Smoker (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
justicereigns) wrote2012-09-25 07:06 pm
justicereigns) wrote2012-09-25 07:06 pm
Entry tags:
[Voice] Jitte, Self-Defense, and Executions
Hello New Feathers and old, I'm Cap-- Err Smoker. [Wow Proof he has done this message way too many times, he momentarily forgot his own rank. Woops. Not that it even matters here.]
I teach jitte, kickboxing, and basic self-defense outside the barracks, and it's open to anyone, no matter how inexperienced. As you may have heard by now, every so often the Malnosso take people at random for drafts, and while non-combatants have other opportunities to help support, any self defense can help.
For others, I wanted to ask about other world's or country's history regarding executions. Are there any that changed the world, or have other people here seen them personally?
Thanks.
I teach jitte, kickboxing, and basic self-defense outside the barracks, and it's open to anyone, no matter how inexperienced. As you may have heard by now, every so often the Malnosso take people at random for drafts, and while non-combatants have other opportunities to help support, any self defense can help.
For others, I wanted to ask about other world's or country's history regarding executions. Are there any that changed the world, or have other people here seen them personally?
Thanks.
voice;
Woooooooow, I bet they really don't like that. [ But, well. CRIMINAL ACTIVITY. Although since she's actually friendly with basically all of those criminals she really can't decide what to think. ]
voice;
No, they don't. But that's the consequence to piracy. [Sometimes anyway.]
Or in some rare cases, the consequence of chasing idiots into a trap with seastone bars. [... Not that he has personal experience with that totally absurd circumstance, nope.]
voice;
...What do the pirates in your world do, anyway? [ She's not...totally clear on what piracy is entirely. It seems to involve treasure and sailing??? And also eating odd fruit? ]
Oooooh, that doesn't sound fun!!!
voice;
Pirates... [Murder, rape, steal, pillage, destroy islands, disrupt shipping -- no wait, he can't/won't say any of these things to a kid.] Most of them do some really bad things. They're criminals in the truest sense of the word. If there's a crime you can think of, then at least one pirate has done it. But not all pirates are the same, so that's hard to answer. [For instance if he has to explain what the pirates in Luceti have done back home, he could do it, but he'd still have to explain as bad as those things are, the ones back home are much worse usually.]
And no. [Small grin in spite of himself.] It wasn't much fun. No regrets though, I learned a lot from it. [Not the least of which about Straw-Hat and himself.]
voice;
So you got caught in a cage??
voice; 1/2 oh god this is long apologies in advance
Straw Hat Luffy has declared war on the government, punched a world noble, broke into the most heavily guarded prison in the world and broke out several hundred pirates. He's also saved entire countries and he punched the noble in order to rescue Keimi, who is my daughter here. And he saved my life. He's the most complicated pirate there is. Even if as an individual he seems rather simple.
The Whitebeards... are equally complicated. They've committed a fair number of murders and disrupted trade flows, but until very recently, they kept it to other pirates. Their captain had a moral opposition to slavery so he took over islands to protect the inhabitants from it. That doesn't mean he wasn't also a pirate in every sense of the word, but he didn't have a fight with the government until they took one of his sons. He had a very big reputation for vengeance and... it's complicated. Suffice to say there was a very big war. [What's wrong with the Whitebeard pirates? Everything.... and yet still less than the other pirate crews except Luffy's. Hell, the Whitebeard pirates vs most of the shichibukai? Smoker would rather fight the shichibukai who at least pretend to be on the marine's side. Tch. A mess all around.]
To explain: there was one Pirate King, and four pirate emperors. The pirate king was executed 24 years ago, but the pirate emperors rose in his place. Whitebeard was the only man strong enough told hold his own in a fight with Roger and live, and indeed Whitebeard was the strongest man in the world. However, like the other pirate emperors, he carved out a pirate empire of islands and enforced his own notions of order and vengeance instead of justice. His crimes aren't as bad compared to Kaidou or some of the other pirates, hell, half of the pirates he defeated were a lot worse than him. You could ask Portgas or the phoenix more about him on a personal level. As for Portgas and the phoenix, they each have their fair share of violent crimes to their name. Portgas was nearly as infamous as his father and became a commander at an extremely young age, and the phoenix is one of the big reasons the Whitebeard pirates are so infamous for vengeance.
voice; 2/2
Have you met Nico Robin here? She's in Straw Hat's crew and never lets me live it down.
Do you want to know about the Heart Pirates, Akagami Pirates, or shichibukai as well? We have one of all three of those here now.
[Pro-tip: when it comes to stalking pirates; Smoker is the finest.]
voice; never apologize
By the time it's done, she definitely has questions and comments, and takes a single breath before getting straight into them. ]
Why'd he declare war on a government? Did the Pirate King used to be in charge of the places the Pirate Emperors are in charge of? Are you supposed to catch the emperors? Did something happen to their captain, 'cause you're talkin' about him like he's not there anymore! What were the islands he commanded like? Were they bad?
Ummmm Portgas is Ace? I juuuuuust met him. Who was his father who was infamous? Also Marco is actually in the art club! Or, well, he came to our first meeting so he's definitely a member now 'cause he'll definitely want to come back!
What pirate groups are Kaidou and Crocodile from? Are they from the Heart or Akagami or shi-chi-boo-kai?
Ummm I have not met Nico Robin! Of the Straw Hats I have met Luffy and Nami and Vivi and Sanji and Zoro once, and Vivi is who I know best!
I would like to hear about all three of those, please! Vivi's told me some about Alabasta, but all of this is new! I mean, I knew there were pirates buuuuuuut no one really says what they were doing or why or anything except that they sail on the sea which is sort of what pirates are supposed to do, I guess!
voice; Nooooope still have to apologize for this. One Piece Politics 101 as viewed by Smoker: ahoy!
I hope you like history, because this requires a bit.
Portgas is Ace, yes. Full name Fire-Fist Portgas D. Ace. I don't call him Ace. [Obviously.] His father was Whitebeard, the pirate emperor and strongest man in the world. His little brother is Straw Hat Luffy, and his big brother is Marco the Phoenix. They also have one other brother here, but he's not someone with a bounty.
The Pirate King didn't rule over anything, but he was called that because he was, in a sense, the "ultimate pirate." He had everything a pirate seeks; freedom, money, fame, power or strength. One Piece was the treasure he left behind. At his execution he told everyone to search for it if they wanted to take his place. So the next person to find One Piece, will become the Pirate King. As such, the World Government and all the marines are supposed to do stop that. I know that of every in the world, Straw Hat has the best shot of it, so I'm going to catch him and stop him first.
The islands the pirate emperors rule over are in the New World, which is the second half of the Grand Line. The Pirate King, Gold Roger, became so famous because was the first person to ever make it all the way to the end of the New Word, the second half of the Grand Line and back. After Roger's death, millions of pirates started flooding the Grand Line trying to get to Raftel where they believe One Piece must be located, and that is what gave rise to the pirate emperors. They're four impossibly strong pirates who took up where the marines and world government were at their weakest and carved a special niche into the world's political power for themselves. Shanks, the captain of the Akagami pirates, is actually one of the four pirate emperors. Kaidou and Big Mam are the other two.
Crocodile was defeated in the New World while trying to become Pirate King, probably by Whitebeard as he holds a huge grudge against him. The shichibukai are pirates that the World Government has removed the bounty from in exchange for being able to call on them in times of need to fight other pirates. Likewise, they are allowed to continue piracy and generally "illegal" things but only to other pirates. Crocodile tried to take over Princess Vivi's Kingdom using Nico Robin's help, and a secret organization he created called "Baroque Works." I ran afoul of a few of the members while chasing Straw Hat from Loguetown where I was based.
In Alabasta, Crocodile laid a trap for Straw hat and that's where we got caught. It's how I "met" Princess Vivi, though we never spoke one-on-one until Luceti. If you know her best, she could probably explain that situation better than me. I'm still unclear how Nico Robin came to be one of Straw Hat's crew members, but he has a knack for that, seeing as Crocodile himself, whom Straw Hat defeated in order to save Alabasta, then showed up at Marineford to fight the marines on Whitebeard's side. Even though Crocodile holds a grudge on Whitebeard, and has no reason to be an ally of Straw Hat's either. Seeing as he tried to kill im. More than once.
