Tumgik
#warship island arc
noeggets · 1 month
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
im gonna miss the kid when shes gone and i think luffy will too
183 notes · View notes
sleepy-edits · 8 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
444 notes · View notes
usopps-froggy-hat · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
using his flip flops like oven mitts
1K notes · View notes
brainyxbat · 3 months
Text
Chapter 6: Luffy, Completely Surrounded! Commodore Nelson's Secret Strategy
(episode 59)
"We're out! We're out!"
"Make chase at once!"
"O-one other thing, Lt. Commander! While in pursuit of them, Eric-sama also reappeared, and has just returned to ship!"
"Look at 'em come! Look at 'em come!"
"The Going Merry is faster and more agile, but what are we going to do when we get to Warship Island?!"
"We'll be okay!"
"How will we be okay?!"
"We just need to find the dragons' nest first, so Grandpa Ryu can get better, right?!"
"Doesn't look like that's going to be an option."
"The small fries have leapt forth. Open to the left and right! Crane Wing Formation!"
"What now?! They have us blocked off!"
"Jump onto a ship, kick the guys off, and cut the links! That's the only choice, obviously!"
"Doesn't sound too bad to me!"
"Alright! Let's go!"
"I'm going too!"
"Alright!"
-
The Merry was rocked all around from cannonballs launched nearby, but never took any hits. The dominant ship was outside the circle, as Nelson watched from his throne. "Marvelous! A truly marvelous view!" He fanned himself. "Listen, now! Do not let the attacks falter even a bit!"
"Yes, sir!"
"But do not hit the raft!"
"Yes, Commodore!"
Nelson chuckled evilly. "For so many years, I've sought the Millennial Dragon, and I've finally found it! The elixir of immortality, the Dragonite, is now as good as mine!"
From the circle, a Marine saw the flags blowing on the dominant ship. "Sir! The commodore's flagship says his plan has succeeded! He says his attack is still ongoing!"
"Looks like our mission is over now," The Lt. Commander decided, and walked past the mercenary.
'If they fall into Nelson Royal's hands now...' Eric thought, before speaking up. "Hold on, Lt. Commander!"
He stopped dead in his tracks. "Do you still want something?"
"Prepare one paddleboat, and three proficient seamen."
"A paddleboat?! What for?!"
Eric smirked. "Because a mast would get in the way."
"Don't tell me you're going into the enclosed area?!"
Eric turned away from him, smirk undeterred. "Just do it already."
The Merry was still being rocked left and right, as everyone held onto something tightly. "Apis! It's dangerous!" Usopp scolded when she ran out of the cabin, and fell over rom the attacks. "Go back inside!"
"I can't leave Grandpa Ryu all by himself!" She protested, and kept running.
"Hey, you! Wait!" He ran after her, but she was sliding down the rope by the time he caught up. "That's dangerous! Get back here! It's your fault if you fall!"
"Grandpa Ryu! Just hang in there a little longer! I promise I'll take you to the dragons' nest!"
"Man, she's brave!" Usopp remarked. "Dammit! That moves me to tears! Alright!" He grinned confidently. "I'll break through the front lines, and take you to the dragons' nest!" His moment was ruined by a cannonball-induced wave knocking him back to the cabin. "Oww! Hey, we've been hit from behind!" He cried fearfully. "Hey! Sanji! We've been hit! Venus-chan! We're done for! We're sunk!"
"Pipe down!" Sanji ordered. "We ain't been hit."
"Eh? Seriously?"
"Yeah."
Usopp slumped over in relief. "I'm saved! Who the hell thought of this plan anyway?!" He ranted.
"You did," Venus responded, and he winced.
"That's it! That's it! Go!" Luffy laughed, as Nami steered from inside. "Hey! A ball's coming this way!"
"I can't do any more than this! Do something on your end!"
"Okay! I'll do something!" Luffy ran along the ledge, until he was in its path. "Gum-Gum... Balloon!" He inflated his belly to a massive size, so the cannonball bounced off, and was sent flying back to one of the Marine ships.
"No way...!" Apis watched from the wagon.
"No way!" Nelson's eyes were wide. "You impudent bastards! How dare you damage one of my warships?! What are you doing?! Hit them with the Super Giant Cannon!"
"Yes, sir!"
Nelson raged in his seat. "There's no escape! There's no escape! There's no escape for you!"
"Prepare to fire the Super Giant Cannon!"
A giant cannon descended from the front of the ship. "The pirate ship has been trapped up ahead! Ready to fire!"
"What is that?!" Nami exclaimed. "A direct hit from that, and our ship'll be blown to shreds!"
"We'll be okay!" Luffy assured nonchalantly. "I'll just bounce it back again!"
"Don't be stupid! I'll turn the ship about; you guys work the rear sail! Hurry!"
"Yeah!" Luffy, alongside Zoro, went to just so.
Usopp stood by one of their own cannons, vengeful. "An eye for an eye! I got a shot ready for you too!"
"Here we go!" Luffy pulled the rear sail back.
"Eat this!" Usopp shot the ball at the bigger ship, landing like a marble in the huge cannon.
"Fire! Fire!" But due to the interference, the cannon was totaled, and Nelson was knocked out of his seat. "What just happened?!"
A Marine ran over, and saluted. "An enemy cannonball hit our main cannon perfectly!"
"W-what?! Hurry, and lift me up!"
"Yes, sir!"
"Howdya like that?!" Usopp taunted. "This is what happens when Usopp-sama gets serious!"
"Not too shabby, for a fluke," Sanij commented.
"You're so full of it," Zoro added.
"What?! I can do that anytime!"
"Wow... he hit it!" Apis stared in awe. "You're so cool, Usopp!"
"Yeah!" They exchanged thumbs-ups.
"Seems your aim is still perfect as always," Venus grinned genuinely.
"T-thanks, Venus!" Why was he getting so flustered at her compliments?
Luffy watched over Ryu from the ship. "It'll be okay! Don't worry! You just keep Apis safe!"
"Who're you talking to?!" Usopp approached him.
"Grandpa Ryu."
"Huh?"
"Now's our chance! Nami announced. "Let's act quickly, and cut some links to open a path!"
"Right, Nami-san!"
"Luffy," Zoro turned to the captain.
"Leave it to me! Gum-Gum... Bridge!" The three joining him crossed the makeshift bridge, with Zoro holding one of clumsy Venus' hands to keep her from falling into the ocean below. "Alright! Grandpa Ryu! Just hold on! Here goes!" After Zoro, Sanji, and Venus board the Marine ship, he launched himself over to them. Unfortunately for poor Zoro, he crashed into him, and they hit the cabin. "Sorry, Zoro."
"Why, you...!"
With struggle, Nelson's throne was lifted back up. "Report! What are they doing?!"
"Yes, sir! Four people from the pirate ship have boarded portside Ship #1!"
"Huh?! Say what?!"
Zoro observed the chain links keeping them from escaping. "Steel chains, huh..."
"Think you can cut 'em?" Luffy asked.
"There's nothing I can't cut!"
"Really? Then they're all yours."
Sanji noticed Venus watching the cabins intently. "What is it, Venus-chan?"
"Sounds like we've got company," She observed.
Sanji turned to see hundreds of Marines filing out of the cabins, and surrounded the four, pointing their guns. "Talk about coming out of the woodwork."
"I like it when things are lively!" Luffy grinned.
"Sure, whatever."
"I'll leave the small fries to you," Zoro decided.
"Yeah!" Luffy, Sanji, and Venus agreed simultaneously.
"In the name of the Nelson Fleet, we won't let you break through here!" They charged in, but essentially had their asses handed to them by Luffy's gatling, Sanji's kicks, and Venus' energy balls.
Meanwhile, Zoro spent a few seconds in deep concentration, before he made a slice... that did nothing. "What?!"
Venus noticed his trouble, and ran over. "Everything okay?"
"I got it, Venus."
She raised an eyebrow at him. "Here, I'll soften it up for you." She laid herself over the ledge, and prepared an attack. "Witchy-Witchy... Ball!" As she let the energy ball weaken the chain, she kicked away any Marines that took advantage of her being sidetracked, sparing hardly a glance. After a minute passed, she straightened up. "Okay, try it now."
Zoro looked at her for a moment, then sliced at the chains again; to his surprise, his sword cut it right through. He turned back to her, dumbfounded. "I can do it again if needed," She shrugged innocently, then returned to combat.
"Yeah! That's it! That's it!" Usopp cheered. "You're so wonderful! Keep it up! Chop those things up good!"
Nelson snarled in anger. "Curse you! How dare you lousy pirates try to break my links! Capture them, at all costs! Or else I'll maroon every last one of you!"
Marines ran to the ship with the intruders, using the chains as bridges. "Gum-Gum... Gatling!" Luffy rapidly punched them into the ocean, but the officers simply kept coming.
"Done!" Venus weakened another chain, and Zoro cut it, sending more Marines plunging.
An excited Luffy was running, as yet more officers ran after him. "Here they come! Here they come!" He then held them back with his arms stretched out. "Gum-Gum... Slingshot!" Hopping off the ground, he sent them soaring back, even breaking a piece off the ship. "Hiyaaaaaah!" With a kick, more were sent into the ocean.
"Wow..." Apis watched from the wagon. "I didn't know they were like this.
When another chain was weakened, courtesy of the young witch, Zoro chopped it. "There's only one chain left!" Nami pointed out. "Let's get moving!"
"Aye-aye sir!" Usopp followed her.
"No, no! Someone stop them!" A strong whirlwind stopped the Merry from getting any closer.
Turned out, it was Eric, still in his paddleboat. "Oh! Eric!" Nelson grinned. "Well done! Now the Millennial Dragon is mine!"
The boat bumped into the wagon, startling Apis. "That scared me!" She yelped in terror when it wasn't any of the Straw Hats. "You're the Sicko Sicko Fruit guy!"
"Not "Sicko." The Sickle Sickle Fruit!" Usopp and Nami ran to the back of the Merry. "Girl! It's time to hand over the Millennial Dragon!"
She ran in front of Ryu's head. "No! I'll never give you Grandpa Ryu!"
"Hand it over like a good little girl!"
"No!"
Eric readied his hands. "I can chop you into pieces with wind slashes at any time, you know." Apis gulped fearfully.
"Stop right there!" Nami yelled. "Lay a hand on the kid, and you'll pay!"
"Y-yeah!" Usopp stammered. "I, Usopp-sama, won't sit by quietly either!"
"Fools. I made that wind slash just now miss on purpose." Nami gasped in surprise, as she remembered the strange whirlwind that knocked them back earlier. "Get in my way, and this time I won't miss! I'll blow your entire ship apart!"
Luffy walked over to Zoro, Sanji, and Venus watched what was happening at the Merry. "What's wrong?"
"It's him," Sanji glared.
"The Sicko guy," Venus sneered.
"Huh? What's he doing?"
"Looks like he's planning to take Apis hostage, and steal the dragon," Sanji observed.
"Tie the raft to our boat!" Eric ordered.
"Yes, sir!"
"That's bad!" Luffy frowned, and went to intervene with Venus.
Zoro stopped them with his hands on their shoulders. "Stop! If you lay a hand on him, he'll take Apis, and the others out with his technique!"
"Oh! Right!" Luffy prepared to go again. "Then I'll use my foot!" Zoro punched him in the head, as Venus facepalmed. "Huh?!"
"Listen better!"
Eric began to sail away with the wagon in tow. "I'm taking the Millennial Dragon now! Nothing personal!"
"You fight dirty!" Usopp shouted. "Give Apis back!"
"Oh no!" Venus exclaimed.
"Eric! Well done!" Nelson praised. "Now, bring it here!"
"No thanks. This isn't for you."
"Eh?! What did you say?!"
"The only reason I obeyed you was to use the Marines' information-gathering capabilities."
"What?!"
"It's not like you were any different. You tried to use me too."
"I hired you for a great sum of money!"
"I think I've worked off that chump charge by now. I have no obligation to obey a sea lion like you anymore!"
"S-sea lion? You're calling me a sea lion?!"
"I'm going to use the Dragonite I get from the Millennial Dragon to make myself perfect!"
Nelson growled furiously. "You'll pay! You'll pay for this! Shoot that backstabber! Shoot him! Shoot him!"
Cannonballs were shot at the paddleboat, frightening Apis, but they all missed. "They're starting again!" Usopp observed.
"If you don't want to get blasted to pieces, you'd better start rowing!" Eric commanded the rowers, and they fearfully obeyed.
Apis turned away from the action, as she started choking up. "Stop... stop!" She then turned to her captors. "I'm begging you! Please don't harass Grandpa Ryu anymore! He hasn't done anything wrong!"
"Be quiet." He turned to look behind the wagon.
"I have to take him to the dragons' nest right away! So please stop this!" Eric lifted her up by the back of her dress. "What're you doing?! Let go! Let go, I said!" She thrashed.
"Listen, girl. You're a hostage. And I'm taking the Millennial Dragon."
"I'll never let you have Grandpa Ryu! Never! Never!"
"I've had enough, girl!" He gripped her chin. "Any more shouting, and I'll chop you apart!" Instead of backing down, she bit down on his hand. "Oww!" The rowers watched in shock at the exchange, before he threw her down in the boat, rendering her unconscious. "Let go!" He rubbed his sore hand, oblivious to Ryu menacingly rising right behind him. "Damn kid, giving me trouble." He was confused when the Marines screamed in terror, and dove into the ocean, swimming away. "Hey! What are you running for?! Get back here!!" He turned, and realized what scared them off; he yelled fearfully, just before Ryu smacked him away with his wing. "Dammit!"
