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initforthelolzz · 4 months

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Luffy’s tendency to self-sacrifice and the way he responds to loss are both incredibly telling aspects of his character. They show his level of love and dedication to other people, but most importantly they show his selflessness. Now, selflessness isn't necessarily a bad thing, but due to the level of selflessness that Luffy displays, it reveals a major character flaw.

Now, I’m not criticizing Luffy’s character, but what I am doing is pointing out something that I’d categorize as a negative character trait. And one that I find particularly fascinating.

Luffy may seem like the typical shonen protagonist on the surface (flawless, stupid, and selfless to a tee). However, if you take a look past surface level then you will find that Luffy is an incredibly complex character. Because while he is incredibly stupid, he possesses a certain multidimensionality that sets him apart from other typical shonen protags.

In regards to that multidimensionality, I’ve noticed that Luffy measures his own self worth exclusively through other people. By his value in the eyes of others. How he can serve them and how much worth he holds in their lives.

Okay but... what the fuck does this mean.

First of all I’d like to discuss Luffy’s tendency to self-sacrifice. Have you ever stopped to notice that every single one of Luffy’s specialized gears has a negative side effect of some kind? Second Gear puts so much strain on his heart that it is said to shorten his lifespan the more often he uses it. Third Gear makes his body shrink. Fourth Gear exhausts his Haki so terribly that he becomes immobile for ten minutes. And I feel like Fifth Gear speaks for itself...

Clearly Luffy has no qualms about sacrificing his body, but why is that? The answer, at least in my interpretation, is that Luffy’s self-sacrifice has entirely to do with the value he places on himself. The catch is that he doesn’t place any value on his own life. Luffy has proven on multiple occasions that he is more than willing to throw his own life away for the sake of others.

We see this in Udon prison, when Luffy was actively poisoning himself to death to make a point, even though it’s difficult to notice how close he was to getting himself killed because Toei decided that if Luffy was dying he was going to look Hot while doing it

We see this again when Luffy climbed the mountain in Chopper’s Arc, destroying his fingers and risking freezing to death all to save Nami and Sanji.

We see this when Luffy fought Magellan in Impel Down, which was the closest Luffy came to killing himself for the cause.

Then again on Whole Cake Island when he tried to let Sanji kick him to death to prove a point. And when he tried to starve himself to death to prove a point. And when he tried to rip his own arms off–

And of course we can’t forget about Thriller Bark. The entire point of Zoro taking Luffy’s pain was to show just how far Luffy was hurting himself in order to protect the crew. There was an entire conversation between the Straw Hats about how unhealthy that behavior was, and how they needed to protect Luffy from himself by getting stronger.

These are all shining examples of Luffy taking selflessness just a little too far. And while placing high value on the lives of others isn’t a negative quality, doing so to this degree isn’t exactly healthy. I say that Luffy holds no value in his own life because he cares this much about other people. He cares more about other people than he does about himself, and is more than willing to die in the process of protecting/saving his loved ones.

I came to this conclusion by looking at the way Luffy handles loss.

And the simple answer is that... Luffy doesn't handle loss. (The entirety of Whole Cake Island was just Luffy outright refusing to lose another loved one)

And when he does... he doesn’t.

Which is exactly what I’m talking about. Whenever Luffy loses people that he deeply cares about he immediately flips his lid. Water Seven and Thriller Bark seemed like all fun and games after watching Luffy grieve the loss of his crew on Sabaody. Seeing him break down like that was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to watch... You can feel just how much this loss has impacted Luffy, and it hurts.

Amazon Lily was largely comedic, which served as a well needed break in between Sabody and all the Horrors of the Summit War. Because of this, the delivery of Luffy’s behavior after the events on Sabody is easy to brush off as a gag joke... but you can’t deny the fact that he overdosed on poisonous mushrooms. And while, yes, Luffy is a fucking idiot, not moments beforehand he was digging through the forest and talking about how many species of mushrooms he knew and all the wacky side effects of eating them. So clearly Luffy knows his stuff, and I think it’s just a little too convenient that he “accidentally almost died of a drug overdose shortly after losing everyone he held dear” after Oda explicitly stated that he knew his shit when it came to eating plants in the woods.

And then, of course, we have Luffy’s breakdown after Ace’s death. Which was even more difficult to watch than Sabody had been.

Are we beginning to see a trend? Luffy will try his damndest not to lose the people he cares about, but it’s impossible to save everyone. On the rare chance that he does lose someone he cares about, he immediately has a suicidal breakdown and gets extremely violent towards himself.

I’m certain that we can all agree that trying to kill yourself as a result of grief is NOT a healthy coping mechanism. Luffy is a completely happy-go-lucky character, with a suspicious tendency to over-sacrifice, yes, but the moment he fails/loses his friends he has a psychotic break. Without other people around him, Luffy suddenly loses all sense of self worth. Because he is nothing without his nakama... right?

It’s so easy to miss this detail about Luffy’s character, and it’s because he’s so good at concealing his negative emotions. Luffy puts on a brave face for the people he cares about, and he doesn’t want people to see him as anything less than a ray of sunshine and a symbol of joy and freedom. His conversation with Jimbei after Marineford was about how he needed to bury his grief for Ace even though it was unhealthy, because Luffy needed to remain strong.

Clearly he’s taken this to heart, because he hasn’t talked about how Ace’s death has impacted him even once. Luffy refuses to show emotional weakness in front of his crew, he is doing all in his power to be strong and support them while asking for nothing in return. Even now Luffy can’t hear Ace’s name without tearing up.

Luffy puts on a strong facade, and it is what makes his self-sacrifice seem so heroic, and what makes it so easy to miss how unhealthy it is. Luffy always saves people at the expense of his own life. He takes his battles incredibly too far, always ending up horrifically injured and using abilities that are detrimental to his body and his health. But he always recovers so easily, so quickly, and it is easy for the viewer/reader to move past Luffy’s self-sacrifice because he moves past it easily.

But why is he so nonchalant about nearly killing himself in almost every battle he places himself in? Simple, it is because he is not afraid of dying. Because in his eyes, he has no worth as a person unless he gives his EVERYTHING to the people he cares about.

Hence, Luffy measures his self worth entirely through other people, and therefore will stop at nothing to protect and fight for others. Because otherwise he is nothing.

I like to think that he developed this mindset as a result of his early childhood. Dragon didn’t want him. Garp didn’t want him. Dadan didn’t want him. Ace didn’t want him. Luffy was only accepted and cared for by others once he proved his worth to Ace and Sabo. Remember? They only started caring about Luffy and accepted him into their group after he got beaten violently for hours to protect their treasure stash. An act of violent self-sacrifice. It earned Luffy two brothers, but it also instilled the idea of his worthlessness unless he serves other people.

Remember when Luffy asked Ace to promise him not to die? I like to read between the lines a little. (Don’t leave me behind, Ace.) (I’m nothing without you, Ace.)

Luffy is a clingy person. He cares so much about other people, and will go to incredible lengths to keep them close. He can be happy, but only with other people. Because he needs other people in order to value his own life. He doesn’t care about himself, he only cares about others.

That is a very unhealthy mindset in this context, and is a major character flaw because of the impact it has on Luffy’s mental health.

But it also shows an incredible duality.

Selflessness is a highly valued characteristic. But in Luffy’s case, he brings it to an extreme. What could be considered his greatest strength is also his greatest flaw.

Luffy is a very admirable character because of this, and I love him a totally normal amount

#ranting again #I could talk about one piece for hours #I could talk about LUFFY for hours #fuck i love him #rant post #one piece #monkey d luffy #straw hat luffy #straw hat pirates #out here yapping #one piece analysis

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midknight-hour · 3 years

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y’all remember this

bc i was bored and couldn’t sleep last night so i made a littol drabble. it’s not much and i’ll probably actually work on a story at some point but i thought i’d share to the riddlebat stans <3

btw this is literally a mash up of any canon i enjoy <333333333333 it’s my fanfic and i get to choose the backstory and ships

— — — — — —

It wasn’t often that Edward was allowed to watch television at home. His father would kill him if he even saw him near the thing, of course. He couldn’t be trusted with such expensive items with his lack of sense. Though it seemed as though everyone in the city was currently tuned into the news… all because their royal family had been slain.

It had dominated the public sphere since the moment the press caught news of the killings. Martha and Thomas Wayne, Gotham’s saviors, had been gunned down in a back alley in front of their own son. It was a tragedy, though clearly one the news was choosing to sensationalize for their own gain.

Or at least that was what Ed had surmised.

He’d been following the story intently, sneaking into the living room late at night to watch the news as his father slept on the couch. The ceremonies and court hearings. The crime itself, and the manhunt that went on without any sort of breakthrough for days. The media treated it like some sort of twisted crime thriller, or a mystery novel. No sympathy, just unabashed curiosity. No stone was left unturned as they pried into the personal lives and final days of the deceased.

The funeral was mostly attended by cameras and anchormen, the young Wayne boy sitting in front beside the old butler of the house. It was a replay, obviously. The midday sun, barely visible behind the dull rain clouds, a stark contrast to the pitch black night he was currently enveloped in.

The procession was grim, the burial quiet, but that was all that the bereaved were allowed before the storm of questioning began.

“Bruce Wayne! Over here!”

“Mr. Wayne! A word, please!”

“Sir- Sir! Are you the legal guardian of the boy? I’d like to speak with him.”

The older man seemed to be attempting to guard Bruce from the onslaught of camera flashes and clamoring voices, but there wasn’t much he could do as they began the treacherous walk back to the limousine. It made Edward feel sick. He couldn’t imagine how he would have felt if things had been so hectic on the day of his mother’s burial. Though perhaps his own father had been enough of a spectacle to make up for it. Either way, he felt a deep connection to the other boy, even through the screen.

The Wayne boy was still being cornered by the hounds, each question being barked somehow worse than the last.

“Who are you wearing?” “Do you have any family coming to the manor to claim you?” “Bruce Wayne! How are you feeling about your inheritance? How much did your parents leave you?”

“Please…. Just leave me alone.”

Edward’s blood ran cold.

“I just want to go home.”

No. It can’t be.

“Get out of the way!” The boy snapped, his sadness morphing in anger at the frothing crowds. And just like that, he was whisked away by a police officer to his vehicle to avoid any further confrontation. And the clip ended.

Now, one would expect Edward to be feeling nauseous simply due of the exploitation of someone his age at such a vulnerable time. Which he was, partly. It was despicable. But it wasn’t the main reason he felt like throwing up as he stumbled back to his room and slammed the door behind him.

He locked himself in his bedroom, ignoring the sounds of his waking father down the hall. Then he fumbled with the edges of his shirt as he pulled it up and over his head, reading the dark lines embedded in his skin, across his chest just like it had always been.

“Please, just leave me alone.”

After years of his life assuming his soulmate would be rightfully disgusted by him in their meeting moments…

“I just want to go home.”

— — —

Bruce was a drastically a different person then he had been in his youth.

As he stood vigilant in his superhero’s fortress, which Alfred had lovingly nicknamed his “bat cave,” he thought back to that day in the cemetery. The way his anger had suddenly surged, like a wave. Over the years he had learned to aim his anger and vengeful spirit at something more productive, starting out with the task of finding his parents’ killer. Though when that didn’t pan out, he found it in himself to instead focus on the public good. To prevent others from feeling that same pain he still held in his heart. But unsurprisingly enough, that made him a lot of enemies.

He had been on the case of a rather curious criminal the past few days, one which seemed to have some sort of vendetta against the law. He merely went by the name of E. Nigma, and he had been terrorizing the GCPD by hacking into theur systems to release sensitive information to the masses, despite any and all security measures put in place.

He’d left cryptic hints as he went- some mentioned him by name. “The Batman.” Others were addressed to Gordon or Bullock. Each was mysterious, and vague, though seemed to allude to a bigger picture. Names of specific officers had been sprinkled throughout by means of codes and ciphers, so he’d been holed up in his cave researching each named figure on the GCPD’s archives.

