#zoro is going to be executed sanji and luffy are unlucky and all of them are broke and in debt. damn. how are you broke as a pirate even

[hauntingblue]

I loved this movie about nami and her ex situationship reconciling and also anti capitalism

[where-s-all-blue]

Okay so I've entered the Alabasta Arc now (I am actually pretty close to the climax in my rererewatch) so here's some thoughts:

Reverse Mountain:

I personally adored the mishaps the crew has on their way to the GrandLine, and the entire reverse mountain is very intriguing to me to this day. One day, I'll figure out just how on earth that thing works.

Laboon's story, tear jerking, absolutely devastating. Luffy being able to talk sense into a WHALE tells all you need about his ability to befriend beings. He also was the first one to hear Laboon, foreshadow for his later on found ability to Hear All Things or Haki?

Whiskey Peaks:

Ahh the time Vivi tried to be a villain. And Mister 9 is an absolute sweetheart. Honestly they made a pretty good team even if neither of them actually knew how fighting works. Personally I would've loved to see more of them, Mister 9 and Miss Monday seemed like interesting characters.

I keep forgetting about Zoro having supersonic speed in these, I kind of miss him just disappearing only to reappear right in middle of the group to mock their reaction of looking at the place he just was sitting on. The speed of him and his ability to momentarily cut through things he later on can't pretty much just tells you that he does have it in him, but it just isn't conscious thing yet. Also unconscious usage of haki spotted?

Vivi being The Vivi Nefertari is one of the more interesting and intense sequences in the pre-timeskip era, even if it takes less time than for example the Arlong Park does and shows just how devastatingly strong both Luffy and Zoro are. I can't believe that these idiots would retort to a fist fight mid battle.

Mister 5's ability is very unhygienic and I'd like to drown him in sanitizer, Miss Valentine needs to be silenced forever, her laughter creeps me out and she honestly doesn't add any value into the conversation. This is a duo I'd like to murder slowly.

Igram blowing up still gets me, the reactions of the characters, the devastated facial expression of Vivi, the sound design, the shocked looks, it's just so well executed.

Vivi's reaction of mixed feelings regarding Miss All Sunday/Robin, albeit just, is very confusing for me. I remember when I met her the first time and all I could think of was "She's a nice person" just based on her facial expression and the words she used.

I forgot that Luffy broke the eternal log pose Robin gave them. Not because he didn't trust her but because the choice Vivi would've been forced to make after the shock of loosing Igram would've been too much. Also because he didn't want anyone to dictate HOW they get there, he's the captain and as such it's his job to make the final decision, he also appears to have been convinced that this way Vivi would be safe.

Little Garden:

Aah, Little Garden, the island I'd simultaneously love and hate. Love because dinosaurs, hate because loud and probably insects large enough to use me as a quick caffeine filled pick-me-up. I might have a problem.

The fact that I can understand the thought process of these giants concerns me greatly. Is this the power of the Monkey Brain?

Mister 3 would be an amazing character if only we could see his self proclaimed genius in action and hear him go through plans etc. I feel like he's just trying to compensate on his lack of battlefield knowledge and experience. Miss Golden Week is highkey a mood and I love her. I, too, want to paint whatever I want and get paid for it.

Zoro actually started to hack through his own leg because he wanted to fight so badly, what a mad lad. Usopp honestly is flexing with his quick thinking and reflexes here. We love that for him. Go you funky little sniper.

Luffy might've used observation haki instinctively in the Mister 3 crowd.

Sanji managing to outright fool Crocodile to believe that he is Mister 3 indicates that Crocodile has never heard the voices of his underlings before and just assuming that the man who answered is Mister 3. The two also apparently have similar sense of humour. That Crocodile is aware of based on what Robin has told him.

Sanji both taking down the Unluckies without any hesitation nor stopping to think about where they came from really tells volumes about him. He also apparently lied so convincingly that Crocodile was 100% sure that it was Mister 3 fighting Luffy and not a chef beating up his long distance murder pets.

Nami was bitten by a bug, which was the carrier of a rare, nearly dead disease. Based on the amount of time one would usually need to wait for the sickness to develop, I'd say that they were about a week on the ocean before Nami developed the fever.