Ryu stared down worriedly at the unconscious Apis, as memories of them together crossed his mind. He shook with anger, then spread his wings, and let out some loud, bird-like screeches, making everyone in the vicinity cover their ears. "I can't stand this!" Nelson complained.
"Oww! My ears!" Usopp exclaimed.
"Grandpa Ryu let out a sound!" Luffy observed.
When the screeches came to an end, hands lowered, as Apis came to. "Oww..." She perked up at seeing her friend standing up. "Grandpa Ryu!" She hugged his snout. "You can move! That's great! That's great!" She pulled away at his words to her. "What?" He straightened up, and started slowly flapping his wings. "Really?!" She beamed.
"What the...?!" Usopp tried to see what was going on.
"You don't suppose he's..." Nami started.
"Yeah! You can do it, Grandpa Ryu!" Luffy encouraged. "You can fly!"
With a creak, from the wagon, he was doing it! "You're flying!" Apis cheered. "You're flying, Grandpa Ryu!"
Nelson's hand tightened into a fist. "No! If the Millennial Dragon is just going to escape, then I don't care if we kill it! All I need is its Dragonite, anyway! Fire! Fire! Fire like mad!"
Cannonballs were fired again, only this time, they weren't as careful as before. "Stop!" Apis protested. "Grandpa Ryu! Run! Run to where the cannons can't reach you!"
"That's it! Shoot him down, quickly!"
"Stop that!" With a stretched-out punch, Luffy took out some cannoneers, as did Zoro with his swords, Sanji with his kicks, and Venus with her energy balls.
"Now's your chance to run, Grandpa Ryu!" Apis urged.
"What are you doing?!" Nelson raged. "Attack it with this ship too!"
"Yes, sir!"
"It must be shot down!"
As Ryu attempted to fly off, he was bombarded by cannonballs. "Grandpa Ryu!" Apis tried to stop him. "No! Don't go that way!"
To Nelson's terror, Ryu was flying straight for the bigger ship with a vengeance. "What?! It's coming this way! Shoot it down, quickly!" Ryu let out another deafening screech. "It's coming! Shoot it, quickly! Shoot it!"
After more cannonball shots, Ryu slowed to a stop, and plunged into the ocean, as Apis and the Straw Hats watched in pure horror. Luffy launched himself in the air from the ship's mast, and flew above the dragon. "Grandpa Ryu!" Apis could only cry silently, unable to say a word, as Luffy landed on his back. "Grandpa Ryu! Hang in there!"
"Oh no," Venus whimpered, on the brink of tears.
"Hey, now! What are you saying?! Don't talk about dying!" Luffy protested. "Yeah. I know. I will save Apis! And take you to the dragons' nest!" He vowed. "So try hard to stay alive!"
Apis stayed quiet, until the urge to speak returned. "Grandpa Ryu!" She screamed.
Tumblr media
2 notes · View notes
wyvernslovecake · 2 months
Text
Ranking the One Piece Dragons
Tumblr media
In honor of this most splendid Appreciate a Dragon Day and to coincide with my silly pirate show hyperfixation, here is my very biased, very subjective ranking of all the dragons who show up in One Piece. Like, real actual dragons. No Celestial Dragons allowed!!!
Bunch of pish-posh posers.
Tumblr media
Ryuma's Dragon (Monsters)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Okay, so technically this dragon doesn't show up in the series proper. But since Monsters is a canon prequel, it still counts. And I'm so very happy it does because look at this scaly behemoth! Great color scheme with the black and purple and those red eyes are the perfect touch! Lot of Balerion and Drogon vibes. Even though Ryuma's credited with slaying a dragon in the skies over Wano, I don't think this is the same dragon because the setting of Monsters is wild west-inspired. The only things that show up related to Wano are Ryuma and Shusui. But whatever the case, this dragon is the cream of the fire breath-singed crop! 20/10
The Sennenryu (Warship Island)
Tumblr media Tumblr media
For people who were confused why other people were confused of why the Strawhats were acting like they had never seen a dragon before in the anime, these giant floofs are the reason why. Originating from One Piece's first filler arc, the Sennenryu are avian dragons who live for thousands of years until they return to this island called the Lost Island (aka the Dragon's Nest), which resurfaces from the sea every thousand years, to give birth and die. Plus their bones can supposedly be used to create an elixir that makes you immortal, so who needs the Ope Ope no Mi when you can just wait a thousand years for a giant bird dragon to kick the bucket? The Strawhats befriended a very old one called Grandpa Ryu and his keeper, this little girl Apis who had a Devil Fruit that let her talk to animals.
I quite like the Sennenryu, both from a design-standpoint and how Luffy's unexplained ability to understand Grandpa Ryu foreshadows The Voice of All Things (*cough and also my own theory that dragons are living on Laugh Tale and one of them is guarding the One Piece *cough). My goodness, I need some water. 8/10
Dragon Number 13 (Punk Hazard)
Tumblr media
Here we go! First dragon to appear within the canonical timeline of the series! This fellow strikes a very good blend of intimidating and slightly goofy. The kind of dragon you would find in a fairy tale picture book. Personally, it reminds me a lot of Cressida Cowell's illustrations for How To Train Your Dragon and Nico Marlet's concept art for the film. That square jaw shape with the jutting fangs, spindly wings, Zippleback-like claws, and a lot of texture. Also interesting that this dragon can speak, even if only just an automated warning. If I were in the Strawhat's position on Egghead rn, I would be grilling him for all the dragon details. The people must know!!! 9/10
The Green Dragon (Punk Hazard)
Tumblr media
Not sure if this guy got a number designation like Number 13, but most people just seem to call him Green Dragon. The general consensus is that he's not as cool as Number 13, but I can't help but have a soft spot for him. Again, he's very much like a Cressida Cowell dragon and I like how he's a lot more aggressive than the other one in spite of being much smaller. The chihuahua of dragons. XD
I feel so bad for him when Kinemon is kicking him too! 😟 Like yeah, I get it, Kin has a very good reason for hating dragons and this one did try to kill him. But he didn't have to stomp on the poor thing when it was already charred and clinging to life by a thread. 7/10
Kaido
Tumblr media
Ah, the big blue booze-chugging bastard. I find Kaido a good villain, a detestable character, and a really damn cool-looking dragon. The flames on his arm add a nice pop of warmth that contrasts with the blue of his scales and his purple cloak almost acts as a transition between the warm colors of the fire and the cool colors of his body. On paper, his abilities are very basic; strength and fire-breathing but they're a lot more impressive when you see the sheer force of his attacks. The twist that he doesn't have a dragon devil fruit but a fish one modeled after the Azure dragon is really clever, especially if you know it's referencing the myth of the carp who climbs the mountain to become a dragon. It's also interesting how despite being an Eastern dragon, Kaido has all the behavioral qualities of a Western dragon. Greedy and violent, subjugating a kingdom and kidnapping royality, defeated by a noble hero (Luffy can deny it all he wants, but we all know he's a hero). 9/10
Momonosuke
Tumblr media
There isn't much different from Kaido's dragon form design-wise, save for the color. Pink and gold is a nice combination and I like how Momo's blue eyes and pink body are a mirror of Kaido's blue scales and pinkish eyes (motherfucker probably got pink-eye by spilling sake into them). It's even better when you compare the big hulking dragon Momo eventually became and the little pink eel he used to be (his smol form is adorable by the way and a plushie of Little Dragon Momo that doubles as a scarf would sell like hot cakes).
With that in mind, the dragon fruit fits Momo narratively a lot more than Kaido. Because while Kaido had tremendous strength all his life, Momo had to make strides and sacrifices, physical and emotional, to get where he is today. He went from hating his powers that reminded him of the man who traumatized him to wanting to master them to protect his homeland.
There's a lot of great moments with dragon Momo. Him still being skittish while flying, the Kaido bite of '87, his first fire cloud summoning, the Boro Breath that lit up Aramaki like a Christmas tree covered in gasoline. Great stuff! 10/10
And finally, no list would be complete without the greatest dragon in all of One Piece...
Monkey D. Dragon
Tumblr media
Dilf who hates the government. Perfection. 9/10 (he loses a point for some questionable parenting decisions)
31 notes · View notes
danwhobrowses · 2 months
Text
One Piece Chapter 1105 - Initial Thoughts
Tumblr media
So we are back again, after a big impactful chapter last week we're looking to reach full incident territory now
Buster Call No. 3 here we go...
Spoilers for the Chapter, Support the Official Release
Carrot cover page is welcome but also reminds me how I wish she was Nakama
With the buster call summoned everyone is fleeing the scene, most of whom unaware of the situation
Doll suggests that Saturn and Kizaru leave too, but Saturn states they're staying
It seems that Doll is unaware of the regen, but she doesn't question Kizaru's reaffirming to do as ordered
Vegapunk confronts Saturn again, imploring him to call off the Buster Call due to how it will hamper the world's technology by a century
Saturn notes though they don't need more advancement, and can't trust that Vegapunk's hiding something else...which he kinda is but still
Apparently a ship also left Egghead, guessing it was the former inhabitants during the Labophase Among Us situation we didn't see
But Saturn had it hunted down, on the threat that they may know something about the Void Century, Akainu tactics there
Vegapunk once more is appalled but Saturn rebukes that he dug their graves by seeking forbidden knowledge
Everyone's in movement though, except the Mark IIIs who are the perimeter for the island
Sanji directs Kuma, Bonney, Franky and Atlas to the vacuum rocket, assuring Bonney that Vegapunk will be safe
He also briefs Nami on what's going on above, surprising the group that there's yet ANOTHER buster call to go through
After several months we finally see Robin alive and well...mostly, she's on a hoverbed and in clear discomfort, probably from wounds and trauma
Jinbe has been sent to get Zoro so he doesn't get lost, but apparently he's still fighting Lucci
Lilith meanwhile didn't even make it to ground, she was still with the ship and got assistance from Brook
And he's found a clever way to get the ship to the rendez-vous, using his ice powers to freeze the clouds and skate on them
There is however the matter of braking, which Lilith quickly rescinded her praise for Brook after he had no ideas, plus the Vega Force 01 is still not an option for flying out
They make a point in saying that the Labostratum still has its barrier, meaning that the place will have some safety from bombardment, but the first barrage begins even with soldiers still evacuating
As Vegapunk laments the loss of another island, the Vacuum Rocket shoots off
But once again, Kizaru's here for the intercept
Sanji sees the intercept and goes to rescue Bonney, while Saturn orders the Pacifista to fire at Bonney and Kuma
Internally he sickly enjoys the irony that Kuma gave away his life to protect his daughter, only for his clones to be the cause of her death
Vegapunk meanwhile looks on in horror, remembering his worry that even though Bonney's Kuma's daughter, a pacifista won't hesitate to kill her if ordered
And Oda makes it clear there'll be no Luffy save, the navy have found him again stuffed and unable to move right now as he lays next to the vending machine thing we saw earlier in the arc
Aren't these soldiers supposed to be running from the Buster Call though?
HOWEVER, we also flash back to the alleged sunken ship Vegapunk sent out yesterday, except it's not!
The destroyed ship is in fact the warship Saturn sent, and they have no idea how they're gonna report their failure to Kizaru
But another player is about to enter the game, they are on their way to Egghead
Until the very end there it seemed like a simpler albeit dire chapter to follow the heights of the Kuma punch, the Buster Call is here and most of our heroes are tied up in some shape or form; Zoro is still uncharacteristically dealing with Lucci, Robin our queen who I'm glad to see alive but sad to see still hurt is forced to rest, Luffy overate and is once again surrounded by marines, Sanji is running towards the line of fire even though Kuma is literally shielding Bonney anyway, Vegapunk is alone to the mercy of Saturn, Franky's falling, Brook is skating the Sunny without a brake, Kizaru's still being a government cog, it's all meant to feel like it's gonna go wrong.
But there are still the outside factors to play; the giant mecha will still have to help in some way, and there is still the slight possibility that the Mark IIIs do in fact hold an echo of humanity that resided in Kuma - which'd call back to the weaponized sea beasts still having their animal instincts - to not fire at Bonney. And now we have this other player that's coming, unless it's the Blackbeard ship from before. I do wanna hope it's Smoker but chances are low on that, why would you want to contact an admiral directly about that? Another Yonko ship on the move or the Revolutionaries seems like the Fleet Admiral would be warned so I'm still wondering if it's someone else we've not seen much of; Law & Bepo or maybe Perona & Moria.
The goose is not cooked yet of course, but our Straw Hats could do with a bit of gritting their teeth and stepping up, escaping a buster call doesn't quite have the same impact it did in Enies Lobby, stopping a Buster Call is yonko-level.
32 notes · View notes
uaremyjae · 2 months
Text
[ SPOILER ONE PIECE CHAP. 1105 ]
IS THE UNKNOWN PARTY APPEAR AT EGGHEAD WILL BE REVOLUTIONARY ARMY?
Okay so I have read the summary spoilers this morning and oh boy, the title itself is funny like “ THE PEAK OF SEVERE STUPIDITY” like what’s that even mean oda???
Anyway I want to talk about the last part of the chapter where it’s says that there’s unknown party has pulled at egghead and destroyed Marines warship that going after the escape technicians & research teams of Egghead. And the Marine frantically asked to call for Admiral Kizaru and tell him that “ They’re heading to Egghead” ?? 👀 This unknown party must be a very huge threat that it requires for Admiral Kizaru attention.
Some people thinks of maybe Blackbeard Pirates, I was like nah Blackbeard helping escapees in a broad daylight? That’s very uncharacteristic of BB Pirates where they all go for sneaky & stealthy attack. Besides BB already at Egghead.
