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empressofmankind · 8 months

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The Show Must Go On - Pt. 1

Buggy x F!OC

Waitering at Baratie is not a bad life, but that doesn't mean life couldn't be better. That life didn't use to be better.

It's Wednesday evening, and that means entertainment is on the menu for the restaurant's late night diners. She enjoys doing so, truly, but her mood has been spiraling and she's not feeling it today. (Un)fortunately, she is not the only entertainer in the room. And the show must go on.

Tags: Fluffy like black cotton candy. Pre-amble to a whole lotta will-they-wont-they. No smut (yet) :(

Word count: 4.7k

{PART II}

A/N: For those of you new here, coming in from the OPLA tags: I enjoy writing character driven stories - thus the OC and not a Reader-insert. I am the type of author that gleefully goes through their baggage and holds a yard sale. And Buggy has a lot of baggage.

PS. I know it's no longer the 90s, and this isn't geocities, but please listen 'Party at Baratie' with Buggy's entrance. I promise, it won't disappoint.

Baratie wasn’t full yet, but it would be by the time the clock struck ten. It always was on Wednesday nights. Shivs cleared the table as the couple rose to shrug on their coats and leave. They were regulars, a fisherman and his wife who liked their baked cod with a generous helping of Zeff’s home ground mustard. More often than not, they brought the fish for their dish. She liked them. They were nice people, quiet people. Baratie’s late night diners tended not to be.

“Ah, a free table.”

Shivs didn’t like the tone of his voice, and never had. “And you are?” she said as she turned around. Even though she knew perfectly well.

“Captain Nezumi of the 16th Branch,” the marine standing behind her said with a huff that made his mouse-like whiskers twitch.

Tall, slim and pointy-faced, he always reminded her distinctly of that rodent. Where’s a cat when you need one, she thought. Shivs crooked an eyebrow, slow and deliberate. “Who?”

“I don’t have to ask who you are,” he hissed, whiskers trilling. “Goji berry red hair, missing eye: short-straw Shivs. A pirate.”

“A waiter.” Shivs wiped down the table. “Reservations go through Xavier.” She raised her hand to alert the maître d’ at the top of the stairs.

“Illegal seaters,” she said as the timid fishman approached them.

“Well, have I never!” she heard Nezumi sputter as she left. Making her way to another table in need of clearing, she was stopped by other regulars — louder regulars. Toby and his crew. Four in all, they were about her own age. She looked at the hand on her elbow, old bruises around the knuckles.

“What is it?” she said as she turned to them and shook it.

“Will there be a show tonight?” Toby grinned, showing off a silver canine through black bangs.

“No, I don’t think so. Can I get you boys anything?”

“It’s Wednesday!” Toby spread his hands in mock disbelief. “There cannot not be a show! We put in real effort to stay sober this long.” The way his grin was lopsided suggested otherwise.

“Tough luck,” Shivs said as she stacked their pint glasses.

A hand around her wrist, the one steadying the glassware. She followed it up his arm and to his face. He’d plastered a preposterous pout on it. “I don’t need luck.”

She considered tugging her wrist, letting him smash the glasses as he pulled her back. And stabbing him in the face with one. “Does that grimace ever work for you?”

Sanji appeared at her side, a tray on his fingertips. “Leave madam alone or I’ll have you lot banned permanently this time.”

Making the smart choice, Toby let go.

“Your drinks, gentlemen,” Sanji said as he took pints from his tray and put them in front of the four pirates. Shivs left while they were distracted. There was not going to be a show tonight, she decided. Fuck them.

At the sudden shouting, followed by a deafening roar and a cackle, Shivs abruptly turned to look behind her. Yet the commotion was up the steps and near the restaurant entrance, where Xavier attempted to calm the motley crowd roused before him. Which included a lion. A large lion with a lilac coat and mane, and red face paint daubed on his snout. Customers seated below had risen to look, too. A woman screamed when the lion roared once more, the sound reverberating through the wooden beams of Baratie’s hull.

“Animals are not allowed inside, good sirs.” Xavier’s nervous voice rose only just above the ruckus.

“Animal? Richie is no mere animal —.”

Shivs squinted, her jaw jutting a little forward. Is that a clown?

“—he is a founding member of my troupe!”

“Richie?” Xavier’s voice pitched as he leafed through his register book. “Oh, ah, he’s on the list. I see. That makes, um, how many?”

“Thirteen.”

“Why yes, of course.” Xavier pushed his glasses up his nose and closed his book. He turned towards the dining room at the bottom of the stairs and caught Shivs’ gaze, motioning her towards the long table in front of the hall’s modest stage.

Taking the hint, Shiv shook out her cloth and went to it.

Xavier coughed for attention, and the few diners that hadn’t been staring up yet turned to do so now. “Captain Buggy,” he announced with sober dignity. “And, hrm. Crew.”

“No. No-no-nono. That is no good!” The blue-haired captain shooed Xavier out of his spot. In red stripes, baggy pants and schmink, he did look like a clown. One that had slept the past week in the bilge. Shivs wondered if he’d reek.

“Spotlight!” He said with a wave of his gloved hand. Benji, the techie that worked the stage lights and curtains during shows, obliged with a nice bright beam, sparkling off the captain’s wide grin. Where the jaunty music came from, Shivs had no idea.

“I am Buggy,” he announced, and it animated his whole face. “Buggy, the Star Clown. Buggy, the Flashy Fool. Buggy, the—.”

“Pirate.”

The music scratched to a stop as Buggy turned on his boot heel to the speaker. It was Nezumi, standing prim with his unit beside the table he’d been denied.

“And your name is?” Buggy pulled a grimace as if he’d found three-day-old cotton candy stuck to his glove. Then it became a grin again, though this time it didn’t reach his eyes. “Nooo, let me guess: Captain Obvious?”

Shivs snorted as a woman in a glittery leotard held up a sign that read ‘laugh’ in gaudy calligraphy, and the diners did.

“My sincere apologies, captain Nezumi,” Xavier said as he ushered the marines away. “But you have no reservation and I must therefore ask you to leave.”

“Toodles!” Buggy said with a little wave.

The spotlight trailed after the marines slinking away, but Buggy snapped his fingers and it promptly returned to him.

“Now, where was I?” He straightened to his full height and adjusted his hat. “Ah yes, I am Buggy!” The music restarted as he flicked out his coat tails behind him and sashayed down the steps, his timing to the tune and his own words impeccable. “Buggy, the Star Clown. Buggy, the Flashy Fool. Buggy, the Genius Jester!” He spread his arms wide as his grin. “Has come to your magnificent establishment with his fabulously flashy troupe!”

Acrobats spilled from behind him, flanking his descent with handstands down the steps and sliding along the curving railings. There was a fire-breather too, causing many ohs and ahs. And the lion, of course, roaring once more.

Shivs gave the table a quick wipe down as they came towards her, spotlight and lion and wide smiles and all. Buggy paused beside her, head cocked, bicorne comically askew.

“What?” she said.

He pouted and pointed at the table. “Missed a spot, candy cane.”

She realised her mistake the moment she leaned forward to look, but he’d already flicked her nose with a cackle. At least the laughter around her sounded forced.

She was going to say something about polishing someone’s overly large nose but didn’t. Up close, she wasn’t so sure it wasn’t real. And she’d glimpsed half a dozen stilettos lining the inside of that tacky fur coat when he bend towards her. No one carried that many unless they knew how to throw them.

Instead, she pulled out the chair at the head of the table for him, and he seemed properly surprised for a moment.

“Such service,” he said as he crossed his long legs and sat down, his grin broad and toothy. She moved her gaze up and narrowly avoided it lingering on his nose. His eyes were as blue as clear ocean skies and framed by impressively long lashes for a man. They batted up at her and that did something. She wondered if the red lipstick covering half his face would smear even further if she kissed him. Wondered if Zeff might actually fire her for it. She had a suspicion this was the ‘special guest’ the old cook had alluded to.

He certainly looked special.

The lion’s grumbled roar drew both their attention.

“There are only twelve seats,” Buggy observed with a note of displeasure.

Xavier all but appeared at his elbow out of nowhere. “Apologies, truly. Perhaps, a divan for the noble beast?”

Buggy glanced at Richie, who sat down with a plop like an overly large dog. He motioned between his own and the seat of a man in a poorly done bear costume. Or was that meant to be a lion also?

“Put it here,” he said, then turned to Shivs, an edge of teeth peeking through his red smile. “Honey cake, the menu?”

“I’ll fetch the chef,” she said. “Would you like something to wet your tongue, in the mean time?”

“North Blue gin?”

