Pacifista

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

SATURDAY.

Some awesome posts this week! And a new player and character~

Since the Sunstrider group is currently separate, I’ll be hoping for weekly posts. @Hillan is due for one for Morgan and @LostDestiny is due for one with Anna, both on the 12th. I personally have not thought much about advancing with Rico, and would like to get a better scope of the timeline on Sunstrider before I move too far ahead, so I’ll be trying to figure out some interludes for him in the meantime. @Restalaan and I are still getting to starting our arc for Coriander and Haku on Melody Island, and I’m currently waiting on him as needed.

Outside of that, we got the collab between Sol and Valery (@Daxam and @pkken)! They’ve met and parted ways, so hopefully we can see more posts from their individual stories again around the 14th. Also this is the first time two PCs have canonically interacted in the game thus far! Happy almost 4 month anniversary?

Destiny is a shade overdue with Maxwell. @Yankee’s managing to keep in touch. Daxam should hopefully get a Luna post up around the 12th. And @BigOlLewbowski might have the first Imelda post up by the 13th!

Thanks all for the continued contact and activity. And I’m always looking forward to more~

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Ram D. Imelda

@BigOlLewbowski

Accepted! (Can you believe this is our second pirate captain in the whole RP after 4 months?) Super straightforward character concept, which I mean in a good way, as it's also one that can potentially be involved in a bunch of cool stories! Go ahead and put her in the character tab.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Hey! Sorry I missed last week’s update, but I wasn’t feeling up to it. I was also anticipating the first newspaper post, which you can check out now! It summarizes some IC events as seen from the perspective of the World Government (embellished or dramatized as needed), and suggests at some other potentially important happenings on the seas, plus a little scene with some potential implications for later on in the story! I’ll be aiming to do more as everyone's stories continue~

So, as far as updates: we got a cool Maxwell post so hopefully @LostDestiny can keep it up with another one on the 3rd (especially after the latest development). @Daxam is a shade behind with Luna. I haven’t heard from @Yankee in a minute, unfortunately. And all the other characters (including but not limited to @Hillan, @Restalaan, and @pkken) are dealing with collab stuff, though I’m aware of who is expected to contribute/post next. Keep up the good work everyone!

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Northern Financial

Legacy of the Nychthemeron Empire: A Dramatic Follow-Up, Gakure Ooshinra

Yesterday was the 15th Anniversary of the fall of the Nychthemeron Empire. Northern Financial ran an accompanying article, discussing the history of the island and the fallout of its destruction at the hands of the three Admirals of the time, Admiral Kinryu, Admiral Gintora, and Admiral Konjoinu. But recent events have brought Nychthemeron into the eyes of the world once again. Several remnants of the Empire, led by former Prefect Marcus Istria, had been a festering wound on the North Blue for years, committing numerous small times thefts and murders in anonymity as they hid from the world at large. Their crimes were discovered by veteran Captain Stewart Arbor, who valiantly fought and was wounded by Marcus 15 years ago on Eclipsis, continuing to serve and excel even with his injury. But Marcus had also been harboring the unthinkable: Princess Luna Nox, the half-mink child of Comet Nox still lives. Emperor Comet Nox was at the center of many rumors and claims of the Nychthemeron Empire’s planned treason, and he was known to consort with pirates and criminals publicly. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree, as Marcus’ bandit band was not so different from pirates themselves. Luna has inherited the ferocity of the former bestial Emperor, Arbor only barely escaping with his life, marking her as highly dangerous. The World Government bounty office has called for Luna’s capture, dead or alive, no doubt wanting to put the Empire to bed as the night demands, once and for all.

Southern Press

Let There be Light! World Changing Discovery, Dan Dan Romney

The brilliance of invention can come from the most unlikely of places. Several years ago, the Special Science Group splintered as a result of the crimes of Dr. W, its brilliant members lacking direction without his guidance. Despite the collection of great minds, the lack of results has led to several budget cuts, only leading to further lack of discovery. Dr. W may have been the center of the world of science once, but against all odds, the Gamma Group making Wardenclyff Island their home have put the SSG back on the map. They brought this reporter right to their base so they could show their findings, a wonderful little invention called the ‘lightbulb’. Trapping lightning in a glass bottle is no longer a cute phrase: with a small glass tube, they have created a light source brighter than flame and a fraction as hot. It’ll still burn, but one can touch it without risking the spread of dangerous fire. It can also last without constant consumption of physical fuel sources. Their current sample has been lit for an entire month with only a constant source of electricity! Envisioning nights lit to daylight, humans have once again surpassed their innate fears of the dark. Not quite with flying colors, only the one shade of soft yellow, for now. Head of the Gamma Group, Ed Foneson, is already in talks with his fellow Group Heads and even the Godhead of Science and Defense, Saint Carina Jorgenson himself, as these brilliant minds try to conceptualize a world that runs through the lightbulb. Other potential uses of electricity are no doubt going to be investigated. This reporter is glad to have been blessed with the chance to offer some good news, a much needed point of light in dark times.

