#to talk about the shichibukai or what

[hauntingblue]

The rev army cutting supplies to mariejois.... excellent

[hannya-writes]

Luffy/Zoro calling you their Wife.

I had to write this idea with these two. I enjoy it way too much, hehe. Anyways, let's start!

Luffy

"Y/n is my wife" Luffy said those 4 words only to get rid of Boa.

The former shichibukai had been pestering him about marriage for the nth time in the last few days.

He was done, he didn't want to hear the word marriage ever again but the empress couldn't get it in her head.

You on the other hand had gone there to talk with your captain about the tiny details he hated to solve.

You have managed everything around the ship since more than a decade ago. If someone needed something they went to you.

And you reported everything to Luffy even when he wasn't paying attention. He trusted you. You were basically his vice Captain, even in battles.

You had once been a captain of your own ship before joining the straw hats. You knew how to do the work, so you just did it.

"What?" Boa looked at Luffy with a mix of horror and pain.

"Luffy!" You were going to admit that was a lie, that there was no way Luffy would ever marry.

But Luffy pleaded with his eyes. Luffy was almost 30 but was able to pull such cute puppy eyes on you that you had to fight the instinct of hitting him in the back of the head.

"Y/n?" Boa asked sadly and Luffy pointed at you, right behind her.

She turned to look at you with disdain and then her furious eyes suddenly showed panic.

Boa knew who you were, well most people knew about you. The Dragon of the West, you had helped Luffy all those years ago to become the pirate King. If the yonkos still existed you would be at that level.

"You promised you would tell anyone!" You sighed getting closer to Luffy passing by the side of a contrite Boa, only to pull Luffy at your level to kiss him.

Luffy didn't back off, he took you by the waist and welcomed the kiss. He pressed you against his body and deepened the kiss.

Your relationship with Luffy was casual, sometimes you had sex, sometimes you cuddled and sometimes you were just friends.

There were feelings involved, of course! But you didn't put on labels, you were pirates for gods sake! You loved freedom!

"Excuse me" Boa said in a tiny embarrassed voice and left in a hurry.

You pushed back to break the kiss but Luffy didn't back away, staying way too close to you.

"Come on" Luffy said before carrying you in his arms in bridal style "you got marriage duties in my room"

"Put me down Luffy I just came to bring you a report" you told him looking away from him.

"Forget about it, we gotta consummate our marriage" he joked and you laughed.

Zoro

"Oi, that's my wife" Zoro didn't say it to brag, he wasn't angry, it wasn't a menace. It was just a piece of information that Chopper told him to say if men started to bother you too much.

Some of the Mugiwara crew were out on the island you had stopped by. Sanji was hunting ingredients, Nami was looking at clothes and you decided to stay close to Zoro as you both went for Sake.

"I'm flattered, but I'm not interested. '' You told the guy who flirted with you but he didn’t give a shit what you said because he started following you around like a lost dog.

Sanji had asked you if you wanted him to kick the man away, but you, being the sweetheart you were, told him not to bother and so, he sighed and went his own way.

Zoro on the other hand, He didn’t ask. He said those words hoping the dude would stop and walk away.

Your relationship with Zoro was excellent, there was a thing going on between you two but it was a secret. You didn’t wanted Sanji bothering Zoro or Nami asking you about why and how that had happened. You were not embarrassed of being Zoro’s couple. It just was impractical.

And you two were too practical to make things complicated.

Sanji froze in place at the hearing of the Marimo's words, then he whipped his head in your direction for confirmation even when he was at least 100 meters away.

“Wife? a beauty like you is with that… animal?” the man asked and you frowned, they could say whatever they wanted about you but no one messed with your friends and especially not with your lover.

“Well the “animal" as you call it, is the best swordsman in the world" you said stopping to look at the man in annoyance "He unlike you knows that when I said "I'm not interested" I meant fuck off" you told the asshole but he made heart eyes at you.

"You look beautiful even when you are mad" he whispered and you felt a vein pop in your temple. "I'll give you anything you want, just give me a chance sweetheart, I'll buy the most expensive jewels, the best dinner in town… I'll make you forget about him"

"Okey, that's enough" Zoro muttered to himself as he unsheathed one of his swords to point at the man. "You can't buy her, she's mine" that time he was angry, he moved the sword slightly and made a scratch in the man's shoulder

The man shrieked in pain and you looked at Zoro with a smirk.

"fucking Pirate, I'll call the marines, then you…"

"The marines can't help you, you messed with my wife, I'll take care of you…" Zoro was ready to kill.

"She's not even that pretty" the man said afraid "she's just a pirate's whore"

With a big smile you stopped Zoro by putting a hand in his chest, his eye met yours and he put the sword down, giving the man the perfect moment to escape.

Only for you to throw him a needle to the neck, making him fall in his face, paralyzed.

He tsked at you and sheathed his sword.

"Fucking scumb" he muttered, still angry.

"It's ok, I don't care" You answered and he looked down at your lips. Your hand was still over his chest.

"I do, no one talk like that to..." He doubted, he didn't know how to label you

"your wife?" He blushed at your words and looked away

"Yeah" he answered, pulling you closer by the waist.

"Thank you, dear husband but let's not make an scene" you were about to kiss when…

"So you two are together, uh?" Nami said, appearing from nowhere, making both of you freeze on the spot.

Zoro blushed even more and so did you.

"Fuck" Zoro said in a whisper and you cursed too.

Sanji appeared running, cursing Zoro for his words and the fact that you two were together.

You giggled and Sanji attacked Zoro for being such a "lucky bastard" for getting you.

Of course your smile vanished when Nami asked about the wedding and how come she wasn't invited.

You two have made a big mistake.

[salteytakesonmanga]

Your explanation about retconing made me think Oda's way of writing is exactly what bring people to think he has every single thing planed down from the start, even if he didn't.

The story has been going on for 20 years, and Oda himself has admitedly had ideas along the way that he added. But the fact he's still able to connect every new idea instead of having to retcon things is what makes one piece feel so perfectly planned and tied.

Anon, you innocently sent me this ask to share your thoughts and unknowingly triggered one of my rants. I’m sorry/thank you.

Anon is referring to this post.

Oda is just a good writer! He is good at the craft of writing! Even if you don’t like the story (I’m assuming you do, but for people who don’t…) it’s just WELL WRITTEN. People really aren’t used to seeing good writing anymore, to seeing tropes deployed effectively and having plot lines actually connect. This isn’t just me being cranky and old, it’s just truth. People are talking about this in film, TV, books… One Piece has been around so long that it comes from a generation of storytelling that is vastly different from our modern media landscape.

I think people are burned out on the way modern storytelling never delivers (looking at you, JJ Abrams) or constantly jerks people around to elicit a reaction, all for the sake of nabbing that viral moment. When they see Oda deploy a trope or a storytelling device they’re immediately suspicious and fearful that it’ll turn into another unsatisfying gotcha. They rush to look for proof that it’s either all part of a detailed master plan, or it’s just a cheap trick to sell more issues.

In both cases, people are looking for a reason to be LESS INVESTED in the story. If he has a master plan, they don’t need to get worried or excited because it’s all heading to some inevitable conclusion that’s been clearly telegraphed and once you’ve cracked the code then you can already tell what the ending will be, so you don’t actually have to care. If he’s winging it, then the story is just a sequence of loosely connected meaningless scenes whose only purpose is to get you hype about a plot leading nowhere, so you don’t actually have to care.

And it breaks my fucking heart.

When it comes to One Piece, so many people are insistent that One Piece is EITHER 100% planned in advance down to every minute detail, or Oda is completely winging the whole thing. But the real answer is somewhere in between, in some muddy grey area that people find really unsatisfying. They want one clear answer that they can hold up as “The Right One,” but life is not made up of black and white answers.

Honestly it makes me really sad that people can read ALL THIS - pirates are evil except actually pirates are good and the Marines are evil except the Marines are trying to protect civilians by keeping countries stable so that's good except the rulers are evil tyrants so that's bad except when they’re not and then they’re good but only sometimes and… - and what they come away with from it is, “Okay but what’s the RIGHT answer.”

The thing that makes One Piece feel like it’s so cohesive despite Oda constantly changing his mind and making shit up is that he has a very strong and clear idea about what’s actually important to the story and what’s flexible. Because he has that as a guide, he can add the Shichibukai and change Vivi from a villain to a princess and make up who Ace’s parent is without diluting what he wants to say.

That’s what it MEANS to be a writer. Foreshadowing isn’t “boring,” it’s good writing. A plot twist you didn’t see isn’t “cheap,” it’s good writing. Fleshing out a backstory isn’t “reconning,” it’s good writing.

[moongothic]

The reason I ended that Crocodad AU where he finds Baby Robin-post where I did was because I actually just don't know what would happen next, where things would go from there. Let's talk about that.

Also apologies in advance, this post got obscenely long. Again. I don't know how this keeps on happening.

(If you wanted the minimum context without having to read the whole OG post, just scroll down to the Plot Section and read until the end from there)

But just to give a minor recap: They're in the tombs of Alubarna, Cobra's dead and the second the guards notice their king has gone missing they're going go searching for him. So there's no time to mess around, Crocodile and Robin need to leave as soon as possible before they're discovered, otherwise they'll risk getting reported to the World Government for assasinating Cobra and boy howdy Croc's not going to be a Shichibukai for long if that happens. The two are there to just get what they want. Crocodile wants Pluton. And the Poneglyph says its in Wano Country

What the hell are either of these two going to do? In this scenario?

'Cause on one hand, there's Robin, who could be scared shitless of Crocodile and unsure what to do next.

If Robin tells him, will Crocodile kill her because he doesn't need her anymore? Because he got what he wanted?

Or might he lash out at her and kill her because the weapon isn't in Alabasta as he had assumed?

