#also i don't care about koby. he literally does fuck all until marineford and then does fuck all again until egghead

[hauntingblue]

I am really so mad about zoro repeating that they are not a crew then literally what are you doing there. AFTER he said luffy gave him a purpose and trusts him. What are we doing

[mamamittens]

There's definitely more to him than it seems. I mean, I really could go on about the inconsistencies.

Like, Teach is pretty damn charismatic but needed to kill Thatch for a fruit that we don't even know Thatch wanted (he had mentioned the invisibility fruit--no, I haven't forgotten you cretin). He hadn't eaten it yet, so clearly he was on the fence at least. And I doubt Whitebeard would have thrown a fuss if Thatch gave it up willingly.

So he purposefully broke like, the one rule Whitebeard had. And then still seemed to expect some level of approval or at least acknowledgment at Marineford. And it's not that he's unaware of how much Whitebeard cares either, since he used his previous title as son to get a shot in.

It's almost like he expects everyone to respect power above all else, even if he was a conniving weasel to get it. While also more or less flawlessly fooling the entire crew for about two decades? Which means he understands on some level the opposite?

He hid his ambition at least, almost like he knew it would get him in trouble.

@sinnamonbun-in-purgatory

It's gotta go back to his home island. With all the snow and perhaps the root of his insomnia.

Something he saw there convinced him, for life, that he needed power but could not afford to pursue it blatantly until he knew he held all the aces he could.

And I suspect, judging by previously shockingly depressing back stories, that losing someone was involved. Because there's no way you can fake being a social, bubbly brother for twenty odd years that well without it being real in some way.

Teach was alone and despite being ready to backstab literally anyone for power, he has no problems making friends and at least appearing to let people get close to him.

That's absolutely batshit dedication. Even a true sociopath would slip up long before then. But no one saw his shit coming.

But, as a weird side note before I stop, somehow all of this was not conductive to his ultimate dream. And I say this because everyone who suddenly makes strides towards their dreams has a glow up and Teach only looks better in terms of animation. Not design. Not even fashion (sorry bro, pimp hands does not equal drip).

Koby and Alvida being positive examples and Big Mom being an example of losing sight of a dream more or less. It doesn't seem to be totally canon, but there's no other explanation for the sudden visual changes these characters go through, I'm going to be honest.

It's weird.

Teach is so fucking weird to me on so many levels.

You know, for the slightly personal vendetta I have against Teach for various crimes (primarily ensuring I will never have more than a handful of clips and frames of Thatch to fawn over and the entirety of Marineford), I can't help but wonder about his motivation.

And feel kind of bad for him.

Canonically, he never sleeps.

Like, ever.

And that just makes me wonder how thoroughly he has to lie to himself about how he grew up. Like, it couldn't have been totally pleasant on a pirate ship. God knows Shanks is an alcoholic and Buggy is... Himself because of the few years they sailed with Roger.

But there's also no denying how much Whitebeard's crew cared about each other.

Was it the fact that he could never be at the top with his adopted family? With so many brothers and sisters, he's almost certainly not anyone's favorite.

He seems ambitious but lacking in some ethereal, key thing. Perhaps it's his duplicity that ultimately means he could never be Pirate King in any real sense. A title like that demands pride and an upfront declaration of self.

(we're not touching the multiple personality allegations for now)

And the symbol. Three heads.

Even when he struck out on his own, he couldn't seem to imagine actually being alone. And that's kind of curious, actually.

For someone so determined to cheat and steal his way to the top, to stand out amongst the rabble as Pirate King, he chooses to identify as one of many.

What does he fill his time with, now that he's thrown away so much in pursuit of power? Dreaming is such a big theme in One Piece, so for a man literally incapable of this, what does he have?

What does Teach tell himself late at night when everyone else is asleep. When the world is quiet save the waves lapping at his ship.

Does he laugh at Thatch's betrayed ghost? Chuckle at the ridiculous way Ace threw away his life rather than ally with Teach?

Or did that get old--if he ever did it to start with.

Does he feel Whitebeard's disapproving eyes on his back when the stars go dark. That disgusted tone informing him with absolute certainty that he'll never be Pirate King.

That everything he's ever done was for nothing. Less than nothing.

Blood so thick on his hands the ultimate prize will just slip off his fingertips, no matter how desperate he gets.

If Teach can't even escape his worst parts through dreams, does he even understand their weight anymore? Or does he only know that the taste of want never leaves his tongue

Wet gasps on an abandoned deck.

Soft clattering of slick beads on cobblestone.

Late night parties fallen into silence.

A snowstorm raging all around him.

Condemnation from the only man he ever called father.

Do you regret, Marshal D. Teach?

Can you even feel it?

Or are the nights just long stretches of darkness with hollow ripples on the ocean?