Sunset Daily

A Sudden City of Ghosts, Cause of Disappearance Still Unknown, Letourneau Sconce Erik

Pinchton Island is no more. Though a small community, a former lawless land that hardly attracted much tourism, a year without word was far too long. Recent investigation has revealed that the island is completely and utterly abandoned. There’s no evidence of violence or disaster: not a corpse to be found. It’s as though the whole city got up and sailed away. The missing possessions might imply as such, or they might imply looters who skimmed through sometime after the abandonment. This isn’t the first time the West has fallen victim to such strange happening: over 15 years ago, half a dozen islands were found to have most of their citizens taken, the rest sworn to silence, if there were any left. Cannon Island, Saltern Island, and Shaker Yost were just a few. Now these places are truly abandoned, and empty, those who remained gone with the wind. Some argue supernatural causes, others believe it’s a divine retribution cast against those who are not in full support of the holy World Government. It could just as easily be the work of pirates, or a bizarre power. The world has been known to possess stranger things.

East Today

Finding Footing for the Future, Kanba Mio

These are more than troubled times. Even this journalist know for her laughs can’t so easily make light of that. The Grime King, the Witch of Webs, the Devil’s Legion: the news is full of terror and travesty, and has for as long as this reporter can remember, even before the descent of the Devil on Marie Geoise. But sometimes something happens that makes the future a little more bright. The East Blue has been a paradise of peace for decades. It’s produced the least pirates and infamous criminals of all the Blue Seas, and Marines often bemoan their assignment there as dreary and dull, not knowing how good they have it. But there’s been a rumbling from Gosa Village, as the 77th works towards its future. After a long period of stagnancy, the village has been set into motion again as the Marines take an active role in the community, rebuilding after a devastating storm just a month ago. While protecting the people is a Marine obligation, going so far is not. And it isn’t without reimbursement. The World Military Draft was first used after the tragedy at Marie Geoise 18 years ago to refurbish ranks. Detractors, such as Admiral Gintora, felt as though the vagueness of the Draft left it exploitable, at worse becoming a sort of slavery (something long since outlawed for humans, even well before the Fishfolk Emancipation of 1445). While the original version was rather fleeting (even if its effects can still be observed today), more recent revisions have allowed it to be put into place again, with certain restrictions. Gosa has become one of the first regions to make use of this new system. Marines assist the community, and in training and educating the young, they will become part of the Marines: a symbiosis that avoids the nasty ‘slavery’ connotation of the original World Military Draft. Building the future of the Marines, something often remarked on by experts as a broad failing of the current administration. As it stands, this reporter believes the East Blue can serve as a model for the rest of the world, one mired in conflict. A skeptic needs only ask those of those others seas how they feel. What’s worse than a lack of peace?

New Bounties
60 million beri - “Waning Moon” Luna Nox
1.5 million beri - “Snake-Eyes” Andou

---

Eclipsis Island, North Blue

“What the hell would anyone want with this place?” mumbled Lieutenant Jayrod, the young man adjusting his sunglasses as he looked over the once grand island. The crumbled stone was scarred beyond belief, the whole island’s shaped changed through destruction wrought by the Admirals of 15 years ago. Spikes of earth and ripped foundations left a trail of ruin throughout. Burn marks of all kinds scoured the sides of all sorts of construction, and the remains of all sorts of weapons and rubble still littered the city.

“It’s not my idea of a vacation…” mumbled Rear-Admiral Mexus, stroking his straight mustache.

In awe at the destruction, Jayrod wondered, “I still don’t get it. I understand that treason is worth investigating or retaliating against, but this?”

Mexus let there be a moment of silence, before admitting, “You were young when it happened, right?”

Jayrod gave a nod. “I think I was 6 or so.”