But if she refuses to tell him, he'll kill her anyways, won't he?

She can't run away from him anyways, he'd catch her in seconds.

Should she lie and give him a fake location nearby in the hopes of creating an opportunity for her to escape?

But even if she managed to escape, she'd be back on the run from the Government all over again, fighting for her life, all alone.

(Minor note but it's worth pointing out that Robin probably wouldn't know about Wano's takeover, she might not know who Kaidou is, let alone what the Yonkou are, or where Wano even is. Like we know it's a bombshell of information, but Robin wouldn't know where on The Scale of Bad News it'd land, and that could also add to her fear of telling the truth)

Like I think those would be the kinds of thoughts that would run through Robin's mind, and even I can't tell what she'd do.

And on the other hook, we have Mr Murderdile. How the fuck would he even react to whatever Robin would do?

I mean I don't think he'd actually kill Robin if she told him the truth about what the Poneglyph says. I do think he would Fucking Furious and deeply hurt if she'd refuse to tell him, if she'd lie or tried to flee, as these would be acts of betrayal and we know Crocodile would not take that well. Would he kill her for betraying him? Possibly? Since he could see her as a threat to his son's life (the priority), I don't fucking know man. That could very much turn into like a "Doflamingo killing Rocinante" moment for Crocodile in this AU.

But what the fuck would he do if he found out Pluton was in Wano?

Mind you, by this point the country would've been freshly taken over by Kaidou, and it's only been 2-5 years since Crocodile would've had his ass kicked by Whitebeard in the New World. Like that trauma would be Quite Fresh in his mind. I don't think Crocodile would be stupid enough to try to go to Wano. It'd be stupid fucking dangerous, and surely he'd know that. And not just in the "he could get killed by Kaidou" kind of way, but because surely Crocodile would realize Kaidou was sitting on top of Pluton as they spoke. Even if he didn't know about it yet, if Kaidou found out about Pluton being directly beneath his gigantic ass, it would be Fucking Bad. And thus going to the island with the only person on the planet who could reveal the exact location of the weapon would be a stupid ass move. (Of course, without the heir of the Kozuki Clan Pluton can't be released and Momo has just been yeeted into the future, so even if they did go they wouldn't be able to open the borders of Wano, but unless the Alabastan Poneglyph explained that then neither Robin or Crocodile would understand that)

So if Crocodile's only goal in life at this moment had been obtaining an Ancient Weapon so he could nuke the World Government and then go be with his son (since nothing in the world could threaten his child anymore and force Crocodile to keep his distance to keep him safe)... And he found out he was far, far too weak to even obtain that weapon... What would Crocodile do? Knowing he wouldn't be able to do what he wanted, that he wouldn't get to be with his son ever again?

(Mind you. There is a whole discussion to be had about whether or not Crocodile was suicidal during Impel Down/Marineford and if his petty revenge against Whitebeard was a borderline suicide mission. Because unironically I think there's like a 40-50% chance that could be the case. And I'm pointing this out because if Crocodile was canonically suicidal after failing to take over Alabasta, how would this scenario in this AU be different? Aside from the obvious time commitment, and the way Crocodile's traumas would be much more fresh at this point compared to canon)

Like. What can he do anymore? What's there left for him to do?

Fall into absolute despair and give up? Allow the royal guards to find and capture him, and let the WG throw him in jail for assassinating King Cobra for no reason? Or just kill himself on the spot because what would it matter, he'd die eventually anyways? God knows, even if he wanted to keep on opposing the WG, between the Dragodile Divorce (and however the fuck that might've played out) and Crocodile probably not approving of Dragon's methods for revolution (too idealistic, soft, and slow), ditching his Warlord-status and fully joining the Revolutionary Army wouldn't suit Crocodile either. He's a pirate, not some hero of justice. And he's never going to be strong enough to defeat the WG himself, all alone. That's what the Ancient Weapon was for to begin with.

So, what would he do now, when his final option had been crossed out, labeled impossible. Would death be the easy way out, and at least give him the peace of mind knowing his son could never be linked back to him and put into danger because of him?

But what would happen to Robin?

If Crocodile allowed himself to become captured and go to jail, Robin would be doomed too. Between his hatred of the Government and Robin being an innocent child, surely he didn't want the Government to get their hands on her, they'd just put her to death. But what else could he do? Tell her to run? Leave her to fend for herself all over again? Alone? Would he have it in him to tell her that?

Or would Crocodile's anger and spite at the Government be more powerful than his despair? Would he rather flee with Robin for now and figure things out later, when they're not in some ancient tombs with the corpse of a king where they could be found out any second and be in far deeper shit than they're already in?

And I think this is where we circle back to what Robin would do, first. Because even if Robin told Crocodile the truth, there's still multiple ways she could do that, and depending on how Robin went about it, that could influence Crocodile's reaction too, couldn't it?

If the two hadn't become too fond of each other yet, and Robin very calmly told Crocodile Pluton was in Wano, I think he could just become kind of catatonic in shock and horror, falling into despair. Maybe without saying a word he'd just walk out of the tombs straight to the guards without ever looking back. Abandoning Robin and leaving her running for her life again, alone.

But Robin is at this point a 12 year old child***

The sheer intensity of this situation could become too much for her. And if she had become fond of Crocodile, if despite everything she still wanted to stay with him because he had been the only source of safety she had had in three years... what if she just burst into tears, and told Crocodile she was afraid of him and what he might do to her because he might not like what the Poneglyph said? What would Crocodile do then? How would Crocodile react to that? To this child being not just brutally honest, but emotionally vulnerable and showing him that she WANTED to trust him? If Crocodile had been emotionally flipflopping between trying to remain emotionally unavailable to Robin because he didn't trust her, and trying to be caring (partially because he was intentionally trying to manipulate her and partially because he genuinely felt bad for her)... Would this become the moment Crocodile himself realizes he has to decide if he's going to be a cruel pirate who only cares about his son's safety, or be Robin's guardian? Either demand her to just spit it out if she knows what's good for her, or comfort her and tell her he would never hurt her regardless of what the Poneglyph said? And... almost regardless of what Crocodile would choose, could Robin's outburst still like... both soften the blow of the bad news and emotionally ground Crocodile? So that he wouldn't fall into despair?

If so... Guess the two would just have to flee then. Leave their hostage (be it the (unconcious???) pregnant queen or baby Vivi) behind, and just leave Alabasta. There'd be nothing left in that country for them anyways, nothing but people who could catch Crocodile and report him to the World Government for assasinating their King (mainly Shaka who could probably tell their king was murdered by a heavy smoker thanks to his DF and then realize it was Crocodile if he ever gotten within sniffing distance from him), leading to his Shichibukai Status to being stripped from him. Escaping and never coming back would be their priority.

Whatever the fuck would happen next is a bloody mystery though

Like IDK maybe, after getting over whatever emotional turmoil he'd be going through, Crocodile could start building an organization of some kind?? But this time with the intent of wrecking Kaidou's ass and taking over Wano himself????? (Roccoco Works wouldn't nececarily have to be a secret organization either since if he wanted to take over a non-WG Affiliated country from some pirate... He could just do that. The WG shouldn't care. He would have to be extremely careful though to make sure nobody ever found out his sweet little assistant/secretary Miss Sunday was actually Nico Robin. Also if he was the Rev Army's Secret Sugar Daddy he'd have to be extremely careful who he would hire to work for him. Like the hiring process would be extremely selective still, if not more-so than with BW?) Also he could spend a fuck ton of time just working out to get as swole as humanly possible. Because god knows he'll need to if he wanted to actually fight Kaidou and survive with all his limbs still in-tact. Maybe try to get friendly with Moria too knowing Moria has some serious beef with Kaidou and could be down for getting revenge one day. But mind you, this would be A Whole Process which would no doubt take years if not decades.

All while looking after Robin. Because he was all she had and he couldn't possibly abandon her now. He's in too deep.

And this is where my brain finally hits a brick wall with this AU, I can't imagine how shit would go down from here on. Because IDK, this whole thing started out more as a thought experiment (of "how would things be different if they met earlier") and the further you go down the timeline it stops being wild what if-speculation and more just a fanfic lmao

***(Look if I'm not wrong, the year Luffy was born Robin should be going 11 turning 12, right? (And Croc 27 -> 28). But if enough time has passed that Vivi has been born, well, Robin's birthday is a few days after Vivi's, so she could've turned 13 by now. Or hell, this whole shitshow of a scenario could take place on her birthday if you wanted to be really evil) (But if I'm wrong and Robin was 10 -> 11 the year Luffy was born, then she'd be around turning 12 at this point) (This shit is so complicated aaaaa 😭)

One more note because I might as well put them in the same post

So in my mind, if Crocodad Real IN GENERAL then it would make perfect sense to me if Crocodile's reason for wanting his funny little military nation and to obtain Pluton was to nuke Marijoa and just delete the World Government so his baby boy would be safe. Because god knows if the Government found out Dragon had a son (or that he had been involved with the Revs/plotted against them and that he had a son), that baby boy would become a target for the WG. Thus he couldn't even take his child with him and raise him like Bege or Big Mom did with their kids. Like it wasn't even an option. And because that's like my default headcanon already, I'm obviously applying it to this silly Crocodad AU.

But it raises a fun question; what would Crocodile tell baby Robin about his motivations?

Like, I can perfectly imagine Crocodile explaining to Robin that he hates the WG and wants to destroy them, and that not only would Robin be safe with him (not just in the "I won't hurt you or turn you in to the Marines, we're on the same side", or the "I'm stronk and can protect you from danger" way, but also "the WG can't find you if you're under my wing" way), but also if she helped him find an Ancient Weapon, she could help him defeat her greatest enemy for once and for all and become free herself.

And that's not a bad deal, now is it.