Some people said maybe it’s Neo MADS. 🤷‍♀️ I am not onboard with that idea but it could be a wild card who knows. I’m not Oda. Why I think it’s not Neo MADS is that Judge is not that stupid to come to egghead Island with his bigass snails 🐌 ship with potential catch strays along in the Buster Calls. It’s better for them to watch Vegapunk downfall since they both wanted that and get the chance to be hire by WG.
Revolutionary Army?
Ooh that’s what makes me feel like ITS POSSIBLE. Ok some people said “ RA is at Momoiro Island at the Grand line Paradise. There’s no way they can arrived at Egghead that fast.”
Seriously? Did everyone forget that Shanks pull up at Marineford from New World? When he literally stopped Kaido from coming a day before execution? 😬
And you think Revolutionary Army only resides at Grand Line? Ofc that’s their HQ and they must have their branches at every sea. See that’s what people forgot about the whole RA’s structure. And Dragon did mention before founding RA that he want to raise into a massive armed force scattered across the globe. Did he make it? YES!
You see RA’s has 4 captains for each blue sea forces. East Blue; Bello Betty, West Blue; Morley, South Blue;Lindbergh, North Blue; Karasu and each seas has their own team led by those captains. You are here telling me RA’s doesn’t have a team that resides at New World?
And the panel of where Vegapunk via Shaka ( RIP shaka mann 😭) talk with somebody that he can see that his death is about to happen and it turns out, it’s DRAGON who he is talking to. Another thing that seems possible is that Dragon asked Ivan opinion of where would Kuma heading to if a fragment of his true instinct still there. AND THE CLIFFHANGER THERE 🧐
I think He’ll— go where Iva? I think Iva knew Kuma will be heading to where his daughter is. Remember the exchange of how “ Child is Parents’ Weaknesses” from Dragon to Kuma? And with Shaka in contact with Dragon, there might possibility that Shaka inform him about Luffy & Bonney is on the island and the assassination planned on VP.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
Judging by how the latest ending chapter turns out, the chances that RA pulled up to prevent lives of Egghead become like Ohara is quite high. Like the whole reveal about how Dragon told Vegapunk he will create military forces that can fight back after Ohara incident on Ohara remains must be hint of the future moves that RA will do during this arc.
Regardless, who are going to be there doesn’t matter. But if the RA catch the words that the Gorosei is at egghead and also stayed at the island with Kizaru while the Buster Call starts , well dragon appear to assist the RA & took Straw Hats under their care temporarily might be it. Probably escorted them to Elbaf.
How about Straw Hat Grand Fleet? Well yes it’s possible too! At this point, im sure the news about the Straw Hats vs Navy has been reported by Big News Morgan and the fleet took notice about it. Here’s the thing about Straw Hat Grand Fleet, what has been reported that seven powerful pirate groups under Straw Hats but no names mention on which pirates. So it’s interesting to see what happened soon!
21 notes · View notes
notbroadwaybound · 3 months
Text
been thinking about season 2 of One Piece live action since the show runners announced they have a 12 season plan (which some articles are saying ohhh they can't do that because cast will age which I think is silly because you can shoot multiple seasons at once and there's literally a built in time skip in canon)
anyways, I think they really need to go to a 10 episode season format if they really want to get through Alabasta arc which is apparently the plan. I think they can get through Drum Island in 7 eps but I think once you get to Alabasta you need at least 3. Here's how I think it should go. Excited to be able to come back to this in a year or so to see how it ended up.
Ep 1 - Loguetown (cut out / only have slight references to Sanji cooking contest and Daddy the Bounty Hunter)
Ep 2 - Escaping Loguetown/entering Grand line (cutting Warship Island which sad because of love Apis but ya know)
Ep 3 - Laboon / getting to Whiskey Peak
Ep 4 - Whiskey Peak / Baroque Works reveal Ep 5- Little Garden. if you do cut one episode / rewrite a bit, I think you could do it here but I think it's just so important for Usopp and setting up Elbaf + Nami's disease + Mr 3, but I do think you can get to all of those without Little Garden specifically. You could probably end this episode with the first Wapol encounter.
Ep. 6/7 - Drum Island. I don't know how you do Drum Island in less than 2 episodes and still hit all the beats that make it such a great story. Ep. 8/9/10 - Alabasta Kingdom (they'd cut a lot of the walking there and backs). To set up Ace/Nico Robin/Crocodile/Bon Clay/Smoker/the rebels and follow through on all I think you have to have 3. I'm sure they'll cut a lot of the Baroque Work agents, but if Baratie and Arlong Park each got 2 in season one, you got to have 3. Maybe if they really weave it in well throughout the first episodes of the season they can get this down to 2 and then cut Little Garden I guess you can get it down to 8 but you're talking about 38 episodes of the anime that they're in Alabasta.
17 notes · View notes
onepiece-polls · 11 months
Text
Best One Piece Filler Arc (Round 2)
Tumblr media
Goat Island Arc (ep 136-138): While being chased by the Marines, Luffy and his crew get lost in the fog and discover an uncharted island. They find that the island is inhabited only by an old man named Zenny and a multitude of goats. They also find a partially constructed ship on the top of the island. The Straw Hat Pirates help the old man out while hiding from the Marines led by Moore and Minchey and working to get his ship into the water.
Caesar’s Retrieval Arc (ep 626-628): In this arc, a mysterious person (Breed) manages to get into the Thousand Sunny and kidnap the already-kidnapped Caesar Clown away from the Straw Hat Pirates, who are on their way to Dressrosa. However, the recently formed Heart-Hat alliance will need to get Caesar back, in order to keep up the plan to take down both Doflamingo and Kaidou. But it seems that retrieving the scientist won’t be that easy, as Breed has Pet-Pet Fruit abilities.
Warship Island Arc (ep 54-61): A fleet of Marine ships from Branch 8 goes through a rainstorm and a mysterious girl, Apis, plans her escape from the crew members of the ship. The captain of the 8th Branch, Nelson Royale, is angered by the news and summons forth his mercenary, Eric the Whirlwind, to go after the girl, who seems to have the key to the elixir of eternal youth. The Straw Hats find her drifting on a raft, and agree to return her back to Warship Island. There, they find out that Apis has a Devil Fruit ability that allows her to talk to animals, and she has used it to befriend a dying Sennenryu, a type of dragon species thought to be extinct. She wants to return this Sennenryu to his homeland.
23 notes · View notes
shima-draws · 5 months
Note
Are you enjoying One Piece?!! How far are you?
I AM, VERY MUCH SO!! I told myself I’d skip over all the filler episodes but I ended up watching the Warship Island arc purely by accident bc I didn’t realize I’d started the filler. But it was so cute anyway I watched all of it. I loved seeing the crew act as older sibling/guardian figures to Apis 🥺
Anyway I JUST got past the mini arc with Laboon, so we’re in the Grand Line, baby!! I’d probably be way further ahead if I also wasn’t watching Fairy Tail at the same time. Oops lol
16 notes · View notes
erenyuuta · 2 years
Text
Ice & Fire - Chapter 8
Tumblr media
Series Masterlist
Previous Chapter | Next Chapter
Glossary & Character List (contains spoilers)
Pairing: Eren Jaeger X Yuuta Okkotsu
Genre: Fantasy AU, romance, smut, angst, fluff, a crossover between Attack On Titan and Jujutsu Kaisen, loosely based on Game of Thrones and Eragon
Series Summary: Yuuta Okkotsu, the kind-hearted firstborn prince of the kingdom of Nymeria, finds himself stranded on an island that had been thought to only exist in legend. It is there he meets the last of the Valyrians, a dragon-blood named Eren Jaeger. While their days on the island are happy, they can’t last forever. Yuuta has a duty as prince to his kingdom that he must fulfill, and it is this duty that ultimately tears them apart.
Content Warnings: BL/Yaoi, hybrids/monsters, magic/fantasy, infidelity, power imbalances, graphic depictions of violence and death, explicit sexual content (blow job, anal sex, rimming, cunnilingus, exhibitionism, monsterfucking, knotting, foot play, heat cycles, 69, cum-eating, spit play, deep-throating, double penetration, sadism, masochism, blood play/consumption, choking/asphyxiation kink, handjob, drunk sex, orgy), dub-con, non-con, virginity loss, drugs (alcohol), traumatic backstories, unrequited love, drowning, murder, suicide, yandere tropes, corruption arc, major character death. Dead Dove: Do not eat
Written by Aleks from @erenergic / @princess-jaeger and Kana from @ficsforeren / @sundaysundaes
Poster art by @/ellvrell on twitter, commissioned by Aleks ❤️
Tumblr media
THE SWORN PROTECTOR
Snow falls over the expansive green land of Nymeria, coating the verdant hills and grassy plains like a blanket. Trees, once blooming with the pink petals of cherry blossoms, are bare save for the thin coating of white. The lakes and ponds that scatter the palace grounds are frozen over, waiting for the warmth that comes with the spring, though it is far a ways off. This year it is exceptionally cold—even before the winter solstice arrives, the frigid air from the north blows down upon the once verdurous lands, bringing early snowfall with it.
It is the first day of the tenth lunar month of the year, considered the month of good fortune. Today, the Nymerian council gathers for its monthly meeting, which usually convenes over trivial matters such as disputes over land, relations with the other five kingdoms, or providing funds for the crown’s endeavors. But this time, with the status of the King’s health, and Princess Rika’s recent sixteenth birthdate, a topic of utmost importance is being discussed amongst the Lords: naming the Nymerian heir to the throne.
The council consists of the King’s Hand, longtime faithful friend and closest advisor, Lord Kento Nanami; The Grand Maester, Lord Yoshinobu Gakuganji, whose wisdom in the fields of science and medicine has proven unmatched and invaluable to the crown; Lord Ijichi Kiyotaka, Master of Coin, who holds the crown’s purse within his hand; The Master of Ships, Lord Hiromi Higuruma, who commands the royal fleet, delegates warships, and handles their sea fares; Archmage Satoru Gojo, one of the most powerful mages in the Six Kingdoms and loyal servant to the crown; and the strongest knight in the realm, the sword and shield who leads the King’s armies in battle and is sworn to defend Nymeria with his life, the Lord Commander of The Watch and Nymeria’s knights, Toji Fushiguro.  
The members of the council sit around a table within the great hall of the palace, the men dressed in their most lavish robes  and armors, sharing the finest wines that Nymeria has to offer. Their drinks are poured by the silent but ever-faithful servants who stand at the sides of the room, eager to top off the men’s drinks at even half-empty.
Out of respect, the seat of the emperor stands vacant, placed below the Nymerian sigil—a head of a direwolf embossed in silver hung upon the wall. At the right sits Nanami, dressed in dark blue with gold embroideries, his blonde hair short and slicked back. He has fine features, with prominent cheekbones and a silent but commanding presence—a demeanor fit for the Hand of the King, as symbolized by the badge in the shape of a hand that lies pinned above his breast. He is the first to speak, and as always, gets straight down to business, skipping the pleasantries of a formal introduction.
“I am glad to see you all have arrived well and safe, despite the sudden cold storm. As you may have heard, with the recent coming-of-age of the princess, rumors have begun to circulate amongst the nobles of our kingdom, wondering whether or not she will be named the heir to the throne.”
Ijichi leans forward, a thin, tall man with short dark hair and a pair of lenses atop his prominent nose. The first thought in his mind is the unrest and rumors that would spread amongst the kingdom if their beloved princess was not named heir; Rika is regarded as the most beautiful princess in the realm—a precious jewel to her people, the youngest and sweetest child of the emperor. It would be a mistake to not name her the successor, as she is well-favored even amongst the peasantry. The princess is the last remaining Okkotsu, therefore there is no other option but to choose her for the next heir—as choosing a lesser noble by vote of the council would cause quite the scandal and even bring strife amongst those loyal to the Okkotsu family, a line which has held the throne for thirteen generations since the very inception of their kingdom. 
Ijichi places a hand on the table and looks directly over at Lord Nanami when he asks, “Why is the princess’s lineage coming into question? She is the only remaining child of the emperor. There should be no question as to whether she will succeed him. She is our only choice.”
Gakuganji, the eldest amongst the council, old enough to have been in the council of the previous Emperor Okkotsu, regarded as the wisest of the men, answers Ijichi. “We may replace her by vote, if it comes to it. The other five kingdoms all have a king at their seat. It would make us seem weak to replace our king with a young woman who has just but seen her sixteenth birthday. Nymeria has always been the strongest, the most prosperous—we need someone who can, at the very least, appear powerful before them.”
“You must not remember much about the princess,” Gojo pipes up from his end of the table. The white-haired man dressed in dark robes has his long legs folded quite rudely atop the table, though that is not out of the ordinary for the pompous mage. With his fingers interlaced above his abdomen, and a cheeky smile upon his lips, he rebuttals Gakuganji’s words. “She's always been a feisty one. She can keep up with those old fucks, easily.”
The Lord Commander beside him guffaws at his words, leaning back into his seat. “The powerful and awe-inspiring kingdom of Nymeria, led by a little girl. That would be interesting to see.”
“That little girl is your princess, Lord Commander,” Nanami says to Toji, his words on the verge of sounding like the barks of a protective dog. “Unless you have other leadership in mind.”
“We still don’t know what has happened to the king’s son, Lord Nanami. There is always a chance that—”
“Nonsense,” Hiromi interrupts him, always the voice of reason within the council. With Toji being the leader of the knights and soldiers, and Hiromi being the leader of their naval forces, there is always an unspoken air of competition between the men, one that carries even into the council room. “It has been six years since that boy disappeared. You would be a fool to believe he is anywhere other than the bottom of the sea.”