“It was a different time then. I’ll bet even as a 3 year old toddler you remembered where you were when you heard about the Devil’s attack on Marie Geoise.” Jayrod winced. It had all felt alien to him, but seeing the adults discuss things and panic while the capital of the world and its Gods were under attack half the world away...even if he couldn’t process it then, it felt massive, and unreal. “People were scared. Still are. Men aren’t supposed to be able to challenge the world of the Gods. We’re still feeling the damage. The upper brass was hit just as much as the lower brass. Malay’s still trying to get our military might back. When you think to back then, even if the Government was just jumping at shadows, we were more than ready to just sit back and let it happen. Never again, and all that...not that this is much better.” With a long sigh, he pivoted slightly. “The timing’s odd too, Eclipsis has been a bit news worthy. The paper today mentioned the princess of this place is still alive.”

“Wait, really? We’ve been on our way here for weeks now! That’s crazy,” Jayrod gawked.

Mexus muttered, “Huh, you’re right. No way she’d have… Well, honestly, it’s none of my business. To each their own.”

---

High heels disturbing the gravel, black dress floating above the refuse, a young woman walked through the long vacant city streets, head high, gaze unfixed. Eyes and feet both wandered as she swept through the city like a specter. Occasionally, something would catch her interest, and she would stop: a cat poking about, a hand reduced to bone sticking from rubble, and old book rotted from years of open weather. Rather than something or nothing, she seemed to seek everything, absorbing the locale in its totality. The air, the earth, the sky, the grass, the stone, the rubble, the fauna, the objects, the remains, the aura. She took nothing and left only footprints, and yet, somehow, it was all hers all the same.

Walking alongside a fence, her feet moved in a single line with arms outstretched to hold her balance. Then there was a shuffling around her. Slipping out of shadows and shallows, about half a dozen men moved in on her, brandishing cutlasses or rusted weapons scavenged from the ruins. Their clothes tattered, faces haggard, they’d seen better times. But the woman didn’t even register them, continuing on like nothing happened.

“Hey, you!” one of them called, moving forward as the woman started past him. She lowered her arms, pace relaxing for a bit, then he moved ahead of her. She stopped dead, looking down. “You deaf? Or stupid?”

“There’s no shadow,” the woman noted, her feet on a sunny patch of pavement. Behind her, the fence had formed the path she’d walked in the ground, but she’d stepped away onto the area another shadow had been. “You moved, so I lost.”

“You’re about to lose more than some game, lady. You’re with that Marine vessel, huh? You look pretty important. You’ll make a good hostage so we can get back at that Max fellow,” said the biggest man, a de facto leader.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know anyone by that name,” said the woman.

A wiry sort gave a shiver as he replied, “H-he’s the Marine Captain who captured our crew. We jumped ship, and you’ll be worth their release, I’ll bet!”

“Hmmmm...that won’t happen.”

“Th-th-there’s n-no way th-that’s t-true!” chattered the leader.

“H-hey, why is it s-so c-cold all of a s-s-sudden?” muttered one of the pirates, his breath turning to fog in the air as a cloud masked the sun over Eclipsis.

The woman tilted her head back, face as stoic as ever. “Out of the frying pan, and into the fire? No, not quite,” she whispered, as something small and white glistened in front of her as it drifted. It was steadily joined by more, one of the pirates holding out his hand to feel the biting chill of a snowflake for just a moment before it melted. “Not with me.”

Eyes shooting open with panic, the pirate survivors scattered, but that descriptor would soon fail to describe them as they became buried alive in a freak snowstorm on Eclipsis Island, striking mid spring against all logic, at least for a Blue Sea. Jayrod and Mexus were among the witnesses, watching from a distance, the attention of many crew mates grabbed as the wind picked up, chill air meeting their cheeks and lungs. The isolated phenomenon was strangely beautiful and haunting, the snow shining in the sunlight as it blew down like a tiny avalanche, forming a pillar of white in the center of the island, settling into gray as the thin layer came to rest on the dirty ruin.

Within the hour, the woman returned up the gangplank. “It’s rather nice today, I’ll be on the deck reading a book I found. If you would start the course back home to Marineford, Rear-Admiral?”

Lieutenant Jayrod’s mouth hung open, but Mexus merely saluted, “Yes ma’am!” As she went off, heading to the other side of the deck, Jayrod stammered, “Wh-wh-what? She came here for a book?”

Mexus shook his head. “I don’t know why she came here. It’s more likely she just found it in a house somewhere and thought it was interesting.”

“Then what did we waste our time on this expedition for?”

Mexus turned back to the island, where the snowfall was still visible even from the shoreline, even though the snow would be gone within a day or so, melted and evaporated into nothing. “I heard they were strange, but Malay’s pupils really are something.”