He had some of the most advanced technology in the world at his disposal, and his main computer was no different, so he hadn’t expected this so-called enigma to find his way into his system any time soon. But then again, underestimating the enemy was so often the folly of confident heroes.

All at once, just as Bruce felt like he was beginning to get somewhere, the monitor went dead.

There was a sharp ringing in the air as the speakers crackled around him, a deep, malicious laugh pouring around him. The screen sporadically began to flash- off, on, off on, before a single, pixelated, green question mark floated in the middle of the dark plane before him.

“Riddle me this, detective~”

Oh.

Well.

This is going to be interesting.

#riddlebat #soulmate au

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imasimpforshanks · 3 years

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Hello, I just saw the alphabet requests. Could I please get the fluff alphabet with Luffy? Thank you sm!

Fluff Alphabet - Monkey D. Luffy

a/n: hi hi hi! thank you for requesting! I hope you enjoy 💗

A-Activities (what do they like to do with their s/o? How do they spend their free time with them?)

Luffy is a complete child at heart. He enjoys doing anything and everything! So long as you are there with him, he doesn’t particularly care what it is you are doing – if it’s with you he knows he’ll have the time of his life.

However, if Luffy were to pick something as his favourite activity to do with you, he would choose a water fight (weird considering his vulnerability to water but that doesn’t cross his mind in the moment). Chasing one another around, stomachs aching from laughter, cheeks sore from grinning too much. He’s never had so much fun, and he can’t tell if it’s because of the activity itself, or because it’s with you (ultimately, he decides that it’s both).

B-Beauty (what do they admire about their s/o? what do they think is beautiful about them?)

One of the things Luffy admires most about you is your unquenchable thirst for adventure; it’s own that rivals his own. You want to explore, live life freely and on your own terms. In Luffys eyes there is nothing more wonderful than that.

Honestly, Luffy thinks everything about you is beautiful. Every. Single. Thing. Right from the top of your head to the very tips of your toes. But, there is something about your laugh that he just finds so unbelievably intoxicating. When he hears you laugh - so carefree and so happy - his grin grows even wider. He wants nothing more than to hear that laugh for the rest of his life.

C-Comfort (how would they help their s/o when they feel down/have a panic attack etc.?)

This captain is a lot more emotionally intelligent that people think. He’s very in tune to what people like and dislike and he uses this knowledge to help comfort people. For example, on thriller bark after they find Zoro injured luffy attempts to give him a whole ass barrel of sake because “Zoro likes sake so it’ll make him feel better.” This same logic would apply when he’s trying to comfort you. He’ll find or do something you like because well it’ll make you happy. If food makes you happy, he’ll get you some food. If cuddles make you happy, well then you best be ready to be suffocated.

Another way I can see Luffy comforting you is by trying to make you laugh and smile. When people are laughing and smiling, they’re happy, right? So, by that logic all he’s gotta do is be goofy and then you’ll laugh like you usually do!

D-Dreams (how do they picture they future with their s/o?)

When he becomes the pirate king, you are right there with him. He can’t see himself settling down (by this I mean living in one place permanently). Luffy wants to travel the seas with you forever, going on adventure after adventure after adventure. He hasn’t really thought much about kids or anything like that, but all he has thought about is you and him growing old together.

E-Equal (are they the dominant one in the relationship or rather passive?)

Luffy is definitely not the passive one in the relationship, but I also wouldn’t say he’s the dominant one. He’s dependent on you and you’re dependent on him. It’s a relatively equally balanced relationship but it could even be argued that it’s only that way because of how Luffy is. He often just does what he wants when he wants regardless of your opinion. However, he also allows you to do the same. That’s not to say he doesn’t sit back and listen to your concerns if you voice them.

F-Fight (would they be easy to forgive their s/o? How are they fighting?)

Fights are a very rare occurrence in your relationship. Luffy isn’t one to maintain an argument for very long often cracking a joke or doing something silly causing you to laugh and break the tension.

On the very rare occasion that you are having a serious fight, Luffy can be extremely stubborn. Once he’s got something in his mind, its hard to make him think otherwise, so more often than not you will have to be the one to apologize if you want to move on from this.

G-Gratitude (how grateful are they in general? Are they aware of what their s/o is doing for them?)

Luffy is very aware of everything that you do for him, and he absolutely gushes about it to everyone he comes into contact with. He can’t stop talking about you. People who have never met you before suddenly seem to know about every single time you gave up a portion of your dinner to Luffy because he was still hungry but Sanji wouldn’t let him have anymore because dinner was over.

H-Honesty (do they have secrets they hide from their s/o? Or do they share everything?)

Luffy is an open book. He cannot keep a secret to save himself. Not even a good secret like a surprise party for you or something, in fact, the crew have to be the ones to plan surprise parties for you on luffys behalf cos he gets too excited and just blurts it out straight away. Basically, if there is something he isn’t telling you the only explanation is that he genuinely forgot. But as soon as you ask him, he’ll tell you - without hesitation.

I-Inspiration (did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?)

Being with Luffy has helped you to be a little more carefree. He has taught you to embrace your youth. What’s the rush in growing up? Why does everything need to be so serious all the time? It’s okay to loosen up, and goof around as long as you are still dependable.

J-Jealousy (do they get jealous easily? How do they deal with it?)

Luffy does get jealous. But, not in the usual sense. He doesn’t get jealous of other people interacting with you, or with you interacting with other people. He trusts you fully, so there’s no reason for him to be jealous in that front. However, what he does get jealous about is you spending time with others, without him. Luffy gets serious FOMO, so if you’re doing anything and he’s not invited, that is when he gets jealous. This sweetie just wants likes to be included! On the off chance that you are doing something without him and Luffy starts to feel jealous, he will simply insert himself into the conversation or the activity. He does NOT care (LMAO).

K-Kisses (are they a good kisser? What was the first kiss like?)

Luffy is a very energetic kisser. There’s no real rhyme or reason to his movements he just smashes his lips against yours. He’s eager and enthusiastic, which can make him a bit sloppy at times, but he doesn’t care.

Your first kiss took you completely by surprise. The two of you were just hanging out then before you knew it, he had kissed you. It happened so quickly they you barely had time to process what happened, but he was just sitting there looking at you while giggling his little heart out.

L-Love confession (how would they confess to their s/o?)

When it comes to telling you how he feels, he approaches it as he does everything else; directly. He’s never been one to beat around the bush, rather always speaking his mind and being up front. With you it’s no different. The second he realizes how he feels about you, he’s on his way to tell you. No hesitation, no doubt, just 100% honesty. It doesn’t matter where you are or who might be around, Luffy will tell you in that very moment.

M-Marriage (do they want to get married? How do they propose? What would the marriage be like?)

Marriage isn’t something Luffy has really thought about. The two of you are together constantly, you know you love each other, so why would you need to get married? It’s not that he’s against getting married, it just isn’t something he’s particularly concerned about. Well… that is until he hears the words ‘wedding’ and ‘party’. Once he’s heard that Luffy is set on getting married right then and there (that’s basically his proposal too). Any excuse for a party.

N-Nicknames (what do they call their s/o?)

To be honest, Luffy mostly just uses your name. He likes it because it belongs to you which makes it special. He does like to find out what nicknames you had as a child, he thinks those a pretty fun and makes him feel as though he’s known you for your whole life, so he does also use your childhood nickname/s.

O-On cloud nine (what are they like when they are in love? Is it obvious for others? How do they express their feelings?)

Luffy gets even more clingy. Clingy may not be the right word, but it’s the best way to describe it. When he’s in love he feels an overwhelming urge to be near you all the time. He craves your presence and your attention so is constantly asking you to play or chat or anything! He really just wants to spend time with you, more so than usual. The whole crew actually picked up on it quite instantly because they noticed the lack of Luffy in their day-to-day schedule. They knew it was more than platonic relationships Luffy had for you when he was five minutes late for lunch because he was too overjoyed by your attention.

P-PDA (are they upfront about their relationship? Do they brag with their s/o in front of others? Or are they rather shy to kiss etc. when others are watching?)

He’s all about showing affection both platonically and romantically. He catches you (and others) so off guard because one moment its silent and the next thing you know you’re hearing “gomu-gomu no…” and being tackled to the ground by a pair of rubbery arms. If Luffy wants to kiss you, he’s going to kiss you. He doesn’t have a care in the world about who may see.

Q-Quirk (some random ability they have that is beneficial in a relationship?)

Can promise you a life full of excitement. You never need to worry about your relationship getting ‘boring’ or ‘being stuck in a rut’ because that will never happen with Luffy. Each day is filled with adventure and something new to experience. There’s a whole world out there that you can experience together.

R-Romance (how romantic are they? What would they do to make their s/o happy? Cliché or rather creative?)

Many people wouldn’t expect it, but he is indeed romantic. It’s far from cliché and strays from the typical notions of ‘romance’ but it’s romantic, nonetheless. Luffy is just unapologetically himself. Because of this anything he does for you (even the littlest of actions), you know it’s sincere and comes from the heart. That is what makes Luffy romantic.

S-Support (are they helping their s/o achieve their goals? do they believe in them?)

Not supporting you in your goals and dreams goes entirely against Luffys character. He truly believes you, and anyone else for that matter, can do whatever they put their minds to. He is your number 1 supporter, actively helping you every step of the way. No one believes in you more than Luffy.

T-Thrill (do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship or do they prefer certain routine?)

When you’re with Luffy you don’t need to worry about spicing up your relationship. You will never once experience a boring day. The relationship is constantly filled with new places to go, and new things to see, and you’re fortunate enough to be able to do all of it together.

U-Understanding (how good do they know their partner? Are they empathetic?)

Contrary to popular belief, Luffy is very emotionally intelligent (I said this earlier actually). He can read people freakishly well, and his s/o is no different. In fact when it comes to you his emotional intelligence only multiplies.

V-Value (how important is the relationship to them? What is it’s worth in comparison to other things in their life?)

As with most of the other relationships (platonic and familial) in his life your relationship is very important to him. For Nico Robin, he declared war on the world government. For Sanji, he went up against a Yonko and her crew. You would be no different. He would go to the ends of the earth (maybe further) for you. It’s just how he is. His relationships and his dream to be pirate king are not mutually exclusive, meaning, he can’t have one without the other.

W-Wild card (a random fluff headcanon?)

Brings you random little knick-knacks, or like a little memento from EVERY SINGLE island you go to. The items range from a pretty shell he saw on the beach to a funky looking figurine he spotted in a market.

X-XOXO (Are they very affectionate? Do they love to kiss and cuddle?)

Luffy loves to kiss and cuddle. He’s an extremely affectionate person. He practically clings to you like a koala bear. That physical contact is something he enjoys a lot; it’s really reassuring for him.

Y-Yearning (how will they cope when they are missing their partner?)

As long as Luffy is distracted and kept busy, he’ll be able to cope. He entertains himself and slowly counts down the days until he can see you. He builds up the excitement and he becomes like a child the night before a school unable to sleep or keep still; he just wants to see you.

Z-Zeal (are they willing to go to great lengths for the relationship? If so, what kind?)

This has been established already. All relationships (platonic, romantic, familial) hold a special place in Luffys life. He declared war on the world government, fought countless fearsome opponents all for the sake his friends (sometimes even people he just met). Your relationship with Luffy would be no different at all. In fact, for you, he would do all of that and much much more.