She’d somehow expected him to order a cocktail. “Not something sweet?”

His grin managed to split wider yet as his blue eyes flicked down and up. “Are you ‘something sweet’?”

“No.”

He winked and clicked his tongue for emphasis. “Then no.”

“A’right,” Shivs said and made her way back to the galley at the rear of the restaurant. She spotted Zeff by the stove, tasting a creamy-looking soup.

“Needs more oregano,” the old chef muttered under his breath.

“A whole damn circus just arrived,” she said as she walked up to him.

“Ah, good, I was expecting him.” Zeff put the soup ladle down and he turned to her. “Pirate captain. His name is Buggy—.”

“—the clown,” Shivs finished with a chortle. “The face paint gave the surprise away. You know him?”

“We met, briefly. Long time ago,” he brushed her question aside as he wiped his hands on a dishcloth.

“Haven’t seen his mug on paper?” she said. Though that in and of itself wasn’t so strange. Zeff kept Baratie free of that sort of tacky wallpaper. Those who knew, knew. Those who didn’t, dined none the wiser. And she hadn’t left Baratie in… some time.

“It graces a few towns and forts, I imagine,” he said with a smile. “Though probably not as many as he’d like.”

Yes, that ego had been hard to miss. Shivs tilted her head. “How much is his bounty?”

“Twelve million, last print I saw? Probably gone up since then.”

“That’s not bad for the East Blue,” she said, actually surprised. He must have some tricks up his sleeves. It made her think of the knives. And those cheeky blue eyes batting up at her. “Xavier seated them at the oval table. Asked for the menu, told him I’d fetch the chef.”

“Is that so?” Zeff chuckled. “I best get to them then.”

“Zeff.”

The chef paused halfway moving past her.

“I am not performing,” Shivs said. “Not tonight.”

He turned back to her, a frown drawing his bushy eyebrows down. “You like doing it?”

She set her jaw. “If you want a show, ask the clown. I’m sure, if you ask plenty nicely, he’ll have his whole freakshow up on the tables in no time.”

Zeff gave her a fond look. “Our Wednesday guests come for you.”

“No doubt he has some in his troupe as well, if that’s what they want to see.”

“If you want to become better at it, you’ll have to practice.” Humour sparkled in the old pirate chef’s eyes. “Maybe you can get some professional critique, huh?”

From a clown? Her thoughts scoffed. Although, he did have all those knives. People weren’t always 'one act' wonders.

She pursed her lips. “Fine.”

“Atta girl.” He gave her shoulder a good squeeze and a little shake. “Can you start on the dishes until then?”

“Sure.”

By the time ten o’clock came around, Baratie was packed. It always was on Wednesday nights. Shivs had taken off the blouse she wore under her waiter’s vest. This way, she had better freedom of movement. She removed the scarf she wore around her throat and tied up her red hair in a bun. Then adjusted the diving knife in her left boot, concealing it from view.

Coming out of the employee’s toilet and left around the stage from the back, she saw Xavier already stood upon the planks limed in the light of Benji’s spotlight.

“Dear ladies, honoured gentlemen,” Xavier said with solemn dignity. The diners quieted as the lights in the hall dimmed and the spotlight brightened, setting a shimmer to the maître d’s well-manicured scales. “May I introduce to you—.”

“BoooOOOooo!”

Buggy, hands touted beside his mouth like a megaphone as he rose from his seat.

“Sir!” Xavier admonished at the blatant breach of proper etiquette.

The spotlight jumped to the clown, who stood in it like a flower turning towards the sun.

You really love yourself limed in stage lights, don’t you? Shivs thought, standing in the shadows off-stage.

“This is not a show,” Buggy said in a tone as if a great offence had been committed. He spread his arms wide. “This is a farce!”

Before anyone could stop him, he’d hopped on stage, the spotlight kissing his heels. He blatantly stepped in front of Xavier and turned to the diners.

“Grand folk! Welcome, welcome!” he proclaimed with animated gestures — he talked with his whole body. “Tonight, you will have the rare pleasure, the absolute singular privilege, of being the very first to witness Buggy’s Astoundingly Flashy Impromptu Diner Show!”

The lights did a little colour switching dance at his last words. Benji was having fun, at least.

The dinner guests applauded even before the woman held up her sign. Visibly delighted, Buggy turned to Shivs. “You need an introducing act, caramel popsicle.” He beckoned in the direction of his crew without breaking his gaze away. “Cabaji!”

A lanky young adult rose, followed by several fellows. Acrobats and jugglers, turned out. The diners liked it well enough, but the applause was notably less than before. Shivs frowned at the flicker of irritation flitting under the surface of Buggy’s expression the split second before his perpetual grin reasserted itself.

“Next, all the way from the deep, dark South Blue,” Buggy announced, his tone low and dangerous. “A true wild beast, a known man-eater!”

The audience gasped unprompted as the lion came onto the stage with a great roar, the man in the poorly made suit in its wake. Its handler, Shivs supposed.

An elderly lady at a front table, attired in a fabulously expensive appearing gown, waved her fan all but on the brink of fainting.

“Fear not, sweetest of candied apples,” Buggy said, leaning forward from the stage to take her hand and allow for a dramatic pause. He kissed the air just above her silken glove. “Fear not. For the monster is no more.” He rose, spreading his arms as he turned towards the lion while addressing the diners: “He is now Richie, the dancing lion!”

And, sure enough, at a prompt of his handler, the lion rose on its hind legs and danced. It stepped from one paw unto the other, side step here, side step there, turning in a circle and pawing with a front leg punctuated by a much sweeter roar.

The applause was genuine and excellent as the lion sat down with a plop and yawned.

“And now~,” Buggy started.

“FuCk oFF!”

Toby, from somewhere in the rear. Shivs saw Buggy’s hand twitch at his interruption and knew what that meant. Short fuse.

“I am here to see my girl!” Toby added, supported by the hoots of his friends.

Buggy glanced at her and she made a puking face that returned a grin to his. He beckoned her and as she climbed on stage; she resisted the urge to ask if his act was throwing knives, perhaps? But only just. She had about reached his side when Toby opened his mouth again.

“Nobody is here to see your ugly mug, you red-nosed freak!”

Buggy froze.

His crew shrank away.

And those were all the tells Shivs needed, really.

“What did you say…?” Buggy said as he turned slowly towards the audience, a wink of spotlight along concealed blades as his coat shifted with his movement.

“Captain Buggy!” His blue eyes snapped unto her and she held them. “It is time for my act now, isn’t it? It’s been such a wait, is it my turn finally?”

“It is!” he said and his grin split to show teeth again. “It is time!” Buggy spread his arms in sweeping gestures towards her. “For the one, and only, fabulously flashy~!”

He leaned towards her, his tone and mime overacted confusion. “I didn’t catch your name, popcorn pop?”

The audience laughed.

“Shivs,” Shivs said.

He made a comically stabby gesture, and she chuckled despite herself, and the audience with her. “Yes, just like those.”

“The Superbly Spectacular Shivs!” Buggy concluded with a sweeping arch of his arms. The spotlight jumped on her as gold foil poppers showered her in glimmering sparkles and the audience clapped.

He turned to her, his smile all tooth and wide as an oar. “What is your act?”

Not what you think, she thought at the sparkle of cheek in his blue eyes. Instead of an answer, Shivs lifted her left foot slowly, and drew the arm length diving knife from her boot. She flipped and caught it midair, holding it now by the hilt, the blade tip down. Stretching her arm, she lifted it above her head, never breaking their gaze until she had to.

Shivs stretched, straightened and tipped her head back, aligning her esophagus with her spine. She took a deep breath, then let it escape as she slid the blade down her throat. Unblinking, she held her breath and watched the hilt approach. When she felt the short crossguard rest on both corners of her mouth, she let go of the hilt and spread her hands.

Applause exploded from the audience as she turned a full circle, showing a bare neck all around.

She retrieved the blade with care and bowed.

Rising, Shivs glanced at Buggy and saw his eyes were positively gleaming. He clapped no less excitedly than the diners.

“Encore!” an elderly man called as he rose while vigorously clapping, and the call was taken up by the others.

“The audience wants more,” Buggy said, chuffed as if he’d done it himself.

“This is all I can do.”

“No no, that’s no good,” he said with a click of his tongue. “The show must go on.”

Buggy turned to the audience. “Do you want to see the Stunningly Flashy Shivs swallow another blade?” he asked, and the response was unfortunately deafening. “Or two?!”

“Are you insane?” she hissed, grabbing his sleeve.

Buggy turned to her, smiling wide as ever.