A ways away, the young woman leaned back on a reclining chair, the book creaked as she opened it, pages not having touched air in over a decade. Within moments, she gave a long sigh of disappointment, “Ah, I’ve read this one before...” [Vice-Admiral Névé, Prospective Admiral Shirohitsuji, Snow-Snow Fruit]

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

CATHERINE CORIANDER

---

“Ahhh…” Cicely mumbled, eyes wandering around Tune Town as he took mental note the damages from Burnet and Peppermint’s battle. A number of townsfolk went about tidying up in the light of sunset, piling up wood branches and brushing over blasted dirt. Glancing over to the local diner, he let out a low sigh with a smile on his face. “It is what it is.”

Sitting with her hood over her head, Peppermint munched on a piece of toast, the girl’s first food in hours. Burnet sat across from her with an ice pack on his forehead, his posture slouched in fatigue. They were joined only by Coriander, Verbena, Rue, Sorrel, and Cassia, but Peppermint’s hood was no doubt raised to keep her from being too keenly aware of wandering eyes.

Hand on Peppermint’s back, Coriander asked, “It’s okay, no one’s mad, Pepper. A little irritated maybe, but that’ll pass! You guys didn’t do too much damage.”

“Hnnnnn.” Burnet groaned. Peppermint looked away, Burnet replying, “It’s fine, I’m old, everything hurts all the time already.” Lifting up the ice pack and turning an eye on the other kids, he said, “You guys aren’t going to freak out around me anymore, right? We’re good?” The kids were quiet. Burnet reiterated, “We’re good?” Heads bobbed up and down, de-synced but in unison all the same.

Coriander offered, “See? It’s okay to be a little bad sometimes.” She patted Peppermint on the head. “It all turned out okay!”

Overhearing a snippet of conversation regarding fixing damages, Peppermint mumbled, “Um...there’s some stuff in my house that I broke and I didn’t tell anyone.”

“My dad and mom can help!” Cassia burst out.

Rue pouted, “I wanna break stuff too!”

Coriander snapped, “It’s not like Peppermint wants to break stuff! I take it back: you specifically are never allowed to be bad.”

Rue grinned. “I’ve never been bad in my whole life ever.”

As she was showered in gazes of doubt, Peppermint frowned, lowering her food. Noticing, Coriander whispered, “What’s wrong?”

Peppermint was quiet for a moment, before beginning, “Sometimes when you guys are making fun of me I wanna hit you, but I know I can’t do that. What if something happens like today and I hurt you guys? I could, I could-”

“It’s fine! It doesn’t even hurt any more!” Verbena claimed. Sorrel gave him a look, before grabbing at his finger, Verbena scowling as he kept it out of arms reach. Jabbing an elbow into Sorrel’s chest, the boy backed off. He added, “Some of us deserve a good smack or two.”

“Bleck,” Sorrel gagged, massaging his ribs.

Peppermint frowned. “Well the problem with that is that you might, you know, die.” Peppermint nodded.

Rue said, “Old man Burnet didn’t die and he’s old.” Burnet shot her a look, but didn’t follow up.

“If you end up in a full body cast you won’t be able to do anything for like, ever,” Coriander pointed out.

Rue thought for a moment before turning to Peppermint, mouth open with a smile. Cassia reached over and pressed her cheeks together, preventing any words from coming out. Rue talked over their scuff, “I wasn’t gonna say anything bad!”

Not believing her for a second, Coriander suggested, “Maybe you do need a smack…” Peppermint pouted.

As the group quieted down again, Verbena began, “Coriander, I wanna go to Fishman Island one day, for real.”

Coriander stared. “Buh?”

Sorrel mumbled, “But you said you didn’t.”

“That was you.”

“...Oh yeah.”

Verbena continued, “When Mrs. Poppy was patching me up, I was thinking about how the adventurers were treating the fish people like monsters. Maybe they are weird and different, but Peppermint is different and she’s still my friend. I don’t wanna let some other guy decide what I think about the fishfolk: I wanna meet them for myself.”

“Verbena...” Coriander mumbled, impressed with the normally mean spirited young boy.

Peppermint’s eyes flashed with tears, the girl putting down her last bit of food and dropping down from her seat. Running to the other side of the table, she pulled Verbena into a hug. Verbena kept quiet for a few seconds but he did gag out, “Pepper...you’re...hugging...too...hard.” Peppermint gasped, releasing her hold, Verbena splaying out on the table. While Peppermint started to panic, Verbena sat up. “Just kidding~”

There was a bout of laughter, Peppermint managing a smile. She looked to Coriander, wondering, “Are you going to go too?”

Coriander thought for a moment, but she really didn’t need to. She smiled, “We’ll go one day when you’re all big!”