#one piece #one piece x reader #mugiwara no luffy #one piece headcanons #one piece imagines #fluff alphabet #monkey d luffy

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kaizokuou-ni-naru · 3 years

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The Voyage So Far: Enies Lobby

east blue (1 | 2) || alabasta (1 | 2) || skypiea || water 7 || enies lobby || thriller bark || paramount war (1 | 2) || fishman island || punk hazard || dressrosa (1 | 2) || whole cake island || wano (1 | 2)

this is still one of my very favorite nami panels. i think she’s really great through all of water 7 and enies lobby in general, actually, even though she isn’t really one of the characters in focus for a lot of it- like zoro and sanji, she stays pretty steadfast and very badass even though everything that happens, and never gives up on robin for a moment despite being one of the ‘weaker’ members of the crew. and it’s always fun to see her playing with lightning.

one of my favorite jokes from the first half or so of enies lobby is the strawhats both being completely unsurprised that luffy charges in ahead of them as soon as they arrive AND being able to find him immediately by following the explosions. they know him so well.

luffy’s never been scared of dying, going all the way back to when he told coby he was fine with dying for his dream back in chapter two or three. that conversation is what his exchange with blueno here reminds me of- blueno asks him how long he intends to keep fighting, and luffy says until he dies, like there’s nothing to it.

it’s always been a trait of his to face death unflinching with a grin, so long as it’s for the sake of something he cares about, be it his crew or his brother or his dream, and i just really like that about him.

i’ll go into it in the dressrosa post too, but i think it’s really impressive just how long oda held off on giving luffy any sort of significant power-up. he gets his first big power boost in the whole series here, forty volumes in. i’ve always liked that oda is very conservative with power boosts like this, because it both keeps the series’ powerscaling in check and makes the times it does happen much weightier. this is a monumental moment, and it feels like it.

also, i love the way gear two is drawn pre-timeskip, especially with the steam. it looks very cool and atmospheric.

i really like how united the strawhat crew feels throughout enies lobby, after all the internal turmoil and discord of water seven. even though the matter of usopp leaving the crew is still unresolved, they’ll all together once more, on the same page, and fully united in the goal of saving robin, whatever consequences it might bring.

the tree of knowledge has such a cool design- it looks massive, and even more than that, it looks old. you look at that tree and you know its been there for easily thousands of years. its seen entire eras of history, and it would be priceless even without the countless books stored inside it.

and then it burns.

i’m so endlessly sad about the tragedy that is robin’s relationship with her mother. they never even got to see each other until their world was ending, and even then only for a couple minutes.

olvia is a very interesting character, because she’s someone who chose her dream over the people she loved. that’s not an inherently good or bad choice, but it is a choice she made, and it’s what led to the ending she and robin had to have. i’ve wondered a lot what might have happened if she chose the other way, if she never left or if she came back sooner or if she chose to flee the buster call with robin, and how different (and almost certainly better) robin’s life would have been if she had.

in a way, olvia reminds me a lot of kouzuki toki. they both die in order to fling a light of knowledge and hope into the future, and they both send their children away and choose to stay behind to choke on ash for the sake of a better tomorrow.

i didn’t really notice until putting these panels together, but a lot of things burn in enies lobby. ohara burns, and the pluton plans and the world government flag, and enies lobby itself, and at the end, the going merry burns, too. if you extend it back to water seven, there’s the galley-la headquarters, too. in an arc that deals so much with the preservation and destruction of history and knowledge, it’s a fitting motif.

the world government flag burning is still to this day one of the most striking panels out of a series full of them, in my opinion. in one act, the strawhats proclaim their absolute defiance against the world government, and their willingness to make enemies of the greatest power in the world for the sake of their friend.

it’s also another one of those moments that’s interesting to think about in the context of luffy’s past. it was a ship flying that same flag that shot sabo down, and while luffy wasn’t there to see it, i don’t think he’s oblivious to that fact, especially given how he says just before this he understands robin’s enemies perfectly.

dadan told him and ace that there was nothing they could do against the whole world, and luffy went and did it anyways.

sometimes i just think about how scary it must have been for robin, someone who’s been weighed down by the shackles of her past with no escape in sight for so very long, to open herself up and let herself hope, for life and freedom and a dream that’s always been out of reach.

franky has a lot of really great moments between this arc and water seven- his conversation with usopp as usopp is working on merry and his talk with robin on the sea train are two others. it’s almost impressive how quickly he becomes an immensely likable character once we start getting to know him, given how he’s first introduced as an absolute piece of shit.

his burning of the pluton plans is a favorite of mine, and i think it might be because, like so many people before and after him, he’s choosing here to stake all his hopes on the strawhats, on luffy’s ability to pull off the impossible and on robin’s goodness. when robin’s only ever been chased and hated and called a demon by the world, franky chooses to trust her and luffy with the legacy his dad died for, and neither of them let him down.

monster point looks SO FUCKING TERRIFYING in enies lobby, and i LOVE it. look at that. franky is seven and half feet tall, and in front of monster point he’s tiny. monster point is huge, and dead-eyed, and a force of absolute destruction. i do kind of wish we got to see chopper go completely feral like this more often. he deserves to be terrifying!

i love how much FAITH all the rest of the strawhats continue to have in usopp throughout enies lobby. he left the crew and they really would have a right to be angry at him if they chose to, but it doesn’t even seem to cross any of their minds. they’re just happy he’s okay, and they include him again without missing a beat, because he’s still their friend and they know down to their bones they can trust him, even after everything.

i’ve always really loved zoro and kaku’s little moment of post-battle banter here- zoro relays paulie’s message about cp9 being fired, kaku says he’s out of a job, zoro tells him to try the zoo, and kaku cracks up.

it feels very real to me for whatever reason, and i think part of it ties back into how well one piece handles morality with its characters- zoro and kaku are genuinely pretty similar people who get along decently, it just happens that they wound up on opposite sides. there are series where you’d never see moments like this due to the lines between good and bad being so firmly drawn, and i love how one piece blurs those lines so much they may as well not exist a lot of the time.

this is the other sequence, along with luffy climbing the drum rockies barehanded, that always makes me physically cringe to look at. it looks so painful. robin is so nearly powerless here, but not quite- she can still buy time for her crew to catch up, even if it’s only seconds, even if she risks shattering her teeth or even her jaw in the process. she’s spent so long giving up and has only just started daring to hope- she’s not about to go gentle.

there aren’t many panels that give me catharsis like this one. there really aren’t.

oda’s villains are usually complicated and awful and often a little admirable, if only for how clever or how terrifyingly powerful they are, but every now and then he comes up with someone who’s just pathetic and cowardly and pointlessly cruel. spandam is like this, obviously, and so is orochi, and the celestial dragons, and i’d argue flampe from whole cake island as well. and there’s nothing like seeing characters like them- weak, cruel people so assured in their own power and rightness- get obliterated.

one of the things i really like about enies lobby is that nobody really gets sidelined- everybody gets multiple chances to shine. luffy, usopp, and obviously robin are the most in focus, obviously, but zoro, sanji, nami, chopper, and even franky all get a bunch of individual awesome moments. oda’s ability to handle his cast satisfyingly is consistently really impressive (if sometimes strained in huge ensemble arcs like dressrosa or wano) and it really shows here, i think.

i just really love the entire climax of enies lobby. much like the arc as a whole, it just feels triumphant, even though the situation is extremely dire. luffy unlocking gear three, robin’s cuffs getting unlocked, usopp shooting spandam and the marines all the way from the tower of justice- it’s all just good, a long chain of much-needed victories and catharses, and it feels very good to read.

i’ll always be impressed by just how much characterization oda manages to give merry, a boat. she’s only really a character in water seven and the end of enies lobby, only about two chapters of which she actually speaks in. and yet i don’t think you’d find a single one piece fan who disagrees that merry’s death is easily one of the most heartwrenching in the entire series.

i love the reactions of the strawhats to robin’s thanks. they’ve just gone through hell to save her, most of them are beat to shit and they all risked their lives, and yet they all just smile, or brush it off, because to them there’s nothing else they could have done. it’s all worth it, so long as they got her back, so long as she’s safe and happy.

merry’s funeral just hits me in the chest every single time i read it. it’s tragic, of course, but there’s also something almost lovely about it, something peaceful about her getting to go out on her own terms, carrying her crew to safety one last time, defying every rule of the universe to do it. just like a strawhat pirate.

oda’s ability to communicate emotion through expressions really comes through here, too. merry has the only lines in this scene, fitting for her death in the limelight, but the shots of every other crewmate’s face let us know at a glance just what they’re all feeling and just how strongly they’re feeling it.

you know, i’d forgotten we only learn the name of the new world after enies lobby. we only get proper exposition about the revolutionary army and the yonkou here, too, despite them being set up since loguetown and jaya (or alabasta, or even chapter one if you count from shanks’s introduction) respectively. oda’s ability to parse out exposition and explanation so we always have just the right amount of information is really impressive- we always have more questions, but we also always have the feeling that those questions have answers, and that sooner or later they’ll be revealed.

points at shanks. i just think he’s neat.

it’s my opinion that one of the great joys of one piece is seeing luffy and the crew rise up in the world, and seeing them gain more and more notoriety. i love nothing they do ever happens in a vacuum- everything has impacts, and there are always outside eyes watching, and often those impacts are things that they never could have predicted.

ace and blackbeard is still, i think, definitely one of the coolest looking fights in the whole series. it’s not all that often we get to see two people with extremely flashy and showy abilities go all-out against each other, and the resulting fireworks are still really something to behold, despite how badly it all ends.

#the voyage so far #one piece #opmeta #long post #arc: enies lobby #arc: post enies lobby #not japanese

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nagirambles · 2 years

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this is so not fairy tail related but after hearing about your opinions on rebeccas livestreaming vs cross’s can you talk more about what you think abt reading this bites??? its not a one piece blog but i lowk want to hear more

haha, alright then! I haven't finished reading This Bites actually, I stopped around Thriller Bark. It was just getting a little tough to follow-- I'm not a big fan of the four dugongs and most of the animals, they just kinda crowd the OC count. It's not bad! Just tires me out after a while because I can't remember all of them. I'll get back to it one day, I'm just taking my time to read.

But anyways-- the concept of This Bites is just so fascinating. We've seen the 'SIOC into fandom' thing plenty of times but-- hell, a radio that everyone has to listen to? Exposing government secrets and calling out the shitty system? Go Cross, do it, they can't get you anyways, we're criminals either way and we're all on the sea! The best is of course when the entire world gets to witness exasperating things happen in line with the crew. And of course, they get to see the devastating struggles of each arc battle as well.

It puts the entire audience into a relatable perspective as well, and it's definitely a treat that Cross Brain writes down everyone's reactions, from Makino in East Blue, to Doffy all the way in Dressrosa, and even people on Fishman Island or even the Revolutionary army! I just love to see the different ways they react to someone finally speaking up and out for justice. It's like watching the show all over again, but this time, we're witnessing lots of people as they discover the splendour of our favourite crew for the first time. The world of One Piece really feels together in that fic. It's definitely deserving of being one of the most well-known fics in the fandom.

Which is why I'm kinda sad that Rebeccas is a streamer, but we hardly see her doing anything with it. And though her entire dream is to get super interesting things to show the world, she doesn't even think of showing the world the literal crazy adventure she finds on every island. Sure, they might get in trouble because they interact with government officials and pirates, but that's the point! Isn't that cool? Show the world that your adventure isn't just fun and games. Show us drama. Make your audience care for you, and heck, we genuinely don't ever see anyone giving Rebecca's channel a damn. I know that's the running joke, but it's just-- wasted, really.

I know lots of stuff is happening on the ship itself, but like... do we still need the B-cuber thing or can we just drop it? Cause at this rate, Rebecca's dream just seems like something that we should just drop in favour of all the conflicts currently happening, unlike in This Bites where Cross uses his ability to stream to his full advantage, turning the world against the government and creating his own minor army of rebellion.

We could even get moments like Rebecca accidentally exposing some sensitive information, like the layout of the ship or something. And then after trouble comes, she gets chewed out by the crew and she slowly learns where the boundaries are for their own safety. That kinda conflict would be nice.