And out came the knives.

Four stilettos, similar in type if not in make, precisely. He held the hilts clenched between the fingers of one fist.

“Pick any two.”

This was a terrible idea. She hadn’t done double blades before. His knives were shorter and thinner than her own blade, sure. But multiple meant more insertion time, a longer breath.

Sword-swallowers fucked up only once.

She picked the two that seemed most similar, digging the hilts from between his fingers. She weighed them, one in each hand, gauging their balance.

Then held them up to the audience, eliciting a few encouraging cheers.

She flinched at the twin ‘thunk’ of Buggy throwing the remaining two into the stage’s floorboard. “No foldables here,” he assured the diners, who held onto his every word with baited breaths.

There were many people. Familiar, unfamiliar. Sitting, shifting, fidgeting. She turned to Buggy, training her gaze on him. No distractions. Easier to focus on one face than on a crowd. His expression was eager, his mouth a fraction open. She could see an edge of teeth, the tip of his tongue.

This better not be the image I am taking with me to the grave, she thought as she tilted her head and rolled her eyes at the ceiling. She flipped one stiletto, then the other, bringing the tips up above her head.

She closed her eyes.

Banished that look on his face.

Focus.

She steadied herself, breathing in time with her heartbeat. One deep breath. Two deep breaths. On the third, she blew out and let one stiletto slide down her throat.

4… 5… 6… So far, so good. No new trick, this. But now for the second one, and no deflation to aid the ease of passage.

9…10… She guided it along the blade of the first, counting her heartbeats since breathing out.

15…16…17… The slow heat of suffocation started its ascend from within her chest.

24…25… The second crossguard joined the first. Sweat beaded on her forehead. The applause came from miles away as she spread her trembling hands.

28…29…30… She turned on her heels for an eternity.

32…33…34… Her vision tunnelled as she grabbed their hilts. Her throat shifted, her tongue twitching backward.

And then they were out, and she drew in the breath of the drowning, great gulps of it as she blinked stars from her eyes.

They focussed on Buggy.

His eyebrows had drawn up into a pout, but cotton candy clouds drifted past his wide blue eyes. Her gaze dodged his nose and landed on his mouth. He was biting his bottom lip. Her eyes flicked down, but his baggy pants and sash revealed nothing, or hid everything.

She flipped the stilettos and held them hilt first out to him. “These are yours.”

He snapped out of it with a smile, taking them off her hands and bending down to fetch the ones sunk into the floorboards.

Shivs pursed her lips, watching his butt shift. It was only fair, that look on his face had been a whole lot of something. Stupid clown.

He farewelled the show with the same flourish and drama he’d initiated it. The spotlight dimmed, the curtains closed, and the audience applauded one final time.

“That was more than perfect cherry tootsie,” Buggy beamed as they walked off-stage.

“I regret everything,” Shivs said. A slow, pulsing headache whined at the back of her neck. Her throat was sore. She hoped she hadn’t nicked anything.

Buggy’s face fell faster than the curtains at her words. “You are a talent, a natural, unique,” he said, all hands and exaggerated encouragements as he spoke. “You will be great one day, the greatest! Famous! Performing on the Grand Line, in the New World!”

He was right in front of her now, all but nose to nose. “You are a class act. You are one of a kind. You are—.”

“—in pain.”

“Chocolate toffee you must rest,” he said in a tone people usually got before launching into a hug or some other type of physical reassurance. It never came. He just looked at her with a concerned pout and held his own hands.

She smiled weakly. “I’ll live.”

“You must,” he grinned, then produced a shimmering golden ticket from an inside pocket of his coat. He held it between two fingers and out to her. “You should join my crew.”

“I’ll think about it,” Shivs said as she took the card without really looking at it, and out of politeness more than anything. Short fuse.

She watched him leave with a spring in his step.

It was a long while before the last diners had left, and longer still until the gold confetti had been cleaned up. Shivs sat at the bar, broom leaned against the stool beside her. Baratie was presentable once more. There was a pile of dishes, but those could wait till tomorrow. The ticket Buggy had given her laid on the bar beside her glass of water. It was a gaudy, gold foil iteration of an old-timey circus entrance pass. The front was graced by a red-nosed Jolly Roger, and the back told her on which slip the ship was docked and when they’d leave. Big Top, slip 9. Tomorrow, at 07:00. She’d smiled at the name, wondering if it would look as ridiculous as its captain. Probably.

“Saw you talk,” Zeff said.

Shivs spooked out of her thoughts at his words, not having heard him approach. He stood beside her, drying the last of the pint glasses.

“Any good feedback?”

She pinned the ticket with her middle finger and slid it towards him across the bar. Zeff put the glass down, the dish cloth across his shoulder, and wiped his hands before picking it up.

“Asked you to join his crew?” he said as he read the ticket.

“Hah. Told me to join his crew, more like.”

Zeff handed it back to her. “Will you?”

Shivs wound the ticket around her finger, making the foil crinkle and crackle in the silence. She ran her tongue past her teeth.

“No.”

The short word sounded dry and definitive.

“No,” she repeated as she shook her head and let the ticket unfurl from her finger and fall onto the bar. “He’s weird and pushy.”

“He’s an odd one.” Zeff set the broom aside and sat on the barstool beside her. “Though all pirate captains are, this old cook included.” There was humour in his tone. “The sea gets peculiar with you, you know this.”

She bit the inside of her cheek. It’d been years since she had sailed. She’d thought it would have been different, that last time. That their bond would have mattered. She pulled a stray bang free and watched the red strands slip through her fingers. You pushed your will with smiles, but pushed it all the same.

Zeff gave her a gentle nudge. “He asked you to join his crew, not to marry him.”

Privately, she wasn’t so sure all of them understood the distinction. She did miss the ocean. Baratie was ever at sea, but it was not the same. She realised, she’d held out hope he’d come back. Even though he had told her — 'I am not coming back.'

It made her angry. Angry with him, for leaving. Angry with herself, for. For what? Defaulting to existing instead of living?

Zeff observed her in silence.

“I like my life,” she said. “Here, with you and Sanji. The restaurant, our guests. It’s nice.” And it was, and she refused to be ungrateful. To just… leave.

“Your dream is not becoming a cook,” Zeff said as he tried to catch her gaze. “You’re young yet. You enjoyed being a pirate.”

Shivs looked at the ticket, wrinkled but shining no less for it.

“What is your dream?” he asked gently.

To not be miserable, she thought, then shrugged, half-heartedly. “Swallow the biggest sword on the Grand Line, I guess.”

That drew a chuckle from the old cook. “You are still a pirate, and you want to become the best sword-swallower across the Blue.” His gaze flicked from her to the ticket and back. “Sounds to me, this is the crew to be.”

12 million, she thought. It was not nothing, but. “I don’t want to tie myself to an anchor thrown into the East Blue.”

“You know, I once met a captain along the Grand Line while searching for the All Blue.” Amusement tugged at the corner of Zeff's lips. “Decent fellow, solid crew. Though I distinctly remember being mouthed off by someone with a red nose.”

Shivs cocked her head. “He’s sailed the Grand Line? Under whom?”

“A good captain. Went before his time, really.” Zeff’s face clouded with sorrow. “Famous now only for his last words and lost treasure.”

Shivs speared the ticket with a finger. “That’s a former Roger pirate?” Impossible. “He can’t be that old.” He was maybe a few years older than her, tops. “He’d have been—.”

Zeff smiled. “—half as tall as he is now.”

Shivs sat back, crossing her arms. Thinking.

“Why would he leave the Grand Line?”

Now it was Zeff who shrugged. “Ask him?”

“That’ll go over well, I am sure,” Shivs huffed, amused despite herself. Hi, why did you tail it out of the Grand Line? Oh, it was embarrassing? Oops. No, not bloody likely that she’d ask.

Zeff observed her for a moment, then said: “Will you be skipping breakfast, tomorrow?”

Shivs glanced at the ticket. The ship, the slip, the time. She smoothed the creases out of the jolly Roger, running a finger right across its big red nose.

“I’ll think about it.”

Zeff patted her shoulder and rose. “You do that, girl.”

Shivs watched him leave, listened to the tap of his peg-leg receding. Then rose, crumpled the ticket and threw it on the ground.

Tag list: @gingernut1314 @gabegade

Stupid clown.