As the kids continued chattering, Burnet sat back and took it all in. The young Verbena choosing to go to Fishman Island, Peppermint staying true to her insistence on being a Marine, and Coriander playing no small part in trying to guide these young folk.

He recalled her words, those of letting the Devil walk freely. He’d heard them before, naturally. Faith wasn’t exactly absent in the Marines by any stretch. But there had been more to the saying: He who lets the Devil walk freely is no better, but he who lets others face the Devil alone is also wicked. Burnet had finally moved into action, but he was only pushed there by Coriander, and now he sat amongst this little miracle. Miracles only happened when people moved into action, after all.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Another week another update!

Aside from the collabs (me/@Hillan/@LostDestiny and @pkken/@Daxam), Coriander's going to be going on pause after her next post as I wait for @Restalaan to finish his arc so we can start our collaboration for their next one. That will also mark the first newspaper post, which I'm looking forward to. We did not get a Luna post so hopefully @Daxam can knock it out this week. @Yankee has still been in touch (maybe this weekend will be the one? :D ). We did get a Max post from Destiny so the expected next post date there would be today, hopefully!

Have a good week all.

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

RICO

---

Rico flopped down in the motel bed, letting out a long groan. After a brief respite, he found his way to the bathroom, enjoying a nice bath before returning to his room, dressed down to his black undershirt and neon green pants. Zipping off the lower half, they became shorts, Rico leaving them in the pile with the rest of his clothes. Pulling out his belongings, he scattered them across the bed: 5000 beri and a mixed bag of hard candy. Slouching into a chair, he counted off his fingers, before crying, “Where am I gonna get money without whacking anyone!?” With a long sigh, he gathered up his belongings before hopping onto the bed, struggling to drift to sleep with a tense look on his face the whole night.

---

“...Can you run that by me one more time?

Rico’s face was sullen as the motel clerk explained, “Well buddy it’s not s’hard. See, ye don’t got a membership card, right?”

“No.”

“We asked ye when ye rented your room if ya wanted one: that shoulda been when ye signed yer contract.”

“Sounds fair. It was pretty pricey, so I didn’t get one.”

“And on the contract it says if ye don’t have a membership card it costs ye the same price ye paid for the night when ya check out.”

“Where!?” Rico scanned the contract, not seeing a thing. The clerk pulled it over to the wall, pulling a handle. With a series of clicks, a dozen magnifying glasses in gradually decreasing sizes popped out. “Whoa, cool!” The clerk placed the contract under the magnifying glasses, motioning for Rico to look. The young man did so, reading in very fine print.

_{Upon evacuation of any rented room, the customer must pay an amount equivalent to the original fee. Failure to pay this fee will invite legal action for deferment on obligated charges. Fee will only be waived with a membership card.}

“...Not cool.” Rico pressed the sides of his face in with his hands, growling, “How was I supposed to know all that!?”

“It was right there on the contract lad!” Rico continued to press against his face, anger boiling, before he suddenly blurted, “I’m calling the Sootstriders!”

The clerk paled, suddenly gasping, “Whoa, hey now laddy, yer right, it ain’t exacaly fair now, is it! Tell ye what.” Moving the contract, he motioned for Rico to read it again.

_{Dissatisfied customers will be refunded with a Bill. After the refund has been received, the Bill will be returned. A customer who has been Billed voids any further legal action against this establishment.}

“...The heck’s that mean?”

“We’ll Bill ye a refund! Just wait at Phoenix Place.”

“Oh, why didn’t you just say so? You mean Palace?”

“No.”

Relenting, Rico would spend his next hour waiting at one of Phoenix Beach’s plaza areas, a firebird statue in a fountain regurgitating water, the ironic sight catching Rico’s attention, until a call roused him. He turned to see a man with a pudgy tummy, his shirt not quite covering his midriff. He wore a red homburg hat and a black vest, his face emblazoned with a blonde mustache. “You Rico?”

“Boy am I!” the pirate said with a grin. The man let out a laugh, raising his hand for a high five, which Rico returned.

“Haha! You’ve been Billed.” Rico’s eyelids lowered, confusion apparent. “My name’s Bill.” Realization started to dawn, Rico’s face growing darker. Bill snapped his fingers, pointing both at Rico as he smiled, “Catch you later, buckaroo.” Rico was on the cusp of tears as Bill turned, heading off.

Rico followed.

Sensing the pirate on his heels, Bill gradually rose his pace. So did Rico. Shooting his head behind him, Rico was getting faster. Bill panicked, breaking into a run, but there was no escape. The two started to pull heads as they peeled through the walkways of Phoenix Beach. Rico hopped into the air just as Bill let out a cry of fright. Rico’s two legs dropkicked into him, Bill being knocked onto his front while Rico fell to his side.