I don't know the Straw Hat's side of what happened in Enies Lobby, and I wasn't there personally. Long story short, Nico Robin was taken by the World Government for her own crimes of privacy and some things from before she even met Crocodile, but Straw Hat and his crew declared war on the World Government to get her back. And the entirety of Enies Lobby, an island where it's always sunny and judgement is based, was destroyed in the process. Though, I've heard from people there that this was more due to something incredibly stupid than Straw Hat individually running a rampage on the island.
This was a feat that was nearly repeated when Straw Hat showed up in the war on Marineford between Whitebeard and the marines. As previously mentioned, he had Crocodile on his side, though not the rest of the Straw Hat crew.
In the most basic of terms, pirates are criminals on the sea. What crimes they break and how they do it is different. However, they all have to have a pirate flag. Crocodile, for instance, had his secret organization; Baroque Works, and while they were certainly international criminals, they can't really be called pirates, though they do have their own flag and emblem. This is because despite being international, they started off as bounty hunters catching pirates in order to raise money to try to fund a rebellion in Alabasta. Most pirates are not at war with any one particular country, just as Dragon's Rebellion are not considered pirates, despite having declared war on the World Government as well.
Pirates generally do not seek specific goals like overthrowing a crowned royal, but instead, they have a general unwillingness to abide by any laws. Someone who declares themselves a pirate is laying down the stance that they would rather be an outlaw and hunted for their bounty, than be someone who will accept the laws and authorities of the various different governments. Pirates are a really big problem in my world. Most of them are murderers and thieves, and Straw Hat's crew is not the norm. Most of them fall closer on the spectrum to Crocodile, truth be told. There are some pirates who focus their attentions on other pirates, but then there are also pirates who specifically hunt and kill marines in order to make their bounty higher. For the reputation.
Trafalgar Law of the Heart Pirates is known as the Death Surgeon. He helped rescue Straw Hat at Marineford, and was last seen -- the last time I was in my world -- on an island no one's supposed to be on. [... Including Smoker, but justice calls.
Aka he was chasing pirates there. You know. Exactly like the situation with Crocodile. Right down to getting trapped in a cell. Yeah sure "he learned a lot." Uh-huh.] He's incredibly dangerous and well-known for his violence, thus the nickname. [Oh yeah, and he steals hearts. Nah, Smoker won't mention that. Law's not updated, and frankly Smoker thinks it might just give him ideas.]We also have Hawk-Eyes Mihawk of the shichibukai here. He's the world's strongest swordsman and fought the Whitebeard pirates at Marineford, but refused to fight Shanks when the Akagami pirates arrived to help the Whitebeards. He's best known as completely neutral because of that, seeing as he's not a fan of most of the pirates, nor is he on the marines' side completely either. Neutral. Most of the shichibukai have a record of turning on marines however. Boa Hancock fought me at Marineford to protect Straw Hat, Jinbei's always been more on Whitebeard's side than not so he refused to fight the Whitebeard pirates at Marineford when ordered. Crocodile was just using his shichibukai position to try to take over Alabasta and then the world, and Blackbeard was hired to replace Crocodile and just used his position to break into Impel Down and break out even worse criminals than the ones Straw Hat broke out. Then he showed up at Marineford to fight... everyone, and took out giant chunks of the island. Garp the Fist, and Sengoku the Buddha -- the two strongest marines in the world at the time, had try to hold him back. And he only stopped because, like Mihawk, he didn't wish to face Shanks either.
Suffice to say, I don't trust any of the shichibukai. They're pirates. They started off pirates and they haven't changed from that. They exist to keep the pirate emperors in check, in case a situation like Marineford ever happened, but more headaches have been caused than stopped by it.
[You know what? The only good thing about just straight out explaining all that? He doubts most of the pirates will have the patience to listen through it. But yeah, Smoker knows things. Lots of things. So many things. He is like the Harriet the Spy of One Piece. That said, if you ask him intelligent questions, you will get answers. Long ones when it all adds up. Also someone should admire how skilled he was at avoiding specifically mentioning that Ace was the catalyst for Marineford. Skills.
Even if it took extra paragraphs to do it.]voice; IT'S STILL COOL
And oh gosh words. This is what it must be like on the other side of conversations at dinner with her, although that doesn't occur to Ikki. She just settles down on the couch and listens to Smoker talking through her journal, a serious little frown on her face as she tries to take it all in. ...She'll probably have to replay all this at some point, just to make sure she has it right.
Luckily for Ikki, she's got a good memory for any questions that pop into her mind. ]
I like history! Mm, I've always had to learn a lot of it, because, well, air nomad. [ It's a casual aside explanation, because she rarely gets into the genocide of her people over a century ago and the whole rebuilding their race thing unless asked. 8|a ]
Fire-fist? What was One Piece? I mean, I know you said it was a treasure, but what was it? Is it a place or a sword or a book or what? [ ONE WHAT? ] What happens if someone becomes Pirate King? Something bad?
Okay! I know a bit about the Grand Line. It's got looooooots of islands on it, right? And Alabasta is a kingdom on one of those islands.
[ Some of this she's listening to and is letting pass without comment. it's only when something sticks out or needs more to make sense that Ikki pipes up, trying to make the pieces of the story fit. ]
Why does Whitebeard not like Crocodile? ...Um, so the World Goverment lets people do all the things you talked about? [ THAT SOUNDS A LITTLE SKEEVY. Although she likes all the pirates she's met! ...But she's got the inkling none of them are in this shichibukai. ] Mm, I'll ask Vivi about it later! Maybe she knows about Nico Robin! If not, I'll ask Nami!
...Well, Luffy is really nice! I mean, when you say he has a "knack for that". [ That might be a simple view of things, but she'd liked that
woman. ]"Something incredibly stupid"? ...Like what? Did anyone tell you?
Wait, wait, wait - why's there a war in Marineford? ...Wait, you said before they took one of his sons an' that's when he fought with the government? What's "Dragon's Rebellion"? Why did they declare war on the World Government? ...What's the World Government? Your world has one big government? Um, 'cause I know Vivi's a princess and stuff and there are other countries?
[ Listening some more. Okay, pirates are sounding less cool, although she's been explicitly told by Katara she can trust the Straw Hats and Trafalgar. ] But the Straw Hats don't do things like hunt and kill marines.
...Trafalgar is known as the "Death Surgeon"? Ummm, what island was he seen on? Wait, how was he seen there if no one was supposed to be on it? If he wasn't supposed to be on it and no one else was, there shouldn't've been anyone to see him, right? [ RIGHT? ]
Why'd so many people not want to fight Shanks?
...Mmm, hey, but you said the shichibukai were allowed to do pirate things if they helped the Marines when they were supposed to, but if they didn't do that, why're they still shichibukai?
[ this is all so exciting ]
video; And thus a beautiful friendship was born
Fire Fist is Portgas' bounty name. Any pirate or marine who makes a big name for themselves gets one to help others remember who they are and what to be wary of. I'm the White Hunter because of my devil fruit and because I hunt criminals, Portgas is Fire Fist because of his flames and he prefers to punch as his main attack. Trafalgar Law is the Death Surgeon because he's a doctor who's very good at killing people if need be. Shanks is Akagami because of his red hair. Straw hat is famous for his Straw Hat. Marco as a phoenix, Cat Burglar Nami because she steals. The Demon Woman of Ohara Nico Robin should be renamed, but they don't bother with that. Once a name's made, it sticks usually.
No one's completely sure what One Piece. I'm sure it exists, but neither Gold Roger nor Whitebeard were particularly interested in treasure like money. And each would have left it to their crew, not leave it stashed away for a treasure hunt. I'm not sure what it is either. I have some guesses. [There's not a lot that would genuinely scare Sengoku and the World Government, after all. But the fact that Gold Roger and Whitebeard both wanted it found? That it would change the world when it was found...] But certainly not something I can say where any pirates might overhear it. [Suck on that all you pirates with very long attention spans for eavesdropping!] I know Blackbeard must think it's related to power, which means it's likely not that. In any case, the only people who do know what it is, aren't talking. You could ask Shanks sometimes. Maybe he'll drop a clue.