{PART II}

#buggy live action #buggy the clown #buggy one piece #buggy x oc #opla fanfiction #one piece fanfiction #one piece live action #captain buggy #OPLA #opla buggy #Buggy pirates #the show must go on #buggy thoughts #imperial fiction #imperial shenanigans

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longhairedboybracket · 1 year

Text

Long Haired Boy Bracket All Contestants

The polls will start this tuesday the 2nd

Bracket A

1 - Ling Yao Fullmetal Alchemist vs Will Turner Pirates of the Caribbean

2 - Chigiri Hyoma Blue Lock vs Kasanoda Ritsu OHSHC

3 - Squidward Tentacles Sponge Bob Square Pants vs Link Legend of Zelda

4 - Heimdall Mcu vs Enoch Drebber Ace Attorney

5 - Izuru Kamukura Danganronpa vs Silver Pokémon

6 - Wei Wuxian Mo Dao Zu Shi vs Hua Cheng Heaven's Official Blessing

7 - Wataru Hibiki Ensemble Stars vs Akoya Gero Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-Bu Love

8 - Su Honkai Impact 3rd vs Reyson Fire Emblem

9 - Vanitas Vanitas no Carte vs Athos 3 musketeers

10 - Destruction The Sandman vs Eliot Stardew Valley

11 - Neightan Rot Monster High vs Haruka Hashida Blue Period

12 - Kian Stone Just Roll With It, Show vs Aion Show By Rock

13 - Shulk Xenoblade vs Antonio Identity V

14 - Beelzebub Granblue Fantasy vs Kiun Noragami

15 - Alex Harvey-Iniguez Magical Warrior Diamond Heart vs Fabian Blush Blush

16 - Lord Cedric W.I.T.C.H vs Eithan Aurelius Cradle Series

Bracket B

1 - Korekiyo Shinguji Danganronpa vs Hong Lu Limbus Company

2 - Alucard Castlevania vs Finn The Human Adventure Time

3 - Sakurayashiki Kaoru "Cherry" Sk8 Infinity vs Rosado Fire Emblem

4 - Geralt Of Rivia The Witcher vs Elrond Lord Of The Rings

5 - Inigo Montoya The Princess Bride vs Fire Lord Zuko Avatar The Last Airbender/Avatar The Legend Of Korra

6 - Natural Harmonia Gropius "N" Pokémon vs Loki Mcu

7 - Samsom The Old Testament vs Aramis 3 musketeers

8 - Interdimensional Prince Monster Prom vs Furanui Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-Bu Happy Kiss

9 - Ichirota Kazemaru Inazuma Eleven vs Lucas Rune Factory 5

10 - Helia Winx Club vs Gunpowder Tim The Mechanisms

11 - Shinjiro Nozomi Entropic Float vs Dia Akedia Court of Darkness

12 - Jareth The Goblin King Labyrinth vs Br'aad Vengolor Just Roll With It

13 - Little Creek Spirit vs Bigby Wolf Fables

14 - Terry Bogard Fatal Fury vs Prince Phobos W.I.T.C.H

15 - Dyuradyura Show By Rock vs Noah Kawaii Mansion

16 - Howell Wizard Bee and Puppycat vs Zero Megaman

Bracket C

1 - Inuyasha Inuyasha vs Lucius Fire Emblem

2 - Legolas Lord of the Rings vs Greg Universe Steven Universe

3 - Melli Pokémon vs Shatterstar Marvel

4 - Klavier Gavin Ace Attorney vs Lan Wangji Mo Dao Zu Shi

5 - Chewbacca Star Wars vs Cousin it The Addams Family

6 - Captain Hook Peter Pan vs Edward Elric Fullmetal Alchemist

7 - Tarzan Tarzan vs Razor Genshin Impact

8 - Gerard Keay The Magnus Archives vs Deidara Naruto

9 - Yan Qing Fate Grand Order vs Porthos 3 musketeers

10 - Yue Cardcaptor Sakura vs Headmaster Precure

11 - Kurama Yu Yu Hakusho vs Gillion Tidestrider Just Roll With It

12 - Sitka Brother Bear vs Lord Cob Tales Of Earthsea

13 - Kidou Yuuto Inazuma Eleven Go vs Takumi Ichinose Nana

14 - Peter Cook W.I.T.C.H vs Alec Swordspoint

15 - Peking Duck Food Fantasy vs Karurusu Binan Koukou Chikyuu Bouei-Bu Happy Kiss

16 - Blue Knight Tokyo Mew Mew vs Yakari Yakari

Bracket D

1 - Asakura Hao Shaman King vs Soren Fire Emblem

2 - Sesshomaru Inuyasha vs Christopher Yugioh Zexal

3 - Lord Farquaad Shrek vs Katsura Kotaro Gintama

4 - Jesus The Bible vs Sephiroth Final Fantasy VII

5 - Aoba Seragaki Dramatical Murder vs Basil Hawkins One Piece

6 - Kamui Gakupo Vocaloid vs Nahyuta Sahdmadhi Ace Attorney

7 - Jon Snow Game of Thrones vs Grusha Pokémon

8 - Terumi Furo "Aphorodi" Inazuma Eleven vs Joseph Identity V

9 - Nahobino Shin Megami Tensei vs Kite Hunter x Hunter

10 - Ogron Winx Club vs Niklaus Just Roll With It

11 - D'artagnian 3 musketeers vs Monmon Show by Rock

12 - Xie Lian Heaven's Official Blessing vs Olivier Vanitas no Carte

13 - Xiao Yin Dislyte vs Thane Bauer Watashi no Oshi Wa Akuyaku Reijou

14 - Toki Wartooth Metalocalypse vs Madmartigan Willow

15 - DJ Grooves A Hat In Time vs Jae-ha Akatsuki no Yona

16 - Nezumi No.6 vs Ashe Bradley Witch's Heart

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mmkin · 1 month

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Shark Bait ch 6 (Arlong x Reader)

Shark Bait has been updated. AO3 link here, story also included under the cut.

Content/trigger warnings - abuse (of various kinds), noncon, dead dove! NSFW, blah blah.

o0o0o0o

Nami comes back from another trip, the freedom of her village so close she can taste it, and you’re happy for her. Considering what she’d been through for the last eight years, not just with Arlong, but risking her life against pirates to collect the money to pay off her debt, you find it impossible to feel jealous of her impending freedom.

You stay where you usually do – the sidelines – and watch the drama unfold as the Straw Hats come to the island in pursuit of their friend and their boat. Nami’s under a lot of stress, and so are you because Arlong is pissed off about these Straw Hats, especially after the one with the slingshot attacked Arlong in Cocoyashi Village. Oh, how he roared and thrashed around, and his fishmen had to restrain him. Much as they dislike humans, the fishmen are pragmatic enough to not allow Arlong to destroy another village.

But oh, he finds other ways to express his bad mood. He’s a bully, and mean, and big and strong. He might be loyal to his nakama, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune to his sarcastic comments or foul moods.

It's been so long since he had his rule directly challenged so close to home. Navy ships, ha! A simple conquest for fishmen, but a handful of teenagers are proving to be more of a problem than the arrogant sharkman wants to admit.

You’ve been ground under the heel of Arlong and his friends, your old life almost seeming nothing more than a dream. You let Arlong and his crew use you as they please, and they make sure to remind you constantly what a slut you are, and how honored that a half-human like you should be able to serve them so intimately. Regardless of whatever privileges Arlong grants you, you’re still his fucktoy, and that was the fate you were resigned to until you hear Arlong talking to Nezumi and telling him about Nami’s Berry stash.

After Nezumi leaves, you whip around to Arlong as the fishmen cackle over Arlong exploiting the loophole in his deal with Nami.

“You’re despicable!” you say, displaying more fire than you have in a while. This only makes Arlong and his peers laugh harder. Your first thought is to run to Nami and warn her, but as if he reads your mind, he grabs your arm, pulling you into his lap as he grins down at you.

“Little clownfish. Why be so concerned over a silly little human? I buy her presents and clothes, just as I do for you. She’ll just keep on making her maps for the rest of her life, fulfilling her purpose as a useful human in the Arlong Empire!”

You squirm and try to kick your way out of his lap, but as you’ve already learned – and been reminded of often – you’re nothing against a pack of full-grown and powerful fishmen. Arlong takes you right then and there, reminding you of your position within the crew as his men watch their captain force you into submission despite your screams and struggles before he throws you into a cell to keep you from interfering, telling you that the rest of his crew will take their time to remind you where you belong when this silly little affair with the Straw Hats is over. Part of you is terrified. But the other part of you is aroused at that thought.

You stand just outside of Arlong Park, mouth agape at the sight of the grand structure in ruins. You almost can’t believe it, but it actually fucking happened. Arlong and his men had been defeated by humans. Mere humans, even if the leader of them was a Devil Fruit user.

