justicereigns | [Video] / Action

[This is a man who sounds pretty angry. Of course if you know Smoker well, then you might know he often sounds like that. Still, even for Smoker, clearly something's set him off.]

Welcome to New Feathers, if you haven't heard about the Shifts or Drafts yet, I suggest you look into it. If you want to learn basic self defense I could teach you, or Chun-Li could, or any of other teachers who offer it. Normally I'd offer to teach jitte as well, but I'm using flimsy knock-offs right now because some idiot seems to have borrowed it without permission.

[And here he gives a lethal glare to the camera.] I know a pirate took it before, and I've spent all this month hunting you down. I don't know who took it, but step forward now and I'll be far more lenient than if you continue to make me wait!

[His tone suggests that "lenient" means he'll only beat the thief half to death instead of two-thirds.]

I'll be by the barracks stacking rocks. [And making a snowman. Not that he's going to admit to that to anyone. Except kids maybe.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

He's a prankster? I don't know, of the people that know about it, he's the only logical choice. Could Ikki even lift it?

[Gives her a look and then snorts.] Phoenix Ikki. My roommate. He's stronger than I am. But even to joke around, I doubt he'd bother.

Same with Lupin. I can't say I find the humor in stealing my jitte for a month or so. Besides he was kidnapped. So was Grell.

With help? From...say...a pirate?

[She still suspects Lupin, of course.]

And there are no other leads, I suppose.

[He thinks it over.] No. If a pirate wanted it, I don't think they'd bother going through Lupin or getting his help.

None that come to mind at any rate.

Well, any witnesses? Or have you considered that Lupin might've tricked someone into helping him? He's tried to pull a few cons on me.

[She's stuck on that, because it's the only logical thing with the clues they have.]

He has? What did he do to you?

Nothing, just seen him around.

I watch journals, remember?

You're more suspicious of him than the pirates. I fail to grasp your reasoning here.

Because he's Lupin?

I dunno, I don't have quite the same feelings about most of the pirates, remember?

But the pirates are worse than Lupin. Lupin just steals things for attention, pirates are pirates for attention.

[No, no, hear him out, that is totally worse okay.]

Do go on.

They wreck lives, not just property.

Sometimes those are one and the same.