#it's an ask #I have biases I'm sorry #it's another fandom

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opbackgrounds · 4 years

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Would be curious to see how accurate this translation is, because if this is what Luffy really said it speaks to his fundamental misunderstanding of Sanji as a person, a misunderstanding that I think extends into the fandom itself. Which is understandable, given some of the mixed signals Oda has sent and how he didn’t get his second backstory until well after the timeskip.

Sanji is, at heart, a very self-sacrificial person, but that’s mostly because he has very little self-worth. I’ll talk about it more once we get to Thriller Bark, but part of what makes Zoro sacrifice with Kuma so profound is that Zoro thinks very highly of himself, referencing himself as the future greatest swordsman even in the face of death, and still puts all that aside to save Luffy and the rest of the crew.

Sanji doesn’t have that, which puts a completely different spin on his actions over the course of the series. Sacrifice isn’t really sacrifice if you don’t value what you’re trying to throw away.

#opbackgrounds #one piece #ch137 #sanji #character analysis #I tend to view Sanji as having a kind of martyr complex #but that's just my interpretation #there are a bunch of different ways to look at him

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quinntamsin · 3 years

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*Tosses up her pirate hat as she adjusts the cutlass tied at her waist. Her long captain's coat hang's off her shoulders.* One Piece is a sinfully good soul food of a show for me. I watch it when I'm feeling down and its one of the few Anime to actually make me cry with frustration and rage when I've watched it. i think its in part because of the fantastic level of character diversity and emotion found across the series.

Today it's time to talk about Water Seven and the Saga at Enies Lobby.

It's been later revealed that trans and LGBT characters exist in the series with painful examples early on and then clear evolution of Oda's work as he's progressed. One Piece much like Jojo's Bizarre Adventure is a series with a unique artstyle that often exists as a clear gate to people liking the story. Honestly, ignoring the art style which creates unique designs for each and every character. You have to face a massive archive of episodes or chapters to catch up.

Now however, I'm going to talk about Water Seven, and it's main villains, CIpher 9. Water Seven as the name suggests is a massive island dedicated to the largest collection of shipwright in the world. it was here that fishman master wright, Tom, constructed the water train and his apprentice Iceberg founded the Galley La company.

Set immediately after the Skypeia Saga, Water Seven sees a hard divided in the Strawhats just as they make it away from winning the Davy-Back Challenge from the Foxy Pirates. Both Chopper and Robin have become firmly established in the crew, though Robin herself still holds worry about eventually leaving. Just as they run into Water Seven they ask a Galley La wright to check out the Going Merry (the Caravel they won while defending the village of Syrup from the Black Cat Pirates). This investigate reveals that the Merry has suffered severe unrepeatable damage on her journey across the Eat Blue through the Paradise section of the Grand Line. Now the pirates face a divide as Usop decides to challenge Luffy over his decision to retire the Merry resulting in Usop leaving the crew for most of the Saga.

The Crew also encounters the Frank Family after the family decides to steal a large amount of cash the crew has earned in their adventures. After defeating the Frank Family, Iceberg, who was attacked by a mysterious assailants identifies the missing Nico Robin as one of the attackers. The story itself delves heavily into the back story of both Robin and Frank. Both of which feel completely alone in many respects for what they have done in the past. I'm going to skip my larger summary to discuss these two at length.

Robin is from the now obliterated island of Ohara, a place once known for it's learned people and guild of archeologists. At one point it was discovered that the Archeologists of Ohara could read the mysterious Poneglyphs, ancient records of the Lost Century of the world's history. Reading these glyphs is illegal under the rule of the World Government, who then decide to commit mass genocide by ordering a buster call on the entire island. A Buster Call essentially sends an entire fleet of powerful marine warships who proceed to bombard and blow apart every structure on the island. Any Devil Fruit users among the Officers including at least one Admiral participate in the mass slaughter and erasure of the island's populace and culture.

Robin being the sole survivor is sought by the WG as a loose end who must be eliminated. Anyone who speaks to her and learns what she knows in turn will be eliminated for learning the forbidden knowledge of the Poneglyphs.

Franky on the other hand is an orphan protege of the genius inventor and shipwright Tom. A fishman whose catch phrase "with gusto" inspired people to never give up in the face of depression. When Water Seven itself started to fall apart from a lack of economical prosperity he invented a literal ocean going train so it could gain new wealth and business. Tom himself also possess the blue prints for one of the ancient weapons, Pluton, a WMD capable of destroying the world. He was also the shipwright who crafted the ship for the infamous King of the Pirates, Gol D. Roger!

Franky's entire -existence- after Tom's death occurs because a leader of the WG's secret police, Cipher, decides to use his own experiments to massacre citizens of the town. It is also his possession of the pluton blueprints that will see him captured by CP9.

The Conclusion

If you are a radical at heart that hates corrupt government or you just want to see Luffy beat the shit out of smarmy asshole, this is one of the best early Sagas of One pIece. Water Seven is where all of the damage and confrontation caused by the Strawhats firmly gets them feared BY the World Government and sets the stage for them in the upcoming Thriller Bark Saga. If it weren't for their decision to save Robin and Franky neither would have remained with the crew later on. Nor would it have further cemented Luffy's status as one of the best ally's around.

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cienie-isengardu · 4 years

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K, O, P?

Thank you for the lovely ask, it was fun to write! :D

K - What character has your favorite development arc/the best development arc?

Hard to pick the one character, even more since the best of character development I love so much are not tied to one arc but happens through the whole story. But since I’m on OP kick lately, Roronoa Zoro gets all the honor.

I love how at first he promised to follow Luffy as long as the rubber-man didn't get in the way of his goal (and threatened him with death otherwise) but took his commitment very seriously from day one. And somehow through the relatively short journey, Zoro literally threw away his ambitions, pride, life, everything for Luffy’s sake. And not only for Luffy, but for the crew as a whole, because Roronoa is always ready to stay behind, to be left behind, to protect nakama at all cost. And the best part of this development is that, Zoro’s priorities changed from carrying the burden of promise and shared ambition with a dead friend being the best to giving everything to Luffy, while it does not change what Zoro is at the core. It doesn’t make him a better man in the sense of an improved attitude or outlook on life. Hell, I would say it makes him more workaholic with the need to get stronger, pushing himself harder than before once he gets to know the wider world better, but Zoro is ruthless and rude as he was. He is born killer and monster in human form that don’t give a fuck about the world, politics, what society thinks while his own moral sense does not budge at all. He was and is willing to kill, he enjoys fighting and drinking, has this ambitious as hell goal of being the best. The development does not change who Zoro is, but what matters to him the most and this growing loyalty and trust can be seen through the whole story and I don’t know what would need to happen for such dedication falter even for a bit.

And like I said, this is not something that happened in one arc, but was happening through the whole story, from earlier little occasional clashes with Luffy to being of one mind with his captain while always ready to carry the burden when Luffy can’t do it, ready to stay behind and protect nakama. What makes the final of Thriller Bark one of the coolest pledge of loyalty but not the best development arc itself, really, because Zoro’s character develops in that direction from day one and the decision made in Thriller Bark is just a result of all the previous adventures.

O - Choose a song at random. Which ship or character does it remind you of?

I’m going to cheat with that and instead of a random song, I will give you two I have on loop already for several days: Broken Crown and I gave you all by Mumford & Sons, because both suit Donquixote Brothers so well and could tell the same events from two different perspectives. In advance sorry for ranting but these two songs kill me emotionally so much, I must talk in length about them!

Broken Crown is all about Rosi rejecting the “crown” given to him by brother (“I'll never be your chosen one”) and yet… still caring and sadly, knowing it too well he wouldn’t pull the trigger (“but oh my heart, was flawed I knew my weakness. So hold my hand consign me not to darkness“) and the final lines, gosh:

So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down

I'll never wear your broken crown

I took the road and I fucked it all away

Now in this twilight, how dare you speak of grace

So crawl on my belly 'til the sun goes down

I'll never wear your broken crown

I can take the road and I can fuck it all away

But in this twilight, our choices seal our fate

And then, I gave you all is just so Doffy about Rosinante, it hurts. Seriously. Like, I really believe he never meant to hurt his brother (and maybe never understood he did), and the whole last lines are just so on spot:

But I gave you all

But you rip it from my hands

And you swear it's all gone

And you rip out all I have

Just to say that you've won

Well now you've won

It’s just so, so about Rosi stealing Law and Opi Opi no Mi even though Doffy already “gave [him] all” what he could. And the most ironic thing? When people usually think about their last meeting, we remember that Doffy killed his younger brother, but in fact, Rosi DID WIN in the long run. He cured Law and saved him from Doffy, he stole Opi Opi no Mi and took away from brother a chance for immortality, even if just for a while. Which is like three main victories in one strike and he did sort of say it to Doffy’s face (“[Law] is already free!!”).

Just… so many feelings from two songs that fit well two brothers so different from each other. And the regrets and hate, and lack of understanding and spite. Seriously, it makes me think about their last meeting so much :(

P - Invent a random AU for any fandom (we always need more ideas).

I have three major growing ideas, but since I’m in a good mood, I will share the happiest AU in which Donquixote Rosinante never played the role of spy and confronted Doflamingo in the open sea as a Marine Officer.

Or more like: Doffy found out his bro is alive but part of Marine, so of course he couldn’t leave him in peace and like the maniac he is, chased after Rosinante across all the sea to recruit him into the Family - to no avail. So Doffy’s main reason to become Shichibukai was just so he could jump on Rosi’s warship and annoy the fuck of him, like an older brother should. And Rosi can’t kick him overboat, since as a Warlord Doflamingo is untouchable by Marines. Or at least in theory, because Rosi serves under Garp’s command*, and the old Vice-Admiral does not mind to punch some sense into Doffy (and Rosi) with fist of love, cause no punk like Doffy will tell Monkey D. Garp what he should or shouldn’t do on his own ship and if bros are lucky, Tsuru may save them from this madman… or not). Despite that causing ruckus between sailors is much better than boredom, and Doffy seeks out his younger brother under all excuses and more often than not, visits just to rant about all annoying people and bitching on Kaido or Sengoku or Nobles or really, everything and maybe for a drink or two and napping between one and another business meeting, because there is no better nap than under Rosi’s silencing powers. It is worth, no matter that more often than not Garp is kicking his ass, even when in fact he acts as a good boy should. And maybe, just maybe Doffy is so bored with all his underground business going well that he is actually doing “government dog” work of hunting down random pirates. Or more likely, slaughtering every asshole who dare insult his clumsy brother.

Because no matter what, Rosi is his baby bro and he belongs to Doffy even if the dumbass stubbornly refuses to join the Family. Which is fine, one day Doflamingo will find a way to change his brother's mind and until that day comes, he will mess with Marines as much as he can. Which is all fair, because Rosi too does mess with Doffy’s underground business whenever he has a chance and the klutz set on fire accidentally himself AND so many Doffy’s stuff one may wonder if he really is that clumsy or does he do that on purpose. Trebol thinks the latter, cause somehow Rosi always drops things on him by stumbling or spilt hot tea in his face. Doffy finds that amusing as hell, even more when his little bro uses his devil fruit powers to mute half of the Family just to piss them off. At least, as long as Rosi remembers to unmute them before leaving (sometimes the lil shit does not unmute them on purpose and Doffy is forced to chase him around the sea to undo the damage. Younger brothers can be a really pain in the ass).

So Doffy & Rosi kinda have this I-hate-you-but-I-love-you-dumbass relationship over the years until Law comes into picture and of course, Law stab the younger Donquixote and of course, Rosinante kidnap the kid to find a cure and maybe, just maybe, kidnap his brother along the way, and drag Law and Doffy on forced family vacation that involves burning a few dozens of hospitals, a lot screaming at each other and some terapeutic honest talks that no one really wants but everyone needs. Law gets the Ope Ope Mi, Doffy and Rosi kinda explain to each other all the traumatic shit from childhood and made sort of peace.