Humans – at least some of them – are not as weak and pathetic as Arlong thinks. (Thought, perhaps?) You remain in the shadows under the trees, but Nami notices you and runs over to you.

“Y/n! Are you all right?” she asks.

“I should ask the same of you,” you whisper hoarsely, noticing her bandaged shoulder. You look past said shoulder to the ruins of the park. “Is he…”

“Barely alive. But the Marines – good ones – will be coming to collect Arlong and his men.”

“So… it's over. It's finally over," you breathe, falling to your knees. She sinks next to you and pulls you into her arms as you cry.

“Yes. I’m free. My village is free. You and your mom are free!” she says. This makes you cry harder but from happiness.

You consider your options.

You can go back to your island like nothing had ever happened. After all, there's no more tribute to be paid, and your mother will be happy to see you. You can put this all behind you.

You could take Nami’s invitation and join her crew. Luffy’s enthusiastic about having a half-fishwoman on his crew, and being Nami’s friend certainly doesn’t hurt anything. Going on an adventure doesn’t sound too bad.

Arlong didn't use you as a combatant, but you did plenty enough support work because even with only half the typical Fishman strength, you're still five times stronger than a human and that strength is doubled in the water just like any other fishman. You've learned about ships – and how to take them apart, like you've been taught by Arlong's crew. You could go after the Marine ship that has Arlong and his men on board, attack it from the outside, and help Arlong and his men break free.

Y/n, what do you do?

o0o0o0o

Well, that was an interesting experiment for me. I normally write more vanilla/consensual stuff, but was feeling a bit dark/kinky and was inspired by the prompt mentioned in the first note for this story. So this was a bit of an experiment for me. I know there’s way dark/worse stuff out there, but this was still quite an experience for me to write this sort of project. I hope you enjoyed it, and I welcome feedback, ideas, or suggestions.

#arlong #one piece #one piece x reader #arlong x reader #dead dove #fanfiction

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mybabydenkikaminari · 9 months

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Episode 7 (OPLA)

-Buggy’s head, lovely as usual (and lovely song too)

-Sanji having meet Luffy 5 minutes ago and already knowing him very well (as observant as always)

-Zoro picking his first fight with Sanji

-Zoro “You don’t know Nami” sounds pretty mad about leaving them behind to me

-Love the idea that the pinwheels are something typical from Nami’s island because of the tangerine grove, it’s genius

-Nami playing cards like a boss, such a power move

-Loving that Arlong Park is really a park with the little booths to play an all (a true call out to Arlong’s past and his dream of being able to go the one in Saoboy, but fishmen racism)

-I have mix feelings about Garp and Zeff, I’m afraid of the tickling

-Garp stopping he's chase for food is so on point (poor Bogard trying to be a good marine)

-”Ooh, new guy carries the clown head”

-Genzo is a fucking exact copy from the one in the manga and the anime

-Zoro stopping Luffy by touching him (yes I am still not over all the ZoLu from the last episode - how could I?)

-Nojiko is beautiful even more gorgeous that the manga and anime

-Nojiko spitting at Nami because she is such a boss and not afraid of anything like their mother. Queen slay!!! (Poor Nami though)

-Am I going insane or Luffy and Nami are also a thing? Because I have felt it right here and right now (i have seen glimpse through the episodes, but this is a whole other level)

-Zoro picking a fight with Sanji, yet again (I am in love with their dynamic)

-”I’m Monkey D. Luffy, I’m a pirate-” “Hunter. Pirate Hunter” Zoro my precious boy, being a observant genius and a big brain

-Usopp stealing a tangerine 10/10

-Nojiko is introduction the Straw Hats also 10/10 (Usopp going behind Zoro, like the sneaky boy that he is)

-Zoro recognizing the phrase Nami doesn’t have friends tickles something in me

-Sanji flirting meanwhile Nojiko still have a loaded gun in her hands

-Zoro already getting annoyed to Sanji’s flirting

-Sanji offering to cook and all the reactions that ensues

-”Fine, but there’d better be dessert” NOJIKO IS SUCH A MOOD

-Koby and Helmeppo scaring seeing Garp eat and Bogard only adding to it, yes thank you

-So now you are telling me that I need to ship Garp and Zeff? Because I have 0 complains

-Usopp smiling face “Yeah I was right” <3

-Nojiko smiling face <3<3<3

-Luffy leaving and Zoro following behind, because now Luffy is his captain and he is fully committed to that (they are so cute)

-Luffy’s speech 10/10

-Nezumi getting his pride crush because he is a racist asshole (Arlong is no better but you know)

-Jimbei mention!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-Oh no, here we go again… Helmeppo is buying a drink for Koby… and being nice to him… and making sassy comments that sound flirtatious…

-”Aren’t you full of surprises?” + “Thought it’d take a lot more liquor to bring out your mutinous side”

-Btw Koby drinking 3 shoots in less than five minutes, our boy is growing <3

-YES, DEFINITELY ON THE GARP X ZEFF BOAT

-Poor Garp, in reality he just wants Luffy to be safe, even if it’s terrible at doing it

-I am okay with the change but it makes me feel even sadder for Nami and Nojiko, at least in the manga and anime they have each other, but here poor Nami has been all alone for 8 years and Nojiko has lost her sister for the same amount of time

-That they recreate the exact poses of the iconic moment when they are all going to kick some asses makes me extremely happy and grateful for the amount of detail that the live action has

#opla #one piece live action #one piece netflix #one piece #opla spoilers #my post

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no6secretsanta · 5 months

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The Siren

For: @dragons-of-ara From: @a-still-small-vox

Author's note: Happy holidays! Your request for a fantasy AU with Nezumi's singing immediately made me think of sirens for some reason (...the mythical creature, not, you know, loud warning noises), and I decided to go with my first instinct. The song lyrics at the end are from The Riversitter, which is Vienna Teng's newest single. A Vienna Teng AMV got me into No. 6 in the first place, way back in 2013 or 2014, so to me it was very fitting. I hope you enjoy!

General Audiences • No warnings • 2,500 words • Fluff • Alternate Universe • First meetings

(This story will be posted on my AO3 account by December 29th if you'd like to read it there.)

___

“Take the ship around to the cove. If I don’t come back in three days, assume I either drowned or I decided to stay here for a while,” Shion said, neatly folding his last shirt and tucking it on top of his pack, then closing the bag.

“Are you sure about this, Captain Shion?” asked Safu, the sailing ship’s navigator and first mate.

“I know it seems strange, but yes,” Shion said, putting the bag on his back. “Don’t worry about me, Safu. This is my choice.”

“Yes, Captain,” Safu said as they made their way through the ship to reach the deck. Once there, Shion prepared a rowboat and retrieved a ball of beeswax from his pockets. He divided it in two and carefully moulded each half over the outsides of his ears. Soon he could no longer hear the slap of the waves against the hull of the ship, or the creak of the wind in the rigging. Perfect.

“You have the con, First Mate Safu. Be well,” Shion said. She raised a hand to him in farewell and he hopped into the rowboat. She winched him down to the water below. Shion spared a backward glance for the ship as he rowed away. It had been his pride and joy, and the crew were all good people. But he had sort of mislead Safu a little — he had no intention of ever seeing it again.

Shion was less than half a mile from his destination, and he was a strong rower. He insisted on staying fit so he could lend a hand with any emergency situations on board the ship, such as a storm, a pirate encounter, or even a wreck. The coastline grew larger as he approached the rocky shore. And it was then that he saw him.

The siren.

The siren appeared to be a man around Shion’s age. He had moon-pale skin and long, glossy blue-black hair that hung down his back like an inky curtain. He wore a jagged skirt made of dark seaweed and a trailing necklace of pearls that reached almost to his waist. But from the waist down he was covered in silvery scales, with clawed feet similar to those of a bird, but with webbing between the toes. He had sheer silvery fins on the backs of his legs and arms. Shion had never gotten close enough to confirm it, but he imagined the siren had sharp teeth and maybe even claws on his fingers. Sirens were said to be incredibly dangerous creatures, who used their magical voices to lure sailors to their deaths and then eat them or rob their corpses. Or both.

But to Shion, the siren was a beautiful, fascinating creature, and he was determined to meet him.

As he got closer he saw that the siren was singing! Shion rowed harder, although he was mindful of the rocks as he manoeuvred into shallower water. Once he got close to the shore he hopped out of the boat, neatly arranged the oars inside, and dragged it up onto the sand. He turned and faced the siren, who was still singing at him. His teeth were pointy! From the looks of it, it was quite a performance. Shion was sad that he couldn’t hear a thing, but he also knew better than to remove the beeswax.