However, since simply finding One Piece makes someone pirate king, everyone wants it. And then yes, something bad happens. Whitebeard himself called it a battle that would engulf the whole world, it's not something I want to see happen. [Phoenix Ikki's words still echo in his brain as much as Whitebeard's though. That maybe it'd be better to start fresh then keep on letting people like Akainu run the show. But no, Smoker doesn't believe that. Refuses to believe that. And Kotomi-chan's own words about the revolutions in her world only solidifies him on this. That kind of chaos would kill millions of innocents... and for what?]
Straw Hat's not bad for a pirate. But he's still a pirate. He broke out prisoners for his own goals, and didn't think about the consequences it could have. He instigates a lot of things like that. It's complicated. Sometimes you can be "nice" and still do some things that are really bad for a lot of people. And his motives might even be good things, but it doesn't stop those actions from happening. I won't arrest him in Luceti because he protects the village and forest here more by being free. [Just like with Alabasta, Straw Hat could do more good by being free. At least a little longer.] But back in our world, I will stop him, to prevent that war and that chaos.
[He chews it over a bit, trying to weigh how much it'll be a pain if Law, the Straw Hat crew, Shanks, Whitebeards, and Mihawk learn about this, but he decides it's fine.] I caught Straw Hat saying he'd going to Punk Hazard, where no one's allowed to go. No one's supposed to be there because it's a wasteland from a chemical explosion several years ago. Since then, two logia users fought over who would be the next leader of the marines, so half of the island is now magma, and the other half is ice. While investigating to search for Straw Hat, me and my men came across Trafalgar instead. Normally I'd say you could ask him about it, but it's before his time in this case, so you'd have to ask Straw Hat instead. [Frown frown frown. And according to Straw Hat, Smoker got put into Tashigi's body?! The hell is THAT about!? He was too amused to be lying though... and Luffy doesn't lie besides. TCH. Joy. Something to look forward to.]
In any case, that's the kind of "knack" I mean. Wherever he goes, Straw Hat changes everything. Just by being there. He's constantly writing history without even trying. It's unsettling. [... Actually Smoker finds it exciting too. More than unsettling. He likes it. It's why he chases Luffy so hard. But there isn't anyone who will ever get him to admit that out loud.]
The Straw Hats have never killed a marine to my knowledge. And Straw Hat himself was raised by his grandfather who's a marine; the Hero Garp. Cat Burglar Nami also had a marine hero for a mother. But they are a very atypical crew.
You're correct about the Grand Line. It's an ocean shaped in a line where the currents and magnetic patterns lead everyone sailing it to generally always go in one direction. Forward. It's divided from the rest of the world with Calm Belts and the Red Line, which is a group of islands squished together in a line that loops around the world. It's the closest thing we have to a "continent." And the New World is the second half of the Grand Line. Alabasta, Vivi's Kingdom, is in the first half. The pirate emperors are all located in the New World, but they call the first half "Paradise" because of how many pirates die in the New World trying to become the next King.
The World Government is a presiding government. Each country allied within the government still retains its autonomy, but there are certain laws they all have to abide by. The leaders of each country meet every seven years for something called "Reverie" where they discuss international issues like Dragon and work to cooperate to find solutions. It helps prevent wars between countries, and primarily deals with pirates. No one individual country is completely capable of warding off pirates usually -- I'll bring up exceptions in a bit -- because most countries are only one island big. Once the pirates hit one place, they move onto the next. Without the marines or world government to deal with it, it'd be nearly impossible.
The New World used to have a lot more countries who weren't allied with the World Government, but they also used to be a lot more capable of holding off pirates on their own. However, thanks to the pirate surge of those searching for One Piece, that no longer remained the case, and that's how the Pirate Emperors were able to offer their protection where the World Government couldn't or wouldn't. The newest marine fleet admiral Sakazuki, is trying to change this and moved his base into the New World to be more in the thick of it.
Dragon declared war on the World Government and threatens to throw the whole world into rebellion -- enough that some people thought the rebellion in Alabasta might be his fault, not Crocodile's, and stayed clear of it. As for why... That wasn't exactly the question on my mind the one time I met him. [Also... Smoker was kind of shocked to meet the most wanted man in the world saving a nothing rookie in the middle of nowhere in the weakest ocean for no reason. He had priorities.] Ostensibly to get rid of the inequality and corruption, I assume. He's a very mysterious person.
The Government lets their shichibukai get away with a lot so long as they pretend to keep obeying the government. It's... [All kinds of skeevy. Wait, that is just unprofessional to say. You know what? He's saying it anyway.] a recipe for disaster. They've already had several disobey them, and pirates just use it as stepping stone for their own goals. Same as anything else. [He'd say they were desperate, but that is definitely not something he's going to let on to the pirates here.] They're afraid of the pirate emperors enough to make some dumb mistakes. And this is the price they're paying for it. And frankly I can't see it getting worse. [Kuma used to work for the Revolution for crying out loud. How long before his cyborg brain shorts out or something?! And fuck knows what Doflamingo's deal is. And all this without bringing up some of the new shichibukai.]
That's why when Crocodile tried to drown Straw Hat and I, I went to get proof of what Crocodile was up to. Since there wasn't any other way the government would acknowledge it. [Grumbles.] Fat lot of good it did anyway... Once the shichibukai are proven to be opposing the government, they're kicked out. Crocodile was arrested, brought to trial and put in Impel Down. [Ugh, it still leaves a bad taste in his mouth that they made him take the promotion though.] Jinbei was also put in Impel Down with him. And Blackbeard was chased by currently the strongest man in the marines until something came up. [Fighting Aokiji =\ Way to have priorities Sakazuki.] Hancock hasn't been dealt with, but that's --
[Okay ready to see something hilarious Ikki?]
[Because Smoker will never do this again.]
[Everyone? Ready?]
[He leans back and points his his finger out, looking up and doing the pose.]
"Because she's beautiful." [Can you just feel his disgust? Either way it's hilarious. More if you know Boa Hancock herself, or at least that she says exactly that as her excuse.] Tsk.
And... correct. The War of Marineford was when one of Whitebeard's sons got held by the World Government. Whitebeard and all his allies fought to get him back. The shichibukai were called in to help on the side of the marines -- which is when Boa Hancock broke my jitte. [Mutters that she's something not very nice.] Jinbei refused to help due to his loyalty to Whitebeard and that's why he was put in Impel Down. Straw Hat broke into the prison, broke out Jinbei and Crocodile and they wound up helping him at Marineford. Crocodile tried to assassinate Whitebeard, so I know that's why Whitebeard didn't like Crocodile, Crocodile's grudge for Whitebeard has to do with getting crushed in the New World a long time ago. It's a fairly common occurrence. Most pirates die or never make it. That's why only Gold Roger and his crew reached the end of it, after all.
Actually it still surprises me that Nico Robin is a Straw Hat now. She was working with Crocodile in Baroque Works initially, and I warned Straw Hat personally that with her by his side, it was a war that threatened the whole world, not just Alabasta. Neither of them have seen fit to explain it however, and at this rate I'm ready to give up trying. [Even stuck in Robin's body for a week he couldn't figure it out :|] That said, I doubt she would be willing to talk about Mr. 0 -- Crocodile codename in Baroque Works, but you might have more luck.
As for the incredibly stupid thing that destroyed Enies Lobby, you'll have to ask Cat Burglar Nami. Assuming her answer isn't just that the government took their nakama in the first place, maybe she can explain it. But my guesses get into a territory of marine secrets. The past can't be undone, but at lot of idiocy went down from it I've heard. I'd say "And no one got promoted for it," but it's a little bittersweet, as my boss and friend almost did until he got pushed out instead.
video; she tends to swap with whatever people do. 8|
...How many of the pirates here have eaten fruits, anyway? Also why should Nico Robin be renamed?
Sooooooo Shanks knows what it is? ...But if almost no one knows what it is, how's anyone going to know for sure someone found it? Has anyone tried saying they found it already? [ Not something she would personally attempt because HOW DO I LIE? but it seems like there is a lot of lying and not telling people things going on in this story. ] How would anyone know for sure?
"A battle that would engulf the whole world"...With more'n two sides, 'cause you've named lots, right? Why would a pirate king cause that, though?