But even if Crocodile explained that to Robin when they'd first meet, just to get her to agree to coming with him, surely it would take Robin some time to actually start trusting Crocodile, after spending the past three years on the run. 'Cause in her mind, either the Government Approved Pirate was lying to get her guard down (so it'd be easier to hand her over to the WG), or the Government Approved Pirate was explicitly admitting to being a backstabber and couldn't be trusted. But hey Papadile could maybe win her trust with some time, plenty of books and maybe a few plushies

However.

I'm sure Robin would wonder WHY Crocodile wanted to destroy the World Government. And Crocodile sure as fucking hell would never tell her it was because he had a son, god knows he would not trust her with that information. I'm not sure if Robin would ask about Crocodile's motivations, and even if she did, I'm sure he'd find a way to respond in a truthful way without telling her anything (Like arguably he isn't free from the WG either, he can either play and pretend to be on their side until they decide they have no more use for him, or try to eliminate them first and ensure his own safety. So he could tell Robin that as an excuse) (Kill-or-Be-Killed is not a great life lesson to be teaching Nico Robin Age 12) And you know, not knowing why this Scary Pirate wants a weapon of mass destruction would raise alarm bells in anyone's mind. Robin isn't stupid.

And now we circle right back to the begining of this post. Again. This post is a fucking timeloop, there is no escape. What would Robin do when Crocodile would ask her to read him the Poneglyph. Because there is that option that she could try to ask him Crocodile why he wanted to destroy the WG, then and there. Possibly defiantly, possibly calmly, possibly with tears running down her little face because she's scared out of her mind and wants to have faith in her guardian, but is unsure because the situation she's found herself in is a train wreck and Croc's on thin ice. And would she start with the question right away, or would she first tell the truth and then, after seeing Crocodile's reaction, ask him about it? And would Crocodile tell her? The TL:DR; of it? That he had a son whom the WG would want dead if they ever found out about it, a son he wanted to protect? That that's what this all was about?

And how would Robin feel about such a revelation?

Because on one hand, it could be calming for her, to understand that Crocodile wasn't out for world domination like a cartoon villian or anything, that his motivations were actually understandable. He just wanted to protect his family. But on the other hand... if Robin had been (conciously or subconciously) hoping to find a father figure in Crocodile... would finding out that Crocodile had his own son, his own family somewhere out there... Would that knowledge break Robin? Because in her mind, even if she hadn't wished for it conciously, Crocodile could never become a father for her? Because if/when Crocodile would get what he wanted, he'd just go be with his son?

Keep in mind. Robin's core fears and trauma come from not just betrayal, but also abandonment. A fear of being alone. Even if it was for Robin's own sake, her mother left her behind. She wasn't able to find friends or community in Ohara at all, even with the people of the library she felt left out because they wouldn't allow her to participate in the Poneglyph research (understandable on their part) And even when Robin's uncle and his family "adopted" her, she was treated as an other in the family. An unwanted burden, a servant. Not a real member of the family.

Finding out Crocodile had a family he wanted to return to could in her mind mean she was going to become abandoned again, left behind to fend for herself. Even if the WG wasn't out to get her, that would still be absolutely soul crushing for a child. And even if Crocodile did decide to adopt Robin, would she not be afraid of being treated as an other in that family too, because she wasn't his daughter? That he'd never love her the way he'd love his own son?

How would the truth behind Crocodile's motivations actually make Robin feel?

And one final gut punch before I go:

Would Crocodile struggle with some kind of guilt and shame over looking after Robin when he had his son somewhere out there? Would he be beating himself up inside because he couldn't stop himself for caring so damn much about this poor kid, but didn't want to treat Robin like some kind of a replacement for his own child? And would those feelings get even worse after finding out he couldn't even get Pluton because the bloody thing was hiding under Kaidou's ass? Would Crocodile feel horrible about how he had to abandon his son seemingly forever and then found himself looking after some other child instead?

Also. If the Dragodile Divorce was bad, especially in the "Dragon wasn't particularly accepting" kinda way, and if Crocodile had this deep fear inside of him about whether or not his son would ever accept him as his other dad and/or be upset about not having a mom (a fear that could get worse over time since he wouldn't have been with his baby from the begining, that he'd have to show up in his child's life later, praying for acceptance and forgiveness for having to leave him behind)... Would Robin potentially expressing that she saw Crocodile as a father-figure kind of break Crocodile (in a good way)? Not just because of the gender affirmation (for the recently transitioned guy mind you), but also because it'd mean that there was at least one person in the world who looked at him and thought they wanted him as their father? And could that happiness then like ADD ON to whatever guilt Crocodile could also be feeling?

These two are such broken people. I can not help but to wonder if they'd be able to navigate through their complicated emotions and find the healing and comfort they both so desperately need.

Anyway yeah that's the post, hope you enjoyed The Thoughts

[kaizokuou-ni-naru]

Hello! I have a question about chapter 1100. When St Saturn was talking with Kuma why they wanted him to be a shichibukai, in the official english translation, he said that "A rookie named Ace recently knocked out one of the seven, and we have been searching for a replacement."

I was so confused by this because from what we know, Ace was offered the shichibukai spot but declined it. The shichibukai he knocked out (some time after he had declined the offer) was Jinbei and until before Marineford War, he was still a shichibukai and was never replaced.

I'm wondering what the original Japanese text was and if this is a translation error.

it seems like the shichibukai referenced in that line is not jinbe; it's someone else whose identity we don't know. the japanese only says 一角/ikkaku, 'one member'; we know it doesn't make sense for it to be jinbe because as you've said jinbe maintains his shichibukai title until marineford. ace's fight with jinbe seems to have been a separate event from this fight- bear in mind ace was just running around getting in fights with everyone at this point. additionally, ace's fight with jinbe ended in a stalemate, not victory, so it wouldn't make sense to describe that fight this way anyways.

while the text doesn't clarify what happened to this unnamed shichibukai, we can probably assume ace either killed them or injured them very severely, given that i don't think we've been given any indication that losing a fight to a pirate is/was grounds to lose one's shichibukai title in itself.

[gildedmuse]

Fandom rookie here. Could you please walk me through your Zoro/Law and Zoro/Ace HCs? Love your humor btw!

Ahhh! A little fandom greenhorn! So cute!

You have asked the wrong person the wrong question, newbie.

ZoLaw:

Zoro is from the East, and while he isn't use to Winter Island Cold, he naturally runs hot. Law is from the North and while he HATES being stuck on Summer Islands on hot days, he naturally runs cool. They balance each other beautifully when they share a bed.

Up in the North Blue, it's considered weak to admit that you're cold. Weaknesses gets people killed in the North Blue, so having someone imply you need an extra blanket is a direct insult to a person's ability to keep themselves and their loved ones alive. So obviously Law would never need the extra heat.... But he MAY find himself scooting closer to Zoro-ya on the chillier nights.

The handle of a katana isn't the only thing Zoro can talk around.

...

(Cock. He can talk around a mouth full of cock. And Law LOVES it. Its the only time he can stand one of the Strawhats yapping on).

Look, Law is scientifically minded and likes to believe he is very rational (that's open to debate). He's seen Zoro-ya in the sea and knows he doesn't have a devil's fruit. But sometimes it feels like he does. SPECIFICALLY, one that somehow manages to undo every single one of Law's plans. Because the problem certainly isn't in Law! His plans are complex and perfect. But anytime he comes up for one about how to, say, ask Zoro-ya out it always somehow manages to go terribly wrong. It MUST be a devil's fruit ability.

The first time Zoro actually properly asks Torao out, he first bows to and addresses Kikoku. Since it's imperative he has the curse blades permission to touch his master (especially with all the touching Zoro has planned).

Law doesn't get jealous. That's petty and below him

Law has personally threatened at least three shichibukai and one very (also highly annoying) horny yonko. Not because he was jealous, they just need to step off and stop looking at HIS Zoro-ya that way.

If you ask the boys when they started dating, you get VASTLY different answers. Law would argue that while he'd of course taken notices of the other Supernova back on Saboady, the boy then disappeared for two years and besides Law had a lot of plans that he needed to focus on and execute perfectly. They didn't really see each other again until after Punk Hazard and of course Law was very distracted until after Doflamingo..... Then the horrors they saw on Zou, though, admitedly he may have found himself distracted by Zoro-ya once or twice even at the time.... You know, he would say it was Wano. It was Wano when he realized what an idiot the other boy was, and how he absolutely needed Law on the ground watching after him or he would do something amazingly stupid like... Like listening to Law's plan for instance! When Zoro-ya endangering his life was CLEARLY not what Law intended! Yes, that is when Law decided this boy simply couldn't be considered safe unless Law is there to watch after him..... Also, it's sometimes nice when Zoro-ya looks after him as well.... SOMETIMES.

Zoro would say "Did you see Torao cut that island in half?" And that is all he has to say on the subject of when they started dating.

Law has noticed that Zoro-ya doesn't seem to pay much attention to what he wears, just picks up what is nearest and easiest and throws it on. On an unrelated note, Law has been "accidentally" making sure to strip down right by their bed, and leaving his shirts right there. His shirts with his jolly roger.

Nico Robin had to use not just her ability but her most Teacherly voice in order to separate Luffy and Law when Zoro shows up with the Heart Jolly Roger on his shirt. Law's smirking about it (while Zoro remained utterly confused through the entire fight) didn't help.

Zoro is super weak to people playing with his ear. This goes double when it's Torao and his stupid, sexy hands. He already wants to squirm whenever he watches Torao do that stupid switch-switch thing, but once Torao starts to sit closer and, even while reading his fingers seem to find their way to Zoro's earrings..... Twirl twirl twirl, TUG. Its enough to break Zoro's brain.

