toujoursfluer | Log 007 [video/Action]

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Log 007 [video/Action]

[The video appears on Robin, looking up at her as she is sitting on her windowsill, despite the chill in the air. The wind stirs in her hair before she speaks]

Living here is hard on everyone it seems. People are changed. People flow in, go home, die and are restored. The Malnosso have us forget one another, betray one another, even forget ourselves and yet we live on broken in our own way.

[She glances down at the journal]

But we are all united here. Wether or not we wish to go home or we call this our home. Whether we love or hate it. We all exist for the same reason. For our friends. To find something better. But whether dark or light, living in silence or in grief only divides us. [She remembers broken nakama too much. It is almost too hard to bear sometimes because there is no reason to be]

There should be a place to talk about this. The fears, the joys, the grief...who we miss. Who we are glad have gone. A place without judgement or worrying whether or not you will cause concern. In order to live. In order to survive we must understand one another and we must not be afraid of the truth--whatever that might be.

[She will stare at the journal more as if contemplating what to say, then kills the feed. Then she leaves the window to make her rounds about town and will ultimately end up in the library. She may seem a bit preoccupied but feel free to approach her, and never mind the cat tail, that will be gone soon enough]

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[She is too tired for seduction now. For all that Marco is good at it. But she's content with holding his hand. Such a simple action but so much. She moves closer to him as they leave and the cold wind stirs in her hair.

Going home...

How sad that she's not looking forward to it. No wonder Nami lives...

lived...

will probably live again outside of the house.

It hurts too much sometimes.

But speaking of hurt.]

Lupin-san and I are starting a Spirit Society. [She glances at him]

Will you help?

[He pauses. He was just telling Chun Li how much Lupin irritated him, but far be it from him to refuse a request from Robin.]

Of course. But Lupin? You know that guy? [For all his deadpan, some of his dislike gives itself away in any case.]

You know him? [She sounds amused at this]

I don't. Not well. I know not to trust him. Though Trap-san seems fond of him.

In any case [She shrugs] we can't succeed without volunteers or...without getting along with those we would rather not, ne?

[She thinks about this for a moment]

Except for Smo-yan.

[Since she can perhaps forgive police not from her world but not him.]

I know he's an idiot, but if you want to handle him, I'll follow your lead.

How'd you meet him?

[Swings her hand little like a playful schoolboy. Manliest pirate forever.]

Edited 2012-11-14 19:43 (UTC)

Is he? I'm not surprised. [Most thieves and pirates are--which is why they are stupid enough--and brave enough--to risk their lives for the sake of freedom]

At one of Trap-san's parties. [And then adds for clarification] Fujiko-san.

[As for 'handling' him...she's not entirely sure what that entails but...]

Anyway, it's worth a try, ne?

[Though she sounds confident enough, it's almost a question. And if Lupin proves that untrustworthy then...well perhaps the idea had little merit to begin with]

[Sort of a blank stare as Marco realizes he doesn't know who Robin knows as well as he thought, but all right then.]

Aye. He threatened Pops' flag once... when I first put it up... but he hasn't touched it so...

[A shrug and he's back to swinging that hand.] You're in charge of keeping my temper in check, eh. I'll trust you.

Did you get any other interested parties?

[She wonders at the stare but is distracted by what he says. If she had known that... ]

If he does something that incredibly stupid I don't think I'll be able to keep your temper in check. [A beat] Or want to.

But no other interested parties as of yet. It's newly created after all.

[Small grin at her words and he brings the hand up to kiss the top of it again.]

Hopefully he'll have reason enough to play nice. And if I have to enforce my thoughts... I will. [He rolls his shoulders in a shrug and brushes her hair back behind an ear.] Don't worry Robin, a start is still a start, eh. Pops and I just started with the two of us and look how quickly that grew. I think it's a good idea, just give it time for other people to see how well it works.

Mm. Perhaps. [She's not willing to be definite on anything but she is comforted by his gesture. Why do such tiny things matter so much? Even the hair pushed behind her ear is just a simple movement but it lifts her just a little. Still, she wishes she had his confidence. His strength. His ability to make things right somehow.