Instead he just sat down on the sand and waited until the siren’s face crumpled in confusion. He closed his mouth and tilted his head. Shion noticed that his eyes were the same beautiful silvery colour as his scaled legs. He had never seen a colour like that before in anyone else’s eyes.

Now the siren was saying something. His mouth was moving differently than it had when he was singing, less exaggerated to let pure, round sounds out.

“I can’t hear you,” Shion said, pointing at his ears.

The siren said one word. Shion guessed that it was “What?” but it could have been any number of other things. A special siren insult, or something.

“I can’t hear you,” Shion repeated. “Don’t sing at me anymore, and I’ll take this out.”

The siren looked incredibly offended. He scowled, folding his arms across his chest. Shion noted with a scientist’s glee that his fins were fluttering with agitation. But since his mouth wasn’t moving, Shion cautiously rolled the wax down from the outside of his ears.

The sounds of the waves crashing on the shore and a gull crying overhead reached his hearing. But the siren was silent.

“Thanks, that’s better. It’s nice to meet you. My name is Shion,” Shion said, putting the wax back in his pocket.

The siren scowled. “If you couldn’t hear me, why did you come here?” His voice, even when speaking, was beautiful and musical. It was a light, cool voice, with a certain androgyny to it. Shion imagined that his range was incredible.

“I wanted to meet you,” Shion explained, crossing his legs.

“Aren’t you afraid I’m going to eat you?” the siren said, leaning towards him menacingly.

“I did consider that could be a possibility. But regardless, you’re an intelligent being. You probably have fascinating life experiences,” Shion said. “Also, don’t freak out, but I did bring a gun in case you attack me.”

He swung his pack around to the front of his body and patted the side pocket, where there was a loaded pistol.

The siren’s eyes narrowed. “Are you planning to hold me hostage until I entertain you?”

“No. If you don’t want to talk, I’ll just leave,” Shion said with a shrug. The siren hesitated for a moment and then said, “Talk about what, exactly?”

Shion felt a little thrill go through him. He might actually be able to convince the siren to have a conversation! “Well, for starters, what’s your name?”

“Nezumi.”

Shion smiled. “You know, in my language, that name means Rat.”

“In mine it means Silver One,” Nezumi retorted sharply. He gestured at his tail. “I think you can see why.”

“Yes, your eyes are the same colour,” Shion said.

Something about his tone was clearly displeasing, as those self-same silver eyes narrowed again. “Wait a minute. Do you think I’m attractive?”

“Yes. You’re beautiful,” Shion said, not seeing a reason to lie. Maybe it was because he was an aquatic creature, but Nezumi had a natural grace to the way that he moved. Then there was the long hair and the silvery eyes. No one else Shion had ever met had enchanted him in such a way.

“Oh, great. I got the one human who doesn’t see me as a weird, alien creature,” Nezumi said, rolling his eyes. “Well, I don’t think your nubby little teeth and your stubby fingers are all that appealing, so back off.”

At that, Shion laughed. “I wouldn’t expect you to. I’m sure you find the traits of your own subspecies much more attractive than those of humans.”

Nezumi tilted his head and just studied him for a long moment. “You’re really going to try and convince me that all you want is to talk to me?”

“Yup,” Shion said, nodding.

“And I’m supposed to believe this because?”

“Oh, well, I will pay you, if it helps?” Shion said, opening a different pocket on his bag and withdrawing a small cloth bag with a drawstring.

“What exactly do you think you have that might be of value to m— are those emeralds?” Nezumi said, as Shion poured the contents of the bag out on his palm. “Or are they just glass?” Nezumi tacked on, attempting to recover.

Shion took one, set it down on the rock of a nearby tidepool, took another rock, and bashed it down on the emerald. It didn’t break. “They’re real.”

“Who are you?” Nezumi said, looking somehow even more aghast than he had when Shion told him about the gun.

Shion looked him dead in the eyes and said, “I am a very bored captain formerly in the employ of the Moondrop Trading Company.”

“Formerly?”

“Yeah, I just resigned this morning,” Shion said, glancing up at the sky. The sun was only just getting high enough for it to be called noon. Maybe 11:30. “I used to think my job was part of a harmless mercantile endeavour, but I’ve come to realise that it’s a tool of global oppression. As you can see, I’ve been very successful at it, so I decided to just retire young. Maybe leave human society completely and dedicate myself to research.”

At that, Nezumi started laughing. “Oh, I get it now. You’re insane. I suppose I can work with that. Give me some of those stones. You can have one hour of my life for each.”

He held out his hand, and Shion passed him three emeralds, putting the rest back in the pouch and replacing it in his pack. Nezumi started putting the emeralds into a pouch of his own that Shion could now see he wore around his waist, camouflaged among the strands of the seaweed skirt.

“Thank you,” Shion said earnestly. “But you should know, I’m not insane. Just principled… and honestly pretty angry I was a part of something so detrimental. I only wish I could do more to stop them from hurting more people, even though I’m not a part of it anymore.” “If it makes you feel better,” Nezumi said, “sirens don’t eat people. I sing to get idiots to give me their valuables. And every last one of the men I’ve had swim out to me over the past few months has been from your precious Moondrop Trading Company.”

“You’re in a shipping lane,” Shion informed him with a shrug. “I would say sorry for the disturbance, but it sounds like it’s been pretty lucrative for you. Are you the only siren around here? Are sirens solitary?”

Nezumi snorted. “No, I have a family and a tribe. Most of them prefer not to interact with humans.”

“Do they live nearby?” Shion said, looking around. He didn’t see any signs that another siren could be lurking on the shore or in the water. He couldn’t imagine what kind of home a siren might live in. Did they live underwater, in deference to their aquatic abilities? Or did they live on land, since they could breathe air equally well?

“Yes, we live all over and under the peninsula.”

“And how many of you are there? Are there many old ones? Young ones?”

“Are you going to just ask me inane questions for the next three hours?” Nezumi said.

“I paid you, didn’t I?”

Nezumi sighed. He leaned forward until he was lying down on his stomach in the sand, with one elbow bent to prop his head up in his palm. “Fine. What’s the next one?”

That was the beginning of a long conversation, over the course of which Shion learnt that the sirens of Nezumi’s tribe lived in a labyrinth of underwater caves, some of which ran clear underneath the peninsula. There were other siren tribes living nearby, some of which came to the peninsula to trade or find a partner. Sirens had their own stories, religion, and art, even a limited degree of science. To Shion’s surprise, Nezumi loved human books ever since he’d taken a book of fairytales from a sailor he’d charmed with his singing. It was all so fascinating that the time flew by. Shion felt like he could sit there forever, just listening to Nezumi talk and tell stories of his culture and his home.

Eventually, Shion realised with alarm that it was well into the afternoon and the time he had paid for was almost up. Before he lost the chance forever Shion said, “I have one more question. Do sirens sing for each other?”

“Yes,” Nezumi said brusquely. Shion could tell he was ready for this conversation to be over.

“I wish I could hear you sing the way another siren would hear it,” Shion sighed.

“It’ll cost you,” Nezumi said, glancing at Shion’s pack.

“I’m not paying you to rob me,” Shion chuckled. “It would take more hours’ worth of emeralds than I have on me to bring us to a level of trust where I’d feel comfortable listening to you sing.”

Nezumi shrugged. “That’s a shame,” he said, not sounding like he meant it at all.

⁂

Most siren songs didn’t have words. They conveyed their meaning by the feelings and images they evoked in the mind of the listener. It was almost a form of thought transference. Ever since he first heard Nezumi sing like that, Shion had been unable to stop himself from thinking of it now and then as magic.

But every so often, Nezumi decided to sing a song with words for Shion.

“You don’t have to tell a tidy story, You don’t need a home for every hole, You can just sit in the river, let the river rush to you.

You don’t need to find and lose true love, You don’t need a twisting in your soul, You can just sit in the river, let the river run you through. You can just do the thing that you get the idea to do.”

Nezumi’s voice rang pure and clear as a silver bell, shaping and forming both the words and the sounds with perfect clarity and intonation. The song rose and swelled and filled the rooms of the small home they shared, built partly of pieces of wrecked ships and hidden in the woods just off the shore of a nearby secret cove. The magic of siren-song filled Shion’s mind with images of silver water, currents and streams light as air and cold and sweet as mountain melt-water.

Shion had done many things that he once had the idea to do. He had the idea to meet a siren, and he met one. He had the idea to get to know the siren that he found, and he became Nezumi’s friend. He had the idea to make a home for himself on the peninsula where Nezumi’s family lived, and he moved into a cave that connected through underwater tunnels to the sirens’ own home.