Historically, Northern denizens tended to have shorter and much more dangerous lifes compared to the relatively safe and stable East Blue, leading to them having a much different view of things like romance and marriage. That's part of why tattoos are so popular among North Blue denizens. However short your inevitably short life is, a tattoo is permanent. You can't change your mind or take it back. It's a way of wearing your loyalty.

Right behind his ear, the same side as his piercings, Zoro has a small black heart tattoo. He got it on their way up to Wano.

Usopp still doesn't understand how Zoro got lost on a submarine. He didn't see him for a whole four days! What's so funny, Robin.....

I actually have a number of HCs for these two that basically boil down to "Each Island should have its own culture, and by extension, each Blue should have its own culture the way each state has its own culture but the USA also has its own general culture." This can range from things like what I mentioned above, about North Blue having historically shorter lives due to the harsher environment or being more technologically advanced. But I also had smaller things like Law kissing Zoro-ya on the nose, since up North that was how you showed affection to family or younger friends and acquaintances. I also went the entire opposite direction of "smaller" and invented an entirely Shinto derived religion that's customs and kami differed based on the Blue.

I even came up with particular weather that happen almost strictly up North (Ice Storms which are incredibly deadly at sea and Black Mist, a yet unexplained phenomena that seems to choke the life out of any one who gets caught outside) and then wrote up an entire "Old North" mythology that explains the two phenomena and why they often follow each other even though one happens strictly on land and the other typically at sea. I pretty much full on created a whole religion and mythology and wrote individual stories just so Law could have a whole culture that belonged to HIS blue. The myth in question involved a human falling for a siren, and just like actual myths I created multiple retellings and versions where the characterization changed depending on the message the storyteller was trying to express. But in most every version the Siren, Isa, had green hair (because of course the North associates green hair with fertility; oh that's another thing, I created a whole sex profession hierarchy for the North Blue with the one common feature among different types of sex workers being they typically dyed their hair green, like that was a way to physically depict that you were fertile and later that you were, you know, open to being fertilized) and regardless of how they are depicted they end up turning into the shards of an Ice Storm either because they accidentally take human captain's life, do so and then regret their hunger, or are told they have killed them and in turn kill themselves. Law was told the latter version as a child and so always felt bad for Isa, who didn't know they were eating the captain's life force but the crew could have just told him and he would have left and instead because he is "different" they think it's better if he simply destroys himself. It's a character Law can both identify with but also see aspects of Zoro in; both his physical appearance which I'm sure to Law he just pictures Zoro now, but also in his loyalty and honor which aren't as important values up North which instead values survival and strength.

As you can see if I presented an accurate list of my HCs for these two, it would be insane and make no Earthly sense. I just really enjoy world building, especially when that world building leads to two hot sword boys pining after one another.

Oh, did I mention the whole "green hair = sex worker" association and just how personally All Hearts Law takes that when applied to his Zoro-ya?

Yeah.....

ZoBurn FistRo PortZoro

ZoAce:

Upon meeting him during Alabaster, every single non Luffy Strawhat was - at least a little -totally into Ace. He just seemed so cool (and also hot.) He's like a sexy Luffy and the whole crew wanted some.

Zoro wanted it the most, bitches

[analviel]

What would've happened if Rosinante never got assigned to that undercover mission (requested or otherwise)?

I'm assuming Rosinante is a Grandline assigned marine, that's why the top dog North Blue pirates that were the Doflamingo pirates didn't have info on him, after all they were just about to break into Grandline at the time Cora-san died.

Enter a bit of my headcanon here- he goes by the name Rosi, his actual full name is confidential, only for the eyes of Fleet Admiral Sengoku on a paper that doesn't have any copies anywhere else, and no one knows that he's adopted after it was buried with much effort (a former Celestial Dragon, the only one left of the shameful branch of Donquixote, how would the WG react?).

So imagine model marine Commander Rosi, one of the good ones, with his ever present marine hat on that head of golden hair, bangs a bit too low and eyes hidden, curt but soft spoken -a childhood of selective mutism- a familiar face with a strong background, from a young potential recruit running around Marineford, to a newbie, and then a known saboteur, went into counter intelligence, eventually gets known for a Captain with a ghost ship that easily jumps pirates around the corner, etc. etc.

Like on one hand, Law would die. Or maybe not, after all Rosi could still be dispatched for the Ope Ope no Mi (and fates colide lol since both brothers would be there), but would he give it to a random kid? Idk, if one has a will there's a way, it's easy to figure out something for their paths to cross, like maybe rather than the undercover way Rosinante goes to confront Doffy face to face and Doffy tries to get him to turn- or maybe he doesn't try to confront him and he just straight up gets kidnapped, ohhhhhh orrr we insert angst in his relationship with Sengoku and Rosi and they get in an argument about Sengoku's hand in Ohara, Baterilla, Fleavance, etc. (when you're trying to hide your dirty past but your son specialize in digging those out and the babysitter you assigned to him when he was young is now possibly talking him into turning against the organization you've dedicated your life to and starting a revolution) I can already imagine their argument:

"It was for peace!" Sengoku said.

"Where was the justice?!" Rosi demanded.

I personally think they probably had this argument before Rosi went to reunite with Doffy in canon -Rosi has a temper-, might have contributed to Rosi getting his hands into that mission, and that argument makes Rosi decide to (totally not run away) cool off somewhere maybe north and meets Law there while very narrowly missing his own brother's reputation bcs the Donquixote are more of an Arms Dealer Underworld name rather than a public name since Doffy wants to be openly revered, and Rosi isn't exactly looking - oh wait ugh no that's off topic, I have so many headcanons but let's try to focus.

ANYWAYS. We've got the sparkly perfect determined icon of justice Rosi Totally Fleet Admiral Sengoku's son.

That's the picture painted by the information Doflamingo was able to dig (of the marine that whisked away his key to immortality and maybe possibly the dying kid), while building his throne in Dressrosa.

Now, how did Law become a Shichibukai in canon again? Hearts of a hundred pirates was it? What was the requirements set when choosing the first set of Seven War Lords of the Sea?

The only seven pirates that would be invited to Marineford.

I ranted a bit, I hope this is still understandable.

[blacklegsanjiii]

We've seen the Straw Hats react to Warlord!Sanji, but now that you've brought up the Shichibukai declaring war against the government for their son--how does the world react to this reveal? You said in the notes that his new bounty name would be "Child of the Warlords," but I was thinking about it, and what if it's something like "Warprince"? Sounds cliche, but technically his parents aren't warlords anymore, and I doubt the government considers him their child due to the weird obsession they have with bloodlines :/ anyway prince would also refer to the Vinsmokes so they probably thought two birds one stone. Sanji's bounty is now higher than Zoro's. Zoro is perpetually enraged by this.

Also, imagine the reactions of people like Vivi and Law who literally witnessed Sanji helping take down his own parent. Or even Judge who's sweating over the realization that his failure son holds the devotion of some of the most powerful pirates alive. Zeff sees the updated poster and has PTSD flashbacks of Sanji's birthday party when all five parents visited the Baratie. He and the other chefs spend the night drinking.

I love this au you've made <3 I adore all of your aus really <3 <3 gorgeous breathtaking lovely lovely lovely

You make a good point, anon. They probably wouldn't give him the name 'Child of the Warlords' it probably would be 'Warprince' or 'Prince of War' or something similar. As for the world reacting? The shock that reverberates around probably leads to all their denden mushis and the Sunny's ringing all the fucking time.

Sanji's bounty has to be almost as high as Luffy's, given he escaped his execution and continued being a pirate after he was given the all clear to resume his normal activities. Zoro is pissed about the bounty and Sanji is like 'I don't know what to do about this' as he stress cooks in the kitchen. Luffy is probably happy about that but he knows Sanji is worried and it's worse than when he got back from Whole Cake. Chopper said what Sanji went through was extreme and it would take time but Luffy just wants him back to his happier self.

Ace probably shows up to the Sunny and talks to Sanji about it. Like his parents helped Ace and the White Beard fleet and he can relate about his parentage being open knowledge. How scary it is but Sanji has a lot of people to support him. Perona probably comes by and is just floating and holding onto Sanji while he cooks and is just pulled along while she talks his ear off about zombies and cute things. She also tells him all about Zoro getting his ass handed to him by Mihawk.

Vivi and Law call to ask why Sanji would help over them overthrow his parents. The answer is so dumb and simple because the answer is it made his parents proud. They knew when he inevitably would set off he would become a powerful pirate but that would always be second to him being a cook. Zeff calls and demands the numbers for his fucking parents and is screaming at Jinbei over the mushi because what fuck is he letting them do? The Baratie is closed for a week because everyone is too drunk and also too hungover to function because of the news about the eggplant. Zeff, Patty, and Carne have flashbacks to Sanji's seventeenth birthday party at the Baratie and also yell at Jinbei for that even though he only brought himself and booze.

Like and the other four, who already had high bounties and now they just keep climbing because of the destruction they're raining on the government? When Mihawk's passes Shanks' bounty Redhair calls him up and is like "is this worth it?" And Mihawk is like "If rouge and Roger we're here and that happened to Ace they would do the same thing" and like yeah. Mihawk has a point.

Judge stares at the paper and wonders how the fucking failure managed to A. Escape his execution, which he eyes Reiju for and B. Became the child of not one or two warlords but five warlords, four of which are currently waging a war on the government for trying to kill Sanji. Judge debates for a while whether he should try to get Sanji back again. Then he sees Mihawk and Boa's bounties are both fast approaching six billion beri and decides against it.

For now at least.

[laawlesss]

;; Envy of the Empress ..

— ;; minific monday !! a oneshot (almost) every monday, usually under 5k words.. (..usually..)

>> in which a certain empress is jealous of you.

; words ? ; 2.6k.

; warnings ? ; none.