Still she leans up to kiss his cheek and squeezes his hand before walking again, not entirely looking at him]

I am considering perhaps going on a draft myself.

[Working for the Malnosso in any capacity burns her. But how can she help if she doesn't know what it's like? Anyway she's strong enough to endure it. Probably]

Have you ever been?

[Happily flushes at her gesture and follows along like a cheerful puppy. Whether Robin realizes it or not, she does cheer him up and make things better. It's why he's able to keep at it so easily.]

I haven't. They don't let us pick. I might sign up for a few missions, but only if Ace is going.

Ace has been on at least two of the drafts now, and Norma has been too... I don't get it. People from another world were saying how at least they could volunteer to take the place of a younger sibling in the hunger games in their world. Here... [He rolls his shoulders and practically tackles Robin in a sudden glomping hug.] If you find a way to sign up, I will too. But I'm warning you now, don't die or I'll kill everyone.

[They don't? How annoying. She is mildly surprised at the hug and isn't sure the meaning of it but she slides her hand over the back of his anyway. She is both amused and annoyed by what he says, and the dark part of her is even a little thrilled so she sounds amused when she says:]

If you did that who would wash the blood off your clothes?

[She gives his hand a small pat and then maneuvers from his embrace]

But don't get so worked up over death. It's only temporary here, ne?

[And she's tired of people breaking.]

It's not the death part that bothers me most. It's ego too, eh? It means I failed to protect you even a little, and my nakama are my treasure. You too if you'll allow it. [Leans up and kisses her cheek before giving her more space.]

Everyone is going to fail to protect someone at some time. [Especially here. She waves him away.]

Satisfy your ego if you wish.

[Though she knows it's not really about ego. It's about pain and hopelessness and doing something to vent that feeling. And if he doesn't, he is helpless. If he does, he is still helpless. Either way--]

Don't break on my account. If you do I will never forgive you. Do you understand me, Marco?

[His eyes glow blue, mildly amused, and he takes her hand again and aggressively kisses her quickly. His words are extremely intense despite the playful tone and his physical body language is nothing short of aggressive.]

Didn't I tell you already? Nothing can break me. Not the Malnosso, not Blackbeard, not the world government, not my father's death or losing all of my crew. I love you completely Robin, but not even your death could break me.

I'll avenge you because that is what I do. That is who I am. I can only ask you to understand and respect it, because it will not change.

[She doesn't like being jerked around like that. Not even by you. And your tone is aggravating. You're exceedingly arrogant and very much a Whitebeard at this moment and she believes what you say but that doesn't make her any less annoyed.

How are you so much stronger than everyone? What is in you? Or maybe what is lacking?

She'll shove you back with nothing friendly in her tone]

I'll hold you to it. Avenge me until your hands are raw with your blood or theirs.

[And she's serious about this even as she takes a step or to back]

If you kiss me like that again, however, I will break your spine.

[The spark to his eyes fades from her first line. He can tell there are a lot more thoughts going on behind her glare that he can't see and while he wants to access them, the door is clearly closed. Her second promise though accidentally causes a small grin to return. She was still very much the strong dominant woman he loved so much. Part of him wanted to make a joke about his spine, age, and devil fruit, but the truth was she very much could do such a thing in Luceti. Aside from which, she could easing pluck the feathers on his fake wings if he really made her mad enough. A small gulp, despite the playful grin and he shivered slightly.]

You're the only one I approve it from. [He relaxed and waved a hand.] Not that it matters, eh? My apologies Robin.

[He started walking again, whistling to himself quietly and forcing himself to breathe calmly once more to settle all his thoughts that seemed to be racing.]

[He turned and shot her a serious look, the playfulness gone, a touch of hidden sadness to his eyes instead, though the rest of him was completely composed and as deadpan as he usually was.]