Rico shouted to the crowd, “Never room at the Shady Dealing Lodge!”

Bill scrambled up and away, crying, “You knew what service you were getting! There was no false advertising whatsoever! None whatsoeverrrr!” His voice trailed off as he left Rico, the folk going about returning to their day.

“This place sucks.”

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Gonna keep it quick this week!

Rico/Anna/Morgan and Valery/Sol are still trapped in collaboration. @Daxam did start Luna's current arc and will hopefully post again around the 12th. I'd love to post for Coriander around the 13th but we'll just have to see what happens. @LostDestiny and @Yankee have kept in touch about posting with Maxwell and Suiten. @Restalaan is probably being bullied by work, so I haven't heard from him in a minute. I'm on the edge of my seat for more posts, so keep going at your own pace all!

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

CATHERINE CORIANDER

---

Hair poofy and pink, Mrs. Poppy ran a finger across her face, tracing lines down the wrinkles carved from her worried expression. “This is the second time in just a few days one of you has gotten hurt, what is Coriander doing?”

Sprained finger wrapped in a splint, Verbena pouted, “It’s not like it’s her fault!”

Poppy sighed, “I know, it’s Peppermint. Just be careful for a change. The problem will sort itself out eventually.” Verbena’s brow furrowed over his beady eyes, but he hopped off the stool and headed out without a word of thanks. Stepping outside Mrs. Poppy’s clinic, he found Sorrel waiting for him, Cassia and Rue assembled as well. Verbena avoided meeting their eyes, the boy typically using his weight to push the others around, but now they’d seen his weakness.

“Mrs. Poppy doesn’t get it at all!” Verbena finally blurted out, kicking at a stone as he broke the silence. “Peppermint’s not a problem…”

Sorrel mumbled, “Huh? You make fun of her all the time.”

“Yeah? I make fun of you guys too, don’t I?” Verbena snapped.

“‘Cept me,” Rue giggled.

“I can smack you though,” Sorrel jabbed. Verbena frowned.

“You’re too mean to her!” Cassia cried, his volume a bit louder than needed. As the others leaned away, he added, “If you can’t be nicer I’m not gonna hang out with you anymore.” The kids were quiet, thinking it through.

Rue stopped walking, crouching to the ground. “I still think she’s a goody two shoes, but she’s kinda like my big sister.”

Sorrel mumbled, “It would be pretty lame if she stopped hanging with us, since she’s the only one of us who’s both big and nice. But she’s still a little scary: that floorboard almost hit me.”

Verbena started a course, insisting, “I’m gonna go apologize.”

Sorrel shivered, “I didn’t know you could do that!”

“Shut up! It’s not like I meant to make her that mad!” Verbena wailed. “I don’t really think she’s a monster! I thought she would laugh the other day! She’s one of us, right!?” The kids were stunned to see Verbena with tears at the edge of his eyes. “She never does anything bad! She’s never hurt any of us before. I didn’t want to make her sad: I wanted her to laugh. I’m the bad one! But she’s never bad so she probably thinks she’s bad right now. So I gotta apologize!” The other three frowned, Verbena’s words ringing true.

“I didn’t say anything wrong but I still wanna help cheer her up,” Rue insisted, mouth hidden behind her clutched teddy bear. Sorrel and Cassia nodded along, and in no time, they were on the path to Peppermint’s house. Reaching the door, Verbena stopped, noticing the doorknob was loose, barely hanging in the door. Raising his hand, he moved to knock, but there was a footstep from behind him, one much larger than that of any of his friends. He turned about.

“You her friends?” asked Ryu Burnet, his long hair and trench-coat flowing in the wind.

“AHHHHHHHH,” the kids shouted in unison. Burnet flinched at the noise, but he couldn’t particularly blame them after his attitude yesterday.

“Calm down, I’m here for the-hey!” Burnet cried out as the kids started to scatter, fear supplanting rationality. Reflexively, Burnet reached out, grabbing Cassia by his arm. “Would you all be quiet!” he snarled. Against all reason and logic, this produced the opposite effect Burnet had intended, Cassia bursting into tears, sobbing loudly. “H-hey! Come on now. Ah shit.”

Burnet looked up at the door as it creaked open. The two of them both stopping dead, Peppermint’s hard gaze having a particular aura to it. The girl wore a hoodie, a white cloth stained with red was wrapped on her hand as tightly as she could manage. Peppermint growled, “Let him go.”