; genre ? ; fluff/comfort.

; request ? ; yes! ( @nani-nani-nani )

; pairing ? ; monkey d. luffy x reader.

; notes ; really happy w characterization in this fic !! y/n used, they/them pronouns also used. this was fun to write, i think i got luffy pretty okay in this one :3 tysm for the request, i hope u like!! crossposted on ao3 :3

    You had heard tales of the stunning Amazon Lily, an island inhabited by the Kuja tribe, overflowing with majesty. You had even heard tales of the shichibukai who made her home there, the fierce and terrifying Boa Hancock. The rumors said she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and with her standing in front of you, she really was an intimidating kind of ethereal. 

    Her long black hair tumbled down her back, and her figure was a perfect hourglass. Her limbs were long and slender, her pearly skin smooth, and her eyes round and soft. She was the kind of woman who caught the eye of everyone who managed to grace her presence. Now, as she stood ahead of you with all the poise of a goddess, you couldn’t help but to feel subpar. 

    “And… What exactly are you?” Boa sneered, rearing her head back and staring down her nose at you. Her elegant arms were crossed over her large chest, her eyes narrowed at you as you stood alone, waiting for your captain to climb off his ship that docked nearby. You suddenly felt plain in the outfit you wore, although you’d been so happy with it when you had picked it earlier that morning. Her extravagant clothing seemed to outshine yours in every way, with bright colors and expensive fabrics that put you to shame. 

    You were about to open your mouth and retort, before you felt a familiar weight settle over your shoulders. Your captain had leapt off of the Thousand Sunny and made a beeline for your side, a wide grin on his face. “Hiya, Hammock!” Luffy greeted the warlord, his tone bright and playful. Your tense muscles relaxed and you felt your heart soar at the presence of your partner. 

    “Luffy my darling! Oh, it’s so good to see you again my love!” The warlord’s demeanor had switched within an instant, and she held her hands to her face with a bright blush now present on her lovely face. She had an expression of shy bliss, swaying side to side as she fell into her own imagination. You tilted your head slightly in confusion, what was she talking about? Was she crazy, or did she and Luffy actually have something going on that you didn’t know about?

    You shrugged it off, sure that it was nothing. You leaned your head on Luffy’s shoulder, and your captain turned his head slightly to give you a smile. Heart a flutter, you relaxed, any doubts leaving your mind instantly. His fluffy hair tickled your cheek, causing you to giggle softly, and the sound of your glee knocked Hancock out of her stupor. 

    “Who are you, pitiful creature?” She sneered, her face twisted into an expression of envy. Hancock looked disgusted, offended that you had the audacity to stand in the mere vicinity of her love. 

    “They’re my smanibican other!” Luffy cheered, smushing his cheek against yours. You raised a brow and smiled in amusement. He lifted your spirits immensely, his happy-go-lucky and sunshine-y nature ended up being addictive. 

    “Significant, Lu. We still gotta work on that.” You hummed, and Luffy just laughed wildly. He wrapped his arm around yours, all the while Hancock looked as though you just puked on her shoes. She practically snarled at you, her eyes fierce and intimidating. Her massive snake weapon, Salome, had coiled up behind her and was baring her fangs at you, something that had you nervous. 

    Luffy didn’t seem bothered by Hancock or her snake at all, reaching down to hold onto your hand happily. He swung your connected hands, his signature grin on his face. “So where’s the food, Hammock? I’m starving!” Luffy drew the warlord’s gaze, and she melted again in an instant. The bright blush returned to her cheeks and she clasped her hands together with a schoolgirlish giggle. 

    “I’ve prepared only the finest feast for you, my beloved! Meat, fruits, cuisine of all types just for you, Luffy darling~!” She sighed happily, and held her face in her hands. Her long hair swayed behind her in her excitement as she imagined some false scenario in her mind. When your stomach growled, causing Luffy to laugh, she dropped her sweet demeanor again, glaring at you. “You are not welcome, harlot. Only Luffy may dine at my table.” Hancock scoffed, crossing her arms and turning her head away. 

    “Hey, why not?!” Luffy huffed, his brows furrowing and a sharp frown crossing his face. “I dunno what a hutlet is, but Y/N is not one of them!!!” He clutched harder onto your hand, and it took you letting out a sigh and laying your head on his shoulder to get him to calm down. Your captain only quieted his words, his angered expression remained in place. 

    Hancock looked torn, her heart shattered, before she recovered and turned her back to you. Flipping her hair over her shoulder, she huffed. “…Very well.” She sent a glance at you, one so full of venom that you couldn’t help but shudder and slide closer to your boyfriend. The rumors that stated that she was as terrifying as she was beautiful were correct in every way. 

    Luffy cheered, letting go of any anger he felt and wrapping his arms and legs around you in a hug. “You hear that? We can both go eat together!” You smiled, and wrapped your arms around him in return. 

    “Yeah, we can. Do you wanna go get the others?” You suggested, looking around for your crewmates. The entirety of the Straw Hat crew had decided to stop on Amazon Lily as they passed through the area, most everyone excited to meet the Kuja warriors. Sanji, of course, was practically losing his mind even before you reached the island, and Usopp seemed genuinely terrified to step foot near Amazon Lily at all. 

    Luffy’s eyes widened, and he shot off with a wild yell, using his arms to swing back towards the ship docked further down the island. You felt a sense of contentment wash over you, watching your captain go so happily. In the meantime, you figured you’d take a stroll around and take in the sights of the beautiful island. 

    The forests were still but not silent in the least, teeming with wildlife that cooed and hummed. You had been told that Amazon Lily never saw a storm due to its location in the Calm Belt, and you figured Nami would get a kick out of the meteorology of the island. All around you vivid colors sprouted, wide leaves of trees and plants soaked up the sun, and brightly colored birds sang a chorus of songs. The island was as beautiful as its empress, filled with an incredible kind of majesty that had you floored. 

    Your hand lightly grazed over the bark of one of the taller trees in the jungle, your thoughts wandering as you wondered if Robin knew any secrets of the island that she’d be willing to share with you. It was perfectly peaceful, and you let yourself get lost in the forest until it was time for the banquet. 

    +++

    The dining room in Hancock’s palace was extravagant, lined with gorgeous fabrics in every hue, glimmering jewels and gems lining every cup and plate. The elegant aroma of delicious food wafted over the long table, and you had to keep a firm grip on Luffy’s arm to prevent him from leaping out of his seat and scarfing down the nearest entree. After fervently insisting that the rest of his nakama be allowed on the island, Zoro, Usopp, Sanji, Chopper, Franky, and Brook were allowed to attend the banquet, although Sanji did get punched and kicked a few times by a few Kuja warriors who he got a bit too close to. 

    You sat on one side of Luffy, while Hancock sat on the other side at the head of the table. Your crewmates were scattered about in the other seats, eager to begin the banquet. Although you sent a grateful smile to Hancock, she returned it with a sharp glare and a sneer, her hands itching to use her devil fruit powers on you. The only thing holding her back was Luffy, braced between you two, and his arm around your shoulders. 

    “Let’s eat! I’m starving!” Luffy whined, practically drooling as he stared at the onslaught of perfectly cooked meals for him and his crew to enjoy. Chopper sat on the other side of you, a few pillows stacked on his seat so that he could reach the table. He cheered in unison with Luffy, and you laughed. The atmosphere with the crew around had lifted, and you felt at home and safe once again. Who cared about what that warlord thought? Just because she was intimidatingly pretty she thought she could ruin your day? Your found family and your boyfriend were secure around you, and you couldn’t have been happier if you tried. 

    Soon you couldn’t hold Luffy back any longer, and he began to scarf down anything within reach. You could only laugh at his wild nature, and did your best to avoid his rampage while you ate. It was a bit of a task, dodging Luffy’s arms as he swiped food from other people, but made sure that you still had enough of the things you wanted to eat. You discreetly slid Chopper some of the fruit from your plate after Luffy had stolen his, only for your beloved captain to take notice and fall into a fit of laughter. 

    Throughout the meal, Hancock glared at you with fire in her eyes. When you took Luffy’s hand and leaned in to place an affectionate kiss on his cheek while he snacked on something, it seemed to be her last straw. She abruptly stood and slammed her hands down on the table, her face twisted into an expression of rage. The silence that fell over the table was the perfect backdrop for her speech. 

    “Get your disgusting mouth off of my betrothed! You don’t even deserve to be in my palace, I allowed you here out of my admiration for my Luffy. Now you dare to disrespect me by kissing my beloved?” Her voice was filled with venom and hatred, her eyes seething as her snake rose up behind her. “You are worth less than dirt, you don’t even deserve my spit.” Hancock hissed, entirely fuming. 

    You could hear Usopp whisper something to Franky, “I thought they were dating? Don’t people who date usually kiss their partners?” Out of the corner of your eye, you watched Franky nod, but you were too taken aback to move. You didn’t realize just how obsessed Hancock was with your captain, and you didn’t know how to respond. 

    “That’s no way to speak to them!” Nami stood up, matching the anger on Hancock’s face. Your heart swelled when you saw your crewmates coming to your defense, even Chopper, as timid as he was, leapt onto the table to agree with the navigator. 

    “Now, now, let’s all settle down—“ Brook said nervously, clasping his bony hands together. His head swiveled around between the irked warlord and the crewmates coming to your defense, and all you could do was shrink in your seat beside Luffy. 

    “You think Luffy would love someone like you? When he could have me?” Hancock spat, her furious gaze never leaving you. “I am better than you in every possible way, worm, you don’t even deserve to be in his presence!” Her voice trailed off into a screech, Zoro giving a short whistle as if to say, ‘damn, this chick is crazy’. Nami was about to say something, before Robin held up a hand, ever the picture of elegance. 

