justicereigns | Smoker's return [Action / Video]

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Smoker's return [Action / Video]

[The minute Smoker realizes he's back in Luceti, he gets his jitte. Like hell he's letting some pirate take it for a few months again. Then there's the basic things. A month's supply of cigars, and oh, isn't that nice of him, they even thought to get him a bunch of his own marine brand. They literally say marine on the little gold tabs, so surely no pirates would want to try them, right? Then it's off to get coffee, prowl around the general vicinity and head on home. As he's heading inside, the sheer amount of packages he's carrying jostles the journal open.]

Ikki, I have to thank you for the Cosmos-- Haki... [Annoyed growl. No Ikki. :| Figures. So he goes to open the journal for real and everyone can get a look at Smoker, two years later, no longer wearing his hair in ~~awesome~~ spikes, sunglasses, a giant scar, but still 100% Smoker.] Where the hell is Ikki? And how long have I been gone that he moved out? [He can tell Ikkk is still in Luceti, if not where, but what the hell man?] What's the date?

Right, to everyone else, I'm Vice Admiral Smoker. [Oh that's right, he uses his real title now. Watch out world.] As soon as I can, I'd like to get back into teaching jitte and kickboxing. Any old or new students, we'll meet at the barracks. Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays are open sessions, the other days can be scheduled for private hours or one on one sparring. If anyone spots a marine, let me know. Do not try to engage anyone from G5 in a regular conversation, they've earned their reputation as being pyromaniac psychos, just send them my way and I'll deal with them. [There is no affection to that. If anything "deal with them" sounds a little like "beat senseless and chain to a wall somewhere." Anyone want to laugh at him for his choice of command post?]

I assume we must be in a New Feather cycle, so welcome to Luceti. There are other people teaching forms of martial arts or filial magic, but unless the Drafts and missions have stopped -- which I doubt -- you'll want to take advantage of at least one form if you can.

All right, that's all.

[Feel free to action jump Smoker anytime before getting home, or right afterwards because he will be out and about being Smoker.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Understood. Did more of the Straw Hat's friends leave recently?

I think in this case, I'll let you find that out for yourself. [Can't be too careful, after all.]

Suit yourself.

[If anything he just sounds amused about the chase.]

I wouldn't want to make things dull for you, after all.

Never that. Besides, I have my own means.

[And she'll just kind of ignore that to roll onto another subject.]

You're friends with Keimi-san, aren't you? She's mentioned you, at least.

[Nods, though it's invisible-ish.]

I'm teaching her jitte.

[As much as any man can teach a clutzy mermaid such a thing.]

And she's my daughter.

[Thanks to a Malnosso Shift, and Keimi pining to keep such things that way; Smoker promised he would.]

[...wait. Daughter? ...processing...processing...]

...and you're all right with her living with pirates?

She's an adult, that's not really my choice.

[Actually he's not bothered by it really.]

[His answer doesn't make much sense to Vivi, though she wonders if perhaps something has changed during those two years. Maybe he's no longer pursuing Luffy and the others?]

Does that mean you don't consider Luffy-san a threat any longer?

Edited 2012-03-25 22:10 (UTC)

In our world? Yes I do. I know he is.

Here?

No. He does more good free here than captured. But the minute that changes I'll be the first to stop him.

Keimi is a separate story. I didn't know her until here, nor did I know about the circumstances with the tenryuubito.

I don't arrest someone for associating with pirates when they have no better alternatives. You, of all people, should know that, Princess.

[Her brow furrows in confusion at his words, especially that last statement. Where had that come from? Did he think she was suggesting he arrest Keimi? She shakes her head.]

That isn't what I'm saying.

Hn.... sorry.

[Just a little oversensitive about the moral ambiguity of not yet arresting Straw Hat. That and he doesn't want anyone thinking he's going soft.]

Straw Hat is still a threat. Just not here. Right now.

[Maybe she should just let the subject drop, but Vivi's a little miffed at what she sees as Smoker's stubborn insistence that her crew is fine here, but a threat back in their own world.]

What's the difference between here and back home? Luffy-san is the same no matter where he is.

One Piece isn't here, for starters.

No, but does pursuing it really mean one is a threat?

[She sighs, knowing she's probably wasting her breath.] I realize that there are plenty of terrible pirates on the Grand Line, but Luffy-san isn't one of them.

In Straw-Hat's case, he is. Because he's the only one with the best chance of succeeding.

I respectfully disagree, Princess. He is still a pirate willing to do whatever it takes to reach his goals. After he heard me explain why Nico Robin was such a danger, he took her into his crew. He broke Crocodile and several other world class criminals out of Impel Down in order to try to save his brother.

You're friends with him, but what about the rest of the world who isn't? Do you think Straw Hat is going to take responsibility for all the things Crocodile does now that he's been freed, or all the others he broke out? He and his crew are not like other pirates, but that doesn't make them any less of a danger in our world. If anything, it makes them more of a threat there.

[Vivi's brow furrows slightly, and she taps a fingernail absently against her desk.] I'll grant that releasing many of those prisoners isn't something I agree with, but it's not as if they've gathered under Luffy-san's flag. In fact, it seems many of the more dangerous escapees were freed at the hand of a former Shichibukai and have joined causes with him.

[She pauses again to mull over that last bit of Smoker's, trying to figure out what he's getting at. Finally she shakes her head; she just can't see it.] How does that make them more of a threat, Vice Admiral?

And that makes it better? Straw Hat made that entire break-out possible. I'm not sure what went on in Impel Down, but he showed up at Marineford with a couple hundred prisoners he broke free. And that they are not under his flag just means they're running free. If they were allied with him, at least he'd be exerting some measure of control on them.

[He's not sure which ex-shichibukai she means, (don't even get him started on the betrayals of those guys) and assumes she must mean Crocodile. Since the few Blackbeard broke out weren't the ones with Luffy, and the government was covering them up. So he's only referring to the group with Luffy or the 200+ that were mostly under Buggy's "control."]

The Straw Hat crew are more of a threat because their exceptions are what makes them dangerous. Other pirates are easy to deal with. Straw Hat is more unpredictable, he's more willing to take big chances for what he feels convicted in, despite whatever consequences. A normal pirate won't attack the world government head on, wouldn't hit a tenryuubito for any reason; because they know they'd get killed. Straw Hat is willing to take that risk and as a consequence, he gets further doing what no one else would dare. That's very dangerous.

[She gives a mild shrug.] That may be so, but if you ask me, conviction is an admirable trait, especially when it's a conviction to do what's right. Luffy-san has that in spades. [She doesn't expect Smoker to agree, but she's not exactly trying to convince him either, just speaking her mind.]

I don't expect you to understand, but I trust him implicitly.

He does have that conviction in spades, yes. But what is right to Straw-Hat, isn't necessarily what's best for the world.

I don't understand it, correct. But I respect that it's your decision. Just as I respect Keimi for hers.

Mm. [Vivi's much less inclined to believe the World Government knows what's right for the world, especially after some of the blanks Nami has filled in for her. Another half-shrug.]

It seems like we're agreed to disagree, then.

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