high_seas | Sending a Message

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Sending a Message

Who: Spades & anyone who hops over
Where: The quickly ruining ashes of what once was a naval base + at sea with the Spades, Luffy, and anyone coming back with Logan and Rogue // AKA: THE SUN, THE MOON, AND THE STARS!
What: Coldly angry Marco lets all the navy men go free and makes sure they have enough supplies to sail with, but makes it clear he's burning the base down into the shape of a spade "to send a message"
Warnings: UH VIOLENCE? JUSTICE LECTURES? At least he's not feeling too bloody and murderous, but maybe that's worse, oops.
Status: Open!

See also this post and remember that Marco's usual reasons for holding in check (ie: Thatch, Nico Robin, Namur, Roxas) are gone or, in Marco's opinion more reasons to cut loose. Feel free to smack him upside the head, he won't retaliate.

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[He was about to offer a wing to try to make her laugh, but just nods his head instead.]

Welcome to the crew.

[He guesses Leanne will be extremely distressed, for which he can't blame her. It seems to literally cause her pain when he's angry, but she's strong too, like Thatch said. That was why they adopted her.]

My message didn't get through last time, and I'd been interrupted from getting serious. This time I don't want it missed. [It's all so calm, as if he simply sent them a polite letter, and this time made sure to send a personal messenger or something.]

[Still, there's something else about it quietly ticking in his head.] One of the kids who still has our mark left with his friend. His friend believes that as this isn't our world we should try to minimize our impact on it. [Marco gives a birdlike tilt of his head, trying to figure it all out. The words, what they mean, how to ask the right thing, or whether to bother at all.] I wanted to make it clearer before, and held back from objections. When the navy took the kid they barely even recognized the mark, much less knew what it should mean.

[And somehow that's what makes him most angry. Ace had told him to do what he felt he needed to, so why hadn't he? Could he have sent the message before Roxas was grabbed if he had? Before Thach and Namur were taken?]

[Marco just shakes his head.] The world I come from tried to keep us out too. People like me, and Ace, or Namur or anyone else. The world didn't want us, and they'd do anything to kick us out. So why should I see this world doing the same thing, as somehow different?

[And then he laughs softly and smacks a hand to his forehead.] Sorry, that's not a good introduction. I mentioned you were joining at a rough time, eh?

They gave seastone, whatever they call it here, to slavers.

Slavers who took Thatch and Namur.

It's bad enough those scum didn't know enough to recognize Ace's mark and stay away from it, but to aid slavers? And for what?

I can forgive idiots who try to take my father's head, but I'll never forgive weaklings who treat people like financial investments.

[He waves a hand back and forth.] There are gentler crews around. [Sticks his tongue out.] But we're the only best.

[Rogue's fist clenches just a little when he mentions minimizing impact. Because it hits a little close to home to what she'd talked about with Logan.

And when he apologizes, she shakes her head.]

Where I'm from, the guy who trains us? Wants us t' live in peace with humans. Says we should show them understandin' and patience no matter what.

We're threatened every day. They didn' even want us goin' to the same school. Now, they pick fights, knowin' we won' use our powers. Make it clear we're not wanted, an' we're s'posed t' just take it.

[Her eyes sweep over the charred spade again.

It's very like Magneto. It really is.

But, somehow, it's okay. Because these were slavers and because she's tired of having to be pushed around without pushing back.]

This? This suits me fine.

[She grins and takes a bite of chowder.]

If I wanted gentle, I wouldn' be hangin' 'round Logan.

That sounds like Queen Otohime.

[Marco watches her curiously, and then shifts to lean back along a single stone step.]

She was the Queen of Fishman Island where Namur is from. Pops and the King were best of friends.

Pops and I... and King Neptune really, we all have a bit more of a temper. The Queen was very wise though. She said it was one thing to want revenge, but we couldn't ever let the kids see it, or they would only grow up knowing that rage and hate.

[He thinks about Ace though. Who really did grow up feeling completely hated by the world, didn't even think they would come get him at Marineford, and then was still executed as a scapegoat because of it. For all of Ace's rage and hate, he still had Pops and the rest of them. So he's not sure he can really understand her sentiments. He respects them because of King Neptune and Jinbei, but he will always be along the school where breaking down the barriers holding them back has to happen first.]