    “How about we let Luffy decide who he likes most?” She spoke with a calm voice, sending you a comforting smile. The entire time, Luffy had been chewing on a piece of meat, his eyes shadowed by his signature straw hat. Your heart started to pound, what if he chose Hancock? She wasn’t halfway wrong when she said that she was better than you, she was a warlord after all. Strong, beautiful, and empress of her own empire. Luffy had every reason to choose her over you. 

    Hancock crossed her arms and a confident grin sparked on her lips. “He’ll choose me, obviously—“ Her words trailed off as she watched Luffy yank his hat off of his head and drop it onto yours. WIthout a word, he swallowed his food and planted a kiss on your cheek, his arm firmly around your waist. When he looked up, he had danger in his eyes, returning Hancock’s glare with one of his own. It was obvious what his choice was. 

    “Quit talking about them like that.” His tone was slow but menacing, his eyes wide as he stared the warlord down. She was taken aback, a slight gasp leaving her. Relief washed over you, and you leaned into Luffy’s side, smiling softly to yourself. Was it bad that you felt proud? Either way, you had won over the pirate empress. 

    Luffy wrapped his arm around your waist, and tugged you closer, never once breaking his stare down with Hancock. The rest of the crew felt the dangerous aura that their captain gave off and tensed as though they were about to witness a fight. Chopper clung to your other arm, and Usopp hid behind Franky. 

    Without another word, Luffy stood up, pulling you with him. The rest of the crew followed suit, following behind him as he stomped back to the ship. You felt a little embarrassed, because of your actions the banquet was apparently canceled, and though you felt a strong disinclination towards Hancock, it twisted your heart to see her on the verge of tears as Luffy left her behind. 

    The crew didn’t seem to mind, Nami was raving about what a psycho the warlord was while Robin sent you a conspiratorial wink. Usopp was claiming that he could’ve beaten her if they went head to head, Zoro didn’t seem to care, and Sanji was lighting up a brand new cigarette. Everyone seemed nonchalant, but it had made you feel so cared for when they stood up for you. 

    Everyone seemed to be back to normal when you boarded the Thousand Sunny again, except Luffy. He still seemed to be carrying something, and you turned to him to ask him what was wrong. 

    “I didn’t like how she was talkin’ about you. You’re not a worm, you’re strong! That’s why you’re a part of my crew!” He looked to you and sent you a big grin, wrapping his arm around your shoulders and pulling you flush to his side. You still wore his hat, and he gently flicked the brim upwards so that he could see your eyes. His boyish expression sent a shock through you that had your head spinning. “And you’re my sanipigcant other! Of course I’m gonna pick you!” He pressed his cheek against yours, before giving you an affectionate kiss on your forehead. 

    You fought back a blush as you smiled, leaning into him as your found family made small talk around you. “Significant, Luffy.” You corrected him softly, to which he just laughed. You placed his hat back onto his head and his grin widened, looking at you like you were his whole world. 

    As the crew began to ship out from Amazon Lily after their very short excursion, you didn’t stray much from Luffy’s side, and he eventually pulled you up to sit on the lion figurehead with him as night fell. Your heart swelled with love for your captain and partner, and your affections only grew every time he sent you his excitable grin. Pressing a kiss to his nose that made him giggle, the two of you spent the evening watching the stars fade into view. 

[ask-the-shichibukai]

How the Shichibukai Meeting went to Hell

(Ao3 Link)

Admiral Sengoku was a man of few words. That’s why there was only one thing he cared to say before bringing himself to open the door of the meeting room. These words are: «I deserve a raise for this shit».

Sengoku the Buddha, indeed.

Overseeing the Warlords' meetings everytime the Navy HQ had the brilliant idea of summoning them should be considered a strenuous job and as such deserving of the aforementioned raise.

It could only be compared to babysitting a bunch of overpowered hellspawn brats and being kicked in the balls at the same time. And that's only after lowering one's dignity to the point of considering the attendance of two mercenaries out of seven a success.

Sengoku took a long calming breath, staring at the door like it personally offended him: he could already hear screams and clear signs of property damage from the other side of it.

That wasn't the future he had envisioned when he was a cadet dreaming of becoming an Admiral.

Not at all.

Trying not to lose his proverbial composure, he entered the meeting room. Tsuru's understanding gaze gave him courage and hope. He valued her trustworthiness and strategic mindset, but the real reason behind his newfound hope was that she was the only one in the present company who could and would tame a hellion like Doflamingo if the need arose (and it often did). Scratch that, she and Hawkeyes, but the day he'll bother to show up at one of these MANDATORY meetings will be the day Sengoku's finally going to retire for good.

Unfortunately, today won't be that day because there were only three Warlords in the room: Sir Crocodile, the pirate empress Boa Hancock and that demon Doflamingo (damn him, why couldn't some celestial goat ever fall on his head from the clouds before one of these stupid meetings?).

They seemed to be this close to turn from screaming to devil-fruit-beating each other, unaware (or just uncaring) of the pletora of terrified and/or amused gazes on them. Tsuru's mischievous look belonging to the latter.

She even betted on the winner of that childish squabble. That traitor.

Sengoku sighed for the umpteenth time and cursed the day he let himself be persuaded to allow Doflamingo to sit next to Crocodile. It was a terrible idea and it needed an immediate rectification even if the thought made him feel like he had suddenly become a school teacher in the need of separating two misbehaving students.

The difference, he was reminded by a very high-pitched string of curses, was that these imbeciles were Warlords. Shame of society and overpowered brats, yes, but unfortunately still the best pirate assets the Marines have.

How the Mighty have fallen.

Today's topic of disagreement between the three was, apparently, a variation of the classic "who's really in charge of the Shichibukai between us" argument.

«I'm in charge here, of course! Number one - Crocodile actually lifted a finger to demonstrate his point - I'm the oldest and number two, I'm a Sir while you two are just overconfident brats» Crocodile levelled both of them with a judgemental stare, taking another exhale from his cigar. There was only one member of this group of nutjobs he was surrounded by that he respected. And that man wasn’t here and probably never would be if he had his way.

«Sir? -Boa snorted - I'm the Pirate Empress! And I'm undoubtedly the most beautiful one!»

«Fufufu! Your petty titles are so lame! It's adorable how proud both of you seem to be of them!» their claims were ridiculous. He was a Celestial Dragon for fuck's sake! Practically a God, with blue blood and all, compared to them.

The oversized flamingo stared at Boa behind his sunglasses and grinned.

 «Besides, for all your hatred for men in general, I think it irks you a little that your precious power doesn't work on us»

 «Bold claim for a stupid bird» Crocodile tried to hide his smirk feigning a cough, but it was’t very convincing.

«What the fuck are you talking about?!» Boa was fuming - literally fuming from sheer indignation- and reached over the table to take the pink-feathered man by the collar of his Hawaiian shirt and remind him of his place in the food chain. Unfortunately for her blood pressure, his grin didn't change.

«Try to say that again when you'll be a stupid block of feathered rock, you bastard!»

To the Marines' great horror, Boa actually summoned her love bow and shooted its arrows aiming straight at the smug face of Doflamingo. She really wanted to wipe that obnoxious grin from his face: he couldn't get on her nerves if he turned to stone, or at least she hoped so.

When the cloud of dust dissipated, everyone could see that half of the marines had been turned to stone, but that infuriating (now very smug) smirk was still there. To add unnecessary salt to the injury, Crocodile hadn't turned to stone, either. Just like the flamboyant cretin had predicted.

Sengoku took a look at the state of the room and his subordinates and, not for the first time that afternoon, thought:

 «I hate my life»

«I hate your life too, if it makes you feel better»

Apparently he had said that thought out loud because Crocodile had answered without even looking up from the terminal he was using to remind his subordinate to feed his dog. Never let it be said that Sir Crocodile isn't a multitasking man. The Baroque Works won't administer itself, after all.

«How- ho-how in Davy Jones's stinking locker did you do it?!»

Boa.exe stopped working from sheer indignation. She had never met men who were immune to her technique beside blind men and her beloved Luffy (she blushed at the memory and Crocodile scoffed). So how had the damn idiot and that reptile managed not to be turned to stone?!

«Oh, don't give yourself an aneurysm trying to work out why and why not. It's quite simple. You cannot be the most beautiful person in the room if I am right here! Fufufu, so it can't work on me» Doflamingo almost fell from his perch on that toy chair the Marines gave him at the look on the empress's face and then added just to rile both his colleagues up: «And Croco-boy here knows I'm right, that's why it didn't work on him either» his grin had gotten huge at this point. «Or he isn’t as straight as he wants us to believe»

Crocodile didn’t even deign that of an answer, just rolling his eyes in annoyance. Undeterred by the knowledge he was being ignored by the elder, Doflamingo spoke again.

«Hey, Crocodile, do you know why Captain Hook died? Because he used the wrong hand in the bidet, fufufufu!»

«Shut up!» Crocodile shouted at the nuisance sat next to him «Or, if you are really incapable of such a simple action, at least go find a poisonous snake to bother!»

Doflamingo opened his mouth to answer the insult, but he was interrupted by the meeting room’s door opening.

«Why is it that every time I bother to come all this way from Kuraigana Island for a supposedly important meeting everything I hear is just petty arguments?» the unmistakable eyes of the newcomer conveyed all his judgement at the childish display.

Everyone stilled at that voice so rarely heard in this room, like misbehaving children caught doing something they shouldn’t have done by their stern parent.

Dracule Mihawk had actually come to the meeting for what was maybe the first time in the world's history.

Sengoku felt the sudden urge to cry.

“My resignation letter! At last! East Blue wait for me!!” he thought, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye.