So, in the end, Doffy does not take over Dressrosa but is still doing his shady business and just being himself, just with better mental stability (cause Rosi keeps muting Trebol and all his shitty talk about what king can or cannot do on every occasion). Rosi has a brother that is not complete monster but not the good man either, but he isn’t ordered to kill him or lie to, and even though they are on opposite side, Rosinante can always call Doffy on den den mushi and shout at him for hours for all the stupid shit he pulled without any regrets or fear (and sometimes, Doffy does listen). Law is saved but still decides to sail and causing havoc as pirate captain while both Donquixote brothers are doting on him and of course, allying himself with Monkey D. Luffy, while the poor Sengoku just gets constant migraine for dealing with all the nonsense of Monkey D. and Donquixote family drama (but secretly feeling relieved that his son is finally doing fine). Garp on other hand, find it hilarious as hell. The World Government does not find it hilarious at all.

*Sengoku doesn’t like putting his precious Rosinante under Garp’s command because the Hero of Marines of course drags the poor kid into all possible troubles and chaos, but since Rosi is brother of Doflamingo and Doffy is hated by Nobles, Garp is the best protector for younger Donquixote. He will punch everyone who would dare to hurt the kid of his closest friend, including World Nobles and their armies. The side effect is that Rosi is looking after Ace and Luffy, once they set sails, because they are uncle Garp’s grandkids and he will happily save Ace’s ass before Blackbeard get his hand on him and be even kind enough to give the kid a choice: either he comes back to Whitebeard or Rosi takes him straight to grandpa Garp and so Ace ends safe under pop’s watchful eyes once and for good.

Here, a happy Donquixote Bros AU. You’re welcome!

ask meme

#ask meme #one piece #roronoa zoro #donquixote doflamingo #donquixote rosinante #donquixote brothers #one piece AU #fueled by my overthinking about donquixote bros #and #monkey d. garp #sengoku the buddha #trafalgar law #one piece kills me with too many emotions #sorry not sorry #my replies #broken crown #and I gave you all songs #are just made for those two

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thenugking · 3 years

Text

Grand Academy For Future Villains II: Attack of the Sequel, Chapter 6: Escape from Chapter Six. A commentary for Three.

General CW for the whole thing: parental abuse, internalised dehumanisation as a trauma response. Three’s not doing well.

Specific CW for this chapter: bad self care, sex jokes

I could’ve made a bunch more sex jokes in this chapter, and do not apologise for what I did say.

Game 1

Game 2

Alternatively, read on Google Docs here

***

#"…a psychic dimension, so visitors experience a mental space as well as a physical one?"

"Great idea," says Professor Ulik. "That seems like something the Voice in the Void might enjoy. I'll leave you in charge of that, then."

Your idea was indeed great. And you and Professor Ulik work in perfect synchronization on the day the auditors come to observe her class. The two corporeal auditors are definitely impressed, and even the Voice in the Void slavers in the corners of your subconscious in a distinctly approving fashion.

Nothing really to add here, other than that Three and Ulik continue to work together brilliantly. Of course Three was going to be helping Ulik, rather than helping Sona fight Thriller.

All in all, you're making progress. Your classwork is paying off, your teacher is mostly happy with the job you're doing as an assistant, and grades for the first semester are being released.

You check DarkBoard to see how you've done so far.

An overall A. Your grades are very good, and your skills have significantly improved thanks to the time and effort you've put into your classwork.

Well, that’s concerning. Three’s slipping from their perfect Freshman grades. Yes, they’ve been tirelessly TAing for Professor Ulik this year, but they made sure to put in the same number of hours studying as last year by replacing several hours of sleep with schoolwork. If they only have an A, they’re either not as clever, or as hardworking as they should be. Which is a problem in and of itself, but worse than that, Maedryn’s going to get a copy of their report card.

For Maedryn, getting 100% the first time is a big deal, and worthy of love and praise. The second time, it’s nothing special. Doing worse than previously is a disappointment, and means Three is being lazy or deliberately stupid. Three is not looking forward to Maedryn’s reaction, but they become even more concerned when there simply isn’t one, their mother barely even registering them next time they speak, as she orders her clones around while grading a stack of essays.

Fortunately this is not your problem. This is Sona's problem. Unfortunately, she is involving you in it. Obviously Sona is going to be one of Sci-Fi's champions, but she wants you for the second spot.

Sci-Fi seems to agree, or so the cheering would indicate when Sona names you. Gratitude? Vengeance? Expectation that at least you'll put on a good show?

"You," Sona says, "me…who's our third?"

#I don't really care, I'll let Sona decide.

Three might not want Sci-Fi to win the genre tournament, but they certainly don’t object to taking a trip into DarkBoard, even to play whatever game A Baroness has come up with. They’re very much letting Sona lead though.

You stagger, but keep your footing. Looking around you, you find yourself in a dark forest. You don't recognize the landscape at all.

"This is incredible!" says Sona, running a hand along the bark of the nearest tree. "I know the DarkBoard development team's been working on this for years, but I didn't know it was this far along. A virtual environment inside DarkBoard—a simulation of anything that the designers want…This is going to change everything about classwork, just to begin with."

And about Three’s sex life!

I mean, yes. Thriller has certainly made a very impressive virtual reality here. Perhaps we should focus on that task they set for us.

Right on cue, the door at the base of the tower bursts open and a man comes running out clutching something to his chest. Acting as one, all three of you spring on him. It doesn't take much to subdue him, terrified and disoriented as he is, and you pry the packet he's holding out of his hands.

"We should get going," says Sona, keeping an eye on the wheeling dragon.

"In a minute." You and Glupe search together through the packet. There are so many layers of wrappings, but your item has to be here, it has to—

Sona seizes you by the arm and hauls you bodily away, just as the remnants of the tower come crashing to the pavement in a shower of sparks, right where you had been an instant before. You take off running and don't stop until you are well clear of the village—or what used to be the village, and is now a glowing red circle like campfire embers.

Glupe fishes something out of the packet at last. "I think we've found one of our items. Exterminimus! Sci-Fi forever!"

But Sona is troubled. "You saw what happened there? The part where I—where I saved you in the nick of time? Well, the rest of the Academy certainly saw that. Saw us working together to save each other. Acting like—like heroes. And I don't think this is the end of what the game is going to do to us."

"We ransacked the town!" Glupe objects. "How is that acting like heroes?"

You see both sides. Clearly the game designers are pushing you to act against your training, to win the game by betraying your genre—but perhaps you can find a way to win in their despite. You have one of the artifacts, and the game's not over yet.

Three reminds Sona and Glupe that the true point of the genre tournament is to impress the auditors. If they win the challenge by acting like heroes, it’s hardly a win at all. They should focus on showing their commitment to their genre, and to villainy in general, and not get caught up in trying to beat Thriller’s silly game. That will be the true victory.

Of course, it will also mean Thriller wins this challenge and comes out looking incredibly devious for setting up a system where Sci-Fi had to either lose or be heroes. But Three sees no reason to bring this up.

Overall, Sci-Fi doesn’t do very well in this round of the tournament. Oh well. Anyway, since Three doesn’t have a nemesis, and Scorpius is the one connected to Val, Three doesn’t have to go off and save their nemesis now. With Sci-Fi no longer watching the tournament, it seems a good opportunity to go and do some hands-on research of DarkBoard’s new virtual reality abilities. For definitely very professional reasons.

#three #grand academy for future villains #choice of games #Particular Associates in Personal Intimate Experiences #marsh ocs #long post

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dat-town · 4 years

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CODE Z3RO | CODE 11

characters: BTS & Red Velvet genre: thriller, futuristic au warning: grief, somebody being an asshole as always, death summary: The twelve most ambitious and promising university students are welcomed in Choego, the world’s first entirely artificial intelligence-driven city, to compete for five job contracts that could change their life. But what if something goes wrong? What if they get trapped? What if the city suddenly turns against them? Can they find a way out before the countdown reaches zero? words: 4.7k tagged: @philosopher-of-fandoms

➼ Chapter Index

Yerim watched silently as Namjoon mourned.

The memory of Seokjin's death came back to haunt her with renewed force. The wound seemed both too fresh and sensitive but old and scarred at the very same time. It was almost as if years had passed since they had first stepped onto the island of Choego. For one, she definitely felt as if time had taken its toll on her and it wasn't only about maturing. It was also about getting tired of seeing people die all around. It was something people only experienced from their sixties and maybe soldiers at war. Losing her brother in such a brutal way and surviving without him by her side was how she supposed warriors that had left a battle felt. The loss had left its ugly marks on her soul but also hardened her heart. No other death could have hurt her as much, not even the always kind and helpful Wendy's. However, out of all of them it was her who could understand the engineer guy's heartbreak the best. She could relate to that lifelessness taking over his body. She also knew the only reason why he was still fighting and not giving up wasn’t because he wanted to live so bad but that his deceased girlfriend would have been disappointed if he didn’t. It was the same for her with Seokjin. Her brother would have never forgiven her if she didn’t keep on.

Maybe driven out of guilt or because she needed something to do, Seulgi cleaned the pool of blood up as thoroughly as she could and even finished the meal Wendy was preparing while the guys took her body to the park. Namjoon insisted on burying her under flowers because deep down he wasn't so sure they could make it out alive at all. And he wanted nothing less than leave his girlfriend's body to shrivel on the floor of a random restaurant in this murder city. Yerim supported his idea because it was something she wished she could have done to her sibling, after knowing that the researchers all died in their building from the lack of oxygen and probably nobody was coming to get them, this was something she immensely regretted: not being able to say proper goodbye to her brother. Seokjin would have deserved so much more.

Though, watching Wendy’s funeral, the crying, agonized Namjoon and two boys, Jungkook and Yoongi standing by his side injected bitter feelings into the young girl’s foolish heart. She knew she shouldn’t have blamed them, because back then they didn’t have time but still, paying respect to one of their dead friends felt unfair towards all the others. Not just her brother, but the girl in the dorm whose name she hadn’t even learned, Hoseok whose girlfriend waited for him at home, Jimin who had come from a wealthy family and had been taken away before he could have led the successful life he was expected to and Joohyun who had never said a bad word about her. They had been all someone’s sons and daughters, siblings or lovers and they had died so frivolous death, it made her heart churn in sorrow.

“What the fuck they’re still doing? It has been an hour already!” Taehyung snorted after a while because he couldn’t seem to keep quiet and still for any longer. It had already been an hour since they had found Wendy’s body on the floor and after Namjoon’s mental breakdown, the situation among all of them became quite tense. Some of them ate, forced a few bites down their throats but not all of them could do it without vomiting up the content of their stomachs and they couldn’t just move on because the always reasonable engineer boy cared about nothing else but having his girlfriend buried properly. Giving him what he wanted in exchange for peace was a small price to pay in this killing game they unintentionally got themselves into.

Only Taehyung didn’t like their so-called weak attitude but by now, nobody cared about a word he said. He was better off complaining by himself because his harsh words no longer seemed to have any effect on the others. Yet, he didn’t run off, facing Choego’s artificial intelligence by himself. All talk but no bark, as Jungkook kept reassuring Yerim who had once trembled like a leaf when the Marketing guy had told her off. But she wasn’t the same little girl anymore. She wasn’t that easily scared after all that had happened to them. At this point, she swore she wouldn’t be afraid of a boy when the city itself was much more dangerous.

Taehyun huffed out an angered aish loudly when nobody answered and went back to the kitchen, looking for something to drink... or to break based on the noises. Yerim and Seulgi exchanged a quick glance until the girl averted her eyes and scratching the back of her hands she went back to clean the last bit of blood off of the doorframe. They both knew it didn’t matter. They would leave soon enough and destroying the evidence changed nothing about the fact that Wendy died but if she needed that in order to keep her sanity, the journalist girl wasn’t going to say anything. She merely turned her attention to the notebook in front of her on the table and with slightly quivering fingers she hastily wrote down a few more thoughts. This was her way of coping.

