VIDEO ☠☠ 001

[nishishi]

[The first image you'll get to see on this particular video feed is pretty much a real detailed view of someone's eyes. They're way too close to the screen and you can almost see the individual flecks of deep brown when the image isn't blurred thanks to this guy moving more than a little bit. The individual responsible for such a sight is trying his damndest to figure out how the hell this thing works, how you can send messages or even videos on something that's very pointedly NOT shaped like a snail, and how you even know if it was working or not.

Eventually it seems like he's stopped caring, or decided that on sheer force of will alone that it's working. Because the feed pulls back and you can see this very 'good dog' expression on a very simple-looking man. A scar under his eye, and a rather ratty old straw hat perched atop his head.]

The food's really good here! And I wasn't even yelled at when I ate a lot, either, and I like that. [The crowd hadn't been the most fun, but who needed fun when there was food involved.]

An' yanno what? I don't like being away from my crew an' home, but if there's an adventure--Nihihi, then I guess I don't mind stayin' around! [And then that 'good dog' expression melts, as if exposed to heat very suddenly. A frown on his face.]

But there's so much land everywhere! And the ocean is so far away! There's too many buildings and I was told that there aren't any pirate ships here??

[Seriously.]

What's up with that??

Comments

[soru]

[ WHY ARE YOU HERE TOO ]

audio

[soru]

[ on top of that, there's something real fishy going on here. you look, well

fresher ]

I don't think bringing up piracy in mixed company is that great an idea, Luffy-san.

1/3

[nishishi]

[That voice is... wait, he knows that voice, he knows ....]

2/3

[nishishi]

Whadda you mean, 'mixed company'? Pirates are everywhere, everyone knows that--

3/3

[nishishi]

[WAIT, IT CLICKS.]

--Issat you, Coby? Nihihi, I'd recognise that wimpy voice anywhere!

[soru]

[ he sputters a moment, as if to deny this base and deeply insulting accusation.





but it's not as if luffy's wrong ]

Is that all you remember? That's not very flattering at all, is it?

[nishishi]

No, it's not flat at all! Looks like me leaving you behind to join the marines wasn't all for nothing at all. You sound pretty full-bodied!

[What does this even mean? Figure it out. In any case, he has no idea what 'flattering' refers to.]

[soru]

I'd hope I did! I couldn't catch up to you otherwise.

[ even if you sound, somehow, younger than expected. huh. ]

[nishishi]

It'll take you years to catch up to me!

[There's so much loaded irony in this sentence.]

Ne, if Coby got dragged here too, then I wonder if anyone else did....

[soru]

One of your crewmates is here, actually. I spoke with Roronoa Zoro recently.

[ he sounds so pleased about this. his two favourite strawhats. this might not be as bad a deal as it first seemed. ]

[nishishi]

HE IS?

[This is almost an explosion, and probably what's going to lead to Luffy looking for Zoro's post on the board just like his own. He looks absolutely delighted.]

What about the others? Nami? Usopp? Sanji? Chopper? [And that's where his list ends.]

[soru]

[ he notes the omissions. nico robin? cyborg franky? humming brook?

crap ]

Not that I've seen. Is that all? I thought you'd have a bigger crew by now.

[ you're just like zoro arent u ]

[nishishi]

Hey, I'm working on it. I mean, we still need a musician, really bad. So we're gonna' be looking for one of those real soon.

[Yep. No Dead Bones Brook, and certainly no Cyborg Franky.]

They're still a really awesome crew so far, though!

[soru]

They were recruited by you, weren't they? Of course they'd be exceptional.

[ the grin's audible in his voice, some level of fondness he's never dared to let garp hear (for reasonable fear for his existence) ]

Do you mind if I ask the name of your last island?

[nishishi]

We're on Alabastor right now!!

[The last island before that was the island with the Giants on it, and he barely remembers the name of it, so... you get an attempt at the name of their current island instead.

...Which is incredibly telling to exactly what Coby's going to be dealing with right now.]

I WAS fighting that Crocodile bastard, but then all of a sudden I was here.

[soru]

[ alabasta. crocodile. crocodile's fall from grace and power was well over two years ago, and considering that it was unlikely he'd try anything in that kingdom again with his reputation sunk as it is... ]

Against him and his Baroque Works, right?

[ he doesn't like where this is going, no-sir-ee. love that lil headache comin in ]

[nishishi]

Yeah, those jerks. Like the one with the weird candle powers--oh, but there was that one kind of neat guy that could change his face...

[Man, he still can't believe a guy that nice was a bad guy. Sighs.]

Wait, how does Coby know about that?

[soru]

I read the navy's files on the incident.

[ past tense, all past tense. ]

You forget, I'm pretty informed now.

[nishishi]

[Coby has a lot of faith in Luffy if he thinks he's going to pick up on tenses.]

Oh yeah, that's right. You're with those guys after all.

Marines are pretty quick to record things that haven't finished yet. I'll beat him, just you wait.

[soru]

[ he honestly doesnt know what he should be expecting.

it's one thing to idolize look up to a guy for the better part of your career, but it's another when you remember, very intimately, that he has cauliflower for brains. ]

I have faith you will, Luffy-san. If you didn't, you wouldn't be able to meet me in a fight.

[nishishi]

[He's got a few mental gaps in his brain but at least his heart is in the right place. Right? Right???

Who even knows how Coby has the patience he does with this boy but bless him for having it anyway.]

Nihihi. That's the spirit.

You wanna be able to beat me one day, right?

[soru]

I get closer by the day, I can guarantee it.

[ alabasta. that's fairly early on in luffy's journey, going by time alone.

could there be a discrepancy in their strength now? ]

[nishishi]

Well, you know. The closer you get, the more I walk forward too!

[While this... would normally be true, the fact in the matter is that Coby's had two years to catch up--while Luffy's quite literally stuck in the past.

Chances are... they're closer in strength now... with even the possibility of a nice gap in the way where it wasn't before.]

[soru]

I'm very fast. You'd better start running, or you won't catch up.

[ he knows the breadth and depth of his own strength now, he's kept a very close eye out. he's promised himself, something like marineford's not going to happen again.

he thinks, he dares to think, that luffy as he is now is just a neat step behind. ]

[nishishi]

Whoa, hey. Getting cocky, aren't you? You shouldn't boast what you can't bring, Coby!

[As... far as he's concerned, Coby's still... that little kid he left with the Marines, after all. He has no real idea how far his friend has come--and how far behind he's been left.]