Zoro, doesn't want to see his reaction, because disappointing him is almost as bad as disappointing Luffy...and also somehow worse at the same time.]

I can't go back. It's got nothing to do with Luffy or anybody else.

[He looks down at his hands, remembering how they burned when he was wrestling that pot from Luffy. When he speaks again, his words are soft and incredibly bitter.]

How could I possibly go back when I don't trust myself anymore?

[there's so much going on there that he can't get a word in edgewise. Yes, he hid it that well, although Zoro did have his early suspicions. Yes, they trusted him. He trusted Sanji to keep to his ethic about food. The tantrum makes him want to go over and punch the cook, but he just claws a hand through his hair instead. Damn cook with his oversensitivity and guilt complexes.

He lets Sanji rage and tantrum and then grabs him by the back of the shirt, bodily dragging him away from the busted wall and toward the doorway]

Shut up and let's go. You're being an idiot, idiot.

[IS DRAGGED.

The fuck...?

He digs his feet into the ground to slow Zoro down.]

Oi, shitty caveman, you deaf now or something?! I said I can't go back, I—oi, I'm not fucking around!

[Tears himself out of Zoro's grasp, which maybe means ripping his shirt depending on how tight Zoro's hold was, but he doesn't care. He whirls around to face the other man.]

Look at it logically, Zoro! I can't cook for you guys anymore, I'd just be a burden! Luffy doesn't need that.

Don't be such a dumbass!

[he manages to let go of Sanji's shirt collar just in time, but now that fist balls back up threateningly]

You're not being logical, you're an idiot! Don't give me this knee-jerk woe-is-me excuse, you're better than that. If you're really so ruined that you can't cook anymore, then I'll kill you right here and now, because you're as good as dead. Lay down, give up your dream, and die like a weakling.

[he re-draws a sword, holding it with the tip low to the ground]

Maybe that way you can recoup a little bit of your manhood before you die. Right now you're nothing like the Black Leg I know.

[Balls up his own fists up and yells right back at him.]

There ain't nothing woe-is-me about it, I'm working with facts here! I killed people, my cooking did that!

[But ugh, the mention of his dream hurts. All Blue is an entire world away, though. Back home with the rest of their crew and Sunny and where things made some kind of sense and he didn't have to squash the urge to kick the ass of some woman for getting in his head and fucking him up.

There's a part of him that bristles up at Zoro's words and wants to hiss like an angry cat, but the bigger, louder part of him is still weighed down with guilt and doubt that he can't seem to shake.]

I'm not—ruined. [Grits his teeth and eyes Zoro's sword.] But you can't ignore that. What if it happens again?

Why would it?

[no, seriously. He may not know everything that's going on, but he knows some things]

It wasn't you, right? Something else was controlling you. Like it or not I know you, and I know you don't pull that shit on purpose.

[Raises his eyes to look at Zoro again.]

Of course it wasn't me, you idiot. But she got into my head. I couldn't stop it, it was...

[His expression shifts, turning faintly distressed as he grips at his hair, his gaze going unfocused.]

It was way too easy. I couldn't stop her, I couldn't do anything but what she told me to. And I don't know how shit works in this world, but there could be more people out there like that!

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