Ten more minutes passed, two more small pages filled with her childish handwriting and the rest of the guys walked back to the restaurant. Namjoon came last, head hanging low, face pale. Yerim’s gaze followed him to the toilet until the door swung closed behind him. Then she dared to speak up while shoving her little note book back into her backpack.

"Did she run into the door so fa–" she mumbled to the close-by Jungkook but the worn out boy shook his head in disagreement.

"There's no speed she could run into it and die from it," he said, years of physics studies finally paying off. He turned his gaze towards the once bloody door warily as if it was an arm of a sleeping monster that could grab them any moment. He felt uneasy just thinking about all the ways a system like this could hurt them. "I guess it moved by itself because of some mechanism. This freaking smart city.”

There was so much resentment in his voice, so much hatred towards something once admired that Yerim felt it resonate deep within her bones. The more time they spent here, the more she hated being here because this place was full of ghosts and memories she wanted to get rid of. She prayed that the main computer that they were looking for was really the key to the solution. She didn’t know what she would have done if they had lost the last bit of hope they had.

“We… we can stop it, right? I mean, it’s just wires and computers, isn’t it? We can shut it down before it kills us all, right?” she asked in a small voice from the boy next to her. Maybe it was the anticipation in her or because of the eerie silence surrounding them but she started having doubts. It felt as if a storm was going to break out, it made the hair stand on the back of her neck.

Jungkook turned his head towards her, deep brown eyes boring into her lighter caramel ones and the girl still blushed as they held eye contact. She felt silly for getting these giddy butterflies in her stomach despite the slaughter around them. How could she still think about holding this boy’s hand just because his eyes always seemed to soften whenever he looked at her? How could she wonder about snuggling close to him, seeking peace and safety in his arms from the world itself? But no matter how much she tried to hide these feelings and bury them deep in her heart, knowing well it wasn’t as important as getting out of here, she couldn’t control her heart, it had a will on its own. And no matter how mature she tried to act, she was still just a teenage girl at heart.

“We can. We will,” Jungkook told her as firmly as he could and Yerim tried her best to believe him. She forced a smile onto her face, a trembling curved pink line between her pale cheeks. She only looked away when he heard the others talking suddenly. Her head snapped towards the IT guy whose hoarse voice filled the void.

“Where to next?” Yoongi turned towards the architect girl who had been picking on her nails with not having anything better to do. Her eyes were like dark and panicky like a deer’s caught in the headlights. Being put on the spot, into the spotlight must have pressured her a lot but there was nobody else to turn to. Everybody knew that and yet, this time it wasn’t Taehyung who always found something to pick on but Namjoon.

“Really? Are we still following her?” he snorted black-heartedly as he glared at the little group, judging them for their blind trust.

“Namjoon, she is our best chance...” Yoongi reasoned in a forced calm voice but the engineer wasn’t interested in his explanation.

“No, I don’t care. She would only lead us to death. Don’t you?” he snapped his head towards the girl suddenly and Seulgi could only shiver under his cold stare. Yerim felt bad for her because it really wasn’t her fault, it was none of theirs, they had no idea what this city was capable of.

“I’m sorry,” the older girl mumbled, eyes brimming with unshed tears as she stared at the floor. Her voice was barely above a whisper, almost inaudible when she continued. “It must have been an anomaly. A mistake in the algorithm.”

She was probably right since the sector was still intact, the electricity still ran and the rest of them was physically in a good shape. Mentally not so much.

"You told us this is the safest place in town! You said this, so why? Why did she have to die? Will you take responsibility for it? Will you?" Namjoon raised his voice screaming at Seulgi, totally out of it, reaching the anger phase of the grieving process. Being there not too long ago, Yerim knew that in reality he didn't blame Seulgi, he just needed someone to take his anger out on. Seulgi was the easiest victim.

“Stop it!” Yoongi said in a stern voice, standing between the fragile girl and the guy with a much bigger built. Though, the IT major looked so intimidating with that fierce look in his eyes even Namjoon backed out.

“Whatever,” he muttered under his nose and shoved everything down from the closest table. The clashing sound of cutlery falling on the ground and the breaking noise of glass piqued Taehyung's interest enough for him to come back inside. He glanced on the floor seeing the mess and then at the little group gathering around. This time, he was smart enough to shut up.

“We’re going to the main computer. If any of you doesn't want to come, then don’t. You’re free to stay. But if you come, don’t forget, we’re a team, together in this,” having no other options, the brown haired masters student took the leader position once again and nobody objected when he led them out of the restaurant, back to the park, following a pretty flower road heading right to the heart of the Eastern part of the island.

Yerim started the tiring promenade by Jungkook's side, though she couldn't help but glance back over her shoulders on Namjoon's resigned figure lagging off at the back. She took a deep breath, considering that moment the last when she could have changed her mind but eventually she slowed down her steps enough for the guy to catch up. She didn't miss Jungkook's confused gaze on her either as she fell into step with the silent engineer.

“Wendy wouldn’t blame Seulgi,” Yerim quietly spoke up after a few tense minutes passed.

“I know,” Namjoon let out a resigned sigh. He looked exhausted as if he had used up all his energy in that earlier breakdown. The journalist girl didn't even want to force him to talk to her, she was okay with walking side by side, so she was the most surprised when the guy eventually spoke up. "I… it's just so hard, you know? Out of the two of us she had always been the strong one. Without her, I don't… I don't know if I can do it. She should have survived and not me. She would know what to do."

Hearing his monologue, Yerim's lips trembled with the force of held back tears. She wasn't ready for the wave of missing her brother hitting her with such impact. Out of them, it was also Seokjin who was rather made to survive. It made her wonder who would be the last one standing if this program was made to kill them all, if it was a grotesque modern version of Battle Royal? Or if it took the five contracts too seriously and didn't stop until then? Then one more of them had to die.

"I know what you mean," Yerim said quietly, nibbling on her teeth and she looked ahead at the boy leading them all. He took the leader role after Seokjin's tragic end and the young girl couldn't help but foresee him dying to save them all. Or a special someone, she noted as she spotted Seulgi close to him once again. They had somehow gotten closer during the day. She was probably way too busy with her own messy emotions to notice but now it was clear that the shy, reserved girl found peace in the presence of the seemingly cold guy.

Or would it have been Jungkook? Her eyes shifted to the boy in that worn hoodie in front of her. The way he consoled her and stayed by her side after her brother died, she guessed it was because he felt bad, guilty over the happenings and she was way too weak and foolishly lovesick to reject his affection just because of her pride. Whatever the boy’s reason was, she was glad she didn’t have to face all these terrible situations alone. However, she would have never wanted Jungkook to give up something for her, she would have never expected anything of him either. She could only hope he also knew that, so when Jungkook glanced behind over his shoulder, she flashed him a reassuring small smile. She didn’t want him to worry about her.

Little did she know that he worried nevertheless.

Even though Yerim seemed a lot better than a few hours earlier but the sight of her broke down and barely able to move because of the mental pain she suffered was still clear in his mind and he couldn’t get rid of this image. It haunted him whenever he closed his eyes.

He got to know Yerim as a very soft, kind-hearted girl with endless trust in the world and its people and if someone she didn’t deserve to be treated so cruelly and unfairly. He might have thought of her as a dead weight but in a surviving game like this, power or hard-skills weren’t the only needed things. Wendy had also proved that a little kindness could go a long way and seeing Yerim willingly give Namjoon a shoulder to cry on reminded him of the med student’s helpfulness. And look how she ended up. Her wide, frightened, lifeless eyes still haunted the boy’s thoughts. The flower petals they buried her under didn’t help at all.

Jungkook shook his head as if he could have gotten rid of this mess in his head so easily. Unfortunately it wasn’t as simple as hitting that Delete button on a computer keyboard. People were more complicated than programmes no matter the algorithm behind them. This is why he could see by now that Choego was the perfect weapon for a massacre. An artificial intelligence wouldn’t feel an ounce of remorse as it did only as it was told. It scared him to bits. What if they were just walking into a trap? Due to the CCTV and the nano-sized cameras all around, their steps were predictable. Whoever controlled the main machine could have wiped them off the chess board as easily as if they had been bugs on a car’s windscreen.

The thought kept bothering Jungkook ever since Yerim asked about it. Sure, they were going to the main computer since they had no other choice. But their latest hacks weren’t too successful not to mention their bracelets didn’t work anymore. How could they have shut the computer down like this? Were they going to just cut the cables?

Aish, why was this so crazy? He felt like they were walking on eggshells.

“Do you have a plan? On how to stop it?” Jungkook blurted the straightforward question out once he caught up with Yoongi in the front row. He casted a glance at the startled Seulgi but didn’t apologise. Polite manners seemed like useless decorations under these absurd circumstances they were given.

Though, the IT guy didn’t appreciate his eager but not helpful at all attitude. He sighed.

“We don’t even know what we’re going to face,” he shook his head, voice filled with bitterness. “And it’s not like our plans had been working out so well.”

So spontaneity it was. Maybe it was for the better, Jungkook thought, it would be harder for an AI to guess their decisions if even them didn’t know about them.

“Right,” he murmured under his nose, turning his gaze to the ground. The cement under their feet was perfectly evened, the park was bright as if it was blooming spring and the sky was as blue as the clearest oceans over sandy beaches. At first glance, it really was the perfect place to live. But not to die. Not in the embrace of a heartless monster made from metal and glass.

Soon they reached the end of the huge park and the last of the green space had become lost within this jungle of artificial monuments. These buildings were even taller than the ones in the residential area on the west side and the Sun glinting on glass was blinding even.

“How far is it still?” Taehyung huffed impatiently as they kept passing by buildings but Seulgi shook her head at each one. No, they weren’t the one they were looking for.

“Would you shut up if you don’t have anything useful to say?” Namjoon snapped at him because he had run out of patience. He had only been holding himself back so far because of Wendy but now, with her gone, there was nobody who could have stopped him from teaching that arrogant prick a lesson.

“Hah, as if your girlfriend knew when to shut up,” the marketing major sneered at him and every one of them froze in that moment. Saying such an inconsiderate thing was way too much and the tension snapped in the air like a poked out balloon.

“I’ll kill you, asshole,” the engineer jumped on him, grabbing the guy’s collars and smashing him to the closest building’s wall. No one had the right to talk about his girlfriend like that. Especially not a jerk like him who looked down on everyone.

But in that moment, pressed close to the hard cold wall even Taehyung’s crazy smile fell from his mouth, eyes coloured with something akin to fear because it was obvious that Namjoon was stronger than him and out of anger he could have really hurt him even if he didn’t mean that. Maybe that was the reason behind the others immediately moving to separate them. Yoongi and Jungkook put all their combined force into pulling the angered guy off the other with twitching lips.

“Namjoon, stop. He isn’t worth it,” the IT guy tried to reason but the grieving boy seemed so blind to reasons that they could only hold him back with sheer power. That is, until Yerim quietly spoke up.

“She wouldn’t want this,” she whispered which made heads turn towards her. Even Namjoon’s tense muscles lost a bit of their hardness. “Wendy wouldn’t want you to do this.”

Jungkook stared at the young girl after she spoke those firm, confident words and he was quite impressed. Even more when the elder engineer let out a devastated yell and let go of the Marketing guy.

Taehyung fell onto his knees coughing but nobody felt remorse towards him.

Even less when a quiet voice shattered the sudden silence into pieces.

“Guys… this is it,” Seulgi whispered staring up at a building close to them. It was made of solid material, barely any windows but it was hard to tell what made the girl with photographic memory claim that this was the one so surely. At least until Jungkook’s eyes also found the sign beside the door saying Power distributing center. It wasn’t a baseless idea to say this was probably the main computer’s place.

“Okay. Now we just need to get in,” Yoongi sighed and Jungkook honestly couldn’t tell whether he was actually relieved or said it ironically. Nevertheless he followed him up the stairs to the door and eventually they all did.