I can't... quite imagine school... to be honest. [He laughs quietly.] We'll I'm a pirate, eh? But I can barely even remember a time I wasn't an outlaw. But I'm spoiled too. My life really began with my Pops, so I never wanted to be around normal people. And my concept of what that is is probably a bit... tainted. Could be worse though. Leanne's forest was burned down by huma-- people, she calls them beorcs. She's like Queen Otohime too though. She's my baby sister now, but if she doesn't come up here to fuss at me for the fire, she's probably going to lecture me about being nicer to them. [But still... she hadn't left. Even though she literally could see into his head, all the murderous thoughts or worse, she stayed. Strong princess, best sister.] Although if the navy was all like this...

[He thinks about it some more. The attempts of the navy to close off Isla Empieza, the ball, the bounties.]

[He just quietly snorts and shakes his head.] In my world the marines are much like the navy here. Except now we've got some marines here from my world who still think there's a way to make nice with the navy here. [Rolls his eyes.] They've done nothing but help the navy. Like I said, they got in the way of that last message I wanted to send. And yet the navy still gave them a bounty. Just because they exist.

[Temporarily removes the smoke and quietly huffs, almost amused.] I consider myself a bad guy, and I still treat people who cooperate better than that, eh?

[Laughs.] No, I don't suppose you would.

I still wish I could get him and Fossa to meet. Fossa is one of our brothers in our old world. He's bad, smokes cigars, uses a sword. Except he douses the sword in chemicals and then uses the cigar to light it on fire.

I'd swear though, if it weren't for the chins and Logan actually having hair they could be twins.

That's stupid. If they recognize Ace's mark they're gonna come after it as hard as they can. You shouldn't have a mark if you want anything else.

[he doesn't know much about slavers or collars or who those guys are really though he can kinda guess.]

It's important to Ace though right? To fight these guys?

Most of us get our powers 'round puberty. Thirteen, fourteen. Jus' what a kid needs, right? Some get 'em early, some 're born with 'em, but most of us grow into 'em. We get used t' bein' normal, then it all goes away.

[Some of them were never normal. Like Kurt.

Even her.

She always looked normal, but she'd been raised with a ticking clock without ever knowing it. Taught she had a skin condition. That other people might get sick if they touched her.

Then, the truth came out.]

I dunno how much of a help I'll be to all y'all, but I'll do what I can.

I can't do it in my world, but I can in this one.

Oh, I want them to come after us. I also want them to know exactly what will happen when they do.

You'd have to ask Ace, but I'm fairly sure of it. [Given how Ace himself seemed more murderous than Marco, but he's not going to say that.]

[A small nod.] The same goes for a lot of others here.

Not everyone has a world left to go back to either.

Sounds like Logan's kinda guy.

[Now that he's said it? She wants to see them meet.]

Your family sounds pretty big, huh?

[She knows better than to ask, but... The words still come. Because she has to be sure.]

Why not?

Huge.

Pops' dream was to have a very big family. He adopted all of us in his crew likes his sons and daughters, and all of the thousands of allies too. I've got sixteen hundred little brothers and sisters, and that's not counting the allies or fallen.

But Ace is the most like Pops. Even though he's the youngest of all of us from back there, his dream was much the same. It just took Ace longer to realize it.

And here? [Marco quietly taps a sandaled toe to the deck.] He's doing the same thing. Pops would be very proud of him. [Which has the sort of ring to it that Marco himself is bursting with pride for Ace.]

[There's a small pause.]

[It's not all his story to tell, so he tries to figure out how to phrase it the best he can.]

Some like me have already had time fudged up more than your traveling eye Apocalypse can manage.

It's one of the many prices of being a phoenix. Even Ikki says when he goes back, his goal is to force Chronos into submission so he can come traveling with me and Chandra and a few others.

Chandra already used to travel between the stars, and until a few of us here, she didn't have many friends, so there's nothing for her to go back to.