However, Crocodile hadn’t let himself be distracted by the situation and had tipped Doflamingo's chair with a silent snap of his hook under the table to make him lose his balance so he could kick him away in a blatant (at least to normal people) hint for Hawkeyes to sit between him and Doflamingo. There was no way he would keep suffering the pink-clad man’s presence any longer and especially no way he would keep doing it alone. If he had to suffer, then the elusive overpowered bird should too. It was only right in Crocodile's unbiased opinion.

Fortunately, Mihawk caught the not-so-subtle hint and sat between the two madmen who called themselves his friends. Doflamingo took offence at Crocodile for the way he had literally kicked him out of his chair but then he immediately calmed down thinking of all the ways he could pester both of them now.

“Oh, this meeting will be funny” he thought, perching himself on another chair. His grin sent shivers of undiluted terror down the backs of several marines.

Sengoku really regretted not having allowed Akainu to lead this meeting, but then he comforted himself remembering the new record this day represented for his reputation as the Warlords’ minder: Kuma, Jimbe and Moria entered the room at last, so now all the Seven Warlords were here.

But the universe hated him apparently because Boa Hancock was still glaring daggers at Doflamingo’s sunglasses, so his good mood couldn’t last long. In fact, a few moments later …

«Just because both you and the reptilian kingpin seem to be immune to my beauty – her eyebrow nearly twitched at that- it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work on the others!» she screeched, remembering the pink man’s previous claim of the whole group being immune to her love arrows.

“Why did she have to remember that idiot’s words now that things could finally start going according to the plan?” thought Sengoku, meeting Tsuru’s equally exasperated gaze across the table.

«Try again then, now that everyone is here. Let’s see if I’m right or not» was Doflamingo’s smug challenge. Everyone scoffed. Now, her eyebrow definitely twitched.

«Boa Hancock, you are an intellingent woman. Do not squander that by lowering yourself at the level of this imbecile’s words»

Hancock lowered the bow she had summoned at Hawkeyes’s reproachful tone. She was now ashamed to admit she did indeed raise to Doflamingo’s blatant bait, ready to show everyone how wrong that peacock was to doubt the power of her beauty.

The aforementioned peacock lost his grin at seeing his fun ruined, but then he turned toward the culprit and boldly put an arm around the swordman’s shoulders.

Men had been gutted for much less by the swordman and Doflamingo knew it.

Indeed, the king of Dressrosa found himself on the receiving end of a terrifying glare for his audacity, but the grip he had on the other's shoulder didn’t lessen.

«What’s the matter, Hawksy? Why did you stop Hancock-chan here?» now the glares digging holes at his head were two «Were you afraid that we would start thinking of you as a man capable of sexual thoughts if you hadn’t? Don’t worry, we all know the only woman in your life is Yor…Ehi!» he barely had time to complete his sentence before he had to save his sorry ass dodging the dagger the swordman had aimed at his head.

Yoru the Black Sword glinted menacingly at him from her place behind Mihawk’s chair.

«I just wanted to prevent her from making a fool of herself for your entertainment. And, if you must know, I don't care nearly enough about humankind for that» Mihawk said, rolling his eyes at the fellow Warlord's antics. «Now, take your arm off my shoulders before I remove it for you»

From the place at the other side of the swordman, Crocodile didn’t exactly burst out laughing at the hurt look on Doflamingo’s face - because he had too much style for that - but it came close. Really close.

Mihawk regretted having forfeited his usual spot at the head of the table (the furthest place from Doflamingo and Crocodile) in order to acquiesce to the latter’s request. He blamed Crocodile for that. And Sengoku, because an Admiral and a bunch of vice-admirals shouldn’t need him to babysit those idiots of his collegues. They should be able to do the job themselves if they wanted to be taken seriously as one of the three reigning powers.

So he turned the full power of his disappointment on Sengoku by fixing his unblinking eyes straight on his face.

«Was there a real reason why you wasted my afternoon with this pointless summon or can I leave?» he said without preamble as usual, voicing the thoughts of almost every person in the room.

When he didn’t hear any answer because the Fleet Admiral was busy saving the life of some nameless marine tangled in the proverbial web of Doflamingo’s strings, Mihawk finally declared the meeting a waste of his time. So, he put his feet on the table (to Crocodile’s horror) and lowered his hat over his face to shield his eyes from the room’s lights.

A nap would surely be a more productive way to spend his afternoon than whatever this circus is going to be. If they actually had someone they needed him to kill they could say that to him later. He didn’t care anyway.

Sengoku had finally managed to save that poor man’s life when he saw that even the swordman had decided to disrespect him by taking his nap there in the meeting room.

At that last slap to his pride, Sengoku the Buddha finally snapped.

«I had summoned you bunch of pirate scum to discuss the details of an hypotetical attack against the emperor Red-haired Shanks, not to sleep or try to kill my men!» he screamed and oh how freeing that feeling was.

A disturbing silence fell in the room, only broken by Doflamingo’s obnoxious laughter and the sound of Mihawk’s hat falling to the ground. Sengoku felt validated by that.

Then, something threatened to shatter his newfound enthusiasm: a surprisingly high-pitched shout from Moria.

«What?! Have you finally gone senile in your old age, Admiral?!»

Enthusiasm.

A deep inhale.

One thing after another.

«Very well, given that nobody has voiced any objection to the idea, the plan is this … »

[kazmiya]

I have a rather dark, wilding, but fitting theory regarding the Seraphims.

Since the Seraphims were created using the genes/lineage factors from the original Shichibukais. What if they were meant to be made as exact clones of the warlords at a certain age from their childhood.

Therefore, all biological traits and features that they embodied at the time would be kept the same…and especially if they had suffered any permanent damages or scars prior to that age, they would also automatically be re-inflicted on their bodies in the creation process to reflect the changes.

Imagine S-Snake with the Celestial Dragon’s hoof brand mark on her back. S-Flamingo with the left eye’s scar. And most notably, S-Crocodile surprisingly being a feminine figure and with a facial scar, which implies he did not get this from his fight with WB in his mid 20s, but rather from a much earlier incident in his teenage years.

This is surprisingly dark and angsty, can’t imagine how the actual ex-warlords would react to a child version of themselves looking exactly the way they were. All the traumas came flooding back, and all their deepest and darkest secrets they’ve been hiding for years suddenly coming out in the open.

I find the existence of the Seraphims very very fascinating and has great potential for some juicy stories and yet I’m surprised there isn’t many fanfics out there talking about it yet.

I am in the process of writing one myself after I’ve been re-inspired. This will take on my perspective of what I’d like to believe is canon based on what was revealed so far. ✍️✍️✍️

[hauntingblue]

I was gonna complain about the outfits at Amazon lily but the pirate that has just like an open jacket and a miniskirt on is such a slay...

[bluepecanpie]

Before we get into the chapter review, I’d just like to talk a bit about Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law, their rivalry - and their differing philosophies of combat, and how it’s served them in the New World.

I have to admit, I personally preferred Kid at first. He had a cool design, a bounty higher than Luffy’s, and I really had a preference for magnetic powers. Even his post-time skip design was visually awesome. And he served as a nice foil for Law, who could switch/remove body parts, while Kid could assemble artifical limbs out of scrap.

Kid’s situation has people wondering whether Law took a similar L, and the answer is clearly no. The reason why is because even if Law lost against Blackbeard (and I personally believe that he did), it is not nearly as brutal a curbstomp as Kid received, and chapter 1064 is clear that Law looked like he had a fighting chance. Here’s what I think the issues lie:

Kid got his bounty because of the collateral damage from his fights, not because of any specific assault on the World Government’s influence - which is where he contrasts with Luffy. He openly admits taking out his wrath on civilians as much as other pirates, or even Marines. He even attacks opponents as they flee from him. If Oda still had that old category from the pilot, Kid would probably be classified as a “Morgana” pirate i.e. evil, but even he has a sense of morals, camaraderie, and the pragmatism to ally with the Straw Hats - so it’s perhaps just as well these pirate categories were discarded. Anyway, Kid’s fighting philosophy is to attack head on with overwhelming force until the enemy is crippled, or rendered inoperable. It’s probably how he survived the Grand Line - not giving a shit about overwhelming odds against him, and just launches assaults on whoever happens to get in his way. It’s because of this mindset that he immediately set for the New World, and caught the ire of two Yonko before the story even reintroduces him. He sank three ships controlled by the Big Mom Pirates (though it’s implied that he was pushed back from arriving at Totland), and attacked the Red Hair Pirates - and lost an arm in process (Benn Beckman is implied to be responsible). I think that the only reason he agreed to an alliance with two of the Worst Generation was to get payback on the Red Hairs. He of course, also got fucked up by Kaido. So that’s three Yonko he pissed off. Kid this time didn’t even so much as agree to another alliance - one focused on Kaido and Big Mom, as much as fall into one. He in fact seems annoyed at the very concept of alliances with rivals, more so when one easily broke up in the first sign of trouble, because two of the other captains were either in on the gig, or were too cowardly to test their mettle. At least with Luffy and Law, it was more solid because they treat their word as iron clad and take seriously the trust such an alliance involves.

Law on the other hand, is much more methodical in his approach, and even sets up contingency plans if problems arise. He doesn’t strike until he knows there’s a massive pay off from doing so, and is willing to buy time before going on the offensive. He treats saving Luffy partly as happenstance, and partly as matter of fairness - believing that losing a rival in a battlefield like Marineford would just be anticlimatic. He oversaw Luffy’s recovery in Amazon Lily, and as he left - he declared that he’s going to wait a while before heading to the New World, while the others tear each other apart - declaring in the end, he’ll be the one to take the One Piece and wear the crown. This was a good call, because his Worst Generation rivals had quickly hit an ‘insurmountable wall’, and either got their asses kicked, or decided to wear the colours of a Yonko. Law, meanwhile hedged his bets with the World Government by filling a Shichibukai position - and even that primarily was to complete a long-running scheme of revenge against Doflamingo, by pitting his business partner Kaido against him. In many of Law’s fights, he’s pitted in some disadvantage and is often on the defensive, so he uses the element of surprise to quickly turn the tables. The versatility of his devil fruit power grants Law several opportunities to catch his opponent by surprise and gain the edge, as we saw against Doflamingo (though he was able to quickly recover due to his own shrewdness, and familiarity with Law) as well as Blackbeard. Law at the very least was literally trained to be a pirate by one of the most dangerous and influential prate crews at the time, and used that training to hone one of the most difficult fruit powers to control. If that doesn’t show how methodical Law is, I don’t know what does.