He had the idea he might be falling in love with Nezumi, and that idea turned out to be correct. Then they had the shared idea to build a life together, and so they made this little home. Now Nezumi wore a necklace made of pearls and emeralds, and their waterproof library was full of books from all over the world.

“So come on, let’s search among the strangers and the souvenirs; How gorgeous and grand you have grown! Sit with me among the branches of this chandelier While flesh and blood remain between our bones, And I will show you the most precious thing I own.”

And Nezumi looked right at Shion as he sang, and he held out to him a small silver and emerald ring.

#no. 6 #no6 #no 6 #no.6 #nezushi #nezumi #shion #no. 6 secret santa #dragons-of-ara #a-still-small-vox #voxiferous

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khepiari · 2 years

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One Piece 1053: The three-Three Billon Bounty Dilemma! And my birthright to comment on it! [Contains Spoilers]

{Okay, I have read chapter 1053. First of all Green Bull is scary. Secondly, Robin is safe, phew. Third, Pulton is on Wano.}

Since last night I have been laughing at Captain Buggy-Sama becoming the New Emperor! Underneath Buggy meme tweets I have been seeing people getting miffed about Luffy sharing same Bounty amount with Law and Kid, and how it makes them angry when Luffy defeated Kaido alone, and Law and Kid defeated Big Mom.

I am sorry, but you are reading the situation of the bounties is wrong. To World Government bounties were never method of power scaling, bounties are a means to judge their enemies’ threat level. They hyped Luffy up with his first bounty of 30 million to catch the attention of bounty hunters, they had assumed Luffy would be eradicated if his bounty was higher, either by them or pirate hunters! But that backfired, instead it gave Luffy the attention that made him an enigma from east blue.

We as a reader are getting the story told from an aware narrator perspective. But the events in One Piece universe are not linear or widely talked about. We have been with Luffy from the beginning, but the people of One Piece world hear about Luffy only when something drastic happens, and the bounties and the newspapers are the best means to explain this broken information trail.

Since the beginning of story other than us the readers, the only other people who know Luffy’s potential is World Government and Marines. Luffy, took down marines, pirates, kings, warlords within months of his debut on the seas. World Government knows he is a/the illogical invariable in their grand scheme of equations of ruling. Hence they placed the credit of Crocodile’s down fall on Smoker and Tashigi.

Similarly they must have hidden his actions with Captain Morgan, Captain Nezumi and more. By the time World Government realised Luffy was not a easy fly to catch he had already arranged an admirable crew, they jumped his bounty to 100 million, this time to attract other pirates who liked taking down rookies. Latest example of it being Kid trying to immediately eliminate Luffy after learning about his Emperor status!

And the 100 million bounty worked, Blackbeard came all the way to Jaya to catch Luffy, because offering his head to Marines would earn him shichibukai aka warlord title. Marines and World Government have always used bounties to spread the message they wanted the world to see. They hid the D. In Roger’s name, because Germa paid them or used their influence, they removed the wanted DEAD from Sanji’s poster, they can freeze bounty. Each poster is a message and threat and a boast that no matter how powerful a pirate is World Government can measure it in berries.

The world outside Wano will never learn of Luffy’s contributions, very much like, Alabasta, Dressrosa, Thriller Bark or Drum Island. At best Luffy is a legend; Lucy to Dressrosa, a cocky pirate friend of Chopper’s in Sakura, Luffylando to fairies or a warrior from Noland’s world to Skypiea people. The world knows of Luffy more is because of the den-den mushi mishap of Marineford, the entire world got to see him in action on the light scrolls. It is after Ace’s death that Luffy used World Government’s methods to trick them into believing he is ringing the ox bell to start new era, but it was actually to deliver his message to the crew.

Now let’s come to 3 billion berri new Emperor.

World Government wanted to remove the D. from the posters, the photograph printed of Luffy’s was not the approved one. Right now we are witnessing the display of 800 years of utter incompetency of the World Government, lack of communication between the five elders aka the Gorosei and Marines. Marines or World Government actually hired the same guys to print their posters who print the newspapers! A twittering Media Moghul Brid, who has been covering Luffy’s story since Marineford, named him the Fifth Emperor of Sea weeks back It shows us two things, World Government’s own network is broken and they have been in power for so long is all because of Mighty Marine Manpower.

Luffy, Law, Kid sharing same bounty amount is nothing but an attempt to cover up Luffy’s potential from the world. Why call him an emperor and not the other two or why is his bounty same with other two when he fought thrice them; all these thoughts are redundant when seen from narrative context.

The title of emperor comes not based on who you defeated or what you did, it comes from what your name holds. Blackbeard earned the warlord title, but he became Emperor only when he began taking over islands under his banner. Shanks has territories and allies all over grandline and he can stop WAR. We may laugh at Buggy-Sama, but he filled the arms trade void left by Doffy, Buggy also has cult like followers, may be it is by fluke, but influence is influence.

Luffy at this point is the most chaotic element in the world; a walking god that can communicate with sea kings and a cursed depressive elephant, a D. with a Grand Fleet of reputed captains with 5640 people, an Island under his flag, three allies from worst generation, a handful of kingdoms who are supportive of him, a diabolical grandfather, a criminal father, a dead notorious brother and another revolutionary brother, has amicable alliance with two worst generations. As for crew members he has a woman the only one in the world with knowledge of poneglyphs, an exiled prince, a former bounty hunter, a cyborg who knows the mechanics of Pulton, an ancient musician who has mysterious past, a liar who swayed the population against Doffy. These are few feathers on Luffy’s hat.

But World Government also doesn’t want Luffy to stand out much, and their intel collection is flawed. They believe what they hear and photographs they received. In their eyes, three worst generation rookies teamed up to defeat two emperors. Not only that, it is also a way of discrediting Luffy’s name, he maybe an emperor but he is not any better than his fellow peers, they have been trying to co-opt Luffy for their propaganda for days. But the initial aim of this decision backfired, the poster was meant to convey Luffy is just another Pirate who shot up the ranks, by omitting his D. and using his regular photos. Now people can clearly see he is not another rookie from his white bright as bulb, photo, people who know about DFs will understand he has awoken and people and creatures who have been awaiting the return of Joyboy/Sun God Nika might connect the dots! So new allies and new enemies will both come for Luffy now!

The three sharing same bounty amount is not Odachii undermining Luffy, it is World Government who has been repeatedly trying to erase Luffy from the existence of the narrative they have been trying to tell. Justice belongs to the victor, Luffy has with a steady speed been countering the story, it began with Marineford, the world saw there is no good or bad in violence. World Government and marines are meant to protect people, but throughout the story they have proved otherwise their goal is to maintain power, it never mattered if a country was brought to ruins. Fujitora is the first to accept responsibility of World Government’s failure, negligence and incompetence, the doubt in justice began with Kuzan, Koby wants to protect true justice that’s why he joined marines, Tashigi cried when she realised her job to protect people of Alabasta was done by Pirates, the marines who care follow their own code of justice, biggest example being Garp. There is going to be a fall out between the World Government and Marines in coming days, as the ruler and the execution bodies are no longer in sync. The three billion bounty poster is a last desperate attempt by World Government to control the narrative.

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salteytakesonmanga · 1 year

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HI HACHI! I’ve always really liked him, he’s such a weirdly sweet character to be mixed up with someone as vicious as Arlong. Plus his design is so fun.

Dishonorable mention for cutting out the information about each of the Fishmen! In Japanese we get what type of Fishmen they are in the little box with their name but the English omitted it.

#one piece #op ch69 #saltey takes on one piece #hatchan #captain nezumi #dishonorable mention

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punks-never-die205 · 9 months

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Unseen

afab!reader x Killer

CW: canon-typical violence, smooches, sexy times, second go at life try again style story, 18+ only

Chapter 4: First Kiss

With Kid's permission, you talked to the crew the next day and started sorting out who you felt could help the most. Even when you dropped anchor on the island you still had five more days before Nezumi would even be on the horizon.

Rule one of the upcoming job was to be comfortable with it. You'd gone over a lot of possibilities in your head, and you knew which crewmates you'd prefer to work with. Heat, Wire, Killer, and Kid were out of the question. They were too notorious to provide back up, even if you disguised them. Hip and Hop worked well together and didn't have bounties, so you could rely on them for some legwork in town. They were also relatively newer members, so there was less infamy with them. Boogie was in charge of makeup; man had an amazing talent for it. Papas and Reck had your measurements and would go shopping once you landed, since limiting your exposure on the island until the job was paramount.