[A much longer hesitation. Thatch and Ace couldn't go back for the same reason. The reason Marco didn't intend to leave until he saw their dreams come true.] Ace and Thatch's dreams can only come true here or traveling the stars with me. Ace, because his ambition is bigger than a world. And Thatch because I'm too selfish to let him go. [Gives her a wry grin.] He's the one who was able to pass me the tip about the seastone... whatever they call it here. Like I said, he's made of darkness, so that he couldn't use that to get away... I thought it would be the navy themselves but -- [He shakes his head.]

In any case, he won't be going back to our world. I won't let him.

[oh yeah. That was right. He didn't really like the way Ace did things sometimes. But people wanted to steal his nakama they should be prepared for it. That was something Luffy got]

Yosh. I'll help out then.

Your crew needs you, kid.

They lost Nami and Robin at the same time as you.

It's not that I don't understand your sentiments. The only reason I agreed to be Ace's first mate is because he's my baby brother. [And Marco wants to make sure he's free and lives forever now.] But we'll look after him. And if you remember Marineford well, remember how mad he was at first? How much he told you to get out of there?

Ace won't let himself cut loose so long as you're with us. Protecting you comes first. That's what I did what I did at Marineford. He's my nakama, I know how he is.

And your crew need you too, eh?

Don't worry, Ace will still be here. I won't let him go anywhere.

Yeah I'll go back in a little. [he promised them that much]

But I'm gonna come help anyway. When it's important. [Especially if it was anything like that place. He was stronger now. He could fight harder. He could really do a good job this time. And he wanted to so he was going to do it]

People like that are annoying. [the slavers he means]

[She's used to liars. Especially ones who lie with good intentions. Doesn't mean she can see through it or sort truth from fiction, but she can hear the edges. The little pauses that tell her she isn't getting the whole story.

But that doesn't bother her.

He's just met her. He has no reason to confide in her, just like she doesn't for him. Why she won't tell him everything she's told Logan.

Besides, the base of the truth is there. These people mean a lot to him, and this world isn't so bad. Not when you have someone by your side. And she's not alone now, so she'll be okay.]

Take it we're goin' t' find them next?

An' I thought ten of us was a lot.

[She smiles as she says it, though. She can't imagine all those people, but it makes him happy, so she's glad he has them.]

I've just got one brother.

We're still... gettin' t' know each other.

Okay.

[He's quiet. He had asked Robin and Zoro but...]

[He clenches a fist.]

How was Fishman Island when you saw it?

Absolutely.

Thatch told me he'll be leaving us a trail.

Either he's getting himself purposely moved to the same place our other brother Namur is, or they're boing getting moved, or just in case, but he said he'll be leaving a trail. Teaching the right people a song.

"Red bird red bird, where do the wild winds blow?
Red bird red bird, where do the flowers grow?"

It'll change the closer we get to tell us where to go next.

"To the East, the West, as high as the sun,
Never stop flying, come sing little one."

If he can't get away with teaching the words to people, he'll teach the tune and leave the song with the birds themselves. Since Leanne, Naesala, Ikki and I all speak it.

[Grins softly.]

It takes awhile.

I didn't want to share my Pops at first. And I'm still one of the more suspicious of us, believe it or not.

We're both used t' bein' only children. He's all excited 'bout it.

[And her little smile says she's warming up to the idea.

Who their mother is... has caused problems.

But they're united now. On the same page about Mystique. At least for awhile.]

Feels like somethin' outta fairy tale. [A pause, a look at the charred symbol.] Or a nightmare.

[But there's no judgment, really, in that phrase. Just acknowledgement. Because it's a harrowing sight. It's supposed to be.

There was something that felt right about it. Looking at the spade on the ground, knowing the heart was in her pocket. Like it was a sign. That, strange as this place was, different as the circumstances seemed to be, she was where she was supposed to be.

Maybe it was time she got away from the Institute. This time with no way to go back. Learned to stand on her own a bit more.]

I've never been in a war before.

But I think I'm gonna be.

[Logan said they were gone. The professor, Jean, Scott. Without them, there would only be more violence. The Institute itself would be in danger. There'd be no avoiding the fighting.]

Guess this'll be the start.

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Sending a Message

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