None of the crew members, Vivi included, thought about doing a full body check on her to see if there were any other symptoms than fever, ie her body actively fighting against the infection/sickness. Also her sickness isn't apparently something that spreads, so it's very unlikely for it to be virus based or spread similar to flu.

Drum Island/Sakura Kingdom:

Nami is capable of sensing the weather, and act upon her feelings, under 40C fever. If I have any level of fever, I am rendered near vegetative state until my fever either goes down or raises past certain level. What I'm saying is that Nami is some sort of Goddess or superhero because of being able to do anything with that fever.

Vivi needing to think about whether or not she can afford waiting extra days for being taken to Alabasta or to change the course to find a doctor is one of the stupidest things ever especially since the person who is sick with such a high fever happens to be the navigator.

Warm welcome by residents is warm. And by warm I mean freezingly cold. I can't believe that Luffy thought about yelling to the person before Vivi bowed her head prompting Luffy to do the same (though heavily "encouraged" by Vivi). Vivi saying that Luffy isn't fit to be the captain reflects very strongly her own views and beliefs, but she keeps forgetting something very simple, yet important. Background. She has no idea about Luffy's past nor how he grew up, she hasn't been long enough with the crew to be able to tell just why people follow Luffy, nor is she aware of how he communicates with people. She doesn't realise that when it comes to Luffy, humility isn't a word to describe him with nor that he would be able to set his own pride aside just yet, Luffy is a 17 year old, a mere child, who has just set out on the sea few months ago, who only knows the harshness of the world, where to survive, you must take things with force or be aggressive. She also isn't familiar with Luffy's way of helping others and going all in no matter the situation.

It's interesting to see how from the time Vivi is with them, Luffy is clearly paying attention to how she does things and how she presents herself, the mannerisms and the likes. It's not as clear idolisation and wish for being equal/better than someone as it was with Katakuri's use of haki, but he is striving to learn. If not because he acknowledges how important manners and humility are, but because it makes things easier on certain places. He especially starts to pay more attention to it once Ace joins them.

By the way the sickness Nami is struck with? It's most likely the same as the one that cost the life of Captain Yorkie of the Rumbar Pirates. After all, the ship doctor couldn't heal it, he didn't know how to, he could only prolong his death for a little while, few days max.

Chopper is a joy to have around and I'd physically fight Doctor Kureha at first sight because WOMAN! YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACKING YOUR PATIENTS JUST BECAUSE THEY GOT OUT OF THE BED! What if they need to use the restroom. I don't care if you're a youthful 139 year old lady, you can't just do that. Also how the hell are you still able to move that well? Most people I see start to slowly loose their mobility at 60 as their joints are starting to wear out causing pain and their muscle mass is lowering due to the inability to move as much as during their prime.

I am surprised that a reindeer even cares about something like a blue nose. The devilfruit thing? Yeah sure, but not the blue nose. These local reindeer are dicks with human level of obsession to look like the "norm". News flash, there is no default anything. Your appearances are purely dictated by a set of genes that decide to either activate or deactivate as they please without any warning and genes can skip multiple generations. That's why I apparently look identical to my great grandmother.

Nami is kind towards other women and animals. Men not so much, my assumption is that she is carrying a trauma from the Arlong time that she hasn't yet processed and as such she is even now a bit guarded against the rest of the crew.

Hiriluk's character is closer to that of a mad scientist or a very enthusiastic chemist who keeps forgetting that people aren't test subjects. His curiosity and and enthusiasm are something to strive for even if his methods are questionable, all he does want is to bring people sense of hope, wonder and awe. Though I can't help but to wonder about his story. The thief (him) having a serious incurable heart condition and seeing cherry blossoms that cured him. A metaphor for his past self being relentless and uncaring while thieving, but the indescribable beauty of the scenery he saw changed his heart to be more generous and kind?

Hiriluk's death is one of the most important ones in the series if you ask me, it defined Chopper and who he became; Doctor hoping to be capable of curing any disease there is.