“Lords,” Nanami says sternly, chastising them before they can begin their usual bickering. “Until we are given any other proof, the princess is our only presumed heir. Unless there is any objection from the council, I will write to Seomor for her return to Nymeria.” Though Gakuganji and Higuruma look apprehensive, the remainder of the council nods accordingly to Nanami’s words. With no verbal objections, he continues, “Presuming the preparations will go smoothly, the princess will arrive after the snow has cleared in the spring, and be coronated by the fall. After she arrives, we can have her meet with suitors and find a suitable candidate for marriage.”
“Nanamin.” Nanami frowns at Gojo’s casual use of the nickname. “She just turned sixteen. Do you think she will agree to a rushed marriage? And the king is still alive, there is no reason to crown her so hastily.”
“That is a smart idea, Lord Nanami,” Gakuganji says, with a distasteful look sent Gojo’s way. “The Princess may be young and inexperienced, but if she is crowned with a lord at her side, hopefully even another prince, she will garner more respect from the remaining kingdoms. She would be treated as a woman, and less like a child.”
“I agree,” Hiromi nods, crossing his arms over his chest. “If we are to crown the princess, she should be wed. As is Nymerian tradition, an heir cannot be crowned king or queen without a spouse. If she is wed when she is crowned princess, she is guaranteed to be the next queen, strengthening her claim to the throne.”
Gojo clicks his tongue, muttering, “Such archaic, stupid rules,” below his breath. Only Toji, who sits beside him, hears such words. And though he agrees in part, he is more inclined to keep his head on his neck and not openly mock the traditions of the crown.  
“Very well, then,” Nanami nods, seeing no opposition from the men around him. “We will write for the princess’s return. By this time next year, Gods willing, she will be our crowned princess.”
***
Satoru Gojo steps outside after the council meeting, heading towards the stables to mount his horse and head back to his estate across the forest. As he walks, his feet making crunching noises as he treks through snow, he contemplates the position the princess has been put in now. Through no fault of her own, she must return home and be crowned princess, marry someone she doesn’t know, and take on the responsibilities of becoming queen, all within a matter of months. Gojo, having himself been thrust into the position of archmage after his father’s failures, feels somewhat of kinship for the young princess, understanding the weight of having to take on a position so suddenly.
For Gojo, it happened several years ago. The council, watching the king go mad because of the curse which afflicted him, consulted with his father, then the archmage of Nymeria. However, because the spell on the king was an act of witchcraft, the mage’s magic had no ability to break such a curse. Instead, the mage was only able to place the king’s mind to rest. The king now spends his days in bed, barely able to hold a conversation, much less being able to perform the role of king. Though his condition is secret to everyone else except the council and the king’s closest servants, Gojo’s father was still punished for his inability to cure the curse. He was ousted as archmage and replaced by Satoru. Both mages were exiled from the palace and sent back to their family estate as punishment, and though Gojo holds the title of archmage now, there is still that sting that comes with the memory of being his father’s replacement through no will of his own.
As he wades through his memories, Gojo runs into his favorite knight—Megumi Fushiguro, a young man of only seventeen years who had just recently been knighted by the King’s Hand for his valiant efforts as part of The Watch in a skirmish in a village to the north. The raven-haired boy walks through the snow with three direwolves in tow. Though Gojo is not a fan of the wolves, he certainly knows the three who accompany Megumi: Ghost, a white wolf who once belonged to the prince; Summer, a wolf with amber fur who belongs to the princess; and Gyokuken, Megumi's personal wolf who has bright yellow eyes and white fur that coats his front legs, snout, and belly, the remainder of his fur black as night. When Megumi is not away or busy with duties, the dogs follow him around, as they have always been close to him since he was a child.
But the wolves begin to snarl as soon as they pick up a hint of Gojo’s scent. Megumi’s face, previously impassive, turns to a scowl when he catches sight of the annoying mage.
“Megumin!” Gojo calls out with a smile, waving frantically toward the knight.
“Just when I was having a decent day,” Megumi mutters, a heavy sigh leaving his chest.
Gojo approaches the knight, and before the wolves can tear the head off his shoulders, Gojo wraps Megumi in a tight embrace. Megumi places zero effort into hugging him back.
“Master Gojo, please get off of me.”
“I haven’t seen you in weeks and this is how you greet me? Breaking my heart, Gumi,” Gojo replies, with an exaggerated sob at the end of his words.
“If you don’t let go of me I might just break your legs too.”
Gojo instantly releases the knight, creating some distance between them. “You know, I had some good news for you, but maybe I won’t tell you anymore since you’re being so mean to me.”
Megumi quirks a brow. “Good news? I doubt it.”
The three dogs at his sides bare their teeth as the mage leans closer to the knight. “Are you suuuure? What if I said it was about Princess Rika?”
At this, Megumi’s eyes widen. He turns his face to the side, avoiding the mage’s shit-eating grin. In the tiniest voice Gojo has ever heard from Megumi, Megumi asks, “What about the princess?”
“Nevermind, it seems like you don’t wanna know.” Gojo begins to turn around, biting his tongue to stop from chuckling. Megumi instantly grabs his collar, pulling him back.
“I… Just tell me,” Megumi sighs, tucking his eyes below his fringe. When Gojo turns back to face him, he sees Megumi’s face turning just the slightest tinge of pink, and it most certainly isn’t because of the cold.
“Well, I heard from a very secret source that the princess will be returning home in a few months.”
Megumi reaches up a hand to scratch at his own nape. “Is… Is that true? After so long?”
“I know you miss her dearly but don’t look too excited, Megu—”
“I am not,” he says, face ablaze. “I just—I was just thinking about how my… My sister will be back too, then.”
“And here I thought knights were sworn to always tell the truth,” Gojo snickers, waving a hand in the air dismissively.
Megumi slaps a firm hand against Gojo’s back, pushing him further towards the stables. “Shut up, you stupid mage.”
“You cannot lie to a mage who uses the Six Eyes, Gumi,” Gojo winks, to Megumi’s horror. “If you won’t be honest with me, at least be honest with yourself,” Gojo adds, his voice losing its mirth.
Megumi blinks at him, confused. “What are you talking about?”
At this, Gojo leans forward, and with two fingers he flicks the young knight’s forehead. Megumi sends him a glare. “Perhaps I’m not the only stupid one here.”
“What—”
Before Megumi can get his answer, Gojo plasters a smile once more on his face, crystal blue eyes shining bright amongst the falling snow. “I’ll see you around, Megumin. I’m freezing my ass out here. I’m heading home before the snowstorm gets worse.”
Megumi rubs at his forehead where Gojo had just flicked him, utterly confused by Gojo’s strange behavior. But besides that, happiness swells in his chest because finally, his princess and his sister will be returning home.
***
Princess Rika Orimoto heaves a heavy sigh, blinking wide brown eyes languidly as she stares out into the dark blue ocean outside her port-side window. In the distance, the coast is visible, meaning soon they will land upon shore. It has been many days of travel, both by land and aboard this ship, but that isn’t what plagues her mind nor what makes her heart feel heavy in her chest. As the sunlight glimmers over the waves before her, she can’t help but be reminded of the most precious person she had lost many years ago: her older brother, Yuuta.
Unlike that rainy day when the world around them was darkened with storm clouds and the water was tumultuous, this day the sky is a warm, clear blue, devoid of clouds and illuminated by the sun. It has been almost six years since the incident, yet Rika remembers it so vividly as if it had happened just the day before. For many years she had relived that day, the way she had screamed for him to stay, with her hand outstretched in a desperate attempt to keep him aboard the ship. But even in her dreams he never stays. His body always disappears beneath the waves, swallowed whole by the vengeful sea.
But after many years of nightmares and having hope that he would return, her thoughts changed. Besides her prayers to the Gods for his safe return, she prayed for her mother’s and Yuuta’s happiness in heaven, too. Perhaps maturity came with age, or perhaps it was acceptance of the awful truth she tried to deny, but after many years of hoping for him to be alive, she began to pray that he would be happy in death, too.
That is what Rika does now as she gazes into the ocean, a somber look on her face as she clasps her hands together in front of her face in prayer. 
“I hope you’re happy, Yuuta,” she whispers into her palms, her eyes fluttering shut as she speaks to the gods. “Please keep our mother company, if you’re up there… I miss you, brother.”
“Your Highness,” a cheerful voice interrupts her, stepping into her quarters. “We are landing at the southern Nymerian port now. It will be just a carriage ride to the palace after we disembark. Won’t be much longer until we’re home.”
Rika startles at the sound of her handmaiden’s voice, opening her eyes and dropping her hands to her sides. She turns away from the window, looking up at the brown-haired girl who stands at the door.
“Lady Tsumiki,” Rika nods in her direction. “I didn’t see you there.”
Tsumiki crosses the short distance from the chamber door, wrapping her fingers around Rika’s wrists. “Princess, you do not need to address me as a lady. Just Tsumiki is fine, you know this.”
Rika shakes her head. “Nonsense, your father served mine as his sworn protector. You’ve earned your title. You know this.”
Tsumiki knows, having been friends with Rika since they were children, that there is no sense in arguing with Princess Rika, a girl more stubborn than a mule. Tsumiki holds Rika’s palms within her own, her voice softening as she asks, “Are you all right, my lady? Fretting over your brother again, are you?”
“I know, I know,” Rika replies, casting her gaze down to her feet. “Six years without any word of him… It is foolish for me to hope.”
“It is not foolish, Your Highness. I would do the same for my own brother.” Tsumiki brings her palm to Rika’s cheek, a comforting gesture between friends. Her soft brown eyes peer into the sad browns that make the princess’s irises. “I just do not wish to see you in such pain, princess.”
“Perhaps I’ve just been thinking of him more lately…” Rika’s voice drifts off, contemplative.
“Is it because of your impending coronation, my lady?” Tsumiki retracts her hand, crossing her arms above her chest. Rika walks a few steps to the side, turning and sitting down on the bed in the room. She sighs and crosses her ankles, fidgeting with her hands on her lap.
“Yes,” she admits after some silence. Tsumiki follows her and sits on the bed at her side, turning to face the princess. Her gaze is warm, and the palm that she lands on Rika’s back is reassuring. “I’ve just recently turned sixteen—what do I know about ruling a kingdom? And worst of all, I’ll have to wed.”
 Tsumiki giggles as she sees Rika scrunch up her nose in disgust. She takes Rika’s hands into her own, speaking with conviction, “Princess, you would be the most amazing queen one day. You are headstrong and sympathetic to the people. You would fight for us, yet you would be just. And you are the most beautiful lady in all the six kingdoms. Any man would pay the highest dowry to marry you, my lady.”
“It is easy for you to say such things, Lady Tsumiki—your father is the Lord Commander, revered by all. You’re lucky you are not the daughter of The Mad King.” Rika chews her lip, remembering the words many have thrown at her throughout the last few years whenever she attended the gatherings of the upper class. There were more times than not that she was rejected by all the eligible noblemen in Seomor, rumors of her father’s madness hanging over her like a dark cloud. “It will be difficult to find a husband willing to marry into a cursed family.”
“Nymeria is the most powerful kingdom in the realm,” Tsumiki replies, leaning in closer to meet Rika’s pensive gaze. “And you’ve changed your title to Orimoto Rika, taking the name of your mother’s noble family. Though they aren’t Nymerian royalty, they are of high birth all the same. Your mother was able to marry a king, wasn’t she? You are a fine eligible maiden, Your Highness. The King’s Hand himself requested your presence once more in the kingdom. He knows you will easily find a match once you arrive.”
“I do not wish to think about getting married, truthfully,” the princess sighs. Changing the subject, she asks, “Did Lord Nanami say anything in regard to my father?”
Even after almost six years, she has not heard much about Emperor Okkotsu. Rika has spent the time since her departure from Nymeria with the maiden side of her family, the Orimotos, where she continued to be educated and raised as a princess within their lands in the kingdom of Seomor. Yet, they kept her in ignorance about her own kingdom, giving her very few updates about the state of her homeland besides telling her that the kingdom was peaceful. Therefore she doesn’t know what to expect now as her ship lands at the port of the country she hasn’t lived in for six years. She knows nothing of the palace, nor of her father. But she hopes the transition to palace life will be easy.
“He had written that your father awaits your return, princess. He did not say much more than that.”
Rika rolls her eyes. “Lord Nanami is always a man of few words. Well, I guess we will see what happens when we arrive at the palace.”
The ship stops moving just as Rika had spoken her words as if arriving at port on her command. 
“Seems that will be sooner than later, Your Highness.” Tsumiki rises from the bed, preparing to gather her and Rika’s belongings for their disembarkation.
Rika glances out her port-side window once more, a mix of emotions brewing within her chest. She takes a deep breath and rises from the bed, walking closer to the window to curl her fingers around its metal edge. She can see the port, the people rushing across the wooden pier going about their daily lives, and below them, pale blue waves crashing upon the beach. She’s on land once more, yet it doesn’t feel like home. It feels foreign to her, anxiety welling up in her chest.
“Yes… We’re almost home.”
***
Megumi Fushiguro rocks back and forth between the heels and toes of his feet, anxiously awaiting the princess’s arrival as he stands guard at the doors to the palace. It has been years since he’s seen Rika and his sister Tsumiki, as she had left the palace with the princess so suddenly six years ago when they had been sent away to the west. Despite becoming hardened by his knight’s training, Megumi still has a soft spot for Rika and for his sister, who had become the trusted lady to the princess just as his father is one of the king’s trusted men. Outwardly, he is as stoic as ever, but on the inside, his heart aches to see them again. He stands tall in his knight’s armor, the spring air warm but refreshing as the sun reflects off the silver metals that protect his body.
