ACE

[ballies]

(pirate noises)

Comments

[ballies]

[ ...



oh.


ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. ]

That explains so much of Thursday evening now.

[ idiot. ]

[selfimmolation]

Too bad Argalia didn't actually drown. [ grumbled under his breath but anyway; ] Yeah, I was a pretty good swimmer before that, but now when I touch water I just sink.

[ballies]

[ pff. ] You're not wrong. But then you and Sigrun would've been in danger too.

[ still. imagine. ]

Something like a monkey paw situation? You get something great, but there's a heavy cost to it.

[selfimmolation]

Sigrun wouldn't have been in danger if she'd let go.

[ HONESTLY!!! but moving on; ]

Basically. It's why they're called Devil Fruits. You can get any ability, but the sea hates you. My little brother ate one as a kid, and he's rubber now! Way worse of a trade-off.

[ sounding fond ]

[ballies]

And therefore wrestling by the lake turned into--that.

[ fools. ]

Rubber? Like-- [ she makes a motion like she's stretching herself out, but she's not actually made of rubber so it probably looks kinda weird. ] Somehow you being a big brother makes sense though. You have that energy.

[selfimmolation]

I didn't tell her to throw me in the lake.

[ he'll continue to blame sigrun for it despite me telling nick `do it`. anyway his grin just. widens. ]

Yeah! He can stretch. He had no control over it at all when we were kids, so he'd just snap back and hit himself in the face. [ he laughs a little at the big brother energy call out ] Thanks?

[ballies]

You both gave us a heart attack, so the blame is shared.

[ but he can blame sigrun if he wants to. if it makes him feel better. ]

That-- [ hang on. give her a moment. that's a really funny mental image. ]-- like snapping a band? But it was your brother? [ pfft. ]

Some people just have the aura.

[selfimmolation]

It's not like it's the first time I fell in water.

[ that's not better. anyway he laughs ]

Yeah! He's punched himself in the face plenty of times trying to get me. And then he'd cry about it. [ hehehehe ]

[ballies]

... I can't even comment on that, I know what your job is.

[ pirate. ]

...

[ YEAH THE ELDER SIBLING ENERGY HERE IS IMMENSE. ] Ah. Brotherly love.

[selfimmolation]

It was training. [ so that makes it okay? ] Luffy's gotten a lot better at it these days, at least. Would be embarrassing for his crew if he was still punching himself in the face on the regular! He's Robin's captain, did you know?

[ballies]

[ wah ]

Really?!

… Y’know, this place is really dismantling the idea I had of a “pirate” in my head. [ because “terrible cargo shorts and a loud hat”, and “possibly the most elegant woman here” weren’t it. ]

[selfimmolation]

There's all kinds, obviously. [ he shrugs ] I only found out when she mentioned her crew, so I was pretty surprised myself.

[ballies]

[ hm… ]

Do you not see your brother a lot then? Although— I guess if you’re both travelling a lot, there’s no guarantee you’ll cross paths often.

[selfimmolation]

I set sail at 17, and Luffy followed three years after. I sought him out not long after he got his first bounty, but she wasn't on his crew then. It's been a while, though, so it makes sense he's gotten some new members since. His bounty's increased a lot too!

[ don't sound happy about it. ]

[ballies]

Like… “Wanted Dead or Alive”? That kind of bounty?

[ ace why do you sound so happy about this. ]

[selfimmolation]

Yeah. We're pirates. That's how you know you've made it.

[ :3c? ]

[ballies]

When someone puts a target on your back?

…

I guess it makes sense…?

[ ace you are so chaotic. ]

[selfimmolation]

Nah, when the government acknowledges you as a threat.

[ IT'S WORSE ]

[ballies]

I mean— fuck politicians.

[ tama don’t swear ]

But doesn’t that make your life more difficult?

[selfimmolation]

[ shrugs ]

Being a pirate means you'll be wanted by the government no matter what. Getting a wanted poster just adds bounty hunters to the mix. If you're a good one, you should be able to handle that much.

[ballies]

So it's like a ticket to a thrill ride. But the thrill ride is your life.

[selfimmolation]

No one becomes a pirate to lead a quiet life, Tama.

[ballies]

See the world, but chaotically?

[selfimmolation]

Something like that, sure.

[ballies]

[ she laughs. ]

If it works, it works.