high_seas | fiery violent pirate babies

[What? Wait, what?! That's... Ikki opens his mouth to object, because he's sure that Ace could turn into fire and all that. He saw it! But as the pipe is handed to him and he's told to hit the other... What is Ace playing?

Ikki frowns, looking at the pipe and then at Ace.]

... What about haki?

[Ace had no idea how strong Ikki was as a kid, but he would just turn his head into an armored shield if he needed to. He was pretty sure Ikki would feel guilty if Ace started bleeding everywhere and needed a tetanus shot later, too.]

'Haki' is different. It's in my mind and it was always in my body. Since I remember it, I can still use it.

[He still doesn't look convinced. Because... Honestly he doesn't want to believe that. Because then... Then what Naesala said was true, wasn't it? Then he was being affected as well and it wasn't just that he had been turned into a child, it wasn't even that he had forgot, but his whole memories were changed. If what Natsuno, Naesala and Ace are saying is true, then he has forgotten everything from his future, from his life? And got his memories of this place changed and played with. Is that why some things are fuzzy to him?

He's not using the pipe to hit Ace just yet. The poor pipe is busy at the moment being twisted and crushed by Ikki's hands as he frowns and thinks, anger burning inside of him. Trying to find an answer, something that would say that Ace was wrong.]

... So... Then if I hit you with this it won't just go through?

And all of us are actually adults? Even me? I remember you, I remember the ship, I remember the ambush at Nuevo Empieza and everything. But my memories are actually wrong?

[Ace knew that look. Even if that look was kind of tiny and Ikki looked fucking adorable, there were few things he really felt he could do to alleviate the situation.

So, Ace reached over and swung his hand down in a little karate chop to the other young man's skull.]

Wake up. If you think you were a kid or an adult, it doesn't matter. Your crew's still here, idiot!

Until this gets fixed, you gotta keep your mind in the game! Now, hit your captain with the damned pipe!

[Ikki doesn't even flinch at the chop, but it gets him to focus on Ace, glaring daggers with poison and fire even if they don't seem really directed at the other.]

You are the one who started going about this, you idiot!! If it doesn't matter then why do you even care if I remember things right or wrong? What do you want me to do? Pat you in the shoulder and go "there, there" just because your punch can't reach as far as when you're an adult?!

[He grabs the pipe and raises it, but stops and lowers it, still glowering. Because as angry as he is right now, he still can't bring himself to punch Ace, not out of anger at least.]

I'm not going to hit you!! If you want to be hit go pick a fight with Marco! I'm not attacking my captain unless you've gone mad and try to destroy the ships!

It's important, because I need to know you can verify who I am and what I can do. If you only remember part of it, I'll have to compensate.

[He kept his temper throughout most of it, but Ace was still staring at Ikki as if he was moments away from taking a swing at him.]

I'm doin' the same for everybody, Ikki. I gotta play damage control.

I don't remember "part" of it, I remember everything! You can use haki to increase your strength and protect yourself, you can turn into fire and manipulate it, you can even eat golden eggs and then puke all the melted gold with just feeling dizzy! I remember everything! I just didn't know that as a kid you couldn't do those things... Or that we were actually adults all this time. But that only takes the fire bit, so all I have to do when fighting is make sure that you're not hit.

[Crossing his arms, he's not going to hit Ace. And he's not fazed at all by the look the other is giving him, actually Ace taking a swing at him first may be the only way to get Ikki to hit him.]

Besides, shouldn't it be you the one checking who I am and what I can do? If all you know is about my adult self, there's no way you can know about what I can do right now, right? Your damage control is upside down.

Upside down? I'm a front-lines fighter, Ikki. Other captains may sit in the back and manage everybody, but I can't stand that kind of thing. If anything, I only let you guys fight sometimes because I like seeing what you can do.

[He pointed at Ikki, a convenient break in the clouds above acting to shine light on him, because it was just cool that way.]

Because, I need to know if my crew believes in me or not! For a captain, their crew is their strength and it makes me stronger the more you all believe in me!

I seriously believe in that you're not cool at all right now.

[Ikki's not impressed at all.]

And none of that says why it has to be me checking what you can or can't do rather than you doing so with me. All you have said is that you want to keep all the fun of fighting to yourself and only let us have some of it sometimes if you feel like it.