At Megumi’s left side is his faithful direwolf, Gyokuken, yawning as his fur is warmed by the spring sun. On his right side sits Summer, Rika’s direwolf, waiting just as impatiently as Megumi does for the princess and her entourage. She is as tall as Megumi’s waist, with beautiful brown fur that shimmers in the sunlight. Megumi absentmindedly strokes her fur behind her ears, the wolf lolling out her tongue and panting with excitement, drooling staining the fur on her chin.
“You must know that Rika’s coming home, huh, Summer?” Megumi says aloud, though he knows Summer doesn’t fully understand his words. The only ones who can communicate with the direwolves are the royal family, for the wolves have had such a bond for centuries with the descendants of Sugawara, Nymeria’s first emperor.
Megumi’s eyes are trained on the wolf’s fur, so when Summer suddenly begins to bark at the palace gates it startles him from his thoughts. He looks up and sees the carriage, drawn by horses and flocked by knights. Megumi retracts his hand from the wolf and stands at attention until the carriage comes up to the entrance. He steps forward, rushing to the carriage’s side to greet the arriving royal.
“Your Highness,” the young knight nods his head as he bows at the waist, one arm at his side, the other bent up with his palm over his chest. Rika stands from her seated position once the carriage has come to a stop, and looks out of the carriage, peering down at the knight with a questioning glance.
“Gumi, is that you?” She asks, a smile crawling up her face as she gazes at her childhood friend. She immediately takes note of his silver armor and tall stature—a complete change from the small raven-haired boy she knew six years ago. Though she knows from Tsumiki’s correspondence with him that Megumi had become a knight just the past fall, seeing him in person somehow makes it seem more real.
To Rika, Megumi is one of her most treasured childhood friends. He was nine, and Tsumiki eleven, when they met the Okkotsu prince and princess for the first time, introduced to each other by their fathers. While it was easy for Tsumiki to test the barriers of social status because of her extroverted and compassionate personality, Megumi was more intimidated by the younger princess and the ten-year-old prince. Although he was the son of a kingsguard, at the end of the day he was still a commoner, a mere boy in comparison to the siblings who would one day rule the land. Too afraid to anger or offend the young royals, Megumi was oftentimes very standoffish and curt with them but enjoyed their company all the same.
To Rika, Megumi is one of her most treasured childhood friends. They have been friends since they were young children, introduced to each other by their fathers. While it was easy for Tsumiki to test the barriers of social status because of her extroverted and compassionate personality, Megumi was more intimidated by the young royals. Although he was the son of a kingsguard, a title that conveys some elevation of status, at the end of the day he was still a commoner, a mere boy in comparison to the siblings who would one day rule the land. Too afraid to anger or offend them, Megumi was oftentimes very standoffish and curt with them but enjoyed their company all the same.
Looking over at Rika now, he finds himself surprised at how she has grown from a child to a young woman, bewitched by her beauty. People often called her the most beautiful princess in the realm—The Realm’s Delight—and he had wondered over the years if she was still as pretty as she was when he first knew her. But seeing her in person now outright stuns him. 
For a moment, his breath is caught in his chest and his jaw slacks as his green eyes, the brightest shade of verdelite, lock onto Rika’s chocolate brown. As Megumi rises from his bent position, he extends his hand out towards the carriage, waiting for Rika to place her palm within his own. Rika ignores it, jumping off the carriage and landing on her feet. Just as stubborn as always.
“Princess, please be careful—”
She envelops the raven-haired knight in a tight embrace, startling him. “I’m glad to see you, Gumi. I’ve heard you’re a knight now, huh?”
Rika pulls away and clamps her hands onto Megumi’s armored shoulders. Her stare bores into his face, making the young knight even more flustered than he already is. 
“Yes, Your Highness,” he replies, his body stiff as a board.
“Wow, and you’re so handsome now too,” Rika pinches his cheek with a bright smile. 
Once Rika lets go and looks up at him, Megumi’s mouth opens and closes, like a fish out of water. He wants to give her some kind of reply that can express his thoughts—perhaps how much he’s missed her, or how much she’s grown, how beautiful she looks… But before he can form the words, Rika looks over his shoulder and sees the brown direwolf that practically begs for her attention, whining with its tail creating dust as it thumps excitedly at the ground.
“Summer!” Rika exclaims, releasing Megumi and taking a few eager steps past him. Her direwolf charges up and into her arms, knocking her backward and licking at her face. Rika giggles as her back lands on the grass, her arms coming up to stroke the wolf’s fur. “Oh, I’ve missed you too, Summer.”
Tsumiki then steps down from the carriage, taking her brother’s hand as her feet land on the ground. 
“Pick up your jaw or you’ll catch flies, brother,” she teases, seeing how Megumi still stares at the princess in stunned silence. The blush on his face crawls to the tips of his ears but he’s too happy seeing his sister after so long to be mad at her for her taunting.
“Miki,” Megumi calls her name fondly, bringing his sister into his embrace. “I’m glad you’re both home safely. You’ve grown so much.”
“And you, Megumi, you’re so big now,” Tsumiki laughs, nuzzling into her brother’s chest. “What happened to my little brother?” When they were children, Tsumiki was taller than Megumi. Now, Megumi is a whole head taller than she is. 
“That’s Lieutenant Fushiguro to you,” he teases, separating from his sister to look over at the princess. 
Summer makes a noise, somewhat of a huff, and it makes Rika chuckle. “Is that so?” She asks, looking up in Megumi’s direction. Megumi returns her gaze, brows threaded in confusion, and she answers his unspoken question. “Summer says you really missed me, Gumi."
Megumi shoots a glare at the brown wolf, yet the crimson that paints his face doesn’t let up for a moment.
“Is it true, then?” Rika asks, the mirth fading from her voice. Tsumiki knowingly smiles at their exchange but says nothing. To her chagrin, Megumi and Rika have been separated for years and yet their relationship seems to pick up right where it had left off.
Megumi turns away, opting to stare at his feet. “No, not at all, I—“ He turns to his side and sees Gyokuken. “I definitely have not spoken about you, princess. Right, Gyokuken?” Gyokuken, who had been silently observing his master at his side, snorts at Megumi’s cowardice, shaking his head as he begins to walk towards the palace. Thanks for the backup, traitor.
“A-Anyway, Your Highness, we should head inside the palace,” he stutters.
Rika strokes Summer’s fur, asking, “What’s the rush? We just got home.”
“The King’s Hand has told me he wishes to see you at once.”
At this, Rika and Summer stand from the ground. Summer joins Gyokuken’s side as Rika dusts off her pale blue dress, brushing back the few loose strands of hair that had fallen from her braid when she fell to the ground. She knows better than to keep the most impatient man in the realm waiting. “Lead the way, then.”
***
As Rika walks through the palace following Megumi’s lead, Tsumiki on her left side, the pair of wolves on her right, she realizes just how little the palace has changed from her memory. The servants are still the same familiar faces from her childhood. The walk from the entrance to the royal chambers is engrained in her mind even after so many years, her feet carrying her over the thick carpets and marble floors as if by memory. The paintings of her ancestors that line the pale gold-trimmed walls are still the same. It’s how she knows to turn her eyes away from the very last portrait in the hall, the one which depicts the current emperor, her father.
“Welcome home, princess. Glad to see you have arrived safely,” she hears a deep voice say once they stop before the royal chancery.
When she looks up she sees the face of her father’s advisor, Lord Kento Nanami, welcoming her into the room. The reflection of his glasses hides his gaze from her, and with his typical stoic expression, it is hard to tell what feelings he has, if any at all. She opts to be polite with him, not knowing his intentions. “Good to see you again, Lord Nanami,” she says, performing a curtsey. 
Nanami’s gaze shoots to her companions, and a curt “leave us” is uttered past his lips as he ushers Rika to come further inside.
Tsumiki looks at Rika hesitantly, but Rika sends her a reassuring smile. “Go on ahead and spend some time with your brother, Lady Tsumiki. I’m sure you’ve missed him. I’ll be all right here. You know, royal business.”
Tsumiki bows, sharing a knowing glance with Rika. “Of course, my lady.”
As the door shuts on the two Fushiguros and the direwolves, Rika steps further inside. The room is still just as dark and cold as it once was, lined with bookshelves on its walls and a large window that overlooks the back gardens. A large wooden desk belonging to the king lies within steps of the doorway, and it is there that Nanami takes a seat. Rika follows, sitting in a plush upholstered seat across from him.
“Is everything all right, Lord Nanami? What about my father? Where is he?”
“That’s why I called you here, princess,” the lord replies. He turns in his seat, crossing his legs and leaning back as his gaze shifts to the window. Outside the gardens are teeming with life, the height of the spring in full effect. He takes a deep breath and sighs. “I’ve called you here to speak about your father.”
At this, Rika squirms in her seat. The last she had seen of her father was the night he had murdered her mother with his bare hands in a fit of madness. Although peace had finally reigned over Nymeria, war still waged in her father’s mind. She fears the worst, thinking perhaps her father is still mad. She nods in silent anticipation.
“Your father lies bedridden, weakened by his illness,” Nanami starts, awaiting Rika’s reaction. She simply nods pensively. “In your absence, I’ve been working on your father’s behalf. The other kingdoms do not know of his illness, which is why we did not tell you over letters in case any were to be intercepted. If the other kingdoms found out our king was weakened we would be vulnerable.” Rika nods, agreeing with his reasoning. “But now that you are sixteen, you are of age to rule. Once you marry and declare the intention to have an heir, we can crown you as queen. I apologize to put this upon you so soon but… with your brother’s death, you are the only descendant left of the emperor. And with the state of his health, we don’t know how long he has left.”
“I see…” she murmurs. She looks to her side, where another portrait framed with ornate gold designs hangs in the chancery. It depicts her father, dressed in his royal garb with a stern face yet a warm gaze, and her mother, as delicate and beautiful as a rose with a soft pink dress to match. She sees her younger self, a genuine smile with eyes like crescents while she wears a beautiful violet gown. And she sees her brother, with his clear sapphire eyes that radiate warmth and an earnest closed-lip smile, his arm around her shoulders despite his stiff and stuffy royal ornaments. 
I wish you were here, Yuuta, she thinks, locking eyes with his soft smile. You were meant to be king… not me. I’m not as strong as you are, nor as kind-hearted… Could I even come close? I’m afraid to face the world on my own when they hate us so much…
Rika doesn’t speak her thoughts aloud, instead fisting her hands onto the skirt of her dress and gritting her teeth. She’s afraid, so afraid to become the ruler of the most powerful, yet most hated kingdom in the realm. The stain of her father’s sins taints her reign before it even starts, and she knows it will be difficult to change her reputation. But if it were Yuuta, he would accept this responsibility without a second doubt. 
“Are you ready to declare your intention to find a suitor and become crowned queen, Your Highness? It will take some time to prepare but we can begin to look towards the lords and nobility of Nymeria—or outside the kingdom, if you desire. We can hold the coronation in a few months’ time.”
Rika’s eyes are still on the portrait that hangs on the wall. She knows her responsibility is to her kingdom and to the royal family, things she’s been told about since she was a child. Though when she was younger she would protest at the thought of fulfilling her duties as princess, over the years she has grown to understand that this is her birthright, whether she chooses to accept it gracefully or not. So she swallows her reservations and steels herself. With determination, she looks toward Nanami and nods.
“Yes, I’ll do it. I’ll do whatever is necessary to become queen.”
Lord Nanami nods, pleased with the princess who has returned to them from the west. When Rika had left, she was immature, perhaps some would say even a bit of a spoiled brat. But now she seems to be much more refined and dutiful, having matured some with age. Nanami stifles a smile, seeing the Princess stepping into her role.
Rika asks, “Lord Nanami?”
“Yes, princess?”
“May I see my father?”
“Of course.” Nanami rises from his seat and walks around the desk, extending out his arm for the princess. She lays her palm atop his clothed forearm. With one last glance at the portrait in the chancery, she nods before turning away. She puts on a brave face, walking alongside the King’s Hand, feeling somewhat empowered by the sight of her mother and brother’s smiles.
***
It has been only a fortnight since the princess’s arrival, but already the council has deemed it of importance to have her begin to enact her royal duties. After two weeks of reacquainting herself with the palace, its staff, her lessons, and the status of her kingdom, her first task is to choose a knight who will serve as her protector. In the six kingdoms, it is customary for a king and their heirs to select the knights who will be devoted to them throughout their service to the crown. Rika, now of age, is ready to make her choice.
She stands on the balcony above the Nymerian throne, a seat that has not seen use in the three years since her father has become bedridden. Beside her on her right stands the King’s Hand, Lord Nanami. On the left, the Lord Commander Toji Fushiguro, who has brought along his knights who are not yet pledged to any lords. The three of them stand tall at the forefront of the room, and below them are the select few that Rika has to choose from, bent upon one knee with heads bowed towards the floor.
Nanami motions toward the first knight in the row to step forward. The man is incredibly tall, perhaps even as tall as Master Gojo, with a large, broad frame and muscles that show prominently beneath his dark cloth uniform. His dark hair is pulled back into a knot behind his head, and he wears a large, dark scar over his left eye. He stands, steps closer toward the princess and her advisor, and shows a flashy smile up toward the balcony.
“Princess, this is Lieutenant Aoi Todo, of House Todo from the province of Norvos,” Nanami begins. “He has served in our ranks for many years, including as a young soldier in the war against Drican. He’s among the strongest of his ranks with many victorious battles and skirmishes throughout his service to the crown. He would make a fine knight for your defense, Your Grace.”