“Hmm?” Burnet replied, not seeing the issue. Peppermint huffed, door getting blown open as she backed up, disappointing into the darkness of her house. There was a rushed patter of footsteps, and Burnet was glad he reflexively let go of Cassia’s hand. Peppermint shot out of the doorway like a missile, her pale green shock of hair making fast friends with Burnet’s ribcage. Momentum transferred, sending him hurtling across the dirt road and into a fence on the opposite side, where he plowed through the wood like it was made of toothpicks, crashing into a thick tree, wood splintering.

“Unnnnnnn,” Burnet groaned, vision swimming. He’d heard she was strong, but not in his wildest imagination did he think it was something like this. His vision came into focus as he noticed Peppermint charging at him. Rolling out of the way, her fist smacked into the tree, splinters gushing out of the back like flour from a ruptured sack. Burnet didn’t think the blood could rush out of his face so fast. “Holy hell.”

“No-” Peppermint began, turning her gaze on him, leg going up, “SWEARING!” Burnet pulled himself back a bit, her stamping foot going right between his legs, the quake shaking him to his core. Sweat was coming, and fast. The man of a hundred battles felt his rusted survival instincts creaking into place. A fear gripped him, the realization coming that if he didn’t do something fast, this girl could kill him. Pulling his leg back, he pressed it against Peppermint’s torso before pushing off, hurtling her back. The girl stumbled, losing her balance and planting into the dirt, giving Burnet time to stand, against the will of his sore joints and creaky bones.

“Are you done?” Burnet coughed. But Peppermint pushed herself up, nostrils flaring as the steam of anger billowed out. Burnet felt his heart shrink under the girl’s anger. With a roar, she charged at him, and Burnet, in all his wisdom, could only think to turn tail and run like fucking hell.

Streaking through the buildings in the midday, they drew a number of heads. It was an unusual sight: Burnet wasn’t out and about often, let alone running for his life, and Peppermint was a little green hellion on his heels. He was wise enough not to turn back and lose speed, but he could sense that she was still gaining on him. While from the outside, the old man running from Peppermint sure looked funny, he’d seen visions of a nine year old harbinger of death, and wasn’t in much a position to take it lightly.

How long has she been this strong? The whole time? Burnet realized, the spats of life flashing before his eyes taking him to his numerous rampages as a child, a young Burnet not even just breaking things on accident, but because he could. Peppermint could break anything on this island, but from what Burnet heard, she barely had. The dread in his heart started to wane. The potentials this girl was capable of, yet straying from, all because she wanted to be a Marine? You’re not a good fit for the Marines at all! he realized. He thought back to his first mission with the 16th Patrol Division, where they tore through a lawless land taking things as they pleased, the villagers helpless to resist for fear of true retaliation. Burnet’s heart burned to stop them, but they were his own comrades, one’s he’d been laughing and training alongside just the day before. He burned to act, but instead repressed himself.

And it didn’t stop there, it never had. He’d kept his men in line too, claiming it was for their safety. But just because he could hold himself back forever doesn’t mean everyone could stay that way. Truuni had chose to act rather than be held back. But here, Peppermint had been holding back her whole life, and she couldn’t manage that forever. Her dam was finally breaking, and god knew what she was going to take out before the flood subsided. Coriander was right: she did need help, and Burnet was the only one who could give it to her. A life of being told ‘no’, of telling himself ‘no’, of telling others ‘no’… To that, he decided to say ‘no’, planting his foot in the dirt. Whipping his quarterstaff off his back, he turned about, giving it a good, underhanded swing. “Sorry kid,” he grunted as the wood met Peppermint’s torso. Following through, Peppermint was launched skyward, onlookers gasping out. Verbena and the kids pointed in the sky as Peppermint flew. Cicely wiped sweat from his bald head as he watched, fearing the possibility of having to make good om his words about rebuilding the leveled town for Peppermint’s sake. A distance away, Coriander saw the airborne girl and let out a cry, eyes bulging out, feet going into motion as she sped over.

Peppermint landed with a crash, bouncing into a set of barrels left by the dockside, smashing through them. Sitting up, she looked around, all eyes on her. Lifting a hand, brushing away a piece of wood that stuck to it, fear and guilt crossed her face. Burnet saw her beginning to retreat into herself yet again, the release small and fleeting. Her world was one made of paper, so easy to tear, yet she navigated it so carefully. But the stress of that was something Burnet couldn’t imagine. Peppermint was an amazing talent, and the more he watched her in action, the more he felt his heart well up with something he thought was long gone: burgeoning hope. Peppermint was too good for the Marines, but she had goodness, and she had power. Burnet lacked both, and couldn’t make the change he’d never even considered. Truuni had all the goodness, but despite her skill she was just one above average solider. Peppermint didn’t have to be strong enough to move the world, she just had to be strong enough to protect what she cared about, and in a lot of ways, she already was.