Nice people can definitely do bad things! And people can do bad things because they think it's for a good thing. Like the equalists, right? I...definitely don't think the things they were doing were okay. ...'Cause being tied up was pretty not okay, an' also they invaded our island. But they thought they were doing something...good. I guess.
Punk Hazard? ...Hey, d'you have a map for all these islands?
Hmmm. He's kinda like an Avatar, then! Straw Hat, I mean! [ she's using Smoker's name for him now just because it's been used so much in this conversation, without really thinking about it. ]
So the World Government is kinda like the Republic City Council - there're representatives in a big group. [ Likening these things to her own world is helping her sort through it, although it sounds much, much more complex than the politics her father has talked about at home. ]
You met Dragon? [ interest piqued ] What was on your mind at the time?
...but didn't they not pretend if they didn't help out? What's Impel Down? Is that another island?
[ Okay she would have asked more there but she got a little distracted by serious giggles when that pose happened.
What. Was that.
It doesn't fit at all with Smoker's face or tone, and what sort of excuse is that for anything what. Okay no she's getting back under control now, promise. ]
So - the shichibukai areeeee Crocodile who isn't anymore, Jinbei, Blackbeard, Boa Hancock, and Hawk-Eyes Mihawk? Are there other ones? ...How do you become one, anyway?
Pushed out for what?
video; 1/2 -- fufufu XD /educates all of Luceti by teaching one B)
And who are the Equalists, why did they tie you up and invade?
All right, of all the people in Luceti who've eaten devil fruits... First you have to know there are three types. Zoans can turn into an additional animal species, Logia are elements like fire and smoke, magma, or ice, and paramecia are the most diverse and there are lots of them.
White Hunter Smoker, myself, marine vice admiral: Smoke Logia.
Fire-Fist Portgas D. Ace, 2nd division commander of the Whitebeard pirates: Fire Logia.
Phoenix Marco, first division commander of the Whitebeard pirates*: Mythical zoan phoenix.
Death Surgeon Trafalgar Law, captain of the Heart Pirates*: Operating Room paramecia
Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy, captain of the Straw Hat Pirates: Rubber paramecia.
Demon Woman of Ohara Nico Robin, archaeologist of the Straw Hat Pirates: Blossom paramecia -- it means she can duplicate body parts like flower petals.
Humming Brook, musician of the Straw Hat Pirates: Revival paramecia -- Actually I'm not completely certain on his. He's a skeleton now though.
Ghost Princess Perona, formerly of Gecko Moria's crew: Ghosts or "hollow" paramecia.
[**Notes! Smoker is aware of Marco's recent upgrade in leadership since Whitebeard's death, but with Ace around, he's unwilling to flaunt that, just as Marco doesn't introduce himself as a captain either. He's also aware of Law's move from pirate to shichibukai, but Law's not updated and he doesn't want to be the one to give it away.]
However, many strong pirates do not have devil fruits at all, such as Mihawk, Shanks, and the rest of Straw Hat's crew here. Nico Robin should be renamed because politically making her the survivor of Ohara just strengthens the Revolution's cause, and for bounty hunters or marines it does nothing to explain her devil fruit.
In Luceti of shichibukai we only have Mihawk right now. We had Hancock and Blackbeard in the past, however. [Which is what gave him time to work on that awesome impression ;)]
Hawk-eyes Mihawk, Bartholomew Kuma, Boa Hancock, and Don Quixote Doflamingo are still in the shichibukai. Gecko Moria died, and Crocodile, Jinbei, and Blackbeard defected, so their bounties are reinstated -- and added to now -- and they're considered as much an enemy of the World Government as all the other pirates, maybe more. There are three more shichibukai now, but I can't say who they are yet. [Half because ooc his mun doesn't know yet, and half because ICly, he doesn't want to give it away for people two years behind.] You become a shichibukai by being a strong infamous pirate captain and they send a letter. I've heard Portgas was offered the position multiple times, but sent back the messages on fire when he refused. At any given time there can only be seven. Which is what the "shichi" stands for.
Some of them helped a little at Marineford, but not because they wanted to help defend the world or protect it. Boa Hancock destroyed more marines than pirates, and Gecko Moria used marines' shadows -- that was his devil fruit. Crocodile and Jinbei wound up helping Whitebeard of all things, Blackbeard was just a complete wild card. No sides expected him to do what he did. Kuma did help against Whitebeard, but that's complicated, because he's sort of a robot now, and I still think he's more allied with Dragon's Revolution than not.
Shanks might know what One Piece is, but no guarantees there. No one's found it yet, because no one's reached Raftel since Roger did it. If someone succeeded, the whole world would know about it. And that's where the war comes in. Whatever they find, they're going to have to fight for, every bit as much as just getting there. And yes, all sides would probably be involved. It would get extremely messy. And hopefully won't ever happen.
I wouldn't say Straw Hat's like an Avatar. His goal isn't to restore peace or balance, and he's not a hero. He's just the man who wants to become the next Pirate King. That alone has a lot entailed. [He totally approves of her calling Luffy by his bounty name though. Now if he can just corrupt others into it...]
Impel Down is pirate prison. There are several prisons throughout the world, but the worst offenders go to Impel Down. It used to be impenetrable. It even held Colossal Battleship Sanjuan Wolf -- a giant about the size of a mountain -- until Blackbeard broke him free.
Punk Hazard is an island in the New World. It's off-limits because it was destroyed and still has some poison from the explosion left over. It was used as the site for Aokiji and Akainu to fight over who would be the next marine fleet admiral. That's what happened to Aokiji, my former boss. He was in line to become the next fleet admiral, but Akainu -- also known as Sakazuki, did really well at Marineford. There was a strong push for more Absolute Justice, something stronger to deal with the pirates who are getting more out of control every year, and especially in Whitebeard's absence. [Up to now, Smoker's been pretty factual, no emotions about most of it, just stating facts. Here, it's still factual, but a lot sadder sounding.] They decided to duel over who would be the next Fleet Admiral and run the marines. Over which kind of justice which rule the new era. Sakazuki won, Kuzan lost. And yes, I think the Republic City Council sounds a bit like the World Government. They were the ones supporting Sakazuki in this case.
[Shakes his head, rolling back the history dial about two and a half years.] I met Dragon at Loguetown when he stopped me from arresting a small-name rookie pirate. At the time, I just wanted to know why the most wanted man in the world was even taking an interest in something so out of the way and obscure. I didn't find out until Marineford that Straw Hat is Dragon's son. That tends to be a pattern with Straw Hat and I. I cornered him in Loguetown, he got rescued by Dragon. I cornered him in Alabasta, he got rescued by Portgas. I cornered him in Marineford, he got rescued by Boa Hancock.
As for maps, the world isn't all mapped yet, even if it was, you can't sail the Grand Line with normal compasses because each island has its own magnetic field. But let me see what I can do to explain some of it...
[He starts sketching a bunch of stuff into the journal (see next comment)]
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The world is divided into four oceans by the Red Line -- which are those islands squished together I mentioned, and the Grand Line. Both the Red Line and Grand Line intersect each other at Reverse Mountain and Mariejois or Fishman Island. Mariejois is the Holy City of the World Government, so pirates are obviously not allowed through. However, the can go under the Red Line through Fishman Island, which the World Government marines can't police.
The Clam Belts which I drew with the yellow dotted lines, are areas of ocean with no winds, no storms, no weather. As such, they're perfect breeding grounds for seakings, and nearly impossible for most people to get through. The tracts of ocean create extra turbulent currents for the Grand Line, and the weather is notoriously insane, even without each island creating its own weather system.
Straw Hat, Roronoa Zoro, and Cat Burglar Nami, and I are all from the East Blue. Black-Leg Sanji was at least in the East Blue for quite some time, but I'm not sure if he's a native. In any case, Loguetown is my home island and where Gold Roger was born and executed. It's the last stop for any East Blue pirates before they can go to Reverse Mountain and into the Grand Line. Reverse Mountain uses the chaotic currents to create rivers or pathways that flow up from each of the four blues, and then down into the Grand Line.
I was a Captain in Loguetown at the time with a perfect track record, so when Straw Hat showed up, I almost had him arrested, until Dragon stopped me. East Blue is the weakest of the four Blues, and generally pretty boring. Loguetown itself is pretty dull and its only real claim to fame is Roger. So having Dragon show up definitely took me by surprise.