“Thank you for your service,” Rika says directly to Todo, with a soft smile and a nod.
“It would be an honor to serve you, princess,” Todo replies, standing straight. Todo wouldn’t dare admit it out loud, but he is confident despite his house being small. He believes he will be the one to obtain the position of the princess’s defender as he is the most experienced of the batch of knights standing in the throne room. Hell, even Toji believes Rika will choose the strongest knight, Todo, already mentally dismissing the remaining knights who stand before them.
After Todo reclaims his spot among the knights in line, bending the knee, the next to present himself before the princess is Kinji Hakari, a tall man with curled, short blonde hair and sun-kissed skin. The look on his face as he looks towards the princess and the King’s Hand is as confident as that of Todo’s. His name alone is worthy of being in close service to the crown, he believes.
Nanami leans close to the princess, to speak without being heard by the knight when he steps closer to them. “This is Lieutenant Kinji Hakari, of House Hakari from the capital city of Tyrosh. Though he does not have the experience of the previous knight, his house is quite wealthy and influential within the region. To offer him the position would appease their house, my lady.”
“I see,” she says, mostly under her breath. Rika knows the games of royalty and politics enough to know that granting Hakari the position would earn favor with his father, the Lord of Tyrosh, an incredibly important support to the crown’s funds. When Hakari offers her a smile and pledges to defend her honor, she sends him a smile in return with a nod of her head. “Thank you, lieutenant.”
Before another knight has his chance to step forward, Rika turns to Nanami, surprising him by lifting her hand to pause the show of knights. Though there are many more to choose from and parse through, Rika doesn’t need to hear anymore. They are all fine options, but she already walked into this room knowing who would be her choice.
“I wish for Lieutenant Megumi Fushiguro to be my knight.”
The clangs of dull swords and the footsteps of the knights, meandering about, cease. At the sound of her words, every man in the room gapes in shock.
“Princess,” Toji finally speaks up. Even he cannot mask his surprise. “Megumi? He was just knighted by the King’s Hand only six months ago, Your Grace.”
“Would a knight with more experience not suit you, princess? The young knight has seen battle only once, and even that was nothing but a skirmish.” Nanami adds.
Rika crosses her arms over her chest, looking out into the crowd of knights. Against the wall in the back of the room, among all the other knights who were available for selection, stands the young Fushiguro, frozen in his boots. He blinks at the princess in shock, unable to register what is happening.
But Rika’s voice calls out to him and that brings him out of his reverie. “Lieutenant Fushiguro, please step forward.”
With wobbly knees and shaky breaths, the knight cuts through the crowd and stands below the balcony, all eyes in the room trained on him. Todo and Hakari step aside, tongue in cheek as they incredulously glare at the young raven-haired boy.
“Princess, are you sure about this?” Toji asks, watching as his son bends at the knee before Rika. Megumi looks between his father and Rika, utterly confused, as this is an outcome he couldn’t have predicted even in his strangest dreams.
“There is no one in this room I trust with my life more than Megumi,” she replies, her gaze unwavering. When she looks down at Megumi, her smile is as intoxicating as it is bewitching.
Megumi’s eyes widen and his lip part, surprised by Rika’s words. Megumi feels a thousand emotions hit him at once, remembering the words that his father spoke to him years ago on the training grounds when he was just a soldier.
“That’s enough for today, Megumi. Take a rest.”
“I haven’t trained nearly enough. I’ll stay until I’m tired.”
“You’ll hurt yourself if you keep pushing so hard.”
“But father, I want to be a knight. I’ll have to train a thousand times harder to get there if I want to protect the royal family.”
Toji Fushiguro, the Lord Commander, watched his son swing and jab at a training block with his dull sword, alone after all the other soldiers had finished training for the day. Toji looked down at his young son with a disapproving look. “A knight? Absolutely not. It’s too dangerous for you.”
While it was true that being a soldier or a knight were positions that risked a man’s life, being close to the royal family was the riskiest of all. Assassination attempts, having to kill on command—death, death, death. That was all Toji came to learn as a kingsguard and that was the last kind of life he wanted for his son. Especially under the rule of Emperor Okkotsu, who during the war with Drican had become especially merciless. Toji feared that his son, if he were to become a knight and especially a kingsguard, would be forced to commit the kind of atrocities Toji had seen just a few years ago.
“But I made a promise,” Megumi replied, arms crossed over his bare chest glistening with sweat. “I intend to keep it.”
“To the princess?” Toji snorted in disbelief. “She’s probably forgotten all about it by now. She hasn’t even seen you in years.”
Megumi lifted his sword again, hands gripping tightly onto the hilt. “I don’t care. I gave her my word, and I intend to keep it. Whether she chooses me as her sworn protector or not, I’ll protect her.” Megumi remembered her smile, and thinks to himself: I’ll work as hard as it takes to protect that smile.
It is the same smile he sees now on the princess’s face. From his position below the balcony, he calls out to her, “Princess Rika, thank you for choosing me, Your Highness.”
“Who else would I have picked, Gumi?” She asks, her words tilting on teasing. Megumi flushes crimson as the princess addresses him so informally before his peers, masking his cobalt eyes with his dark fringe. But even so, a small grin forms on his lips.
“I am honored, princess,” Megumi says dutifully as he looks back up to meet his princess’s gaze. She sees the small smile that breaks on his lips and returns it with a brighter one of her own.
Though Nanami and Toji wish to protest her choice, ultimately it is her decision as the princess. When she feels them looking at her, she shoots them both a stern gaze as if to mute whatever words they had left on their tongues. 
“He may not be the infantry’s strongest knight,” she starts, speaking to the two men beside her. “But I believe that having one man you can trust is worth a hundred men, don’t you agree?”
Toji finds that at moments like these he sees in Rika traits that had once belonged to her father—passion, determination, grit. He thinks to himself: If the day ever comes, she will surely make a fine queen.
***
Where could she be? 
Megumi would never admit the extent of his worry out loud, but the heart that beats in his chest thrums frantically as he scours the palace for the princess. Why would she disappear so suddenly? And where’s Summer?
It’s only been just over a fortnight since her arrival, and already the princess is causing trouble for the young knight and her lady, Tsumiki. This spring morning, she avoided her lessons and the advisors, slipping away when Tsumiki had left the room to gather the princess’s breakfast. Tsumiki, upon noticing her disappearance, found Megumi and asked him to look for the princess, fearing the worst. Times may be somewhat peaceful now, but the kingdom has its enemies.
That’s what brings Megumi to his current search of the palace grounds. It’s only when Gyokuken leads him to the back of the palace, catching Rika’s scent, that he finds her. Behind the plush greenery of the palace gardens, he spots that familiar head of golden brown hair beneath the pink cherry blossom trees. The princess seems to be deep in thought, pacing back and forth. She wears a pale pink dress, her beauty rivaling the fresh spring blossoms around her, while her wolf naps lazily in the thick patch of grass in the shade. Gyokuken joins Summer, licking the brown wolf’s face before laying down beside her.
Megumi sighs in relief when he sees Rika, walking briskly to join her side. “Princess!”
Rika startles out of her concentration, before smiling at the approaching knight. “Good morning, Gumi.”
“Princess,” he huffs, out of breath as he stands tall before her. “Tsumiki sent me to find you. I should’ve known this would be the place you’d wander off to. At least tell me if you’d like me to escort you somewhere. I’m your knight now. It’s my duty, Your Highness.”
“I just wanted a place to think,” Rika shrugs. She crosses her arms over her chest and stares out over the stone wall into the pond, its waters clear and still, edges bordered by lily pads and deep blue lotus flowers. It’s the first time she’s come back to this lake in six years, and nostalgia grips her chest, making her feel weary. “We used to come here a lot when we were kids, remember?”
The corners of Megumi’s lips curl with fondness. “Yes. I remember you and Tsumiki used to make flower crowns for the dogs and chase them around until you’d force them to wear them.”
Rika smiles. “And you and Yuuta used to feed the puppies so many snacks they’d flop onto their bellies and fall asleep on your feet.” 
Megumi would laugh at the quip, but finds himself distracted by the way Rika’s normally shining, bright gaze is dulled. Her voice sounds worn, tired. 
“Are you all right, Princess?”
If Rika’s surprised by the way Megumi could tell her feelings right away, she doesn’t show it. She simply replies, a fondness in her voice, “I miss those days, Gumi.” Unspoken are the words she wishes to say: I miss Yuuta.
He knows that it’s Yuuta that she’s thinking about, as this spot was one of his favorite places on the palace grounds. He often used to sneak away and lay here beneath the trees beside his pet wolf, Ghost, to read books, sing songs, paint pictures, and daydream—to be a young boy when no one else was around to make him a prim and proper prince. Now that he’s gone, there’s an eerie stillness to the gardens, a void that has no hope of being filled.
Megumi stands beside her, and something in him tells him to reach out to her, to offer her comfort. He lifts his hand and places it atop her head, gently ruffling her hair. “We can’t be kids forever, Your Highness.”
“Rika,” she replies, looking up at the knight. “You can call me Rika, Gumi. Just like you used to.”
Megumi frowns. “I’m sorry, Princess, but I’m your knight now. I can’t refer to you so informally.”
“But I thought we were friends,” Rika pouts, her eyes wide and glistening, like a young puppy begging for scraps. “Do you call your fellow knights by their titles?”
“Only my father.”
“Then, drop the formalities for me too,” she asks. Rika wraps her fingers around Megumi’s wrists, surprising the knight. “Please?”
“As stubborn as always,” Megumi sighs, heat prickling his ears. “Just this once, Rika.”
She giggles, her grip on his wrist getting tighter. The sound of her laughter lifts Megumi’s spirits, knowing that he could bring a smile to the princess’s face.
“Well, you will have to get used to it, Gumi, since we’ll be spending so much time together.”
“Yes, I suppose as I am now your knight that we will.”
Rika releases her hold on Megumi’s hands as she stares into his eyes directly. Her chocolate brown eyes always look so sweet and honest, Megumi sometimes wonders if the warmth of her gaze would ever fade. 
“Megumi… What do you think about being my sworn protector?”
At this, Megumi chokes. He takes a small step back, stuttering, “W-What?!”
“What, you don’t want to be? I thought you promised you would.” Rika blinks up at him with an exaggerated pout.
“N-No, I—wait, yes, but—”
Rika laughs at his sputtering. “Good. You wouldn’t have been able to decline, anyway.”
“Rika,” Megumi calls her name incredulously. But besides surprise, happiness swells in his chest, knowing that Rika had remembered his childhood promise to be her pledged knight. “I may be your knight but… Why your sworn protector? You don’t even know yet if I’m suitable to protect you.”
Her two smaller hands encase his palm, and her serene smile fades into a look of determination. “I want you by my side, even if you were the weakest knight in the realm. I’d trust you with my life. There’s no one else I’d want beside me.”
Megumi simply blinks back at her, overwhelmed with emotions. It takes him a moment to come back to earth. He kneels before his princess, murmuring, “Thank you, Rika…”
Rika chuckles at the seriousness with which Megumi looks at her now. It reminds her of that time, that fateful summer years ago when she was not yet even ten years old and the war with Drican had just reached the borders of Nymeria, that Megumi had made the promise to her:
Rika, even as a young girl, was often one to sneak away from lectures to play, whether on her own or with her wolf pup, Summer. While the servants knew many of the places she would go to hide away throughout the palace, only Yuuta and the Fushiguro siblings were privy to her most secret hiding places. This summer morning was one such day when a nine-year-old Rika had snuck away, giving her servants the most nerve-wracking scare. Megumi overheard the commotion from the servants while walking the palace halls with Gyokuken and became worried over his princess’s safety. His short legs picked up the pace, with the young wolf Gyokuken following his steps, until they carried him to the gardens. Just as he had thought, the princess was there outside, picking flowers and placing them upon Summer’s ears.
“Rika!” He called out, and when Rika heard his voice, she turned to him with a smile.
“Gumi, what are you doing here?”
Megumi crossed the garden to the spot where Rika was sitting, hidden away behind a bush of rose flowers. He crouched down to her height, his breathing labored from his previous haste. Gyokuken sat somewhere behind him in the grass, basking in the summer sun.
“What are you doing here, princess? The servants are looking for you.”
“I promised Summer I’d make her a flower crown today,” Rika replied, cupping her small palms around the wolf pup’s snout. Summer huffed as Rika picked up the wolf’s face, angling it towards Megumi. The top of her brown head was covered in flower petals.“Doesn’t she look pretty?”
Megumi was not one to smile often, but the princess’s smile was contagious. He sat down across from her and the corners of his lips perked up just slightly as he nodded. 
“Yes, Summer looks pretty.”
“What about me, do you think I look pretty?” She asked, with an uncharacteristically shy smile.
“W-what are you talking about, princess,” Megumi sputtered at her sudden question, turning his head to avoid her stare.
The honorific made Rika’s smile turn to a frown, suddenly reminded of her grievances with her title. She grumbled, “Princess this, princess that.”
Megumi raised his brows. “You don’t like being a princess?”
“My mother said one day I’ll have to go to another kingdom and marry a prince… but I don’t want to.” She aggressively plucked the petals from the rose flower in her hand, sending the red petals fluttering to the ground. Megumi stayed silent, as he didn’t know how to reply to such a thing. He knew just as well as anyone else, even at his young age, that people like Rika were born with a duty that they could not get out of.
