bakerstreet | back to my home, sweet home

Not Supernovas. The paper doesn't make it explicit, but three of these islands hit last are near where Vasco Shot was last headed. Not hard to put together if you pay attention.

[Which he always has. It's what the notepad gets used most for these days, having finally been able to break his silence. Pages and pages of notes, keeping track of the things the public isn't supposed to know. Old habits pay off when you're no longer officially privy to Marine intelligence but used to using it anyway.]

What fruit was he actually after out there? These people didn't have enough to bother raiding them for cash.

[Sighs, and rubs his eyebrows in thought. AND the scar on the right side of his face.]

As if that alone makes you stronger.

[Still... he wonders if Blackbeard knows something the rest of them don't. Other than how to "steal" the fruits.]

[He remembers Whitebeard saying Roger wasn't waiting for Blackbeard, but if not to be King, what was Blackbeard after? If not going to Raftel, then how did he mean to get it? Through sheer force, evidently, but devil fruits were weak to seastone so if he crossed through Kaidou's territory he'd be fucked.]

[And it wasn't like he was using the territories for anything other than the most gruesome slash and burn techniques even Akainu would -- okay Sakazuki wouldn't call it wasteful, but every other marine would. So it was hardly Big Mam style of garnering tributes.]

[For a bizarre haphazard moment, the political machinations catch up with Smoker and he wonders if Akainu made a deal with Blackbeard to try to push islands into accepting Akainu's stricter marine enforcement. But that's insane... right? It was one thing to ignore pirates misdeeds to try to counter-weight stronger pirates, it was another entirely to purposely let them cause havoc!!! Smoker just shivers, despite the piping hot coffee. Fuck. Intrusive thoughts begone.]

It's not like he doesn't know the Emperor's Territories well. He was part of carving them up before, and their balance. [Rubs his head.] He's probably just going after the weakest links possible, to fortify his holdings from the inside out. He'd know how Marco the Phoenix and the others would react, so it's easy enough to remain a step or three ahead.......

[Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiideglance.]

[IT'S TOTALLY A COINCIDENCE RIGHT? Totally. 100%]

And going after the areas without government protection... He did break out Shiryuu of the Rain, after all. Seems like he would know everyone's weaknesses then.

[Rosinante sips at his coffee, taps cinders off the end of his cigarette, lets Smoker talk. Some things just have to be thought through aloud. Bounced off someone else. He gets it. But there are no clear answers here today, so after a moment passes, he just nods at the commentary and its lack of real conclusion.]

Hard to keep an eye on them when they're so far out of Marine influence, I know. I don't envy the job you all have these days.

[But he's not completely on the sidelines either. He likes to think of himself as a consultant. He can do plenty by keeping his eyes and ears open and remaining unofficial.]

The world is preparing for war. We're on the very edge of it, and everyone feels it. It's just a matter of time before someone slips over the edge and pulls everyone else with them. I hear there's a betting pool in what's left of the underground on who that will be.

[Odds on Luffy and Teach are too high to make much money on. The people who are desperate for winnings will use their limited influence to push their preferred candidates into setting off that war themselves. Dangerous times.]

[Same as Sengoku really.]

You sound like Kuzan.

Just because you're pessimistic doesn't mean you can stop things from happening. You should always strategize with an assumption there's a way out. Otherwise you'll never find it.

[And Smoker's gamble is on the weirdest option yet.]

[Okay, fair, call him out on his dire commentary. It earns Smoker the slightest of smiles over the rim of his lipstick-marked mug.]

Kuzan seems to have thrown in his lots with the most pessimistic of all options. I'd like to think I'm not that bad off yet.

[He's not the betting type, but if he was, he'd support a set of ambitious young pirates, rather than trying to gain from those who will send everything to ruin, after all.]

Anyway, I'm all for averting complete chaos. Do you have something specific in mind?

I'm betting on the worst generation to make the world somewhat tolerable again. It's already in motion. Sometimes chaos is just another word for change. But when you've hit the bottom, the only way forward is up.

Uphill, mind, but the younger generation is more ambitious than ever. And the younger marines aren't looking at the future so bleakly. They've got their eyes on making the world a better place. I'm placing all my luck on them.

It's not optimism, just a slim chance is better to aim for than to accept none at all.

Oh, of course. But we haven't hit the bottom yet. I have a lot of faith in a few of the ones you're talking about, but I don't think they're aiming to avert a war, just to use it to their advantage. They're selfish like that.

[Though the way he says it, with a touch of good humor and a smile that creases the corners of his eyes, suggests that's sort of an endearing trait. Law has gone through too much. He's allowed some selfishness now and then.]