[Now to map two!]
Alabasta is further along the Grand Line, it's very big and one of the oldest countries in the whole world. You should probably ask Vivi about more than that however. Impel Down is in one of the Calm Belts, underwater. Punk Hazard is after Fishman Island in the New World. Marineford is the fort along the Red Line that also protects Mariejois -- though they're far enough apart to be safe even from Earthquakes. Sabaody is an archipelago of mangrove trees where the pirates get their ships coated by the sap of the trees so that they go underwater to Fishman Island.
In the New World there are about 3 islands starting off, one with lightning rain. [Which he tried to draw.] But Punk Hazard is off the usual compass directions. It's nearly on the direct opposite side of the world from Alabasta, as you can see. [Ish. Kind of. Again, no maps means accuracy is not a sticking point.] I also drew G5 as the grey dot. That was my new base. My men there are pyromaniac idiots. [But he loves them. In his super tsundere way.]
From there the islands are various different emperors' territories or No-Man's Land. Wano doesn't have any world Government involvement, and Foodvalten used to be a Whitebeard territory. I don't really remember which islands are in Shanks territory or not. I knew Kaidou has a bunch. Big Mam has even more, including Fishman Island now. And Elbaf is somewhere out there. Maybe in the sky. And there's some famous island with sakura growing... Either way, at the far far end of the New World is Raftel. No one's reached it since Gold Roger. Anyone trying has died along the way.
But that's the basics of the world's geography. Oh and Enies Lobby is always sunny, and the Florian Triangle is always dark. There's also a train that connects Enies Lobby, Water 7, Pucci, St. Poplar, and San Faldo, but I have no idea how to draw those connecting, and other than Enies Lobby, they haven't come up.
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When my grandfather was much, much younger - ...actually, when he was about his age right now! - there were people who, after the war, really admired the peaceful ways of the air nomads who had died before any of these people were born. Grandpa decided that he would need help to restore our people, sooooo he called them the air acolytes and taught them everything he remembered. The air nomads as they are now are made up of the air acolytes and the airbenders. Before, when grandpa was a kid, all air nomads were airbenders, but the air acolytes came from alllllll the other nations. The air acolytes wrote down a lot of what grandpa told them, and we...actually we write a lot down now, probably 'cause of what happened, and there are air acolytes living in some of the original Air Temples now. They've restored them in some ways and changed them in others, 'cause originally only airbenders could get to the air temples, and since so many air nomads aren't airbenders now...
The thing about the air acolytes is that while they are definitely, definitely my people, they don't have the air nomad blood in them. So only my daddy and my family has that, and so...we're the last-first airbenders. It's our responsibility to make sure we're not the last-last. An' there are parts of our culture that require you to be an airbender - instruments and things that play different when you're an airbender - an'...well, yep, more or less?
[ Oh geez Equalists. She doesn't look bothered by the question, but it's definitely going to require a bit of exposition. ] How much d'you know about my world? So that I know where to start to answer 'bout the Equalists and being tied up and the invasion thing?
Mmm, yep! I do know a bit about the different types. Vivi told me a little bit. [ Also she's sort of completely aware of the whole "swimming failure" part of devil fruits. Vivi was, in her defense, six when she let Ikki in on all these secrets. She's learned a few of the fruits people have had, too, but this is the most comprehensive list by far, including a few names that are new to her. ] ...A skeleton?
The survivor of Ohara? What happened at Ohara?
Oooooooooh. [ Shichi means seven. She files that away, noting it sounds like some of the other words she's learned from other people. ]
So, why did Blackbeard break people out? That's what he did that no one expected, right? ...Wait Kuma is sort of a robot? How are you sort of a robot?
The thing about Avatars is that even though that's their job, history normally happens around them. ...Or they have to go where it's happening, hahah. That's the way it's kinda similar, right?
[ Ikki notes the change in tone when Smoker talks about Akainu and Aokiji's duel, but she just nods, thoughtfully. ] How was Aokiji's justice different from Akainu's?
[ GEOGRAPHY. She doesn't actually ask for clarification here, since it just helps her to figure out all these places, or at least how they're working. The divide between the two worlds makes a lot more sense now, and it's clear that oceans just work differently in Smoker's world than they do in her own. She leans in to see the drawings and traces the lines a little bit, mouthing the names, and nods finally after a little while.
...WAIT no one definite question. ] ...How's a train connect islands?
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How old is Rohan? Do your Aunt and Uncle have kids, or would their kids be incapable of becoming airbenders?
[The idea of passing something down like that through blood is, admittedly, a little strange to Smoker. Since devil fruits definitely can't get passed down, though the Will of the D seems to be. Still, instruments that could only be played by an entire culture? It's almost like the Wano Island samurai and yet...]
I see. Sounds like you have a difficult task ahead of your family, but hopefully an enjoyable one? Although maybe not, given the Equalists.
And I only know that there are the four nations of Air, Fire, Earth, and Water. Or is that not even the case anymore? Mostly, I only know what I heard from your Grandpa Aang. I know your Aunt Katara and Uncle Sokka, but only in passing, because we've all been in Luceti for over two years. [So there's been at least one or two conversations, but honestly not much more than that.] So start wherever you feel is necessary, I won't mind re-hearing anything from a fresh perspective.
Understood. Princess Vivi is quite the intelligent woman, so I'm sure she covered a lot of things. [Even if she was six. Of all the Straw Hats, other than Luffy himself, Smoker probably gets along best with Vivi; he'd like to think. This is mostly just because he helped cover for her, and she's been actually working as a princess lately instead of running amok. Hell, as it was, he was half-ready to go "rescue" her from the pirates, only to learn they were friends. That was a confusing day for him.] Right, Soul King Brook, he's all bones now. About eight feet tall, so you can't miss him. Just look for the skeleton with an afro. And you can probably bug him to sing you a song.
Ohara was destroyed the same way as Enies Lobby. Except more purposefully. [Strokes his chin. Buster Calls are tricky, explaining them is even trickier. Then again... he can't think of anyone in Luceti from their world who doesn't know what a Buster Call is by now. Perona? But she worked for Gecko Moria, and now Mihawk so either of them could probably explain it. And with the Pacifista, they're trying to use Buster Calls less. Especially after Enies Lobby. And given whatever else Vegapunk is up to these days...] There's a marine maneuver which requires several dozen warships and at least one of the three admirals, as well as a bunch of the vice admirals. As a last resort, it demolishes an island. Ohara was way before my time, I wasn't even in the marines back then. But I know Kuzan - Aokiji, and Sakazuki - Akainu, were both vice admirals in it.
The island was destroyed and Nico Robin reportedly sunk several battleships all on her own despite being only eight years old. She was the only survivor. [How much he knows doesn't even compare to how much he can say about it. Tch. Marines.]
That was the start of Aokiji and Akainu's differences in justice, however. Akainu believes in Absolute Justice -- as do many marines in my world. That's a philosophy that killing pirates should take utmost priority, even more than saving lives. Indeed, absolute justice believes that killing civilians or fellow marines is a necessary part of the war on pirates and a cost of doing battle. A righteous one, even. In Marineford Akainu killed quite a few people when it wasn't arguably necessary, and towards the end of a fight, a young marine stood up and asked that the war end. The marines had already gotten their primary two objectives, it was getting out of hand, with the Whitebeard pirates trying to avenge and escape, and the marines trying to kill every pirate possible.
["Something's wrong here. Both with 'justice' and 'evil.'" Smoker's own thoughts about Marineford resonate a little, even two years later. Well Portgas, Whitebeard, Sengoku, and Doflamingo were all right about that battle changing the world.] That's when Shanks stepped in and protected the marine, stopping Akainu.
Aokiji's justice... He calls it "lazy" justice. Aokiji is an ice devil fruit user, so he tends to sleep and hibernate a lot. None of use could have survived Marineford without him, since he froze the tsunami attack Whitebeard was going to drown Marineford with, and he did his own fair share of fighting throughout the war. But he doesn't believe in killing pirates if they're already incapacitated. [Rubs the bridge between his eyes. It's sort of an extreme thing to be telling an eight year old, but Ikki's held up so far.] Aang told me that only the Avatar can usually conduct executions in your world, right? In mine, those are a lot more formal, for showing something off and proving a point about law and order. However, in the heat of a battle, killing pirates is considered a necessary defense. After all, you've got some like Caribou who specifically try to kill marines, like I said. Moreover, pirates themselves sometimes kill innocent civilians. [Okay a lot of them, most of them, Smoker would argue, but he's still trying to handle it with kid-gloves on.]