[moosemightymoose]

Heat of the Moment

Summary: The first time they woke up in Loguetown, they were in a bed at an inn, and they didn’t know why but they tried their best to help. The second time they woke up in Loguetown, they were in a bed at an inn, and they didn’t know why but they tried their best to help. The third time-

Ao3 link

Being born again sucks.

Being born again again was an emotional roller coaster.

Being born again again again really just makes you tired.

It was like that supernatural tuesday mornings episode, or that movie groundhogs day, except this was my life. And it was lasting a long ass time before restarting. And there was no trickster pulling the strings, not as far as I could tell. And I’ve had a while to figure it out, with still nothing to show for it.

It had been forty years total. This would be the twentieth time I was trying to save the Strawhats and their allies.

The first time we were close, we didn’t even realize how close, before the marines threw every single person, weapon, and power they had at two dozen people. Some may say that’s overkill, but they only just barely won. It would take them years to recover, and in that time the revolutionaries might actually be able to grab power. But the Strawhats were gone. We were gone.

We died.

Waking up back in that small bed 3 years in the past and I never cried so hard. I didn’t think what I had experienced was a dream, but here I was to do it all over. I was so grateful. And when I found out I was the only one who remembered, only one who knew we’d lived this before, well that was okay. Maybe it was better that way.

Then I was hopeful. Third time’s the charm and all that.

The fourth time I woke up there I was pissed. Again, nobody else woke up with the memories of what had happened, and I had never felt more alone surrounded by my family.

Each time our journey cut short, our crew massacred in different ways stopping us from reaching our dreams. The seventh go through we just got unlucky and a storm mixed with a sea king got us. Never showed up before, never showed up after.

On the ninth go through I decided I wouldn’t join the Strawhats, and instead hovered in the background for a grand total of 5 islands before Luffy dragged me onto the ship.

In all these attempts, only three times we were able to save Ace. Three times. Once preventing him from capture, once saving him from imperial dawn, and once at marineford. And yet, somewhere in the New World, our luck would run out.

By the 20th time I was feeling pretty defeated.

Nineteen times I watched as they all fell around me, my friends. Never the same order, sometimes I would die first, that’s what’s been happening the past 5 times. I jumped in and took the killing blow, saving myself from having to watch as the others got taken out one by one. I couldn’t watch Sanji being pummeled, Nami being shot down, Franky taking a bomb meant to kill thousands, Wado torn from Zoro's mouth as he was cut to ribbons, Chopper taking bullet after bullet, Brook being tossed into the ocean, Jimbe dismembered limb by limb.

Only once had Luffy been killed before me. Only once did I have to watch as the life left his eyes and the smile slipped from his face. I would not repeat attempt fifteen.

And here I am now. Waking up in my rented bed in the middle of loguetown. The first time I didn’t know why I was here or what I would do, but by now I knew. I knew this day too well.

I got out of bed, wondering if I should really try to be on the side lines, maybe join the revolutionary army, or maybe Boa Handcock would take me to her tribe so I could train. Either way I needed to go forward, and the best way was to hitch a ride on the boat I knew would make it over that crazy entrance and sail onto the grand line.

I gathered all my things and grabbed my knapsack, ready to see who I'd bump into first this time around.

If I went left and never turned I’d reach the fish market, where I’d run into Sanji. If I went right I would wind up in the shopping district where Usopp and Nami could be found, depending on which store I went in.

If I didn’t go inside any stores and kept walking I’d find the docks, where the merry was stationed and a lion and a man were attempting to burn it down. Or destroy it somehow, their plan never going well. I fought them off and snuck aboard the ship a few times, doing so twice in a row the past two times, as I wanted this day to just be over with.

If I explored, and I started making turns and going down streets, I stumbled across different scenes. Once I found Tashigi facing 2 men, handing them their asses on a platter, and Zoro’s reaction to her striking resemblance to Kuina. If I made a few different turns I’d find Usopp and Daddy the Father facing off, and Usopp's incredible shot. A different route and I would find the execution platform, early enough to sit and watch. I hadn’t in a while, gone right to Luffy that is. Not since attempt fifteen.