I just want to make sure people are ready for it. And maybe find a way to keep it isolated to those outer reaches of the Grand Line. I don't want to suddenly find out someone's inciting conflict at Reverie because that's the sort of fire that can't be extinguished with some careful, vaguely-worded news article.

[Smoker shrugs. Sorry Rosi, but he's the leader of G-5 for a reason.] Maybe it's time.

I'll do everything I can to prevent the world from burning, but what we're holding onto has to be considered too. More evil has been done in the name of stability, and only those already at the top have nothing to gain from changing the status quo. I can't think of anyone without a vision for a better tomorrow.

And those that only profit from chaos, rather than moving and shaping their destinies, are the easiest to defeat, because they have no direction or real ambition.

[Bear conviction behind your flag!!!]

[Luckily he doesn't say that. He might be a Roger fanboy, but he knows to keep it closeted.]

Mm. I see I misunderstood your accusation of pessimism earlier, then. You're right, you're far more hopeful about the outcome of war than I ever will be.

[Change is necessary, but should be done slowly and carefully. A sudden, violent upheaval is what he worries about most and it feels like it's closer than ever these days.

Nobody should have to live through the sorts of things that come with war. He can still see the fire when he closes his eyes.]

Where did you grow up?

Loguetown.

In the days before Roger, it was a gang-infested pit of vipers that shaped him into King. In the days after, it nearly got worse. Everyone wanted to emulate the King, but no one wanted to take the real risks involved or do anything meaningful.

I made it the safest and most boring. Which completely wrecked the tourism industry. [Smirks, because you gotta. Only really spoiled rich people in the most boring ocean would care about something like that.]

If one pirate can do as much damage as Roger with just words, then an entire generation of marines can save the world a lot easier with enough courage. [Provided someone stops Akainu from killing them all first.... eh. He won't say that out loud. Smoker has a bad enough reputation already, no need to make it worse.]

[Ah, East Blue. It really does have a tame reputation these days and he can appreciate that. The bandits are small-time, the pirates leave for more impressive opportunities, leaving a sea full of people able to just live their lives. If Smoker isn't overstating his role in making it that way, then it's quite an honorable thing he's done.]

I like East Blue. Should spend more time there. And I like the upcoming generation of Marines for the most part, also, from what I've seen, but they really are kids up against some world-shaking monsters. Just gotta find the right way to inspire them, I guess. Let them grow into their own feet.

My second in command alone will take on the world someday, she's already started. Her and Garp's pink-haired kid. They've got haki at nearly half the age I did. And neither are devil fruit users. At least, not yet.

[BRB BURSTING WITH TASHIGI PRIDE.]

Well, that's two. Two's a start.

[Pardon if he sounds just a little bit amused. Two is hardly an army and they have a lot standing between them and real command. Rivals above and below in the chain of command, and enemies on all sides. Whatever is upcoming, maybe he can give them both a hand if he finds himself involved, and that mostly depends on how Law decides to act when the time comes.

Also he's super jealous about the haki, but. Oh well.]

I do like Tashigi though, from the little I know of her. She's getting stronger. It'll be nice to see her take a command of her own some day.

She's still got a long way to go. But she's good at spotting details I miss. Better with people, and soft-hearted. It hurts her more when injustices happen, but she always gets back up.

She tamed even a lot of G-5. That takes some doing.

[That's all well and good but turning a bunch of sloppy, undisciplined Marines around does not make one person able to take on the world, no matter what Smoker says. But he'll keep it to himself.

He drags the table's ashtray closer and snuffs out the end of his cigarette, then drains his coffee. Next waitress he sees, he's grabbing a refill.]

Tell me something. If Akainu were to suddenly fall ill, or die in the conflict to come, who would you support for Fleet Admiral?

[Just a little harmless speculation.]

Fujitora.

[That's a lie, it'd be Kuzan. But he knows not to say that.]

Why? [Smirk.] Not planning anything, are you?

[Snorts. Smoker already knows that Kuzan had Sengoku's backing, and SHOULD have been fleet admiral, but politics were the only reason people wanted Akainu. "Might is right." Doflamingo thought so, but one shouldn't base their system of morality on an amoral asshole.]

Me? Hell no.

[And the laugh that comes is genuine. God, he's no idiot. He'd be a decent assassin if he wanted to be, but taking out the head of the Marines is extremely not something he plans on doing ever.]

No, I just wondered. I like Fujitora, but I'm not sure leaving the decisions to fate is appropriate for someone in such a powerful position.

[He's also not convinced Fujitora does truly leave it to fate. If the man was smart, he'd use a set of weighted coins, weighted dice. Preserve the illusion while influencing the result. Anything else is irresponsible.]