But she couldn’t protect herself, and her heart. Not alone.

Quarterstaff jabbing against the ground, Burnet shouted, “On your feet, soldier!” Peppermint gawked, scrambling to a standing position. Putting his front leg forward, quarterstaff aimed at her, he said, “Battle position!” Peppermint squeaked, raising her fists awkwardly.

“I am Commodore Ryu Burnet, and this sparring match isn’t over. Your enemies aren’t going to give up because of a couple broken barrels. No matter what breaks, you have to keep going until it’s over!” The words came easily, moreso than they ever had, Burnet's own dam finally breaking, even though their weight he still felt on his back. For a moment, he felt as though Truuni’s eyes might be watching him, the eyes of a girl who could only go forward. Burnet didn’t turn back: he couldn’t face her, not yet. Instead, he let that push him forward, the man finally moving into motion after 12 years. “If you want to protect what you care about, you give it your all! Understood!?”

Peppermint gave a nod, still hesitant. The itching Burnet felt on his face, wind biting through the trails of his tears, was more than enough explanation as to why she was holding back, but if she kept that up, she was going to be in a world of hurt. Quarterstaff flashing, he knocked Peppermint about without remorse. He didn’t need to feel bad: she broke it in two within 5 minutes, and he was taking his own licks. Even with two separate halves he was still able to knock her about, but her anger had melted, exchanged with a grin. Bouncing back from being launched, she laughed like she’d been playing with a bubble wand. And honestly, as Burnet fought with all he had to keep Peppermint from crushing him, the pitched conflict had somehow become fun in its thrill. He remembered that look Truuni had given her when she defended her men from his aimless blow.

She was smiling. During their spars, their debates, their leisurely moments. He’d tried to compartmentalize it as a quirk of hers. Who’d find hanging out with an old geezer like him enjoyable? But as he came to enjoy seeing this raw talent blossom, getting more agile as the fight went on, his time with Truuni kept resurfacing. He’d acted like a father to her, but even that was something he held back on. He couldn’t apologize to her, he couldn’t make it up to her, but there was one thing he could do.

As the sun started to set, the town full of onlookers, gashes in the dirt roads and splintered trees strewn about, Burnet and Peppermint lay on the ground, bruised and exhausted. “Hey girl…” Burnet panted.

“Y-yeah?” Peppermint returned in kind.

“You still wanna become a Marine?”

“Yeah!”

“I wanted to be a Marine because of my dad. He died as one when I was little. He didn’t even get to officer rank or anything, so I think I wanted to join to, like...not surpass him or anything, but more...make sure his death wasn’t in vain. He never accomplished much, but if he could inspire me to be a great Marine...”

You couldn’t inspire me to be a great Marine, Truuni. No one ever could. But god dammit girl I’ll make it up to you by making the greatest Marine in the fucking world.

“Well, you got yourself a mentor kid. I’ll make you the best dang Marine there ever was.”

Peppermint’s eyes widened, her face shifting to shock, then breaking into tears, her arms going to cover her face. Burnet’s hand found her shoulder, the smile on his face hurting his cheek muscles for its rarity. “Me too kid, me too.”

One Piece: The Devil's Due (Always Accepting!)

Saturday, hey~

Hope you guys are doing well! Haven’t heard from @yankee or @pkken in a minute, hope they’re good! As mentioned there’s some collaboration going on with the Sunstrider crew, and I know @Hillan will be going on summer break soon so hopefully we’ll get moving there soon! @LostDestiny is a shade overdue for Maxwell, as is @Restalaan for Haku. I would love to post for Coriander this weekend, provided it isn’t a double post. Lastly I’m looking forward to the start of Luna’s next arc from @Daxam on the 6th!

Two announcements: firstly, there is some planned website updates, so I took the advice of another player to backup the RP. I’ve created some links on webarchive/waybackmachine and left them in a message on discord. I hope that we will never need them, but if the worst happens, all the players are already on discord so we can keep in touch there.

Secondly, also at player suggestion, I’ve opened up a non-canon IC chat channel on the discord, in hopes that players can use it to interact with their characters who otherwise won’t be able to meet IC for a long time. I hope to see some fun interactions (just don’t get so caught up in it you forget to post IC :p ).