Aokiji's justice favors not killing. More of a "laissez faire" or live and let live, and relaxed style. That's why I get along with him. Akainu believes that this is war. If we don't kill pirates, they'll kill hundreds of civilians and that will be our fault for not stopping them while we could. He's very zealous about it. And that aggression fired a lot of people up. Like I said, Straw Hat and his crew are a very rare breed in the world. Most pirates have made people's lives miserable. Even if you ask the pirates here, they could all name more pirates they've had a problem with than they've gotten along well with. [Although... if you ask ANYONE in Luceti from his world about Akainu, you'll be really hard pressed to find anyone who doesn't hate his guts and wish him dead in the most severe of terms. Heck, Smoker might actually be the most sympathetic to the man and yet...]
I think Akainu's wrong. Our job isn't to kill pirates, it's to protect people. A lot of times that just entails stopping pirates, maybe by any means necessary. [But if you do that, where would Alabasta be? If Smoker had still tried to catch the Straw Hat crew after they saved his life, who would have stopped Crocodile when he had to get proof?] Let's just say, I'm not one for Absolutes. Nevertheless, he's the fleet admiral now. And in some ways the marines are stronger for it. [Stronger than they would have been under Aokiji? Smoker doesn't like to think about it. He trusted Aokiji, and that's a rare thing. He definitely doesn't trust Akainu. But Akainu is better at forcing the rest of the brass to get in line with him, and while the cover-ups are beyond infuriating, he does maintain Akainu's leadership is better than nothing. Without him, the world really would be a worse place, and it's already in hell with Whitebeard gone and the Level 6 prisoners and Supernovas running amok.]
Sounds like being an Avatar is an interesting job. [If hard as hell.] But I think there's probably more of a direct correlation with the Avatar. Straw Hat changes things just by being himself. In a sense, he follows his own sense of justice, his own moral code and that is what changes things more than everything else. In Alabasta, he was just trying to help his friend, but he saved the country. In Marineford, he was just doing what he wanted, but even the Whitebeard pirates focused behind him. Even in Loguetown, he went to Rogers execution stand because he wanted to see the history of it, then got caught up in a failed execution by a pirate he crossed at an earlier time -- [Who then came back with him Marineford? Give Smoker a brief moment to pause over Buggy's Wtf.] -- and even on the stand, he created history just by saying whatever he wanted, as reckless and seemingly idiotic as it was.
He doesn't try to change anything or fix anything, just does what he wants and everything else follows. It's almost admirable, if it wasn't so damn disconcerting. He punched a world noble, and knowing the full circumstances from Keimi, I can't say it's wrong. [Okay, even back home, Smoker's not really in the belief that it's wrong either. The tenryuubito are very messed up, but he's not sure the way to fight that is by literally assaulting them...] But back in our world, it caused a much bigger even than he could have possible realized. I just doubt he cared. That's the way he is. [That's why Smoker feels he also has to be stopped. The kid is out of control. Like a freaking tornado. It's just that Straw Hat usually does good things.]
Whereas, from what I can tell, the Avatar is sort of duty-bound to knowingly try to save people, right? Straw Hat's a pirate precisely because he just does what he wants, where he wants, when he wants. But, in the sense that they both shape history, that's the same, yes. But in my world, that might be said of all Ds.
Blackbeard became a shichibukai so he could have access to Impel Down -- one of the perks of the position. He wanted to break out some of the people locked up in order to help him join his crew and help him acquire the ability to get a devil fruit from a person right after killing them. He used to be in the Whitebeard crew, so when the government made him a shichibukai, they thought he'd be all set to help fight his old captain. Instead he broke into Impel Down, roughly the same time as Straw Hat, I believe, and broke out some of the worst criminals the world's ever seen.
He took everyone by surprise just by showing up after that, complete with his new crewmates in tow. He wanted Whitebeard's devil fruit, despite already having one of his own, and so killed Whitebeard to get it. That's how Whitebeard died at Marineford, not from marines. But once he had the Earthquake devil fruit, he tried to take down most of Marineford, and Garp the Hero and Sengoku had to team up to stop him. That's when everything got even more insane. Akainu wanted to kill Straw Hat for being Dragon's son, the Whitebeard pirates vowed to protect Straw Hat instead. Garp and Sengoku were too busy dealing with Blackbeard, and the marines had to fight... practically everyone. By the time Coby tried to stop Akainu, we were both losing heavily on both sides over anger... I guess. [Bloodlust? Vengeance? Stupidity. Smoker's not a fan of what went down, obviously.] My second in command was trying to save the wounded marines that were still alive and could be helped, but a lot of the marines supporting absolute justice felt they should be left to die so long as more pirates could be stopped in exchange....
It was a mess.
[Lights up a fresh pair of cigars to get some distance from those thoughts.]
I'm not much an expert on the sea train. From what I remember, it acts as a ship guided by rails the float on the surface of the ocean and send out an electric pulse to keep seakings and other sea monsters away from the rails. It's a modern marvel though. Perhaps even more than Vegapunk's things.
[Which brings him up to Kuma.] I'm really not clear on what Kuma's deal with the marines or government was. There are three admirals. Akainu and Aokiji I told you about, but Kizaru, Borsalino, is the third. His devil fruit is light and he can shoot laser beams with it. One of the marine scientists, Vegapunk, agreed to do a lot of experiments on Kuma, and equip him with weapons, including the ability to shoots lasers like from Kizaru's devil fruit. Again, I don't even know how that's possible. Or why someone would bother. In any case, with all the experiments, he's not as much his own person anymore. He's basically a robot now.
[And that's not even touching on the Pacifista, which Smoker isn't currently allowed to explain.
Maybe next canon update.Though Ikki could probably ask one of the Straw Hats, Law, or Marco about them.]video;
Rohan is only about two weeks old right now! [ THE NEXT MAY BE CANON STOMPED, BUT. ] Mm, my Aunt and Uncle don't have kids, an' I'm not sure about the rest. I think if they had kids they could become airbenders, because they do have the bloodline, but it's not as likely as an airbender having a child who can airbend.
Mmm, it'll be hard, I think, but I don't mind! That is, I really, really love my home and my family and being an airbender. I think it's something that worries my daddy and my older sister more than me - they get really serious about all we have to do still. But for me, I don't mind.
Okay! There are four nations, yes. The Air Nomads are my people - a long time ago they lived in the Air Temples, which only airbenders could reach. They were on really high mountaintops, or below mountains, and the air nomads kept themselves apart from the world in a way we don't do as much any longer. It's true we live on our island alone, but we have a lot, lot more to do with things than before. Or, well, our representatives on the council make it so, and we're close enough to Republic City that we do go there and don't just stay away from everyone forever!
The other nations are the Fire Nation, which is mostly on a series of islands off to the side of our largest continent, where the Earth Kingdom is - and that's also where Republic City is located, in a gulf in the south! The Water Tribes are found on both poles - there are Southern Tribes and Northern Tribes, and they both get a representative on the council. Our world has always had these four nations for as long as anyone can remember.
Bending is an important thing to understand for this, and our world! Airbenders are born to air nomads, like we talked about - there are also waterbenders, earthbenders, and firebenders. Before my time, things didn't get as, um, multicultural as they are now. There are benders and nonbenders, but benders only bend one element - except in one special case! That case is the Avatar. The Avatar is a spirit who is reincarnated over and over and over again in our world. This is the Avatar Cycle. That soul is born into the air nomads, then the water tribes, then the earth kingdom, then the fire nation. The Avatar can bend all four elements, and must master them all in order to keep balance in this world as well as in the Spirit World!
That's pretty important to know to get anything that I'm gonna talk about next. Anyway, the reason my grandfather became the last airbender was because the Fire Lord Sozin knew the last Avatar, a fire nation Avatar, had died. ...Air was next in the cycle. And Fire Lord Sozin used that time between the Avatars - between one dying and the next being born just then, but then having to grow up - and he used that chance, and the comet that gave his firebending strength - that's Sozin's Comet! - to attack. He wiped out all four of our temples and killed...everyone, and burnt everything, because he wanted to take out the Avatar before he could stop him in what he did next: attack the other kingdoms and try to take control.