Both Law and Kid took down Big Mom together their approaches complemented each other very well. But since parting ways, they’ve independently being put to the test by the Yonko on their resolve -with only those who’ve taken them seriously resolving to clash against them. Only Luffy has personally defeated one and that’s why he joined their number.

It’s easy to see why Kid lost. Shanks, unlike Big Mom or Kaido - took him very seriously. Kid’s approach to conflict ensured that he’d lose, and quickly at that. Shanks even brought giants to squash the crew - not that he needed them. Law’s fatewill probably be similar or different, but it’s clear that Law has performed better because of his tactical way of fighting. I personally wouldn’t be surprised if Law emerges his fight relatively unscathed.

[sulky-cabbage]

✨️Reading One Piece with my Dofladile goggles on✨️

(My English is kinda trash)

Let's start with these amazing panels

Ahhh yes Doflamingo kicking Luffy around while talking about Crocodile being defeated because of him.

Now let's go back to the first time we saw doflamingo...

"Let's discuss what we came here to discuss...Fufufufu! And quickly wrap up this meeting"

He was in marijoa literally bullying the marines to start the meeting, he wanted to know what happened.

Then he says..

"I wasn't planning to come either, but my business has been going so smoothly as of late, I came here out of boredom"

Hmmmm idk that sounds very sus, he is obviously obsessed he was literally going through the bounties until he saw Luffy's bounty and decided it was him.

Of course he's going to attend the meeting to know what is going on..

And ...

what made me make this post in the first place is this..

Why did He go to jaya???? The island the Strawhats went to right after Alabasta🤨

Was he fucking chasing after Luffy???

He came from dressrosa (in the new world)-> to marijoa to attend the meeting -> (then after he became sure it's luffy he literally flied across half of the world through sabaody, water 7 and all those islands) -> to reach Jaya

And if you read the page you can conclude that doflamingo probably called bellamy with a din din mushi to tell him to just kick the strawhats out, and not fight them (he knew Bellamy would lose), and if bellamy lost, doflamingo will kill him for humiliating doflamingo's flag, that was the agreement we learned about in dressrosa, he spared him here...

Now why did doflamingo tell him to just leave the strawhats alone, and yet come to jaya running??? I'm just picturing him really mad, flying over the clouds like that scene in punk hazard, and planning to take revenge on luffy himself😂 especially since luffy is a D too.

And when bellamy said: "If I merely kicked them out... they will get to your position eventually"

Doflamingo replied: "That is very thoughtful of you my royal follower. I like that.."

And started talking about the new era and shit, did he decide to wait for Luffy to come to him instead???

Marineford

"Current and former Shichibukai all gathered here...fufufu"

He was very excited to see Crocodile again 🥰

And finally the fated reunion..

LOOK AT HIM

He even helped Croc by stopping jozu🥰

And started flirting OMG DOFFY CALM DOWN

There's just something about this exchange, it feels very... out of place, everyone around them fighting while they're standing in the middle of the battle field flirting and having a friendly conversation in front of white beard's ship,and doflamingo inviting crocodile to team up against white beard to bring the new era, since everyone knows croc has a grudge against him.

and I think this is the only time we see crocodile smile in this arc, the exchange ends with him being a tsundere as usual which is great, I also feel like this shows they knew each other from a time back when they were rookies, they were both at lougetown the day of Roger's execution, so they probably go waaay back.

So when crocodile switched sides, and started helping white beard (the symbol of the old era) against the government, doflamingo got mad..

Now why the hell is doflamingo focusing on crocodile this much???

What is Oda thinking?? What exactly is their relationship?

I hope we have a similar scene after doffy breaks out from prison, but in reverse with crocodile asking doffy how he found the bath of blood, and Then doflamingo asking to join cross guild (basically begging to be his subordinate like crocodile said), that would be awesome foreshadowing.

Then they would be working together ushering in the new era for real this time!! Maybe With moria and mihawk too!! They were all at Roger's execution after all, but now they're all fighting against the world government, while in marineford crocodile was the only one on whitebeard's side, while doffy, mihawk, and moria were fighting on behalf the world government.

[moongothic]

It's so funny to rewatch pre-timeskip OP now that I have Terminal Crocodile Brainrot, because like. I don't think I ever really realized how the man just HAUNTS the narrative after Alabasta all the way until he's "reunited" with Luffy in Impel Down. How he keeps on being mentioned time and time again, the story never letting us forget about him like so many other villians Luffy had defeated thus far

Aokiji mentioning part of the reason he let Luffy escape with his life was because Luffy had dealt with Crocodile

That revolutionary explaining to Dragon how Luffy had gained a large bounty after causing not just an incident in Enies Lobby but also was the one who took down Crocodile

Blackbeard targetting Luffy and then bringing in Ace because he wanted the vacant Shichibukai seat from Crocodile

Kuma arriving at Thriller Bark to talk to Moria about the incoming war and how the Government was concerned about him fighting Luffy when Luffy had been the one who took down Crocodile

And let's not forget Miss Goldenweek's cover story during the CP9 Saga, letting us know ahead of time where Crocodile was heading

Not to mention the whole build-up to the reunion during Impel Down. Like the way we cut to Ace and Jinbei a few times and get to see Crocodile('s hook, primarily) as a little tease, and then there's also the few times he gets name dropped by other characters, constantly reminding us that He's Here (like Domino, who mentioned Crocodile taking the traditional 200 Celcius Bath at the prison's entrance like all new prisoners do without batting an eye, or Iva-chan who mentions to Bon-chan that their former boss was being held at Level 6 with Ace). But then there's my favorite, more subtle thing, where Impel Down essentially does a Baroque Works Countdown to reuniting with Crocodile. At Level 2 we reunite with Mr 3, Level 3 we reunite with Mr 2, Level 4 we get to see Mr 1. Skip ahead to the final level and there he is, Mr 0 himself. Like that's a fucking countdown, and it's so cute to me lmao

I dunno man, the way Crocodile haunts the narrative pre-timeskip is so cool in hindsight to me, the way Oda never truly let us forget about the man. And it really makes the way he kind of disappears from the narrative after the Summit War until the Final Fucking Saga so interesting. Like yes, we do get Two Whole Glimpses at the man in total during Dressrosa and Whole Cake (and there's minor stuff like in Punk Hazard when Luffy, Smoker and co are captured Luffy compares it to the time they were "held captive in Alabasta"). So he did keep on haunting the narrative. But it got far more quieter, those regular reminders that Crocodile exists are almost gone. And that's facinating, 'cause during pre-timeskip he was in fucking prison. Like he wasn't up to anything, nefarious or otherwise, 'cause he was behind bars, and yet the story would not let us forget about him and his impact on the story. Post-timeskip the guy's a free man, and yet we heard nothing about what the fuck he had been up to UNTIL Cross Guild happened.

I dunno man, it feels like a lot of weight to put on a character if he's not meant to become actually important to the plot

[exaltededge]

@videcoeur

As they exited the shichibukai meeting, Mihawk dropped this bomb on him. Doflamingo, of course, didn't lose his cool at that. No, his lips stretched into a wide grin as he turned his attention to the smaller man. "It may be so," He started, his intense, peerless gaze well hidden behind his pink-tinged glasses. Doflamingo knew better than to interrogate Mihawk about his intentions. The swordsman was about as hard to break as an addiction. He wouldn't get any answer, but part of him was still curious as to why Mihawk even talked to him in the first place. What did it matter to him that Doflamingo lied about the state of Dressrossa during the meeting? What was Mihawk's nose doing in HIS business?

"What is it to you?" A simple question. Even though he didn't expect a direct answer, he still wanted to gauge the man's reaction. How much did he know about Doflamingo's dealings? It wasn't a secret that Doflamingo had taken over the kingdom; only the methods were unknown to the public. Anyone with a working brain cell would know that Doflamingo puppeteered the monarchy's downfall, even if nobody could prove it. But...did he also know about Caesar Clown and Kaido? Is that what he was alluding to? Mihawk didn't seem very interested in the world's state of affairs, so why even comment on it in the first place? This is what Doflamingo honestly wondered about.

Like most other warlord Dracule detest Doflamingo. The man is flamboyant, excessively loquacious and how the Navy approved his protected status is beyond him. Doflamingo should have been one of his assignments, put down like a dog with a clear history of biting the hand that feeds it. One of his highest crimes to the swordsman is forcing these meetings to carry on longer than necessary. Dracule assumes he's incapable of sitting quietly for more than a few seconds, be it metal deficiently or stimulate usage.

Mihawk dislikes few and hates fewer.

In lieu of an answer, concentric eyes meet and hold the red glare of the man's glasses, frown as sharp as his eyes. "Your life sits on my deference for Sengoku and his lack of care or ignorance." Striking this creature down would do the world some good but Dracule is no hero, infighting let alone assassination would incur equal parts trouble and headache he wants no part of ... still Yoru purrs at the idea of cutting the man from mouth to anus.

"Learn to hold your tongue and I will continue to look the other way." The extent of Dracule's knowledge of the man's dealings are left purposefully vague, the exchange reminiscent of apex predator's sizing one another up.