It's not because I think fighting is fun! I definitely like it, but that's not the reason! [Ace didn't realize he was suddenly raising his voice.]

It's because I need to know you have faith in me to protect you! I need to be between you guys and the enemy, because if I don't, I feel like I'll lose everybody!

What?! Like hell you're going to do that!! I am the one who has to be between you and the enemy!!

[Ikki in turn matches Ace's raising tone with his own, pointing at the other and frowning.]

We lose everything if you are hurt, you idiot!! Protect the rest of the crew if you want, but not me! I don't need your protection, I'm the one who will protect you! And you don't need to feel like you'll lose anyone because I won't die!!

I don't care how strong you are! It's the captain's responsibility to protect everybody!

[He said this, drawing back his hand so he could point again--because, that's how one truly won an inane and victory-less argument!]

I don't care what you're responsibility is! A phoenix protects those he loves and I'm a phoenix so I will protect you whether you like it or not!! Kick me from the ship if you want I will follow you by swimming and keep protecting you!!!

[POINTING EVEN HARDER.]

[Ace glowered.]

I'll beat up threats first! You won't get a chance, dumbass!

Then I will get faster than you to beat them first!!! I said I'm protecting you and that's final!! If I wanted a safe cruise where I barely have to fight or be in danger I would have gone with any of the other idiots who grabbed a ship and think that they can be pirates without being pirates!!!

[Ikki glowers and growls back, stomping a foot and still pointing at the other.]

Don't be a dumbass! Being a captain means I gotta be the most selfish one of us!

Then be selfish about your life and let me protect you!!

[Because that's what someone who's selfish should do.]

Stop giving me commands, damn it! Which one of us is the captain, anyway!?

It wasn't a command, it was a wise advice! If you want to protect someone that's selfless. If you want to be the selfish one, then you will care about your own life the most and let me do my job! It's my chosen duty to protect you!

[Ikki's frowns deepens and his eyes narrow for a moment, he closes his fists tightly and takes a deep breath.]

I should be at my world. I have things I have to do there, my little brother is there and I have to go to become and phoenix and save him! But I'm not hurrying around for those shards! I'm not focusing on them or on the whirlpools or whatever other way to return to our worlds there is! You know why?

It's because of you!! I want to see you become the greatest pirate that there has been in this world or any other! I want you to have an armada! To have all the things you could want no matter what they are!! Shun needs me and I don't know if time at my world has stopped or not, but I'm willing to take the risk just to see you achieve anything you want! Because I love you as my captain!! But none of that can happen if you are hurt or dead so just shut up and LET ME PROTECT YOU DAMN IT!!

[Not that he really needs Ace's approval though. He will do whatever he wants. But since this argument got started he's going to fight it until the end.]

Edited 2014-05-31 02:14 (UTC)

[Ace glowered at Ikki awhile. It wasn't the yelling that got to him. Biting his lip, Ace felt like he was getting angrier and angrier, but it wasn't directed at Ikki at all. It was entirely at himself.

So, he reached over and punched Ikki in the shoulder.]

...Idiot! Just this once, I'll let you have your way.

[The punch was kind of expected, but its aim isn't, it's not the kind of punch that starts a fight. It's more like "I hate you, idiot", or at least that's how Ikki reads it. Not that it really matters as he focuses on what Ace says and a wide smile comes to his face.]

Aye, captain!

[And he just looks all pleased and proud of himself. He would have still done it without Ace's consent, really, but it's better to have it. Even if it's "just for once" and given out angrily.]

[Ace took this bright look on Ikki's face with the utmost grace--as he reached over to get the other young man in a headlock to noogie him.]

[Ikki arched an eyebrow when the other reached over, but allows him to do as he wants regarding that. Only complaining lightly at the noogie.]

Ouch, hey! What's this for?

[Ace didn't answer. Instead, he huffed and walked away, glowering at the ground. He didn't exude anger or frustration. For some reason, he was feeling nothing short of happy.]

[Captain, you're weird. Good thing Ikki likes you anyway.

He's unsure of what to do now, though so he ends kind of following-but-not Ace for a while. Until he is sure that Ace won't need him for whatever and/or he spots Marco.]

fiery violent pirate babies

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