So many choices, but ultimately they all ended on the Merry, which is why I was going to skip the day and head straight there like the last two times but something made me pause. A feeling. An instinct.

The execution platform wasn’t as tall as I had once imagined. It was also old, and questionably stable.

And as I stared up at the structure, people passing around me not bothering with the rickety old scaffolding, I felt hot tears roll across my face.

“Are you okay?”

Luffy’s voice made my body jolt, and quickly I wiped at my face before turning to him. Seeing him so young again always sucked the breath from my lungs. No scar, no haunted look in his eyes, no heavy burdens weighing him down. He was carefree and joyful once again.

I didn’t know what to say, I stopped lying to Luffy after attempt fifteen, but I also didn’t want to talk about this right now, in such a public spot, so I shrugged. He frowned, and looked over at the platform, then back at me.

“This is where the King of the pirates died.”

“Yes. Right up there.” I said, looking back up at the top, and remembering seeing Luffy up there, shackled and smiling, as the marines held us all captive, rain pouring down and making it hard to see, especially with our arms bound, unable to wipe the wet hair and pooling water away from our eyes. Made us watch as they executed Luffy first, his head rolling away from his body in a way that made everything inside me twist up. I didn’t know how I didn’t throw up, snot was clogging up my nose as I cried making it hard to breath. Then they took Zoro up next. They were going to take Sanji next, but someone pointed out it would be more torturous for a ladies man like him to only watch as they killed the girls.

“After all, ladies first, right?” A marine had jeered. They took me first, and after that I had no idea what happened. Not like I could ask someone.

“Is that why you’re sad?”

A startled laugh left me, as my captain always had a way of surprising me with the conclusions he’d draw.

“Kind of. All the people who called Roger Namaka lost someone important that day. It hurts, I understand their pain. To feel desperate and alone.” I swallowed and glanced at the small frown Luffy wore as he looked at me. Anxiety prickled under my skin, questioning if maybe Luffy could see, see how much I had failed and he wouldn’t want me. That this time he would judge me and determine I’m not worth it. I couldn’t help the flinch at my own thoughts and turned before Luffy took notice, and decided enough of that for now. We had a journey to begin. And I was sounding too much like Robin.

“What do you think he saw, when he looked out at the end?” I asked, knowing where this would lead. His soft shishishishi was like a southing balm, his arms wrapping around my waist again felt like home, and flying through the air up towards the top of the platform made my heart race in the best, the smile from the feeling stuck on my face as Luffy set me down, still laughing.

“Now you don’t have to wonder.” He said, and looked out across the plaza.

My heart clenched, thinking of all the other times I had seen him up here. It had been maybe nine years?

“Hey you up there!” Shouting broke my thoughts, and our attention was drawn to a marine with a megaphone.

The fun was about to begin.

I was stronger this time. Sometimes when I woke up again, Id find it was easier to run, I was faster in my defense, it was easier and easier to call upon my haki. Last time I unlocked haki at whiskey peak. Today luck was again on my side as I tested my ability, observation allowing me to easily dodge and weave around all the clown pirates blocking our path to Luffy. Buggy grated on my nerves at the best of times, and right now he was reminding me too much of before. It was only the knowledge that in a heartbeat I could have all these men on the ground and Luffy safe that I held back, because I was waiting for something.

“I'M GOING TO BE KING OF THE PIRATES!” Luffy's declaration rang out, for everyone in the plaza to hear, the weight of his words mixed with the strong will that blanketed the area set a serious tone.

I realized I had not heard this declaration here since the first time we were all in Loguetown. I had stopped here, sure, but I either left to do something else and missed that part, or once I had stopped Buggy from capturing Luffy in the first place, on attempt fifteen. But the universe said that boy will go up on that platform one way or another.

Goosebumps ran down my arms and the winds picked up, the atmosphere changing as thunder clapped. Hope bloomed in my chest, hope that I tried to squash down immediately. Luffy always did this, made me feel like this time was it. This time we would make it.

No, it was two years too early for those thoughts. I told myself to never be hopeful until we were past fishman island.

Luffy had a way of making broken people heal.