[Audio]

[justicereigns]

Nice of them to leave my jacket. [AWKWARD PAUSE. The voice coming from Smoker's journal account is not his usual. Or from a male at all.]

What's with my voice?! [That just squeaks there in high-pitched worry.]

Ah hell... I have boobs.

Fuck you Malnosso.

[He... she rather, clears her voice.]

S-Smoker is back... [That's a bit hesitant.] Ikki, he... he might need help. Jitte and kickboxing lessons will return to normal, sorry everyone about the delay. Could I have a headcount of everyone still wishing to take them? I might need to reorganize his schedules.

[The last part is muffled as he starts to shut the journal.]

Damn it! These jeans are way too big! Now what?!

Comments

[Written]

[justicereigns]

They run drafts semi-regularly, and now the missions. It could be related to that, but it wouldn't explain the kids or noncombatants.

[Written]

[fleurdesel]

Widening the pool for their data, I suppose. I've given up trying to understand their logic.

[Written]

[justicereigns]

Or it could be accidental. In order to get some, they have take others to balance it, that sort of thing.

[Written]

[fleurdesel]

I've also heard the theory that it's not them that pulls us here. It's the place. They just provide the wings, barcodes, and journals.

[Written]

[justicereigns]

That's the theory I subscribe to most. But that's because in my world, it wouldn't be the people doing it, it'd be the world itself. The filial magic is related to the land itself, so it stands to reason that this world itself is pretty special.

[Written]

[fleurdesel]

So it is random? Who is chosen, when they are chosen?

[Written]

[justicereigns]

People who all knew each other seem more likely to go home if one or more of them gets sent back. It's rare for the last one to stay, but it's known to happen, especially if some of the others come back.

Then again there are cases like Portgas D. Ace, where he's been sent back seven times or something. Others have been here several years and barely left. Some people have never seen another from their world show up, and others get surrounded by them. It's no absolute, but there are a few tendencies. It's more likely that someone with a special power or familiarity with fighting shows up, but that's about it.

[Written]

[fleurdesel]

That still leaves the when. When they're pulled from in their lives. Some have been brought back from the dead, some from moments just before, etc. Has anyone found a discernible tendency there?

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Same as I mentioned on the who. Usually it will depend on the people around them, the people they knew outside of this world, but even the people they meet here sometimes. But for all those cases, you have an exception like... well Portgas again comes to mind as he's died, and been brought back at many different points. Occasionally with them going several years back in his history.

The only theory I have on that is due to my world's timeline. Portgas is at the turning point of several major world events in my world, including the end and start of two different eras. So perhaps they use him to toy with everyone else's time period. Whether there are people like that for their worlds, I could not say. I don't know of anyone else off the top my head who has come and gone that many times or from that many different time points, though it might be worth looking into.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

I will have to see if there is a discreet way to make such inquiries. I'm not certain how I would go about it but...it is worth looking into, as you said.

Thank you. You've been the most forthcoming on these matters of those I've spoken to; most don't wonder, don't share what it is they think, or honestly don't know how to explain what it is they do theorize.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Like I said, too many brats here, not enough adults.

It's nice to see it doesn't go to waste however.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

The young are easy to manipulate. They often act rashly, spurred on by their emotions, etc. Though there are some my own age I would say do the same.

[Hell, she's done the same on occasion.]

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

There's something to be said for rash young idiots though. They always seem to be the ones who end up changing the world.

[He's off thinking about Straw Hat Luffy now, amongst others, Portgas included still.]

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

Idiotic to see a way to change things, and rash enough to see the changes through. The rest of us just have to keep them alive long enough to see it done.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Or stop them if the changes are destructive.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

Such is our place in the wings. I cannot say I mind it much, some here bear watching, after all.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

I agree... most of them really.

Some of them you never know what they'll do next, and the rest are just worth the watch.

[This is why he is a stalker.]

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

It is an erratic and eccentric group here, isn't it? Most seem to have figured out their part here, or are close to figuring it out. Some plan. Most train. Some just try to cope. Then again that sums up everyone here.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Pretty much. The ones who don't know what to do here worry me though.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

Idle hands, idle minds. Very rarely do any good come of them. Those need watching more than the rest.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Precisely.

Other than one Arsene Lupin III notice anyone that fits the bill recently?

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

Despite his best efforts? Tony. Most of the individuals involved in his fight club. That they'd be so...so stir crazy as to indulge in that kind of behavior worries me.

How is it you know Lupin?

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

[It's a weird story.] The cop assigned to catching Lupin is one of my best friends here.

And so the idiot saw fit to trouble me. With a "game" to see if I would spot him during lessons. As you said, stir crazy leading to insane behavior.

After the initial run, did they stop this foolishness?

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[fleurdesel]

Inspector Zenigata? He is a pleasant individual. Very polite, very levelheaded.

...that does sound like Lupin. He is going to poke the wrong tiger with a stick one day, and then I will have to clean him up afterward.

Unfortunately, no. The first bout only made the other combatants more determined. I think they may make it a regular meeting, and nothing I ask Tony will convince him to do otherwise.

[Written] [Locked: 80%]

[justicereigns]

Yes. We both use jutte. [And they have other things in common that Smoker won't mention. It's things that he figures no one else would understand. Lupin gets it though, which is why they have a terse but somewhat existent friendship, if it could be really called that.]

I take it they're not all as banged up as Lupin then? [A worried frown. If the village gets attacked, then having all the stir crazy fighters already injured is never a good idea. Then again, Smoker is a very big believer in getting stronger by any means necessary, only how much stronger can they really be getting just by randomly fighting? If they are, then shouldn't they be? It's better than Yuber or some of the "villains" ideas of stress relief.]