“Unauthorized personnel,” the robotic voice informed them when the IT guy touched his bracelet to the control panel and Jungkook started to have really enough of that voice.

Neither of them seemed surprised at all that it was all in vain but they didn’t give up. Yoongi whipped out his laptop once again, mouth pulling into an unsatisfied grimace when he saw that his battery was very close to dying. But at least he could connect to the closest WiFi point which came from the inside of this building. Thanks to that he could also use their earlier method to get into the server. Not the main computer’s though, that must have been on a different one because it was too easy to hack into this. Not to mention that its file system was full of useless documents and pictures. But weirdly the trash bin folder was the biggest in size out of them all. When he opened it, a bunch of files welcomed them. System vulnerabilities. Security gaps in Choego’s artificial intelligence. Unsafe error handling and dozens of other documents with titles like these laid there in front of them, proof that someone in this city really didn’t want them to get the spotlight. Yoongi tried to open them but unfortunately each one was either encrypted or his access was denied.

“They knew...” Namjoon whispered dumbfounded. “They knew it’s not safe and they still started this stimulation.”

Oh how awful human greed can be! Now they have a bunch of dead researchers and college kids at their hands instead of the fame and success they dreamed of.

“We have to stop it before it gets even more out of hand,” the IT guy whispered even more terrified from the possible consequences now they read these than before. The youngest boy could understand why and he also knew why the elder didn’t dare to voice it out. Choego used its own energy and it had its own, independent network but what if the city’s artificial intelligence found a backdoor to connect to Korea’s telecom system? What if it didn’t stop killing? Gosh, and he always thought that Avengers’ Age of Ultron was such bullshit. “We need to find a way to get inside. One that doesn’t messes with the door system.”

Jungkook looked around searching for anything to start with and he was also surprised how quickly his gaze stuck on a gridded opening on the wall.

“I have an idea but you won’t like it,” he spoke up and before he would have said anything stupid, he pointed at the filesystem on Yoongi’s computer they managed to connect to. “Can you open the 3D layout of the building?” he asked because earlier he saw that in one of the folders and their unsaid leader gasped at the realization as he followed his instructions.

“Oh. I think I know what you want.”

Once the huge picture loaded and he was able to spin it in all X, Y and Z axis, he zoomed onto the entrance where they were.

“Look, through that air-drain we could get to the basement level easily,” he hummed but looking at the tight opening he realized why Jungkook said they wouldn’t like it. But was there any other way? Like this, at least they could avoided the doors and windows.

“There’s a two door security entrance there,” Seulgi suddenly pointed to the middle of the layout and they all knew what it possibly meant. This was their best chance. This was their only chance.

There was no need of democratic voting or even questioning it, they all walked to the air-drain’s entrance. Two guys prised it open, throwing the lid onto the ground. Then they just stood there, uncertain because of the darkness inside.

“It was your idea, genius,” Taehyung murmured under his nose and Jungkook closed his eyes for a second. Then through gritted teeth he let out a sigh and he was the first one who started to crawl. He was followed by the girls and Namjoon on Yoongi’s instructions. The eldest of the group decided to be a human barricade between Namjoon and Taehyung just in case.

The marketing major guy just rolled his eyes at their behaviour and followed them lastly, grimacing at the stale smell inside. He put his phone on flashlight mode into his mouth and he climbed after the others.

The journey was suffocating and uncomfortable but luckily after a while the passage widened giving them more space to breath. And yet, somehow it became harder to get oxygen.

It was Yoongi at first, probably because of his asthma, coughing suddenly but it didn’t take long and Taehyung also felt those little thorns in his throat as if something was scratching his insides. He could barely swallow some fresh air because whatever he inhaled, it made the itching in his throat worse. All of them were slowing down because of the suffocating effect this whatever serum in the air had on them. It made his lungs burn and his lips parched. And it scared him more than anything: dying slowly and painfully. So no, he wouldn't die because of these imbecile, incapable idiots, he thought. No, that wasn’t going to happen with him.

He easily passed the guy gasping for air in front of him and hissed at Namjoon when he passed by him.

“Get away, loser,” he sneered and climbed faster, pushing people aside to get to the front.

He started getting dizzy and he didn’t think ahead at all when he pushed the lid off an exit of the air-drain. He took a deep breath from the fresh air hitting him from the outside and he didn’t pay attention to the burning smell metal. Not until it was too late.

The passage echoed from the scream Yerim let out before burying her face into Jungkook’s shoulder once they reached the exit and looked down.

On the floor there laid Taehyung in the pool of his own blood, limbs and head unattached from his body as his flesh and bones were cut through by the same type of laser that burned Jimin alive according to Hoseok.

Oh how awful human greed can be... Because of it, one causes others’ death while others run into Death’s open arms oh so willingly.

#series: code zero #bts fanfic #bts thriller #bts x red velvet #btsvelvet

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fuckusernamemes · 5 years

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Read on AO3

Zoro is an immovable object. Unwavering and solid; set in his determination and unable to be swayed. Unable to be led astray once he has pledged himself whole heartedly—mind, body, soul, and indomitable spirit—to something.

Luffy is an unstoppable force. Chaotic and unrelenting; as unapologetic as a typhon and as fierce as a wildfire. He moves forward with the uncaring ease of a man who has never—who can never—doubt himself. Anything in his path either clashes with, and is subsequently torn apart by his insurmountable will, or is swept up and carried along with him on his journey.

Two opposing forces of nature working parallel to one another. And when they meet—collide—it’s like the whole world holds its breath for a second. Seeing whether these two will tear each down, or build one another up.

(Pure nonsense under the cut dude)

There’s been 10 thousand and one stories about Luffy and Zoro and LuffyandZoro and ZoLu and all that. (Not that this is ZoLu but you do you).

All kinds about Zoro’s loyalty and faith and all so there isn’t much for me to say that y’all haven’t already heard and read and seen and thought about before but.

I keep thinking about why they work so well together. Sure they’re both muscle headed idiots that just get each other and will always have unwavering faith in one another, but why.

This, I submit, is why. They’re both two forces of nature not only on track to the impossible, but also unable to be swayed from the impossible.

Everyone on the crew is after something that’s ‘objectively’ or subjectively impossible. Sanji is after the fantasy All Blue. Brook wants to reunite with the last of his crew despite it being 50 years later and (at the time) being trapped in the Florian Triangle. Robin is trying to uncover the True History. Etc.

However, they can be led astray or end up pushing away their dreams. Robin gave up on her dreams twice (Alabasta and Enies Lobby), Nami stopped thinking about hers after Arlong, Franky refused to build another ship after Tom, Sanji had to be dragged kicking and screaming into leaving the Baratie, and Brook put reuniting with Laboon on hold to help Luffy. Etc.

The point is, Luffy and Zoro never once shy away from chasing after the impossible like others in the crew have done before.

(Yes I know everyone in the crew had their reasons and I’m not faulting them for it. I love them all and no one @ me).

(No I’m not saying that Brook threw away his dream for Luffy. Everyone on the crew swore life and ambition to Luffy and all I’m saying is that Brook didn’t fufill his dream of reuniting with Laboon immediately because he wanted to help Luffy—the man who saved him and Laboon—before then. Plus he knew Luffy would go to see Laboon again so it’s more like he decided to wait a bit before meeting up. That being said, he decided to put helping Luffy before his dream of reuniting. No one @ me).

And yes we all already know that. Luffy and Zoro are maniacs that are more than willing to lay down their lives to whatever catches their determination. The same can be said for everyone on the crew. That’s their thing. They’re all impossible people after impossible goals who would die for each other and their friends.

But.

Luffy and Zoro want a different kind of impossible. Zoro wants to be strongest. For himself, for Kuina, for Luffy.

Luffy wants to be Pirate King. But he also wants to the strongest he can be. To protect everyone. So no one ever dies again or is taken away from him.

They’re the only ones that are actually trying to get stronger as part of their goals.

No one on the crew necessarily needs to be chasing after power-up after power-up to achieve their goals. They all need to be stronger but they don’t need to be the strongest.

Not like Luffy and Zoro.

The very foundations of their relationship begun, yes, with Luffy seeing that Zoro is a good guy, but also with them both acknowledging each other’s strength and desire to be stronger and better. To be more.

They saw that in each other and they both knew that nothing, not even death itself to could stand in the way of that.

And yes, the rest of the crew would die for their and each other’s dreams and ambitions, but Luffy and Zoro can never be pulled away from it.

Luffy and Zoro are their ambition. They are their strength and unwavering wills and determination to be more. Luffy and Zoro exist on the same wavelength because they can not be themselves without their dreams.

And while everyone’s dreams help to make them who they are, especially for the Strawhats, Luffy and Zoro just can’t exist outside of theirs. Yes there’s more to them outside of that but, who are they if they are not relentlessly chasing their goals?

That’s why their relationship is different than the others. Everyone can, and has, lived life outside of and separate from their dreams. But Luffy and Zoro can’t—won’t.

Before they met Luffy, no one on the crew was following their dreams. It’s only after Luffy has come along and inspired them or unburdened them do they truly start to chase after what they really want.

Except for Zoro. He was already doing that when Luffy showed up. They just decided to join forces.

(No one @ me about Jinbe. As said in the actual show by actual characters who were close with him, Jinbe was living his life trying to do what Fisher Tiger and Queen Otohime wanted. Was trying to pay them homage while keeping his crew safe. He didn’t want to be Captain. He was content but I wouldn’t say he was happy. The first time we hear him express desire he’s saying that he wants to help Luffy. Aladine even says that Jinbe should go and join Luffy since this is something that Jinbe actually wants to do. Also no I did not add an ‘i’ at the end of his name because jinbei is a type of Japanese style clothing and I don’t like the spelling ‘Jimbei’ either. That’s my preferences and I don’t care what you do. No one @ me).

Their relationship is so special because they both know that the other has nothing without their dream. Nothing to dedicate themselves to, or fall back on. Not like everyone else on the crew has.

They both exist on a level of ‘Do it or Die’. Everyone else has a ‘or Go Home’ option. Albeit one they’d never use but they have it. Luffy and Zoro can’t go home. They can’t back out. They either accomplish their goals or there’s nothing left of them. Everyone else on the crew don’t have to. But they want to.

The only times, as far as I can recall, that either of them truly put their dreams on hold was at Thriller Bark (Zoro), and to rescue Ace (Luffy). Zoro was willing to give up his life and dream to save Luffy and Luffy actively pursuing something other than his dream for the first time in the entire series. (He’d switched gears from ‘All things Pirate King’ to ‘Gotta save my bro’ so to speak).

None of this makes sense and there’s so much more to their relationship that I’m not going into but I’ve fixating on this so I need to talk/type it out. The posting it part is just me screeching into the void and hoping to get an echo.

#one piece #monkey d. luffy #roronoa zoro #strawhat pirates #op #mine #zolu

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goldenscar · 5 years

Text

perona ( @pcrona ) says ...