You were sure you could make a team of three to run the area around Nezumi like clockwork, especially with support from the rest of the crew. You'd be on point, and between the other two, the codes would be copied and then returned. If only you could use your gift to copy text instead of devil fruit powers.

The only detail you were stuck on was hanging on Nezumi. You didn't want to press anything against a Marine Captain, except maybe the barrel of a gun. You were sure you could flirt; you were even practicing with House in the private confines of the medical bay. But hanging on a mannequin or making bedroom eyes at House was going to be different from trying to hide your repulsion from Nezumi.

You'd tucked emotions away before to do a job, but that was before.

Every time you'd get into a groove, all you'd see was that mask. You could hear his voice rolling around in your brain, you could feel your skin prickle delightfully at the idea of touching him. You might be untested in love, but you weren't ignorant enough to not understand what the urges meant. He was always so guarded though, that you didn't know what would come of even admitting your feelings.

But if you didn't say anything now, and something happened...

You shook your head, closing the drawer in front of you and leaving quickly. If you could decide to run away from CP9 and then successfully dodge the world-fucking-government for seven years, then you could grow the balls to tell Killer you wanted him. No matter what the answer was going to be. Things had been terse between him and Kid the entire time, and you could feel frustration rolling off of him when you were helping him with cooking.

You couldn't leave what you needed to say unsaid. You couldn't risk waiting until after the job, if Nezumi was as much a sleaze as you imagined, he'd probably steal a kiss at the first available chance. You had no doubts you could give him the slip, but if you dodged him too much or too obviously it would ruin the mission. You'd done a lot worse than kiss someone you didn't like in your lifetime, but you didn't want your first kiss to be with someone you didn't like.

After asking around you found Killer in one of the storage holds. The light was dim in the windowless room, and while most of it was neatly organized there were random rags and brooms here and there. You stepped inside and closed the door behind you. There wasn't a lot of the crew on the ship today, so you weren't worried about someone coming by, but this seemed like the sort of thing you closed the door for.

Subtle wasn't your forte, but you didn't want to force your desires onto him or make him feel bad. You also didn't want to miss the chance to kiss him, and you were struggling internally with what to say. The downside of committing to this course of action so swiftly was that you hadn't planned anything out.

In the end, you realized there wasn't any way to say this without creating pressure. For a long moment you couldn't find your voice, and Killer set down what he was doing and turned toward you inquisitively. The gaze behind the mask had you stuck in place, so you stepped off the proverbial ledge with both feet.

"Kiss me," you say softly, maybe a little too softly.

Killer freezes in place. You imagine his mouth was agape, not that you could tell well in the dim light.

"I've never kissed anyone before, and I don't know how this is going to go, but even without the job, I want to kiss you. Only you." You swallow hard, and were grateful for the dim light, but you were sure he could make out all the details he needed to.

"I've wanted to since we first fought, and it's become more since then." You continue. "You... you don't have to make me any promises, or commitments, I just... I want..." You struggle for the right words. "If I could choose for myself, who to kiss, then I want to kiss you."

Not Kid, not Wire, not Heat, not anyone else on or off this ship. It didn't matter what was under the mask, there was just something about Killer that drew you in. You weren't even sure of all the reasons why yourself; you just knew what you knew.

He wasn't saying anything, good or bad, and you weren't sure how things were going to go. You knew he wore that mask all the time, and you didn't know why. You hadn't felt like it was your place to ask, so you never posed the question. Now you worried that whatever was the reason for it would also be a reason that he would turn down your request.

"Hang on," you grab a rag and tie it around your eyes before turning back to Killer, your face is hot and red. "Please, I even have my eyes closed. You can walk by and leave me here, and I won't ask again, and if... if you stay then I won't peak. I swear."

You couldn't see anymore, but you could hear more clearly than usual. The clicks of his mask coming undone mixed in with the steady beat of his boots walking closer. You meant to keep your hands at your sides, but you reach out for him with more desire than you were willing to admit. You curl your fingers closed, you didn't want to guilt him into doing anything he didn't want to do, but the need was so strong.

A warm hand wraps around yours, guiding your fingers to his chest. The damned rock-hard chest that was definitely flesh and not stone. You can feel his pulse in your fingertips as you slide your hands up to his neck. His hand slips around your back, and you gasp a little.

"I haven't even kissed you yet," He murmurs softly, his voice and breath by your ear. His voice was sweet even from behind the mask, but now it was like honey.

"S-sorry. Everything's on edge with, with my eyes closed." You slip your fingers into his hair, suppressing the urge to pull him forward. You feel his nose and lips barely brush across yours before his hands grab your hips and pull you up into him, his voice and breath huskier and heavier in your ear.

"Only because your eyes are closed? Do I have nothing to do with it?" His question sent shivers down your neck, and his teasing tone was trying to hide a need you were all too familiar with.

"M-my eyes are only closed because of you," You could feel the heat burn up to your ears. "Stop teasing me and kiss me already."

"Sorry, brat, I didn't realize how much I'd enjoy seeing you like this. I wanted to savor it a little long-."

"(Y/N)." You cut him off with a whisper and felt his body tense. "My... my name is (Y/N)."

He leans in and you feel the barest hint of his lips against yours before he whispers your name, soft and sweet like silk and honeysuckle.

The space between you vanishes. His lips press against yours and your breath stops in your throat. You push against him almost involuntarily, and your fingers wander. His hands flex against your body as he sets you against the wall. Breaking the kiss for a moment, your already needy gasps mingling in the small space between, you wrap your legs around his waist.

"I don't want to sound ungrateful," you whisper, your voice nearly falling apart as it leaves your lips, "But I hope you mean to kiss me more than that."

With your back braced against the wall, he only needs one hand to keep you steady. His other hand slips around to the back of your neck, tangling his fingers in your hair. He leans into the kiss again, but this time his tongue presses against your lips. With a shiver at the delicious sensation of it you open up and let him in.

Kid might have commanded obedience with fire and charisma, but Killer had his blade at your neck before you could even hoped to be commanded. His kiss was just as absolute, it was almost overwhelming, and you could feel the rush welling up in your eyes. The heat and passion of the inescapable embrace he has you in threatens to consume you and it wasn't until he broke off the kiss that you realize you'd almost been out of air.

You gasp and tremble against him, holding on as though you'd be plunged back into the depths if you let go. You could feel his breath against your neck, hot and heavy as your own. He nuzzles into your neck and kisses gently along the crook of it. Each tender action eliciting a stifled moan from you.

"Let me hear you, (Y/N), no one's here to enjoy it but me." Teeth nip at your earlobe and your fingers flex into him as the moans escape you.

Heavier kisses, hungry and rough, slip down your neck as strong hands hold you in place. You wriggle under the inescapable pleasure and let your voice fill the air for him. His body seems to tense, as though he's trying desperately to hold himself back.

His hand feels like a claw digging into the meat of your ass as his mouth sucks and bites tender flesh with unexpected passion and ferocity.

"HNNNGH-KILLER!" You tense as the pleasure and pain burn through your body. You hear him grunt as you cry out his name, and his attack on your senses stops. Sweet and tender kisses lingered over the mark that is now deep in your skin.

His lips are near yours, and you can feel his needy breath as he leans his forehead against yours. "That was more than I'd meant to do." He rubs his nose across yours affectionately. "If I don't stop here, I don't know if I'll be able to-."

You grab his face and kiss him, moaning into the kiss. You have control for a second before your wrists are pinned against the wall and he's stealing the breath from your lungs. His knee, and his need hold you in place, and you manage a happy whimper as he continues to kiss you, the pleasure of it all swimming in your body.

When he breaks the kiss this time, he keeps your wrists and body pinned, and you hear him swear, gasping for air as much as you were. "Cheeky brat," He practically chokes on the words, and you're relieved to hear pleasure in his voice and not irritation or anger.

"I'm going to go cool my head," He says, and there's a need in his words that wants to stay. "We can talk about... us, after."

"Y-yeah, sure." You agree, surprised you could even find your voice after all that. You hear him pick up his mask and snap in back into place. Once the door was closed you pull the rag off your face and slide down to the floor, not sure you could trust your legs to keep you standing much longer.

Holy shit. You let out a heavy sigh, your heart pounding in your chest, and realize your stomach is doing gymnastics due to nerves.

(I drew this a long time ago, when I first got into x Readers, and I've since learned I shouldn't have added a detail like hair to the Reader, so I apologize for the kind of OC vibe.)

#Unseen #massacre soldier killer #killer one piece #x reader #reader insert #one piece fanfiction #canon au

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