Rika continued to frown and pluck apart the flower until there was not a single petal left on its stem. She looked up at Megumi with her wide brown eyes and asked, “Hey, Gumi… Do you think maybe one day a princess like me could marry whoever she wanted to?”
Megumi, not one to indulge in such fantasies, sternly replied, “Of course not. A princess has to marry a prince. It’s always been that way.”
“But what if I have to marry a prince I don’t love? What if I want to be with a commoner, someone who isn’t nobility? Someone like you?”
Rika looked at Megumi expectantly; perhaps she believed that Megumi would be able to give her some comfort. Megumi instead froze on the spot, his little body feeling like it had turned to lead, simply blinking in disbelief at the princess. Was this her way of saying she liked him? Megumi instantly rebuked such an idea as quickly as he had thought it, not allowing himself to believe that it was possible.
“I-idiot, what are you talking about?!” He buried the bottom of his warmed face under his arms, hugging himself close to his knees. “You’re saying weird things, Rika.”
She pouted. “I wanna marry someone who I love, Gumi. It’s not fair.” 
Megumi could see that tears began to dampen her eyelashes, and the sight of her so upset made him want to comfort her. He reached over and ruffled her hair just as Yuuta always did, causing her to lift her head and gape in surprise.
“Y-you don’t even know what love is so… Just stop crying. You’re only nine, you dummy. Don’t worry so much about it. Let’s just go back inside. We’ll be late for lessons today.”
“I… I don’t want to go back yet, Gumi,” she protests weakly, rubbing her eyes with her fingers balled into fists. “Can we stay here a little more?”
“But my father says we shouldn’t play outside anymore. That it’s dangerous now.”
Rika frowned.“But we always play outside.”
“We’re at war now, princess. What if the bad men come and steal us away? You’re the princess, you shouldn’t be out here without a knight to protect you.”
“You worry too much. We have the wolves here,” Rika shrugged. She looked up at Megumi and added, “Plus, you’re here too. You’ll protect me, right, Gumi?”
“That’s what the knights are for, Rika. And my dad says I shouldn’t be one.”
“Your father is the king’s sworn protector. He’s the strongest knight in the whole kingdom. Why wouldn’t you be a knight too?”
Megumi looked down at his shoes pensively. “I told him I want to be a knight but… He says it's too dangerous.”
“Too dangerous? What, are you scared, Gumi?” Rika chided him. Her moods were oftentimes mercurial, already prioritizing teasing Megumi over the prior thoughts that had made her cry.
Megumi turned his head back up towards the princess, heat pooling at the tips of his ears. “N-no! I’m not scared!”
“Then, you should be a knight. I know you’d be a strong one like your father.”
“I don’t wanna be like my father,” Megumi protested, tongue in cheek.
“You don’t want to be a sworn protector? But what if I made you my sworn protector?” Rika looked at Megumi with an exaggeratedly pleading gaze, playing at his heartstrings.
As gullible as he is serious, Megumi took her words to heart. His eyes widened in surprise, a blush painting the apples of his cheeks. “You really want me to be your knight?”
“Yep! If you promise me you’ll be a knight, I’ll make you my sworn protector when we’re bigger. That way you’ll always get to be by my side.”
Megumi brought a finger up to scratch at his cheek as the princess placed another flower on her brown wolf’s head. “Why me, Princess? I… I don’t understand.”
“You’re important to me, Megumi. I trust you the most,” Rika declared, pulling one last flower from the bush. This time she turned to her side, and with a bright smile, she placed it on Megumi’s head between the strands of his spiky dark hair. He feigned an annoyed face in an effort to hide the happiness he felt at Rika’s words. His father didn’t want him to be a knight but if the princess asked him to, he’d try his damn hardest.
“Okay, Rika. I… I promise I’ll be your sworn protector.”
“You pinky promise?” She asked, holding up her smallest finger between them.
Megumi linked his pinky finger with hers, nodding. “Pinky promise.”
Looking down at Megumi now, the princess reaches up to her head, pulling off the hairpin that adorns her hair. “I think you’re missing something, Gumi.”
She giggles, the sweetest sound Megumi’s ever heard, when she leans down and smooths down the spikes in Megumi’s hair, clipping down his hair with the hairpin. The hairpin is gold with soft pink sakura flowers and reminds her of that time years ago when Megumi would let her place flowers in his hair. “Still looks as pretty as always.”
“Men aren’t supposed to be pretty,” he protests weakly. Megumi, still on his knee, looks down if only to avoid the princess’s gaze, scarlet splashed across his face. One of his hands comes up to his head, fingertips brushing over the metal pin in his hair. “Is this hairpin yours?”
“Think of it as a gift for the occasion.” Although she is partly joking, offering him one of her hairpins that she had bought overseas, she does think Megumi is being insanely cute now and that a little teasing would be fun. She takes both his hands in hers then, and adds, “It’s to commemorate your oath as my sworn protector.”
Though most knights and kingsguards only make oaths to the royals when they are knighted, Megumi has been waiting for years to finally pledge his life and loyalty to his princess. Not one to waste the opportunity, he pushes through the nervousness he feels and steels himself. He looks up to his princess, directly into the depth of her eyes, and makes his vow. 
“Princess Rika, it is my honor to be knighted as your sworn protector.” Rika’s teasing smile falters as she hears the conviction in his voice and sees the determination in his gaze. Megumi unsheathes his sword from its scabbard, laying it down on the ground before his princess. “Even when we were children, you were always the most courageous and kind-hearted lady I knew. It is my honor to lay down my sword for you. I will give my heart, soul, my life, whatever it is that I can, for you my lady. I swear it before the Gods.”
Rika kneels before her knight, digging her clothed knees into the ground, ignoring the dirt that sullies her dress. She brings her face level to Megumi’s. She doesn’t let go of his hands for a moment, and just as he was swayed by conviction, so is she, staring fixed into his deep green irises. 
“I vow that you will always be my most trusted protector,” Rika says, “Even if one day you are one day no longer my personal knight. You will always be a part of my family here in Nymeria. And you will always be one of my closest friends, Megumi. I will never do anything to sully your honor as a knight, nor ask anything of you that would cause you pain or distress. I will never be like my father. As long as you are sworn to me, I will value you and your life as you value mine.”
“Princess…” Megumi swallows the lump in his throat, bewitched by her smile. He never had expected Rika to also make a vow to him, and his heart races in his chest as he commits the words to memory. To be cherished and valued so highly by his lady… He feels so elated his body could burst at the seams. All the times he had worked so hard over the years, training his body and mind to become a knight despite his father’s discouragement—it was all worth it if it culminates in a moment like this, of being worthy of his princess’s vow.
Megumi rises to his feet, and with the princess’s hand still within his grasp, he helps her off the ground. Her smile fades to a soft gasp as Megumi brings her hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on the back of her hand. His lips are soft and warm against her skin. And his eyelashes… so long and pretty as they flutter closed. “Thank you, Your Highness.”
Rika, who is always so brazen and so bold with her tongue, turns into a stuttering fool, an uncharacteristic warmth rising to her rosy skin.
“Y-yes, well… You’re… You’re welcome.”
A soft gust of wind suddenly cuts through the air, rustling the trees and carrying pink petals off the branches. As Megumi and Rika stand bashfully before one another, a pink petal lands upon her fringe. Before she can remove it, Megumi reaches up with his free hand and removes the petal from her strands. When his fingertips brush against her face, the princess looks away.
Megumi’s gaze lands on her lips, though he’s not sure why he finds them so distracting. “Princess, I—”
“Princess Rika!” A woman’s voice calls out, one that is familiar to both of them: Tsumiki.
Megumi and Rika practically jump at the sound of her voice, the princess stepping back and creating some distance between herself and her knight. Even Summer and Gyokuken, who had fallen asleep during the entirety of Megumi and Rika’s exchange, pick up their heads and curiously look up at the maid. 
For a moment, Rika wonders what that strange feeling had been, as if she and Megumi had been on another planet entirely, but it’s quickly muffled down and stored away in the recess of her mind upon seeing her lady approaching.
“Lady Tsumiki… Fine morning, isn’t it?” Rika asks timidly, knowing she had escaped under Tsumiki’s watch.
“You had me quite worried there, princess,” Tsumiki scolds her, though there’s no bite behind her words. Truthfully, she had come upon Megumi and Rika some time ago and chose to stay hidden as she watched the pair exchange vows. She didn’t have the heart to interrupt such a tender moment between her brother and the princess. Plus, as she looks up at her brother, she giggles. He does look cute with the pin in his hair.
“I had Summer with me! And Gumi too,” the princess replies. “I was fine.”
“Well, let’s head back inside. You’re late for your calligraphy lesson, Your Highness.”
Megumi suppresses a smile as Rika rolls her eyes. “All right. Will I see you after your morning training, Lieutenant Fushiguro?”
The color on Megumi’s cheeks rivals that of the flower clip in his hair, the faintest tinge of pink, and he masks it with a short cough as he brings his fist up to cover the bottom of his face. Rika had never called him by his title before so directly, and though he wouldn’t admit it, it sounded quite lovely when she was the one to vocalize it. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Tsumiki sends her brother a knowing glance as the princess turns away and begins to walk back towards the palace, her direwolf following faithfully behind. “I see you’re getting well-acquainted with the princess again, Gumi.”
Megumi scratches the back of his neck. “I… I guess so, Miki.”
She places one of her palms on his cheek, cradling his face. Megumi doesn’t move a muscle, surprised by her gesture. “Just… be sure to guard your heart, brother. I’ll see you later.” She removes her hand as quickly as she had placed it, turning to follow after her princess. “Oh, and the hairpin suits you. Very pretty,” she adds with a chuckle before taking her leave.
Perhaps she is more perceptive than he is because Megumi has no idea what has just happened, absentmindedly rubbing at his cheek with questioning fingers. Now standing alone under the tree, he turns to his wolf Gyokuken, who looks up at him with what seems like an accusatory gaze.
“What?” Megumi asks aloud, bending down to pick up his sword. The wolf simply huffs as the knight places the sword back within its scabbard. But even with jabs from Tsumiki and his wolf, Megumi couldn’t be bothered to be gloomy, not when he had had such a precious moment with Rika. He smiles to himself, hairpin still faithfully lodged within his raven strands, as he heads back to the palace, his heart full of the encouraging words from his princess.
***
Tagging: @brujaovermoxy @erentoes @starry-supernova @itsalicewickedmcgee @jaeger-xo @whore4jean @broken-freedom @raechulashleigh @fqiryspit
Thank you for reading 🥰 If anyone would like to be added to the taglist let us know!
And a meme for you :)
Tumblr media
75 notes · View notes
cursedalthoughts · 1 year
Text
PR6 PREDICTIONS - Northern Parliament
Honestly, I am surprised it took us until PR5 to get any Northern Parliament PR. Wargaming does love their imaginary Soviet warships, and they notoriously love shoving them all around the place; so I genuinely expected them to arrive at AL earlier. But no, the first one was Chkalov.
They have a lot of choices, some of them redundant, some of them would make some of their existing ships redundant, and some of them original. I am not going to speculate on which ones could be PR or DR because it's always a 50/50 chance with these.
As always: I would not bet on any of these. These are just the ones I believe to be likely to be added, if we ever get another Northern Parliament PR.
Tumblr media
Borodino
A fast battlecruiser with a surprisingly shitty main armament arrangement, and even more awful secondary gun layout.
Borodino has 2 triple 406mm turrets that are almost identical to those found on the Soyuz. She also has 2 dual 180mm turrets on the back. That's it. She's weak when it comes to firepower.
However, where Borodino excells is at bow-tanking (this will be a theme for all Soviet battleships btw). With some clever island cover and angling, you can tank pretty much all damage thrown at you.
Tumblr media
Lenin
Borodino, but better, and funnier.
Her turrets (and her rifles) aren't as advanced as Soyuz, they are Vladivostok-type, meaning they are less accurate and the shells are slower. And her side armor is good on paper, but bad on practice.
With her 3 triple 406mm on the front, however (and the middle one being able to rotate 360º), she can fire her 9 very hard hitting shells in a very tight grouping (meaning, with very little dispersion).
Tumblr media
Slava
A larger Soyuz with a ludicrous main gun range and an even more insane almost laser-accurate dispersion.
This thing is a sniper. She puts Champagne or Yamato to shame, in my opinion only Satsuma (a Superbattleship variant of the Yamato) is better.
Unlike Kremlin, she has 406mm, but that hardly matters when these guns hit 90% of the time compared to 60% of the time Kremlin fires.
Tumblr media
Kremlin
The less accurate half-sister of Slava.
However, she has 457mm guns instead of 406mm. That's more considerable.
Tumblr media
Petropavlovsk
A large cruiser notorious for having 220mm guns that hit as hard as Bismarck's 380mm guns (because she is Very Balanced, yes. Balansk). Petropavlovsk is a fast large cruiser with turrets that can all rotate 360º, with radar and hydroacoustic search, that can and will fuck you up if she fires at you.
Oh, btw, get ready for a lot of Soviet supercruisers.
Tumblr media
Sevastopol
"But we already got Sebastopol?"
Yeah. Maybe they could add her with a different name, but now she's Sevastopol.
A half-sister of the Kronshtdadt that replaces her 305mm guns with actual, legit German dual 380mm guns. And funnily enough, this ship is more historically accurate than Kronshtdadt (at least from what I've seen). Honestly, I don't know if we could get her as a PR; maybe a gacha UR with a different name due to how historically accurate she is, but I would love a PR version of her due to her gimmick.
She's a zombie ship. She can heal around 50% of all the damage she takes.