Make no mistake Nico Robin, I have already failed to protect several of my nakama more than once. [He blinked, realizing his tone was starting to get intense once again. Too angry. It was what had caused his first fight with Ace. He'd failed to protect Norma and Robin from the droids and Ace said Marco had to stop promising to do his best to fix it; that fixing it wasn't something Marco was capable of. And that was when Marco lost it. He took another deep breath and got even more deadpan.] As I will continue to do for the rest of my life. I have promised to show you that you can be happy in Luceti, nothing more, nothing less. I will not lose myself if you're kidnapped, if you go home, if you die. I will, however, always fight for your happiness here. And as your death works against that goal, however mild of a setback, I will be quite livid with those who got in my way.

But not you.

Do not say I can't accomplish something I set my mind to though. [He sets his jaw stubbornly.] It doesn't matter how impossible it seems, I will show you I can do miracles. But I can't without the support of the people I'm protecting. So you'll just have to trust me sometimes or I'll fail. Understand?

[She still doesn't like his tone. She doesn't understand it. He's too flippant. But she decides she trusts him enough to believe that he is taking her seriously. Even if his apology does feel like he's brushing it off. She lets him walk ahead a few paces, though. It feels better behind somehow and he starts talking again--his voice getting hard as he speaks of his own failure and then...then that promise...that she wanted to believe but... it's deeper then that. She smiles but it hurts. It's bitter. So much so that she can taste it]

Oh? Can you help? Can you make my nakama happy, too? Can you take away their pain and make it not matter who they have to kill? Can you bring them together? [She stops herself from saying Marcchan because that would hurt him too much]

I believe in your determination. That you will do anything you can. Firefist-san and Sabo-chan are lucky to have you.

[But it's so much more than he can handle. It's so much more than he can do. He is a Whitebeard at the end of the day. He will always be.]

Edited 2012-11-17 03:22 (UTC)

[He can't bear it. Her pain, did she think they were alone in suffering it? Then what of her message. He switches to phoenix and practically tackles her in another hug, this time to her chest instead of from behind.]

Yes. I can. And you know why I can say that? Because even if I don't know your crew well enough to put them back together like my family, I know you. I've seen enough of your crew and heard about what you do. Do you think I'd let the future protectors of Fishman Island be this weak? Pain, hurt, death... All these things, they are part of life.

What you said before Robin: we're all connected, we're all in this together. Don't give up on yourself, you will help your nakama get through this. It will still hurt, but as bad as things get, so long as your crew is strong enough to trust each other, you'll be stronger for this. I know that isn't comforting, but it's true.

Please, Robin, please... [He bows his long phoenix neck and rests his head as comfortingly as he can on her shoulder.] You're not alone. Not in helping your nakama, not in any of this. Please, understand that. [He wanted her to trust him, to trust herself, to trust her crew. He wanted to help her crew in any way he could, and he definitely understood her feeling of helplessness, he didn't even live in their house. He was twice as removed, but he did know what it was like to feel like the family was falling apart. His father was gone, the very reason they called themselves the Whitebeard Crew was gone, the tattoos they wore? What did they even mean now? A representation of the past? Of who they once were? But the Straw Hat crew was the future. They couldn't fall apart over this. He wouldn't let them. Because as much as it might suck for them; that was the hard part of being the crew of the Pirate King. That was the brutal part of the New World that broke so many people. And Marco wouldn't let them break. Not them.]

[He is trying to help her. She knows he is so she accepts the hug because it is sincere. His words don't annoy her but she can't believe them either? He can do it? No... Perhaps not even Luffy can. Not here. He can make her believe but Sanji? Who has already been hurt so much by this place. They had to be strong enough for the New World, that was true but--]

You give me too much credit. [She doesn't even believe in her own goal. The most they can really do is get drunk and talk to one another. Will it even help in the end? It seems more like a medicine for an illness that has no cure. You just staved it off as best you could. As for trusting...well they did, didn't they? They trusted too much. They cared too much. That was why it hurt so much. That was why it always hurt]

I can't save them from themselves. Nor can you. The only thing that can help is them going back and to that end I would rather be alone here then have them suffer.