...Grandpa got stuck in ice for about a century, which is how he escaped all that, and after, he went through a lot in order to rebalance things.
[ SKIPPING OVER THAT CHUNK OF HISTORY UNLESS ASKED FOR DETAILS, REALLY. She figures a brief outline of all that should be good, since she's trying to set up what happened. ]
After the war, there was something called the Harmony Restoration MOvement. That was a movement to remove the Fire Nation presence in the Earth Kingdom - over the course of the war the Fire Nation had taken over most of the Earth Kingdom, so - by pulling them back into the Fire Nation. There was trouble with that in a lot of the older colonies, 'specially Yu Dao. Since they were the first ones colonized, maybe a century before the Movement, there had been time for people to settle down and have families - families that weren't properly one nation or the other, 'cause they had parents on both sides. Eventually it was decided they'd halt the movement, and that area ended up being the foundation for what is now Republic City! ...More or less!
Republic City is and is not a fifth nation. It's kinda like a big port city, I guess. We have the Republic City Council, with a representative from each nation, and we do have our own police force an' stuff, but mostly it's the place where things get decided an'...stuff. [ SO MUCH EXPOSITION COULD BE DONE HERE, and she's not even to the part where she's trying to get. ]
Anyway. The Equalist movement started in my time. You know how there are benders and non-benders? The Equalists are people who think that benders have too much power - an' I don't know if they're always wrong, 'cause I've heard looooooots of arguments about it, 'cause daddy was on the council, but - ...but the Equalist movement itself went a bit further. Within the last year or so they kinda figured out how to remove people's bending. That is, Amon did. Amon was at the head of that movement. Removing someone's bending isn't something anyone but the Avatar was supposed to be able to do - that's how Grandpa ended the war, that's how he took care of Yakone - but Amon managed it.
[ Something to do with bloodbending, and she doesn't bring that up, because she promised Katara she wouldn't talk about bloodbending. ] In my time, the Avatar is named Korra. She's from the water tribes, and she came to live with us to learn airbending, which was the very last element she had to learn. While she was staying with us, Amon's attacks got worse and worse. Near the end he captured all the council members and then - ...then they attacked Air Temple Island because they wanted us, and we held them off the first time, but...well, they did catch us.
...I don't remember all of it 'cause they have these shock-y glove things that sort of knock people out, but they tied my daddy and Jinora and Meelo and me to poles on the stage of the arena. We rose up and up and up and he was talking and talking and talking. About how he was going to equalize the world, and he was going to start with us, because if he took away the bending of just four people he'd already have an entire bending culture down, 'cause there are only four of us, and he was going to start with us and make Daddy watch and he was coming closer and [ and she's not talking about it like she was before, in that story-telling voice and trying to remember the facts, and Ikki suddenly notices she's gripping her knees too hard and her eyes are shut, and she forces herself to take a breath. ] ...And Korra came.
The Equalists did really, really terrible things. They took down our police force and stole the bending of so many people, and they attacked the Republic army, and they...did a lot of terrible things. The thing is, I don't think all of them...hm. Well, I know one person for sure decided to join the Equalists because his wife died because of a firebender in one of the gangs - there are...lots of gangs in Republic City, and a lot of the members are benders. And there are things in our world, like the Fire Lord always needing to be a firebender. It's not that they are entirely wrong about certain things, 'cause Daddy talks about it with mommy sometimes, and mommy isn't a bender - but...they did terrible things.
[ She can't think of anything else he asked about right then, so she just goes on to her turn of the question game. ]
Why would you need to destroy an island?! [ That. Sounds a little too much like what some people want to do with certain airbending islands. 8|a
She listens to the explanations of two different kinds of Justice, and it's easy for Ikki do decide which she likes the sound of better. ] ...I think I like Aokiji's idea better.
[ But she doesn't pause to discuss it, instead nodding thoughtfully. ] Yes, the Avatar has to keep balance. ...What are "all Ds"?
Wait, devil fruit? How could he take someone else's fruit? I thought you eat them and then you have their power things. Oh, and who is Coby?
[ She's playing with the prayer beads on her right wrist, now, a habit that keeps her calm. And now she's thinking about a world that isn't hers, again, so the nightmare of the equalists goes away a littl ebit further. ]
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So long as you've no regrets I'm sure it'll turn out all right. [Old Grand Line philosophy, Smoker doesn't even know that he's practically echoing Whitebeard with it.]
[And his eyebrows
which totally exist and aren't invisible shhjust arch more and more with the story and explanation. Stealing bending sounds like the way Blackbeard and his crew have been taking devil fruits... except that they then use them for themselves, not simply for the sake of removing them. "Equality" is it? He'd like to introduce them to Garp and Shanks. Or just his seastone. You don't need magic or a devil fruit to be strong. And despite the reasons she explains, Smoker still can't help feeling like they're cowards. Still, even if his own inclination is towards a hundred questions just like Ikki, he's not about to press that issue further.]I see. And your father and the council are trying to stop the Equalists, or is that up to Korra the new Avatar? Or both?
[And with that, he'll go to answering her questions, taking note of the habit with the prayer beads.]
A lot of islands can be so isolated from each other that some of them wind up developing far more advanced technologies from each other. Sometimes enough to destroy several islands. Or the world. [... Something like that. It's complicated. Smoker is the last person in Luceti who can go into the deal with the four weapons, and it's why Ohara was destroyed, why Nico Robin was so hunted, and even assuming he knows enough to explain it, there's definitely no way he's allowed to. But it's a broad enough generalization he should be able to get away with it. Vegapunk (Caesar actually) accidentally destroyed an island with a poison gas attack, and now it's a danger that might get sold to the New World's black market. Yup, Smoker's starting to see a good reason for the Buster Calls.......... maybe.]
If I had to choose between Aokiji and Akainu's ideas of justice I'd go with Aokiji's. But I prefer my own. [He just has to prove that even with someone like Akainu in charge, his own brand of True Justice can still be followed.]
Ds are... I'm not completely sure what. Family perhaps? Monkey D. Garp, Monkey D. Dragon, Portgas D. Ace, Marshall D. Teach, Gol D. Roger -- otherwise better known as Blackbeard. They're all world class figures though who wind up changing history pretty significantly. That, or we just never hear of the ones who don't.
Normally you do eat a devil fruit and you have it for life. That one power, and only one. I'm told Marco the Phoenix might know why Blackbeard, was able to eat two, but we're not on speaking terms. Whatever the case, Blackbeard is the only exception in all of history. Devil fruits only last as long as the person lives, but usually they're re-spawned somewhere else in the world. Teach found a way to make it instantly accessible, so he and his crew have been hunting devil fruit users in the New World for the last two years to steal their powers and get stronger.
Coby's just a young marine. A brave one. As much as Akainu and Blackbeard changed the shape of the world with their actions in the war, so did Coby. I met him here in Luceti a couple of years ago, but it's been a long time.
I'm probably giving you a starker impression of my world than I meant to. It's not all wars and fighting. [Mostly he just wants to cheer her up, especially after the Equalist questions. Truthfully though, there's a reason he doesn't find Luceti extraordinarily terrible most of the time. He usually does deal with worse, complete with the scars to prove it. Heck his own men in the G5 base make most of Luceti's rowdiest look like docile sheep in comparison. And those are the "good guys." But still, for every cloud there's a silver lining, and there's definitely some things he thinks Ikki would like.] We have sky islands, which sound like your air temples. And the only way to get there is the White Sea, sailing up in the clouds.
And my daughter here, Keimi, is a mermaid from Fishman Island. She works for a very famous clothing design back home that even my best friend is a fan of.
There's even an island made entirely out of cake. And a floating archipelago with rivers of ramen.