She’s just going to fall asleep on his lap. :’) // have a cute. ❤︎

he doesn’t register the sleeping ghost girl thump against his lap until finding pink peeking at the corner of his eye, having to look down before realizing and getting startled with her presence.

the pair had a rough day; a training regime imposed not on zoro solely, but on perona as well and being new to the stubbornness and strong will of baboons, it was clear she struggled with the task at hand. despite being focused with his own training, he couldn’t help overhear vocalized frustrations and negative, negative, negative coursing through the air ( it wasn’t like she was making any attempts at hiding it either. )

finally settling down, there were no words exchanged -- at this point, they normally don’t need any to convey their mood to one another, having it all shown throughout the day and with the heaving sigh that leaves both of their mouths upon sitting. then quiet afterwards, both in each other’s company but working at their own activities. an unsheathed blade is in one hand and a cloth wiping at it in the other while perona focused on getting dirt off and remnants of stones within her boots out after having finished tending to her injuries.

time consumed with their mundane activities and it was only now he found her resting against his lap, eyes shut and quietly snoozing, as though she’s been there for awhile already.

his first feeling gained was troubled, possibly unsettled in the fact he was stuck in his current position.

having others sleep against him was a normalcy within the straw hats, especially chopper finding a place on his lap or the occasional leaning of his crew mates’ head against his shoulder and at the beginning, it took a bit for him to get adjusted, but once he got used to it, easy sleepiness would find him during these moments. with individuals that weren’t his crew mates though, there’s an immediate sense of unease or discomfort, causing shifts and such ... the feeling does go away quickly though and in this case, whatever initial troubled feelings he harbored dissipated once he leaned back, resting his weight against the solid column.

there’s then concern ( just the tiniest bit though ) -- he encouraged training, the personal desire to grow and get stronger. the two had exchanged little words of it before, where perona first speaks of a suggestion for her to possibly receive training and zoro responds in speedy positives, a push to start. of course, having experienced of being thrown into training multiple of times, the results of her hardwork was already previously foreseen. however, seeing cuts and scrapes, red marks upon her skin ... it’s normal, he isn’t weak to it ... but seeing such injuries on those he deem important leaves a mark of discomfort within and it was only emphasized after the events on thriller bark and sabaody. considering she’s been the one taking care of him since he got here, picking up after his loose ends and loss of blood, patched over injuries over injuries ...

there’s only three of them on the island, no obligation to one another besides the raised mentor-ship between the swordsman and the world’s greatest. with this sort of relationship, zoro feels a need to return the favor somehow. any open wounds were already bandaged though, cleaned and the only red popping out were those that are slowly beginning to bleed through the white, just barely. there’s no need for him to do any medical work when she clearly has the most experience with it --

so zoro resigns to a rest and keeps still. a bed would be more comfortable ... but he’s tired too, leaving the thought to be pushed aside and he remains laid back, shutting his eyes, allowing himself to drift to sleep with perona against him. unconsciously, he lets his hand tangle itself into pink locks and rests it on top of perona’s head.

#pcrona #♞↪ [ ASK ] — « mail »#♞↪ [ SCRIPT ] — « in character »#♞↪ [ VERSE ] — « we're oceans away »#( I ALWAYS RESPOND WITH LIKE. A WHOLE TALE TO UR ASKS DMKFDMKMFDSF #i cant help it.... i love writing the development of their relationship throughout those two years T_T #its so important for both of them !! )

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sanjitea · 6 years

Text

live.

[ao3]

sanji is tired.

Sometimes, Sanji wished he was never born.

He never said it out loud. It’s not something he wanted to voice- not even at himself.

He wanted to keep the thought away, and always.

He didn’t want it to be true.

Sanji often think that he was better off dead. But the idea of death itself has always been so terrifying. Ever since his childhood, he has seen so many wars and destruction- the idea of death is not something foreign for him. Once you’re dead, there was no going back. And that very thought was terrifying.

If he could pick a choice- he would’ve wished to be never born. So that he never had to face the cruelty of this world, to taste the bitterness of it, and never to be a burden. The idea of being a burden was the worst of them all, and he hated it. As much as he hated himself- as much as he hated Vinsmoke Sanji.

The kid was nothing but a waste, a failure, a burden. He loathed him so much. And the child was dead- and so he decided a long time ago.

The idea of death was so terrifying. And maybe, he could fast forward into it by slowly killing himself every time, inhaling those toxinating air from so-called cancer sticks in between of his mouth.

Sometimes, Sanji wondered why he didn’t give up a long time ago, back when everything was simpler.

It would be much easier if he was gone in the early days of his life. His ‘father’ would never have to fake his death, his siblings would be happy, he would never burden anyone.

He would never burden his father; Zeff wouldn’t have lost his leg.

He would never have Zeff’s life on the line.

He would never trouble his nakamas or kicked his captain.

Sanji was tired, and he wanted it all to be over- but yet, he was not giving up. And he didn’t know why.

“You are an idiot.”

Sanji turned. He should have expected that. Not only Luffy, but almost everyone in the crew think of the same thing. But he didn’t expect Zoro to say anything out of his mouth, at all. Apparently, the man was not entering the galley just simply for alcohol. And judging by his serious tone, it doesn’t seem the man was up for some taunting.

The man has always been so stoic, so silent. He was never open up with anything to him. Zoro always had been talking with his actions. Not even the incident during Thriller Bark made the man speak up about Sanji’s self-sacrifice.

“You’re an idiot, yourself.” Sanji replied, couldn’t help to return the insult.

Zoro’s gaze was fixated. He replied after a brief. “You are the biggest idiot of them all.”

“So are you.” There was annoyance in Sanji’s voice. But it was obvious that the man was aware, more than anything- what the other man meant.

He just acted like he didn’t know.

“No, listen.” Zoro said again, this time straighten it out. “You. Are. An. Idiot.”

“You didn’t have to spell it out for me,” Sanji knew, and he didn’t really want to talk about it- or perhaps, he was avoiding it. A little voice in his heart knew he was hurting, he was tired, and he was sick. A little voice in Sanji’s heart told him, he wanted to talk about it, but he couldn’t- he refused to.

Zoro gritted his teeth, “I don’t know what your deal is- or what is in your head, but don’t you ever throw away your life as simple as that.” And he was annoyed, really annoyed.

“I wasn’t throwing away my life.” Sanji clarified. I’m here.

“You were giving yourself away,” Zoro corrected. “That’s stupid.”

“You would do the same.” Sanji managed to spat out, starting to get heated up him. Anger was written on his face- but it wasn’t directed at the other man. It was mainly directed at himself.

“I wouldn’t.”

Sanji had to bite back to refrain saying’You did’, because that incident never happened- that had never happened. He had decided that, and Zoro wouldn’t like to mention that incident. “You put your life at stake numerous times.” Instead, he said.

“It’s different.”

“How so?”

“I didn’t plan to die in any of them.” Zoro replied, calmly. Letting the Cook to comprehend his words’ meanings- because fighting for your friends and dying for your friends are quite the similar idea, but they have different meaning.

“You were pretty much injured.”

“But I didn’t die.” Or planned to.

Losing his words, Sanji didn’t reply anything to the swordsman for that one- he understood. As much as it hurts, as hard at it was- it was never worth it. And suddenly, he was glad he decided to hang on.

Zoro chugged down the bottle at once, putting it down on the table once it was empty. “Looking forward for dinner.” That was all he said as he proceed to leave the room, leaving Sanji alone in the galley. His eyes stayed to stare at the closed door for a brief moment.

It was one unsaid word, but Sanji understood. And he smiled.

“Live”.

#sanji #vinsmoke #fic #angst #zoro #suicide mention #happy end #zosan #kind of

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marjaystuff · 4 years

Text

Elise Cooper interviews Iris and Roy Johansen

Hindsight by Iris and Roy Johansen is a unique thriller. The protagonist is Investigator Kendra Michaels, whose former blindness has left her with uniquely insightful observational skills. Blind for the first twenty years of her life before gaining her sight via a revolutionary surgical procedure, she has become known for her razor-sharp senses and keen deductive abilities.

Kendra has highly developed senses of smell, hearing, and spatial awareness that she’s used to help the FBI and CIA in many difficult cases. What makes these plots very interesting is the dialogue that realistically explains how she is able to reach conclusions through her observational skills that others cannot.

In this novel, Kendra goes back to her roots, first introduced in a previous book, Night Watch, but this plot brings it to the forefront of the story. Two staff members have been murdered at a school for the blind where Kendra spent her formative years in San Diego California. Kendra takes a personal interest in the killings, because she cared about the people who were murdered, and she wants to find those responsible. She grudgingly enlists the help of childhood friend, Olivia Moore, who is still blind and the creator of an ‘awesome’ website for the blind called Outasite; a special needs assistant dog named Harley that played a very huge part in the story, FBI agent Metcalf, and her friend, partner, and lover Adam Lynch. Kendra and company must solve this violent and complex case to save the school, the Woodward Academy for the Physically Disabled, that helped her, and Olivia become independent.

There are plenty of red herrings that create suspenseful twists and turns. Full of mystery, danger, and a tinge of romantic friction, allows for an action-packed story.

Elise Cooper: Why reverting to Kendra’s backstory?

Iris Johansen: We were interested in Kendra’s background and wanted to dive deep into her schooling.

EC: Why the setting of San Diego California?

Roy Johansen: I go there every year for Comicon. I thought how it would be an interesting place to have the heroine from. In fact, Kendra’s first case started in San Diego County, Carlsbad California. The school is overall a fictional place but setting it in San Diego has allowed us to make it more of a character. We tried to create an intriguing location. The school is situated on the top of a tall hill with a structure that looked like it was an Ivy League campus. It has rolling hills, meadows, and cliffs that tower over the Pacific Ocean.

EC: There is a contrast between Kendra and Olivia?

RJ: When Kendra would speak to the classes some of the teachers did not want students to see her as amazing, because she got her sight and fear the students would hope for the same. Yet, through Olivia we showed that someone can be a hero without their sight. She is someone that overcame her handicap. We put in this book quote, “Olivia is still blind, yet she’s making a success of her life at every opportunity that comes her way… she never let her blindness keep her from accomplishing any goal she set herself.” In a sense, as Kendra states in the story, Olivia is a better motivational inspiration.

EC: How would you describe the relationship between Olivia and Kendra?

IJ: They are best friends that have gone through so much together, co-workers in the darkness. They are fond of, and love, each other. They consider each other family. At times, Olivia acts like an older sister. Because they have known each other since childhood, they are very close.

EC: What about the relationship between Kendra and Adam Lynch?

IJ: They are very, very attracted to each other and admire each other. With each book they are getting a little deeper and closer. They have been together for a long time, so she understands him completely. The relationship has gone from friend to partner to lover. Right now, Kendra is trying to withdraw because she is troubled by the dangerous situations his job places him in. She also doesn’t want to feel that he always must protect her. As a friend and partner, she felt much safer than being a lover. With FBI Agent Ronald Metcalf some might think there is a love triangle because he has a crush on Kendra, and she is starting to realize it. Lynch does not feel threatened and seems amused by it, because he knows Kendra just considers Metcalf a friend.

EC: Technology has helped the blind?

RJ: There are apps that have text to speech. This allows those who are blind to read and compose emails. There are also Braille keyboards where the dots come up as quickly as letters, but now a lot of emails has the computer read out loud. Another technology allows the blind to play a form of baseball called beep ball. We watched this video on you-tube and new we had to put it in the book. I go to a lot of consumer tech shows where I make notes and make sure I find a way it makes itself into the stories.

EC: How would you describe Harley the dog?

IJ: He is a mutt who is a bit crazy and very brave. Harley is affectionate, smart, intense, and loving. He is very protective of Olivia. We made him a little different since he has a weird bark that comes from a damaged voice box from a fire. We both love him.

EC: It must be challenging to have Kendra use her observational skills?

RJ and IJ: It is very challenging to write how she sees things others do not. We have to think how Kendra can perceive things about people and places. She has sharpened her senses. We did not want to tap into the paranormal. We go out of our way to make it clear that her hearing, sight, and smell are not better than anyone else’s, but she has sharpened them to help her perceive things. For example, in this story we had the BMW Series 7 key fob because it is an elongated six-sided fob that is very distinctive and is like no other fob.

EC: Who is interested in the House-Hunters TV show?

RJ: My wife and mom are very fond of the show.

EC: Padres baseball team?

RJ: Mom is a big Braves and baseball fan. I know of Padre Stadium become it is across from the Convention Center where Comicon is held. I see Padres fans coming in and out of Padre games decked in their gear.

EC: What about your next book?

RJ: Harley and all the characters will be back. Jessie Mercado plays a big role as she and Kendra work together on a case. It is a different crime than we have done before.

THANK YOU!!

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