[She was fortunate. She had no one that was stuck here with no one to go home to. She was used to death. She was used to letting go. To closing herself off so that nothing could hurt unless you really let it. She'll push you away again, though gently this time even if you can't be broken you can still hurt.]

I'm tired, Marcchan. [So tired] It's about time I got home, ne?

Robin....

If you can protect yourself like this...

[He clicks his beak shut. No. No. He knows better. If he thought this would protect her from the hurt involved with him he would have stepped back ages ago, would never have started. He switches back to human and offers her a hand. Just that. An extended hand, an invitation to do whatever she wanted with it. Hold it, hug him, or walk away.]

You don't have to believe in yourself, you just have to trust me when I say I see something in you that you can't see right now. That I have the voice of experience and age in this and from my external viewpoint I can see something because I'm flying above the clouds you're all obscured in darkness by living surrounded by.

You don't have to save them from themselves. You just have to do your best to keep supporting one another. One step at a time, together. Trust them. Wouldn't your crew do the same as mine? Brave the whole world to save just one of you? Wouldn't you do anything for them? Do not be so willing to believe that this pain is too deep, that this pain is stronger than you lot are. It isn't. Trust me on that.

[He sighs. He can talk, he can do his best to take them temporarily above the clouds to see what he does, but the clouds are still there for now. They'll pass though. They just have to stick together until then. And for now? There isn't a lot more he can do. He wants to help more. To do more. To say more. To cheer her up. To show her the light from above the clouds. But he doesn't know what to say at this point. He silently asks his Pops what the right course is inside his head.]

Robin, I wish there was more I could do, and I know you feel the same too. Let me help you. That... That's the key, eh? [He let Shanks help him. His brothers let him help them. And that was how they healed.] You don't have to, but if you're tired, you can always lean on me. I won't break. I'll try to give you that little extra time to heal. To rest. So then you can go help your crew. That's how. Trust me? Trust them.

[He expects her to refuse it. Because admitting such a moment of weakness, to want such a thing from someone who wasn't nakama... wasn't that weak? But he left his hand outreached. He'd offered this help to those who weren't nakama before, and accepted it from others. The New World was ruthless. Luceti was ruthless. But they still had each other. Nakama and extended others alike. And Robin herself had seen a way to utilize it. Yes, Marco definitely had faith in her to help her crew, because she was able to help someone who wasn't even in her crew. Maybe she couldn't see it yet, but he'd do his best to help her see it. One step at a time. Even if she refuses his help, pushes him away and goes home, he won't give up. Because he knows her better than that.]

[That is so much trust you're asking, Marco. So much trust that she's not sure if she has. Not completely. How can she trust that you know better when you can't know? When you can't see how it used to be or feel the way all the ties are straining until she's not sure who they even are any more? Supporting doesn't seem to help. She never has the words and only...seems to make it worse.

She sighs.

She hates his words and loves them, too. They make her so weak. She wants to believe so much but she can't. She can't. Not completely. One of them has to remain unbroken no matter what hits. ]

I always lean on you.

[She comes toward him and presses her palm to his, sliding their fingers together]

Without you I think I would have lost my mind.

[Because he is the only one she knows won't bend. Even more than her nakama. And it hurts. And it shouldn't be that way. But it is Luceti. She gives him a lingering kiss and then says against his mouth]

Goodnight, Marcchan.

[He returns the kiss a little breathlessly, relieved by her presence against him and determined to protect and support her with every fiber of his being. Some of his good cheer and the spark to his eyes does seem to return at least.]

Goodnight my love. [And though he's being playful, it is of course completely deadpan.] I'll most likely see you in the morning, assuming we don't all die first, eh. [Half a Princess Bride quote, half a morbid joke like Robin likes to make in an attempt to get her to laugh or at least smile.]

[She does smile a bit at that]

Death cannot stop a Mugiwara Pirate. [and she pulls away and starts home, but says over her shoulder]

merely delay them for a while.

[He chuckles softly and starts whistling on his way back home.] From what I've seen of your nakama, I'd expect nothing less.

[He's met Brook after all.]

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Log 007 [video/Action]

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