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My father and the council were trying to stop them, yep! Korra...it's different than it used to be, I think. The Avatar now has to kinda listen to the rules and politics more than my grandpa did - well, he had to end a war, so - and while they wanted the same thing usually it seems to me like they had more problems than they didn't. Korra ended up defeating Amon at the end after he took over the city by capturing the council members and taking out the police. ...It kinda turns out Amon was a waterbender all along? And she fought him in front of his followers and they saw that? And him being what he was trying to equalize made things...[ Well, it took the wind out of the movement's wings. ]
They're still cleaning up the lose ends, but the city is back under the control of the council. The Republic Navy showed up just after the end of the battle and helped take the city back. Mm, actually, when I went back home? I spent my week there just helping clean up the island. When the Equalists took over, they kinda left things a mess.
What's your idea of justice, then? [ She's genuinely curious, like she has been about all of this. ]
Does the D stand for anything?
Marco's in the art club! [ yep offering that up because she'll pimp out the club whenever she can. ] Why would he know about that, though? Does he know Blackbeard?
[ Ikki likes Luceti because of the family who would otherwise be dead, and the friends she's made, and the things she's seen and done. She's yet to see anything too terrible about it.
The look on her face at the mention of sky islands is fairly priceless. She's talked about wanting to live in the sky, albeit on flying castles instead of flying islands, and she's always, always loved anything that goes through the air. She's leaning forward as she talks now, speaking more quickly. ] Sky islands?? People can live all the way up in the clouds? Have you ever been there? What's it like?
I've never met a mermaid! But I read a few stories about them, here, and - an island of cake??? How do people not eat it????
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I see. The Republic Council really do sound like the World Government then. At least in the political aspect.
So the Equalist movement is done with for now? [Slightly curious head tilt at that. It's a little strange to him, how a bunch of the people here can literally be nearly done with the chaos in their life. In his world it's too never-ending.]
My idea of justice... [A slight chin rub.] Doing what's right, because it's right. Everyone doing their best in their strengths and becoming stronger. What justice should be about. What real justice always was. It doesn't change depending who's in power, because those with power and strength have the duty to protect those without. It means making some tough choices sometimes. Putting away selfish desires for the greater good. But it's always worth it. Following justice, everything else falls into place. [More or less. It's basically having a Jimminey Cricket for a conscience and always letting Justice be your guide.]
I'm not sure what the D stands for yet. "Danger" maybe. Unfortunately most Ds don't seem to know either.
Art Club?? Hm. All right... And yeah. The Phoenix knows Blackbeard. Blackbeard used to be in the Whitebeard crew. For decades. That's part of why his leaving, and then killing Whitebeard later were such a shock.
[Definite grin at Ikki's reaction to the sky islands.] There really are islands way up there. Several of them, but I've never been personally. If you're friends with him, you can probably ask the Phoenix at the art club about them. I'm not sure if any of the Straw Hats have been to one yet or not, but they might have as well.
If you ever get the chance, get something clothing designed from Rune or Keimi. Keimi's a mermaid and definitely the best. [Biased Papa here.] And Whole Cake Island does get eaten now and again. If the rumors are to be believed.
They say there even used to be dragons on Wano Island. The New World's a crazy place, but for someone looking to prove their strength and skills, there's nowhere better to go.
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Mm, kinda. When Uncle Bumi and the navy came in to clear up the revolution, they caught a lot of the leaders under Amon, 'cause of the confusion of...everything. The Equalists were able to do so much 'cause of how they hid, and now they can't, really. I think there'll still be some problems later, but not as much, because Amon was the only person who knew how to take away bending, and also a lot of the things they had got taken away - Mr. Sato supplied a lot of their weapons and things, I'm pretty sure, and he's in jail, now. So...they're finishing things up, and from all I've heard, things are going really, really well - and the city is under control again.
[ She taps her chin as he talks, considering it, before grinning. ] I like that one! Protecting people is important. Helping them is important! Did you learn that from your parents? Or is it something you decided on your own?
Yeah, the Art Club! Rapunzel and I started one. The first meeting was on the sixteenth, and we're having meetings every month! Also, Miss Potts is going to display some of the work done in the club in her gallery, 'cause Sifu Raine asked about it! [ she looks a bit startled at the whole killing Whitebeard part. ] Why'd he kill someone who used to be his father?
I think we're friends! Well, he was nice, anyway. But everyone I've met so far from your world has been nice to me. [ PROBABLY BECAUSE OF HER AGE, come to think. ] Katara was friends with a lot of them before I got here, so I met them through her.
Does Keimi have her own shop here?
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That's a relief. Hopefully it will stay quiet for awhile then, so you can get back to your other projects.
[Another rare grin about his own justice.] I had help. Not from my parents, but from a lot of philosophers and some good mentors. And even just my friends who helped make sure I didn't get kicked out of the marines for my stubborn nature. ["Stubborn" like telling his bosses to eat shit. In the marines, where disobedience is tantamount to treason punishable by death. Seriously, he needed that help.]
I think I remember seeing that post. [Vaguely. He skims/stalks often and comments little. Believe it or not, he's not usually talkative. So Ikki gets a whole side of him almost no one else in Luceti would ever believe existed. Heck, Phoenix Ikki his roommate and him can go nearly whole weeks without talking to each other. Apparently little Ikki just gets to be the polar opposite.]
Blackbeard wanted Whitebeard's devil fruit. The only way to get it was when he died. And Blackbeard turned his back on the crew quite sometime before that. He... [Smoker hesitates again. Not just to shield Ikki, but even Ace who definitely didn't need the reminder.] is a pretty good idea of what some pirates at their worst are like. He's done a lot of terrible things.
[Yup, even Blackbeard is nice to kids. Off the top of my head the only villain I can think of that was mean to kids is Morgan & forcibly his on Helmeppo. And given the historical pirate Henry Morgan that seems reasonable.
And also all of Cipher Pol. And some of the marines. And the whole history-Moses-search for Ace. And the people Robin had to deal with as a child. But none of them count because they don't even have names.] You could probably ask one of them then, that'd be safe. [Because whatever, Sky Islands are cool, and that is just fact. He will also look for a book about them in the library for her.]Keimi mostly works in Rune's shop, but she does a lot of her own designs too. If you tell her I sent you she'll probably be thrilled to say hi.
Hey what kind of animals does your world have?
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[nothing in here, aka giving Smoker a /you tried/ star]
He's mostly worried, of course. No matter how strong he believes his brothers to be, no matter how proud he is that Luffy's living his life as freely as he wanted to, Sabo's always going to worry about them. Ace, Luffy and now Marco too, are his brothers and that bond will forever be his treasure. So just hearing about every trouble Luffy's gotten himself in is enough to freeze Sabo's blood.
And then, there's that war. He already knew there was one involving the Whitebeard Pirates. And he's heard (and even seen) enough from Ace and Marco that they only fight seriously when one of their own is in trouble.
So, what is it that made them fight a freaking war for?
...It doesn't help that Sabo now guesses that Ace died in an execution. It explains Ace's hate for them with his conversation with Smoker, right? More so than just Roger's own execution. And... if that's true, Sabo knows the story of the Pirate King well enough to not doubt the Government would also put Ace's death for all the world to see, should they discover of his blood line...
And there must be a reason why Luffy got involved in that war too. To the point he'll even break in and out of that world-renowned hell-like prison.
Marineford... just what exactly happened there?
Sabo's not sure he wants to know more. It hurts his head and his heart just thinking about the possibilities, but...]
[nothing in here, Smoker's /you tried/ star]
[Also what the hell is with all the kids having patience these days?]
[Is Luceti just that dull?]
[Is Smoker secretly getting better at story telling now that Kirimi's not even around for him to tell stories to?]
[Alas, he may never know.]
[But hopefully, no one else had this kind of patience/curiosity/thirst for knowledge. Even if he is assuming every single pirate could hear it. That's just so he stays on the safe side though.]
[At least he is well-rehearsed in being a Grandpa. Too bad his daughter is a mermaid. Or maybe it's a good thing, because that would just get weird...er.]
[nothing in here, looks good on you, man]
Which is why Sabo's popcorn.gif'ing this whole conversation.
Maybe skipping most of Ikki's story, because that's not for him to hear. (though this is super hard since he's very much interested in that world too >>;)
But yes, Smoker; you're a great story-teller. Even if this is from a Marine POV. (not that he holds this against you, it's just pirates are simply cooler)
And Sabo will definitely have to thank Ikki for asking all this questions one day. ...and okay. Smoker too, for answering.]