Normally, only damage caused by HE can be mostly healed in WoWs, with AP damage being more severe and permanent. Sevastopol works differently, she can heal almost all damage of all types; but her heal ability is very contrived and has to be utilized properly lest it gets wasted, as she only has 2 charges and the heal lasts, like, a minute or two (can't remember). Normal heals last 30, maybe 40 seconds.
Tumblr media
Stalingrad
The Ultimate Cruiser Spanker.
The Stalingrad is yet another large cruiser. This one is also surprisingly historically accurate.
She excells at removing enemy cruisers from the map. Her AP hits incredibly hard and has flat shell arcs, meaning it can find the citadel of close-range ships very easily (something American ships don't tend to have).
She has the usual suite of radar + hydro + good AA.
Tumblr media
Ochakov
An HE spamming light cruiser that isn't very good at HE spamming.
She has 4 dual 152mm turrets. Her shells are nice and she reloads somewhat quickly, but she only has 8 cannons. Mainz has 12 and takes less than one more second to reload (and has more range). The only good thing about her is the usual Soviet combo of radar + hydro, but honestly, she's irremarkable. Even if I love her.
She would be somewhat similar to Chapayev, but better.
Tumblr media
Grozovoi
A sneaky Soviet destroyer oriented towards smokescreens, hiding and setting fires.
I don't play destroyers. I don't know what to say, but I would love her in AL.
13 notes · View notes
diablademon · 2 years
Text
I am watching One Piece for the first time. This is going to take awhile...
But hey, Im already at episode 122. I like crocodile, so Im happy.
Few comments on what I have seen so far:
Zoro become really loyal to Luffy quick. One of the reason why I started watching One Piece is the relationship between Zoro and Luffy. Not romantic just the trust and loyalty they have. But still, Zoro become loyal quickly. Zoro had known the guy for one day and would already die for him.
The syrup village act was unnessarasy long. Luffy fight with captain Kuro was draged out for way too long, nothing really happend. And Kuro used the same attack two times and somehow that was suppose to be scary the second time? When it barely worked the first time? 
Nami’s backstroy was brutal. While the others were in trouble when Luffy arrived and saved them, they had atleast pretty happy life untill then. Nami’s trauma lasted years before Luffy came.
I have heard of Zoros lack of diraction. But it didnt show that much. He couldnt navigate the sea and got lost and couldnt fidn his way back to his home island. But that isnt that suprising. Only Nami knew how to naviagate in the crew. It seemed more like he got lost stupidly easily after he got the cursed sword at Loguetown. Or am I missing something?
Warship Island arc was really boring. Read after it was a filler arc. I should have just skipped it.
That said, I loved that Nami just pushed Eric of the ship and everyone just laughed at the idea he now would drown.
I also love that while the crew recover quickly from injuries, the show do atleast show them recover. Like Zoro’s chest scar slowing him down in the arlong park arc and when he cut his legs after getting stuck on the candle cake he is shown to have scars on his ankles.
Wapol sucks.
Vivi really should have sit everyone down and explain the dangerous that one would face at arabasta. Like seriously Vivi! Stop ‘forgetting’ to tell everyone about the dangers of the desert!
Hey theres Ace!
I love when Luffy faces Crocodile. Crocodile trying to be so serious and menacing and Luffy is being Luffy. Crocodile must get such extrem headaches just by being around the boy.
The Intos are spoiling whos next to join the crew. Its annoying.
I like hearing Crocodile speak.
I also like hearing Bon Clay speak. For complelty different reasons.
Thats that for now!
I will probably write more posts because I have no one to speak to about One piece. No one of my friends have watch it and are just ignoring me. :c
Back to watching more episodes.
40 notes · View notes
usopps-froggy-hat · 2 years
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
dish duty
935 notes · View notes
brainyxbat · 4 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media
"Welp, you killed Zoro. 😑"
Venus in the Warship Island arc!
3 notes · View notes
ninhaoma-ya · 2 years
Text
Chapter 1056 — Cross Guild
The slice-of-life wind-down when and arc is nearing its end is really nice. It’s lovely to just… see the interactions, follow the banter, laugh at how stupid Kid and Luffy are being and maybe drool a bit over Law. Gnrk.
I’m also really enjoying the cover story! Katakuri and Oven to the rescue of WCI! Wonder how it’ll pan out? The lesser minions were of no consequence for Germa; how about one commander and one high-ranking minister? The brothers are looking somewhat intimidated while Reiju floats away.
Tumblr media
Not looking good for Raizo and Shinobu! Luckily enough, they have the Mink Wundermedischine available. No, I’m not salty over that particular cop-out. Nor Chopper’s robbed medical glory. Not at all.
(Fun fact: both’s proportions are down to more normal-human now. Will it hold?)
One thing I’ve really enjoyed these past chapters is the lightheartedness. All the anger and destruction from the fight is gone, leaving us with the humour and (bad) jokes that really make One Piece shine. Like Carrot…
Tumblr media
A few things:
The “Wait, what?” here is amazing.
And then. The difficult question. Carrot’s future.
I appreciate the symbolism of Nekomamushi and Inuarashi finding each other after 20 years and leaving a unified Zou in the care of someone young, who, like them, has seen something of the world.
As far as we know, not many Minks have left Zou: there’s Dog and Cat, Pedro and Zepo’s pirate crew (which got annihilated as far as I understood their flashback), Bepo who left to look for Zepo and then… nothing, until Carrot. When Nekomamushi and Inuarashi left and Oden returned, the exchange also gave the impression that what they had done had been different and unexpected – and they didn’t really know a thing about sailing or the sea, as evidenced by their shipwreck on Wano. Having a ruler who’s been out there is a good call.
And I like the statement that you don’t have to be the strongest to be the leader, or the oldest. It’s fine to trust someone stronger there to help you protect, while you lead.
And then they go and spoil it by referencing Pedro’s spirit. Pedro, who wanted to leave with Roger. Pedro, who left to be a pirate. Pedro, who came back a failure (in his own eyes). Pedro, who left Zou once more and sacrifice himself for the dawn of the world. What exactly is the spirit to carry here?
I expect Carrot and the Minks to show up at the final battle to support Luffy.
Speaking of Luffy…
Tumblr media
Character interactions are gold in this chapter. “You want this terrible weapon of mass destruction which the biggest players in the world are desperately looking for?”, “Nope, I’ll do it without any perks.” Not sure about having Usopp asleep: it’d be nice to see what his attitude would be! Would he agree with Luffy or try to get them to use the weapon to get to Laugh Tale sooner / safer? Has he grown into a brave warrior of the seas yet?
I’m confused, however, I thought Pluton was a different one from the battle ship? After a quick check on the One Piece fandom wiki, I stand corrected: “Pluton is one of the three Ancient Weapons, alongside Poseidon and Uranus. Pluton is a highly advanced warship capable of mass destruction, labelled the World's Worst Battleship (世界最悪の戦艦 Sekai Saiaku no Senkan) […] The battleship is said to be capable of destroying whole islands in a single shot” (One Piece wiki, Pluton). Furthermore, what I hadn’t realised but which is obvious in hindsight, is that “because the blueprints remained in existence even after the ship was built, whoever possessed the blueprints to the vessel would have the potential to build a fleet of vessels with the same destructive abilities as each other.“ (One Piece wiki, Pluton). Duh.
If I have things right, then: The original warship called Pluton was built during the void century. It is Used For a Purpose and left in Wano, where walls are erected, submerging it through the centuries. The Kozuki clan makes the poneglyphs. The Nefertari family declines Celestial Dragon-status in Mariejois, staying in Alabasta instead. The Kozuki clan leaves a Poneglyph in Alabasta, telling future Nefertari descendants where to find the weaponized ship.
Now I’m on board again.
I wonder if Robin took Franky down there to look at the ship, since he had the blueprints for so long?
(Spolier alert: Raizo and Shinobu’s transformations held)
In a way I really like that Shinobu’s attitude hasn’t changed. She’s always been an alluring, mature lady. I don’t know what to think about her glow-up, though, nor her comments regarding it. To be continued.
Tumblr media
And Otama is so cute! I really hope we get to see a post-script when One Piece is finished, when they sail around some more and she joins their ship for reals :)
And Nami! With clothes! Somewhat coutnered by Shinobu’s outfit, but I’ll take what I can get!
Tumblr media
Caribou is still creepy AF. Who is he talking about? He’s been stuck on Wano since he defended the Old Lady With The Pies in his cover story, and as far as we know, before that, he was just a rookie in the Grand Line? Has he teamed up with Apoo, selling stories to Morgans?
Also, have a Kin-compilation, since he’s just so sweet (and trademark-ignorant) this chapter:
Tumblr media
And then, the highlight of this whole sequence of chapters:
Tumblr media
CAPTAIN TRIO! And happy Bepo in the background.
But just look! Look at them! Kid, being all serious with his hand on his leg, arguing with Luffy, squatting on a crate to have the dream of a chance to be on the same level as Kid and…
…Law. Oooooh, yesssssss. I didn’t know how much I needed Law in a tank top. Fan artists rejoice! The dude knows how to do his fanservice.
Sad to hear Law thinking the alliance is over, but it’ll be interesting to see where they end up!
Tumblr media
And seeing that brain in action is just… gnrk.
To get back to the matter at hand, which is chapter analysis: I do question Law’s comment about north-east being the most direct route. Direct to where?
However, one thing I didn’t think of but someone on Reddit pointed out, was that Luffy basically has the position of Laugh Tale.
If we look at who has what Lode Ponegplyhs, we get…
Kid: Big Mom + Kaido
Law: Kaido + Zou
Luffy: Kaido + Zou + Big Mom
Luffy’s Ponegplyhs give us a triangle. If we consider the islands the Poneglyph’s identify as poins of a triangle, regardless of where the fourth island is, Laugh tale will be somewhere on the sides of the triangle.
Of course, you can’t just sail the Grand Line, even less the New World, without a log pose, a lot of luck and an amazing navigator, but since Luffy has all three (Laugh Tale isn’t available on the log pose, otherwise everyone could just stroll up there: that’s why you need the Lode Ponegplyhs) he could, in theory, just brute force the triangle and find the One Piece that way.
He won’t, obviously, since he’s all about that adventure, but Nami and Usopp probably would. Ooo, nice fanfic idea! Nami and Usopp, plotting to get Luffy to sail along the triangle route, just to avoid capturing the fourth Ponegplyh which is probably in the hands of Blackbeard or someone similar?
And speaking of Blackbeard, Luffy, and other yonkos…
Tumblr media
I CANNOT WAIT FOR THE STORY BEHIND THIS ONE.
Mihawk and Crocoboy working under Buggy? Not a snowball’s chance in Hell. Is it like Mr.3 and Alvida, working with him and letting him be the front figure? The best crack theory so far: Croc and Mihawk are with buggy because they lost a Davy Back fight.
Tumblr media
Character. Interactions. Are. Gold.
Nice little establishing shot of Zoro, going all ‘Nnnnnnnoooooo…’, while Law puts that overly analytical brain to use: with the information he has, it is a logical conclusion to draw. And then there’s Luffy debunking any and all skills Buggy has and Kid who focuses on the matter at hand, in other words, what the Cross Guild (will see with official translation if that’s the true name) is actually doing, not who’s in it.
But really nice idea with the ‘bounties for marines’-thing! Did not expect that! And will this affect a certain Wanted-poster fan creation-event, I wonder… now that marines also, by canon, can have wanted posters ;)
And Law. Oh, my heart. You honourable bastard, you.
Tumblr media
We’ll have to see how the official translation puts it, but still: who is it? Sabo? Aokiji? Marko? Blackbeard?
Law is all dark and broody – is it Doflamingo, out from Impel Down? He was burned when young, after all.
Robin looks surprised: does she know who it is or did she figure it out when she saw Law’s reaction?
COME ON KID, TELL US ALREADY.
Tumblr media
Yamato for nakama is gaining momentum.
I don’t really have an opinion, one way or the other: I like him as a character and have no objections to him joining. I do share the worry that the crew is getting too big to focus properly on all members, which has been a problem in the fights lately. However: the story is less about the individual crew members and more about the world changing now (or has actually been since they entered the New World), which justifies less of a focus on their development and more on what’s happening around them instead.
But it is still annoying to be left in the dark with character development. The biggest pain is Chopper. I really expected him to be able to cure SMILE when Wano was over, but maybe that’s something he has to work with Vegapunk on?
(And speaking of Vegapunk: wouldn’t it be hilarious if Kid’s route takes him to Vegapunk’s location and he kidnaps him or something similar? Etymology of ‘Vega’: (1) brightes star in the Lyra constellation; (2) an extensive, fertile, grass-covered plain or tract of land.)
I’m guessing we’ll get some sort of flashback to Zoro’s family ties, hinted at in SBS and the story proper, as well as something on him visiting Ryumas grave, as he wished.
Lighthearted fun! I give it three different routes to follow and a million bonus points for tank top-Law.
Serious thoughts re. the whole:
Both in terms of story-telling and art, the latest chapters looks almost like a second draft, but not yet the final creation. Some really weird decisions were made regarding character development and the art looks more and more rushed, the detailed backgrounds the only clean thing the eye can rest on while the characters and moving parts are rushed and sketchy, especially in the larger panels with a lot of them (see panel with Raizo and Shinobu for example).
I realize some of the issues with art might have to do with scanlation quality, but I usually read through the official as well (support it as well, guys!) and the same things are noticeable there. It’s hard to say if it’s the length of Wano dragging Oda down, the length of One Piece finally taking its toll or the million other projects he has rolling (film RED, Netflix live action, planning the final saga, etc.), but the lack of focus is really showing.
20 notes · View notes