[Smoker just laughs right back. Fujitora leaves nothing to chance, no matter what he pretends.]

Do you know why he blinded himself?

["Fate."]

I don't think I mind leaving tomorrow in the hands of Lady Luck. She's probably good friends with Lady Justice. [And it's better than murdering civvies to murder pirates any day.]

I've heard rumors but nothing conclusive.

[Shrug. Sounds like an interesting story, though. Ah, there's the coffee refill, very good.]

And I've never cared for luck, myself. Things don't just happen. Everything has a history to it. People are responsible for events. If you want justice, you have to take steps toward ensuring it. Leave it to fate and innocents get butchered and enslaved.

[One of the things he and his brother will forever have in common, maybe. You can't trust other people to act in your interest. Take the reins; orchestrate your own results.]

That's what he didn't want to see in the world anymore.

There's a reason Akainu is banning him from all bases until the Hearts' pirate's captain's heart is on his desk.

I trust that if Issho ever decides to attempt to carry out that order, you'll let me know in advance.

[But he smirks, because given how Fujitora has acted, that doesn't seem likely. He does like the guy for a reason, after all. Still, if Smoker enjoys his viewpoints on things and has any interest in the occasional assistance Rosinante can offer, he'll reciprocate as needed.]

Hopefully this younger, upcoming generation will provide some good alternatives. I imagine Akainu isn't going anywhere for quite a while. Lots of time for them to learn.

[Winks.]

Akainu is only as good as the lowest cabin boys on his bases. Since he'd rather kill than protect them, it's small wonder they're not exactly loyal to his authority rather than their own sense of justice.

[Speaking of things to orchestrate. A coup may not be imminent, but he's certainly thought about what it would take to change that. It's just not worth it to try until there's someone to support and again, he likes Fujitora but does not really trust him. He'd like to think he has a handle on what sort of person makes for a good leader, having been raised by the former Fleet Admiral, and Fujitora just doesn't feel right.

And neither would Smoker, if he was ranked high enough. Rosinante likes him too but he's got serious insubordination issues for someone of his rank.]

Tough times coming up ahead, I'm telling you. Take care of your people, Smoker. They'll need someone to guide them when the hard decisions start getting made.

[LBR: The only reason Smoker hasn't been kicked out and murdered is by the constant non-stop protection of a LOT of VERY loyal friends. Smoker as fleet admiral right now would have the entirety of the Elder Stars and Celestial Dragons team up to assassinate him worse than Rasputin and Caesar.]

I always do, but I'll remember that.

[Tougher than Vergo betraying them? That would mean an outright civil war among the marines. Smoker wondered when Kuzan fought Sakazuki if it would come to that, but even he wanted to prevent that enough to buckle under Red Dog's rule. What would it take to cause that?]

[And there's still the same piece of him that told Tashigi to watch Alabasta's Civil War, and that said Justice was wrong during the battle of Marineford, war against the Whitebeards. There had to be a better way.]

[One that wasn't begging like Tashigi did with Law, but still not a war that would engulf everything it meant to survive.]

[If that happened, not even the Four weapons could stop the mayhem, and THAT severely... then yes, only the worst would benefit.]

[No. Doflamingo was brought down. And Fujitora aimed to expose the whole system of shichibukai as a farce. A better era was coming. It just wouldn't be pleasant for the status quo.]

How's the old goat herder these days? [Sengoku.]

[Even CP0 wasn't able to assassinate Doflamingo, and Kuzan seemed certain that Doflamingo would be able to parley whatever the celestial dragons feared from him into freedom or tyranny or worse. Rosinante really is sounding like Kuzan, worst case scenario. Smoker believed it every time, of course, but Nico Robin hadn't really been teamed up with Crocodile... or was it just that Straw Hat was that strong of an influence in his own right? Either way, he'll take that gamble again, he already did, after all.]

Still kicking.

[And thank goodness for that. No, Rosinante has to smile at the question. It's good of Smoker to ask. There were some rocky moments between him and his adoptive father for a while there, all for very good reason, and to some degree there's a wedge between them now that will never fully dissipate. But he does a son's duty and checks up on the old man now and then anyway. They're civil with each other. Too many years of too much affection to really be antagonistic.]

I wish he'd step away and enjoy his retirement more than he does. He tries to, but, well, you know how he is. Just because he doesn't want the weight of command back doesn't mean he's willing to really let it all go, either. Talk about responsibility. I think to some degree we're all his family.

[Except maybe Akainu.]

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justicereigns - 2019-05-04 08:27 (UTC) - Expand